Cambridge Bancorp (CATC) 10-K2023 FY Annual report

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

OR

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM TO

Commission File Number 001-38184

CAMBRIDGE BANCORP

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617) 876-5500

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

(Title of class)

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ 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. Yes ☒ 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). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 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.

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. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 726.2(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. Yes ☒ No ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, based on the closing price of the shares of common stock on The NASDAQ Stock Market on June 30, 2023, was $391.7 million. The number of shares of Registrant’s Common Stock outstanding as of March 8, 2024 was 7,846,510.

Table of Contents

PART I

Unless the context requires otherwise, all references to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our,” refer to Cambridge Bancorp.

Forward-Looking Statements

This report contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements about the Company and its industry involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Statements other than statements of current or historical fact, including statements regarding the Company’s future financial condition, results of operations, business plans, liquidity, cash flows, projected costs, and the impact of any laws or regulations applicable to the Company, are forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” and other similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Item 1. Business.

The Company

Cambridge Bancorp (together with its bank subsidiary, unless the context otherwise requires, the “Company”) is a Massachusetts state-chartered, federally registered bank holding company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Company is a Massachusetts corporation formed in 1983 and has one bank subsidiary, Cambridge Trust Company (the “Bank”), formed in 1890. On October 18, 2017, shares of the Company’s common stock commenced trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol CATC. Prior to this date, the Company’s shares traded on the over-the-counter market. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had total assets of approximately $5.4 billion. Currently, the Bank operates 22 banking offices in Eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire. As a private bank, we focus on three core services that center around client needs. The Company’s core services include Wealth Management, Commercial Banking, and Personal Banking. The Bank’s clients consist primarily of consumers and small- and medium-sized businesses in these communities and surrounding areas throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The Company’s Wealth Management Group has five offices, one in Massachusetts in Boston, three in New Hampshire in Concord, Manchester, and Portsmouth, and one in Southport, Connecticut. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had Assets under Management and Administration of approximately $4.6 billion. The Wealth Management Group offers comprehensive investment management, as well as trust administration, estate settlement, and financial planning services. The Company’s wealth management clients value personal service and depend on the commitment and expertise of our experienced banking, investment, and fiduciary professionals.

The Wealth Management Group customizes its investment portfolios to help clients meet their long-term financial goals. Through development of an appropriate asset allocation and disciplined security and fund selection, the Bank’s in-house

investment team targets long-term capital growth while seeking to minimize downside risk. The Company's internally developed, research-driven process is managed by a skilled team of portfolio managers and analysts. The Company builds portfolios consisting of the best investment ideas, focusing on individual global equities, fixed income securities, exchange-traded funds, and mutual funds.

The Company offers a wide range of services to commercial enterprises, non-profit organizations, and individuals. The Company emphasizes service to consumers and small-and medium-sized businesses in its market area. The Company originates commercial and industrial (“C&I”) loans, commercial real estate (“CRE”) loans, construction loans, consumer loans, and residential real estate loans (including one-to-four family and home equity lines of credit), and accepts savings, money market, time, and demand deposits. In addition, the Company offers a wide range of commercial and personal banking services which include cash management, online banking, mobile banking, and global payments.

The Company’s results of operations are largely dependent on net interest income, which is the difference between the interest earned on loans and securities and interest paid on deposits and borrowings, and non-interest income largely from its wealth management services. The results of operations are affected by the level of income and fees from loans, the cost of deposits, operating expenses, the provision for (release of) credit losses, the impact of federal and state income taxes, the relative levels of interest rates, and local and national economic activity.

Through the Bank, the Company focuses on wealth management, the commercial banking business and private banking for clients, including residential lending and relationship banking. Relationship banking focuses on providing exceptional service to clients and in deepening relationships. Within the commercial loan portfolio, the Company has traditionally been a commercial real estate lender. However, in recent years the Company has diversified commercial operations within the areas of commercial and industrial lending to including both Renewable Energy and innovation banking. Through its renewable energy lending efforts, the Company provides financing for developers and operators of commercial and utility scale solar energy projects. Target clients generally include experienced borrowers who have built or managed other renewable energy facilities, and financing is provided for the construction and permanent financing of new projects, the acquisition of completed projects, or the refinancing of existing operating projects. The Innovation Banking Group has a narrow client focus for lending and provides a local banking option for technology and entrepreneurial companies across a wide range of industries within our market area. Financing includes recurring revenue based lending to support working capital, as well as growth capital term debt with borrowers that have demonstrated continued performance to plan during their growth progression.

Cambridge Trust Company

The Bank offers a full range of commercial and consumer banking services through its network of 22 banking offices in Eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The Bank is engaged principally in the business of attracting deposits from the public and investing those deposits. The Bank invests those funds in various types of loans, including residential, CRE, commercial and industrial, and consumer loans. The Bank also invests its deposits and borrowed funds in investment securities and has two wholly owned Massachusetts security corporations, CTC Security Corporation and CTC Security Corporation III, for this purpose. Deposits at the Bank are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) for the maximum amount permitted by FDIC regulations.

Investment management and trust services are offered through our one wealth management office located in Massachusetts , three wealth management offices located in New Hampshire, and one on Connecticut. The Bank also utilizes its subsidiary and non-depository trust company, Cambridge Trust Company of New Hampshire, Inc., to provide specialized wealth management services in New Hampshire. The assets held for wealth management clients are not assets of the Bank and, accordingly, are not reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

The Bank is active in the communities it serves. The Bank makes contributions to various non-profits and local organizations, invests in community development lending, and invests in low-income housing, all of which strive to improve the communities that our employees and clients call home.

Market Area

The Company operates in Eastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Our primary lending market includes Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk, and Suffolk counties in Massachusetts and Rockingham and Hillsborough counties in New Hampshire. The Company benefits from the presence of numerous institutions of higher learning, medical care and research centers, a vibrant innovation economy in life sciences and technology, and the corporate headquarters of several significant financial service companies within the Boston area. Eastern Massachusetts also has many high-technology companies employing personnel with specialized skills. These factors affect the demand for wealth management services, residential homes, multi-family apartments, office buildings, shopping centers, industrial warehouses, and other commercial properties.

Our lending area is primarily an urban market area with a substantial number of one-to-four-unit residential properties, some of which are non-owner occupied, as well as apartment buildings, condominiums, office buildings, and retail space. As a result, our loan portfolio contains a significantly greater number of multi-family and CRE loans compared to institutions that operate in non-urban markets.

Our market area is located largely in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Metropolitan Statistical Area (“MSA”). As of February 2024, the Boston metropolitan area is estimated to be the 11th largest metropolitan area in the United States, based upon data from S & P Global Market Intelligence©. Located adjacent to major transportation corridors, the Boston metropolitan area provides a highly diversified economic base, with major employment sectors ranging from services, education, manufacturing, and wholesale/retail trade, to finance, technology, and medical care. According to the United States Department of Labor, in December 2023, the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts/New Hampshire MSA had an unemployment rate of 3.2% compared to the national unemployment rate of 3.7%.

Merger with Eastern Bankshares, Inc.

On September 19, 2023, the Company, the Bank, Eastern, Eastern Bank, Eastern’s subsidiary bank, and Citadel MS 2023, Inc. a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Eastern (“Merger Sub”) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”). Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, Eastern will acquire the Company and the Bank through the merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company, with the Company as the surviving entity (the “Eastern Merger”). As soon as reasonably practicable following the Eastern Merger, the Company will merge with and into Eastern, with Eastern as the surviving entity (the “Holdco Merger”). The Merger Agreement further provides that following the Holdco Merger, at a time to be determined by Eastern, the Bank will merge with and into Eastern Bank, with Eastern Bank as the surviving entity. Upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Eastern Merger (the “Effective Time”) each share of Company common stock, par value $1.00 per share, outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, other than certain shares held by Eastern or the Company, will be converted into the right to receive 4.956 shares of common stock (the “Exchange Ratio”), par value $0.01 per share, of Eastern (“Eastern Common Stock”). Company shareholders will receive cash in lieu of fractional shares of Eastern Common Stock (the Exchange Ratio and any cash in lieu of fractional shares collectively, the “Merger Consideration”).

Merger with Northmark Bank

On October 1, 2022, the Company completed the Northmark Merger adding three banking offices in Massachusetts. Under the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger with Northmark, each outstanding share of Northmark common stock was converted into 0.9950 shares of the Company’s common stock. As a result of the Northmark Merger, former Northmark shareholders received an aggregate of 788,137 shares of the Company's common stock. The total consideration paid amounted to $62.8 million, based on the closing price of $79.74 of the Company's common stock and cash paid for fractional shares on October 1, 2022.

The Company accounted for the Northmark Merger using the acquisition method pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 805, “Business Combinations” (“ASC 805”) Accordingly, the Company recorded merger expenses of $3.6 million and $1.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. In accordance with the Northmark Merger, the Company recorded total assets of $428.7 million, assumed total liabilities of $378.5 million, and recorded $12.6 million in goodwill. Additionally, the Company recorded $2.2 million in provision for credit losses to reflect the impact of merger related allowance for credit losses commensurate with ASC Topic 326, “Financial Instruments Credit Losses” (“ASC 326”) commonly referred to as current expected credit losses (“CECL”) on October 1, 2022. See Note 4 – Mergers for additional details.

Competition

The financial services industry is highly competitive. The Company experiences substantial competition with other commercial banks, savings and loan associations, securities and brokerage companies, mortgage companies, insurance companies, finance companies, money market funds, credit unions, and other non-bank financial service providers in attracting deposits, making loans, and attracting wealth management clients. The competing major commercial banks have greater resources that may provide them a competitive advantage by enabling them to maintain numerous branch offices, invest in technology, and mount extensive advertising campaigns. The increasingly competitive environment is the result of changes in regulation, changes in technology and product delivery systems, additional financial service providers, and the accelerating pace of consolidation among financial services providers.

The financial services industry has become even more competitive as a result of legislative, regulatory, and technological changes and continued consolidation. Banks, securities firms, and insurance companies can merge under the umbrella of a

financial holding company, which can offer virtually any type of financial service, including banking, securities underwriting, insurance (both agency and underwriting), and merchant banking. Also, technology has lowered barriers to entry and made it possible for non-banks to offer products and services traditionally provided by banks, such as automatic transfer and automatic payment systems.

Some of the Company’s non-banking competitors have fewer regulatory constraints and may have lower cost structures. In addition, some of the Company’s competitors have assets, capital, and lending limits greater than that of the Company, greater access to capital markets, and offer a broader range of products and services than the Company. These institutions may have the ability to finance wide-ranging advertising campaigns and may also be able to offer lower rates on loans and higher rates on deposits than the Company can offer. Some of these institutions offer services, such as international banking, which the Company does not directly offer.

Various in-state market competitors and out-of-state banks continue to enter or have announced plans to enter or expand their presence in the market areas in which the Company currently operates. With the addition of new banking presences within our market, the Company expects increased competition for loans, deposits, and other financial products and services.

The Bank is a private bank and wealth management firm, stressing the holistic client relationship, and relies upon local promotional activities, the skill and personal relationships established by officers, directors, and employees with its clients, and specialized services tailored to meet the needs of the communities served. While the Bank’s position varies by market, management believes that it can compete effectively as a result of local market knowledge, local decision making, and awareness of client needs.

Supervision and Regulation

General

Banking is a complex, highly regulated industry. Consequently, the performance of the Company and the Bank can be affected not only by management decisions and general and local economic conditions, but also by the statutes enacted by the U.S. Congress and state legislatures, and the regulations and policies of, various governmental regulatory authorities. These authorities include, but are not limited to, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”), the Massachusetts Division of Banks (the “MA DOB”), the State of New Hampshire Banking Department, and the FDIC.

The primary goals of bank regulation are to maintain a safe and sound banking system, establish consumer protection standards, and to facilitate the conduct of sound monetary policy. In furtherance of these goals, the U.S. Congress and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have created largely autonomous regulatory agencies that oversee and have enacted numerous laws that govern banks, bank holding companies, and the banking industry. The system of supervision and regulation applicable to the Company and the Bank establishes a comprehensive framework for the entities’ respective operations and is intended primarily for the protection of the Bank’s depositors and the public, rather than the shareholders and creditors. The following summarizes the significant laws, rules, and regulations governing banks and bank holding companies, including the Company and the Bank, but does not purport to be a complete summary of all applicable laws, rules, and regulations governing bank holding companies and banks or the Company or the Bank. The descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the specific statutes, regulations, and policies discussed. Any change in applicable laws, regulations, or regulatory policies may have a material effect on our businesses, operations, and prospects. The Company is unable to predict the nature or extent of the effects that economic controls or new federal or state legislation may have on our business and earnings in the future.

Regulatory Agencies

The Company is a legal entity separate and distinct from its first-tier bank subsidiary, the Bank, and its second-tier subsidiaries, Cambridge Trust Company of New Hampshire, Inc., a New Hampshire state-chartered non-depository trust company, and CTC Security Corporation and CTC Security Corporation III, which are used to invest the Bank’s deposits and borrowed funds in investment securities. As a bank holding company, the Company is regulated under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (“BHC Act”), Massachusetts laws applying to bank holding companies and Massachusetts corporations more generally. The Company is subject to inspection, examination, and supervision by the Federal Reserve and the MA DOB.

As a Massachusetts state-chartered insured depository institution, the Bank is subject to supervision, periodic examination, and regulation by the MA DOB as its chartering authority, and by the FDIC as its primary federal regulator. The prior approval of the MA DOB and the FDIC is required, among other things, for the Bank to establish or relocate any additional branch offices, assume deposits, or engage in any merger, consolidation, purchase, or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of any insured depository institution.

Cambridge Trust Company of New Hampshire, Inc. is subject to supervision, periodic examination, and regulation by The State of New Hampshire Banking Department.

Bank Holding Company Regulations Applicable to the Company

The BHC Act and other federal laws and regulations subject bank holding companies to particular restrictions on the types of activities in which they may engage and to a range of supervisory requirements and activities, including regulatory enforcement actions for violations of laws and regulations. As a Massachusetts corporation and bank holding company, the Company is also subject to certain limitations and restrictions under applicable Massachusetts law.

Mergers & Acquisitions

The BHC Act, the Bank Merger Act, the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts applicable to financial institutions, and other federal and state statutes regulate acquisitions of banks and their holding companies. The BHC Act generally limits acquisitions by bank holding companies to banks and companies engaged in activities that the Federal Reserve has determined to be so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident thereto. The BHC Act requires every bank holding company to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve before (i) acquiring more than 5% of the voting stock of any bank or other bank holding company, (ii) acquiring all or substantially all the assets of any bank or bank holding company, or (iii) merging or consolidating with any other bank holding company.

In reviewing applications seeking approval of merger and acquisition transactions, the bank regulatory authorities generally consider, among other things, the competitive effect and public benefits of the transactions, the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the combined organization (including the capital position of the combined organization), the applicant’s performance record under the Community Reinvestment Act (see —Community Reinvestment Act), fair housing laws, and the effectiveness of the subject organizations in combating money laundering activities.

Non-bank Activities

Generally, bank holding companies are prohibited, under the BHC Act, from engaging in, or acquiring direct or indirect control of more than 5% of the voting shares of any company engaged in, any activity other than (i) banking or managing or controlling banks or (ii) an activity that the Federal Reserve determines to be so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident to the business of banking. The Federal Reserve has the authority to require a bank holding company to terminate an activity or terminate control of, or liquidate or divest, certain subsidiaries or affiliates when the Federal Reserve believes the activity, or the control of the subsidiary or affiliate constitutes a significant risk to the financial safety, soundness, or stability of any of its bank subsidiaries.

A bank holding company that qualifies and elects to become a financial holding company is permitted to engage in additional activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to financial activity. The Company currently has no plans to make a financial holding company election.

Bank holding companies and their non-banking subsidiaries are prohibited from engaging in activities that represent unsafe and unsound banking practices. For example, under certain circumstances the Federal Reserve’s Regulation Y requires a holding company to give the Federal Reserve prior notice of any redemption or repurchase of its own equity securities if the consideration to be paid, together with the consideration paid for any other redemptions or repurchases in the preceding year, is equal to 10% or more of the bank holding company’s consolidated net worth. The Federal Reserve may oppose the transaction if it believes that the transaction would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice or would violate a regulation. As another example, a bank holding company is prohibited from impairing its subsidiary bank’s soundness by causing the bank to make funds available to non-bank subsidiaries or their clients if the Federal Reserve believes it is not prudent to do so. The Federal Reserve has the power to assess civil money penalties for knowing or reckless violations if the activities leading to a violation caused a substantial loss to a depository institution. Potential penalties can reach as high as almost $2.0 million for each day such activity continues.

Source of Strength

In accordance with Federal Reserve policy, the Company is expected to act as a source of financial and managerial strength to the Bank. Section 616 of the Dodd-Frank Act codifies the requirement that bank holding companies serve as a source of financial strength to their subsidiary depository institutions. Under this policy, the holding company is expected to commit resources to support its bank subsidiary, including at times when the holding company may not be in a financial position to provide it. As discussed below, the Company could be required to guarantee the capital plan of the Bank if it becomes undercapitalized for purposes of banking regulations. Any capital loans by a bank holding company to its subsidiary bank are subordinate in right of payment to deposits and to certain other indebtedness of such subsidiary bank. The BHC Act provides that, in the event of a bank holding company’s bankruptcy, any commitment by the bank holding company to a federal bank regulatory agency to maintain the capital of a bank subsidiary will be assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and entitled to priority of payment.

Regulatory agencies have promulgated regulations to increase the capital requirements for bank holding companies to a level that matches those of banking institutions. See — Capital Adequacy and Prompt Corrective Action and Safety and Soundness.

Annual Reporting & Examinations

The Company is required to file annual and periodic reports with the Federal Reserve and such additional information as the Federal Reserve may require. The Federal Reserve may examine a bank holding company and any of its subsidiaries and charge the Company for the cost of such an examination.

Imposition of Liability for Undercapitalized Subsidiaries

Pursuant to Section 38 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (the “FDIA”), federal banking agencies are required to take “prompt corrective action” (“PCA”) should an insured depository institution fail to meet certain capital adequacy standards. In the event an institution becomes “undercapitalized,” it must submit a capital restoration plan. The capital restoration plan will not be accepted by the regulators unless each company “having control of” the undercapitalized institution has “guaranteed” the subsidiary’s compliance with the capital restoration plan until it has been “adequately capitalized” on average during each of four consecutive calendar quarters. For purposes of this statute, the Company has control of the Bank. Under the FDIA, the aggregate guarantee liability of all companies controlling a particular institution is limited to the lesser of 5% of the depository institution’s total assets at the time it became undercapitalized or the amount necessary to bring the institution into compliance with applicable capital standards. The FDIA grants greater powers to the federal banking agencies in situations where an institution becomes “significantly” or “critically” undercapitalized or fails to submit a capital restoration plan. For example, a bank holding company controlling such an institution can be required to obtain prior Federal Reserve approval of proposed distributions or might be required to consent to a merger or to divest the troubled institution or other affiliates. See — Capital Adequacy and Prompt Corrective Action and Safety and Soundness.

Dividends

Dividends from the Bank are the Company’s principal source of cash revenues. The Company’s earnings and activities are affected by legislation, regulations, and local legislative and administrative bodies and decisions of courts in the jurisdictions in which it conducts business. These include limitations on the ability of the Bank to pay dividends to the Company and our ability to pay dividends to the shareholders. It is the policy of the Federal Reserve that bank holding companies should pay cash dividends on common stock only out of income available over the past year and only if prospective earnings retention is consistent with the organization’s expected future needs and financial condition. This policy provides that bank holding companies should not maintain a level of cash dividends that undermines the bank holding company’s ability to serve as a source of strength to its bank subsidiary. Consistent with such policy, a banking organization should have comprehensive policies on dividend payments that clearly articulate the organization’s objectives and approaches for maintaining a strong capital position and achieving the objectives of the policy statement. The Company has a comprehensive dividend policy in place.

The FDIC has the authority to use its enforcement powers to prohibit a bank from paying dividends if, in its opinion, the payment of dividends would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice. Federal law also prohibits the payment of dividends by a bank that will result in the bank failing to meet its applicable capital requirements on a pro forma basis. Under applicable Massachusetts law, the Bank’s Board of Directors may declare from net profits cash dividends annually, semi-annually, or quarterly, but not more frequently, and noncash dividends at any time, although no dividends may be declared, credited, or paid so long as there is any impairment of capital stock. The MA DOB Commissioner’s approval is required in order to authorize the payment of a dividend, if the total dividends declared in a calendar year exceed that year’s net profits combined with retained net profits for the preceding two years, less any required transfer to surplus or a fund for the retirement of any preferred stock.

Transactions with Affiliates

Transactions between a bank and its affiliates are subject to certain restrictions under Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act (the “FRA”) and the Federal Reserve’s implementing Regulation W. The Company is considered an “affiliate” of the Bank under these sections. Generally, Sections 23A and 23B: (1) limit the extent to which an insured depository or its subsidiaries may engage in covered transactions (a) with an affiliate (as defined in such sections) to an amount equal to 10% of such institution’s capital and surplus and (b) with all affiliates, in the aggregate, to an amount equal to 20% of such capital and surplus; and (2) require all transactions with an affiliate, whether or not covered transactions, to be on terms substantially the same, or at least as favorable to the institution or subsidiary, as the terms provided or that would be provided to a non-affiliate. The term “covered transaction” includes the making of loans to an affiliate, purchase securities issued by an affiliate, purchase of assets from an affiliate, issuance of a guarantee on behalf of an affiliate, and other similar types of transactions.

Capital Adequacy

In July 2013, the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”), and the FDIC approved final rules (the “Capital Rules”) establishing a new comprehensive capital framework for U.S. banking organizations. The Capital Rules generally implement the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision’s December 2010 final capital framework referred to as “Basel III” for strengthening international capital standards. The Capital Rules revise the definitions and the components of regulatory capital, as well as address other issues affecting the numerator in banking institutions’ regulatory capital ratios. The Capital Rules also address asset risk weights and other matters affecting the denominator in banking institutions’ regulatory capital ratios and replace the existing general risk-weighting approach with a more risk-sensitive approach.

The Capital Rules: (i) include “Common Equity Tier 1” (“CET1”) and related regulatory capital ratio of CET1 to risk-weighted assets; (ii) specify that Tier 1 capital consists of CET1 and “Additional Tier 1 capital” instruments meeting certain revised requirements; (iii) mandate that most deductions/adjustments to regulatory capital measures be made to CET1 and not to the other components of capital; and (iv) expand the scope of the deductions from and adjustments to capital as compared to existing regulations. Under the Capital Rules, for most banking organizations, including the Company, the most common form of Additional Tier 1 capital is non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock, and the most common forms of Tier 2 capital are subordinated notes and a portion of the allocation for allowance for credit losses, in each case, subject to the Capital Rules’ specific requirements.

Pursuant to the Capital Rules, effective January 1, 2015, the minimum capital ratios are as follows:

The Capital Rules also include a “capital conservation buffer,” composed entirely of CET1, in addition to these minimum risk-weighted asset ratios (which are each of the first three ratios described above, but not the leverage ratio). The capital conservation buffer is designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions that do not hold the requisite capital conservation buffer will face constraints on dividends, capital instrument repurchases, interest payments on capital instruments and discretionary bonus payments based on the amount of the shortfall. Thus, the capital standards applicable to the Company include an additional capital conservation buffer of 2.5% of CET1, effectively resulting in minimum ratios inclusive of the capital conservation buffer of (i) CET1 to risk-weighted assets of at least 7%, (ii) Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8.5%, and (iii) total capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 10.5%.

The Capital Rules provide for a number of deductions from and adjustments to CET1. These include, for example, the requirement that mortgage servicing assets, deferred tax assets arising from temporary differences that could not be realized through net operating loss carrybacks, and significant investments in non-consolidated financial entities be deducted from CET1 to the extent that any one such category exceeds 10% of CET1 or all such items, in the aggregate, exceed 15% of CET1. In November 2017, the Federal Reserve finalized a rule pausing the phase-in of these deductions and adjustments for non-advanced approaches institutions. In July 2019, the OCC, the Federal Reserve Board and the FDIC adopted a final rule intended to simplify the Capital Rules described above for non-advanced approaches rule institutions. Institutions were required to implement the provisions of the simplification rule by April 1, 2020. The transition provisions to the Capital Rules issued by these agencies in November 2017 ceased to apply to an institution in the quarter in which it adopted the simplification rule.

In addition, under the current general risk-based capital rules, the effects of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss items included in shareholders’ equity (for example, mark-to-market of securities held in the available for sale portfolio) under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) are reversed for the purposes of determining regulatory capital ratios. Pursuant to the Capital Rules, the effects of certain of the above items are not excluded. However, banking organizations, including the Company, that are not subject to the advanced approaches rule, could make a one-time permanent election to exclude these items. The Company made the one-time permanent election to exclude these items.

The Capital Rules also preclude certain hybrid securities, such as trust preferred securities, from inclusion in bank holding companies’ Tier 1 capital, although bank holding companies that had total consolidated assets of less than $15 billion at December 31, 2009 may include trust preferred securities issued prior to May 19, 2010 as a component of Tier 1 capital.

The risk-weighting categories in the Capital Rules are standardized and include a risk-sensitive number of categories, depending on the nature of the assets, generally ranging from 0% for U.S. government and agency securities, to 1,250% for certain credit exposures, and resulting in higher risk weights for a variety of asset classes.

In September 2019, the OCC, the Federal Reserve Board, and the FDIC adopted a final rule that is intended to further simplify the Capital Rules for depository institutions and their holding companies that have less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets, such as Cambridge Bancorp, if such institutions meet certain qualifying criteria. This final rule became effective on January 1, 2020. Under this final rule, if the Company meets the qualifying criteria, including having a leverage ratio (equal to tier 1 capital divided by average total consolidated assets) (greater than 9 percent), the Company will be eligible to opt into the community bank leverage ratio framework. If the Company opts into this framework, the Company will be considered to have satisfied the generally applicable risk-based and leverage capital requirements in the Capital Rules (as modified pursuant to the simplification rule) and will be considered to have met the well-capitalized ratio requirements for PCA purposes. The Bank has not elected to adopt this framework.

The Company and the Bank are in compliance with the currently applicable capital requirements.

Prompt Corrective Action and Safety and Soundness

Pursuant to Section 38 of the FDIA, federal banking agencies are required to take Prompt Corrective Action (“PCA”) should a depository institution fail to meet certain capital adequacy standards. At each successive lower capital category, an insured depository institution is subject to more restrictions and prohibitions, including restrictions on growth, restrictions on interest rates paid on deposits, restrictions, or prohibitions on payment of dividends, and restrictions on the acceptance of brokered deposits. For example, “well-capitalized” institutions are permitted to accept brokered deposits, but banks that are not well-capitalized are generally restricted or prohibited from accepting such deposits. Furthermore, if an insured depository institution is classified in one of the undercapitalized categories, it is required to submit a capital restoration plan to the appropriate federal banking agency, and the holding company must guarantee the performance of that plan. Based upon its capital levels, a bank that is classified as well-capitalized, adequately capitalized, or undercapitalized may be treated as though it were in the next lower capital category if the appropriate federal banking agency, after notice and opportunity for hearing, determines that an unsafe or unsound condition or an unsafe or unsound practice warrants such treatment.

For purposes of PCA, to be: (i) well-capitalized, a bank must have a total risk-based capital ratio of at least 10%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of at least 8%, a CET1 risk-based capital ratio of at least 6.5%, and a Tier 1 leverage ratio of at least 5%; (ii) adequately capitalized, a bank must have a total risk-based capital ratio of at least 8%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of at least 6%, a CET1 risk-based capital ratio of at least 4.5%, and a Tier 1 leverage ratio of at least 4% (but not otherwise meet all of the criteria to be considered “well-capitalized”); (iii) undercapitalized, a bank would have a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 8%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 6%, a CET1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 4.5%, or a Tier 1 leverage ratio of less than 4% (but not otherwise meet all of the criteria to be considered “significantly” or “critically” undercapitalized); (iv) significantly undercapitalized, a bank would have a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 6%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 4%, a CET1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 3%, or a Tier 1 leverage ratio of less than 3% (but not otherwise meet the criterion to be considered “critically undercapitalized”); and (v) critically undercapitalized, a bank would have a ratio of tangible equity to total assets that is less than or equal to 2%.

The Bank is currently well-capitalized, under the PCA standards.

Bank holding companies and insured banks also may be subject to potential enforcement actions of varying levels of severity by the federal banking agencies for unsafe or unsound practices in conducting their business, or for violation of any law, rule, regulation, condition imposed in writing by the agency or term of a written agreement with the agency. In more serious cases, enforcement actions may include: issuances of directives to increase capital; issuances of formal and informal agreements; impositions of civil monetary penalties; issuances of a cease and desist order that can be judicially enforced; issuances of removal and prohibition orders against officers, directors, and other institution−affiliated parties; terminations of the bank’s deposit insurance; appointment of a conservator or receiver for the bank; and enforcements of such actions through injunctions or restraining orders based upon a judicial determination that the agency would be harmed if such equitable relief was not granted.

Deposit Insurance

The Bank’s deposit accounts are fully insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund (the “DIF”) of the FDIC up to the deposit insurance limit of $250,000 per depositor, per insured institution, per ownership category, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

The FDIC uses a risk-based assessment system that imposes insurance premiums based upon a risk matrix that accounts for a bank’s capital level and supervisory rating (“CAMELS”) rating. The risk matrix uses different risk categories distinguished by capital levels and supervisory ratings. The base for deposit insurance assessments is average consolidated total assets less average tangible equity. Assessment rates are calculated using formulas that take into account the risk of the institution being assessed. The FDIC may increase or decrease the assessment rate schedule in order to manage the DIF to prescribed statutory target levels. An increase in the risk category for the Bank or in the assessment rates could have an adverse effect on the Bank’s, and consequently the Company’s earnings.

The FDIC may terminate deposit insurance if it determines the institution involved has engaged in or is engaging in unsafe or unsound banking practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition, or has violated applicable laws, regulations, or orders. The Bank is not aware of any practice, condition, or violation that might lead to the termination of its deposit insurance.

The FDIA and FDIC regulations generally limit the ability of an insured depository institution to accept, renew or roll over any brokered deposit unless the institution’s capital category is “well capitalized” or, with the FDIC’s approval, “adequately capitalized.” Depository institutions that have brokered deposits in excess of 10% of total assets are subject to increased FDIC deposit insurance premium assessments. However, for institutions that are well capitalized and have a CAMELS composite rating of 1 or 2, reciprocal deposits are deducted from brokered deposits. Section 202 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which was enacted in 2018, amended the FDIA to exempt a capped amount of reciprocal deposits from treatment as brokered deposits for certain insured depository institutions.

Depositor Preference

The FDIA provides that, in the event of the “liquidation or other resolution” of an insured depository institution, the claims of depositors of the institution, including the claims of the FDIC as subrogee of insured depositors, and certain claims for administrative expenses of the FDIC as a receiver, will have priority over other general unsecured claims against the institution. If an insured depository institution fails, insured and uninsured depositors, along with the FDIC, will have priority in payment ahead of unsecured, non-deposit creditors, including the parent bank holding company, with respect to any extensions of credit they have made to such insured depository institution.

Consumer Financial Protection

The Company and the Bank are subject to a number of federal and state consumer protection laws that govern their relationship with clients. These laws include the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Truth in Savings Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Expedited Funds Availability Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Right to Financial Privacy Act, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, and these laws’ respective state-law counterparts, as well as state usury laws and laws regarding unfair and deceptive acts and practices. These and other federal laws, among other things, require disclosures of the cost of credit and terms of deposit accounts, provide substantive consumer rights, prohibit discrimination in credit transactions, regulate the use of credit report information, provide financial privacy protections, prohibit unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices, restrict the Bank’s ability to raise interest rates, and subject the Bank to substantial regulatory oversight. Violations of applicable consumer protection laws can result in significant potential liability from litigation brought by clients, including actual damages, restitution, and attorneys’ fees.

Further, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) has broad rulemaking authority for a wide range of consumer financial laws that apply to all banks, including, among other things, the authority to prohibit “unfair, deceptive or abusive” acts and practices. While there are no statutory definitions for those terms, the CFPB has found an act or practice to be “unfair” when: “(i) it causes or is likely to cause substantial injury to consumers; (ii) the injury is not reasonably avoidable by consumers; and (iii) the injury is not outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or to competition.” “Deceptive acts or practices” occur when “(i) the act or practice misleads or is likely to mislead the consumer; (ii) the consumer’s interpretation is reasonable under the circumstances; and (iii) the misleading act or practice is material.” Finally, an act or practice is “abusive” when it: “(i) materially interferes with the ability of a consumer to understand a term or condition of a consumer financial product or service; or (ii) takes unreasonable advantage of (a) a consumer’s lack of understanding of the material risks, costs, or conditions of the product or service; (b) a consumer’s inability to protect his or her interests in selecting or using a consumer financial product or service; or (c) a consumer’s reasonable reliance on a covered person to act in his or her interests.”

Neither the Dodd-Frank Act, nor the individual consumer financial protection laws, prevent states from adopting stricter consumer protection standards.

Community Reinvestment Act

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 banking agencies regularly conduct CRA examinations to assess the performance of financial institutions and gives a rating to the institution’s records of meeting the credit needs of its community. The Bank received a “Satisfactory” rating during its last examination in July 2020.

Insider Credit Transactions

Section 22(h) of the FRA and its implementing Regulation O restricts loans to directors, executive officers, and principal shareholders of a bank or its affiliates, and companies and political or campaign committees controlled by such persons (“insiders”). Under Section 22(h), a loan by a bank to any insider may not exceed, together with all other outstanding loans to such person and any company or political or campaign committee controlled by such person, the bank’s loan-to-one-borrower limit. Loans to insiders above specified amounts must receive the prior approval of the Company’s Board of Directors. Further, under Section 22(h) of the FRA, loans to insiders must be made on terms substantially the same as offered in comparable transactions to other persons, except that such insiders may receive preferential loans made under a benefit or compensation program that is widely available to the bank’s (or, if applicable, the bank affiliate’s) employees and does not give preference to the insider over the employees. Section 22(g) of the FRA places additional limitations on loans to executive officers. A violation of these restrictions may result in the assessment of substantial civil monetary penalties on the affected bank or any officer, director, employee, agent, or other person participating in the conduct of the affairs of that bank, the imposition of a cease and desist order, and other regulatory sanctions.

Financial Privacy

The Company is subject to federal laws, including the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “GLBA”), and certain state laws containing consumer privacy protection provisions. These provisions limit the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose nonpublic information about consumers to affiliated and non-affiliated third parties and limit the reuse of certain consumer information received from non-affiliated financial institutions. These provisions require notice of privacy policies to clients and, in some circumstances, allow consumers to prevent disclosure of certain nonpublic personal information to affiliates or non-affiliated third parties by means of “opt out” or “opt in” authorizations.

Financial Data Security

The GLBA requires that financial institutions implement comprehensive written information security programs that include administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect consumer information. Further, pursuant to interpretive guidance issued under the GLBA and certain state laws, financial institutions are required to notify clients and regulators of security breaches that result in unauthorized access to their non-public personal information (“NPPI”).

Incentive Compensation

The Dodd-Frank Act requires the federal banking agencies and the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to establish joint regulations or guidelines prohibiting incentive-based payment arrangements at specified regulated entities, including the Company and the Bank, with at least $1 billion in total consolidated assets that encourage inappropriate risks by providing an executive officer, employee, director or principal shareholder with excessive compensation, fees, or benefits that could lead to material financial loss to the entity. The federal banking agencies and the SEC most recently proposed such regulations in 2016. The regulations have not yet been finalized. but it is expected that this rulemaking will be a priority in 2024. If the regulations are adopted in the form initially proposed or a similar form, they will restrict the manner in which executive compensation is structured.

The Dodd-Frank Act also requires publicly traded companies to give shareholders a non-binding vote on executive compensation and on so-called “golden parachute” payments in connection with approvals of mergers and acquisitions.

Anti-Money Laundering Initiatives and the USA PATRIOT Act

Under Title III of the USA PATRIOT Act, all financial institutions are required to take certain measures to identify their clients, prevent money laundering, monitor client transactions, and report suspicious activity to U.S. law enforcement agencies. Financial institutions also are required to respond to requests for information from federal banking agencies and law enforcement agencies. Information sharing among financial institutions for the above purposes is encouraged by an exemption granted to complying financial institutions from the privacy provisions of the GLBA and other privacy laws. Financial institutions that hold correspondent accounts for foreign banks or provide private banking services to foreign individuals are required to take measures to avoid dealing with certain foreign individuals or entities, including foreign banks with profiles that raise money laundering concerns, and are prohibited from dealing with foreign “shell banks” and persons from jurisdictions of particular concern. The primary federal banking agencies and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury have adopted regulations to implement several of these provisions. All financial institutions also are required to establish internal anti-money laundering programs. The effectiveness of a financial institution in combating money laundering activities is a factor to be considered in any application submitted by the financial institution under the Bank Merger Act. The Company has a Bank Secrecy Act and USA PATRIOT Act compliance program commensurate with its risk profile.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act’s Red Flags Rule requires financial institutions with covered accounts (e.g., consumer bank accounts and loans) to develop, implement, and administer an identity theft prevention program. This program must include reasonable policies and procedures to detect suspicious patterns or practices that indicate the possibility of identity theft, such as inconsistencies in personal information or changes in account activity.

Office of Foreign Assets Control Regulation

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. OFAC publishes lists of individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries. It also lists individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers, designated under programs that are not country specific. These are typically known as the OFAC rules based on their administration by the OFAC. The OFAC-administered sanctions targeting countries take many different forms. Generally, 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 (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.

Available Information

The SEC maintains an Internet website at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.

Our Internet website is https://www.cambridgetrust.com. You can obtain on our website, free of charge, a copy of our annual reports on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, our current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such reports or amendments with, or furnish them to, the SEC. Our Internet website and the information contained therein or connected thereto are not intended to be incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Human Capital

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had 407 full-time and six part-time employees. At any given time, less than 1% of our employees are temporary. The Company’s employees are not represented by any collective bargaining unit.

The Company is committed to recruiting, developing and promoting a diverse workforce to meet the current and future demands of our business. In 2019, we instituted a policy which requires that all searches for positions Vice President and above include at least one racially or ethnically diverse candidate and one female candidate. All of our positions are listed on multiple job boards specifically targeted towards women, minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities. In 2017, the Company formed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee, which today comprises twenty (20) members from across the organization, including three members of executive management. This committee meets no less than quarterly and has established goals to further the Company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts.

As of December 31, 2023, our overall workforce was 53% female and 23% racially or ethnically diverse. Of those employees with position titles of Vice President and above, 43% were female and 11% were racially or ethnically diverse.

To ensure we provide a rich experience for our employees, we measure organizational culture and engagement by periodically engaging independent third parties to conduct cultural assessments and employee engagement surveys. Our employee driven Engagement Committee focus on monitoring and making continuous improvements to our work environment and employee engagement.

The Company encourages employees to contribute their personal best while respecting the balance between work and personal life. To empower employees to reach their potential, we provide training and development programs including traditional classroom training and coaching and experiential learning through Company-wide initiative beyond the scope of their everyday responsibilities. We also provide access to virtual and self-directed online courses in topics ranging from compliance to management skills through our online learning system. To identify and develop our next generation of leaders, we have a robust talent and succession planning process and specialized programs to support the development of our talent pipeline at different levels. The Company believes that its employee relations are good.

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Risks Related to our Business and Industry

Deterioration in local economic conditions may negatively impact our financial performance.

The Company’s success depends primarily on the general economic conditions in Eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire and the specific local markets in which the Company operates. Unlike larger national or other regional banks that are more geographically diversified, the Company provides banking and financial services to clients primarily in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The local economic conditions in these areas have a significant impact on the demand for the Company’s products and services as well as the ability of the Company’s clients to repay loans, the value of the collateral securing loans, and the stability of the Company’s deposit funding sources.

A downturn in our local economy may limit funds available for deposit and may negatively affect our borrowers’ ability to repay their loans on a timely basis, both of which could have an impact on our profitability.

Negative developments affecting the banking industry, and resulting media coverage, have eroded customer confidence in the banking system.

The high-profile bank failures involving First Republic Bank, Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in 2023 have generated significant market volatility among publicly traded bank holding companies and, in particular, banks like the Company. These market developments have negatively impacted customer confidence in the safety and soundness of small and mid-size banks. As a result, customers may choose to maintain deposits with larger financial institutions or invest in higher yielding short-term fixed income securities, all of which could materially adversely impact the Company’s liquidity, loan funding capacity, net interest margin, capital and results of operations. While the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have made statements ensuring that depositors of these recently failed banks would have access to their deposits, including uninsured deposit accounts, there is no guarantee that such actions will be successful in restoring customer confidence in regional banks and the banking system more broadly.

Variations in interest rates may negatively affect our financial performance.

The Company’s earnings and financial condition are largely dependent upon net interest income, which is the difference between interest earned from loans and investments and interest paid on deposits and borrowings. The narrowing of interest rate spreads could adversely affect the Company’s earnings and financial condition. The Company cannot predict with certainty, or control, changes in interest rates. Regional and local economic conditions and the policies of regulatory authorities, including monetary policies of the Federal Reserve, affect interest income and interest expense. Our net interest income and net interest margin may be negatively impacted during periods of rate tightening due to pressure on our funding costs, particularly if we are unable to realize higher rates on our assets at a pace that matches that of the funding. Rising interest rates could also affect the amount of loans that the Company can originate because higher rates could cause clients to apply for fewer mortgages or cause depositors to shift funds from accounts that have a comparatively lower cost to accounts with a higher cost. The Company may also experience client attrition due to competitor pricing. If the cost of interest-bearing deposits increases at a rate greater than the yields on interest-earning assets increase, then net interest income will be negatively affected. Changes in the asset and liability mix may also affect net interest income. Similarly, lower interest rates cause higher yielding assets to prepay and floating or adjustable-rate assets to reset to lower rates. If the Company is not able to reduce its funding costs sufficiently, due to either competitive factors or the maturity schedule of existing liabilities, then the Company’s net interest margin will decline.

Although management believes it has implemented effective asset and liability management strategies to mitigate the potential adverse effects of changes in interest rates on the Company’s results of operations, any substantial or unexpected change in, or prolonged change in market interest rates could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Rising interest rates have decreased the value of the Company’s held-to-maturity securities portfolio, and the Company would realize losses if it were required to sell such securities to meet liquidity needs.

As a result of inflationary pressures and the resulting rapid increases in interest rates over the last two years, the trading value of previously issued government and other fixed income securities has declined significantly. These securities make up a majority of the securities portfolio of most banks in the U.S., including the Company’s, resulting in unrealized losses embedded in the held-to-maturity portion of U.S. banks’ securities portfolios. While the Company does not currently intend to sell these securities, if the Company were required to sell such securities to meet liquidity needs, it may incur losses, which could impair the Company’s capital, financial condition, and results of operations and require the Company to raise additional capital on unfavorable terms, thereby negatively impacting its profitability. While the Company has taken actions to maximize its funding sources, there is no guarantee that such actions will be successful or sufficient in the event of sudden liquidity needs. Furthermore, while the Federal Reserve Board has announced a Bank Term Funding Program available to eligible depository institutions secured by U.S. treasuries, agency debt and mortgage-backed securities, and other qualifying assets as collateral at par, to mitigate the risk of potential losses on the sale of such instruments, there is no guarantee that such programs will be effective in addressing liquidity needs as they arise.

Changes in the economy or the financial markets could materially affect our financial performance.

Downturns in the United States or global economies or financial markets could adversely affect the demand for and income received from the Company’s fee-based services. Revenues from the Wealth Management Group depend in large part on the level of assets under management and administration. Market volatility that leads clients to liquidate investments, as well as lower asset values, can reduce our level of assets under management and administration and thereby decrease our investment management and administration revenues.

Our loan portfolio includes loans with a higher risk of loss.

The Bank originates C&I loans, CRE loans, consumer loans, and residential mortgage loans primarily within our market area. Our lending strategy focuses on residential real estate lending, as well as servicing commercial clients, including increased emphasis on C&I lending, and commercial deposit relationships. C&I, CRE loans, and consumer loans may expose a lender to greater credit risk than loans secured by residential real estate because the collateral securing these loans may not be sold as easily as residential real estate. In addition, CRE and C&I loans may also involve relatively large loan balances to individual borrowers or groups of borrowers. These loans also have greater credit risk than residential real estate for the following reasons:

Any downturn in the real estate market or local economy could adversely affect the value of the properties securing the loans or revenues from the borrowers’ businesses thereby increasing the risk of non-performing loans.

We may experience losses and expenses if security interests granted for loans are not enforceable.

When the Company makes loans, it sometimes obtains liens, such as real estate mortgages or other asset pledges, to provide the Company with a security interest in collateral. If there is a loan default, the Company may seek to foreclose upon collateral and enforce the security interests to obtain repayment and eliminate or mitigate the Company’s loss. Drafting errors, recording errors, other defects or imperfections in the security interests granted to the Company and/or changes in law may render liens granted to the Company unenforceable. The Company may incur losses or expenses if security interests granted to the Company are not enforceable.

If our allowance for credit losses is not sufficient to cover actual loan losses, then our earnings will decrease.

The Bank’s loan clients may not repay their loans according to their terms and the collateral securing the payment of these loans may be insufficient to pay any remaining loan balance. The Bank therefore may experience significant credit losses, which could have a material adverse effect on our operating results. Material additions to our allowance for credit losses would materially decrease our net income, and the charge-off of loans may cause us to increase the allowance. The Bank makes various assumptions and judgments about the collectability of the loan portfolio, including the creditworthiness of our borrowers and the value of the real estate and other assets serving as collateral for the repayment of many of our loans. We rely on our loan quality reviews, our experience, and our evaluation of economic conditions, among other factors, in determining the amount of the allowance for credit losses. If our assumptions prove to be incorrect, our allowance for credit losses may not be sufficient to cover losses inherent in our loan portfolio, resulting in additions to our allowance.

Strong competition within our industry and market area could hurt our performance and slow our growth.

The Company operates in a competitive market for both attracting deposits, which is our primary source of funds, and originating loans. Historically, our most direct competition for deposits has come from savings and commercial banks. Our competition for loans comes principally from commercial banks, savings institutions, mortgage banking firms, credit unions, finance companies, mutual funds, insurance companies, and investment banking firms. We also face additional competition from internet-based institutions and brokerage firms. Competition for loan originations and deposits may limit our future growth and earnings prospects.

The Company’s ability to compete successfully depends on a number of factors, including, among other things:

Failure to perform in any of these areas could significantly weaken the Company’s competitive position, which could adversely affect the Company’s growth and profitability, which, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Company’s earnings may not grow if we are unable to successfully attract core deposits and lending opportunities and execute opportunities to generate fee-based income.

The Company has historically experienced growth, and our future business strategy is to continue to expand. Historically, the growth of our loans and deposits has been the principal factor in our increase in net-interest income. In the event that we are unable to execute our business strategy of continued growth in loans and deposits, our earnings could be adversely impacted. The Company’s ability to continue to grow depends, in part, upon our ability to expand our market share, to successfully attract core deposits and identify loan and investment opportunities, as well as opportunities to generate fee-based income. Our ability to manage growth successfully will also depend on whether we can continue to efficiently fund asset growth and maintain asset quality and cost controls, as well as on factors beyond our control, such as economic conditions and interest-rate trends.

There are substantial risks and uncertainties associated with the introduction or expansion of lines of business or new products and services within existing lines of business.

From time to time, the Company may implement new lines of business or offer new products and services within existing lines of business. There are substantial risks and uncertainties associated with these efforts, particularly in instances where the markets are not fully developed. In developing and marketing new lines of business and/or new products and services, the Company may invest significant time and resources. Initial timetables for the introduction and development of new lines of business and/or new products or services may not be achieved, and price and profitability targets may not prove attainable. External factors, such as compliance with regulations, competitive alternatives, and shifting market preferences, may also impact the successful implementation of a new line of business or a new product or service. Furthermore, any new line of business and/or new product or service could have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the Company’s system of internal controls. Failure to successfully manage these risks in the development and implementation of new lines of business or new products or services could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations, and financial condition.

The Company is subject to liquidity risk, which could adversely affect net interest income and earnings.

The purpose of the Company’s liquidity management practices is to meet the cash flow obligations of its clients for both deposits and loans. One liquidity measurement the Company utilizes is called basic surplus, which captures the adequacy of the Company’s access to reliable sources of cash relative to the stability of its funding mix of average liabilities. This approach recognizes the importance of balancing levels of cash flow liquidity from short- and long-term securities with the availability of dependable borrowing sources which can be accessed when necessary. However, competitive pressure on deposit pricing could result in a decrease in the Company’s deposit base or an increase in funding costs. In addition, liquidity will come under additional pressure if loan growth exceeds deposit growth. To manage this risk, the Company has the ability to borrow from the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) of Boston, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (“FRB of Boston”), purchase brokered deposits, borrow against established borrowing facilities with other banks (Federal funds), and enter into repurchase agreements with investment companies. Depending on the level of interest rates, the Company’s net interest income, and therefore earnings, could be adversely affected.

Our ability to service our debt, pay dividends, and otherwise pay our obligations as they come due is substantially dependent on capital distributions from our subsidiary.

The Company is a separate and distinct legal entity from its subsidiary, the Bank. It receives substantially all of its revenue from dividends from the Bank. These dividends are the principal source of funds to pay dividends on the Company’s common stock. Various federal and/or state laws and regulations limit the amount of dividends that the Bank may pay to the Company. Also, the Company’s right to participate in a distribution of assets upon a subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization is subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s depositors and certain other creditors. In the event the Bank is unable to pay dividends to the Company, the Company may not be able to service debt, pay obligations, or pay dividends on the Company’s common stock. The inability to receive dividends from the Bank could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The Company depends on its executive officers and key personnel to continue the implementation of our long-term business strategy and could be harmed by the loss of their services.

The Company believes that its continued growth and future success will depend in large part upon the skills of our management team. The competition for qualified personnel in the financial services industry is intense, and the loss of our key personnel, or an inability to continue to attract or retain and motivate key personnel could adversely affect our business. We cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to retain our existing key personnel, attract additional qualified personnel, or effectively manage the succession of key personnel. Although we have change of control agreements with our actively employed named executive officers, the loss of the services of one or more of our executive officers or key personnel could impair our ability to continue to develop our business strategy.

The Company relies on third parties to provide key components of its business infrastructure.

The Company relies on third parties to provide key components for its business operations, such as data processing and storage, recording and monitoring transactions, online banking interfaces and services, internet connections, and network access. While the Company selects these third-party vendors carefully, it does not control their actions. Any problems caused by these third parties, including those resulting from breakdowns or other disruptions in communication services provided by a vendor, failure of a vendor to handle current or higher volumes, cyber-attacks and security breaches at a vendor, failure of a vendor to provide services for any reason, or poor performance of services by a vendor, could adversely affect the Company’s ability to deliver products and services to its clients and otherwise conduct its business. Financial or operational difficulties of a third-party vendor could also hurt the Company’s operations if those difficulties interfere with the vendor’s ability to serve the Company. Replacing these third-party vendors could create significant delays and expense that adversely affect the Company’s business and performance.

The possibility of the economy’s return to recessionary conditions and the possibility of further turmoil or volatility in the financial markets would likely have an adverse effect on our business, financial position, and results of operations.

The economy in the United States and globally has experienced volatility in recent years and may continue to experience such volatility for the foreseeable future. There can be no assurance that economic conditions will not worsen. Unfavorable or uncertain economic conditions can be caused by declines in economic growth, business activity, or investor or business confidence, limitations on the availability or increases in the cost of credit and capital, fluctuations in inflation or interest rates, the timing and impact of changing governmental policies, natural disasters, climate change, epidemics / pandemics, such as COVID-19, terrorist attacks, acts of war, or a combination of these or other factors. A worsening of business and economic conditions could have adverse effects on our business, including the following:

The Company may be adversely affected by the soundness of other financial institutions, including the FHLB of Boston.

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. The Company has exposure to 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 if the collateral held by us cannot be realized or is liquidated at prices not sufficient to recover the full amount of the loan or derivative exposure due us. These circumstances could lead to impairments or write-downs in a bank’s securities portfolio and periodic gains or losses on other investments under mark-to-market accounting treatment. We could incur additional losses to our securities portfolio in the future as a result of these issues. There is no assurance that any such losses would not materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

The Company owns common stock of the FHLB of Boston in order to qualify for membership in the FHLB system, which enables it to borrow funds under the FHLB of Boston’s advance program. The carrying value and fair market value of our FHLB of Boston common stock was $19.1 million as of December 31, 2023. There are 11 branches of the FHLB, including

Boston, which are jointly liable for the consolidated obligations of the FHLB system. To the extent that one FHLB branch cannot meet its obligations to pay its share of the system’s debt, other FHLB branches can be called upon to make the payment. Any adverse effects within the FHLB of Boston could adversely affect the value of our investment in its common stock and our ability to rely on the FHLB as a funding source and this could negatively impact our results of operations.

Risks Related to an Investment in the Company’s Securities

The Company’s common stock price may fluctuate significantly.

The market price of the Company’s common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to a number of factors including, but not limited to:

Future issuance of our common stock may have a dilutive effect and may reduce the voting power and relative percentage interests of current common shareholders in our earnings and market value, and there may be future sales or other dilution of the Company’s equity, which may adversely affect the market price of the Company’s stock.

Future issuances of shares of our common stock, including for acquisitions, may have a dilutive effect and may reduce the voting power and relative percentage interests of current common shareholders in our earnings and market value. Additionally, the Company is not restricted from issuing additional common stock, including any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, common stock. The Company also grants shares of common stock to employees and directors under the Company’s incentive plan each year. The issuance of any additional shares of the Company’s common stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive common stock, or the exercise of such securities could be substantially dilutive to shareholders of the Company’s common stock. Holders of the Company’s common stock have no preemptive rights that entitle such holders to purchase their pro rata share of any offering of shares or any class or series. Because the Company’s decision to issue securities in any future offering will depend on market conditions, its acquisition activity and other factors, the Company cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing, or nature of its future offerings. Thus, the Company’s shareholders bear the risk of the Company’s future offerings reducing the market price of the Company’s common stock and diluting their stock holdings in the Company.

Risks Related to Legal, Governmental and Regulatory Changes

The Company is subject to extensive government regulation and supervision, which may interfere with its ability to conduct its business and may negatively impact its financial results.

The Company, primarily through the Bank, Cambridge Trust Company of New Hampshire, Inc., and certain non-bank subsidiaries, are subject to extensive federal and state regulation and supervision. Banking regulations are primarily intended to protect depositors’ funds, the DIF and the safety and soundness of the banking system as a whole, not shareholders. These laws and regulations affect the Company’s lending practices, capital structure, investment practices, dividend policy, and growth, among other things. The U.S. Congress and federal and state banking agencies continually review banking laws, regulations, and policies for possible changes. Changes to statutes, regulations, or regulatory policies, including changes in interpretation or implementation of statutes, regulations, or policies, could affect the Company in substantial and unpredictable

ways. Such changes could subject the Company to additional costs, limit the types of financial services and products the Company may offer, and/or limit the pricing the Company may charge on certain banking services, among other things. Compliance personnel and resources may increase our costs of operations and adversely impact our earnings.

Failure to comply with laws, regulations, or policies could result in sanctions by regulatory agencies, civil money penalties, and/or reputation damage, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. While the Company has policies and procedures designed to prevent any such violations, there can be no assurance that such violations will not occur.

State and federal banking agencies periodically conduct examinations of our business, including for compliance with laws and regulations, and our failure to comply with any supervisory actions to which we are or become subject as a result of such examinations may adversely affect our business.

Federal and state regulatory agencies periodically conduct examinations of our business, including our compliance with laws and regulations. If, as a result of an examination, an agency were to determine that the financial, capital resources, asset quality, earnings prospects, management, liquidity, or other aspects of any of our operations had become unsatisfactory or violates any law or regulation, such agency may take certain remedial or enforcement actions it deems appropriate to correct any deficiency. Remedial or enforcement actions include the power to enjoin “unsafe or unsound” practices, to require affirmative actions to correct any conditions resulting from any violation or practice, to issue an administrative order that can be judicially enforced against a bank, to direct an increase in the bank’s capital, to restrict the bank’s growth, to assess civil monetary penalties against a bank’s officers or directors, and to remove officers and directors. In the event that the FDIC concludes that, among other things, our financial condition cannot be corrected or that there is an imminent risk of loss to our depositors, it may terminate our deposit insurance. The CFPB also has authority to take enforcement actions, including cease-and desist orders or civil monetary penalties, if it finds that we offer consumer financial products and services in violation of federal consumer financial protection laws.

The Company also anticipates increased regulatory scrutiny – in the course of routine examinations and otherwise – and new regulations directed towards banks of similar size to the Bank, designed to address negative developments in the banking industry, including the high-profile bank failures involving First Republic Bank, Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in 2023, all of which may increase the Company’s costs of doing business and reduce its profitability. Among other things, there may be an increased focus by both regulators and investors on deposit composition and the level of uninsured deposits. Due to the composition of the Bank’s deposits and percentage of uninsured deposits, the Bank could face increased scrutiny.

If we are unable to comply with future regulatory directives, or with the terms of any future supervisory requirements to which we may become subject, then we could become subject to a variety of supervisory actions and orders, including cease and desist orders, PCA, memoranda of understanding, and other regulatory enforcement actions. Such supervisory actions could, among other things, impose greater restrictions on our business, as well as our ability to develop any new business. The Company could also be required to raise additional capital or dispose of certain assets and liabilities within a prescribed time period, or both. Failure to implement remedial measures as required by financial regulatory agencies could result in additional orders or penalties from federal and state regulators, which could trigger one or more of the remedial actions described above. The terms of any supervisory action and associated consequences with any failure to comply with any supervisory action could have a material negative effect on our business, operating flexibility, and overall financial condition.

The Company may be subject to more stringent capital requirements.

The Bank and the Company are each subject to capital adequacy guidelines and other regulatory requirements specifying minimum amounts and types of capital which each of the Bank and the Company must maintain. From time to time, the regulators implement changes to these regulatory capital adequacy guidelines. If we fail to meet these minimum capital guidelines and other regulatory requirements, then our financial condition would be materially and adversely affected. Any changes to regulatory capital requirements could adversely affect our ability to pay dividends or could require us to reduce business levels or to raise capital, including in ways that may adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.

Accounting standards periodically change and the application of our accounting policies and methods may require management to make estimates about matters that are uncertain.

The regulatory bodies that establish accounting standards, including, among others, the FASB, and the SEC, periodically revise or issue new financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the preparation of our consolidated financial statements. The effect of such revised or new standards on our financial statements can be difficult to predict and can materially impact how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, management must exercise judgment in appropriately applying many of our accounting policies and methods, so they comply with generally accepted accounting principles. In some cases, management may have to select a particular accounting policy or method from two or more alternatives. In some cases, the accounting policy or method chosen might be

reasonable under the circumstances and yet might result in our reporting materially different amounts than would have been reported if we had selected a different policy or method. Accounting policies are critical to fairly presenting our financial condition and results of operations and may require management to make difficult, subjective, or complex judgments about matters that are uncertain.

Our controls and procedures may fail or be circumvented, which may result in a material adverse effect on our business.

Management regularly reviews and updates our internal controls, disclosure controls and procedures, and corporate governance policies. 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 the controls and procedures or failure to comply with regulations related to could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Legal proceedings to which we are subject or may become subject may have a material adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations.

Like many banks and other financial services organizations in our industry, we are from time to time involved in various legal proceedings and subject to claims and other actions related to our business activities brought by clients, employees, and others. All such legal proceedings are inherently unpredictable and, regardless of the merits of the claims, litigation is often expensive, time-consuming, disruptive to our operations and resources, and distracting to management. If resolved against us, such legal proceedings could result in excessive verdicts and judgments, injunctive relief, equitable relief, and other adverse consequences that may affect our financial condition and how we operate our business. Similarly, if we settle such legal proceedings, it may affect our financial condition and how we operate our business. Future court decisions, alternative dispute resolution awards, matters arising due to business expansion, or legislative activity may increase our exposure to litigation and regulatory investigations. In some cases, substantial non-economic remedies or punitive damages may be sought. Although we maintain liability insurance coverage, there can be no assurance that such coverage will cover any particular verdict, judgment, or settlement that may be entered against us, that such coverage will prove to be adequate, or that such coverage will continue to remain available on acceptable terms, if at all. Legal proceedings to which we are subject or may become subject may have a material adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations.

The Company is exposed to risk of environmental liabilities with respect to properties to which we obtain title.

A significant portion of our loan portfolio is secured by real estate. In the course of our business, we may foreclose and take title to real estate and could be subject to environmental liabilities with respect to these properties. The Company may be held liable to a government entity or to third parties for property damage, personal injury, investigation, and clean-up costs incurred by these parties in connection with environmental contamination or may be required to clean up hazardous or toxic substances or chemical releases at a property. The costs associated with investigation and remediation activities could be substantial. In addition, if we are the owner or former owner of a contaminated site, we may be subject to common law claims by third parties based on damages and costs resulting from environmental contamination emanating from the property. These costs and claims could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and prospects.

Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Data Privacy

A breach of information security, including cyber-attacks, could disrupt our business and impact our earnings.

The Company depends upon data processing, communication, and information exchange on a variety of computing platforms and networks and over the internet. In addition, we rely on the services of a variety of vendors to meet our data processing and communication needs. Despite existing safeguards, we cannot be certain that all of our systems are free from vulnerability to attack or other technological difficulties or failures. During the normal course of our business, we have experienced and we expect to continue to experience attempts to breach our systems, none of which has been material to the Company to date, and we may be unable to protect sensitive data and the integrity of our systems. If information security is breached or difficulties or failures occur, despite the controls we and our third-party vendors have instituted, information can be lost or misappropriated, resulting in financial loss or costs to us, reputational harm, or damages to others. Such costs or losses could exceed the amount of insurance coverage, if any, which would adversely affect our earnings.

The Company may be adversely affected by fraud.

The Company is inherently exposed to operational risk in the form of theft and other fraudulent activity by employees, clients, and other third parties targeting the Company and/or the Company’s clients or data. Such activity may take many forms, including check fraud, electronic fraud, wire fraud, phishing, social engineering, and other dishonest acts. During the normal course of our business, we have been subjected to and we expect to continue to be subject to theft and fraudulent activity, none of which has been material to the Company to date.

The Company continually encounters technological change and the failure to understand and adapt to these changes could hurt its business.

The financial services industry is continually undergoing rapid technological change with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. The effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to better serve clients and to reduce costs. The Company’s future success depends, in part, upon its ability to address the needs of its clients by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy client demands, as well as to create additional efficiencies in the Company’s operations. Many of the Company’s competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements. The Company may not be able to effectively implement new technology-driven products and services or be successful in marketing these products and services to its clients. Failure to successfully keep pace with technological changes affecting the financial services industry could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s business and, in turn, the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to the Eastern Merger

The pendency of the Eastern Merger could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The pendency of the Eastern Merger could cause disruptions in and create uncertainty surrounding our business, including affecting our relationships with our existing and future customers, suppliers and employees, which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, regardless of whether the proposed Eastern Merger is completed. In particular, we could potentially lose additional important personnel as a result of the departure of employees who decide to pursue other opportunities in light of the Eastern Merger. We could also potentially lose additional customers or suppliers, and new customer or supplier contracts could be delayed or decreased. In addition, we have allocated, and will continue to allocate, significant management resources towards the completion of the transaction, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We are subject to restrictions on the conduct of our business prior to the consummation of the Eastern Merger as provided in the Merger Agreement, including, among other things, certain restrictions on our ability to acquire other businesses, sell or transfer our assets, and amend our organizational documents. These restrictions could result in our inability to respond effectively to competitive pressures, industry developments and future opportunities, retain key employees and may otherwise harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Because the price of Eastern Common Stock will fluctuate, our shareholders cannot be certain of the market value of the Merger Consideration.

Upon completion of the Eastern Merger, each share of our common stock will be converted into the right to receive 4.956 shares of Eastern Common Stock. The dollar value of the Eastern Common Stock that our shareholders will receive upon completion of the Eastern Merger will depend upon the market value of Eastern Common Stock at the time of completion of the Eastern Merger, which may be lower or higher than the closing price of Eastern Common Stock on the last full trading day preceding the date the Merger Agreement was executed. The market values of Eastern Common Stock and our common stock have varied since we entered into the Merger Agreement and will continue to vary in the future due to changes in the business, operations or prospects of us and Eastern, market assessments of the Eastern Merger, regulatory considerations, market and economic considerations, and other factors, most of which are beyond our control.

The Eastern Merger is subject to the receipt of consents and approvals from governmental authorities that may delay the date of completion of the Eastern Merger or impose conditions that could have an adverse effect on the Company.

Before the Eastern Merger may be completed, various consents, approvals, waiver or non-objections must be obtained from state and federal governmental authorities, including the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the FDIC, the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks, the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, and the New Hampshire Banking Department. Satisfying the requirements of these governmental authorities may delay the date of completion of the Eastern Merger. In addition, these governmental authorities may include conditions on the completion of the Eastern Merger, or require changes to the terms of the Eastern Merger. The parties are not obligated to complete the Eastern Merger should any regulatory approval contain any prohibition, limitation or other requirement that Eastern’s board of directors reasonably determines in good faith would, individually or in the aggregate, materially reduce the benefits of the Eastern Merger to such a degree that Eastern would not have entered into the Merger Agreement had such condition, restriction or requirement been known at the date of the Merger Agreement.

Failure to complete the Eastern Merger could negatively impact the stock price of the Company and future businesses and financial results of the Company.

If the Eastern Merger is not completed, the ongoing businesses, financial condition and results of operation of the Company may be adversely affected and market prices of the Company’s common stock may decline significantly, particularly to the extent that the current market prices reflect a market assumption that the Eastern Merger will be consummated. If the consummation of the Eastern Merger is delayed, including by the receipt of a competing acquisition proposal, the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

In addition, the Company has incurred and will incur substantial expenses in connection with the negotiation and completion of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, as well as the costs and expenses of filing, printing and mailing the joint proxy statement/prospectus and all filing and other fees paid to the SEC and other regulatory agencies in connection with the Eastern Merger. If the Eastern Merger is not completed, the Company would have to recognize these expenses without realizing the expected benefits of the Eastern Merger. Any of the foregoing, or other risks arising in connection with the failure of or delay in consummating the Eastern Merger, including the diversion of management attention from pursuing other opportunities and the constraints in the Merger Agreement on the ability to make significant changes to the Company’s ongoing business during the pendency of the Eastern Merger, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s businesses, financial conditions and results of operations.

Additionally, the Company’s business may have been adversely impacted by the failure to pursue other beneficial opportunities due to the focus of management on the Eastern Merger, without realizing any of the anticipated benefits of completing the Eastern Merger. If the Merger Agreement is terminated and the Company’s board of directors seeks another merger or business combination, the Company’s shareholders cannot be certain that the Company will be able to find a party willing to engage in a transaction on more attractive terms than the Eastern Merger.

Eastern may be unable to successfully integrate our operations or otherwise realize the expected benefits from the Eastern Merger, which could adversely affect Eastern’s results of operations and financial condition.

The Eastern Merger involves the integration of two companies that have previously operated independently. The difficulties of combining the operations of the two companies include:

The process of integrating operations could cause an interruption of, or loss of momentum in, the activities of the business and the loss of key personnel. The integration of the two companies will require the experience and expertise of certain of our key employees who are expected to be retained by Eastern. Eastern may not be successful in retaining these employees for the time period necessary to successfully integrate our operations with those of Eastern. The diversion of management’s attention and any delay or difficulty encountered in connection with the Eastern Merger and the integration of the two companies’ operations could have an adverse effect on the business and results of operations of Eastern following the Eastern Merger.

The success of the Eastern Merger will depend, in part, on Eastern’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits and cost savings from combining the Company’s business with Eastern’s. If Eastern is unable to successfully integrate the Company, the anticipated benefits and cost savings of the Eastern Merger may not be realized fully or may take longer to realize than expected. For example, Eastern may fail to realize the anticipated increase in earnings and cost savings anticipated to be derived from the Eastern Merger. In addition, as with regard to any merger, a significant decline in asset valuations or cash flows may also cause Eastern not to realize expected benefits.

The Company’s shareholders will not be entitled to dissenters’ or appraisal rights in the Eastern Merger.

Dissenters’ or appraisal rights are statutory rights that, if applicable under law, enable shareholders to dissent from an extraordinary transaction, such as a merger, and to demand that the corporation pay the fair value for their shares as determined by a court in a judicial proceeding instead of receiving the consideration offered to shareholders in connection with the extraordinary transaction. Under the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act, holders of Company common stock will not be entitled to dissenters’ or appraisal rights in the Eastern Merger with respect to their shares of Company common stock.

Risks Related to Acquisitions

The risks presented by acquisitions, such as the Northmark Merger, could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

The business strategy of the Company may include growth through acquisitions such as the Northmark Merger. Any such future acquisitions will be accompanied by the risks commonly encountered in acquisitions. These risks may include, among other things:

The Company cannot provide any assurance that we will be successful in overcoming these risks or any other problems encountered in connection with acquisitions. Our inability to overcome these risks could have an adverse effect on the achievement of our business strategy and results of operations.

The ongoing integration of the Company and Northmark will present significant challenges that may result in the combined business not operating as effectively as expected or in the failure to achieve some or all of the anticipated benefits of the transaction.

The benefits and synergies expected to result from the Northmark Merger will depend in part on whether the operations of Northmark can be integrated in a timely and efficient manner with those of the Company. The Company will face challenges in consolidating its functions with those of Northmark, and integrating the organizations, procedures, and operations of the two businesses. The integration of the Company and Northmark will be complex and time-consuming, and the management teams of both companies will have to dedicate substantial time and resources to it. These efforts could divert management’s focus and resources from serving existing clients or other strategic opportunities and from day-to-day operational matters during the integration process. Failure to successfully integrate operations of the Company and Northmark could result in the failure to achieve some of the anticipated benefits from the transaction, including cost savings and other operating efficiencies, and the Company may not be able to capitalize on the existing relationships of Northmark to the extent anticipated, or it may take longer, or be more difficult or expensive than expected to achieve these goals. This could have an adverse effect on the business, results of operations, financial condition, or prospects of the Company and/or the Bank after the transaction.

Unanticipated costs relating to the Northmark Merger could reduce the Company’s future earnings per share.

The Company and the Bank believe that each has reasonably estimated the likely costs of integrating the operations of the Bank and Northmark, and the incremental costs of operating as a combined company. However, it is possible that unexpected transaction costs such as taxes, fees or professional expenses or unexpected future operating expenses such as increased personnel costs or increased taxes, as well as other types of unanticipated adverse developments, could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations and financial condition of the combined company. If unexpected costs are incurred, the Northmark Merger could have a dilutive effect on the Company’s earnings per share. In other words, after the completion of the Northmark Merger, the earnings per share of the Company’s common stock could be less than anticipated or even less than if the Northmark Merger had not been completed.

General Risks

Natural disasters, climate change, acts of war or terrorism, the impact of health epidemics and other adverse external events could detrimentally affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Natural disasters, climate change, acts of war or terrorism, such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Hamas war, health epidemics such as COVID-19, and other adverse external events could have a significant negative impact on our ability to conduct business or upon third parties who perform operational services for us or our clients. Such events also could affect the stability of our deposit base, impair the ability of borrowers to repay outstanding loans, impair the value of collateral securing loans, cause significant property damage, result in lost revenue or cause us to incur additional expenses.

In the event of a natural disaster, the spread of COVID-19 to our market areas or other adverse external events, our business, services, asset quality, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.

None.

Item 1C. Cybersecurity.

Risk Management and Strategy

The Company maintains robust processes for assessing, identifying and managing materials risks from cybersecurity threats. The Company’s cybersecurity program is based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”) Cybersecurity Framework, as well as the GLBA and the risk of cybersecurity threats is integrated into the Company’s Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) program, governed by the Board level Risk Committee. The ERM program includes an annual risk prioritization process to identify key enterprise risks. Each key risk is assigned risk owners to establish action plans and implement risk mitigation strategies. The cybersecurity threat risk action plan is managed at the enterprise level and led by the Director of Information Security. Periodically, the risk owners review and update the cybersecurity threat risk action plan to provide the status on specific risk mitigation actions and to identify new threats. To oversee and identify cybersecurity threat risks on a day-to-day basis, including from third-party service providers, the Company maintains a security operations center with round-the-clock monitoring, and the Director of Information Security along with the Chief Information Officer (“CIO”) receives regular reports on industry activity. Management also assesses the cybersecurity proficiency of potential third-party vendors and cloud suppliers before utilizing their services. The assessment identifies cybersecurity-related risks an includes recommendations to enhance the security of new cloud computing services. The Company reassesses cloud suppliers quarterly.

The Company works to continually assess, identify and manage cybersecurity risks. In addition, the Company engages with third-party cybersecurity specialists to provide an independent assessment of the Company’s cybersecurity programs to maintain compliance and operational excellence. Management periodically reviews operational plans and modifies them in response to changes in the threat landscape and otherwise as needed. Management has not identified risks from cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any previous cybersecurity incidents, that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company, including its business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors” above for more information.

Governance

The Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the assessment and management of enterprise-level risks that may impact the Company. The Risk Committee has primary responsibility for overseeing risk management, including oversight of risks from cybersecurity threats. Management, including the CIO and Director of Information Security, reports on cybersecurity matters at least quarterly to the Board, primarily through the Risk Committee, including an annual report regarding specific risks and mitigation efforts within the Company. Management provides benchmarking information and updates on key operational and compliance metrics to the Board. In addition, cybersecurity training is provided to the full Board, including training by third-party experts, to educate directors on the current cyber threat environment and measures companies can take to mitigate risks and impact of cyber attacks.

The Company maintains a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan (the “CSIRP”), which establishes an organizational framework and guidelines intended to facilitate an effective response and handling of cybersecurity incidents that could jeopardize the availability, integrity, or confidentiality of the Cambridge Trust Company’s assets. The CSIRP outlines roles and responsibilities, criteria for measuring the severity of a cybersecurity incident, and an escalation framework, including processes for informing legal counsel and the Board of Directors of material cybersecurity incidents. As described above, management is actively involved in assessing and managing the Company’s material cybersecurity risks. The CIO, the Director of Information Technology as well as the Director of Information Security primarily lead these efforts. The CIO, who reports directly to CEO, is responsible for the oversight of the Company’s entire information technology operations. The Director of Information Security reports directly to the Risk Committee and has responsibility for leadership of the Company’s cybersecurity program.

Item 2. Properties.

The Company conducts its business through 22 banking offices, including its main banking office and headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Company also has operations centers in Burlington, Massachusetts and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and five wealth management offices.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

From time to time, the Company and its subsidiaries may be parties to various claims and lawsuits arising in the ordinary course of their normal business activities. Although the ultimate outcome of these suits, if any, cannot be ascertained at this time, it is the opinion of management that none of these matters, even if it resolved adversely to the Company, will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position. The Company is not currently party to any material pending legal proceedings.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

None.

PART II

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

Market Information

On October 18, 2017, shares of the Company’s common stock commenced trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol “CATC”. Prior to this date, the Company’s shares traded on the over-the-counter market.

As of March 8, 2024, there were 7,846,510 shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding held by 484 holders of record. The number of record-holders may not reflect the number of persons or entities holding stock in nominee name through banks, brokerage firms, and other nominees. The closing price of the Company’s common stock on December 31, 2023 was $69.40. The Company declared cash dividends of $2.68 and $2.56 per share in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The continued payment of dividends depends upon our profitability, debt and equity structure, earnings, financial condition, need for capital and other factors, including economic conditions, regulatory restrictions, and tax considerations. We cannot guarantee the payment of dividends or that, if paid, that dividends will not be reduced or eliminated in the future.

The only funds available for the payment of dividends on our capital stock will be cash and cash equivalents held by us, dividends paid to us by the Bank, and borrowings. The Bank will be prohibited from paying cash dividends to us to the extent that any such payment would reduce the Bank’s capital below required capital levels.

The Company’s primary source of funds for dividends paid to shareholders is the receipt of dividends from the Bank. A discussion of the restrictions on the advance of funds or payments of dividends by the Bank to the Company is included in “Supervision and Regulation – Dividends.”

Stock Performance Graph

The following compares the cumulative total shareholder return on the Company’s common stock against the cumulative total return of the KBW NASDAQ Bank Index and the S&P U.S. BMI Banks Index from December 31, 2018 to December 31, 2023. The results presented assume that the value of the Company’s common stock and each index was $100.00 on December 31, 2018. The total return assumes reinvestment of dividends.

Source: Standard & Poor’s Global Market Intelligence © 2023

This performance graph shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “Exchange Act”), or incorporated by reference into any filing by us under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

(a) Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

(b) Use of Proceeds

None.

(c) Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The following table sets forth the information regarding the Company’s repurchases of its common stock during the three months ended December 31, 2023:

On March 13, 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program (the “2023 Repurchase Program”) to acquire from time to time up to 5.0% of the total number of outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock as of December 31, 2022, with such purchases occurring prior to March 13, 2024, provided that the aggregate purchase price does not exceed $32.4 million. The timing and amount of any shares of the Company’s common stock repurchased under the 2023 Repurchase Program will be determined by the Company’s management based on its evaluation of market conditions and other factors. The 2023 Repurchase Program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. The 2023 Repurchase Program replaces an earlier repurchase program (the “2022 Repurchase Program”) which expired on March 14, 2023. The Company did not repurchase any shares under the 2022 and 2023 Repurchase Program during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Item 6. Reserved

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

OVERVIEW

Cambridge Bancorp is a Massachusetts state-chartered, federally registered bank holding company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Company is a Massachusetts corporation formed in 1983 and has one banking subsidiary, Cambridge Trust Company, formed in 1890. At December 31, 2023, the Company had total assets of approximately $5.4 billion. Currently, the Bank operates 22 banking offices in Eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The Company’s Wealth Management Group has five offices, one in Boston, Massachusetts, three in New Hampshire in Concord, Manchester, and Portsmouth, and one in Southport, Connecticut. The Company’s Assets under Management and Administration as of December 31, 2023 were approximately $4.6 billion. The Bank’s clients consist primarily of small- and medium-sized businesses and retail clients in these communities and surrounding areas throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The Company’s results of operations are largely dependent on net interest income, which is the difference between the interest earned on loans and securities and interest paid on deposits and borrowings. The results of operations are also affected by the level of income and fees earned from wealth management services and loans, operating expenses, the provision for (release of) credit losses, the impact of federal and state income taxes, and the relative levels of interest rates and economic activity.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Estimates and assumptions are necessary in the application of certain accounting policies and can be susceptible to significant change. Critical accounting policies are defined as those that involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had, or could have a material impact on the Company's financial condition or results of operations. The Company considers the allowance for credit losses and income taxes to be its critical accounting estimates.

Allowance for Credit Losses

The Company evaluates the need for an allowance for credit losses on all financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loans receivable and held to maturity securities, in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (“ASC Topic 326”), on a quarterly basis. ASC Topic 326 requires a methodology to estimate current expected credit losses (“CECL”) over the life of a loan, which incorporates applying a reasonable and supportable forecast period before reverting back to historical data. ASC Topic 326 also applies to off-balance sheet credit exposures not accounted for as insurance (i.e. loan commitments, standby letters of credit, financial guarantees, and other similar investments) and net investments in leases recognized by a lessor in accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02 – Leases (Topic 842).

Losses on loan receivables are estimated and recognized upon origination of the loan, based on expected credit losses for the life of the loan balance as of the period end date. The Company’s methodology for calculating the allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) on loans consists of quantitative and qualitative components.

The quantitative component of the ACL on loans is model-based and utilizes a forward-looking macroeconomic forecast. The Company uses a discounted cash flow method, incorporating probability of default and loss given default forecasted based on statistically derived economic variable loss drivers, to estimate expected credit losses. This process includes estimates which involve modeling loss projections attributable to existing loan balances, and considering historical experience, current conditions, and future expectations for homogeneous pools of loans over a reasonable and supportable forecast period. The historical information either experienced by the Company or by a selection of peer banks, when appropriate, is derived from a combination of recessionary and non-recessionary performance periods for which data is available.

The reasonable and supportable forecast period is primarily determined based upon the stability of current economic conditions at each measurement date. Management considers the accuracy level of historical loss forecast estimates, the specific loan level models and methodology utilized, and considers material changes in growth, credit strategy, and its business which may not be applicable within the current environment. For periods beyond the reasonable and supportable forecast period, we revert to historical information over a period for which comparable data is available.

The qualitative component of the ACL considers (i) the uncertainty of forward-looking scenarios; (ii) certain portfolio characteristics, such as portfolio concentrations, real estate values, changes in the number and amount of non-accrual and past due loans; and (iii) model limitations; among other factors. Qualitative adjustments are considered when management believes expected credit losses are not representative of historical loss experience alone, and should be adjusted to reflect the current

conditions and characteristics of the Company’s own portfolio. They are made at the segment level, considering any required adjustments for differences in underwriting standards, portfolio mix, and other relevant data shifts over time.

We regularly review our collection experience (including delinquencies and net charge-offs) in determining our allowance for credit losses. We also consider our historical loss experience to date based on actual defaulted loans and overall portfolio indicators including delinquent and non-accrual loans, trends in loan volume and lending terms, credit policies and other observable environmental factors, such as unemployment and interest rate changes.

The underlying assumptions, estimates and assessments we use to estimate the allowance for credit losses reflect management’s best estimate of model assumptions and forecasted conditions at that time. Changes in such estimates can significantly affect the allowance and provision for credit losses. It is possible and likely that we will experience credit losses that are different from our current estimates. Charge-offs are deducted from the allowance for credit losses when we judge the principal to be uncollectible, and subsequent recoveries are added to the allowance, generally at the time cash is received on a charged-off account.

Because the methodology is based upon historical experience and trends, current economic data, reasonable and supportable forecasts, as well as management’s judgment, factors may arise that result in different estimations. Deteriorating conditions or assumptions could lead to increases in the ACL on loans; conversely, improving conditions or assumptions could lead to further reductions in the ACL on loans.

The expected credit losses for unfunded commitments are measured over the contractual period of the Company’s exposure to credit risk. The estimate of credit loss incorporates assumptions for both the likelihood and amount of funding over the estimated life of the commitments, for the risk of loss, and current conditions and expectations. Management periodically reviews and updates its assumptions for estimated funding rates based on historical rates, and factors such as portfolio growth, changes to organizational structure, economic conditions, borrowing habits, or any other factor which could impact the likelihood that funding will occur. The Company does not reserve for unfunded commitments which are unconditionally cancellable.

Income Taxes

The Company and its subsidiaries file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of New Hampshire, the State of Connecticut, the State of Maine, and other states as required. Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are reflected at currently enacted income tax rates applicable to the period in which the deferred tax assets or liabilities are expected to be realized or settled. As changes in tax laws or rates are enacted, deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted through income tax expense. Deferred tax assets are reviewed quarterly and reduced by a valuation allowance if, based upon the information available, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, if incurred, are recognized as a component of income tax expense.

Recent Accounting Developments

See Note 3 – Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Standards for additional details on recently issued and adopted accounting pronouncements and their expected impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Selected Financial Highlights

The selected consolidated financial highlights set forth below do not purport to be complete and should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by, the more detailed information including the Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes and within this section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

* See “GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliations” section below

Results of Operations

Results of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022

General. Net income decreased by $18.8 million, or 35.5%, to $34.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, from $52.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily due to a $19.4 million decrease in net interest and dividend income after provision for credit losses, a $4.8 million increase in noninterest expenses, (including $7.2 million in merger expenses), partially offset by a $6.8 million decrease in income tax expense.

Diluted earnings per share were $4.34 for the year ended December 31, 2023, representing a 40.5% decrease over diluted earnings per share of $7.30 for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Net Interest and Dividend Income. Net interest and dividend income before the provision for credit losses decreased by $22.4 million, or 15.6%, to $120.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $143.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. This decrease was primarily due to higher costs of funds, partially offset by an increase in average earning assets and higher yields on earning assets.

Average interest earning assets increased by $309.7 million, or 6.3%, to $5.25 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $4.94 billion in 2022, primarily due to growth within the loan portfolio from the Northmark Merger, partially offset by a lower investment portfolio. The Company’s net interest margin, on a fully tax equivalent basis, decreased 62 basis points to 2.30% for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to 2.92% in 2022.

Average interest-bearing liabilities increased by $566.7 million, or 18.0%, to $3.71 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $3.14 billion in 2022, primarily due to growth in average deposits from the Northmark Merger, inclusive of wholesale deposits, and an increase in average borrowed funds. The Company experienced an increase in average checking account balances of $337.3 million, an increase in average retail certificates of deposit of $476.6 million, and an increase in average borrowed funds of $168.8 million. They were partially offset by decreases in average savings deposit balances of $267.7 million and a decrease in average money market accounts of $148.3 million.

The average cost of funds increased to 1.86% for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to 0.34% for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Interest and Dividend Income. Total interest and dividend income increased by $58.5 million, or 36.6%, to $218.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $160.0 million in 2022, primarily due to higher yielding assets coupled with growth within the loan portfolio.

Interest Expense. Interest expense increased by $81.0 million, or 482.5% to $97.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $16.8 million in 2022, primarily driven by an increase in the cost of deposits and higher borrowing expense.

Provision for Credit Losses. The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $904,000 for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to a provision for credit losses of $3.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, which included $2.2 million for the recognition of the CECL merger accounting impact as a result of the Northmark merger.

The Company recorded net loan charge-offs of $70,000 or 0.00% of total loans, for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to net recoveries of $53,000, or 0.00% of total loans for the year ended December 31, 2022.

The allowance for credit losses for loans was $38.9 million, or 0.97% of total loans outstanding at December 31, 2023, as compared to $37.8 million, or 0.93% of total loans outstanding at December 31, 2022.

Noninterest Income. Total noninterest income decreased by $1.3 million, or 3.0%, to $41.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $43.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. This change was primarily the result of lower bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”) income, lower other income, and lower loan related derivative income, partially offset by higher deposit account fees. Noninterest income was 25.7% and 23.1% of total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The categories of Wealth Management revenues are shown in the following table:

The following table presents the changes in wealth management assets under management:

There were no significant changes to the average fee rates and fee structure during the years ended December 31, 2023 or 2022.

Noninterest Expense. Total noninterest expense increased by $4.8 million, or 4.4%, to $115.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $110.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily driven by an increase in non-operating expense and FDIC insurance expense, partially offset by lower professional fees, lower marketing expense, and lower salary and benefits expense.

Income Tax Expense. The Company recorded a provision for income taxes of $12.3 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, a decrease of $6.8 million, as compared to $19.1 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022. The effective tax rate was 26.5%, for both the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and the twelve months ended December 31, 2022.

Results of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021

General. Net income decreased by $1.1 million, or 2.1%, to $52.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, from $54.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, primarily due to a $9.9 million increase in noninterest expenses including $1.9 million in merger expenses, and a $5.2 million increase in the provision for credit losses, partially offset by a $15.2 million increase in net interest and dividend income before the provision for credit losses.

Diluted earnings per share were $7.30 for the year ended December 31, 2022, representing a 5.1% decrease over diluted earnings per share of $7.69 for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Net Interest and Dividend Income. Net interest and dividend income before the provision for (release of) credit losses increased by $15.2 million, or 11.9%, to $143.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to $128.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. This increase was primarily due to an increase in average earning assets (both organic and as a result of the Northmark Merger) and higher asset yields, partially offset by a decrease in Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan income, lower loan accretion associated with merger accounting, and higher costs of funds.

Average interest earning assets increased by $810.7 million, or 19.6%, to $4.94 billion for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $4.13 billion in 2021, primarily due to the Northmark Merger combined with organic growth within the loan and investment securities portfolios. The Company’s net interest margin, on a fully tax equivalent basis, decreased 20 basis points to 2.92% for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to 3.12% in 2021.

Average interest-bearing liabilities increased by $516.4 million, or 19.7%, to $3.14 billion for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $2.63 billion in 2021, primarily due to the Northmark Merger. The Company experienced an increase in average money market accounts of $400.8 million, an increase in average checking account balances of $77.2 million, an increase in average borrowed funds of $67.1 million, and an increase in retail certificates of deposit of $31.2 million, partially offset by a decrease in average savings deposit balances of $59.9 million. The average cost of funds increased to 0.34% for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to 0.13% for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Interest and Dividend Income. Total interest and dividend income increased by $26.5 million, or 19.8%, to $160.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to $133.5 million in 2021, primarily due to growth within the loans and investment securities portfolios, partially offset by lower PPP loan related income and lower loan accretion associated with merger accounting.

Interest Expense. Interest expense increased by $11.2 million, or 203.2% to $16.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to $5.5 million in 2021, primarily driven by an increase in the cost of deposits and higher borrowing expense.

Provision for Credit Losses. The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $3.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to a release of credit losses of $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, which included $2.2 million for the recognition of the CECL merger accounting impact as a result of the Northmark merger, inclusive of unfunded commitments.

The Company recorded net recoveries of $53,000 or 0.00% of total loans, for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to net recoveries of $154,000, or 0.00% of total loans for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The allowance for credit losses for loans was $37.8 million, or 0.93% of total loans outstanding at December 31, 2022, as compared to $34.5 million, or 1.04% of total loans outstanding at December 31, 2021.

Noninterest Income. Inclusive of the Northmark Merger, total noninterest income decreased by $1.3 million, or 3.0%, to $43.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to $44.3 million the year ended December 31, 2021. This was primarily the result of lower wealth management revenue, lower loan related derivative income, and lower gains on loans sold. These items were partially offset by higher bank owned life insurance income, higher deposit account fees, and higher other income. Noninterest income was 23.1% and 25.7% of total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The categories of Wealth Management revenues are shown in the following table:

The following table presents the changes in wealth management assets under management:

There were no significant changes to the average fee rates and fee structure during the years ended December 31, 2022 or 2021.

Noninterest Expense. Total noninterest expense, inclusive of the Northmark Merger, increased by $9.9 million, or 9.9%, to $110.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to $100.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, primarily driven by increases in salaries and employee benefits expense, data processing expense, nonoperating expenses, and FDIC expense, partially offset by decreases in professional services and marketing expense.