SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Significant Accounting Policies:

The significant accounting policies used in preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements are disclosed in our 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Those significant accounting policies remain unchanged at September 30, 2019, except as described below:

Leases

We account for our leases in accordance with ASC 842 - Leases. Most of our leases are recognized on the balance sheet by recording a right-of-use asset and lease liability for each lease. The right-of-use asset represents the right to use the asset under lease for the lease term, and the lease liability represents the contractual obligation to make lease payments. The right-of-use asset is tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

As a lessee, WSFS enters into operating leases for certain bank branches, office space, and office equipment. The right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are initially recognized based on the net present value of the remaining lease payments which include renewal options where management is reasonably certain they will be exercised. The net present value is determined using the incremental collateralized borrowing rate at commencement date. The right-of-use asset is measured at the amount of the lease liability adjusted for any prepaid rent, lease incentives and initial direct costs incurred. The right-of-use asset and lease liability is amortized over the individual lease terms. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

As a lessor, WSFS provides direct financing to our customers through our equipment and small-business leasing business. Direct financing leases are recorded at the aggregate of minimum lease payments net of unamortized deferred lease origination fees and costs and unearned income. Interest income on direct financing leases is recognized over the term of the lease. Origination fees and costs are deferred, and the net amount is amortized to interest income over the estimated life of the lease.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

Accounting Guidance Adopted in 2019

ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842): In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This ASU revises lessee accounting. Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset for substantially all leases. The new lease guidance also simplifies the accounting for sale and leaseback transactions primarily because lessees must recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. ASU 2016-02 is effective for the first interim period within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. Adoption using the comparative modified retrospective transition approach is required; however, in July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases-Targeted Improvements, which provides an optional transition method whereby comparative periods presented in the financial statements in the period of adoption do not need to be restated under Topic 842. The Company adopted this guidance and its related amendments on January 1, 2019 using the transition option in ASU 2018-11 and the results of this adoption are recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. See Note 9 for additional disclosures resulting from our adoption of this standard.

ASU No. 2019-01, Leases (Topic 842), Codification Improvements: Subsequent to adopting ASU 2016-02, in March 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-01, Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements, which makes targeted changes to lessor accounting and clarifies interim transition disclosure requirements upon adopting Topic 842. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this guidance on March 31, 2019. See Note 9 for additional disclosures resulting from our adoption of this standard.

ASU No. 2017-08, Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities: In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-08, Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities. The new guidance requires the amortization period for certain non-contingent callable debt securities held at a premium to end at the earliest call date of the debt security. If the call option is not exercised at the earliest call date, the guidance requires the debt security's effective yield to be reset based on the contractual payment terms of the debt security. The guidance is effective in annual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. Use of the modified retrospective method, with a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings is required. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2019, on a modified retrospective basis and the adoption did not have an effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

ASU No. 2017-12, Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities (Topic 815): In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities (Topic 815). The new guidance changes both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and simplifies the presentation of hedge results. Specifically, the guidance eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness and aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of the hedging instrument and the hedged item in the financial statements. Further, the new guidance provides entities the ability to apply hedge accounting to additional hedging strategies as well as permits a one-time reclassification of eligible to be hedged instruments from held to maturity to available for sale upon adoption. The guidance is effective in annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. Adoption using the modified retrospective approach is required for hedging relationships that exist as of the date of adoption; presentation and disclosure requirements are applied prospectively. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2019, on a modified retrospective basis for existing hedging relationships and on a prospective basis for presentation and disclosure requirements. The adoption of this standard did not have an effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements. See Note 15 for additional disclosures resulting from our adoption of this standard.

ASU No. 2018-16, Derivatives and Hedging - Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financial Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes (Topic 815): In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-16, Derivatives and Hedging - Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financial Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes (Topic 815). The new guidance applies to all entities that elect to apply hedge accounting to benchmark interest rate hedges under Topic 815. It permits the use of the OIS rate based on SOFR as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes in addition to the existing applicable rates. The guidance is required to be adopted concurrently with ASU 2017-12, on a prospective basis for qualifying new or redesignated hedging relationships entered into on or after adoption. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2019 on a prospective basis and the adoption did not have an effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Accounting Guidance Pending Adoption at September 30, 2019

ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326). ASU 2016-13 replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current GAAP with the current expected credit losses (CECL) methodology and requires consideration of a broader range of information to determine credit loss estimates. Financial assets measured at amortized cost will be presented at the net amount expected to be collected by using an allowance for credit losses. Purchased credit impaired assets will receive an allowance account at the acquisition date that represents a component of the purchase price allocation. Credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities will be recorded through an allowance for credit losses, with such allowance limited to the amount by which fair value is below amortized cost. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, which clarifies that receivables arising from operating leases are not within the scope of Topic 326. In December 2018, regulators issued a final rule related to regulatory capital (Regulatory Capital Rule: Implementation and Transition of the Current Expected Credit Losses Methodology for Allowances and Related Adjustments to the Regulatory Capital Rule and Conforming Amendments to Other Regulations) which is intended to provide regulatory capital relief to entities transitioning to CECL. In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-05, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Targeted Transition Relief, which provides entities the option to irrevocably elect the fair value option on financial instruments within the scope of both ASC 326-20 and ASC 825-10 upon adoption of ASU 2016-13.

This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2020. The adoption of this guidance will affect our accounting for loans, leases, purchased financial assets, debt securities, and unfunded commitments. A cross-functional team from Finance, Credit, and Information Technology is leading the implementation efforts, and continue to assess the impact of this guidance on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements, internal systems, accounting policies, processes and related internal controls. We have completed the implementation of our software solution and a third-party specialist has completed an independent model review of the solution. Further, we have defined our loan portfolio categories, credit loss methodologies, reasonable and supportable forecast and reversion periods. Our implementation efforts continue to focus on our comprehensive evaluation of model outputs based on the implementation decisions made to date, as well as defining the framework and evaluating the impact of qualitative adjustment factors, and refining our allowance for credit losses (ACL) governance framework. We are in the process of finalizing our accounting policies and reporting requirements under the guidance as well as implementation and transition rules issued by regulators. As necessary, we will continue to consult with third-party experts and specialists to assist with our adoption efforts.

Our implementation efforts to date suggest that adoption may materially increase the allowance for credit losses and decrease capital levels; however, the extent of these impacts will depend on the composition and asset quality of the portfolio, macroeconomic conditions, and continued refinement of significant estimates and judgments by management at the time of adoption.

ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement Disclosure Framework: In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement Disclosure Framework, which amends ASC 820 - Fair Value Measurement. The new guidance modifies, adds and removes certain disclosures aimed to improve the overall usefulness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The guidance is effective in annual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. Adoption is required on either a prospective or retrospective basis, depending on the amendment. The Company does not expect the application of this guidance to have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation-Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans-General (Topic 715): In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation-Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans-General (Topic 715) which applies to all employers that provide defined benefit pension or other postretirement benefit plans for their employees. The new guidance modifies, adds and removes certain disclosures aimed to improve the overall usefulness of the disclosure requirements to financial statement users. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. Use of the retrospective method is required. The Company does not expect the application of this guidance to have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Topic 350): In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Topic 350). The new guidance provides clarity on capitalizing and expensing implementation costs for cloud computing arrangements in a service contract. If an implementation cost is capitalized, the cost should be recognized over the noncancellable term and periodically assessed for impairment. The guidance is effective in annual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. Adoption can be applied retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. Our preliminary review of this guidance to date suggests that adoption may result in a material amount of implementation costs being deferred; however, the extent of the impact will depend on the cloud computing implementations occurring at the time of adoption.

ASU No. 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments: In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments. The new guidance amends ASU 2016-13 to address topics related to accrued interest receivables, recoveries, disclosures, and provides certain other clarifications. The new guidance also amends ASU 2017-12 to provide clarification on certain hedge accounting topics and transition requirements. Lastly, the new guidance amends ASU 2016-01 to add clarifying guidance when using the measurement alternative under ASC 820, among certain other clarifications. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. Adoption is required on a prospective, modified-retrospective or retrospective basis, depending on the amendment. The Company will evaluate the amendments to ASU 2016-13 in conjunction with our overall evaluation of ASU 2016-13. For other amendments within this guidance, the Company does not expect the application of this guidance to have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.