S-3/A

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 14, 2021

Registration No. 333-255715

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

________________

Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to

Form S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Summit Financial Group, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

West Virginia (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) 55-0672148 (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

300 North Main Street
Moorefield, West Virginia 26836
(304) 530-1000

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including

Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

Robert S. Tissue
Summit Financial Group, Inc.
300 North Main Street
Moorefield, West Virginia 26836
(304) 530-1000

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone

Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

________________

Copy to:

Sandra M. Murphy Esq.

Bowles Rice LLP

600 Quarrier Street

Charleston, West Virginia 25301

(304) 347-1131

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement, as determined by market conditions and other factors.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☑

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act.

Large Accelerated Filer ☐	Accelerated Filer ☑
Non-Accelerated Filer ☐	Smaller Reporting Company ☐
	Emerging Growth Company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE(1)

Title of each class of securities to be registered(2)	Amount to be registered(3)(4)	Proposed maximum offering price per unit(3)(5)	Proposed maximum aggregate offering price(3)	Amount of registration fee(1)(3)
Common Stock, $2.50 par value per share
Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value per share
Debt Securities
Rights
Warrants
Depositary Shares(6)
Units(7)
Total	$50,000,000		$50,000,000(8)	$5,455.00(9)

(1)    Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Pursuant to Rule 457(o) and General Instruction II(D) of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, the table above omits certain information

(2)    These offered securities, each of which are described further in the accompanying prospectus, may be sold separately, together or as units with other offered securities, including issuances upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of other offered securities.

(3)    In accordance with General Instruction II(D) to Form S-3 under the Securities Act, information as to each class of securities to be registered is not specified.

(4)     The registrant is registering hereunder an indeterminate number or amount of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, rights, warrants, depositary shares, and units, as it may from time to time issue at indeterminate prices, in U.S. Dollars or the equivalent thereof denominated in foreign currencies or units of two or more foreign currencies or composite currencies. The securities registered hereunder also include (i) such additional indeterminate number or amount of securities as may be issued upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of other offered securities to the extent no separate consideration is received therefor and (ii) such additional indeterminate number of shares of stock as may be issuable with respect to the shares being registered hereunder as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions. The proposed maximum offering price per class of security will be determined from time to time by the registrant in connection with, and at the time of, the issuance by the registrant of the securities registered hereunder.

(5)    The proposed maximum offering price per class of security will be determined from time to time by the registrant in connection with, and at the time of, the issuance by the registrant of the securities registered hereunder.

(6)     Each depositary share will be issued under a deposit agreement, will represent a fractional interest in debt securities or shares of common or preferred stock, and will be evidenced by a depositary receipt.

(7)     Each unit will be issued under a unit agreement or indenture and will represent an interest in two or more debt or equity securities, which may or may not be separable from one another.

(8)    Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is exclusive of accrued interest, distributions, and dividends, if any.

(9)    Previously Paid

    The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such dates as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES NOR IS IT AN INVITATION FOR OFFERS TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE OR JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

DATED MAY 14, 2021

PROSPECTUS

Up to $50,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Rights
Warrants

Depositary Shares

Units
__________________

We may from time to time offer and sell in one or more offerings, together or separately, any combination of the securities described in this prospectus. The securities described in this prospectus may be convertible into or exercisable for other securities. The securities offered by this prospectus may be sold separately, together or in combination with any other securities offered hereby.

We may offer and sell these securities on a delayed or continuous basis to or through one or more agents, underwriters or dealers as designated from time to time, directly to one or more purchasers, through a combination of these methods or any other method as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. If any agents, dealers or underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth any applicable commissions or discounts.

This prospectus provides a general description of the securities we may offer. At the time we offer securities, we will specify in an accompanying prospectus supplement the amount, price and specific terms of any securities offered. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference before you invest in our securities. This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The price to the public and the net proceeds we expect to receive from any such sale will also be set forth in a related prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the trading symbol “SMMF.” On April 28, 2021, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market was $25.75 per share. If we decide to seek a listing of any securities offered by this prospectus, we will disclose the exchange or market on which the securities will be listed.

Investing in our securities involves risks. Before buying our securities, you should carefully consider the risk factors discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” on page 7 of this prospectus and in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10−K and in any quarterly report on Form 10−Q, as well as in any prospectus supplements relating to specific offerings and free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, and under similar headings in other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

These securities are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any bank and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency or instrumentality.

As of May 12, 2021, the aggregate market value of our outstanding voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates is $263,673,352.80. We have not offered any securities pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6. to Form S-3 during the prior twelve (12) calendar month period ending on, and including May 12, 2021.

The date of this prospectus is May 14, 2021

You should rely solely on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, in any accompanying prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus filed by us with the Securities or Exchange Commission, or SEC. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any accompanying prospectus supplement is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects may have changed since those dates.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About This Prospectus	1
Where You Can Find More Information	2
Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference	2
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements	4
Summit Financial Group, Inc.	6
Risk Factors	7
The Securities We May Offer	7
Use of Proceeds	8
Description of Outstanding Securities	9
Description of Securities We May Offer	16
Legal Ownership of Securities	26
Plan of Distribution	30
Legal Matters	34
Experts	35

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration or continuous offering process. By using a shelf registration statement, we may, from time to time, sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings having an initial aggregate offering price of up to $50,000,000. We may offer the following securities from time to time:

•    common stock;

•    preferred stock;

•    debt securities;

•    rights;

•    warrants;

•    depositary shares; and

•    units.

We also may issue common stock upon conversion or exchange of any of the securities listed above.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of each of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer and sell any of these securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that contains specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and each prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. Before purchasing any of our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus, each applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus together with the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.”

The registration statement containing this prospectus, including exhibits to the registration statement, provides additional information about us and the securities that may be offered under this prospectus. The exhibits to our registration statement contain the full text of certain contracts and other important documents we have summarized in this prospectus. Because these summaries may not contain all the information that you may find important in deciding whether to purchase the securities we offer, you should review the full text of these documents. The registration statement and exhibits may be obtained and read at the SEC Internet website (www.sec.gov) or at the SEC office mentioned under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.” You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement may be used only where it is legal to sell these securities, and we will not make an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should

    1

assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, an related free writing prospectus, as well as information we previously filed with the SEC and have incorporated by reference, is accurate only as of the date on its front cover. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

We may sell securities to underwriters who will sell the securities to the public on terms fixed at the time of sale. In addition, the securities may be sold by us directly or through dealers or agents designated from time to time. If we, directly or through agents, solicit offers to purchase the securities, we reserve the sole right to accept and together with our agents, to reject, in whole or in part, any of those offers.

The prospectus supplement will contain the names of the underwriters, dealers, or agents, if any, together with the terms of offering, the compensation of those underwriters, dealers, or agents, and the net proceeds to us. Any underwriters, dealers, or agents participating in the offering may be deemed “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

In this prospectus, we refer to common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, rights, warrants, depositary shares and units collectively as “securities.” The terms “we,” “us,” “our” and “Summit” refer to Summit Financial Group, Inc., and our consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can access the electronic versions of these filings on the SEC’s website found at http://www.sec.gov and our website found at www.summitfgi.com (the other information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement and should not be construed as being incorporated by reference into this prospectus).

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus much of the information that we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document without restating the information in this document, except for any information superseded by information that is included directly in this prospectus or a prospectus supplement, or is incorporated by reference subsequent to the date of this document. Any information incorporated by reference into this prospectus is considered to be part of this prospectus from the date we file that document. Any information filed by us with the SEC after the date of this prospectus will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained in this prospectus or previously incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following documents or information that we previously filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules):

•Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on March 11, 2021;

•Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 6, 2021.

    2

•Our Current Reports on Form 8-K (other than any items, exhibits or portions thereof furnished, rather than filed with, the SEC) filed with the SEC on February 17, 2021, April 16, 2021, April 23, 2021 and April 30, 2021;

•The portions of our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 9, 2021 that are incorporated by reference in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020; and

•The description of Summit common stock set forth in Exhibit 4.1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 6, 2020, and any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purpose of updating such description.

These documents contain important information about our business and our financial performance.

Except as noted in the paragraph below, we also incorporate by reference any future filings we make with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended or the Exchange Act, on or after the date of the filing of the registration statement and prior to the termination of the offering. Our future filings with the SEC will automatically update and supersede any inconsistent information in this prospectus or in any previously-filed prospectus supplement.

Pursuant to General Instruction B of Form 8-K, any information submitted under Item 2.02, Results of Operations and Financial Condition, or Item 7.01, Regulation FD Disclosure, of Form 8-K is not deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, and we are not subject to the liabilities of Section 18 with respect to information submitted under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K. We are not incorporating by reference any information submitted under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the Exchange Act or into this prospectus.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference, or deemed to be incorporated by reference, into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein, therein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is incorporated by reference in this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information or documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We will provide this information upon written or oral request at no cost to the requester. You may request this information by contacting our corporate headquarters at the following address and telephone number:

Teresa D. Ely
Director of Shareholder Relations

Summit Financial Group, Inc.
P. O. Box 179
300 North Main Street
Moorefield, West Virginia 26836
Phone: (304) 530-0526

    3

E-mail: tely@summitfgi.com

This prospectus and the incorporated documents may contain summary descriptions of certain agreements that we have filed as exhibits to various SEC filings, as well as certain agreements that we will enter into in connection with the offering of the securities covered by this prospectus. These summary descriptions do not purport to be complete and are subject to, or qualified in their entirety by reference to, the definitive agreements to which they relate. Copies of the definitive agreements will be made available without charge to you by making a written or oral request to us. You should not rely on or assume the accuracy of any representation or warranty in any agreement that we have filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to this prospectus because such representation or warranty may be subject to exceptions and qualifications contained in separate disclosure schedules, may have been included in such agreement for the purpose of allocating risk between the parties to the particular transaction, may apply standards of materiality in a manner different from what may be viewed as material to you or other investors, and may no longer continue to be true as of any given date.

FORWARD-LOOKING AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplements and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any accompanying prospectus supplements contain statements that are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Forward-looking statements discuss future expectations, describe future plans and strategies, contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition or state other forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “would,” “endeavor,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “potential,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will” or the negative of such terms and other similar words and expressions of future intent.

Our ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, our actual results and performance could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual conditions, events or results to differ significantly from those described in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, those which may be set forth in any accompanying prospectus supplement and those included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and other factors described in our periodic reports filed from time to time with the SEC. Factors that could cause actual results and performance to differ from those expressed in our forward-looking statements we make or incorporate by reference in this prospectus include, but are not limited to:

•adverse changes in domestic or global financial markets, economic conditions or business conditions;

•a significant number of our clients failing to perform under their loans and other terms of credit agreements;

•fluctuations in interest rates and a decline in the level of our interest rate spread;

•failure to attract or retain deposits;

    4

•sources of liquidity available to us and to Summit Community Bank becoming limited or our potential inability to access sufficient sources of liquidity when needed or the requirement that we obtain government waiver to do so;

•adverse changes in domestic or global financial markets, economic conditions or business conditions;

•regulatory restrictions on Summit Community Bank’s ability to pay dividends to us;

•significant reliance on loans secured by real estate and the associated vulnerability to downturns in the local real estate market, natural disasters, and other variables impacting the value of real estate;

•failure to retain our key employees;

•failure to maintain our status as a financial holding company;

•adequacy of our allowance for loan and lease losses;

•credit quality and the effect of credit quality on our provision for credit losses and allowance for loan losses;

•failure to manage our future growth or successfully integrate acquisitions;

•volatility in financial markets and the price of our common stock;

•competition in our primary market areas;

•demographic changes in our primary market areas;

•significant government regulation legislation and potential changes thereto; and

•other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory, geopolitical, and technological factors affecting the companies’ operations, pricing, and services.

These and other uncertainties related to our business are described in greater detail in Item 1A of our most recently-filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by quarterly and other reports or documents that we file with the SEC after the date of such annual report. See also “Risk Factors” herein and in any accompanying prospectus supplement.

The cautionary statements in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any documents incorporated by reference herein also identify important factors and possible events that involve risk and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. Except for meeting our ongoing obligations under federal securities law, we do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, whether as a result of differences in actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such statements. You are advised, however, to consider any additional disclosures that we may make on related subjects in future filings with the SEC. You should understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all factors that could cause our actual results to differ. Consequently, you should not consider any list of factors to be a complete set of all potential risks or uncertainties.

    5

SUMMIT FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

General

We are a $3.11 billion financial holding company incorporated under the laws of West Virginia and headquartered in Moorefield, West Virginia.  Through our community bank subsidiary, Summit Community Bank, we provide commercial and retail banking services at our 43 full-service offices, 27 of which are located in West Virginia (including our main office), 14 of which are located in Virginia and 2 of which are located in Kentucky.  

We provide a wide range of community banking services, including demand, savings and time deposits; commercial, real estate and consumer loans; letters of credit; and cash management services.  The deposits of Summit Community Bank are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to applicable limits thereunder.

In order to compete with other financial service providers, we principally rely upon personal relationships established by our officers, directors and employees with our customers, and specialized services tailored to meet our customers’ needs.  We and Summit Community Bank have maintained a strong community orientation by, among other things, supporting the active participation of staff members in local charitable, civic, school, religious and community development activities.  We also have a marketing program that primarily utilizes local radio and newspapers. Banking, like most industries, is becoming more dependent on technology as a means of marketing to customers, including the Internet, which we also utilize. This approach, coupled with continuity of service by the same staff members, enables Summit Community Bank to develop long-term customer relationships, maintain high quality service and respond quickly to customer needs. We believe that our emphasis on local relationship banking, together with a prudent approach to lending, are important factors in our success and growth.

Our primary lending focus is providing commercial loans to local businesses with annual sales ranging up to $75 million and providing owner-occupied real estate loans to individuals.   We generally do not seek credit relationships of more than $25 million but will consider larger lending relationships exhibiting above-average credit quality.  Under our commercial banking strategy, we focus on offering a broad line of financial products and services to small and medium-sized businesses through full-service banking offices.  

Summit Community Bank has senior management with extensive lending experience.  These managers exercise substantial authority over credit and pricing decisions, subject to loan committee approval for larger credits.   We centralize operational and support functions that are transparent to customers in order to achieve consistency and cost efficiencies in the delivery of products and services by each banking office.  Our central office provides services such as data processing, deposit operations, accounting, treasury management, loan administration, loan review, compliance, risk management and internal auditing to enhance our delivery of quality service.  We also provide overall direction in the areas of credit policy and administration, strategic planning, marketing, investment portfolio management, human resources administration and other financial and administrative services. The banking offices work closely with us to develop new products and services needed by our customers and to introduce enhancements to existing products and services.

Our principal office is located at 300 North Main Street, Moorefield, West Virginia 26836, and our telephone number is (304) 530-1000. Our Internet website address is www.summitfgi.com. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.

    6

Our common stock is listed and traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the trading symbol “SMMF.”

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully read and consider the risk factors and uncertainties under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December  31, 2020, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as well as those contained in any applicable prospectus supplement, as the same may be updated from time to time by our future filings with the SEC under the Exchange act. You should also refer to other information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, including our financial statements and the related notes incorporated by reference herein. See the information under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain copies of documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Additional risks and uncertainties not known to us at this time or that we currently deem immaterial may also materially and adversely affect our business and operations.

THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

We may offer shares of our common stock, $2.50 par value per share and preferred stock, $1.00 par value per share, various series of debt securities and/or warrants, units and/or subscription rights to purchase any such securities, either individually or in combination, up to a total dollar amount of $50,000,000, from time to time under this prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectuses, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of any offering. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer a type or series of securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts, prices and other important terms of the securities.

We may sell from time to time, in one or more offerings:

•    common stock,

•    preferred stock, which may be convertible into shares of our common stock or other securities,

•    senior or subordinated debt securities,

•    rights to purchase common stock or other securities,

•    warrants to purchase any of the securities listed above,

•    depositary shares representing fractional interest in our preferred stock, and

•    units consisting of two or more of the above-mentioned securities in any combination thereof, which may or may not be separate from one another.

Our ability to sell certain of these securities could be limited by our existing or future credit agreements, regulatory restrictions, or by other factors, and you should not assume that we will be able to issue any or all of these securities if and when we require cash.

    7

To the extent we describe the general terms of any of the above-listed securities under the heading “Description of Securities We May Offer,” such descriptions are not intended to list all of the terms or provisions that may be applicable to any such securities to be sold hereunder, and we are not limited in any respect in our ability to issue securities with terms different from or in addition to those described under any such headings or elsewhere in this prospectus, provided that the terms are not inconsistent with our Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws or any applicable indenture or other similar instrument.

No director, officer, employee or stockholder of ours has any liability for (i) any of our obligations under any debt or equity securities issued in accordance with this prospectus or under any indenture, certificate of designations or other governing instrument delineating such obligations or (ii) any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each holder, upon our issuance of any such securities or our execution and delivery of any such instrument, waives and releases all such liability. This waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of such securities. Such waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate a sale of securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

We may sell the securities directly to investors or to or through agents, underwriters or dealers. We, and our agents or underwriters, reserve the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposed purchase of securities. If we do offer securities to or through agents or underwriters, we will include in the applicable prospectus supplement:

•     the names of those agents or underwriters;

•    applicable fees, discounts and commissions to be paid to them;

•    details regarding over-allotment or other options, if any; and

•    the net proceeds to us.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless we otherwise state in an applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplements for general corporate purposes. General corporate purposes may include repayment of debt, additions to working capital, capital expenditures, investments in our subsidiaries, possible acquisitions and the repurchase, redemption or retirement of securities, including shares of our common stock. The net proceeds may be temporarily invested in interest bearing accounts or short-term, interest-bearing securities or applied to repay short-term or revolving debt prior to use.

Based upon our historical and anticipated future growth and our financial needs, we may engage in additional financings of a character and amount that we determine as the need arises.

    8

DESCRIPTION OF OUTSTANDING SECURITIES

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 20,250,000 shares, of which 20,000,000 shares are common stock, par value $2.50 per share, and 250,000 shares are preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, of which 1,500 shares have been designated as the 6.0% Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series 2021 (the “Series 2021 Preferred Stock”), 40,000 shares have been designated as the Rockingham National Bank Series Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Rockingham Preferred Stock”), 15,000 shares have been designated as 8% Non-Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series 2009, (the “Series 2009 preferred stock”) and 15,000 shares have been designated as 8% Non-Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series 2011, (the “Series 2011 preferred stock”). As of the date of this prospectus, there were 12,988,667 shares of our common stock outstanding, held by approximately 1,140 shareholders of record and 1,500 shares of our Series 2021 Preferred Stock outstanding, held by approximately 29 shareholders of record. We previously have issued 40,000 shares of the Rockingham Preferred Stock, 3,710 shares of Series 2009 preferred stock and 12,000 shares of Series 2011 preferred stock, all of which shares have since converted to common stock. The shares of the Rockingham Preferred Stock, the Series 2009 preferred stock, and the 2011 preferred stock issued and converted to common stock were restored to the status of authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock without designation as to series.

As of the date of this prospectus, options to purchase an aggregate 5,200 shares of Summit’s common stock remain exercisable under Summit’s 1998 Option Plan and Summit’s 2009 Option Plan. At Summit’s annual meeting of shareholders that was held on May 15, 2014, Summit’s shareholders approved the Summit Financial Group, Inc. 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan, pursuant to which we are authorized to issue up to 500,000 shares of common stock upon the exercise of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, and restricted stock units granted under the plan. 93,893 shares of Summit common stock remain reserved for issuance upon the exercise of various equity awards granted under the 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan. Summit has made awards of 392,457 stock-settled stock appreciation rights and 16,650 restricted stock units under the 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan as of the date of this prospectus. Summit is seeking shareholder approval at its 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 20, 2021, to amend the 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares of Summit’s common stock that may be issued under the plan by 300,000 shares from 500,000 to 800,000.

Common Stock

The following summary describes the material features and rights of our common stock and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, applicable law and the provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws.

Voting Rights. All voting rights are vested in the holders of our common stock.  On all matters subject to a vote of shareholders, our shareholders will be entitled to one vote for each share of common stock owned.  Our shareholders have cumulative voting rights with regard to election of directors.

Dividend Rights. Our shareholders are entitled to receive dividends when and as declared by our board of directors. As further described below, we are presently restricted from paying dividends on our common shares. The payment of dividends is also subject to the restrictions set forth in the West Virginia Corporation Act and the limitations imposed by the Federal Reserve Board.

    9

Our payment of dividends depends upon receipt of dividends from our banking subsidiary.  Payment of dividends by Summit Community Bank is regulated by the FDIC and the West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions and generally, the prior approval of the FDIC is required if the total dividends declared by our bank, a state non-member bank, in any calendar year exceeds its net profits, as defined, for that year combined with its retained net profits for the preceding two years.  Additionally, prior approval of the FDIC is required when a state non-member bank has deficit retained earnings but has sufficient current year’s net income, as defined, plus the retained net profits of the two preceding years.  The FDIC may prohibit dividends if it deems the payment to be an unsafe or unsound banking practice.  The FDIC has issued guidelines for dividend payments by state non-member banks emphasizing that proper dividend size depends on the bank’s earnings and capital.

Liquidation Rights. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive pro rata all of our assets for distribution to shareholders.  There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock.

Our board of directors may approve for issuance, without approval of the holders of common stock, preferred stock that has voting, dividend or liquidation rights superior to that of our common stock and which may adversely affect the rights of holders of common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could, among other things, adversely affect the voting power of the holders of common stock and could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company.

Assessment and Redemption. Shares of our common stock presently outstanding are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.  There is no provision for any voluntary redemption of our common stock.

Preemptive Rights. No holder of any share of our capital stock has any preemptive right to subscribe to an additional issue of our capital stock or to any security convertible into such stock.

Anti-Takeover Provisions. Provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws may have anti-takeover effects. These provisions may discourage attempts by others to acquire control of Summit without negotiation with our board of directors. The effect of these provisions is discussed briefly below.

•Authorized Stock. The shares of our common stock authorized by our amended and restated articles of incorporation but not issued provide our board of directors with the flexibility to effect financings, acquisitions, stock dividends, stock splits and stock-based grants without the need for a shareholder vote. Our board of directors, consistent with its fiduciary duties, could also authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock, and could establish voting, conversion, liquidation and other rights for our preferred stock being issued, in an effort to deter attempts to gain control of Summit

•Classification of Board of Directors. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation currently provide that our board of directors is divided into three classes of as nearly equal size as possible, with one class elected annually to serve for a term of three years. This classification of our board of directors may discourage a takeover of Summit because a shareholder with a majority interest in our company would have to wait for at least two consecutive annual meetings of shareholders to elect a majority of the members of our board of directors.

    10

•Amendment of Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation requires the approval of 66 2/3% of our shareholders to amend certain of the provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation. This requirement is intended to prevent a shareholder who controls a majority of our common stock from avoiding the requirements of important provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation simply by amending or repealing those provisions. Accordingly, the holders of a minority of the shares of our common stock could block the future repeal or modification of certain provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, even if that action were deemed beneficial by the holders of more than a majority, but less than 66 2/3%, of our common stock.

Business Combination Provisions. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that at least 66 2/3% of the authorized, issued and outstanding voting shares must approve certain business combination transactions unless the particular business combination transaction has been previously approved by at least 66 2/3% of the board of directors, in which case a simple majority vote of the shareholders is required. In addition, our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that neither we nor any of our subsidiaries may become a party to any business combination transaction unless certain fair price requirements are satisfied.

Anti-Greenmail Provisions. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that we may not repurchase, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock at a purchase price that is greater than fair market value for such shares, from a 10% or greater shareholder (or an affiliate or associate of such shareholder) who acquired at least half of such shares within the last two years, unless such stock repurchase is approved by the holders of at least a majority of our outstanding shares of common stock (other than the interested shareholder).

Listing. Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “SMMF.”

Transfer Agent. The transfer agent for our common stock is Computershare Shareholder Services. The transfer agent’s address is P.O. Box 505000, Louisville, Kentucky 40233-5000.

Preferred Stock

Our authorized capital stock includes 250,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation authorize our board of directors to, without shareholder approval, adopt resolutions providing for the issuance of preferred stock in such classes or series, with such voting powers, conversion features, designations, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of each class or series of preferred stock as may be determined by our board of directors.

As of April 30, 2021, we sold 1,500 shares of our Series 2021 Preferred Stock at a price of $10,000 per share in cash to certain investors pursuant to a Private Placement Memorandum. As of the date of this prospectus, 1,500 shares of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding.

Series 2021 Preferred Stock

The following summary describes the material features and rights of our Series 2021 Preferred Stockholders and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, applicable law and the provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation.

    11

Number. The Company designated 1,500 shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share.

Dividends. Dividends on the Series 2021 Preferred Stock will be payable quarterly in arrears, when, as and if authorized and declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds, on a non-cumulative basis on the $10,000 per share purchase price, at an annual rate equal to 6.0%. Subject to the foregoing, dividends will be payable in arrears on the 15th day of March, June, September and December of each year (each, a “dividend payment date”) commencing on June 15, 2021. Each dividend will be payable to holders of record as they appear on our stock register on the 15th day of the month, whether or not a business day, in which the relevant dividend payment date occurs. Each period from and including a dividend payment date (or the date of the issuance of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock) to but excluding the following dividend payment date is herein referred to as a “dividend period.” Dividends payable for each dividend period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. If a scheduled dividend payment date falls on a day that is not a business day, the dividend will be paid on the next business day as if it were paid on the scheduled dividend payment date, and no interest or other amount will accrue on the dividend so payable for the period from and after that dividend payment date to the date the dividend is paid. The term “business day” means any day that is not Saturday or Sunday and that, in Moorefield, West Virginia, is not a day on which banking institutions generally are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to be closed.

Dividends on the Series 2021 Preferred Stock will be non-cumulative. If for any reason our board of directors does not authorize and declare a dividend on the Series 2021 Preferred Stock for a dividend period, or if the board of directors authorizes and declares less than a full dividend, we will have no obligation to pay any dividend or full dividend for that period, whether or not our board of directors authorizes and declares dividends on the Series 2021 Preferred Stock for any subsequent dividend period.

We are not obligated to and will not pay holders of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock any interest or sum of money in lieu of interest on any dividend not paid on a dividend payment date. We are also not obligated to and will not pay holders of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock any dividend in excess of the dividends on the Series 2021 Preferred Stock that are payable as described above.

Dividend Stopper. So long as any share of Series 2021 Preferred Stock remains outstanding, (1) no cash dividend will be declared and paid or set aside for payment and no distribution will be declared and made or set aside for payment on any junior securities (other than a dividend payable solely in shares of junior securities) and (2) no shares of junior securities will be repurchased, redeemed, or otherwise acquired for consideration by us, directly or indirectly (other than as (a) a result of a reclassification of junior securities for or into other junior securities, or the exchange or conversion of one share of junior securities for or into another share of junior securities, (b) repurchases in support of our employee benefit and compensation programs and (c) through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of junior securities), unless, in each case, the full dividends for the most recent dividend payment date on all outstanding shares of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock and parity securities have been paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment of those dividends has been set aside.

Except as provided below, for so long as any share of Series 2021 Preferred Stock remains outstanding, we will not declare, pay, or set aside for payment dividends on any parity securities for any period unless we have paid in full, or declared and set aside payment in full, in respect of all dividends for the then-current dividend period for all outstanding shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock. To the extent that we declare dividends on the Series 2021 Preferred Stock and on any parity securities but do not make full payment of such declared dividends, we will allocate the dividend payments on a pro rata basis among the holders of the shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock and the holders of any parity securities.

    12

For purposes of calculating the pro rata allocation of partial dividend payments, we will allocate those payments so that the respective amounts of those payments bear the same ratio to each other as all accrued and unpaid dividends per share on the Series 2021 Preferred Stock and all parity securities bear to each other.

Voting Rights. The holders of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock do not have voting rights other than those described below, except as specifically required by West Virginia law. In any matter in which the Series 2021 Preferred Stock may vote, each share of Series 2021 Preferred Stock will represent one vote.

So long as any shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of all of the shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock and Voting Preferred Stock at the time outstanding and entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be necessary for effecting or validating:

•amend or alter the provisions of our Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Amendment so as to authorize or create, or increase the authorized amount of, any class or series of stock ranking senior to the Series 2021 Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of Summit;

•amend, alter or repeal the provisions of our Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Amendment so as to materially and adversely affect the special rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock, taken as a whole; or

•consummate a binding share exchange or reclassification involving the Series 2021 Preferred Stock or a merger or consolidation of Summit with another corporation or other entity, unless in each case (i) the shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock remain outstanding or, in the case of any such merger or consolidation with respect to which we are not the surviving or resulting entity, are converted into or exchanged for preferred securities of the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent, and (ii) such shares remaining outstanding or such preferred securities, as the case may be, have such rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, taken as a whole, as are not materially less favorable to the holders thereof than the rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock, taken as a whole;

provided, however, that any creation and issuance, or an increase in the authorized or issued amount, of other series of preferred stock ranking equally with and/or junior to the Series 2021 Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends (whether such dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative) and/or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of Summit will not be deemed to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock.

If any amendment, alteration, repeal, share exchange, reclassification, merger or consolidation described above would adversely affect one or more but not all series of voting preferred stock (including the Series 2021 Preferred Stock for this purpose), then only the Series 2021 Preferred Stock adversely affected and entitled to vote shall vote as a class in lieu of all such series of preferred stock.

Without the consent of the holders of Series 2021 Preferred Stock, so long as such action does not adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof, of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock, we may amend, alter, supplement or repeal any terms of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock:

    13

•to cure any ambiguity, or to cure, correct or supplement any provision contained in the articles of amendment establishing the Series 2021 Preferred Stock that may be defective or inconsistent; or

•to make any provision with respect to matters or questions arising with respect to the Series 2021 Preferred Stock that is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Articles of Amendment establishing the Series 2021 Preferred Stock.

Liquidation Rights. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, the holders of the shares of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive a liquidating distribution of $10,000 per share of Series 2021 Preferred Stock, plus any declared and unpaid dividends (without accumulation of any undeclared dividends) to and including the date of such liquidation, out of assets legally available for distribution to our shareholders, before we make any distribution of assets to the holders of our common stock or any other class or series of shares of stock ranking junior to the Series 2021 Preferred Stock. Distributions will be made pro rata as to the Series 2021 Preferred Stock and any other stock ranking on parity with the Series 2021 Preferred Stock and only to the extent of our assets, if any, that are available after satisfaction of all liabilities to creditors and subject to the rights of holders of any securities ranking senior to the Series 2021 Preferred Stock and any other stock ranking on parity with the Series 2021 Preferred Stock. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock will have no right or claim to any of our remaining assets.

In the event that our assets available for distribution to shareholders upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs, whether voluntary or involuntary, are insufficient to pay in full the amounts payable with respect to all outstanding shares of the Series 2021 Preferred stock and the corresponding amounts payable on any parity securities, the holders of Series 2021 Preferred stock and the holders of such other parity securities will share ratably in any distribution of our assets in proportion to the full respective liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.

For such purposes, our consolidation or merger with or into any other entity, the consolidation or merger of any other entity with or into us, or the sale of all or substantially all of our property or business, will not be deemed to constitute our liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up.

Redemption. The Series 2021 Preferred Stock is perpetual and has no maturity date and is not subject to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund, or other similar provisions. Except for the redemption upon the occurrence of a “regulatory capital treatment event” as further described below, the shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock are not redeemable prior to April 15, 2026 (“5-Year Anniversary Date”). The holders of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock will not have any right to require the redemption or repurchase of their shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock.

The Company may, at our option and subject to any required regulatory approvals, redeem the Series 2021 Preferred Stock (i) in whole or in part, from time to time, on any dividend payment date on or after the 5-Year Anniversary Date, or (ii) in whole but not in part at any time within 90 days following a “regulatory capital treatment event,” including prior to the 5-Year Anniversary Date, in each case at a redemption price equal to $10,000 per share, plus the per share amount of any declared and unpaid dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, on the Series 2021 Preferred Stock to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption (the “redemption date”). In the event the applicable dividend payment date that is the redemption date is not a business day, the redemption price shall be paid on the next business day without any adjustment to the amount of the redemption price paid. Any declared but unpaid dividends payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the applicable dividend record date will not be paid to the holder entitled to receive the redemption price on the redemption date, but

    14

rather will be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed shares on such record date relating to the applicable dividend payment date. Investors should not expect the Company to redeem the Series 2021 Preferred Stock on or after the date it becomes redeemable at the Company’s option.

We are a bank holding company regulated by the Federal Reserve. We intend to treat the Series 2021 Preferred Stock as “additional tier 1” capital (or its equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy rules of the Federal Reserve (or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules or regulations of any successor appropriate federal banking agency) applicable to us.

A “regulatory capital treatment event” means the good faith determination by us, that, as a result of any:

•    amendment to, clarification of, or change in, the laws, rules, or regulations of the United States or any political subdivision of or in the United States (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including the Federal Reserve and other appropriate federal bank regulatory agencies) that is enacted or becomes effective after the initial issuance of any share of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock;

•    amendment to, clarification of, or change in, the laws, rules, or regulations of the United States or any political subdivision of or in the United States (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including the Federal Reserve and other appropriate federal bank regulatory agencies) that is enacted or becomes effective after the initial issuance of any share of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock;

•    official administrative decision or judicial decision or administrative action or other official pronouncement interpreting or applying those laws, rules, or regulations or policies with respect thereto that is announced or becomes effective after the initial issuance of any share of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock;

there is more than an insubstantial risk that we will not be entitled to treat the full liquidation preference amount of $10,000 per share of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock then outstanding as additional tier 1 capital (or its equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines, rules or regulations of the Federal Reserve (or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules, guidelines or regulations of any successor appropriate federal banking agency) as then in effect and applicable, for so long as any share of Series 2021 Preferred Stock is outstanding. “Appropriate federal banking agency” means the “appropriate federal banking agency” with respect to us as that term is defined in Section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act or any successor provision.

Under regulations currently applicable to us, we may not exercise our option to redeem any shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock without obtaining the prior approval of the Federal Reserve (or any successor appropriate federal banking agency). Under such regulations, unless the Federal Reserve (or any successor appropriate federal banking agency) authorizes us to do otherwise in writing, we may not redeem the Series 2021 Preferred Stock unless it is replaced with other tier 1 capital instruments or unless we can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Federal Reserve (or any successor appropriate federal banking agency) that, following redemption, we will continue to hold capital commensurate with our risk.

If shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the notice of redemption shall be given by first class mail to the holders of record of Series 2021 Preferred Stock to be redeemed, mailed not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption thereof; provided that,

    15

if the shares of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock are held in global form through The Depository Trust Company, or “DTC,” we may give such notice at such time and in any manner permitted by DTC. Each notice of redemption will include a statement setting forth:

•    the redemption date;

•    the number of shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if less than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder;

•    the redemption price; and

•    the place or places where holders may surrender certificates evidencing shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock for payment of the redemption price.

If notice of redemption of any shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock has been given and if the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by us for the benefit of the holders of any shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock so called for redemption, then, from and after the redemption date, dividends will cease to accrue on such shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock, such shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such shares will terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price, without interest.

In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected (i) pro rata from the holders of records of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of shares of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock held by such holders, (ii) by lot, or (iii) in such other manner as we may determine to be equitable and permitted by DTC and the rules of any national securities exchange on which the Series 2021 Preferred Stock is listed.

Holders of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock will have no right to require the redemption or repurchase of the Series 2021 Preferred Stock and should not expect such redemption or repurchase.

Preemptive Rights. No holder of any share of our Series 2021 Preferred Stock has any preemptive right to subscribe to an additional issue of our capital stock or to any security convertible into such stock.

Conversion. The Series 2021 Preferred Stock will not be convertible to common stock.

Transfer Agent, Registrar and Calculation and Paying Agent. Computershare Shareholder Services will act as initial transfer agent, registrar and calculation and paying agent for the payment of dividends for the Series 2021 preferred stock.

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

General

This prospectus contains summary descriptions of our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, rights, warrants, depositary shares, and units that we may offer from time to time. These summary descriptions are not meant to be complete descriptions of each security. The particular terms of any security will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and other offering materials filed with the SEC. Any such applicable prospectus supplement may add, update or change the terms and conditions of the securities as described in this prospectus.

    16

Common Stock

When we offer to sell shares of our common stock, we will describe the specific terms of the offering in a supplement to this prospectus. A description of the material terms of our common stock is included with this prospectus under the above section entitled, “Description of Outstanding Securities—Common Stock.”

Preferred Stock

The following is a description of the material features and rights of preferred stock that we may offer to sell under this prospectus. This summary is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, applicable law and the provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws. We will describe the specific terms of the offering and the preferred shares in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also indicate whether the terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to any particular series of preferred stock.

As indicated above, our authorized capital stock includes 250,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, of which 1,500 shares have been designated as  6.0% Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series 2021 or “Series 2021 Preferred Stock”.   As of the date of this prospectus, 1,500 shares of our Series 2021 Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding and held of record by approximately 29 shareholders. We previously have issued 40,000 shares of a series of preferred stock designated as the “Rockingham National Bank Series Convertible Preferred Stock, or “Rockingham Preferred Stock”,  3,710 shares of a series of preferred stock designated as 8% Non-Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series 2009, or “Series 2009 preferred stock,” and 12,000 shares of a series of preferred stock designated as of 8% Non-Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series 2011, or “Series 2011 preferred stock”, all of which shares have since converted to common stock. Accordingly, no shares of the Rockingham Preferred Stock, Series 2009 preferred stock or Series 2011 preferred stock remain outstanding at this time, and none are expected to be issued in the future. Due to such issuance and subsequent conversion of the Rockingham Preferred Stock, the Series 2009 preferred stock and the Series 2011 preferred stock and the 1,500 shares of Series 2021 Preferred Stock currently outstanding, there are 248,500 shares of preferred stock available for issuance in this offering. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation authorize our board of directors to, without shareholder approval, adopt resolutions providing for the issuance of preferred stock in such classes or series, with such voting powers, conversion features, designations, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of each class or series of preferred stock as may be determined by our board of directors.

If we offer shares of preferred stock in the future, we will fix the designations, voting powers, preferences and rights of the preferred stock of each series, as well as the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, in the certificate of designation relating to that series. We will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from reports that we file with the SEC, the form of any certificate of designation that describes the terms of the series of preferred stock we are offering before the issuance of that series of preferred stock. In addition, the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of preferred stock will contain a description of the specific terms of that series. This description will include:

•the title and stated value;

•the number of shares we are offering;

•the liquidation preference per share;

    17

•the purchase price;

•the dividend rate, period and payment date and method of calculation for dividends;

•whether dividends will be cumulative or noncumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends will accumulate;

•the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any;

•the provisions for a sinking fund, if any;

•the provisions for redemption or repurchase, if applicable, and any restrictions on our ability to exercise those redemption and repurchase rights;

•any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange or market;

•voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock;

•preemptive rights, if any;

•conversion or exchange rights, if any;

•restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any;

•whether interests in the preferred stock will be represented by depositary shares;

•a discussion of any material U.S. Federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock;

•the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs;

•any limitations on the issuance of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs; and

•any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the preferred stock.

Upon the issuance and payment for shares of preferred stock, the shares will be fully paid and nonassessable. Except as otherwise may be specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of preferred stock, holders of preferred stock will not have any preemptive or subscription rights to acquire any class or series of our capital stock and each series of preferred stock will rank on a parity in all respects with each other series of our preferred stock and prior to our common stock as to dividends and any distribution of our assets.

The rights of holders of our preferred stock may be adversely affected in the future by the rights of holders of any new shares of preferred stock that may be issued by us in the future. Our board of directors may cause shares of preferred stock to be issued in public or private transactions for any proper corporate purposes, including issuance in connection with a shareholders’ right plan or with terms that may discourage a change in control of our company. The ability of our board of directors to designate

    18

series and issue shares of preferred stock without further shareholder approval may discourage or make more difficult attempts by others to acquire control of us.

Redemption. If so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, a series of preferred stock may be redeemable at any time, in whole or in part, at our option, and may be mandatorily redeemable, convertible or exchangeable. Restrictions, if any, on the repurchase or redemption by us of any series of our preferred stock will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to that series. Generally, any redemption of our preferred stock will be subject to prior Federal Reserve approval. Any partial redemptions of preferred stock will be made in a way that our board of directors decides is equitable.

If, after giving notice of redemption to the holders of a series of preferred stock, we deposit with a designated bank funds sufficient to redeem the preferred stock, then from and after the deposit, all shares called for redemption will no longer be outstanding for any purpose, other than the right to receive the redemption price and the right to convert the shares into other classes of our capital stock. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the redemption price relating to a particular series of preferred stock.

Except as indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the preferred stock is not subject to any mandatory redemption at the option of the holder.

Dividends. Holders of each series of preferred stock will be entitled to receive cash dividends only if, as and when declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividends. The rates or amounts and dates of payment of dividends will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to each series of preferred stock. Dividends will be payable to holders of record of preferred stock on the record dates fixed by our board of directors.

Dividends on any series of preferred stock may be cumulative or noncumulative, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Our board of directors may not declare, pay or set apart funds for payment of dividends on a particular series of preferred stock unless full dividends on any other series of preferred stock that ranks equally with or senior to such series of preferred stock have been paid or sufficient funds have been set apart for payment for either of the following:

•all prior dividend periods of each series of preferred stock that pay dividends on a cumulative basis; or

•the immediately preceding dividend period of each series of preferred stock that pays dividends on a noncumulative basis.

Partial dividends declared on shares of any series of preferred stock and other series of preferred stock ranking on an equal basis as to dividends will be declared pro rata. A pro rata declaration means that the ratio of dividends declared per share to accrued dividends per share will be the same for all series of preferred stock of equal priority.

Liquidation Preference. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our company, holders of each series of preferred stock will have the right to receive distributions upon liquidation in the amount described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to each series of preferred stock, and such holders may have the right to receive an additional amount equal to any accrued but unpaid dividends. These distributions will be made before any distribution is made on our common stock or on any securities ranking junior to such preferred stock upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up.

    19

If the liquidation amounts payable to holders of preferred stock of all series ranking on a parity regarding liquidation are not paid in full, the holders of the preferred stock of these series will have the right to a ratable portion of our available assets up to the full liquidation preference. Holders of these series of preferred stock or such other securities will not be entitled to any other amounts from us after they have received their full liquidation preference.

Voting Rights. The holders of shares of preferred stock will have no voting rights, except:

•as otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement;

•as otherwise stated in the articles of amendment to our amended and restated articles of incorporation establishing the series of such preferred stock; and

•as otherwise required by applicable law.

Transfer Agent and Registrar. Unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the transfer agent for any additional class or series of our preferred stock will be Computershare Shareholder Services.

Debt Securities

In this section, we describe the general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer. The specific terms of any debt securities will be described in one or more prospectus supplements relating to those debt securities and other offering materials we may provide.

We are a holding company and conduct substantially all of our operations through subsidiaries. As a result, claims of holders of the debt securities will generally have a junior position to claims of creditors of our subsidiaries, except to the extent that we may be recognized as a creditor of those subsidiaries. In addition, our right to participate as a shareholder in any distribution of assets of any subsidiary (and thus the ability of holders of the debt securities to benefit as creditors of the company from such distribution) is junior to creditors of that subsidiary.

We may issue debt securities from time to time in one or more series. We may issue senior or subordinated debt securities under one or more separate indentures, which may be supplemented or amended from time to time. Senior debt securities will be issued under a senior indenture and subordinated debt securities will be issued under a subordinated indenture. The senior debt indenture and the subordinated debt indenture are referred to individually in this prospectus as the “indenture” and collectively as the “indentures.” These indentures are subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and may be supplemented or amended from time to time following their execution.

We may issue notes or bonds in traditional paper form, or we may issue a global security. The debt securities of any series may be issued in definitive form or, if provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, may be represented in whole or in part by a global security or securities, registered in the name of a depositary designated by us. Each debt security represented by a global security is referred to in this prospectus as a “book-entry security.

The debt securities will be our direct obligations. The particular terms of a series of debt securities and the extent, if any, to which the particular terms of the issue modify the terms of the indenture will be described in the accompanying prospectus supplement relating to such series of debt securities. That description will contain all or some of the following, as applicable:

    20

•the title of the debt securities and whether the debt securities are senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities;

•the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities being offered, the aggregate principal amount of debt securities outstanding, and any limit on the principal amount, including the aggregate principal amount of debt securities authorized;

•the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the debt securities are convertible into our common stock, preferred stock or other securities, including the conversion price or its manner of calculation, the conversion period, provisions as to whether conversion will be at our option or the option of the holders, the events requiring an adjustment to the conversion price and provisions affecting conversion in the event of the redemption of the debt securities;

•the percentage of the principal amount at which we will issue the debt securities and, if other than the principal amount of the debt securities, the portion of the principal amount payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity, or, if applicable, the portion of the principal amount of the debt securities that is convertible into our capital stock, or the method for determining the portion;

•the denominations of the debt securities, if other than denominations of an integral multiple of $1,000;

•the date or dates, or the method for determining the date or dates, on which the principal of the debt securities will be payable and the amount of principal payable on the debt securities;

•the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, at which the debt securities will bear interest, if any, or the method for determining the rate or rates, the date or dates from which the interest will accrue or the method for determining the date or dates, the interest payment dates on which any interest will be payable and the regular record dates for the interest payment dates or the method for determining the dates, the person to whom interest should be payable, and the basis for calculating interest if other than that of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months;

•the place or places where the principal of, and any premium or make-whole amount, any interest on, and any additional amounts payable in respect of, the debt securities will be payable, where holders of debt securities may surrender for registration of transfer or exchange, and where holders may serve notices or demands to or upon us in respect of the debt securities and the applicable indenture;

•any provisions for the redemption of the debt securities, the period or periods within which, the price or prices, including any premium or make-whole amount, at which, the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which, and other terms and conditions upon which the debt securities may be redeemed in whole or in part at our option, if we have the option;

•our obligation, if any, to redeem, repay or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of a holder of the debt securities, and the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which, the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or

    21

currencies in which, and other terms and conditions upon which the debt securities will be redeemed, repaid or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to the obligation;

•if other than United States dollars, the currency or currencies in which the debt securities will be denominated and payable, which may be a foreign currency or units of two or more foreign currencies or a composite currency or currencies;

•whether the amount of payments of principal of, and any premium or make-whole amount, or any interest on the debt securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method, which index, formula or method may be based on one or more currencies, currency units, composite currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices, and the manner for determining the amounts;

•whether the principal of, and any premium or make-whole amount, or any interest or additional amounts on the debt securities are to be payable, at our election or at the election of a holder, in a currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies other than that in which the debt securities are denominated or stated to be payable, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, the election may be made, and the time and manner of, and identity of the exchange rate agent with responsibility for, determining the exchange rate between the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the debt securities are denominated or stated to be payable and the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the debt securities are to be so payable;

•provisions, if any, granting special rights to the holders of the debt securities upon the occurrence of specified events;

•any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the events of default or covenants with respect to the debt securities, whether or not the events of default or covenants are consistent with the events of default or covenants set forth in the applicable indenture;

•whether the debt securities will be issued in certificated or book-entry form;

•the applicability, if any, of the defeasance and covenant defeasance provisions of the applicable indenture;

•whether and under what circumstances we will pay additional amounts as contemplated in the applicable indenture on the debt securities in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether we will have the option to redeem the debt securities rather than pay the additional amounts, and the terms of the option;

•any restrictions or condition on the transferability of the debt securities;

•the exchanges, if any, on which the debt securities may be listed;

•the trustee, authenticating or paying agent, transfer agent or registrar, and

•any other material terms of the debt securities and the applicable indenture.

    22

The indentures contain the full legal text of the matters described in this section. Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities or the indentures. This summary is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to all the provisions of the indentures, including definitions of terms used in the indentures. Your rights are defined by the terms of the indentures, not the summary provided herein. This summary also is subject to and qualified by reference to the description of the particular terms of a particular series of debt securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement or supplements. There may be other provisions that also are important to you.

Some of the debt securities may be issued as original issue discount debt securities (the “Original Issue Discount Securities”). Original Issue Discount Securities bear no interest or bear interest at below market rates and will be sold at a discount below their stated principal amount. The prospectus supplement relating to an issue of Original Issue Discount Securities will contain information relating to U.S. Federal income tax, accounting, and other special considerations applicable to Original Issue Discount Securities.

Holders may present debt securities for exchange or transfer, in the manner, at the places and subject to the restrictions stated in the debt securities and described in the applicable prospectus supplement and other offering material we may provide. We will provide these services without charge except for any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with these services and subject to any limitations provided in the applicable indenture pursuant to which such debt securities are issued.

Holders may transfer debt securities in definitive bearer form and the related coupons, if any, by delivery to the transferee. If any of the securities are held in global form, the procedures for transfer of interests in those securities will depend upon the procedures of the depositary for those global securities.

We will generally have no obligation to repurchase, redeem, or change the terms of debt securities upon any event (including a change in control) that might have an adverse effect on our credit quality.

Rights

In this section, we describe the general terms and provisions of the rights to purchase common stock or other securities that we may offer to our shareholders. Rights may be issued independently or together with any other offered security and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the rights. In connection with any rights offering to our shareholders, we may enter into a standby underwriting or other arrangement with one or more underwriters or other persons pursuant to which such underwriters or other person would purchase any offered securities remaining unsubscribed for after such rights offering. Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agent agreement to be entered into between us and a bank depositary, trust company or other service provider, as rights agent, that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the rights of the series of certificates and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights.

The prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus relating to any rights we offer will include specific terms relating to the offering, including, among others, the date of determining the shareholders entitled to the rights distribution, the aggregate number of rights issued and the aggregate number of shares of common stock or other securities purchasable upon exercise of the rights, the exercise price, the conditions to completion of the offering, the date on which the right to exercise the rights will commence and the date on which the right will expire and any applicable U.S. Federal income tax considerations. To the extent that any particular terms of the rights, rights agent agreements or rights

    23

certificates described in a prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described herein, then the terms described herein will be deemed to have been superseded by that prospectus supplement.

Each right would entitle the holder of the rights to purchase for cash the principal amount of shares of common stock or other securities at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Rights may be exercised at any time up to the time designated in the applicable prospectus supplement on the expiration date for the rights provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the time designated in the applicable prospectus supplement on the expiration date, all unexercised rights would become void and of no further force or effect.

Holders may exercise rights as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Upon receipt of payment and the rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the rights agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the shares of common stock or other securities purchasable upon exercise of the rights. If less than all of the rights issued in any rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons other than shareholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby arrangements, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement and other offering material of any rights we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable rights agent agreement, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer rights. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable rights agent agreement if we offer rights, see “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” and “Where You can Find More Information.” We urge you to read the applicable rights agent agreement and the applicable prospectus supplement and any other offering material in their entirety.

Warrants

In this section, we describe the general terms and provisions of the warrants to purchase common stock or other securities that we may offer. We may issue warrants independently or together with other securities. Warrants sold with other securities may be attached to or separate from the other securities. We will issue warrants, if any, under one or more warrant agreements between us and a warrant agent that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus relating to any warrants we offer will include specific terms relating to the offering, including, among other things:

•the title and the aggregate number of warrants;

•the debt securities or stock for which each warrant is exercisable;

•the date or dates on which the right to exercise such warrants commences and expires;

•the price or prices at which such warrants are exercisable;

•the currency or currencies in which such warrants are exercisable;

•the periods during which and places at which such warrants are exercisable;

•the terms of any mandatory or optional call provisions;

•the price or prices, if any, at which the warrants may be redeemed at the option of the holder or will be redeemed upon expiration;

    24

•the identity of the warrant agent; and

•the exchanges, if any, on which such warrants may be listed.

You may exercise warrants by payment to our warrant agent of the exercise price, in each case in such currency or currencies as are specified in the warrant, and giving your identity and the number of warrants to be exercised. Once you pay our warrant agent and deliver the properly completed and executed warrant certificate to our warrant agent at the specified office, our warrant agent will, as soon as practicable, forward securities to you in authorized denominations or share amounts. If you exercise less than all of the warrants evidenced by your warrant certificate, you will be issued a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement and other offering material of any warrants we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable warrant agreement, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer warrants. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable warrant agreement if we offer warrants, see “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” and “Where You can Find More Information.” We urge you to read the applicable warrant agreement and the applicable prospectus supplement and any other offering material in their entirety.

Depositary Shares

In this section, we describe the general terms and provisions of the depositary shares that we may offer. This summary does not purport to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the relevant deposit agreement and depositary receipts with respect to any particular series of depositary shares. The prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus will describe the specific terms of the depositary shares offered through that prospectus supplement and any general terms outlined in this section that will not apply to those depositary shares.

We may offer depositary shares representing receipts for fractional interests in debt securities or fractional shares of our common or preferred stock in the form of depositary shares. Each depositary share would represent a fractional interest in a security of a particular series of debt securities or a fraction of a share of our common or preferred stock, as the case may be, and would be represented by a depositary receipt.

The debt securities, common stock or preferred stock underlying the depositary shares will be deposited under a separate deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “depositary.” We will name the depositary in the applicable prospectus supplement. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled to the applicable fraction of a share of a debt security or share of common or preferred stock, as the case may be, represented by the depositary share, including any dividend, voting, redemption, conversion, and liquidation rights. If necessary, the applicable prospectus supplement will provide a description of U.S. Federal or other income tax consequences relating to the purchase and ownership of the series of depositary shares offered by that prospectus supplement.

The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued under the deposit agreement. If you purchase fractional interests in the debt securities or fractional shares of common or preferred stock, you will receive depositary receipts as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. While the final depositary receipts are being prepared, we may order the depositary to issue temporary depositary receipts substantially identical to the final depositary receipts although not in final form. The holders of the temporary depositary receipts will be entitled to the same rights as if they held the

    25

depositary receipts in final form. Holders of the temporary depositary receipts will have the right to exchange them for the final depositary receipts at our expense.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement and other offering material of any depositary shares we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable depositary agreement, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer depositary shares. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable depositary agreement if we offer depositary shares, see “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” and “Where You can Find More Information.” We urge you to read the applicable depositary agreement and the applicable prospectus supplement and any other offering material in their entirety.

Units

In this section, we describe the general terms and provisions of the units that we may offer. We may issue units comprising one or more of the securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit also is the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately at any time or at any time before a specified date.

The prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus relating to the units we may offer will include specific terms relating to the offering, including, among other things:

•the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, and whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

•any provision for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising those units; and

•whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement and other offering material of any units we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable unit agreement, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer units. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the applicable unit agreement if we offer units, see “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” and “Where You can Find More Information.” We urge you to read the applicable unit agreement and the applicable prospectus supplement and any other offering material in their entirety.

LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

We may issue securities in registered form or in the form of one or more global securities. We describe global securities in greater detail below. We refer to those persons who have securities registered in their own names on the books that we or any applicable trustee, depositary or warrant agent maintain for this purpose as the “holders” of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those persons who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names, as “indirect holders” of those securities. As discussed below, indirect holders are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect holders.

    26

Book-Entry Holders

We may issue securities in book-entry form only, as we will specify in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means securities may be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, which are referred to as participants, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.

Only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Securities issued in global form will be registered in the name of the depositary or its participants. Consequently, for securities issued in global form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities, and we will make all payments on the securities to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.

As a result, investors in book-entry securities will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the securities.

Street Name Holders

We may terminate a global security or issue securities in non-global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in “street name.” Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.

For securities held in street name, we will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities, and we will make all payments on those securities to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect holders, not holders, of those securities.

Legal Holders

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of any applicable trustee and of any third parties employed by us or a trustee, run only to the legal holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities only in global form.

For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, we may want to obtain the approval of the holders to amend an indenture, to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of the indenture or for other purposes. In such an event, we would seek approval only from the holders, and not the indirect

    27

holders, of the securities. Whether or how the holders contact the indirect holders is the responsibility of the holders.

Special Considerations for Indirect Holders

If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

• the performance of third-party service providers;

• how it handles securities payments and notices;

• whether it imposes fees or charges;

• how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

• whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future;

• how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

• if the securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

Global Securities

A global security is a security that represents one or any other number of individual securities held by a depositary. Generally, all securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.

Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, DTC will be the depositary for all securities issued in book-entry form.

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary, its nominee or a successor depositary, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under the section entitled “Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated” in this prospectus. As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

If the prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates that the security will be issued in global form only, then the security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. If termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another book-

    28

entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.

Special Considerations for Global Securities

The rights of an indirect holder relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize an indirect holder as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

If securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

• an investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for his or her interest in the securities, except in the special situations described below;

• an investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the securities, as described above;

• an investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and to other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form;

• an investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective;

• the depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in a global security;

• we and any applicable trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in a global security, nor do we or any applicable trustee supervise the depositary in any way;

• the depositary may, and we understand that DTC will, require that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security within its book-entry system use immediately available funds, and your broker or bank may require you to do so as well; and

• financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in a global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the securities.

There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any intermediary.

Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated

In a few special situations described below, the global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing those interests. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be the responsibility of the investor. Investors

    29

must consult their own banks or brokers to learn how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own names so that they will be direct holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above.

Unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the global security will terminate when the following special situations occur:

• if the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 90 days;

• if we notify any applicable trustee that we wish to terminate that global security; or

• if an event of default has occurred with regard to securities represented by that global security and has not been cured or waived.

The applicable prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by the applicable prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and not we or any applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.

Other

The information in this section of this prospectus concerning DTC and DTC’s book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy thereof. This information has been provided solely as a matter of convenience. The rules and procedures of DTC are solely within the control of DTC and could change at any time. Neither we nor the trustee nor any agent of ours or of the trustee has any control over DTC and none of us takes any responsibility for its activities. You are urged to contact DTC or its respective participants directly to discuss those matters. In addition, although we expect that DTC will perform the foregoing procedures, it is not under any obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. Neither we nor any agent of ours will have any responsibility for the performance or nonperformance by DTC or its respective participants of these or any other rules or procedures governing its operations.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities in any one or more of the following ways:

•directly to one or more purchasers;

•through agents;

•to dealers;

•through underwriters, brokers or dealers;

•in privately negotiated transactions; or

•through a combination of any of these methods of sale.

    30

In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders.

Our common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, debt securities or other securities offered hereunder may be issued upon the conversion, exercise or exchange of other securities sold hereunder. Securities may also be issued upon the division of units.

If we sell securities to a dealer acting as principal, the dealer may resell such securities at varying prices to be determined by such dealer in its discretion at the time of resale without consulting with us, and such resale prices may not be disclosed in the applicable prospectus supplement.

If we sell securities in an underwritten offering, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account, with a view to resell the securities periodically in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Any underwritten offering may be on a best efforts or a firm commitment basis. Unless otherwise stated in a prospectus supplement, the obligation of the underwriters to purchase any securities on a firm underwritten basis will be conditioned upon customary closing conditions.

We may offer our equity securities into an existing trading market through agents designated by us from time to time on the terms described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Underwriters, dealers and agents who may participate in any at-the-market offerings will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. Any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities for which this prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by us to that agent will be set forth, in the prospectus supplement. Unless indicated in the prospectus supplement, the agents will have agreed to use their reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of their appointment.

We may also offer securities directly to our stockholders on a pro rata basis. If any of the underlying securities are not subscribed for by our stockholders in any such offering, we may then sell the unsubscribed securities directly to third parties or may engage the services of one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, including standby underwriters, to sell the unsubscribed securities to third parties.

Under certain circumstances, we may repurchase offered securities and reoffer them to the public as set forth above. We may also arrange for the repurchase and resale of such offered securities by dealers or otherwise.

Each time that we sell securities offered by this prospectus, we will (to the extent required) provide a prospectus supplement or supplements that will describe the method of distribution and set forth the terms and conditions of the offering of such securities, including the offering price of the securities and the proceeds to us, if applicable.

•the name or names of any underwriters, dealers, or agents and the type and amounts of securities underwritten or purchased by each of them;

•the public offering price of the securities and the proceeds to us and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

•any delayed delivery arrangements.

    31

The offer and sale of the securities described in this prospectus by us, the underwriters, or the third parties described above may be affected from time to time in one or more transactions, including privately negotiated transactions, either:

•at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;

•at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

•at prices related to the prevailing market prices; or

•at negotiated prices.

Each prospectus supplement will describe the method of distribution of the securities and any applicable restrictions.

Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

We may determine the price or other terms of the securities offered under this prospectus by use of an auction. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement how any auction will be conducted to determine the price or any other terms of the securities, how potential investors may participate in the auction and, where applicable, the nature of the underwriters’ obligations with respect to the auction.

In the sale of the securities, underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive compensation from purchasers of the securities, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of (i) discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters, (ii) commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents, or (iii) a combination of the foregoing. Discounts, concessions and commissions may be changed from time to time. We do not expect these commissions and discounts to exceed what is customary for companies comparable to us in the types of transactions involved. Dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act of 1933, which we refer to herein as the Securities Act, and any discounts, concessions or commissions they receive from us and any profit on the resale of securities they realize may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under applicable federal and state securities laws.

The applicable prospectus supplement will, where applicable:

•    identify any such underwriter, dealer or agent,

•    describe any compensation in the form of discounts, concessions, commissions or otherwise received from us by underwriters and agents,

•    describe any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers, and

•    identify the nature of the underwriter’s or underwriters’ obligation to purchase the securities.

    32

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each series of securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than the common stock, which is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Any common stock sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement will be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, subject to official notice of issuance, unless our issued and outstanding common stock at the date of the applicable prospectus supplement is listed on another exchange. We may elect to list any series of debt securities or preferred stock, respectively, on an exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a series of securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Therefore, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or the trading market for, any series of debt securities or preferred stock.

We may authorize underwriters, dealers, or agents to solicit offers by certain purchasers to purchase our securities at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and such prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions or discounts we pay for solicitation of these contracts. Further, agents and underwriters may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or to contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates in connection with those derivatives then the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of securities. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment).

In connection with any offering of the securities offered under this prospectus, underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of such securities or any other securities the prices of which may be used to determine payments on such securities. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by underwriters of a greater number of securities than the underwriters are required to purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities while the offering is in progress.

Underwriters may engage in over-allotment. If any underwriters create a short position in the securities in an offering in which they sell more securities than are set forth on the cover page of the applicable prospectus supplement, the underwriters may reduce that short position by purchasing the securities in the open market.

Underwriters may also impose a penalty bid in any offering of securities offered under this prospectus through a syndicate of underwriters. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the other underwriters have repurchased securities sold by or for the account of such underwriter in certain specified transactions.

These activities by underwriters may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities offered under this prospectus. As a result, the price of such securities may be higher than the

    33

price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be discontinued by underwriters at any time. These transactions may be effected in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

We do not make any representation or prediction as to the effect that any of the transactions described above might have on the price of the securities. In addition, we do not make any representation that underwriters will engage in such transactions or that such transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Under agreements into which we may enter, underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of the securities may be entitled to indemnification by us against or contribution towards certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the applicable securities laws.

If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by particular institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in such prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date or dates stated in such prospectus supplement. Any such delayed delivery contract will be for an amount no less than, and the aggregate amounts of securities sold under delayed delivery contracts shall be not less nor more than, the respective amounts stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Institutions with which such contracts, when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others, but will in all cases be subject to our approval. The obligations of any purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the conditions that (i) the purchase of the securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction in the United States to which the purchaser is subject and (ii) if the securities are being sold to underwriters, we shall have sold to the underwriters the total amount of the securities less the amount thereof covered by the contracts. The underwriters and such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.

To comply with applicable state securities laws, the securities offered by this prospectus will be sold, if necessary, in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, securities may not be sold in some states unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.

Underwriters, dealers or agents that participate in the offer of securities, or their affiliates or associates, may have engaged or engage in transactions with and perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business for which they may have received or receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses.

LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, certain legal matters with respect to the securities being offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Bowles Rice LLP, counsel to Summit. If legal matters in connection with offerings made by this prospectus are passed on by other counsel for us, agents or underwriters retained in connection with an offering of securities hereunder, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Any underwriters will be represented by their own legal counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

    34

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Summit and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2020, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of Yount, Hyde & Barbour, P.C., an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. Such consolidated financial statements and Summit Financial Group, Inc. management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

    35

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

The following table sets forth the fees and expenses to be paid by us, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, in connection with the offering of the securities described in this registration statement. All amounts shown are estimates except for the SEC registration fee.

SEC registration fee        $5,455.00

FINRA filing fee        *

Legal fees and expenses        *

Accounting fees and expenses        *

Printing and duplication expenses        *

Trustee fees and expenses        *

Rating agency fees        *

Transfer agent fees and expenses        *

Miscellaneous expenses        *

Total        *

_______________

*Fees will depend on the types of securities offered and the number of issuances, which cannot be estimated at this time. The foregoing sets forth the general categories of expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) that we anticipate we will incur in connection with the offering of securities under this registration statement. Information regarding estimated expenses of issuance and distribution of each identified class of securities being registered will be provided at the time information as to such class is included in a prospectus supplement in accordance with Rule 430B.

ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

Under Article X, Section I of its amended and restated articles of incorporation, Summit is required under certain circumstances to indemnify its directors and officers and directors and officers of any majority or wholly-owned subsidiary, for claims and liabilities, including costs and expenses of defending such claim or liability to which they are made a party by reason of any action alleged to have been taken, omitted, or neglected by him or her as such director or officer, provided that he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.  With respect to any criminal proceeding, a director or officer shall be entitled to indemnification if such person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.  These provisions are in addition to all other rights which any director or officer may be entitled as a matter of law.  The full text of Article X, Section I is set forth below. Reference is made to West Virginia Code § 31D-8-851 through § 31D-8-856 which sets forth the indemnification rights permitted under West Virginia law. The full text of the relevant code sections are set forth below.

Article X, Section I of the amended and restated articles of incorporation of Summit contains the following indemnification provision:

Unless otherwise prohibited by law, each director and officer of the corporation now or hereafter serving as such, and each director and officer of any majority or wholly owned subsidiary of the corporation that has been designated as entitled to indemnification by resolution of the board of directors of the corporation as may be from time to time determined by said board, shall be indemnified by the

corporation against any and all claims and liabilities (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation or any majority or wholly owned subsidiary of the corporation) including expenses of defending such claim of liability to which he or she has or shall become subject by reason of any action alleged to have been taken, omitted, or neglected by him or her as such director or officer provided the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner which the director or officer reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.  With respect to any criminal proceeding, a director or officer shall be entitled to indemnification if such person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.  The corporation shall reimburse each such person as provided above in connection with any claim or liability brought or arising by or in the right of the corporation or any majority or wholly-owned subsidiary of the corporation provided, however, that such person shall be not indemnified in connection with, any claim or liability brought by or in the right of the corporation or any majority or wholly owned subsidiary of the corporation as to which the director or officer shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his or her duty to the corporation or any majority or wholly owned subsidiary of the corporation unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnify for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.

The determination of eligibility for indemnification shall be made by those board members not party to the action or proceeding or in the absence of such board members by a panel of independent shareholders appointed for such purpose by a majority of the shareholders of the corporation or in any other manner provided by law.

The right of indemnification hereinabove provided for shall not be exclusive of any rights to which any director or officer of the corporation may otherwise be entitled by law.

The board of directors may by resolution, by law or other lawful manner from time to time as it shall determine extend the indemnification provided herein to agents and employees of the corporation, to directors, officers, agents or employees of other corporations or entities owned in whole or in part by the corporation.  The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance for the purposes hereof.

W. Va. Code § 31D-8-851 through § 31D-8-856 provide:

§31D-8-851.  Permissible indemnification.

(a)    Except as otherwise provided in this section, a corporation may indemnify an individual who is a party to a proceeding because he or she is a director against liability incurred in the proceeding if:

(1)    (A) He or she conducted himself or herself in good faith; and

(B) He or she reasonably believed:  (i) In the case of conduct in his or her official capacity, that his or her conduct was in the best interests of the corporation; and (ii) in all other cases, that his or her conduct was at least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; and

(C) In the case of any criminal proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful; or

(2)    He or she engaged in conduct for which broader indemnification has been made permissible or obligatory under a provision of the articles of incorporation as authorized by subdivision (5), subsection (b), section two hundred two, article two of this chapter.

(b)    A director’s conduct with respect to an employee benefit plan for a purpose he or she reasonably believed to be in the interests of the participants in, and the beneficiaries of, the plan is conduct that satisfies the requirement of subparagraph (ii), paragraph (B), subdivision (1), subsection (a) of this section.

(c)    The termination of a proceeding by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, is not determinative that the director did not meet the relevant standard of conduct described in this section.

(d)    Unless ordered by a court under subdivision (3), subsection (a), section eight hundred fifty-four of this article, a corporation may not indemnify a director:

(1)    In connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation, except for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding if it is determined that the director has met the relevant standard of conduct under subsection (a) of this section; or

(2)    In connection with any proceeding with respect to conduct for which he or she was adjudged liable on the basis that he or she received a financial benefit to which he or she was not entitled, whether or not involving action in his or her official capacity.

§31D-8-852. Mandatory Indemnification.

A corporation must indemnify a director who was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she was a party because he or she was a director of the corporation against reasonable expenses incurred by him or her in connection with the proceeding.

§31D-8-853. Advance for expenses.

(a)    A corporation may, before final disposition of a proceeding, advance funds to pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by a director who is a party to a proceeding because he or she is a director if he or she delivers to the corporation:

(1)    A written affirmation of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the relevant standard of conduct described in section eight hundred fifty-one of this article or that the proceeding involves conduct for which liability has been eliminated under a provision of the articles of incorporation as authorized by subdivision (4), subsection (b), section two hundred two, article two of this chapter; and

(2)    His or her written undertaking to repay any funds advanced if he or she is not entitled to mandatory indemnification under section eight hundred fifty-two of this article and it is ultimately determined under section eight hundred fifty-four or eight hundred fifty-five of this article that he or she has not met the relevant standard of conduct described in section eight hundred fifty-one of this article.

(b)    The undertaking required by subdivision (2), subsection (a) of this section must be an unlimited general obligation of the director but need not be secured and may be accepted without reference to the financial ability of the director to make repayment.

(c)    Authorizations under this section are to be made:

(1)    By the board of directors:

(A)    If there are two or more disinterested directors, by a majority vote of all the disinterested directors, a majority of whom constitute a quorum for this purpose, or by a majority of the members of a committee of two or more disinterested directors appointed by a vote; or

(B)    If there are fewer than two disinterested directors, by the vote necessary for action by the board in accordance with subsection (c), section eight hundred twenty-four of this article in which authorization directors who do not qualify as disinterested directors may participate; or

(2)    By the shareholders, but shares owned by or voted under the control of a director who at the time does not qualify as a disinterested director may not be voted on the authorization; or

(3)    By special legal counsel selected in a manner in accordance with subdivision (2), subsection (b), section eight hundred fifty-five of this article.

§31D-8-854. Circuit court-ordered indemnification and advance for expenses.

(a)    A director who is a party to a proceeding because he or she is a director may apply for indemnification or an advance for expenses to the circuit court conducting the proceeding or to another circuit court of competent jurisdiction.  After receipt of an application and after giving any notice it considers necessary, the circuit court shall:

(1)    Order indemnification if the circuit court determines that the director is entitled to mandatory indemnification under section eight hundred fifty-two of this article;

(2)    Order indemnification or advance for expenses if the circuit court determines that the director is entitled to indemnification or advance for expenses pursuant to a provision authorized by subsection (a), section eight hundred fifty-eight of this article; or

(3)    Order indemnification or advance for expenses if the circuit court determines, in view of all the relevant circumstances, that it is fair and reasonable:

(A)    To indemnify the director; or

(B)    To advance expenses to the director, even if he or she has not met the relevant standard of conduct set forth in subsection (a), section eight hundred fifty-one of this article, failed to comply with section eight hundred fifty-three of this article or was adjudged liable in a proceeding referred to in subdivision (1) or (2), subsection (d), section eight hundred fifty-one of this article, but if he or she was adjudged so liable his or her indemnification is to be limited to reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding.

(b)    If the circuit court determines that the director is entitled to indemnification under subdivision (1), subsection (a) of this section or to indemnification or advance for expenses under subdivision (2) of said subsection, it shall also order the corporation to pay the director’s reasonable expenses incurred in connection with obtaining circuit court-ordered indemnification or advance for expenses.  If the circuit court determines that the director is entitled to indemnification or advance for expenses under subdivision (3) of said subsection, it may also order the corporation to pay the director’s reasonable expenses to obtain circuit court-ordered indemnification or advance for expenses.

§31D-8-855. Determination and authorization of indemnification.

(a)    A corporation may not indemnify a director under section eight hundred fifty-one of this article unless authorized for a specific proceeding after a determination has been made that

indemnification of the director is permissible because he or she has met the relevant standard of conduct set forth in section eight hundred fifty-one of this article.

(b)    The determination is to be made:

(1)    If there are two or more disinterested directors, by the board of directors by a majority vote of all the disinterested directors, a majority of whom constitute a quorum for this purpose, or by a majority of the members of a committee of two or more disinterested directors appointed by a vote;

(2)    By special legal counsel:

(A)    Selected in the manner prescribed in subdivision (1) of this subsection; or

(B)    If there are fewer than two disinterested directors, selected by the board of directors in which selection directors who do not qualify as disinterested directors may participate; or

(3)    By the shareholders, but shares owned by or voted under the control of a director who at the time does not qualify as a disinterested director may not be voted on the determination.

(c)    Authorization of indemnification is to be made in the same manner as the determination that indemnification is permissible, except that if there are fewer than two disinterested directors or if the determination is made by special legal counsel, authorization of indemnification is to be made by those entitled under paragraph (B), subdivision (2), subsection (b) of this section to select special legal counsel.

§31D-8-856. Indemnification of officers.

(a)    A corporation may indemnify and advance expenses under this part to an officer of the corporation who is a party to a proceeding because he or she is an officer of the corporation:

(1)    To the same extent as a director; and

(2)    If he or she is an officer but not a director, to a further extent as may be provided by the articles of incorporation, the bylaws, a resolution of the board of directors or contract except for:

(A)    Liability in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation other than for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding; or

(B)    Liability arising out of conduct that constitutes:

(i)    Receipt by him or her of a financial benefit to which he or she is not entitled;

(ii)    An intentional infliction of harm on the corporation or the shareholders; or

(iii)    An intentional violation of criminal law.

(b)    The provisions of subdivision (2), subsection (a) of this section apply to an officer who is also a director if the basis on which he or she is made a party to the proceeding is an act or omission solely as an officer.

(c)    An officer of a corporation who is not a director is entitled to mandatory indemnification under section eight hundred fifty-two of this article and may apply to a court under section eight hundred fifty-four of this article for indemnification or an advance for expenses in each case to the same extent to which a director may be entitled to indemnification or advance for expenses under those provisions.

To supplement the indemnification provided by its amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws, Summit has entered into individual indemnification agreements with its directors and with the directors of Summit Community Bank. The indemnification agreements provide that the directors will be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by law. They also provide for the advancement of expenses to the fullest extent permitted by law. The obligations of Summit under the indemnification agreements are contractual and cannot be amended without the consent of both the directors and Summit

Certain rules of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation limit the ability of certain depository institutions, their subsidiaries and their affiliated depository institution holding companies to indemnify affiliated parties, including institution directors.  In general, subject to the ability to purchase directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and to advance professional expenses under certain circumstances, the rules prohibit such institutions from indemnifying a director for certain costs incurred with regard to an administrative or enforcement action commenced by any federal banking agency that results in a final order or settlement pursuant to which the director is assessed a civil money penalty, removed from office, prohibited from participating in the affairs of an insured depository institution or required to cease and desist from or take an affirmative action described in Section 8(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. § 1818(b)).

Summit Financial Group, Inc. has agreed to indemnify the directors, officers and employees of WinFirst Financial Corp. (“WinFirst”) for a period of three years from December 15, 2020, the effective time of the merger, to the fullest extent that WinFirst is permitted or required to indemnify (and advance expenses to) its directors and officers under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the articles of incorporation and bylaws of WinFirst and any indemnification agreements in effect between WinFirst and/or any of its subsidiaries and any director, officer or employee thereof.

Summit Financial Group, Inc. has agreed to indemnify the directors, officers and employees of Cornerstone Financial Services, Inc. (“Cornerstone”) for a period of four years from January 1, 2020, the effective time of the merger, to the fullest extent that Cornerstone is permitted or required to indemnify (and advance expenses to) its directors and officers under the laws of the State of West Virginia, the articles of incorporation and bylaws of Cornerstone and any indemnification agreements in effect between Cornerstone and/or any of its subsidiaries and any director, officer or employee thereof.

ITEM 16. EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.	Description
1.1*	Form of underwriting or purchase agreement
3.1	Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Summit Financial Group, Inc. (incorporated by reference herein from Summit Financial Group, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 30, 2021).
3.2	Amendment to Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Summit Financial Group, Inc. (incorporated by reference herein from Summit Financial Group, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on September 30, 2009).
3.3	Amendment to Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Summit Financial Group, Inc. (incorporated by reference herein from Summit Financial Group, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on November 4, 2011).
3.4	Amendment to Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Summit Financial Group, Inc. (incorporated by reference herein from Summit Financial Group, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 30, 2021).
3.5	Bylaws of Summit Financial Group, Inc. (incorporated by reference herein from Summit Financial Group, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 27, 2020).
4.1	Specimen stock certificate representing Summit Financial Group, Inc. Common Stock (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Summit Financial Group, Inc.’s Form S-3 filed with the SEC on May 7, 2010).
4.2*	Form of Certificate of Designation of Summit Financial Group, Inc. for Preferred Stock
4.3*	Specimen stock certificate representing Summit Financial Group, Inc. Preferred Stock
4.4	Form of Senior Indenture
4.5*	Form of Senior Debt Security
4.6	Form of Subordinated Indenture
4.7*	Form of Subordinated Debt Security
4.8*	Form of Subscription Rights Certificate
4.9*	Form of Subscription Agent Agreement
4.10*	Form of Warrant Agreement
4.11*	Form of Warrant Certificate
4.12*	Form of Depositary Agreement
4.13*	Form of Depositary Receipt
4.14*	Form of Unit Agreement
4.15*	Form of Unit Certificate
5.1***	Opinion of Bowles Rice LLP
23.1	Consent of Bowles Rice LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2	Consent of Yount, Hyde & Barbour, P.C.
24.1***	Powers of Attorney
25.1**	Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1 of Trustee under the Senior Indenture
25.2**	Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1 of Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture
* To be filed by an amendment or as an exhibit to a report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and incorporated by reference herein. ** Where applicable, to be incorporated by reference to a subsequent filing in accordance with Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. *** Filed previously.

ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS

(a)    The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1)    To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i)    To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii)    To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii)    To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2)    That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3)    To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering (except to the extent otherwise provided under Rule 415(a)(6).

(4)    That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(A)    Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(B)    Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be

part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5)    That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i)    Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii)    Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii)    The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv)    Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each filing of Summit Financial Group, Inc.’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(7) To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of any trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)2 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of each registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 15 above, or otherwise, each registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by a registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of a registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, that registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Moorefield, West Virginia, on the 14th day May, 2021.

Summit Financial Group, Inc.

By:    /s/ H. Charles Maddy, III

    H. Charles Maddy, III

    President and Chief Executive Officer

By:    /s/ Robert S. Tissue

    Robert S. Tissue

    Chief Financial Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature	Title	Date
By:    /s/ Oscar M. Bean*     Oscar M. Bean	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ Dewey F. Bensenhaver*     Dewey F. Bensenhaver	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ Ronald L. Bowling*     Ronald L. Bowling	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ J. Scott Bridgeforth*     J. Scott Bridgeforth	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ James M. Cookman*     James M. Cookman	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ John W. Crites, II*     John W. Crites, II	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ James P. Geary, II*     James P. Geary, II	Director	May 14, 2021

By:    /s/ Gary L. Hinkle*     Gary L. Hinkle	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ Jason A. Kitzmiller*     Jason A. Kitzmiller	Director	May 14, 2021
By: /s/ H. Charles Maddy, III             H. Charles Maddy, III	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ Charles S. Piccirillo*     Charles S. Piccirillo	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ John H. Shott*     John H. Shott	Director	May 14, 2021
By:    /s/ Ronald B. Spencer*     Ronald B. Spencer	Director	May 14, 2021
*By: /s/ H. Charles Maddy, III             H. Charles Maddy, III	As Attorney-in-Fact for each of the persons indicated	May 14, 2021

EX-23.2

Exhibit 23.2

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Pre-Effective Amendment No.1 to the Registration Statement No. 333-255715 on Form S-3 and related Prospectus of Summit Financial Group, Inc. of our reports dated March 11, 2021, relating to the consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Summit Financial Group, Inc. appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Summit Financial Group, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2020.

We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.

/s/ YOUNT, HYDE & BARBOUR, P.C.

Winchester, Virginia
May 14, 2021