Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Accounting Standards Adopted in 2023

Accounting Standards Adopted in 2023

ASU 2016-13: On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASC 326”). This standard replaced the incurred loss methodology with an expected loss methodology that is referred to as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) methodology. The CECL methodology requires an estimate of credit losses for the remaining estimated life of the financial asset using historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts and generally applies to financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loan receivables and held-to-maturity debt securities, and some off-balance sheet credit exposures such as unfunded commitments to extend credit. Financial assets measured at amortized cost are presented at the net amount expected to be collected by using an allowance for credit losses.

In addition, CECL made changes to the accounting for available-for-sale debt securities. One such change is to require credit losses to be presented as an allowance rather than as a write-down on available-for-sale debt securities if management does not intend to sell and does not believe that it is more likely than not, they will be required to sell.

The Company adopted ASC 326 and all related subsequent amendments thereto effective January 1, 2023 using the modified retrospective approach for all financial assets measured at amortized cost and off-balance sheet credit exposures. At adoption, the after tax impact to retained earnings was a reduction of $(2.3) million based on our evaluation as of that date. This adjustment consisted of increases to the allowance for credit losses on loans, as well as the Company's allowance for unfunded loan commitments.

The Company adopted ASC 326 using the prospective transition approach for debt securities for which other-than-temporary impairment had been recognized prior to January 1, 2023. As of December 31, 2022, the Company did not have any other-than-temporarily impaired investment securities. The Company did not record an allowance for credit losses for securities classified as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity upon adoption. Refer to Note 2 – Investment Securities for further discussion.

The Company elected not to measure an allowance for credit losses for accrued interest receivable and instead elected to reverse interest income on loans or securities that are placed on nonaccrual status, which is generally when the instrument is 90 days past due, or earlier if the Company believes the collection of interest is doubtful. The Company has concluded that this policy results in the timely reversal of uncollectible interest.

ASU 2022-02: On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted ASU 2022-02, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326), Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures.” ASU 2022-02 addresses areas identified by the FASB as part of its post-implementation review of the credit losses standard (ASU 2016-13) that introduced the CECL model. The amendments eliminate the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”) by creditors that have adopted the CECL model and enhance the disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancings and restructurings by creditors when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. In addition, the amendments require that the Company disclose current-period gross write-offs for financing receivables and net investment in leases by year of origination in the vintage disclosures. The Company adopted the standard prospectively and it did not have a material impact on the financial statements.

Allowance for credit losses

Allowance for Credit Losses - Held-to-Maturity Securities

The Company estimates expected credit losses on held-to-maturity securities on an individual basis based on a Probability of Default/Loss Given Default (“PD/LGD”) methodology primarily using security-level credit ratings. The primary indicators of credit quality for the Company’s held-to-maturity portfolio are security type and credit rating, which are influenced by a number of factors including obligor cash flow, geography, seniority, among other factors. The Company’s held-to-maturity securities with credit risk are municipal bonds, which had a credit rating of AA or better as of March 31, 2023. All other held-to-maturity securities are covered by the explicit or implied guarantee of the United States government or one of its agencies.

Changes in the allowance for credit loss are recorded as provision for (or recovery of) credit losses in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company did not have an allowance for credit losses on held-to-maturity securities as of March 31, 2023 or upon adoption of ASC 326. Refer to Note 2 – Investment Securities for further discussion.

Allowance for Credit Losses - Available-for-Sale Securities

Management evaluates all available-for-sale securities in an unrealized loss position on a quarterly basis, and more frequently when economic or market conditions warrant such evaluation. If the Company has the intent to sell the security or it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security, the security is written down to fair value and the entire loss is recorded in earnings.

If either of the above criteria is not met, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value is the result of credit losses or other factors. In making the assessment, the Company may consider various factors including the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, downgrades in the ratings of the security by a rating agency, the failure of the issuer to make scheduled interest or principal payments and adverse conditions specific to the security. If the assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows expected to be collected are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security and any deficiency is recorded as an allowance for credit loss, limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. Any amount of unrealized loss that has not been recorded through an allowance for credit loss is recognized in other comprehensive income.

Changes in the allowance for credit loss are recorded as a provision for (or recovery of) credit losses in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Losses are charged against the allowance for credit loss when management believes an available-for-sale security is confirmed to be uncollectible or when either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met. At March 31, 2023, there was no allowance for credit loss related to the available-for-sale portfolio. Refer to Note 2 – Investment Securities for further discussion.

Accrued interest receivable on available-for-sale securities totaled $891 thousand at March 31, 2023 and was excluded from the estimate of credit losses.

Allowance for Credit Losses - Loans

The allowance for loan credit losses represents an amount which, in management's judgment, is adequate to absorb the lifetime expected losses that may be sustained on outstanding loans at the balance sheet date based on the evaluation of the size and current risk characteristics of the loan portfolio, past events, current conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions, and prepayment experience. The allowance for loan credit losses is measured and recorded upon the initial recognition of a financial asset. The allowance for loan credit losses is reduced by charge-offs, net of recoveries of previous losses, and is increased or decreased by a provision for (or recovery of) credit losses, which is recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

The Company is utilizing a discounted cash flow model to estimate its current expected credit losses. For the purposes of calculating its quantitative reserves, the Company has segmented its loan portfolio based on loans which share similar risk characteristics. Within the quantitative portion of the calculation, the Company utilizes at least one or a combination of loss drivers, which may include unemployment rates, home price indices, and/or gross domestic product (“GDP”), to adjust its loss rates over a reasonable and supportable forecast period of one year. A straight-line reversion technique is used for the following four quarters, at which time the Company reverts to historical averages. To further adjust the allowance for credit losses for expected losses not already included within the quantitative component of the calculation, the Company may consider qualitative factors, including but not limited to: variability in the economic forecast, changes in volume and severity of adversely classified loans, changes in concentrations of credit, changes in the nature and volume of the loan segments, factors related to credit administration, and other idiosyncratic risks not embedded in the data used in the model.

Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis. The Company designates individually evaluated loans on nonaccrual status as collateral dependent loans, as well as other loans that management of the Company designates as having higher risk and loans for which the repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral. These loans do not share common risk characteristics and are not included within the collectively evaluated loans for determining the allowance for credit losses. Under CECL, for collateral dependent loans, the Company has adopted the practical expedient to measure the allowance for credit losses based on the fair value of collateral. The allowance for credit losses is calculated on an individual loan basis based on the shortfall between the fair value of the loan's collateral, which is adjusted for liquidation costs/discounts, and amortized cost. If the fair value of the collateral exceeds the amortized cost, no allowance is required.

The adoption of CECL did not result in a significant change to any other credit risk management and monitoring processes, including identification of past due or delinquent borrowers, nonaccrual practices or charge-off policy.

Allowance for Credit Losses – Unfunded Commitments

Financial instruments include off-balance sheet credit instruments, such as commitments to make loans and commercial letters of credit issued to meet customer financing needs. The Company’s exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for off-balance sheet loan commitments is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. Such financial instruments are recorded when they are funded.

The Company records an allowance for credit losses on off-balance sheet credit exposures, unless the commitments to extend credit are unconditionally cancelable, through a charge to provision for (or recovery of) credit losses in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The allowance for credit losses on off-balance sheet credit exposures is estimated by loan segment at each balance sheet date under the CECL model using the same methodology as the loan portfolio, taking into consideration the likelihood that funding will occur as well as any third-party guarantees. The allowance for unfunded commitments is included in other liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Accrued Interest Receivable

Accrued Interest Receivable

The Company has elected to exclude accrued interest from the amortized cost basis in its determination of the allowance for credit losses for both loans and held-to-maturity securities, as well as elected the policy to write-off accrued interest receivable directly through the reversal of interest income. Accrued interest receivable totaled $4.2 million on loans and $244 thousand on held-to-maturity securities at March 31, 2023, and is included in “Accrued Interest Receivable” on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.