SECURITIES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

SecuritiesAbstract

SECURITIES

NOTE 2 - SECURITIES

The composition of securities is as follows:

(in thousands)	Amortized cost (1)		Gross un- realized gains		Gross un- realized losses			Fair value
March 31, 2012
Available-for-sale
U.S. Treasury notes	$	5,000	$	450	$	—		$	5,450
U.S. Government Agency notes		14,530		300		—			14,830
Municipal bonds		47,103		1,421		(826	)		47,698
Mortgage backed securities
U.S. Government Agencies		52,954		1,076		(1	)		54,029
Collateralized mortgage obligations
U.S. Government Agencies		6,590		50		—			6,640
Non-agency		13,526		370		(236	)		13,660
SBA bonds		3,409		85		—			3,494
Preferred Stock		20		98		—			118
Total securities available-for-sale	$	143,132	$	3,850	$	(1,063	)	$	145,919
Non-marketable securities
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston stock	$	5,747	$	—	$	—		$	5,747

(in thousands)	Amortized cost (1)		Gross un- realized gains		Gross un- realized losses			Fair value
December 31, 2011
Available-for-sale
U.S. Treasury notes	$	5,000	$	528	$	—		$	5,528
U.S. Government Agency notes		14,544		380		—			14,924
Municipal bonds		50,881		1,067		(1,152	)		50,796
Mortgage backed securities
U.S. Government Agencies		57,193		1,126		(19	)		58,300
Collateralized mortgage obligations
U.S. Government Agencies		7,077		76		—			7,153
Non-agency		14,300		355		(488	)		14,167
SBA bonds		3,629		77		—			3,706
Corporate bonds		1,100		4		—			1,104
Preferred Stock		20		96		—			116
Total securities available-for-sale	$	153,744	$	3,709	$	(1,659	)	$	155,794
Held-to-maturity
Mortgage backed security	$	50	$	2	$	—		$	52
Non-marketable securities
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston stock	$	6,032	$	—	$	—		$	6,032

(1) Net of other-than-temporary impairment write-down recognized in earnings.

Salisbury did not sell any securities available-for-sale during the three month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011.

The following table summarizes, for all securities in an unrealized loss position, including debt securities for which a portion of other-than-temporary impairment has been recognized in other comprehensive income, the aggregate fair value and gross unrealized loss of securities that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position as of the date presented:

	Less than 12 Months				12 Months or Longer				Total
(in thousands)	Fair Value		Unrealized  losses		Fair value		Unrealized  losses		Fair value		Unrealized losses
March 31, 2012
Available-for-sale
Municipal Bonds	$	3,785	$	38	$	5,382	$	788	$	9,167	$	826
Mortgage backed securities		4,289		—		55		1		4,344		1
Collateralized mortgage obligations
Non-agency		1,598		21		1,080		53		2,678		74
Total temporarily impaired securities		9,672		59		6,517		842		16,189		901
Other-than-temporarily impaired securities
Collateralized mortgage obligations
Non-agency		2,131		87		1,526		75		3,657		162
Total temporarily and other-than-temporarily impaired securities	$	11,803	$	146	$	8,043	$	917	$	19,846	$	1,063

Salisbury evaluates securities for Other Than Temporary Impairment (“OTTI”) where the fair value of a security is less than its amortized cost basis at the balance sheet date. As part of this process, Salisbury considers its intent to sell each debt security and whether it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before its anticipated recovery. If either of these conditions is met, Salisbury recognizes an OTTI charge to earnings equal to the entire difference between the security’s amortized cost basis and its fair value at the balance sheet date. For securities that meet neither of these conditions, an analysis is performed to determine if any of these securities are at risk for OTTI.

The following summarizes, by security type, the basis for evaluating if the applicable securities were OTTI at March 31, 2012.

U.S Government Agency notes, U.S. Government Agency mortgage-backed securities and U.S. Government Agency CMOs: The contractual cash flows are guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and U.S. government-sponsored enterprises. Changes in fair values are a function of changes in investment spreads and interest rate movements and not changes in credit quality. Management expects to recover the entire amortized cost basis of these securities. Furthermore, Salisbury does not intend to sell these securities and it is not more likely than not that Salisbury will be required to sell these securities before recovery of their cost basis, which may be maturity. Therefore, management does not consider these securities to be OTTI at March 31, 2012.

Municipal bonds: Contractual cash flows are performing as expected. Salisbury purchased substantially all of these securities during 2006-to-2008 as bank qualified, insured, AAA rated general obligation or revenue bonds. Salisbury’s portfolio is mostly comprised of tax-exempt general obligation bonds or public-purpose revenue bonds for schools, municipal offices, sewer infrastructure and fire houses, for small towns and municipalities across the United States. In the wake of the financial crisis, most monoline bond insurers had their ratings downgraded or withdrawn because of excessive exposure to insurance for collateralized debt obligations. Where appropriate, Salisbury performs credit underwriting reviews of issuers, including some that have had their ratings withdrawn and are insured by insurers that have had their ratings withdrawn, to assess default risk. For all completed reviews pass credit risk ratings have been assigned. Management expects to recover the entire amortized cost basis of these securities. Salisbury does not intend to sell these securities and it is not more likely than not that Salisbury will be required to sell these securities before recovery of their cost basis, which may be maturity. Management does not consider these securities to be OTTI at March 31, 2012.

Non-agency CMOs: Salisbury performed a detailed cash flow analysis of its non-agency CMOs at March 31, 2012 to assess whether any of the securities were OTTI. Salisbury uses first party provided cash flow forecasts of each security based on a variety of market driven assumptions and securitization terms, including prepayment speed, default or delinquency rate, and default severity for losses including interest, legal fees, property repairs, expenses and realtor fees, that, together with the loan amount are subtracted from collateral sales proceeds to determine severity. In 2009 Salisbury determined that five non-agency CMO securities reflected OTTI and recognized losses for deterioration in credit quality of $1,128,000. Salisbury judged the four remaining securities not to have additional OTTI and all other CMO securities not to be OTTI as of March 31, 2012. It is possible that future loss assumptions could change necessitating Salisbury to recognize future OTTI for further deterioration in credit quality. Salisbury does not intend to sell these securities and it is not more likely than not that Salisbury will be required to sell these securities before recovery of their cost basis.

The following table presents activity related to credit losses recognized into earnings on the non-agency CMOs held by Salisbury for which a portion of an OTTI charge was recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income:

Three months ended March 31 (in thousands)	2012		2011
Balance, beginning of period	$	1,128	$	1,128
Credit component on debt securities in which OTTI was not previously recognized		—		—
Balance, end of period	$	1,128	$	1,128

Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (“FHLBB”): The Bank is a member of the FHLBB. The FHLBB is a cooperative that provides services, including funding in the form of advances, to its member banking institutions. As a requirement of membership, the Bank must own a minimum amount of FHLBB stock, calculated periodically based primarily on its level of borrowings from the FHLBB. No market exists for shares of the FHLBB and therefore, they are carried at par value. FHLBB stock may be redeemed at par value five years following termination of FHLBB membership, subject to limitations which may be imposed by the FHLBB or its regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Board, to maintain capital adequacy of the FHLBB. While the Bank currently has no intentions to terminate its FHLBB membership, the ability to redeem its investment in FHLBB stock would be subject to the conditions imposed by the FHLBB. In 2008, the FHLBB announced to its members that it is focusing on preserving capital in response to ongoing market volatility including the extension of a moratorium on excess stock repurchases and in 2009 announced the suspension of its quarterly dividends. In 2011, the FHLBB resumed modest quarterly cash dividends to its members and in early 2012 the FHLBB repurchase its excess stock pool. Based on the capital adequacy and the liquidity position of the FHLBB, management believes there is no impairment related to the carrying amount of the Bank’s FHLBB stock as of March 31, 2012. Further deterioration of the FHLBB’s capital levels may require the Bank to deem its restricted investment in FHLBB stock to be OTTI. If evidence of impairment exists in the future, the FHLBB stock would reflect fair value using either observable or unobservable inputs. The Bank will continue to monitor its investment in FHLBB stock.