Glacier Bancorp (GBCI) Risk Analysis

We may not be able to continue paying quarterly dividends commensurate with recent levels given that our ability to pay dividends on our common stock depends on a variety of factors. The payment of dividends is subject to government regulation in that regulatory authorities may prohibit banks and bank holding companies from paying dividends that would constitute an unsafe or unsound banking practice. Our ability to pay dividends is heavily based on our earnings and capital levels. Current guidance from the Federal Reserve provides, among other things, that dividends per share should not exceed earnings per share measured over the previous four fiscal quarters. In certain circumstances, Montana law also places limits or restrictions on a bank's ability to declare and pay dividends. As a result, our future dividends will generally depend on the level of earnings at the Bank.

Accounting standards require us to account for acquisitions using the acquisition method of accounting. Under acquisition accounting, if the purchase price of an acquired company exceeds the fair value of its net assets, the excess is carried on the acquirer's balance sheet as goodwill. In accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"), goodwill is not amortized but rather is evaluated for impairment on an annual basis or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that a potential impairment exists. Our goodwill was not considered impaired as of December 31, 2024 and 2023; however, there can be no assurance that future evaluations of goodwill will not result in findings of impairment and write-downs, which could be material. Since we have $1.051 billion in goodwill, representing 33 percent of our shareholders' equity, impairment of goodwill could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, even though it is a non-cash item, significant impairment of goodwill could subject us to regulatory limitations, including limits applicable to dividends on our common stock.

The Bank maintains an allowance for credit losses ("ACL" or "allowance") in an amount that it believes is adequate to provide for losses in the loan portfolio. While the Bank strives to carefully manage and monitor credit quality and to identify loans that may become non-performing, at any time there are loans included in the portfolio that will result in losses, but that have not been identified as non-performing or potential problem loans. With respect to real estate loans and property taken in satisfaction of such loans ("other real estate owned" or "OREO"), the Bank can be required to recognize significant declines in the value of the underlying real estate collateral quite suddenly as values are updated through appraisals and evaluations (new or updated) performed in the normal course of monitoring the credit quality of the loans. There are many factors that can cause the value of real estate to decline, including declines in the general real estate market, changes in methodology applied by appraisers, and/or using a different appraiser than was used for the prior appraisal or evaluation. The Bank's ability to recover on real estate loans by selling or disposing of the underlying real estate collateral is adversely impacted by declining values, which increases the likelihood the Bank will suffer losses on defaulted loans beyond the amounts provided for in the ACL. This, in turn, could require material increases in the Bank's provision for credit losses and ACL. By closely monitoring credit quality, the Bank attempts to identify deteriorating loans before they become non-performing assets and adjust the ACL accordingly. However, because future events are uncertain, and if difficult economic conditions occur, there may be loans that deteriorate to a non-performing status in an accelerated time frame. As a result, future additions to the ACL may be necessary beyond the levels commensurate with any loan growth. Because the loan portfolio contains a number of loans with relatively large balances, the deterioration of one or a few of these loans may cause a significant increase in non-performing loans, requiring an increase to the ACL. Additionally, future significant additions to the ACL may be required based on changes in the mix of loans comprising the portfolio, and changes in the financial condition of borrowers, which may result from changes in economic conditions, or changes in the assumptions used in determining the ACL. Additionally, federal and state banking regulators, as an integral part of their supervisory function, periodically review the Bank's loan portfolio and the adequacy of the ACL. These regulatory authorities may require the Bank to recognize further provision for credit losses or charge-offs based upon their judgments, which may be different from the Bank's judgments. Any increase in the ACL could have an adverse effect, which could be material, on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The Bank has a high degree of concentration in loans secured by real estate. Any future deterioration in the real estate markets could adversely impact borrowers' ability to repay loans secured by real estate and the value of our real estate collateral, thereby increasing the credit risk associated with the loan portfolio. The Bank's ability to recover on these loans by selling or disposing of the underlying real estate collateral would be adversely impacted by any decline in real estate values, which increases the likelihood that the Bank will suffer losses on defaulted loans secured by real estate beyond the amounts provided for in the ACL. This, in turn, could require material increases in the ACL which would adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The fair value of the Bank's debt securities could decline as a result of various factors, including changes in market interest rates, tax reform, decreases in credit quality and related credit ratings, lack of market liquidity and other economic conditions. For debt securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company may be required to record an allowance for credit losses or write down the security depending on the type of security and the circumstances. Any such impairment charge would have an adverse effect, which could be material, on our business, results of operations and financial condition, including capital and shareholders' equity. While we believe that the terms of our debt securities have been kept relatively short, we are subject to elevated interest rate risk exposure in the current elevated rate environment as compared to recent years. Further, debt securities present a different type of asset quality risk than the loan portfolio. While we believe a relatively conservative management approach has been applied to the investment portfolio, there is always potential loss exposure under changing economic conditions.

In the past, we have been active in acquiring banks and bank holding companies, and we may in the future engage in selected acquisitions of additional financial institutions. There are risks associated with any such acquisitions that could adversely affect profitability and other performance measures. These risks include, among other things, incorrectly assessing the asset quality of a financial institution being acquired, discovering compliance or regulatory issues after the acquisition, encountering greater than anticipated costs and use of management time associated with evaluating potential acquisitions and integrating acquired businesses into our operations, and being unable to profitably deploy funds acquired in an acquisition. In addition, acquisitions may lead to business disruptions that cause the Bank to lose customers or employees to competing financial institutions. Further, acquisitions may also disrupt the Bank's ongoing businesses or create inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures, and policies that adversely affect relationships with employees, clients, customers, and depositors. If we are unable to manage associated risks, acquisitions may have negative impacts on our operating results and financial condition, which could be material. We anticipate that we will issue capital stock in connection with future acquisitions. Acquisitions and related issuances of stock may have a dilutive effect on earnings per share, and book value per share, and will in any event reduce the percentage ownership of current shareholders. In acquisitions involving the use of cash as consideration, there will be an impact on our capital position.