11-K 1 prk11-k2024.htm 11-K Document

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
FORM 11-K
 
 
(Mark One)
 
ýANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024
  
OR
 
qTRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the transition period from _____________ to ___________
 
 
Commission file number 333-91178
 
  
A.Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from that of the issuer named below:
 
 
Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
 
  
B.Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of its principal executive office:
 
 
Park National Corporation
50 North Third Street
Newark, Ohio 43055
 



REQUIRED INFORMATION
 
The following financial statements and supplemental schedules for the Park National Corporation Employees Stock Ownership Plan are being filed herewith:
 
Audited Financial Statements:
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm - Crowe LLP
 
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits at December 31, 2024 and 2023
 
Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits for the Years Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
 
Notes to Financial Statements - December 31, 2024 and 2023
 
Supplemental Schedules:
 
Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year), Schedule H, Line 4(i) - December 31, 2024
 
Schedule of Reportable Transactions, Schedule H, Line 4(j) - Year Ended December 31, 2024
 
The following exhibit is being filed herewith:
 
Exhibit No.Description
  
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – Crowe LLP
 



SIGNATURES
 
The Plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the trustees (or other persons who administer the employee benefit plan) have duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
 
PARK NATIONAL CORPORATION
EMPLOYEES STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
  
  
 By THE PARK NATIONAL BANK, Trustee
  
  
Date: June 25, 2025
By: /s/ Brady T. Burt
  
 
Printed Name: Brady T. Burt
  
 
Title: Chief Financial Officer

 



PARK NATIONAL CORPORATION
EMPLOYEES STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

 
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 11-K
FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2024
 
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
 
 
Exhibit No.Description
  
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – Crowe LLP
  



 
 







Financial Statements and Supplemental Schedules
 
Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Years Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
With Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm



 

Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
 
Financial Statements and Supplemental Schedules
 
Years Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
 
 
  
Contents
 
Audited Financial Statements 
  
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits2
Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits3
Notes to Financial Statements
  
Supplemental Schedules 
  
Schedule H, Line 4i – Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)
Schedule H, Line 4j – Schedule of Reportable Transactions





REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM


The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Park National Corporation and Plan Administrator of the Park National Corporation Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Newark, Ohio


Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of Park National Corporation Employees Stock Ownership Plan (the "Plan") as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related statements of changes in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of the Plan as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the changes in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Plan's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Plan in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Plan is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Supplemental Information

The supplemental Schedule H, Line 4i – Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) and Schedule H, Line 4j – Schedule of Reportable Transactions as of December 31, 2024 and for the year then ended have been subjected to audit procedures performed in conjunction with the audit of Park National Corporation Employees Stock Ownership Plan’s financial statements. The supplemental schedules are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our audit procedures included determining whether the information presented in the supplemental schedules reconciles to the financial statements or the underlying accounting and other records, as applicable, and performing procedures to test the completeness and accuracy of the information presented in the supplemental schedules. In forming our opinion on the supplemental schedules, we evaluated whether the supplemental schedules, including their form and content, are presented in conformity with the Department of Labor’s Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. In our opinion, the supplemental schedules are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the financial statements as a whole.


/s/Crowe LLP
                    Crowe LLP

We have served as the Plan's auditor since 2006.

Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
June 25, 2025


Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits
December 31, 2024 and 2023
 

 20242023
ASSETS 
Investments, at fair value: 
Park National Corporation Common Stock$159,236,170 $139,557,074 
Mutual Funds110,206,583 87,769,005 
Interest-bearing account, issued by
Fidelity1,783 — 
Vanguard7,361,636 6,048,667 
Northern Trust— 454 
Total Investments276,806,172 233,375,200 
Accrued interest and dividends— 50,118 
TOTAL ASSETS AND NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS$276,806,172 $233,425,318 

 
 
 
 
 


 
See accompanying notes to financial statements
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Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits
For the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
 20242023
Investment income: 
Net realized and unrealized appreciation  
in fair value of investments$54,152,782 $8,031,576 
Interest and dividends7,656,258 6,751,625 
Total investment income61,809,040 14,783,201 
Contributions: 
Employer5,286,798 4,976,688 
Employee10,946,728 10,325,998 
Rollover485,903 736,301 
Total contributions16,719,429 16,038,987 
Benefit payments to participants(35,147,615)(14,846,380)
Net increase in net assets available for benefits43,380,854 15,975,808 
Net assets available for benefits at beginning of year233,425,318 217,449,510 
Net assets available for benefits at end of year$276,806,172 $233,425,318 

 
 
 
 
 


See accompanying notes to financial statements
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Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2024 and 2023
_____________________________________________________________________________________


1. Description of the Plan

The following description of the Park National Corporation Employees Stock Ownership Plan (the “Plan”) provides only general information. Participants should refer to the Plan agreement for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.

General

The Plan is a defined contribution plan covering full-time or part-time employees of Park National Corporation and subsidiaries (“Park”) who have completed 30 days of service, and are age eighteen or older. In the event that a Participant fails to make a new affirmative deferral election, such Participant shall be deemed to have made a pre-tax deferral election equal to 3% of compensation per pay period. Auto enrollment is only applicable for employees who became participants on or after January 1, 2014. The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”).

Contributions

Each year, participants may contribute an amount so not to exceed the maximum annual additions as defined by the Income Tax Regulations under Code Section 415(c) and 415(d). Beginning January 1, 2014 the Plan introduced a Roth investment option which allows for after tax contributions. Participants may also contribute rollover amounts representing distributions from other qualified defined contribution plans. The maximum salary deferral permitted by the Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) was $23,000 for 2024 and $22,500 for 2023. The Plan also permits participants who are age 50 or older to make catch-up contributions in accordance with Code Section 414(v).

Park provides a matching contribution at a level established annually by Park. Park’s employer matching contribution for 2024 and 2023 was 50% of all Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP") contributions, excluding any catch-up contributions.

Participant Accounts

Each participant’s account is credited with the participant’s salary deferral, an allocation of Park’s contribution and Plan earnings, and charged with participant withdrawals. Allocations are based on participant earnings or account balances, as defined. The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant’s account.

Vesting

Participants’ accounts are 100% vested at all times.

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Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2024 and 2023
_____________________________________________________________________________________


Payments of Benefits

Upon termination or after age 59½, a participant may elect lump sum or rollover in an amount equal to the value of his or her account. A participant can elect to take a distribution of their account balance in cash or shares of Park National Corporation Common Stock. Participants can also take distributions for hardship purposes.

Employees Stock Ownership Plans (“ESOP”)

Effective January 1, 2002, the Plan was amended and restated to become an ESOP that invests in shares of Park National Corporation Common Stock. The Plan is not leveraged and all new contributions (both employer and employee) will be used to purchase only Park National Corporation Common Stock. Participants are permitted to diversify their investments on a quarterly basis. The Plan’s investments were held in trust by Park at December 31, 2023 and are held in trust by Fidelity Management Trust Company at December 31, 2024.

2. Summary of Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The financial statements of the Plan are prepared on the accrual basis and are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

Valuation of Investments

The Plan’s investments are reported at fair value. Refer to Note 9 - Fair Values. Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis.

Investment Income (Loss)

Dividends are recorded as of their ex-dividend date. Interest income is recorded on an accrual basis when earned. Net appreciation (depreciation) includes the Plan’s gains and losses on investments bought and sold as well as held during the year.

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Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2024 and 2023
_____________________________________________________________________________________


Administrative Expenses

All administrative expenses charged to the Plan are borne by Park, except for overnight mailing fees for distribution checks, which are deducted directly from the participant's distribution. Park also provides other accounting and administrative services to the Plan. Investment management fees and operating expenses charged to the Plan for investments in mutual funds are deducted from income earned on a daily basis and are not separately reflected. Consequently, management fees and operating expenses are reflected as a reduction of the investment return for such investments.

Payment of Benefits

Benefits are recorded when paid.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of investment income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentration of Credit Risk

At December 31, 2024 and 2023, approximately 58% and 60%, respectively, of the Plan’s assets were invested in Park National Corporation Common Stock.

3. Plan Termination

Although Park has not expressed any intent to do so, it has the right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA.

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Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2024 and 2023
_____________________________________________________________________________________


4. Non-participant Directed Investments

The following information represents the assets and the significant components of changes in assets related to the Plan’s investment in Park National Corporation Common Stock, an undetermined portion of which is non-participant directed based upon Plan provisions. Prior to the transition of the Plan trustee and administrative service provider from Park to Fidelity Management Trust Company as Plan trustee and Fidelity Workplace Services LLC as the Plan recordkeeper ("Fidelity") in June 2024, initial contributions were deposited into the Plan in the form of cash with shares of Park National Corporation Common Stock purchased on a delayed basis. After the trustee and administrative service provider transition, shares of Park National Corporation Common Stock are purchased utilizing a stock purchase account. The stock purchase account is used to facilitate the money movements associated with the share accounted stock. As the market place only recognizes whole share trades and Fidelity record keeps fractional shares, the stock purchase account houses the resulting differences that are caused by normal trading activity. The stock purchase account balances are invested in a Fidelity Investments money market account.
 December 31,
 20242023
Investment, at fair value: 
Park National Corporation Common Stock$159,236,170 $139,557,074 
Fidelity Investments Money Market Account1,783 — 
Northern Trust Money Market Account— 454 
 $159,237,953 $139,557,528 
Changes in assets: 
Employer and employee contributions$16,233,526 $15,302,686 
Rollover contributions242,702 311,765 
Interest and dividend income4,644,476 4,314,776 
Distributions to participants(23,113,428)(7,864,649)
Net transfers to participant directed investments(18,011,833)(5,088,682)
Net appreciation (depreciation) in fair value of investments39,684,982 (6,813,895)
Increase in assets$19,680,425 $162,001 

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Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2024 and 2023
_____________________________________________________________________________________


5. Income Tax Status

The Plan has received a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service dated August 30, 2022, stating that the Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and, therefore, the related trust is exempt from taxation. Once qualified, the Plan is required to operate in conformity with the Code to maintain its qualification. The Plan has been amended since receiving the determination letter. However, Plan management believes that the Plan is designed and is currently being operated in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Code.

GAAP requires plan management to evaluate tax positions taken by the Plan. The Plan administrator has analyzed the tax positions taken by the Plan, and has concluded that as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, there are no uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken that would require recognition of a liability (or asset) or disclosure in the financial statements. The Plan is subject to routine audits by taxing authorities; however there are currently no audits for any tax periods in progress. The Plan administrator believes it is no longer subject to income tax examinations for years prior to 2021.

6. Party-in-Interest

The Plan held the following party-in-interest investments (at fair value):

 December 31,
 20242023
Park National Corporation Common Stock$159,236,170 $139,557,074 
Fidelity Investments Interest Bearing Account1,783 — 
Northern Trust Interest Bearing Account— 454 
 $159,237,953 $139,557,528 

At December 31, 2024, the Plan held 928,870 shares of Park National Corporation Common Stock, with a fair value of $159,236,170. At December 31, 2023, the Plan held 1,050,407 shares of Park National Corporation Common Stock, with a fair value of $139,557,074.

During 2024 and 2023, cash dividends of $4,632,518 and $4,286,411, respectively, were paid to the Plan by Park National Corporation.

At December 31, 2024, the Plan held non-participant directed interest bearing accounts issued by Fidelity Investments of $1,783. During 2024, interest of $638 was paid to the Plan by Fidelity Investments.

During 2024, interest of $13,493 was paid to the Plan by Northern Trust. At December 31, 2023, the Plan held non-participant directed, interest bearing accounts issued by Northern
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Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2024 and 2023
_____________________________________________________________________________________


Trust of $454 and no participant directed investments in interest bearing accounts issued by Northern Trust. During 2023, interest of $28,366 was paid to the Plan by Northern Trust.

At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Plan held no non-participant directed and no participant directed investments in interest bearing accounts issued by The Park National Bank. During 2024 and 2023, no interest was paid to the plan by The Park National Bank.

During 2024 and 2023, the Plan purchased 111,396 shares and 104,196 shares, respectively, of Park National Corporation Common Stock. During 2024 and 2023, the Plan sold 216,487 shares and 7,023 shares, respectively, of Park National Corporation Common Stock.

7. Form 5500 Reconciliation

The following is a reconciliation of net assets available for benefits per the financial statements to the Form 5500.
 December 31,
 20242023
Net assets available for benefits per the financial statements$276,806,172 $233,425,318 
Less: Accrued interest and dividends— (50,118)
Net assets per the Form 5500$276,806,172 $233,375,200 

The following is a reconciliation of net change in net assets available for benefits per the financial statements to the Form 5500:

 20242023
Net increase in net assets available for benefits 
per the financial statements$43,380,854 $15,975,808 
Less: Accrued interest and dividends— (50,118)
Plus: Prior year accrued interest and dividends50,118 29,586 
Net income per the Form 5500$43,430,972 $15,955,276 

8. Risks and Uncertainties

The Plan invests in various investment securities including Park National Corporation Common Stock, mutual funds, and interest bearing accounts. Investment securities are exposed to various risks such as interest rate, market, liquidity and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities and the level of uncertainty related to changes in the value of investment securities, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such changes could materially affect participants’ account balances and the amounts reported in the statements of net assets available for benefits.

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Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2024 and 2023
_____________________________________________________________________________________


9. Fair Values

GAAP defines fair value as the price that would be received by the Plan for an asset or paid by the Plan to transfer a liability (an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date in the Plan’s principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability. GAAP establishes a fair value hierarchy which requires the Plan to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The hierarchy places the highest priority on unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (level 1 measurements) and gives the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (level 3 measurements). The three levels of inputs within the fair value hierarchy are defined as follows:

Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the Plan has the ability to access as of the measurement date.

Level 2: Significant other observable inputs other than level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3: Significant unobservable inputs that reflect the Plan’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability.

In some cases, a valuation technique used to measure fair value may include inputs from multiple levels of the fair value hierarchy. The lowest level of significant input determines the placement of the entire fair value measurement in the hierarchy.

The fair values of mutual fund investments and common stock are determined by obtaining quoted prices on nationally recognized securities exchanges (level 1 inputs). Additionally, due to their short-term nature, the fair value of interest-bearing cash balances are determined by reference to their face value (level 1 input). The fair value of all of the investments held by the Plan have been determined using Level 1 inputs (refer to the Statement of Net Assets Available for Benefits).

There were no transfers between level 1, level 2 or level 3 during 2024 or 2023. Management’s policy is to transfer assets from one level to another when the methodology to obtain the fair value changes such that there are more or fewer unobservable inputs as of the end of the reporting period.

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SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES
 



Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Schedule H, Line 4i
Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)
December 31, 2024
 
 Name of Plan Sponsor: Park National Corporation  
 Employer identification number: 31-1179518  
 Three digit plan number: 002  
(a)
(b) 
Identity of Issue, 
Borrower, Lessor 
or Similar Party 
(c)
Description of Investment Including
Maturity Date, Rate of Interest,
 Collateral, Par or Maturity Value
(d) 
Cost
(e)
Current
 Value
Interest-bearing account:   
Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund Inv ClassInterest rate of 4.41%**$7,361,636 
*Fidelity Government Cash Reserves FundInterest rate of 4.19%$1,783 1,783 
Common Stock:     
* Park National Corporation    
 Common Stock 928,870 shares$91,211,911 $159,236,170 
Mutual Funds:    
Vanguard Institutional Index Fund62,945 shares**$30,144,478 
 Vanguard Developed Markets Index 
Fund Admiral Shares283,308 shares**4,351,609 
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond
Index Admiral Shares482,353 shares**4,886,233 
Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund
Admiral Shares44,920 shares**5,173,020 
Vanguard Growth Index Fund Institutional104,867 shares**22,151,038 
 Vanguard Value Index Fund 
Admiral Shares26,868 shares**1,774,336 
Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund
Admiral Shares22,860 shares**7,472,095 
 Vanguard Short-Term Investment Grade 
Fund Admiral Shares229,069 shares**2,361,704 
Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Institutional164,258 shares**7,964,866 
Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund76,387 shares**1,000,669 
Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund160,406 shares**2,997,985 
Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund312,974 shares**7,505,128 
Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund271,113 shares**8,043,927 
Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund52,874 shares**2,940,327 
Vanguard Target Retirement 2065 Fund42,807 shares**1,439,168 
 Total Mutual Funds **$110,206,583 
Total Investments Held at End of Year   $276,806,172 
*    Indicates party-in-interest to the Plan.
**    Disclosure of historical cost is not required for participant directed investments.
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Park National Corporation
Employees Stock Ownership Plan
Schedule H, Line 4j
Schedule of Reportable Transactions
For the year ended December 31, 2024
 

Name of Plan Sponsor: Park National Corporation      
Employer identification number: 31-1179518      
Three digit plan number: 002     
 (b)    (h) 
 Description of Asset Including  (d) (g)Current Value(i)
(a) Maturity Date, Rate of Interest, (c)SellingCost ofof Asset onNet Gain
Identity or Party InvolvedCollateral, Par or Maturity Value CostPriceAssetTransaction Dateor (Loss)
Category (iii) – A series of transactions in excess of 5% of plan assets   
Northern Trust Institutional Govt Select Port Svc Cl-Reinv Money MarketMoney Market Account, 25 purchases $8,412,511 $— $8,412,511 $8,412,511 $— 
Northern Trust Institutional Govt Select Port Svc Cl-Reinv Money MarketMoney Market Account, 44 sales  — 8,412,965 8,412,965 8,412,965 — 
Park National CorporationPRK, 40 purchases$17,060,592 $— $17,060,592 $17,060,592 $— 
Park National CorporationPRK, 118 sales— 34,761,269 22,039,651 34,761,269 12,721,618 

 



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