OTHER COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND OFF-BALANCE SHEET ACTIVITIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

OTHER COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND OFF-BALANCE SHEET ACTIVITIES

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared a novel strain of coronavirus ("COVID-19") a global pandemic and the United States declared a National Public Health Emergency. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is fluid and continues to evolve, which is adversely affecting some of the Company’s clients. The continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations is currently uncertain and will depend on various developments and other factors, including, among others, the duration and scope of the pandemic, as well as governmental, regulatory and private sector responses to the pandemic, and the associated impacts on the economy, financial markets, and our clients, employees, and vendors.

The Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations generally rely upon the ability of the Company’s borrowers to repay their loans, the value of collateral underlying the Company’s secured loans, and demand for loans and other products and services the Company offers, which are highly dependent on the business environment in the Company’s primary markets where it operates and in the United States as a whole.

These circumstances could cause the Company to experience a material adverse effect on our business operations, asset valuations, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Material adverse impacts may include all or a combination of valuation impairments on the Company’s intangible assets, investments, loans, loan servicing rights, deferred tax assets, lease right-of-use assets, or counter-party risk derivatives.

Beginning in March 2020, the Company offered three-month payment deferrals for customers with a current payment status who were negatively impacted by economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had 1 active modified loan outstanding with a carrying value of $12.4 million. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had 19 active modified loans outstanding with a carrying value of $14.4 million, which excluded loans returning to payment or awaiting evaluation for further deferral. The Company continues to accrue interest on these loans during the deferral period. In accordance with interagency guidance issued in March 2020 and Section 4013 (Temporary Relief from Troubled Debt Restructurings) of the CARES Act, these short-term deferrals are not considered troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”) unless the borrower was previously experiencing financial difficulty. In addition, the risk-ratings on COVID-19 modified loans did not automatically change as a result of payment deferrals, and these loans will not be considered past due until after the deferral period is over and scheduled payments resume. Section 4013 (Temporary Relief from Troubled Debt Restructurings) of the CARES Act expired on December 31, 2021.

Credit Related Financial Instruments. The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. Such commitments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit, and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company’s exposure to credit loss in the event of non-performance by the other party to the financial instrument is represented by the contractual amount of these commitments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments as it does for on-balance-sheet instruments. A summary of financial instruments outstanding whose contract amounts represent credit risk is as follows at year-end:


(In thousands)	2022		2021
Commitments to originate new loans	$	305,474	$	588,034
Unused funds on commercial and other lines of credit	966,523		902,598
Unadvanced funds on home equity lines of credit	336,924		334,784
Unadvanced funds on construction and real estate loans	694,091		340,336
Standby letters of credit	21,387		14,475
Total	$	2,324,399	$	2,180,227

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. The commitments for lines of credit may expire without being drawn upon. Therefore, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Company evaluates each customer’s creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis.

Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Company to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. These letters of credit are primarily issued to support borrowing arrangements. The credit risk involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loan facilities to customers. The Company considers standby letters of credit to be guarantees and the amount of the recorded liability related to such guarantees was not material at year-end 2022 and 2021.

Employment and Change in Control Agreements. The Company and the Bank have change in control agreements with several officers which provide a severance payment in the event employment is terminated in conjunction with a defined change in control.

Legal Claims. Various legal claims arise from time to time in the normal course of business. As of December 31, 2022, neither the Company nor the Bank was involved in any pending legal proceedings believed by management to be material, that are not accrued for, to the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.