Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation: The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida and its subsidiaries (the "Company") have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020 or any other period. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates: The preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements requires management to make judgments in the application of certain of its accounting policies that involve significant estimates and assumptions. The Company has established policies and control procedures that are intended to ensure valuation methods are well controlled and applied consistently from period to period. These estimates and assumptions, which may materially affect the reported amounts of certain assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, are based on information available as of the date of the financial statements, and changes in this information over time and the use of revised estimates and assumptions could materially affect amounts reported in subsequent financial statements. Specific areas, among others, requiring the application of management’s estimates include determination of the allowance for credit losses, acquisition accounting and purchased loans, intangible assets and impairment testing, other fair value adjustments, income taxes and realization of deferred tax assets and contingent liabilities.

Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements and Recently Issued Accounting Standards, Not Yet Adopted

Adoption of new accounting pronouncements:

On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification Topic 326 Financial Instruments - Credit Losses ("ASC Topic 326") which replaces the incurred loss methodology with an expected loss methodology that is referred to as the current expected credit loss ("CECL") methodology. The measurement of expected credit losses under the CECL methodology is applicable to financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loan receivables and held-to-maturity ("HTM") debt securities. It also applies to off-balance sheet credit exposure such as loan commitments, standby letters of credit, financial guarantees and other similar instruments. In addition, ASC Topic 326 changed the accounting for impairment of available-for-sale ("AFS") debt securities.

The Company adopted ASC Topic 326 using the modified retrospective method for all financial assets measured at amortized cost and off-balance sheet credit exposures. Results for the reporting period beginning after January 1, 2020 are presented under ASC Topic 326 while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with previously applicable GAAP. The following table reflects the cumulative effect of adoption:

(in thousands)	December 31, 2019		CECL adoption impact			January 1, 2020
Loans	$	5,198,404	$	(706	)	$	5,197,698
Allowance for credit losses	35,154		21,226			56,380
Reserve for unfunded commitments	140		1,837			1,977
Deferred tax assets	16,457		(5,481		)	10,976
Retained earnings	195,813		(16,876		)	178,937

ASC Topic 326 introduced new definitions and criteria for categorizing purchased loans. Loans that, as of the date of acquisition, have experienced a more-than-insignificant deterioration in credit quality since origination are classified as purchased credit deteriorated ("PCD"). Acquired loans which do not meet the definition of PCD are classified by the Company as acquired non-PCD. At the date of adoption, the Company reclassified all loans previously classified as purchased credit impaired ("PCI") to PCD, and increased the allowance by $0.7 million with a corresponding adjustment to these loans' amortized cost basis. The remaining noncredit discount on loans previously classified as PCI was $0.9 million, which will be accreted into interest income over the remaining life of the loans.

Under CECL, the Company estimates the allowance using relevant available information, from both internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Historical credit losses provide the basis for estimation of expected credit losses. Adjustments to historical loss information are made for differences in current loan-specific risk characteristics such as differences in underwriting standards, portfolio mix, delinquency level, loan to value ratios, borrower credit characteristics, loan seasoning or term as well as for changes in environmental conditions, such as changes in unemployment rates, property values, occupancy rates, and other macroeconomic metrics.

For loans analyzed on a collective basis, the Company has developed an allowance model based on an analysis of probability of default ("PD") and loss given default ("LGD") to determine an expected loss by loan segment. PDs and LGDs are developed by analyzing the average historical loss migration of loans to default. The Company excludes accrued interest on loans from its determination of allowance.

The allowance estimation process also applies an economic forecast scenario over a three year forecast period. The forecast may utilize one scenario or a composite of scenarios based on management's judgment and expectations around the current and future macroeconomic outlook. Expected credit losses are estimated over the contractual term of the loans, adjusted for expected prepayments when appropriate. The contractual term excludes expected extensions, renewals, and modification unless either of the following applies: management has a reasonable expectation at the reporting date that a troubled debt restructuring ("TDR") will be executed with an individual borrower, or the extension or renewal options are explicitly stated in the contract and are not unconditionally under the control of the Company. For portfolio segments with a weighted average life longer than three years, the Company reverts to longer term historical loss experience, adjusted for prepayments, to estimate losses over the remaining life of the loans within each segment.

Adjustments may be made to baseline reserves based on an assessment of internal and external influences on credit quality not fully reflected in the quantitative components of the allowance model. These influences may include elements such as changes in concentration, macroeconomic conditions, recent observable asset quality trends, staff turnover, regional market conditions, employment levels and loan growth. Based upon management's assessments of these factors, the Company may apply qualitative adjustments to the allowance.

Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis. Loans evaluated individually are not also included in the collective evaluation. Loans evaluated individually are collateral dependent and primarily secured by real estate. When management determines that foreclosure is probable, expected credit losses are based on the fair value of the collateral at the reporting date, adjusted for selling costs as appropriate.

A loan for which the terms have been modified resulting in a concession, and for which the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty, is considered to be a TDR. The allowance for credit losses on a TDR is measured using the same method as all other loans held for investment, except when the value of a concession cannot be measured using a method other than the discounted cash flow method. When the value of a concession is measured using the discounted cash flow method, the allowance for credit losses is determining by discounting the expected future cash flows at the original interest rate of the loan.

The Company estimates a reserve for unfunded commitments, which is reported separately from the allowance for credit losses within other liabilities. The reserve is based upon the same quantitative and qualitative factors applied to the collectively evaluated loan portfolio.

All HTM debt securities are issued by government sponsored entities, which are either explicitly or implicitly guaranteed by the U.S. government and have a long history of no credit losses. In addition, the credit rating on all the Company's HTM debt securities as of the date of adoption is AA+. There is no history of the government withholding or limiting support to these agencies, nor is there any indication of change to that historical support. While the potential for default on these securities may be something greater than zero, the long history with no credit losses, the implied government guarantee of principal and interest payments and the high credit rating of the HTM portfolio provide sufficient basis for the current expectation that there is zero risk of loss if default were to occur. As a result, the Company recorded no allowance for HTM debt securities with a fair value less than amortized cost basis at the date of adoption.

ASC Topic 326 amended the existing other-than-temporary-impairment guidance for AFS securities, requiring credit losses to be recorded as an allowance rather than through a permanent write-down. When evaluating AFS debt securities under ASC Topic 326, the Company has evaluated whether the decline in fair value is attributed to credit losses or other factors using both quantitative and qualitative analyses, including cash flow analysis, review of credit ratings, remaining payment terms, prepayment speeds and analysis of macro-economic conditions. At the date of adoption, collateralized loan obligations had unrealized losses of $1.2 million. The collateral for these securities is first lien senior secured corporate debt, and the Company holds senior tranches rated A or higher. Based on this analysis, the Company believes that the unrealized loss position for AFS debt securities at the time of adoption was the result of both broad investment type spreads and the current rate environment. Each investment is expected to

recover its price depreciations over its holding period as it moves to maturity and the Company has the intent and ability to hold these securities to maturity if necessary. As a result of this evaluation, the Company concluded that no allowance was appropriate.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848). The guidance provides accounting relief for contract modifications that replace an interest rate impacted by reference rate reform (e.g., London Inter-bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR")) with a new alternative reference rate. The guidance is applicable to investment securities, receivables, loans, debt, leases, derivatives and hedge accounting elections and other contractual arrangements. The Company applied the guidance prospectively beginning April 1, 2020, and expects no material impact on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.