Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2017

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Standards Adopted in 2017

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Accounting. The amendments simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions, including accounting for excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies, classifying excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows, accounting for forfeitures, classifying awards that permit share repurchases to satisfy statutory tax-withholding requirements and classifying tax payments on behalf of employees on the statement of cash flows. For public business entities, the amendment is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted for any organization in any interim or annual period. As a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09, the Company began recognizing the tax effects of exercised or vested awards as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur, resulting in a $461,000 tax benefit to the Company for the second quarter of 2017 compared with $1.1 million tax benefit in the first quarter of 2017.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-05, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Effect of Derivative Contract Novations on Existing Hedge Accounting Relationships. The amendments clarify that a change in the counterparty to a derivative instrument designated as a hedging instrument does not, in and of itself, require designation of that hedging relationship provided that all other hedge accounting criteria remain the same. The Update is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2016, including interim periods within those years. The adoption of this standard did not have a material effect on the Company's operating results or financial condition.

Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Effective

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. The amendments provide guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. Modification accounting will apply unless all of the following are the same immediately before and after the modification:


•	The award’s fair value – or calculated value or intrinsic value, if an alternative method is used. If the modification does not affect any inputs to the valuation of the award, estimating the value immediately before and after the modification is not required.


•	The award’s vesting provisions


•	The award’s classification as an equity instrument or a liability instrument

The Update is effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those years. The amendments should be applied prospectively to awards modified on or after the effective date. The adoption of this standard will not material effect the Company's operating results or financial condition, as historically the Company has not modified share-based awards.

Certain Acquired Loans

Certain Acquired Loans–As part of business acquisitions, the Bank acquires certain loans that have shown evidence of credit deterioration since origination. These acquired loans are recorded at the allocated fair value, such that there is no carryover of the seller’s allowance for loan losses. Such acquired loans are accounted for individually. The Bank estimates the amount and timing of expected cash flows for each purchased loan, and the expected cash flows in excess of the allocated fair value is recorded as interest income over the remaining life of the loan (accretable yield). The excess of the loan’s contractual principal and interest over expected cash flows is not recorded (non-accretable difference). Over the life of the loan, expected cash flows continue to be estimated. If the present value of expected cash flows is less than the carrying amount, a loss is recorded through the allowance for loan losses. If the present value of expected cash flows is greater than the carrying amount, it is recognized as part of future interest income.

Goodwill and Core Deposit Intangible

Goodwill and Core Deposit Intangible–Goodwill is generally determined as the excess of the fair value of the consideration transferred, plus the fair value of any noncontrolling interests in the acquiree, over the fair value of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date. Goodwill and intangible assets acquired in a purchase business combination and determined to have an indefinite useful life are not amortized, but tested for impairment at least annually or more frequently if events and circumstances exist that indicate the necessity for such impairment tests to be performed. The Company has selected November 30 as the date to perform the annual impairment test. Intangible assets with definite useful lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives to their estimated residual values. Goodwill is the only intangible asset with an indefinite life on our balance sheet.

Core deposit intangible assets arising from whole bank acquisitions are amortized on either an accelerated basis, reflecting the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible assets is consumed or otherwise used up, or on a straight-line amortization method over their estimated useful lives, which range from 6 to 10 years.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates–The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Fair Value Measurement

Cash and due from banks – The carrying amounts of cash and short-term instruments approximate fair value due to the liquidity of these instruments.

Investment securities – Investment securities are generally valued based upon quotes obtained from independent third-party pricing services, which uses evaluated pricing applications and model processes. Observable market inputs, such as, benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers and reference data are considered as part of the evaluation. The inputs are related directly to the security being evaluated, or indirectly to a similarly situated security. Market assumptions and market data are utilized in the valuation models. The Company reviews the market prices provided by the third-party pricing service for reasonableness based on the Company’s understanding of the market place and credit issues related to the securities. The Company has not made any adjustments to the market quotes provided by them and, accordingly, the Company categorized its investment portfolio within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

FHLB, FRB, Other Stock – Due to restrictions placed on transferability, it is not practical to determine the fair value of the stock.

Loans Held for Sale — The fair value of loans held for sale is estimated based upon binding contracts and quotes from third party investors resulting in a Level 2 classification.

Loans Held for Investment — The fair value of loans, other than loans on nonaccrual status, was estimated by discounting the remaining contractual cash flows using the estimated current rate at which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit risk characteristics and for the same remaining maturities, reduced by deferred net loan origination fees and the allocable portion of the allowance for loan losses. Accordingly, in determining the estimated current rate for discounting purposes, no adjustment has been made for any change in borrowers’ credit risks since the origination of such loans. Rather, the allocable portion of the allowance for loan losses is considered to provide for such changes in estimating fair value. As a result, this fair value is not necessarily the value which would be derived using an exit price. These loans are included within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

Impaired loans and OREO – Impaired loans and OREO assets are recorded at the fair value less estimated costs to sell at the time of foreclosure. The fair value of impaired loans and OREO assets are generally based on recent real estate appraisals adjusted for estimated selling costs. These appraisals may utilize a single valuation approach or a combination of approaches including comparable sales and the income approach. Adjustments are routinely made in the appraisal process by the appraisers to adjust for differences between the comparable sales and income data available. Such adjustments are typically significant and result in a Level 3 classification of the inputs for determining fair value.

Deposit Accounts and Short-term Borrowings — The amounts payable to depositors for demand, savings, and money market accounts, and short-term borrowings are considered to approximate fair value. The fair value of fixed-maturity certificates of deposit is estimated using the rates currently offered for deposits of similar remaining maturities using a discounted cash flow calculation. Interest-bearing deposits and borrowings are included within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

Term FHLB Advances and Other Long-term Borrowings— The fair value of long term borrowings is determined using rates currently available for similar borrowings with similar credit risk and for the remaining maturities and are classified as Level 2.

Subordinated Debentures – The fair value of subordinated debentures is estimated by discounting the balance by the current three-month LIBOR rate plus the current market spread. The fair value is determined based on the maturity date as the Company does not currently have intentions to call the debenture and is classified as Level 2.

Accrued Interest Receivable/Payable – The carrying amounts of accrued interest receivable and accrued interest payable are deemed to approximate fair value.