BUSINESS COMBINATIONS (Note 2)

USAmeriBancorp, Inc.

On January 1, 2018, Valley completed its acquisition of USAmeriBancorp, Inc. (USAB) headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. USAB, largely through its wholly-owned subsidiary, USAmeriBank, had approximately $5.1 billion in assets, $3.7 billion in net loans and $3.6 billion in deposits, after purchase accounting adjustments, and maintained a branch network of 29 offices at December 31, 2018. The acquisition represents a significant addition to Valley’s Florida presence, primarily in the Tampa Bay market. The acquisition also brought Valley to the Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tallapoosa areas in Alabama, where USAB maintained 15 of its branches. The common shareholders of USAB received 6.1 shares of Valley common stock for each USAB share they own. The total consideration for the acquisition was approximately $737 million, consisting of 64.9 million shares of Valley common stock and the outstanding USAB stock-based awards.

Merger expenses totaled $17.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, which primarily related to salary and employee benefits and other expenses are included in non-interest expense on the consolidated statements of income.

The following table sets forth assets acquired, and liabilities assumed in the USAB acquisition, at their estimated fair values as of the closing date of the transaction:



	January 1, 2018
	(in thousands)
Assets acquired:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	156,612
Investment securities held to maturity	214,217
Investment securities available for sale	308,385
Loans	3,736,984
Premises and equipment	62,066
Bank owned life insurance	49,052
Accrued interest receivable	12,123
Goodwill	394,028
Other intangible assets	45,906
Other assets:
Deferred taxes	10,623
Other real estate owned	4,073
FHLB and FRB stock	38,809
Tax credit investments	20,138
Other	26,416
Total other assets	100,059
Total assets acquired	$	5,079,432
Liabilities assumed:
Deposits:
Non-interest bearing	$	887,083
Savings, NOW and money market	1,678,115
Time	999,645
Total deposits	3,564,843
Short-term borrowings	649,979
Long-term borrowings	87,283
Junior subordinated debentures issued to capital trusts	13,249
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	26,848
Total liabilities assumed	$	4,342,202
Common stock issued in acquisition	$	737,230

The determination of the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed required management to make estimates about discount rates, future expected cash flows, market conditions, and other future events that are highly subjective in nature and subject to change. The fair value estimates are subject to change for up to one year after the closing date of the transaction if additional information (existing at the date of closing) relative to closing date fair values becomes available. Valley revised the estimated fair values of the acquired assets as of the acquisition date due to additional acquisition date information obtained during the second half of 2018. The adjustments related to the fair value of certain purchased credit-impaired (PCI) loans and deferred tax assets which, on a combined basis, resulted in a $5.8 million net increase in goodwill (see Note 8 for amount of goodwill as allocated to Valley's business segments).

Fair Value Measurement of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed

Described below are the methods used to determine the fair values of the significant assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the USAB acquisition.

Cash and cash equivalents. The estimated fair values of cash and cash equivalents approximate their stated face amounts, as these financial instruments are either due on demand or have short-term maturities.

Investment securities. The estimated fair values of the investment securities were calculated utilizing Level 2 inputs. The prices for these instruments are obtained through an independent pricing service when available, or dealer market participants with whom Valley has historically transacted both purchases and sales of investment securities. The prices are derived from market quotations and matrix pricing. The fair value measurements consider observable data that may include dealer quotes, market spreads, cash flows, the U.S. Treasury yield curve, live trading levels, trade execution data, market consensus prepayment speeds, credit information and the bond’s terms and conditions, among other things. Management reviewed the data and assumptions used in pricing the securities by its third party provider to ensure the highest level of significant inputs are derived from market observable data.

Loans. The acquired loan portfolio was segregated into categories for valuation purposes primarily based on loan type (commercial, commercial real estate, residential and consumer) and credit risk rating. The estimated fair values were computed by discounting the expected cash flows from the respective portfolios. Management estimated the contractual cash flows expected to be collected at the acquisition date by using valuation models that incorporated estimates of current key assumptions, such as prepayment speeds, default rates, and loss severity rates. Prepayment assumptions were developed by reference to recent or historical prepayment speeds observed for loans with similar underlying characteristics. Prepayment assumptions were influenced by many factors, including, but not limited to, forward interest rates, loan and collateral types, payment status, and current loan-to-value ratios. Default and loss severity rates were developed by reference to recent or historical default and loss rates observed for loans with similar underlying characteristics. Default and loss severity assumptions were influenced by many factors, including, but not limited to, underwriting processes and documentation, vintages, collateral types, collateral locations, estimated collateral values, loan-to-value ratios, and debt-to-income ratios.

The expected cash flows from the acquired loan portfolios were discounted to present value based on the estimated market rates. The market rates were estimated using a buildup approach based on the following components: funding cost, servicing cost and consideration of liquidity premium. The funding cost estimated for the loans was based on a mix of wholesale borrowing and equity funding. The methods used to estimate the Level 3 fair values of loans are extremely sensitive to the assumptions and estimates used. While management attempted to use assumptions and estimates that best reflected the acquired loan portfolios and current market conditions, a greater degree of subjectivity is inherent in these values than in those determined in active markets.

The difference between the fair value and the expected cash flows from the acquired loans will be accreted to interest income over the remaining term of the loans in accordance with ASC Subtopic 310-30, “Loans and Debt Securities Acquired with Deteriorated Credit Quality.” See Note 5 for further details.

Other intangible assets. Other intangible assets mostly consisting of core deposit intangibles (CDI) are measures of the value of non-maturity checking, savings, NOW and money market deposits that are acquired in a business combination. The fair value of the CDI is based on the present value of the expected cost savings attributable to the core deposit funding, relative to an alternative source of funding. The CDI is amortized over an estimated useful life of 10 years to approximate the existing deposit relationships acquired.

Deposits. The fair values of deposit liabilities with no stated maturity (i.e., non-interest bearing accounts and savings, NOW and money market accounts) are equal to the carrying amounts payable on demand. The fair values of certificates of deposit represent contractual cash flows, discounted to present value using interest rates currently offered on deposits with similar characteristics and remaining maturities.

Short-term borrowings. The short-term borrowings consist of securities sold under agreements to repurchase and FHLB advances. The carrying amounts approximate their fair values because they frequently re-price to a market rate.

Long-term borrowings. The fair values of long-term borrowings consisting of subordinated notes and FHLB advances were estimated by discounting the estimated future cash flows using market discount rates for borrowings with similar characteristics, terms and remaining maturities. See Note 10 for further details.

Junior subordinated debentures issued to capital trusts. There is no active market for the trust preferred securities issued by Aliant Statutory Trust II; therefore, the fair value of junior subordinated debentures was estimated utilizing the income approach. Valuation methods under the income approach include those methods that provide for the direct capitalization of earnings estimates, as well as valuation methods calling for the forecasting of future benefits (earnings or cash flows) and then discounting those benefits to the present at an appropriate discount rate. Under the income approach, the expected cash flows over the remaining estimated life were discounted to the present at an appropriate discount rate. See Note 11 for further details.