Note 5 - Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Notes to Financial Statements

Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]

NOTE 5 - FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market for an asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. GAAP establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the use of inputs used in valuation methodologies into the following levels:

Level I: Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reported date.

Level II: Pricing inputs are other than the quoted prices in active markets, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reported date. The nature of these assets and liabilities includes items for which quoted prices are available but traded less frequently and items that are valued using other financial instruments, the parameters of which can be directly observed.

Level III: Assets and liabilities that have little to no pricing observability as of the reported date. These items do not have two-way markets and are measured using management’s best estimate of fair value, where the inputs into the determination of fair value require significant management judgment or estimation.

This hierarchy requires the use of observable market data when available.

The following tables present the assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis on the Consolidated Balance Sheet by level within the fair value hierarchy. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

			September 30, 2024
(Dollar amounts in thousands)	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Assets measured on a recurring basis:
Subordinated debt	$	-	$	25,883	$	6,650	$	32,533
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		-		129,467		-		129,467
Mortgage-backed securities in government-sponsored entities		-		7,895		-		7,895
Total investment securities available for sale		-		163,245		6,650		169,895
Equity securities		785		-		-		785
Total	$	785	$	163,245	$	6,650	$	170,680

			December 31, 2023
(Dollar amounts in thousands)	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Assets measured on a recurring basis:
Subordinated debt	$	-	$	23,118	$	8,801	$	31,919
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		-		132,542		-		132,542
Mortgage-backed securities in government-sponsored entities		-		6,318		-		6,318
Total investment securities available for sale		-		161,978		8,801		170,779
Equity securities		814		-		-		814
Total	$	814	$	161,978	$	8,801	$	171,593

Investment Securities Available for Sale

An independent pricing service provides the Company fair values determined by pricing models using a market approach that considers observable market data, such as interest rate volatilities, benchmarked yield curve, credit spreads and prices from market makers and live trading systems (Level II). Level III securities are assets whose fair value cannot be determined by using observable measures. The inputs to the valuation methodology of these securities are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement. Currently, this category includes certain subordinated debt investments that are valued based on the discounted cash flow approach assuming a yield curve of similarly structured instruments.

While the Company believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of specific financial instruments could result in a different estimate of fair value at the reporting date. Management uses its best judgment in estimating the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments; however, there are inherent weaknesses in any estimation technique. Therefore, for substantially all financial instruments, the fair value estimates herein are not necessarily indicative of the amounts the Company could have realized in a sales transaction on the dates indicated. The estimated fair value amounts have been measured as of their respective period-ends and have not been re-evaluated or updated for purposes of these financial statements subsequent to those respective dates. As such, the estimated fair values of these financial instruments following the respective reporting dates may be different from the amounts reported at each period-end.

Equity Securities - Equity securities that are traded on a national securities exchange are valued at their last reported sales price as of the measurement date. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets and listed securities for which no sale was reported on that date are generally valued at their last reported “bid” price if held long, and last reported “ask” price if sold short. To the extent equity securities are actively traded and valuation adjustments are not applied, they are categorized in Level I of the fair value hierarchy.

The following table presents the fair value reconciliation of Level III assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

	Subordinated debt
(Dollar amounts in thousands)	September 30, 2024			December 31, 2023
Beginning of year	$	8,801		$	8,737
Purchases, sales, settlements:
Purchases		-			1,000
Transfers out of Level III (1)		(2,250	)		(1,000	)
Net change in unrealized loss on investment securities available-for-sale		99			64
Balance at end of period	$	6,650		$	8,801

(1) Transfers between hierarchy levels are based on the availability of sufficient observable inputs to meet Level II versus Level III criteria. The level designation of each financial instrument is reassessed at the end of each period.

The following table presents the assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis on the Consolidated Balance Sheet by level within the fair value hierarchy.

			September 30, 2024
(Dollar amounts in thousands)	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Assets measured on a non-recurring basis:
Collateral-dependent loans	$	-	$	-	$	4,155	$	4,155

			December 31, 2023
(Dollar amounts in thousands)	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Assets measured on a non-recurring basis:
Collateral-dependent loans	$	-	$	-	$	3,361	$	3,361

Collateral-Dependent Loans – The Company has measured impairment on collateral-dependent individually analyzed loans generally based on the fair value of the loan’s collateral. Fair value is generally determined based on independent third-party appraisals of the properties. In some cases, management may adjust the appraised value due to the age of the appraisal, changes in market conditions, or observable deterioration of the property since the appraisal was completed. Additionally, management makes estimates about expected costs to sell the property, which are also included in the net realizable value. If the fair value of the collateral-dependent loan is less than the carrying amount of the loan, a specific reserve for the loan is made in the allowance for credit losses, or a charge-off is taken to reduce the loan to the fair value of the collateral (less estimated selling costs), and the loan is included in the above table as a Level III measurement in the period in which the adjustment is recorded. If the fair value of the collateral exceeds the carrying amount of the loan, then the loan is not included in the above table as it is not currently being carried at its fair value. The fair values in the preceding tables include selling costs of $1.1 million and $843,000 on  September 30, 2024, and  December 31, 2023, respectively.

The following table presents additional quantitative information about assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis and for which the Company uses Level III inputs to determine fair value.

	Quantitative Information about Level III Fair Value Measurements
(Dollar amounts in thousands)
	Fair Value Estimate		Valuation Techniques	Unobservable Input	Range (Weighted Average)
September 30, 2024
Collateral-dependent loans	$	4,155	Appraisal of collateral (1)	Appraisal adjustments (2)		10.4% - 23.9%

	Quantitative Information about Level III Fair Value Measurements
(Dollar amounts in thousands)
	Fair Value Estimate		Valuation Techniques	Unobservable Input	Range (Weighted Average)
December 31, 2023
Collateral-dependent loans	$	3,361	Appraisal of collateral (1)	Appraisal adjustments (2)		20.1	%

(1) Fair value is generally determined through independent appraisals of the underlying collateral, which generally include various level III inputs that are not identifiable, less any associated allowance.

(2) Appraisals may be adjusted by management for qualitative factors such as economic conditions and estimated liquidation expenses. The range and weighted average of liquidation expenses and other appraisal adjustments are presented as a percent of the appraisal.

The estimated fair value of the Company’s financial instruments not recorded at fair value on a recurring basis is as follows:

	September 30, 2024
	Carrying								Total
	Value		Level I		Level II		Level III		Fair Value
	(Dollar amounts in thousands)
Financial assets:
Net loans	$	1,482,005	$	-	$	-	$	1,436,941	$	1,436,941
Mortgage servicing rights		1,528						2,598		2,598
Financial liabilities:
Non-maturing deposits	$	1,185,538	$	1,185,538	$	-	$	-	$	1,185,538
Time deposits		327,231		-		-		326,913		326,913
Other borrowings		11,711		-		-		11,711		11,711

	December 31, 2023
	Carrying								Total
	Value		Level I		Level II		Level III		Fair Value
	(Dollar amounts in thousands)
Financial assets:
Net loans	$	1,456,437	$	-	$	-	$	1,370,657	$	1,370,657
Mortgage servicing rights		1,636						2,781		2,781
Financial liabilities:
Non-maturing deposits	$	1,092,287	$	1,092,287	$	-	$	-	$	1,092,287
Time deposits		334,315		-		-		331,638		331,638
Other borrowings		11,862		-		-		11,862		11,862

Included within other borrowings is an $8.2 million note payable, which matures in December 2037. These borrowings were used to form a special purpose entity to issue $8.0 million of floating rate, obligated mandatorily redeemable securities. The rate adjusts quarterly, equal to SOFR plus 1.67%. The borrowing is a floating rate instrument, and any difference between the cost and fair value is insignificant. 

In addition to the financial instruments included in the above tables, cash and cash equivalents, bank-owned life insurance, Federal Home Loan Bank (the “FHLB”) stock, other investments, accrued interest receivable, FHLB advances, finance lease liabilities, and accrued interest payable, are carried at cost, which approximates the fair value of the instruments.