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EX-32 - CERTIFICATION OF CEO AND CFO PURSUANT TO SECTION 1350 - BANK OF GRANITE CORPdex32.htm
EX-31.1 - CERTIFICATION OF CEO PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 - BANK OF GRANITE CORPdex311.htm
EX-31.2 - CERTIFICATION OF CFO PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 - BANK OF GRANITE CORPdex312.htm
Table of Contents

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K/A

Amendment No. 1

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended                                     December 31, 2010                            

        Commission file number         0-15956        

Bank of Granite Corporation

 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

    

56-1550545

(State or other jurisdiction of      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)     

 

P.O. Box 128, Granite Falls, N.C.

    

            28630             

(Address of principal executive offices)      (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code     

(828) 496-2000

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

(Title of each class)

    

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, $1.00 Par Value Per Share      The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

            None             

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

   Yes  ¨                     No  x                                 

 

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  x                                 

 

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 for 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  x                     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. x

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 definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check One):

Large accelerated filer  ¨  Accelerated filer  ¨  Non-accelerated filer  ¨  Smaller reporting company  x

(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

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

Yes  ¨                     No  x

As of March 15, 2011, 15,454,000 shares of common stock, $1.00 par value, were outstanding. As of June 30, 2010, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $17,473,000 based on the closing sales price as reported on The NASDAQ Global Select Market.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

PART III: Portions of the Definitive Proxy Statement to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in connection with the 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

 

 

 

 


Table of Contents

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This amendment to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K is filed to expand certain disclosure points in Part I, Item I and to include certain omitted disclosures in Part III, Items 11 and 12. Pursuant to the rules of the SEC, Item 15 of Part IV of the Form 10-K has been amended to contain currently dated certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer. Except as described above, there are no other changes to the referenced Form 10-K and this amendment does not amend, update or change the financial statements or other disclosures in the Form 10-K.


Table of Contents

FORM 10-K/A TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    

    2010
Form 10-K/A
    Page

 

PART I

  

Item 1 - Business

     1   

PART III

  

Item 11 - Executive Compensation

     8   

Item  12 - Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

     8   

PART IV

  

Item 15 - Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

     9   

Signatures

     10   


Table of Contents

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

The discussions included in this annual report contain statements that may be deemed forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995, including Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. For the purposes of these discussions, any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward looking statements. Such statements are often characterized by the use of qualifying words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “plans,” “projects,” or other statements concerning opinions or judgments of the Company and its management about future events. The accuracy of such forward looking statements could be affected by certain factors, including but not limited to, the financial success or changing conditions or strategies of the Company’s customers or vendors, fluctuations in interest rates, actions of government regulators, the availability of capital and personnel, failure to comply with regulatory orders, and general economic conditions.

PART I

ITEM 1 - BUSINESS

Bank of Granite Corporation (the “Company”) is a Delaware corporation that was organized June 1, 1987 as a bank holding company. The Company’s only businesses are the ownership and operation of Bank of Granite (the “Bank”), a state bank chartered under the laws of North Carolina on August 2, 1906, and Granite Mortgage, Inc. (“Granite Mortgage”), a mortgage bank chartered under the laws of North Carolina on June 24, 1985. Granite Mortgage ceased mortgage originations during 2009, and its current activity is related to settling existing contractual obligations.

The Bank’s loan origination activity has declined significantly in the past year and currently. Real estate lending was suspended in early 2009, as the Bank’s concentration in real estate lending prior to 2009 was a significant contributor to the volume of loan losses and capital erosion. Additionally, the Bank is not eligible to originate loans in any of the government sponsored small business loan programs because of insufficient capital. New loan volume in 2010 was only $20 million.

We conduct our community banking business operations from 20 full-service offices located in Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Forsyth, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Watauga, and Wilkes counties in North Carolina. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), as of December 31, 2010, the Bank ranked 21st in assets and 17th in deposits among North Carolina banking institutions.

GENERAL BUSINESS

The Bank’s principal community banking activities include the taking of demand and time deposits and the making of loans, secured and unsecured, to individuals, associations, partnerships and corporations. The majority of the Bank’s customers are individuals and small businesses. No material part of its business is dependent upon a single customer or a few customers whose loss would have a material adverse effect on the business of the Bank. No material portion of the business of the Bank is seasonal.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF MARKET AREAS

We conduct our community banking operations primarily in eight counties in the western part of North Carolina. The three counties we served prior to 2003 (Caldwell, Catawba and Burke) were historically known as a center for the manufacture of fiber optic and coaxial cable, furniture, and apparel. When the economy began to weaken in 2001, there were massive layoffs in these industries, and these counties were significantly impacted with a sudden rise in their unemployment rates.

 

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Since 2003, we have expanded our market area by opening branch offices in counties where the local economies had been more diversified and growing. In 2003, we opened new offices in Watauga County (Boone), Wilkes County (Wilkesboro), and Mecklenburg County (Matthews), and acquired First Commerce Bank and its three banking offices in Mecklenburg County (Charlotte and Cornelius). We opened banking offices in Forsyth County (Winston-Salem) in 2004 and in Iredell County (Statesville) in 2006.

Since 2008, economic conditions in our market area declined significantly, as they have in the U.S. in general. These economic difficulties negatively affected many of the Company’s customers, including businesses and individuals. Unemployment rates in our market area increased significantly during 2009 and 2010. Our operations are significantly influenced by economic conditions in our market area, including the state of the real estate market.

TERRITORY SERVED AND COMPETITION

Commercial banking in North Carolina is extremely competitive in large part due to a long history of statewide branching. We compete in our market area with some of the largest banking organizations in the state and the country and other financial institutions, such as federally and state-chartered savings and loan institutions and credit unions, as well as consumer finance companies, mortgage companies and other lenders engaged in the business of extending credit. Many of our competitors have broader geographic markets and higher lending limits than us and are also able to provide more services and make greater use of media advertising.

Despite the competition in our market area, we believe that we have certain competitive advantages that distinguish us from our competition. We believe that our primary competitive advantages are our strong local identity and affiliation with the community and our emphasis on providing specialized services to small and medium-sized business enterprises, as well as professional and upper-income individuals. We are locally managed and are able to make credit and other decisions in a manner that has a direct bearing on faster service and more efficiently obtained credit. We offer customers modern, high-tech banking without forsaking community values such as prompt, personal service and friendliness. We offer many personalized services and attract customers by being responsive and sensitive to their individualized needs. We also rely on goodwill and referrals from shareholders and satisfied customers, as well as traditional newspaper and radio media to attract new customers. To enhance a positive image in the community, we support and participate in local events, and our officers and directors serve on boards of civic and charitable organizations.

Our community banking operations are required to compete based on rates in order to conduct loan business in each of our markets. Our community bank also competes for deposits in each of its markets. However, we believe that our focus on and commitment to providing superior customer service is what distinguishes us from our competitors.

EMPLOYEES

As of December 31, 2010, the Bank had 195 full-time equivalent employees. The Bank considers its relationship with its employees to be excellent.

SUPERVISION AND REGULATION

The Company is extensively regulated under both federal and state law. Generally, these laws and regulations are intended to protect depositors and borrowers, not shareholders. To the extent that the following information describes statutory and regulatory provisions, it is qualified in its entirety by reference to the particular statutory and regulatory provisions. Any change in applicable law or regulation may have a material effect on our business.

 

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The Bank Holding Company Act

Our Company is a bank holding company within the meaning of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “Bank Holding Company Act”), and is required to register as such with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board” or “FRB”). A bank holding company is required to file with the FRB annual reports and other information regarding its business operations and those of its subsidiaries. It is also subject to examination by the Federal Reserve Board and is required to obtain Federal Reserve Board approval prior to acquiring, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of the voting stock of any bank, unless it already owns a majority of the voting stock of such bank. Furthermore, a bank holding company must engage, with limited exceptions, in the business of banking or managing or controlling banks or furnishing services to or performing services for its subsidiary banks. One of the exceptions to this prohibition is the ownership of shares of a company the activities of which the FRB has determined to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto.

State Law

Our Bank is subject to extensive supervision and regulation by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks (the “Commissioner”). The Commissioner oversees state laws that set specific requirements for bank capital and regulate deposits in, and loans and investments by, banks, including the amounts, types, and in some cases, rates. The Commissioner supervises and performs periodic examinations of North Carolina - chartered banks to assure compliance with state banking statutes and regulations, and the Bank is required to make regular reports to the Commissioner describing in detail its resources, assets, liabilities and financial condition. Among other things, the Commissioner regulates mergers and acquisitions of state - chartered banks, the payment of dividends, loans to officers and directors, record keeping, types and amounts of loans and investments, and the establishment of branches.

Deposit Insurance

As a member institution of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), the Bank’s deposits are insured up to a maximum of $250,000 per depositor through the deposit insurance fund (“DIF”), administered by the FDIC. An increase in basic federal deposit insurance coverage from $100,000 to $250,000 per depositor became effective on October 3, 2008, as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

On July 21, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into law, which, in part, permanently raises the current standard maximum deposit insurance amount (SMDIA) to $250,000. The FDIC insurance coverage limit applies per depositor, per insured depository institution for each account ownership category.

On November 9, 2010, the FDIC issued a Final Rule implementing section 343 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that provides for unlimited insurance coverage of noninterest-bearing transaction accounts. Beginning December 31, 2010, through December 31, 2012, all noninterest-bearing transaction accounts are fully insured, regardless of the balance of the account, at all FDIC-insured institutions. The unlimited insurance coverage is available to all depositors, including consumers, businesses, and government entities. This unlimited insurance coverage is separate from, and in addition to, the insurance coverage provided to a depositor’s other deposit accounts held at an FDIC-insured institution.

Each member institution is required to pay quarterly deposit insurance premium assessments to the FDIC. During 2009, a large number of bank failures put pressure on the DIF. In an effort to replenish the DIF, the FDIC implemented a special assessment of five basis points of each insured institution’s assets minus Tier 1 capital as of June 30, 2009. In addition, the FDIC required insured institutions to prepay their estimated quarterly risk-based deposit insurance assessments for the fourth quarter of 2009, as well as all of 2010, 2011, and 2012. Although the prepayment of these assessments is mandatory for all insured depository institutions, the FDIC retains the discretion as supervisor and insurer to exempt any institution from the prepayment requirement under certain circumstances as set forth in its regulations. In accordance with the discretion provided to the FDIC under 12 C.F.R. § 327.12(i)(1), the FDIC has exempted the Bank from prepaying its quarterly risk-based assessment for the fourth quarter of 2009, and all of 2010, 2011, and 2012. Our assessments for 2011 and 2012 will continue to be payable quarterly.

 

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Capital Requirements

The federal banking regulators have adopted certain risk-based capital guidelines to assist in the assessment of the capital adequacy of a banking organization’s operations for both transactions reported on the balance sheet as assets and transactions, such as letters of credit, and recourse arrangements, which are recorded as off balance sheet items. Under these guidelines, nominal dollar amounts of assets and credit equivalent amounts of off balance sheet items are multiplied by one of several risk adjustment percentages which range from 0% for assets with low credit risk, such as certain U.S. Treasury securities, to 100% for assets with relatively high credit risk, such as business loans.

A banking organization’s risk-based capital ratios are obtained by dividing its qualifying capital by its total risk adjusted assets. The regulators measure risk-adjusted assets, which include off balance sheet items, against both total qualifying capital (the sum of Tier 1 capital and limited amounts of Tier 2 capital) and Tier 1 capital. “Tier 1,” or core capital, includes common equity, qualifying noncumulative perpetual preferred stock, minority interests in certain equity accounts of consolidated subsidiaries, less goodwill and other intangibles, subject to certain exceptions and restricted core capital elements, including trust preferred securities. “Tier 2,” or supplementary capital, includes among other things, limited-life preferred stock, hybrid capital instruments, mandatory convertible securities, qualifying subordinated debt, and the allowance for loan and lease losses, subject to certain limitations and less required deductions. The inclusion of elements of Tier 2 capital is subject to certain other requirements and limitations of the federal banking agencies. Banks and bank holding companies subject to the risk-based capital guidelines are required to maintain a ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 4% and a ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8%. The appropriate regulatory authority may set higher capital requirements when particular circumstances warrant.

The federal banking agencies have adopted regulations specifying that they will include, in their evaluations of a bank’s capital adequacy, an assessment of the bank’s interest rate risk (“IRR”) exposure. The standards for measuring the adequacy and effectiveness of a banking organization’s IRR management include a measurement of board of directors and senior management oversight, and a determination of whether a banking organization’s procedures for comprehensive risk management are appropriate for the circumstances of the specific banking organization.

Failure to meet applicable capital guidelines could subject a banking organization to a variety of enforcement actions, including limitations on its ability to pay dividends, the issuance by the applicable regulatory authority of a capital directive to increase capital and, in the case of depository institutions, the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC. See “Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991” below for more discussion of enforcement actions applicable to undercapitalized institutions. In addition, future changes in regulations or practices could further reduce the amount of capital recognized for purposes of capital adequacy. Such a change could affect our ability to grow and could restrict the amount of profits, if any, available for the payment of dividends to the shareholders.

At December 31, 2010, our Tier I ratio, total capital ratio to risk-adjusted assets, and leverage ratio were 4.41%, 5.71% and 2.83%, respectively. We were “undercapitalized” for the Tier I capital ratio and “significantly undercapitalized” for our leverage ratio and total capital. Banking regulators classify a bank as “critically undercapitalized” if it fails to meet a 2% capital leverage ratio. Under “prompt corrective action,” a critically undercapitalized bank must be placed in conservatorship or receivership within 90 days of such determinations unless the FDIC and appropriate regulators determine that other action would protect the deposit insurance fund.

As we reported in our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 4, 2009, the Bank entered into a Stipulation and Consent (“Consent”) to the issuance of an Order to Cease and Desist (“Order”) by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks (“The Commissioner”). Based on our Consent, the FDIC and the Commissioner jointly issued the Order on August 27, 2009.

The Order is a formal corrective action pursuant to which the Bank has agreed to address specific issues set forth below, through the adoption and implementation of procedures, plan and policies designed to enhance the safety and soundness of the Bank.

 

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Among other things, the Order requires the Bank to:

 

   

Present a written capital plan to the FDIC and the Commissioner by which the Bank would achieve a Tier 1 Leverage Capital Ratio of not less than 8 percent and Total Risk-Based Capital Ratio of not less than 12 percent during the life of the Order;

 

   

Formulate a plan to improve the Bank’s earnings and evaluate the plan quarterly;

 

   

Formulate and implement a plan to reduce the Bank’s risk exposure in assets classified “Substandard or Doubtful”;

 

   

Reduce the real estate credit concentrations in the Bank’s loan portfolio;

 

   

Develop a plan to improve the Bank’s liquidity; monitor contingent funding needs and improve asset liability management, and review and revise the plan on a quarterly basis;

 

   

Not pay cash dividends without the prior written consent of the FDIC and the Commissioner;

 

   

Neither renew, roll-over nor increase the amount of brokered deposits above the amount outstanding at the date of the Order.

The significant activities by the Bank to respond to the Order have included:

 

  Ø  

Seeking interested parties to make capital infusions in the Bank or acquire the Bank and to support those due diligence activities as they occurred.

 

  Ø  

The operating plan has been to deleverage the Bank to reduce regulatory capital requirements and to reduce all expenses, primary of which has been personnel costs to improve operating results before credit costs.

 

  Ø  

We ceased making new real estate development loans in June 2009. We have been aggressive in reducing the existing real estate portfolio through stringent renewal terms and aggressive resolution by short sale, deed in lieu or other legal processes. We have added seasoned workout specialists to the credit administration group to manage the watch and classified loan portfolio, which has accelerated the resolution process.

 

  Ø  

The liquidity and asset liability management activity has included more timely reporting and evaluation of loan and deposit rates and forecasting cash and investment liquidity levels and monitoring same.

The Order, as set forth above, requires the Bank to achieve and maintain Tier 1 Leverage Capital Ratio of not less than 8 percent and a Total Risk-Based Capital of not less than 12 percent for the life of the Order.

Additionally as set forth in Note 2, “Regulatory Matters and Going Concern Considerations,” in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements,” the Bank has an existing Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (“FRB”).

See Note 2, “Regulatory Matters and Going Concern Considerations,” and Note 14, “Regulation and Regulatory Restrictions,” in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional discussion of our regulatory actions.

 

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Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991

In December, 1991, Congress enacted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA”), which substantially revised the bank regulatory and funding provisions of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and made significant revisions to several other federal banking statutes. FDICIA provides for, among other things:

 

   

Publicly available annual financial condition and management reports for certain financial institutions, including audits by independent accountants;

 

   

The establishment of uniform accounting standards by federal banking agencies;

 

   

The establishment of a “prompt corrective action” system of regulatory supervision and intervention, based on capitalization levels, with greater scrutiny and restrictions placed on depository institutions with lower levels of capital;

 

   

Additional grounds for the appointment of a conservator or receiver; and

 

   

Restrictions or prohibitions on accepting brokered deposits, except for institutions which significantly exceed minimum capital requirements.

FDICIA also provides for increased funding of the FDIC insurance funds and the implementation of risk-based premiums.

A central feature of FDICIA is the requirement that the federal banking agencies take “prompt corrective action” with respect to depository institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. Pursuant to FDICIA, the federal bank regulatory authorities have adopted regulations setting forth a five-tiered system for measuring the capital adequacy of the depository institutions that they supervise. Under these regulations, a depository institution is classified in one of the following capital categories: “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized” and “critically undercapitalized.” An institution may be deemed by the regulators to be in a capitalization category that is lower than is indicated by its actual capital position if, among other things, it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating with respect to asset quality, management, earnings or liquidity.

FDICIA provides the federal banking agencies with significantly expanded powers to take enforcement action against institutions which fail to comply with capital or other standards. Such action may include the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC or the appointment of a receiver or conservator for the institution. FDICIA also limits the circumstances under which the FDIC is permitted to provide financial assistance to an insured institution before appointment of a conservator or receiver.

Miscellaneous

The dividends that may be paid by the Company are subject to legal limitations. The Bank is the only source of dividends that may be paid by the Company. In accordance with North Carolina banking law, dividends may not be paid by the Bank unless its capital surplus is at least 50% of its paid-in capital.

The earnings of the Company will be affected significantly by the policies of the Federal Reserve Board, which is responsible for regulating the United States money supply in order to mitigate recessionary and inflationary pressures. Among the techniques used to implement these objectives are open market transactions in United States government securities, changes in the rate paid by banks on bank borrowings, and changes in reserve requirements against bank deposits. These techniques are used in varying combinations to influence overall growth and distribution of bank loans, investments, and deposits, and their use may also affect interest rates charged on loans or paid for deposits.

The monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Board 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. In view of changing conditions in the national economy and money markets, as well as the effect of actions by monetary and fiscal authorities, no prediction can be made as to possible future changes in interest rates, deposit levels, loan demand or the business and our earnings.

 

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Effective March 11, 2000, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 allows a bank holding company to qualify as a “financial holding company” and, as a result, be permitted to engage in a broader range of activities that are “financial in nature” and in activities that are determined to be incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act amends the Bank Holding Company Act to include a list of activities that are financial in nature, and the list includes activities such as underwriting, dealing in and making a market in securities, insurance underwriting and agency activities and merchant banking. The Federal Reserve Board is authorized to determine other activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to such activities. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act also authorizes banks to engage through financial subsidiaries in certain of the activities permitted for financial holding companies. The Company has elected not to register as a financial holding company.

On October 26, 2001, the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 was enacted. This act contains the International Money Laundering Abatement and Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001, which sets forth anti-money laundering measures affecting insured depository institutions, broker-dealers and other financial institutions. The Act requires U.S. financial institutions to adopt new policies and procedures to combat money laundering and grants the Secretary of the Treasury broad authority to establish regulations and to impose requirements and restrictions on the operation of financial institutions. This act has increased the overall cost of our regulatory compliance activities.

As noted above, on July 21, 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) became law. The Dodd-Frank Act establishes a new framework for systemic risk oversight within the financial system and includes significant regulatory and compliance changes. Among other things, the Dodd-Frank Act creates a new, independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau within the Federal Reserve Board to establish, implement and enforce rules and regulations with respect to the conduct of providers of certain consumer financial products and services; gives the Federal Reserve Board the authority to establish rules regarding debit card interchange fees; requires federal banking agencies to establish minimum leverage and risk-based capital requirements for banks and bank holding companies (which may be stricter than existing regulatory standards); strengthens existing limits on a depository institution’s credit exposure to one borrower; and establishes additional requirements related to corporate governance and executive compensation on most US publicly traded companies. Many of the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act will be subject to implementation over the course of several years, and the final requirements could reduce our revenue, increase our cost of operations, require changes to certain of our business practices, including limitations on fee income opportunities, and impose more stringent capital, liquidity and leverage requirements on us. These requirements may also require us to invest significant management attention and resources to evaluate and make any changes necessary to comply with new statutory and regulatory requirements.

We cannot predict what other legislation might be enacted or what other regulation might be adopted or, if enacted or adopted, the effect thereof.

INVESTMENT POLICIES

For a discussion of our investment policies, see “Investment Securities” in the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section of this annual report.

LOAN PORTFOLIO

For a discussion of our loan portfolio, see “Loans” and “Provisions and Allowances for Loan Losses” in the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section of this annual report.

 

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AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Additional information about our company and business is available at our website, at www.bankofgranite.com. Our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934, are available, free of charge, on our website at www.bankofgranite.com under the heading “Investor Relations - SEC Filings.” These reports are available as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, copies of these filings are available at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s website, www.sec.gov, is another source of this information. Information included on our website is not incorporated by reference into this annual report.

PART III

ITEM 11 - EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The information required by this item is set forth in our definitive proxy materials to be filed in connection with our 2011 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, under the captions “Summary Compensation Table,” “Grant of Plan-Based Awards,” “Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-end,” “Option Exercises and Stock Vested,” “Salary Continuation Plan,” and “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control.” The information required by this item contained in such definitive proxy materials is incorporated herein by reference.

This item is amended to also incorporate by reference the additional information under the caption “Director Compensation” in the definitive proxy materials.

ITEM 12 - SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

The information required by this item is set forth in our definitive proxy materials to be filed in connection with our 2011 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, under the captions “Principal Holders of Voting Securities,” “Directors/Nominees and Nondirector Executive Officers” and “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control.” The information required by this item contained in such definitive proxy materials is incorporated herein by reference.

This item is amended to add the mailing address for the principal shareholder parties set forth in the referenced proxy materials. The mailing address for both parties is: P.O. Box 737, Locust Valley, New York 11560.

 

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The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2010, regarding shares of our common stock that may be issued upon exercise of options previously granted and currently outstanding under our stock option plans, as well as the number of shares available for the grant of options that had not been granted as of that date.

 

    

(a) Number of

Securities To Be

Issued Upon Exercise

Of Outstanding

Options, Warrants and

Rights

   (b) Weighted-
Average Exercise
Price Of
Outstanding
Options, Warrants
and Rights
  

(c) Number of Securities
Remaining Available for
Future Issuance Under

Equity Compensation Plans
(excluding securities
reflected in column (a))

Equity compensation plans —

        

Approved by security holders

   20,486    $8.52    749,500

Not approved by security holders

   -0-    n/a    n/a
  

 

  

 

  

 

Total

   20,486    $8.52    749,500
  

 

  

 

  

 

We suspended our common stock repurchase plan in 2007, which we historically used to (1) reduce the number of shares outstanding when our share price in the market makes repurchases advantageous and (2) manage capital levels. Therefore, there were no share repurchase transactions for the quarter ended December 31, 2010.

PART IV

ITEM 15 - EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

* Exhibits incorporated by reference into this filing were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We provide these documents through our Internet site at www.bankofgranite.com or by mail upon request to Investor Relations, Bank of Granite Corporation, P.O. Box 128, Granite Falls, North Carolina 28630.

 

  31.1 Chief Executive Officer Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

  31.2 Chief Financial Officer Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

  32 Certification Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

    BANK OF GRANITE CORPORATION    

By:  

  /s/ R. Scott Anderson  
  R. Scott Anderson  
  Chief Executive Officer  
  August 8, 2011  

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature    Title   Date

/s/  R. Scott Anderson

   Chief Executive Officer and President   August 8, 2011

R. Scott Anderson

    

/s/  Jerry A. Felts

   Chief Operating Officer and   August 8, 2011

Jerry A. Felts

   Chief Financial Officer  

/s/  John N. Bray

   Chairman and Director   August 8, 2011

John N. Bray

    

/s/  R. Scott Anderson

   Director   August 8, 2011

R. Scott Anderson

    

/s/  Joseph D. Crocker

   Director   August 8, 2011

Joseph D. Crocker

    

/s/  Leila N. Erwin

   Director   August 8, 2011

Leila N. Erwin

    

/s/  Paul M. Fleetwood, III

   Director   August 8, 2011

Paul M. Fleetwood, III

    

/s/  Hugh R. Gaither

   Director   August 8, 2011

Hugh R. Gaither

    

/s/  Boyd C. Wilson, Jr.

   Director   August 8, 2011

Boyd C. Wilson, Jr.

    

 

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Table of Contents

Bank of Granite Corporation

Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit         Begins
on Page
31.1    Chief Executive Officer Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302(a) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
   Filed herewith
31.2    Chief Financial Officer Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302(a) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
   Filed herewith
32    Certification Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002
   Filed herewith