Note 4. Securities

The following table summarizes the Company’s portfolio of securities available for sale at March 31, 2015:


	March 31, 2015
(in thousands)	Amortized Cost		Gross Unrealized Gain		Gross Unrealized Loss		Fair Value
Mortgage-Related Securities:
GSE⁽¹⁾ certificates	$	17,400	$	1,371	$	--	$	18,771
GSE CMOs⁽²⁾		--		--		--		--
Private label CMOs		--		--		--		--

Total mortgage-related securities	$	17,400	$	1,371	$	--	$	18,771

Other Securities:
Municipal bonds	$	843	$	97	$	--	$	940
Capital trust notes		13,434		41		2,471		11,004
Preferred stock		118,205		8,098		--		126,303
Mutual funds and common stock ⁽³⁾		17,939		824		71		18,692

Total other securities	$	150,421	$	9,060	$	2,542	$	156,939

Total securities available for sale	$	167,821	$	10,431	$	2,542	$	175,710

(1)	Government-sponsored enterprise

(2)	Collateralized mortgage obligations

(3)	Primarily consists of mutual funds that are Community Reinvestment Act-qualified investments.

The following table summarizes the Company’s portfolio of securities available for sale at December 31, 2014:


	December 31, 2014
(in thousands)	Amortized Cost		Gross Unrealized Gain		Gross Unrealized Loss		Fair Value
Mortgage-Related Securities:
GSE certificates	$	18,350	$	1,350	$	--	$	19,700
GSE CMOs		--		--		--		--
Private label CMOs		--		--		--		--

Total mortgage-related securities	$	18,350	$	1,350	$	--	$	19,700

Other Securities:
Municipal bonds	$	841	$	101	$	--	$	942
Capital trust notes		13,431		31		1,980		11,482
Preferred stock		118,205		5,246		440		123,011
Mutual funds and common stock		17,943		748		43		18,648

Total other securities	$	150,420	$	6,126	$	2,463	$	154,083

Total securities available for sale	$	168,770	$	7,476	$	2,463	$	173,783

The following tables summarize the Company’s portfolio of securities held to maturity at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:


	March 31, 2015
(in thousands)	Amortized Cost		Carrying Amount		Gross Unrealized Gain		Gross Unrealized Loss		Fair Value
Mortgage-Related Securities:
GSE certificates	$	2,401,201	$	2,401,201	$	133,896	$	2,080	$	2,533,017
GSE CMOs		1,553,938		1,553,938		84,888		6		1,638,820

Total mortgage-related securities	$	3,955,139	$	3,955,139	$	218,784	$	2,086	$	4,171,837

Other Securities:
GSE debentures	$	2,632,327	$	2,632,327	$	29,242	$	9,104	$	2,652,465
Corporate bonds		73,426		73,426		12,446		--		85,872
Municipal bonds		58,376		58,376		--		352		58,024
Capital trust notes		74,419		65,615		5,316		10,928		60,003

Total other securities	$	2,838,548	$	2,829,744	$	47,004	$	20,384	$	2,856,364

Total securities held to maturity ⁽¹⁾	$	6,793,687	$	6,784,883	$	265,788	$	22,470	$	7,028,201

(1)	Held-to-maturity securities are reported at a carrying amount equal to amortized cost less the non-credit portion of OTTI recorded in AOCL. At March 31, 2015, the non-credit portion of OTTI recorded in AOCL was $8.8 million (before tax).


	December 31, 2014
(in thousands)	Amortized Cost		Carrying Amount		Gross Unrealized Gain		Gross Unrealized Loss		Fair Value
Mortgage-Related Securities:
GSE certificates	$	2,468,791	$	2,468,791	$	106,414	$	3,838	$	2,571,367
GSE CMOs		1,610,243		1,610,243		65,075		711		1,674,607

Total mortgage-related securities	$	4,079,034	$	4,079,034	$	171,489	$	4,549	$	4,245,974

Other Securities:
GSE debentures	$	2,635,989	$	2,635,989	$	24,173	$	32,920	$	2,627,242
Corporate bonds		73,317		73,317		12,113		--		85,430
Municipal bonds		58,682		58,682		--		1,027		57,655
Capital trust notes		84,476		75,645		5,193		11,168		69,670

Total other securities	$	2,852,464	$	2,843,633	$	41,479	$	45,115	$	2,839,997

Total securities held to maturity ⁽¹⁾	$	6,931,498	$	6,922,667	$	212,968	$	49,664	$	7,085,971

(1)	Held-to-maturity securities are reported at a carrying amount equal to amortized cost less the non-credit portion of OTTI recorded in AOCL. At December 31, 2014, the non-credit portion of OTTI recorded in AOCL was $8.8 million (before tax).

At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, the Company had $464.9 million and $515.3 million of Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) stock, at cost, primarily consisting of stock in the FHLB-New York (the “FHLB-NY”). The Company is required to maintain an investment in FHLB-NY stock in order to have access to the funding it provides.

The following table summarizes the gross proceeds, gross realized gains, and gross realized losses from the sale of available-for-sale securities during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014:


	For the Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)	2015		2014
Gross proceeds		$135,211		$136,747
Gross realized gains		211		4,873
Gross realized losses		--		--

In the following table, the beginning balance represents the credit loss component for debt securities on which OTTI occurred prior to January 1, 2015. For credit-impaired debt securities, OTTI recognized in earnings after that date is presented as an addition in two components, based upon whether the current period is the first time a debt security was credit-impaired (initial credit impairment) or is not the first time a debt security was credit-impaired (subsequent credit impairment).


(in thousands)	For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
Beginning credit loss amount as of December 31, 2014		$199,008
Add: Initial other-than-temporary credit losses		--
Subsequent other-than-temporary credit losses		--
Amount previously recognized in AOCL		--
Less: Realized losses for securities sold		--
Securities intended or required to be sold		--
Increases in expected cash flows on debt securities		--

Ending credit loss amount as of March 31, 2015		$199,008

The following table summarizes the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of held-to-maturity mortgage-backed securities and debt securities, and the amortized costs and estimated fair values of available-for-sale securities, at March 31, 2015, by contractual maturity.


	At March 31, 2015
(dollars in thousands)	Mortgage- Related Securities			Average Yield		U.S. Treasury and GSE Obligations			Average Yield		State, County, and Municipal			Average Yield ⁽¹⁾		Other Debt Securities ⁽²⁾			Average Yield		Fair Value
Held-to-Maturity Securities:
Due within one year		$	--		--%		$	--		--%		$	--		--%		$	--		--%		$	--
Due from one to five years			--		--			60,060		4.17			756		2.96			--		--			66,125
Due from five to ten years			3,119,709		3.23			2,572,267		2.70			--		--			47,425		3.15			5,932,713
Due after ten years			835,430		3.27			--		--			57,620		2.85			91,616		5.76			1,029,363

Total securities held to maturity		$	3,955,139		3.24%		$	2,632,327		2.73%		$	58,376		2.85%		$	139,041		4.87%		$	7,028,201

Available-for-Sale Securities: ⁽³⁾
Due within one year		$	1		4.41%		$	--		--%		$	124		6.45%		$	--		--%		$	129
Due from one to five years			3,327		6.72			--		--			579		6.49			--		--			4,111
Due from five to ten years			3,112		3.78			--		--			140		6.66			--		--			3,505
Due after ten years			10,960		4.67			--		--			--		--			13,434		5.70			22,970

Total securities available for sale		$	17,400		4.90%		$	--		--%		$	843		6.51%		$	13,434		5.70%		$	30,715

(1)	Not presented on a tax-equivalent basis.

(2)	Includes corporate bonds and capital trust notes. Included in capital trust notes are $183,000 of pooled trust preferred securities held to maturity, all of which are due after ten years. The remaining capital trust notes consist of single-issue trust preferred securities.

(3)	As equity securities have no contractual maturity, they have been excluded from this table.

The following table presents held-to-maturity securities and available-for-sale securities having a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months and for twelve months or longer as of March 31, 2015:


At March 31, 2015 (in thousands)	Less than Twelve Months						Twelve Months or Longer						Total
At March 31, 2015 (in thousands)	Fair Value			Unrealized Loss			Fair Value			Unrealized Loss			Fair Value			Unrealized Loss
Temporarily Impaired Held-to-Maturity Mortgage-Backed Securities and Debt Securities:
GSE debentures		$	809,531		$	2,412		$	1,392,128		$	6,692		$	2,201,659		$	9,104
GSE certificates			165,674			1,882			13,233			198			178,907			2,080
GSE CMOs			--			--			20,102			6			20,102			6
Municipal bonds			58,024			352			--			--			58,024			352
Capital trust notes			--			--			25,265			10,928			25,265			10,928

Total temporarily impaired held-to-maturity mortgage-backed securities and debt securities		$	1,033,229		$	4,646		$	1,450,728		$	17,824		$	2,483,957		$	22,470

Temporarily Impaired Available-for-Sale Securities:
Capital trust notes		$	--		$	--		$	4,964		$	2,471		$	4,964		$	2,471
Equity securities			--			--			991			71			991			71

Total temporarily impaired available-for-sale securities		$	--		$	--		$	5,955		$	2,542		$	5,955		$	2,542


At December 31, 2014	Less than Twelve Months						Twelve Months or Longer						Total
(in thousands)	Fair Value			Unrealized Loss			Fair Value			Unrealized Loss			Fair Value			Unrealized Loss
Temporarily Impaired Held-to-Maturity Mortgage-Backed Securities and Debt Securities:
GSE debentures		$	--		$	--		$	2,204,399		$	32,920		$	2,204,399		$	32,920
GSE certificates			--			--			242,909			3,838			242,909			3,838
GSE CMOs			--			--			72,209			711			72,209			711
Municipal bonds			13,735			195			43,058			832			56,793			1,027
Capital trust notes			--			--			25,019			11,168			25,019			11,168

Total temporarily impaired held-to-maturity mortgage-backed securities and debt securities		$	13,735		$	195		$	2,587,594		$	49,469		$	2,601,329		$	49,664

Temporarily Impaired Available-for-Sale Securities:
Capital trust notes		$	--		$	--		$	5,451		$	1,980		$	5,451		$	1,980
Equity securities			53,721			364			15,174			119			68,895			483

Total temporarily impaired available-for-sale securities		$	53,721		$	364		$	20,625		$	2,099		$	74,346		$	2,463

An OTTI loss on impaired securities must be fully recognized in earnings if an investor has the intent to sell the debt security, or if it is more likely than not that the investor will be required to sell the debt security before recovery of its amortized cost. However, even if an investor does not expect to sell a debt security, it must evaluate the expected cash flows to be received and determine if a credit loss has occurred. In the event that a credit loss occurs, only the amount of impairment associated with the credit loss is recognized in earnings. Amounts relating to factors other than credit losses are recorded in AOCL. Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) guidance also requires additional disclosures regarding the calculation of credit losses, as well as factors considered by the investor in reaching a conclusion that an investment is not other-than-temporarily impaired.

Securities in unrealized loss positions are analyzed as part of the Company’s ongoing assessment of OTTI. When the Company intends to sell such securities, the Company recognizes an impairment loss equal to the full difference between the amortized cost basis and the fair value of those securities. When the Company does not intend to sell equity or debt securities in an unrealized loss position, potential OTTI is considered based on a variety of factors, including the length of time and extent to which the fair value has been less than the cost; adverse conditions specifically related to the industry, the geographic area, or financial condition of the issuer, or the underlying collateral of a security; the payment structure of the security; changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency; the volatility of the fair value changes; and changes in fair value of the security after the balance sheet date. For debt securities, the Company estimates cash flows over the remaining life of the underlying collateral to assess whether credit losses exist and, where applicable, to determine if any adverse changes in cash flows have occurred. The Company’s cash flow estimates take into account expectations of relevant market and economic data as of the end of the reporting period. As of March 31, 2015, the Company did not intend to sell its securities with an unrealized loss position, and it was more likely than not that the Company would not be required to sell these securities before recovery of their amortized cost basis. The Company believes that the securities with an unrealized loss position were not other-than-temporarily impaired as of March 31, 2015.

Other factors considered in determining whether or not an impairment is temporary include the severity of the impairment; the cause of the impairment; the near-term prospects of the issuer; and the forecasted recovery period using current estimates of volatility in market interest rates (including liquidity and risk premiums).

Management’s assertion regarding its intent not to sell, or that it is not more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell a security before its anticipated recovery, is based on a number of factors, including a quantitative estimate of the expected recovery period (which may extend to maturity), and management’s intended strategy with respect to the identified security or portfolio. If management does have the intent to sell, or believes it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security before its anticipated recovery, the unrealized loss is charged directly to earnings in the Consolidated Statement of Income and Comprehensive Income.

The unrealized losses on the Company’s GSE mortgage-related securities, GSE municipal bonds, and GSE debentures at March 31, 2015 were primarily caused by movements in market interest rates and spread volatility, rather than credit risk. It is expected that these securities will not be settled at a price that is less than the amortized cost of the Company’s investment. Because the Company does not have the intent to sell the investments, and it is not more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell them before the anticipated recovery of fair value, which may be at maturity, the Company did not consider these investments to be other than temporarily impaired at March 31, 2015.

The Company reviews quarterly financial information related to its investments in municipal bonds and capital trust notes, as well as other information that is released by each of the issuers of such bonds and notes, to determine their continued creditworthiness. The contractual terms of these investments do not permit settling the securities at prices that are less than the amortized costs of the investments; therefore, the Company expects that these investments will not be settled at prices that are less than their amortized costs. The Company continues to monitor these investments and currently estimates that the present value of expected cash flows is not less than the amortized cost of the securities. Because the Company does not have the intent to sell the investments, and it is not more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell them before the anticipated recovery of fair value, which may be at maturity, it did not consider these investments to be other than temporarily impaired at March 31, 2015. It is possible that these securities will perform worse than is currently expected, which could lead to adverse changes in cash flows from these securities and potential OTTI losses in the future. Future events that could trigger material unrecoverable declines in the fair values of the Company’s investments, and thus result in potential OTTI losses, include, but are not limited to, government intervention; deteriorating asset quality and credit metrics; significantly higher levels of default and loan loss provisions; losses in value on the underlying collateral; deteriorating credit enhancement; net operating losses; and illiquidity in the financial markets.

At March 31, 2015, the Company’s equity securities portfolio consisted of perpetual preferred stock, common stock, and mutual funds. The Company considers a decline in the fair value of available-for-sale equity securities to be other than temporary if the Company does not expect to recover the entire amortized cost basis of the security. There was an unrealized loss on one of the Company’s equity securities at March 31, 2015, which was primarily caused by market volatility. The Company evaluated the near-term prospects of a recovery of fair value for this security, together with the severity and duration of impairment to date. Based on this evaluation, and its ability and intent to hold this investment for a reasonably sufficient period of time to realize a near-term forecasted recovery of fair value, the Company did not consider this investment to be other than temporarily impaired at March 31, 2015. Nonetheless, it is possible that this equity security will perform worse than is currently expected, which could lead to adverse changes in its fair value, or the failure of the security to fully recover in value as presently forecasted by management. This potentially would cause the Company to record an OTTI loss in a future period. Events that could trigger a material decline in the fair value of this security include, but are not limited to, deterioration in the equity markets; a decline in the quality of the loan portfolio of the issuer in which the Company has invested; and the recording of higher loan loss provisions and net operating losses by such issuer.

The investment securities designated as having a continuous loss position for twelve months or more at March 31, 2015 consisted of eight agency debt securities, five capital trust notes, three agency mortgage-backed securities, one GSE CMO, and one common stock security. At December 31, 2014, the investment securities designated as having a continuous loss position for twelve months or more consisted of sixteen agency mortgage-backed securities, seventeen GSE debt securities, three GSE CMOs, five capital trust notes, two GSE municipal bonds, and one preferred stock security. At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the combined market value of the respective securities represented unrealized losses of $20.4 million and $51.6 million. At March 31, 2015, the fair value of securities having a continuous loss position for twelve months or more was 1.4% below the collective amortized cost of $1.5 billion. At December 31, 2014, the fair value of such securities was 1.9% below the collective amortized cost of $2.7 billion.