NASDAQ: WSBK
Winchester Bancorp, Inc./MD/CIK 0002047235 · SIC 6036 · Savings Institutions (Not Federal)
Winchester Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”, "we", "our", "us") is a Maryland corporation that was incorporated in December 2024 to become the registered bank holding company of Winchester Savings Bank (the “Bank”) as part of the mutual holding company reorganization of the Bank, which was completed on… About this business →
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Latest financial statements
From 10-K filed Sep 16, 2026 (period ending Jun 30, 2026). As printed on the EDGAR/iXBRL face — not generated by the model.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except share data)
| Description | Year ended June 30, 2026 | Year ended June 30, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Interest and dividend income: | ||
| Interest and fees on loans | 43,783 | 37,528 |
| Interest and dividends on securities | 4,678 | 3,128 |
| Interest on federal funds sold and other interest-bearing deposits | 1,919 | 2,057 |
| Total interest and dividend income | 50,380 | 42,713 |
| Interest expense: | ||
| Interest on deposits | 19,764 | 19,115 |
| Interest on Federal Home Loan Bank advances | 5,623 | 6,076 |
| Total interest expense | 25,387 | 25,191 |
| Net interest income | 24,993 | 17,522 |
| Provision for credit losses | 789 | 2,066 |
| Net interest income, after provision for credit losses | 24,204 | 15,456 |
| Non-interest income: | ||
| Customer service fees | 773 | 728 |
| Income on bank owned life insurance | 472 | 466 |
| Loss on available for sale securities, net | (317) | — |
| Gain (loss) on marketable equity securities, net | — | 374 |
| Gain on sale of loans | 8 | — |
| Miscellaneous | 332 | 224 |
| Total non-interest income | 1,268 | 1,792 |
| Non-interest expense: | ||
| Salaries and employee benefits | 11,748 | 9,688 |
| Occupancy and equipment, net | 1,819 | 1,579 |
| Data processing | 1,749 | 1,368 |
| Deposit insurance | 715 | 848 |
| Marketing and advertising | 734 | 462 |
| Net periodic pension and post retirement benefit, less service costs | (697) | (73) |
| Other general and administrative | 3,684 | 4,906 |
| Total non-interest expense | 19,752 | 18,778 |
| Income (loss) before income taxes | 5,720 | (1,530) |
| Provision (benefit) for income taxes | 1,299 | (656) |
| Net income (loss) | 4,421 | (874) |
| Share Data: | ||
| Average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted | 8,971,061 | 8,961,476 |
| Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share | 0.49 | (0.10) |
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands, except share data)
| Description | June 30, 2026 | June 30, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Assets | ||
| Cash and due from banks | 1,283 | 7,513 |
| Interest-bearing deposits | 58,764 | 47,731 |
| Total cash and cash equivalents | 60,047 | 55,244 |
| Securities available for sale, at fair value (amortized cost of $69,620 and $48,473) | 68,776 | 47,299 |
| Securities held to maturity, at amortized cost | 56,228 | 57,211 |
| Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost | 6,791 | 6,278 |
| Loans, net of allowance for credit losses of $4,783 at June 30, 2026 and $4,151 at June 30, 2025 | 870,773 | 751,220 |
| Bank owned life insurance | 11,397 | 10,925 |
| Premises and equipment, net | 5,590 | 6,418 |
| Accrued interest receivable | 4,034 | 3,327 |
| Net deferred tax asset | 1,092 | 1,212 |
| Other assets | 11,208 | 10,244 |
| Total assets | 1,095,936 | 949,378 |
| Liabilities and stockholders' equity | ||
| Non-interest-bearing deposits | 63,168 | 55,696 |
| Interest-bearing deposits | 746,068 | 623,486 |
| Federal Home Loan Bank advances | 158,158 | 147,000 |
| Mortgagors’ escrow accounts | 1,809 | 1,756 |
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 6,220 | 6,088 |
| Total liabilities | 975,423 | 834,026 |
| Commitments and contingencies | ||
| Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, none outstanding | — | — |
| Common stock, $.01 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized, 9,295,376 issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2025 | 93 | 93 |
| Additional paid-in capital | 39,586 | 39,571 |
| Unearned compensation (ESOP) | (3,151) | (3,346) |
| Retained earnings | 85,141 | 80,720 |
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (1,156) | (1,686) |
| Total stockholders' equity | 120,513 | 115,352 |
| Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | 1,095,936 | 949,378 |
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
| Description | Year ended June 30, 2026 | Year ended June 30, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash flows from operating activities: | ||
| Net income (loss) | 4,421 | (874) |
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: | ||
| Provision for credit losses | 789 | 2,066 |
| Net amortization of premiums and discounts on securities | 30 | 360 |
| Depreciation and amortization | 970 | 847 |
| Increase in cash surrender value of bank owned life insurance | (472) | (466) |
| Amortization (accretion) of net deferred loan origination costs/fees | 156 | (86) |
| Losses on sale of securities available for sale, net | 317 | — |
| Gain on marketable equity securities, net | — | (374) |
| Contribution of stock to charitable foundation | — | 1,859 |
| Deferred tax provision (benefit) | (64) | (1,242) |
| Net change in: | ||
| Accrued interest receivable | (707) | (162) |
| Other assets | (960) | 1,543 |
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 917 | (1,006) |
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 5,397 | 2,465 |
| Cash flows from investing activities: | ||
| Activity in securities available for sale: | ||
| Maturities, calls and prepayments | 17,452 | 15,575 |
| Sales | 7,195 | 2,486 |
| Purchases | (46,076) | (30,969) |
| Activity in securities held to maturity: | ||
| Maturities, calls and prepayments | 11,023 | 13,368 |
| Purchases | (10,145) | (15,139) |
| Purchase of Federal Home Loan Bank stock | (513) | (515) |
| Loan originations, net of principal payments | (120,653) | (71,250) |
| Purchase of premises and equipment, net | (142) | (284) |
| Net cash used by investing activities | (141,859) | (86,728) |
| Cash flows from financing activities: | ||
| Net increase in deposits | 130,054 | 43,789 |
| Net change in short-term Federal Home Loan Bank advances | (7,000) | 13,531 |
| Proceeds from long-term Federal Home Loan Bank advances | 45,000 | 17,000 |
| Repayment of long-term Federal Home Loan Bank advances | (26,842) | (13,000) |
| Net proceeds from stock offering and issuance of common shares | — | 37,805 |
| Purchase of common shares by the ESOP | — | (3,346) |
| Contribution of cash to the MHC | — | (500) |
| Net increase in mortgagors’ escrow accounts | 53 | 114 |
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 141,265 | 95,393 |
| Net change in cash and cash equivalents | 4,803 | 11,130 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year | 55,244 | 44,114 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of year | 60,047 | 55,244 |
| Supplemental cash flow information: | ||
| Interest paid on deposits | 19,829 | 19,136 |
| Interest paid on Federal Home Loan Bank advances | 5,738 | 6,445 |
| Income taxes paid, net of (refunds) | 1,366 | (439) |
Amounts as printed on the EDGAR/iXBRL face — (In thousands, except share data); (In thousands). Labels, columns, and figures are the filing face, not a GAAP stencil. Interactive statements & notes on EDGAR ↗
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About Winchester Bancorp, Inc./MD/
Source: Item 1 (Business) from the 10-K filed September 16, 2026. Description as filed by the company with the SEC.
Item 1. Business.
Winchester Bancorp, Inc.
Winchester Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”, "we", "our", "us") is a Maryland corporation that was incorporated in December 2024 to become the registered bank holding company of Winchester Savings Bank (the “Bank”) as part of the mutual holding company reorganization of the Bank, which was completed on April 30, 2025.
1
In connection with the reorganization, the Company sold 3,997,012 shares of common stock at $10.00 per share for gross proceeds of $39,970,000, and also issued 5,112,457 shares of common stock to Winchester Bancorp, MHC, and 185,907 shares of common stock to the Winchester Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, Inc.
At June 30, 2026, we had total assets of $1.1 billion, total deposits of $809.2 million and total stockholders' equity of $120.5 million. We had net income of $4.4 million and net loss of $874,000, for the years ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively.
The Company's corporate office is located at 661 Main Street, Winchester, Massachusetts 01890, and our telephone number is (781) 729-2130.
The Company's filings with the SEC, including copies of annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to these filings, if any, are available, free of charge, as soon as practicable after they are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, www.winchestersavings.com and on the SEC website, www.sec.gov. Information on these websites is not and should not be considered a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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Winchester Savings Bank
General
The Bank is a Massachusetts-chartered savings bank headquartered in Winchester, Massachusetts. The Bank was originally chartered in 1871, and operates from its main office and four full-service branch offices in eastern Massachusetts, located in Arlington, Danvers and Woburn.
The Bank's business consists primarily of taking deposits from the general public and investing those deposits, together with funds generated from operations, in one- to four-family residential real estate loans, multi-family residential real estate loans, construction loans, commercial real estate loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, commercial business loans and consumer loans, as well as in investment securities.
Market Area
The Bank operates from its main office in Winchester, Massachusetts and four full-service branch offices in eastern Massachusetts, located in Arlington, Danvers and Woburn. Its main office and three of its branch offices are located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, while one of its branch offices is located in Essex County, Massachusetts. Middlesex and Essex Counties are suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts.
We consider Middlesex County and, to a lesser extent, Essex County, as our primary market area for gathering deposits. We consider Middlesex County as well as the surrounding counties located in Massachusetts as our primary market area for lending.
The Boston metropolitan area benefits from a highly diversified economic base, including the presence of numerous institutions of higher learning, medical care and research centers and the corporate headquarters of several significant multinational corporations. Eastern Massachusetts also has many technology companies employing personnel with specialized skills. These factors affect the demand for residential homes, multifamily apartments, office buildings, shopping centers, industrial warehouses and other commercial properties.
Competition
We face significant competition within our market both in making loans and attracting deposits. Our market area has a high concentration of financial institutions, including large money center and regional banks, community banks and credit unions. Some of our competitors offer products and services that we currently do not offer, such as automated wire transfers. Our competition for loans and deposits comes principally from commercial banks, savings institutions, mortgage banking firms, consumer finance companies and credit unions. We face additional competition for deposits from short-term money market funds, brokerage firms, mutual funds and insurance companies. Our ability to compete in our primary market area does not depend on any existing customer relationships.
2
Lending Activities
Our loan portfolio consists primarily of one- to four-family residential real estate loans, multi-family real estate loans, commercial real estate loans and construction loans. To a lesser extent, we originate home equity loans and lines of credit, commercial business loans and consumer loans.
Loan Portfolio Composition. The following table sets forth the composition of our loan portfolio by type of loan at the dates indicated. We had no loans held for sale at any of the dates indicated.
At June 30,
At June 30,
2026
2025
Amount
Percent
Amount
Percent
(Dollars in thousands)
Mortgage loans:
Residential real estate
$
405,326
46.5
%
$
357,748
47.4
%
Commercial real estate
106,553
12.2
102,270
13.6
Multi-family real estate
212,617
24.3
166,691
22.1
Construction
116,360
13.3
95,941
12.7
Home equity loans and lines of credit
28,954
3.3
26,786
3.6
Commercial
3,866
0.4
4,335
0.6
Consumer and other
166
0.1
339
0.0
Total gross loans
873,842
100.0
%
754,110
100.0
%
Net deferred loan origination costs
1,714
1,261
Allowance for credit losses
(4,783
)
(4,151
)
Loans, net
$
870,773
$
751,220
Contractual Maturities. The following tables set forth the contractual maturities of our total loan portfolio at June 30, 2026. Demand loans, loans having no stated repayment schedule or maturity, and overdraft loans are reported as being due in one year or less. The tables present contractual maturities and do not reflect repricing or the effect of prepayments. Actual maturities may differ.
Residential
Real Estate
Commercial
Real Estate
Multi-Family
Real Estate
Construction
Home Equity
Loans and Lines
of Credit
Commercial
Consumer
Total
(In thousands)
Amounts due in:
One year or less
$
893
$
7,113
$
24,030
$
66,105
$
14
$
100
$
12
$
98,267
After one through
five years
6,214
29,979
13,837
50,255
166
538
49
101,038
After five through
15 years
42,487
8,490
1,217
—
10,843
2,086
—
65,123
More than 15
years
355,732
60,971
173,533
—
17,931
1,142
105
609,414
Total
$
405,326
$
106,553
$
212,617
$
116,360
$
28,954
$
3,866
$
166
$
873,842
3
The following table sets forth our fixed and adjustable-rate loans at June 30, 2026 that are contractually due after June 30, 2027.
Due After June 30, 2027
Fixed
Adjustable
Total
(In thousands)
Mortgage loans:
Residential real estate
$
229,935
$
174,498
$
404,433
Commercial real estate
14,115
85,325
99,440
Multi-family real estate
3,687
184,900
188,587
Construction
22,405
27,850
50,255
Home equity loans and lines of credit
1,169
27,771
28,940
Commercial
2,624
1,142
3,766
Consumer
70
84
154
Total loans
$
274,005
$
501,570
$
775,575
One- to Four-Family Residential Real Estate Lending. Our historical primary lending activity has been the origination of one- to four-family, owner-occupied, first mortgage loans, virtually all of which are secured by properties located in our market area. At June 30, 2026, one- to four-family residential real estate loans totaled $405.3 million, or 46.5% of our total loan portfolio. The average principal loan balance of our one- to four-family residential real estate loans was $482,000 at June 30, 2026. At that date, 81.9% of our one- to four-family residential real estate loans were owner-occupied, while 18.1% were rental properties.
We currently offer one- to four-family residential real estate loans with terms of up to 30 years. We retain the significant majority of the one- to four-family residential real estate loans that we originate. We originate fixed-rate and adjustable-rate one- to four-family residential real estate loans. One- to four-family residential real estate loans often remain outstanding for shorter periods than their contractual terms because borrowers refinance or prepay their loans. We generally limit the loan-to-value ratios of our mortgage loans without private mortgage insurance to 80% of market value. Loans where the borrower obtains private mortgage insurance may be made with loan-to-value ratios of up to 95%, while loans for affordable and first-time homebuyer programs may be made with loan-to-value ratios of up to 97%.
Our adjustable-rate one- to four-family residential real estate loans carry terms to maturity ranging from five to 30 years and generally have fixed rates for initial terms of three, five, or seven years, and adjust thereafter for periods of between one and five years, plus a margin, which in recent years has been tied to the one-year U.S. Treasury rate. The maximum amount by which the interest rate may be increased or decreased is generally 2.75% for the first adjustment period and 2% per adjustment period thereafter, with a lifetime interest rate cap of generally 6% over the initial interest rate of the loan and a floor of 2.75%.
We generally require title insurance on all of our one- to four-family residential real estate mortgage loans, and we also require that borrowers maintain fire and extended coverage casualty insurance (and, if appropriate, flood insurance) in an amount at least equal to the lesser of the loan balance or the replacement cost of the improvements. We do not conduct environmental testing on residential real estate mortgage loans unless specific concerns for hazards are identified by the appraiser used in connection with the origination of the loan. If we identify an environmental problem on land that will secure a loan, the environmental hazard must be remediated before the closing of the loan.
When underwriting residential real estate loans, we review and verify each loan applicant’s employment, income and credit history and, if applicable, our experience with the borrower. Our policy is to obtain credit reports and financial statements on all borrowers and guarantors. We require independent appraisals for all one- to four-family residential real estate loans in amounts of $400,000 or greater, as well as for all such loans originated for sale on the secondary market in amounts between $25,000 and $400,000. We use a third party for appraisal review. All appraisals, whether for loans sold on the secondary market or retained, are input into Fannie Mae’s Desktop Underwriter for reasonableness prior to origination. In addition, subsequent to loan origination, our loan quality control process may utilize an independent third party to conduct appraisal reviews.
Commercial Real Estate Lending. At June 30, 2026, we had $106.6 million in commercial real estate loans, representing 12.2% of our total loan portfolio.
4
We originate commercial real estate loans with rates that adjust after an initial fixed-rate period of generally one to five years. We currently originate these loans with the rate tied to Federal Home Loan Bank five-year classic advance rate plus a margin. We also originate commercial real estate loans with fixed rates with terms of three or five years and a balloon payment due at the end of the term. Our commercial real estate loans generally have amortization terms of 30 years. The maximum loan-to-value ratio of our commercial real estate loans is generally 75%. Our commercial real estate loans are typically secured by offices and warehouses, or other commercial properties. Our commercial real estate loans also include loans that were originated as construction loans and have since converted to permanent financing. The majority of our commercial real estate loans are non-owner-occupied. At June 30, 2026, the average principal loan balance of our outstanding commercial real estate loans was $1.3 million, and the largest of such loans was a $8.9 million loan secured by an industrial building. This loan was performing in accordance with its terms at June 30, 2026.
Set forth below is information regarding our commercial real estate loans at June 30, 2026.
Number of Loans
Balance
Type of Loan
($ in thousands)
Office
28
$
30,687
Retail
18
16,862
Industrial
12
26,191
Other commercial real estate
22
32,813
Total
80
$
106,553
We consider a number of factors in originating commercial real estate loans. We evaluate the qualifications and financial condition of the borrower, including project-level and global cash flows, credit history, and management expertise, as well as the value and condition of the property securing the loan. When evaluating the qualifications of the borrower, we consider the financial resources of the borrower, the borrower’s experience in owning or managing a similar property and the borrower’s payment history with us and other financial institutions. In evaluating the property securing the loan, the factors we consider include the net operating income of the mortgaged property before debt service and depreciation, the ratio of the loan amount to the appraised value of the mortgaged property and the debt service coverage ratio (the ratio of net operating income to debt service). We generally seek a debt service ratio of at least 1.20x. Generally, commercial real estate loans are appraised by outside independent appraisers; however, if the principal balance of the loan is less than $500,000, we may utilize third-party evaluations in lieu of formal appraisals, which are subsequently reviewed by our credit department.
Personal guarantees are generally obtained from the principals of commercial real estate loan borrowers, although this requirement may be waived in limited circumstances depending upon the loan-to-value ratio and the debt service ratio associated with the loan. We require property, casualty and title insurance and flood insurance if the property is in a flood zone area.
Multi-family Residential Real Estate Lending. At June 30, 2026, we had $212.6 million in multi-family residential real estate loans, representing 24.3% of our total loan portfolio. Our multi-family loans are secured primarily by five-or-more unit residential buildings. The terms of and underwriting guidelines for our multi-family residential real estate loans are generally the same as for our commercial real estate loans, described above, including the use of personal guarantees. An immaterial amount of our multi-family residential real estate loans are secured by properties subject to rent control, and, in the future, we do not anticipate originating material amounts of loans secured by properties subject to rent control. At June 30, 2026, the average principal loan balance of our outstanding multi-family residential real estate loans was $2.3 million, and the largest of such loans was a $16.0 million loan secured by a 53-unit property and $16.8 million in cash held in a restricted account. This loan was performing in accordance with its terms at June 30, 2026.
Construction Lending. At June 30, 2026, we had $116.4 million in construction and land loans, representing 13.3% of our total loan portfolio, nearly all of which consisted of commercial construction loans. Our construction loans are structured as straight construction or construction/permanent loans where after the initial construction period the loan converts to a permanent commercial mortgage loan. Our commercial construction loans are underwritten to the same guidelines for commercial mortgage loans, including the use of personal guarantees as well as corporate guarantees.
Commercial construction loans generally can be made with a maximum loan-to-value ratio of 75% of the estimated appraised market value upon completion of the project. Before making a commitment to fund a construction loan, we require an appraisal of the property by an independent licensed appraiser. We also generally require inspections of the property before disbursements of funds during the term of the construction loan.
5
Our construction loans are based upon estimates of costs and values associated with the completed project. Underwriting is focused on the borrowers’ financial strength, credit history and demonstrated ability to produce a quality product and effectively market and manage their operations.
Home equity loans and lines of credit Lending. In addition to one- to four-family residential real estate loans, we offer home equity loans and lines of credit that are secured by the borrower’s primary or secondary residence. At June 30, 2026, we had $29.0 million, or 3.3%, of our total loan portfolio in home equity loans and lines of credit.
Commercial Lending. We make commercial loans and lines of credit primarily to small businesses in our market area. These loans and lines of credit are generally secured by business assets, such as equipment and accounts receivable. Commercial loans and lines of credit are made with both adjustable and fixed-interest rates and for terms generally up to 60 months or on demand. At June 30, 2026, commercial loans were $3.9 million, or 0.4% of total loans.
Consumer Lending. To a much lesser extent, we offer a variety of consumer loans to individuals who reside or work in our market area, including new and used automobile loans, unsecured overdraft lines of credit and loans secured by savings accounts. At June 30, 2026, our consumer loan portfolio totaled $166,000, or less than 0.1%, of our total loan portfolio.
Loan Underwriting Risks
Commercial Real Estate Loans and Multi-Family Real Estate Loans. Loans secured by commercial real estate and multi-family real estate generally have larger balances and involve a greater degree of risk than one- to four-family residential real estate loans. The primary concern with these types of lending is the borrower’s creditworthiness and the feasibility and cash flow potential of the underlying business. Payments on loans secured by income producing properties often depend on the successful operation and management of the properties. As a result, repayment of such loans may be subject, to a greater extent than residential real estate loans, to adverse conditions in the real estate market or the economy. To monitor cash flows on income properties, we require borrowers and loan guarantors to provide quarterly, semi-annual or annual financial statements, depending on the size of the loan. In reaching a decision on whether to make a commercial real estate loan or a multi-family real estate loan, we consider and review a global cash flow analysis of the borrower and consider the net operating income of the property, the borrower’s expertise, credit history and profitability and the value of the underlying property. An environmental phase one report is obtained when the possibility exists that hazardous materials may have existed on the site, or the site may have been impacted by adjoining properties that handled hazardous materials.
If we foreclose on a commercial real estate loan or a multi-family real estate loan, the marketing and liquidation period to convert the real estate asset to cash can be lengthy with substantial holding costs. In addition, vacancies, deferred maintenance, repairs and market stigma can result in prospective buyers expecting sale price concessions to offset their real or perceived economic losses for the time it takes them to return the property to profitability. Changes in economic conditions that are not in the control of the borrower or lender could also affect the value of the collateral for the loan or the future cash flow of the property. Additionally, any decline in real estate values may be more pronounced for commercial or multi-family real estate than single-family residential properties, and we may require additional paydowns or collateral to enhance the loan-to-value position. Depending on the individual circumstances, initial charge-offs and subsequent losses on these types of loans can be unpredictable and substantial.
Construction Loans. Construction lending involves additional risks when compared with permanent lending because funds are advanced upon the security of the project, which is of uncertain value before its completion. Because of the uncertainties in estimating construction costs, as well as the market value of the completed project and the effects of governmental regulation of real property, it is relatively difficult to evaluate accurately the total funds required to complete a project and the related loan-to-value ratio. In addition, generally during the term of a construction loan, interest may be funded by the borrower or disbursed from an interest reserve set aside from the construction loan budget. These loans often involve the disbursement of substantial funds with repayment substantially dependent on the success of the ultimate project and the ability of the borrower to sell or lease the property or obtain permanent take-out financing, rather than the ability of the borrower or guarantor to repay principal and interest. If the appraised value of a completed project proves to be overstated, we may have inadequate security for the repayment of the loan upon completion of construction of the project and may incur a loss. Land loans have substantially similar risks.
6
Adjustable-Rate One- to Four-Family Residential Real Estate Loans. Although adjustable-rate mortgage loans may reduce, to an extent, our vulnerability to changes in market interest rates because they periodically re-price, as interest rates increase the required payments due from the borrower also increase (subject to rate caps), increasing the potential for default by the borrower. At the same time, the ability of the borrower to repay the loan and the marketability of the underlying collateral may be adversely affected by higher interest rates. Upward adjustments of the contractual interest rate are also limited by our maximum periodic and lifetime rate adjustments. Moreover, the interest rates on most of our adjustable-rate loans do not adjust for up to five years after origination. As a result, the effectiveness of adjustable-rate mortgage loans in compensating for changes in market interest rates may be limited.
Originations, Sales, Participations and Purchases of Loans
Most of our loan originations are generated by our loan personnel and from referrals from existing customers, real estate brokers, accountants and other professionals. All loans we originate are underwritten pursuant to our policies and procedures. While we originate both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate loans, our ability to generate each type of loan depends upon relative borrower demand, market interest rates and pricing levels established by competing banks, thrifts, credit unions, and mortgage banking companies. Our volume of loan originations is influenced significantly by market interest rates, and, accordingly, the volume of our loan originations can vary from period to period. Historically, we have sold limited amounts of the loans we originate.
From time to time, we purchase loan participations where we are not the lead lender. In this situation, we follow our customary loan underwriting and approval policies. At June 30, 2026, the outstanding balances of our loan participations where we are not the lead lender totaled $59.5 million, or 6.8% of our loan portfolio, and consisted of eight borrower relationships secured by commercial real estate. We purchased one loan during the year ended June 30, 2026 and we did not purchase any loans during the year ended June 30, 2025. At June 30, 2026, all such loans were performing in accordance with their original terms. We occasionally sell participations to remain within our loans-to-one-borrower limits. For the year ended June 30, 2026, we did not participate out any loans. We participated out $2.0 million in loans during the year ended June 30, 2025. We did not purchase any whole loans during these periods.
Loan Approval Procedures and Authority
The maximum amount that the Bank may lend to one borrower and the borrower’s related entities is generally limited, by statute, to 20% of capital, which is defined under Massachusetts law as the sum of capital stock, retained earnings account and undivided profits. At June 30, 2026, this regulatory limit on loans-to-one borrower was $20.5 million for the Bank. We generally establish our internal loans-to-one borrower limits as $2.5 million for residential first mortgage loans, $1.0 million for residential second mortgage loans, and $10.0 million for other extensions of credit. At June 30, 2026, we had two loans outstanding with a principal balance of $10.0 million or above. At June 30, 2026, the Bank's largest loan relationship with one borrower was for $16.0 million and was collateralized by a 53-unit multi-family real estate loan and $16.8 million in cash held in a restricted account. This amount represents our 38.8% participation interest in the entire loan. The second largest loan was for $15.8 million and was collateralized by a 33-unit multi-family real estate loan. These two loans were performing in accordance with their original terms on that date.
The Bank's lending is subject to uniform written underwriting standards and origination procedures. Decisions on loan applications are made on the basis of detailed information submitted by the prospective borrower, credit histories that we obtain, and property valuations (consistent with our appraisal policy) prepared by outside independent licensed appraisers approved by our board of directors or internal evaluations, where permitted by regulations.
Certain of our executive officers can approve unsecured commercial loans up to $200,000, and secured commercial loans up to $2.0 million, while our management loan review committee, consisting of designated executive officers, can approve unsecured commercial loans up to $250,000, and secured commercial loans up to $5.0 million. With respect to residential mortgage loan authority, certain of our executive officers can approve loans in amounts up to $1.3 million, while our management loan review committee can approve such loans up to $1.4 million. Loans in excess of these amounts require approval of a board-level committee that serves as a credit committee.
7
Delinquencies and Non-Performing Assets
Delinquency Procedures. A late notice is sent to a borrower between the 16th and 18th day after a loan is past due. When the loan is 30 days past due, we mail the borrower a letter reminding the borrower of the delinquency, and attempt to contact the borrower to determine the reason for the delinquency. If necessary, at 45 days past due, additional contact will be made with the borrower, which usually includes an in-person meeting and the account will be monitored on a regular basis thereafter. When the loan reaches the 60th day of delinquency, we will send the borrower a letter informing the borrower of their rights and our intent to proceed with further collection efforts, including foreclosure, if the loan default is not cured within 90 days. A property will be inspected between the 30th and 90th day of delinquency. At the end of the 90-day cure period, a decision will be made whether to begin foreclosure proceedings. Loans are charged off when we believe that the recovery of principal is improbable. A summary report of all delinquency ratios and all non-accrual loans is provided to the board of directors each quarter.
Loans Past Due and Nonperforming Assets. Loans are reviewed on a regular basis. Management determines that a loan is non-performing when it is probable at least a portion of the loan will not be collected in accordance with the original terms due to a deterioration in the financial condition of the borrower or the value of the underlying collateral if the loan is collateral dependent. Non-accrual loans are loans for which collectability is questionable and, therefore, interest on such loans will no longer be recognized on an accrual basis. All loans that become 90 days or more delinquent are placed on non-accrual status unless the loan is well secured and is in the process of collection. When loans are placed on non-accrual status, unpaid accrued interest is fully reversed, and further income is recognized only to the extent received on a cash basis or cost recovery method. Generally, loans are restored to accrual status when the obligation is brought current, has performed in accordance with the contractual terms for a reasonable period of time (at least six consecutive months) and the ultimate collectability of the total contractual principal and interest is no longer in doubt.
When we acquire real estate as a result of foreclosure, the real estate is classified as real estate owned. The real estate owned is recorded at fair value, less estimated costs to sell. Soon after acquisition, we order a new appraisal, or evaluation when acceptable, to determine the current market value of the property. Any excess of the recorded value of the loan satisfied over the market value of the property is charged against the allowance for credit losses, or, if the existing allowance is inadequate, charged to expense, in either case during the applicable period of such determination. After acquisition, all costs incurred in maintaining the property are expensed. Costs relating to the development and improvement of the property, however, are capitalized to the extent of estimated fair value less estimated costs to sell.
Delinquent Loans. The following table sets forth our loan delinquencies by type and amount at the dates indicated.
At June 30,
At June 30,
2026
2025
30-59 Days
Past Due
60-89 Days
Past Due
Greater than
90 Days
Past Due
30-59 Days
Past Due
60-89 Days
Past Due
Greater than
90 Days
Past Due
(In thousands)
Mortgage loans:
Residential real estate
$
—
$
313
$
—
$
—
$
—
$
340
Commercial real estate
—
—
1,166
—
—
1,166
Multi-family real estate
—
—
—
—
—
—
Construction
—
—
—
—
—
—
Home equity loans and lines of credit
—
—
—
—
—
—
Commercial
—
—
—
—
—
270
Consumer
—
—
—
—
—
—
Total
$
—
$
313
$
1,166
$
—
$
—
$
1,776
8
Non-Performing Assets. The following table sets forth information regarding our non-performing assets at the dates indicated.
At June 30,
2026
2025
(Dollars in thousands)
Non-accrual loans:
Mortgage loans:
Residential real estate
$
424
$
777
Commercial real estate
1,166
1,166
Multi-family real estate
—
—
Construction
—
—
Home equity loans and lines of credit
—
—
Commercial
—
270
Consumer
—
—
Total non-accrual loans
1,590
2,213
Accruing loans past due 90 days or more
—
—
Total non-performing loans
$
1,590
$
2,213
Foreclosed assets
—
—
Total non-performing assets
$
1,590
$
2,213
Total non-performing loans to total loans
0.18
%
0.29
%
Total non-accrual loans to total loans
0.18
%
0.29
%
Total non-performing assets to total assets
0.15
%
0.23
%
Classified Assets. Federal regulations provide for the classification of loans and other assets, such as debt and equity securities considered by applicable regulations to be of lesser quality, as “substandard,” “doubtful” or “loss.” An asset is considered “substandard” if it is inadequately protected by the current net worth and paying capacity of the obligor or of the collateral pledged, if any. “Substandard” assets include those characterized by the “distinct possibility” that the insured institution will sustain “some loss” if the deficiencies are not corrected. Assets classified as “doubtful” have all of the weaknesses inherent in those classified “substandard,” with the added characteristic that the weaknesses present make “collection or liquidation in full,” on the basis of currently existing facts, conditions, and values, “highly questionable and improbable.” Assets classified as “loss” are those considered “uncollectible” and of such little value that their continuance as assets without the establishment of a specific loss reserve is not warranted. Assets that do not currently expose the Bank to sufficient risk to warrant classification in one of the aforementioned categories but possess weaknesses are designated as “special mention” by our management.
In accordance with our loan policies, we regularly review the problem loans in our portfolio to determine whether any loans require classification in accordance with applicable regulations. Loans are listed on the “watch list” initially because of emerging financial weaknesses even though the loan is currently performing as agreed, or if the loan possesses weaknesses although currently performing. If a loan deteriorates in asset quality, the classification is changed to “special mention,” “substandard,” “doubtful” or “loss” depending on the circumstances and the evaluation. Generally, loans 90 days or more past due are placed on non-accrual status and classified “substandard.” Management reviews the status of each loan on our watch list on a quarterly basis.
On the basis of this review of our assets, our classified loans and special mention loans at the dates indicated were as follows:
At June 30,
2026
2025
(In thousands)
Substandard loans
$
424
$
416
Doubtful loans
1,166
1,436
Loss loans
—
—
Total classified loans
$
1,590
$
1,852
Special mention loans (watch)
$
197
$
3,897
9
Investment Activities
General. The Company and the Bank have established an investment policy that governs our investment activities. The objectives of our investment policy are: (1) to assist in liquidity planning by purchasing and laddering securities that can be converted into liquid funds in times of increased loan demand or deposit outflows; (2) to optimize interest income within our overall asset/liability management; and (3) to assist in reducing our tax liability. All purchase and sale transactions are reviewed and ratified by the board of investments, which is a committee of our board of directors.
Our board of directors reviews our securities activities on a quarterly basis to ensure that such activities are consistent with our investment policy. The board has delegated to our President and Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer the authority to engage in single investment transactions up to $3.0 million without prior approval of the board of directors or a committee of the board.
Our current investment policy authorizes us to invest in various types of investment grade investment securities and liquid assets, including U.S. treasury bills, notes, and bonds, U.S. government agency and government-sponsored agency obligations, federally insured certificates of deposit, corporate bonds and notes, government sponsored agency mortgage-backed securities and agency-supported collateralized mortgage obligations, marketable equity securities, mutual funds, managed funds, subordinated debt investment grade securities, U.S. government agency and government-sponsored agency structured notes, federal funds and municipal securities. We do not engage in any investment hedging activities or trading activities, nor do we purchase any high-risk mortgage derivative products, corporate junk bonds, or certain types of structured notes.
Generally Accepted Accounting Principals ("GAAP") require that, at the time of purchase, we designate a debt security as held-to-maturity, available-for-sale, or trading, depending on our ability and intent to hold such security. Debt securities designated as available for sale are reported at fair value, while debt securities designated as held to maturity are reported at amortized cost.
At June 30, 2026, we had allocated no portion of the allowance for credit losses for investment securities.
Portfolio Maturities and Yields. The composition and maturities of the investment securities portfolio at June 30, 2026 are summarized in the following tables. Maturities are based on the final contractual payment dates, and do not reflect the effect of scheduled principal repayments, prepayments, or early redemptions that may occur. The weighted average yield is calculated based on the yield to maturity over the entire portfolio of debt securities weighted for the size of each debt security. No tax-equivalent yield adjustments have been made, as the effects would be immaterial.
One Year or Less
More than One Year
through Five Years
More than Five Years
through Ten Years
More than Ten Years
Total
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Amortized
Cost
Fair
Value
Weighted
Average
Yield
(Dollars in thousands)
Securities held to maturity:
U.S. government and
U.S. government-
sponsored enterprise
$
9,226
2.44
%
$
9,500
1.71
%
$
2,998
4.91
%
$
6,994
5.22
%
$
28,718
$
27,900
3.13
%
U.S. Government agency and
U.S. government-sponsored
enterprise residential
mortgage-backed securities
8
4.25
%
26
6.24
%
986
4.62
%
14,622
4.77
%
15,642
15,529
4.76
%
Corporate bonds and obligations
—
—
%
9,217
1.87
%
—
—
%
—
—
%
9,217
8,417
1.87
%
Municipal bonds
447
0.37
%
1,450
1.87
%
—
—
%
754
4.50
%
2,651
2,898
4.50
%
Total
$
9,681
2.34
%
$
20,193
1.80
%
$
3,984
4.84
%
$
22,370
4.90
%
$
56,228
$
54,744
3.34
%
One Year or Less
More than One Year
through Five Years
More than Five Years
through Ten Years
More than Ten Years
Total
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Amortized
Cost
Fair
Value
Weighted
Average
Yield
(Dollars in thousands)
Securities available for sale:
U.S. government and U.S.
government-sponsored
enterprise
$
—
—
%
$
—
—
%
$
8,989
4.83
%
$
8,771
5.17
%
$
17,760
$
17,531
5.00
%
U.S. Government agency and
U.S. government-sponsored
enterprise residential
mortgage-backed securities
—
—
%
6
5.00
%
2,134
4.49
%
36,909
4.39
%
39,049
39,222
4.39
%
Corporate bonds and obligations
1,007
1.98
%
9,341
1.98
%
2,463
6.29
%
—
—
%
12,811
12,023
2.80
%
Total
$
1,007
1.98
%
$
9,347
1.98
%
$
13,586
5.04
%
$
45,680
4.54
%
$
69,620
$
68,776
4.26
%
10
Sources of Funds
General. Deposits have traditionally been our primary source of funds for use in lending and investment activities. We also use borrowings, primarily Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston ("FHLBB") advances, to supplement cash flow needs, lengthen the maturities of liabilities for interest rate risk purposes and to manage the cost of funds. In addition, we receive funds from scheduled loan payments, loan prepayments, maturities, pre-payments and calls of securities, retained earnings and income on earning assets. While scheduled loan payments and income on earning assets are relatively stable sources of funds, deposit inflows and outflows can vary widely and are influenced by prevailing interest rates, market conditions and competition.
Deposits. Our deposits are generated primarily from residents within our primary market area. We offer a selection of deposit accounts, including non-interest-bearing checking accounts, interest-bearing checking accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts and certificates of deposit. Deposit account terms vary, with the principal differences being the minimum balance required, the amount of time the funds must remain on deposit and the interest rate. At June 30, 2026, our core deposits, which are deposits other than certificates of deposit, were $527.7 million, representing 65.2% of total deposits at that date.
Interest rates, maturity terms, service fees and withdrawal penalties are established on a periodic basis. Deposit rates and terms are based primarily on current operating strategies and market rates, liquidity requirements, rates paid by competitors and growth goals. Our ability to gather deposits is impacted by the competitive market in which we operate, which includes numerous financial institutions of varying sizes offering a wide range of products. We believe that deposits are a stable source of funds, but our ability to attract and maintain deposits at favorable rates will be affected by market conditions, including competition and prevailing interest rates.
The following table sets forth the distribution of total deposits by account type at the dates indicated.
At June 30,
2026
2025
Amount
Percent
Average
Rate
Amount
Percent
Average
Rate
(Dollars in thousands)
Noninterest-bearing demand
$
63,168
7.8
%
—
%
$
55,696
8.2
%
—
%
NOW and demand deposits
53,929
6.7
0.11
%
59,410
8.7
0.04
%
Savings accounts
150,007
18.5
2.31
%
160,323
23.6
2.31
%
Money market accounts
260,584
32.2
3.21
%
120,597
17.8
3.21
%
Certificates of deposit
281,548
34.8
3.46
%
283,156
41.7
3.70
%
Total
$
809,236
100.0
%
2.66
%
$
679,182
100.0
%
2.66
%
As of June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2025, the aggregate amount of deposits we had in excess of $250,000, which is the maximum amount for federal deposit insurance, was $315.4 million and $181.7 million, respectively. In addition, as of June 30, 2026, the aggregate amount of all our certificates of deposit in excess of $250,000 was $131.1 million.
The following table sets forth the maturity of our certificates of deposit in excess of $250,000 as of June 30, 2026.
At
June 30, 2026
(In thousands)
Maturity Period:
Three months or less
$
39,654
Over three through six months
30,638
Over six through twelve months
56,433
Over twelve months
4,384
Total
$
131,109
The Bank's deposits are insured up to applicable limits by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC") and by the Depositors Insurance Fund (the "MA DIF") for amounts in excess of the FDIC insurance limits. The MA DIF insurance applies to all traditional deposit accounts at member banks, including savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposit, and money market accounts held by individuals, businesses and trusts, as well as government accounts. Coverage is not affected by where a depositor resides.
11
Borrowed Funds. We may obtain advances from the FHLBB upon the security of our capital stock in the FHLBB and certain of our mortgage loans. Such advances may be made pursuant to several different credit programs, each of which has its own interest rate and range of maturities. We use such advances to supplement our deposits. To the extent such borrowings have different terms to repricing than our deposits, they can change our interest rate risk profile. At June 30, 2026, we had $158.2 million outstanding in advances from the FHLBB. On June 30, 2026, we had the ability to borrow $118.8 million in additional FHLBB advances. At June 30, 2026, we also had a $5.3 million line of credit with the FHLBB, which was not drawn at June 30, 2026. Additionally, at June 30, 2026, we had a $102.0 million secured line of credit through the Federal Reserve's Borrower-in-Custody ('BIC') program. At that date, there were no amounts outstanding.
Subsidiary Activities
The Company's sole subsidiary is the Bank. The Bank's subsidiaries are Sachem Holdings, Inc., Aberjona Holdings, Inc., 1871 Company, LLC, and Wedgemere Holdings, LLC. Sachem Holdings, Inc. and Aberjona Holdings, Inc. are Massachusetts security corporations established to hold investment securities. 1871 Company, LLC’s principal activity is the holding of bank premises. Wedgemere Holdings, LLC’s principal activity is the holding of properties acquired in settlement of loans.
Employees
As of June 30, 2026, we had 71 full-time and eight part-time and seasonal employees. Our employees are not represented by any collective bargaining group. Management believes that we have a good working relationship with our employees. The success of our business is highly dependent on our employees, who provide value to our customers and communities.
We believe that our ability to attract and retain top quality employees is a key to our future success. We continue to elevate individuals from within the organization into new roles and we expect to continue to assess our management and staffing needs and are likely to add personnel in the future in order to fully implement our business strategy.
In an effort to continue our investment in our employees and as part of the conversion, the Bank established the Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP") for its employees. Shares held in the ESOP will be released and allocated to employees on an annual basis based on the ratio of each such participant's annual compensation.
SUPERVISION AND REGULATION
General
Federal and state banking laws impose a comprehensive system of supervision, examination, regulation, and enforcement on the operations of insured banks and their holding companies. Supervision and regulation of banks, their holding companies, and affiliates is intended primarily for the protection of depositors and customers, Deposit Insurance Fund (the “DIF”) of the FDIC, and the U.S. banking and financial system, rather than holders of our capital stock. As a result, our growth, earnings performance, and operations may be affected by the requirements of federal and state statutes and by the regulations and policies of various bank regulatory agencies, including the Massachusetts Division of Banks (the “Division”), the FDIC, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”). Furthermore, tax laws administered by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and state taxing authorities, accounting rules developed by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, securities laws administered by the SEC and state securities authorities, anti-money laundering laws enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and Small Business Administration regulations with respect to small business loans, have an impact on our business. These statutes, regulations, and policies are continually under the review of the United States Congress and state legislatures, as well as federal and state regulatory agencies, and the nature and extent of future legislative, regulatory, or other developments affecting financial institutions are impossible to predict with any certainty. Any change in the statutes, regulations or regulatory policies applicable to us, including changes in their interpretation, expectations or implementation, could have a material effect on our business and operations.
The following is a summary of material elements of the regulatory and supervisory framework applicable to us and the Bank. It does not describe all of the statutes, regulations, and regulatory policies that apply, nor does it provide complete summaries of the statutes, regulations, and policies referenced therein.
12
Supervision and Regulation of the Company
The Company and Winchester Bancorp, MHC are bank holding companies registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). As a result, the Company and Winchester Bancorp, MHC are primarily subject to the supervision, examination, and reporting requirements of the BHC Act, Federal Deposit Insurance Act (the “FDI Act”), and the regulations of the Federal Reserve Board and FDIC.
Federal law subjects bank holding companies, such as the Company and Winchester Bancorp, MHC, to restrictions on the types of activities in which they may engage and to a range of supervisory requirements and activities, including regulatory enforcement actions for violations of laws and regulations. Violations of laws and regulations, or other unsafe and unsound practices, may result in regulatory agencies imposing fines, penalties, or cease and desist orders, or taking other enforcement actions. Under certain circumstances, these agencies may enforce these remedies directly against officers, directors, employees, and other parties participating in the affairs of a bank or bank holding company.
Federal Oversight over Mergers and Acquisitions, Investments, and Activities. The BHC Act requires a bank holding company to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board before: (i) it may acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of any voting shares of any bank if, after such acquisition, the bank holding company will directly or indirectly own or control 5% or more of the voting shares of the bank; (ii) it or any of its subsidiaries, other than a bank, may acquire all or substantially all of the assets of any bank; or (iii) it may merge or consolidate with any other bank holding company.
Before approving any such transaction, the Federal Reserve Board is required by the BHC Act to consider a number of factors, including the transaction’s competitive impact, the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the bank holding companies and banks concerned, the convenience and needs of the community to be served, and the effectiveness of the parties in combating money laundering activities.
Provisions of the FDI Act known as the Bank Merger Act impose similar approval standards for an insured depository institution to merge with another insured depository institution or a non-insured institution.
The BHC Act, as amended by the interstate banking provisions of the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 (the “Riegle-Neal Act”), permits bank holding companies to acquire a bank located in any other state, regardless of state law to the contrary, subject to certain deposit concentration limits, aging requirements, and other restrictions. The Riegle-Neal Act also generally permits national- and state-chartered banks to branch interstate through acquisitions of banks in other states. Bank holding companies must be “well capitalized” and “well managed” to obtain federal bank regulatory approval of an interstate acquisition without regard to state law prohibiting the transaction.
The BHC Act also generally requires Federal Reserve Board approval for a bank holding company’s acquisition of a company that is not an insured depository institution. Bank holding companies generally may engage, directly or indirectly, only in managing or controlling banks, and such other activities as are determined by the Federal Reserve Board to be closely related to banking, and certain other permissible nonbanking activities. Bank holding companies generally must notify the Federal Reserve Board before acquiring a company that is not an insured depository institution or engaging in a permissible nonbanking activity, and the Federal Reserve considers several factors in reviewing such a notice. The Federal Reserve Board may order a bank holding company or its subsidiaries to terminate any of these activities or to terminate its ownership or control of any subsidiary when it has reasonable cause to believe that the bank holding company’s continued ownership, activity, or control constitutes a serious risk to the financial safety, soundness, or stability of it or any of its bank subsidiaries.
The FDIC has the authority to approve applications by state non-member banks to establish de novo branches, including, under the Riegle-Neal Act, in states other than the bank’s home state if the law of the state in which the branch is located, or is to be located, would permit establishment of the branch if the bank were a state bank chartered by that state.
Certain acquisitions of our voting stock may be subject to regulatory approval or notice under federal law. Investors are responsible for ensuring that they do not, directly or indirectly, acquire shares of our stock in excess of the amount that can be acquired without regulatory approval under the Change in Bank Control Act and the BHC Act, which prohibit any person or company from acquiring control of the Company without, in most cases, the prior written approval of the Federal Reserve Board.
Source of Strength. The FDI Act and Federal Reserve Board regulations require a bank holding company to serve as a source of financial and managerial strength to its bank subsidiaries. As a result, a bank holding company may be expected to commit resources to support its bank subsidiary, including at times when the holding company may not be inclined or in a financial position to provide it.
13
Capital Adequacy. Bank holding companies and banks are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by federal and state bank regulatory agencies. The Federal Reserve Board, as the primary federal regulator of the Company and Winchester Bancorp, MHC, and the FDIC, as the primary federal regulator of the Bank, have substantially similar generally applicable risk-based capital ratio and leverage ratio requirements.
Under the generally applicable capital requirements of the Federal Reserve Board and the FDIC, bank holding companies and insured depository institutions are generally required to meet a common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of at least 7.0% (a minimum of 4.5% plus a capital conservation buffer of 2.5%), a Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of at least 8.5% (a minimum of 6.0% plus a capital conservation buffer of 2.5%), a total capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of at least 10.5% (a minimum of 8.0% plus a capital conservation buffer of 2.5%), and a Tier 1 leverage ratio of at least 4.0%. Moreover, the failure of an institution that is subject to the federal banking agencies’ generally applicable capital requirements to exceed the capital conservation buffer with common equity Tier 1 capital would result in limitations on the institution’s ability to make capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments. In addition, insured depository institutions, unlike bank holding companies, are subject to further capital requirements to be deemed “well capitalized” under the prompt corrective action provisions of the FDI Act and implementing regulations of the federal banking agencies, as described in the section entitled “—Supervision and Regulation of the Bank—Prompt Corrective Action” below.
The Company and Winchester Bancorp, MHC currently rely on the Federal Reserve’s Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement, which exempts a bank holding company from the generally applicable capital requirements if it has no more than $3 billion in total consolidated assets, does not engage in significant nonbanking activities, does not conduct significant off-balance sheet activities, and does not have a material amount of debt or equity securities outstanding and registered with the SEC.
Payment of Dividends and Stock Repurchases. Winchester Bancorp, MHC and the Company are limited in their ability to pay dividends or repurchase its stock by the Federal Reserve Board, including if doing so would be an unsafe or unsound banking practice. When a bank holding company intends to declare or pay a dividend that could raise safety and soundness concerns, it generally will be required to inform and consult with the Federal Reserve Board in advance. It is the policy of the Federal Reserve Board that a bank holding company should generally pay dividends on common stock only out of earnings, and only if prospective earnings retention is consistent with the company’s capital needs and overall current and prospective financial condition. Additionally, bank holding companies should inform and consult with the Federal Reserve Board in advance of declaring and paying a dividend that exceeds earnings for the period for which the dividend is being paid.
According to guidance from the Federal Reserve Board, a bank holding company’s dividend policies will be assessed against, among other things, its ability to achieve applicable capital ratio requirements. If a bank holding company does not achieve applicable capital ratio requirements, it may not be able to pay dividends.
A bank holding company is also required to give the Federal Reserve Board prior written notice before purchasing or redeeming its equity securities if the gross consideration for the purchase or redemption, when aggregated with the net consideration paid by the bank holding company for all such purchases or redemptions during the preceding twelve months, is equal to 10% or more of the bank holding company’s consolidated net worth. The Federal Reserve Board may disapprove such a purchase or redemption if it determines that the proposal would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice or would violate any law, regulation, Federal Reserve Board order, or any condition imposed by or written agreement with the Federal Reserve Board. This prior notice requirement does not apply to any bank holding company that meets certain “well capitalized” and “well managed” standards and is not the subject of any unresolved supervisory issues.
In addition, a bank holding company is required to consult with the Federal Reserve Board before redeeming any equity or other capital instrument included in Tier 1 or Tier 2 capital prior to stated maturity if such redemption could have a material effect on the level or composition of the organization’s capital base.
Under the Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation MM, if the Company pays dividends on its common stock to public stockholders, it is also required to pay dividends to Winchester Bancorp, MHC, unless Winchester Bancorp, MHC elects to waive the receipt of dividends. On July 31, 2026, the Federal Reserve Board issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to revised Regulation MM by, among other things, eliminating certain dividend waiver requirements by mutual holding companies. Management is monitoring the status of the proposed rule.
Examinations. Bank holding companies and banks are subject to regular examination by their respective regulatory agencies, which results in examination reports and ratings that, while not publicly available, can impact the conduct and growth of their businesses. These examinations may consider not only compliance with applicable laws and regulations, but
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also capital levels, asset quality and risk, management ability and performance, earnings, liquidity, sensitivity to market risk, and various other factors. The regulatory agencies generally have broad authority to impose restrictions and limitations on the operations of a regulated entity when an agency determines, among other things, that such operations are unsafe or unsound, fail to comply with applicable law, or are otherwise inconsistent with laws and regulations or with the supervisory policies of these agencies.
Anti-Money Laundering Initiatives and Sanctions Compliance. The Company, Winchester Bancorp, MHC, and the Bank are subject to extensive regulations aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing. The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”) substantially broadened the scope of U.S. anti-money laundering laws and regulations by imposing significant compliance and due diligence obligations, creating new crimes and penalties, and expanding the extra-territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Treasury Department regulations implementing the USA PATRIOT Act impose obligations on financial institutions to maintain appropriate policies, procedures, and controls to detect, prevent, and report money laundering and terrorist financing and to verify the identity of their customers. In addition, the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (the “AML Act”), enacted in January 2021, includes the most substantial changes to U.S. anti-money laundering law since the USA PATRIOT Act. Among other things, the AML Act creates new beneficial ownership reporting requirements for certain entities doing business in the United States, requires the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to establish national anti-money laundering priorities and combating the financing of terrorism priorities, increases anti-money laundering whistleblower awards and expands whistleblower protections, and enhances penalties for Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering violations. Failure of a financial institution to maintain and implement adequate programs to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, or to comply with all of the relevant laws or regulations, could have serious legal and financial consequences for the institution.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) is responsible for ensuring that U.S. entities do not engage in transactions with certain prohibited parties, as defined by various Executive Orders and Acts of Congress. OFAC publishes lists of persons, organizations, and countries suspected of aiding, harboring, or engaging in terrorist acts, known as Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons. OFAC administers and enforces applicable economic and trade sanctions programs. These sanctions are usually targeted against foreign countries, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, and those believed to be involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. These regulations generally require either the blocking of accounts or other property of specified entities or individuals, but they may also require the rejection of certain transactions involving specified entities or individuals. The Company maintains policies, procedures, and other internal controls designed to comply with anti-money laundering requirements and sanctions programs.
Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act represents a comprehensive revision of laws affecting corporate governance, accounting obligations, and corporate reporting. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is applicable to all companies with equity securities registered, or that file reports, under the Exchange Act. In particular, the act established: (i) requirements for audit committees, including independence, expertise, and responsibilities; (ii) responsibilities regarding financial statements for the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the reporting company and new requirements for them to certify the accuracy of periodic reports; (iii) standards for auditors and regulation of audits; (iv) disclosure and reporting obligations for the reporting company and its directors and executive officers; and (v) civil and criminal penalties for violations of the federal securities laws. The legislation also established a new accounting oversight board to enforce auditing standards and restrict the scope of services that accounting firms may provide to their publicly traded company audit clients.
SUPERVISION AND REGULATION OF THE BANK
The Bank is a savings bank chartered under the laws of the state of Massachusetts and is primarily subject to the supervision, examination, and reporting requirements of the FDIC and the Division. Almost every area of the operations and financial condition of the Bank is subject to extensive regulation and supervision and to various requirements and restrictions under federal and state law, including loans, reserves, investments, issuance of securities, establishment of branches, capital adequacy, liquidity, earnings, dividends, management practices, and the provision of services. The FDIC and the Division regularly examine the Bank’s operations and have the authority to approve or disapprove mergers, the establishment of branches, and similar corporate actions. Both regulatory agencies have the power to take enforcement action to prevent the development or continuance of unsafe or unsound banking practices or other violations of law. The Bank is subject to supervision, examination, enforcement, and reporting requirements under the FDI Act, the General Laws of Massachusetts, regulations of the FDIC and the Division, and certain of the requirements imposed by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”). The Bank is also subject to a wide range of consumer protection laws and regulations.
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Restrictions on Lending, Insider Transactions, and Affiliate Transactions. General Laws of Massachusetts grant broad lending authority. However, with certain limited exceptions, total obligations of one borrower to a Massachusetts savings bank may not exceed 20% of the bank’s total capital, which is defined under Massachusetts law as the sum of capital stock, surplus account, and undivided profits.
Sections 22(g) and 22(h) of the Federal Reserve Act, as implemented by the Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation O, governs and restricts extensions of credit by a member bank to an executive officer, director, or principal shareholder of the bank and its affiliates. By making these provisions applicable to state non-member banks, the FDI Act and FDIC regulations impose these restrictions on the Bank’s purchases or sales of assets from or to insiders of the Bank, the Company, and Winchester Bancorp, MHC. Guidance from the Division likewise provides that a Massachusetts financial institution shall comply with Regulation O. In general, extensions of credit to insiders: (i) may not exceed certain dollar limitations; (ii) must be made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with third parties; and (iii) must not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features.
Additionally, Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act, which the FDI Act makes applicable to a state non-member bank such as the Bank in the same manner and to the same extent as if it were a member bank, establish parameters for an insured bank to conduct “covered transactions” with its affiliates, generally: (i) limiting the extent to which the bank or its subsidiaries may engage in “covered transactions” with any one affiliate to an amount not greater than 10% of the bank’s capital stock and surplus, and limiting the aggregate of all such transactions with all affiliates to an amount not greater than 20% of the bank’s capital stock and surplus; and (ii) requiring that all such transactions be on terms substantially the same, or at least as favorable, to the bank or subsidiary as those that would be provided to a non-affiliate. In addition, an insured bank’s loans to affiliates generally must be fully collateralized. The term “covered transaction” includes the making of loans to the affiliate, purchase of assets from the affiliate, issuance of a guarantee on behalf of the affiliate, and several other types of transactions.
Concentrations in Lending. In 2006, the federal bank regulatory agencies released guidance advising financial institutions of the risks posed by commercial real estate lending concentrations and reinforcing that financial institutions should implement sound risk management processes to identify, monitor, and control risks associated with commercial real estate concentrations. Higher allowances for credit losses and capital levels may also be required. The commercial real estate guidance provides that further supervisory analysis of an institution’s commercial real estate loan concentrations is warranted when its concentrations exceed either: (i) total reported loans for construction, land development, and other land of 100% or more of a bank’s total risk-based capital; or (ii) total reported loans secured by multifamily and non-farm non-residential properties and loans for construction, land development, and other land of 300% or more of a bank’s total risk-based capital, where the outstanding balance of the institution’s commercial real estate portfolio has also increased by 50% or more during the prior 36 months. We have exposures to loans secured by commercial real estate due to the nature of our market and the loan needs of both our retail and commercial customers. We believe that our long-term experience in commercial real estate lending, underwriting policies, internal controls, and other policies currently in place, as well as our loan and credit monitoring and administration procedures, are generally appropriate to managing our concentrations as required under the commercial real estate guidance.
Capital Requirements and Prompt Corrective Action. The FDIC has adopted generally applicable risk-based capital ratio and leverage ratio requirements for state non-member banks that are substantially similar to the generally applicable requirements for bank holding companies.
In addition, the FDI Act identifies five capital categories for insured depository institutions: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized.
Under the banking agencies' prompt corrective action framework, an insured depository institution is subject to differential regulation corresponding to the capital category within which the institution falls. For an insured depository institution to be “well capitalized” under this framework, it generally must have a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 6.50%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 8.00%, a total capital ratio of at least 10.00%, and a leverage ratio of at least 5.00%, and must not be subject to any written agreement, order or capital directive, or prompt corrective action directive issued by its primary federal or state banking regulator to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure. These limitations apply to the Bank, and not to the Company and Winchester Bancorp, MHC, on a standalone basis.
The FDI Act requires the federal banking agencies to take prompt corrective action whenever an insured depository institution does not meet minimum capital requirements. Failure to meet the capital guidelines could also subject an insured depository institution to capital raising requirements. In addition, an insured depository institution is generally prohibited
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from making capital distributions, including paying dividends or paying management fees to a holding company, if the institution would thereafter be undercapitalized. Finally, failure to meet statutorily mandated capital guidelines or more restrictive ratios separately established for an insured depository institution could subject the institution to a variety of enforcement remedies available to federal regulatory authorities, including issuance of a capital directive, the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC, a prohibition on accepting or renewing brokered deposits, limitations on the rates of interest that the institution may pay on its deposits, and other restrictions on its business.
The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act permits most banking organizations with $10 billion in total consolidated assets to elect to use an alternative capital framework under which they are deemed to satisfy the federal banking agencies’ generally applicable risk-based and leverage capital rules and the capital conservation buffer, and to be deemed well-capitalized for purposes of prompt corrective action, if they satisfy a “community bank leverage ratio” (“CBLR”) requirement. In order to qualify for the CBLR framework, a banking organization may not have off-balance sheet exposures totaling more than 25% of total consolidated assets or trading assets and liabilities more than 5% of total consolidated assets. A banking organization satisfies the CBLR and is considered “well capitalized” if it maintains a ratio of Tier 1 capital to average total consolidated assets (i.e., a leverage ratio) of more than 8%. At June 30, 2026, the Bank had opted into the CBLR framework, exceeded the CBLR requirement, and was considered “well capitalized.” Payment of Dividends. The principal source of the Company’s and Winchester Bancorp, MHC’s cash flow is dividends from the Bank. There are various legal and regulatory provisions that limit the amount of dividends the Bank can pay to the Company without regulatory approval. Under the General Laws of Massachusetts, a Massachusetts savings bank with outstanding preferred stock may not, without the prior approval of the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks, declare dividends on the common stock without also declaring dividends on the preferred stock. The approval of the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks is also required if the total of all dividends declared in any calendar year exceeds the total of its net profits for that year combined with its retained net profits from the preceding two years, less any required transfer to surplus or a fund for the retirement of any preferred stock. For this purpose, net profits means the remainder of all earnings from current operations plus actual recoveries on loans and investments and other assets after deducting current operating expenses, actual losses, accrued dividends on preferred stock, if any, and all federal and state taxes.
In addition, an insured depository institution is generally prohibited from making capital distributions, including paying dividends or paying management fees to a holding company, if the institution would thereafter be undercapitalized. Finally, the FDI Act prohibits an insured depository institution from paying dividends on its capital stock if it is in default of its payment of deposit insurance assessments to the FDIC.
Reserve Requirements. Federal Reserve Board rules require depository institutions, such as the Bank, to maintain reserves against their transaction accounts. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve Board reduced reserve requirement ratios to 0.00% effective March 26, 2020. Increases to the reserve requirement would decrease the amount of the Bank’s assets that it may make available for lending and investment activities. Currently, the Federal Reserve Board has not announced plans to re-impose reserve requirements. However, the Federal Reserve Board may adjust reserve requirement ratios in the future if conditions warrant. Balances maintained by or on behalf of depository institutions in accounts at Federal Reserve Banks continue to receive interest when reserve requirement ratios are set to 0.00%. All balances earned the interest on excess reserves rate through July 28, 2021. Thereafter, all balances earn the Interest on Reserve Balances (the “IORB”) rate. The IORB rate is the rate of interest paid by the Federal Reserve Bank on balances maintained by or on behalf of an eligible institution in an account at a Federal Reserve Bank.
Consumer Protection Laws. We are subject to numerous laws and regulations intended to protect consumers, in addition to those discussed above, when lending or offering deposit products to consumers. These laws include, among others: the Truth in Lending Act, the Truth in Savings Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the Expedited Funds Availability Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Act, the GLB Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Right to Financial Privacy Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, laws regarding unfair and deceptive acts and practices, and usury and other fair lending laws and regulations, including state laws and regulations.
Because the Bank has assets of not more than $10 billion, its primary federal regulator, the FDIC, examines and enforces the Bank’s compliance with consumer financial protection laws. However, the CFPB has rulemaking authority, including with respect to regulations prohibiting unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices. Additionally, the CFPB may participate in examinations of banks with not more than $10 billion in assets on a “sampling basis” and may refer potential enforcement actions against such banks to their primary federal regulators.
Many states and local jurisdictions have consumer protection laws analogous, and in addition, to those listed above. Violations of applicable consumer protection laws can result in significant potential liability, including actual damages,
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restitution, and injunctive relief, from litigation brought by customers, state attorneys general, and other plaintiffs, as well as enforcement actions by banking regulators.
Financial Privacy and Data Sharing Laws. The GLB Act imposes requirements related to the privacy of customer financial information. Among other things, the GLB Act requires disclosure of privacy policies to consumers and, in some circumstances, allows consumers to prevent disclosure of certain personal information to a nonaffiliated third party. The privacy provisions of the GLB Act may affect how consumer information is transmitted through diversified financial companies and conveyed to outside vendors.
In addition, Massachusetts has adopted regulatory requirements intended to protect personal information, requiring organizations to establish written information security programs. Massachusetts regulations also impose technology system requirements, including for the encryption of personal information sent over wireless or public networks or stored on portable devices.
On October 22, 2024, the CFPB issued a final rule to implement Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Act. Under the final rule, financial institutions such as the Bank that offer a consumer product or service covered by the rule would be required, upon request, to make available to a consumer or third party authorized by the consumer certain information the Bank has concerning such a product or service. Industry organizations challenged the final rule in court. On July 29, 2025, the district court granted a motion by the CFPB to stay the proceedings while the CFPB conducts a rulemaking to revise the final rule substantially. On August 22, 2025, the CFPB issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to solicit comments and data on several issues as part of a reconsideration of the final rule. On October 29, 2025, the district court issued a preliminary injunction preventing the CFPB from enforcing the final rule until the CFPB has completed its reconsideration of the rule. Branching. Under federal law, the Bank may establish branch offices with the prior approval of the FDIC. Federal law allows a bank to branch into a new state through the establishment of a new branch if, among other factors, the bank is “well managed” and “well capitalized” and, under the laws of the state in which the branch is to be located, a state bank chartered by that state would be permitted to establish the branch. Under Massachusetts law, a bank that has received a rating of “Satisfactory” or higher in its most recent Massachusetts Community Reinvestment Act examination, is adequately capitalized, and has not been notified that it is in troubled condition, may open branch offices throughout Massachusetts by providing prior written notice to the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks. In addition, with prior approval of the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks, the Bank may acquire branches of existing banks located in Massachusetts.
Parity. A Massachusetts savings bank may, in accordance with Massachusetts law, exercise any power and engage in any activity that is permissible for federally-chartered banks or state banks chartered in a state other than Massachusetts, provided that the savings bank is subject to the same limitations and restrictions that are applicable to the federal or out-of-state bank and the activity is permitted under federal law. A Massachusetts savings bank may exercise such powers and engage in such activities by providing advance written notice to the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks.
FDIC Deposit Insurance Assessments. The deposits of the Bank are insured by the DIF as administered by the FDIC and, accordingly, are subject to deposit insurance assessments to maintain the DIF at minimum levels required by statute. The Dodd-Frank Act increased the minimum reserve ratio requirement for the DIF to 1.35% of total estimated insured deposits or the comparable percentage of the deposit assessment base. The DIF reserve ratio fell to below the statutory minimum of 1.35% during the COVID-19 pandemic. The FDIC adopted a restoration plan in September 2020, which it amended in June 2022, to restore the DIF reserve ratio to at least 1.35% by September 30, 2028. On October 18, 2022, the FDIC adopted a final rule to increase initial base deposit insurance assessment rates for insured depository institutions by two basis points, beginning with the first quarterly assessment period of 2023. The increased assessment rate schedules will remain in effect unless and until the reserve ratio of the DIF meets or exceeds 2.00%. As a result of the new rule, the FDIC insurance costs of insured depository institutions, including the Bank, generally increased. The FDIC uses a risk-based assessment system that imposes insurance premiums as determined by multiplying an insured bank’s assessment base by its assessment rate. A bank’s deposit insurance assessment base is generally equal to its total assets minus its average tangible equity during the assessment period. For a depository institution that has been insured for more than five years and that has total consolidated assets of less than $10.0 billion, such as the Bank, the FDIC determines the assessment rate within a range of base assessment rates based on the bank’s CAMELS composite rating, considering other factors and adjustments. The CAMELS rating system is a supervisory rating system developed to classify a bank’s overall condition by considering capital adequacy, assets, management capability, earnings, liquidity, and sensitivity to market and interest rate risk.
On June 25, 2026, the FDIC issued a proposal to revise deposit insurance assessment thresholds, rate schedules, and adjustments. Among other changes, the proposal would reduce initial base assessment rate schedules applicable to small institutions, including the Bank, by two basis points.
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Insurance of deposits may be terminated by the FDIC upon a finding that a bank has engaged in unsafe and 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 bank’s federal regulatory agency. In addition, the FDI Act provides that, in the event of the liquidation or other resolution of an insured depository institution, the claims of depositors of the institution, including the claims of the FDIC as subrogee of insured depositors, and certain claims for administrative expenses of the FDIC as a receiver, will have priority over other general unsecured claims against the institution, including those of its parent bank holding company.
Massachusetts Depositors Insurance Fund Assessments. The Bank is a member of the MA DIF, a corporation that insures Massachusetts savings bank and cooperative bank deposits in excess of federal deposit insurance coverage. The MA DIF is authorized to charge savings banks a risk-based assessment on deposit balances in excess of the amounts insured by the FDIC.
Community Reinvestment Act. The Federal Community Reinvestment Act, or ("CRA") requires that, in connection with examinations of insured depository institutions within their respective jurisdictions, the federal banking agencies must evaluate the record of each financial institution in meeting the credit needs of its entire local community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The federal banking agencies also consider a bank’s CRA performance when evaluating applications seeking approval for mergers, acquisitions, and new offices or facilities, and a CRA rating of less than “Satisfactory” may adversely affect the ability of a bank or its parent company to engage in such transactions.
On October 24, 2023, the federal banking agencies issued a final rule revising their framework for evaluating banks’ records of community reinvestment under the CRA. On July 16, 2025, these agencies issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to rescind the October 2023 final rule and restore the CRA framework that existed prior to the October 2023 final rule, which was originally adopted in 1995. On July 31, 2026, the FDIC and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to modify the 1995 CRA rules, including by clarifying the product lines that will be subject to evaluation, excluding deposit products from evaluation, and narrowing the criteria for grants and donations to qualify for CRA credit.
In addition, Massachusetts has a Community Reinvestment Act statute that contains similar standards to the federal CRA and requires the Division to examine the community reinvestment performance of Massachusetts state banks. The Bank received a rating of “Satisfactory” at its most recent CRA evaluation, which the FDIC and the Division conducted jointly, with the FDIC applying the 1995 CRA rules.
FHLB Membership. The Bank is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, which is one of 11 regional Federal Home Loan Banks that administer the home financing credit function of banking institutions. Each Federal Home Loan Bank is funded primarily from proceeds derived from the sale of consolidated obligations of the Federal Home Loan Bank system and makes advances to members in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank and subject to the oversight of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. All advances from a Federal Home Loan Bank are required to be fully secured by sufficient collateral as determined by the Federal Home Loan Bank. In addition, all long-term advances are required to provide funds for residential home financing.
Cybersecurity. Federal banking agencies pay close attention to the cybersecurity practices of banks and their holding companies and affiliates. Examinations by the banking agencies include review of an institution’s information technology and its ability to thwart cyber-attacks. The interagency council of the agencies, the FFIEC, has issued several policy statements and other guidance for banks as new cybersecurity threats arise. The FFIEC has focused on such matters as compromised customer credentials and business continuity planning.
Banking organizations are required to notify their primary federal regulator of significant computer security incidents within 36 hours of determining that such an incident has occurred. In addition, SEC rules require public companies to disclose material cybersecurity incidents that they experience on Form 8-K within four business days of determining that a material cybersecurity incident has occurred and to disclose on an annual basis material information regarding their cybersecurity risk management, strategy, and governance.
Emerging Growth Company Status
The Company is an “emerging growth company.” For as long as it continues to be an emerging growth company, it may choose to take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies but not to emerging growth companies, including, but not limited to, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding
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advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As an emerging growth company, the Company. also will not be subject to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which would require that its independent auditors review and attest as to the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. The Company has also elected to use the extended transition period to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies. Such an election is irrevocable during the period a company is an emerging growth company. Accordingly, its financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of public companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.
A company loses emerging growth company status on the earlier of: (1) the last day of the fiscal year of the company during which it had total annual gross revenues of $1.235 billion or more; (2) the last day of the fiscal year of the issuer following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of common equity securities of the company pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933; (3) the date on which such company has, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt; or (4) the date on which such company is deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under SEC regulations (generally, at least $700 million of voting and non-voting equity held by non-affiliates).