A summary of significant accounting and reporting policies applied in the prese

tation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements follows:

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation

LINKBANCORP, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated on April 6, 2018, under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Company was formed with the intent of becoming a bank holding company through acquisition of a bank.

On September 17, 2018, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (PADOBS) approved the acquisition of 100

percent of the shares of Stonebridge Bank, subject to recapitalization of the Bank and continued compliance with capital ratios outlined in Note 12. On October 5, 2018, LINKBANCORP, Inc. purchased 100 percent of the outstanding shares of Stonebridge Bank, from its former parent company Stonebridge Financial Corp. under section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code. LINKBANCORP subsequently renamed the bank LINKBANK (the “Bank”). The Bank is a full-service commercial bank providing personal and business lending and deposit services. The Bank’s operations are conducted from its three Solution Centers in Camp Hill, West Chester, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Company’s corporate office resides in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. As a state chartered, non-Federal Reserve member bank, the Bank is subject to regulation and supervision by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (the PADOBS) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the FDIC). The Company is regulated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The Bank’s deposits are insured up to the applicable limits by the FDIC.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying

consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and the Bank. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accounting and reporting practices of the Company conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and to general practices within the banking industry. The following summarized the more significant of these policies and practices.

Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to the allowance for loan losses, and the valuation of deferred tax assets.

Interim Financial Information

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the year ending December 31, 2021. For further information, refer to the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2020 contained in the Company’s definitive prospectus dated August 12, 2021 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Securities Act Rule 424(b)(3) on August 12, 2021.

Acquisition Method of Accounting

The Company accounts for acquisitions using the acquisition method of accounting. The acquisition method of accounting requires the Company to estimate the fair value of the tangible assets and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The estimated fair values are based on available information and current economic conditions at the date of acquisition. Fair value may be obtained from independent appraisers, discounted cash flow present value techniques, management valuation models, quoted prices on national markets or quoted market prices from brokers. These fair value estimates will affect future earnings through the disposition or amortization of the underlying assets and

liabilities. Accounting

for business combination under GAAP acquisition method prohibits “carrying over” valuation allowances, such as the allowance for loan losses. Uncertainties relating to the expected future cash flows are reflected in the fair value measurement of the acquired loans and reflected in the purchase price. The Company will establish loan loss allowances for the acquired loans in periods after the acquisition, but only for losses incurred on these loans due to credit deterioration after acquisition.

For business acquisitions, whereby the Company acquires loans that have shown evidence of credit deterioration since origination, the Company will classify these loans as purchased credit-impaired (“PCI”) loans. The Company will determine which loans will be classified as PCI loans based on borrower payment history, past due status, loan credit grading, value of underlying collateral and other factors that affect the collectability of contractual cash flows. Under GAAP, purchasers are permitted to individually evaluate or collectively aggregate PCI loans into pools. PCI loans acquired in the same fiscal quarter may be assembled into one or more pools with common risk characteristics. Once pooled, a single composite interest rate is used to determine aggregate expected cash flows for each respective pool. PCI loans are recorded on the acquisition date at fair value. The Company estimates the amount and timing of expected cash flows for each individually analyzed loan. Estimated cash flows in excess of the amount paid is recorded as interest income over the remaining life of the loan.

On a quarterly basis, the Company will update the amount of loan principal and interest cash flows expected to be collected, incorporating assumptions regarding default rates, loss severities, the amounts and timing of prepayments and other factors that are reflective of current market conditions. Probable decreases in expected loan principal cash flows trigger the recognition of impairment, which is then measured as the present value of the expected principal loss plus any related foregone interest cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate. Impairments that occur after the acquisition date are recognized through the allowance for loan losses. Probable and significant increases in expected cash flows would first reverse any previously recorded allowance for loan losses; any remaining increases are recognized prospectively as interest income. The impacts of (i) prepayments, (ii) changes in variable interest rates, and (iii) any other changes in the timing of expected cash flows are recognized prospectively as adjustments to interest income. Disposals of loans, which may include sales of loans, receipt of payments in full by the borrower, or foreclosure, result in removal of the loan from the PCI portfolio.

Goodwill and Core Deposit Intangible

Goodwill represents the excess of the acquisition cost over the fair value of the net assets acquired in the acquisition. GAAP requires goodwill to be tested for impairment on an annual basis and between annual tests in certain circumstances and written down when impaired. There can be no assurance that future goodwill impairment tests will not result in a charge to income. Core deposit intangible assets (“CDI”) are initially measure at fair value and then amortized over the expected life on an accelerated basis using projected decay rates of the underlying core deposits. The principal factors considered when valuing the CDI consist of the following: (1) the rate and maturity structure of the interest-bearing liabilities, (2) estimated retention rates for each deposit liability category, (3) the current interest rate environment, and (4) estimated noninterest income potential of the acquired relationship. The CDI is evaluated periodically for impairment.

Goodwill and other intangible assets are reviewed for impairment annually as of December 31 and between annual tests when events and circumstances indicate that impairment may have occurred. If there is a goodwill impairment charge, it will be the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying amount exceeds its fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The same

one-step

impairment test is applied to goodwill at all reporting units.

The determination of the fair value of the Company incorporates assumptions that marketplace participants would use in their estimates of fair value of the Company in a change of control transaction, as prescribed by ASC Topic

820

To arrive at a conclusion of fair value, we utilize both the Income and Ma

ket Approach and then apply weighting factors to each result. Weighting factors represent our best business judgment of the weightings a market participant would utilize in arriving at a fair value for the Company. In performing our analyses, we also made numerous assumptions with respect to industry performance, business, economic and market conditions, and various other matters, many of which cannot be predicted and are beyond our control. With respect to financial projections, projections reflect the best currently available estimates and judgments as to the expected future financial performance of the Company.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and amounts due from banks. Generally, federal funds are purchased and sold for

one-day

periods. Short-term investments include interest bearing-deposits with banks with an original maturity of less than 90 days.

Investment Securities

Available for sale – Debt securities that will be held for indefinite periods of time, including securities that may be sold in response to changes in market interest or prepayment rates, needs for liquidity, and changes in the availability of and in the yield of alternative investments, are classified as available for sale. These assets are carried at fair value. Fair values of securities available for sale are determined by using Level 2 fair value measures calculated through the use of matrix pricing. Matrix pricing is a common mathematical technique that does not rely exclusively on quoted market prices for specific securities but rather utilizes the security’s relationship to other benchmark quoted prices in determining fair value. The Company uses independent service providers to calculate our Level 2 fair value measures. Unrealized gains and losses are excluded from operations and are reported net of tax as a separate component of other comprehensive income until realized. Realized gains and losses on the sale of investment securities are reported in the consolidated statements of income and determined using the adjusted cost of the specific security sold on the trade date. Purchase premiums and discounts are recognized in interest income using the interest method over the terms of the securities.

Investment securities are evaluated on at least a quarterly basis, and more frequently when market conditions warrant such an evaluation, to determine whether a decline in their value is other-than-temporary. To determine whether a loss in value is other-than-temporary, management utilizes criteria such as the reasons underlying the decline, the magnitude and duration of the decline, the intent to hold the security and the likelihood of the Company not being required to sell the security prior to an anticipated recovery in th

fair value. The term “other-than-temporary” is not intended to indicate that the decline is permanent but indicates that the prospects for a near-term recovery of value is not necessarily favorable, or that there is a lack of evidence to support a realizable value equal to or greater than the carrying value of the investment. Once a decline in value is determined to be other-than-temporary, the portion of the decline related to credit impairment is charged to earnings.

Loans Receivable

Loans receivable that management has the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future or until maturity or payoff are stated at their outstanding unpaid principal balances, net of an allowance for loan losses and any deferred fees or costs. Interest income is accrued on the unpaid principal balance. Loan origination fees, net of certain direct origination costs, are deferred and recognized as an adjustment of the yield (interest income) of the related loans. The Bank is generally amortizing these amounts over the contractual life of the loan. Premiums and discounts on purchased loans are amortized as adjustments to interest income using the effective yield method.

The loans receivable portfolio is segmented into commercial and consumer loans. Commercial loans consist of the following classes: commercial and industrial, construction and land development, and commercial real estate. Consumer loans consist of the following classes: residential real estate, home equity, and other consumer.

Loan origination fees are deferred, and certain direct origination costs are capitalized. The net amounts are deferred and are recognized as an adjustment of the yield of the related loan

The accrual of interest on all portfolio classes, including troubled debt restructurings, is discontinued at the time the loan is more than ninety days delinquent unless the loan is well collateralized and in process of collection. Nonaccrual loans are reviewed for

charge-off

if more than ninety-days past due, except for residential loans and consumer loans. Residential loans are reviewed at 180 days and consumer loans are reviewed at 120 days past due. In all cases, loans are placed on nonaccrual or

charged-off

at an earlier date if collection of principal or interest is considered unlikely.

All interest accrued but not collected for loans placed on nonaccrual or

charged-off

is reversed against interest income. The interest on these loans is accounted for on the cash-basis or cost-recovery method, until qualifying for return to accrual. Loans are returned to accrual status when all the principal and interest amounts contractually due are brought current and future payments are reasonably assured. In addition, a loan should be in accordance with the contractual terms for a reasonable period, usually requiring a payment history of six months.

Allowance for Loan

Losses

The allowance for loan losses is established as losses are estimated to have occurred through a provision for loan losses charged to operations. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the collectability of a loan balance is confirmed. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance. There were no material changes in the Bank’s accounting policies or methodology related to the allowance for loan losses during the three months ended and six months ended June 30, 2021.

The allowance for loan losses is evaluated on a quarterly basis by management and is ba

ed upon management’s periodic review of the collectability of the loans considering historical experience, the size and composition of the loan portfolio, adverse situations that may affect the borrower’s ability to repay, estimated value of any underlying collateral and prevailing economic conditions. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant revision as more information becomes available.

The allowance consists of specific and general components. The specific component relates to loans that are classified as impaired. For such loans, an allowance is established when the discounted cash flows, collateral value or observable market price of the impaired loan is lower than the carrying value of that loan. The general component covers all other loans and is based on historical loss experience adjusted for qualitative factors.

The historical loss component of the allowance is determined by losses recognized by portfolio segment over the preceding sixteen quarters. This is supplemented by the risks for each portfolio segment. Risk factors impacting loans in each of the portfolio segments include broad deterioration of property values, reduced consumer, and business spending as a result of un

mployment and reduced credit availability and lack of confidence in the economy. The historical experience is adjusted for the following qualitative factors: (a) the existence and effect of any concentrations of credit and changes in the level of such concentrations; (b) changes in national, regional and local economic conditions that affect the collectability of the loan portfolio; (c) changes in levels or trends in charge-offs and recoveries; (d) changes in the volume and severity of past due loans, nonaccrual loans or loans classified special mention, substandard, doubtful or loss; (e) changes in the nature and volume of the loan portfolio and terms of loans; (f) changes in lending policies and procedures, risk selection and underwriting standards; (g) changes in the experience, ability and depth of lending management and other relevant staff; (h) quality of loan review; (i) the effect of other external factors, trends or uncertainties that could affect management’s estimate of probable losses, such as competition and industry conditions. The Company uses peer data when they have insufficient history to use their own loss data. The peer group is made up of various Bank’s with similar size and geographical location to obtain comparable data.

A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining impairment include payment status, collateral value, and the probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Loans that experience insignificant payment delays and payment shortfalls generally are not classified as impaired. Management determines the significance of payment delays and payment shortfalls on a

case-by-case

basis, taking into consideration all circumstances surrounding the loan and the borrower, including the length of the delay, the reasons for the delay, the borrower’s prior payment record, and the amount of the shortfall in relation to the principal and interest owed. Impairment is measured on a

loan-by-loan

basis for commercial, commercial real estate, and residential mortgage loan segments by either the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, the loan’s obtainable market price, or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral-dependent.

Large groups of smaller balance homogeneous loans are collectively evaluated for impairment. Accordingly, the Company does not separately identify individual consumer loans for impairment disclosures.

Investment in Restricted Stock, at Cost

The Company holds restricted stock in the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) of Pittsburgh and the Atlantic Community

Bancshares, Inc.

(“ACBB”) which is carried at cost. The Company holds $24,000 of ACBB stock at

June 30

, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. The Company holds $1,015,000 and $2,591,000 of FHLB stock at

June 30

, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. The FHLB stock is bought from and sold to the FHLB based upon its $100 par value. The stock does not have a readily determinable fair value and as such is classified as restricted stock, carried at cost, and evaluated for impairment as necessary. The stock’s value is determined by the ultimate recoverability of the par value rather than by recognizing temporary declines. The determination of whether the par value will ultimately be recovered is influenced by criteria such as the following: (a) the significance of the decline in net assets of the FHLB as compared to the capital stock

amount and the length of time this situation has persisted; (b) commitments by the

FHLB

to make payments required by law or regulation and the level of such payments in relation to the operating performance; (c) the impact of legislative and regulatory changes on the customer base of the FHLB; and (d) the liquidity position of the FHLB. Management evaluated the stock and concluded that the stock was not impaired for the periods presented herein.

Bank-Owned Life Insurance

The Company invests in bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”) as a source of funding for employee benefit expenses. BOLI involves the purchasing of life insurance by the Company on a chosen group of employees. The Company is the owner and beneficiary of the policies. This life insurance investment is carried at the cash surrender value of the underlying policies. Income from the increase in cash surrender value of the policies is included in

non-interest

income in the Consolidated Statement of Operations, net of expenses.

Premises and Equipment

Leasehold improvements and furniture and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation and amortization expense is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Estimate useful lives for furniture and equipment from three to ten years; leasehold improvements are amortized over the lease term or estimated life of the improvement, if shorter.

Transfers of Financial Assets

Transfers of financial assets are accounted for as sales when control of the assets has been surrendered. Control over transferred assets is deemed to be surrendered when (1) the assets have been isolated from the Bank, (2) the transferee obtains the right (free of conditions that constrain it from taking advantage of that right) to pledge or exchange the transferred assets, and (3) the Bank does not maintain effective control over the transferred assets through an agreement to repurchase them before their maturity.

Income Taxes

The income tax accounting guidance results in two components of income tax expense: current and deferred. Current income tax expense reflects taxes to be paid or refunded for the current period by applying the provisions of the enacted tax law to the taxable income or excess of deductions over revenues. The Bank determines deferred income taxes using the liability (or balance sheet) method. Under this method, the net deferred tax asset or liability is based on the tax effects of the differences between the book and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and enacted changes in tax rates and laws are recognized in the period in which they occur. Deferred income tax expense results from changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities between periods. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on the weight of the evidence available, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions if it is more likely than not, based on the technical merits, that the tax position will be realized or sustained upon examination. The term more likely than not means a likelihood of more than 50 percent; the terms examined and upon examination also include resolution of the related appeals or litigation processes, if any. A tax position that meets the

more-likely-than-not

recognition threshold is initially and subsequently measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon settlement with a taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. The determination of whether a tax position has met the

more-likely-than-not

recognition threshold considers the facts, circumstances, and information available at the reporting date and is subject to management’s judgment. The Bank recognizes interest and penalties on income taxes as a component of income tax expense.

Off-balance

Sheet Financial Instruments

In the ordinary course of business, the Bank has entered into

off-bala

sheet financial instruments consisting of commitments to extend credit and letters of credit. Such financial instruments are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets when they are funded.

Share-based

Compensation

The Bank follows the provisions of ASC

718-10,

Compensation – Stock Compensation. This standard requires the Bank to recognize the cost of employee and organizer services received in share-based payment transactions and measure the cost based on the grant-date fair value of the award. The cost will be recognized over the period during which the employee or organizer is required to provide service in exchange for the award.

The stock compensation accounting guidance requires that compensation cost for all stock awards be calculated and recognized over the employee’s service period, generally defined as the vesting period. For awards with graded-vesting, compensation cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award. A Black-Scholes model is used to estimate the fair value of stock options, while the fair value of the Company’s common stock as the date of grant is used for restricted stock awards.

Stock Warrants

The Company issued stock purchase warrants in connection with its initial stock offering via private placement, giving organizers the right to purchase shares of common stock at the initial offering price of $10 per share. For organizers, the warrants serve as a reward for bearing the financial risk of the Company’s organization by advancing “seed money” for its organizational and

pre-opening

expenses. The organizers’ warrants are

non-voting

and are exercisable for a period of ten years from the date of grant. All grants were issued during 2019. These warrants are transferable in accordance with the warrant agreement, but are not puttable to the Company. These shares may be issued from previously authorized but unissued shares of stock. The Board has made no additional authorization to issue any further warrants as of

June 30

, 2021 and has no current plans for future issuance of warrants. To date, organizers have not exercised any warrants since their issuance.

Based on the contractual terms, the warrants do not fall within the scope of ASC

480-10,

Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity

, and they meet the requirements within ASC 815,

Derivatives and Hedging

, to be classified within shareholders’ equity. The fair value of these shares upon issuance using the Black-Scholes model was zero, based on the fair value for the stock on the date of grant.

Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share (EPS) represents net income available to common shareholders divided by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Potential common shares that may be issued related to outstanding stock options are determined using the treasury stock method.

The following table sets forth the composition of earnings per share:


(In Thousands, except share and per share data)	Three Months Ended June 30,				Six Months Ended June 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Net income	$	402	$	439	$	3,167	$	(2,158	)
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding		4,968,089		4,545,297		4,967,780		4,545,297
Net effect of dilutive stock options and warrants		321,913		75,933		289,436		—

Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding		5,290,002		4,621,230		5,257,216		4,545,297

Net income per common share:
Basic	$	0.08	$	0.10	$	0.64	$	(0.47	)
Diluted	$	0.08	$	0.09	$	0.60	$	(0.47	)

The following is a summary of securities that could potentially dilute basic earnings per common share in future periods that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per common share because to do so would have been anti-dilutive for the periods presented.

There were no anti-dilutive securities in 2021.


	Six Months Ended June 30, 2020

Warrants	$	1,537,484
Share-based compensation awards		74,800

Total anti-dilutive securities	$	1,612,284

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) iss

ed ASU

2016-02,

Leases (Topic 842)

. The standard requires lessees to recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases on the balance sheet. A lessee should recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a

right-of-use

asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. A short-term lease is defined as one in which (a) the lease term is 12 months or less, and (b) there is not an option to purchase the underlying asset that the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise. For short-term leases, lessees may elect to recognize lease payments over the lease term on a straight-line basis. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2021. Additionally, in July 2018, the

FASB

issued ASU

2018-11,

Leases (Topic 842)

, which, among other things, provides an additional transition method that would allow entities to not apply the guidance in ASU

2016-02

in the comparative periods presented in the financial statements and instead recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company adopted ASU

2016-02

and its related amendments as of January 1, 2021, which

resulted in the recognition of

right-of-use

assets totaling $3.8 million, as well as le

se liabilities totaling $3.8 million. The Company elected to adopt the transition relief provisions from ASU

2018-11

and recorded the imp

ct of adoption as of January 1, 2021, without restating any prior-year amounts or disclosures. There was no cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings required.