Alerus Financial Corporation ALRS Form 10-Q filing Q3 FY2023

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PART 1. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1 - Consolidated Financial Statements

Alerus Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

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See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements (unaudited)

Alerus Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)

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See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements (unaudited)

Alerus Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)

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See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements (unaudited)

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Alerus Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity (Unaudited)

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See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements (unaudited)

Alerus Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

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See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements (unaudited)

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See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements (unaudited)

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Alerus Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

NOTE 1 Significant Accounting Policies

Organization

Alerus Financial Corporation, or the Company, is a financial holding company organized under the laws of the state of Delaware. The Company and its subsidiaries operate as a diversified financial services company headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Through its subsidiary, Alerus Financial, National Association, or the Bank, the Company provides financial solutions to businesses and consumers through four distinct business lines—banking, retirement and benefit services, wealth management, and mortgage.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto of the Company have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and conform to practices within the banking industry and include all of the information and disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, or GAAP, for interim financial reporting. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that are necessary for a fair presentation of financial results for the interim periods presented. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year or any other period. The Company has also evaluated all subsequent events for potential recognition and disclosure through the date of the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. These interim unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 13, 2023.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. The Company’s principal operating subsidiary is the Bank.

In the normal course of business, the Company may enter into a transaction with a variable interest entity or VIE. VIE’s are legal entities whose investors lack the ability to make decisions about the entity’s activities, or whose equity investors do not have the right to receive the residual returns of the entity. The applicable accounting guidance requires the Company to perform ongoing quantitative and qualitative analysis to determine whether it must consolidate any VIE. The Company does not have any ownership interest in, or exert any control, over any VIE, and thus no VIE’s are included in the consolidated financial statements.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term include the valuation of investment securities, determination of the allowance for credit losses, valuation of reporting units for the purpose of testing goodwill and other intangible assets for impairment, valuation of deferred tax assets, and fair values of financial instruments.

Reclassifications

Certain items previously reported have been reclassified to conform to the current period’s reporting format. Such reclassifications did not affect net income or stockholders’ equity.

Emerging Growth Company

The Company qualifies as an “emerging growth company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act, and may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, even if the Company complies with the greater obligations of public companies that are not emerging growth companies, the Company may avail itself of the reduced requirements applicable to emerging growth companies from time to time in the future, so long as the Company is an emerging growth company. The Company will continue to be an emerging growth company until the earliest to occur of: (1) the end of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of common equity securities under the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, which was declared effective by the SEC on September 12, 2019; (2) the last day of the fiscal year in which the Company has $1.235 billion or more in annual revenues; (3) the date on which the Company is deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act; or (4) the date on which the Company has, during the previous three-year period, issued publicly or privately, more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities. The last year the Company qualifies as an emerging growth company is 2024.

Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933 for complying with new or revised accounting standards. As an emerging growth company, the Company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. The Company elected to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.

Allowance for credit losses

Investment securities available-for-sale. For available-for-sale investment securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company evaluates the securities to determine whether the decline in fair value below the amortized cost basis, or impairment, is due to credit-related factors or noncredit-related factors. Any impairment that is not credit related is recognized in other comprehensive income (loss), net of applicable taxes. Credit-related impairment is recognized as an allowance for credit losses, or ACL, related to investment securities available-for-sale on the balance sheet, limited to the amount by which the amortized cost basis exceeds the fair value, with a corresponding adjustment to earnings. Both the ACL and the adjustment to net income may be reversed if conditions change. However, if the Company intends to sell an impaired available-for-sale investment security or is required to sell such a security before recovering its amortized cost basis, the entire impairment amount must be recognized in earnings with a corresponding adjustment to the security’s amortized cost basis. Because the security’s amortized cost basis is adjusted to fair value, there is no ACL in this situation.

In evaluating available-for-sale securities in unrealized loss positions for impairment and the criteria regarding its intent or requirement to sell such securities, the Company considers the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, whether the securities are issued by the federal government or its agencies, whether downgrades by bond rating agencies have occurred, and the results of reviews of the issuers’ financial condition, among other factors.

Accrued interest receivable is excluded from the estimate of credit losses.

Investment securities held-to-maturity. Management measures expected credit losses on held-to-maturity investment securities on a collective basis by major security type. The Company evaluates held-to-maturity investment

securities by credit rating and an external study, updated annually, that includes historical information such as probability of default and loss going back several years. Accrued interest receivable on held-to-maturity investment securities is excluded from the estimate of credit losses.

Loans held for investment. Under the current expected credit loss, or CECL, accounting standard the ACL is a valuation estimated at each balance sheet date and deducted from the amortized cost basis of loans held for investment to present the net amount expected to be collected.

The Company estimates the ACL based on the underlying assets’ amortized cost basis, which is the amount at which the financing receivable is originated or acquired, adjusted for collection of cash and charge-offs, as well as applicable accretion or amortization of premium, discount and net deferred fees or costs. In the event that collection of principal becomes uncertain, the Company has policies in place to reverse accrued interest in a timely manner. Therefore, the Company has made the policy election to exclude accrued interest from the measurement of ACL.

Expected credit losses are reflected in the ACL through a charge to provision for credit losses when the Company deems all or a portion of the financial asset will be uncollectible; the appropriate amount is written off and the ACL is reduced by the same amount. The Company applies judgement to determine when a financial asset is deemed uncollectible; however, generally, an asset will be considered uncollectible no later than when all efforts of collection have been exhausted. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the ACL when received.

Upon the adoption of the CECL accounting standard, the Company elected to maintain pools of loans that were previously accounted for under ASC 310-30 and will continue to account for these pools as a unit of account. Upon the adoption of the CECL accounting standard, the ACL was determined for each pool and added to the pools’ carrying amount to establish a new amortized cost basis. Loans that do not share similar risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis.

Management estimates the ACL using relevant information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts. Historical loss experience provides the basis for estimation of expected credit losses. Adjustments to historical loss information are made for differences in the current loan-specific risk characteristics such as different underwriting standards, portfolio mix, delinquency level, or life of the loan, as well as changes in environmental conditions, levels of economic activity, unemployment rates, property values and other relevant factors. The calculation also contemplates that the Company may not be able to make or obtain such forecasts for the entire life of the financial assets and requires a reversion to historical loss information.

Ongoing impacts of the CECL accounting standard will be dependent upon changes in economic conditions and forecasts, originated and acquired loan portfolio composition, credit performance trends, portfolio duration and other forecasts.

Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis. Loans evaluated individually are not also included in the collective evaluation. The ACL on individually evaluated loans is recognized on the basis of the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the effective interest rate, the fair value of collateral adjusted of estimated costs to sell, or observable market price as of the relevant date.

Reserve for off-balance sheet credit exposures. In estimating expected credit losses for off-balance sheet credit exposures, the Company is required to estimate expected credit losses over the contractual period in which it is exposed to credit risk via a present contractual obligation to extend credit, unless that obligation is unconditionally cancellable by the issuer. To be considered unconditionally cancellable for accounting purposes, the Company must have the ability to, at any time, with or without cause, refuse to extend credit under the commitment. Off-balance sheet credit exposure segments share the same risk characteristics as portfolio loans. The Company incorporates a probability of funding and utilizes the ACL loss rates to calculate the reserve. The reserve for off-balance sheet credit exposure is carried on the balance sheet in accrued expenses and other liabilities rather than as a component of the allowance. The reserve for off-balance sheet credit exposure is adjusted as a provision for off-balance sheet credit exposure reported as a component of the provision for credit loss expense in the accompanying unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income.

NOTE 2 Recent Accounting Pronouncements

The following Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, Accounting Standards Updates, or ASUs, are divided into pronouncements which have been adopted by the Company since January 1, 2023, and those which are not yet effective and have been evaluated or are currently being evaluated by management as of September 30, 2023.

Adopted Pronouncements

On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The measurement of expected credit losses under the CECL accounting standard is applicable to financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loan receivables. It also applies to off-balance sheet credit exposures not accounted for as insurance (loan commitments, standby letters of credit, financial guarantees, and other similar agreements). In addition, ASC 326 made changes to the accounting for held-to-maturity debt securities. One such change is to require credit losses to be presented as an allowance, rather than as a write-down.

The Company adopted ASC 326 using the modified retrospective method for all financial assets measured at amortized cost, off-balance sheet credit exposures, and held-to-maturity securities. Results for reporting periods beginning after December 31, 2022, are presented under ASC 326, while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with previously applicable GAAP. The Company recorded a net decrease to retained earnings of $4.5 million as of January 1, 2023, for the cumulative effect of adopting ASC 326.

The Company adopted ASC 326 using the prospective transition approach for financial assets purchased with credit deterioration previously classified as purchased credit impaired and accounted for under ASC 310-30. In accordance with the standard, management did not reassess whether purchased credit impaired, or PCI, assets met the criteria of purchased credit deteriorated, or PCD, assets as of the date of adoption.

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The following table illustrates the impact of ASC 326:

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In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-01, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Fair Value Hedging – Portfolio Layer Method, which clarifies the guidance on fair value hedge accounting of interest rate risk portfolios of financial assets. ASU 2022-01 updates guidance in Topic 815, to expand the scope of the current last-of-layer method to allow multiple hedged layers to be designated for a single closed portfolio of financial assets or one or more beneficial interests secured by a portfolio of financial instruments on a prospective basis. Additionally, ASU 2022-01 clarifies that basis adjustments related to existing portfolio layer hedge relationships should not be considered when measuring credit losses on the financial assets included in the closed portfolio. Further, ASU 2022-01 clarifies that any reversal of fair value hedge basis adjustments associated with an actual breach should be recognized in interest income immediately. ASU 2022-01 was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2022-01 effective January 1, 2023, and entered into a fair value hedge agreement on February 10, 2023 and adopted the portfolio layer method of accounting for this transaction. This adoption had no impact on our consolidated financial statements as the Company did not have any hedged assets using the last-of-layer hedge accounting method.

In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-02, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures. The amendments in this update eliminate the accounting guidance for Troubled Debt Restructurings, or TDRs, by creditors in Subtopic 310-40. Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors, while enhancing the disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancings and restructurings by creditors when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. For public business entities, this amendment also has vintage disclosures that require that an entity disclose current-period gross write-offs by year of origination for financing receivables and net investments in leases within the scope of Subtopic 326-20 Financial Instruments – Credit Losses – Measured at Amortized Cost. For entities that had not yet adopted the amendment in ASU 2016-13, the effective date for the amendments in this update are same as the effective date for ASU 2016-13. The Company adopted this ASU on January 1, 2023, and had no loans experience financial difficulty in the current period.

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NOTE 3 Investment Securities

The following tables present amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses, allowance for credit losses, and fair value of the available-for-sale investment securities and the amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses and fair value of held-to-maturity securities as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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The adequacy of the allowance for credit losses on investment securities is assessed at the end of each quarter. The Company does not believe that the available-for-sale debt securities that were in an unrealized loss position as of September 30, 2023, represent a credit loss impairment. As of September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, the gross unrealized loss positions were primarily related to mortgage-backed securities issued by U.S. government agencies or U.S. government-sponsored enterprises. These securities carry the explicit and/or implicit guarantee of the U.S. government, are widely recognized as “risk free,” and have a long history of zero credit loss. Total gross unrealized losses were attributable to changes in interest rates, relative to when the investment securities were purchased, and not due to the credit quality of the investment securities. The Company does not intend to sell the investment securities that were in an unrealized loss position and it is not more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the investment securities before recovery of their amortized cost basis, which may be at maturity.

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The allowance for credit losses on held-to-maturity debt securities is estimated using relevant information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts. Using a probability of default and loss on given default analysis an allowance for credit losses was established in the amount of $218 thousand as of September 30, 2023.

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Accrued interest receivable on available-for-sale investment securities and held-to-maturity investment securities is recorded in accrued interest receivable and is excluded from the estimate of credit losses. As of September 30, 2023, the accrued interest receivable on available-for-sale investment securities and held-to-maturity investment securities totaled $2.4 million and $1.0 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, the accrued interest receivable on available-for-sale investment securities and held-to-maturity investment securities totaled $1.9 million and $1.5 million, respectively.

The following table presents investment securities available-for-sale in an unrealized loss position for which an allowance for credit losses has not been recorded as of September 30, 2023:

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Gross unrealized losses on investment securities and the fair value of the related securities aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position as of December 31, 2022, were as follows:

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Unrealized losses on available-for-sale investment securities have not been recognized into income because the issuers’ bonds are of high credit quality. Furthermore, the Company does not intend to sell, and it is likely that management will not be required to sell, the securities prior to their anticipated recovery, and the decline in fair value is largely due to changes in interest rates. The issuers continue to make timely principal and interest payments on their bonds. The Company expects that it could see a continued increase in unrealized losses if the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates.

The following table presents amortized cost and fair value of available-for-sale investment securities and the carrying value and fair value of held-to-maturity investment securities as of September 30, 2023, by contractual maturity:

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Expected maturities will differ from contractual maturities because issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.

Investment securities with a total carrying value of $381.4 million and $260.7 million were pledged as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, to secure public deposits and for other purposes required or permitted by law.

The company had no sales or calls of available-for-sale investment securities, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

Proceeds from the call of held-to-maturity investment securities, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, are displayed in the table below:

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As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the carrying value of the Company’s Federal Reserve stock and Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, or FHLB, stock was as follows:

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These securities can only be redeemed or sold at their par value and only to the respective issuing institution or to another member institution. The Company records these non-marketable equity securities as a component of other assets and periodically evaluates these securities for impairment. Management considers these non-marketable equity securities to be long-term investments. Accordingly, when evaluating these securities for impairment, management considers the ultimate recoverability of the par value rather than recognizing temporary declines in value.

Visa Class B Restricted Shares

In 2008, the Company received Visa Class B restricted shares as part of Visa’s initial public offering. These shares are transferable only under limited circumstances until they can be converted into the publicly traded Class A common shares. This conversion will not occur until the settlement of certain litigation which will be indemnified by Visa members, including the Company. Visa funded an escrow account from its initial public offering to settle these

litigation claims. Should this escrow account be insufficient to cover these litigation claims, Visa is entitled to fund additional amounts to the escrow account by reducing each member bank’s Class B conversion ratio to unrestricted Class A shares. As of September 30, 2023, the conversion ratio was 1.5902. Based on the existing transfer restriction and the uncertainty of the outcome of the Visa litigation mentioned above, the 6,924 Class B shares (11,010 Class A equivalents) that the Company owned as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, were carried at a zero cost basis.

NOTE 4 Loans and Allowance for Credit Losses

The following table presents total loans outstanding, by portfolio segment, as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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Total loans included net deferred loan fees and costs of $0.5 million and $0.9 million at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. Unearned discounts associated with the acquisition of Metro Phoenix Bank totaled $5.2 million as of September 30, 2023.

Accrued interest receivable on loans is recorded within accrued interest receivable, and totaled $11.5 million at September 30, 2023 and $9.2 million at December 31, 2022.

Management monitors the credit quality of its loan portfolio on an ongoing basis. Measurements of delinquency and past due status are based on the contractual terms of each loan. Past due loans are reviewed regularly to identify loans for nonaccrual status.

The following tables present a past due aging analysis of total loans outstanding, by portfolio segment, as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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In calculating expected credit losses, the Company includes loans on nonaccrual status and loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing. The following table presents the amortized cost basis on nonaccrual status loans and loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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Loans with a carrying value of $1.9 billion as of September 30, 2023 and $1.5 billion as of December 31, 2022, were pledged to secure public deposits, and for other purposes required or permitted by law.

A loan for which the terms have been modified resulting in a concession represents a loan experiencing financial difficulty. Loans experiencing financial difficulty can include modifications for an interest rate reduction below current market rates, a forgiveness of principal balance, an extension of the loan term, an-other than significant payment delay, or some combination of similar types of modifications. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company did not provide any modifications to loans under these circumstances that were experiencing financial difficulty.

The Company’s consumer loan portfolio is primarily comprised of secured loans that are evaluated at origination on a centralized basis against standardized underwriting criteria. The Company generally does not risk rate consumer loans unless a default event such as bankruptcy or extended nonperformance takes place. Credit quality for the consumer loan portfolio is measured by delinquency rates, nonaccrual amounts and actual losses incurred.

The Company assigns a risk rating to all commercial loans, except pools of homogeneous loans, and performs detailed internal and external reviews of risk rated loans over a certain threshold to identify credit risks and to assess the overall collectability of the portfolio. These risk ratings are also subject to examination by the Company’s regulators. During the internal reviews, management monitors and analyzes the financial condition of borrowers and guarantors, trends in the industries in which the borrowers operate and the estimated fair values of collateral securing the loans. These credit quality indicators are used to assign a risk rating to each individual loan.

The Company’s ratings are aligned to pass and criticized categories. The criticized category includes special mention, substandard, and doubtful risk ratings. The risk ratings are defined as follows:

Pass: A pass loan is a credit with no existing or known potential weaknesses deserving of management’s close attention.

Special Mention: Loans classified as special mention have a potential weakness that deserves management’s close attention. If left uncorrected, this potential weakness may result in deterioration of the repayment prospects for the loan or of the Company’s credit position at some future date. Special mention loans are not adversely classified and do not expose the Company to sufficient risk to warrant adverse classification.

Substandard: Loans classified as substandard are not adequately protected by the current net worth and paying capacity of the borrower or of the collateral pledged, if any. Loans classified as substandard have a well-defined weakness or weaknesses that jeopardize the repayment of the debt. Well-defined weaknesses include a borrower’s lack of marketability, inadequate cash flow or collateral support, failure to complete construction on time, or the failure to fulfill economic expectations. They are characterized by the distinct possibility that the Company will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected.

Doubtful: Loans classified as doubtful have all the weaknesses inherent in those classified as substandard, with the added characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or repayment in full, on the basis of currently existing facts, conditions, and values, highly questionable and improbable.

Loss: Loans classified as loss are considered uncollectible and charged off immediately.

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The following table sets forth the amortized cost basis of loans by credit quality indicator and vintage based on the most recent analysis performed, as of September 30, 2023:

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The following table sets forth the risk category of loans by class of loans and credit quality indicator used on the most recent analysis performed as of December 31, 2022:

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The adequacy of the allowance for credit losses on loans is assessed at the end of each quarter. The allowance for credit losses is estimated using relevant information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts. Historical data is evaluated in multiple components of the expected credit loss, including the reasonable and supportable forecast of each loan segment. Historical experience is used to infer probability of default and loss given the reasonable and supportable forecast period. Qualitative reserves reflect management’s overall estimate of the extent to which current expected credit losses on collectively evaluated loans will differ from historical loss experience. The analysis takes into consideration other analytics performed within the organization, such as enterprise and concentration management, along with other credit-related analytics as deemed appropriate.

The following tables present, by loan portfolio segment, a summary of the changes in the allowance for credit losses on loans for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

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(1) The difference in the credit loss expense reported herein compared to the Consolidated Statements of Income is associated with the credit loss expense of $44 thousand related to off-balance sheet credit exposures and $46 thousand related to investment securities held-to-maturity.

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The following table presents, by loan portfolio segment, a summary of charge-offs, by vintage, for the nine months ended September 30, 2023:

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The following tables present the amortized cost and related allowance for credit losses on loans, by portfolio segment, as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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The following table presents the amortized cost basis of collateral dependent loans, by the primary collateral type, which are individually evaluated to determine expected credit losses, and the related ACL allocated to these loans, as of September 30, 2023:

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Pre-ASC 326 Adoption impaired loan disclosures

The table below summarizes key information on impaired loans as of December 31, 2022:

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The table below presents the average recorded investment in impaired loans and interest income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022:

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NOTE 5 Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

The following table summarizes the carrying amount of goodwill, by segment, as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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Goodwill is evaluated for impairment on an annual basis, at a minimum, and more frequently when the economic environment warrants. The Company determined that there was no goodwill impairment as of September 30, 2023.

The gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization for each type of identifiable intangible asset, as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, were as follows:

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Amortization of intangible assets was $1.3 million for both the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. Amortization of intangible assets was $4.0 million and $3.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

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NOTE 6 Loan Servicing

Loans serviced for others are not included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The unpaid principal balances of loans serviced for others totaled $373.8 million and $357.2 million as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. Servicing loans for others generally consists of collecting mortgage payments, maintaining escrow accounts, disbursing payments to investors and collection and foreclosure processing. Loan servicing income is recorded on an accrual basis and includes servicing fees from investors and certain charges collected from borrowers, such as late payment fees, and is net of fair value adjustments to capitalized mortgage servicing rights.

The following table summarizes the Company’s activity related to servicing rights for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

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The following is a summary of key data and assumptions used in the valuation of servicing rights as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. Increases or decreases in any one of these assumptions would result in lower or higher fair value measurements.

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NOTE 7 Leases

Substantially all of the leases in which the Company is the lessee are comprised of real property for offices and office equipment rentals with terms extending through 2037. Portions of certain properties are subleased for terms extending through 2024. Substantially all of the Company’s leases are classified as operating leases. The Company has no existing finance leases.

The Company elected not to include short-term leases (i.e., leases with initial terms of twelve months or less), or equipment leases (deemed immaterial) on the consolidated financial statements. The following table presents the classification of the Company’s right-of-use, or ROU, assets and lease liabilities on the consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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The calculated amount of the ROU assets and lease liabilities in the table above are impacted by the length of the lease term and the discount rate used to present value the minimum lease payments. The Company’s lease agreements often include one or more options to renew at the Company’s discretion. If at lease inception, the Company considers the exercising of a renewal option to be reasonably certain, the Company will include the extended term in the calculation of the ROU asset and lease liability. The Company utilizes its incremental borrowing rate at lease inception, on a collateralized basis, over a similar term for the discount rate. For the Company’s only finance lease, the Company utilized its incremental borrowing rate at lease inception.

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As the Company elected, for all classes of underlying assets, not to separate lease and non-lease components and instead to account for them as a single lease component, the variable lease cost primarily represents variable payments such as common area maintenance and utilities. Variable lease cost also includes payments for usage or maintenance of those capitalized equipment operating leases.

The following table presents lease costs and other lease information for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

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Future minimum payments for finance and operating leases with initial or remaining terms of one year or more as of September 30, 2023 were as follows:

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NOTE 8 Deposits

The components of deposits in the consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 were as follows:

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Certificates of deposit in excess of $250,000 totaled $98.7 million and $51.1 million at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

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NOTE 9 Short-Term Borrowings

Short-term borrowings at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 consisted of the following:

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The following table presents information related to short-term borrowings for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

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NOTE 10 Long-Term Debt

Long-term debt as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 consisted of the following:

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NOTE 11 Financial Instruments with Off-Balance Sheet Risk

In the normal course of business, the Company has outstanding commitments and contingent liabilities, such as commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit, which are not included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. The Company exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instruments for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is represented by the contractual or notional amount of those instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making such commitments as it does for instruments that are included in the statements of financial condition.

A summary of the contractual amounts of the Company’s exposure to off-balance sheet risk as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, was as follows:

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The Company had an allowance for loan losses on unfunded commitments of $3.2 million as of December 31, 2022. Upon the adoption of the CECL accounting standard, the Company recorded an additional $1.9 million reserve for unfunded commitments. For the nine months ending September 30, 2023, the Company recorded an additional $304 thousand in provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments for a total of $5.2 million of allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments as of September 30, 2023.

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a client as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Company evaluates each client’s creditworthiness on a case by case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the Company upon

extension of credit, is based on management’s credit evaluation. Collateral held varies but may include accounts receivable, inventory, property and equipment, and income producing commercial properties.

The Company was not required to perform on any financial guarantees and did not incur any losses on its commitments during the past two years.

The Company utilizes standby letters of credit issued by either the FHLB or the Bank of North Dakota to secure public unit deposits. The Company had no letters of credit outstanding with the FHLB as of September 30, 2023 or December 31, 2022. With the Bank of North Dakota, the Company had a no letters of credit outstanding as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. Letters of credit with the Bank of North Dakota were collateralized by loans pledged to the Bank of North Dakota in the amount of $400.3 million and $215.5 million as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

NOTE 12 Share-Based Compensation

On May 6, 2019, the Company’s stockholders approved the Alerus Financial Corporation 2019 Equity Incentive Plan. This plan gives the compensation committee the ability to grant a wide variety of equity awards, including stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and cash incentive awards in such forms and amounts as it deems appropriate to accomplish the goals of the plan. Any shares subject to an award that is cancelled, forfeited, or expires prior to exercise or realization, either in full or in part, shall again become available for issuance under the plan. However, shares subject to an award shall not again be made available for issuance or delivery under the plan if such shares are (a) tendered in payment of the exercise price of a stock option, (b) delivered to, or withheld by, the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation, or (c) covered by a stock-settled stock appreciation right or other awards and were not issued upon the settlement of the award. Shares vest, become exercisable and contain such other terms and conditions as determined by the compensation committee and set forth in individual agreements with the participant receiving the award. The plan authorizes the issuance of up to 1,100,000 shares of common stock. As of September 30, 2023, 781,839 shares of common stock are still available for issuance under the plan.

The compensation expense relating to awards under these plans was $377 thousand and $351 thousand for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. The compensation expense relating to awards under these plans was $1.2 million and $1.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The following table presents the activity in the stock plans for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

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As of September 30, 2023, there was $3.0 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested awards granted under the plans. The expense is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.4 years.

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NOTE 13 Income Taxes

The components of income tax expense (benefit) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

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It is the opinion of management that the Company has no significant uncertain tax positions that would be subject to change upon examination.

NOTE 14 Tax Credit Investments

The Company invests in qualified affordable housing projects for the purpose of community reinvestment and obtaining tax credits. The Company’s tax credit investments are limited to existing lending relationships with well-known developers and projects within the Company’s market area.

The following table presents a summary of the Company’s investments in qualified affordable housing project tax credits as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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The following table presents a summary of the amortization expense and tax benefit recognized for the Company’s qualified affordable housing projects for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

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(1) The amortization expense for low income housing tax credits were included in the income tax expense.

(2) All of the tax benefits recognized were included in income tax expense.

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(1) The amortization expense for low income housing tax credits were included in income tax expense.

(2) All of the tax benefits recognized were included in income tax expense.

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NOTE 15 Segment Reporting

Operating segments are components of an enterprise, which are evaluated regularly by the “chief operating decision maker” in deciding how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company’s chief operating decision maker is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Reportable segments are determined based on the services offered, the significance of the services offered, the significance of those services to the Company’s financial statements, and management’s regular review of the operating results of those services. The Company operates through four operating segments: Banking, Retirement and Benefit Services, Wealth Management, and Mortgage.

The financial information presented for each segment includes net interest income, provision for credit losses, direct noninterest income, and direct noninterest expense, before indirect allocations. Corporate Administration includes the indirect overhead and is set forth in the table below. The segment net income before taxes represents direct revenue and expense before indirect allocations and income taxes.

The following table presents key metrics related to the Company’s segments for the periods presented:

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Banking

The Banking division offers a complete line of loan, deposit, cash management, and treasury services through fourteen offices in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Arizona. These products and services are supported through web and mobile based applications. The majority of the Company’s assets and liabilities are in the Banking segment’s balance sheet.

Retirement and Benefit Services

Retirement and Benefit Services provides the following services nationally: recordkeeping and administration services to qualified retirement plans; recordkeeping, and administration services to other types of retirement plans; investment fiduciary services to retirement plans; health savings accounts, flex spending accounts, and COBRA recordkeeping and administration services. The division operates within each of the banking markets, as well as in Lansing, Michigan and Littleton, Colorado.

Wealth Management

The Wealth Management division provides advisory and planning services, investment management, and trust and fiduciary services to clients across the Company’s footprint.

Mortgage

The Mortgage division offers first and second mortgage loans through a centralized mortgage unit in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as through the Banking office locations.

NOTE 16 Earnings Per Share

The calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share using the two-class method for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 are presented below:

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NOTE 17 Derivative Instruments

The company uses a variety of derivative instruments to mitigate exposure to both market and credit risks inherent in its business activities. The Company manages these risks as part of its overall asset and liability management process and through its policies and procedures. Derivatives represent contracts between parties that usually require little or no initial net investment and result in one party delivering cash or another type of asset to the other party based on a notional amount and an underlying as specified in the contract.

Derivatives are often measured in terms of notional amount, but this amount is generally not exchanged, and it is not recorded on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. The notional amount is the basis to which the underlying is applied to determine required payments under the derivative contract. The underlying is a referenced interest rate, security price, credit spread, or other index. Residential and commercial real estate loan commitments associated with loans to be sold also qualify as derivative instruments.

Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments

The Company uses derivative instruments to hedge its exposure to economic risks, including interest rate, liquidity and credit risk. Certain hedging relationships are formally designated and qualify for hedge accounting under GAAP. On the date the Company enters into a derivative contract designated as a hedging instrument, the derivative is designated as either a fair value hedge, cash flow hedge, or a net investment hedge. When a derivative is designated as a fair value, cash flow, or net investment hedge, the Company performs an assessment, at inception and, at a minimum, quarterly thereafter, to determine the effectiveness of the derivative in offsetting changes in the value or cash flows of the hedged item(s). As of September 30, 2023, the Company only uses fair value and cash flow hedges.

Fair value hedges: These derivatives are interest rate swaps the Company uses to hedge the change in fair value related to interest rate changes of its underlying mortgage-backed investment securities and mortgage loan pools. The interest rate swaps are carried on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet at their fair value in other assets (when the fair value is positive) or in accrued expenses and other liabilities (when the fair value is negative). The changes in fair value of the interest rate swaps are recorded in interest income. The unrealized gains or losses due to changes in fair value of the interest rate swaps due to changes in benchmark interest rates are recorded as an adjustment to the hedged instruments and offset in the same interest income line items.

Cash flow hedges: These derivatives are interest rate swaps the Company uses to hedge the variability of expected future cash flows due to market interest changes. The interest rate swap is carried on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at its fair value in other assets (when the fair value is positive) or in accrued expenses and

other liabilities (when the fair value is negative). Changes in fair value of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges are recorded in other comprehensive income (loss) until the cash flows of the hedged items are realized. If a derivative designated as a cash flow hedge is terminated or ceases to be highly effective, the gain or loss in other comprehensive income (loss) is amortized to earnings over the period the forecasted hedged transactions impact earnings. If a hedged forecasted transaction is no longer probable, hedge accounting is ceased and any gain or loss included in other comprehensive income (loss) is reported in earnings immediately, unless the forecasted transaction is at least reasonably possible of occurring, whereby the amounts remain within accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). There were no cash flow hedges at December 31, 2022. The Company estimates that an additional $1.0 million will be reclassified as a decrease to interest expense over the next 12 months. All cash flow hedges were highly effective for the three months ended September 30, 2023. As of September 30, 2023, the maximum length of time over which forecasted transactions are hedged is 15 months.

Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

Interest rate swaps: The Company periodically enters into commercial loan interest rate swap agreements in order to provide commercial loan customers with the ability to convert from variable to fixed interest rates. These derivative contracts relate to transactions in which the Company enters into an interest rate swap with a customer, while simultaneously entering into an offsetting interest rate swap with an institutional counterparty.

Interest rate lock commitments, forward loan sales commitments and to be announced (TBA) mortgage backed securities: The Company enters into forward delivery contracts to sell mortgage loans at specific prices and dates in order to hedge the interest rate risk in its portfolio of mortgage loans held for sale and its residential mortgage interest rate lock commitments.

The following table presents the total notional amounts and gross fair values of the Company’s derivatives as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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The following table shows the effective portion of the gains (losses) recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) and the gains (losses), before tax, reclassified from other comprehensive income (loss) into earnings for the periods indicated:

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The following table shows the effect of fair value and cash flow hedge accounting on derivatives designated as hedging instruments in the Consolidated Statements of Income:

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The following table shows the notional amount, carrying amount and associated cumulative basis adjustments related to the application of hedge accounting that is included in the carrying amount of hedged assets and liabilities in fair value hedging relationships at September 30, 2023:

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(1) Includes amounts related to residential agency mortgage-backed securities currently designated as the hedged item in a fair value hedge using the portfolio layer method. At September 30, 2023, the amortized cost of the closed portfolios used in these hedging relationships was $331 million.

(2) These amounts include the amortized cost basis of residential real estate loans that were used to designate hedging relationships in which the hedged item is the stated amount of assets in the closed portfolio anticipated to be outstanding for the designated hedged period. At September 30, 2023, the amortized cost basis of the residential real estate loans used in these hedging relationships was $706.8 million.

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The gain (loss) recognized on derivatives not designated as hedging relationships for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was as follows:

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The Company has third party agreements that require a minimum dollar transfer amount upon a margin call. These requirements are dependent on certain specified credit measures. The amount of collateral posted with third parties was $290 thousand at September 30, 2023 and $309 thousand at December 31, 2022. The amount of collateral posted with third parties was deemed to be sufficient as of those dates to collateralize both the fair market value change as well as any additional amounts that may be required as a result of a change in the specified credit measures.

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The following table presents the Company’s derivative positions and the potential effect of netting arrangements on its financial position as of the dates indicated:

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(1) The Company maintains a master netting arrangement with each counterparty and settles collateral on a net basis for all interest rate swaps.

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NOTE 18 Regulatory Matters

The Company and the Bank are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Quantitative measures established by regulation to ensure capital adequacy require the Company and the Bank to maintain minimum amounts and ratios (set forth in the following table) of common equity tier 1, tier 1, and total capital (as defined in the regulations) to risk weighted assets (as defined) and of tier 1 capital (as defined) to average assets (as defined). Management believes at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, each of the Company and the Bank had met all of the capital adequacy requirements to which it was subject.

The following table presents the Company’s and the Bank’s actual capital amounts and ratios as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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The Bank is subject to certain restrictions on the amount of dividends that it may pay without prior regulatory approval. The Company and the Bank are subject to the rules of the Basel III regulatory capital framework and related Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act rules. The rules include a 2.5 percent capital conservation buffer that is added to the minimum requirements for capital adequacy purposes. A banking organization with a conservation buffer of less than the required amount will be subject to the limitations on capital distributions, including dividend payments and certain discretionary bonus payments to executive officers. As of September 30, 2023, the capital ratios for the Company and the Bank were sufficient to meet the conservation buffer. In addition, the Company must adhere to various U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, regulatory guidelines including required minimum capital and liquidity to maintain their Federal Housing Administration approval status. Failure to comply with the HUD guidelines could result in withdrawal of this certification. As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company was in compliance with the aforementioned guidelines.

NOTE 19 Stock Repurchase Program

On February 18, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a stock repurchase program, or the Program, which authorizes the Company to repurchase up to 770,000 shares of its common stock subject to certain limitations and conditions. The Program was effective immediately and will continue for a period of 36 months, until

February 28, 2024. The Program does not obligate the Company to repurchase any shares of its common stock and there is no assurance that the Company will do so. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company repurchased 238,474 shares of common stock under the Program. The Company also repurchases shares to pay withholding taxes on the vesting of restricted stock awards and units.

NOTE 20 Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities

The Company categorizes its assets and liabilities measured at estimated fair value into a three level hierarchy based on the priority of the inputs to the valuation technique used to determine estimated fair value. The estimated fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). If the inputs used in the determination of the estimated fair value measurement fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the categorization is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the estimated fair value measurement. Assets and liabilities valued at estimated fair value are categorized based on the following inputs to the valuation techniques as follows:

*Level 1—*Inputs that utilize quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that an entity has the ability to access.

*Level 2—*Inputs that include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument. Estimated fair values for these instruments are estimated using pricing models, quoted prices of investment securities with similar characteristics, or discounted cash flows.

*Level 3—*Inputs that are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, which are typically based on an entity’s own assumptions, as there is little, if any, related market activity. Subsequent to initial recognition, the Company may re-measure the carrying value of assets and liabilities measured on a nonrecurring basis to estimated fair value. Adjustments to estimated fair value usually result when certain assets are impaired. Such assets are written down from their carrying amounts to their estimated fair value.

Professional standards allow entities the irrevocable option to elect to measure certain financial instruments and other items at estimated fair value for the initial and subsequent measurement on an instrument-by-instrument basis. The Company adopted the policy to value certain financial instruments at estimated fair value. The Company has not elected to measure any existing financial instruments at estimated fair value; however, it may elect to measure newly acquired financial instruments at estimated fair value in the future.

Recurring Basis

The Company uses estimated fair value measurements to record estimated fair value adjustments to certain assets and liabilities and to determine estimated fair value disclosures.

The following tables present the balances of the assets and liabilities measured at estimated fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

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The following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for instruments measured at estimated fair value on a recurring basis, as well as the general classification of such instruments pursuant to the valuation hierarchy.

Investment Securities, Available-for-Sale

Generally, debt securities are valued using pricing for similar securities, recently executed transactions, and other pricing models utilizing observable inputs and therefore are classified as Level 2.

Derivatives

All of the Company’s derivatives are traded in over-the-counter markets where quoted market prices are not readily available. For these derivatives, estimated fair value is measured using internally developed models that use primarily market observable inputs, such as yield curves and option volatilities, and accordingly, classify as Level 2. Examples of Level 2 derivatives are basic interest rate swaps and forward contracts.

Nonrecurring Basis

Certain assets are measured at estimated fair value on a nonrecurring basis. These assets are not measured at estimated fair value on an ongoing basis; however, they are subject to estimated fair value adjustments in certain circumstances, such as when there is evidence of impairment or a change in the amount of previously recognized impairment.

Net impairment related to nonrecurring estimated fair value measurements of certain assets as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 consisted of the following:

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Loans Held for Sale

Loans originated and held for sale are carried at the lower of cost or estimated fair value. The Company obtains quotes or bids on these loans directly from purchasing financial institutions. Typically, these quotes include a premium on the sale and thus these quotes indicate estimated fair value of the held for sale loans is greater than cost.

Impairment losses for loans held for sale that are carried at the lower of cost or estimated fair value represent additional net write-downs during the period to record these loans at the lower of cost or estimated fair value, subsequent to their initial classification as loans held for sale.

The valuation techniques and significant unobservable inputs used to measure Level 3 estimated fair values as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, were as follows:

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Disclosure of estimated fair value information about financial instruments, for which it is practicable to estimate that value, is required whether or not recognized in the consolidated balance sheets. In cases in which quoted market prices are not available, estimated fair values are based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques. Those techniques are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including the discount rate and estimate of future cash flows. In that regard, the derived estimated fair value estimates cannot be substantiated by comparison to independent markets and, in many cases could not be realized in immediate settlement of the instruments. Certain

financial instruments, with an estimated fair value that is not practicable to estimate and all non-financial instruments, are excluded from the disclosure requirements. Accordingly, the aggregate estimated fair value amounts presented do not necessarily represent the underlying value of the Company.

The following disclosures represent financial instruments in which the ending balances, as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, were not carried at estimated fair value in their entirety on the consolidated balance sheets.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Accrued Interest

The carrying amounts reported in the consolidated balance sheets approximate those assets and liabilities estimated fair values.

Investment Securities, Held-to-Maturity

The fair values of debt securities held-to-maturity are based on quoted market prices for the same or similar securities, recently executed transactions and pricing models.

Loans

For variable-rate loans that reprice frequently and with no significant change in credit risk, estimated fair values are based on carrying values. The estimated fair values of other loans are estimated using discounted cash flow analysis, using interest rates currently being offered for loans with similar terms to borrowers of similar credit quality.

Bank-Owned Life Insurance

Bank-owned life insurance is carried at the amount due upon surrender of the policy, which is also the estimated fair value. This amount was provided by the insurance companies based on the terms of the underlying insurance contract.

Deposits

The estimated fair values of demand deposits are, by definition, equal to the amount payable on demand at the consolidated balance sheet date. The estimated fair values of fixed-rate certificates of deposit are estimated using a discounted cash flow calculation that applies current incremental interest rates being offered on certificates of deposit to a schedule of aggregated expected monthly maturities of the outstanding certificates of deposit.

Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt

For variable-rate borrowings that reprice frequently, estimated fair values are based on carrying values. The estimated fair values of fixed-rate borrowings are estimated using discounted cash flow analysis, based on the Company’s current incremental borrowing rates for similar types of borrowing arrangements.

Off-Balance Sheet Credit-Related Commitments

Off-balance sheet credit related commitments are generally of short-term nature. The contract amount of such commitments approximates their estimated fair value since the commitments are comprised primarily of unfunded loan commitments which are generally priced at market at the time of funding.

The estimated fair values, and related carrying or notional amounts, of the Company’s financial instruments at the dates indicated are as follows:

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