Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accounting and reporting policies of Athens Bancshares Corporation (the “Company”) and subsidiary conform with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and practices within the banking industry. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) has adopted the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) as the single source of authoritative nongovernmental GAAP. Rules and interpretive releases of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) are also sources of authoritative GAAP for SEC registrants.

The policies that materially affect financial position and results of operations are summarized as follows:

Principles of consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Nature of operations

The Company is a holding company whose principal activity is the ownership and management of its wholly owned subsidiary, Athens Federal Community Bank (the “Bank”). The Bank provides a variety of financial services to individuals and corporate customers through its seven branches located in Athens, Sweetwater, Etowah, Madisonville, and Cleveland, Tennessee. The Bank’s primary deposit products include checking, savings, certificates of deposit, and IRA accounts. Its primary lending products are one-to-four family residential, commercial real estate, and consumer loans. Southland is a consumer finance company with one branch located in Athens, Tennessee. Ti-Serv, Inc. maintains the Bank’s investment in Valley Title Services, LLC and provides title insurance services. Southland and Ti-Serve are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Bank.

Use of estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP 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 consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses, the valuation of deferred tax assets, other-than-temporary impairment of securities, and the fair value of financial instruments.

Cash and cash equivalents

For purposes of the consolidated statements of cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash and balances due from banks, money market mutual funds and federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell, all of which mature within ninety days.

Interest-bearing time deposits in banks

Interest-bearing time deposits in banks have a maturity of one year or less and are carried at cost.

Securities

Debt securities are classified as held to maturity when the Bank has the intent and ability to hold the securities to maturity. Securities held to maturity are carried at amortized cost. The amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts are recognized in interest income using the interest method over the period to maturity.

Securities available for sale are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported in other comprehensive income. Realized gains and losses on securities available for sale are included in other income and, when applicable, are reported as a reclassification adjustment, net of tax, in other comprehensive income. Gains and losses on sales of securities are determined on the specific-identification method. Purchase premiums and discounts are recognized in interest income using the interest method over the terms of the securities.

The Company conducts a regular assessment of its securities portfolio to determine whether any are other-than-temporarily impaired. In estimating other-than-temporary impairment losses, management considers, among other factors, the length of time and extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, the financial condition and near term prospects of the issuer, and the intent and ability of the Company to retain its investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery. The term “other-than-temporary” is not intended to indicate that the decline is permanent, but indicates that the prospects for a near-term recovery of value is not necessarily favorable, or that there is a lack of evidence to support a realizable value equal to or greater than the carrying value of the investment. Once a decline in value for a debt security is determined to be other-than-temporary, the other-than-temporary impairment is separated into (a) the amount of the total other-than-temporary impairment related to a decrease in cash flows expected to be collected from the debt security (the credit loss) and (b) the amount of the total other-than-temporary impairment related to all other factors. The amount of the total other-than-temporary impairment related to the credit loss is recognized in earnings. The amount of the total other-than-temporary impairment related to all other factors is recognized in other comprehensive income.

Loans

The Bank grants mortgage, commercial and consumer loans to customers. A substantial portion of the loan portfolio is represented by mortgage and commercial real estate loans located primarily in the East Tennessee area. The ability of the Bank’s debtors to honor their contracts is dependent upon the real estate and general economic conditions in this area.

Loans that management has the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future or until maturity or pay-off generally are stated at unpaid principal balances, less the allowance for loan losses, net deferred loan origination fees and costs, and unearned interest and fees.

Loan fees, net of estimated initial direct cost relating to initiating and closing mortgage loans, have been deferred and are being amortized into interest income over the remaining contractual lives of the loans as an adjustment of yield using the level yield method.

Unearned interest on consumer finance loans is recognized as income over the terms of the loans using a declining balance method. Interest on other loans is calculated using the simple interest method on the principal outstanding.

The accrual of interest on mortgage and commercial loans is discontinued at the time the loan is 90 days past due unless the credit is well-secured and in process of collection. Other personal loans are typically charged off no later than 120 days past due. Past due status is based on contractual terms of the loan. In all cases, loans are placed on nonaccrual or charged off at an earlier date if collection of principal or interest is considered doubtful.

All interest accrued but not collected for loans that are placed on non-accrual or charged off is reversed against interest income. The interest on these loans is accounted for on the cash-basis or cost-recovery method, until qualifying for return to accrual. Loans are returned to accrual status when all the principal and interest amounts contractually due are brought current and future payments are reasonably assured.

Allowance for loan losses

The allowance for loan losses is established as losses are estimated to have occurred through a provision for loan losses charged to earnings. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of a loan balance is confirmed. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance.

The allowance for loan losses is evaluated on a regular basis by management and is based upon management’s periodic review of the collectibility of the loans in light of historical experience, the nature and volume of the loan portfolio, adverse situations that may affect the borrower’s ability to repay, estimated value of any underlying collateral, and prevailing economic conditions. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant revision as more information becomes available.

The allowance consists of allocated and general components. The allocated component relates to loans that are classified as impaired. For those loans that are classified as impaired, an allowance is established when the discounted cash flows (or collateral value or observable market price) of the impaired loan is lower than the carrying value of that loan. The general component covers non-classified loans and is based on historical charge-off experience and expected loss given default derived from the Bank’s internal risk rating process. Other adjustments may be made to the allowance for pools of loans after an assessment of internal or external influences on credit quality that are not fully reflected in the historical loss or risk rating data.

As part of management’s assessment of the allowance, management divides the loan portfolio into five segments: commercial, residential 1-4 family, commercial real estate and multi-family, construction and land and consumer and other. Each segment is then analyzed such that a specific and general allocation of the allowance is estimated for each loan segment.

A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable the Bank will be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining impairment include payment status, collateral value, and the probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Loans that experience insignificant payment delays and payment shortfalls are not classified as impaired. Management determines the significance of payment delays and payment shortfalls on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all of the circumstances surrounding the loan and the borrower, including the length of the delay, the reasons for the delay, the borrower’s prior payment record, and the amount of the shortfall in relation to the principal and interest owed. Impairment is measured on a loan-by-loan basis by either the present value of future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, the loan’s obtainable market price, or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent.

Large groups of smaller balance homogeneous loans are collectively evaluated for impairment. Accordingly, the Bank does not separately identify individual consumer loans for impairment disclosures, unless such loans are the subject of a restructuring agreement due to financial difficulties of the borrower.

The unallocated component of the allowance reflects the uncertainties inherent in the underlying assumptions used in the methodologies for estimating specific and general losses in the portfolio.

Significant group concentrations of credit risk

Most of the Company’s activities are with customers located in East Tennessee. The types of securities that the Company invests in are included in Note 3. The types of lending the Company engages in are included in Note 4. The Company does not have any significant concentrations to any one industry or customer.

Commercial real estate, including commercial construction loans, represented 33.97 percent of the loan portfolio at December 31, 2011, and 32.42 percent of the loan portfolio at December 31, 2010.

Servicing

Generally, servicing assets are recognized as separate assets when rights are acquired through purchase or through sale of financial assets. For sales of mortgage loans, a portion of the cost of originating the loan is allocated to the servicing right based on fair value. Fair value is based on market prices for comparable mortgage servicing contracts, when available, or alternatively, is based on a valuation model that calculates the present value of estimated future net servicing income. The valuation model incorporates assumptions that market participants would use in estimating future net servicing income, such as the cost to service, the discount rate, the custodial earnings rate, an inflation rate, ancillary income, prepayment speeds, and default rates and losses.

The Company has not recorded any servicing assets or liabilities in accordance with ASC Topic 860, Transfers and Servicing, because the benefits received for servicing approximate the costs incurred by the Company for its servicing responsibilities.

Servicing fee income is recorded for fees earned for servicing loans. The fees are based on a contractual percentage of the outstanding principal; or a fixed amount per loan and are recorded as income when earned.

Foreclosed real estate

Foreclosed real estate is held for sale and is initially recorded at fair value less estimated selling cost at the date of foreclosure, establishing a new cost basis. Subsequent to foreclosure, valuations are periodically performed and any write-downs are recorded as a charge to operations, if necessary, to reduce the carrying value of a property to the lower of its cost or fair value less cost to sell. Costs of significant property improvements are capitalized, whereas costs relating to holding property are expensed. The portion of interest costs relating to development of real estate (if any) is capitalized.

Premises and equipment

Land is carried at cost. Other premises and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation, computed using a combination of accelerated and straight-line methods, is based on estimated useful lives of three to forty years. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred while major additions and improvements are capitalized. Gains and losses on dispositions are included in current operations.

Federal Home Loan Bank stock

The Bank, as a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) of Cincinnati, is required to maintain an investment in capital stock of the FHLB. Based on redemption provisions of the FHLB, the stock has no quoted market value and is carried at cost. Management reviews for impairment based on the ultimate recoverability of the cost basis in the FHLB stock.

While the Federal Home Loan Banks have been negatively impacted by current economic conditions, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati has reported profits for 2011 and 2010, remains in compliance with regulatory capital and liquidity requirements, continues to pay dividends on the stock and make redemptions at the par value. With consideration given to these factors, management concluded that the stock was not impaired at December 31, 2011 or 2010.

Cash surrender value of bank owned life insurance

The Company maintains life insurance policies (“BOLI”) on certain key executives and directors to help offset the rising cost of employee benefits and to assist in the funding of deferred compensation and other employee benefits. BOLI is accounted for using the cash surrender value method and is recorded at the amount that can be realized under the insurance policies at the balance sheet date. At December 31, 2011 and 2010, the aggregate cash surrender value of these policies was $9,223,847 and $8,924,120, respectively.

Income taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with income tax accounting guidance in ASC Topic 740. The income tax accounting guidance results in two components of income tax expense—current and deferred. Current income tax expense reflects taxes to be paid or refunded for the current period by applying the provisions of the enacted tax law to taxable income or loss. The Company determines deferred income taxes using the liability method. Under this method, the net deferred tax asset or liability is based on the tax effects of the differences between the book and tax bases of assets and liabilities. The Company’s deferred taxes relate primarily to differences between the basis of the allowance for loan losses and accumulated depreciation. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are reflected at income tax rates applicable to the period in which the deferred tax assets or liabilities are expected to be realized or settled. As changes in tax laws or rates are enacted, deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted through the provision for income taxes. The Company files consolidated income tax returns with its subsidiary. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2008.

The Company recognizes deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not, based on the technical merits, that the tax position will be realized or sustained upon examination. The Company follows the statutory requirements for its income tax accounting and generally avoids risks associated with potentially problematic tax positions that may be challenged upon examination. The Company recognizes interest and penalties on income taxes as a component of income tax expense.

Advertising costs

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred.

Variable interest entities

An entity is referred to as a variable interest entity (“VIE”) if it meets the criteria outlined in ASC Topic 810, which are: (1) the entity has equity that is insufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties, or (2) the entity has equity investors that cannot make significant decisions about the entity’s operations or that do not absorb the expected losses or receive the expected returns of the entity. A VIE must be consolidated by the Company if it is deemed to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE, which is the party involved with the VIE that has a majority of the expected losses, expected residual returns, or both. At December 31, 2011, the Company was not involved with any entity that is deemed to be a VIE.

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

The Bank enters into sales of securities under agreements to repurchase identical securities the next day.

Segment reporting

ASC Topic 280, Segment Reporting, provides for the identification of reportable segments on the basis of discrete business units and their financial information to the extent such units are reviewed by an entity’s chief decision maker (which can be an individual or group of management persons). The Statement permits aggregation or combination of segments that have similar characteristics. In the operations of the Bank and its subsidiaries, each bank branch is viewed by management as being a separately identifiable business or segment from the perspective of monitoring performance and allocation of financial resources. Although the branches operate independently and are managed and monitored separately, each is substantially similar in terms of business focus, type of customers, products, and services. Further, the results of Southland and Ti-Serv, Inc. for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, were not significant for separate disclosure. Accordingly, the Company’s consolidated financial statements reflect the presentation of segment information on an aggregated basis in one reportable segment.

Transfers 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 or the ability to unilaterally cause the holder to return specific assets.

The Company originates fixed-rate mortgage loans for sale to secondary market investors subject to contractually specified and limited recourse provisions. The Company may be required to repurchase a previously sold mortgage loan if there is major noncompliance with defined loan origination or documentation standards, including fraud, negligence or material misstatement in the loan documents. The Company has been notified by FHLMC that three loans previously sold to them may not have qualified under their terms of purchase, and the Company may be required to repurchase these loans in the future. At December 31, 2011, the aggregate outstanding balance of loans subject to this recourse obligation was approximately $86,000. For the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company was required to repurchase one loan in the amount of $237,730. Any realized gain or loss associated with the repurchase was not significant. No loans were required to be repurchased for the year ended December 31, 2010. Recourse obligations, if any, are determined based upon an estimate of probable credit losses over the term of the loan, and are not significant to the consolidated financial statements.

Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) is calculated by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is computed in a manner similar to that of basic EPS except that the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding is increased to include the number of incremental common shares (computed using the treasury stock method) that would have been outstanding if all potentially dilutive common stock equivalents such as stock options were vested during the period.

Stock option plan

The Company recognizes compensation cost relating to share-based payment transactions in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation. Compensation cost has been measured based on the grant date fair value of the equity instruments issued. Compensation cost is calculated and recognized over the employee service period, generally defined as the vesting period. The Company uses a stock option pricing model to determine the fair value of the award on the grant date.

Employee stock ownership plan

The Company accounts for the Bank’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) in accordance with the FASB ASC. ESOP shares are considered to be outstanding for the computation of EPS as they are committed to be released.

Comprehensive income

Comprehensive income consists of net income and other comprehensive income. Other comprehensive income includes unrealized gains on securities available for sale, and unrealized losses related to factors other than credit losses on debt securities.

Recent accounting pronouncements

In January 2011, the 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 (“ASU 2011-01”). The FASB determined that certain provisions relating to troubled debt restructurings (“TDR”) should be deferred until additional guidance and clarification on the definition of a TDR is issued.

In April 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-02, A Creditor’s Determination of Whether a Restructuring Is a Troubled Debt Restructuring (“ASU 2011-02”). ASU 2011-02 amends ASC Topic 310, Receivables, by clarifying guidance for creditors in determining whether a concession has been granted and whether a debtor is experiencing financial difficulties. The amendments are effective for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after June 15, 2011, and should be applied retrospectively to the beginning of the annual period of adoption. ASU 2011-02 also makes disclosure requirements deferred under ASU 2011-01 effective for interim and annual periods beginning on or after June 15, 2011. Adoption of ASU 2011-02 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements or operations.

In April 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-03, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860): Reconsideration of Effective Control for Repurchase Agreements (“ASU 2011-03”), intended to improve financial reporting of repurchase agreements and refocus the assessment of effective control on a transferor’s contractual rights and obligations rather than practical ability to perform those rights and obligations. The guidance in ASU 2011-03 is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after December 15, 2011. The Company is evaluating the effect, if any, the adoption of ASU 2011-03 will have on its consolidated financial statements or operations.

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 2011-04”). ASU 2011-04 represents the converged guidance of the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) on fair value measurement. A variety of measures are included in the update intended to either clarify existing fair value measurement requirements, change particular principles requirements for measuring fair value or for disclosing information about fair value measurements. For many of the requirements, the FASB does not intend to change the application of existing requirements under ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements. ASU 2011-04 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, and early application is not permitted. The Company is evaluating the effect, if any, the adoption of ASU 2011-04 will have on its consolidated financial statements or operations.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, Presentation of Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2011-05”), intended to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income and to facilitate convergence of accounting guidance in this area with that of the IASB. The amendments require that all non-owner changes in stockholders’ equity be presented in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. Amendments under ASU 2011-05 for public entities should be applied retrospectively for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company is evaluating the effect, if any, the adoption of ASU 2011-05 will have on its consolidated financial statements or operations.

Recent accounting pronouncements

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) – Testing Goodwill for Impairment (“ASU 2011-08”). ASU 2011-08 amends Topic 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other, to give entities the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, an entity determines it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. However, if an entity concludes otherwise, then it is required to perform the first step of the two-step impairment test by calculating the fair value of the reporting unit and comparing the fair value with the carrying amount of the reporting unit. ASU 2011-08 is effective for annual and interim impairment tests beginning after December 15, 2011, and is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Other than disclosures contained within these statements, the Company has determined that all other recently issued accounting pronouncements will not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements or do not apply to its operations.

Subsequent events

The Company has evaluated subsequent events for potential recognition and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in this annual report.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in the 2010 consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the 2011 presentation.