Derivative Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative Financial Instruments

Note 16 — Derivative Financial Instruments

We use certain derivative instruments to meet the needs of customers as well as to manage the interest rate risk associated with certain transactions. The following table summarizes the derivative financial instruments utilized by the Company:

				March 31, 2020						March 31, 2019
	Balance Sheet	Notional		Estimated Fair Value				Notional		Estimated Fair Value
(Dollars in thousands)	Location	Amount		Gain		Loss		Amount		Gain		Loss
Cash flow hedges of interest rate risk on Junior Subordinated Debt:
Pay fixed rate swap with counterparty	Other Liabilities	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	8,000	$	—	$	25
Cash flow hedges of interest rate risk on FHLB Advances:
Pay fixed rate swap with counterparty	Other Liabilities	$	700,000	$	—	$	43,025	$	500,000	$	217	$	2,902
Fair value hedge of interest rate risk:
Pay fixed rate swap with counterparty	Other Assets and Other Liabilities	$	2,738	$	—	$	472	$	2,799	$	—	$	108
Not designated hedges of interest rate risk:
Customer related interest rate contracts:
Matched interest rate swaps with borrowers	Other Assets and Other Liabilities	$	685,818	$	51,188	$	63	$	355,045	$	6,112	$	2,137
Matched interest rate swaps with counterparty	Other Assets and Other Liabilities	$	685,818	$	56	$	54,301	$	355,045	$	560	$	5,158
Not designated hedges of interest rate risk - mortgage banking activities:
Contracts used to hedge mortgage servicing rights	Other Assets and Other Liabilities	$	146,500	$	5,901	$	—	$	129,000	$	1,100	$	—
Forward sales commitments used to hedge mortgage pipeline	Other Assets	$	174,011	$	4,008	$	—	$	80,059	$	738	$	—
Total derivatives		$	2,394,885	$	61,153	$	97,861	$	1,429,948	$	8,727	$	10,330

Cash Flow Hedge of Interest Rate Risk

The Company is exposed to interest rate risk in the course of its business operations and manages a portion of this risk through the use of derivative financial instruments, in the form of interest rate swaps. We account for interest rate swaps that are classified as cash flow hedges in accordance with FASB ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, which requires that all derivatives be recognized as assets or liabilities on the balance sheet at fair value. We have three cash flow hedges as of March 31, 2020. We had one cash flow hedge mature during the second quarter of 2019. For more information regarding the fair value of our derivative financial instruments, see Note 14 to these financial statements.

Our cash flow hedge, in which we utilized an interest rate swap agreement to essentially convert a portion of our variable-rate debt to a fixed rate (cash flow hedge), matured June 15, 2019 and was no longer in existence at June 30, 2019. During 2009, we entered into a forward starting interest rate swap agreement with a notional amount of $8.0 million to manage interest rate risk due to periodic rate resets on its junior subordinated debt issued by SCBT Capital Trust II, an unconsolidated subsidiary of the Company established for the purpose of issuing trust preferred securities. We hedged the variable rate cash flows of subordinated debt against future interest rate increases by using an interest rate swap that effectively fixed the rate on the debt beginning on June 15, 2010, at which time the debt contractually converted from a fixed interest rate to a variable interest rate. The notional amount on which the interest payments were based was not exchanged. This derivatives contract called for us to pay a fixed rate of 4.06% on the $8.0 million notional amount and receive a variable rate of three-month LIBOR on the $8.0 million notional amount.

For the three remaining cash flow hedges, we utilize interest rate swap agreements to manage interest rate risk related to funding through short term FHLB advances. In March 2019, we entered into three-month FHLB advances for $350 million and $150 million for which at this time we plan to continuously renew. At the same time, we entered into interest rate swap agreements with a notional amount of $350 million and $150 million to manage the interest rate risk related to these FHLB advances. In June 2019, we entered into a three-month FHLB advance for $200 million for which at this time we plan to continuously renew. At the same time, we entered into an interest rate swap agreement with a notional amount of $200 million to manage the interest rate risk related to this FHLB advance. With our plan to continually renew and reprice the FHLB advances every three months, we are treating this funding as variable rate

funding. We are hedging the cash flows from these FHLB advances against future interest rate increases by using an interest rate swap that effectively fixed the rate on the debt. The notional amount on which the interest payments are based will not be exchanged related to these interest rate swaps. The derivative contract on the $350 million notional amount calls for us to pay a fixed rate of 2.44% and receive a variable rate of three-month LIBOR (1.12% at March 31, 2020). The derivative contract on the $150 million notional amount calls for us to pay a fixed rate of 2.21% and receive a variable rate of three-month LIBOR (1.37% at March 31, 2020). The derivative contract on the $200 million notational amount calls for us to pay a fixed rate of 1.89% and receive a variable rate of three-month LIBOR (1.46% at March 31, 2020). The hedge for $350 million expires on March 23, 2023, the hedge for $150 million expires on March 29, 2024, and the hedge for the $200 million expires on June 3, 2024.

For derivatives designated as hedging exposure to variable cash flows of a forecasted transaction (cash flow hedge), the derivative’s entire gain or loss is initially reported as a component of other comprehensive income and subsequently reclassified into earnings when the forecasted transaction affects earnings or when the hedge is terminated. For derivatives that are not designated as hedging instruments, changes in the fair value of the derivatives are recognized in earnings immediately.

For designated hedging relationships, we have a third party perform retrospective and prospective effectiveness testing on a quarterly basis using quantitative methods to determine if the hedge is still highly effective. Hedge accounting ceases on transactions that are no longer deemed highly effective, or for which the derivative has been terminated or de-designated.

We recognized an after-tax unrealized loss on our cash flow hedges in other comprehensive income of $22.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. This compares to an unrealized loss of $2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. We recognized a $43.0 million cash flow hedge liability in other liabilities on the balance sheet at March 31, 2020, as compared to a $217,000 cash flow hedge asset and $2.9 million cash flow hedge liability at March 31, 2019. There was no ineffectiveness in the cash flow hedge during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. (See Note 15 – Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) for activity in accumulated comprehensive income (loss) and the amounts reclassified into earnings related the cash flow hedges.)

Credit risk related to the derivative arises when amounts receivable from the counterparty (derivatives dealer) exceed those payable. We control the risk of loss by only transacting with derivatives dealers that are national market makers whose credit ratings are strong. Each party to the interest rate swap is required to provide collateral in the form of cash or securities to the counterparty when the counterparty’s exposure to a mark-to-market replacement value exceeds certain negotiated limits. These limits are typically based on current credit ratings and vary with ratings changes. As of March 31, 2020, we provided $52.4 million of collateral on the cash flow hedges on the FHLB advances which is also included in cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet as interest-bearing deposits with banks. Also, we have a netting agreement with the counterparties.

Balance Sheet Fair Value Hedge

We maintain one loan swap, with an aggregate notional amount of $2.7 million at March 31, 2020, accounted for as fair value hedges in accordance with ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging. This derivative protects us from interest rate risk caused by changes in the LIBOR curve in relation to a certain designated fixed rate loan. The derivative converts the fixed rate loan to a floating rate. Settlement occurs in any given period where there is a difference in the stated fixed rate and variable rate. The fair value of this hedge is recorded in either other assets or in other liabilities depending on the position of the hedge. All changes in fair value are recorded through earnings as noninterest income. There was no gain or loss recorded on this derivative for the three months ended March 31, 2020 or 2019.

Non-designated Hedges of Interest Rate Risk

Customer Swap

We maintain interest rate swap contracts with customers that are classified as non-designated hedges and are not speculative in nature. These agreements are designed to convert customer’s variable rate loans with the Company to fixed rate. These interest rate swaps are executed with loan customers to facilitate a respective risk management strategy and allow the customer to pay a fixed rate of interest to the Company. These interest rate swaps are simultaneously hedged by executing offsetting interest rate swaps with unrelated market counterparties to minimize the net risk

exposure to the Company resulting from the transactions and allow the Company to receive a variable rate of interest. The interest rate swaps pay and receive interest based on a floating rate based on one month LIBOR plus credit spread, with payments being calculated on the notional amount. The interest rate swaps are settled monthly with varying maturities.

As the interest rate swaps associated with this program do not meet the strict hedge accounting requirements, changes in the fair value of both the customer swaps and the offsetting swaps are recognized directly in earnings. As of March 31, 2020, the interest rate swaps had an aggregate notional amount of approximately $1.4 billion and the fair value of the interest rate swap derivatives are recorded in other assets at $51.2 million and in other liabilities at $54.4 million for a net liability position of $3.2 million, which was recorded through earnings. As of March 31, 2019, the interest rate swaps had an aggregate notional amount of approximately $710.1 million and the fair value of the interest rate swap derivatives are recorded in other assets at $6.7 million and in other liabilities at $7.3 million for a net liability position of $622,000. As of March 31, 2020, we provided $72.3 million of collateral on the customer swaps which is also included in cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet as interest-bearing deposits with banks.

Foreign Exchange

We also enter into foreign exchange contracts with customers to accommodate their need to convert certain foreign currencies into to U.S. Dollars. To offset the foreign exchange risk, we have entered into substantially identical agreements with an unrelated market counterparty to hedge these foreign exchange contracts. At March 31, 2020 and 2019, there were no outstanding contracts or agreements related to foreign currency. If there were foreign currency contracts outstanding March 31, 2020, the fair value of these contracts would be included in other assets and other liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet. All changes in fair value are recorded as other noninterest income. There was no gain or loss recorded related to the foreign exchange derivative for the three months ended March 31, 2020 or 2019.

Mortgage Banking

We also have derivatives contracts that are classified as non-designated hedges. These derivatives contracts are a part of our risk management strategy for our mortgage banking activities. These instruments may include financial forwards, futures contracts, and options written and purchased, which are used to hedge MSRs; while forward sales commitments are typically used to hedge the mortgage pipeline. Such instruments derive their cash flows, and therefore their values, by reference to an underlying instrument, index or referenced interest rate. We do not elect hedge accounting treatment for any of these derivative instruments and as a result, changes in fair value of the instruments (both gains and losses) are recorded in our consolidated statements of income in mortgage banking income.

Mortgage Servicing Rights

Derivatives contracts related to MSRs are used to help offset changes in fair value and are written in amounts referred to as notional amounts. Notional amounts provide a basis for calculating payments between counterparties but do not represent amounts to be exchanged between the parties, and are not a measure of financial risk. On March 31, 2020, we had derivative financial instruments outstanding with notional amounts totaling $146.5 million related to MSRs, compared to $129.0 million on March 31, 2019. The estimated net fair value of the open contracts related to the MSRs was recorded as a gain of $5.9 million at March 31, 2020, compared to a gain of $1.1 million at March 31, 2019.

Mortgage Pipeline

The following table presents our notional value of forward sale commitments and the fair value of those obligations along with the fair value of the mortgage pipeline.

(Dollars in thousands)	March 31, 2020		December 31, 2019		March 31, 2019
Mortgage loan pipeline	$	229,082	$	80,785	$	95,731
Expected closures		171,811		60,588		71,798
Fair value of mortgage loan pipeline commitments		6,490		1,160		1,364
Forward sales commitments		174,011		87,773		80,059
Fair value of forward commitments		(2,482)		(258)		(626)