Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

(1) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations

The consolidated financial statements include accounts of Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. (“Bancorp”) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company (“the Bank”). Significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to 2015 presentation. Bancorp has evaluated subsequent events for recognition or disclosure up to the date on which financial statements were issued and determined there were none.

In addition to traditional commercial and personal banking activities, Bancorp has an investment management and trust department offering a wide range of investment management, retirement planning, trust and estate administration and financial planning services. Bancorp’s primary market area is Louisville, Kentucky and surrounding communities including southern Indiana.  Other markets include Indianapolis, Indiana and Cincinnati, Ohio.   

Basis of Financial Statement Presentation and Use of Estimates

The consolidated financial statements of Bancorp and its subsidiaries have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“US GAAP”) and conform to predominant practices within the banking industry. In preparing the 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 determination of the allowance for loan losses, valuation of other real estate owned, and estimated income tax assets, liabilities and expense.

Cash Equivalents and Cash Flows

Cash and cash equivalents include cash and due from banks and Federal funds sold as segregated in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The following supplemental cash flow information addresses certain cash payments and noncash transactions for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015 as follows:

(in thousands)	Years ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2013
Cash payments:
Income tax payments	$	13,831	$	13,042	$	8,350
Cash paid for interest		4,856		5,327		9,210
Non-cash transactions:
Transfers from loans to other real estate owned	$	1,146	$	5,798	$	5,246

Securities

Securities available-for-sale include securities that may be sold in response to changes in interest rates, resultant prepayment risk and other factors related to interest rate and prepayment risk changes. Securities available-for-sale are carried at fair value with unrealized gains or losses, net of tax effect, included in stockholders’ equity. Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts are recorded using the interest method over the life of the security. Gains or losses on sales of securities are computed on a specific identification basis.  Declines in fair value of investment securities available-for-sale (with certain exceptions for debt securities noted below) that are deemed to be other-than-temporary are charged to earnings as a realized loss, and a new cost basis for the securities is established. In evaluating other-than-temporary impairment, management considers the length of time and extent to which fair value has been less than cost, financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and the intent and ability of Bancorp to retain its investment in the issuer for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in fair value in the near term. Declines in fair value of debt securities below amortized cost are deemed to be other-than-temporary in circumstances where: (1) Bancorp has the intent to sell a security; (2) it is more likely than not that Bancorp will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis; or (3) Bancorp does not expect to recover the entire amortized cost basis of the security. If Bancorp intends to sell a security or if it is more likely than not that Bancorp will be required to sell the security before recovery, an other-than-temporary impairment write-down is recognized in earnings equal to the difference between the security’s amortized cost basis and its fair value. If Bancorp does not intend to sell the security or it is not more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before recovery, the other-than-temporary impairment write-down is separated into an amount representing credit loss, which is recognized in earnings, and an amount related to all other factors, which is recognized in other comprehensive income. Declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary are included in other non-interest expense in the consolidated statements of income. See Note 4 to Bancorp’s consolidated financial statements for additional information on investment securities.

Mortgage Loans Held for Sale

Mortgage loans held for sale are initially recorded at the lower of cost or market value on an individual loan basis. The purchase price of all of these loans are covered by investor commitments.

Loans

Loans are stated at the unpaid principal balance plus deferred loan origination fees, net of deferred loan costs. Loan fees, net of any costs, are deferred and amortized over the life of the related loan on an effective yield basis.  Interest income on loans is recorded on the accrual basis except for those loans in a non-accrual income status. Loans are placed in a non-accrual income status when prospects for recovering both principal and accrued interest are considered doubtful or when a default of principal or interest has existed for 90 days or more unless such loan is well secured and in the process of collection. When a loan is placed on non-accrual status, any interest previously accrued but not yet collected is reversed against current income. Interest income is recorded on a cash basis during the period a loan is on non-accrual status so long as the recovery of principal is reasonably assured. Non-accrual loans may be returned to accrual status once prospects for recovering both principal and accrued interest are reasonably assured. Loans are accounted for as troubled debt restructuring when Bancorp, for economic or legal reasons related to the debtor’s financial difficulties, grants a concession to the debtor that it would not otherwise consider. If a loan is restructured at a market rate for a new loan with comparable risk, no principal forgiveness has been granted, and the loan is not impaired based on the terms specified by the restructuring agreement, it shall be removed from restructured status generally after six months of performance.

Loans are classified as impaired when it is probable Bancorp will be unable to collect interest and principal according to the terms of the loan agreement. These loans are measured based on the present value of future cash flows discounted at the loans’ effective interest rate or at the estimated fair value of the loans’ collateral, if applicable. Impaired loans consist of loans in non-accrual status or loans accounted for as troubled debt restructuring.

Allowance for Loan Losses

The allowance for loan losses is management’s estimate of probable losses inherent in the loan portfolio as of the balance sheet date. 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 methodology is driven by risk ratings, historical losses, and qualitative factors. 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. In the second quarter of 2015, Bancorp extended the historical period used to capture Bancorp’s historical loss ratios from 12 quarters to 24 quarters. Management believes the extension of the look-back period is appropriate to capture the impact of a full economic cycle and provides sufficient loss observations to develop a reliable estimate.

Bancorp’s allowance calculation includes allocations to loan portfolio segments for qualitative factors including, among other factors, local economic and business conditions, the quality and experience of lending staff and management, exceptions to lending policies, levels of and trends in past due loans and loan classifications, concentrations of credit such as collateral type, trends in portfolio growth, changes in the value of underlying collateral for collateral-dependent loans, effect of other external factors such as the national economic and business trends, and the quality and depth of the loan review function. Bancorp utilizes the sum of all allowance amounts derived as described above as the appropriate level of allowance for loan and lease losses. 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.

Based on this quantitative and qualitative analysis, provisions (credits) are made to the allowance for loan losses.  Such provisions (credits) are reflected as a charge against (benefit to) current earnings in Bancorp’s consolidated statements of income.

The adequacy of the allowance for loan losses is monitored by Executive Management and reported quarterly to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. This committee has approved the overall methodology. Various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the adequacy of Bancorp’s allowance for loan losses. Such agencies may require Bancorp to make additional provisions to the allowance based upon their judgments about information available to them at the time of their examinations.

The accounting policy related to the allowance for loan losses is applicable to the commercial banking segment of Bancorp. 

Acquired loans

Bancorp acquired loans in 2013 as part of the acquisition referenced in Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements. Acquired loans were initially recorded at their acquisition date fair values. Credit losses in the loans are included in the determination of the fair value of the loans at the acquisition date. Fair values for acquired loans were based on a discounted cash flow methodology that involves assumptions and judgments as to credit risk, default rates, loss severity, collateral values, discount rates, payment speeds, prepayment risk, and liquidity risk at the time of acquisition.

Acquired loans that had evidence of deterioration in credit quality since origination and for which it was probable, at acquisition, that Bancorp would be unable to collect all contractually required payments were specifically identified and analyzed. The excess of cash flows expected at acquisition over the estimated fair value is referred to as accretable discount and will be recognized as interest income over the remaining life of the loan. The difference between contractually required payments at acquisition and the cash flows expected to be collected at acquisition is referred to as non-accretable discount. Subsequent decreases to the expected cash flows require Bancorp to evaluate the need for an allowance for loan losses on these loans. Charge-offs of the principal amount on credit-impaired acquired loans would be first applied to non-accretable discount.

For acquired loans that are not deemed impaired at acquisition, the methods used to estimate the required allowance for loan losses for acquired loans is the same for originated loans except that any initial fair value adjustment is taken into consideration when calculating any required allowance.

Premises and Equipment

Premises and equipment are carried at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation of premises and equipment is computed using straight-line methods over the estimated useful lives of the assets ranging from 3 to 40 years. Leasehold improvements are amortized on the straight-line method over the terms of the related leases, including expected renewals, or over the useful lives of the improvements, whichever is shorter. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred while major additions and improvements are capitalized.

Other Assets

Bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”) is carried at net realizable value, which considers any applicable surrender charges. Also, Bancorp maintains life insurance policies other than BOLI in conjunction with its non-qualified defined benefit and non-qualified compensation plans.

Other real estate is carried at the lower of cost or estimated fair value minus estimated selling costs. Any write downs to fair value at the date of acquisition are charged to the allowance for loan losses. In certain situations, improvements to prepare assets for sale are capitalized if those costs increase the estimated fair value of the asset. Expenses incurred in maintaining assets, write downs to reflect subsequent declines in value, and realized gains or losses are reflected in operations and are included in non-interest income and expense.

MSRs are amortized in proportion to and over the period of estimated net servicing income, considering appropriate prepayment assumptions. MSRs are evaluated quarterly for impairment by comparing the carrying value to the fair value.

Goodwill is measured and evaluated at least annually for impairment. No impairment charges have been deemed necessary or recorded to date, as the fair value is substantially in excess of the carrying value.

Securities Sold Under Agreements to Repurchase

Bancorp enters into sales of securities under agreement to repurchase at a specified future date.  Such repurchase agreements are considered financing agreements and, accordingly, the obligation to repurchase assets sold is reflected as a liability in the consolidated balance sheets of Bancorp.  Repurchase agreements are collateralized by debt securities which are owned and under the control of Bancorp. These agreements are used in conjunction with collateralized corporate cash management accounts.

Income Taxes

Bancorp accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. The objective of the asset and liability method is to establish deferred tax assets and liabilities for temporary differences between the financial reporting and the tax bases of Bancorp’s assets and liabilities at enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when such amounts are realized or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the statement of income in the period that includes the enactment date.

Realization of deferred tax assets associated with the investment in partnerships is dependent upon generating sufficient taxable capital gain income prior to their expiration. A valuation allowance to reflect management’s estimate of the temporary deductible differences that may expire prior to their utilization has been recorded at year-end 2015 and 2014.

To the extent unrecognized income tax benefits become realized or the related accrued interest is no longer necessary, Bancorp’s provision for income taxes would be favorably impacted. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits was $40,000. If recognized, the tax benefits would reduce tax expense and accordingly, increase net income. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits may increase or decrease in the future for various reasons including adding amounts for current tax year positions, expiration of open income tax returns due to statutes of limitation, changes in management’s judgment about the level of uncertainty, status of examination, litigation and legislative activity and the addition or elimination of uncertain tax positions. Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary file consolidated income tax returns in applicable jurisdictions.

Bancorp’s policy is to report interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the amount accrued for the potential payment of interest and penalties was $2,000.

Bancorp invests in certain partnerships that yield low-income housing, historic and new market tax credits as well as tax deductible losses. Prior to 2014, the tax benefits and related investment amortization expenses for low-income housing credits were recognized in income tax expense using an effective yield method over the life of the investment. Beginning with periods after 2013, the tax benefits and related investment amortization expenses for low-income housing credits are recognized in income tax expense using a proportional method which amortizes the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received. In 2014, the amortization method for investments in new markets and historic tax credit partnerships was changed from the effective yield method to the cost method, which matches the amortization period with the time frame over which the credits are realized and amortization expense is recorded as other non-interest expense.

Net Income Per Share

Basic net income per common share is determined by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding. Diluted net income per share is determined by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding plus the weighted average number of shares that would be issued upon exercise of dilutive options and stock appreciation rights, assuming proceeds are used to repurchase shares under the treasury stock method. 

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income is defined as the change in equity (net assets) of a business enterprise during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources.  For Bancorp, this includes net income, changes in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale investment securities and cash flow hedging instruments, net of reclassification adjustments and taxes, and minimum pension liability adjustments, net of taxes.

Segment Information

Bancorp provides a broad range of financial services to individuals, corporations and others through its 37 full service banking locations as of December 31, 2015.  These services include loan and deposit services, cash management services, securities brokerage activities, mortgage origination and investment management and trust activities.  Bancorp’s operations are considered by management to be aggregated in two reportable operating segments: commercial banking and investment management and trust.

Stock-Based Compensation

For all awards, stock-based compensation expense is recognized over the period in which it is earned based on the fair value of the portion of stock-based payment awards that are ultimately expected to vest, reduced for estimated forfeitures. US GAAP requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.

Derivatives

Bancorp uses derivative financial instruments as part of its interest rate risk management, including interest rate swaps. US GAAP establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments and hedging activities. As required by US GAAP, Bancorp’s interest rate swaps are recognized as other assets and liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet at fair value. Accounting for changes in the fair value of derivatives depends on the intended use of the derivative and the resulting designation. Derivatives used to hedge exposure to variability in expected future cash flows, or other types of forecasted transactions, are considered cash flow hedges. To qualify for hedge accounting, Bancorp must comply with detailed rules and documentation requirements at inception of the hedge, and hedge effectiveness is assessed at inception and periodically throughout the life of each hedging relationship. Hedge ineffectiveness, if any, is measured periodically throughout the life of the hedging relationship.

For derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of changes in fair value of the derivative is initially reported in other comprehensive income and subsequently reclassified to interest income or expense when the hedged transaction affects earnings, while the ineffective portion of changes in fair value of derivative, if any, is recognized immediately in other noninterest income. Bancorp assesses effectiveness of each hedging relationship by comparing the cumulative changes in cash flows of the derivative hedging instrument with the cumulative changes in cash flows of the designated hedged item or transaction. No component of the change in the fair value of the hedging instrument is excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness.

Bancorp offers interest rate swaps to customers desiring long-term fixed rate lending whereby Bancorp receives interest at a fixed rate and pays interest at a variable rate. Simultaneously, Bancorp enters into an interest rate swap agreement with an unrelated counterparty whereby Bancorp pays interest at a fixed rate and receives interest at a variable rate. Because of matching terms of offsetting contracts and the collateral provisions mitigating any non-performance risk, changes in fair value subsequent to initial recognition have an insignificant effect on earnings. Because these derivative instruments have not been designated as hedging instruments, the derivative instruments are recognized on the consolidated balance sheet at fair value, with changes in fair value, due to changes in prevailing interest rates, recorded in other noninterest income.

Bancorp had no fair value hedging relationships at December 31, 2015 or 2014. Bancorp does not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes.

See Note 22 to the consolidated financial statement for more information regarding derivatives.