2.2.0.25falsefalse109 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentationtruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $eol_PE9839----1110-Q0003_STD_90_20110331_0http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000719739duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00iso4217_USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170iso4217_USD_per_sharesDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0USDUSD$5false0sivb_BasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesTextBlocksivbfalsenadurationThis note provides a description of the entity's business, basis for presentation and significant accounting policies....falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00<div> 1. Basis of Presentation SVB Financial Group (“SVB Financial” or the “Parent”) is a diversified financial services company, as well as a bank holding company and financial holding company. SVB Financial was incorporated in the state of Delaware in March 1999. Through our various subsidiaries and divisions, we offer a variety of banking and financial products and services to support our clients through all stages of their life cycles. In these notes to our unaudited interim consolidated financial statements, when we use or refer to “SVB Financial Group,” “SVBFG,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us” or other similar words, we mean SVB Financial Group and all of its subsidiaries collectively, including Silicon Valley Bank (the “Bank”), unless the context requires otherwise. When we use or refer to “SVB Financial” or the “Parent” we are referring only to the parent company, SVB Financial Group, unless the context requires otherwise. The accompanying interim consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal and recurring nature that are, in the opinion of management, necessary to fairly present our financial position, results of operations and cash flows in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Such interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any future periods. These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 (“2010 Form 10-K”). The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a consistent basis with the accounting policies described in Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Note 2-“Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” under Part II, Item 8 of our 2010 Form 10-K. The preparation of unaudited interim consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates may change as new information is obtained. Significant items that are subject to such estimates include the valuation of non-marketable securities, the allowance for loan losses, valuation of equity warrant assets, the recognition and measurement of income tax assets and liabilities, the adequacy of the reserve for unfunded credit commitments, and share-based compensation. Principles of Consolidation and Presentation Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of SVB Financial Group and entities in which we have a controlling financial interest. We determine whether we have a controlling financial interest in an entity by evaluating whether the entity is a voting interest entity or a variable interest entity. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Voting interest entities are entities that have sufficient equity and provide the equity investors voting rights that enable them to make significant decisions relating to the entity’s operations. For these types of entities, the Company’s determination of whether it has a controlling interest is based on ownership of the majority of the entities’ voting equity interest or through control of management of the entities. Variable interest entities (“VIEs”) are entities that, by design, either (1) lack sufficient equity to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties, or (2) have equity investors that do not have the ability to make significant decisions relating to the entity’s operations through voting rights, or do not have the obligation to absorb the expected losses, or do not have the right to receive the residual returns of the entity. We determine whether we have a controlling financial interest in a VIE by considering whether our involvement with the VIE is significant and designates us as the primary beneficiary based on the following:   <table style="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td width="4%"> </td> <td width="4%" valign="top" align="left">1.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">We have the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance; and,</td> </tr> </table>   <table style="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td width="4%"> </td> <td width="4%" valign="top" align="left">2.</td> <td align="left" valign="top">The aggregate indirect and direct variable interests held by the Company have the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could be significant to the VIE.</td> </tr> </table> Voting interest entities in which the Company has a controlling Financial interest or VIEs in which the Company is the primary beneficiary are consolidated into our financial statements. We have not provided financial or other support during the periods presented to any VIE that we were not previously contractually required to provide. We are variable interest holders in certain partnerships for which we are the primary beneficiary. We perform on-going reassessments of whether facts or circumstances have changed in relation to previously evaluated voting interest entities and our involvement in VIEs which could cause the Company’s consolidation conclusion to change.   Recent Accounting Pronouncements In April 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued a new accounting standard (ASU No. 2011-02), which requires new disclosures and provides additional guidance to creditors for determining whether a modification or restructuring of a receivable is a troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”). The new guidance will require creditors to evaluate modifications and restructurings of receivables using a more principles-based approach, which may result in more modifications and restructurings being considered TDR’s. The new disclosures and guidance are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after June 15, 2011, with retrospective disclosures required for all TDR activities that have occurred from the beginning of the annual period of adoption. This standard clarifies how TDR’s are determined and increases the disclosure requirements for TDR’s. We are currently assessing the impact of this guidance on our financial position, results of operations or stockholders’ equity. Reclassifications Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentations. </div>1. Basis of Presentation SVB Financial Group (“SVB Financial” or the “Parent”) is a diversified financial services company, asfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringThis note provides a description of the entity's business, basis for presentation and significant accounting policies. Additionally, this note describes new accounting pronouncements and their impact on the entity.No authoritative reference available.falsefalseBasis of Presentation11Basis of PresentationUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue