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Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Summary of Derivative Instruments [Abstract]  
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
Note 7 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
Synovus utilizes derivative instruments to manage its exposure to various types of interest rate risk, exposures related to liquidity and credit risk, and to facilitate client transactions. The primary types of derivative instruments utilized by Synovus consist of interest rate swaps, interest rate lock commitments made to prospective mortgage loan clients, commitments to sell fixed-rate mortgage loans, and foreign currency exchange forwards. Interest rate lock commitments represent derivative instruments since it is intended that such loans will be sold. Synovus also provides foreign currency exchange services, primarily forward contracts, with counterparties to allow commercial clients to mitigate exchange rate risk. Synovus covers its risk by entering into an offsetting foreign currency exchange forward contract. Synovus is party to master netting arrangements with its dealer counterparties; however, Synovus does not offset assets and liabilities under these arrangements for financial statement presentation purposes. See "Part II - Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data - Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" to the consolidated financial statements of Synovus' 2021 Form 10-K for additional information regarding accounting policies for derivatives.
Hedging Derivatives
Cash flow hedging relationships mitigate exposure to the variability of future cash flows or other forecasted transactions. Synovus has entered into interest rate swap contracts to manage overall cash flow changes related to interest rate risk exposure on index-based variable rate commercial loans. The contracts effectively modify Synovus' exposure to interest rate risk by utilizing receive fixed/pay index-based variable rate interest rate swaps. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, notional amounts of $0 and $1.65 billion, respectively, in either spot starting or forward starting cash flow hedges were added.
For cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is reported initially as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of the tax impact, and subsequently reclassified into earnings when the hedged transaction affects earnings with the impacts recorded in the same income statement line item used to present the earnings effect of the hedged item. When a cash flow hedge relationship is discontinued but the hedged cash flows, or forecasted transactions, are still expected to occur, gains or losses that were accumulated in OCI are amortized into earnings over the same periods in which the hedged transactions would have affected earnings. If, however, it is probable the forecasted
transactions will no longer occur, the remaining accumulated amounts in OCI for the impacted cash flow hedges are immediately recognized in earnings.
Synovus recorded no unrealized gains during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and $488 thousand, or $364 thousand, after tax, in OCI during the three months ended September 30, 2021 and $1.2 million, or $930 thousand, after-tax, in OCI, during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 related to terminated cash flow hedges, which are being recognized into earnings in conjunction with the effective terms of the original swaps through the second quarter of 2026. Synovus recognized pre-tax income of $690 thousand and $3.9 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, and $4.0 million and $9.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively, related to the amortization of terminated cash flow hedges.
As of September 30, 2022, Synovus expects to reclassify into earnings approximately $138 million in pre-tax loss due to the receipt or payment of interest payments on all cash flow hedges within the next twelve months. Included in this amount is approximately $1 million in pre-tax income related to the amortization of terminated cash flow hedges. As of September 30, 2022, the maximum length of time over which Synovus is hedging its exposure to the variability in future cash flows is through the third quarter of 2026.
Fair value hedging relationships mitigate exposure to the change in fair value of an asset or liability. Synovus has entered into receive-fixed, pay-variable interest rate swap contracts to hedge the change in the fair value due to fluctuations in market interest rates for outstanding fixed-rate long-term debt and interest-bearing deposits. The changes in fair value of the fair value hedges are recorded through earnings with an offset against changes in the fair value of the hedged item within interest expense in the consolidated statements of income. All components of each derivative instrument’s gain/(loss) are included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, notional amounts of $947.1 million and $1.77 billion, respectively, in fair value hedges were added.
For derivative instruments that are not designated as hedging instruments, changes in the fair value of the derivatives are recognized in earnings immediately.
Counterparty Credit Risk and Collateral
Entering into derivative contracts potentially exposes Synovus to the risk of counterparties’ failure to fulfill their legal obligations, including, but not limited to, potential amounts due or payable under each derivative contract. Notional principal amounts are often used to express the volume of these transactions, but the amounts potentially subject to credit risk are much smaller. Synovus assesses the credit risk of its dealer counterparties by regularly monitoring publicly available credit rating information, evaluating other market indicators, and periodically reviewing detailed financials. Dealer collateral requirements are determined via risk-based policies and procedures and in accordance with existing agreements. Synovus seeks to minimize dealer credit risk by dealing with highly rated counterparties and by obtaining collateral for exposures above certain predetermined limits. Management closely monitors credit conditions within the client swap portfolio, which management deems to be of higher risk than dealer counterparties. Collateral is secured at origination and credit related fair value adjustments are recorded against the asset value of the derivative as deemed necessary based upon an analysis, which includes consideration of the current asset value of the swap, client risk rating, and client standing with regards to its swap contractual obligations and other related matters. Such asset values fluctuate based upon changes in interest rates regardless of changes in notional amounts and changes in client specific risk.
Collateral Requirements
Certain derivative transactions have collateral requirements, both at the inception of the trade and as the value of each derivative position changes. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, collateral totaling $58.6 million and $64.5 million, respectively, was pledged to the derivative counterparties to comply with collateral requirements.
For derivatives cleared through central clearing houses, the variation margin payments made are legally characterized as settlements of the derivatives. As a result, these variation margin payments are netted against the fair value of the respective derivative contracts in the consolidated balance sheets and related disclosures.
The following table reflects the estimated fair value of derivative instruments included in other assets and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets along with their respective notional amounts on a gross basis.
September 30, 2022December 31, 2021
Estimated Fair ValueEstimated Fair Value
(in thousands)Notional AmountDerivative Assets Derivative Liabilities Notional AmountDerivative AssetsDerivative Liabilities
Derivatives in cash flow hedging relationships:
Interest rate contracts$5,250,000 $— $8,571 $3,600,000 $22,004 $20,395 
Total cash flow hedges$— $8,571 $22,004 $20,395 
Derivatives in fair value hedging relationships:
Interest rate contracts$1,766,496 $— $4,260 $— $— $— 
Total fair value hedges$— $4,260 $— $— 
Total derivatives designated as hedging instruments$— $12,831 $22,004 $20,395 
Derivatives not designated
  as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts$9,256,575 $77,220 $325,354 $9,653,600 $167,560 $74,514 
Mortgage derivatives - interest rate lock commitments88,598 — 785 99,006 2,105 — 
Mortgage derivatives - forward commitments to sell fixed-rate mortgage loans108,000 4,347 — 105,500 — 122 
Risk participation agreements472,751 — — 374,214 — 36 
Foreign exchange contracts17,862 520 — 22,387 39 — 
Visa derivative— — 1,184 — — 3,535 
Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments    $82,087 $327,323 $169,704 $78,207 
The following table presents the effect of hedging derivative instruments on the consolidated statements of income and the total amounts for the respective line item affected for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021.
Three Months Ended September 30, 2022
Interest IncomeInterest Expense
(in thousands)Loans, including feesDepositsLong-term debtOther borrowings
Total interest income/(expense) amounts presented in the consolidated statements of income$478,448 $46,917 $22,156 $4,307 
Gain/(loss) on cash flow hedging relationships: (1)
Interest rate contracts:
Realized gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI, pre-tax, to interest income on loans$(10,253)$— $— $— 
Pre-tax income (loss) recognized on cash flow hedges$(10,253)— — — 
Gain/(loss) on fair value hedging relationships:
Recognized on derivatives$— $(17,523)$(17,769)$(300)
Recognized on hedged items— 17,523 17,769 300 
Pre-tax income (loss) recognized on fair value hedges$— $— $— $— 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2021
Interest Income
(in thousands)Loans, including fees
Total interest income/(expense) amounts presented in the consolidated statements of income$369,323 
Gain/(loss) on cash flow hedging relationships: (1)
Interest rate contracts:
Realized gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI, pre-tax, to interest income on loans$4,009 
Pre-tax income (loss) recognized on cash flow hedges$4,009 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022
Interest IncomeInterest Expense
(in thousands)Loans, including feesDepositsLong-term debtOther borrowings
Total interest income/(expense) amounts presented in the consolidated statements of income$1,230,847 $79,077 $41,069 $5,432 
Gain/(loss) on cash flow hedging relationships: (1)
Interest rate contracts:
Realized gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI, pre-tax, to interest income on loans$4,556 $— $— $— 
Pre-tax income (loss) recognized on cash flow hedges$4,556 — — — 
Gain/(loss) on fair value hedging relationships:
Recognized on derivatives$— $(20,341)$(19,224)$(300)
Recognized on hedged items— 20,341 19,224 300 
Pre-tax income (loss) recognized on fair value hedges$— $— $— $— 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021
Interest Income
(in thousands)Loans, including fees
Total interest income/(expense) amounts presented in the consolidated statements of income$1,113,102 
Gain/(loss) on cash flow hedging relationships: (1)
Interest rate contracts:
Realized gains (losses) reclassified from AOCI, pre-tax, to interest income on loans$9,265 
Pre-tax income (loss) recognized on cash flow hedges$9,265 
(1)     See "Part I - Item 1. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data - Note 5 - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)" for gain (loss) recognized on cash flow hedging relationships in AOCI.
The following table presents the carrying amount and associated cumulative basis adjustment related to the application of hedge accounting that is included in the carrying amount of the hedged assets/(liabilities) in fair value hedging relationships.
September 30, 2022December 31, 2021
Hedged Items Currently DesignatedHedged Items Currently Designated
(in thousands)Carrying Amount of Assets/(Liabilities)Hedge Accounting Basis AdjustmentCarrying Amount of Assets/(Liabilities)Hedge Accounting Basis Adjustment
Interest-bearing deposits$(866,496)$20,341 $— $— 
Long-term debt(545,520)19,224 — — 
Short-term FHLB advances(350,000)300 — — 
The pre-tax effect of changes in fair value from derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments on the consolidated statements of income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 is presented below.
Gain (Loss) Recognized in Consolidated Statements of Income
Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
(in thousands)
Location in Consolidated Statements of Income
2022202120222021
Derivatives not designated
  as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts(1)    
Capital markets income$137 $164 $1,546 $474 
Mortgage derivatives - interest rate lock commitmentsMortgage banking income(1,966)(1,388)(2,890)(3,160)
Mortgage derivatives - forward commitments to sell fixed-rate mortgage loansMortgage banking income4,114 922 4,469 2,190 
Risk participation agreementsCapital markets income1 90 36 272 
Foreign exchange contractsCapital markets income97 — 482 — 
Visa derivativeOther non-interest expense— — (3,500)— 
Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
$2,383 $(212)$143 $(224)
(1)    Gain (loss) represents net fair value adjustments (including credit related adjustments) for client swaps.