(3.) INVESTMENT SECURITIES

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of investment securities are summarized below (in thousands).


		Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized		Fair
		Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
December 31, 2015
Securities available for sale:
U.S. Government agencies and government
sponsored enterprises	$	260,748	$	1,164	$	1,049	$	260,863
Mortgage-backed securities:
Federal National Mortgage Association		209,671		1,092		2,333		208,430
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		24,564		282		194		24,652
Government National Mortgage Association		26,465		943		4		27,404
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
Federal National Mortgage Association		16,998		90		154		16,934
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		5,175		1		91		5,085
Privately issued		-		809		-		809
Total mortgage-backed securities		282,873		3,217		2,776		283,314
Asset-backed securities		-		218		-		218
Total available for sale securities	$	543,621	$	4,599	$	3,825	$	544,395
Securities held to maturity:
State and political subdivisions		294,423		6,562		4		300,981
Mortgage-backed securities:
Federal National Mortgage Association		9,242		14		79		9,177
Government National Mortgage Association		25,607		33		159		25,481
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
Federal National Mortgage Association		56,791		-		818		55,973
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		80,570		-		1,120		79,450
Government National Mortgage Association		19,084		19		101		19,002
Total mortgage-backed securities		191,294		66		2,277		189,083
Total held to maturity securities	$	485,717	$	6,628	$	2,281	$	490,064


December 31, 2014
Securities available for sale:
U.S. Government agencies and government
sponsored enterprises	$	160,334	$	1,116	$	975	$	160,475
Mortgage-backed securities:
Federal National Mortgage Association		184,857		2,344		1,264		185,937
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		29,478		799		7		30,270
Government National Mortgage Association		48,800		2,022		-		50,822
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
Federal National Mortgage Association		76,247		489		944		75,792
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		89,623		199		2,585		87,237
Government National Mortgage Association		29,954		598		40		30,512
Privately issued		-		1,218		-		1,218
Total mortgage-backed securities		458,959		7,669		4,840		461,788
Asset-backed securities		-		231		-		231
Total available for sale securities	$	619,293	$	9,016	$	5,815	$	622,494
Securities held to maturity:
State and political subdivisions		277,273		4,231		120		281,384
Mortgage-backed securities:
Federal National Mortgage Association		3,279		24		-		3,303
Government National Mortgage Association		13,886		122		-		14,008
Total mortgage-backed securities		17,165		146		-		17,311
Total held to maturity securities	$	294,438	$	4,377	$	120	$	298,695

Investment securities with a total fair value of $781.7 million and $768.6 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, were pledged as collateral to secure public deposits and for other purposes required or permitted by law.

During the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company transferred $165.2 million and $12.8 million, respectively, of available for sale mortgage backed securities to the held to maturity category, reflecting the Company's intent to hold those securities to maturity. Transfers of investment securities into the held to maturity category from the available for sale category are made at fair value at the date of transfer. The related $1.1 million and $51 thousand of unrealized holding losses that were included in the transfers during the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, are retained in accumulated other comprehensive income and in the carrying value of the held to maturity securities. These amounts will be amortized as an adjustment to interest income over the remaining life of the securities. This will offset the impact of amortization of the net premium created in the transfers. There were no gains or losses recognized as a result of these transfers.

Interest and dividends on securities for the years ended December 31 are summarized as follows (in thousands):


		2015		2014		2013
Taxable interest and dividends	$	16,123	$	13,304	$	12,541
Tax-exempt interest and dividends		5,752		5,298		4,922
Total interest and dividends on securities	$	21,875	$	18,602	$	17,463

Sales and calls of securities available for sale for the years ended December 31 were as follows (in thousands):


		2015		2014		2013
Proceeds from sales	$	54,277	$	81,600	$	1,327
Gross realized gains		2,000		2,043		1,226
Gross realized losses		12		2		-

The scheduled maturities of securities available for sale and securities held to maturity at December 31, 2015 are shown below. Actual expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations (in thousands).

		Amortized		Fair
		Cost		Value
Debt securities available for sale:
Due in one year or less	$	25,182	$	25,241
Due from one to five years		174,053		173,336
Due after five years through ten years		275,972		276,660
Due after ten years		68,414		69,158
	$	543,621	$	544,395
Debt securities held to maturity:
Due in one year or less	$	22,188	$	22,261
Due from one to five years		172,094		175,650
Due after five years through ten years		116,362		119,183
Due after ten years		175,073		172,970
	$	485,717	$	490,064

Unrealized losses on investment securities and the fair value of the related securities, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position as of December 31 are summarized as follows (in thousands):


		Less than 12 months				12 months or longer				Total
		Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized
		Value		Losses		Value		Losses		Value		Losses
December 31, 2015
Securities available for sale:
U.S. Government agencies and government
sponsored enterprises	$	82,298	$	735	$	26,302	$	314	$	108,600	$	1,049
Mortgage-backed securities:
Federal National Mortgage Association		123,774		2,134		9,562		199		133,336		2,333
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		12,660		194		-		-		12,660		194
Government National Mortgage Association		1,405		4		-		-		1,405		4
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
Federal National Mortgage Association		7,778		154		-		-		7,778		154
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		4,998		91		-		-		4,998		91
Total mortgage-backed securities		150,615		2,577		9,562		199		160,177		2,776
Total available for sale securities		232,913		3,312		35,864		513		268,777		3,825
Securities held to maturity:
State and political subdivisions		3,075		4		-		-		3,075		4
Mortgage-backed securities:
Federal National Mortgage Association		5,666		79		-		-		5,666		79
Government National Mortgage Association		8,790		159		-		-		8,790		159
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
Federal National Mortgage Association		55,973		818		-		-		55,973		818
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		79,323		1,120		-		-		79,323		1,120
Government National Mortgage Association		14,559		101		-		-		14,559		101
Total mortgage-backed securities		164,311		2,277		-		-		164,311		2,277
Total held to maturity securities		167,386		2,281		-		-		167,386		2,281
Total temporarily impaired securities	$	400,299	$	5,593	$	35,864	$	513	$	436,163	$	6,106

December 31, 2014
Securities available for sale:
U.S. Government agencies and government
sponsored enterprises	$	34,995	$	77	$	41,070	$	898	$	76,065	$	975
Mortgage-backed securities:
Federal National Mortgage Association		2,242		8		62,592		1,256		64,834		1,264
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		3,387		7		-		-		3,387		7
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
Federal National Mortgage Association		11,228		24		25,644		920		36,872		944
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation		-		-		76,126		2,585		76,126		2,585
Government National Mortgage Association		-		-		2,510		40		2,510		40
Total mortgage-backed securities		16,857		39		166,872		4,801		183,729		4,840
Total available for sale securities		51,852		116		207,942		5,699		259,794		5,815
Securities held to maturity:
State and political subdivisions		18,036		120		-		-		18,036		120
Total temporarily impaired securities	$	69,888	$	236	$	207,942	$	5,699	$	277,830	$	5,935

The total number of security positions in the investment portfolio in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2015 was 152 compared to 122 at December 31, 2014. At December 31, 2015, the Company had positions in 10 investment securities with a fair value of $35.9 million and a total unrealized loss of $513 thousand that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for more than 12 months. At December 31, 2015, there were a total of 142 securities positions in the Company's investment portfolio with a fair value of $400.3 million and a total unrealized loss of $5.6 million that had been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months. At December 31, 2014, the Company had positions in 51 investment securities with a fair value of $207.9 million and a total unrealized loss of $5.7 million that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for more than 12 months. At December 31, 2014, there were a total of 71 securities positions in the Company's investment portfolio with a fair value of $69.9 million and a total unrealized loss of $236 thousand that had been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months. The unrealized loss on investment securities was predominantly caused by changes in market interest rates subsequent to purchase. The fair value of most of the investment securities in the Company's portfolio fluctuates as market interest rates change.

The Company reviews investment securities on an ongoing basis for the presence of other than temporary impairment ("OTTI") with formal reviews performed quarterly. When evaluating debt securities for OTTI, management considers many factors, including: (1) the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, (2) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, (3) whether the market decline was affected by macroeconomic conditions, and (4) whether the Company has the intention to sell the debt security or whether it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the debt security before its anticipated recovery. The assessment of whether OTTI exists involves a high degree of subjectivity and judgment and is based on the information available to management. No impairment was recorded during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013.

Based on management's review and evaluation of the Company's debt securities as of December 31, 2015, the debt securities with unrealized losses were not considered to be OTTI. As of December 31, 2015, the Company does not have the intent to sell any of the securities in a loss position and believes that it is not likely that it will be required to sell any such securities before the anticipated recovery of amortized cost. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2015, management has concluded that unrealized losses on its investment securities are temporary and no further impairment loss has been realized in the Company's consolidated statements of income.