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 swaps that arise as a result of hedge ineffectiveness are 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. 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 a variety of global currencies, 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."

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 December 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:



		December 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	$	2,768		$	—	$	2,768		$	45,964	$	4,609		$	2,970	$	1,639
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Currency exchange risks:
Foreign exchange forwards	Other assets	49,287		809			—		809			200,957		5,050			2,441		2,609
Foreign exchange forwards	Other liabilities	6,586		(669		)	—		(669		)	6,226		(489		)	—		(489		)
Net exposure				140			—		140					4,561			2,441		2,120
Other derivative instruments:
Equity warrant assets	Other assets	210,102		137,105			—		137,105			197,878		116,604			—		116,604
Other derivatives:
Client foreign exchange forwards	Other assets	935,514		29,722			1,900		27,822			801,487		28,954			2,370		26,584
Client foreign exchange forwards	Other liabilities	841,182		(24,978		)	—		(24,978		)	774,355		(27,647		)	—		(27,647		)
Client foreign currency options	Other assets	46,625		706			—		706			34,926		227			—		227
Client foreign currency options	Other liabilities	46,625		(706		)	—		(706		)	34,926		(227		)	—		(227		)
Client interest rate derivatives	Other assets	422,741		3,973			—		3,973			387,410		2,546			—		2,546
Client interest rate derivatives	Other liabilities	422,741		(4,384		)	—		(4,384		)	387,410		(2,748		)	—		(2,748		)
Net exposure				4,333			1,900		2,433					1,105			2,370		(1,265		)
Net				$	144,346		$	1,900	$	142,446				$	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 December 31, 2015 remain at investment grade or higher and there were no material changes in their credit ratings for the year ended December 31, 2015.

A summary of our derivative activity and the related impact on our consolidated statements of income for 2015, 2014 and 2013 is as follows:



		Year ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands)	Statement of income location	2015			2014			2013
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate risks:
Net cash benefit associated with interest rate swaps	Interest expense—borrowings	$	2,526		$	2,553		$	2,536
Changes in fair value of interest rate swaps	Net gains on derivative instruments	(20		)	(50		)	14
Net gains associated with interest rate risk derivatives		$	2,506		$	2,503		$	2,550
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Currency exchange risks:
(Losses) gains on revaluations of foreign currency instruments	Other noninterest income	$	(12,735	)	$	(21,636	)	$	3,016
Gains (losses) on internal foreign exchange forward contracts, net	Net gains on derivative instruments	12,377			21,598			(4,213		)
Net (losses) associated with currency risk		$	(358	)	$	(38	)	$	(1,197	)
Other derivative instruments:
Net gains on equity warrant assets	Net gains on derivative instruments	$	70,963		$	71,012		$	46,101
Gains (losses) on client foreign exchange forward contracts, net	Net gains on derivative instruments	$	694		$	5,081		$	(452	)
Net (losses) gains on other derivatives (1)	Net gains on derivative instruments	$	(209	)	$	(796	)	$	734


(1)	Derivative activity in 2014 and 2013 primarily represents the change in fair value of loan conversion options. We did not have any loan conversion options in 2015.

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 December 31, 2015 and 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
December 31, 2015
Derivative Assets:
Interest rate swaps	$	2,768	$	—		$	2,768	$	(2,768	)	$	—		$	—
Foreign exchange forwards	30,531		—			30,531		(18,141		)	(1,900		)	10,490
Foreign currency options	711		(5		)	706		(706		)	—			—
Client interest rate derivatives	3,973		—			3,973		(3,973		)	—			—
Total derivative assets:	37,983		(5		)	37,978		(25,588		)	(1,900		)	10,490
Reverse repurchase, securities borrowing, and similar arrangements	125,391		—			125,391		(125,391		)	—			—
Total	$	163,374	$	(5	)	$	163,369	$	(150,979	)	$	(1,900	)	$	10,490
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 December 31, 2015 and 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
December 31, 2015
Derivative Liabilities:
Foreign exchange forwards	$	25,647	$	—		$	25,647	$	(10,818	)	$	—	$	14,829
Foreign currency options	711		(5		)	706		—			—		706
Client interest rate derivatives	4,384		—			4,384		(4,384		)	—		—
Total derivative liabilities:	30,742		(5		)	30,737		(15,202		)	—		15,535
Repurchase, securities lending, and similar arrangements	—		—			—		—			—		—
Total	$	30,742	$	(5	)	$	30,737	$	(15,202	)	$	—	$	15,535
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