NOTE 21. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Accounting guidance under GAAP defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. This accounting guidance also establishes a fair value hierarchy, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

The Company uses fair value measurements to record fair value adjustments to certain assets and liabilities and to determine fair value disclosures. Securities available for sale are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. Additionally, from time to time, the Company may be required to record at fair value other assets on a nonrecurring basis, such as impaired loans, loans held for sale and other real estate owned (foreclosed assets). These nonrecurring fair value adjustments typically involve application of lower of cost or market accounting or write-downs of individual assets.

Under fair value accounting guidance, assets and liabilities are grouped 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 their fair values. These hierarchy levels are:

Level 1 inputs – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.

Level 2 inputs – Inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These might include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, such as interest rates and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals.

Level 3 inputs – Unobservable inputs for determining the fair values of assets or liabilities that reflect an entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the assets or liabilities.

Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

Investment Securities Available for Sale

Fair value measurement for investment securities available for sale is based on quoted prices from an independent pricing service. The fair value measurements consider observable data that may include present value of future cash flows, prepayment assumptions, credit loss assumptions and other factors. The Company classifies its investments in U.S. Treasury securities, if any, as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy, and it classifies its investments in U.S. Government agencies securities and mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government sponsored entities as Level 2.

The tables below present the recorded amount of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2017 and 2016. No assets were transferred from one hierarchy level to another during 2017or 2016.


					Significant
					Other		Significant
			Quoted		Observable		Unobservable
			Prices		Inputs		Inputs
(Dollars in thousands)	Fair Value		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
December 31, 2017
Securities available for sale:
U.S. Government agencies	$	45,332	$	-	$	45,332	$	-
Mortgage-backed		150,965		-		150,965		-
Equity		658		-		658		-
Total	$	196,955	$	-	$	196,955	$	-

					Significant
					Other		Significant
			Quoted		Observable		Unobservable
			Prices		Inputs		Inputs
(Dollars in thousands)	Fair Value		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
December 31, 2016
Securities available for sale:
U.S. Government agencies	$	34,318	$	-	$	34,318	$	-
Mortgage-backed		128,944		-		128,944		-
Equity		640		-		640		-
Total	$	163,902	$	-	$	163,902	$	-

Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

Impaired Loans

Loans are considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Loan impairment is measured using the present value of expected cash flows, the loan’s observable market price or the fair value of the collateral (less selling costs) if the loans are collateral dependent and these are considered Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. Collateral may be real estate and/or business assets including equipment, inventory and/or accounts receivable. The value of business equipment, inventory and accounts receivable, discounted on management’s review and analysis. Appraised and reported values may be discounted based on management’s historical knowledge, changes in market conditions from the time of valuation, and/or management’s expertise and knowledge of the client and the client’s business. Impaired loans are reviewed and evaluated on at least a quarterly basis for additional impairment and adjusted accordingly, based on the factors identified above. Valuation techniques are consistent with those techniques applied in prior periods.

Other Real Estate Owned (Foreclosed Assets)

Foreclosed assets are adjusted for fair value upon transfer of loans to foreclosed assets. Subsequently, foreclosed assets are carried at the lower of carrying value and fair value. The estimated fair value for foreclosed assets included in Level 3 are determined by independent market based appraisals and other available market information, less costs to sell, that may be reduced further based on market expectations or an executed sales agreement. If the fair value of the collateral deteriorates subsequent to the initial recognition, the Company records the foreclosed asset as a non-recurring Level 3 adjustment. Valuation techniques are consistent with those techniques applied in prior periods.

The following tables set forth the Company’s financial assets subject to fair value adjustments (impairment) on a nonrecurring basis at December 31, 2017 and 2016, that are valued at the lower of cost or market. Assets are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The assets in the following table were transferred during 2016 from Level 2 to Level 3, based on management’s reassessment an evaluation of the inputs in relation to impaired loans and foreclosed assets. This reassessment resulted in management’s conclusion that the inputs for these assets were more reflective of Level 3 as unobservable inputs and applied retrospectively to prior periods reported.


	Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements
(Dollars in thousands)	Fair Value		Valuation Technique			Unobservable Input			Range
December 31, 2017
Nonrecurring measurements:

Impaired loans	$	510		Appraisal of collateral	1		Liquidation expense	2		10%

Impaired loans	$	6,005		Discounted cash flow analysis	1		Discount rate			4% - 8.5%

Other real estate owned	$	1,794		Appraisal of collateral	1		Appraisal adjustments	2		20% - 30%
							Liquidation expense	2		5% - 10%


	Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements
(Dollars in thousands)	Fair Value		Valuation Technique			Unobservable Input			Range
December 31, 2016
Nonrecurring measurements:

Impaired loans	$	8,935		Appraisal of collateral	1		Appraisal adjustments	2		20% - 30%
							Liquidation expense	2		5% - 10%

Other real estate owned	$	2,477		Appraisal of collateral	1		Appraisal adjustments	2		20% - 30%
							Liquidation expense	2		5% - 10%

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

The following information relates to the estimated fair values of financial assets and liabilities that are reported in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets at their carrying amounts. The discussion below describes the methods and assumptions used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial asset and liability for which it is practicable to estimate that value.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents include interest-bearing deposits with other banks and federal funds sold. For these short-term instruments, the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

Investment Securities Held to Maturity

For all investments in debt securities, fair values are based on quoted prices. If a quoted price is not available, fair value is estimated using quoted prices for similar securities.

Loans

The fair values of categories of fixed rate loans, such as commercial loans, residential real estate, and other consumer loans, are estimated by discounting the future cash flows using the current rates at which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings and for the same remaining maturities. Other loans, including variable rate loans, are adjusted for differences in loan characteristics.

Restricted Securities

The restricted security category is comprised of FHLB and Federal Reserve Bank stock. These stocks are classified as restricted securities because their ownership is restricted to certain types of entities and they lack a market. When the FHLB or Federal Reserve Bank repurchases stock, they repurchase at the stock’s book value. Therefore, the carrying amounts of restricted securities approximate fair value.

Bank Owned Life Insurance

The carrying value of bank owned life insurance policies approximates fair value. The Company records these policies at their cash surrender value, which is estimated using information provided by insurance carriers.

Deposits and Short-Term Borrowings

The fair values of demand deposits, savings accounts, and certain money market deposits are the amounts payable on demand at the reporting date. The fair value of fixed-maturity certificates of deposit is estimated using the rates currently offered for deposits of similar remaining maturities. These estimates do not take into consideration the value of core deposit intangibles. Generally, the carrying amount of short-term borrowings is a reasonable estimate of fair value. The fair values of securities sold under agreements to repurchase, other short-term borrowings, and long-term debt are estimated using the rates offered for similar borrowings.

Commitments to Extend Credit and Standby Letters of Credit

The majority of the Company’s commitments to grant loans and standby letters of credit are written to carry current market interest rates if converted to loans. In general, commitments to extend credit and letters of credit are not assignable by the Company or the borrower, so they generally have value only to the Company and the borrower. Therefore, it is impractical to assign any value to these commitments.

The following table provides information on the estimated fair values of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities that are reported in the balance sheets at their carrying amounts. The financial assets and liabilities have been segregated by their classification level in the fair value hierarchy.


	December 31, 2017				December 31, 2016
			Estimated				Estimated
	Carrying		Fair		Carrying		Fair
(Dollars in thousands)	Amount		Value		Amount		Value
Financial assets
Level 1 inputs
Cash and cash equivalents	$	31,820	$	31,820	$	75,938	$	75,938

Level 2 inputs
Investment securities held to maturity	$	6,247	$	6,391	$	6,808	$	6,806
Restricted securities		3,735		3,735		1,650		1,650
Bank owned life insurance		3,637		3,637		3,552		3,552

Level 3 inputs
Loans, net		1,083,733		1,072,951		862,799		867,594

Financial liabilities
Level 2 inputs
Deposits:
Noninterest-bearing demand	$	328,322	$	328,322	$	261,575	$	261,575
Checking plus interest		231,898		231,898		203,724		203,724
Money market		223,123		223,123		181,871		181,871
Savings		156,623		156,623		90,051		90,051
Club		398		398		393		393
Certificates of deposit, $100,000 or more		107,343		105,691		120,602		119,914
Other time		155,074		151,339		139,273		135,940
Short-term borrowings		21,734		21,734		3,203		3,203

Fair value is generally determined through independent appraisals of the underlying collateral (impaired loans and OREO) or discounted cash flow analyses (impaired loans), which generally include various level III inputs which are not identifiable.

Appraisals may be adjusted by management for qualitative factors such as economic conditions and estimated liquidation expenses. The range of liquidation expenses and other appraisal adjustments are presented as a percent of the appraisal.