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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON , D.C. 20549 FORM 10 - K ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 OR TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Ohio State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization Title of each class Common shares , no par value Commission file number 001-36192 Civista Bancshares , Inc. ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) U □ 100 East Water Street , Sandusky , Ohio 44870 ( Address of principal executive offices ) ( Zip Code ) Registrant's telephone number , including area code ( 419 ) 625 - 4121 Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Trading Symbol ( s ) CIVB Name of each exchange on which registered The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC ( NASDAQ Capital Market ) 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 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 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 No No X No > Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted 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 such files ) . Yes > No 34-1558688 ( IRS Employer Identification No. ) Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See the definitions of " large accelerated filer " , " accelerated filer " , " smaller reporting company " , and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer Non - accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Emerging Growth Company If an emerging growth company , indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Act ) . Yes No The aggregate market value of the voting and non - voting common equity held by non - affiliates of the registrant based upon the closing market price as of June 30 , 2020 was $ 235,364,680 . For this purpose , shares held by non - affiliates include all outstanding common shares except those beneficially owned by the directors and executive officers of the registrant . As of February 25 , 2021 , there were 15,847,061 common shares , no par value , of the registrant issued and outstanding . DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Portions of the registrant's Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 ( the " 2020 Annual Report " ) are incorporated by reference into Parts I and II of this Form 10 - K . Portions of the registrant's Proxy Statement for the registrant's 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on April 20 , 2021 ( the " 2021 Proxy Statement " ) are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10 - K .