Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc._2023 Annual Report

The Company has entered into certain hedging transactions including interest rate swaps and caps, which are designed to lessen elements of the Company’s interest rate exposure. Cash flow hedge relationships mitigate exposure to the variability of future cash flows or other forecasted transactions. The Company utilizes cash flow hedges to manage interest rate exposure for the brokered deposit and wholesale borrowing portfolios. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, these cash flow hedges had a total notional amount of $308.0 million and $288.0 million, respectively. In the event that interest rates do not change in the manner anticipated, such transactions may adversely affect the Company’s results of operations. Net Interest Income Simulation The Company uses a net interest income simulation model to measure and evaluate potential changes in net interest income that would result over the next 12 months from immediate and sustained changes in interest rates as of the measurement date. This model has inherent limitations and the results are based on a given set of rate changes and assumptions as of a certain point in time. For purposes of the simulation, the Company assumes no growth in either interest-sensitive assets or liabilities over the next 12 months; therefore, the model’s results reflect an interest rate shock to a static balance sheet. The simulation model also incorporates various other assumptions, which the Company believes are reasonable but which may have a significant impact on results, such as: (1) the timing of changes in interest rates, (2) shifts or rotations in the yield curve, (3) re-pricing characteristics for market-rate-sensitive instruments, (4) differing sensitivities of financial instruments due to differing underlying rate indices, (5) varying loan prepayment speeds for different interest rate scenarios, (6) the effect of interest rate limitations in assets, such as floors and caps, and (7) overall growth and repayment rates and product mix of assets and liabilities. Because of the limitations inherent in any approach used to measure interest rate risk, simulation results are not intended as a forecast of the actual effect of a change in market interest rates on the results, but rather as a means to better plan and execute appropriate asset-liability management strategies and to manage interest rate risk. Potential changes to the Company’s net interest income in hypothetical rising and declining rate scenarios calculated as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, are presented in the table below. The projections assume an immediate, parallel shift downward of the yield curve of 100, 200, and 300 basis points and immediate, parallel shifts upward of the yield curve of 100, 200, 300 and 400 basis points. In the current interest rate environment, a downward shift of the yield curve of 400 basis points does not provide meaningful results and thus is not presented.

(dollars in thousands)

December 31, 2023

December 31, 2022

Change (basis points) in Interest Rates (12-Month Projection)

Forecasted Net Interest

Percentage Change from Base

Forecasted Net Interest

Percentage Change from Base

Income

Income

+400 +300 +200 +100 − 100 − 200 − 300 0

$

118,597 118,983 119,395 119,916 121,504 125,138 128,643 132,269

(2.39)% $

129,621 131,357 133,089 134,591 136,220 137,641 137,968 138,587

(4.84)% (3.57) (2.30) (1.20)

(2.08) (1.74) (1.31)

—

—

2.99 5.87 8.86

1.04 1.28

1.74 The table above indicates that as of December 31, 2023, in the event of an immediate and sustained 400 basis point increase in interest rates, the Company would experience a 2.39% decrease in net interest income. In the event of an immediate 300 basis point decrease in interest rates, the Company would experience an 8.86% increase in net interest income. The results of this simulation analysis are hypothetical, and a variety of factors might cause actual results to differ substantially from what is depicted. For example, if the timing and magnitude of interest rate changes differ from those projected, net interest income might vary significantly. Non-parallel yield curve shifts such as a flattening or steepening of the yield curve or changes in interest rate spreads would also cause net interest income to be different from that depicted. An increasing interest rate environment could reduce projected net interest income if deposits and other

78