Note 15 - Derivative Instruments

As part of its overall interest rate risk management activities, Synovus utilizes derivative instruments to manage its exposure to various types of interest rate risk. These derivative instruments generally consist of interest rate swaps, interest rate lock commitments made to prospective mortgage loan customers, and commitments to sell fixed-rate mortgage loans. Interest rate lock commitments represent derivative instruments since it is intended that such loans will be sold.

Synovus may also utilize interest rate swaps to manage interest rate risks primarily arising from its core banking activities. These interest rate swap transactions generally involve the exchange of fixed and floating interest rate payment obligations without the exchange of underlying principal amounts. Swaps may be designated as either cash flow hedges or fair value hedges, as discussed below. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, Synovus had no outstanding interest rate swap contracts utilized to manage interest rate risk.

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.

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 periodic detailed financial reviews. 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 customer 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, customer credit rating, collateral value, and customer 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 customer specific risk.

Cash Flow Hedges

Synovus designates hedges of floating rate loans as cash flow hedges. These swaps hedge against the variability of cash flows from specified pools of floating rate prime based loans. Synovus calculates effectiveness of the hedging relationship quarterly using regression analysis. The effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is reported as a component of other comprehensive income and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transactions affect earnings. Ineffectiveness from cash flow hedges is recognized in the consolidated statements of income as a component of other non-interest income. As of December 31, 2015, there were no cash flow hedges outstanding, and therefore, no cumulative ineffectiveness.

Synovus expects to reclassify from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) $196 thousand to loss on early extinguishment of debt and $271 thousand to interest expense during the next twelve months as amortization of deferred losses is recorded.

Synovus did not terminate any cash flow hedges during 2015 or 2014. The remaining unamortized deferred loss balance of all previously terminated cash flow hedges at December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $(597) thousand and $(1.1) million, respectively.

Fair Value Hedges

Synovus designates hedges of fixed rate liabilities as fair value hedges. These swaps hedge against the change in fair value of various fixed rate liabilities due to changes in the benchmark interest rate, LIBOR. Synovus calculates effectiveness of the fair value hedges quarterly using regression analysis. Ineffectiveness from fair value hedges is recognized in the consolidated statements of income as a component of other non-interest income. As of December 31, 2015, there were no fair value hedges outstanding, and therefore, no cumulative ineffectiveness.

Synovus did not terminate any fair value hedges during 2015 or 2014. The remaining unamortized deferred gain balance on all previously terminated fair value hedges at December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $4.0 million and $7.6 million, respectively. Synovus expects to reclassify from hedge-related basis adjustment, a component of long-term debt, $1.8 million of the deferred gain balance on previously terminated fair value hedges as a reduction to interest expense during the next twelve months as amortization of deferred gains is recorded. Additionally, Synovus will record $1.3 million of the deferred gain balance to loss on early extinguishment of debt during the first quarter of 2016.

Customer Related Derivative Positions

Synovus enters into interest rate swap agreements to facilitate the risk management strategies of a small number of commercial banking customers. Synovus mitigates this risk by entering into equal and offsetting interest rate swap agreements with highly rated counterparties. The interest rate swap agreements are free-standing derivatives and are recorded at fair value on Synovus' consolidated balance sheet. Fair value changes are recorded in non-interest income in Synovus' consolidated statements of income. As of December 31, 2015, the notional amount of customer related interest rate derivative financial instruments, including both the customer position and the offsetting position, was $1.28 billion, an increase of $184.8 million compared to December 31, 2014.

Visa Derivative

In conjunction with the sale of Class B shares of common stock issued by Visa to Synovus as a Visa USA member, Synovus entered into a derivative contract with the purchaser, which provides for settlements between the parties based upon a change in the ratio for conversion of Visa Class B shares to Visa Class A shares. The conversion ratio changes when Visa deposits funds to a litigation escrow established by Visa to pay settlements for certain litigation, for which Visa is indemnified by Visa USA members. The litigation escrow is funded by proceeds from Visa’s conversion of Class B shares. The fair value of the derivative contract was $1.4 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014. The fair value of the derivative contract is determined based on management's estimate of the timing and amount of the Covered Litigation settlement, and the resulting payments due to the counterpary under the terms of the contract. See "Part II - Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data - Note 17 - Visa Shares and Related Agreements" of this Report for further information.

Mortgage Derivatives

Synovus originates first lien residential mortgage loans for sale into the secondary market. Mortgage loans are sold by Synovus for conversion to securities and the servicing of these loans is generally sold to a third-party servicing aggregator, or Synovus sells the mortgage loans as whole loans to investors either individually or in bulk on a servicing released basis.

Synovus enters interest rate lock commitments for residential mortgage loans which commits it to lend funds to a potential borrower at a specific interest rate and within a specified period of time. Interest rate lock commitments that relate to the origination of mortgage loans that, if originated, will be held for sale, are considered derivative financial instruments under applicable accounting guidance. Outstanding interest rate lock commitments expose Synovus to the risk that the price of the mortgage loans underlying the commitments may decline due to increases in mortgage interest rates from inception of the rate lock to the funding of the loan.

At December 31, 2015 and 2014, Synovus had commitments to fund at a locked interest rate, primarily fixed-rate mortgage loans to customers in the amount of $88.8 million and $73.4 million, respectively. The fair value of these commitments resulted in a gain of $175 thousand and $606 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, which was recorded as a component of mortgage banking income in the consolidated statements of income.

At December 31, 2015 and 2014, outstanding commitments to sell primarily fixed-rate mortgage loans amounted to $95.0 million and $113.0 million, respectively. Such commitments are entered into to reduce the exposure to market risk arising from potential changes in interest rates, which could affect the fair value of mortgage loans held for sale and outstanding rate lock commitments, which guarantee a certain interest rate if the loan is ultimately funded or granted by Synovus as a mortgage loan held for sale. The commitments to sell mortgage loans are at fixed prices and are scheduled to settle at specified dates that generally do not exceed 90 days. The fair value of outstanding commitments to sell mortgage loans resulted in a gain of $924 thousand and a loss of $(1.7) million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, which was recorded as a component of mortgage banking income in the consolidated statements of income.

Collateral Contingencies

Certain derivative instruments contain provisions that require Synovus to maintain an investment grade credit rating from each of the major credit rating agencies. If Synovus’ credit rating falls below investment grade, these provisions allow the counterparties of the derivative instrument to demand immediate and ongoing full collateralization on derivative instruments in net liability positions and, for certain counterparties, request immediate termination. Additionally, certain counterparties require full collateralization on derivative instruments in a net liability position. Also, as of June 10, 2013, the CCC became mandatory for certain trades as required under the Dodd-Frank Act. These derivative transactions also carry collateral requirements, both at the inception of the trade, and as the value of each derivative position changes. As trades are migrated to the CCC, dealer counterparty exposure will be reduced, and higher notional amounts of Synovus' derivative instruments will be housed at the CCC, a highly regulated and well-capitalized entity. As of December 31, 2015, collateral totaling $65.9 million of Federal funds sold was pledged to the derivative counterparties, including $13.7 million with the CCC, to comply with collateral requirements.

The impact of derivative instruments on the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2015 and 2014 is presented below.



	Fair Value of Derivative Assets				Fair Value of Derivative Liabilities
		December 31,				December 31,
(in thousands)	Location on Consolidated Balance Sheet	2015		2014	Location on Consolidated Balance Sheet	2015	2014
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Interest rate contracts	Other assets	$	25,580	30,904	Other liabilities	26,030	31,398
Mortgage derivatives	Other assets	1,559		1,213	Other liabilities	—	753
Visa derivative		—		—	Other liabilities	1,415	1,401
Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments		$	27,139	32,117		27,445	33,552

See "Part II - Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data - Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income" for the effect of the amortization of previously terminated cash flow hedges on the consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013.

The pre-tax effect of fair value hedges on the consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 is presented below.



	Derivative
	Location of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income	Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income
		Twelve Months Ended December 31,
(in thousands)		2015		2014		2013
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate contracts⁽¹⁾	Other Non- Interest Income	$	44	460		89
Mortgage derivatives⁽²⁾	Mortgage Banking Income	$	1,099	(1,062	)	(745	)
Total		$	1,143	(602	)	(656	)

⁽¹⁾ Gain (loss) represents net fair value adjustments (including credit related adjustments) for customer swaps and offsetting positions.

⁽²⁾ Gain (loss) represents net fair value adjustments recorded for interest rate lock commitments and commitments to sell mortgage loans to third-party investors.

During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, Synovus reclassified $3.1 million, $3.1 million, and $3.2 million, respectively, from hedge-related basis adjustment, a component of long-term debt, as a reduction to interest expense. Additionally, during 2015, Synovus reclassified $495 thousand from hedge-related basis adjustment, as a reduction to loss on early extinguishment of debt. These deferred gains relate to hedging relationships that have been previously terminated and are reclassified into earnings over the remaining life of the hedged items.