Regulatory Requirements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Federal regulations require federally insured depository institutions to meet several minimum capital standards: a common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio of 4.5%, a Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio of 6.0%, a total capital to risk-based assets of 8.0%, and a 4.0% Tier 1 capital to total assets leverage ratio.

Under prompt corrective action regulations, the OCC is required to take certain supervisory actions (and may take additional discretionary actions) with respect to an undercapitalized institution. Such actions could have a direct material effect on the institution’s financial statements. The regulations establish a framework for the classification of savings institutions into five categories: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized. Generally, an institution is considered well capitalized if it has a leverage (Tier 1) ratio of 5.0% or greater, a common equity Tier 1 ratio of 6.5% or greater, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8.0% or greater, and a total risk-based capital ratio of 10.0% or greater.

The foregoing capital ratios are based in part on specific quantitative measures of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance-sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. Capital amounts and classifications also are subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about capital components, risk weighting, and other factors.

Under the U.S. Basel III capital framework, both Northfield Bank and the Company must maintain minimum capital requirements which include: (i) a common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio of 4.5%; (ii) a Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio of 6%; (iii) a total capital to risk-based assets of 8%; and (iv) a Tier 1 capital to total assets leverage ratio of 4%. In addition to establishing the minimum regulatory capital requirements, the regulations limit capital distributions and certain discretionary bonus payments to management if the institution does not hold a “capital conservation buffer” consisting of 2.5% of common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets in addition to the amount necessary to meet its minimum risk-based capital requirements. The capital conservation buffer requirement was phased in beginning January 1, 2016, at 0.625% of risk-weighted assets and increased each year until it was fully implemented at 2.5% on January 1, 2019.

As a result of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, the federal banking agencies developed a “Community Bank Leverage Ratio” (“CBLR”) (the ratio of a bank’s tangible equity capital to average total consolidated assets) for financial institutions with assets of less than $10 billion. A qualifying community bank that exceeds this ratio will be deemed to be in compliance with all other capital and leverage requirements, including the capital requirements to be considered “well capitalized” under Prompt Corrective Action statutes. The federal banking agencies approved 9% as the minimum capital for the CBLR. Effective March 31, 2020, a financial institution could elect to be subject to this new definition. Northfield Bank and Northfield Bancorp have elected to opt into the “CBLR” framework, beginning with the Call Reports filed for the first quarter of 2020. The CBLR replaced the risk-based and leverage capital requirements in the generally applicable capital rules. On April 6, 2020, the federal banking regulators, implementing the applicable provisions of the CARES Act, modified the CBLR framework so that the minimum CBLR was 8% beginning in the second quarter and for the remainder of calendar year 2020, 8.5% for calendar year 2021, and 9% thereafter.

At December 31, 2021, and 2020, as set forth in the following tables, both Northfield Bank and the Company exceeded all of the regulatory capital requirements to which they were subject at such dates.

The following is a summary of Northfield Bank’s regulatory capital amounts and ratios compared to the regulatory requirements as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, for classification as a well-capitalized institution and minimum capital (dollars in thousands):


									For Well
					For Capital				Capitalized
					Adequacy				Under Prompt Corrective
	Actual				Purposes				Action Provisions
	Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio
As of December 31, 2021:
CBLR	$	659,522	12.24	%	$	457,872	8.50	%	$	457,872	8.50	%

As of December 31, 2020:
CBLR	$	656,324	11.96	%	$	439,124	8.00	%	$	439,124	8.00	%

The following is a summary of the Company's regulatory capital amounts and ratios compared to the regulatory requirements as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, for classification as well-capitalized and minimum capital (dollars in thousands).


									For Well
					For Capital				Capitalized
					Adequacy				Under Prompt Corrective
	Actual				Purposes				Action Provisions
	Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio
As of December 31, 2021:
CBLR	$	696,368	12.93	%	$	457,751	8.50	%	$	457,751	8.50	%
As of December 31, 2020:
CBLR	$	698,864	12.73	%	$	439,219	8.00	%	$	439,219	8.00	%

- Definition

The entire disclosure for regulatory capital requirement for depository and lending institutions. Institutions include, but not are not limited to, finance company, insured depository institution, bank holding company, savings and loan association holding company, bank and savings institution not federally insured, mortgage company, foreign financial institution and credit union.

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