Derivative Financial Instruments

We primarily use derivative financial instruments to manage interest rate risk, currency exchange rate risk, and to assist customers with their risk management objectives. Also, in connection with negotiating credit facilities and certain other services, we often obtain equity warrant assets giving us the right to acquire stock in private, venture-backed companies in the technology and life science & healthcare industries.

Interest Rate Risk

Interest rate risk is our primary market risk and can result from timing and volume differences in the repricing of our interest rate-sensitive assets and liabilities and changes in market interest rates. To manage interest rate risk for our 6.05% Subordinated Notes, we entered into a fixed-for-floating interest rate swap agreement at the time of debt issuance based upon LIBOR with matched-terms. Net cash benefits associated with our interest rate swap is recorded as a reduction in “Interest expense—Borrowings,” a component of net interest income. The fair value of our interest rate swaps is calculated using a discounted cash flow method and adjusted for credit valuation associated with counterparty risk. Changes in fair value of the interest rate swaps are reflected in either other assets (for swaps in an asset position) or other liabilities (for swaps in a liability position).

We assess hedge effectiveness under ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, using the long-haul method. Any differences associated with our interest rate swap that arise as a result of hedge ineffectiveness is recorded through net gains on derivative instruments, in noninterest income, a component of consolidated net income.

Currency Exchange Risk

We enter into foreign exchange forward contracts to economically reduce our foreign exchange exposure risk associated with the net difference between foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities, primarily in Pound Sterling and Euro. We do not designate any foreign exchange forward contracts as derivative instruments that qualify for hedge accounting. Gains or losses from changes in currency rates on foreign currency denominated instruments are included in other noninterest income, a component of noninterest income. We may experience ineffectiveness in the economic hedging relationship, because the instruments are revalued based upon changes in the currency’s spot rate on the principal value, while the forwards are revalued on a discounted cash flow basis. We record forward agreements in gain positions in other assets and loss positions in other liabilities, while net changes in fair value are recorded through net gains on derivative instruments, in noninterest income, a component of consolidated net income. Additionally, through our global banking operations we maintain customer deposits denominated in the Euro and Pound Sterling, which are used to fund certain loans in these currencies to limit our exposure to currency fluctuations.

Other Derivative Instruments

Also included in our derivative instruments are equity warrant assets, loan conversion options, forward and option contracts, and interest rate contracts. For further description of these other derivative instruments, refer to Note 2-“Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" under Part II, Item 8 of our 2014 Form 10-K.

Counterparty Credit Risk

We are exposed to credit risk if counterparties to our derivative contracts do not perform as expected. We mitigate counterparty credit risk through credit approvals, limits, monitoring procedures and obtaining collateral, as appropriate. With respect to measuring counterparty credit risk for derivative instruments, we measure the fair value of a group of financial assets and financial liabilities on a net risk basis by counterparty portfolio.

The total notional or contractual amounts, fair value, collateral and net exposure of our derivative financial instruments at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 were as follows:



		March 31, 2015										December 31, 2014
(Dollars in thousands)	Balance Sheet Location	Notional or Contractual Amount		Fair Value			Collateral (1)		Net Exposure (2)			Notional or Contractual Amount		Fair Value			Collateral (1)		Net Exposure (2)
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate risks:
Interest rate swaps	Other assets	$	45,964	$	4,340		$	2,970	$	1,370		$	45,964	$	4,609		$	2,970	$	1,639
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Currency exchange risks:
Foreign exchange forwards	Other assets	179,467		8,688			5,138		3,550			200,957		5,050			2,441		2,609
Foreign exchange forwards	Other liabilities	3,916		(677		)	—		(677		)	6,226		(489		)	—		(489		)
Net exposure				8,011			5,138		2,873					4,561			2,441		2,120
Other derivative instruments:
Equity warrant assets	Other assets	198,864		124,456			—		124,456			197,878		116,604			—		116,604
Other derivatives:
Client foreign exchange forwards	Other assets	772,019		45,284			9,658		35,626			801,487		28,954			2,370		26,584
Client foreign exchange forwards	Other liabilities	694,943		(44,527		)	—		(44,527		)	774,355		(27,647		)	—		(27,647		)
Client foreign currency options	Other assets	51,483		523			—		523			34,926		227			—		227
Client foreign currency options	Other liabilities	51,483		(523		)	—		(523		)	34,926		(227		)	—		(227		)
Client interest rate derivatives	Other assets	377,530		2,907			—		2,907			387,410		2,546			—		2,546
Client interest rate derivatives	Other liabilities	377,530		(3,166		)	—		(3,166		)	387,410		(2,748		)	—		(2,748		)
Net exposure				498			9,658		(9,160		)			1,105			2,370		(1,265		)
Net				$	137,305		$	17,766	$	119,539				$	126,879		$	7,781	$	119,098


(1)	Cash collateral received from our counterparties in relation to market value exposures of derivative contracts in our favor is recorded as a component of “short-term borrowings” on our consolidated balance sheets.


(2)	Net exposure for contracts in a gain position reflects the replacement cost in the event of nonperformance by all such counterparties. The credit ratings of our institutional counterparties as of March 31, 2015 remain at investment grade or higher and there were no material changes in their credit ratings during the three months ended March 31, 2015.

A summary of our derivative activity and the related impact on our consolidated statements of income for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 is as follows:



		Three months ended March 31,
(Dollars in thousands)	Statement of income location	2015			2014
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate risks:
Net cash benefit associated with interest rate swaps	Interest expense—borrowings	$	638		$	639
Changes in fair value of interest rate swaps	Net gains on derivative instruments	(3		)	(12		)
Net gains associated with interest rate risk derivatives		$	635		$	627
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Currency exchange risks:
(Losses) gains on revaluations of foreign currency instruments	Other noninterest income	$	(20,159	)	$	978
Gains (losses) on internal foreign exchange forward contracts, net	Net gains on derivative instruments	20,018			(1,029		)
Net losses associated with currency risk		$	(141	)	$	(51	)
Other derivative instruments:
Net gains on equity warrant assets	Net gains on derivative instruments	$	20,278		$	25,373
(Losses) gains on client foreign exchange forward contracts, net	Net gains on derivative instruments	$	(507	)	$	302
Net losses on other derivatives (1)	Net gains on derivative instruments	$	(57	)	$	(467	)


(1)	Primarily represents the change in fair value of loan conversion options.

Balance Sheet Offsetting

Certain of our derivative and other financial instruments are subject to enforceable master netting arrangements with our counterparties. These agreements provide for the net settlement of multiple contracts with a single counterparty through a single payment, in a single currency, in the event of default on or termination of any one contract.

The following table summarizes our assets subject to enforceable master netting arrangements as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:



								Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Statement of Financial Position But Subject to Master Netting Arrangements
(Dollars in thousands)	Gross Amounts of Recognized Assets		Gross Amounts offset in the Statement of Financial Position			Net Amounts of Assets Presented in the Statement of Financial Position		Financial Instruments			Cash Collateral Received			Net Amount
March 31, 2015
Derivative Assets:
Interest rate swaps	$	4,340	$	—		$	4,340	$	(1,370	)	$	(2,970	)	$	—
Foreign exchange forwards	53,972		—			53,972		(24,627		)	(14,796		)	14,549
Foreign currency options	806		(283		)	523		(253		)	—			270
Client interest rate derivatives	2,907		—			2,907		(2,907		)	—			—
Total derivative assets:	62,025		(283		)	61,742		(29,157		)	(17,766		)	14,819
Reverse repurchase, securities borrowing, and similar arrangements	236,027		—			236,027		(236,027		)	—			—
Total	$	298,052	$	(283	)	$	297,769	$	(265,184	)	$	(17,766	)	$	14,819
December 31, 2014
Derivative Assets:
Interest rate swaps	$	4,609	$	—		$	4,609	$	(1,639	)	$	(2,970	)	$	—
Foreign exchange forwards	34,004		—			34,004		(17,843		)	(4,811		)	11,350
Foreign currency options	501		(274		)	227		(144		)	—			83
Client interest rate derivatives	2,546		—			2,546		(2,546		)	—			—
Total derivative assets:	41,660		(274		)	41,386		(22,172		)	(7,781		)	11,433
Reverse repurchase, securities borrowing, and similar arrangements	95,611		—			95,611		(95,611		)	—			—
Total	$	137,271	$	(274	)	$	136,997	$	(117,783	)	$	(7,781	)	$	11,433

The following table summarizes our liabilities subject to enforceable master netting arrangements as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:



								Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Statement of Financial Position But Subject to Master Netting Arrangements
(Dollars in thousands)	Gross Amounts of Recognized Liabilities		Gross Amounts offset in the Statement of Financial Position			Net Amounts of Liabilities Presented in the Statement of Financial Position		Financial Instruments			Cash Collateral Pledged		Net Amount
March 31, 2015
Derivative Liabilities:
Foreign exchange forwards	$	45,204	$	—		$	45,204	$	(8,467	)	$	—	$	36,737
Foreign currency options	806		(283		)	523		(270		)	—		253
Client interest rate derivatives	3,166		—			3,166		(3,166		)	—		—
Total derivative liabilities:	49,176		(283		)	48,893		(11,903		)	—		36,990
Repurchase, securities lending, and similar arrangements	—		—			—		—			—		—
Total	$	49,176	$	(283	)	$	48,893	$	(11,903	)	$	—	$	36,990
December 31, 2014
Derivative Liabilities:
Foreign exchange forwards	$	28,136	$	—		$	28,136	$	(16,808	)	$	—	$	11,328
Foreign currency options	501		(274		)	227		(83		)	—		144
Client interest rate derivatives	2,748		—			2,748		(2,748		)	—		—
Total derivative liabilities:	31,385		(274		)	31,111		(19,639		)	—		11,472
Repurchase, securities lending, and similar arrangements	—		—			—		—			—		—
Total	$	31,385	$	(274	)	$	31,111	$	(19,639	)	$	—	$	11,472