Bank First (BFC) risk factors, FY2025 10-K

Bank First's FY2025 10-K, filed Feb 27, 2026, lists 38 risk factors in 3 groups. Against the prior year's 41: 1 new, 4 dropped, 13 substantially reworded.

Risk factors listed
383 groups
New this year
1vs 41 last year
Dropped
4since the prior 10-K
Substantially reworded
13of those kept
Section length
12k wordsItem 1A

What the changes say

  • Deposit growth and retention risks were added, reflecting heightened liquidity and funding cost pressures.
  • Acquisition and geographic expansion risks now explicitly mention Illinois alongside Wisconsin.
  • Real estate loan collateral concentration shifted slightly from 75.8% to 74.1%.

What changed since the prior 10-K

New

  • NewRisks related to our business

    If the Bank loses or is unable to grow and retain its deposits, it may be subject to liquidity risk and higher funding costs

    The Bank faces liquidity risks and higher funding costs if it cannot successfully grow and retain customer deposits at competitive rates.

Dropped

  • DroppedRisks related to our business

    The total amount that we pay for funding costs is dependent, in part, on the Bank’s ability to grow and retain its deposits. If the Bank is unable to sufficiently grow and retain its deposits at competitive rates to meet liquidity needs, it may be subject to paying higher funding costs to meet these liquidity needs

  • DroppedRisks related to our business

    systems; potential changes in banking or tax laws or regulations that may affect the target company; or risks of impairment to goodwill or litigation risk

  • DroppedRisks related to our business

    damage our reputation, result in a loss of client business, subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny, or expose us to civil litigation and possible financial liability, any of which could have a material adverse effect on us

  • DroppedRisks related to the business environment and our industry

    ESG, anti-ESG, DEI, and anti-DEI risks could adversely affect our reputation and shareholder, employee, client and third-party relationships and may negatively affect our stock price

Reworded

  • 80% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    System failure or compromises of our network security, or the security of our third-party data processing partner, including as a result of cyberattacks, could subject us to increased operating costs as well as litigation and other liabilities

    Added potential operating costs and litigation liabilities resulting from network security compromises and system failures.

    Was: System failure or breaches of our network security, or the security of our third-party data processing partner, including as a result of cyberattacks, could subject us to increased operating costs as well as litigation and other liabilities

  • 54% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    We depend on our executive officers and other key individuals to continue the implementation of our long-term business strategy and could be harmed by the loss of their services and our inability to make up for such loss with qualified replacements

    Added a competitive labor market context for banking professionals and the risk of losing institutional knowledge.

  • 51% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    Acquisitions may disrupt our business and dilute stockholder value, and integrating acquired companies may be more difficult, costly, or time-consuming than we expect

    Expanded the geographic scope of consolidation activity and competition to include Illinois.

  • 45% rewrittenRisks related to the business environment and our industry

    We could face the risk of noncompliance and enforcement action with the Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering statutes and regulations

    Retitled and refocused on Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering compliance enforcement.

    Was: We could face a risk of noncompliance and enforcement action with the Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering statutes and regulations

  • 30% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    Difficult or volatile conditions in the national financial markets, and the U.S. economy generally, may adversely affect our lending activity or other businesses, as well as our financial condition

    Expanded primary market vulnerability from Wisconsin to include Illinois.

  • 30% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    Changes in interest rates may have an adverse effect on our net interest income

    Added customer deposit behavior, pricing sensitivity, and competitive dynamics influenced by Federal Reserve policies.

  • 28% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    Inflation could negatively impact our business, our profitability and our stock price

    Updated inflation timeframes from 2024/2025 to 2025/2026 and added potential adverse effects on balance sheet asset valuations.

  • 27% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    Because a significant portion of our loan portfolio is comprised of real estate loans, negative changes in the economy affecting real estate values and liquidity could impair the value of collateral securing our real estate loans and result in loan and other losses

    Updated the real estate loan portfolio collateral percentage from 75.8% as of December 31, 2024, to 74.1% as of December 31, 2025.

  • 25% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    If we do not effectively manage our asset quality and credit risk, we could experience credit losses

  • 24% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    We face strong competition from financial services companies and other companies that offer banking services

  • 24% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    Our ability to maintain our reputation is critical to the success of our business, and the failure to do so may materially adversely affect our performance

  • 21% rewrittenRisks related to our business

    The fair value of our investment securities may decline

  • 21% rewrittenRisks related to the business environment and our industry

    Our deposit insurance premiums could be substantially higher in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our future earnings

All 38 risk factors

Headings as the filing states them, in filing order.

Risks related to our business

  1. 01Difficult or volatile conditions in the national financial markets, and the U.S. economy generally, may adversely affect our lending activity or other businesses, as well as our financial condition30% rewritten
  2. 02Changes in interest rates may have an adverse effect on our net interest income30% rewritten
  3. 03Changes in interest rates may change the value of our mortgage servicing rights portfolio, which may increase the volatility of our earnings
  4. 04Inflation could negatively impact our business, our profitability and our stock price28% rewritten
  5. 05Changes in the cost and availability of funding due to changes in the deposit market and credit market may adversely affect our capital resources, liquidity, and financial results
  6. 06If the Bank loses or is unable to grow and retain its deposits, it may be subject to liquidity risk and higher funding costsNew
  7. 07Our provision and allowance for credit losses may not be adequate to cover actual credit losses
  8. 08If we do not effectively manage our asset quality and credit risk, we could experience credit losses25% rewritten
  9. 09We face strong competition from financial services companies and other companies that offer banking services24% rewritten
  10. 10Because a significant portion of our loan portfolio is comprised of real estate loans, negative changes in the economy affecting real estate values and liquidity could impair the value of collateral securing our real estate loans and result in loan and other losses27% rewritten
  11. 11Our future success is largely dependent upon our ability to successfully execute our business strategy
  12. 12We depend on our executive officers and other key individuals to continue the implementation of our long-term business strategy and could be harmed by the loss of their services and our inability to make up for such loss with qualified replacements54% rewritten
  13. 13The success of our operating model depends on our ability to attract and retain talented bankers and associates in each of our markets
  14. 14Acquisitions may disrupt our business and dilute stockholder value, and integrating acquired companies may be more difficult, costly, or time-consuming than we expect51% rewritten
  15. 15The fair value of our investment securities may decline21% rewritten
  16. 16The financial services industry is undergoing rapid technological changes, and we may not have the resources to implement new technology to stay current with these changes
  17. 17We may not be able to successfully implement current or future information technology system enhancements and operational initiatives, which could adversely affect our business operations and profitability
  18. 18We rely extensively on information technology systems to operate our business and an interruption or security incident may disrupt our business operations, result in reputational harm, and have an adverse effect on our operations
  19. 19The development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) presents risks and challenges that may adversely impact our business
  20. 20System failure or compromises of our network security, or the security of our third-party data processing partner, including as a result of cyberattacks, could subject us to increased operating costs as well as litigation and other liabilities80% rewritten
  21. 21We are subject to certain operational risks, including, but not limited to, client or employee fraud and data processing system failures and errors
  22. 22Fraud is an increasing risk for us and for all banks, and as such, we may experience increased losses due to fraud
  23. 23If our enterprise risk management framework is not effective at mitigating risk and loss to us, we could suffer unexpected losses and our results of operations could be materially adversely affected
  24. 24Our ability to maintain our reputation is critical to the success of our business, and the failure to do so may materially adversely affect our performance24% rewritten
  25. 25We rely on other companies to provide key components of our business infrastructure
  26. 26We may need to raise additional capital in the future
  27. 27The costs and effects of litigation, investigations or similar matters involving us or other financial institutions or counterparties, or related adverse facts and developments, could materially affect our business, operating results and financial condition
  28. 28Changes in accounting standards could materially impact our financial statements

Risks related to the business environment and our industry

  1. 29The Company is subject to extensive government regulation and supervision, which may interfere with our ability to conduct our business and may negatively impact our financial results
  2. 30We are subject to lending concentration risk, which could cause our regulators to restrict our ability to grow
  3. 31The Federal Reserve may require us to commit capital resources to support the Bank
  4. 32The Company may be subject to more stringent capital requirements
  5. 33Monetary policies and regulations of the Federal Reserve could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations
  6. 34Our deposit insurance premiums could be substantially higher in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our future earnings21% rewritten
  7. 35We are subject to federal and state fair lending laws, and failure to comply with these laws could lead to material penalties
  8. 36We could face the risk of noncompliance and enforcement action with the Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering statutes and regulations45% rewritten

Risks related to our common stock

  1. 37Applicable laws and regulations restrict both the ability of the Bank to pay dividends to the Company and the ability of the Company to pay dividends to our shareholders
  2. 38Our securities are not FDIC insured

Other Bank First 10-Ks

  • FY2024 10-K risk factors
    41 risks

    The risk factors are dominated by interest rate fluctuations, credit quality in real estate loans, and heavy regulatory oversight in Wisconsin.

    Filed Feb 28, 2025

About this page

The headings are the filing's own. The one-line readings and the overview are automated and can be wrong: read Item 1A of the 10-K for the exact wording.