INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Income Tax Expense in Consolidated Statements of Income

The income tax expense in the consolidated statements of income consists of the following:

	For the Years Ended December 31,
(dollars in thousands)	2024		2023		2022
Current - federal	$	117,978	$	84,835	$	114,346
Current - state	19,275		23,463		27,889
Total Current Income Tax Expense	$	137,253	$	108,298	$	142,235
Deferred - federal	$	(18,918)	$	(16,882)	$	(27,408)
Deferred - state	(1,160)		(3,586)		(8,269)
Total Deferred Income Tax Expense	$	(20,078)	$	(20,468)	$	(35,677)
Total Income Tax Expense	$	117,175	$	87,830	$	106,558

Schedule of Reconciliation of Differences in Company's Income Tax Expense

The Company’s income tax expense differs from the amounts computed by applying the federal income tax statutory rates to income before income taxes. A reconciliation of the differences is as follows:

	For the Years Ended December 31,
(dollars in thousands)	2024			2023			2022
Federal income statutory rate	21		%	21		%	21		%
Tax at federal income tax rate	$	99,931		$	74,956		$	95,151
Change resulting from:
State income tax, net of federal benefit	14,068			14,950			13,763
Tax-exempt interest	(1,866)			(1,907)			(2,775)
Increase in cash value of bank owned life insurance	(2,210)			(1,701)			(1,399)
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation	(132)			(518)			(510)
Nondeductible merger expenses	—			—			167
BOLI policy redemptions	4,488			—			—
Other	2,896			2,050			2,161
Provision for income taxes	$	117,175		$	87,830		$	106,558

Schedule of Components of Deferred Income Taxes

The components of deferred income taxes are as follows:

	December 31,
(dollars in thousands)	2024		2023
Deferred tax assets
Allowance for credit losses	$	90,357	$	88,494
Deferred compensation	14,421		13,822
Deferred loan fees	435		—
Purchase accounting adjustments	3,112		3,442
Other real estate owned	106		18
Net operating loss tax carryforward	11,319		12,779
Tax credit carryforwards	117		139
Unrealized loss on securities available for sale	8,906		11,218
Capitalized costs, accrued expenses and other	7,550		8,297
Lease liability	13,319		15,081
	149,642		153,290
Deferred tax liabilities
Premises and equipment	10,025		12,167
Mortgage servicing rights	22,135		34,989
Subordinated debentures	5,603		6,149
Lease financing	7,239		9,753
Goodwill and intangible assets	19,998		22,918
Origination costs	11,100		9,984
Right of use lease asset	11,243		12,854
Deferred loan fees	—		318
	87,343		109,132
Net deferred tax asset	$	62,299	$	44,158

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits Roll Forward

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized income tax benefits is as follows.

	For the Years Ended December 31,
(dollars in thousands)	2024		2023
Beginning Balance	$	610	$	1,001
Current Activity:
Additions for tax positions of prior years	277		479
Reductions for statutes of limitations expiring	(105)		(870)
Settlements	(757)		—
Ending Balance	$	25	$	610