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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

NOTE 1 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MetroCity Bankshares, Inc. (“Company”) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Metro City Bank (the “Bank”). The Company owns 100% of the Bank. The “Company” or “our,” as used herein, includes Metro City Bank unless the context indicates that we refer only to MetroCity Bankshares, Inc.

These unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) followed within the financial services industry for interim financial information and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information or notes required for complete financial statements.

The Company principally operates in one business segment, which is community banking.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal and recurring items, considered necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements for the interim periods have been included. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain amounts reported in prior periods have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. These reclassifications did not have a material effect on previously reported net income, shareholders’ equity or cash flows.

Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2023. These statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2022.

The Company’s significant accounting policies are described in Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2022, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the “Company’s 2022 Form 10-K”). Aside from the adoption of ASU 2016-13 (which is further discussed below), there were no new accounting policies or changes to existing policies adopted during the first nine months of 2023 which had a significant effect on the Company’s results of operations or statement of financial condition. For interim reporting purposes, the Company follows the same basic accounting policies and considers each interim period as an integral part of an annual period.

Contingencies

Due to the nature of their activities, the Company and its subsidiary are at times engaged in various legal proceedings that arise in the course of normal business, some of which were outstanding as of September 30, 2023. Although the ultimate outcome of all claims and lawsuits outstanding as of September 30, 2023 cannot be ascertained at this time, it is the opinion of management that these matters, when resolved, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial condition.

Accounting Standards Adopted in 2023

In January 2023, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. This ASU significantly changed how entities measure credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that are not measured at fair value through net income. The standard replaced the incurred loss approach with an expected loss model, referred to as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model. The new standard applies to financial assets subject to credit losses and measured at amortized cost and certain off-balance-sheet credit exposures, which include, but are not limited to, loans, leases, held-to-maturity securities, loan commitments and financial guarantees. ASU 2016-13 simplifies the accounting for purchased credit-impaired debt

securities and loans and expands the disclosure requirements regarding an entity’s assumptions, models and methods for estimating the allowance for credit losses. In addition, under the new standard, entities are required to disclose the amortized cost balance for each class of financial asset by credit quality indicator, disaggregated by the year of origination. ASU No. 2016-13 was effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022. With its adoption, ASU 2016-13 provided for a modified retrospective transition by means of a cumulative effect adjustment to equity as of the beginning of the period in which the guidance was effective.

The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 and all related subsequent amendments thereto effective January 1, 2023 using the modified retrospective approach. The adoption of this standard resulted in an increase to the allowance for credit losses on loans of $5.1 million and the creation of an allowance for unfunded commitments of $239,000. These one-time cumulative adjustments resulted in a $3.8 million decrease to retained earnings, net of a $1.5 million increase to deferred tax assets.

For available for sale (“AFS”) securities, the new CECL methodology replaced the other-than-temporary impairment model and required the recognition of an allowance for reductions in a security’s fair value attributable to declines in credit quality, instead of a direct write-down of the security, when a valuation decline was determined to be other-than-temporary. There was no financial impact related to this implementation since the credit risk associated with our securities portfolio was minimal. The Company has made a policy election to exclude accrued interest from the amortized cost basis of AFS securities. Accrued interest receivable for AFS securities totaled $78,000 and $114,000 as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. This accrued interest receivable is included in the “accrued interest receivable” line item on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

In January 2023, the Company adopted ASU 2022-02, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures”, which eliminated the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”) while enhancing disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancing and restructurings by creditors when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. This guidance was applied on a prospective basis. Upon adoption of this guidance, the Company no longer establishes a specific reserve for modifications to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty, unless those loans do not share the same risk characteristics with other loans in the portfolio. Provided that is not the case, these modifications are included in their respective cohort and the allowance for credit losses is estimated on a pooled basis consistent with the other loans with similar risk characteristics. See Note 3 below for further details.

The Company has further evaluated other Accounting Standards Updates issued during 2023 to date but does not expect updates other than those summarized above to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

The following new accounting policies were adopted during 2023 to date:

Allowance for Credit Losses – Available for Sale Securities

The impairment model for available for sale (“AFS”) securities differs from the CECL approach utilized by HTM debt securities because AFS debt securities are measured at fair value rather than amortized cost. Although ASU 2016-13 replaced the legacy other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) model with a credit loss model, it retained the fundamental nature of the legacy OTTI model. One notable change from the legacy OTTI model is when evaluating whether credit loss exists, an entity may no longer consider the length of time fair value has been less than amortized cost. For AFS debt securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company first assesses whether it intends to sell, or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either criteria is met, the security’s amortized cost basis is written down to fair value through income. For AFS debt securities that do not meet the aforementioned criteria, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses or other factors. In making this assessment, management considers the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency, and adverse conditions specifically related to the security, among other factors. If this assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows expected to be collected from the security are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security. If the present value of cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses is recorded for the credit loss, limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. Any impairment that has not been

recorded through an allowance for credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income. As of September 30, 2023, the Company determined that the unrealized loss positions in AFS securities were not the result of credit losses, and therefore, an allowance for credit losses was not recorded. See Note 2 below for further details.

Allowance for Credit Losses - Loans

Under the CECL model, the allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) on loans is a valuation allowance estimated at each balance sheet date in accordance with GAAP that is deducted from the loans’ amortized cost basis to present the net amount expected to be collected on the loans.

The Company estimates the ACL on loans based on the underlying loans’ amortized cost basis, which is the amount at which the financing receivable is originated or acquired, adjusted for applicable accretion or amortization of premium, discount, and net deferred fees or costs, collection of cash, and charge-offs. 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 a policy election to exclude accrued interest from the measurement of ACL.

Expected credit losses are reflected in the allowance for credit losses through a charge to provision for credit losses. When the Company deems all or a portion of a loan to be uncollectible the appropriate amount is written off and the ACL is reduced by the same amount. Loans are charged off against the ACL when management believes the collection of the principal is unlikely. Subsequent recoveries of previously charged off amounts, if any, are credited to the ACL when received.

The Company measures expected credit losses of loans on a collective (pool) basis, when the loans share similar risk characteristics. Depending on the nature of the pool of loans with similar risk characteristics, the Company uses the discounted cash flow (“DCF”) method and a qualitative approach as discussed further below.

The Company’s methodologies for estimating the ACL consider available relevant information about the collectability of cash flows, including information about past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The methodologies apply historical loss information, adjusted for loan-specific characteristics, economic conditions at the measurement date, and forecasts about future economic conditions expected to exist through the contractual lives of the loans that are reasonable and supportable, to the identified pools of loans with similar risk characteristics for which the historical loss experience was observed. The Company’s methodologies revert back to historical loss information on a straight-line basis over eight quarters when it can no longer develop reasonable and supportable forecasts.

The Company has identified the following pools of loans with similar risk characteristics for measuring expected credit losses:

Construction and development – Loans in this segment primarily include real estate development loans for which payment is derived from the sale of the property as well as construction projects in which the property will ultimately be used by the borrower. Credit risk is affected by cost overruns, time to sell at an adequate price, and market conditions.

Commercial real estate – Loans in this segment are primarily income-producing properties. The underlying cash flows generated by the properties are adversely impacted by a downturn in the economy as evidenced by increased vacancy rates, which in turn, will have an effect on the credit quality in this segment. Management monitors the cash flows of these loans. This loan segment includes farmland loans.

Commercial and industrial – Loans in this segment are made to businesses and are generally secured by assets of the business. Repayment is expected from the cash flows of the business. A weakened economy, and resultant decreased customer spending, will have an effect on the credit quality in this segment.

Single family residential mortgages – Loans in this segment include loans for residential real estate. Loans in this segment are dependent on credit quality of the individual borrower. The overall health of the economy, including unemployment rates will have an effect on the credit quality of this segment.

Consumer and other – Loans in this segment are made to individuals and are secured by personal assets, as well as loans for personal lines of credit and overdraft protection. Loans in this segment are dependent on the credit quality of the individual borrower. The overall health of the economy, including unemployment rates will have an effect on the credit quality in this segment.

Discounted Cash Flow Method

The Company uses the discounted cash flow method to estimate expected credit losses for each of its loan segments. The Company generates cash flow projections at the instrument level wherein payment expectations are adjusted for estimated prepayment speed, curtailments, time to recovery, probability of default, and loss given default. The modeling of expected prepayment speeds, curtailment rates, and time to recovery are based on benchmark peer data.

The Company uses regression analysis of peer data to determine suitable loss drivers to utilize when modeling lifetime probability of default and loss given default. This analysis also determines how expected probability of default and loss given default will react to forecasted levels of the loss drivers. For all loan pools utilizing the DCF method, the Company uses national data including gross domestic product, unemployment rates and home price indices (residential mortgage loans only) depending on the nature of the underlying loan pool and how well that loss driver correlates to expected future losses.

For all DCF models, management has determined that four quarters represents a reasonable and supportable forecast period and reverts back to a historical loss rate over eight quarters on a straight-line basis. Management leverages economic projections from a reputable and independent third party to inform its loss driver forecasts over the four-quarter forecast period. Other internal and external indicators of economic forecasts are also considered by management when developing the forecast metrics.

The combination of adjustments for credit expectations (default and loss) and timing expectations (prepayment, curtailment, and time to recovery) produces an expected cash flow stream at the instrument level. Instrument effective yield is calculated, net of the impacts of prepayment assumptions, and the instrument expected cash flows are then discounted at that effective yield to produce an instrument-level net present value of expected cash flows (“NPV”). An ACL is established for the difference between the instrument’s NPV and amortized cost basis.

Qualitative Factors

The Company also considers qualitative adjustments to the quantitative baseline discussed above. For example, the Company considers the impact of current environmental factors at the reporting date that did not exist over the period from which historical experience was used. Relevant factors include, but are not limited to, concentrations of credit risk (geographic, large borrower, and industry), changes in underwriting standards, changes in collateral value, experience and depth of lending staff, trends in delinquencies, and the volume and terms of loans.

Individually Analyzed Loans

Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis. For collateral dependent loans where the Company has determined that foreclosure of the collateral is probable, or where the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty and the Company expects repayment of the loan to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral, the ACL is measured based on the difference between the fair value of the collateral and the amortized cost basis of the loan as of the measurement date. When repayment is expected to be from the operation of the collateral, expected credit losses are calculated as the amount by which the amortized cost basis of the loan exceeds the present value of expected cash flows from the operation of the collateral. When repayment is expected to be from the sale of the collateral, expected credit losses are calculated as the amount by which the amortized costs basis of the loan exceeds the fair value of the underlying collateral less estimated cost to sell. The ACL may be zero if the fair value of the collateral at the measurement date exceeds the amortized cost basis of the loan.

Allowance for Unfunded Commitments

The Company records an allowance for credit losses on unfunded loan commitments, unless the commitments to extend credit are unconditionally cancelable, through a charge to provision for unfunded commitments in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. The ACL on off-balance sheet credit exposures is estimated by loan segment at each balance sheet date under the CECL model using the same methodologies as portfolio loans, taking into consideration the likelihood that funding will occur. The allowance for unfunded commitments totaled $294,000 as of September 30, 2023 and is included in Other Liabilities on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.