CHOICEONE FINANCIAL SERVICES INC (COFS) Risk Factors

Item 1A. Risk Factors

The Company is subject to many risks and uncertainties. Although the Company seeks ways to manage these risks and develop programs to control risks to the extent that management can control them, the Company cannot predict the future. Actual results may differ materially from management’s expectations. Some of these significant risks and uncertainties are discussed below. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones that the Company faces. Additional risks and uncertainties of which the Company is unaware, or that it currently does not consider to be material, also may become important factors that affect the Company and its business. If any of these risks were to occur, the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Risks Related to the Company’s Business

Asset quality could be less favorable than expected.

A significant source of risk for the Company arises from the possibility that losses will be sustained because borrowers, guarantors and related parties may fail to perform in accordance with the terms of their loan agreements. Most loans originated by the Company are secured, but some loans are unsecured depending on the nature of the loan. With respect to secured loans, the collateral securing the repayment of these loans includes a wide variety of real and personal property that may be insufficient to cover the obligations owed under such loans. Collateral values may be adversely affected by changes in prevailing economic, environmental and other conditions, including declines in the value of real estate, changes in interest rates, changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government, terrorist activity, environmental contamination, public health crisis, and other external events.

The Company’s allowance for credit losses may not be adequate to cover actual credit losses.

The risk of nonpayment of loans is inherent in all lending activities and nonpayment of loans may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s earnings and overall financial condition, and the value of its common stock. The Company makes various assumptions and judgments about the collectability of its loan portfolio and provides an allowance for credit losses based on a number of factors. If its assumptions are wrong, the allowance for credit losses may not be sufficient to cover losses, which could have an adverse effect on the Company’s operating results and may cause it to increase the allowance in the future. The actual amount of future provisions for credit losses cannot now be determined and may exceed the amounts of past provisions for credit losses. Federal and state banking regulators, as an integral part of their supervisory function, periodically review the allowance for credit losses. These regulatory agencies may require the Company to increase its allowance for credit losses or to recognize further loan charge-offs based upon their judgments, which may be different from the Company’s judgments. Any increase in the allowance for credit losses could have a negative effect on the Company’s regulatory capital ratios, net income, financial condition and results of operations.

General economic conditions in the state of Michigan could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial condition.

The Company is affected by general economic conditions in the United States, although most directly within Michigan. An economic downturn within Michigan caused by inflation, recession or a recessionary environment, trade tariffs, trade policy or retaliatory measures by trade partners, unemployment, changes in financial or capital markets or other factors, could negatively impact household and corporate incomes. This impact may lead to decreased demand for both loan and deposit products and increase the number of customers who fail to pay interest or principal on their loans.

We may be adversely affected by risks associated with future mergers and acquisitions, including execution risk, which could disrupt our business and dilute shareholder value.

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We plan to grow our business both organically and through mergers and acquisitions. We periodically evaluate merger and acquisition opportunities and conduct due diligence activities related to possible transactions with other financial institutions and financial services companies. As a result, we may engage in discussions or negotiations that, if they were to result in a transaction, could have a material effect on our operating results and financial condition. Our merger and acquisition activities could be material and could require us to use a substantial amount of common stock, preferred stock, cash, other liquid assets, and/or incur debt. Furthermore, failure to realize the expected revenue increases, cost savings, increases in geographic or product presence, and/or other projected benefits from our merger and acquisition activities could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

The Company could be adversely affected by the soundness of other financial institutions, including defaults by larger financial institutions.

The Company's ability to engage in routine funding transactions could be adversely affected by the actions and commercial soundness of other financial institutions. Financial services institutions are interrelated as a result of credit, trading, clearing, counterparty or other relationships between financial institutions. The Company has exposure to multiple counterparties, and it routinely executes transactions with counterparties in the financial industry. As a result, defaults by, or even rumors or questions about, one or more financial services institutions, or the financial services industry generally, could lead to market-wide liquidity problems and losses or defaults by the Company or by other institutions. This is sometimes referred to as "systemic risk" and may adversely affect financial intermediaries, such as clearing agencies, clearing houses, banks, securities firms and exchanges, with which the Company interacts on a daily basis, and therefore could adversely affect the Company.

If the Company does not adjust to changes in the financial services industry, its financial performance may suffer.

The Company’s ability to maintain its financial performance and return on investment to shareholders will depend in part on its ability to maintain and grow its core deposit customer base and expand its financial services to its existing customers. In addition to other banks, competitors include credit unions, securities dealers, brokers, mortgage bankers, investment advisors, internet banks and other financial technology companies, and finance and insurance companies. The increasingly competitive environment is, in part, a result of changes in the economic environment within the state of Michigan, regulation, changes in technology and product delivery systems and consolidation among financial service providers. New competitors may emerge to increase the degree of competition for the Company’s customers and services. Financial services and products are also constantly changing. The Company’s financial performance will also depend in part upon customer demand for the Company’s products and services and the Company’s ability to develop and offer competitive financial products and services.

We are subject to significant government regulation, and any regulatory changes may adversely affect us.

We are subject to extensive government regulation under both federal and state law. We are subject to regulation by the Federal Reserve Board, the FDIC and the DIFS, in addition to other regulatory and self-regulatory organizations. Current laws and applicable regulations are subject to change and any new regulatory change could make compliance more expensive, difficult, or otherwise adversely affect our business. Specifically, regulation changes to overdraft fees could adversely affect our business. We cannot predict the ultimate effect of any changes to regulations affecting us, but such changes could have a material adverse effect on our results of operation or financial condition.

Changes in interest rates could reduce the Company’s income and cash flow.

The Company’s income and cash flow depends, to a great extent, on the difference between the interest earned on loans and securities, and the interest paid on deposits and other borrowings. Market interest rates are beyond the Company’s control, and they fluctuate in response to general economic conditions and the policies of various governmental and regulatory agencies including, in particular, the Federal Reserve Board. Changes in monetary policy, including changes in interest rates and interest rate relationships, will influence the origination of loans, the purchase of investments, the generation of deposits and the rate received on loans and securities and paid on deposits and other borrowings.

The Company is subject to liquidity risk in its operations, which could adversely affect its ability to fund various obligations.

Liquidity risk is the possibility of being unable to meet obligations as they come due or capitalize on growth opportunities as they arise because of an inability to liquidate assets or obtain adequate funding on a timely basis, at a reasonable cost and within acceptable risk tolerances. Liquidity is required to fund various obligations, including credit obligations to borrowers, loan originations, withdrawals by depositors, repayment of debt, dividends to shareholders, operating expenses and capital expenditures. Liquidity is derived primarily from retail deposit growth and earnings retention, principal and interest payments on loans and investment securities, net cash provided from operations and access to other funding. If the Company is unable to maintain adequate liquidity, then its business, financial condition and results of operations would be negatively affected.

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If the Company were required to sell investment securities in an unrealized loss position to meet liquidity needs and realize losses, that could have a material adverse impact on its results of operation and financial condition.

At December 31, 2025, the Company had $90.4 million in unrealized losses on its investment securities, including $52.8 million in unrealized losses on available for sale securities, $37.2 in unrealized losses on held to maturity securities, and $471,000 in unrealized losses on equity securities. If the Company were required to sell investment securities in an unrealized loss position to meet liquidity needs and realize losses, that could have a material adverse impact on its results of operations and financial condition, including a negative impact on net income and a permanent reduction in equity capital.

Evaluation of investment securities for an allowance for credit losses involves subjective determinations and could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

The fair value evaluation of investment securities is a quantitative and qualitative process, which is subject to risks and uncertainties and is intended to determine whether declines in the fair value of investments require the establishment of an allowance for credit losses. The risks and uncertainties include changes in general economic conditions, the issuer’s financial condition or future recovery prospects and the effects of changes in interest rates or credit spreads. Estimating future cash flows involves incorporating information received from third-party sources and making internal assumptions and judgments regarding the future performance of the underlying collateral and assessing the probability that an adverse change in future cash flows has occurred. The determination of an allowance for credit losses is based upon our periodic evaluation and assessment of known and inherent risks associated with the respective asset class. Such evaluations and assessments are revised as conditions change and new information becomes available. Our management considers a wide range of factors about the security issuer and uses reasonable judgment in evaluating the cause of the decline in the estimated fair value of the security and in assessing the prospects for recovery. Inherent in management’s evaluation of the security are assumptions and estimates about the operations of the issuer and its future earnings potential. Additions to the allowance for credit losses for our investment securities may need to be taken in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

The Company has significant exposure to risks associated with commercial and residential real estate.

A substantial portion of the Company’s loan portfolio consists of commercial and residential real estate-related loans, including real estate development, construction and residential and commercial mortgage loans. As of December 31, 2025, the Company had approximately $1.8 billion of commercial and construction real estate loans outstanding, which represented approximately 59.6% of its loan portfolio. As of that same date, the Company had approximately $728.0 million in residential real estate loans outstanding, or approximately 24.1% of its loan portfolio. Consequently, real estate-related credit risks are a significant concern for the Company. The adverse consequences from real estate-related credit risks tend to be cyclical and are often driven by national economic developments that are not controllable or entirely foreseeable by the Company or its borrowers. A downturn in the real estate market, especially in Michigan, could cause us to incur losses and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

Commercial loans may expose the Company to greater financial and credit risk than other loans.

The Company’s commercial and industrial loan portfolio, including commercial mortgages, was approximately $352.6 million at December 31, 2025, comprising approximately 11.7% of its total loan portfolio. Commercial loans generally carry larger loan balances and can involve a greater degree of financial and credit risk than other loans. Any significant failure to pay on time by the Company’s customers would hurt the Company’s earnings. The increased financial and credit risk associated with these types of loans are a result of several factors, including the concentration of principal in a limited number of loans and borrowers, the size of loan balances, the effects of general economic conditions on income-producing properties and the increased difficulty of evaluating and monitoring these types of loans.

Legislative or regulatory changes or actions could adversely impact the Company or the businesses in which it is engaged.

The Company and the Bank are subject to extensive state and federal regulation, supervision and legislation that govern almost all aspects of their operations. Laws and regulations may change from time to time and are primarily intended for the protection of consumers, depositors and the deposit insurance fund, and not to benefit the Company’s shareholders. The impact of any changes to laws and regulations or other actions by regulatory agencies may negatively impact the Company or its ability to increase the value of its business. Regulatory authorities have extensive discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities, including the imposition of restrictions on the operation of an institution, the classification of assets by the institution and the adequacy of an institution’s allowance for credit losses. Future regulatory changes or accounting pronouncements may increase the Company’s regulatory capital requirements or adversely affect its regulatory capital levels. Additionally, actions by regulatory agencies against the Company or the Bank could require the Company to devote significant time and resources to defending its business and may lead to penalties that materially affect the Company.

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The Company relies heavily on its management and other key personnel, and the loss of any of them may adversely affect its operations.

The Company is and will continue to be dependent upon the services of its management team and other key personnel. Losing the services of one or more key members of the Company’s management team could adversely affect its operations.

The Company’s controls and procedures may fail or be circumvented.

Management regularly reviews and updates the Company’s internal controls, disclosure controls and procedures, and corporate governance policies and procedures. Any system of controls, however well designed and operated, is based in part on certain assumptions and can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurances that the objectives of the system are met. If the Company fails to identify and remediate control deficiencies, it is possible that a material misstatement of interim or annual financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. In addition, any failure or circumvention of the Company’s other controls and procedures or failure to comply with regulations related to controls and procedures could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company may be a defendant in a variety of litigation and other actions, which may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Company and the Bank are regularly involved in a variety of litigation arising out of the normal course of business. The Company’s insurance may not cover all claims that may be asserted against it, and any claims asserted against it, regardless of merit or eventual outcome, may harm its reputation or cause the Company to incur unexpected expenses, which could be material in amount. Should the ultimate expenses, judgments or settlements in any litigation exceed the Company’s insurance coverage, they could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the Company may not be able to obtain appropriate types or levels of insurance in the future, nor may it be able to obtain adequate replacement policies with acceptable terms, if at all.

If the Company cannot raise additional capital when needed, its ability to further expand its operations through organic growth or acquisitions could be materially impaired.

The Company is required by federal and state regulatory authorities to maintain specified levels of capital to support its operations. The Company may need to raise additional capital to support its current level of assets or its growth. The Company’s ability to raise additional capital will depend on conditions in the capital markets at that time, which are outside its control, and on its financial performance. The Company cannot assure that it will be able to raise additional capital in the future on terms acceptable to it or at all. If the Company cannot raise additional capital when needed, its ability to maintain its current level of assets or to expand its operations through organic growth or acquisitions could be materially limited.

Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential client or customer information, whether through a breach of computer systems or otherwise, could severely harm the Company’s business.

As part of its business, the Company collects, processes and retains sensitive and confidential client and customer information on behalf of itself and other third parties. Despite the security measures the Company has in place for its facilities and systems, and the security measures of its third party service providers, the Company may be vulnerable to security breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming and/or human errors or other similar events. Any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of confidential customer information, whether by the Company or by its vendors, could severely damage the Company’s reputation, expose it to the risks of litigation and liability, disrupt the Company’s operations and have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business.

The Company's information systems may experience an interruption or breach in security.

The Company relies heavily on communications and information systems to conduct its business and deliver its products. Any failure, interruption or breach in security of these systems could result in failures or disruptions in the Company’s customer relationship management, general ledger, deposit, loan and other systems. While the Company has policies and procedures designed to prevent or limit the effect of the failure, interruption or security breach of its information systems, there can be no assurance that any such failures, interruptions or security breaches of the Company’s information systems or its customers’ information or computer systems would not damage the Company’s reputation, result in a loss of customer business, subject the Company to additional regulatory scrutiny, or expose the Company to civil litigation and financial liability, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

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Cybersecurity incidents could disrupt business operations, result in the loss of critical and confidential information, and adversely impact our reputation and results of operations.

Global cybersecurity threats and incidents can range from uncoordinated individual attempts to gain unauthorized access to information technology (IT) systems to sophisticated and targeted measures known as advanced persistent threats, directed at the Company, the Bank and/or its third party service providers. Although we employ reasonably comprehensive measures to prevent, detect, address and mitigate these threats (including access controls, employee training, data encryption, vulnerability assessments, continuous monitoring of our IT networks and systems and maintenance of backup and protective systems), cybersecurity incidents, depending on their nature and scope, could potentially result in the misappropriation, destruction, corruption or unavailability of critical data and confidential or proprietary information (our own or that of third parties) and the disruption of business operations. The potential consequences of a material cybersecurity incident include reputational damage, litigation with third parties, regulatory criticism or proceedings and increased cybersecurity protection and remediation costs, which in turn could materially adversely affect our results of operations.

Employee misconduct could adversely impact our reputation and results of operations.

Our reputation is crucial to maintaining and developing relationships with our customers. There is a risk our employees could engage in misconduct that adversely affects our business. For example, if an employee were to engage (or be accused of engaging) in fraudulent, illegal, or suspicious activities, including fraud or theft, we could be subject to regulatory sanctions or penalties, or litigation, and suffer significant harm to our reputation, financial position, and customer relationships as a result. Additionally, our business often requires that we deal with sensitive customer information. If our employees were to improperly use or disclose this information, even inadvertently, we could suffer significant harm to our reputation, financial position and current and future business relationships. We may not be able to deter all employee misconduct, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this misconduct may not be effective in all circumstances. Misconduct or harassment by our employees (or unsubstantiated allegations of the same), or improper use or disclosure of confidential information by our employees, even inadvertently, could result in a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, or results of operations.

Environmental liability associated with commercial lending could result in losses.

In the course of its business, the Company may acquire, through foreclosure, properties securing loans that are in default. Particularly in commercial real estate lending, there is a risk that hazardous substances could be discovered on these properties. In this event, the Company might be required to remove these substances from the affected properties at the Company’s sole cost and expense. The cost of this removal could substantially exceed the value of affected properties. The Company may not have adequate remedies against the prior owner or other responsible parties and could find it difficult or impossible to sell the affected properties. These events could have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company depends upon the accuracy and completeness of information about customers.

In deciding whether to extend credit to customers, the Company relies on information provided to it by its customers, including financial statements and other financial information. The Company may also rely on representations of customers as to the accuracy and completeness of that information and on reports of independent auditors on financial statements. The Company’s financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted to the extent that the Company extends credit in reliance on financial statements that do not comply with generally accepted accounting principles or that are misleading or other information provided by customers that is false or misleading.

Our reliance on third party vendors could cause operational losses or business interruptions.

We rely on third party service providers for certain components of our business activity. If these third party service providers experience difficulties or terminate their services and we are unable to replace them with other service providers, our operations could be interrupted. Even if we are able to replace them with another service provider, the replacement may be more expensive or offer an inferior service. Any of these outcomes could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Severe weather, natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism, a public health crisis, and other external events could significantly impact the Company’s business.

Severe weather, natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism, risks posed by an outbreak of a widespread epidemic or pandemic of disease (or widespread fear thereof) or other public health crisis, and other adverse external events could have a significant impact on the Company’s ability to conduct business. Such events could affect the stability of the Company’s deposit base, impair the ability of borrowers to repay outstanding loans, impair the value of collateral securing loans, cause significant property damage, result in loss of revenue and/or cause the Company to incur additional expenses.

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The Company relies on dividends from the Bank for most of its revenue.

The Company is a separate and distinct legal entity from the Bank. It receives substantially all of its revenue from dividends from the Bank. These dividends are the principal source of funds to pay cash dividends on the Company’s common stock. Various federal and/or state laws and regulations limit the amount of dividends that the Bank may pay to the Company. If the Bank is unable to pay dividends to the Company, the Company may not be able to pay cash dividends on its common stock. The earnings of the Bank have been the principal source of funds to pay cash dividends to shareholders. Over the long-term, cash dividends to shareholders are dependent upon earnings, as well as capital requirements, regulatory restraints and other factors affecting the Company and the Bank.

Additional risks and uncertainties could have a negative effect on financial performance.

Additional factors could have a negative effect on the financial performance of the Company and the Company’s common stock. Some of these factors are financial market conditions, changes in financial accounting and reporting standards, new litigation or changes in existing litigation, regulatory actions and losses.

Risks Related to the Company’s Common Stock

Investments in the Company’s common stock involve risk.

The market price of the Company’s common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to a number of factors, including:

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Variations in quarterly or annual operating results

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Changes in dividends per share

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Changes in interest rates

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Changes in inflation levels

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Trade tariffs, trade policy or retaliatory measures by trade partners

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War or military conflicts, including the recent escalation of conflicts in the middle east

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New developments, laws or regulations in the banking industry

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Acquisitions or business combinations involving the Company or its competition

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Regulatory actions, including changes to regulatory capital levels, the components of regulatory capital and how regulatory capital is calculated

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Volatility of stock market prices and volumes

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Changes in market valuations of similar companies

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New litigation or contingencies or changes in existing litigation or contingencies

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Changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other regulatory agencies

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Rumors or erroneous information

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Credit and capital availability

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Issuance of additional shares of common stock or other debt or equity securities of the Company

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Market conditions

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General economic conditions

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Turbulence, uncertainty or a lack of confidence within the banking industry

The Company’s common stock, while publicly traded, has less liquidity than the average liquidity of stocks listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

The Company’s common stock is listed for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market. However, the Company’s common stock has less liquidity than the average liquidity for companies listed in the Nasdaq Stock Market. The public trading market for the Company’s common stock depends on a marketplace of willing buyers and sellers at any given time, which in turn depends on factors outside of the Company’s control, including general economic and market conditions and the decisions of individual investors. The limited market for the Company’s common stock may affect a shareholder’s ability to sell their shares at any given time, and the sale of a large number of shares at one time could temporarily adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

The Company's common stock is not insured by any government entity.

The Company’s common stock is not insured by the FDIC or any other government entity. Investment in the Company’s common stock is subject to risk and potential loss.

A shareholder’s ownership of common stock may be diluted if the Company issues additional shares of common stock in the future.

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The Company’s articles of incorporation authorize the Company’s Board of Directors to issue additional shares of common stock or preferred stock without shareholder approval. To the extent the Company issues additional shares of common stock or preferred stock, or issues options or warrants permitting the holder to purchase or acquire common stock in the future and such warrants or options are exercised, the Company’s shareholders may experience dilution in their ownership of the Company’s common stock. Holders of the Company’s common stock do not have any preemptive or similar rights to purchase a pro rata share of any additional shares offered or issued by the Company.

The value of the Company's common stock may be adversely affected if the Company issues debt and equity securities that are senior to the Company's common stock in liquidation or as to distributions.

The Company may increase its capital by issuing debt or equity securities or by entering into debt or debt-like financing. This may include the issuance of common stock, preferred stock, senior notes, or subordinated notes. Upon any liquidation of the Company, the Company’s lenders and holders of its debt securities would be entitled to distribution of the Company’s available assets before distributions to the holders of the Company’s common stock, and holders of preferred stock may be granted rights to similarly receive a distribution upon liquidation prior to distribution to holders of the Company’s common stock. The Company cannot predict the amount, timing or nature of any future debt financings or stock offerings, and the decision of whether to incur debt or issue securities will depend on market conditions and other factors beyond the Company’s control. Future offerings could dilute a shareholder’s interests in the Company or reduce the per-share value of the Company’s common stock.

The Company's articles of incorporation and bylaws, and certain provisions of Michigan law, contain provisions that could make a takeover effort more difficult.

The Michigan Business Corporation Act, and the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws, include provisions intended to protect shareholders and prohibit, discourage, or delay certain types of hostile takeover activities. In addition, federal law requires the Federal Reserve Board’s prior approval for acquisition of “control” of a bank holding company such as the Company, including acquisition of 10% or more of the Company’s outstanding securities by any person not defined as a company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). These provisions and requirements could discourage potential acquisition proposals, delay or prevent a change in control, diminish the opportunities for a shareholder to participate in tender offers, prevent transactions in which our shareholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares, or limit the ability for our shareholders to approve transactions that they may believe to be in their best interests.

An entity or group holding a certain percentage of the Company's outstanding securities could become subject to regulation as a "bank holding company" or may be required to obtain prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board.

Any bank holding company or foreign bank with a presence in the United States may be required to obtain approval of the Federal Reserve Board under the BHC Act to acquire or retain 5% or more of the Company’s outstanding securities. Further, if any entity (including a “group” comprised of individual persons) owns or controls the power to vote 25% or more of the Company’s outstanding securities, or 5% or more of the outstanding securities if the entity otherwise exercises a “controlling influence” over the Company, the entity may become subject to regulation as a “bank holding company” under the BHC Act. An entity that is subject to regulation as a bank holding company would be subject to regulatory and statutory obligations and restrictions, and could be required to divest all or a portion of the entity’s investment in the Company’s securities or in other investments that are not permitted for a bank holding company.