BUSINESS COMBINATIONS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

Business Combination, Asset Acquisition, and Joint Venture Formation [Abstract]

The Company accounts for its business combinations using the acquisition method and accordingly, records business combinations at their estimated fair values on the acquisition date. The Company generally records provisional amounts at the time of an acquisition based on the information available. These provisional estimates of fair values may be adjusted for a period of up to one year from the acquisition date if new information is obtained about facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date that, if known, would have affected the measurement of the amounts recognized as of that date. Adjustments recorded during this period are recognized in the current reporting period. The excess cost over fair value of net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. Core deposit intangibles are a measure of the value of checking, money market and savings deposits acquired in business combinations accounted for under the acquisition method. Core deposit intangibles and other identified intangibles with finite useful lives are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives of up to 10 years.

Financial assets acquired in a business combination after January 1, 2021, are recorded in accordance with ASC 326. Loans that the Company acquires in connection with acquisitions are recorded at fair value with no carryover of the related allowance for credit losses. PCD loans that have experienced more than insignificant credit deterioration since origination are recorded at the amount paid. The ACL is determined on a collective basis and is allocated to the individual loans. The sum of the loan’s purchase price and ACL becomes its initial amortized cost basis. The difference between the initial amortized cost basis and the par value of the loan is a noncredit discount or premium, which is amortized into interest income over the life of the loan. Non-PCD loans are acquired that have experienced no or insignificant deterioration in credit quality since origination. The difference between the fair value and outstanding balance of the non-PCD loans is recognized as an adjustment to interest income over the lives of the loan.

Acquisitions

Heritage Southeast Bank

On January 1, 2023, the Company completed its acquisition of HSBI, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated July 27, 2022, by and between the Company and HSBI (the “HSBI Merger Agreement”). Upon the completion of the merger of HSBI with and into the Company, Heritage Bank, HSBI's wholly owned subsidiary, was merged with and into The First Bank. Under the terms of the HSBI Merger Agreement, each share of HSBI common stock was converted into the right to receive 0.965 of share of Company common stock. The Company paid total consideration of $221.5 million to the former HSBI shareholders as consideration in the acquisition, which included 6,920,422 shares of the Company's common stock, and $16 thousand in cash in lieu of fractional shares. The HSBI acquisition provided the opportunity for the Company to expand its operations in Georgia and the Florida panhandle.

In connection with the acquisition of HSBI, the Company recorded approximately $91.9 million of goodwill, of which $3.2 million funded the ACL for estimated losses on the acquired PCD loans, and $43.7 million core deposit intangible. Goodwill is not deductible for income taxes. The core deposit intangible will be amortized to expense over 10 years.

Expenses associated with the HSBI acquisition were $388 thousand and $4.9 million for the three months and twelve months period ended December 31, 2023, respectively. These costs included charges associated with legal and consulting expenses, which have been expensed as incurred.

The following table summarizes the finalized fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed including the goodwill generated from the transaction on January 1, 2023, along with valuation adjustments that have been made since initially reported.


($ in thousands)	As Initially Reported		Measurement Period Adjustments		As Adjusted
Identifiable assets:
Cash and due from banks	$	106,973	$	(180)	$	106,793
Investments	172,775		—		172,775
Loans	1,155,712		—		1,155,712
Core deposit intangible	43,739		—		43,739
Personal and real property	35,963		—		35,963
Other real estate owned	857		332		1,189
Bank owned life insurance	35,579		—		35,579
Deferred taxes	6,761		(632)		6,129
Interest receivable	4,349		—		4,349
Other assets	3,103		—		3,103
Total assets	1,565,811		(480)		1,565,331

Liabilities and equity:
Deposits	1,392,432		—		1,392,432
Trust Preferred	9,015		—		9,015
Other liabilities	34,271		—		34,271
Total liabilities	1,435,718		—		1,435,718
Net assets acquired	130,093		(480)		129,613
Consideration paid	221,538		—		221,538
Goodwill	$	91,445	$	480	$	91,925

During the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company finalized its analysis and valuation adjustments have been made to cash and due from banks, other real estate owned, and deferred taxes since initially reported.

Beach Bancorp, Inc.

On August 1, 2022, the Company completed its acquisition of BBI, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated April 26, 2022 by and between the Company and BBI (the “BBI Merger Agreement”). Upon the completion of the merger of BBI with and into the Company, Beach Bank, BBI's wholly-owned subsidiary, was merged with and into The First Bank. Under the terms of the BBI Merger Agreement, each share of BBI common stock and each share of BBI preferred stock was converted into the right to receive 0.1711 of a share of Company common stock (the “BBI Exchange Ratio”), and all stock options awarded under the BBI equity plans were converted automatically into an option to purchase shares of Company common stock on the same terms and conditions as applicable to each such BBI option as in effect immediately prior to the effective time, with the number of shares underlying each such option and the applicable exercise price adjusted based on the BBI Exchange Ratio. The BBI merger provides the opportunity for the Company to expand its operations in the Florida panhandle and enter the Tampa market. The Company paid consideration of approximately $101.5 million to the former BBI shareholders including 3,498,936 shares of the Company's common stock and approximately $1 thousand in cash in lieu of fractional shares, and also assumed options entitling the owners thereof to purchase an additional 310,427 shares of the Company's common stock.

In connection with the acquisition of BBI, the Company recorded approximately $23.7 million of goodwill and $9.8 million core deposit intangible. Goodwill is not deductible for income taxes. The core deposit intangible will be amortized to expense over 10 years. The Company also incurred $1.3 million of provision for credit losses on credit marks from the loans acquired from Beach Bank.

Expenses associated with the BBI acquisition were $4 thousand and $1.4 million for the three months and twelve months period ended December 31, 2023, respectively. These costs included charges associated with legal and consulting expenses, which have been expensed as incurred.

The following table summarizes the finalized fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed including the goodwill generated from the transaction on August 1, 2022, along with valuation adjustments that have been made since initially reported.


($ in thousands)	As Initially Reported		Measurement Period Adjustments		As Adjusted
Purchase price:
Cash and stock	$	101,470	$	—	$	101,470
Total purchase price	101,470		—		101,470
Identifiable assets:
Cash	$	23,939	$	—	$	23,939
Investments	22,907		(264)		22,643
Loans	482,903		2,268		485,171
Other real estate	8,797		(580)		8,217
Bank owned life insurance	10,092		—		10,092
Core deposit intangible	9,791		—		9,791
Personal and real property	13,825		(1,868)		11,957
Deferred tax asset	28,105		(970)		27,135
Other assets	9,649		(414)		9,235
Total assets	610,008		(1,828)		608,180
Liabilities and equity:
Deposits	490,588		3		490,591
Borrowings	25,000		—		25,000
Other liabilities	14,772		—		14,772
Total liabilities	530,360		3		530,363
Net assets acquired	79,648		(1,831)		77,817
Goodwill	$	21,822	$	1,831	$	23,653

During the third quarter of 2023, the Company finalized its analysis and valuation adjustments that were made to investments, loans, other real estate, personal and real property, deferred tax asset, other assets, and deposits.