Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Eagle Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”), EagleBank (the “Bank”), Eagle Commercial Ventures, LLC (“ECV”), Eagle Insurance Services, LLC, and Bethesda Leasing, LLC, with all significant intercompany transactions eliminated.

The consolidated financial statements of the Company included herein are unaudited.  The consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals that in the opinion of management, are necessary to present fairly the results for the periods presented. The amounts as of and for the year ended December 31, 2010 were derived from audited consolidated financial statements. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. There have been no significant changes to the Company’s Accounting Policies as disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. The Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. Certain reclassifications have been made to amounts previously reported to conform to the current period presentation.

These statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. Operating results for the six and three months ended June 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for the remainder of the year, or for any other period.

Nature of Operations

The Company, through the Bank, conducts a full service community banking business, primarily in Montgomery County, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; and Fairfax County, Virginia. The primary financial services offered by the Bank include real estate, commercial and consumer lending, as well as traditional deposit and repurchase agreement products. The Bank is also active in the origination and sale of residential mortgage loans and the origination of small business loans. The guaranteed portion of small business loans, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”), is typically sold to third party investors in a transaction apart from the loan’s origination. The Bank offers its products and services through thirteen banking offices and various electronic capabilities, including remote deposit services. Eagle Commercial Ventures, LLC (“ECV”), a direct subsidiary of the Company, provides subordinated financing for the acquisition, development and construction of real estate projects, where the primary financing is provided by the Bank or others.   These transactions involve higher levels of risk, together with commensurate higher returns. Refer to Higher Risk Lending — Revenue Recognition below.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes.  Actual results may differ from those estimates and such differences could be material to the financial statements.

Cash Flows

For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash and due from banks, and federal funds sold (items with an original maturity of three months or less).

Loans Held for Sale

The Company engages in sales of residential mortgage loans and the guaranteed portion of Small Business Administration loans originated by the Bank. Loans held for sale are carried at the lower of aggregate cost or fair value. Fair value is derived from secondary market quotations for similar instruments. Gains and losses on sales of these loans are recorded as a component of noninterest income in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The Company’s current practice is to sell residential mortgage loans on a servicing released basis, and, therefore, it has no intangible asset recorded for the value of such servicing as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010. The sale of the guaranteed portion of SBA loans on a servicing retained basis gives rise to an Excess Servicing Asset, which is computed on a loan by loan basis and the unamortized amount of which is included in other assets. This Excess Servicing Asset is being amortized on a straight-line basis (with adjustment for prepayments) as an offset of servicing fees collected and is included in other noninterest income.

The Company enters into commitments to originate residential mortgage loans whereby the interest rate on the loan is determined prior to funding (i.e. rate lock commitments). Such rate lock commitments on mortgage loans to be sold in the secondary market are considered to be derivatives. The period of time between issuance of a loan commitment and closing and sale of the loan generally ranges from 15 to 60 days. The Company protects itself from changes in interest rates through the use of best efforts forward delivery commitments, whereby the Company commits to sell a loan at a premium at the time the borrower commits to an interest rate with the intent that the buyer has assumed the interest rate risk on the loan. As a result, the Company is not exposed to losses nor will it realize gains, related to its rate lock commitments due to changes in interest rates.

The market values of rate lock commitments and best efforts contracts are not readily ascertainable with precision because rate lock commitments and best efforts contracts are not actively traded. Because of the high correlation between rate lock commitments and best efforts contracts, no gain or loss should occur on the rate lock commitments.

Investment Securities

The Company has no securities classified as trading, nor are any investment securities classified as held to maturity. Marketable equity securities and debt securities not classified as held to maturity or trading are classified as available-for-sale. Securities available-for-sale are acquired as part of the Company’s asset/liability management strategy and may be sold in response to changes in interest rates, loan demand, changes in prepayment risk and other factors. Securities available-for-sale are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains or losses being reported as accumulated other comprehensive income, a separate component of shareholders’ equity, net of deferred tax. Realized gains and losses, using the specific identification method, are included as a separate component of noninterest income. Premiums and discounts on investment securities are amortized / accreted to the earlier of call or maturity based on expected lives, which lives are adjusted for securities based on prepayments and call optionality. Declines in the fair value of individual available-for-sale securities below their cost that are other-than-temporary in nature result in write-downs of the individual securities to their fair value. Factors affecting the determination of whether other-than-temporary impairment has occurred include a downgrading of the security by a rating agency, a significant deterioration in the financial condition of the issuer, or a change in management’s intent and ability to hold a security for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in fair value. Management systematically evaluates investment securities for other-than-temporary declines in fair value on a quarterly basis. This analysis requires management to consider various factors, which include (1) duration and magnitude of the decline in value, (2) the financial condition of the issuer or issuers and (3) structure of the security.

The entire amount of an impairment loss is recognized in earnings only when (1) the Company intends to sell the debt security, (2) it is more likely than not that the Company will have to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis or (3) the Company does not expect to recover the entire amortized cost basis of the security. In all other situations, only the portion of the impairment loss representing the credit loss must be recognized in earnings, with the remaining portion being recognized in shareholders’ equity as comprehensive income, net of deferred taxes.

Loans

Loans are stated at the principal amount outstanding, net of unamortized deferred costs and fees.  Interest income on loans is accrued at the contractual rate on the principal amount outstanding.  It is the Company’s policy to discontinue the accrual of interest when circumstances indicate that collection is doubtful.  Deferred fees and costs on loans originated through October 2005 are being amortized on straight-line method over the term of the loan. Deferred fees and costs on loans originated subsequent to October 2005 are being amortized on the interest method over the term of the loan.  The difference between the straight-line method and the interest method is considered immaterial.

Management considers loans impaired when, based on current information, it is probable that the Company will not collect all principal and interest payments according to contractual terms. Loans are evaluated for impairment in accordance with the Company’s portfolio monitoring and ongoing risk assessment procedures.  Management considers the financial condition of the borrower, cash flow of the borrower, payment status of the loan, and the value of the collateral, if any, securing the loan. Generally, impaired loans do not include large groups of smaller balance homogeneous loans such as residential real estate and consumer type loans which loans are evaluated collectively for impairment and are generally placed on nonaccrual when the loan becomes 90 days past due as to principal or interest. Loans specifically reviewed for impairment are not considered impaired during periods of “minimal delay” in payment (ninety days or less) provided eventual collection of all amounts due is expected.  The impairment of a loan is measured based on the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, or the fair value of the collateral if repayment is expected to be provided solely by the collateral.  In appropriate circumstances, interest income on impaired loans may be recognized on the cash basis.

Higher Risk Lending — Revenue Recognition

The Company has occasionally made higher risk acquisition, development, and construction (“ADC”) loans that entail higher risks than ADC loans made following normal underwriting practices (“higher risk loan transactions”). These higher risk loan transactions are currently made through the Company’s subsidiary, ECV. This activity is limited as to individual transaction amount and total exposure amounts based on capital levels and is carefully monitored. The loans are carried on the balance sheet at amounts outstanding and meet the loan classification requirements of the Accounting Standards Executive Committee (“AcSEC”) guidance reprinted from the CPA Letter, Special Supplement, dated February 10, 1986 (also referred to as Exhibit 1 to AcSEC Practice Bulletin No. 1). Additional interest earned on these higher risk loan transactions (as defined in the individual loan agreements) is recognized as realized under the provisions contained in AcSEC’s guidance reprinted from the CPA Letter, Special Supplement, dated February 10, 1986 (also referred to as Exhibit 1 to AcSEC Practice Bulletin No.1) and Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101 (Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements). The additional interest is included as a component of noninterest income. ECV recorded no additional interest on higher risk transactions during 2011 and 2010 (although normal interest income was recorded) and had two higher risk lending transactions outstanding as of June 30, 2011, amounting to $1.3 million.

Allowance for Credit Losses

The allowance for credit losses represents an amount which, in management’s judgment, is adequate to absorb probable losses on existing loans and other extensions of credit that may become uncollectible.  The adequacy of the allowance for credit losses is determined through careful and continuous review and evaluation of the loan portfolio and involves the balancing of a number of factors to establish a prudent level of allowance.  Among the factors considered in evaluating the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses are lending risks associated with growth and entry into new markets, loss allocations for specific credits, the level of the allowance to nonperforming loans, historical loss experience, economic conditions, portfolio trends and credit concentrations, changes in the size and character of the loan portfolio, and management’s judgment with respect to current and expected economic conditions and their impact on the existing loan portfolio.  Allowances for impaired loans are generally determined based on collateral values. Loans or any portion thereof deemed uncollectible are charged against the allowance, while recoveries are credited to the allowance.  Management adjusts the level of the allowance through the provision for credit losses, which is recorded as a current period operating expense.  The allowance for credit losses consists of allocated and unallocated components.

The components of the allowance for credit losses represent an estimation done pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 450, “Contingencies,” or ASC Topic 310, “Receivables.” Specific allowances are established in cases where management has identified significant conditions or circumstances related to a specific credit that management believes indicate the probability that a loss may be incurred. For potential problem credits for which specific allowance amounts have not been determined, the Company establishes allowances according to the application of credit risk factors.  These factors are set by management and approved by the appropriate Board Committee to reflect its assessment of the relative level of risk inherent in each risk grade.  A third component of the allowance computation, termed a nonspecific or environmental factors allowance, is based upon management’s evaluation of various environmental conditions that are not directly measured in the determination of either the specific allowance or formula allowance.  Such conditions include general economic and business conditions affecting key lending areas, credit quality trends (including trends in delinquencies and nonperforming loans expected to result from existing conditions), loan volumes and concentrations, specific industry conditions within portfolio categories, recent loss experience in particular loan categories, duration of the current business cycle, bank regulatory examination results, findings of outside review consultants, and management’s judgment with respect to various other conditions including credit administration and management and the quality of risk identification systems. Executive management reviews these environmental conditions quarterly, and documents the rationale for all changes.

Management believes that the allowance for credit losses is adequate; however, determination of the allowance is inherently subjective and requires significant estimates. While management uses available information to recognize losses on loans, future additions to the allowance may be necessary based on changes in economic conditions. Evaluation of the potential effects of these factors on estimated losses involves a high degree of uncertainty, including the strength and timing of economic cycles and concerns over the effects of a prolonged economic downturn in the current cycle. In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, and independent consultants engaged by the Bank periodically review the Bank’s loan portfolio and allowance for credit losses. Such review may result in recognition of additions to the allowance based on their judgments of information available to them at the time of their examination.

Premises and Equipment

Premises and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization computed using the straight-line method for financial reporting purposes.  Premises and equipment are depreciated over the useful lives of the assets, which generally range from seven years for furniture, fixtures and equipment, to three to five years for computer software and hardware, to ten to forty years for buildings and building improvements.  Leasehold improvements are amortized over the terms of the respective leases, which may include renewal options where management has the positive intent to exercise such options, or the estimated useful lives of the improvements, whichever is shorter. The costs of major renewals and betterments are capitalized, while the costs of ordinary maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. These costs are included as a component of premises and equipment expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Other Real Estate Owned (OREO)

Assets acquired through loan foreclosure are held for sale and are initially recorded at the lower of cost or fair value less estimated selling costs when acquired, establishing a new cost basis. The new basis is supported by recent appraisals. Costs after acquisition are generally expensed. If the fair value of the asset declines, a write-down is recorded through expense. The valuation of foreclosed assets is subjective in nature and may be adjusted in the future because of changes in economic conditions or review by regulatory examiners.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill and other intangible assets are subject to impairment testing at least annually, or when events or changes in circumstances indicate the assets might be impaired.  Intangible assets (other than goodwill) are amortized to expense using accelerated or straight-line methods over their respective estimated useful lives.  The Company’s testing of potential goodwill impairment (which is required annually) at December 31, 2010, resulted in no impairment being recorded.

Customer Repurchase Agreements

The Company enters into agreements under which it sells securities subject to an obligation to repurchase the same securities.  Under these arrangements, the Company may transfer legal control over the assets but still retain effective control through an agreement that both entitles and obligates the Company to repurchase the assets.  As a result, securities sold under agreements to repurchase are accounted for as collateralized financing arrangements and not as a sale and subsequent repurchase of securities.  The agreements are entered into primarily as accommodations for large commercial deposit customers.  The obligation to repurchase the securities is reflected as a liability in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Condition, while the securities underlying the securities sold under agreements to repurchase remain in the respective assets accounts and are delivered to and held as collateral by third party trustees.

Marketing and Advertising

Marketing and advertising costs are generally expensed as incurred.

Income Taxes

The Company employs the liability method of accounting for income taxes as required by ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes.” Under the liability method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of existing assets and liabilities (i.e., temporary timing differences) and are measured at the enacted rates that will be in effect when these differences reverse. The Company utilizes statutory requirements for its income tax accounting, and avoids risks associated with potentially problematic tax positions that may incur challenge upon audit, where an adverse outcome is more likely than not. Therefore, no provisions are made for either uncertain tax positions nor accompanying potential tax penalties and interest for underpayments of income taxes in the Company’s tax reserves. In accordance with ASC Topic 740, the Company may establish a reserve against deferred tax assets in those cases where realization is less than certain, although no such reserves exist at either December 31, 2010 or June 30, 2011.

Transfer of Financial Assets

Transfers of financial assets are accounted for as sales, when control over the assets has been surrendered.  Control over transferred assets is deemed to be surrendered when (1) the assets have been isolated from the Company, (2) the transferee obtains the right (free of conditions that constrain it from taking advantage of that right) to pledge or exchange the transferred assets, and (3) the Company does not maintain effective control over the transferred assets through an agreement to repurchase them before their maturity. In certain cases, the recourse to the Bank to repurchase assets may exist but is deemed immaterial based on the specific facts and circumstances.

Earnings per Common Share

Basic net income per common share is derived by dividing net income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period measured.  Diluted earnings per common share is computed by dividing net income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period measured including the potential dilutive effects of common stock equivalents.

Stock-Based Compensation

In accordance with ASC Topic 718, “Compensation,” the Company records as compensation expense an amount equal to the amortization (over the remaining service period) of the fair value (computed at the date of option grant) of any outstanding fixed stock option grants and restricted stock awards which vest subsequent to December 31, 2005. Compensation expense on variable stock option grants (i.e. performance based grants) is recorded based on the probability of achievement of the goals underlying the performance grant. Refer to Note 6 for a description of stock-based compensation awards, activity and expense.

New Authoritative Accounting Guidance

In January 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-01, “Deferral of the Effective Date of Disclosures about Troubled Debt Restructurings in Update No. 2010-20.” The provisions of ASU No. 2010-20, “Disclosures about the Credit Quality of Financing Receivables and the Allowance for Credit Losses” required the disclosure of more granular information on the nature and extent of troubled debt restructurings and their effect on the allowance for loan and lease losses effective for the Company’s reporting period ended March 31, 2011. The amendments in ASU No. 2011-01 deferred the effective date related to these disclosures, enabling creditors to provide such disclosures after the FASB completed their project clarifying the guidance for determining what constitutes a troubled debt restructuring. As the provisions of ASU No. 2011-01 only defer the effective date of disclosure requirements related to troubled debt restructurings, the adoption had no impact on the Company’s statements of income and condition.

In April 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-02, “A Creditor’s Determination of Whether a Restructuring is a Troubled Debt Restructuring.” The provisions of ASU No. 2011-02 provide additional guidance related to determining whether a creditor has granted a concession, include factors and examples for creditors to consider in evaluating whether a restructuring results in a delay in payment that is insignificant, prohibit creditors from using the borrower’s effective rate test to evaluate whether a concession has been granted to the borrower, and adds factors for creditors to use in determining whether a borrower is experiencing financial difficulties. A provision in ASU No. 2011-02 also ends the FASB’s deferral of the additional disclosures related to troubled debt restructurings as required by ASU No. 2010-20. The provisions of ASU No. 2011-02 are effective for the Company’s reporting period ending September 30, 2011. The adoption of ASU No. 2011-02 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s statements of income and condition.

In April 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-03, “Reconsideration of Effective Control for Repurchase Agreements.” ASU No. 2011-03 modifies the criteria for determining when repurchase agreements would be accounted for as a secured borrowing rather than as a sale. Currently, an entity that maintains effective control over transferred financial assets must account for the transfer as a secured borrowing rather than as a sale. The provisions of ASU No. 2011-03 removes from the assessment of effective control the criterion requiring the transferor to have the ability to repurchase or redeem the financial assets on substantially the agreed terms, even in the event of default by the transferee. The FASB believes that contractual rights and obligations determine effective control and that there does not need to be a requirement to assess the ability to exercise those rights. ASU No. 2011-03 does not change the other existing criteria used in the assessment of effective control. The provisions of ASU No. 2011-03 are effective prospectively for transactions, or modifications of existing transactions, that occur on or after January 1, 2012. As the Company accounts for all of its repurchase agreements as collateralized financing arrangements, the adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s statements of income and condition.

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-04, “Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs.” ASU No. 2011-04 results in a consistent definition of fair value and common requirements for measurement of and disclosure about fair value between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). The changes to U.S. GAAP as a result of ASU No. 2011-04 are as follows: (1) The concepts of highest and best use and valuation premise are only relevant when measuring the fair value of nonfinancial assets (that is, it does not apply to financial assets or any liabilities); (2) U.S. GAAP currently prohibits application of a blockage factor in valuing financial instruments with quoted prices in active markets. ASU No. 2011-04 extends that prohibition to all fair value measurements; (3) An exception is provided to the basic fair value measurement principles for an entity that holds a group of financial assets and financial liabilities with offsetting positions in market risks or counterparty credit risk that are managed on the basis of the entity’s net exposure to either of those risks. This exception allows the entity, if certain criteria are met, to measure the fair value of the net asset or liability position in a manner consistent with how market participants would price the net risk position; (4) Aligns the fair value measurement of instruments classified within an entity’s shareholders’ equity with the guidance for liabilities; and (5) Disclosure requirements have been enhanced for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements to disclose quantitative information about unobservable inputs and assumptions used, to describe the valuation processes used by the entity, and to describe the sensitivity of fair value measurements to changes in unobservable inputs and interrelationships between those inputs. In addition, entities must report the level in the fair value hierarchy of items that are not measured at fair value in the statement of condition but whose fair value must be disclosed. The provisions of ASU No. 2011-04 are effective for the Company’s interim reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2011. The adoption of ASU No. 2011-04 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s statements of income and condition.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, “Presentation of Comprehensive Income.” The provisions of ASU No. 2011-05 allow an entity the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In both choices, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. The statement(s) are required to be presented with equal prominence as the other primary financial statements. ASU No. 2011-05 eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in shareholders’ equity but does not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. The provisions of ASU No. 2011-05 are effective for the Company’s interim reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2011, with retrospective application required. The adoption of ASU No. 2011-05 is expected to result in presentation changes to the Company’s statements of income and the addition of a statement of comprehensive income. The adoption of ASU No. 2011-05 will have no impact on the Company’s statements of condition.