Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Basis of Presentation [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Citizens Financial Services, Inc. (individually and collectively with its direct and indirect subsidiaries, the “Company”) is a Pennsylvania corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary is CZFS Acquisition Company, LLC. CZFS Acquisition Company, LLC is the holding company of its wholly owned subsidiary, First Citizens Community Bank (the “Bank”), and of the Bank’s wholly owned subsidiaries, First Citizens Insurance Agency, Inc. (“First Citizens Insurance”) and 1^st Realty of PA LLC (“Realty”).

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.  Because this report is based on an interim period, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles have been condensed or omitted.  Certain of the prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current year presentation.  Such reclassifications had no effect on net income or stockholders’ equity.  All material inter‑company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

In the opinion of management of the Company, the accompanying interim consolidated financial statements at March 31, 2023 and for the periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 include all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial condition and the results of operations at the dates and for the periods presented. In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the balance sheet and of revenues and expenses for the periods covered by the Consolidated Statement of Income. The financial performance reported for the Company for the three month period ended March 31, 2023 is not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.  This information should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

Accounting Pronouncements Adopted in 2023

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” and subsequent related updates. This ASU replaces the incurred loss methodology for recognizing credit losses and requires businesses and other organizations to measure the current expected credit losses (CECL) on financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loans and held-to-maturity securities, net investments in leases, off-balance sheet credit exposures such as unfunded commitments, and other financial instruments. In addition, ASC 326 requires credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities to be presented as an allowance rather than as a write-down when management does not intend to sell or believes that it is not more likely than not they will be required to sell. This guidance became effective on January 1, 2023 for the Bank. The results reported for periods beginning after January 1, 2023 are presented under ASC 326 while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with previously applicable accounting standards.

The Bank adopted this guidance, and subsequent related updates, using the modified retrospective approach for all financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loans and held-to-maturity debt securities, available-for-sale debt securities and unfunded commitments. On January 1, 2023, the Bank recorded a cumulative effect increase to retained earnings of $1.8 million, net of tax, of which $3.3 million related to loans and ($1.1) million related to unfunded commitments.

The Bank adopted the provisions of ASC 326 related to financial assets purchased with credit deterioration (PCD) that were previously classified as purchased credit impaired (PCI) and accounted for under ASC 310-30 using the prospective transition approach. In accordance with the standard, management did not reassess whether PCI assets met the criteria of PCD assets as of the date of adoption.

The Bank expanded the pooling utilized under the legacy incurred loss method to include additional segmentation based on risk. The impact of the change from the incurred loss model to the current expected credit loss model is detailed below (in thousands):

	January 1, 2023
	Pre-adoption		Adoption Impact			As Reported
Assets
Allowance for credit losses - loans
Real estate loans:
Residential	$	1,056	$	79		$	1,135
Commercial		10,120		(3,070	)		7,050
Agricultural		4,589		(1,145	)		3,444
Construction		801		(103	)		698
Consumer		135		1,040			1,175
Other commercial loans		1,040		(328	)		712
Other agricultural loans		489		(219	)		270
State and political subdivision loans		322		(280	)		42
Unallocated		-		726			726
Total	$	18,552	$	(3,300	)	$	15,252
Liabilities
Allowance for Credit Losses - Off-Balance Sheet credit Exposure	$	165	$	1,064		$	1,229

The Bank adopted the provisions of ASC 326 related to presenting other-than-temporary impairment on available-for-sale debt securities prior to January 1, 2023 using the prospective transition approach, though no such charges had been recorded on the securities held by the Bank as of the date of adoption.

In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-02, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures.” The amendments eliminate the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings by creditors that have adopted CECL and enhance the disclosure requirements for modifications of receivables made with borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. In addition, the amendments require disclosure of current period gross write-offs by year of origination for financing receivables and net investment in leases in the existing vintage disclosures. This ASU became effective on January 1, 2023 for the Corporation. The adoption of this ASU resulted in updated disclosures within our financial statements but otherwise did not have a material impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.

Loans

Loans

 A loan is classified as a modified loan to a borrower experiencing financial difficulty when a contractual loan modification in the form of principal forgiveness, an interest rate reduction, an other-than-significant payment delay or a term extension (or a combination thereof) has been granted to an existing borrower experiencing financial difficulties. The goal when modifying a credit is to establish a reasonable period of time to provide cash flow relief to customers experiencing cash flow difficulties. Accruing modified loans to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty are primarily comprised of loans on which interest is being accrued under the modified terms, and the loans are current or less than 90 days past due.

Loans and Leases - Prior to ASU No. 2022-02 Adoption

In situations where, for economic or legal reasons related to a borrower’s financial difficulties, management granted a concession for other than an insignificant period of time to the borrower that would not otherwise be considered, the related loan is classified as a Troubled Debt Restructuring (TDR). Management strives to identify borrowers in financial difficulty early and work with them to modify more affordable terms before their loan reaches nonaccrual status. These modified terms may include rate reductions, principal forgiveness, payment forbearance and other actions intended to minimize the economic loss and to avoid foreclosure or repossession of the collateral. In cases where borrowers are granted new terms that provide for a reduction of either interest or principal, management measures any impairment on the restructuring as noted above for impaired loans.

Allowance for Credit losses - Loans

Allowance for Credit losses – Loans

The allowance for credit losses (ACL) on loans and leases is a valuation account that is used to present the net amount expected to be collected on a loan or lease. The ACL for loans and leases is adjusted through provision for credit losses as a charge against, or credit to, earnings. Loans and leases deemed to be uncollectible are charged against the ACL on loans and leases, and any subsequent recoveries are credited to the ACL. Management evaluates the ACL on a quarterly basis. When changes in the reserve are necessary, an adjustment is made.

Management utilizes a discounted cash flow (DCF) model to calculate the present value of the expected cash flows for pools of loans and leases that share similar risk characteristics and compares the results of this calculation to the amortized cost basis to determine its allowance for credit loss balance.

Management uses relevant available information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts in calculating its ACL. Historical credit loss experience provides the basis for the estimation of expected credit losses. Management determines whether there is a need to make qualitative adjustments to historical loss information by monitoring certain factors including differences in current loan-specific risk characteristics as well as for changes in external or environmental conditions, or other relevant factors.

The contractual term used in projecting the cash flows of a loan is based on the maturity date of a loan, and is adjusted for prepayment or curtailment assumptions which may shorten that contractual time period. Options to extend are considered by management in determining the contractual term.

The key inputs to the DCF model are (1) probability of default, (2) loss given default, (3) prepayment and curtailment rates, (4) reasonable and supportable economic forecasts, (5) forecast reversion period, (6) expected recoveries on charged off loans, and (7) discount rate.

Probability of Default (PD)

In order to incorporate economic factors into forecasting within the DCF model, management elected to use the Loss Driver method to generate the PD rate inputs. The Loss Driver method analyzes how one or more economic factors change the default rate using a statistical regression analysis. Management selected economic factors that had strong correlations to historical default rates.

Loss Given Default (LGD)

Management elected to use the Frye Jacobs parameter for determining the LGD input, which is an estimation technique that derives a LGD input from segment specific risk curves that correlates LGD with PD.

Prepayment and Curtailment rates

Prepayment Rates: Loan level transaction data is used to calculate a semi-annual prepayment rate. Those semi-annual rates are annualized and the average of the annualized rates is used in the DCF calculation for fixed payment or term loans. Rates are calculated for each pool.

Curtailment Rates: Loan level transaction data is used to calculate annual curtailment rates using any available historical loan level data. The average of the historical rates is used in the DCF model for interest only payment or line of credit type loans. Rates are calculated for each pool.

Reasonable and Supportable Forecasts

The forecast data used in the DCF model is obtained via a subscription to a widely recognized and relied upon company who publishes various forecast scenarios. Management evaluates the various scenarios to determine a reasonable and supportable scenario.

Forecast Reversion Period

Management uses forecasts to predict how economic factors will perform and has determined to use a four quarter forecast period as well as a four quarter straight-line reversion period to historical averages (also commonly referred to as the mean reversion period).

Expected Recoveries on Charged-off Loans

Management performs an analysis to estimate recoveries that could be reasonably expected based on historical experience in order to account for expected recoveries on loans that have already been fully charged-off and are not included in the ACL calculation.

Discount Rate

The effective interest rate of the underlying loans and leases of the Corporation serves as the discount rate applied to the expected periodic cash flows. Management adjusts the effective interest rate used to discount expected cash flows to incorporate expected prepayments.

Individual Evaluation

Management evaluates individual instruments for expected credit losses when those instruments do not share similar risk characteristics with instruments evaluated using a collective (pooled) basis. Instruments will not be included in both collective and individual analyses. Individual analysis will establish a specific reserve for instruments in scope.

Management considers a financial asset as collateral-dependent when the debtor is experiencing financial difficulty and repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the sale or operation of the collateral, based on management’s assessment as of the reporting date.

Accrued Interest Receivable on Loans and Leases

Accrued Interest Receivable on Loans and Leases

Accrued interest receivable on loans held for investment totaled $4.7 million at March 31, 2023 and is included within Accrued interest receivable. This amount is excluded from the estimate of expected credit losses.

Reserve for Unfunded Commitments

Reserve for Unfunded Commitments

The Corporation maintains a reserve in other liabilities for off-balance sheet credit exposures such as unfunded commitments that are currently unfunded in categories with historical loss experience. Management calculates funding rates annually using loan level data history at the portfolio level. The applicable pool level loss rates for the is then applied to calculate the reserve for unfunded commitments liability each period.