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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Pathward Financial, Inc. ("Pathward Financial" or the “Company” or "us"), a registered bank holding company located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company's subsidiaries include Pathward®, National Association ("Pathward®, N.A." or "Pathward" or the “Bank”), a national bank whose primary federal regulator is the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the "OCC"), and Pathward Venture Capital, LLC, a wholly-owned service corporation subsidiary of Pathward, N.A. which invests in companies in the financial services industry. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. The Company also owns 100% of First Midwest Financial Capital Trust I (the “Trust”), which was formed in July 2001 for the purpose of issuing trust preferred securities, and Crestmark Capital Trust I, which was acquired from the Crestmark Acquisition in August 2018. The Trust and Crestmark Capital Trust I are not included in the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company.

In addition, the Company is a variable interest holder in certain entities in which the equity holders do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or where the entity does not have enough equity at risk to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support (referred to as variable interest entities or "VIEs"). The Company's variable interest arises from contractual ownership or other monetary interests that change with fluctuations in the VIE's net asset value. The primary beneficiary is the entity which has both: (1) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impacts the VIE's economic performance, and (2) the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. To determine whether or not a variable interest the Company holds could potentially be significant to the VIE, the Company considers both qualitative and quantitative factors regarding the nature, size and form of the Company's involvement with the VIE. Further, the Company assesses whether or not the Company is the primary beneficiary of a VIE on an ongoing basis. If the determination is made that the Company is the primary beneficiary, then that entity is included in the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Noncontrolling interests represent the portion of net income and equity attributable to third-party owners of consolidated subsidiaries that are not wholly-owned by Pathward Financial. All of the Company's noncontrolling interests relate to the Company's Commercial Finance business line.

NATURE OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY SEGMENT INFORMATION

One of the Company's primary sources of revenue relates to payment processing services for prepaid cards, ATM sponsorship, tax refund transfer and money movement. Additionally, a significant source of revenue for the Company is interest from the purchase or origination of commercial finance loans, consumer finance loans, and warehouse finance loans. The Company accepts deposits from customers in the normal course of business on a national basis through its partner solutions and tax services divisions, and through wholesale funding. The Company operates in the banking industry, which accounts for the majority of its revenues and assets. The Company uses the “management approach” for reporting information about segments in annual and interim financial statements. The management approach is based on the way the chief operating decision-maker organizes segments within a company for making operating decisions and assessing performance. Reportable segments are based on products and services, geography, legal structure, management structure and any other manner in which management disaggregates a company. Based on the management approach model, the Company has determined that its business is comprised of three reporting segments.

USE OF ESTIMATES IN PREPARING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain significant estimates include the valuation of residual values within lease receivables, allowance for credit losses, the valuation of goodwill and intangible assets and the fair values of securities and other financial instruments. These estimates are reviewed by management regularly; however, they are particularly susceptible to significant changes in the future.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents is defined to include the Company’s cash on hand and due from financial institutions and short-term interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions. The Company reports cash flows net for customer loan transactions, securities purchased under agreement to resell, federal funds purchased, deposit transactions, securities sold under agreements to repurchase, and FHLB advances with terms less than 90 days. Previously, the FRB required all depository institutions to maintain reserves at specified levels against their transaction accounts, primarily checking accounts. However, since March 26, 2020, the reserve requirement ratio has been zero percent. At September 30, 2024, the Bank was not required to maintain any reserve balances. The Company at times maintains balances in excess of insured limits at various financial institutions including the FRB, the FHLB and other private institutions. At September 30, 2024, the Company had $104.9 million in interest-bearing deposits held at the FRB and $1.7 million interest-bearing deposits held at the FHLB. The Company does not believe these instruments carry a significant risk of loss but cannot provide assurances that no losses could occur if these institutions were to become insolvent.

SECURITIES

GAAP requires that, at acquisition, an enterprise classify debt securities into one of three categories: Available for Sale (“AFS”), Held to Maturity (“HTM”) or trading. Debt securities AFS are carried at fair value on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Unrealized holding gains and losses due to risk of credit loss are recognized in earnings while unrealized holding gains and losses due to market conditions and other non-credit risk factors are excluded from earnings and recognized as a separate component of equity in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”). See Note 19. Fair Values of Financial Instruments for additional information on fair value of AFS debt securities. Debt securities HTM are measured at amortized cost. The Company classifies the majority of its debt securities as AFS, which are those the Company may decide to sell if needed for liquidity, asset/liability management, or other reasons. Both AFS and HTM are subject to an allowance for credit losses. Pathward Financial did not hold trading securities at September 30, 2024 or 2023.

Gains and losses on the sale of securities are determined using the specific identification method based on amortized cost and are reflected in results of operations at the time of sale. Interest and dividend income, adjusted by amortization of purchase premium or discount using the level yield method, is included in income as earned. For callable debt securities, any purchase premium is amortized to the first call date while any discount is accreted over the contractual life of the security.

Debt Securities Credit Losses

The Company evaluates debt securities AFS for credit losses on a quarterly basis and records any such losses as a component of provision for credit loss in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company has concluded that any unrealized holding losses in its portfolio as of September 30, 2024 are not related to credit loss and as a result has not recorded an allowance for credit losses. See Note 2. Securities for further information.

The Company evaluates debt securities HTM for credit losses on a quarterly basis and records any such losses as a component of provision for credit loss in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company has concluded that its portfolio as of September 30, 2024 has a zero risk of credit loss due to the related U.S. Government financial guarantees underlying the securities within the HTM portfolio and as a result has not recorded an allowance for credit losses.

Equity Investments

The Company holds marketable equity securities, which have readily determinable fair value, and include common equity and mutual funds. These securities are recorded at fair value with unrealized gains and losses, due to changes in fair value, reflected in earnings. Interest and dividend income from these securities is recognized in interest income. See Note 2. Securities for additional information on marketable equity securities.

The Company also holds non-marketable equity securities that are included in Other Assets in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company generally accounts for these investments under the equity method or the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 321. Equity Securities. Investments where the Company has significant influence, but not control, over the investee are accounted for under the equity method. Investments where the Company cannot exercise significant influence over the investee are measured at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in earnings, unless those investments have no readily determinable fair value. Investments without readily determinable fair value are measured under the measurement alternative, which reflects cost less impairment, with adjustments in value resulting from observable price changes arising from orderly transactions of the same or a similar security from the same issuer ("measurement alternative investments").

The Company reviews for impairment for equity method and measurement alternative investments and includes an analysis of the facts and circumstances for each investment, expectations of cash flows, capital needs, and viability of its business model. For equity method, the asset carrying value is reduced when the decline in fair value is considered to be other than temporary. For measurement alternative investments, the asset carrying value is reduced when the fair value is less than the carrying value, without the consideration of recovery.

The Company held the following non-marketable equity securities:

•Equity Method - The Company held equity method investments of $4.1 million within other assets as of September 30, 2024 and $4.1 million at September 30, 2023. The Company’s ownership of such investments typically ranges from 5% - 25% of the investee. The Company recognized nominal net earnings from these investments within noninterest income for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024. The Company elected to classify distributions received from equity method investments using the cumulative earnings approach on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

•Fair Value Method - The Company held equity investments measured at net asset value ("NAV") per share (or its equivalent) of $11.8 million at September 30, 2024 and $8.4 million at September 30, 2023 where NAV is considered the fair value practical expedient. These investments are recorded within other assets on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Fluctuations in fair value are recognized in earnings within noninterest Income.

•Measurement Alternative - The Company held equity investments measured using the measurement alternative of $9.5 million as of September 30, 2024 and $12.1 million at September 30, 2023 within other assets on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Equity investments measured using the measurement alternative are subject to fair value adjustments when observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or similar investment of the same issuer occur. The Company did not recognize any fair value adjustments in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. Additionally, the Company recognized impairment loss of $1.0 million and $3.3 million of such investments during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

LOANS HELD FOR SALE ("LHFS")

Loans are designated as LHFS based on management's intent to sell loans, or portions of loans, in established secondary markets or to participating third-party financial institutions. LHFS are held at the lower of cost or fair value. Any amount by which the cost exceeds fair value is initially recorded as a valuation allowance and subsequently reflected in the gain or loss on sale when sold. At September 30, 2024 and 2023, there was no valuation allowance recorded for LHFS. Gains and losses on LHFS are recorded in noninterest income on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Loan costs and fees are deferred at origination and are recognized in income at the time of sale. Interest income is calculated based on the note rate of the loan and is recorded as interest income. The Company occasionally transfers loans between held for sale and held for investment classifications based on its intent and ability to hold or sell loans. Management's intent to sell may be impacted by secondary market conditions, loan credit quality, or other factors.

The following table summarizes the activity pertaining to loans held for sale:


	Fiscal Year Ended September 30,
	2024				2023
(Dollars in thousands)	Consumer		Commercial		Consumer		Commercial
Beginning of year balance	$	77,779	$	—	$	21,071	$	—
Originations	1,901,593		133,388		1,206,201		2,483
Proceeds from sales	(1,937,079)		(99,005)		(1,123,271)		(16,610)
Gain (loss) on sales	—		5,102		—		268
Principal collections, net of deferred fees and costs	(18,083)		(48)		(26,222)		280
Non-cash transfers, net	—		563,495		—		13,579
End of year balance	$	24,210	$	602,932	$	77,779	$	—

LOANS AND LEASES

Loans Receivable

Loans receivable that management has the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future or until maturity or pay-off are classified as held for investment and are generally reported at their outstanding principal balances net of any unearned income, cumulative charge-offs, unamortized deferred fees and costs on originated loans, and unamortized premiums or discounts on purchased loans (amortized cost).

Interest income on loans is accrued over the term of the loans based upon the amount of principal outstanding except when serious doubt exists as to the collectability of a loan, in which case the accrual of interest is discontinued. Unearned income, deferred loan fees and costs, and discounts and premiums are amortized to interest income over the contractual life of the loan using the interest method. The Company's business lines follow a nonaccrual policy with certain commercial finance, consumer finance and tax service loans not generally being placed on non-accrual status, but instead are charged off when the collection of principal and interest become doubtful. When placed on nonaccrual status, the accrued unpaid interest receivable is reversed against interest income and any remaining amortizing of net deferred fees is suspended. Cash collected on these loans is applied to first reduce the carrying value of the loan with any remainder being recognized as interest income. Generally, a loan can return to accrual status when all delinquent interest and principal become current under the terms of the loan agreement and collectability of the remaining principal and interest is no longer doubtful. Loans are considered past due when contractually required principal or interest payments have not been made on the due dates.

For commercial loans, the Company generally fully charges off or charges down to net realizable value (fair value of collateral, less estimated costs to sell) for loans secured by collateral when: management judges the loans to be uncollectible; repayment is deemed to be protracted beyond reasonable time frames; the loan has been classified as a loss by either the Company's internal loan review process or its banking regulatory agencies; the customer has filed bankruptcy and the loss becomes evident owing to lack of assets; or the loan meets a defined number of days past due unless the loan is both well-secured and in the process of collection. For consumer loans, the Company fully charges off or charges down to net realizable value when deemed uncollectible due to bankruptcy or other factors, or meets a defined number of days past due.

Leases Receivable

The Company provides various types of commercial lease financing that are classified for accounting purposes as direct financing, sales-type or operating leases. Leases that transfer substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership to the lessee are classified as direct financing or sales-type leases and are included in loans and leases receivable on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Direct financing and sales-type leases are carried at the combined present value of future minimum lease payments and lease residual values. The determination of lease classification requires various judgments and estimates by management, including the fair value of equipment at lease inception, useful life of the equipment under lease, lease residual value, and collectability of minimum lease payments.

Sales-type leases generate a gain or loss at lease inception by recording lease revenue less lease cost. Lease revenue consists of the present value of the future minimum lease payments. Lease cost consists of the lease equipment’s book value, less the present value of its residual. Interest income on direct financing and sales-type leases is recognized using methods that approximate a level yield over the fixed, non-cancelable term of the lease. Recognition of interest income is generally discontinued at the time the lease becomes 90 days delinquent, unless the lease is well-secured and in process of collection. Delinquency and past due status is based on the contractual terms of the lease. The Company receives pro rata rent payments for the interim period until the lease contract commences and the fixed, non-cancelable lease term begins. Interim payments are recognized in the month they are earned and are recorded in interest income. Management has policies and procedures in place for the determination of lease classification and review of the related judgments and estimates for all lease financings.

The Company generally fully charges off or charges down to net realizable value (fair value of collateral, less estimated costs to sell) for leases when management judges the lease to be uncollectible; repayment is deemed to be protracted beyond reasonable time frames; the lease has been classified as a loss by either the Company's internal review process or its banking regulatory agencies; the customer has filed bankruptcy and the loss becomes evident owing to lack of assets; or the lease meets a defined number of days past due unless the lease is both well-secured and in the process of collection.

Some lease financings include a residual value component, which represents the estimated fair value of the leased equipment at the expiration of the initial term of the transaction. The estimation of the residual value involves judgments regarding product and technology changes, customer behavior, shifts in supply and demand, and other economic assumptions. The Company may purchase and sell minimum lease payments, primarily as a credit risk reduction tool, to third-party financial institutions at fixed rates on a non-recourse basis with its underlying equipment as collateral. For those transactions that achieve sale treatment, the related lease cash flow stream and the non-recourse financing are derecognized. For those transactions that do not achieve sale treatment, the underlying lease remains on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and non-recourse debt is recorded in the amount of the proceeds received. The Company retains servicing of these leases and bills, collects, and remits funds to the third-party financial institution. Upon default by the lessee, the third-party financial institutions may take control of the underlying collateral which the Company would otherwise retain as residual value.

Leases that do not transfer substantially all benefits and risks of ownership to the lessee are classified as operating leases. Such leased equipment are included in rental equipment on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease to its estimated residual value.

Depreciation expense is recorded as operating lease equipment depreciation expense within noninterest expense. Operating lease rental income is recognized when it becomes due and is reflected as a component of noninterest income. The Company evaluates the carrying value of rental equipment for impairment whenever events or circumstances have occurred that would indicate the carrying amount may not be fully recoverable. If the carrying amount is not fully recoverable, an impairment loss is recognized to reduce the carrying amount to fair value, where fair value is based on the condition of the rental equipment and the projected net cash flows from rental and sale adjusted for current market conditions. A $2.0 million impairment expense from rental equipment was recognized for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, a nominal impairment expense was recognized for fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, and no impairment expense was recognized for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

LOAN SERVICING AND TRANSFERS OF FINANCIAL ASSETS

Loan Servicing and Transfers of Financial Assets

The Company sells loan participations, generally without recourse, in both the commercial and consumer segments. The Company also sells commercial SBA and USDA loans to third parties, generally without recourse. Sold loans are not included in the Consolidated Financial Statements. The Bank generally retains the right to service the sold loans for a fee. If the fee is determined commensurate and customary with market terms, no servicing asset or liability is recorded. Any fee that is above or below market terms results in a servicing asset or liability and is included within Other Assets on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES

The ACL represents management’s estimate of current credit losses expected to be incurred by the loan and lease portfolio over the life of each financial asset as of the balance sheet date. The Company individually evaluates loans and leases that do not share similar risk characteristics with other financial assets, which generally means loans and leases on nonaccrual status. All other loans and leases are evaluated collectively for credit loss. A reserve for unfunded credit commitments such as letters of credit and binding unfunded loan commitments is recorded in other liabilities on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

Individually evaluated loans and leases are a key component of the ACL. Generally, the Company measures credit loss on individually evaluated loans based on the fair value of the collateral less estimated selling costs, as the Company considers these financial assets to be collateral dependent. If an individually evaluated loan or lease is not collateral dependent, credit loss is measured at the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan or lease initial effective interest rate. Management has also identified certain structured finance credits for alternative energy projects in which a substantial cash collateral account has been established to mitigate credit risk. Due to the nature of the transactions and significant cash collateral positions, these credits are evaluated individually.

Credit loss for all other loans and leases is evaluated collectively by various characteristics. The collective evaluation of expected losses in all commercial finance portfolios is based on a cohort loss rate and adjustments for forward-looking information, including industry and macroeconomic forecasts. The cohort loss rate is a life of loan loss rate that immediately reverts to historical loss information for the remaining maturity of the financial asset. Management has elected to use a twelve to twenty-four month reasonable and supportable forecast for forward-looking information. Factors utilized in the determination of the allowance include historical loss experience, current economic forecasts and measurement date credit characteristics such as product type, delinquency, and industry. The unfunded credit commitments depend on these same factors, as well as estimates of lines of credit usage. The various quantitative and qualitative factors used in the methodologies are reviewed quarterly.

The collective evaluation of expected credit losses for certain consumer lending portfolios utilize different methodologies when estimating expected credit losses. The determination of the allowance is governed by structured tiers that dictate how cash collections are applied to losses to assess if there are sufficient available funds to cover expected credit losses.

The amount of ACL depends significantly on management’s estimates or key factors and assumptions affecting valuation, appraisals of collateral, evaluations of performance and status, the amounts and timing of future cash flows expected to be received, forecasts of future economic conditions and reversion periods. Such estimates, appraisals, evaluations, cash flows and forecasts may be subject to frequent adjustments due to changing economic prospects of borrowers, lessees, properties or economic conditions. These estimates are reviewed quarterly and adjustments, if necessary, are recorded in the provision for credit loss in the periods in which they become known.

Accrued interest receivable is presented separately on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition, and an ACL is not recorded for these balances. Generally, when a loan or lease is placed on nonaccrual status, typically when the collection of interest or principal is 90 days or more past due, uncollected interest accrued in prior years is charged off against the ACL and interest accrued in the current year is reversed against interest income.

Management maintains a framework of controls over the estimation process for the ACL, including review of collective reserve methodologies for compliance with GAAP. Management has a quarterly process to review the appropriateness of historical observation periods and loss assumptions and risk ratings assigned to loans and leases, if applicable. Management reviews its qualitative framework and the effect on the collective reserve compared with relevant credit risk factors and consistency with credit trends. Management also maintains controls over information systems, models and spreadsheets used in the quantitative components of the reserve estimate. This includes the quality and accuracy of historical data used to derive loss rates, the inputs to industry and macroeconomic forecasts and the reversion periods utilized. The results of this process are summarized and presented to management quarterly for their approval of the recorded allowance. See Note 3. Loans and Leases, Net for further information.

The following are risk characteristics of the Company’s loan and lease portfolio:

Commercial Finance

The Company's Commercial Finance business line offers a variety of products through its working capital, equipment finance, structured finance, and insurance premium finance lending solutions. These products include term lending, asset-based lending, factoring, lease financing, insurance premium finance, government guaranteed lending and other commercial finance products offered on a nationwide basis that are subject to adverse market conditions which may impact the borrower’s ability to make repayment on the loan or lease or could cause a decline in the value of the collateral that secures the loan or lease. The loans or leases are primarily made based on the operating cash flows of the borrower and on the underlying collateral provided by the borrower. The cash flows of borrowers may be volatile and the value of the collateral securing these loans and leases may be difficult to measure. Most commercial finance loans and leases are secured by the assets being financed or other business assets such as accounts receivable or inventory. Although the loans and leases are often collateralized by equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, insurance premiums or other business assets, the liquidation of collateral in the event of a borrower default may be an insufficient source of repayment, because accounts receivable may be uncollectible and inventories and equipment may be obsolete or of limited use. The Company attempts to mitigate these risks by adhering to its underwriting policies in evaluating the management of the business and the credit-worthiness of borrowers and guarantors. See Note 20. Subsequent Events for further information on the Company's commercial premium finance insurance business.

Consumer Finance

The Bank offers a variety of installment and revolving consumer lending products through its credit solutions. The Bank designs its credit program relationships with certain desired outcomes, including liquidity, credit protection, and risk retention by the program partner. The Bank believes the benefits of these outcomes not only support its goals but the goals of the credit program partner as well. The Bank designs its program credit protections in a manner so that the Bank earns a reasonable risk adjusted return, but is protected by certain layers of credit support, similar to what you would find in structured finance. Certain loans are sold to third parties based on terms and conditions within the Program Agreement.

Tax Services

The Bank's Partner Solutions business line also offers tax solutions, which includes short-term refund advance loans. Through this product, taxpayers are underwritten to determine eligibility for these unsecured loans. Due to the nature of refund advance loans, it typically takes no more than three e-file cycles (the period of time between scheduled IRS payments) from when the return is accepted by the IRS to collect from the borrower. In the event of default, the Bank has no recourse against the tax consumer. When collection of principal becomes doubtful, the Bank will charge off the balance of a refund advance loan on September 30. Any remaining balances are charged off at the end of the calendar year. The Bank may record recoveries of previously charged off loans if collected in subsequent tax years.

The Bank offers short-term electronic return originator ("ERO") advance loans on a nationwide basis. These loans are typically utilized by tax preparers to purchase tax preparation software and to prepare tax office operations for the upcoming tax season. EROs go through an underwriting process to determine eligibility for the unsecured advances. ERO loans are not collateralized. Collection on ERO advances begins once the ERO begins to process refund transfers. Generally, the Bank will charge off the balance of an ERO advance loan if there is a balance at the end of June, or when collection of principal becomes doubtful.

Warehouse Finance

The Bank participates in several collateral-based warehouse lines of credit whereby the Bank is in a senior, secured position as the first out participant. These facilities are primarily collateralized by consumer receivables, with the Bank holding a senior collateral position enhanced by a subordinate party structure.

PREMISES, FURNITURE, AND EQUIPMENT

Land is carried at cost. Buildings, furniture, fixtures, leasehold improvements, internal-use software and equipment are carried at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization. The Company primarily uses the straight-line method of depreciation and amortization over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which is 39 years for buildings, three years for internal-use software, and range from two years to 15 years for leasehold improvements and for furniture, fixtures and equipment. Assets are reviewed for impairment when events indicate the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

GOODWILL

Goodwill represents the cost in excess of the fair value of net assets acquired (including identifiable intangibles) in transactions accounted for as business acquisitions. Goodwill is evaluated annually for impairment at a reporting unit level. The Company has determined that its reporting units are one level below the operating segments and distinguish these reporting units based on how the segments and reporting units are managed, taking into consideration the economic characteristics, nature of the products, and customers of the segments and reporting units. The Company performs its impairment evaluation as of September 30 of each fiscal year unless a triggering event occurs that would require an interim impairment evaluation. The Company generally utilizes a qualitative approach during this annual assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not (i.e. a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. If we determine it is more likely than not that goodwill is impaired, then a quantitative assessment is performed to determine fair value of the reporting unit. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit with goodwill exceeds its fair value, goodwill is considered impaired and is written down by the excess carrying value of the reporting unit. Subsequent increases in goodwill are not recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements. No goodwill impairment was recognized during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024, 2023 or 2022. See Note 7. Goodwill and Intangible Assets for further information.

INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Intangible assets other than goodwill are amortized over their respective estimated lives. All intangible assets are subject to an impairment test at least annually or more often if conditions indicate a possible impairment. See Note 7. Goodwill and Intangible Assets for further information.

STOCK COMPENSATION

Compensation expense for share-based awards is recorded over the vesting period at the fair value of the award at the time of grant. The fair value of nonvested (restricted) shares and performance share units granted under the Company’s incentive plans is equal to the fair market value of the underlying stock at the grant date, adjusted for dividends where applicable. The Company has elected to record forfeitures as they occur. See Note 12. Stock Compensation for further information.

INCOME TAXES

The Company records income tax expense based on the amount of taxes due on its tax return plus deferred taxes computed based on the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and tax bases of assets and liabilities, using enacted tax rates. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

In accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes, the Company recognizes a tax position as a benefit only if it is more likely than not that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon examination. For tax positions not meeting the more likely than not test, no tax benefit is recorded. The Company recognizes interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in noninterest income or noninterest expense. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities from a change in tax rates is recorded in income tax expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations in the period in which the enactment date occurs. If current period income tax rates change, the impact on the annual effective income tax rate is applied year to date in the period of enactment. See Note 13. Income Taxes for further information.

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS WITH OFF-BALANCE SHEET RISK

The Company, in the normal course of business, makes commitments to originate loans which are not reflected in the Consolidated Financial Statements. The reserve for these unfunded commitments is included within Other Liabilities on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

Comprehensive income (loss) consists of net income and other comprehensive income or loss. Other comprehensive income or loss includes the change in net unrealized holding gains and losses due to market conditions and other non-credit risk factors on AFS debt securities, net of reclassification adjustments and tax effects. Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) is recognized as a separate component of stockholders’ equity.

REVENUE RECOGNITION

Interest revenue from loans, leases, and investments is recognized on the accrual basis of accounting as the interest is earned according to the terms of the particular loan, lease, or investment. Income from service and other customer charges is recognized as earned. Revenue within the Consumer segment is recognized as services are performed and service charges are earned in accordance with the terms of the various programs. Refer to Note 15. Revenue from Contracts with Customers for additional information.

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE ("EPS")

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE (“EPS”)

Basic EPS is computed using the two-class method by dividing income available to common stockholders after the allocation of dividends and undistributed earnings to the participating securities by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised, and is computed after giving consideration to the weighted average dilutive effect upon vesting of restricted stock grants and after the allocation of earnings to the participating securities. See Note 4. Earnings per Common Share for further information.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company has disclosed information on its equity investments and relationships with variable interest entities in Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

RECLASSIFICATION AND REVISION OF PRIOR PERIOD BALANCES

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year financial statement presentation. These changes and reclassifications did not impact previously reported net income or comprehensive income (loss).

RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS UPDATES ("ASU")

The following ASU was adopted by the Company during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 and did not have a material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. The following ASU became effective for the Company on October 1, 2023.

ASU 2022-02, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures. The amendments in this ASU eliminate accounting guidance for troubled-debt restructurings (“TDRs”) by creditors in Subtopic ASC 310-40, Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors, and enhance disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancings and restructurings when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. The ASU also requires current period gross charge-offs by year of origination to be disclosed for loans and leases within scope of ASC Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses.

The following ASUs have been issued and are considered applicable to the Company, but have not yet been adopted as of September 30, 2024.

ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. This ASU improves reportable segment disclosures primarily by enhancing disclosure requirements about significant segment expenses. The amendments will be effective for the Company beginning with the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025 and subsequent interim periods. The amendments will be applied retrospectively to all prior periods in the consolidated financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of such amendments to the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (ASC 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. This ASU requires enhanced income tax disclosures primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information to provide further transparency surrounding the Company’s income tax position. The amendments in this ASU will be effective for the Company beginning on October 1, 2025. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of such amendments to the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.