Annual Report (10-k)

Table of Contents

​

​

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

☒   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2020

or

☐   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from __________________ to __________________

Commission File No. 0-13232

​

​

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (855) 582-5101

​

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes ◻  No ⌧

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Yes ◻  No ⌧

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes ⌧  No ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes ⌧  No ◻

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.   ⌧

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

​

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ◻

​

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

​

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act)

Yes ☐  No ⌧

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrants most recently completed second fiscal quarter was $81,175,394. ⁽¹⁾

There were 5,151,279 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding as of March 15, 2021.

​

​

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

(Specific sections incorporated are identified under applicable items herein)

​

Table of Contents

Certain portions of the Company’s Proxy Statement to be filed in connection with its 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Report; provided; however, that any information in such Proxy Statement that is not required to be included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K shall not be deemed to be incorporated herein or filed for the purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Other documents incorporated by reference are listed in the Exhibit Index.

​

​

​

​

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

​

​

​

​

3

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Other sources of funds used by the Company include retail repurchase agreements, borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, Federal Reserve Bank Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility (“PPPLF”) advances and lines of credit established with various correspondent banks for overnight funding.

Competition

The Bank’s service area is characterized by a high level of competition for banking and financial services among commercial banks, varying in size from local community banks to regional and national banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, and non-bank financial institutions, including fintech-based loan and deposit providers, located inside and outside the Bank’s market area. The Bank actively competes with dozens of such banks and institutions for local consumer and commercial deposit accounts, loans and other types of banking business. Many competitors have substantially greater financial resources and larger branch systems than those of the Bank.

In commercial transactions, the Company believes that the Bank’s legal lending limit to a single borrower (approximately $10,007,000 as of December 31, 2020) enables it to compete effectively for the business of small and mid-sized businesses. However, this legal lending limit is considerably lower than that of various competing institutions, and thus, may act as a constraint on the Bank’s effectiveness in competing for larger financings.

In consumer transactions, the Bank believes it can compete on a substantially equal basis with larger financial institutions because it offers competitive interest rates on deposit products and on loans.

In competing with other banks and financial institutions, the Bank seeks to provide personalized services through management’s knowledge and awareness of its service areas, customers and borrowers. In management’s opinion, larger institutions often do not provide comparable attention to the retail depositors and the relatively small commercial borrowers that comprise the Bank’s primary customer base.

Other competitors, including credit unions, consumer finance companies, fintech-based loan and deposit providers, insurance companies and money market mutual funds, compete with many of the lending and deposit services offered by the Bank. The Bank also competes with insurance companies, investment counseling firms, mutual funds and other business firms and individuals in corporate and trust investment management services.

Supervision and Regulation

General

The Company operates in a highly regulated industry and, thus, may be affected by changes in state and federal regulations and legislation. As a registered bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “Bank Holding Company Act”), the Company is subject to supervision and examination by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“FRB”) and is required to file periodic reports and information regarding its business operations and those of the Bank with the FRB. In addition, under the Pennsylvania Banking Code of 1965, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities has the authority to examine the books, records and affairs of the Company and to require any documentation deemed necessary to ensure compliance with the Pennsylvania Banking Code.

The Bank Holding Company Act requires the Company to obtain FRB approval before: acquiring more than a five percent ownership interest in any class of the voting securities of any bank; acquiring all or substantially all the assets of a bank; or merging or consolidating with another bank holding company. In addition, the Bank Holding Company Act prohibits a bank holding company from acquiring the assets, or more than five percent of the voting securities, of a bank located in another state, unless such acquisition is specifically authorized by the statutes of the state in which the bank is located.

The Company is generally prohibited under the Bank Holding Company Act from engaging in, or acquiring, direct or indirect ownership or control of more than five percent of the voting shares of any company engaged in nonbanking activities unless the FRB, by order or regulation, has found such activities to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto. In making such determination, the FRB considers whether the performance of these activities by a bank holding company can reasonably be expected to produce benefits to the public that outweigh the possible adverse effects.

5

Table of Contents

A satisfactory safety and soundness rating, particularly with regard to capital adequacy, and a satisfactory Community Reinvestment Act rating are generally prerequisites to obtaining federal regulatory approval to make acquisitions and open branch offices. As of December 31, 2020, the Bank was rated “satisfactory” under the Community Reinvestment Act and was a “well capitalized” bank. An institution’s Community Reinvestment Act rating is considered in determining whether to grant approvals relating to charters, branches and other deposit facilities, relocations, mergers, consolidations and acquisitions. Less than satisfactory performance may be the basis for denying an application.

There are various legal restrictions on the extent to which the Company and its non-bank subsidiaries can borrow or otherwise obtain credit from the Bank. In general, these restrictions require that any such extensions of credit must be secured by designated amounts of specified collateral and are limited, as to any one of the Company or such non-bank subsidiaries, to ten percent of the lending bank’s capital stock and surplus and, as to the Company and all such non-bank subsidiaries in the aggregate, to 20 percent of the Bank’s capital stock and surplus. Further, the Company and the Bank are prohibited from engaging in certain tie-in arrangements in connection with any extension of credit, lease or sale of property or furnishing of services.

As a bank chartered under the laws of Pennsylvania, the Bank is subject to the regulations and supervision of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. These government agencies conduct regular safety and soundness and compliance reviews that have resulted in satisfactory evaluations to date. Some of the aspects of the lending and deposit business of the Bank that are regulated by these agencies include personal lending, mortgage lending and reserve requirements.

The operations of the Bank are also subject to numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations which set forth specific restrictions and procedural requirements with respect to interest rates on loans, the extension of credit, credit practices, the disclosure of credit terms and discrimination in credit transactions. The Bank also is subject to certain limitations on the amount of cash dividends that it can pay to the Company. See Note 14 of The Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Under FRB policy, the Company is expected to act as a source of financial strength to the Bank, and to commit resources to support the Bank in circumstances where it might not be in a financial position to support itself. Consistent with the “source of strength” policy for subsidiary banks, the FRB has stated that, as a matter of prudent banking, a bank holding company generally should not maintain a rate of cash dividends unless its net income available to common stockholders has been sufficient to fully fund the dividends and the prospective rate of earnings retention appears to be consistent with the Company’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition.

As a public company, the Company is subject to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) rules and regulations relating to periodic reporting, proxy solicitation and insider trading.

On March 12, 2020, the SEC adopted amendments to the “accelerated filer” and “large accelerated filer” definitions pursuant to Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in order to resolve an overlap that existed between the definitions related to accelerated filers and “smaller reporting companies,” with the focus to reduce disclosure and reporting obligations for lower-revenue smaller reporting companies. The final amendments were effective on, and apply to an annual report filing due on or after, April 27, 2020. The most notable impact of these amendments is that a smaller reporting company with less than $100 million in revenue that previously met the definition of an accelerated filer or large accelerated filer will not be required to obtain an attestation of their internal control over financial reporting as required under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and will not be required to comply with the shorter SEC filing deadlines that apply to accelerated filers. Juniata qualifies as a smaller reporting company as of December 31, 2020 and is not required to obtain such an attestation and may comply with the shorter SEC filing deadlines.

FDIC Insurance

The FDIC is an independent federal agency that insures the deposits, up to prescribed statutory limits, of federally insured banks and savings institutions and safeguards the safety and soundness of the banking and savings industries. The FDIC administers the Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”). The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (“Dodd-Frank Act”) permanently raised the standard maximum deposit insurance coverage amount to $250,000 and made the increase retroactive to January 1, 2008. The FDIC deposit insurance coverage limit applies per depositor, per

6

Table of Contents

insured depository institution for each account ownership category. The FDIC has been given greater latitude in setting the assessment rates for insured depository institutions which could be used to impose minimum assessments.

The FDIC is authorized to set the reserve ratios for the DIF annually at between 1.15% and 1.5% of estimated insured deposits. FDIC assessment rates currently range from 12 to 50 basis points. Institutions in the lowest risk category, Risk Category I, pay between 12 and 14 basis points. Initial base assessment rates range between 12 and 45 basis points (12 – 16 basis points for Category I). The initial base rates for risk categories II, III and IV were 20, 30 and 45 basis points, respectively. For institutions in any risk category, assessment rates rose above initial rates for institutions relying significantly on secured liabilities (repurchase agreements, Federal Home Loan Bank advances, secured Federal Funds purchased and other secured borrowings). Assessment rates increased for institutions with a ratio of secured liabilities to domestic deposits of greater than 15%, with a maximum of 50% above the rate before such adjustment.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (“Dodd Frank Act”) revised the statutory authorities governing the FDIC’s management of the DIF. Key requirements from the Dodd-Frank Act have resulted in the FDIC’s adoption of amendments that: (1) redefined the assessment base used to calculate deposit insurance assessments to “average consolidated total assets minus average tangible equity”; (2) raised the DIF’s minimum reserve ratio to 1.35 percent and removed the upper limit on the reserve ratio; (3) revised adjustments to the assessment rates by eliminating one adjustment and adding another; and (4) revised the deposit insurance assessment rate schedules due to changes to the assessment base. Revised rate schedules and other revisions to the deposit insurance assessment rules became effective April 1, 2011. Though deposit insurance assessments maintain a risk-based approach, the FDIC’s changes effective April 1, 2011, impose a more extensive risk-based assessment system on large insured depository, institutions with at least $10 billion in total assets since they are more complex in nature and could pose greater risk. Due to the changes to the assessment base and assessment rates, as well as the DIF restoration time frame, the impact on the Company’s deposit insurance assessments resulted in lower premiums since 2011 and will likely continue in future years. In 2019, the Bank was allocated $160,000 in a small bank assessment credits and was permitted to use $102,000 during the year ended December 31, 2019. The Bank used the remaining $58,000 in credits in 2020.

Under the Dodd-Frank Act, the FDIC may terminate the insurance of an institution’s deposits upon finding that the institution has engaged in unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe and unsound condition to continue operations or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC. The Company does not know of any practice, condition or violation that might lead to termination of its deposit insurance.

In addition, all FDIC-insured institutions were required to pay assessments to fund interest payments on bonds issued by the Financing Corporation, an agency of the Federal government established to finance resolutions of insolvent thrifts. These assessments ceased in 2019 as the Financing Corporation bonds fully matured.

Community Reinvestment Act

Under the Community Reinvestment Act, the Bank has a continuing and affirmative obligation, consistent with its safe and sound operation, to help meet the credit needs of its entire community, including low and moderate-income neighborhoods. However, the Community Reinvestment Act does not establish specific lending requirements or programs for financial institutions, nor does it limit an institution’s discretion to develop the types of products and services that it believes are best suited to its community. The Community Reinvestment Act also requires:

​

Capital Regulation

The Bank is subject to risk-based capital standards by which banks are evaluated in terms of capital adequacy. These regulatory capital requirements are administered by the federal banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can result in certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the consolidated financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative

7

Table of Contents

measures of the Bank’s assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. The Bank’s capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators. Management believes, as of December 31, 2020, the Bank meets all capital adequacy requirements to which it is subject.

Prompt corrective action regulations provide five classifications: well-capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized, although these terms are not used to represent overall financial condition. If adequately capitalized, regulatory approval is required to accept brokered deposits. If undercapitalized, capital distributions are limited, as is asset growth and expansion, and capital restoration plans are required. At year-end 2020 and 2019, the Bank was well-capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. There are no conditions or events since that notification that management believes have changed the Bank’s capital category.

The United States is a member of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (the “Basel Committee”) that provides a forum for regular international cooperation on banking supervisory matters. The Basel Committee develops guidelines and supervisory standards and is best known for its international standards on capital adequacy.  In December 2010, the Basel Committee released its final framework for strengthening international capital and liquidity regulation, officially identified by the Basel Committee as “Basel III”, which set capital standards that the Bank would otherwise be required to comply, if not for the federal banking agencies joint final rule in 2019 that provides an optional, simplified measure of capital adequacy, the community bank leverage ratio framework (“CBLR framework”), for qualifying community banking organizations, consistent with Section 201 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (the “Economic Growth Act”). The final CBLR framework rule became effective on January 1, 2020 and the Bank elected to comply with the CBLR framework in 2020. In April 2020, the federal banking agencies issued an interim final rule that makes temporary change to the CBLR framework, pursuant to Section 4012 of the CARES Act, and a second interim final rule that provides a graduated increase in the community bank leverage ratio requirement after the expiration of the temporary changes implemented pursuant to Section 4012 of the CARES Act.

The community bank leverage ratio removes the requirement for qualifying banking organizations to calculate and report risk-based capital, but rather only requires compliance with a Tier 1 to average assets (“leverage”) ratio. Qualifying banking organizations that elect to use the CBLR framework and that maintain a leverage ratio of greater than required minimums will be considered to have satisfied the generally applicable risk-based and leverage capital requirements in the agencies’ capital rules (generally applicable rule) and, if applicable, will be considered to have met the well-capitalized ratio requirements for purposes of Section 38 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. Under the interim final rules, the community bank leverage ratio minimum requirement is 8.0% as of December 31, 2020, 8.5% for calendar year 2021, and 9.0% for calendar year 2022 and beyond. The interim rule allows for a two-quarter grace period to correct a ratio that falls below the required amount, provided the Bank maintains a leverage ratio of 7.0% as of December 31, 2020, 7.5% for calendar year 2021, and 8.0% for calendar year 2022 and beyond.

Under the final rule, an eligible banking organization can opt out of the CBLR framework and revert back to the risk-weighting framework without restriction. As of December 31, 2020, the Bank was a qualifying community banking organization as defined by the federal banking agencies and elected to measure capital adequacy under the CBLR framework.  However, in the event an organization fails to meet the CBLR framework requirements, it will become subject to the Basel III capital requirements, described below.

​

The Bank is subject to risk-based and leverage capital standards. The risk-based capital standards relate a banking organization’s capital to the risk profile of its assets and require it to maintain Tier 1 capital of at least 4% of total risk-adjusted assets, and total capital, including Tier 1 capital, equal to at least 8% of total risk-adjusted assets. Tier 1 capital includes common stockholders’ equity and qualifying perpetual preferred stock together with related surpluses and retained earnings. The remaining portion of this capital standard, known as Tier 2 capital, may be comprised of limited life preferred stock, qualifying subordinated debt instruments and the reserves for possible loan losses.

​

Additionally, banking organizations must maintain a minimum leverage ratio of 3%, measured as the ratio of Tier 1 capital to adjusted average assets. This 3% leverage ratio is a minimum for the most highly rated banking organizations without any supervisory, financial or operational weaknesses or deficiencies. Other banking organizations are expected to maintain leverage capital ratios that are 100 to 200 basis points above such minimum, depending upon their financial condition.

8

Table of Contents

Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (the "1991 Act"), a bank holding company is required to guarantee that any "undercapitalized" (as such term is defined in the statute) insured depository institution subsidiary will comply with the terms of any capital restoration plan filed by such subsidiary with its appropriate federal banking agency up to the lesser of (i) an amount equal to 5% of the institution’s total assets at the time the institution became undercapitalized, or (ii) the amount which is necessary (or would have been necessary) to bring the institution into compliance with all capital standards as of the time the institution failed to comply with such capital restoration plan.

Federal banking agencies have broad powers to take corrective action to resolve problems of insured depository institutions. The extent of these powers depends upon whether the institutions in question are “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized”, “significantly undercapitalized,” or “critically undercapitalized.” As of December 31, 2020, the Bank was a “well-capitalized” bank, as defined by the FDIC.

The FDIC has issued a rule that sets the capital level for each of the five capital categories by which banks are evaluated. A bank is deemed to be “well capitalized” if the bank has a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% or greater, has a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6% or greater, has a leverage ratio of 5% or greater, and is not subject to any order or final capital directive by the FDIC to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure. A bank may be deemed to be in a capitalization category that is lower than is indicated by its actual capital position if it received an unsatisfactory safety and soundness examination rating.

All of the bank regulatory agencies have issued rules that amend their capital guidelines for interest rate risk and require such agencies to consider in their evaluation of a bank’s capital adequacy the exposure of a bank’s capital and economic value to changes in interest rates. These rules do not establish an explicit supervisory threshold. The agencies intend, at a subsequent date, to incorporate explicit minimum requirements for interest rate risk into their risk-based capital standards and have proposed a supervisory model to be used together with bank internal models to gather data and hopefully propose at a later date, explicit minimum requirements.

The Basel III rules, among other things, narrow the definition of regulatory capital. Basel III requires bank holding companies and their bank subsidiaries to maintain substantially more capital, with a greater emphasis on common equity. Specifically, Basel III requires financial institutions to maintain: (a) a minimum ratio of common equity tier 1 capital (CET1) to risk-weighted assets of at least 4.5%; (b) a minimum ratio of tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 6.0%; (c) a minimum ratio of total (that is, tier 1 plus tier 2) capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8.0%; and (d)  a minimum leverage ratio of 3.0%, calculated as the ratio of tier 1 capital balance sheet exposures plus certain off-balance sheet exposures (computed as the average for each quarter of the month-end ratios for the quarter). In addition, the rules also limit a banking organization’s capital distributions and certain discretionary bonus payments if the banking organization does not hold a “capital conservation buffer” of 2.5% above each of the foregoing capital requirements stated in (a) – (c).  Basel III also provides for a “countercyclical capital buffer,” an additional capital requirement that generally is imposed when national regulators determine that excess aggregate credit growth has become associated with a buildup of systemic risk, in order to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions that maintain insufficient capital to comply with the capital conservation buffer face constraints on dividends, equity repurchases and compensation based on the amount of the shortfall.

Additionally, the Basel III framework requires banks and bank holding companies to measure their liquidity against specific liquidity tests, including a liquidity coverage ratio (“LCR”) designed to ensure that the banking entity maintains a level of unencumbered high-quality liquid assets greater than or equal to the entity’s expected net cash outflow for a 30-day time horizon under an acute liquidity stress scenario, and a net stable funding ratio (“NSFR”) designed to promote more medium and long-term funding based on the liquidity characteristics of the assets and activities of banking entities over a one-year time horizon. In September 2014, the federal regulatory agencies finalized rules implementing the LCR for U.S. financial institutions that are “internationally active banking organizations” and those generally with more than $250 billion in total consolidated assets. The FRB separately adopted a less stringent, modified LCR requirement for bank holding companies that have more than $50 billion in total consolidated assets. Because of the Company’s size, neither the LCR Rule nor any additional proposed rules under the Basel III liquidity framework are applicable to it.

The final rules apply to all depository institutions, top-tier bank holding companies with total consolidated assets of $500 million or more, and top-tier savings and loan holding companies (“banking organizations”).

9

Table of Contents

​

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act

On November 12, 1999, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (“GLB”) became law. GLB permits commercial banks to affiliate with investment banks. It also permits bank holding companies which elect financial holding company status to engage in any type of financial activity, including securities, insurance, merchant banking/equity investment and other activities that are financial in nature. The Company has not elected financial holding company status. The merchant banking provisions of GLB allow a bank holding company to make a controlling investment in any kind of company, financial or commercial. GLB allows a bank to engage in virtually every type of activity currently recognized as financial or incidental or complementary to a financial activity. A commercial bank that wishes to engage in these activities is required to be well capitalized, well managed and to have a satisfactory or better Community Reinvestment Act rating. GLB also allows subsidiaries of banks to engage in a broad range of financial activities that are not permitted for banks themselves. Although the Company and the Bank have not commenced these types of activities to date, GLB enables them to evaluate new financial activities that would complement the products already offered to enhance non-interest income.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 implemented a broad range of corporate governance, accounting and reporting measures for companies, like Juniata, that have securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Specifically, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the various regulations promulgated under the Act, established, among other things: (i) requirements for audit committees, including independence, expertise, and responsibilities; (ii) additional responsibilities relating to financial statements for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of reporting companies; (iii) standards for auditors and regulation of audits, including independence provisions that restrict non-audit services that accountants may provide to their audit clients; (iv) increased disclosure and reporting obligations for reporting companies and their directors and executive officers, including accelerated reporting of stock transactions and a prohibition on trading during pension blackout periods; and (v) a range of civil and criminal penalties for fraud and other violations of the securities laws. In addition, Sarbanes-Oxley required stock exchanges, such as NASDAQ, to institute additional requirements relating to corporate governance in their listing rules.

Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires the Company to include in its Annual Report on Form 10-K a report by management on the adequacy of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Management’s internal control report must, among other things, set forth management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Due to the SEC’s recently adopted amendments to the “accelerated filer” and “large accelerated filer” definitions pursuant to Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, smaller reporting companies, such as Juniata, with less than $100 million in revenue that previously met the definition of an accelerated filer or large accelerated filer will not be required to obtain an attestation of their internal control over financial reporting as required under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; thus no such attestation is included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Financial Privacy

Federal banking regulators have adopted rules that limit the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose non-public information about consumers to nonaffiliated third parties. These limitations require disclosure of privacy policies to consumers and, in some circumstances, allow consumers to prevent disclosure of certain personal information to a nonaffiliated third party. The privacy provisions of the GLB Act affect the Company by limiting how consumer information is transmitted and conveyed to outside vendors.

Anti-Money Laundering Initiatives and the USA Patriot Act

A major focus of governmental policy on financial institutions in recent years has been aimed at combating money laundering and terrorist financing. U.S. federal laws and regulations, including the USA Patriot Act of 2001 (“USA Patriot Act”) imposes significant compliance and due diligence obligations, creates criminal and financial liability for non-compliance and expands the extra-territorial jurisdiction of the U.S. The United States Department of the Treasury has issued several regulations that apply various requirements of the USA Patriot Act to financial institutions. These regulations require financial institutions to maintain appropriate policies, procedures and controls to detect, prevent and report money laundering and terrorist financing and to verify the identity of their customers. Failure of a financial

10

Table of Contents

institution to maintain and implement adequate programs to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, or to comply with all the relevant laws or regulations, could have serious legal and reputational consequences for the institution.

On January 1, 2021, the National Defense Authorization Act ("NDAA") was signed into law, which enacted significant changes to existing U.S. anti-money laundering (“AML”) laws. The NDAA includes: (i) significant changes to the collection of beneficial ownership and the establishment of a beneficial ownership registry, which requires certain corporate entities  to report beneficial ownership information to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”); (ii) enhanced whistleblower provisions, which provide that one or more whistleblowers who voluntarily provide original information leading to the successful enforcement of violations of the Bank Secrecy Act or other AML-related laws under certain circumstances will receive a percentage of the monetary sanctions collected and will receive increased protections; (iii) increased penalties for violations of the BSA; (iv) improvements to existing information sharing provisions that permit financial institutions to share information relating to suspicious activity for the purpose of combating illicit finance risks; and (v) expanded duties and powers of FinCEN. Many of the new provisions, including those with respect to beneficial ownership, require the Department of Treasury and FinCEN to promulgate rules.

Office of Foreign Assets Control Regulation

The U.S. has instituted economic sanctions which restrict transactions with designated foreign countries, nationals and others. These are typically known as the “OFAC rules” because they are administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”). The OFAC-administered sanctions target countries in various ways. Generally, however, they contain one or more of the following elements: (i) restrictions on trade with or investment in a sanctioned country, including prohibitions against direct or indirect imports from and exports to a sanctioned country, and prohibitions on “U.S. persons” engaging in financial transactions which relate to investments in, or providing investment-related advice or assistance to, a sanctioned country; and (ii) a blocking of assets in which the government or specially designated nationals of the sanctioned country have an interest, by prohibiting transfers of property subject to U.S. jurisdiction (including property in the possession or control of U.S. persons). Blocked assets (e.g., property and bank deposits) cannot be paid out, withdrawn, set off or transferred in any manner without a license from OFAC. Failure to comply with these sanctions could have serious legal and reputational consequences for the institution. As U.S. financial institutions, the Company and the Bank are required to comply with the OFAC rules.

Consumer Protection Statutes and Regulations

The Company is subject to many federal consumer protection statutes and regulations, including the Truth in Lending Act, Truth in Savings Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Housing Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and Home Mortgage Disclosure Act. Among other things, these acts:

​

On November 17, 2009, the FRB published a final rule amending Regulation E, which implements the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. The final rule limits the ability of a financial institution to assess an overdraft fee for paying automated teller machine transactions and one-time debit card transactions that overdraw a customer’s account, unless the customer affirmatively consents, or opts in, to the institution’s payment of overdrafts for these transactions.

Dodd-Frank Act

The Dodd-Frank Act resulted in significant financial regulatory reform. The Dodd-Frank Act also changed the responsibilities of the current federal banking regulators. Among other things, the Dodd-Frank Act created the Financial Oversight Council, with oversight authority for monitoring and regulating systemic risk, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), which has broad regulatory and enforcement powers over consumer financial products and

11

Table of Contents

services. Effective July 21, 2011, the CFPB became responsible for administering and enforcing numerous federal consumer financial laws enumerated in the Dodd-Frank Act. The Dodd Frank Act also provided that, for banks with total assets of more than $10 billion, the CFPB would have exclusive or primary authority to examine those banks for, and enforce compliance with, the federal consumer financial laws. Although not subject to examination by the CFPB, the Company remains subject to the review and supervision of other applicable regulatory authorities, and such authorities may enforce compliance with regulations issued by the CFPB.

The scope of the Dodd-Frank Act impacts many aspects of the financial services industry, and it requires the development and adoption of numerous regulations, some of which have not yet been issued. The effects of the Dodd-Frank Act on the financial services industry will depend, in large part, upon the extent to which regulators exercise the authority granted to them under the Dodd-Frank Act and the approaches taken in implementing those regulations. Additional uncertainty regarding the effects of the Dodd-Frank Act exists due to court decisions and the potential for additional legislative changes to the Dodd-Frank Act.

The Dodd-Frank Act’s provisions that have received the most public attention have generally been those which apply only to larger institutions with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more. However, the Dodd-Frank Act contains numerous other provisions that affect all bank holding companies, including the Company.

The following is a list of significant provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, and, if applicable, the resulting regulatory rules adopted, that apply (or will apply), most directly to the Company and its subsidiary:

12

Table of Contents

Compliance with these rules has increased Juniata’s overall regulatory compliance costs and required changes to the underwriting practices of the Company with respect to mortgage loans.

While the Company does not engage in proprietary trading or in any other activities prohibited by the Final Rules, the Company will continue to evaluate whether any of its investments fall within the definition of a "covered fund" and would need to be disposed of by the extended deadline. However, based on the Company’s evaluation to date, it does not currently expect that the Final Rules will have a material effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations.

National Monetary Policy

In addition to being affected by general economic conditions, the earnings and growth of the Bank and, therefore, the earnings and growth of the Company, are affected by the policies of regulatory authorities, including the FRB and the FDIC. An important function of the FRB is to regulate the money supply and credit conditions. Among the instruments used to implement these objectives are open market operations in U.S. government securities, setting the discount rate and changes in financial institution reserve requirements. These instruments are used in varying combinations to influence overall growth and distribution of credit, bank loans, investments and deposits, and their use may also affect interest rates charged on loans or paid on deposits.

13

Table of Contents

The monetary policies and regulations of the FRB have had a significant effect on the operating results of commercial banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future. The effects of such policies upon the future businesses, earnings and growth of the Company cannot be predicted with certainty.

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) was signed into law. Among other changes, the TCJA significantly changed corporate income tax law by reducing the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, allowing for immediate capital expensing of certain qualified property and eliminating the deductibility of DIF assessments. The tax laws were generally effective for the 2018 tax year; however, the Company recognized certain effects of the changes in 2017, which was when the new legislation was enacted.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed into law, temporarily suspending certain requirements under U.S. GAAP. The CARES Act permits the suspension of ASC 310-40 for loan modifications that are made by financial institutions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic if (1) the borrower was not more than 30 days past due as of December 31, 2019, and (2) the loan modification is made between March 1, 2020 and the earlier of December 31, 2020 or 60 days after the end of the coronavirus emergency declaration. A loan modification accounted for in accordance with the CARES Act is not treated as a TDR for accounting or disclosure purposes. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 ("Appropriations Act") was signed into law on December 27, 2020 and extends this temporary relief until the earlier of 60 days after the termination date of the national emergency or January 1, 2022.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company established a COVID-19 Modification Program on March 20, 2020 to offer payment relief to certain borrowers. Through this program, the Company has approved interest and/or principal payment deferrals on loans for individuals and businesses affected by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 7, 2020, the banking agencies issued a statement, “Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working With Customers Affected by the Coronavirus (Revised)” (“Interagency Statement”), to encourage banks to work prudently with borrowers and to describe the agencies’ interpretation of how accounting rules under ASC 310-40 apply to certain COVID-19-related modifications. The interagency statement interpreted, but did not suspend, ASC 310-40. It indicates that a lender can conclude that a borrower is not experiencing financial difficulty if either (1) short-term (i.e. six months) modifications are made in response to COVID-19, such as payment deferrals, fee waivers, extensions of repayment terms, or other delays in payment that are insignificant related to loans in which the borrower is less than 30 days past due on its contractual payments at the time a modification program is implemented, or (2) the modification or deferral program is mandated by the federal government or a state government. Accordingly, any loan modification made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that meets either of these practical expedients would not be considered a TDR because the borrower is not experiencing financial difficulty.

On August 3, 2020, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (“FFIEC”) issued the Joint Statement on Additional Loan Accommodations Related to COVID-19 to provide prudent risk management and consumer protection principles for financial institution to consider while working with borrowers as loans near the end of initial loan accommodation periods applicable during the pandemic. If a financial institution elects to account for a loan modification under Section 4013 of the CARES Act, an additional loan modification could also be eligible under Section 4013. If a financial institution does not elect to account for a loan modification under Section 4013, an additional modification should be viewed cumulatively in determining whether the additional modification is a TDR. If a loan modification was previously elected under the Interagency Statement, subsequent qualifying loan modifications may be accounted for under Section 4013 of the CARES Act.

As part of the CARES Act, and in recognition of the challenging circumstances faced by small businesses, Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), in which the Company is a participating lender. PPP covered loans are fully guaranteed as to principal and accrued interest by the SBA, and therefore, require a zero percent risk weight for risk-based capital requirements. The SBA reimburses PPP lenders for any amount of a PPP covered loan that is forgiven. PPP lenders are not held liable for any representations made by PPP borrowers in connection with a borrower's request for PPP

14

Table of Contents

covered loan forgiveness. As of December 31, 2020, Juniata funded 508 PPP loans through the SBA, for a total of $32,064,000. As of December 31, 2020, 47 loans, totaling $3,349,000, had been forgiven by the SBA.

To provide liquidity to small business lenders and the broader credit markets, and to help stabilize the financial system, on April 7, 2020, the Federal Reserve Banks extended credit to financial institutions under the Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility (“PPPLF”). Under the PPPLF, each Federal Reserve Bank can extend non-recourse loans to institutions eligible to make PPP covered loans. Under the PPPLF, only PPP covered loans guaranteed by the SBA under the Paycheck Protection Program with respect to both principal and interest and that are originated by an eligible institution may be pledged as collateral to the Federal Reserve Banks. The Company received $31,298,000 in PPPLF advances with a two year term in June 2020. Since some PPP loans collateralizing the advances have been forgiven, the Company has begun repaying the advances, and as of December 31, 2020, $27,955,000 remained.

Employees

As of December 31, 2020, the Company had a total of 127 full-time and 40 part-time employees.

Additional Information

The Company files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Our SEC filings are available on the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov).

The Company’s common stock is quoted under the symbol “JUVF” on the Pink Open Market, an electronic inter-dealer quotation and trading system available through, and governed by, the NASDAQ system. You may also read reports, proxy statements and other information we file at the offices of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., 1735 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006.

The Company’s website is www.JVBonline.com. At that address, we make available, free of charge, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (see “Investor Information” section of website), as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.

In addition, we will provide, at no cost, paper or electronic copies of our reports and other filings made with the SEC (except for exhibits). Requests should be directed to JoAnn N. McMinn, Chief Financial Officer, Juniata Valley Financial Corp., P.O. Box 66, Mifflintown, PA  17059, (855) 582-5101.

The information on the websites listed above is not, and should not be deemed to be, part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is not incorporated by reference in this document.

​

15

Table of Contents

various regulatory agencies. The FRB regulates the national money supply to manage recessionary and inflationary pressures. In doing so, the FRB may use techniques such as engaging in open market transactions of U.S. Government securities, changing the discount rate and changing reserve requirements against bank deposits. The use of these techniques may also affect interest rates charged on loans and paid on deposits. The interest rate environment, which includes both the level of interest rates and the shape of the U.S. Treasury yield curve, has a significant impact on net interest income.

Low market interest rates have pressured the net interest margin in recent years. Interest-earning assets, such as loans and investments, have been originated, acquired or repriced at lower rates, reducing the average rate earned on those assets. While the average rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and borrowings, has also declined, the decline has not always occurred at the same pace as the decline in the average rate earned on interest-earning assets, resulting in a narrowing of the net interest margin.

Competition sometimes requires the Company to lower rates charged on loans more than the decline in market rates would otherwise indicate. Competition may also require the Company to pay higher rates on deposits than market rates would otherwise indicate. Thus, although loan demand has improved in recent years, intense competition among lenders has continued to place downward pressure on loan yields, also narrowing the net interest margin. Further, due to historically low market interest rates, rates paid on deposits have tended to reach a natural floor below which it is difficult to further reduce such rates.

Like all financial institutions, the Company's consolidated statement of financial condition is affected by fluctuations in interest rates. Volatility in interest rates can also result in disintermediation, which is the flow of deposits away from financial institutions into direct investments, such as U.S. Government and corporate securities and other investment vehicles, including mutual funds, which, because of the absence of federal insurance premiums and reserve requirements, generally pay higher rates of return than bank deposit products. See "Item 7: Management's Discussion of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”.

See the section entitled “Interest Rate Risk” and “Table 5 – Maturity Distribution” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, for the maturity distribution and cumulative sensitivity ratio of the Company’s interest earning assets and interest bearing liabilities.

Capital and liquidity strategies, including the impact of the capital and liquidity requirements implemented by the Basel III standards, may require the Company to maintain higher levels of capital, which could restrict the amount of capital that the Company has available to deploy for income generating and other activities.

In July 2013, the FRB approved the final rules implementing the Basel III capital standards (the “Basel III Rules”) which substantially revise the risk-based capital requirements applicable to bank holding companies and depository institutions. See previous Capital Regulation discussion.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company believes it meets all capital adequacy requirements to which it is subject. However, the new rules, which began January 1, 2015 and fully phased in on January 1, 2019, effectively require financial institutions to maintain higher capital levels than was previously required. As a result, Juniata may have to maintain capital in the form of assets that contribute less income to Juniata and that are not available for deployment as loans or other interest-income generating assets, funding of capital projects or other growth initiatives. 

Competition, including competition on rates of deposit and for loan growth, may negatively impact the Company’s net interest margin.

There is significant competition among banks in the market areas served by the Company. In addition, as a result of deregulation of the financial industry, the Bank also competes with other providers of financial services, such as savings and loan associations, credit unions, consumer finance companies, securities firms, insurance companies, the mutual funds industry, fintech-based loan and deposit providers, full service brokerage firms and discount brokerage firms, some of which are subject to less extensive regulations than the Company with respect to the products and services they provide. Some of the Company’s competitors have greater resources than the Company and, as a result, may have higher lending limits and may offer other services not offered by the Company. See "Item 1:  Business - Competition." Competition may

16

Table of Contents

adversely affect the rates the Company pays on deposits and charges on loans, thereby potentially adversely affecting the Company’s profitability. The Company’s profitability depends upon its continued ability to successfully compete in the markets it serves. Further, intense competition among lenders can contribute to downward pressure on loan yields.

Changes in interest rates or disruption in liquidity markets may adversely affect the Company’s sources of funding.

The Company must maintain enough sources of liquidity to meet the demands of its depositors and borrowers, support its operations and meet regulatory expectations. The Company’s liquidity practices emphasize core deposits and repayments and maturities of loans and investments as its primary sources of liquidity. These primary sources of liquidity can be supplemented by Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) advances, borrowings from the Federal Reserve Bank and lines of credit from correspondent banks. Lower-cost, core deposits may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, and secondary sources of liquidity can be costlier to the Company than funding provided by deposit account balances having similar maturities. In addition, adverse changes in the Company’s results of operations or financial condition, regulatory actions involving the Company, or changes in regulatory, industry or market conditions could lead to increases in the cost of these secondary sources of liquidity, the inability to refinance or replace these secondary funding sources as they mature, or the withdrawal of unused borrowing capacity under these secondary funding sources.

While the Company attempts to manage its liquidity through various techniques, the assumptions and estimates used do not always accurately forecast the impact of changes in customer behavior. For example, the Company may face limitations on its ability to fund loan growth if customers move funds out of the Bank’s deposit accounts in response to increases in interest rates. In the years following the 2008 financial crisis, even as the general level of market interest rates remained low by historical standards, depositors frequently avoided higher-yielding and higher-risk alternative investments, in favor of the safety and liquidity of non-maturing deposit accounts. These circumstances contributed to significant growth in non-maturing deposit account balances at the Company, and at depository financial institutions generally. In a rising rate environment, customers may become more sensitive to interest rates when making deposit decisions and considering alternative opportunities. This increased sensitivity to interest rates could cause customers to move funds into higher-yielding deposit accounts offered by the Company’s bank subsidiary, require the Company’s bank subsidiary to offer higher interest rates on deposit accounts to retain customer deposits or cause customers to move funds into alternative investments or deposits of other banks or non-bank providers. Technology and other factors have also made it more convenient for customers to transfer low-cost deposits into higher-cost deposits or into alternative investments or deposits of other banks or non-bank providers. Such movement of customer deposits could increase the Company’s funding costs, reduce its net interest margin and/or create liquidity challenges.

Market conditions have been negatively impacted by disruptions in the liquidity markets in the past, and such disruptions or an adverse change in the Company's results of operations or financial condition could, in the future, have a negative impact on secondary sources of liquidity. If the Company is not able to continue to rely primarily on customer deposits to meet its liquidity and funding needs, continue to access secondary, non-deposit funding sources on favorable terms or otherwise fails to manage its liquidity effectively, the Company’s ability to continue to grow may be constrained, and the Company’s liquidity, operating margins, results of operations and financial condition may be materially adversely affected.

Regulators are increasingly emphasizing liquidity planning at both the bank and Company levels.

Due to regulatory limitations on the Corporation’s ability to rely on short-term borrowings, any significant movements of deposits away from traditional depository accounts which negatively impacts the Corporation’s loan-to-deposit ratio could restrict its ability to achieve growth in loans or require the Corporation to pay higher interest rates on deposit products in order to retain deposits to fund loans.

Liquidity must also be managed at the holding company level. Banking regulators scrutinize liquidity at the holding company level, in addition to consolidated and bank liquidity levels. For safety and soundness reasons, banking regulations limit the amount of cash that can be transferred from subsidiary banks to the parent company in the form of loans and dividends. Generally, these limitations are based on a subsidiary bank’s regulatory capital levels and net income. These factors have affected some institutions' ability to pay dividends and have required some institutions to establish borrowing facilities at the holding company level.

17

Table of Contents

COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY RISKS

The increasing time and expense associated with regulatory compliance and risk management could negatively impact our results of operations.

The time, expense and internal and external resources associated with regulatory compliance continue to increase. Thus, balancing the need to address regulatory changes and effectively managing growth in non-interest expenses has become more challenging than it has been in the past.

The Company and the Bank are extensively regulated under federal and state banking laws and regulations that are intended primarily for the protection of depositors, federal deposit insurance funds and the banking system. In general, these laws and regulations establish: the eligible business activities for the Company; certain acquisition and merger restrictions; limitations on intercompany transactions such as loans and dividends; capital adequacy requirements; requirements for anti-money laundering programs; consumer lending and other compliance requirements. While these statutes and regulations are generally designed to minimize potential loss to depositors and the FDIC insurance funds, they do not eliminate risk, and compliance with such statutes and regulations increases the Company’s expense, requires management’s attention and can be a disadvantage from a competitive standpoint with respect to non-regulated competitors and larger bank competitors.  

Compliance with banking statutes and regulations is important to the Company's ability to engage in new activities and to consummate additional acquisitions. Bank regulators are scrutinizing banks through longer and more extensive bank examinations in both the safety and soundness and compliance areas. The results of such examinations could result in a delay in receiving required regulatory approvals for potential new activities and transactional matters. If the Company's compliance record would be determined to be unsatisfactory, such approvals may not be able to be obtained. Federal and state banking regulators also possess broad powers to take supervisory actions, as they deem appropriate. These supervisory actions may result in higher capital requirements, higher deposit insurance premiums and limitations on the Company's operations that could have a material adverse effect on its business and profitability.

In addition, the Company is subject to changes in federal and state tax laws as well as changes in banking and credit regulations, accounting principles, governmental economic and monetary policies and collection efforts by taxing authorities.

Financial reform legislation is likely to have a significant impact on the Company’s business and results of operations; however, until more implementing regulations are adopted, the extent to which the legislation will impact the Company is uncertain.

In July 2010, the President of the United States signed into law the Dodd-Frank Act. Among other things, the Dodd-Frank Act created the Financial Stability Oversight Council, with oversight authority for monitoring and regulating systemic risk, and the CFPB, which has broad regulatory and enforcement powers over consumer financial products and services. The Dodd-Frank Act also changed the responsibilities of the current federal banking regulators, imposed additional corporate governance and disclosure requirements in areas such as executive compensation and proxy access, and restricted private equity activities of banks.

The scope of the Dodd-Frank Act impacted many aspects of the financial services industry. However, its implementation requires the development and adoption of many regulations, some of which have not yet been proposed, adopted or fully implemented. The ultimate effect of the Dodd-Frank Act on the financial services industry will depend, in large part, upon the extent to which regulators exercise the authority granted to them under the Dodd-Frank Act and the approaches taken in implementing regulations. Additional uncertainty regarding the effect of the Dodd-Frank Act exists due to court decisions and the potential for additional legislative changes to the Dodd-Frank Act. The delay in the implementation of many of the regulations mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act has resulted in a lack of clear regulatory guidance to banks. The resulting uncertainty has caused banks to take a cautious approach to business initiatives and planning. The Company has been impacted, and will likely continue to be in the future, by the so-called Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act, which reduced debit card interchange revenue of banks and revised deposit insurance assessments. It also is likely to be

18

Table of Contents

impacted by the Dodd-Frank Act in the areas of corporate governance, capital requirements, risk management, stress testing and regulation under consumer protection laws.

Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB was given rulemaking authority over most providers of consumer financial services in the U.S., examination and enforcement authority over the consumer operations of large banks, as well as interpretive authority with respect to numerous existing consumer financial services regulations. The CFPB began exercising these oversight authorities over the largest banks during 2011.

In January 2013, the CFPB issued a series of final rules related to mortgage loan origination and mortgage loan servicing, most provisions of which became effective January 10, 2014.  These rules prohibit creditors, such as the Bank, from extending residential mortgage loans without regard for the consumer's ability to repay, provide certain safe harbor protections for the origination of loans that meet the requirements for a "qualified mortgage," add restrictions and requirements to residential mortgage origination and servicing practices and restrict the imposition of prepayment penalties and compensation practices relating to residential mortgage loan origination. Compliance with these rules has increased the Company’s overall regulatory compliance costs and required the Bank to change its underwriting practices. Moreover, these rules may adversely affect the volume of mortgage loans that the Bank originates and may subject it to increased potential liability related to its residential loan origination activities. In December 2013, the CFPB issued final rules revising and integrating previously separate disclosures required under the Truth in Lending Act and RESPA in connection with closed-end consumer mortgages. These final rules became effective August 1, 2015, and compliance with these rules required the Corporation to adapt its systems and procedures to accommodate the use of new disclosure forms to be provided to closed-end consumer mortgage borrowers at the time of application and at the time of closing for those loans within the timeframes required under these new rules.

RISKS RELATED TO OPERATIONS

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected, and may continue to adversely affect, the Company’s business, results of operations and financial conditions for an indefinite period.

Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption in economic and social activity, both globally and in the United States. The spread of COVID-19, and the related government actions to mandate or encourage temporary closures of businesses, quarantines, social distancing and "stay at home" orders, have caused severe disruptions in the U.S. economy, which has and will likely continue to, in turn, disrupt the business, activities, and operations of the Company’s customers, as well as the Company’s own business and operations.

The national public health crisis arising from the COVID-19 pandemic (and public expectations about it), combined with certain pre-existing factors, including, but not limited to, international trade disputes, inflation risks, and oil price volatility, could further destabilize the financial markets and the economies of the geographic markets in which the Company operates. The resulting impacts of the pandemic on consumers, including the sudden, significant increase in the unemployment rate, is expected to cause changes in consumer and business spending, borrowing needs and saving habits, which will likely affect the demand for loans and other products and services the Company offers, as well as the creditworthiness of current and prospective borrowers. The significant decrease in commercial activity and disruptions in supply chains associated with the pandemic, both nationally and in the Company’s markets, may cause customers, vendors, and counterparties to be unable to meet existing payment or other obligations to the Company.

The Company’s business is dependent upon the willingness and ability of its customers to conduct banking and other financial transactions. The pandemic has limited, and may continue to limit, customer demand for many banking products and services. Many companies and residents in the Company’s market areas have been subject to mandatory "non-essential business" shutdowns and stay at home orders, as well as additional restrictions, which have reduced banking activity across the Company’s market areas. In response to these mandates, the Company has temporarily limited most locations to drive-up and ATM services, with lobby access available by appointment only, reduced hours of operation at some locations, temporarily closed some locations and encouraged the Company’s customers to use electronic banking platforms. The Company expects these measures to remain in place for an undetermined period of time. The Company has and may continue to offer payment deferrals, forbearances, fee waivers, and other forms of assistance to commercial, small business and consumer customers. In addition, the use of quarantines and social distancing methods to curtail the spread of COVID-

19

Table of Contents

19 - whether mandated by governmental authorities or recommended as a public health practice - may adversely affect the Company’s operations as key personnel, employees and customers avoid physical interaction. The continued spread of COVID-19 (or an outbreak of a similar highly contagious disease) could also negatively impact the business and operations of third-party service providers who perform critical services for the Company’s business. It is not yet known what impact these operational changes may have on the Company’s financial performance.

There continue to be broad concerns related to the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after the initial government mandated stay at home orders expired, the aftereffects of the pandemic may continue to have an adverse effect on, among other things, (i) the Company’s ability to attract customer deposits, (ii) the ability of the Company’s borrowers to satisfy their obligations to us, (iii) the demand for the Company’s loans or the Company’s other products and services and/or (iv) unemployment rates, financial markets, real estate markets or economic growth.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has significantly affected the financial markets and has resulted in several responses by the U.S. government, including a reduction in interest rates by the FOMC. These reductions in interest rates, especially if prolonged, could adversely affect the Company’s net interest income, margins and profitability.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy heightens the risk associated with many of the risk factors described in the Company’s previous reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those related to economic conditions in the Company’s markets areas, interest rates, loan losses, the Company’s reliance on its executives and third party service providers and impairments of goodwill and intangible assets. For example, borrower loan defaults that adversely affect the Company’s earnings correlate with deteriorating economic conditions, which, in turn, may impact borrowers’ creditworthiness. If the Company’s borrowers are unable to meet their payment obligations, the Company will be required to increase its allowance for loan losses through provisions for credit losses. In addition, loan programs adopted by the federal government, such as the Paycheck Protection Program and the Main Street Lending Program, while intended to lessen the impact of the pandemic on businesses, may result in a decreased demand for the Company’s loan products.

The impact of the pandemic on the Company’s financial results is evolving and uncertain. The decline in economic activity occurring due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions by the FOMC with respect to interest rates is likely to affect the Company’s net interest income, non-interest income and credit-related losses for an uncertain period. The Company believes that it may experience a material adverse effect in the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic for an indefinite period.

Cyber security incidents could disrupt business operations, result in the loss of critical and confidential information, and adversely impact our reputation and results of operations.  

The Company’s computer systems, software and networks are regularly subject to cyber attacks, which may result in unauthorized access; mishandling or misuse of information; loss or destruction of data (including confidential customer information); account takeovers; unavailability of service; computer viruses or other malicious code; disruption or degradation of service; denial of service; and other events.  Cyber threats may arise from human error, fraud or malice on the part of employees or third parties, including third party vendors, or may result from accidental technological failure. In addition, the parties intent on penetrating our systems may also attempt to fraudulently induce employees, customers, third parties or other users of our systems to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to the Company’s data or that of the Company’s customers.

The use of quarantines and social distancing restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 may present additional cyber security risks to the Company. A number of the Company’s employees have transitioned to working remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which increases cyber security risks.

Cyber security incidents, depending on their nature and scope, could potentially result in the misappropriation, destruction, corruption or unavailability of critical data and confidential or proprietary information (the Company’s own or that of third parties) and the disruption of business operations. The potential consequences of a material cyber security incident include reputational damage, litigation with third parties, and increased cyber security protection and remediation costs, which in turn could adversely affect the Company’s competitiveness and results of operations. The Company carries insurance to

20

Table of Contents

partially offset the risk of loss; however, there can be no assurance that the policy limits or policy exclusions would adequately protect the Company from a related loss.

Potential disruption or failure of network and information processing systems and those of third-party vendors may negatively impact our operations.

The Company's business activities are dependent on its ability to accurately and timely process, record and monitor many transactions. If any of its financial, accounting, network or other information processing systems fail or have other significant shortcomings, the Company could be materially adversely affected. The Company outsources some of it processing and other activities to third party vendors.  Third parties with which the Company does business could be sources of operational risk to the Company, including the risk that the third parties' own network and information processing systems could fail. Any of these occurrences could materially diminish the Company's ability to operate one or more of the Company's businesses, or cause the Company to suffer financial loss, a disruption of its business, regulatory sanctions or damage to its reputation, any of which could materially adversely affect the Company.

The Company may be subject to disruptions or failures of the Company's financial, accounting, network and information processing systems arising from events that are wholly or partially beyond the Company's control, which may include, for example, computer viruses or electrical or telecommunications outages, denial of service attacks or hacking targeting the Company's or its vendors’ networks or information processing systems or websites, natural disasters, disease, pandemics or other damage to property or physical assets or terrorist acts. The Company has developed an emergency recovery program, which includes plans to maintain or resume operations in the event of an emergency and has contingency plans if operations or systems cannot be resumed or restored. The emergency recovery program is periodically reviewed and updated, and components of the emergency recovery program are periodically tested and validated. The Company also reviews and evaluates the emergency recovery programs of vendors which provide certain third-party systems that the Company considers critical. Nevertheless, there is no guarantee that these measures or any other measures can provide absolute security.  In addition, because the methods used to cause cyber-attacks change frequently or, in some cases, are not recognized until launched, the Corporation may be unable to implement effective preventive measures or proactively address these attacks.  Resulting disruptions or failures affecting any of the Company’s systems may give rise to interruption in service to customers, damage to the Company's reputation and loss or liability to the Company.

Failure by the Company to keep up with technological advancements in deployment of services and efficiency of operations may make it more vulnerable to competition.

The financial services industry is continually undergoing rapid technological change, with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. The effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to better serve customers and to reduce costs. The Company’s future success depends, in part, upon its ability to address the needs of its customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands, as well as to create additional efficiencies in the Company’s operations. Many of the Company’s financial institution competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements, and new payment services developed and offered by non-financial institution competitors pose an increasing threat to the traditional payment services offered by financial institutions. The Company may not be able to effectively implement new technology-driven products and services, be successful in marketing these products and services to its customers, or effectively deploy new technologies to improve the efficiency of its operations. Failure to successfully keep pace with technological change affecting the financial services industry could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

Further, the costs of new technology, including personnel, can be high in both absolute and relative terms. There can be no assurance, given the fast pace of change and innovation, that the Company’s technology, either purchased or developed internally, will meet or continue to meet the needs of the Company and the needs of its customers.

21

Table of Contents

ECONOMIC AND CREDIT RISKS

Participation in COVID-19 loan modifications, the PPP, or in other relief programs created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, may expose the Company to credit losses as well as litigation and compliance risk.

To support our customers, businesses, and communities, the Company established a COVID-19 Modification Program on March 20, 2020 to offer payment relief to certain borrowers. Through this program, the Company approved interest and/or principal payment deferrals on loans for individuals and businesses affected by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company also participated in the PPP as a lender. The PPP commenced on April 3, 2020 and was available to qualified borrowers through August 8, 2020. The Company’s participation in COVID-19 loan modifications, the PPP, and in any other relief programs now or in the future, including those under the CARES Act, exposes the Company to certain credit, compliance, and other risks.

Participation in COVID-19 loan modifications could expose the Company to elevated future credit losses if customers are not able to fulfill the terms of their commitments. Additionally, among other regulatory requirements, PPP loans are subject to forbearance of loan payments for a six-month period to the extent that loans are not eligible for forgiveness. If PPP borrowers fail to qualify for loan forgiveness, including by failing to use the funds appropriately to qualify for forgiveness under the program, the Company has a greater risk of holding these loans at unfavorable interest rates. In addition, because of the short period between the passing of the CARES Act and the implementation of the PPP, there is ambiguity in the laws, rules, and guidance regarding the operation of the PPP, which exposes us to risks relating to noncompliance with the PPP. There is risk the SBA or another governmental entity could conclude there is a deficiency in the way the Company originated, funded, or serviced PPP loans, which may or may not be related to the ambiguity in the CARES Act or the rules and guidance promulgated by the SBA and the U.S. Treasury regarding the operation of the PPP. In the event of such deficiency, the SBA may deny its liability under the guaranty, reduce the amount of the guaranty, or, if it has already made payment under the guaranty, seek recovery of any loss related to the deficiency from the Company.

Difficult economic conditions and real estate markets, including protracted periods of low-growth and sluggish loan demand, can negatively impact the Company’s income, and result in higher charge-offs as borrowers’ ability to repay is negatively impacted by those conditions.

Lending money is an essential part of the banking business, and the revenues derived from lending activities are the most significant segment of the Company’s income statement. Extended periods of sluggish loan demand can materially affect the composition of the Company’s consolidated statement of financial condition, reducing the ratio of loans to deposits and the Company’s profitability. Adverse changes in the economy and real estate markets and the duration of economic downturns can negatively affect the solvency of businesses and consumers. Borrowers’ inability to repay loans causes increases in non-performing assets, which may result in elevated collection and carrying costs related to such non-performing assets and increases in loan charge-offs, significantly impacting the loan loss provision charged to earnings to fund the allowance for loan losses. The risk of non-payment is affected by credit risks of the borrower, changes in economic and industry conditions, the duration of the loan and, in the case of a collateralized loan, uncertainties as to the future value of the collateral supporting the loan. Historically, commercial loans have presented a greater risk of non-payment than consumer loans. The application of various federal and state laws, including bankruptcy and insolvency laws, may limit the amount that can be recovered on these loans.

The Company has established an allowance for loan losses that management believes to be adequate to offset probable losses on the Company’s existing loans. However, there is no precise method of estimating loan losses. The Company determines the appropriate level of the allowance for credit losses based on many quantitative and qualitative factors, including, but not limited to the size and composition of the loan portfolio; changes in risk ratings; changes in collateral values; delinquency levels; historical losses; and economic conditions. In addition, as the Company’s loan portfolio grows, it will generally be necessary to increase the allowance for credit losses through additional provisions, which will impact the Company’s operating results.  If the Company’s assumptions and judgments regarding such matters prove to be inaccurate, its allowance for credit losses might not be sufficient, and additional provisions for credit losses might need to be made. Depending on the amount of such provisions for credit losses, the adverse impact on the Company’s earnings could be material. Also, there can be no assurance that any future declines in real estate market conditions, general

22

Table of Contents

economic conditions or changes in regulatory policies will not require the Company to increase its allowance for loan losses, through additional loan loss provisions, which could reduce earnings.

Investment securities losses, including other-than-temporary declines in the value of available for sale securities, may result in charges to earnings that could negatively impact our results of operations.

Price fluctuations in securities markets, as well as other market events, could have an impact on the Company’s results of operations. As described below, the Company’s holding of certain securities and the revenues the Company earns from its trust and investment management services business are particularly sensitive to those events:

As of December 31, 2020, the Company’s equity investments were comprised primarily of publicly traded financial institutions. The value of the securities in the Company’s equity portfolio may be affected by several factors. General economic conditions and uncertainty surrounding the financial institution sector impacts the value of these securities. Equity investments are stated at fair value with realized and unrealized gains and losses reported in net income. General declines in bank stock values, as well as deterioration in the performance of specific banks, are reflected on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company had approximately $8.0 million of municipal securities issued by various municipalities in its investment portfolio. Uncertainty with respect to the financial viability of municipal insurers places greater emphasis on the underlying strength of issuers. Increasing pressure on local tax revenues of issuers due to adverse economic conditions could also have a negative impact on the underlying credit quality of issuers.

The Company’s investment management and trust services revenue is also impacted by fluctuations in the securities markets. A portion of this revenue is based on the value of the underlying investment portfolios. If the values of those investment portfolios decrease, whether due to factors influencing U.S. securities markets in general or otherwise, the Company’s revenue could be negatively impacted. In addition, the Company’s ability to sell its brokerage services is dependent, in part, upon consumers’ level of confidence in securities markets.

RISKS RELATED TO INVESTMENT IN THE COMPANY’S STOCK

The Corporation is a holding company and relies on dividends from its subsidiaries for substantially all its revenue and its ability to make dividends, distributions and other payments.

The Company is a separate and distinct legal entity from the Bank and depends on the payment of dividends from the Bank for substantially all its revenues. As a result, the Company's ability to make dividend payments on its common stock depends primarily on certain federal and state regulatory considerations and the receipt of dividends and other distributions from its subsidiaries. There are various regulatory and prudential supervisory restrictions, which may change from time to time, that impact the ability of the Bank to pay dividends or make other payments to the Company. There can be no assurance that the Bank will be able to pay dividends at past levels, or at all, in the future. If the Company does not receive enough cash dividends or is unable to borrow from the Bank, then the Company may not have enough funds to pay dividends to its shareholders, repurchase its common stock or service its debt obligations.

23

Table of Contents

"Anti-takeover" provisions may keep shareholders from receiving a premium for their shares.

The Articles of Incorporation of the Company presently contain certain provisions, such as staggered Board of Directors terms and super majority voting requirements for transactions not approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, which may be deemed to be "anti-takeover" in nature in that such provisions may deter, discourage or make more difficult the assumption of control of the Company by another Company or person through a tender offer, merger, proxy contest or similar transaction or series of transactions. In addition, provisions of Pennsylvania and applicable federal banking laws could similarly make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of the Company. The overall effects of the "anti-takeover” provisions may be to discourage, make costlier or more difficult, or prevent a future takeover offer, thereby preventing shareholders from receiving a premium for their securities in a takeover offer. These provisions may also increase the possibility that a future bidder for control of the Company will be required to act through arms-length negotiation with the Company’s Board of Directors. Copies of the Articles of Incorporation of the Company are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Pennsylvania Secretary of State.

If the Company fails to maintain an effective system of internal controls, it may not be able to accurately report its financial results or prevent fraud. As a result, current and potential shareholders could lose confidence in the Company’s financial reporting, which could harm its business and the trading price of its common stock.

The Company has established a process to document and evaluate its internal controls over financial reporting to satisfy the requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and related regulations, which require annual management assessments of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting. In this regard, management has dedicated internal resources, engaged outside consultants and adopted a detailed work plan to (i) assess and document the adequacy of internal controls over financial reporting, (ii) take steps to improve control processes, where appropriate, (iii) validate through testing that controls are functioning as documented and (iv) maintain a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting.

The Company’s efforts to comply with Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the related regulations regarding the Company’s assessment of its internal controls over financial reporting are likely to continue to result in increased expenses. The Company’s management and audit committee have given the Company’s compliance with Section 404(b) a high priority. The Company cannot be certain that these measures will ensure that the Company implements and maintains adequate controls over its financial processes and reporting in the future. Any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could harm the Company’s operating results or cause the Company to fail to meet its reporting obligations. If the Company fails to correct any issues in the design or operating effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting or fails to prevent fraud, current and potential shareholders could lose confidence in the Company’s financial reporting, which could harm its business and the trading price of its common stock.

The Company may not be able to attract and retain skilled people.

The Company’s success depends, in large part, on its ability to attract and retain skilled people. Competition for talented personnel can be intense, and the Company may not be able to hire sufficiently skilled people or to retain them. The unexpected loss of services of one or more of the Company’s key personnel could have a material adverse impact on the Company's business because of their skills, knowledge of the Company's operations and markets, industry experience, and the difficulty of promptly finding qualified replacement personnel.

​

​

24

Table of Contents

25

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the regulations thereunder) including statements which are not historical facts or that reflect trends or management’s intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or opinions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and may be affected by various factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation:

​

OVERVIEW

This discussion relates to Juniata Valley Financial Corp. (“Company” or “Juniata”) and its wholly owned subsidiary, The Juniata Valley Bank (“Bank”). Juniata is a bank holding company that delivers financial services within its market, primarily central and northern Pennsylvania. The Bank provides retail and commercial banking, trust, estate, and wealth management services through 16 offices in Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Huntingdon, McKean, Potter and Centre counties.

The overview is intended to provide a context for the following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We have attempted to identify the most important matters on which our management

28

Table of Contents

focuses in evaluating our financial condition and operating performance and the short-term and long-term opportunities, challenges and risks (including material trends and uncertainties) which we face. We also discuss the actions we are taking to address these opportunities, challenges and risks. The Overview is not intended as a summary of, or a substitute for review of, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY-WIDE FACTORS RELEVANT TO JUNIATA

As a financial services organization, Juniata’s core business is most influenced by the level of, and movement of, interest rates. Lending and investing are done daily, using funding from deposits and borrowings, resulting in net interest income, the most significant portion of operating results. Using asset/liability management tools, the Company continually evaluates the effects that possible changes in interest rates could have on operating results and balance sheet growth. Using this information, along with analysis of competitive factors, management designs and prices its products and services.

General economic conditions are relevant to Juniata’s business. In addition, economic factors impact customers’ needs for financing, thus affecting loan growth. Additionally, changes in the economy can directly impact the credit strength of existing and potential borrowers.

The ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic is also relevant to Juniata’s business. The pandemic has affected, and will likely continue to affect, various aspects of Juniata’s operations and financial condition for an undetermined period.

FOCUS OF MANAGEMENT

The management of Juniata believes that it is important to know who and what we are to be successful. We must be aligned in our efforts to achieve goals. We have identified the four characteristics that define the Company and the personnel that support it. We are Committed, Capable, Caring and Connected. Management seeks to be the preeminent financial institution in its market area and measures its success by the five key elements described below.

SHAREHOLDER SATISFACTION

Above all else, management is committed to maximizing the value of our shareholders’ investment, through both stock value appreciation and dividend returns. Remaining connected to our communities will allow us to identify the financial needs of our market and to deliver those products and services capably. In doing so, we will seek to profitably grow the balance sheet and enhance earnings, while maintaining capital and liquidity levels that exceed all regulatory guidelines.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

We are committed to maximizing customer satisfaction. We are sensitive to the expanding array of financial services and financial service providers available to our customers, both locally and globally. We are committed to fostering a complete customer relationship by helping clients identify their current and future financial needs and offering practical and affordable solutions to both. As our customers’ lifestyles change, the channels through which we deliver our services must change as well. One element of the Company’s strategic plan is to provide connection through every means available, wherever we are needed, whether through a stand-alone branch, in-store boutique, ATM or via online and mobile banking anywhere internet or cell phone signals can be received. In 2020, we continued to make advances in technological resources, placing data and information in the hands of our customers and employees because we are committed to optimizing the customer experience.

BALANCE SHEET GROWTH

We are capable of profitable balance sheet growth. Rapid growth should not be a substitute for careful fiscal and strategic management. It is our goal to continue quality growth despite intense competition by paying careful attention to the needs of our customers. We will continue to maintain high credit standards, knowing that lending under the right circumstances is the proper way to maintain soundness and profitability. We believe we consistently pay fair market rates on all deposits and have invested wisely and conservatively in compliance with self-imposed standards, minimizing risk of asset impairment. We aspire to increase our market share within the current communities that we serve, and to expand in contiguous areas through acquisition and investment. As part of our strategic plan for growth, we continue to actively seek opportunities for acquisitions of branches or stakes in other financial institutions, similar to those that have occurred in prior years, and most recently in April 2018 with the acquisition of the remaining shares of the Liverpool Community Bank (“LCB”).

29

Table of Contents

OPERATING RESULTS

We are capable of producing profitability ratios that exceed those of many of our peers. Recognizing that net interest margins have narrowed for banks in general and that they may not return to the ranges experienced in the past, we also focus on the importance of providing fee-generating services in which customers find value. Offering a broad array of services prevents us from becoming too reliant on one form of revenue. It has also been our philosophy to spend conservatively and to implement operating efficiencies where possible to keep non-interest expense from escalating in areas that can be controlled.

CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY

We are active corporate citizens, connected to the communities we serve. Although the world of banking has transitioned to global availability through electronics, we believe that our community banking philosophy is not only still valid, but essential. Despite technological advances, banking is still a personal business, particularly in the rural areas we serve. We believe that our customers shop for services and value a relationship with an institution involved in the same community, with the same interests in its prosperity. We have a foundation and a history in each of the communities we serve. Management takes an active role in local business and industry development organizations to help attract and retain commerce in our market area. We provide businesses, large and small, with financial tools and financing needed to grow and prosper. And though these tools are electronically driven, they are custom-designed by relationship managers who take time to understand the need. We have always been committed to responsible lending practices. We invest locally by including local municipal bonds in our investment portfolio and participating in funding for such projects as low income and elderly housing. We support charitable programs that benefit the local communities, not only with monetary contributions, but also through the personal involvement of our caring employees. In 2020, we were privileged to support our local business clients with Paycheck Protection Loans, when they needed it most. And we maintained a physical presence at all service locations throughout the pandemic.

JUNIATA’S OPPORTUNITIES

SOUNDNESS AND STABILITY

Our financial condition is strong. We enjoy strong capital and liquidity ratios that significantly exceed regulatory guidelines. Our business model includes a plan for growth without sacrificing profitability or integrity. We believe an opportunity exists for banks such as ours to offer the trusted, personal service of a locally managed institution that has roots in the community reaching back over 150 years.

EXPANSION OF CUSTOMER BASE

Our strategic focus is based on leveraging our collective knowledge of the Company’s primary and contiguous markets to identify lending or fee-based opportunities consistent with our risk parameters and profitability targets. We continue to develop our sales team through mentoring and by making employee education paramount. We continually seek and implement back-room efficiencies. We recognize change is taking place in a world where convenience and mobility are priorities for consumers and businesses when choosing a financial institution with whom to do business. We offer full-featured secure mobile banking that includes remote check deposit for use on home computers and all mobile devices for consumers. For businesses, we provide options for cash management and remote deposit. We offer identity protection to the families of our customers, which we believe to be a true value-added service, with features that go far beyond traditional banking services, and sets us apart from other financial institutions in our market area. With the acquisition of First National Bank of Port Allegheny (“FNBPA”) in 2015, we expanded our market into the northern tier region of Pennsylvania and integrated the JVB brand there and have since expanded our footprint in Perry County, Pennsylvania, through the consummation of the acquisition of remaining shares of LCB in April 2018.

DELIVERY SYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS

We seek to continually enhance our customer delivery system, both through technology and physical facilities. We actively seek opportunities to expand our branch network through acquisitions. We believe that it is imperative that our customers have convenient and easy access to personal financial services that complement their lifestyle, whether it is through electronic or personal delivery. We achieved an early entry into the mobile banking arena and have since expanded online delivery, offering consumer remote deposit and Touch ID, and most recently online consumer loan and deposit accounting opening in 2020. Through the fully redesigned JVBonline.com website, we offer a suite of online services including the convenience of online loan applications for residential mortgages, home equity, vehicle and other personal loans. Online

30

Table of Contents

and mobile banking features include full bill-pay and monetary transfers between internal and external accounts. Our ATM network is equipped with state-of-the art machines. Our Customer Care Center provides a dedicated service to address all customer inquiries and provides outreach through our social media sites. Our updated branch facilities feature a highly interactive and complete customer experience. In 2020, Juniata added online consumer deposit account opening capability to our product line and plans to expand the capability to business customers in 2021.

JUNIATA’S CHALLENGES

NET INTEREST MARGIN COMPRESSION

The low interest rate environment that has persisted in recent years has pressured the net interest margin for most banks, including Juniata. Loans have been originated, acquired or repriced at lower rates, reducing the average rate earned on those assets. While the average rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and borrowings, has also declined, the decline has not always occurred at the same pace as the decline in the average rate earned on interest-earning assets, which can result in a narrowing of the net interest margin. We believe that increasing the net interest margin will continue to be a challenge until general market rates rise.

COMPETITION

Each year, competition becomes more intense and global in nature. To meet this challenge, we attempt to stay in close contact with our customers, monitoring their satisfaction with our services through surveys, personal visits and networking in the communities we serve. We strive to meet or exceed our customers’ expectations and deliver consistent high-quality service. We believe that our customers have become acutely aware of the value of local service, and we strive to maintain their confidence.

RATE ENVIRONMENT

We intend to continue making what we believe to be rational pricing decisions for loans, deposits and non-deposit products. This strategy can be difficult to maintain, as many of our peers appear to continue pricing for growth, rather than long-term profitability and stability. We believe that a strategy of “growth for the sake of growth” results in lower profitability, and such actions by large groups of banks have had an adverse impact on the entire financial services industry. We intend to maintain our core pricing principles, which we believe protect and preserve our future as a sound community financial services provider, proven by results.

REGULATIONS

The Company is subject to banking regulation, as well as regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and, as such, must comply with many laws, including the USA Patriot Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”) and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Management has established a Disclosure Committee for Financial Reporting, an internal group at Juniata that seeks to ensure that current and potential investors in the Company receive full and complete information concerning our financial condition. Juniata has incurred direct and indirect costs associated with compliance with the SEC’s filing and reporting requirements imposed on public companies by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as well as adherence to new and existing banking regulations and stronger corporate governance requirements. Regulatory burdens continue to increase as evidenced by the provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act that impact the Company in the areas of corporate governance, capital requirements and restrictions on fees that may be charged to consumers.

APPLICATION OF CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Company’s consolidated financial statements are prepared based upon the application of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), the most significant of which are described in Note 2 of The Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. Certain of these policies, particularly with respect to allowance for loan losses and the investment portfolio, require numerous estimates and economic assumptions, based upon information available as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. As such, over time, they may prove inaccurate or vary and may significantly affect the Company’s reported results and financial position in future periods.

31

Table of Contents

The accounting policy for establishing the allowance for loan losses relies to a greater extent on the use of estimates than other areas and, as such, has a greater possibility of producing results that could be different from those currently reported. Changes in underlying factors, assumptions or estimates in the allowance for loan losses could have a material impact on the Company’s future financial condition and results of operations. The allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level believed adequate by management to absorb probable losses in the loan portfolio. Management’s determination of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses is based upon an evaluation of individual credits in the loan portfolio, historical loan loss experience, current economic conditions and other relevant factors. This determination is inherently subjective, as it requires material estimates, including the amounts and timing of future cash flows expected to be received on impaired loans that may be susceptible to significant change.

32

Table of Contents

​

Juniata strives to attain consistently satisfactory earnings levels each year by protecting the core (repeatable) earnings base through conservative growth strategies that seek to minimize stockholder and balance-sheet risk, while serving its rural Pennsylvania customer base. This approach has helped achieve solid performances year after year. The Company considers the return on assets ratio to be a key indicator of its success and constantly scrutinizes the broad categories of the income statement that impact this profitability indicator.

33

Table of Contents

Summarized below are the components of net income and the contribution of each to ROA for 2020 and 2019.

NET INTEREST INCOME

Net interest income is the amount by which interest income on earning assets exceeds interest expense on interest bearing liabilities. Net interest income is the most significant component of revenue, comprising approximately 82% of total revenues (the total of net interest income and non-interest income, exclusive of gains on sales and calls of securities) for 2020. Interest spread measures the absolute difference between average rates earned and average rates paid. Because some interest earning assets are tax-exempt, an adjustment is made for analytical purposes to present all assets on a fully tax-equivalent basis. Net interest margin is the percentage of net return on average earning assets, on a fully tax-equivalent basis, and provides a measure of comparability of a financial institution’s performance.

Both net interest income and net interest margin are impacted by interest rate changes, changes in the relationships between various rates and changes in the composition of the average balance sheet. Additionally, product pricing, product mix and customer preferences dictate the composition of the balance sheet and the resulting net interest income. Table 1 shows average asset and liability balances, average interest rates and interest income and expense for the years 2020, 2019 and 2018. Table 2 further shows changes attributable to the volume and rate components of net interest income.

34

Table of Contents