BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP INC

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (CONCLUDED)

NOTE 1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The Consolidated Financial Statements (the “financial statements”) of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company” or “Berkshire”) have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The Company is a Delaware corporation, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and the holding company for Berkshire Bank (the “Bank”), a Massachusetts-chartered trust company headquartered in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. These financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiaries and the Bank’s consolidated subsidiaries. In consolidation, all significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated. The results of operations of companies or assets acquired are included only from the dates of acquisition. All material wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries are consolidated unless GAAP requires otherwise.

The Company has evaluated subsequent events for potential recognition and/or disclosure through the date these financial statements were issued.

These interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X, and accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared according to GAAP have been omitted.

The results for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and disclosures Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. In management’s opinion, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement are reflected in the interim periods.

Reclassifications

Certain items in prior financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recently Adopted Accounting Principles

Effective January 1, 2024, the Corporation adopted the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2023-02, "Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Tax Credit Structures Using the Proportional Amortization Method (a consensus of the Emerging Issues Task Force)" (ASU 2023-02). ASU 2023-02 expanded the permitted use of the proportional amortization method (PAM), which was previously only available to low-income housing tax credit investments, to other tax equity investments if certain conditions are met. Under PAM, the initial cost of an investment is amortized in proportion to the income tax benefits received and both the amortization of the investment and the income tax benefits received are recognized as a component of income tax expense. Under this ASU, an entity has the option to apply PAM to applicable investments on a tax-credit-program-by-tax-credit-program basis. The company has elected PAM for its public welfare investments which consist of Affordable Housing and New Market tax credit investments. In addition, the amendments in this ASU require that all tax equity investments accounted for using PAM use the delayed equity contribution guidance in paragraph ASC 323-740-25-3, requiring a liability be recognized for delayed equity contributions that are unconditional and legally binding or for equity contributions that are contingent upon a future event when that contingent event becomes probable. The amendments in this ASU also require additional disclosures in interim and annual periods concerning investments for which PAM is applied, including (i) the nature of tax equity investments, and (ii) the effect of tax equity investments and related income tax credits and other income tax benefits on the financial position and results of operations. The provisions of this ASU became effective for the Company for interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2024. Refer to Note 15 – Tax Equity Investments for additional information. The adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Future Application of Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures.” The ASU requires disclosure in the rate reconciliation table of additional categories of information and more details about the reconciling items in some categories if items meet a quantitative threshold. The ASU also requires all entities to disclose income taxes paid, net of refunds, disaggregated by federal, state and foreign taxes for annual periods and to disaggregate the information by jurisdiction based on a quantitative threshold, among other things. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is still evaluating; however, the adoption is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

NOTE 2. BRANCH SALE

The Company has entered into definitive agreements with three buyers to sellten of its upstate and eastern New York branches, consisting ofeight offices in Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady and Columbia counties, one office in Whitehall andone office in East Syracuse. The branch sale includes residential mortgages and consumer loans with a total balance of $58.5 million and deposit accounts with a total balance of $484.5 million as of March 31, 2024. The sales also include all branch premises, including leased properties, and equipment. These balances are included in assets held for sale and liabilities held for sale on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The sales exclude Berkshire’s commercial banking business.

The buyers intend to offer employment to all associated staff. The sales are targeted for completion by the end of the third quarter of 2024 subject to customary regulatory approvals and associated system conversions.

The following is a summary of the assets and liabilities associated with the branch sales at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023:

NOTE 3. TRADING SECURITIES

The Company holds a tax-advantaged economic development bond accounted for at fair value. The security had an amortized cost of $6.0 million and $6.2 million, and a fair value of $5.9 million and $6.1 million, at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. As discussed further in Note 8 - Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities, the Company entered into a swap contract to swap-out the fixed rate of the security in exchange for a variable rate. The Company does not purchase securities with the intent of selling them in the near term, and there were no other securities in the trading portfolio at March 31, 2024 or December 31, 2023.

NOTE 4. SECURITIES AVAILABLE FOR SALE, HELD TO MATURITY, AND

EQUITY SECURITIES

The following is a summary of securities available for sale, held to maturity, and marketable equity securities:

The following table summarizes the activity in the allowance for credit losses for debt securities held to maturity by security type for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023:

Credit Quality Information

The Company monitors the credit quality of held to maturity securities through credit ratings from various rating agencies. Credit ratings express opinions about the credit quality of a security and are utilized by the Company to make informed decisions. Investment grade securities are rated BBB-/Baa3 or higher and generally considered by the rating agencies and market participants to be of low credit risk. Conversely, securities rated below investment grade are considered to have distinctively higher credit risk than investment grade securities. For securities without credit ratings, the Company utilizes other financial information indicating the financial health of the underlying municipality, agency, or organization.

As of March 31, 2024, none of the Company's investment securities were delinquent or in non-accrual status.

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of available for sale (“AFS”) and held to maturity (“HTM”) securities segregated by contractual maturity at March 31, 2024 are presented below. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations. Mortgage-backed securities are shown in total, as their maturities are highly variable.

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, purchases of AFS securities totaled $7.8 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, proceeds from sales of AFS securities totaled $361.9 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, purchases of AFS securities totaled $28.9 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, there wereno sales of AFS securities. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, gross gains totaled $5.1 million and gross losses totaled $54.9 million.

Securities available for sale and held to maturity with unrealized losses, segregated by the duration of their continuous unrealized loss positions, are summarized as follows:

Debt Securities

The Company expects to recover its amortized cost basis on all debt securities in its AFS and HTM portfolios. Furthermore, the Company does not intend to sell nor does it anticipate that it will be required to sell any of its securities in an unrealized loss position as of March 31, 2024, prior to this recovery. The Company’s ability and intent to hold these securities until recovery is supported by the Company’s strong capital and liquidity positions as well as its historically low portfolio turnover.

The following summarizes, by investment security type, the basis for the conclusion that the debt securities in an unrealized loss position within the Company’s AFS and HTM portfolios were not other-than-temporarily impaired at March 31, 2024:

AFS U.S Treasuries

At March 31, 2024,1 of the 1 securities in the Company’s portfolio of AFS U.S Treasuries was in an unrealized loss position. Aggregate unrealized losses represents 0.1% of the amortized cost of the bond in an unrealized loss position. The Company reviews the financial strength of all of these bonds and has concluded that the amortized cost remains supported by the expected future cash flows of these securities. The security is performing.

AFS municipal bonds and obligations

At March 31, 2024,63 of the 91 securities in the Company’s portfolio of AFS municipal bonds and obligations were in unrealized loss positions. Aggregate unrealized losses represented 4.2% of the amortized cost of securities in unrealized loss positions. The Company continually monitors the municipal bond sector of the market carefully and periodically evaluates the appropriate level of exposure to the market. At this time, the Company feels the bonds in this portfolio carry minimal risk of default and the Company is appropriately compensated for that risk. There were no material underlying credit downgrades during the quarter. All securities are performing.

AFS collateralized mortgage obligations

At March 31, 2024,37 of the 38 securities in the Company’s portfolio of AFS collateralized mortgage obligations were in unrealized loss positions. Aggregate unrealized losses represented 23.6% of the amortized cost of securities in unrealized loss positions. The Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), and Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) guarantee the contractual cash flows of all of the Company’s collateralized mortgage obligations. The securities are investment grade rated and there were no material underlying credit downgrades during the quarter. All securities are performing.

AFS commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities

At March 31, 2024,28 of the 28 securities in the Company’s portfolio of AFS mortgage-backed securities were in unrealized loss positions. Aggregate unrealized losses represented 19.1% of the amortized cost of securities in unrealized loss positions. The FNMA, FHLMC, and GNMA guarantee the contractual cash flows of all of the Company’s mortgage-backed securities. The securities are investment grade rated and there were no material underlying credit downgrades during the quarter. All securities are performing.

AFS corporate bonds

At March 31, 2024,13 of the 14 securities in the Company’s portfolio of AFS corporate bonds were in unrealized loss positions. Aggregate unrealized losses represents 11.1% of the amortized cost of the bonds in unrealized loss positions. The Company reviews the financial strength of all of these bonds and has concluded that the amortized cost remains supported by the expected future cash flows of these securities. All securities are performing.

AFS other bonds and obligations

At March 31, 2024,2 of the 3 securities in the Company’s portfolio of AFS other bonds and obligations were in unrealized loss positions. Aggregate unrealized losses represents 18.3% of the amortized cost of the bonds in unrealized loss positions. The Company reviews the financial strength of all of these bonds and has concluded that the amortized cost remains supported by the expected future cash flows of these securities. All securities are performing.

HTM municipal bonds and obligations

At March 31, 2024,123 of the 168 securities in the Company’s portfolio of HTM municipal bonds and obligations were in unrealized loss positions. Aggregate unrealized losses represented 10.6% of the amortized cost of securities in unrealized loss positions. The Company continually monitors the municipal bond sector of the market carefully and periodically evaluates the appropriate level of exposure to the market. At this time, the Company feels the bonds in this portfolio carry minimal risk of default and the Company is appropriately compensated for that risk. There were no material underlying credit downgrades during the quarter. All securities are performing.

HTM collateralized mortgage obligations

At March 31, 2024,12 of the 12 securities in the Company’s portfolio of HTM collateralized mortgage obligations were in unrealized loss positions. Aggregate unrealized losses represented 17.1% of the amortized cost of the securities in unrealized loss positions. The FNMA, FHLMC, and GNMA guarantee the contractual cash flows of all of the Company's collateralized residential mortgage obligations. The securities are investment grade rated, and there were no material underlying credit downgrades during the quarter. All securities are performing.

HTM commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities

At March 31, 2024,17 of the 17 securities in the Company’s portfolio of HTM mortgage-backed securities were in unrealized loss positions. Aggregate unrealized losses represented 19.2% of the amortized cost of securities in unrealized loss positions. The FNMA, FHLMC, and GNMA guarantee the contractual cash flows of the Company’s mortgage-backed securities. The securities are investment grade rated and there were no material underlying credit downgrades during the quarter. All securities are performing.

HTM tax-advantaged economic development bonds

At March 31, 2024,2 of the 2 securities in the Company’s portfolio of tax-advantaged economic development bonds were in unrealized loss positions. Aggregate unrealized losses represented 9.1% of the amortized cost of securities in unrealized loss positions. The Company believes that more likely than not all the principal outstanding will be collected. All securities are performing.

NOTE 5. LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES

The following is a summary of total loans by regulatory call report code with sub-segmentation based on underlying collateral for certain loan types:

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, in consideration of the pending branch sale, $20.0 million of residential real estate loans and $38.5 million of consumer loans were reclassified to assets held for saleon the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Transferred held for sale loans are not contained in the balances within this note and are accounted for at the lower of carr ying value or fair market value.

Risk characteristics relevant to each portfolio segment are as follows:

Construction - Loans in this segment primarily include real estate development loans for which payment is derived from sale of the property or long term financing at completion. Credit risk is affected by cost overruns, time to sell at an adequate price, and market conditions.

Commercial real estate multifamily, owner occupied and non-owner- Loans in these segments are primarily owner-occupied or income-producing properties throughout New England and Northeastern New York. The underlying cash flows generated by the properties are adversely impacted by a downturn in the economy, which in turn, will have an effect on the credit quality in this segment. Management monitors the cash flows of these loans.

Commercial and industrial loans - Loans in this segment are made to businesses and are generally secured by assets of the business such as accounts receivable, inventory, marketable securities, other liquid collateral, equipment and other business assets. Repayment is expected from the cash flows of the business. Loans in this segment include asset based loans which generally have no scheduled repayment and which are closely monitored against formula based collateral advance ratios. A weakened economy, and resultant decreased consumer spending, will have an effect on the credit quality in this segment.

Residential real estate - All loans in this segment are collateralized by residential real estate and repayment is dependent on the credit quality of the individual borrower. The overall health of the economy, including unemployment rates and housing prices, will have an effect on the credit quality in this segment.

Home equity and other consumer loans - Loans in this segment are primarily home equity lines of credit, automobile loans and other consumer loans. The overall health of the economy, including unemployment rates and housing prices, will have an effect on the credit quality in this segment.

Allowance for Credit Losses for Loans

The Allowance for Credit Losses for Loans (“ACLL”) is comprised of the allowance for credit losses, and the allowance for unfunded commitments is accounted for as a separate liability in other liabilities on the balance sheet. The level of the ACLL represents management’s estimate of expected credit losses over the expected life of the loans at the balance sheet date. The Company uses a static pool migration analysis method, applying expected historical loss trend and observed economic metrics. The level of the ACLL is based on management’s ongoing review of all relevant information, from internal and external sources, relating to past and current events, utilizing a 7 quarter reasonable and supportable forecast period with a 1 year reversion period. The ACLL reserve is overlaid with qualitative factors based upon:

•the existence and growth of concentrations of credit;

•the volume and severity of past due financial assets, including nonaccrual assets;

•the institutions lending and credit review as well as the experience and ability of relevant management and staff and;

•the effect of other external factors such as regulatory, competition, regional market conditions, legal and technological environment and other events such as natural disasters;

•the effect of other economic factors such as economic stimulus and customer forbearance programs.

The allowance for unfunded commitments is maintained at a level by the Company to be sufficient to absorb expected lifetime losses related to unfunded credit facilities (including unfunded loan commitments and letters of credit) and is included in other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet.

The Company’s activity in the allowance for credit losses for loans for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023 was as follows:

The Company’s allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments is recognized as a liability (other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet), with adjustments to the reserve recognized in other noninterest expense in the consolidated statement of operations. The Company’s activity in the allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was as follows:

Credit Quality Information

The Company monitors the credit quality of its portfolio by using internal risk ratings that are based on regulatory guidance. Loans that are given a Pass rating are not considered a problem credit. Loans that are classified as Special Mention loans are considered to have potential weaknesses and are evaluated closely by management. Substandard, including non-accruing loans, are loans for which a definitive weakness has been identified and which may make full collection of contractual cash flows questionable. Doubtful loans are those with identified weaknesses that make full collection of contractual cash flows, on the basis of currently existing facts, conditions, and values, highly questionable and improbable.

For commercial credits, the Company assigns an internal risk rating at origination and reviews the rating annual, semiannually, or quarterly depending on the risk rating. The rating is also reassessed at any point in time when management becomes aware of information that may affect the borrower’s ability to fulfill their obligations.

The Company risk rates its residential mortgages, including 1-4 family and residential construction loans, based on a three rating system: Pass, Special Mention, and Substandard. Loans that are current within 59 days are rated Pass. Residential mortgages that are 60-89 days delinquent are rated Special Mention. Loans delinquent for 90 days or greater are rated Substandard and generally placed on non-accrual status.

The following table presents the Company’s loans by risk category:

For home equity and consumer other loan portfolio segments, Berkshire evaluates credit quality based on the aging status of the loan and by payment activity. The performing or nonperforming status is updated on an ongoing basis dependent upon improvement and deterioration in credit quality. The following table presents the amortized cost based on payment activity:

The following is a summary of loans by past due status at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023:

The following is a summary of loans on nonaccrual status and loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023:

The commercial and industrial loans nonaccrual amortized cost as of March 31, 2024 included medallion loans with a fair value of $0.4 million and a contractual balance of $8.3 million.

The commercial and industrial loans nonaccrual amortized cost as of December 31, 2023 included medallion loans with a fair value of $0.4 million and a contractual balance of $8.8 million.

The following table summarizes information about total loans rated Special Mention or lower at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. The table below includes consumer loans that are Special Mention and Substandard accruing that are classified as performing based on payment activity.

A financial asset is considered collateral-dependent when the debtor is experiencing financial difficulty and repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the sale or operation of the collateral. Expected credit losses for collateral-dependent loans are based on the fair value of the collateral at the reporting date, adjusted for selling costs as appropriate. Significant quarter over quarter changes are reflective of changes in nonaccrual status and not necessarily associated with credit quality indicators like appraisal value. The following table presents the amortized cost basis of individually analyzed collateral-dependent loans by loan portfolio segment:

Modified Loans

Occasionally, the Company modifies loans to borrowers in financial distress by providing principal forgiveness, term extension, an other-than-insignificant payment delay or interest rate reduction. When principal forgiveness is provided, the amount of forgiveness is charged-off against the allowance for credit losses.

In some cases, the Company provides multiple types of concessions on one loan. Typically, one type of concession, such as a term extension, is granted initially. If the borrower continues to experience financial difficulty, another concession, such as principal forgiveness, may be granted. For the loans included in the "combination" columns below, multiple types of modifications have been made on the same loan within the current reporting period. The combination is at least two of the following: a term extension and principal forgiveness, an other-than-insignificant payment delay and/or an interest rate reduction.

The following tables present the amortized cost basis of loans at March 31, 2024 and March 31,2023 that were both experiencing financial difficulty and modified during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31,2023, by class and by type of modification. The percentage of the amortized cost basis of loans that were modified to borrowers in financial distress as compared to the amortized cost basis of each class of financing receivable is also presented below:

The Company has not committed to lend additional amounts to the borrowers included in the previous table.

The Company has not committed to lend additional amounts to the borrowers included in the previous table.

The Company closely monitors the performance of loans that are modified to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty to understand the effectiveness of its modification efforts. As of March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023, there were no loans that were modified to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty that were past due.

The following table presents the financial effect of the loan modifications presented above to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023.

The following table presents the amortized cost basis of loans that had a payment default during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and were modified in the twelve months prior to that default to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty.

There were no loans that had a payment default during the three months ended March 31, 2023 that were modified in the twelve months prior to that default to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty.

Upon the Company's determination that a modified loan (or portion of a loan) has subsequently been deemed uncollectible, the loan (or portion of the loan) is written off. Therefore, the amortized cost basis of the loan is reduced by the uncollectible amount and the allowance for credit losses is adjusted by the same amount.

NOTE 6. DEPOSITS

A summary of time deposits is as follows:

NOTE 7. BORROWED FUNDS

Borrowed funds at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 are summarized as follows:

Short-term debt includes Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) advances with an original maturity of less than one year. The Bank also maintains a $3.0 million secured line of credit with the FHLB that bears a daily adjustable rate calculated by the FHLB. There wasno outstanding balance on the FHLB line of credit for the periods ended March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. The Bank's available borrowing capacity with the FHLB was $2.2 billion and $2.5 billion for the periods ended March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

The Bank is approved to borrow on a short-term basis from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston as a non-member bank. The Bank has pledged certain loans and securities to the Federal Reserve Bank to support this arrangement. The Bank hadno borrowings with the Federal Reserve Bank under this arrangement during the periods ended March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The Bank's available borrowing capacity with the Federal Reserve Bank was $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion for the periods ended March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

Long-term FHLB advances consist of advances with an original maturity of more than one year and are subject to prepayment penalties. There were no callable advances outstanding at March 31, 2024. The advances outstanding at March 31, 2024 included amortizing advances totaling $6.2 million. There wereno callable advances outstanding at December 31, 2023. The advances outstanding at December 31, 2023 included amortizing advances totaling $4.2 million. All FHLB borrowings, including the line of credit, are secured by a blanket security agreement on certain qualified collateral, principally all residential first mortgage loans and certain securities.

A summary of maturities of FHLB advances as of March 31, 2024 is as follows:

The Company didnot have variable-rate FHLB advances for the periods ended March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

In June 2022, the Company issuedten year subordinated notes in the amount of $100.0 million. The interest rate is fixed at 5.50% for the first five years. After five years, the notes become callable and will bear interest at a floating rate per annum equal to a benchmark rate (which is expected to be Three-Month Term SOFR), plus 249 basis points. The subordinated note includes reduction to the note principal balance of $1.1 million for unamortized debt issuance costs as of March 31, 2024.

The Company holds 100% of the common stock of Berkshire Hills Capital Trust I (“Trust I”) which is included in other assets at a cost of $0.5 million. The sole asset of Trust I is $15.5 million of the Company’s junior subordinated debentures due in 2035. These debentures bear interest at a variable rate equal to 3-month CME Term SOFR plus 1.85% and had a rate of 7.43% and 7.49% at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The Company has the right to defer payments of interest for up tofive years on the debentures at any time, or from time to time, with certain limitations, including a restriction on the payment of dividends to shareholders while such interest payments on the debentures have been deferred. The Company has not exercised this right to defer payments. The Company has the right to redeem the debentures at par value. Trust I is considered a variable interest entity for which the Company is not the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, Trust I is not consolidated into the Company’s financial statements.

The Company holds 100% of the common stock of SI Capital Trust II (“Trust II”) which is included in other assets at a cost of $0.2 million. The sole asset of Trust II is $8.2 million of the Company’s junior subordinated debentures due in 2036. These debentures bear interest at a variable rate equal to 3-month CME Term SOFR plus 1.70% and had a rate of 7.29% and 7.35% at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The Company has the right to defer payments of interest for up tofive years on the debentures at any time, or from time to time, with certain limitations, including a restriction on the payment of dividends to shareholders while such interest payments on the debentures have been deferred. The Company has not exercised this right to defer payments. The Company has the right to redeem the debentures at par value. Trust II is considered a variable interest entity for which the Company is not the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, Trust II is not consolidated into the Company’s financial statements.

NOTE 8. DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES

As of March 31, 2024, the Company held derivatives with a total notional amount of $4.9 billion. That amount included $0.8 billion in interest rate swap derivatives that were designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes. The Company also had economic hedges totaling $4.0 billion and $22.0 million non-hedging derivatives, which are not designated as hedges for accounting purposes with changes in fair value recorded directly through earnings. Economic hedges included interest rate swaps totaling $3.7 billion, risk participation agreements with dealer banks of $0.4 billion, and $5.7 million in forward commitment contracts.

As of December 31, 2023, the Company held derivatives with a total notional amount of $4.8 billion. That amount included $0.6 billion in interest rate swap derivatives and $0.2 billion in interest rate collars that were designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes. The Company had economic hedges and non-hedging derivatives totaling $4.0 billion and $11.1 million, respectively, which are not designated as hedges for accounting purposes and are therefore recorded at fair value with changes in fair value recorded directly through earnings. Economic hedges included interest rate swaps totaling $3.6 billion, risk participation agreements with dealer banks of $376.6 million, and $2.2 million in forward commitment contracts.

As part of the Company’s risk management strategy, the Company enters into interest rate swap agreements to mitigate the interest rate risk inherent in certain of the Company’s assets and liabilities. Interest rate swap agreements involve the risk of dealing with both Bank customers and institutional derivative counterparties and their ability to meet contractual terms. The agreements are entered into with counterparties that meet established credit standards and contain master netting and collateral provisions protecting the at-risk party. The derivatives program is overseen by the Risk Management and Capital Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. Based on adherence to the Company’s credit standards and the presence of the netting and collateral provisions, the Company believes that the credit risk inherent in these contracts was not significant at March 31, 2024.

The Company hadno pledged collateral to derivative counterparties in the form of cash as of March 31, 2024. The Company had pledged securities to derivative counterparties with an amortized cost of $10.6 million and a fair value of $10.1 million as of March 31, 2024. The Company does not typically require its commercial customers to post cash or securities as collateral on its program of back-to-back economic hedges. However certain language is written into the International Swaps Dealers Association, Inc. (“ISDA”) and loan documents where, in default situations, the Bank is allowed to access collateral supporting the loan relationship to recover any losses suffered on the derivative asset or liability. The Company may need to post additional collateral in the future in proportion to potential increases in unrealized loss positions.

Information about derivative assets and liabilities at March 31, 2024, follows:

(1) Fair value estimates include the impact of $29.2 million settled to market contract agreements.

Information about derivative assets and liabilities at December 31, 2023, follows:

(1) Fair value estimates include the impact of $26.7 million settled to market contract agreements.

Cash flow hedges

The effective portion of unrealized changes in the fair value of derivatives accounted for as cash flow hedges is reported in other comprehensive income and subsequently reclassified to earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction is forecasted to affect earnings. Each quarter, the Company assesses the effectiveness of each hedging relationship by comparing the changes in cash flows of the derivative hedging instrument with the changes in cash flows of the designated hedged item or transaction. The ineffective portion of changes in the fair value of the derivatives is recognized directly in earnings. All cash flow hedges are considered

highly effective.

As of March 31, 2024, the Company hadeight interest rate swap contracts with a notional value of $600.0 million. The interest rate swaps have durations oftwo totwo years. This hedge strategy converts commercial variable rate loans to fixed interest rates, thereby protecting the Company from floating interest rate variability.

As of March 31, 2024, the Company hadtwo interest rate collars. The first interest rate collar has a 3.00% floor and a 5.75% cap with a notional value of $100.0 million. The second interest rate collar has a 3.25% floor and a 5.75% cap with a notional value of $100.0 million. The interest rate collars have durations oftwo tothree years. The structure of these instruments is such that the Company pays the counterparty an incremental amount if the collar index exceeds the cap rate. Conversely, the Company receives an incremental amount if the index falls below the floor rate. No payments are required if the collar index falls between the cap and floor rates.

Amounts included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and in the other comprehensive income section of the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (related to interest rate derivatives designated as hedges of cash flows), were as follows:

Economic hedges

As of March 31, 2024, the Company had an interest rate swap with a $6.0 million notional amount to swap out the fixed rate of interest on an economic development bond bearing a fixed rate of 5.09%, currently within the Company’s trading portfolio under the fair value option, in exchange for a SOFR-based floating rate. The intent of the economic hedge is to improve the Company’s asset sensitivity to changing interest rates in anticipation of favorable average floating rates of interest over the 21-year life of the bond. The fair value changes of the economic development bond are mostly offset by fair value changes of the related interest rate swap.

The Company also offers certain derivative products directly to qualified commercial borrowers. The Company economically hedges derivative transactions executed with commercial borrowers by entering into mirror-image, offsetting derivatives with third-party financial institutions. The transaction allows the Company’s customer to convert a variable-rate loan to a fixed rate loan. Because the Company acts as an intermediary for its customer, changes in the fair value of the underlying derivative contracts mostly offset each other in earnings. There wasno credit valuation loss adjustment arising from the difference in credit worthiness of the commercial loan and financial institution counterparties as of March 31, 2024. The interest income and expense on these mirror image swaps exactly offset each other.

The Company has risk participation agreements with dealer banks. Risk participation agreements occur when the Company participates on a loan and a swap where another bank is the lead. The Company gets paid a fee to take on the risk associated with having to make the lead bank whole on Berkshire’s portion of the pro-rated swap should the borrower default. Changes in fair value are recorded in current period earnings.

The Company utilizes forward sale commitments to hedge interest rate risk and the associated effects on the fair value of interest rate lock commitments and loans originated for sale. The forward sale commitments are accounted for as derivatives with changes in fair value recorded in current period earnings.

The Company uses the following types of forward sale commitments contracts:

•Best efforts loan sales,

•Mandatory delivery loan sales, and

•To Be Announced (“TBA”) mortgage-backed securities sales.

A best efforts contract refers to a loan sale agreement where the Company commits to deliver an individual mortgage loan of a specified principal amount and quality to an investor if the loan to the underlying borrower closes. The Company may enter into a best efforts contract once the price is known, which is shortly after the potential borrower’s interest rate is locked.

A mandatory delivery contract is a loan sale agreement where the Company commits to deliver a certain principal amount of mortgage loans to an investor at a specified price on or before a specified date. Generally, the Company may enter into mandatory delivery contracts shortly after the loan closes with a customer.

The Company may sell TBA mortgage-backed securities to hedge the changes in fair value of interest rate lock commitments and held for sale loans, which do not have corresponding best efforts or mandatory delivery contracts. These security sales transactions are closed once mandatory contracts are written. On the closing date the price of the security is locked-in, and the sale is paired-off with a purchase of the same security. Settlement of the security purchase/sale transaction is done with cash on a net-basis.

Non-hedging derivatives

The Company enters into interest rate lock commitments (“IRLCs”), or commitments to lend, for residential mortgage loans, which commit the Company to lend funds to a potential borrower at a specific interest rate and within a specified period of time. IRLCs that relate to the origination of mortgage loans that will be held for sale are considered derivative financial instruments under applicable accounting guidance. Outstanding IRLCs expose the Company to the risk that the price of the mortgage loans underlying the commitments may decline due to increases in mortgage interest rates from inception of the rate lock to the funding of the loan. The IRLCs are free-standing derivatives which are carried at fair value with changes recorded in non-interest income in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. Changes in the fair value of IRLCs subsequent to inception are based on changes in the fair value of the underlying loan resulting from the fulfillment of the commitment and changes in the probability that the loan will fund within the terms of the commitment, which is affected primarily by changes in interest rates and the passage of time.

Amounts included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations related to economic hedges and non-hedging derivatives were as follows:

Assets and Liabilities Subject to Enforceable Master Netting Arrangements

Interest Rate Swap Agreements (“Swap Agreements”)

The Company enters into swap agreements to facilitate the risk management strategies for commercial banking customers. The Company mitigates this risk by entering into equal and offsetting swap agreements with highly rated third party financial institutions. The swap agreements are free-standing derivatives and are recorded at fair value in the Company’s consolidated statements of condition. The Company is party to master netting arrangements with its financial institution counterparties; however, the Company does not offset assets and liabilities under these arrangements for financial statement presentation purposes. The master netting arrangements provide for a single net settlement of all swap agreements, as well as collateral, in the event of default on, or termination of, any one contract. Collateral generally in the form of marketable securities is received or posted by the counterparty with net liability positions, respectively, in accordance with contract thresholds.

The Company had net asset positions with its financial institution counterparties totaling $48.7 million and $39.8 million as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The Company had net asset positions with its commercial banking counterparties totaling $3.7 million and $6.0 million as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The Company had net liability positions with its financial institution counterparties totaling $3.8 million and $6.1 million as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The Company had net liability positions with its commercial banking counterparties totaling $86.9 million and $69.8 million as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

The following table presents the assets and liabilities subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023:

Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets

Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and Derivative Liabilities

Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets

Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and Derivative Liabilities

NOTE 9. LEASES

Substantially all of the leases in which the Company is the lessee are comprised of real estate property for branches, ATM locations, and office space. Most of the Company’s leases are classified as operating leases. At March 31, 2024, lease expiration dates ranged from 1 month to 16 years.

The following table represents the Consolidated Balance Sheet classification of the Company’s right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities:

Supplemental information related to leases was as follows:

The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, which are generally accounted for separately. For real estate leases, non-lease components and other non-components, such as common area maintenance charges, real estate taxes, and insurance are not included in the measurement of the lease liability since they are generally able to be segregated.

The Company does not have any material sub-lease agreements.

Lease expense for operating leases for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was $2.2 million. Variable lease components, such as consumer price index adjustments, are expensed as incurred and not included in ROU assets and operating lease liabilities.

Lease expense for operating leases for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $2.3 million. Variable lease components, such as consumer price index adjustments, are expensed as incurred and not included in ROU assets and operating lease liabilities.

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases was as follows:

The following table presents a maturity analysis of the Company’s lease liability by lease classification at March 31, 2024:

NOTE 10. CAPITAL RATIOS AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

The actual and required capital ratios were as follows:

The Company and the Bank are subject to regulatory capital requirements administered by federal banking agencies. Capital adequacy guidelines and, additionally for banks, prompt corrective action regulations, involve quantitative measures of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items calculated under regulatory accounting practices. Failure to meet capital requirements can initiate regulatory action. At each date shown, the Company met the minimum capital requirements and the Bank met the conditions to be classified as “well capitalized” under the relevant regulatory framework. To be categorized as well capitalized, an institution must maintain minimum total risk-based, Tier 1 risk-based, and Tier 1 leverage ratios as set forth in the table above.

As of January 1, 2019, banking organizations must maintain a minimum Common equity Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 7.0%, a minimum Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8.5%, and a minimum Total risk-based capital ratio of 10.5%, including a 2.5% capital conservation buffer. Capital rules impose restrictions on capital distributions and certain discretionary cash bonus payments if the capital conservation buffer is not met.

At March 31, 2024, the capital levels of both the Company and the Bank exceeded all regulatory capital requirements and the Bank's regulatory capital ratios were above the minimum levels required to be considered well capitalized for regulatory purposes. The capital levels of both the Company and the Bank at March 31, 2024 also exceeded the minimum capital requirements including the currently applicable capital conservation buffer of 2.5%.

Accumulated other comprehensive (loss)

Components of accumulated other comprehensive (loss) is as follows:

The following table presents the components of other comprehensive (loss) for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023:

The following table presents the changes in each component of accumulated other comprehensive (loss), for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023:

The following table presents the amounts reclassified out of each component of accumulated other comprehensive

income for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023:

NOTE 11.(LOSS)/EARNINGS PER SHARE

Earnings per share have been computed based on the following (average diluted shares outstanding are calculated using the treasury stock method):

For the three months ended March 31, 2024,519 thousand shares of unvested restricted stock and 49 thousand options outstanding were anti-dilutive and therefore excluded from the earnings per share calculation. For the three months ended March 31, 2023,380 thousand shares of unvested restricted stock and 49 thousand options outstanding were anti-dilutive and therefore excluded from the earnings per share calculation.

NOTE 12. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION PLANS

A combined summary of activity in the Company’s stock award and stock option plans for the three months ended March 31, 2024 is presented in the following table:

During the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023, there wereno stock option exercises. During the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023, there were 167 thousand and 96 thousand shares vested in connection with stock awards, respectively. All of these shares were issued from available treasury stock. Stock-based compensation expense totaled $2.1 million and $1.2 million during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Stock-based compensation expense is recognized over the requisite service period for all awards.

NOTE 13. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

A description of the valuation methodologies used for assets and liabilities measured at fair value, as well as the general classification of such instruments pursuant to the valuation hierarchy, is set forth below. These valuation methodologies were applied to all of the Company’s financial assets and financial liabilities that are carried at fair value.

Recurring Fair Value Measurements

The following table summarizes financial assets and financial liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, segregated by the level of the valuation inputs within the fair value hierarchy utilized to measure fair value.

There were no transfers between levels during the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Trading Securities at Fair Value. The Company holdsone security designated as a trading security. It is a tax-advantaged economic development bond issued to the Company by a local nonprofit which provides wellness and health programs. The fair value of this security is determined based on a discounted cash flow methodology. Certain inputs to the fair value calculation are unobservable and there is little to no market activity in the security; therefore, the security meets the definition of a Level 3 security. The discount rate used in the valuation of the security is sensitive to movements in the 3-month SOFR rate.

Securities Available for Sale and Equity Securities. Equity securities classified as Level 1 consist of publicly-traded equity securities for which the fair values can be obtained through quoted market prices in active exchange markets. Equity securities classified as Level 2 consist of securities with infrequent trades in active exchange markets, and pricing is primarily sourced from third party pricing services. AFS securities classified as Level 1 consist of U.S. Treasury securities. AFS securities classified as Level 2 include most of the Company’s debt securities. The pricing on Level 2 and Level 3 was primarily sourced from third party pricing services, overseen by management, and is based on models that consider standard input factors such as dealer quotes, market spreads, cash flows, the U.S. Treasury yield curve, live trading levels, trade execution data, market consensus prepayment speeds, credit information and the bond’s terms and condition, among other things. Level 3 pricing includes inputs unobservable to market participants.

Loans Held for Investment. The Company’s held for investment loan portfolio includes loans originated by Company and loans acquired through business combinations. The Company intends to hold these assets until maturity as a part of its business operations. For one acquired portfolio subset, the Company previously accounted for these purchased-credit impaired loans as a pool under ASC 310, as they were determined to have common risk characteristics. These loans were recorded at fair value on acquisition date and subsequently evaluated for impairment collectively. Upon adoption of ASC 326, the Company elected the fair value option on this portfolio, recognizing an $11.2 million fair value write-down charged to retained earnings, net of deferred tax impact, as of January 1, 2020. The fair value of this loan portfolio is determined based on a discounted cash flow methodology. Certain inputs to the fair value calculation are unobservable; therefore, the loans meet the definition of Level 3 assets. The discount rate used in the valuation is consistent with assets that have significant credit deterioration. The cash flow assumptions include payment schedules for loans with current payment histories and estimated collateral value for delinquent loans. All of these loans were nonperforming as of March 31, 2024.

Loans Held for Sale. The Company elected the fair value option for all loans held for sale (HFS) originated for sale on or after May 1, 2012. Loans HFS are classified as Level 2 as the fair value is based on input factors such as quoted prices for similar loans in active markets.

The changes in fair value of loans held for sale for the three months ended March 31, 2024, were gains of $55 thousand. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, originations of loans held for sale totaled $27.8 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, sales of loans originated for sale totaled $24.3 million.

The changes in fair value of loans held for sale for the three months ended March 31, 2023, were gains of $9 thousand. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, originations of loans held for sale totaled $7.0 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, sales of loans originated for sale totaled $6.4 million.

Interest Rate Swaps. The valuation of the Company’s interest rate swaps is obtained from a third-party pricing service and is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of each derivative. The pricing analysis is based on observable inputs for the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity and interest rate curves. The Company incorporates credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both its own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements. In adjusting the fair value of its derivative contracts for the effect of nonperformance risk, the Company has considered the impact of netting and any applicable credit enhancements, such as collateral postings.

Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its interest rate derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with its derivatives utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by itself and its counterparties. However, as of March 31, 2024, the Company assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation of its derivatives. As a result, the Company determined that its derivative valuations in their entirety are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

Commitments to Lend. The Company enters into commitments to lend for residential mortgage loans intended for sale, which commit the Company to lend funds to a potential borrower at a specific interest rate and within a specified period of time. The estimated fair value of commitments to originate residential mortgage loans for sale is based on quoted prices for similar loans in active markets. However, this value is adjusted by a factor which considers the likelihood that the loan in a lock position will ultimately close, and by the non-refundable costs of originating the loan. The closing ratio is derived from the Bank’s internal data and is adjusted using significant management judgment. The costs to originate are primarily based on the Company’s internal commission rates that are not observable. As such, these commitments are classified as Level 3 measurements.

Forward Sale Commitments. The Company utilizes forward sale commitments as economic hedges against potential changes in the values of the commitments to lend and loans originated for sale. To Be Announced (“TBA”) mortgage-backed securities forward commitment sales are used as the hedging instrument, are classified as Level 1, and consist of publicly-traded debt securities for which identical fair values can be obtained through quoted market prices in active exchange markets. The fair values of the Company’s best efforts and mandatory delivery loan sale commitments are determined similarly to the commitments to lend using quoted prices in the market place that are observable. However, costs to originate and closing ratios included in the calculation are internally generated and are based on management’s judgment and prior experience, which are considered factors that are not observable. As such, best efforts and mandatory forward commitments are classified as Level 3 measurements.

Capitalized Servicing Rights. The Company accounts for certain capitalized servicing rights at fair value in its Consolidated Financial Statements, as the Company is permitted to elect the fair value option for each specific instrument. A loan servicing right asset represents the amount by which the present value of the estimated future net cash flows to be received from servicing loans exceed adequate compensation for performing the servicing. The fair value of servicing rights is estimated using a present value cash flow model. The most important assumptions used in the valuation model are the anticipated rate of the loan prepayments and discount rates. Although some assumptions in determining fair value are based on standards used by market participants, some are based on unobservable inputs and therefore are classified in Level 3 of the valuation hierarchy.

The table below presents the changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023.

Quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs within Level 3 recurring assets and liabilities is as follows:

Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements

The Company is required, on a non-recurring basis, to adjust the carrying value or provide valuation allowances for certain assets using fair value measurements in accordance with GAAP. The following is a summary of applicable non-recurring fair value measurements. There are no liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis.

Quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs within Level 3 non-recurring assets is as follows:

(1) Where dollar amounts are disclosed, the amounts represent the lowest and highest fair value of the respective assets in the population except for adjustments for market/property conditions, which represents the range of adjustments to individuals properties.

(1) Where dollar amounts are disclosed, the amounts represent the lowest and highest fair value of the respective assets in the population except for adjustments for market/property conditions, which represents the range of adjustments to individuals properties.

There were no Level 1 or Level 2 nonrecurring fair value measurements for the periods ended March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Individually evaluated loans. Loans are generally not recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. Periodically, the Company records non-recurring adjustments to the carrying value of loans based on fair value measurements for partial charge-offs of the uncollectible portions of those loans. Non-recurring adjustments can also include certain impairment amounts for collateral-dependent loans calculated when establishing the allowance for credit losses. Such amounts are generally based on the fair value of the underlying collateral supporting the loan and, as a result, the carrying value of the loan less the calculated valuation amount does not necessarily represent the fair value of the loan. Real estate collateral is typically valued using appraisals or other indications of value based on recent comparable sales of similar properties or assumptions generally observable in the marketplace. However, the choice of observable data is subject to significant judgment, and there are often adjustments based on judgment in order to make observable data comparable and to consider the impact of time, the condition of properties, interest rates, and other market factors on current values. Additionally, commercial real estate appraisals frequently involve discounting of projected cash flows, which relies inherently on unobservable data. Therefore, nonrecurring fair value measurement adjustments that relate to real estate collateral have generally been classified as Level 3. Estimates of fair value for other collateral that supports commercial loans are generally based on assumptions not observable in the marketplace and therefore such valuations have been classified as Level 3.

Loans Transferred to Held for Sale. Once a decision has been made to sell loans not previously classified as held for sale, these loans are transferred into the held for sale category and carried at the lower of cost or fair value. Real estate collateral is typically valued using appraisals or other indications of value based on recent comparable sales of similar properties or assumptions generally observable in the marketplace. The choice of observable data is subject to significant judgment, and there are often adjustments based on judgment in order to make observable data comparable and to consider the impact of time, the condition of properties, interest rates, and other market factors on current values. Nonrecurring fair value measurement adjustments that relate to real estate collateral have generally been classified as Level 3. Estimates of fair value for other collateral that supports commercial loans are generally based on assumptions not observable in the marketplace and therefore such valuations have been classified as Level 3.

Capitalized loan servicing rights. A loan servicing right asset represents the amount by which the present value of the estimated future net cash flows to be received from servicing loans exceed adequate compensation for performing the servicing. The fair value of servicing rights is estimated using a present value cash flow model. The most important assumptions used in the valuation model are the anticipated rate of the loan prepayments and discount rates. Adjustments are only recorded when the discounted cash flows derived from the valuation model are less than the carrying value of the asset. Although some assumptions in determining fair value are based on standards used by market participants, some are based on unobservable inputs and therefore are classified in Level 3 of the valuation hierarchy.

Summary of Estimated Fair Values of Financial Instruments

The following tables summarize the estimated fair values (represents exit price), and related carrying amounts, of the Company’s financial instruments. Certain financial instruments and all non-financial instruments are excluded. Accordingly, the aggregate fair value amounts presented may not necessarily represent the underlying fair value of the Company.

NOTE 14. NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES

Presented below is net interest income after provision for credit losses for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

NOTE 15. TAX EQUITY INVESTMENTS

The Company typically accounts for tax equity investments using the proportional amortization method, if certain criteria are met. The election to account for tax equity investments using the proportional amortization method is done so on a tax credit program-by-tax credit program basis. Under the proportional amortization method, the Company amortizes the initial cost of the investment, which is inclusive of any delayed equity contributions, that are unconditional and legally binding or for equity contributions that are contingent on a future event, when that event becomes probable, in proportion to the income tax credits and other income tax benefits that are allocated to the Company over the period of the investment.

Under the proportional amortization method, the Company amortizes the initial cost of the investment, inclusive of delayed equity contributions, in proportion to the income tax credits and other income tax benefits that are allocated to the Company over the period of the investment. The net benefits of these investments, which are comprised of income tax credits and operating loss income tax benefits, net of investment amortization, are recognized in the statement of operations as a component of income tax expense. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 the carrying value was $35.5 million and $16.6 million, and are included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheet.

The carrying value of the Public Welfare Investments on March 31, 2024 include $18 million of delayed equity contributions described in the chart below.

As of March 31, 2024, the Company's delayed equity contributions were estimated to be paid as follows:

The following table presents income tax credits and other income tax benefits, as well as amortization expense, associated with investments where the proportional amortization method of accounting has been applied for the periods indicated.

There wereno material non-income tax related activity associated with these investments recorded outside of income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The non-income tax related activity associated with these investments recorded outside of the income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $2.3 million. There wereno impairment losses recorded on tax equity investments during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.