DISCLOSURES ABOUT FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Customers uses fair value measurements to record fair value adjustments to certain assets and liabilities and to disclose the fair value of its financial instruments. FASB ASC Topic 825, Financial Instruments, requires disclosure of the estimated fair value of an entity’s assets and liabilities considered to be financial instruments. For Customers, as for most financial institutions, the majority of its assets and liabilities are considered to be financial instruments. However, many of these instruments lack an available trading market as characterized by a willing buyer and willing seller engaging in an exchange transaction. For fair value disclosure purposes, Customers utilized certain fair value measurement criteria under the FASB ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, as explained below.

In accordance with ASC 820, the fair value of a financial instrument is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value is best determined based upon quoted market prices. However, in many instances, there are no quoted market prices for Customers’ various financial instruments. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques. Those techniques are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including the discount rate and estimates of future cash flows. Accordingly, the fair value estimates may not be realized in an immediate settlement of the instrument.

The fair value guidance provides a consistent definition of fair value, focusing on an exit price in an orderly transaction (i.e., not a forced liquidation or distressed sale) between market participants at the measurement date under current market conditions. If there has been a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for the asset or liability, a change in valuation technique or the use of multiple valuation techniques may be appropriate. In such instances, determining the price at which willing market participants would transact at the measurement date under current market conditions depends on the facts and circumstances and requires the use of significant judgment. The fair value is a reasonable point within the range that is most representative of fair value under current market conditions.

The fair value guidance also establishes a fair value hierarchy and describes the following three levels used to classify fair value measurements:



Level 1:	Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities.

Level 2:	Quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs that are observable either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3:	Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (i.e., supported with little or no market activity).

A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair values of Customers’ financial instruments as of December 31, 2018 and 2017:

Financial Instruments Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

Investment securities:

The fair values of equity securities and available-for-sale debt securities are determined by obtaining quoted market prices on nationally recognized and foreign securities exchanges (Level 1), matrix pricing (Level 2), which is a mathematical technique used widely in the industry to value debt securities without relying exclusively on quoted market prices for the specific securities, but rather by relying on the securities’ relationship to other benchmark quoted prices, or externally developed models that use unobservable inputs due to limited or no market activity of the instrument (Level 3). These assets are classified as Level 1, 2 or 3 fair values, based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements.

Loans held for sale - Consumer residential mortgage loans (fair value option):

Customers generally estimates the fair values of residential mortgage loans held for sale based on commitments on hand from investors within the secondary market for loans with similar characteristics. These assets are classified as Level 2 fair values, based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements.

Loans receivable - Commercial mortgage warehouse loans (fair value option):

The fair value of commercial mortgage warehouse loans is the amount of cash initially advanced to fund the mortgage, plus accrued interest and fees, as specified in the respective agreements. The loan is used by mortgage companies as short-term bridge financing between the funding of mortgage loans and the finalization of the sale of the loans to an investor. Changes in fair value are not expected to be recognized since at inception of the transaction the underlying loans have already been sold to an approved investor. Additionally, the interest rate is variable, and the transaction is short-term, with an average life of 23 days from purchase to sale. These assets are classified as Level 2 fair values, based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements.

Derivatives (Assets and Liabilities):

The fair values of interest rate swaps and credit derivatives are determined using models that incorporate readily observable market data into a market standard methodology. This methodology nets the discounted future cash receipts and the discounted expected cash payments. The discounted variable cash payments are based on expectations of future interest rates derived from observable market interest rate curves. In addition, fair value is adjusted for the effect of nonperformance risk by incorporating credit valuation adjustments for the Bank and its counterparties. These assets and liabilities are classified as Level 2 fair values, based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements.

The fair values of the residential mortgage loan commitments are derived from the estimated fair values that can be generated when the underlying mortgage loan is sold in the secondary market. The Bank generally uses commitments on hand from third-party investors to estimate an exit price and adjusts for the probability of the commitment being exercised based on the Bank's internal experience (i.e., pull-through rate). These assets and liabilities are classified as Level 3 fair values, based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements.

Derivative assets and liabilities are presented in "Other assets" and "Accrued interest payable and other liabilities" on the consolidated balance sheet.

The following information should not be interpreted as an estimate of Customers' fair value in its entirety because fair value calculations are only provided for a limited portion of Customers' assets and liabilities. Due to a wide range of valuation techniques and the degree of subjectivity used in making these estimates, comparisons between Customers' disclosures and those of other companies may not be meaningful.

Financial Instruments Recorded at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

Impaired loans:

Impaired loans are those loans that are accounted for under ASC 310, Receivables, in which the Bank has measured impairment generally based on the fair value of the loan’s collateral or discounted cash flow analysis. Fair value is generally determined based upon independent third-party appraisals of the properties that collateralize the loans or discounted cash flows based upon the expected proceeds. These assets are generally classified as Level 3 fair values, based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements.

The estimated fair values of Customers’ financial instruments at December 31, 2018 and 2017 were as follows:



	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2018
	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
(amounts in thousands)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	62,135	$	62,135	$	62,135	$	—	$	—
Debt securities, available for sale	663,294		663,294		—		663,294		—
Equity securities	1,718		1,718		1,718		—		—
Loans held for sale	1,507		1,507		—		1,507		—
Total loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses	8,503,522		8,481,128		—		1,405,420		7,075,708
FHLB, Federal Reserve Bank and other restricted stock	89,685		89,685		—		89,685		—
Derivatives	14,693		14,693		—		14,624		69
Liabilities
Deposits	$	7,142,236	$	7,136,009	$	5,408,055	$	1,727,954	$	—
Federal funds purchased	187,000		187,000		187,000		—		—
FHLB advances	1,248,070		1,248,046		998,070		249,976		—
Other borrowings	123,871		121,718		—		121,718		—
Subordinated debt	108,977		110,550		—		110,550		—
Derivatives	16,286		16,286		—		16,286		—



	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2017
	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
(amounts in thousands)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	146,323	$	146,323	$	146,323	$	—	$	—
Investment securities, available for sale	471,371		471,371		3,352		468,019		—
Loans held for sale	146,077		146,251		—		1,886		144,365
Total loans receivable, net of allowance for loan losses	8,523,651		8,470,171		—		1,793,408		6,676,763
FHLB, Federal Reserve Bank, and other restricted stock	105,918		105,918		—		105,918		—
Derivatives	9,752		9,752		—		9,692		60
Liabilities
Deposits	$	6,800,142	$	6,796,095	$	4,894,449	$	1,901,646	$	—
Federal funds purchased	155,000		155,000		155,000		—		—
FHLB advances	1,611,860		1,611,603		881,860		729,743		—
Other borrowings	186,497		193,557		65,072		128,485		—
Subordinated debt	108,880		115,775		—		115,775		—
Derivatives	10,074		10,074		—		10,074		—

For financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring and non-recurring basis, the fair value measurements by level within the fair value hierarchy used at December 31, 2018 and 2017, were as follows:



	December 31, 2018
	Fair Value Measurements at the End of the Reporting Period Using
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
(amounts in thousands)
Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
Assets
Available-for-sale securities
Agency-guaranteed residential mortgage-backed securities	$	—	$	305,374	$	—	$	305,374
Corporate notes	—		357,920		—		357,920
Equity securities	1,718		—		—		1,718
Derivatives	—		14,624		69		14,693
Loans held for sale – fair value option	—		1,507		—		1,507
Loans receivable, mortgage warehouse – fair value option	—		1,405,420		—		1,405,420
Total assets - recurring fair value measurements	$	1,718	$	2,084,845	$	69	$	2,086,632
Liabilities
Derivatives	$	—	$	16,286	$	—	$	16,286
Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis
Assets
Impaired loans, net of specific reserves of $845	$	—	$	—	$	10,876	$	10,876
Other real estate owned	—		—		621		621
Total assets - nonrecurring fair value measurements	$	—	$	—	$	11,497	$	11,497



	December 31, 2017
	Fair Value Measurements at the End of the Reporting Period Using
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
(amounts in thousands)
Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
Assets
Available-for-sale securities:
Agency-guaranteed residential mortgage-backed securities	$	—	$	183,458	$	—	$	183,458
Agency-guaranteed commercial mortgage-backed securities	—		238,472		—		238,472
Corporate notes	—		46,089		—		46,089
Equity securities	3,352		—		—		3,352
Derivatives	—		9,692		60		9,752
Loans held for sale – fair value option	—		1,886		—		1,886
Loans receivable, mortgage warehouse – fair value option	—		1,793,408		—		1,793,408
Total assets - recurring fair value measurements	$	3,352	$	2,273,005	$	60	$	2,276,417
Liabilities
Derivatives	$	—	$	10,074	$	—	$	10,074
Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis
Assets
Impaired loans, net of specific reserves of $1,451	$	—	$	—	$	13,902	$	13,902
Other real estate owned	—		—		1,449		1,449
Total assets - nonrecurring fair value measurements	$	—	$	—	$	15,351	$	15,351

The changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2018 and 2017, are summarized as follows in the tables below. Additional information about residential mortgage loan commitments can be found in NOTE 19 — DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES.



	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2018			2017
	Residential Mortgage Loan Commitments
(amounts in thousands)
Balance at December 31,	$	60		$	45
Issuances	407			360
Settlements	(398		)	(345		)
Balance at December 31,	$	69		$	60

There were no transfers between levels during the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017.

The following table summarizes financial assets and financial liabilities measured at fair value as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 on a recurring and nonrecurring basis for which Customers utilized Level 3 inputs to measure fair value. The unobservable Level 3 inputs noted below contain a level of uncertainty that may differ from what is realized in an immediate settlement of the assets. Therefore, Customers may realize a value higher or lower than the current estimated fair value of the assets.



	Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements
December 31, 2018	Fair Value Estimate		Valuation Technique	Unobservable Input	Range (Weighted Average) (4)
(dollars in thousands)
Impaired loans - real estate	$	10,260	Collateral appraisal ⁽¹⁾	Liquidation expenses ⁽²⁾	8% - 8% (8%)
Impaired loans - Commercial & Industrial	616		Business asset valuation⁽³⁾	Business asset valuation adjustments ⁽⁴⁾	8% - 50% (26%)
Other real estate owned	621		Collateral appraisal ⁽¹⁾	Liquidation expenses ⁽²⁾	8% - 8% (8%)
Residential mortgage loan commitments	69		Adjusted market bid	Pull-through rate	90% - 90% (90%)



	Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements
December 31, 2017	Fair Value Estimate		Valuation Technique	Unobservable Input	Range (Weighted Average) (4)
(dollars in thousands)
Impaired loans	$	13,902	Collateral appraisal ⁽¹⁾	Liquidation expenses ⁽²⁾	8% - 8% (8%)
Other real estate owned	1,449		Collateral appraisal ⁽¹⁾	Liquidation expenses ⁽²⁾	8% - 8% (8%)
Residential mortgage loan commitments	60		Adjusted market bid	Pull-through rate	90% - 90% (90%)


(1)	Obtained from approved independent appraisers. Appraisals are current and in compliance with credit policy. The Bank does not generally discount appraisals.


(2)	Appraisals are adjusted by management for liquidation expenses. The range and weighted average of liquidation expense adjustments are presented as a percentage of the appraisal.


(3)	Business asset valuation obtained from independent party.


(4)	Business asset valuations may be adjusted by management for qualitative factors including economic conditions and the condition of the business assets. The range and weighted average of the business asset adjustments are presented as a percent of the business asset valuation.