Document


UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 10-K
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018
 
Commission File Number 001-15877
   
gabcincnewlogobwa12.jpg
GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
INDIANA
 
35-1547518
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
711 Main Street, Box 810, Jasper, Indiana
 
47546
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
 
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (812) 482-1314 
   
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act
Title of Each Class
 
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Shares, no par value
 
The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
 
þ  Yes
o No
 
 
 
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
 
o  Yes
þ No
 
 
 
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
 
þ  Yes
o No
 
 
 
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
 
þ  Yes
o No
 
 
 
 
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K:
o 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
 
Large accelerated filer þ
 
 
Accelerated filer o
 
 
 
 
Non-accelerated filer o
Smaller reporting company o
 
 
 
Emerging growth company o
 
 
 
 
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).   
 
o  Yes
þ No
 
      
The aggregate market value of the registrant’s common shares held by non-affiliates as of June 30, 2018 was approximately $759,917,505. This calculation does not reflect a determination that persons are (or are not) affiliates for any other purpose.
 
As of February 20, 2019, there were outstanding 24,967,458 common shares, no par value, of the registrant.
     
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
      
Portions of the Proxy Statement of German American Bancorp, Inc., for the Annual Meeting of its Shareholders to be held May 16, 2019, to the extent stated herein, are incorporated by reference into Part III (Items 10 through 14).



GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP, INC.
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
For Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2018
 
Table of Contents 
PART I
 
 
 
 
 
Item 1.
Business
 
 
 
Item 1A.
Risk Factors
 
 
 
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments
 
 
 
Item 2.
Properties
 
 
 
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings
 
 
 
Item 4.
Mine Safety Disclosures
 
 
 
PART II
 
 
 
 
 
Item 5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
 
 
 
Item 6.
Selected Financial Data
 
 
 
Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
 
 
 
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
 
 
 
Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
 
 
 
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
 
 
 
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures
 
 
 
Item 9B.
Other Information
 
 
 
PART III
 
 
 
 
 
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
 
 
 
Item 11.
Executive Compensation
 
 
 
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
 
 
 
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
 
 
 
Item 14.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
 
 
 
PART IV
 
 
 
 
 
Item 15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
 
 
Item 16.
Form 10-K Summary
 
 
 
SIGNATURES







Information included in or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our press releases or other public statements, contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Please refer to a discussion of our forward- looking statements and associated risks in Item 1, “Business - Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks” and our discussion of risk factors in Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
PART I

Item 1. Business.

General

German American Bancorp, Inc., is a NASDAQ-traded (symbol: GABC) bank holding company based in Jasper, Indiana. German American, through its banking subsidiary German American Bank, operates 65 banking offices in 20 contiguous southern Indiana counties and four Kentucky counties. The Company also owns an investment brokerage subsidiary (German American Investment Services, Inc.) and a full line property and casualty insurance agency (German American Insurance, Inc.).

Throughout this Report, when we use the term “Company”, we will usually be referring to the business and affairs (financial and otherwise) of German American Bancorp, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries as a whole. Occasionally, we will refer to the term “parent company” or “holding company” when we mean to refer to only German American Bancorp, Inc. and the term “Bank” when we mean to refer only to the Company’s bank subsidiary.

The Company’s lines of business include retail and commercial banking, comprehensive financial planning, full service brokerage and trust administration, and a full range of personal and corporate insurance products. Financial and other information by segment is included in Note 16 (Segment Information) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report and is incorporated into this Item 1 by reference. Substantially all of the Company’s revenues are derived from customers located in, and substantially all of its assets are located in, the United States.

Subsidiaries
 
The Company’s principal operating subsidiaries are described in the following table:
Name
Type of Business
Principal Office Location
German American Bank
Commercial Bank
Jasper, IN
German American Insurance, Inc.
Multi-Line Insurance Agency
Jasper, IN
German American Investment Services, Inc.
Retail Brokerage
Jasper, IN

Effective April 1, 2018, the legal name of German American Bank was changed from German American Bancorp to its current name. The new name corresponds with the trade name already being used by the banking subsidiary and promotes further distinction in nomenclature between the banking subsidiary and the bank holding company, German American Bancorp, Inc.
Business Developments

On February 21, 2019, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization with Citizens First Corporation (“Citizens First”), pursuant to which Citizens First agreed to merge with and into the Company. The merger agreement also provides that Citizens First’s wholly-owned banking subsidiary, Citizens First Bank, Inc. will be merged with and into the Company’s subsidiary bank, German American Bank, immediately following the holding company merger. Based on the number of Citizens First common shares expected to be outstanding at closing, the Company would issue approximately 1.7 million shares of its common stock, and pay approximately $16 million cash, for all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Citizens First. Citizens First is a bank holding company headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It operates, through Citizens First Bank, Inc., branch offices in Barren, Hart, Simpson and Warren Counties in Kentucky, and a loan production office in Williamson County, Tennessee. At December 31, 2018, Citizens First reported total assets of approximately $476 million, total loans of approximately $372 million, and total deposits of approximately $389 million. Completion of the mergers is subject to approval by regulatory authorities and Citizens First’s shareholders, as well as certain other closing conditions. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2019.

On October 15, 2018, the Company completed the acquisition of First Security, Inc. ("First Security") through the merger of First Security with and into the Company. Immediately following completion of the First Security holding company merger, First Security’s subsidiary bank, First Security Bank, Inc., was merged with and into the Company’s subsidiary bank, German American Bank. First Security, based in Owensboro, Kentucky, operated 11 retail banking offices, through First Security Bank, Inc., in Owensboro, Bowling Green, Franklin and Lexington, Kentucky and in Evansville and Newburgh, Indiana. As of the closing of

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the transaction, First Security had total assets of approximately $553.2 million, total loans of approximately $390.1 million, and total deposits of approximately $424.4 million. The Company issued approximately 2.0 million shares of its common stock, and paid approximately $31.2 million in cash, in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of First Security and in cancellation of all outstanding options to acquire First Security common stock.

On May 18, 2018, German American Bank completed the acquisition of five branch locations of First Financial Bancorp (formerly branch locations of Mainsource Financial Group, Inc. prior to its merger with First Financial Bancorp on April 1, 2018) and certain related assets, and the assumption by German American Bank of certain related liabilities. Four of the branches are located in Columbus, Indiana, and one in Greensburg, Indiana. German American Bank acquired approximately $175.7 million in deposits and approximately $116.3 million in loans associated with the five bank branches. The premium paid on deposits by German American Bank was approximately $7.4 million. The premium was subject to adjustment to reflect increases or decreases in the deposit balances during the six month period following the closing date. In January 2019, an adjustment of approximately $0.1 million in additional premium was paid by German American Bank as a result of the change in deposits during the six month measurement period. German American Bank also had the ability, under certain circumstances, to put loans back to First Financial Bancorp’s bank subsidiary during such six month period. During the fourth quarter of 2018, approximately $1.3 million of loans were put back by German American Bank.

On March 1, 2016, the Company acquired by merger River Valley Bancorp ("River Valley") and its subsidiary, River Valley Financial Bank. River Valley Financial Bank, headquartered in Madison, Indiana, provided a full range of commercial and consumer banking services from 15 banking offices predominantly located in southeast Indiana. At the time of acquisition, River Valley reported on its balance sheet consolidated assets and equity (unaudited) as of February 29, 2016 that totaled $516.3 million and $56.6 million, respectively.

For further information regarding these merger and acquisition transactions, see Note 18 (Business Combinations) and Note 21 (Subsequent Events) in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report, which Note 18 and Note 21 are incorporated into this Item 1 by reference.

The Company expects to continue to evaluate opportunities to expand its business through opening of new banking, insurance or trust, brokerage and financial planning offices, and through acquisitions of other banks, bank branches, portfolios of loans or other assets, and other financial-service-related businesses and assets in the future.


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Office Locations
 
The map below illustrates the locations of the Company’s 66 retail and commercial banking, insurance and investment offices as of February 20, 2019.






mapwlocations10k201800000004.jpg 
  

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Competition

The industries in which the Company operates are highly competitive. The Bank competes for commercial and retail banking business within its core banking segment not only with financial institutions that have offices in the same counties but also with financial institutions that compete from other locations in Southern Indiana, Kentucky and elsewhere. Further, the Bank competes for loans and deposits not only with commercial banks but also with savings and loan associations, savings banks, credit unions, production credit associations, federal land banks, finance companies, credit card companies, personal loan companies, investment brokerage firms, insurance agencies, insurance companies, lease finance companies, money market funds, mortgage companies, and other non-depository financial intermediaries. There are numerous alternative providers (including national providers that advertise extensively and provide their services via e-mail, direct mail, telephone and the Internet) for the insurance products and services offered by German American Insurance, Inc., trust and financial planning services offered by the Bank and the brokerage products and financial planning services offered by German American Investment Services, Inc. Many of these competitors have substantially greater resources than the Company.

Employees

At February 20, 2019 the Company and its subsidiaries employed approximately 738 full-time equivalent employees. There are no collective bargaining agreements, and employee relations are considered to be good.

Regulation and Supervision
Overview

The Company is subject to regulation and supervision by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“FRB”) under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (“BHC Act”), and is required to file with the FRB annual reports and such additional information as the FRB may require. The FRB may also make examinations or inspections of the Company. The Bank is under the supervision of and subject to examination by the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions (“DFI”), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). Regulation and examination by banking regulatory agencies are primarily for the benefit of depositors rather than shareholders.
Under FRB policy and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a complex and wide-ranging statute that was enacted by Congress and signed into law during July 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), the Company is required to act as a source of financial and managerial strength to the Bank, and to commit resources to support the Bank, even in circumstances where the Company might not do so absent such a requirement. Under current federal law, the FRB may require a bank holding company to make capital injections into a troubled subsidiary bank. It may charge the bank holding company with engaging in unsafe and unsound practices if the bank holding company fails to commit resources to such a subsidiary bank or if it undertakes actions that the FRB believes might jeopardize the bank holding company’s ability to commit resources to such subsidiary bank.
With certain exceptions, the BHC Act prohibits a bank holding company from engaging in (or acquiring direct or indirect control of more than 5 percent of the voting shares of any company engaged in) nonbanking activities. One of the principal exceptions to this prohibition is for activities deemed by the FRB to be “closely related to banking.” Under current regulations, bank holding companies and their subsidiaries are permitted to engage in such banking-related business ventures as consumer finance; equipment leasing; credit life insurance; computer service bureau and software operations; mortgage banking; and securities brokerage.
Under the BHC Act, certain well-managed and well-capitalized bank holding companies may elect to be treated as a “financial holding company” and, as a result, be permitted to engage in a broader range of activities that are “financial in nature” and in activities that are determined to be incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature. These activities include underwriting and dealing in and making a market in securities (subject to certain limits and compliance procedures required by the so-called Volcker Rule provisions added by the Dodd-Frank Act, described below under “Other Aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act”); insurance underwriting, and merchant banking. Banks may also engage through financial subsidiaries in certain of the activities permitted for financial holding companies, subject to certain conditions. The Company has not elected to become a financial holding company and its subsidiary bank has not elected to form financial subsidiaries.
The Bank and the subsidiaries of the Bank may generally engage in activities that are permissible activities for state chartered banks under Indiana banking law, without regard to the limitations that might apply to such activities under the BHC Act if the Company were to engage directly in such activities at the parent company level or through parent company subsidiaries that were not also bank subsidiaries.
Indiana law and the BHC Act restrict certain types of expansion by the Company and its bank subsidiary. The Company and its subsidiaries may be required to apply for prior approval from (or give prior notice and an opportunity for review to) the FRB, the DFI, the FDIC, and/or other bank regulatory or other regulatory agencies, as a condition to the acquisition or establishment of new

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offices, or the acquisition (by merger or consolidation, purchase or otherwise) of the stock, business or properties of other banks or other companies.
The earnings of commercial banks and their holding companies are affected not only by general economic conditions but also by the policies of various governmental regulatory authorities. In particular, the FRB regulates money and credit conditions and interest rates in order to influence general economic conditions, primarily through open-market operations in U.S. Government securities, varying the discount rate on bank borrowings, and setting reserve requirements against bank deposits. These policies have a significant influence on overall growth and distribution of bank loans, investments and deposits, and affect interest rates charged on loans and earned on investments or paid for time and savings deposits. FRB monetary policies have had a significant effect on the operating results of commercial banks in the past and this is expected to continue in the future. The general effect, if any, of such policies upon the future business and earnings of the Company cannot accurately be predicted.
Capital Requirements

We are subject to various regulatory capital requirements both at the parent company and at the Bank level administered by the FRB and by the FDIC and DFI, respectively. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements could result in certain mandatory and possible additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have an adverse material effect on our financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for “Prompt Corrective Action” (described below), we must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of our assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting policies. Our capital amounts and classification are also subject to judgments by the regulators regarding qualitative components, risk weightings, and other factors. We have consistently maintained regulatory capital ratios at or above the well-capitalized standards.
Generally, for purposes of satisfying these capital requirements, we must maintain capital sufficient to meet both risk-based asset ratio tests and a leverage ratio test on a consolidated basis. The risk-based ratios are determined by allocating assets and specified off-balance sheet commitments into various weighted categories, with higher weighting assigned to categories perceived as representing greater risk. A risk-based ratio represents the applicable measure of capital divided by total risk-weighted assets. The leverage ratio is a measure of our core capital divided by our total assets adjusted as specified in the guidelines.
Effective January 1, 2015 (subject to certain phase-in provisions), we became subject to new federal banking agency rules implementing certain regulatory capital reforms agreed to by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (known as “Basel III”) and to certain changes required by the Dodd-Frank Act. Generally, under these new rules (which were subject to certain phase-in provisions), (a) minimum requirements were increased for both the quality and quantity of capital held by banking organizations, (b) stricter criteria are applied in determining the eligibility for inclusion in regulatory capital of capital instruments (other than common equity), and (c) the methodology for calculating risk-weighted assets was changed. The rules include, among other requirements:
a new minimum ratio of “Common Equity Tier 1 Capital” to risk-weighted assets of 4.5%;
a new conservation buffer on Common Equity Tier 1 Capital equal to an additional 0.625% of risk-weighted assets during 2016 and increasing each year by another 0.625% until reaching 2.5% when fully phased-in effective as of January 1, 2019 (bringing the Common Equity Tier 1 Capital to risk-weighted assets ratio to a total of 7.0% when fully implemented);
a minimum ratio of Tier 1 Capital to risk-weighted assets of 6% plus the conservation buffer (which, when fully phased-in effective as January 1, 2019, results in a minimum required total Tier 1 Capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of 8.5%);
a minimum ratio of Total Capital (that is, Tier 1 Capital plus instruments includable in a tier called Tier 2 Capital) to risk-weighted assets of at least 8.0% plus the conservation buffer (which, when fully phased-in effective as of January 1, 2019, results in a minimum Total Capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of 10.5%); and
a minimum leverage ratio of 4% (calculated as the ratio of Tier 1 Capital to adjusted average consolidated assets).

The new capital measure “Common Equity Tier 1” (“CET1”) Capital consists of common stock instruments that meet the eligibility criteria in the new rules, retained earnings, accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) and common equity Tier 1 minority interest.
Tier 1 Capital under the new rules consists of CET1 (subject to certain adjustments) and “additional Tier 1 capital” instruments meeting specified requirements, plus, in the case of smaller holding companies like ours, trust preferred securities in accordance with prior requirements for their inclusion in Tier I Capital.
Under the Basel III rules, we and our bank subsidiary elected, in our March 31, 2015 financial report filed with banking agencies, to opt-out of the requirement to include AOCI in our CET1. As a result, most AOCI items will be treated, for regulatory capital purposes, in the same manner in which they were prior to Basel III.

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Although banking institutions with a ratio of CET1 to risk-weighted assets above the minimum but below the conservation buffer will technically comply with minimum capital requirements under the new rules, such institutions will face limitations on the payment of dividends, common stock repurchases and discretionary cash payments to executive officers based on the amount of the shortfall.
Prompt Corrective Action Classifications

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvements Act (enacted in 1991) (FDICIA) requires federal banking regulatory authorities to take regulatory enforcement actions known as Prompt Corrective Action with respect to depository institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. For these purposes, FDICIA establishes five capital tiers: well-capitalized, adequately-capitalized, under-capitalized, significantly under-capitalized, and critically under-capitalized.
Under FDICIA, a depository institution that is not well-capitalized is generally prohibited from accepting brokered deposits and offering interest rates on deposits higher than the prevailing rate in its market. Since the Bank throughout 2018 was well-capitalized, the FDICIA brokered deposit rule did not adversely affect its ability to accept brokered deposits. The Bank had $91.6 million of such brokered deposits at December 31, 2018. Further, a depository institution or its holding company that is not well-capitalized will generally not be successful in seeking regulatory approvals that may be necessary in connection with any plan or agreement to expand its business, such as through the acquisition (by merger or consolidation, purchase or otherwise) of the stock, business or properties of other banks or other companies.

Under the Prompt Corrective Action regulations, the applicable agency can treat an institution as if it were in the next lower category if the agency determines (after notice and an opportunity for hearing) that the institution is in an unsafe or unsound condition or is engaging in an unsafe or unsound practice. The degree of regulatory scrutiny of a financial institution will increase, and the permissible activities of the institution will decrease, as it moves downward through the capital categories. Institutions that fall into one of the three “undercapitalized” categories (as such term is used in the FDICIA) may be required to (i) submit a capital restoration plan; (ii) raise additional capital; (iii) restrict their growth, deposit interest rates, and other activities; (iv) improve their management; (v) eliminate management fees and dividends; or (vi) divest themselves of all or a part of their operations. Bank holding companies can be called upon to boost the capital of the financial institutions that they control, and to partially guarantee the institutions’ performance under their capital restoration plans. Critically under-capitalized institutions are subject to appointment of a receiver or conservator within 90 days of becoming so classified.
The minimum ratios defined by the Prompt Corrective Action regulations from time to time are merely guidelines and the bank regulators possess the discretionary authority to require higher capital ratios. Further, the risk-based capital standards of the FRB and the FDIC specify that evaluations by the banking agencies of a bank’s capital adequacy will include an assessment of the exposure to declines in the economic value of a bank’s capital due to changes in interest rates. These banking agencies issued a joint policy statement on interest rate risk describing prudent methods for monitoring such risk that rely principally on internal measures of exposure and active oversight of risk management activities by senior management.
To qualify as a “well-capitalized” institution, a depository institution under the Prompt Corrective Action requirements must have a leverage ratio of no less than 5%, a Tier I Capital ratio of no less than 8%, a CET1 ratio of no less than 6.5%, and a total risk-based capital ratio of no less than 10%, and the bank must not have been under any order or directive from the appropriate regulatory agency to meet and maintain a specific capital level. As of December 31, 2018, the Bank exceeded the requirements contained in the applicable regulations, policies and directives pertaining to capital adequacy to be classified as “well-capitalized”, and is unaware of any material violation or alleged violation of these regulations, policies or directives. For a tabular presentation of our regulatory capital ratios and those of the Bank as of December 31, 2018, see Note 8 (Shareholders’ Equity) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report, which Note 8 is incorporated herein by reference.
Future rulemaking and regulatory changes on capital requirements may impact the Company as it continues to grow and evaluate potential mergers and acquisitions.
Restrictions on Bank Dividends or Loans to, or other Transactions with, the Parent Company, and on Parent Company Dividends

German American Bancorp, Inc., which is the publicly-held parent of the Bank (German American Bancorp), is a corporation that is separate and distinct from the Bank and its other subsidiaries. Most of the parent company’s revenues historically have been comprised of dividends, fees, and interest paid to it by the Bank, and this is expected to continue in the future. There are, however, statutory limits under Indiana law on the amount of dividends that the Bank can pay to its parent company without regulatory approval. The Bank may not, without the approval of the DFI, pay a dividend in an amount greater than its undivided profits. In addition, the prior approval of the DFI is required for the payment of a dividend by an Indiana state-chartered bank if the total of all dividends declared in a calendar year would exceed the total of its net income for the year combined with its retained net income for the two preceding years, unless such a payment qualifies under certain exemptive criteria that exempt certain dividend payments by certain qualified banks from the prior approval requirement. At December 31, 2018, the Bank was eligible for payment of

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dividends under the exemptive criteria established by DFI policy for this purpose, and could have declared and paid to the holding company $76 million of its undivided profits without approval by the DFI in accordance with such criteria. See Note 8 (Shareholders’ Equity) of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report for further discussion.
Insured depository institutions such as the Bank are also prohibited under the FDICIA from making capital distributions, including the payment of dividends, if, after making such distribution, the institution would become undercapitalized.
In addition, the FRB and other bank regulatory agencies have issued policy statements or advisories that provide that insured banks and bank holding companies should generally only pay dividends out of current operating earnings.
In addition to these statutory restrictions, if, in the opinion of the applicable regulatory authority, a bank under its jurisdiction is engaged in, or is about to engage in, an unsafe or unsound practice, such authority may require, after notice and hearing, that such bank cease and desist from such practice. Accordingly, if the Bank were to experience financial difficulties, it is possible that the applicable regulatory authority could determine that the Bank would be engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice if the Bank were to pay dividends and could prohibit the Bank from doing so, even if availability existed for dividends under the statutory formula.
Further, the Bank is subject to affiliate transaction restrictions under federal laws, which limit certain transactions generally involving the transfer of funds by a subsidiary bank or its subsidiaries to its parent corporation or any nonbank subsidiary of its parent corporation, whether in the form of loans, extensions of credit, investments, or asset purchases, or otherwise undertaking certain obligations on behalf of such affiliates. Furthermore, covered transactions that are loans and extensions of credit must be secured within specified amounts. In addition, all covered transactions and other affiliate transactions must be conducted on terms and under circumstances that are substantially the same as such transactions with unaffiliated entities.
Other Aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act

The Dodd-Frank Act (in addition to the regulatory changes discussed elsewhere in this “Regulation and Supervision” discussion and below under “Federal Deposit Insurance Premiums and Assessments”) made a variety of changes that affect the business and affairs of the Company and the Bank in other ways. For instance, the Dodd-Frank Act (or agency regulations adopted and implemented (or to be adopted and implemented) under the Dodd-Frank Act) altered the authority and duties of the federal banking and securities regulatory agencies, implemented certain corporate governance requirements for all public companies including financial institutions with regard to executive compensation, proxy access by shareholders, and certain whistleblower provisions; restricted certain proprietary trading and hedge fund and private equity activities of banks and their affiliates; eliminated the former statutory prohibition against the payment of interest on business checking accounts; limited interchange fees on debit card transactions by certain large processors; and established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”).
The CFPB was granted broad rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement powers under various federal consumer financial protection laws, including the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Act, the Consumer Financial Privacy provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and certain other statutes. The CFPB has examination and primary enforcement authority with respect to depository institutions with $10 billion or more in assets. Smaller institutions are subject to rules promulgated by the CFPB but continue to be examined and supervised by federal banking regulators for consumer compliance purposes. The CFPB has authority to prevent unfair, deceptive or abusive practices in connection with the offering of consumer financial products. The Dodd-Frank Act authorized the CFPB to establish certain minimum standards for the origination of residential mortgages including a determination of the borrower’s ability to repay. In addition, Dodd-Frank allows borrowers to raise certain defenses to foreclosure if they receive any loan other than a “qualified mortgage” as defined by the CFPB. The Dodd-Frank Act permits states to adopt consumer protection laws and standards that are more stringent than those adopted at the federal level and, in certain circumstances, permits state attorneys general to enforce compliance with both the state and federal laws and regulations.
The CFPB issued a rule, effective as of January 14, 2014, designed to clarify for lenders how they can avoid monetary damages under the Dodd-Frank Act, which would hold lenders accountable for ensuring a borrower’s ability to repay a mortgage. Loans that satisfy this “qualified mortgage” safe-harbor will be presumed to have complied with the new ability-to-repay standard. Under the CFPB’s rule, a “qualified mortgage” loan must not contain certain specified features, and the borrower’s total monthly debt-to-income ratio may not exceed a specified percentage. Lenders must also verify and document the income and financial resources relied upon to qualify the borrower for the loan and underwrite the loan based on a fully amortizing payment schedule and maximum interest rate during the first five years, taking into account all applicable taxes, insurance and assessments.
On December 10, 2013, five financial regulatory agencies, including the FRB and FDIC, adopted final rules implementing the so-called Volcker Rule added to banking law by Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Act. These final rules prohibit banking entities from, among other things, (1) engaging in short-term proprietary trading for their own accounts, and (2) having certain ownership interests in and relationships with hedge funds or private equity funds (“covered funds”). Community banks like the Bank have been afforded some relief under these final rules from onerous compliance obligations created by the rules; if banks are engaged only in exempted

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proprietary trading, such as trading in U.S. government, agency, state and municipal obligations, they are exempt entirely from compliance program requirements. Moreover, even if a community bank engages in proprietary trading or covered fund activities under the rule, they need only incorporate references to the Volcker Rule into their existing policies and procedures. The Final Rules were effective April 1, 2014, but the conformance period was extended from its statutory end date of July 21, 2014 until July 21, 2015. In addition, the FRB granted extensions until July 21, 2017 of the conformance period for banking entities to conform investments in and relationships with covered funds that were in place prior to December 31, 2013 and, in December 2016, provided guidance allowing for additional extensions to the conformance period for certain illiquid funds. We do not expect that the Volcker Rule will have any material financial implications on us or our investments or activities.
Certain Other Laws and Regulations

The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (the “CRA”) requires depository institutions to assist in meeting the credit needs of their market areas consistent with safe and sound banking practice. Under the CRA, each depository institution is required to help meet the credit needs of its market areas by, among other things, providing credit to low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. These factors are also considered in evaluating mergers, acquisitions and applications to open a branch or facility. The applicable federal regulators regularly conduct CRA examinations to assess the performance of financial institutions and assign one of four ratings to the institution’s records of meeting the credit needs of its community. During its last examination, a rating of “satisfactory” was received by the Bank.
In accordance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Modernization Act of 1999 (the “GLB Act”), federal banking regulators adopted rules that limit the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose non-public information about consumers to nonaffiliated third parties. These limitations require disclosure of privacy policies to consumers and, in some circumstances, allow consumers to prevent disclosure of certain personal information to a nonaffiliated third party. The privacy provisions of the GLB Act affect how consumer information is transmitted through diversified financial companies and conveyed to outside vendors.
A major focus of governmental policy on financial institutions is combating money laundering and terrorist financing. The Bank Secrecy Act (the “BSA”) requires financial institutions to develop policies, procedures, and practices to prevent and deter money laundering, and mandates that every bank have a written, board-approved program that is reasonably designed to assure and monitor compliance with the BSA. In addition, banks are required to adopt a customer identification program as part of its BSA compliance program, and are required to file Suspicious Activity Reports when they detect certain known or suspected violations of federal law or suspicious transactions related to a money laundering activity or a violation of the BSA. Effective as of May 11, 2018, following implementation of recent amendments to the BSA regulations, covered institutions such as the Bank are also required to (1) identify and verify, subject to certain exceptions, the identity of the beneficial owners of all legal entity customers at the time a new account is opened, and (2) include, in its anti-money laundering program, risk-based procedures for conducting ongoing customer due diligence, which must include procedures that: (a) assist in understanding the nature and purpose of customer relationships for the purpose of developing a customer risk profile, and (b) require the covered institutions to conduct ongoing monitoring to identify and report suspicious transactions and, on a risk basis, to maintain and update customer information.
The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, or the USA Patriot Act, substantially broadened the scope of United States anti-money laundering laws and regulations by imposing significant new compliance and due diligence obligations, creating new crimes and penalties and expanding the extra-territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The U.S. Treasury Department has issued a number of regulations that apply various requirements of the USA Patriot Act to financial institutions such as the Bank. These regulations impose obligations on financial institutions to maintain appropriate policies, procedures and controls to detect, prevent and report money laundering and terrorist financing and to verify the identity of their customers. Failure of a financial institution to maintain and implement adequate programs to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, or to comply with all of the relevant laws or regulations, could have serious legal and reputational consequences for the institution.
The United States has imposed economic sanctions that affect transactions with designated foreign countries, nationals and others. These are typically known as the “OFAC” rules based on their administration by the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). The OFAC-administered sanctions targeting countries take many different forms. Generally, however, they contain one or more of the following elements: (i) restrictions on trade with or investment in a sanctioned country, including prohibitions against direct or indirect imports from and exports to a sanctioned country and prohibitions on “U.S. persons” engaging in financial transactions relating to making investments in, or providing investment-related advice or assistance to, a sanctioned country; and (ii) a blocking of assets in which the government or specially designated nationals of the sanctioned country have an interest, by prohibiting transfers of property subject to U.S. jurisdiction (including property in the possession or control of U.S. persons). Blocked assets (e.g., property and bank deposits) cannot be paid out, withdrawn, set off or transferred in any manner without a license from OFAC. Failure to comply with these sanctions could have serious legal and reputational consequences.
The Bank is subject to a wide variety of other laws with respect to the operation of its businesses, and regulations adopted under those laws, including but not limited to the Truth in Lending Act, Truth in Savings Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Electronic Funds Transfer Act, Fair Housing Act, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Credit Reporting

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Act, Expedited Funds Availability (Regulation CC), Reserve Requirements (Regulation D), Insider Transactions (Regulation O), Privacy of Consumer Information (Regulation P), Margin Stock Loans (Regulation U), Right To Financial Privacy Act, Flood Disaster Protection Act, Homeowners Protection Act, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, CAN-SPAM Act, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (SAFE Act) and the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act. The laws and regulations to which we are subject are constantly under review by Congress, the federal regulatory agencies, and the state authorities.
Federal Deposit Insurance Premiums and Assessments

The Bank’s deposit accounts are currently insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund (the “DIF”) of the FDIC. The insurance benefit generally covers up to a maximum of $250,000 per separately insured depositor. As an FDIC-insured bank, our bank subsidiary is subject to deposit insurance premiums and assessments to maintain the DIF. The Bank’s deposit insurance premium assessment rate depends on the asset and supervisory categories to which it is assigned. The FDIC has authority to raise or lower assessment rates on insured banks in order to achieve statutorily required reserve ratios in the DIF and to impose special additional assessments.
Under the current system, deposit insurance assessments are based on average total assets minus average tangible equity. The FDIC assigns a banking institution to one of two categories based on asset size. As an institution with under $10 billion in assets, the Bank falls into the “Established Small Institution” category. This category has three sub-categories based on supervisory ratings designed to measure risk (the FDIC’s “CAMELS Composite” ratings). The assessment rate, which ranges from 1.5 to 30.0 basis points (such basis points representing a per annum rate) for Established Small Institutions, is determined based upon each applicable institution’s most recent supervisory and capital evaluations.
In addition, each FDIC insured institution is required to pay to the FDIC an assessment on the institution’s total assets less tangible capital in order to fund interest payments on bonds issued by the Financing Corporation, an agency of the federal government established to recapitalize the predecessor to the Savings Association Insurance Fund. The Federal Housing Finance Agency, the agency authorized to prescribe regulations relating to the Financing Corporation, has projected that the last payment will be collected with the March 2019 assessment. For the Bank’s December 2018 payment, the bond assessment was equal to a per annum rate of 0.14 basis points.
Internet Address; Internet Availability of SEC Reports

The Company’s Internet address is www.germanamerican.com.
The Company makes available, free of charge through the Investor Relations - Financial Information section of its Internet website, the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, its current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports are filed with or furnished to the SEC.
Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks

The Company from time to time in its oral and written communications makes statements relating to its expectations regarding the future. These types of statements are considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements can include statements about the Company’s net interest income or net interest margin; adequacy of the Company’s capital under regulatory requirements and of its allowance for loan losses, and the quality of the Company’s loans, investment securities and other assets; simulations of changes in interest rates; litigation results; dividend policy; acquisitions or mergers; estimated cost savings, plans and objectives for future operations; and expectations about the Company’s financial and business performance and other business matters as well as economic and market conditions and trends. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Report, including statements regarding our financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of our management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this Report, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “can”, “may”, “will”, “might” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to our management, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors.
Actual results may differ materially and adversely from the expectations of the Company that are expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. The discussions in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and in Item 7 of this Form 10-K, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” list some of the factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Other risks, uncertainties, and factors

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that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement include but not limited to:
the unknown future direction of interest rates and the timing and magnitude of any changes in interest rates;
changes in competitive conditions;
the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of asset/liability management strategies or of mergers and acquisitions and other business initiatives and strategies;
changes in customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices;
changes in fiscal, monetary and tax policies;
changes in financial and capital markets;
potential deterioration in general economic conditions, either nationally or locally, resulting in, among other things, credit quality deterioration;
capital management activities, including possible future sales of new securities, or possible repurchases or redemptions by the Company of outstanding debt or equity securities;
risks of expansion through acquisitions and mergers, such as unexpected credit quality problems of the acquired loans or other assets, unexpected attrition of the customer base or employee base of the acquired institution or branches, and difficulties in integration of the acquired operations;
factors driving impairment charges on investments;
the impact, extent and timing of technological changes;
potential cyber-attacks, information security breaches and other criminal activities;
litigation liabilities, including related costs, expenses, settlements and judgments, or the outcome of matters before regulatory agencies, whether pending or commencing in the future;
actions of the FRB;
changes in accounting principles and interpretations;
potential increases of federal deposit insurance premium expense, and possible future special assessments of FDIC premiums, either industry wide or specific to the Company’s banking subsidiary;
actions of the regulatory authorities under the Dodd-Frank Act and the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and other possible legislative and regulatory actions and reforms;
impacts resulting from possible amendments or revisions to the Dodd-Frank Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or to CFPB rules and regulations; and
the continued availability of earnings and excess capital sufficient for the lawful and prudent declaration and payment of cash dividends.

Such statements reflect our views with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to the operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. It is intended that these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.

The following describes some of the principal risks and uncertainties to which our industry in general, and our securities, assets and businesses specifically, are subject; other risks are briefly identified in our cautionary statement that is included under the heading “Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks” in Part I, Item 1, “Business.” Although we seek ways to manage these risks and uncertainties and to develop programs to control those that we can, we ultimately cannot predict the future. Future results may differ materially from past results, and from our expectations and plans.
Risks Related to the Financial Services Industry

We operate in a highly regulated environment and changes in laws and regulations to which we are subject may adversely affect our results of operations.

The banking industry in which we operate is subject to extensive regulation and supervision under federal and state laws and regulations. The restrictions imposed by such laws and regulations limit the manner in which we conduct our business, undertake new investments and activities and obtain financing. These regulations are designed primarily for the protection of the deposit insurance funds and consumers and not to benefit our shareholders. Financial institution regulation has been the subject of significant legislation in recent years and may be the subject of further significant legislation, none of which is in our control. Significant new laws or changes in, or repeals of, existing laws (including changes in federal or state laws affecting corporate taxpayers generally or financial institutions specifically) could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Further, federal monetary policy, particularly as implemented through the Federal Reserve System, significantly affects

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credit conditions, and any unfavorable change in these conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

The Dodd-Frank Act and regulations adopted under that law could materially and adversely affect us by increasing compliance costs and heightening our risk of noncompliance with applicable regulations.

The Dodd-Frank Act (discussed in Item 1 - Business - Regulation and Supervision) has resulted in sweeping changes in the regulation of financial institutions. The Dodd-Frank Act contains numerous provisions that affect all banks and bank holding companies. Many of these provisions remain subject to regulatory rule-making and implementation, the effects of which are not yet known. Accordingly, we cannot predict the specific impact and long-term effects that the Dodd-Frank Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder will have on us and our prospects, our target markets and the financial industry more generally. However, the Dodd-Frank Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder have imposed additional administrative and regulatory burdens that obligate us to incur additional expenses (which adversely affect our margins and profitability) and increase the risk that we might not comply in all respects with the new requirements. Further, the CFPB’s rule on qualified mortgages could limit our ability or desire to make certain types of loans or loans to certain borrowers, or could make it more expensive and/or time consuming to make these loans, which could adversely impact our growth or profitability.

The banking industry may be subject to new legislation, regulation, and government policy including possible amendments or revisions to the Dodd-Frank Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder, and to CFPB rules and regulations. Future legislation, regulation, and government policy could affect the banking industry as a whole, including our business and results of operations, in ways that cannot accurately be predicted. In addition, our financial condition and results of operations also could be adversely affected by changes in the way in which existing statutes and regulations are interpreted or applied by courts and government agencies.

Compliance with the Basel III Capital Rules may have an adverse effect on us.

We are subject to certain capital rules adopted by the federal banking agencies that are based on the international Basel III guidelines, which became effective January 1, 2015. See Item 1- Business - Regulation and Supervision. Some of these capital rules, which are being phased in over a three-year period that began in 2016, require us to satisfy additional, more stringent capital adequacy standards than we had in the past. These requirements could have a negative impact on our ability to lend, grow deposit balances, make acquisitions or make capital distributions in the form of dividends. Higher capital levels could also lower our return on equity.

Our FDIC insurance premiums may increase, and special assessments could be made, which might negatively impact our results of operations.

High levels of insured institution failures, as a result of the recent recession, significantly increased losses to the Deposit Insurance Fund of the FDIC. Further, the Dodd-Frank Act mandated the FDIC to increase the level of its reserves for future losses in its Deposit Insurance Fund. Since the Deposit Insurance Fund is funded by premiums and assessments paid by insured banks, our FDIC insurance premium could increase in future years depending upon the FDIC’s actual loss experience, changes in our Bank’s financial condition or capital strength, and future conditions in the banking industry.

Risks Related to Our Business and Financial Strategies

Economic weakness in our geographic markets could negatively affect us.

We conduct business from offices that are located in 20 contiguous southern Indiana counties and four counties in Kentucky, from which substantially all of our customer base is drawn. Because of the geographic concentration of our operations and customer base, our results depend largely upon economic conditions in this area. Any material deterioration in the economic conditions in these markets could have direct or indirect material adverse impacts on us, or on our customers or on the financial institutions with whom we deal as counterparties to financial transactions. Such deterioration could negatively impact customers’ ability to obtain new loans or to repay existing loans, diminish the values of any collateral securing such loans and could cause increases in the number of the Company’s customers experiencing financial distress and in the levels of the Company’s delinquencies, non-performing loans and other problem assets, charge-offs and provision for credit losses, all of which could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. The underwriting and credit monitoring policies and procedures that we have adopted cannot eliminate the risk that we might incur losses on account of factors relating to the economy like those identified above, and those losses could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.


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If our actual loan losses exceed our estimates, our earnings and financial condition will be impacted.

A significant source of risk for any bank or other enterprise that lends money arises from the possibility that losses will be sustained because borrowers, guarantors and related parties may fail (because of financial difficulties or other reasons) to perform in accordance with the terms of their loan agreements. In our case, we originate many loans that are secured, but some loans are unsecured depending on the nature of the loan. With respect to secured loans, the collateral securing the repayment of these loans includes a wide variety of real and personal property that may be insufficient to cover the obligations owed under such loans, due to adverse changes in collateral values caused by changes in prevailing economic, environmental and other conditions, including declines in the value of real estate and other external events.

We could be adversely affected by changes in interest rates.

Our earnings and cash flows are largely dependent upon our net interest income. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors that are beyond our control, including general economic conditions, demand for loans, securities and deposits, and policies of various governmental and regulatory agencies and, in particular, the monetary policies of the FRB. If the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings increase at a faster rate than the interest rates received on loans and other investments, our net interest income, and therefore earnings, could be adversely affected. Earnings could also be adversely affected if the interest rates received on loans and other investments fall more quickly than the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings. We maintain an investment portfolio consisting of various high quality liquid fixed-income securities. The nature of fixed-income securities is such that increases in prevailing market interest rates negatively impact the value of these securities, while decreases in prevailing market interest rates positively impact the value of these securities. Any substantial, prolonged change in market interest rates could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

The banking and financial services business in our markets is highly competitive.

We compete with much larger regional, national, and international competitors, including competitors that have no (or only a limited number of) offices physically located within our markets, many of which compete with us via Internet and other electronic product and service offerings. In addition, banking and other financial services competitors (including newly organized companies) that are not currently represented by physical locations within our geographic markets could establish office facilities within our markets, including through their acquisition of existing competitors. In December 2016, the OCC announced its intent to make special purpose national bank charters available to financial technology companies. While the agency issued a draft supplement to its licensing manual in March 2017, providing more details on how companies applying for such charters would be evaluated, the OCC has not given any definitive indication as to whether or not it intends to move forward in making such special purpose charters available to financial technology companies. In any event, developments increasing the nature or level of our competition, or decreasing the effectiveness by which we compete, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. See also Part I, Item 1, of this Report, “Business - Competition,” and “Business - Regulation and Supervision.”

The manner in which we report our financial condition and results of operations may be affected by accounting changes.

Our financial condition and results of operations that are presented in our consolidated financial statements, accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements, and selected financial data appearing in this Report, are, to a large degree, dependent upon our accounting policies. The selection of and application of these policies involve estimates, judgments and uncertainties that are subject to change, and the effect of any change in estimates or judgments that might be caused by future developments or resolution of uncertainties could be materially adverse to our reported financial condition and results of operations. In addition, authorities that prescribe accounting principles and standards for public companies from time to time change those principles or standards or adopt formal or informal interpretations of existing principles or standards. Such changes or interpretations (to the extent applicable to us) could result in changes that would be materially adverse to our reported financial condition and results of operations.

Future impacts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) on us and our customers are unknown at present, creating uncertainty and risk related to demand for credit and our future results.

Increased economic activity resulting from the Tax Act’s lower tax rates on businesses, generally, could encourage additional borrowing. However, some customers may use the additional cash flow from lower taxes to fund existing levels of activity and, as a result, decreasing their borrowing needs. The elimination of the federal income tax deductibility of business interest expense for a significant number of our customers effectively increases the cost of borrowing and makes equity or hybrid funding relatively more attractive. This could have a long-term negative impact on business customer borrowing. While our 2018 net income was positively impacted by the Tax Act, there is no guarantee that our future results will benefit similarly. Some or all of the benefits realized in 2018 could be lost to the extent that the banks and financial services companies we compete with elect to lower interest rates and fees and we must do the same in order to remain competitive. Additionally, the benefits from the Tax Act could be repealed

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as a result of future regulatory actions. As a result of these uncertainties, there is no assurance that we will realize the anticipated continued benefits of the Tax Act in the future.

Liquidity risk could impair our ability to fund operations and jeopardize our financial condition.

Liquidity is essential to our business. An inability to raise funds through deposits, borrowings, the sale of securities or loans and other sources could have a substantial negative effect on our liquidity. Our access to funding sources in amounts adequate to finance our activities or the terms of which are acceptable to us could be impaired by factors that affect us specifically or the financial services industry or economy in general. Although we have historically been able to replace maturing deposits and borrowings as necessary, we might not be able to replace such funds in the future if, among other things, our results of operations or financial condition or the results of operations or financial condition of our lenders or market conditions were to change.

The value of securities in our investment securities portfolio may be negatively affected by disruptions in securities markets.

Prices and volumes of transactions in the nation’s securities markets can be affected suddenly by economic crises, or by other national or international crises, such as national disasters, acts of war or terrorism, changes in commodities markets, or instability in foreign governments. Disruptions in securities markets may detrimentally affect the value of securities that we hold in our investment portfolio, such as through reduced valuations due to the perception of heightened credit and liquidity risks. There can be no assurance that declines in market value associated with these disruptions will not result in other than temporary impairments of these assets, which would lead to accounting charges that could have a material adverse effect on our net income and capital levels.

The soundness of other financial institutions could adversely affect us.

Our ability to engage in routine funding transactions could be adversely affected by the actions and commercial soundness of other financial institutions. Financial services companies are interrelated as a result of trading, clearing, counterparty, or other relationships. We have exposure to many different industries and counterparties, and we routinely execute transactions with counterparties in the financial services industry, including brokers and dealers, commercial banks, investment banks, mutual and hedge funds, and other institutional clients. As a result, defaults by, or even rumors or questions about, one or more financial services companies, or the financial services industry generally, have led to market-wide liquidity problems and could lead to losses or defaults by us or by other institutions. Many of these transactions expose us to credit risk in the event of default of our counterparty or client. In addition, our credit risk may be exacerbated when the collateral held by us cannot be realized or is liquidated at prices not sufficient to recover the full amount due us.

We are dependent on key personnel and the loss of one or more of those key personnel could harm our business.

Competition for qualified employees and personnel in the financial services industry (including banking personnel, trust and investments personnel, and insurance personnel) is intense and there are a limited number of qualified persons with knowledge of and experience in our local Southern Indiana markets. Our success depends to a significant degree upon our ability to attract and retain qualified loan origination executives, sales executives for our trust and investment products and services, and sales executives for our insurance products and services. We also depend upon the continued contributions of our management personnel, and in particular upon the abilities of our senior executive management, and the loss of the services of one or more of them could harm our business.

Our controls and procedures may fail or be circumvented.

Management regularly reviews and updates our internal controls, disclosure controls and procedures, and corporate governance policies and procedures. Any system of controls, however well designed and operated, is based in part on certain assumptions and can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurances that the objectives of the system are met. Any failure or circumvention of our controls and procedures or failure to comply with regulations related to controls and procedures could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Our methods of reducing risk exposure may not be effective.

The Company maintains a comprehensive risk management program designed to identify, quantify, manage, mitigate, monitor, aggregate, and report risks. However, instruments, systems and strategies used to hedge or otherwise manage exposure to various types of credit, market, liquidity, operational, compliance, financial reporting and strategic risks could be less effective than anticipated. As a result, the Company may not be able to effectively mitigate its risk exposures in particular market environments or against particular types of risk, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For more information regarding risk management, please see “RISK MANAGEMENT” under Item 7 of this Report (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”).

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We are exposed to risk of environmental liabilities with respect to properties to which we take title.

In the course of our business, we may own or foreclose and take title to real estate, and could be subject to environmental liabilities with respect to these properties (including liabilities for property damage, personal injury, investigation and clean-up costs incurred by these parties in connection with environmental contamination), or may be required to investigate or clean up hazardous or toxic substances, or chemical releases at a property.

Risks Related to Our Operations

We face significant operational risks due to the high volume and the high dollar value nature of transactions we process.

We operate in many different businesses in diverse markets and rely on the ability of our employees and systems to process transactions. Operational risk is the risk of loss resulting from our operations, including but not limited to, the risk of fraud by employees or persons outside our company, the execution of unauthorized transactions, errors relating to transaction processing and technology, breaches of our internal control systems or failures of those of our suppliers or counterparties, compliance failures, cyber-attacks or unforeseen problems encountered while implementing new computer systems or upgrades to existing systems, business continuation and disaster recovery issues, and other external events. Insurance coverage may not be available for such losses, or where available, such losses may exceed insurance limits. This risk of loss also includes the potential legal actions that could arise as a result of an operational deficiency or as a result of noncompliance with applicable regulatory standards, adverse business decisions or their implementation, and customer attrition due to potential negative publicity. The occurrence of any of these events could cause us to suffer financial loss, face regulatory action and suffer damage to our reputation.

Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential client or customer information, whether through a cyber-attack, other breach of our computer systems or otherwise, could harm our business.

In the normal course of our business, we collect, process and retain sensitive and confidential client and customer information on our behalf and on behalf of other third parties. Despite the security measures we have in place, our facilities and systems may be vulnerable to cyber-attacks, security breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming and / or human errors, or other similar events.

Information security risks for financial institutions like us have increased recently in part because of new technologies, the use of the Internet and telecommunications technologies (including mobile devices) to conduct financial and other business transactions and the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, perpetrators of fraud, hackers, terrorists and others. In addition to cyber-attacks or other security breaches involving the theft of sensitive and confidential information, hackers recently have engaged in attacks against large financial institutions, particularly denial of service attacks, designed to disrupt key business services such as customer-facing web sites. We may not be able to anticipate or implement effective preventive measures against all security breaches of these types. Although we employ detection and response mechanisms designed to contain and mitigate security incidents, early detection may be thwarted by sophisticated attacks and malware designed to avoid detection.

We also face risks related to cyber-attacks and other security breaches in connection with credit card transactions that typically involve the transmission of sensitive information regarding our customers through various third parties. Some of these parties have in the past been the target of security breaches and cyber-attacks, and because the transactions involve third parties and environments that we do not control or secure, future security breaches or cyber-attacks affecting any of these third parties could impact us through no fault of our own, and in some cases we may have exposure and suffer losses for breaches or attacks relating to them. We also rely on numerous other third party service providers to conduct other aspects of our business operations and face similar risks relating to them. We cannot be sure that their information security protocols are sufficient to withstand a cyber-attack or other security breach.

Any cyber-attack or other security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of confidential customer information could severely damage our reputation, erode confidence in the security of our systems, products and services, expose us to the risk of litigation and liability, disrupt our operations and have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our information systems may experience an interruption or breach in security.

We rely heavily on communications and information systems to conduct our business. Any failure, interruption, or breach in security or operational integrity of these systems could result in failures or disruptions in our customer relationship management, general ledger, deposit, loan, and other systems. While we have policies and procedures designed to prevent or limit the effect of the failure, interruption, or security breach of our information systems, we cannot completely ensure that any such failures, interruptions, or security breaches will not occur or, if they do occur, that they will be adequately addressed. The occurrence of any failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems could damage our reputation, result in a loss of customer

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business, subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny, or expose us to civil litigation and possible financial liability, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We are dependent upon third parties for certain information system, data management and processing services and to provide key components of our business infrastructure.

We outsource certain information system and data management and processing functions to third party providers. These third party service providers are sources of operational and informational security risk to us, including risks associated with operational errors, information system interruptions or breaches, and unauthorized disclosures of sensitive or confidential client or customer information. If third party service providers encounter any of these issues, or if we have difficulty communicating with them, we could be exposed to disruption of operations, loss of service or connectivity to customers, reputational damage, and litigation risk that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or our business.

Third party vendors provide key components of our business infrastructure such as internet connections, network access and core application processing.

While we have selected these third party vendors carefully, we do not control their actions. Any problems caused by these third parties, including as a result of their not providing us their services for any reason or their performing their services poorly, could adversely affect our ability to deliver products and services to our customers and otherwise to conduct our business. Replacing these third party vendors could also entail significant delay and expense.

Risks Relating to Expansion of Our Businesses by Acquisition

Any acquisitions of banks, bank branches, or loans or other financial service assets pose risks to us.

We may acquire other banks, bank branches and other financial-service-related businesses and assets in the future. Acquiring other banks, businesses, or branches involves various risks commonly associated with acquisitions, including, among other things:

potential exposure to unknown or contingent liabilities of the acquired assets, operations or company;
exposure to potential asset quality issues of the acquired assets, operations or company;
environmental liability with acquired real estate collateral or other real estate;
difficulty and expense of integrating the operations, systems and personnel of the acquired assets, operations or company;
potential disruption to our ongoing business, including diversion of our management’s time and attention;
the possible loss of key employees and customers of the acquired operations or company;
difficulty in estimating the value of the acquired assets, operations or company; and
potential changes in banking or tax laws or regulations that may affect the acquired assets, operations or company.

We may not be successful in overcoming these risks or any other problems encountered in connection with mergers or acquisitions.

Acquisitions typically involve the payment of a premium over book and market values, and, therefore, some dilution of the Company’s tangible book value per common share or net income per common share (or both) may occur in connection with any future transaction.

We may incur substantial costs to expand by acquisition, and such acquisitions may not result in the levels of profits we seek.

Integration efforts for any future acquisitions may not be successful and following any future acquisition, after giving it effect, we may not achieve financial results comparable to or better than our historical experience.

We may participate in FDIC-assisted acquisitions, which could present additional risks to our financial condition.

We may make opportunistic whole or partial acquisitions of troubled financial institutions in transactions facilitated by the FDIC. In addition to the risks frequently associated with acquisitions, an acquisition of a troubled financial institution may involve a greater risk that the acquired assets underperform compared to our expectations. Because these acquisitions are structured in a manner that would not allow us the time normally associated with preparing for and evaluating an acquisition, including preparing for integration of an acquired institution, we may face additional risks including, among other things, the loss of customers, strain on management resources related to collection and management of problem loans and problems related to integration of personnel and operating systems. Additionally, while the FDIC may agree to assume certain losses in transactions that it facilitates, there can be no assurances that we would not be required to raise additional capital as a condition to, or as a result of, participation in an FDIC-assisted transaction. Any such transactions and related issuances of stock may have dilutive effect on earnings per share and share ownership.

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Risks Related to Our Common Stock

Our common stock price may fluctuate significantly, and this may make it difficult for you to resell our common stock at times or at prices acceptable to you.

Our common stock price constantly changes in response to a variety of factors (some of which are beyond our control), and we expect that our stock price will continue to fluctuate in the future. Factors impacting the price of our common stock include, among others:

actual or anticipated variations in our quarterly results of operations;
recommendations or research reports about us or the financial services industry in general published by securities analysts;
the failure of securities analysts to cover, or continue to cover, us;
operating and stock price performance of other companies that investors believe are comparable to us;
news reports relating to trends, concerns and other issues in the financial services industry;
perceptions in the marketplace regarding us, or our reputation, competitors or other financial institutions;
actual or anticipated sales of our equity or equity-related securities;
our past and future dividend practice;
departure of our management team or other key personnel;
new technology used, or services offered, by competitors;
significant acquisitions or business combinations, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments by or involving us or our competitors;
failure to integrate acquisitions or realize anticipated benefits from acquisitions;
existing or increased regulatory and compliance requirements, changes or proposed changes in laws or regulations, or differing interpretations thereof affecting our business, or enforcement of these laws and regulations; and
litigation and governmental investigations.

General market fluctuations, industry factors and general economic and political conditions and events (such as economic slowdowns or recessions, interest rate changes or credit loss trends) could also cause our stock price to decrease regardless of operating results.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments. 

None.

Item 2. Properties.

The Company’s executive offices are located in the main office building of the Bank at 711 Main Street, Jasper, Indiana. The main office building, which is owned by the Bank and also serves as the main office of the Company’s other subsidiaries, contains approximately 23,600 square feet of office space. The Bank and the Company’s other subsidiaries also conduct their operations from 60 other locations in Southern Indiana and eight in Northern Kentucky of which 54 are owned by the Company and 15 are leased from third parties.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

There are no material pending legal proceedings, other than routine litigation incidental to the business of the Company’s subsidiaries, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their property is the subject.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.


18



PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Market for Common Stock

German American Bancorp, Inc.’s stock is traded on NASDAQ’s Global Select Market under the symbol GABC.

The Common Stock was held of record by approximately 3,684 shareholders at February 20, 2019.
Transfer Agent:
Computershare
Priority Processing
250 Royall St
Canton, MA 02021
Contact: Shareholder Relations
(800) 884-4225
 
Shareholder
Information and
Corporate Office:
Terri A. Eckerle
German American Bancorp, Inc.
P.O. Box 810
Jasper, Indiana 47547-0810
(812) 482-1314
(800) 482-1314

Stock Performance Graph

The following graph compares the Company’s five-year cumulative total returns with those of the Russell 2000 Stock Index, Russell Microcap Stock Index, and the Indiana Bank Peer Group. The Indiana Bank Peer Group (which is a custom peer group identified by Company management) includes all Indiana-based commercial bank holding companies (excluding companies owning thrift institutions that are not regulated as bank holding companies) that have been in existence as commercial bank holding companies throughout the five-year period ended December 31, 2018, the stocks of which have been traded on an established securities market (NYSE, NYSE American or NASDAQ) throughout that five-year period. The companies comprising the Indiana Bank Peer Group for purposes of the December 2018 comparison were: 1st Source Corp., First Financial Corp., First Merchants Corp., Lakeland Financial Corp., Old National Bancorp, Horizon Bancorp, MutualFirst Financial, Inc., and First Internet Bancorp. First Internet Bancorp was added to the Indiana Bank Peer Group for the first time in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as a result of being approved for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market effective February 22, 2013, and otherwise meeting the above criteria. The returns of each company in the Indiana Bank Peer Group have been weighted to reflect the company’s market capitalization. The Russell 2000 Stock Index, which is designed to measure the performance of the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe, is a subset of the Russell 3000 Index (which measures the performance of the largest 3,000 U.S. companies) that includes approximately 2,000 of the smallest securities in that index based on a combination of their market cap and current index membership, and is annually reconstituted at the end of each June. The Russell Microcap Stock Index is an index representing the smallest 1,000 securities in the small-cap Russell 2000 Index plus the next 1,000 securities, which is also annually reconstituted at the end of each June. The Company’s stock is currently included in the Russell 2000 Index and Russell Microcap Index.

chart-87f878aabf4555168aea01.jpg

19



Stock Repurchase Program Information
   
The following table sets forth information regarding the Company’s purchases of its common shares during each of the three months ended December 31, 2018.
Period
 
Total Number of Shares
(or Units) Purchased
 
Average Price Paid Per Share (or Unit)
 
Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs
 
Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares (or Units) that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (1)
October 2018
 

 

 

 
409,184

November 2018
 

 

 

 
409,184

December 2018
 

 

 

 
409,184

   
(1) On April 26, 2001, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had approved a stock repurchase program for up to 911,631 of its outstanding common shares, of which the Company had purchased 502,447 common shares through December 31, 2018 (both such numbers adjusted for subsequent stock dividends). The Board of Directors established no expiration date for this program. The Company purchased no shares under this program during the quarter ended December 31, 2018.
   
Equity Compensation Plan Information
   
The Company maintains four plans under which it has authorized the issuance of its Common Shares to employees and non-employee directors as compensation: its 1992 Stock Option Plan (under which no new grants may be made), its 1999 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan (under which no new grants may be made), its 2009 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan, and its 2009 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Each of these four plans was approved by the requisite vote of the Company’s common shareholders in the year of adoption by the Board of Directors. The Company is not a party to any individual compensation arrangement involving the authorization for issuance of its equity securities to any single person, other than option agreements and restricted stock award agreements that have been granted under the terms of one of the four plans identified above. The following table sets forth information regarding these plans as of December 31, 2018:
Plan Category
 
Number of Securities
to be Issued upon Exercise
of Outstanding Options, Warrants or Rights
 
Weighted Average
Exercise Price of
Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights
 
Number of Securities
Remaining Available for
Future Issuance under
Equity Compensation
Plans (Excluding
Securities Reflected in First Column)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
 

(a)
$

 
845,697

(b)
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
 

 

 

 
Total
 

 
$

 
845,697

 
 
(a) 
Any shares that employees may have the right to purchase under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan in August 2019 in respect of employee payroll deductions of participating employees that had accumulated as of December 31, 2018 during the plan year that commenced in August 2018 have been excluded. Although these employees have the right under this Plan to have their accumulated payroll deductions applied to the purchase of Common Shares at a discounted price in August 2019, the price at which such shares may be purchased and the number of shares that may be purchased under that Plan at that time is not presently determinable.
  
(b) 
Represents 539,293 shares that the Company may in the future issue to employees under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (although the Company typically purchases the shares needed for sale to participating employees on the open market rather than issuing new issue shares to such employees) and 306,404 shares that were available for grant or issuance at December 31, 2018 under the 2009 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan. Under the Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan, the aggregate number of Common Shares available for the grant of awards (subject to customary anti-dilution adjustment provisions) cumulatively following the adoption of the Plan in 2009 through the expiration of the Plan in 2019 may not exceed the sum of the following: (a) 500,000 shares, plus (b) any shares exchanged by a participant as full or partial payment to the Company of the exercise price of an option granted to the participant under the Plan; plus (c) at the beginning of each calendar year, an additional number of shares (if any) equal to the number of shares that would result in the number of shares available for awards as of such date being equal to one percent (1%) of the total number of the Company’s shares outstanding as of the immediately preceding December 31, on a fully-diluted basis.
    
For additional information regarding the Company’s equity incentive plans and employee stock purchase plan, see Note 8 (Shareholders' Equity) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report.

20



Item 6. Selected Financial Data.
   
The following selected data should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes that are included in Item 8 of this Report, and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” which is included in Item 7 of this Report (dollars in thousands, except per share data). Year-to-year financial information comparability is affected by the acquisition accounting treatment for mergers and acquisitions, including but not limited to the Company's acquisition of River Valley Bancorp, effective March 1, 2016, the acquisition of five branches from First Financial Bancorp effective May 18, 2018, and the acquisition of First Security, Inc effective October 15, 2018.
 
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Summary of Operations:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest Income
 
$
133,749

 
$
111,030

 
$
103,365

 
$
81,620

 
$
80,386

Interest Expense
 
19,139

 
11,121

 
8,461

 
6,068

 
6,047

Net Interest Income
 
114,610

 
99,909

 
94,904

 
75,552

 
74,339

Provision for Loan Losses
 
2,070

 
1,750

 
1,200

 

 
150

Net Interest Income after Provision For Loan Losses
 
112,540

 
98,159

 
93,704

 
75,552

 
74,189

Non-interest Income
 
37,070

 
31,854

 
32,013

 
27,444

 
23,937

Non-interest Expense
 
93,553

 
77,803

 
76,587

 
61,326

 
57,713

Income before Income Taxes
 
56,057

 
52,210

 
49,130

 
41,670

 
40,413

Income Tax Expense
 
9,528

 
11,534

 
13,946

 
11,606

 
12,069

Net Income
 
$
46,529

 
$
40,676

 
$
35,184

 
$
30,064

 
$
28,344

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Year-end Balances:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Total Assets
 
$
3,929,090

 
$
3,144,360

 
$
2,955,994

 
$
2,373,701

 
$
2,237,099

Total Loans, Net of Unearned Income
 
2,728,059

 
2,141,638

 
1,989,955

 
1,564,347

 
1,447,982

Total Deposits
 
3,072,632

 
2,484,052

 
2,349,551

 
1,826,376

 
1,779,761

Total Long-term Debt
 
126,635

 
141,717

 
120,560

 
95,606

 
64,591

Total Shareholders’ Equity
 
458,640

 
364,571

 
330,267

 
252,348

 
228,824

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Average Balances:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Total Assets
 
$
3,380,409

 
$
3,002,695

 
$
2,841,096

 
$
2,267,555

 
$
2,170,761

Total Loans, Net of Unearned Income
 
2,339,089

 
2,036,717

 
1,904,779

 
1,483,752

 
1,406,000

Total Deposits
 
2,716,712

 
2,395,146

 
2,249,892

 
1,825,913

 
1,783,348

Total Shareholders’ Equity
 
385,476

 
350,913

 
321,520

 
241,018

 
214,496

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Per Share Data:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Net Income (1)
 
$
1.99

 
$
1.77

 
$
1.57

 
$
1.51

 
$
1.43

Cash Dividends
 
0.60

 
0.52

 
0.48

 
0.45

 
0.43

Book Value at Year-end
 
18.37

 
15.90

 
14.42

 
12.67

 
11.54

Tangible Book Value Per Share (2)
 
13.81

 
13.45

 
11.94

 
11.57

 
10.40

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Data at Year-end:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Number of Shareholders
 
3,705

 
3,459

 
3,513

 
3,343

 
3,398

Number of Employees
 
747

 
621

 
605

 
479

 
473

Weighted Average Number of Shares (1)
 
23,381,616

 
22,924,726

 
22,391,115

 
19,888,374

 
19,834,766

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Selected Performance Ratios:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Return on Assets
 
1.38
%
 
1.35
%
 
1.24
%
 
1.33
%
 
1.31
 %
Return on Equity
 
12.07
%
 
11.59
%
 
10.94
%
 
12.47
%
 
13.21
 %
Equity to Assets
 
11.67
%
 
11.59
%
 
11.17
%
 
10.63
%
 
10.23
 %
Dividend Payout
 
30.25
%
 
29.11
%
 
30.21
%
 
29.97
%
 
29.81
 %
Net Charge-offs (Recoveries) to Average Loans
 
0.08
%
 
0.04
%
 
0.04
%
 
0.03
%
 
(0.01
)%
Allowance for Loan Losses to Loans
 
0.58
%
 
0.73
%
 
0.74
%
 
0.92
%
 
1.03
 %
Net Interest Margin
 
3.75
%
 
3.76
%
 
3.75
%
 
3.70
%
 
3.76
 %
     
(1) Share and Per Share Data includes the dilutive effect of stock options.
    
(2) Tangible Book Value per Share is defined as Total Shareholders' Equity less Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets divided by End of Period Shares Outstanding.

 

21



Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

INTRODUCTION


German American Bancorp, Inc., is a NASDAQ-traded (symbol: GABC) bank holding company based in Jasper, Indiana. German American, through its banking subsidiary German American Bank, operates 65 banking offices in 20 contiguous southern Indiana counties and four Kentucky counties. The Company also owns an investment brokerage subsidiary (German American Investment Services, Inc.) and a full line property and casualty insurance agency (German American Insurance, Inc.).

Throughout this Management’s Discussion and Analysis, as elsewhere in this Report, when we use the term “Company”, we will usually be referring to the business and affairs (financial and otherwise) of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates as a whole. Occasionally, we will refer to the term “parent company” or “holding company” when we mean to refer to only German American Bancorp, Inc., and the term “Bank” when we mean to refer to only the Company’s bank subsidiary.

This Management’s Discussion and Analysis includes an analysis of the major components of the Company’s operations for the years 2016 through 2018 and its financial condition as of December 31, 2017 and 2018. This information should be read in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements and footnotes contained elsewhere in this Report and with the description of business included in Item 1 of this Report (including the cautionary disclosure regarding “Forward Looking Statements and Associated Risks”). Financial and other information by segment is included in Note 16 (Segment Information) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report and is incorporated into this Item 7 by reference.

The statements of management’s expectations and goals concerning the Company’s future operations and performance that are set forth in the following Management Overview and in other sections of this Item 7 are forward-looking statements, and readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Actual results may differ materially from the expectations of the Company that is expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. This Item 7, as well as the discussions in Item 1 (“Business”) entitled “Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks” and in Item 1A (“Risk Factors”) (which discussions are incorporated in this Item 7 by reference) list some of the factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any such forward-looking statements.

Any statements of management’s expectations and goals concerning the Company’s future operations and performance, and future financial condition, liquidity and capital resources that are set forth in the following Management Overview and in other sections of this Item 7 are forward-looking statements, and readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Actual results may differ materially from the expectations of the Company that is expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. This Item 7, as well as the discussions in Item 1 (“Business”) entitled “Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks” and in Item 1A (“Risk Factors”) (which discussions are incorporated in this Item 7 by reference) list some of the factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any such forward-looking statements.

MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2018 totaled $46,529,000 or $1.99 per share, an increase of $5,853,000, or approximately 12% on a per share basis, from the year ended December 31, 2017 net income of $40,676,000 or $1.77 per share.

Net income for 2018 was positively impacted by lower federal income tax rates that became effective January 1, 2018, as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”). The lower federal income tax rates had a positive impact of approximately $0.26 per share for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Net income for 2018 was also impacted by merger and acquisition activity during the year. The year ended December 31, 2018 included acquisition-related expenses of approximately $4,592,000 (approximately $3,526,000 or $0.15 per share, on an after tax basis).

During the fourth quarter of 2017, as a result of the enactment of the Tax Act, the Company revalued its deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities. The revaluation resulted in a net tax benefit of $2,284,000, or approximately $0.10 per share during 2017.

On May 18, 2018, German American Bank completed the acquisition of five branch locations of First Financial Bancorp (formerly branch locations of Mainsource Financial Group, Inc. prior to its merger with First Financial Bancorp on April 1, 2018) and certain related assets, and the assumption by German American Bank of certain related liabilities. Four of the branches are located in

22



Columbus, Indiana, and one in Greensburg, Indiana. German American Bank acquired approximately $175.7 million in deposits and approximately $116.3 million in loans associated with the five bank branches. The premium paid on deposits by German American Bank was approximately $7.4 million. The premium was subject to adjustment to reflect increases or decreases in the deposit balances during the six month period following the closing date. In January 2019, an adjustment of approximately $0.1 million in additional premium was paid by German American Bank as a result of the change in deposits during the six month measurement period. German American Bank also had the ability, under certain circumstances, to put loans back to First Financial Bancorp’s bank subsidiary during such six month period. During the fourth quarter of 2018, approximately $1.3 million of loans were put back by German American Bank.

On October 15, 2018, the Company completed the acquisition of First Security, Inc. ("First Security") through the merger of First Security with and into the Company. Immediately following completion of the First Security holding company merger, First Security’s subsidiary bank, First Security Bank, Inc., was merged with and into the Company’s subsidiary bank, German American Bank. First Security, based in Owensboro, Kentucky, operated 11 retail banking offices, through First Security Bank, Inc., in Owensboro, Bowling Green, Franklin and Lexington, Kentucky and in Evansville and Newburgh, Indiana. As of the closing of the transaction, First Security had total assets of approximately $553.2 million, total loans of approximately $390.1 million, and total deposits of approximately $424.4 million. The Company issued approximately 2.0 million shares of its common stock, and paid approximately $31.2 million in cash, in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of First Security and in cancellation of all outstanding options to acquire First Security common stock.

On February 21, 2019, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization with Citizens First Corporation (“Citizens First”), pursuant to which Citizens First agreed to merge with and into the Company. The merger agreement also provides that Citizens First’s wholly-owned banking subsidiary, Citizens First Bank, Inc. will be merged with and into the Company’s subsidiary bank, German American Bank, immediately following the holding company merger. Based on the number of Citizens First common shares expected to be outstanding at closing, the Company would issue approximately 1.7 million shares of its common stock, and pay approximately $16 million cash, for all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Citizens First. Citizens First is a bank holding company headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It operates, through Citizens First Bank, Inc., branch offices in Barren, Hart, Simpson and Warren Counties in Kentucky, and a loan production office in Williamson County, Tennessee. At December 31, 2018, Citizens First reported total assets of approximately $476 million, total loans of approximately $372 million, and total deposits of approximately $389 million. Completion of the mergers is subject to approval by regulatory authorities and Citizens First’s shareholders, as well as certain other closing conditions. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2019.

For further information regarding this pending acquisition, see Note 21 (Subsequent Events) in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES


The financial condition and results of operations for the Company presented in the Consolidated Financial Statements, accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, and selected financial data appearing elsewhere within this Report, are, to a large degree, dependent upon the Company’s accounting policies. The selection of and application of these policies involve estimates, judgments, and uncertainties that are subject to change. The critical accounting policies and estimates that the Company has determined to be the most susceptible to change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses, the valuation of securities available for sale, income tax expense, and the valuation of goodwill and other intangible assets.

Allowance for Loan Losses

The Company maintains an allowance for loan losses to cover probable incurred credit losses at the balance sheet date. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of a loan balance is confirmed. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance. Allocations of the allowance may be made for specific loans, but the entire allowance is available for any loan that, in management’s judgment, should be charged-off. A provision for loan losses is charged to operations based on management’s periodic evaluation of the necessary allowance balance. Evaluations are conducted at least quarterly and more often if deemed necessary. The ultimate recovery of all loans is susceptible to future market factors beyond the Company’s control.
 
The Company has an established process to determine the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. The determination of the allowance is inherently subjective, as it requires significant estimates, including the amounts and timing of expected future cash flows on impaired loans, estimated losses on other classified loans and pools of homogeneous loans, and consideration of past loan loss experience, the nature and volume of the portfolio, information about specific borrower situations and estimated collateral values, economic conditions, and other factors, all of which may be susceptible to significant change. The allowance consists of

23



two components of allocations, specific and general. These two components represent the total allowance for loan losses deemed adequate to cover losses inherent in the loan portfolio.
 
Commercial and agricultural loans are subject to a standardized grading process administered by an internal loan review function. The need for specific reserves is considered for credits identified as impaired when: (a) the customer’s cash flow or net worth appears insufficient to repay the loan; (b) the loan has been criticized in a regulatory examination; (c) the loan is on non-accrual; or (d) other reasons where the ultimate collectability of the loan is in question, or the loan characteristics require special monitoring. Specific allowances are established in cases where management has identified significant conditions or circumstances related to an individual credit that we believe indicates the loan is impaired.

Specific allocations on impaired loans are determined by comparing the loan balance to the present value of expected cash flows or expected collateral proceeds. Allocations are also applied to categories of loans not considered individually impaired but for which the rate of loss is expected to be greater than historical averages, including non-performing consumer or residential real estate loans. Such allocations are based on past loss experience and information about specific borrower situations and estimated collateral values.

General allocations are made for commercial and agricultural loans that are graded as substandard based on migration analysis techniques to determine historical average losses for similar types of loans. General allocations are also made for other pools of loans, including non-classified loans, homogeneous portfolios of consumer and residential real estate loans, and loans within certain industry categories believed to present unique risk of loss. General allocations of the allowance are primarily made based on historical averages for loan losses for these portfolios, judgmentally adjusted for economic, external and internal factors and portfolio trends. Economic factors include evaluating changes in international, national, regional and local economic and business conditions that affect the collectability of the loan portfolio. Internal factors include evaluating changes in lending policies and procedures; changes in the nature and volume of the loan portfolio; and changes in experience, ability and depth of lending management and staff. In setting our external and internal factors we also consider the overall level of the allowance for loan losses to total loans; our allowance coverage as compared to similar size bank holding companies; and regulatory requirements.

Due to the imprecise nature of estimating the allowance for loan losses, the Company’s allowance for loan losses includes a minor unallocated component. The unallocated component of the allowance for loan losses incorporates the Company’s judgmental determination of inherent losses that may not be fully reflected in other allocations, including factors such as economic uncertainties, lending staff quality, industry trends impacting specific portfolio segments, and broad portfolio quality trends.  Therefore, the ratio of allocated to unallocated components within the total allowance may fluctuate from period to period.

Securities Valuation
 
Securities available-for-sale are carried at fair value, with unrealized holding gains and losses reported separately in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax. The Company obtains market values from a third party on a monthly basis in order to adjust the securities to fair value. Equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values are carried at cost. Additionally, when securities are deemed to be other than temporarily impaired, a charge will be recorded through earnings; therefore, future changes in the fair value of securities could have a significant impact on the Company’s operating results. In determining whether a market value decline is other than temporary, management considers the reason for the decline, the extent of the decline, the duration of the decline and whether the Company intends to sell or believes it will be required to sell the securities prior to recovery.  As of December 31, 2018, gross unrealized gains on the securities available-for-sale portfolio totaled approximately $5,436,000 and gross unrealized losses totaled approximately $14,079,000.  

Income Tax Expense
 
Income tax expense involves estimates related to the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets and loss contingencies related to exposure from tax examinations presumed to occur.
 
A valuation allowance reduces deferred tax assets to the amount management believes is more likely than not to be realized. In evaluating the realization of deferred tax assets, management considers the likelihood that sufficient taxable income of appropriate character will be generated within carry-back and carry-forward periods, including consideration of available tax planning strategies. Tax-related loss contingencies, including assessments arising from tax examinations and tax strategies, are recorded as liabilities when the likelihood of loss is probable and an amount or range of loss can be reasonably estimated. In considering the likelihood of loss, management considers the nature of the contingency, the progress of any examination or related protest or appeal, the views of legal counsel and other advisors, experience of the Company or other enterprises in similar matters, if any, and management’s intended response to any assessment.


24



Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill resulting from business combinations represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill resulting from business combinations is generally determined as the excess of the fair value of the consideration transferred, plus the fair value of any noncontrolling interests in the acquiree, over the fair value of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date. Goodwill and intangible assets acquired in a purchase business combination and determined to have an indefinite useful life are not amortized, but tested for impairment at least annually. The Company has selected December 31 as the date to perform the annual impairment test. Intangible assets with definite useful lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives to their estimated residual values. Goodwill is the only intangible asset with an indefinite life on the Company’s balance sheet.
 
Other intangible assets consist of core deposit and acquired customer relationship intangible assets. They are initially measured at fair value and then are amortized over their estimated useful lives, which range from 6 to 10 years.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS


NET INCOME

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2018 totaled $46,529,000 or $1.99 per share, an increase of $5,853,000, or approximately 12% on a per share basis, from the year ended December 31, 2017 net income of $40,676,000 or $1.77 per share.
Net income for 2018 was positively impacted by lower federal income tax rates that became effective January 1, 2018, as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”). The lower federal income tax rates had a positive impact of approximately $0.26 per share for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Net income for 2018 was also impacted by the five-branch acquisition completed in May 2018 and the First Security acquisition completed in October 2018. The year ended December 31, 2018 included acquisition-related expenses of approximately $4,592,000 (approximately $3,526,000 or $0.15 per share, on an after tax basis) for the aforementioned acquisitions.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2017 totaled $40,676,000 or $1.77 per share, an increase of $5,492,000, or approximately 13% on a per share basis, from the year ended December 31, 2016 net income of $35,184,000 or $1.57 per share. The 2017 results of operations were positively impacted by the revaluation of the Company's deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities related to the Tax Act. The revaluation resulted in a net tax benefit of $2,284,000, or approximately $0.10 per share during 2017.

NET INTEREST INCOME

Net interest income is the Company’s single largest source of earnings, and represents the difference between interest and fees realized on earning assets, less interest paid on deposits and borrowed funds. Several factors contribute to the determination of net interest income and net interest margin, including the volume and mix of earning assets, interest rates, and income taxes. Many factors affecting net interest income are subject to control by management policies and actions. Factors beyond the control of management include the general level of credit and deposit demand, Federal Reserve Board monetary policy, and changes in tax laws.

Net interest income increased $14,701,000, or 15%, for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared with 2017. The increased level of net interest income during 2018 compared with 2017 was driven primarily by a higher level of earning assets resulting from organic loan growth and merger and acquisition activity completed during 2018.

The net interest margin represents tax-equivalent net interest income expressed as a percentage of average earning assets. The tax equivalent net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 2018 was 3.75% compared to 3.76% in 2017. The tax equivalent yield on earning assets totaled 4.36% during 2018 compared to 4.16% in 2017, while the cost of funds (expressed as a percentage of average earning assets) totaled 0.61% during 2018 compared to 0.40% in 2017. The increased yield on earning assets and the increase in the cost of funds during 2018 were both impacted by increased short-term market interest rates.

Accretion of loan discounts on acquired loans contributed approximately 8 basis points to the net interest margin during 2018 compared with 9 basis points in 2017. The lower federal income tax rates during 2018 had an approximately 9 basis point negative impact on the Company's net interest margin and earning asset yield.

Net interest income increased $5,005,000, or 5%, for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared with 2016. The increased level of net interest income during 2017 compared with 2016 was driven primarily by a higher level of earning assets resulting from organic loan growth and the acquisition of River Valley Bancorp effective March 1, 2016.

25




The tax equivalent net interest margin was 3.76% during 2017 compared to 3.75% during 2016. The tax equivalent yield on earning assets totaled 4.16% during 2017 compared to 4.07% in 2016, while the cost of funds totaled 0.40% during 2017 compared to 0.32% in 2016.

The modest increase in the net interest margin during 2017 compared with the prior year was primarily attributable to an improved yield on the Company's securities portfolio combined with a larger loan portfolio, partially offset by a higher cost of funds and a lower level of accretion of loan discounts on acquired loans. Accretion of loan discounts on acquired loans contributed approximately 9 basis points to the net interest margin during 2017 and 13 basis points in 2016. The Company's cost of funds increased approximately 8 basis points during 2017 compared with 2016. The higher cost of funds was largely attributable to an increase in short-term market interest rates.

The following table summarizes net interest income (on a tax-equivalent basis) for each of the past three years. For tax-equivalent adjustments, an effective tax rate of 21% was used for 2018 and an effective tax rate of 35% was used for 2017 and 2016 (1).

Average Balance Sheet
(Tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands)

 
 
Twelve Months Ended
December 31, 2018
 
Twelve Months Ended
December 31, 2017
 
Twelve Months Ended
December 31, 2016
 
 
Principal
Balance
 
Income /
Expense
 
Yield /
Rate
 
Principal
Balance
 
Income /
Expense
 
Yield /
Rate
 
Principal
Balance
 
Income /
Expense
 
Yield /
Rate
ASSETS
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Federal Funds Sold and Other Short-term Investments
 
$
18,587

 
$
308

 
1.65
%
 
$
12,405

 
$
134

 
1.09
%
 
$
22,180

 
$
74

 
0.33
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Securities:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Taxable
 
488,291

 
12,398

 
2.54
%
 
482,331

 
10,898

 
2.26
%
 
484,744

 
9,638

 
1.99
%
Non-taxable
 
280,070

 
11,341

 
4.05
%
 
262,654

 
12,697

 
4.83
%
 
238,300

 
11,464

 
4.81
%
Total Loans and Leases (2)
 
2,339,089

 
112,437

 
4.81
%
 
2,036,717

 
92,449

 
4.54
%
 
1,904,779

 
86,755

 
4.55
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TOTAL INTEREST EARNING ASSETS
 
3,126,037

 
136,484

 
4.36
%
 
2,794,107

 
116,178

 
4.16
%
 
2,650,003

 
107,931

 
4.07
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Assets
 
270,022

 
 

 
 

 
223,939

 
 

 
 

 
206,213

 
 

 
 

Less: Allowance for Loan Losses
 
(15,650
)
 
 

 
 

 
(15,351
)
 
 

 
 

 
(15,120
)
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TOTAL ASSETS
 
$
3,380,409

 
 

 
 

 
$
3,002,695

 
 

 
 

 
$
2,841,096

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest-bearing Demand Deposits
 
$
969,922

 
$
5,755

 
0.59
%
 
$
836,262

 
$
2,893

 
0.35
%
 
$
755,775

 
$
1,745

 
0.23
%
Savings Deposits and Money Market Accounts
 
646,636

 
1,954

 
0.30
%
 
606,212

 
1,078

 
0.18
%
 
566,818

 
770

 
0.14
%
Time Deposits
 
459,289

 
5,916

 
1.29
%
 
380,316

 
3,123

 
0.82
%
 
414,100

 
2,672

 
0.65
%
FHLB Advances and Other Borrowings
 
257,737

 
5,514

 
2.14
%
 
233,315

 
4,027

 
1.73
%
 
242,483

 
3,274

 
1.35
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TOTAL INTEREST-BEARING LIABILITIES
 
2,333,584

 
19,139

 
0.82
%
 
2,056,105

 
11,121

 
0.54
%
 
1,979,176

 
8,461

 
0.43
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Demand Deposit Accounts
 
640,865

 
 

 
 

 
572,356

 
 

 
 

 
513,199

 
 

 
 

Other Liabilities
 
20,484

 
 

 
 

 
23,321

 
 

 
 

 
27,201

 
 

 
 

TOTAL LIABILITIES
 
2,994,933

 
 

 
 

 
2,651,782

 
 

 
 

 
2,519,576

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shareholders’ Equity
 
385,476

 
 

 
 

 
350,913

 
 

 
 

 
321,520

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
$
3,380,409

 
 

 
 

 
$
3,002,695

 
 

 
 

 
$
2,841,096

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COST OF FUNDS
 
 

 
 

 
0.61
%
 
 

 
 

 
0.40
%
 
 

 
 

 
0.32
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NET INTEREST INCOME
 
 

 
$
117,345

 
 

 
 

 
$
105,057

 
 

 
 

 
$
99,470

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NET INTEREST MARGIN
 
 

 
 

 
3.75
%
 
 

 
 

 
3.76
%
 
 

 
 

 
3.75
%
 
(1) 
Effective tax rates were determined as though interest earned on the Company's investments in municipal bonds and loans was fully taxable. 
(2) 
Loans held-for-sale and non-accruing loans have been included in average loans. Interest income on loans includes loan fees of $3,151, $3,216, and $4,283 for 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. 

26



The following table sets forth for the periods indicated a summary of the changes in interest income and interest expense resulting from changes in volume and changes in rates:

Net Interest Income – Rate / Volume Analysis
(Tax-Equivalent basis, dollars in thousands) 
 
 
2018 compared to 2017
Increase / (Decrease) Due to (1)
 
2017 compared to 2016
Increase / (Decrease) Due to (1)
 
 
Volume
 
Rate
 
Net
 
Volume
 
Rate
 
Net
Interest Income:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Federal Funds Sold and Other
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Short-term Investments
 
$
86

 
$
88

 
$
174

 
$
(45
)
 
$
105

 
$
60

Taxable Securities
 
136

 
1,365

 
1,501

 
(48
)
 
1,308

 
1,260

Non-taxable Securities
 
802

 
(2,159
)
 
(1,357
)
 
1,177

 
56

 
1,233

Loans and Leases
 
14,304

 
5,684

 
19,988

 
5,990

 
(296
)
 
5,694

Total Interest Income
 
15,328

 
4,978

 
20,306

 
7,074

 
1,173

 
8,247

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest Expense:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Savings and Interest-bearing Demand
 
529

 
3,209

 
3,738

 
245

 
1,211

 
1,456

Time Deposits
 
747

 
2,046

 
2,793

 
(231
)
 
682

 
451

FHLB Advances and Other Borrowings
 
452

 
1,035

 
1,487

 
(128
)
 
881

 
753

Total Interest Expense
 
1,728

 
6,290

 
8,018

 
(114
)
 
2,774

 
2,660

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Interest Income
 
$
13,600

 
$
(1,312
)
 
$
12,288

 
$
7,188

 
$
(1,601
)
 
$
5,587

 
(1) 
The change in interest due to both rate and volume has been allocated to volume and rate changes in proportion to the relationship of the absolute dollar amounts of the change in each.

See the Company’s Average Balance Sheet and the discussions headed USES OF FUNDS, SOURCES OF FUNDS, and “RISK MANAGEMENT – Liquidity and Interest Rate Risk Management” for further information on the Company’s net interest income, net interest margin, and interest rate sensitivity position.
 
PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES

The Company provides for loan losses through regular provisions to the allowance for loan losses. The provision is affected by net charge-offs on loans and changes in specific and general allocations required on the allowance for loan losses. Provisions for loan losses totaled $2,070,000, $1,750,000, and $1,200,000 in 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

During 2018, the provision for loan loss represented approximately 9 basis points of average loans on an annualized basis. The increased level of provision during 2018 was largely related to an increased level of net charge-offs during 2018 compared with 2017. The Company realized net charge-offs of $1,941,000 or 8 basis points of average loans outstanding during 2018. The increase in net charge-offs during 2018 was primarily attributable to a partial charge-off on a single commercial lending relationship in the first quarter of 2018 that was downgraded and largely reserved for during the fourth quarter of 2017.

During 2017, the provision for loan loss represented approximately 9 basis points of average loans on an annualized basis. The increased level of provision during 2017 was largely related to an increased level of allowance for loan loss that has been allocated to the Company's commercial and industrial loan portfolio. The Company realized net charge-offs of $864,000 or 4 basis points of average loans outstanding during 2017.

The Company’s allowance for loan losses represented 0.58% of total loans at year-end 2018 compared with 0.73% of total loans at year-end 2017. Under acquisition accounting, loans are recorded at fair value which includes a credit risk component, and therefore the allowance on loans acquired is not carried over from the seller. The Company’s allowance for loan losses represented 0.77% of total non-acquired loans at year-end 2018 compared with 0.83% of total non-acquired loans at year-end 2017.

Provisions for loan losses in all periods were made at levels deemed necessary by management to absorb estimated, probable incurred losses in the loan portfolio. A detailed evaluation of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses is completed quarterly by management, the results of which are used to determine provisions for loan losses. Management estimates the allowance balance required using past loan loss experience, the nature and volume of the portfolio, information about specific borrower situations and estimated collateral values, economic conditions, and other qualitative factors. Refer also to the sections entitled CRITICAL

27



ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES and “RISK MANAGEMENT - Lending and Loan Administration” for further discussion of the provision and allowance for loan losses.

NON-INTEREST INCOME

During the year ended December 31, 2018, non-interest income increased $5,216,000, or 16%, from the year ended December 31, 2017. During the year ended December 31, 2017, non-interest income declined less than 1% from the year ended December 31, 2016.
Non-interest Income
(dollars in thousands)
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
% Change From
Prior Year
 
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
 
2018
 
2017
Trust and Investment Product Fees
 
$
6,680

 
$
5,272

 
$
4,644

 
27
 %
 
14
 %
Service Charges on Deposit Accounts
 
7,044

 
6,178

 
5,973

 
14

 
3

Insurance Revenues
 
8,330

 
7,979

 
7,741

 
4

 
3

Company Owned Life Insurance
 
1,243

 
1,341

 
987

 
(7
)
 
36

Interchange Fee Income
 
7,278

 
4,567

 
3,627

 
59

 
26

Other Operating Income
 
2,785

 
2,641

 
3,703

 
5

 
(29
)
Subtotal
 
33,360

 
27,978

 
26,675

 
19

 
5

Net Gains on Sales of Loans
 
3,004

 
3,280

 
3,359

 
(8
)
 
(2
)
Net Gains on Securities
 
706

 
596

 
1,979

 
18

 
(70
)
TOTAL NON-INTEREST INCOME
 
$
37,070

 
$
31,854

 
$
32,013

 
16

 
n/m (1)

 
(1) 
n/m = not meaningful

Trust and investment product fees increased $1,408,000, or 27%, during 2018 compared with 2017. Trust and investment product fees increased $628,000, or 14%, during 2017 compared with 2016. The increase in both years was primarily attributable to fees generated from increased assets under management in the Company's wealth management group.

Service charges on deposit accounts increased $866,000, or 14%, during 2018 compared with 2017. The increase during 2018 compared with 2017 was positively impacted by the acquisition activity completed during 2018. Service charges on deposit accounts increased $205,000, or 3%, during 2017 compared with 2016.

Insurance revenues increased $351,000, or 4%, during 2018 compared with 2017. The increase during 2018 was primarily due to increased contingency revenue. Insurance revenues increased $238,000, or 3%, during 2017 as compared to 2016 as a result of increased commercial insurance revenue and personal insurance revenue partially offset by a decline in contingency revenue. Contingency revenue totaled $1,218,000 in 2018 compared with $992,000 in 2017 and $1,114,000 in 2016. Contingency revenue is reflective of claims and loss experience with insurance carriers that the Company represents through its property and casualty insurance agency.

Interchange fees increased $2,711,000, or 59%, during 2018 compared to 2017. The increase during 2018 was largely attributable to increased card utilization by customers, the acquisition activity completed during 2018 and to the adoption of the new revenue recognition standard effective January 1, 2018. While the adoption of the standard did not have a significant impact on the Company's financial results, the recording of revenue gross versus net of certain expenses, in accordance with the standard, did result in the reclassification of some expenses associated with the interchange fee revenue during 2018. The reclassification of this expense for 2018 totaled $1,244,000. Interchange fee income increased $940,000, or 26%, during 2017 compared with 2016. The increase was attributable to increased card utilization by customers and a full year of operations from the River Vally Bancorp acquisition that closed during the first quarter of 2016.

Other operating income increased $144,000, or 5% during 2018 compared with 2017. Other operating income declined $1,062,000, or 29%, during 2017 compared with 2016. The decline was largely attributable to decreased fees and fair value adjustments associated with swap transactions with loan customers.

Net gains on sales of loans declined $276,000, or 8%, during 2018 compared with 2017. The decline in the net gain on sales of loans during 2018 compared with 2017 was largely attributable to lower pricing levels on loans sold. Net gains on sales of loans declined $79,000, or 2%, during 2017 compared with 2016. Loan sales for 2018, 2017, and 2016 totaled $135.3 million, $130.3 million, and $133.6 million, respectively.

During 2018, the Company realized net gains on the sale of securities of $706,000 related to the sale of approximately $90.3 million of securities. During 2017, the Company realized net gains on the sale of securities of $596,000 related to the sale of

28



approximately $48.3 million of securities. During 2016, the Company realized net gains on the sale of securities of $1,979,000 related to the sale of approximately $163.1 million of securities.

NON-INTEREST EXPENSE
 
During 2018, non-interest expense increased of $15,750,000, or 20%, compared with 2017. 2018 included operating expenses related to the branch acquisition completed during the second quarter of 2018 as well as operating expenses related to the bank acquisition completed early in the fourth quarter of 2018. 2018 also included acquisition-related expenses of a non-recurring nature of approximately $4,592,000 related to the aforementioned merger and acquisition activity. During 2017, non-interest expense increased $1,216,000, or 2%, compared with 2016.
Non-interest Expense
(dollars in thousands)
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
% Change From
Prior Year
 
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
 
2018
 
2017
Salaries and Employee Benefits
 
$
51,306

 
$
46,642

 
$
43,961

 
10
 %
 
6
 %
Occupancy, Furniture and Equipment Expense
 
10,877

 
9,230

 
8,558

 
18

 
8

FDIC Premiums
 
1,033

 
954

 
1,151

 
8

 
(17
)
Data Processing Fees
 
6,942

 
4,276

 
5,686

 
62

 
(25
)
Professional Fees
 
5,362

 
2,817

 
3,672

 
90

 
(23
)
Advertising and Promotion
 
3,492

 
3,543

 
2,657

 
(1
)
 
33

Intangible Amortization
 
1,752

 
942

 
1,062

 
86

 
(11
)
Other Operating Expenses
 
12,789

 
9,399

 
9,840

 
36

 
(4
)
TOTAL NON-INTEREST EXPENSE
 
$
93,553

 
$
77,803

 
$
76,587

 
20

 
2

 

Salaries and benefits increased $4,664,000, or 10%, during 2018 compared with 2017. The increase during 2018 compared with 2017 was primarily attributable to an increased number of full-time equivalent employees due in part to the acquisition transactions during 2018. Salaries and benefits increased $2,681,000, or 6%, during 2017 compared with the 2016. The increase in 2017 compared with 2016 was primarily attributable to acquisition activity during 2016 combined with an increased number of full-time equivalent employees and higher levels of employee benefit costs including health insurance costs.

Occupancy, furniture and equipment expense increased $1,647,000, or 18%, during 2018 compared with 2017. The increase during 2018 compared to 2017 was primarily due to operating costs related to the acquisition activity during 2018 as well as other facilities the Company has placed into service over the past several quarters. Occupancy, furniture and equipment expense increased $672,000, or 8%, in 2017 compared with 2016. This increase was largely related to capital investments into the Company's branch network and to the acquisition activity during 2016.

Data processing fees increased $2,666,000, or 62%, during 2018 compared to 2017. The increase was largely related to costs associated with merger and acquisition activities which totaled approximately $2,002,000 during 2018. Data processing fees declined $1,410,000, or 25%, in 2017 compared with 2016. The decline during 2017 compared with 2016 was primarily due to expenses totaling $1,288,000 related to the consolidation of various data processing and information systems that were incurred for the acquisition completed during 2016.

Professional fees increased $2,545,000, or 90%, during 2018 compared with 2017. The increase was primarily due to professional fees related to merger and acquisition activities which totaled $1,738,000 during 2018. Professional fees during 2018 also included approximately $930,000 in fees related to certain contract negotiations not related to the acquisition activity. Professional fees declined $855,000, or 23%, in 2017 compared with 2016. The decline during 2017 compared with 2016 was attributable to expenses totaling $770,000 associated with the acquisition completed during 2016.

Advertising and promotion declined $51,000, or 1%, in 2018 compared with 2017. Advertising and promotion increased $886,000, or 33%, in 2017 compared with 2016. The primary driver of the increase in advertising and promotion during 2017 was a contribution expense of $773,000 related to the donation of a former branch facility to a municipality in one of the Company's market areas.

Intangible amortization increased $810,000, or 86%, during 2018 compared with 2017. The increase in intangible amortization was attributable to the previously discussed acquisition transactions completed during 2018. Intangible amortization decreased $120,000, or 11%, during 2017 compared with 2016.

Other operating expenses increased $3,390,000, or 36%, during 2018 compared with 2017. The increase during 2018 was largely attributable to the operating costs related to the acquisitions completed in 2018 and to the adoption of the revenue recognition

29



standard effective January 1, 2018 and the reclassification of expenses as previously discussed. The reclassification of this expense for 2018 totaled $1,244,000. Other operating expenses declined $441,000, or 4%, during 2017 compared with 2016.

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

The Company records a provision for current income taxes payable, along with a provision for deferred taxes payable in the future. Deferred taxes arise from temporary differences, which are items recorded for financial statement purposes in a different period than for income tax returns. The Company’s effective tax rate was 17.0%, 22.1%, and 28.4%, respectively, in 2018, 2017, and 2016. The effective tax rate in all periods is lower than the blended statutory rate. The lower effective rate in all periods primarily resulted from the Company’s tax-exempt investment income on securities, loans, and company owned life insurance, income tax credits generated by investments in affordable housing projects, and income generated by subsidiaries domiciled in a state with no state or local income tax.

The Company's effective tax rate and provision for income tax was positively impacted during 2018 by the reduction of federal income tax rates from a statutory rate of 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018 related to the enactment of the Tax Act during the fourth quarter of 2017. As a result of the enactment of the Tax Act, the Company revalued its its deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities during the fourth quarter of 2017 which resulted in a net tax benefit of $2,284,000 and consequently impacted the effective tax rate for 2017 as well.

See Note 10 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Report for additional details relative to the Company’s income tax provision.

CAPITAL RESOURCES


As of December 31, 2018, shareholders’ equity increased by $94.1 million to $458.6 million compared with $364.5 million at year-end 2017. The increase in shareholders' equity was largely attributable to the issuance of the Company's common shares in
the acquisition of First Security. Approximately 1,988,000 shares were issued to First Security shareholders resulting in an increase to shareholders' equity of $64.7 million. The increase in shareholders' equity was also attributable to an increase of $32.5 million in retained earnings. Shareholders’ equity represented 11.7% of total assets at December 31, 2018 and 11.6% of total assets at December 31, 2017. Shareholders’ equity included $113.6 million of goodwill and other intangible assets at December 31, 2018 compared to $56.2 million of goodwill and other intangible assets at December 31, 2017.

Federal banking regulations provide guidelines for determining the capital adequacy of bank holding companies and banks. These guidelines provide for a more narrow definition of core capital and assign a measure of risk to the various categories of assets. The Company is required to maintain minimum levels of capital in proportion to total risk-weighted assets and off-balance sheet exposures.
 
As of January 1, 2015, the Company and its subsidiary bank adopted the new Basel III regulatory capital framework. The adoption of this new framework modified the regulatory capital calculations, minimum capital levels and well-capitalized thresholds and added the new Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio. Additionally, under the new rules, in order to avoid limitations on capital distributions, including dividend payments, the Company is required to maintain a capital conservation buffer above the adequately capitalized regulatory capital ratios. The capital conservation buffer was phased in from 0.00% in 2015 to 2.50% effective January 1, 2019. For December 31, 2018, the capital conservation buffer was 1.875%. At December 31, 2018, the capital levels for the Company and its subsidiary bank remained well in excess of of the minimum amounts needed for capital adequacy purposes and the Bank's capital levels met the necessary requirements to be considered well-capitalized.


30



The table below presents the Company’s consolidated and the subsidiary bank's capital ratios under regulatory guidelines:
 
 
12/31/2018
Ratio
 
12/31/2017
Ratio
 
Minimum for Capital Adequacy Purposes (1)
 
Well-Capitalized Guidelines
Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated
 
12.36
%
 
13.62
%
 
8.00
%
 
N/A

Bank
 
12.37

 
12.29

 
8.00

 
10.00
%
Tier 1 (Core) Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated
 
11.85
%
 
12.99
%
 
6.00
%
 
N/A

Bank
 
11.86

 
11.66

 
6.00

 
8.00
%
Common Equity Tier 1 (CET 1) Capital Ratio (to Risk Weighted Assets)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated
 
11.48
%
 
12.55
%
 
4.50
%
 
N/A

Bank
 
11.86

 
11.66

 
4.50

 
6.50
%
Tier 1 Capital (to Average Assets)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated
 
9.75
%
 
10.71
%
 
4.00
%
 
N/A

Bank
 
9.78

 
9.63

 
4.00

 
5.00
%
 
(1) Excludes capital conservation buffer.

Under the the final rules provided for by Basel III, accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") was to be included in a banking organization's Common Equity Tier 1 capital. The final rules allowed community banks to make a one-time election not to include the additional components of AOCI in regulatory capital and instead use the existing treatment under the general risk-based capital rules that excludes most AOCI components from regulatory capital. The Company elected, in its March 31, 2015 regulatory filings (Call Report and FR Y-9), to opt-out and continue the existing treatment of AOCI for regulatory capital purposes.

 
USES OF FUNDS


LOANS

December 31, 2018 total loans increased $586.7 million compared with year-end 2017. As of December 31, 2018, outstanding loans from the First Security transaction, which closed in October 2018, totaled $374.5 million. At December 31, 2018, the loans acquired as a part of the branch acquisition, which closed in May 2018, totaled $106.0 million.

Total loans from the Company's existing branch network, excluding the acquired First Security loans and the loans acquired in the branch acquisition, grew by approximately $106.2 million, or 5%, at year-end 2018 compared with year-end 2017 total loans. Included in this 2018 loan growth, excluding First Security and the branch acquisition, was an increase of approximately $16.1 million, or 3%, in commercial and industrial loans, an increase of $56.8 million, or 6%, in commercial real estate loans, an increase of $22.0 million, or 7%, in agricultural loans, and an increase of $11.3 million, or 3%, in retail loans. The level of organic loan growth in the last half of 2018 from the Company’s existing branch network was impacted by an increased level of large balance pay-offs (approximately $52.0 million), which were largely driven by borrowers’ sales of individual properties and businesses.

December 31, 2017 loans outstanding increased $151.6 million, or 8%, from year-end 2016. The increase in loans during 2017 was from virtually all categories with the exception of residential mortgage loans which experienced a modest decline. This growth came from across the Company's entire Southern Indiana market area. Commercial and industrial loans increased $29.3 million, or 6%, commercial real estate loans increased $70.6 million, or 8%, agricultural loans increased $30.1 million, or 10%, consumer loans increased $26.2 million, or 14%, and residential mortgage loans decreased $4.6 million, or 2%.




31



The composition of the loan portfolio has remained relatively stable and diversified over the past several years, including 2018. The portfolio is most heavily concentrated in commercial real estate loans at 44% of the portfolio. The Company’s exposure to non-owner occupied commercial real estate, including multi-family housing, was limited to 31% of the total loan portfolio at year-end 2018. The Company’s commercial lending is extended to various industries, including multi-family housing and hotel, agribusiness and manufacturing, as well as health care, wholesale, and retail services. The Company also continues to have only limited exposure in construction and development lending with this segment representing approximately 5% of the total loan portfolio.
Loan Portfolio
 
December 31,
(dollars in thousands)
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Commercial and Industrial Loans and Leases
 
$
543,761

 
$
486,668

 
$
457,372

 
$
418,154

 
$
380,079

Commercial Real Estate Loans
 
1,208,646

 
926,729

 
856,094

 
618,788

 
583,086

Agricultural Loans
 
365,208

 
333,227

 
303,128

 
246,886

 
216,774

Home Equity and Consumer Loans
 
285,534

 
219,662

 
193,520

 
147,931

 
134,847

Residential Mortgage Loans
 
328,592

 
178,733

 
183,290

 
136,316

 
137,204

Total Loans
 
2,731,741

 
2,145,019

 
1,993,404

 
1,568,075

 
1,451,990

Less: Unearned Income
 
(3,682
)
 
(3,381
)
 
(3,449
)
 
(3,728
)
 
(4,008
)
Subtotal
 
2,728,059

 
2,141,638

 
1,989,955

 
1,564,347

 
1,447,982

Less: Allowance for Loan Losses
 
(15,823
)
 
(15,694
)
 
(14,808
)
 
(14,438
)
 
(14,929
)
Loans, Net
 
$
2,712,236

 
$
2,125,944

 
$
1,975,147

 
$
1,549,909

 
$
1,433,053

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ratio of Loans to Total Loans
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Commercial and Industrial Loans and Leases
 
20
%
 
23
%
 
23
%
 
27
%
 
26
%
Commercial Real Estate Loans
 
44
%
 
43
%
 
43
%
 
39
%
 
40
%
Agricultural Loans
 
13
%
 
16
%
 
15
%
 
16
%
 
15
%
Home Equity and Consumer Loans
 
11
%
 
10
%
 
10
%
 
9
%
 
9
%
Residential Mortgage Loans
 
12
%
 
8
%
 
9
%
 
9
%
 
10
%
Total Loans
 
100
%
 
100
%
 
100
%
 
100
%
 
100
%

The Company’s policy is generally to extend credit to consumer and commercial borrowers in its primary geographic market area in southern Indiana and central and western Kentucky. Commercial extensions of credit outside this market area are generally concentrated in real estate loans within a 120 mile radius of the Company’s primary market and are granted on a selective basis.

The following table indicates the amounts of loans (excluding residential mortgages on 1-4 family residences and consumer loans) outstanding as of December 31, 2018, which, based on remaining scheduled repayments of principal, are due in the periods indicated (dollars in thousands). 
 
 
Within
One Year
 
One to Five
Years
 
After
Five Years
 
Total
Commercial and Agricultural
 
$
695,122

 
$
1,000,572

 
$
421,921

 
$
2,117,615

 
 
Interest Sensitivity
 
 
Fixed Rate
 
Variable Rate
Loans Maturing After One Year
 
$
271,522

 
$
1,150,971



32



INVESTMENTS

The investment portfolio is a principal source for funding the Company’s loan growth and other liquidity needs of its subsidiaries. The Company’s securities portfolio primarily consists of money market securities, uncollateralized federal agency securities, municipal obligations of state and political subdivisions, and mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations (MBS/CMO - Residential) issued by U.S. government agencies. Money market securities include federal funds sold, interest-bearing balances with banks, and other short-term investments. The composition of the year-end balances in the investment portfolio is presented in Note 2 (Securities) of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report and in the table below:
Investment Portfolio, at Amortized Cost
 
December 31,
(dollars in thousands)
 
2018
 
%
 
2017
 
%
 
2016
 
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Federal Funds Sold and Other Short-term Investments
 
$
32,001

 
4
%
 
$
23,093

 
3
%
 
$
16,349

 
2
%
Obligations of State and Political Subdivisions
 
291,449

 
34

 
267,437

 
35

 
247,350

 
34

MBS/CMO - Residential
 
529,805

 
62

 
476,205

 
62

 
471,852

 
64

Equity Securities
 
353

 
n/m (1)

 
353

 
n/m (1)

 
353

 
n/m (1)

Total Securities Portfolio
 
$
853,608

 
100
%
 
$
767,088

 
100
%
 
$
735,904

 
100
%
(1) 
n/m = not meaningful

The amortized cost of investment securities, including federal funds sold and short-term investments, increased $86.5 million, or 11%, at year-end 2018 compared with year-end 2017 and increased $31.2 million, or 4%, at year-end 2017 compared with year-end 2016. The increase during 2018 was largely attributable to the First Security acquisition. The largest component in the investment portfolio continues to be in mortgage related securities, which totaled $529.8 million and represents 62% of the total securities portfolio at December 31, 2018. The Company’s level of obligations of state and political subdivisions increased to $291.4 million or 34% of the portfolio at December 31, 2018.

Investment Securities, at Carrying Value
 
 
 
 
 
 
(dollars in thousands)
 
 
 
 
December 31,
Securities Available-for-Sale
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
Obligations of State and Political Subdivisions
 
$
294,533

 
$
273,309

 
$
247,519

MBS/CMO - Residential
 
518,078

 
467,332

 
461,914

Total Securities
 
$
812,611

 
$
740,641

 
$
709,433


The Company’s $812.6 million available-for-sale investment portfolio provides an additional funding source for the liquidity needs of the Company’s subsidiaries and for asset/liability management requirements. Although management has the ability to sell these securities if the need arises, their designation as available-for-sale should not necessarily be interpreted as an indication that management anticipates such sales.

The amortized cost of available-for-sale debt securities at December 31, 2018 is shown in the following table by contractual maturity. MBS/CMO - Residential securities are based on estimated average lives. Expected maturities will differ from contractual maturities because issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations. Equity securities do not have contractual maturities, and are ex