Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Overview and Presentation

The unaudited consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP interim reporting requirements and general banking industry guidelines, and therefore, do not include all information and notes included in the annual consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP. These interim consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

In preparing the financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the balance sheet and the reported results of operations for the periods then ended. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

Reclassifications

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation without any impact on the reported amounts of net income or shareholders’ equity.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share

Basic EPS excludes dilution and is computed by dividing earnings available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS includes the dilutive effect of additional potential common shares issuable under the restricted stock units granted but not yet vested and distributable. Diluted EPS is computed by dividing earnings available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period, plus an incremental number of common-equivalent shares computed using the treasury stock method.

Unvested share-based payment awards, which include the right to receive non-forfeitable dividends or dividend equivalents, are considered to participate with common shareholders in undistributed earnings for purposes of computing EPS. Companies that have such participating securities are required to calculate basic and diluted EPS using the two-class method. Certain restricted stock awards granted by the Company include non-forfeitable dividend equivalents and are considered participating securities. Calculations of EPS under the two-class method (i) exclude from the numerator any dividends paid or owed on participating securities and any undistributed earnings considered to be attributable to participating securities and (ii) exclude from the denominator the dilutive impact of the participating securities.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards and Newly Issued Not Yet Effective Accounting Standards

Recently adopted accounting policies:

The Company did not modify or adopt any new accounting policies during the three months ended March 31, 2022 that were not disclosed in the Company's 2021 audited consolidated financial statements included on Form 10-K, other than as described below.

During the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company modified the accounting policy related to derivative financial instruments and hedging activities within Note 1 of the Company's 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K in accordance with ASC 815, "Derivatives and Hedging," as a result of entering into designated fair value hedges during the period. The Company enters into fair value hedge relationships to mitigate the effect of changing interest rates on the fair values of fixed rate securities and loans. The gain or loss on the derivative instrument as well as the offsetting loss or gain on the hedged asset or liability attributable to the hedged risk are recognized in current earnings. The gain or loss on the derivative instrument is presented on the same income statement line item as the earnings effect of the hedged item.

Recently adopted accounting standards:

The Company did not adopt any new accounting standards that were not disclosed in the Company's 2021 audited consolidated financial statements included on Form 10-K.

Newly issued not yet effective accounting standards:

In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-01, "Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Fair Value Hedging-Portfolio Layer Method", to expand the current single-layer method of electing hedge accounting to allow multiple hedged layers of a single closed portfolio under the method. To reflect that expansion, the last-of-layer method is renamed the portfolio layer method. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted on any date on or after the issuance of ASU No. 2022-01 for any entity that has adopted the amendments in ASU No.2017-12 for the corresponding period. Adoption of this update will not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements or related disclosures.

Additionally, in March 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-02, "'Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures" related to troubled debt restructurings and vintage disclosures for financing receivables. The amendments eliminate the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings by creditors that have adopted the CECL model and enhance the disclosure requirements for loan modifications and restructurings made with borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. In addition, the amendments require disclosure of current-period gross write-offs for financing receivables and net investment in leases by year of origination in the vintage disclosures. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods

within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that ASU 2022-02 will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In March 2022, the SEC released SAB 121 to add interpretive guidance for entities to consider when they have obligations to safeguard crypto-assets held for clients. The new guidance requires reporting entities who allow clients to transact in crypto-assets and act as a custodian to record a liability with a corresponding asset regardless of whether they control the crypto-asset. The crypto-asset will need to be marked at fair value for each reporting period. The new guidance requires disclosures in the footnotes to address the amount of crypto-assets reported, and the safeguarding and recordkeeping of the assets. The guidance in this update requires that reporting companies implement SAB 121 no later than the financial statements covering the first interim or annual period ending after June 15, 2022, with retrospective application back to the beginning of the fiscal year. During the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company became a founding member of the USDF Consortium ("the Consortium"), which plans to utilize blockchain and bank-issued digital dollars technology to streamline peer-to-peer financial transactions. While the Company does not currently hold or facilitate transactions with crypto-assets, the Company is evaluating the potential future financial statement and disclosure impact from adopting this guidance when it becomes applicable based on the Company's crypto-asset activities.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.” ASU 2020-04 is intended to provide relief for companies preparing for discontinuation of interest rates based on LIBOR. The ASU provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contract modifications and hedging relationships, subject to meeting certain criteria, that reference LIBOR or other reference rates expected to be discontinued. ASU 2020-04 also provides for a onetime sale and/or transfer to AFS or trading to be made for HTM debt securities that both reference an eligible reference rate and were classified as HTM before January 1, 2020. ASU 2020-04 was effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 and through December 31, 2022. Companies can apply the ASU as of the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020 or any date thereafter. The guidance requires companies to apply the guidance prospectively to contract modifications and hedging relationships while the one-time election to sell and/or transfer debt securities classified as HTM may be made any time after March 12, 2020.

Our LIBOR Transition Committee was established to transition from LIBOR to alternative rates and has continued its efforts consistent with industry timelines. As part of these efforts, during the fourth quarter of 2021, we ceased utilization of LIBOR as an index in newly originated loans or loans that are refinanced. Additionally, we identified existing products that utilize LIBOR and are reviewing contractual language to facilitate the transition to alternative reference rates. ASU 2020-04 and ASU 2021-01 are not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Allowance for Credit Losses

Allowance for Credit Losses

The Company calculates its expected credit loss using a lifetime loss rate methodology. The Company utilizes probability-weighted forecasts, which consider multiple macroeconomic variables from a third-party vendor that are applicable to the type of loan. Each of the Company's loss rate models incorporate forward-looking macroeconomic projections throughout the reasonable and supportable forecast period and the subsequent historical reversion at the macroeconomic variable input level. In order to estimate the life of a loan, the contractual term of the loan is adjusted for estimated prepayments based on market information and the Company’s prepayment history.

The Company's loss rate models estimate the lifetime loss rate for pools of loans by combining the calculated loss rate based on each variable within the model (including the macroeconomic variables). The lifetime loss rate for the pool is then multiplied by the loan balances to determine the expected credit losses on the pool.

The Company considers the need to qualitatively adjust its modeled quantitative expected credit loss estimate for information not already captured in the model loss estimation process. These qualitative factor adjustments may increase or decrease the Company’s estimate of expected credit losses. The Company reviews the qualitative adjustments so as to validate that information that has already been considered and included in the modeled quantitative loss estimation process is not also included in the qualitative adjustment. The Company considers the qualitative factors that are relevant to the institution as of the reporting date, which may include, but are not limited to: levels of and trends in delinquencies and performance of loans; levels of and trends in write-offs and recoveries collected; trends in volume and terms of loans; effects of any changes in reasonable and supportable economic forecasts; effects of any changes in risk selection and underwriting standards; other changes in lending policies, procedures, and practices; experience, ability, and depth of lending management and expertise; available relevant information sources that contradict the Company’s own forecast; effects of changes in prepayment expectations or other factors affecting assessments of loan contractual terms; industry conditions; and effects of changes in credit concentrations.

The quantitative models require loan data and macroeconomic variables based on the inherent credit risks in each portfolio to more accurately measure the credit risks associated with each. Each of the quantitative models pools loans with similar risk characteristics and collectively assesses the lifetime loss rate for each pool to estimate its expected credit loss.

When a loan no longer shares similar risk characteristics with other loans in any given pool, the loan is individually assessed. The Company has determined the following circumstances in which a loan may require an individual evaluation: collateral dependent loans; loans for which foreclosure is probable; and loans with other unique risk characteristics. A loan is deemed collateral dependent when 1) the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty and 2) the repayment is expected to be primarily through sale or operation of the collateral. The allowance for credit losses for collateral dependent loans as well as loans where foreclosure is probable is calculated as the amount for which the loan’s amortized cost basis exceeds fair value. Fair value is determined based on appraisals performed by qualified appraisers and reviewed by qualified personnel. In cases where repayment is to be provided substantially through the sale of collateral, the Company reduces the fair value by the estimated costs to sell. Loans experiencing financial difficulty for which a concession has not yet been provided may be identified as reasonably expected TDRs.

Reasonably expected TDRs and TDRs use the same methodology. In cases where the expected credit loss can only be captured through a discounted cash flow analysis (such as an interest rate modification for a TDR loan), the allowance is measured by the amount which the loan’s amortized cost exceeds the discounted cash flow analysis.

Credit Quality

Credit Quality - Commercial Loans

The Company categorizes commercial loan types into risk categories based on relevant information about the ability of borrowers to service their debt such as: current financial information, historical payment experience, credit documentation, public information, and current economic trends, among other factors. The Company analyzes loans that share similar risk characteristics collectively. Loans that do not share similar risk characteristics are evaluated individually.

The Company uses the following definitions for risk ratings:

Pass.	Loans rated Pass include those that are adequately collateralized performing loans which management believes do not have conditions that have occurred or may occur that would result in the loan being downgraded into an inferior category. The Pass category also includes commercial loans rated as Watch, which include those that management believes have conditions that have occurred, or may occur, which could result in the loan being downgraded to an inferior category.
Special Mention.	Loans rated Special Mention are those that have potential weakness that deserve management’s close attention. If left uncorrected, these potential weaknesses may result in deterioration of the repayment prospects for the loan or in the institution’s credit position at some future date. Management does not believe there will be a loss of principal or interest. These loans require intensive servicing and may possess more than normal credit risk.
Classified.	Loans included in the Classified category include loans rated as Substandard and Doubtful. Loans rated as Substandard are inadequately protected by the current net worth and paying capacity of the obligor or of the collateral pledged, if any. Substandard loans have a well-defined weakness or weaknesses that jeopardize the liquidation of the debt. They are characterized by the distinct possibility that the institution will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected. Also included in this category are loans classified as Doubtful, which have all the weaknesses inherent in those classified as Substandard, with the added characteristic that the weakness or weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full, based on currently existing facts, conditions, and values, highly questionable and improbable.

Risk ratings are updated on an ongoing basis and are subject to change by continuous loan monitoring processes.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair value of financial instruments:

FASB ASC 820-10 defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820-10 also establishes a framework for measuring the fair value of assets and liabilities according to a hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The hierarchy maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that are derived from assumptions based on management’s estimate of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on the best information available under the circumstances.

The hierarchy is broken down into the following three levels, based on the reliability of inputs:

Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that are accessible at the measurement date.

Level 2: Significant other observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3: Significant unobservable inputs for assets or liabilities that are derived from assumptions based on management’s estimate of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the assets or liabilities.

The Company records the fair values of financial assets and liabilities on a recurring and non-recurring basis using the following methods and assumptions:

Investment Securities	Investment securities are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. Fair values for securities are based on quoted market prices, where available. If quoted prices are not available, fair values are based on quoted market prices of similar instruments or are determined by matrix pricing, which is a mathematical technique widely used in the industry to value debt securities without relying exclusively on quoted prices for the specific securities but rather by relying on the pricing relationship or correlation among other benchmark quoted securities. Investment securities valued using quoted market prices of similar instruments or that are valued using matrix pricing are classified as Level 2. When significant inputs to the valuation are unobservable, the available-for-sale securities are classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. Where no active market exists for a security or other benchmark securities, fair value is estimated by the Company with reference to discount margins for other high-risk securities.
Loans held for sale	Loans held for sale are carried at fair value. Fair value is determined using current secondary market prices for loans with similar characteristics for the mortgage portfolio, that is, using Level 2 inputs. Commercial loans held for sale's fair value is determined using an income approach with various assumptions including expected cash flows, market discount rates, credit metrics and collateral value when appropriate. As such, these are considered Level 3.
Derivatives	The fair value of the Company's interest rate swap agreements to facilitate customer transactions are based upon fair values provided from entities that engage in interest rate swap activity and is based upon projected future cash flows and interest rates. The fair value of interest rate lock commitments associated with the mortgage pipeline is based on fees currently charged to enter into similar agreements, and for fixed-rate commitments, the difference between current levels of interest rates and the committed rates is also considered. The fair values of the Company's designated cash flow and fair value hedges are determined by calculating the difference between the discounted fixed rate cash flows and the discounted variable rate cash flows. The fair values of both the Company's hedges, including designated cash flow hedges and designated fair value hedges are based on pricing models that utilize observable market inputs. These financial instruments are classified as Level 2.
OREO	OREO is comprised of commercial and residential real estate obtained in partial or total satisfaction of loan obligations and excess land and facilities held for sale. OREO acquired in settlement of indebtedness is recorded at the lower of the carrying amount of the loan or the fair value of the real estate less costs to sell. Fair value is determined on a nonrecurring basis based on appraisals by qualified licensed appraisers and is adjusted for management’s estimates of costs to sell and holding period discounts. The valuations are classified as Level 3.

Mortgage servicing rights

MSRs are carried at fair value. Fair value is determined using an income approach with various assumptions including expected cash flows, market discount rates, prepayment speeds, servicing costs, and other factors. As such, MSRs are considered Level 3.

Collateral dependent loans

Collateral dependent loans are loans for which, based on current information and events, the Company has determined foreclosure of the collateral is probable, or where the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty and the Company expects repayment of the loan to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral and it is probable that the creditor will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Collateral dependent loans are classified as Level 3.

For collateral dependent loans, the ACL is measured based on the difference between the fair value of the collateral and the amortized cost basis of the loan as of the measurement date. Fair value of the loan's collateral is determined by third-party appraisals, which are then adjusted for estimated selling and closing costs related to liquidation of the collateral. Collateral dependent loans are reviewed and evaluated on at least a quarterly basis for additional impairment and adjusted accordingly, based on changes in market conditions from the time of valuation and management's knowledge of the borrower and borrower's business. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, total amortized cost of collateral dependent loans measured on a non-recurring basis amounted to $5,034 and $5,781, respectively.

Other real estate owned acquired in settlement of indebtedness is recorded at fair value of the real estate less estimated costs to sell. Subsequently, it may be necessary to record nonrecurring fair value adjustments for declines in fair value. Any write-downs based on the asset's fair value at the date of foreclosure are charged to the allowance for credit losses. Appraisals for both collateral dependent loans and other real estate owned are performed by certified general appraisers (for commercial properties) or certified residential appraisers (for residential properties) whose qualifications and licenses have been reviewed and verified by the Company. Once received, a member of the lending administrative department reviews the assumptions and approaches utilized in the appraisal as well as the overall resulting fair value in comparison with independent data sources such as recent market data or industry wide statistics. Collateral dependent loans that are dependent on recovery through sale of equipment, such as farm equipment, automobiles and aircrafts are generally valued based on public source pricing or subscription services while more complex assets are valued through leveraging brokers who have expertise in the collateral involved.