Enterprise Bancorp(EBTC) - 2021 Q4 - Annual Report

Business Operations - Enterprise Bancorp, Inc. operates as a community-focused commercial bank with six wholly owned subsidiaries[14]. - The Bank has 26 full-service branches across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, with a 27th branch expected to open in Q3 2022[19]. - The Company's primary lending focus includes commercial real estate, construction, and industrial loans, with a statutory lending limit of approximately $80.1 million to any individual borrower[34]. - The Company actively participates in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), providing federally guaranteed loans to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic[40]. - The Company employs a seasoned commercial lending staff and utilizes an internal loan review function to monitor credit quality and compliance[28]. - The Bank's loan portfolio is managed to avoid concentration by industry and relationship size, thereby reducing credit risk exposure[26]. - The Company offers a range of commercial, residential, and consumer loan products, as well as wealth management services[22]. - The integrated branch network supports all product channels with state-of-the-art facilities and electronic banking capabilities[24]. - The Company continually examines new products and technologies to maintain a competitive mix of offerings tailored to customer needs[24]. - Management seeks to strengthen the Company's market position through organic growth and strategic expansion into neighboring markets[20]. - The Company participates in community development loan funds to provide small loans to local businesses, aiming to stimulate economic development and create jobs[45]. Loan Products - The Company originates conventional mortgage loans with loan-to-value ratios ranging from 75% for multi-family properties to 97% for single-family properties[47]. - Management may sell fixed and adjustable-rate residential mortgage loans based on interest rate projections and asset-liability management strategies[48]. - Home equity term loans are offered with maximum loan-to-value ratios generally up to 75%[50]. - The Company provides home equity revolving lines of credit with maximum loan-to-value ratios generally up to 80%[51]. - Consumer loans include secured and unsecured personal loans, with overdraft protection lines classified as loan balances[52]. Deposit Products - The Company offers a variety of competitive deposit products, including checking accounts and term certificates of deposit[54]. - The Company utilizes brokered deposits as an alternative to borrowed funds to support asset growth[58]. Capital Management - The investment portfolio is managed to provide liquidity for loan growth while ensuring maximum return consistent with safety and diversification[70]. - The Company believes its current capital is adequate to support ongoing operations and meets all capital adequacy requirements under Basel III[86]. - The Company has issued subordinated notes as part of its capital management strategy, with outstanding subordinated debt consisting of fixed-to-floating rate notes due in 2030[88]. - The Company is subject to regulatory restrictions on dividends, which cannot be paid if it would be unable to meet its debts or if total assets would fall below total liabilities[151]. - The Federal Reserve Board can prohibit dividends if the actions of the bank holding company are deemed unsafe or unsound[153]. - The ability to pay dividends is limited by the Bank's capital position and recent net income, requiring approval for dividends exceeding net profits[177]. - The interim final rule revised the definition of "eligible retained income" to help banking organizations manage capital distributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for a calculation based on net income over the preceding four quarters[178]. Regulatory Environment - The Company is subject to supervision and regulation by the Federal Reserve Board and the Massachusetts Division of Banks, which could materially affect its business[112]. - The Company’s consolidated assets are less than $10 billion, exempting it from certain restrictions of the Volcker Rule under the Dodd-Frank Act[124]. - The Company believes it currently satisfies all requirements to elect to become a financial holding company, but has no current intention to do so[125]. - Under the Basel III Rules, the minimum total risk-based capital ratio is 8.00%, with an additional capital conservation buffer of 2.50%, resulting in a total of 10.50%[145]. - As of December 31, 2021, the Company met all capital adequacy requirements under Basel III and was classified as "well-capitalized"[148]. - The Company has opted not to utilize the Community Bank Leverage Ratio framework and continues to follow Basel III capital requirements[150]. - The aggregate liability of the holding company of an "undercapitalized" bank is limited to the lesser of 5% of the institution's assets or the amount necessary to achieve adequate capitalization[130]. - The federal banking agencies require banks to maintain capital levels commensurate with the level of risk, especially for those experiencing internal growth or acquisitions[137]. - The Federal Reserve Board requires bank holding companies to pay cash dividends only if net income is sufficient to cover them, and minimum regulatory capital adequacy ratios are met[154]. - Bank holding companies must consult with the Federal Reserve Board before redeeming equity or capital instruments if it materially affects their capital base[155]. Competition and Market Position - The Company faces robust competition from national and larger regional banks, local savings banks, credit unions, and the evolving fintech industry, impacting its market share objectives[103]. - The Company is committed to maintaining asset quality and focuses on building long-term relationships rather than competing on individual transactions[104]. - The Company actively seeks to increase deposit market share and enhance customer experience through continuous reviews of deposit product offerings[105]. - The Company plans market expansion through the development of new branch locations to complement existing ones and expand its geographic footprint[106]. - Advances in technology and data analytics are expected to significantly impact the competitive landscape for financial services[107]. Compliance and Risk Management - The Bank received a "High Satisfactory" rating from the Division and "Satisfactory" from the FDIC on its most recent Community Reinvestment Act examination[179]. - As of December 31, 2021, the Bank's concentrations of commercial real estate loans were slightly below established regulatory levels, indicating effective credit risk management[189]. - The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (EGRRCPA) enacted in 2018 eases regulations for banks with less than $10 billion in assets, impacting the Company's operations[192]. - The Dodd-Frank Act significantly increased regulations on mortgage lending, requiring mortgage originators to ensure consumers can repay loans[197]. - The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) rules require expanded data collection for residential mortgage transactions, with certain exemptions for smaller institutions[198]. - The Dodd-Frank Act expanded UDAP laws to include UDAAP, which addresses unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices in consumer finance[199]. - The Federal Reserve Board reviews incentive compensation arrangements of banking organizations to ensure they do not encourage excessive risk-taking[201]. - Publicly traded companies must provide shareholders a non-binding vote on executive compensation at least every three years[202]. - The Dodd-Frank Act prohibits excessive compensation for executives of depository institutions with assets exceeding $1 billion[203]. - The federal banking regulators proposed a rule to prohibit unreasonable compensation for senior executive officers and significant risk-takers[204]. - Financial institutions are expected to manage technology-related risks as part of their comprehensive risk management policies[205]. - The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires banks to implement a comprehensive written information security program to protect customer information[206].