BASIS OF PRESENTATION

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

The interim unaudited consolidated financial statements contained herein should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, included in the Form 10-K of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. ("HTLF") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 25, 2021. Footnote disclosures to the interim unaudited consolidated financial statements which would substantially duplicate the disclosure contained in the footnotes to the audited consolidated financial statements have been omitted.

The financial information included herein has been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial reporting and has been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations for reporting on Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Such information reflects all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments), that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and results of operations for the periods presented. The results of the interim period ended March 31, 2021, are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the year ending December 31, 2021.

Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share is determined using net income available to common stockholders and weighted average common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average common shares and assumed incremental common shares issued. Amounts used in the determination of basic and diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2021, and 2020, are shown in the table below:

















	Three Months Ended March 31,
(Dollars and number of shares in thousands, except per share data)	2021		2020
Net income	$	52,814	$	20,040
Preferred dividends	(2,013)		—

Net income available to stockholders	$	50,801	$	20,040

Weighted average common shares outstanding for basic earnings per share	42,174		36,821
Assumed incremental common shares issued upon vesting of outstanding restricted stock units	162		75
Weighted average common shares for diluted earnings per share	42,336		36,896
Earnings per common share — basic	$	1.20	$	0.54
Earnings per common share — diluted	$	1.20	$	0.54
Number of antidilutive common stock equivalents excluded from diluted earnings per share computation	25		—

Subsequent Events - HTLF has evaluated subsequent events that may require recognition or disclosure through the filing date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q with the SEC.

Effect of New Financial Accounting Standards

ASU 2018-16

In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-16, "Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting." In the United States, eligible benchmark interest rates under Topic 815 are interest rates on direct Treasury obligations of the U.S. government, the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") swap rate, and the Overnight Index Swap ("OIS") Rate based on the Fed Funds Effective Rate. When the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, in August 2017, it introduced the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association ("SIFMA") Municipal Swap Rate as the fourth permissible U.S. benchmark rate. ASU 2018-16 adds the OIS rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") as a U.S. benchmark interest rate to facilitate the LIBOR to SOFR transition and provide sufficient lead time for entities to prepare for changes to interest rate risk hedging strategies for both risk management and hedge accounting purposes. ASU 2018-16 became effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years and the financial statement impact immediately upon adoption was

immaterial. The future financial statement impact will depend on any new contracts entered into using new benchmark rates, as well as any existing contracts that are migrated from LIBOR to new benchmark interest rates. HTLF has a formal working group that is currently evaluating the impact of the transition from LIBOR as an interest rate benchmark to other potential alternative reference rates, including but not limited to the SOFR. Currently, HTLF has adjustable rate loans, several debt obligations and securities and derivative instruments in place that reference LIBOR-based rates. The transition from LIBOR is expected to take place at the end of 2021, and management will continue to actively assess the related opportunities and risks involved in this transition.

ASU 2019-12

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, "Income Taxes (Topic 740) - Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes." ASU 2019-12 simplifies the accounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions to the guidance in ASC 740 related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition for deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. ASU 2019-12 also simplifies aspects of the accounting for franchise taxes and enacted changes in tax laws or rates and clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. HTLF adopted this ASU on January 1, 2021, as required, and the adoption did not have a material impact on its results of operations, financial position and liquidity.

ASU 2020-04

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, "Reference Rate Reform," which provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to loan and lease agreements, derivative contracts, and other transactions affected by the anticipated transition away from LIBOR toward new interest rate benchmarks. For loan and lease agreements that are modified because of reference rate reform and that meet certain scope guidance (i) modifications of loan agreements should be accounted for by prospectively adjusting the effective interest rate, and the modifications would be considered "minor" with the result that any existing unamortized origination fees/costs would carry forward and continue to be amortized and (ii) modifications of lease agreements should be accounted for as a continuation of the existing agreement, with no reassessments of the lease classification and the discount rate or remeasurements of lease payments that otherwise would be required for modifications not accounted for as separate contracts. ASU 2020-04 also provides numerous optional expedients for derivative accounting. ASU 2020-04 is effective March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. An entity may elect to apply ASU 2020-04 for contract modifications as of January 1, 2020, or prospectively from a date within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, up to the date that the financial statements are available to be issued. Once elected for a Topic or an Industry Subtopic within the ASC, ASU 2020-04 must be applied prospectively for all eligible contract modifications for that Topic or Industry Subtopic. HTLF anticipates that ASU 2020-04 will simplify any modifications executed between the selected start date and December 31, 2022 that are directly related to LIBOR transition by allowing prospective recognition of the continuation of the contract, rather than extinguishment of the old contract that would result in writing off unamortized fees/costs. Management will continue to actively assess the impacts of ASU 2020-04 and the related opportunities and risks involved in the LIBOR transition.