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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Summary of Signficant Accounting Policies  
Basis of Presentation
AUBURN NATIONAL
 
BANCORPORATION,
 
INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE 1: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING
 
POLICIES
Nature of Business
Auburn National Bancorporation, Inc. (the “Company”) is a bank holding company
 
whose primary business is conducted
by its wholly-owned subsidiary,
 
AuburnBank (the “Bank”). AuburnBank is a commercial bank located in Auburn,
Alabama. The Bank provides a full range of banking services in its primary market area,
 
Lee County, which includes the
Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Basis of Presentation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and
 
its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Significant
intercompany transactions and accounts are eliminated in consolidation.
COVID-19 Uncertainty
COVID-19 has adversely affected, and may continue to adversely affect
 
economic activity globally,
 
nationally and locally.
Following the COVID-19 outbreak in December 2019 and January 2020,
 
market interest rates declined significantly. The
federal banking agencies encouraged financial institutions to prudently
 
work with borrowers and passed legislation to
provide relief from reporting loan classifications due to modifications related to the COVID
 
-19 outbreak. The spread of
COVID-19 has caused us to modify our business practices, including employee travel,
 
employee work locations, and
cancellation of physical participation in meetings, events and conferences. The rapid
 
development and fluidity of this
situation precludes any predication as to the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
 
Nevertheless, the outbreak
presents uncertainty and risk with respect to the Company,
 
its performance, and its financial results.
Revenue Recognition
 
On January 1, 2018, the Company implemented ASU 2014-09,
 
Revenue from Contracts with Customers
, codified
at
 
ASC
 
606. The Company adopted ASC 606 using the modified retrospective transition
 
method. The majority of the
Company’s revenue stream is generated from
 
interest income on loans and deposits which are outside the scope of ASC
606.
 
The Company’s sources of income that fall
 
within the scope of ASC 606 include service charges on deposits, investment
services, interchange fees and gains and losses on sales of other real estate, all of which are
 
presented as components of
noninterest income. The following is a summary of the revenue streams that fall within the
 
scope of ASC 606:
 
Service charges on deposits, investment services, ATM
 
and interchange fees – Fees from these services are either
transaction-based, for which the performance obligations are satisfied
 
when the individual transaction is processed, or set
periodic service charges, for which the performance obligations
 
are satisfied over the period the service is provided.
Transaction-based fees are recognized at the time the transaction
 
is processed, and periodic service charges are recognized
over the service period.
Gains on sales of other real estate
 
A gain on sale should be recognized when a contract for sale exists and control of the
asset has been transferred to the buyer. ASC 606
 
lists several criteria required to conclude that a contract for sale exists,
including a determination that the institution will collect substantially all of the consideration
 
to which it is entitled. In
addition to the loan-to-value, the analysis is based on various other factors, including the credit
 
quality of the borrower, the
structure of the loan, and any other factors that may affect collectability.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted
 
accounting principles requires
management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported
 
amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure
of contingent assets and liabilities as of the balance sheet date and the reported
 
amounts of income and expense during the
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates
 
that are particularly susceptible to
significant change in the near term include the determination of the allowance
 
for loan losses, fair value measurements,
valuation of other real estate owned, and valuation of deferred tax assets.
Change in Accounting Estimate
During the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company reassessed its estimate of the useful lives
 
of certain fixed assets. The
Company revised its original useful life estimate for certain land improvements, buildings
 
and improvements and furniture,
fixtures and equipment, with a carrying value of $
0.5
 
million at December 31, 2019, to correspond with estimated
demolition dates planned as part of the redevelopment project for its
 
main campus.
 
This is considered a change in
accounting estimate, per ASC 250-10, where adjustments should be made prospectively.
 
The effects of this change in
accounting estimate on the 2021 and 2020 consolidated financial statements, respectively,
 
was a decrease in net earnings of
$
29
 
thousand, or $
0.01
 
per share and $
342
 
thousand, or $
0.10
 
per share.
Reclassifications
 
Certain amounts reported in the prior period have been reclassified to conform to the
 
current-period presentation. These
reclassifications had no impact on the Company’s
 
previously reported net earnings or total stockholders’ equity.
Subsequent Events
 
The Company has evaluated the effects of events or transactions through
 
the date of this filing that have occurred
subsequent to December 31, 2021. The Company does not believe there are
 
any material subsequent events that would
require further recognition or disclosure.
Accounting Standards Adopted in 2021
In 2021, the Company did not adopt any new accounting guidance.
 
Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents include cash on hand, cash items in process of collection, amounts due
 
from banks, including interest
bearing deposits with other banks, and federal funds sold.
Securities
Securities are classified based on management’s
 
intention at the date of purchase. At December 31, 2021, all
 
of the
Company’s securities were classified
 
as available-for-sale. Securities available-for-sale are
 
used as part of the Company’s
interest rate risk management strategy,
 
and they may be sold in response to changes in interest rates, changes in prepayment
risks or other factors. All securities classified as available-for-sale are recorded
 
at fair value with any unrealized gains and
losses reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of the deferred
 
income tax effects. Interest and
dividends on securities, including the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts
 
are recognized in interest
income using the effective interest method.
 
Premiums are amortized to the earliest call date while discounts are accreted
over the estimated life of the security.
 
Realized gains and losses from the sale of securities are determined using the
specific identification method.
 
On a quarterly basis, management makes an assessment to determine
 
whether there have been events or economic
circumstances to indicate that a security on which there is an unrealized loss is other-than-temporarily
 
impaired.
 
For debt securities with an unrealized loss, an other-than-temporary
 
impairment write-down is triggered when (1) the
Company has the intent to sell a debt security,
 
(2) it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the
debt security before recovery of its amortized cost basis, or (3) the Company does
 
not expect to recover the entire amortized
cost basis of the debt security.
 
If the Company has the intent to sell a debt security or if it is more likely than not that it
 
will
be required to sell the debt security before recovery,
 
the other-than-temporary write-down is equal to the entire difference
between the debt security’s amortized cost
 
and its fair value.
 
If the Company does not intend to sell the security or it is not
more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before recovery,
 
the other-than-temporary impairment write-
down is separated into the amount that is credit related (credit loss component) and the amount due to all other
 
factors.
 
The
credit loss component is recognized in earnings, as a realized loss in securities gains (losses),
 
and is the difference between
the security’s amortized cost basis and the present
 
value of its expected future cash flows.
 
The remaining difference
between the security’s fair value and the present
 
value of future expected cash flows is due to factors that are not credit
related and is recognized in other comprehensive income, net of applicable taxes.
Loans held for sale
Loans originated and intended for sale in the secondary market are carried at the lower of
 
cost or estimated fair value in the
aggregate.
 
Loan sales are recognized when the transaction closes, the proceeds
 
are collected, and ownership is transferred.
 
Continuing involvement, through the sales agreement, consists of the right to service the loan
 
for a fee for the life of the
loan, if applicable.
 
Gains on the sale of loans held for sale are recorded net of related costs, such as commissions,
 
and
reflected as a component of mortgage lending income in the consolidated statements
 
of earnings.
 
In the course of conducting the Bank’s
 
mortgage lending activities of originating mortgage loans and selling those loans in
the secondary market, the Bank makes various representations and
 
warranties to the purchaser of the mortgage loans.
 
Every loan closed by the Bank’s mortgage
 
center is run through a government agency automated underwriting system.
 
Any exceptions noted during this process are remedied prior to sale.
 
These representations and warranties also apply to
underwriting the real estate appraisal opinion of value for the collateral securing these
 
loans.
 
Failure by the Company to
comply with the underwriting and/or appraisal standards could result in the Company
 
being required to repurchase the
mortgage loan or to reimburse the investor for losses incurred (make whole requests)
 
if such failure cannot be cured by the
Company within the specified period following discovery.
Loans
Loans are reported at their outstanding principal balances, net of any unearned
 
income, charge-offs, and any deferred fees
or costs on originated loans.
 
Interest income is accrued based on the principal balance outstanding.
 
Loan origination fees,
net of certain loan origination costs, are deferred and recognized in interest income over the
 
contractual life of the loan
using the effective interest method. Loan commitment fees are
 
generally deferred and amortized on a straight-line basis
over the commitment period, which results in a recorded amount that approximates fair
 
value.
The accrual of interest on loans is discontinued when there is a significant deterioration
 
in the financial condition of the
borrower and full repayment of principal and interest is not expected or the principal or
 
interest is more than 90 days past
due, unless the loan is both well-collateralized and in the process of collection. Generally,
 
all interest accrued but not
collected for loans that are placed on nonaccrual status is reversed against current
 
interest income. Interest collections on
nonaccrual loans are generally applied as principal reductions. The Company determines
 
past due or delinquency status of a
loan based on contractual payment terms.
A loan is considered impaired when it is probable the Company will be unable to collect all
 
principal and interest payments
due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Individually identified impaired
 
loans are measured based on
the present value of expected payments using the loan’s
 
original effective rate as the discount rate, the loan’s
 
observable
market price, or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent. If the recorded
 
investment in the impaired
loan exceeds the measure of fair value, a valuation allowance may be established as part of
 
the allowance for loan losses.
Changes to the valuation allowance are recorded as a component of the provision for loan
 
losses.
Impaired loans also include troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”). In the normal
 
course of business, management may
grant concessions to borrowers who are experiencing financial difficulty.
 
The concessions granted most frequently for
TDRs involve reductions or delays in required payments of principal and interest
 
for a specified time, the rescheduling of
payments in accordance with a bankruptcy plan or the charge-off
 
of a portion of the loan. In most cases, the conditions of
the credit also warrant nonaccrual status, even after the restructuring occurs.
 
As part of the credit approval process, the
restructured loans are evaluated for adequate collateral protection in determining
 
the appropriate accrual status at the time
of restructuring. TDR loans may be returned to accrual status if there has been at least a six-month
 
sustained period of
repayment performance by the borrower.
The Company began offering short-term loan modifications to assist borrowers
 
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
If the
modification meets certain conditions, the modification does not need to be
 
accounted for as a TDR.
 
For more information,
please refer to Note 5, Loans and Allowance for Loan Losses.
Allowance for Loan Losses
The allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level that management believes
 
is adequate to absorb probable losses
inherent in the loan portfolio. Loan losses are charged against the allowance
 
when they are known. Subsequent recoveries
are credited to the allowance. Management’s
 
determination of the adequacy of the allowance is based on an evaluation
 
of
the portfolio, current economic conditions, growth, composition of the loan portfolio,
 
homogeneous pools of loans, risk
ratings of specific loans, historical loan loss factors, identified impaired loans and
 
other factors related to the portfolio. This
evaluation is performed quarterly and is inherently subjective, as it requires various
 
material estimates that are susceptible
to significant change, including the amounts and timing of future cash flows expected
 
to be received on any impaired loans.
In addition, regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process,
 
will periodically review the Company’s
allowance for loan losses, and may require the Company to record additions to the allowance
 
based on their judgment about
information available to them at the time of their examinations.
Premises and Equipment
Land is carried at cost. Land improvements, buildings and improvements, and furniture,
 
fixtures, and equipment are carried
at cost, less accumulated depreciation computed on a straight-line method over the
 
useful lives of the assets or the expected
terms of the leases, if shorter. Expected
 
terms include lease option periods to the extent that the exercise of such options is
reasonably assured.
 
Nonmarketable equity investments
Nonmarketable equity investments include equity securities that are not publicly traded
 
and securities acquired for various
purposes. The Bank is required to maintain certain minimum levels of equity investments
 
with certain regulatory and other
entities in which the Bank has an ongoing business relationship based on the Bank’s
 
common stock and surplus (with
regard to the relationship with the Federal Reserve Bank) or outstanding borrowings (with
 
regard to the relationship with
the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta). These nonmarketable equity securities
 
are accounted for at cost which equals par
or redemption value. These securities do not have a readily determinable fair value as their
 
ownership is restricted and there
is no market for these securities. These securities can only be redeemed or sold
 
at their par value and only to the respective
issuing government supported institution or to another member
 
institution. The Company records these nonmarketable
equity securities as a component of other assets, which are periodically evaluated for
 
impairment. Management considers
these nonmarketable equity securities to be long-term investments.
 
Accordingly, when evaluating these
 
securities for
impairment, management considers the ultimate recoverability of the par
 
value rather than by recognizing temporary
declines in value.
 
Mortgage Servicing Rights
The Company recognizes as assets the rights to service mortgage loans for others, known as
 
MSRs. The Company
determines the fair value of MSRs at the date the loan is transferred.
 
An estimate of the Company’s MSRs is determined
using assumptions that market participants would use in estimating future
 
net servicing income, including estimates of
prepayment speeds, discount rate, default rates, cost to service, escrow account earnings,
 
contractual servicing fee income,
ancillary income, and late fees.
 
Subsequent to the date of transfer, the Company
 
has elected to measure its MSRs under the amortization method.
 
Under
the amortization method, MSRs are amortized in proportion to, and over the period
 
of, estimated net servicing income.
 
The
amortization of MSRs is analyzed monthly and is adjusted to reflect changes in prepayment
 
speeds, as well as other factors.
 
MSRs are evaluated for impairment based on the fair value of those assets.
 
Impairment is determined by stratifying MSRs
into groupings based on predominant risk characteristics, such as interest rate and loan type.
 
If, by individual stratum, the
carrying amount of the MSRs exceeds fair value, a valuation allowance is established
 
through a charge to earnings.
 
The
valuation allowance is adjusted as the fair value changes.
 
MSRs are included in the other assets category in the
accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
 
Transfers of Financial
 
Assets
Transfers of an entire financial asset (i.e. loan sales), a group
 
of entire financial assets, or a participating interest in an entire
financial asset (i.e. loan participations sold) are accounted for as sales when control
 
over the assets have been surrendered.
Control over transferred assets is deemed to be surrendered when (1)
 
the assets have been isolated from the Company,
(2) the transferee obtains the right (free of conditions that constrain it from taking that right)
 
to pledge or exchange the
transferred assets, and (3) the Company does not maintain effective
 
control over the transferred assets through an
agreement to repurchase them before their maturity.
 
Subsequent to the date of transfer, the Company
 
has elected to measure its MSRs under the amortization method.
 
Under
the amortization method, MSRs are amortized in proportion to, and over
 
the period of, estimated net servicing income.
 
The
amortization of MSRs is analyzed monthly and is adjusted to reflect changes in prepayment
 
speeds, as well as other factors.
 
MSRs are evaluated for impairment based on the fair value of those assets.
 
Impairment is determined by stratifying MSRs
into groupings based on predominant risk characteristics, such as interest rate and loan type.
 
If, by individual stratum, the
carrying amount of the MSRs exceeds fair value, a valuation allowance is established
 
through a charge to earnings.
 
The
valuation allowance is adjusted as the fair value changes.
 
MSRs are included in the other assets category in the
accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
 
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
 
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase generally mature less than one
 
year from the transaction date. Securities
sold under agreements to repurchase are reflected as a secured borrowing in the accompanying consolidated
 
balance sheets
at the amount of cash received in connection with each transaction.
 
Income Taxes
 
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are the expected future tax amounts for the temporary differences
 
between carrying
amounts and tax bases of assets and liabilities, computed using enacted tax rates. A
 
valuation allowance, if needed, reduces
deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
 
The net deferred tax asset is reflected as a component of other
assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Income tax expense or benefit for the year is allocated among continuing operations and other
 
comprehensive income
(loss), as applicable. The amount allocated to continuing operations is the income tax effect
 
of the pretax income or loss
from continuing operations that occurred during the year,
 
plus or minus income tax effects of (1) changes in certain
circumstances that cause a change in judgment about the realization of deferred tax assets in future
 
years, (2) changes in
income tax laws or rates, and (3) changes in income tax status, subject to certain exceptions.
 
The amount allocated to other
comprehensive income (loss) is related solely to changes in the valuation allowance on items
 
that are normally accounted
for in other comprehensive income (loss) such as unrealized gains or losses on available
 
-for-sale securities.
In accordance with ASC 740,
Income Taxes
, a tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that
the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed
 
to occur. The amount
recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of
 
being realized on examination. For tax
positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded.
 
It is the Company’s policy to recognize
interest and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. The Company and
 
its wholly-owned subsidiaries
file a consolidated income tax return
.
 
Fair Value Measureme
 
nts
 
ASC 820,
Fair Value
 
Measurements,
which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in U.S.
generally accepted accounting principles and expands disclosures about fair value
 
measurements. ASC 820 applies only to
fair-value measurements that are already required or
 
permitted by other accounting standards.
 
The definition of fair value
focuses on the exit price, i.e., 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, not the entry price, i.e., the price that would be paid to
acquire the asset or received to assume the liability at the measurement date. The statement
 
emphasizes that fair value is a
market-based measurement; not an entity-specific measurement. Therefore,
 
the fair value measurement should be
determined based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing
 
the asset or liability.
 
For more
information related to fair value measurements, please refer to Note 14, Fair
 
Value.