Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	(1)Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP) for complete financial statements. The consolidated unaudited financial statements of Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. (“Bancorp”) and its subsidiary reflect all adjustments (consisting only of adjustments of a normal recurring nature) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of financial condition and results of operations for the interim periods. The unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company (“Bank”). Significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. In preparing the unaudited consolidated financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of certain assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of related revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses, valuation of other real estate owned and income tax assets, and estimated liabilities and expense. A description of other significant accounting policies is presented in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 included in Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain reclassifications have been made in the prior year financial statements to conform to current year classifications. Interim results for the three month period ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year. Critical Accounting Policies Management has identified the accounting policy related to the allowance and provision for loan losses as critical to the understanding of Bancorp’s results of operations and discussed this conclusion with the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. Since the application of this policy requires significant management assumptions and estimates, it could result in materially different amounts to be reported if conditions or underlying circumstances were to change. Assumptions include many factors such as changes in borrowers’ financial condition which can change quickly or historical loss ratios related to certain loan portfolios which may or may not be indicative of future losses. To the extent that management’s assumptions prove incorrect, the results from operations could be materially affected by a higher or lower provision for loan losses. The accounting policy related to the allowance for loan losses is applicable to the commercial banking segment of Bancorp. The allowance for loan losses is management’s estimate of probable losses in the loan portfolio. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectability of a loan balance is confirmed. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance. Bancorp’s allowance calculation includes specific allowance allocations to loan portfolio segments at March 31, 2015 for qualitative factors including, among other factors, national and local economic and business conditions, the quality and experience of lending staff and management, changes in lending policies and procedures, changes in volume and severity of past due loans, classified loans and non-performing loans, potential impact of any concentrations of credit, changes in the nature and terms of loans such as growth rates and utilization rates, changes in the value of underlying collateral for collateral-dependent loans, considering Bancorp’s disposition bias, and the effect of other external factors such as the legal and regulatory environment. Bancorp may also consider other qualitative factors in future periods for additional allowance allocations, including, among other factors, changes in Bancorp’s loan review process. Changes in the criteria used in this evaluation or the availability of new information could cause the allowance to be increased or decreased in future periods. In addition, bank regulatory agencies, as part of their examination process, may require adjustments to the allowance for loan and lease losses based on their judgments and estimates. Bancorp utilizes the sum of all allowance amounts derived as described above as the appropriate level of allowance for loan and lease losses.

(1)Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP) for complete financial statements. The consolidated unaudited financial statements of Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. (“Bancorp”) and its subsidiary reflect all adjustments (consisting only of adjustments of a normal recurring nature) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of financial condition and results of operations for the interim periods.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company (“Bank”). Significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. In preparing the unaudited consolidated financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of certain assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of related revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses, valuation of other real estate owned and income tax assets, and estimated liabilities and expense.

A description of other significant accounting policies is presented in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 included in Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain reclassifications have been made in the prior year financial statements to conform to current year classifications.

Interim results for the three month period ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year.

Critical Accounting Policies

Management has identified the accounting policy related to the allowance and provision for loan losses as critical to the understanding of Bancorp’s results of operations and discussed this conclusion with the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. Since the application of this policy requires significant management assumptions and estimates, it could result in materially different amounts to be reported if conditions or underlying circumstances were to change. Assumptions include many factors such as changes in borrowers’ financial condition which can change quickly or historical loss ratios related to certain loan portfolios which may or may not be indicative of future losses. To the extent that management’s assumptions prove incorrect, the results from operations could be materially affected by a higher or lower provision for loan losses. The accounting policy related to the allowance for loan losses is applicable to the commercial banking segment of Bancorp.

The allowance for loan losses is management’s estimate of probable losses in the loan portfolio. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectability of a loan balance is confirmed. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance.

Bancorp’s allowance calculation includes specific allowance allocations to loan portfolio segments at March 31, 2015 for qualitative factors including, among other factors, national and local economic and business conditions, the quality and experience of lending staff and management, changes in lending policies and procedures, changes in volume and severity of past due loans, classified loans and non-performing loans, potential impact of any concentrations of credit, changes in the nature and terms of loans such as growth rates and utilization rates, changes in the value of underlying collateral for collateral-dependent loans, considering Bancorp’s disposition bias, and the effect of other external factors such as the legal and regulatory environment. Bancorp may also consider other qualitative factors in future periods for additional allowance allocations, including, among other factors, changes in Bancorp’s loan review process. Changes in the criteria used in this evaluation or the availability of new information could cause the allowance to be increased or decreased in future periods. In addition, bank regulatory agencies, as part of their examination process, may require adjustments to the allowance for loan and lease losses based on their judgments and estimates. Bancorp utilizes the sum of all allowance amounts derived as described above as the appropriate level of allowance for loan and lease losses.