FRANKLIN FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP /PA/ (FRAF) Business

Item 1. Business

General

Franklin Financial Services Corporation (the “Corporation”) was organized as a Pennsylvania business corporation on June 1, 1983 and is a registered bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”). On January 16, 1984, pursuant to a plan of reorganization approved by the shareholders of Farmers and Merchants Trust Company of Chambersburg (“F&M Trust” or “the Bank”) and the appropriate regulatory agencies, the Corporation exchanged all of the shares of F&M Trust and issued its own shares of the Corporation to former F&M Trust shareholders on a one share – for - one share basis.

The Corporation’s common stock is listed under the symbol “FRAF” on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The Corporation’s internet address is www.franklinfin.com. Electronic copies of the Corporation’s 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K are available free of charge by visiting the “Investor Information” section of www.franklinfin.com. Electronic copies of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K are also available at this internet address. These reports are posted as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This reference to the Corporation’s internet address shall not, under any circumstances, be deemed to incorporate the information available at such internet address into this Form 10-K or other SEC filings. The information available at the Corporation’s internet address is not part of this Form 10-K or any other report filed by the Corporation with the SEC. The Corporation’s SEC filings can also be obtained on the SEC’s website on the internet at http://www.sec.gov.

The Corporation conducts substantially all of its business through its wholly owned direct banking subsidiary, F&M Trust. F&M Trust, established in 1906, is a full-service, Pennsylvania-chartered commercial bank and trust company, which is not a member of the Federal Reserve System. F&M Trust operates twenty-three community banking offices in Franklin, Cumberland, Dauphin, Fulton and Huntingdon Counties, Pennsylvania; and Washington County, Maryland. The Bank engages in general commercial and retail banking services normally associated with community banks and its deposits are insured (up to applicable legal limits) by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”). F&M Trust offers a wide variety of banking services to businesses, individuals, and governmental entities. These services include, but are not necessarily limited to, accepting and maintaining checking, savings, and time deposit accounts, making loans and providing safe deposit facilities. It also provides investment and trust services through its Wealth Management segment. Franklin Future Fund Inc., a direct subsidiary of the Corporation, is a non-bank investment company that makes venture capital investments, limited to 5% or less of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of any company, within the Corporation’s primary market area. Franklin Financial Properties Corp. is a “qualified real estate subsidiary,” a wholly owned subsidiary of F&M Trust and was established to hold real estate assets used by F&M Trust in its banking operations.

F&M Trust is not dependent upon a single customer or a few customers for a material part of its business. Thus, the loss of any customer or identifiable group of customers would not materially affect the business of the Corporation or the Bank in an adverse manner. Also, none of the Bank’s business is seasonal. The Bank’s lending activities consist primarily of commercial real estate, construction and land development, commercial and industrial loans, installment and revolving loans to consumers and residential mortgage loans. Secured and unsecured commercial and industrial loans, including accounts receivable and inventory financing, and commercial equipment financing, are made to small and medium-sized businesses, individuals, governmental entities, and non-profit organizations.

The Bank classifies loans in this report by the type of collateral, primarily residential or commercial real estate. Loans secured by residential real estate loans may be further broken down into consumer or commercial purposes. Consumer purpose residential real estate loans represent traditional residential mortgages and home equity products. Both of these products are underwritten in generally the same manner; however, home equity products may present greater risk since many of these loans are secured by a second lien position where the Bank may or may not hold the first lien position. Commercial purpose residential real estate loans represent loans made to businesses but are secured by residential real estate. These loans are underwritten as commercial loans and the repayment ability may be dependent on the business operation, despite the residential collateral. In addition to the real estate collateral, it is possible that personal guarantees or other business assets provide additional security. In certain situations, the Bank acquires properties through foreclosure on delinquent loans. The Bank initially records these properties at the estimated fair value less cost to sell with subsequent adjustments to fair value recorded as needed.

Commercial real estate loans are secured by properties such as hotels, office buildings, apartment buildings, retail sites, and farmland or agricultural related properties. These loans are highly dependent on the business operations for repayment. Compared to residential real estate, this collateral may be more difficult to sell in the event of a default.

Construction loans are made to finance the purchase of land and the construction of residential and commercial buildings and are secured by mortgages on real estate. These loans are primarily comprised of loans to consumers to build a home, and loans to contractors and developers to construct residential properties for resale or rental. Construction loans present various risks that include, but are not limited to: schedule delays, cost overruns, changes in economic conditions during the construction period, and the inability to sell or rent the property upon completion.

3

Table of Contents

Commercial loans are made to businesses and government municipalities of various sizes for a variety of purposes including operations, property, plant and equipment, and working capital. These loans are highly dependent on the business operations for repayment and are generally secured by business assets and personal guarantees. As such, this collateral may be more difficult to sell in the event of a delinquency. Commercial lending, including commercial real estate, is concentrated in the Bank’s primary market, but also includes purchased loan participations originated primarily in south-central Pennsylvania.

Consumer loans are comprised of unsecured personal lines of credit and installment loans. While some of these loans are secured, the collateral behind the loans is often comprised of assets that lose value quickly (e.g., automobiles) and if repossessed, may not fully satisfy the loan in the event of default. Repayment of these loans is highly dependent on the borrowers’ financial condition that can be affected by economic factors beyond their control and personal circumstances.

The Bank offers numerous deposit products including demand deposits (noninterest and interest-bearing accounts), savings, money management accounts, and time deposits (certificates of deposits/CDs) to retail, commercial, and municipal customers.

F&M Trust’s Wealth Management department offers all of the personal and corporate trust services normally associated with community bank trust departments including: estate planning and administration, corporate and personal trust fund management, pension, profit sharing and other employee benefit funds management, custodial services, and non-trust related investment services. F&M Trust, through licensed members of its Wealth Management department, sells mutual funds, annuities and selected insurance products.

Competition

The Corporation and its banking subsidiary operate in a highly competitive environment. The principal market of F&M Trust is south central Pennsylvania, primarily the counties of Franklin, Cumberland, Dauphin, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Washington County, MD. The competing banks in this market range from large regional banks to independent community banks. In addition, credit unions, mortgage banks, brokerage firms and other on-line competitors compete within the market.

The following table shows the Bank’s market share where it operates deposit taking banking offices as reported on the June 30, 2025 FDIC Summary of Deposits Report:

With increasing competition, many nonbanking institutions offer services similar to those offered by the Bank. Some competitors may have access to resources (e.g., financial and technological) greater than, and more quickly than, are available to the Bank, or that may be unavailable to the Bank, thereby creating a competitive disadvantage for the Bank in terms of product, service pricing and delivery. In addition, credit unions increasingly compete with banks for deposits and certain types of loans. The Bank utilizes various strategies including its long history of local customer service and convenience as part of a relationship management culture, a wide variety of products and services and, to a lesser extent, the pricing of loans and deposits, to compete. F&M Trust is the largest financial institution headquartered in Franklin County, PA and had total assets of approximately $2.2 billion on December 31, 2025.

Human Capital

Company Overview and Values. At F&M Trust, we recognize that our employees are fundamental to the realization of our vision and the execution of our ongoing strategy. We are committed to fostering and maintaining a strong, healthy organizational culture that aligns with our core values and empowers our employees to thrive. Our company values—integrity, excellence, accountability, teamwork, and concern for our customers and communities—guide every aspect of our operations. We believe that by upholding these principles, we not only strengthen our internal cohesion but also enhance our ability to serve our customers, support our communities, and deliver value to our shareholders. Through our unwavering commitment to our employees and our values, we are confident in our ability to sustain our independence as a community bank and continue delivering exceptional service and value to our customers, communities, and shareholders for years to come.

4

Table of Contents

Equal Employment Opportunity & Workplace Inclusion. At F&M Trust, we are deeply committed to fostering a workplace that upholds equal employment opportunity, promotes fairness, and cultivates an inclusive culture. Our success as an organization depends on the contributions of all employees, and we are dedicated to maintaining a work environment that is equitable, supportive, and welcoming to everyone. We uphold these principles in full compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.

Engagement. We are dedicated to fostering a positive and productive work environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and connected to our organization. Employee engagement, defined as the enthusiasm and commitment individuals have toward their work and the company, is a key priority for us. It reflects how willing employees are to go above and beyond, as well as their dedication to building a future with F&M Trust. A cornerstone of our engagement efforts is our annual employee engagement survey, conducted by an independent third party. In 2025, we achieved an outstanding 93% response rate, marking the eighth consecutive year of best-in-class participation. Our overall engagement score reached 85%, highlighting our employees’ strong connection to F&M Trust and our shared commitment to success.

Employee Training and Development. To empower our employees to unleash their full potential, we offer a comprehensive range of training and development programs, opportunities, and resources tailored to their needs. Identifying and nurturing the talents of our next generation of leaders is also a priority for us. We regularly conduct succession planning and talent reviews to identify and nurture top talent within the organization.

Wellness. The well-being of our employees is paramount to the success of our Bank, and we demonstrate our commitment to their holistic wellness through our comprehensive wellness program, which has been a cornerstone of our culture since 2001. Our wellness program boasts high levels of employee participation, with over 51% of our workforce completing health risk assessments and 71% completing biometric screenings in 2025.

Competitive Pay and Benefits. F&M Trust’s compensation program is designed to align the compensation of our employees with the Bank’s performance and to provide the proper incentives to attract, retain, and motivate employees to achieve the Bank’s strategic growth objectives. The Bank’s compensation philosophy is to provide pay opportunities at the median level of prevailing industry practices among community banking companies of similar asset size and market type.

Retention. Monitoring employee turnover rates is crucial for us. Retaining our talented and committed personnel is essential for our continued success. In 2025, our total voluntary turnover rate was 7.03%. Additionally, the long-term and short-term commitment metrics from our most recent employee engagement survey were measured higher than the financial services industry benchmarks, which underscores a strong sense of loyalty to the bank among our employees.

Community Involvement. The Bank’s commitment to community service reflects our core values. We aim to give back to the communities where we live and work and believe this commitment helps in our efforts to attract and retain employees. In 2025, F&M Trust donated over $785 thousand to 324 organizations in our communities and funded 341 scholarships for $318 thousand to kindergarten through 12th grade, Pre-kindergarten schools and organizations through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. In addition, employees of the Bank provided 2,474 volunteer hours to 105 different service organizations.

Supervision and Regulation

Various requirements and restrictions under the laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania affect the Corporation and its subsidiaries.

General

The Corporation is registered as a bank holding company and is subject to supervision and regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve) under the Bank Holding Act of 1956, as amended. The Corporation has also made an effective election to be treated as a "financial holding company." Financial holding companies are bank holding companies that meet certain minimum capital and other standards and are therefore entitled to engage in financially related activities on an expedited basis as further discussed below. Bank holding companies are required to file periodic reports with and are subject to examination by the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve has issued regulations under the Bank Holding Company Act that require a bank holding company to serve as a source of financial and managerial strength to its subsidiary banks. As a result, the Federal Reserve, pursuant to such regulations, may require the Corporation to stand ready to use its resources to provide adequate capital funds to its Bank subsidiary during periods of financial stress or adversity. In addition to the impact of regulation, commercial banks are affected significantly by the actions of the Federal Reserve Board as it attempts to control the money supply and credit availability in order to influence the economy.

The Bank Holding Company Act prohibits the Corporation from acquiring direct or indirect control of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of any class of voting stock, or substantially all of the assets of any bank, or from merging or consolidating with another bank holding company, without prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board. Additionally, the Bank Holding Company Act prohibits the Corporation from engaging in or from acquiring ownership or control of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of any

5

Table of Contents

class of voting stock of any company engaged in a non-banking business, unless such business is determined by the Federal Reserve to be so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident thereto. Federal law and Pennsylvania law also require persons or entities desiring to acquire certain levels of share ownership (generally, 10% or more, or 5% or more for another bank holding company) of the Corporation to first obtain prior approval from the Federal Reserve and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities.

As a Pennsylvania bank holding company for purposes of the Pennsylvania Banking Code, the Corporation is also subject to regulation and examination by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities.

The Bank is a state-chartered bank that is not a member of the Federal Reserve System, and its deposits are insured (up to applicable legal limits) by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Accordingly, the Bank's primary federal regulator is the FDIC, and the Bank is subject to extensive regulation and examination by the FDIC and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. The Bank is also subject to requirements and restrictions under federal and state law, including requirements to maintain reserves against deposits, restrictions on the types and amounts of loans that may be granted and the interest that may be charged thereon, and limitations on the types of investments that may be made and the types of services that may be offered. The Bank is subject to extensive regulation and reporting requirements in a variety of areas, including helping to prevent money laundering, to preserve financial privacy, and to properly report late payments, defaults, and denials of loan applications.

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

In 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) became law. Dodd-Frank is intended to affect a fundamental restructuring of federal banking regulation. Among other things, Dodd-Frank created a new Financial Stability Oversight Council to identify systemic risks in the financial system and gives federal regulators new authority to take control of and liquidate financial firms. Dodd-Frank additionally created a new independent federal regulator to administer federal consumer protection laws. Dodd-Frank has made a significant impact on our business operations as its provisions took effect. Among the provisions that have affected the Corporation are the following:

FDIC Insurance. The insurance limit was increased to $250,000 per depositor. In addition, the assessment base was changed from a deposit-based calculation to an asset-based calculation. Dodd-Frank also eliminated the federal statutory prohibition against the payment of interest on business checking accounts.

Compensation. At least once every three years, companies must conduct a non-binding shareholder vote (say-on-pay) to approve the compensation of the CEO and the company’s “named executive officers.” At least once every 6 years, shareholders must also vote on whether to hold the non-binding vote on executive compensation every 1, 2, or 3 years. Additionally, banking regulators have established guidance that prohibits incentive-based compensation arrangements that encourage inappropriate risks that could lead to material financial loss to the institution.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Dodd-Frank created an independent federal agency called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which is granted broad rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement powers under various federal consumer financial protection laws, including the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Act, the Consumer Financial Privacy provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and certain other statutes. The CFPB has examination and primary enforcement authority with respect to depository institutions with $10 billion or more in assets. Smaller institutions are subject to rules promulgated by the CFPB but continue to be examined and supervised by federal banking regulators for consumer compliance purposes. The CFPB has authority to prevent unfair, deceptive or abusive practices in connection with the offering of consumer financial products. Dodd-Frank authorizes the CFPB to establish certain minimum standards for the origination of residential mortgages including a determination of the borrower’s ability to repay. In addition, Dodd-Frank will allow borrowers to raise certain defenses to foreclosure if they receive any loan other than a “qualified mortgage” as defined by the CFPB. Dodd-Frank permits states to adopt consumer protection laws and standards that are more stringent than those adopted at the federal level and, in certain circumstances, permits state attorneys general to enforce compliance with both the state and federal laws and regulations.

The Dodd-Frank rules and regulations have and will continue to significantly change the current bank regulatory structure and affect the lending, deposit and operating activities of financial institutions, including the Corporation. It remains difficult to anticipate or predict the overall future and long-term financial impact the Dodd-Frank Act will have on the Corporation, our customers, our financial condition and results of operations. The Corporation continues to monitor and implement rules and regulations as they are adopted and modified, and to evaluate their application to our current and future operations.

Community Reinvestment Act

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) requires the Bank to help meet the credit needs of the entire community where the Bank operates, including low and moderate-income neighborhoods. The Bank's rating under the Community Reinvestment Act, assigned by the FDIC pursuant to an examination of the Bank, is important in determining whether the bank may receive approval for,

6

Table of Contents

or utilize certain streamlined procedures in applications to engage in new activities. The Bank’s present CRA rating is “satisfactory.” Various consumer laws and regulations also affect the operations of the Bank.

Capital Adequacy Guidelines

The Corporation, as a bank holding company, is required to comply with the capital adequacy standards established by the Federal Reserve Board. The Bank is required to comply with capital adequacy standards established by the FDIC. In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities also requires state-chartered banks to maintain minimum capital ratios, defined substantially the same as the federal regulations.

Capital adequacy for the Bank is currently defined by regulatory agencies through the use of several minimum required ratios. The capital ratios to be considered “well capitalized” are: (1) Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) of 6.5%, (2) Tier 1 Leverage of 5%, (3) Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital of 8%, and (4) Total Risk-Based Capital of 10%. In addition, a capital conservation buffer of 2.50% is applicable to all of the capital ratios except for the Tier 1 Leverage ratio. The capital conservation buffer is equal to the lowest value of the three applicable capital ratios less the regulatory minimum (“adequately capitalized”) for each respective capital measurement. The Bank’s capital conservation buffer at December 31, 2025 was 5.27%. Compliance with the capital conservation buffer is required in order to avoid limitations on certain capital distributions, especially dividends. As of December 31, 2025, the Bank was “well capitalized’ under the Basel III requirements. For additional information on the capital ratios, see the section titled Shareholders’ Equity and Table 13.

In 2019, the Community Bank Leverage Ratio (CBLR) was approved by federal banking agencies as an optional capital measure available to Qualifying Community Banking Organizations (QCBO). If a bank qualifies as a QCBO and maintains a CBLR of 9% or greater, the bank would be considered “well-capitalized” for regulatory capital purposes and exempt from complying with the risk-based capital rule described above. The CBLR rule took effect January 1, 2020 and banks could opt-in through an election in the first quarter 2020 regulatory filing. The Bank met the criteria of QCBO but did not opt-in to the CBLR.

Prompt Corrective Action Rules

The federal banking agencies have regulations defining the levels at which an insured institution would be considered "well capitalized," "adequately capitalized," "undercapitalized," "significantly undercapitalized" and "critically undercapitalized." The applicable federal bank regulator for a depository institution could, under certain circumstances, reclassify a "well-capitalized" institution as "adequately capitalized" or require an "adequately capitalized" or "undercapitalized" institution to comply with supervisory actions as if it were in the next lower category. Such a reclassification could be made if the regulatory agency determines that the institution is in an unsafe or unsound condition (which could include unsatisfactory examination ratings). At December 31, 2025, the Bank satisfied the criteria to be classified as "well capitalized" within the meaning of applicable regulations.

Regulatory Restrictions on Dividends

Dividend payments by the Bank to the Corporation are subject to the Pennsylvania Banking Code, the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, and the regulations of the FDIC. Under the Banking Code, no dividends may be paid except from "accumulated net earnings" (generally, retained earnings). The Federal Reserve and the FDIC have formal and informal policies which provide that insured banks and bank holding companies should generally pay dividends only out of current operating earnings, with some exceptions. The Prompt Corrective Action Rules and the Basel III rules, described above, may further limit the ability of banks to pay dividends or make capital distributions if regulatory capital requirements are not met. There are currently no restrictions on the payments of dividends by either the Bank or the Corporation.

Volker Rule

In December 2013, Federal banking regulators issued rules for complying with the Volker Rule provision of the Dodd-Frank Act. The Bank does not engage in, or expect to engage in, any transactions that are considered “covered activities” as defined by the Volker Rule. Therefore, the Bank does not have any compliance obligations under the Volker Rule.

Consumer Laws and Regulations

The CFPB was created under the Dodd-Frank Act to centralize responsibility for consumer financial protection with broad rulemaking, supervision, and enforcement authority for a wide range of consumer protection laws that would apply to all banks and thrifts, including the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Act, the Consumer Financial Privacy provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and certain other statues. Violations of consumer protection laws may result in litigation and liability from consumers and regulators. It is likely that future CFPB rulemaking action will affect the Bank. Banks with total assets less than $10 billion are not subject to examination by the CFPB. However, the CFPB can require any bank to submit reports it deems necessary to fulfill its mission and it can request to be part of any bank examination.

7

Table of Contents

Ability to Repay / Qualified Mortgages

In July 2013, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau adopted the final rules that implement the Ability to Repay (ATR) / Qualified Mortgages (QM) provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Regulators believe that the ATR/QM rules will prevent many of the loose underwriting practices that contributed to the mortgage crisis in 2008. The ATR/QM rule applies to almost all closed-end consumer credit transactions secured by a dwelling. The ATR rule provides eight specific factors that must be considered during the underwriting process. QMs generally have three types of requirements: restrictions on loan features, points and fees, and underwriting criteria. A QM is presumed to comply with the ATR requirements. The ATR/QM rule was effective January 10, 2014.

Commercial Real Estate Guidance

In December 2015, the federal banking agencies released a “Statement on Prudent Risk Management for Commercial Real Estate Lending” (the “CRE Statement”). The agencies stated that financial institutions should review their policies and practices related to CRE lending and should maintain risk management practices and capital levels commensurate with the level and nature of their CRE concentration risk, including maintaining underwriting discipline and exercising prudent risk management practices that identify, measure, monitor and manage the risks arising from their CRE lending activity. Financial institutions were directed to review the interagency guidance on “Concentrations in Commercial Real Estate Lending, Sound Risk Management Practices” issued in 2006 providing that a financial institution is potentially exposed to significant CRE concentration risk, and should employ enhanced risk management practices where (1) total non-owner occupied CRE loans, as defined by regulatory guidance, represent 300% or more of total capital, and (2) the outstanding balance of the CRE loan portfolio has increased by 50% or more during the prior 36 months. The agencies state in the CRE Statement that they will focus on those financial institutions that have recently experienced, or whose lending strategy plans for, substantial growth in CRE lending activity, or that operate in markets or loan segments with increasing growth or risk fundamentals. As of December 31, 2025, the Bank’s non-owner occupied CRE loans were 350% of total regulatory capital compared to 343% on December 31, 2024.

Pennsylvania Regulation and Supervision

In December 2012, the “Banking Law Modernization Package” became effective. The law permits banks to disclose formal enforcement actions initiated by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, clarifies that the Department has examination and enforcement authority over subsidiaries as well as affiliates of regulated banks, and bolsters the Department’s enforcement authority over its regulated institutions by clarifying its ability to remove directors, officers and employees from institutions for violations of laws or orders or for any unsafe or unsound practice or breach of fiduciary duty. The Department also may assess civil money penalties of up to $25,000 per violation.

FDIC Insurance

The Bank is a member of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF), which is administered by the FDIC. The FDIC insures deposit accounts at the Bank, generally up to a maximum of $250,000 for each separately insured depositor. The FDIC charges a premium to depository institutions for deposit insurance. This rate is based on the risk category of the institution and the total premium is based on average total assets less average tangible equity. As of December 31, 2025, the Bank was considered well capitalized and its assessment rate was approximately 9.2 basis points of the assessment base.

Insurance of deposits may be terminated by the FDIC upon a finding that an institution has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC. We do not currently know of any practice, condition or violation that might lead to termination of our deposit insurance.

New Legislation

Congress is often considering new financial industry legislation, and the federal banking agencies routinely propose new regulations. The Corporation cannot predict how any new legislation, or new rules adopted by the federal banking agencies, may affect its business in the future.

Selected Statistical Information

Certain statistical information is included in this report as part of Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.