SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

LCNB Corp. (the "Company" or “LCNB”), an Ohio corporation formed in December 1998, is a financial holding company whose principal activity is the ownership of LCNB National Bank (the "Bank"). The Bank was founded in 1877 and provides full banking services, including trust and brokerage services, to customers primarily in Southwestern and South Central Ohio. LCNB completed the sale of its other operating subsidiary, Dakin Insurance Agency, Inc. (“Dakin”) on March 23, 2011.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The accounting and reporting policies of the Company conform with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and with general practices in the banking industry. The financial results of Dakin are included as income from discontinued operations, net of tax, in the consolidated financial statements through the date of sale.

Certain prior period data presented in the financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the current year presentation.

USE OF ESTIMATES

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash, balances due from banks, federal funds sold, and interest-bearing demand deposits with original maturities of three months or less. Deposits with other banks routinely have balances greater than FDIC insured limits. Management considers the risk of loss to be very low with respect to such deposits.

INVESTMENT SECURITIES

Certain municipal debt securities that management has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as “held-to-maturity” and recorded at amortized cost. Securities not classified as held-to-maturity are classified as “available-for-sale” and recorded at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported in other comprehensive income, a separate component of shareholders’ equity. Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts are recognized as adjustments to interest income using the level-yield method. Realized gains or losses from the sale of securities are recorded on the trade date and are computed using the specific identification method.

Declines in the fair value of securities below their cost that are deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired and for which the Company does not intend to sell the securities and it is not more likely than not that the securities will be sold before the anticipated recovery of the impairment are separated into losses related to credit factors and losses related to other factors. The losses related to credit factors are recognized in earnings and losses related to other factors are recognized in other comprehensive income. In estimating other than temporary impairment losses, management considers the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and the intent and ability of the Company to retain its investment in the issuer for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in fair value.

Federal Home Loan Bank ("FHLB") stock is an equity interest in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati. It can be sold only at its par value of $100 per share and only to the FHLB or to another member institution. In addition, the equity ownership rights are more limited than would be the case for a public company because of the oversight role exercised by the Federal Housing Finance Agency in the process of budgeting and approving dividends. Federal Reserve Bank stock is similarly restricted in marketability and value. Both investments are carried at cost, which is their par value.

FHLB and Federal Reserve Bank stock are both subject to minimum ownership requirements by member banks. The required investments in common stock are based on predetermined formulas.

LOANS

The Company’s loan portfolio includes most types of residential and commercial real estate loans, consumer loans, commercial and industrial loans, agricultural loans and other types of loans. Most of the properties collateralizing the loan portfolio are located within the Company’s market area.

Loans are stated at the principal amount outstanding, net of unearned income, deferred origination fees and costs, and the allowance for loan losses. Interest income is accrued on the unpaid principal balance. The delinquency status of a loan is based on contractual terms and not on how recently payments have been received. Generally, a loan is placed on non-accrual status when it is classified as impaired or there is an indication that the borrower’s cash flow may not be sufficient to make payments as they come due, unless the loan is well secured and in the process of collection. Subsequent cash receipts on non-accrual loans are recorded as a reduction of principal and interest income is recorded once principal recovery is reasonably assured. The current year's accrued interest on loans placed on non-accrual status is charged against earnings. Previous years' accrued interest is charged against the allowance for loan losses.

Loan origination fees and certain direct loan origination costs are deferred and the net amount amortized as an adjustment of loan yields. These amounts are being amortized over the lives of the related loans.

In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into off-balance sheet financial instruments consisting of commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. Such financial instruments are recorded in the financial statements when they are funded. The credit risk associated with these commitments is evaluated in a manner similar to the allowance for loan losses.

ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

The allowance for loan losses is established through a provision for loan losses charged to expense. Loans are charged against the allowance for loan losses when management believes that the collectability of the principal is unlikely. Consumer loans are charged off when they reach 120 days past due. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance.

The provision for loan losses is determined by management based upon its evaluation of the amount needed to maintain the allowance for loan losses at a level considered appropriate in relation to the estimated risk of losses inherent in the portfolio. Current methodology used by management to estimate the allowance takes into consideration such factors as changes in the nature and volume of the loan portfolio, overall portfolio quality, review of specific problem loans, historic categorical trends, current delinquency levels as related to historical levels, portfolio growth rates, changes in composition of the portfolio, the current economic environment, as well as current allowance adequacy in relation to the portfolio. Management is cognizant that reliance on historical information coupled with the cyclical nature of the economy, including credit cycles, affects the allowance. Management considers all of these factors prior to making any adjustments to the allowance due the subjectivity and imprecision involved in allocation methodology. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant revision as more information becomes available.

The allowance consists of specific and general components. The specific component relates to loans that are specifically reviewed for impairment. For such loans, an allowance is established when the discounted cash flows (or collateral value or observable market price) of the impaired loan is lower than the carrying value of that loan. The general component covers loans not specifically reviewed for impairment and homogeneous loan pools, such as residential real estate and consumer loans. The general component is measured for each loan category separately based on each category’s average of historical loss experience over a trailing thirty-six month period, adjusted for qualitative factors. Such qualitative factors may include current economic conditions if different from the three-year historical loss period, trends in underperforming loans, trends in volume and terms of loan categories, concentrations of credit, and trends in loan quality.

A loan is considered impaired when management believes, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Bank will be unable to collect all amounts due, including principal and interest, according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. An impaired loan is measured by the present value of expected future cash flows using the loan's effective interest rate. An impaired collateral-dependent loan may be measured based on collateral value. Smaller-balance homogenous loans, including residential mortgage and consumer installment loans, that are not evaluated individually are collectively evaluated for impairment.

Loans acquired from the merger are recorded at fair value with no carryover of the acquired entity's previously established allowance for loan losses. The excess of expected cash flows over the estimated fair value of acquired loans is recognized as interest income over the remaining contractual lives of the loans using the level yield method.

Subsequent decreases in expected cash flows will require additions to the allowance for loan losses. Subsequent improvements in expected cash flows result in the recognition of additional interest income over the then-remaining contractual lives of the loans.

Impaired loans acquired are accounted for under FASB ASC 310-30. Factors considered in evaluating whether an acquired loan was impaired include delinquency status and history, updated borrower credit status, collateral information, and updated loan-to-value information. The difference between contractually required payments at the time of acquisition and the cash flows expected to be collected is referred to as the nonaccretable difference. The interest component of the cash flows expected to be collected is referred to as the accretable yield and is recognized as interest income over the remaining contractual life of the loan using the level yield method. Subsequent decreases in expected cash flows will require additions to the allowance for loan losses. Subsequent improvements in expected cash flows will result in a reclassification from the nonaccretable difference to the accretable yield.

PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

Premises and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed on both the straight-line and accelerated methods over the estimated useful lives of the assets, generally 15 to 40 years for premises and 3 to 10 years for equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the terms of the respective leases or the estimated useful lives of the improvements, whichever is shorter. Costs incurred for maintenance and repairs are expensed currently.

OTHER REAL ESTATE OWNED

Other real estate owned includes properties acquired through foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure. Such property is held for sale and is initially recorded at fair value, less costs to sell, establishing a new cost basis. Fair value is primarily based on a property appraisal obtained at the time of transfer and any periodic updates that may be obtained thereafter. The allowance for loan losses is charged for any write down of the loan’s carrying value to fair value at the date of acquisition. Any subsequent reductions in fair value and expenses incurred from holding other real estate owned are charged to other non-interest expense. Costs, excluding interest, relating to the improvement of other real estate owned are capitalized. Gains and losses from the sale of other real estate owned are included in other non-interest expense.

Other real estate owned also includes in-substance foreclosed properties, which are properties that the Company has taken physical control of, regardless of whether formal foreclosure proceedings have occurred.

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Goodwill is the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net identifiable assets acquired in a business combination. Goodwill is not amortized, but is instead subject to an annual review for impairment.

Mortgage servicing rights on originated mortgage loans that have been sold are initially recorded at their estimated fair values. Mortgage servicing rights are amortized to loan servicing income in proportion to and over the period of estimated servicing income. Such assets are periodically evaluated as to the recoverability of their carrying value.

The Company’s other intangible asset relates to core deposits acquired from business combinations. These intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Management evaluates whether events or circumstances have occurred that indicate the remaining useful life or carrying value of the amortizing intangible should be revised.

BANK OWNED LIFE INSURANCE

The Company has purchased life insurance policies on certain officers of the Company. The Company is the beneficiary of these policies and has recorded the estimated cash surrender value in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets. Income on the policies, based on the increase in cash surrender value and any incremental death benefits, is included in other non-interest income in the consolidated statements of income.

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Accounting guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy to prioritize the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. A financial instrument’s level within the hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The three broad input levels are:


•	Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the reporting date;


•	Level 2 – inputs other than quoted prices included within level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability either directly or indirectly; and


•	Level 3 - inputs that are unobservable for the asset or liability.

Accounting guidance permits, but does not require, companies to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value. The decision to elect the fair value option is made individually for each instrument and is irrevocable once made. Changes in fair value for the selected instruments are recorded in earnings. The Company did not select any financial instruments for the fair value election in 2013 or 2012.

ADVERTISING EXPENSE

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and are recorded as a marketing expense, a component of non-interest expense.

PENSION PLANS

Eligible employees of the Company hired before 2009 participate in a multiple-employer qualified noncontributory defined benefit retirement plan. This plan is accounted for as a multi-employer plan because assets contributed by an employer are not segregated in a separate account or restricted to provide benefits only to employees of that employer.

Citizens National Bank had a qualified noncontributory, defined benefit pension plan, which has been assumed by the Company, that covers eligible employees hired before May 1, 2005. This is a single employer plan.

STOCK OPTIONS

The cost of employee services received in exchange for stock option grants is the grant-date fair value of the award estimated using an option-pricing model. This estimated cost is recognized over the period the employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award, usually the vesting period. The Company uses a Black-Scholes pricing model and related assumptions for estimating the fair value of stock option grants and a five-year vesting period.

INCOME TAXES

Deferred income taxes are determined using the liability method of accounting. Under this method, the net deferred tax asset or liability is determined based on the tax effects of temporary differences between the book and tax basis of the various balance sheet assets and liabilities and gives current recognition to changes in tax rates and laws.

Management analyzes material tax positions taken in any income tax return for any tax jurisdiction and determines the likelihood of the positions being sustained in a tax examination. A tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded.

EARNINGS PER SHARE

Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is adjusted for the dilutive effects of stock options and warrants. The diluted average number of common shares outstanding has been increased for the assumed exercise of stock options and warrants with the proceeds used to purchase treasury shares at the average market price for the period.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2013-01, "Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities"

ASU No. 2013-01 was issued in January 2013 and clarifies that the scope of ASU No. 2011-11, "Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities," applies to derivatives accounted for in accordance with Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, including bifurcated embedded derivatives, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and securities lending transactions that are either offset in accordance with applicable accounting guidance or subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreement. ASU No. 2013-01 is to be applied retrospectively and was effective for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. The adoption of this guidance, which involves disclosure only, did not impact LCNB's results of operations or financial position. LCNB currently does not net its financial instruments on its balance sheets.

ASU No. 2013-04, "Liabilities (Topic 405): Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date"

ASU No. 2013-04 was issued in February 2013 and requires an entity to measure obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of the guidance is fixed at the reporting date as the sum of (a) the amount the reporting entity agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among its co-obligors and (b) any additional amount the reporting entity expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The entity is also required to disclose information about the obligation, including its nature and amount. ASU No. 2013-04 is effective for public companies for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The ASU is effective for nonpublic companies for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2014. The adoption of this guidance is not anticipated to have a material impact on LCNB's results of operations or financial position.

ASU No. 2013-10, "Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Inclusion of the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate (or Overnight Index Swap Rate) as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes"

ASU No. 2013-10 was issued in July 2013 and permits the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate to be used as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes in addition to interest rates on U.S. Treasury obligations and LIBOR. The update also removes a restriction on using different benchmark rates for similar hedges. ASU No. 2013-10 is effective prospectively for qualifying new or redesignated hedging relationships entered into on or after July 17, 2013. The adoption of this guidance will not impact LCNB's results of operations or financial position. LCNB currently does not use hedged transactions as part of its asset/liability management activities.

ASU No. 2013-11, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists”

ASU No. 2013-11 was issued in July 2013 and requires an entity to present an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except as follows. To the extent a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets. No new recurring disclosures are required. ASU No. 2013-11 is effective for public companies for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013 and is to be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date. The adoption of ASU No. 2013-11 is not expected to have a material impact on LCNB’s results of operations or financial position.

ASU No. 2014-02, "Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)"

ASU No. 2114-02 was issued in January 2014 and provides guidance on accounting for investments in flow-through limited liability entities that manage or invest in affordable housing projects that qualify for low-income housing tax credits. Entities are permitted to make an accounting policy election to account for such investments using the proportional amortization method, as defined, if certain enumerated conditions are met. Under the proportional amortization method, an investor amortizes the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognizes the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense (benefit). Investments not accounted for using the the proportional amortization method should be accounted for as an equity method investment or a cost method investment in accordance with Subtopic 970-323. ASU No. 2014-022 is effective for public companies for annual periods, and interim reporting periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2014 and is to be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. LCNB currently does not have any investments in qualified affordable housing projects and adoption of ASU No. 2014-02 is not expected to have a material impact on LCNB's results of operations or financial position.

ASU No. 2014-04, "Receivables—Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40): Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)"

ASU No. 2014-04 was issued in January 2014 and clarifies that an in substance repossession or foreclosure occurs, and a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan, upon either (1) the creditor obtaining legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure or (2) the borrower conveying all interest in the residential real estate property to the creditor through completion of a deed in lieu of foreclosure or through a similar legal agreement. In addition, the update requires interim and annual disclosure of both the amount of foreclosed residential real estate properties held by the creditor and the recorded investment in consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate properties that are in the process of foreclosure. ASU No. 2014-04 is effective for public companies for annual periods, and interim periods with those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2014. Adoption of ASU No. 2014-04 is not expected to have a material impact on LCNB's results of operations or financial position.