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Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 1: Description of the Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Organization

Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) is a financial holding company whose operations consist of the ownership of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Bridgewater Bank (the “Bank”) and Bridgewater Risk Management, Inc. The Bank commenced operations in 2005 and provides retail and commercial loan and deposit services, principally to customers within the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2008, the Bank formed BWB Holdings, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank, for the purpose of holding repossessed property. In 2018, the Bank formed Bridgewater Investment Management, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank, for the purpose of holding certain municipal securities and to engage in municipal lending activities.

Bridgewater Risk Management, Inc. was incorporated in December 2016 as a wholly-owned insurance company. It insures the Company and its subsidiaries against certain risks unique to the operations of the Company and for which insurance may not be currently available or economically feasible in today’s insurance marketplace. Bridgewater Risk Management pools resources with several other insurance company subsidiaries of financial institutions to spread a limited amount of risk among themselves.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with instructions for Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not include all disclosures necessary for a complete presentation of the consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of income, consolidated statements of comprehensive income, consolidated statements of shareholders’ equity and consolidated statements of cash flows in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). However, all normal recurring adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the interim financial statements have been included. The results of operations for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results which may be expected for the entire year. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 7, 2023.

Principles of Consolidation

These consolidated financial statements include the amounts of the Company, the Bank, with locations in Bloomington, Greenwood, Minneapolis (2), St. Louis Park, Orono, and St. Paul, Minnesota, BWB Holdings, LLC, Bridgewater Investment Management, Inc., and Bridgewater Risk Management, Inc. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Information available which could affect judgements includes, but is not limited to, changes in interest rates, changes in the performance of the economy, including elevated levels of inflation and possible recession, and changes in the financial condition of borrowers.

Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term include the determination of the allowance for credit losses, calculation of deferred tax assets, fair value of financial instruments, and investment securities impairment.

Emerging Growth Company

The Company qualifies as an “emerging growth company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, even if the Company complies with the greater obligations of public companies that are not emerging growth companies, the Company may avail itself of the reduced requirements applicable to emerging growth companies from time to time in the future, so long as the Company is an emerging growth company. The Company will continue to be an emerging growth company until the earliest to occur of: (1) the end of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of common equity securities under the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, which was declared effective by the SEC on March 13, 2018; (2) the last day of the fiscal year in which the Company has $1.235 billion or more in annual revenues; (3) the date on which the Company is deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”); or (4) the date on which the Company has, during the previous three-year period, issued publicly or privately, more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities.

Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933 for complying with new or revised accounting standards. As an emerging growth company, the Company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. The Company elected to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.

Allowance for Credit Losses

Securities Available for Sale

For any securities classified as available for sale that are in an unrealized loss position at the balance sheet date, the Company assesses whether or not it intends to sell the security, or if it is more likely than not it will be required to sell the security, before recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either criteria is met, the security's amortized cost basis is written down to fair value through income with the establishment of an allowance. For securities that do not meet the aforementioned criteria, the Company evaluates whether any portion of the decline in fair value is the result of credit deterioration. In making this assessment, management considers the extent to which the amortized cost of the security exceeds its fair value, changes in credit ratings and any other known adverse conditions related to the specific security, among other factors. If the assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, an allowance for credit losses, or ACL, is recorded for the amount by which the amortized cost basis of the security exceeds the present value of cash flows expected to be collected, limited by the amount by which the amortized cost exceeds fair value. Any impairment not recognized in the allowance for credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income.

Changes in the ACL on securities are recorded as a provision for (or recovery of) credit loss expense. Losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of a security is confirmed or when either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met. Accrued interest receivable on securities available for sale is excluded from the estimate of credit losses.

Loans

The ACL on loans is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost basis of loans to present the net amount expected to be collected on loans over their contractual life. The contractual term does not consider

extensions, renewals or modifications. Loans are charged off against the ACL on loans when management believes the uncollectibility of a loan balance has been confirmed. Recoveries do not exceed the aggregate of amounts previously charged off or expected to be charged off. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the ACL on loans.

The ACL on loans is measured on a collective or pooled basis when similar risk characteristics exist. The Company’s pooling method is primarily based on loan purpose and collateral type and generally follows the Company’s loan segmentation for regulatory reporting. The Company has identified the following pools of loans with similar risk characteristics for measuring the ACL on loans:

Commercial: Commercial loans generally are loans to sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and other business enterprises to finance working capital, capital investment, or for other business related purposes. Collateral generally consists of pledges of business assets or interests, including but not limited to accounts receivable, inventory, plant and equipment, and real estate interests, if applicable. The primary repayment sources for commercial loans are the cash flow of the operating businesses which can be adversely affected by company, industry and economic business cycles. Commercial loans may be secured or unsecured.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): PPP loans are loans to businesses, sole proprietorships, independent contractors and self-employed individuals who met certain criteria and eligibility requirements through a loan program established by the CARES Act and administered through the Small Business Administration, or SBA. In 2021, the PPP loan program ended and the Company is no longer originating loans under this program. Credit risk in these loans is limited due to a full guarantee by the U.S. Government.

Construction and Land Development: Construction and land development loans are generally loans to finance land development or the construction of industrial, commercial, or multifamily buildings. Construction loans can include construction of new structures, additions or alterations to existing structures, or the demolition of existing structures to make way for new structures. Construction loans are generally secured by real estate. The primary risk characteristics are specific to the uncertainty on whether the construction will be completed according to the specifications and schedules and the reliance on the sale of the completed project as the primary repayment source for the loan. Factors that may influence the completion of construction may be customer specific, such as the quality and depth of property management, or related to changes in general economic conditions. Trends in the commercial and residential construction industries can significantly impact the credit quality of these loans due to supply and demand imbalances. In addition, fluctuations in real estate values can significantly impact the credit quality of these loans, as property values may determine the economic viability of construction projects and adversely impact the value of the collateral securing the loan.

1-4 Family Construction: 1-4 family construction loans are generally loans to finance the construction of new structures, additions or alterations to existing structures, or the demolition of existing structures to make way for new structures. 1-4 family construction loans are generally secured by real estate. The primary risk characteristics are specific to the uncertainty on whether the construction will be completed according to the specifications and schedules. Factors that may influence the completion of 1-4 family construction may be customer specific or related to changes in general economic conditions.

1-4 Family Mortgage: 1-4 family mortgage loans are generally loans to finance loans on owner occupied and nonowner occupied properties. 1-4 family mortgage loans are secured by first or second liens on the property. The degree of risk in residential mortgage lending involving owner occupied properties depends primarily on the borrower’s ability to repay and the loan amount in relation to collateral value. Economic trends determined by unemployment rates and other key economic indicators are closely correlated to the credit quality of these loans. Weak economic trends indicate that the borrower’s capacity to repay their obligations may be deteriorating. 1-4 family mortgage loans include credits to finance nonowner occupied properties used as rentals. These loans can involve additional risks as the borrower’s ability to repay is based on the net operating income from the property which can be impacted by occupancy levels, rental rates, and operating expenses. Declines in net operating income can negatively impact the value of the property which increases the credit risk in the event of default.

Multifamily: Multifamily loans are loans to finance multifamily properties. The primary source of repayment for multifamily loans is the cash flows of the underlying property. The primary risk characteristics include increases in vacancy rates, overbuilt supply, interest rates or changes in general economic conditions. Economic factors such as unemployment, wage growth and home affordability can impact vacancy rates and property cash flow.

Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Owner Occupied: Owner occupied commercial real estate loans are properties that are owned and operated by the borrower and the primary source for repayment is the cash flow from the ongoing operations and activities conducted by the borrower’s business. The primary risk characteristics are specific to the underlying business and its ability to generate sustainable profitability and positive cash flow. Also, certain types of businesses also may require specialized facilities that can increase costs and may not be economically feasible to an alternative user, which could adversely impact the market value of the collateral. Factors that may influence a borrower's ability to repay their loan include demand for the business’ products or services, the quality and depth of management, the degree of competition, regulatory changes, and general economic conditions.

Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Nonowner Occupied: Nonowner occupied commercial real estate loans are investment properties and the primary source for repayment of the loan is derived from rental income associated with the property or proceeds of the sale of the property. Nonowner occupied commercial real estate loans consist of mortgage loans to finance investments in real property that may include, but are not limited to, commercial/retail office space, industrial/warehouse space, hotels, assisted living facilities and other specific use properties. The primary risk characteristics include impacts of overall leasing rates, absorption timelines, levels of vacancy rates and operating expenses, and general economic conditions. Banks that are concentrated in commercial real estate lending are subject to additional regulatory scrutiny and must employ enhanced risk management practices.

Consumer and Other: Consumer and other loans generally include personal lines of credit and amortizing loans made to qualified individuals for various purposes such as auto loans, debt consolidation loans, personal expense loans or overdraft protection. The primary risk characteristics associated with consumer and other loans typically include major changes to the borrower’s financial or personal circumstances, including unemployment or other loss of income, unexpected significant expenses, such as for major medical expenses, catastrophic events, divorce or death.

Management assesses the adequacy of the ACL on loans on a quarterly basis. Management estimates the ACL on loans using relevant available information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The Company uses the weighted-average remaining maturity, or WARM, method as the basis for estimating expected credit losses. The WARM method uses a historical average annual charge off rate. This average annual charge off rate contains loss content over a historical lookback period and is used as a foundation for estimating the ACL on loans for the remaining outstanding balances of loans by segment at the balance sheet date. The average annual charge off rate is applied to the contractual term, further adjusted for estimated prepayments, to determine the unadjusted historical charge off rate. The calculation of the unadjusted historical charge off rate is then adjusted for current conditions and for reasonable and supportable forecast periods through qualitative factors prior to being applied to the current balance of the loan segments. Accrued interest receivable on loans available for sale is excluded from the estimate of credit losses.

Forecast adjustments to the historical loss rate are based on a forecast of the U.S. national unemployment rate, a forecast of the difference between the 10-year and 3-month treasury rates, and the most recent available BBB rated corporate bond spreads to U.S. Treasury securities, or BBB Spread. The forecast overlay adjustment for the reasonable and supportable forecast assumes an immediate reversion after a one-year forecast period to historical loss rates for the remaining life of the respective loan segment.

Qualitative factors are used to cover losses that are expected but, in the Company’s assessment, may not be adequately represented in the quantitative analysis or the forecasts described above. These qualitative factors serve to compensate for additional areas of uncertainty inherent in the portfolio that are not reflected in the historic loss factors. Each qualitative loss factor, for each loan segment within the portfolio, incorporates consideration for a minimum to maximum range for loss factors. These qualitative factor adjustments may increase or decrease the Company’s estimate of expected credit losses and are applied to each loan segment. The qualitative factors applied to each loan segment include changes in lending policies and procedures, general economic and business conditions, the nature, volume and

terms of loans, the experience, depth and ability of lending staff, the quality of the loan review function, the value of underlying collateral, competition, legal and regulatory factors, the volume and severity of watchlist and past due loans, and the level of concentrations.

Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis. Loans evaluated individually are not included in the pooled evaluations and typically represent collateral dependent loans but may also include other nonperforming loans or modifications. The Company has elected to use the practical expedient to measure individually evaluated loans as collateral dependent when repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral. The credit loss is measured as the difference between the amortized cost basis of the loan and the fair value of the underlying collateral. The fair value of the collateral is adjusted for the estimated cost to sell if repayment or satisfaction of a loan is dependent on the sale of the collateral.

Management may also adjust its assumptions to account for differences between expected and actual losses from period to period. The variability of management’s assumptions could alter the ACL on loans materially and impact future results of operations and financial condition. The loss estimation models and methods used to determine the allowance for credit losses are continually refined and enhanced.

Off-Balance Sheet Credit Exposures

The Company maintains a separate ACL on off-balance sheet credit exposures, including unfunded loan commitments, financial guarantees, and letters of credit, which is included in other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet, unless the obligation is unconditionally cancellable. The ACL on off-balance sheet credit exposures is adjusted as a provision for (or recovery of) credit loss expense. The estimate includes consideration of the likelihood that funding will occur and an estimate of expected credit losses on commitments expected to be funded over the estimated life of such commitments. The allowance is calculated using the same aggregate reserve rates calculated for the funded portion of the loan segment and applied to the amount of commitments expected to fund.

Impact of Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13 “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses of Financial Instruments,” as amended, which replaces the incurred loss methodology with an expected loss methodology that is commonly referred to as the current expected credit loss, or CECL, methodology. The measurement of expected credit losses under the CECL methodology is applicable to financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loan receivables and held-to maturity debt securities. It also applies to off-balance sheet credit exposures not accounted for as insurance (loan commitments, standby letters of credit, financial guarantees, and other similar instruments). In addition, CECL made changes to the accounting for available-for-sale debt securities. One such change is to require credit losses to be presented as an allowance rather than as a write-down on available for sale debt securities if management does intend to sell or believes that it is more likely than not they will be required to sell.

The Company adopted CECL using the modified retrospective method for all financial assets measured at amortized cost and off-balance sheet credit exposures. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2023 are presented under CECL while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with previously applicable GAAP. The Company recorded a net decrease to retained earnings of $3.9 million as of January 1, 2023 for the cumulative effect of adopting CECL. The transition adjustment included a $650,000 impact due to the increase in ACL related to loans, a $4.8 million impact due the establishment of the allowance for off-balance sheet credit exposures, and a $1.6 million impact on deferred taxes.

The following table presents the impact of adopting CECL:


		January 1, 2023			Impact of			As Reported
(dollars in thousands)		Pre-CECL Adoption			CECL Adoption			Under CECL
Assets:
Loans
Commercial		$	6,500		$	(1,157)		$	5,343
Paycheck Protection Program			1			(1)			—
Construction and Land Development			3,911			(1,070)			2,841
1-4 Family Construction			845			(235)			610
Real Estate Mortgage:
1-4 Family Mortgage			4,325			(1,778)			2,547
Multifamily			17,459			3,318			20,777
CRE Owner Occupied			1,965			(943)			1,022
CRE Nonowner Occupied			12,576			2,869			15,445
Consumer and Other			151			(90)			61
Unallocated			263			(263)			—
Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans		$	47,996		$	650		$	48,646

Liabilities:
Allowance for Credit Losses on Off-balance Sheet Credit Exposures		$	360		$	4,850		$	5,210

In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-02, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures. This ASU updates guidance in Topic 326 to eliminate the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings, or TDRs, by creditors in Subtopic 310-40, Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors, while enhancing disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancing and restructuring activities by creditors when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. Additionally, the amendments to ASC 326 require that an entity disclose current period gross write offs by year of origination within the vintage disclosures, which requires that an entity disclose the amortized cost basis of financing receivables by credit quality indicator and class of financing receivables by year of origination. The Company adopted this standard during the first quarter of 2023 and the adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Impact of Recently Issued Accounting Guidance

In October 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2023-06, Disclosure Improvements: Codification Amendments in Response to the SEC’s Disclosure Update and Simplification Initiative. This ASU was issued to clarify or improve disclosure and presentation requirements of a variety of topics, which will allow users to more easily compare entities subject to the SEC's existing disclosures with those entities that were not previously subject to the requirements, and align the requirements in the FASB accounting standard codification with the SEC's regulations. The Company is currently evaluating the provisions of the amendments and the impact on its future consolidated statements.

In March 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-01, Leases (Topic 842): Common Control Arrangements. The FASB issued guidance clarifies the accounting for leasehold improvements associated with common control leases, by requiring that leasehold improvements associated with common control leases be amortized by the lessee over the useful life of the leasehold improvements to the common control group (regardless of the lease term) as long as the lessee controls the use of the underlying asset through a lease. Additionally, leasehold improvements associated with common control leases should be accounted for as a transfer between entities under common control through an adjustment to equity if, and when, the lessee no longer controls the use of the underlying asset. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2023 and are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In March 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-02, Investments Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Tax Credit Structures Using the Proportional Amortization Method. These amendments allow reporting entities to elect to account for qualifying tax equity investments using the proportional

amortization method, regardless of the program giving rise to the related income tax credits. This guidance is effective for public business entities for fiscal years including interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2023. Early adoption is permitted in any interim period. The Company is assessing ASU 2023-02 and its impact on its accounting and disclosures.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent events have been evaluated through November 2, 2023, which is the date the consolidated financial statements were available to be issued.