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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023
Significant Accounting Policies  
Overview

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Unity Bancorp, Inc. (the "Parent Company") and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Unity Bank (the "Bank" or when consolidated with the Parent Company, the "Company"). The Bank has multiple subsidiaries used to hold part of its investment and loan portfolios. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current year presentation, with no impact on current earnings or shareholders’ equity. The financial information has been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and has not been audited. In preparing the financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Amounts requiring the use of significant estimates include the allowance for credit losses, valuation of deferred tax and servicing assets, the carrying value of loans held for sale and other real estate owned, the valuation of securities and the determination of impairment for securities and fair value disclosures. Management believes that the allowance for credit losses is adequate. While management uses available information to recognize credit losses, future additions to the allowance for credit losses may be necessary based on changes in economic conditions.

The interim unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements included herein have been prepared in accordance with instructions for Form 10-Q and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and consist of normal recurring adjustments, that in the opnion of management, are necessary for the fair presentation of interim results. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2023, are not necessarily indicative of the results which may be expected for the entire year. As used in this Form 10-Q, “we” and “us” and “our” refer to Unity Bancorp, Inc., and its consolidated subsidiary, Unity Bank, depending on the context. Certain information and financial disclosures required by U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted from interim reporting pursuant to SEC rules. Interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Risks and Uncertainties

Risks and Uncertainties

Overall, the markets and customers serviced by the Company may be significantly impacted by ongoing macro-economic trends, such as inflation and recessionary pressures created by a higher interest rate environment. The Company assesses the impact of inflation on an ongoing basis.

Recent industry events transpired, including the failures of Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”) headquartered in Santa Clara, California and Signature Bank headquartered in New York, New York in March 2023, have led to uncertainty and concerns regarding the liquidity positions of the banking sector. SVB was placed into receivership on March 10, 2023, marking the second largest bank failure in U.S. history. Signature Bank was placed into receivership on March 12, 2023, marking the third largest bank failure in U.S. history.

Both banks appear to have had high ratios of uninsured deposits to total deposits, when compared to industry average. These failures underscore the importance of maintaining access to diverse sources of funding. The Company’s deposit base includes a combination of consumer, commercial and public funds deposits, without a high level of industry concentration.

Market conditions and external factors may unpredictably impact the competitive landscape for deposits in the banking industry. Additionally, the rising interest rate environment has increased competition for liquidity and the premium at which liquidity is available to meet funding needs. The Company believes the sources of liquidity presented in the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements are sufficient to meet its needs on the balance sheet date.

An unexpected influx of withdrawals of deposits could adversely impact the Company's ability to rely on organic deposits to primarily fund its operations, potentially requiring greater reliance on secondary sources of liquidity to meet withdrawal demands or to fund continuing operations. These sources may include proceeds from Federal Home Loan Bank advances, sales of investment securities and loans, federal funds lines of credit from correspondent banks and out-of market time deposits.

Such reliance on secondary funding sources could increase the Company's overall cost of funding and thereby reduce net income. While the Company believes its current sources of liquidity are adequate to fund operations, there is no guarantee they will suffice to meet future liquidity demands. This may necessitate slowing or discontinuing loan growth, capital expenditures or other investments, or liquidating assets.

New Accounting Guidance adopted and issued in the First Quarter 2023

New Accounting Guidance adopted in the First Quarter 2023

Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” amends the accounting guidance on the impairment of financial instruments. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an amendment to replace the incurred loss impairment methodology under prior accounting guidance with a new current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model.  Under the new guidance, the Company is required to measure expected credit losses by utilizing forward-looking information to assess its allowance for credit losses. The measurement of expected credit losses is based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. The measurement of expected credit losses under CECL methodology is applicable to financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loans and held to maturity debt securities. CECL also applies to certain off-balance sheet exposures.

The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2023, using the modified retrospective approach for all financial assets measured at amortized cost and off-balance sheet credit exposures. The Company established a governance structure to implement the CECL accounting guidance and has developed a methodology and set of models to be used upon adoption. At adoption, the Company recorded $0.8 million increase to its allowance for credit losses, entirely related to loans. Further the Company increased its reserve for unfunded credit commitments by $0.1 million. The reserve for unfunded credit commitments is recorded in Accrued expenses and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. These increases in reserves were recorded through retained earnings and was $0.6 million, net of tax.

For available for sale securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company first asseses whether it intends to sell, or is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before the recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met, the securiy’s amortized cost basis is written down to fair value through income. For securities available for sale that do not meet the above criteria, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses or other factors. In making this assessment, the Company considers the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost and adverse conditions related to the security, among other factors.  If this assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows expected to be collected from the security are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security. If the present value of the cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses is recorded for the credit loss, limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost. Any impairment that has not been recorded through an allowance for credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax. The Company elected the practical expedient of zero loss estimates for securities issued by U.S. government entities and agencies. These securities are either explicitly or implicitly guaranteed by the U.S. government, are highly rated by major agencies and have a long history of no credit losses.

For other assets within the scope of the new CECL accounting guidance, such as held to maturity debt securities, available for sale securities and other receivables, management noted the impact from adoption to be inconsequential. Additionally, the Company noted the adoption of CECL had no significant impact on regulatory capital ratios of the Company and/or the Bank.

ASU 2022-01, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)”: ASU 2022-01 was issued to clarify the guidance in ASC 815 on fair value hedge accounting of interest rate risk for portfolios and financial assets. Among other things, the amended

guidance established the “last-of-layer” method for making the fair value hedge accounting for these portfolios more accessible and renamed that method the “portfolio layer” method. ASU 2022-01 is effective January 1, 2023. The Company adopted the guidance effective January 1, 2023, noting no material impact.

ASU 2022-02, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326)”: ASU 2022-02 eliminates the guidance on troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”) and requires entities to evaluate all loan modifications to determine if they result in a new loan or a continuation of the existing loan. ASU 2022-02 requires that entities disclose if the modifications result in a new loan or a continuation of the existing loan. ASU 2022-02 also requires that entities disclose current-period gross charge-offs by year of origination for loans and leases. The Company adopted ASU 2022-02 effective January 1, 2023, noting no material impact.

New Accounting Guidance issued in the First Quarter 2023

There were no material ASUs to the Company issued in the first quarter of 2023.

Benefit Plans

Benefit Plans

In addition to the 401(k) savings plan which covers substantially all employees, in 2015 the Company established an unfunded supplemental defined benefit plan to provide additional retirement benefits for the President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and unfunded, non-qualified deferred retirement plans for certain other key executives.

On June 4, 2015, the Company approved the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”) pursuant to which the President and CEO is entitled to receive certain supplemental nonqualified retirement benefits. The retirement benefit under the SERP is an amount equal to sixty percent (60%) of the average of the President and CEO’s base salary for the thirty-six (36) months immediately preceding the executive’s separation from service after age 66, adjusted annually thereafter by a percentage equal to the Consumer Price Index as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). The total benefit is to be made payable in fifteen annual installments. The future

payments are estimated to total $7.2 million. A discount rate of four percent (4%) was used to calculate the present value

of the benefit obligation.

The President and CEO commenced vesting in this retirement benefit on January 1, 2014, and vests an additional three percent (3%) each year until fully vested on January 1, 2024. In the event that the President and CEO’s separation from service from the Company were to occur prior to full vesting, the President and CEO would be entitled to and shall be paid the vested portion of the retirement benefit calculated as of the date of separation from service. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon a Change in Control, and provided that within 6 months following the Change in Control the President and CEO is involuntarily terminated for reasons other than “cause” or the President and CEO resigns for “good reason,” as such is defined in the SERP, or the President and CEO voluntarily terminates his employment after being offered continued employment in a position that is not a “Comparable Position,” as such is also defined in the SERP, the President and CEO shall become one hundred percent (100%) vested in the full retirement benefit.

Leases Leases

Operating leases in which the Bank is the lessee and the term is greater than 12 months, are recorded as right of use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities, and are included in Prepaid expenses and other assets and Accrued expenses and other liabilities, respectively, on the Bank’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Bank does not currently have any finance leases in which it is the lessee.

Operating lease ROU assets represent the Bank’s right to use an underlying asset during the lease term and operating lease liabilities represent its obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at lease commencement based on the present value of the remaining lease payments using a discount rate that represents the Bank’s incremental borrowing rate. The borrowing rate for each lease is unique based on the lease term. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term, and is recorded in occupancy expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

The Bank’s leases relate primarily to bank branches, office space and equipment with remaining lease terms of generally 1 to 10 years. Certain lease arrangements contain extension options which typically range from 1 to 5 years at the then fair market rental rates.

Certain real estate leases have lease payments that adjust based on annual changes in the Consumer Price Index ("CPI"). The leases that are dependent upon CPI are initially measured using the index or rate at the commencement date and are included in the measurement of the lease liability.

Operating lease ROU assets totaled $5.4 million at March 31, 2023, compared to $5.6 million at December 31, 2022. As of March 31, 2023, operating lease liabilities totaled $5.5 million, compared to $5.6 million at December 31, 2022.