FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS WITH OFF-BALANCE SHEET RISK

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract]

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS WITH OFF-BALANCE SHEET RISK

NOTE 21—FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS WITH OFF-BALANCE SHEET RISK

In the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers, the Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and the issuance of letters of credit. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk in excess of the amounts recognized in the balance sheets. The contract amounts of those instruments reflect the extent of involvement the Company has in particular classes of financial instruments.

The Company’s exposure to credit loss, in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit and letters of credit written, is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for on-balance sheet instruments. The Company may or may not require collateral or other security to support financial instruments with credit risk, depending on its loan underwriting guidelines.

The following summarizes the Company’s outstanding commitments:

	2012			2011
	(in thousands)
Financial instruments whose contract amounts contain credit risk:
Commitments to extend credit		$	161,395		$	159,530
Commercial and standby letters of credit			1,651			1,475
		$	163,046		$	161,005

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon, total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the Company upon an extension of credit, is based on management’s credit evaluation of the counterparty. Collateral held varies but may include accounts receivable, inventory, property and equipment, and income-producing properties.

Letters of credit written are conditional commitments issued by the Company to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. Those guarantees are primarily issued to support public and private borrowing arrangements, including commercial paper, bond financing, and similar transactions. The credit risk involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loan facilities to customers. The Company holds cash, marketable securities, or real estate as collateral supporting those commitments for which collateral is deemed necessary.

As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, the Company maintained a reserve for unfunded commitments of $86,000 and $101,000, respectively. The reserve is included in accrued interest payable and other liabilities on the balance sheets.

Guarantees —As successor to all the rights and obligations of National Mercantile and FCB, the Company has unconditionally guaranteed, on a subordinated basis, all distributions and payments under the First California Trust’s and FCB Statutory Trust I’s capital securities upon liquidation, redemption, or otherwise, but only to the extent either the First California Trust or the FCB Statutory Trust I, as the case may be, fails to pay such distributions under the fixed/floating rate deferrable interest debentures such trust holds from the Company. See “Junior Subordinated Debentures” under Note 12 above.