General (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Adoption of New Accounting Standards and Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” Among other things, in the amendments in ASU 2016-02, lessees are required to recognize the following for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) at the commencement date: (1) A lease liability, which is a lessee‘s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis; and (2) A right-of-use asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term. Under the new guidance, lessor accounting is largely unchanged. Certain targeted improvements were made to align, where necessary, lessor accounting with the lessee accounting model and Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Lessees (for capital and operating leases) and lessors (for sales-type, direct financing, and operating leases) must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The modified retrospective approach does not require any transition accounting for leases that expired before the earliest comparative period presented. Lessees and lessors may not apply a full retrospective transition approach. The FASB made subsequent amendments to Topic 842 through ASU 2018-10 (“Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases.”) and ASU 2018-11 (“Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.”) Among these amendments is the provision in ASU 2018-11 that provides entities with an additional (and optional) transition method to adopt the new leases standard. Under this new transition method, an entity initially applies the new leases standard at the adoption date and recognizes a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. Consequently, an entity’s reporting for the comparative periods presented in the financial statements in which it adopts the new leases standard will continue to be in accordance with current GAAP (Topic 840, Leases). The adoption of this standard did not have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements. For further information about the Company's leases, see Note 16.

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU No. 2017-08, "Receivables—Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20), Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities.” The amendments in ASU 2017-08 shorten the amortization period for certain callable debt securities purchased at a premium. Under the new guidance, premiums on these qualifying callable debt securities are amortized to the earliest call date. Discounts on purchased debt securities continue to be accreted to maturity. The adoption of this standard did not have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements and no cumulative effect adjustment was recorded.

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU No. 2017-12, "Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities." The amendments in ASU 2017-12 modify the designation and measurement guidance for hedge accounting as well as provide for increased transparency regarding the presentation of economic results on both the financial statements and related footnotes. Certain aspects of hedge effectiveness assessments were simplified upon implementation of this updated. The new guidance also provides for a reclassification of certain debt securities from held to maturity to available for sale if the security is eligible to be hedged using the last-of-layer method. Any unrealized gain or loss existing at the time of transfer is recorded in accumulated comprehensive income or loss. As a permitted activity, the reclassification of securities will not taint future held to maturity classification so long as the securities transferred are eligible to be hedged under the last-of-layer method. Accordingly, on January 1, 2019, the Company reclassified eligible held to maturity securities with amortized costs totaling $23.4 million as available for sale. The unrealized loss associated with the reclassified securities totaled $431 thousand and was included in the Company's accumulated other comprehensive loss on the date of reclassification.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” The amendments in this ASU, among other things, require the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Financial institutions and other organizations will now use forward-looking information to better inform their credit loss estimates. Many of the loss estimation techniques applied today will still be permitted, although the inputs to those techniques will change to reflect the full amount of expected credit losses. In addition, the ASU amends the accounting for credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities and purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. The amendments in this ASU are effective for SEC filers for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company is currently assessing the impact that ASU 2016-13 will have on its consolidated financial statements. The Company has formed a committee to address the compliance requirements of this ASU, which has analyzed gathered data, definined loan pools and segments, and selected methods for applying the concepts included in this ASU. The Company is in the process of testing selected models, building policy and processing documentation, modeling the impact of the ASU on the capital and strategic plans, performing model validation, and finalizing policies and procedures. This guidance may result in material changes in the Company's accounting for credit losses of financial instruments.

Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures

Accounting guidance requires disclosure of the fair value of financial assets and financial liabilities, including those financial assets and financial liabilities that are not measured and reported at fair value on a recurring basis or non-recurring basis.

The Company assumes interest rate risk (the risk that general interest rate levels will change) as a result of its normal operations. As a result, the fair values of the Company’s financial instruments will change when interest rate levels change and that change may be either favorable or unfavorable to the Company. Management attempts to match maturities of assets and liabilities to the extent believed necessary to minimize interest rate risk. However, borrowers with fixed rate obligations are less likely to prepay in a rising rate environment and more likely to prepay in a falling rate environment. Conversely, depositors who are receiving fixed rates are more likely to withdraw funds before maturity in a rising rate environment and less likely to do so in a falling rate environment. Management monitors rates and maturities of assets and liabilities and attempts to minimize interest rate risk by adjusting terms of new loans and deposits and by investing in securities with terms that mitigate the Company’s overall interest rate risk.

Certain assets are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in accordance with GAAP. Adjustments to the fair value of these assets usually result from the application of lower-of-cost-or-market accounting or write-downs of individual assets.

The following describes the valuation techniques used by the Company to measure certain assets recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in the financial statements:

Loans held for sale

Loans held for sale are carried at the lower of cost or market value. These loans currently consist of one-to-four family residential loans originated for sale in the secondary market. Fair value is based on the price secondary markets are currently offering for similar loans using observable market data which is not materially different than cost due to the short duration between origination and sale (Level 2). As such, the Company records any fair value adjustments on a nonrecurring basis. No nonrecurring fair value adjustments were recorded on loans held for sale during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and the year ended December 31, 2018.

Impaired Loans

Loans are designated as impaired when, in the judgment of management based on current information and events, it is probable that all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreements will not be collected. The measurement of loss associated with impaired loans can be based on the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, the observable market price of the loan, or the fair value of the collateral less estimated costs to sell. Collateral may be in the form of real estate or business assets including equipment, inventory, and accounts receivable. The vast majority of the Company’s collateral is real estate. The value of real estate collateral is determined utilizing a market valuation approach based on an appraisal conducted by an independent, licensed appraiser using observable market data (Level 2) within the last twelve months. However, if the collateral is a house or building in the process of construction or if an appraisal of the property is more than one year old and not solely based on observable market comparables or management determines the fair value of the collateral is further impaired below the appraised value, then a Level 3 valuation is considered to measure the fair value. The value of business equipment is based upon an outside appraisal, of one year or less, if deemed significant, or the net book value on the applicable business’s financial statements if not considered significant using observable market data. Likewise, values for inventory and accounts receivables collateral are based on financial statement balances or aging reports (Level 3). Impaired loans allocated to the allowance for loan losses are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. Any fair value adjustments are recorded in the period incurred as provision for loan losses on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Other real estate owned

Loans are transferred to other real estate owned when the collateral securing them is foreclosed on or acquired through a deed in lieu of foreclosure. The measurement of loss associated with other real estate owned is based on the appraisal documents and assessed the same way as impaired loans described above. Any fair value adjustments are recorded in the period incurred as other real estate owned income on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

The Company uses fair value measurements to record fair value adjustments to certain assets and liabilities and to determine fair value disclosures. In accordance with the “Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures” topic of FASB ASC, 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 the Company’s 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, which focuses on exit price in an orderly transaction (that is, 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.

Fair Value Hierarchy

In accordance with this guidance, the Company groups its assets and liabilities generally measured at fair value in three levels, based on the markets in which the assets and liabilities are traded and the reliability of the assumptions used to determine fair value.

Level 1 -

Valuation is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 1 assets and liabilities generally include debt and equity securities that are traded in an active exchange market. Valuations are obtained from readily available pricing sources for market transactions involving identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 -

Valuation is based on inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. The valuation may be based on quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3 -

Valuation is based on unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 assets and liabilities include financial instruments whose value is determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques, as well as instruments for which determination of fair value requires a significant management judgment or estimation.

An instrument’s categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

The following describes the valuation techniques used by the Company to measure certain assets recorded at fair value on a recurring basis in the financial statements:

Securities available for sale

Securities available for sale are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. Fair value measurement is based upon quoted market prices, when available (Level 1). If quoted market prices are not available, fair values are measured utilizing independent valuation techniques of identical or similar securities for which significant assumptions are derived primarily from or corroborated by observable market data. Third party vendors compile prices from various sources and may determine the fair value of identical or similar securities by using pricing models that consider observable market data (Level 2).