Note 3. Securities

The amortized cost, unrealized gains and losses and fair values of securities classified as available for sale and held to maturity are summarized as follows:

			Gross		Gross
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair
	Cost		Gains		Losses			Value
	(dollars in thousands)
December 31, 2014:
Available for sale
U.S. Treasury securities	$	50,280	$	328	$	(2	)	$	50,606
Obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies	166,207		981		(178		)	167,010
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	218,250		2,672		(761		)	220,161
Residential mortgage-backed securities	230,596		5,062		(22		)	235,636
Corporate debt securities	79,087		296		(76		)	79,307
Total debt securities	744,420		9,339		(1,039		)	752,720
Mutual funds and other equity securities	4,944		1,401		—			6,345
Total	$	749,364	$	10,740	$	(1,039	)	$	759,065

Held to maturity
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	$	1,359	$	15	$	(3	)	$	1,371
Commercial mortgage-backed securities	1,014		40		—			1,054
Total	$	2,373	$	55	$	(3	)	$	2,425

			Gross		Gross
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair
	Cost		Gains		Losses			Value
	(dollars in thousands)
December 31, 2013:
Available for sale
U.S. Treasury securities	$	102,463	$	244	$	(67	)	$	102,640
Obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies	254,998		2,741		(328		)	257,411
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	272,077		2,887		(2,812		)	272,152
Residential mortgage-backed securities	174,699		3,571		(535		)	177,735
Corporate debt securities	25,384		155		(33		)	25,506
Total debt securities	829,621		9,598		(3,775		)	835,444
Mutual funds and other equity securities	4,114		1,752		—			5,866
Total	$	833,735	$	11,350	$	(3,775	)	$	841,310

Held to maturity
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	$	834	$	1	$	(4	)	$	831
Total	$	834	$	1	$	(4	)	$	831

The amortized cost and fair value of debt securities available for sale and held to maturity as of December 31, 2014, by contractual maturity, are shown below. Mutual funds and other equity securities do not have stated maturity dates and therefore are not included in the following maturity summary. Mortgages underlying the residential mortgage-backed securities may be called or prepaid without penalties; therefore, actual maturities could differ from the contractual maturities. All residential mortgage-backed securities were issued by U.S. government agencies and corporations.

	Available for sale				Held to maturity
	Amortized		Fair		Amortized		Fair
	Cost		Value		Cost		Value
	(dollars in thousands)				(dollars in thousands)
Due in one year or less	$	125,672	$	126,252	$	72	$	72
Due after one year through five years	347,781		349,168		636		636
Due after five years through ten years	120,891		124,483		1,665		1,717
Due after ten years	150,076		152,817		—		—
Total	$	744,420	$	752,720	$	2,373	$	2,425

Realized gains and losses related to sales of securities available for sale are summarized as follows:

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			2012
	(dollars in thousands)
Gross security gains	$	807		$	599		$	1,602
Gross security (losses)	(31		)	(46		)	(5		)

Net security gains	$	776		$	553		$	1,597

The tax provision for these net realized gains and losses was $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2014, $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2013, and $0.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Investment securities with carrying amounts of $536.2 million and $428.7 million on December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, were pledged as collateral on public deposits, securities sold under agreements to repurchase and for other purposes as required or permitted by law.

Information pertaining to securities with gross unrealized losses at December 31, 2014 and 2013 aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous loss position follows:

	Continuous unrealized losses existing for less than 12 months, gross				Continuous unrealized losses existing for greater than 12 months, gross				Total, gross
	Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized
	Value		Losses		Value		Losses		Value		Losses
	(dollars in thousands)
December 31, 2014:
Available for sale
U.S. Treasury securities	$	—	$	—	$	366	$	2	$	366	$	2
Obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies	—		—		25,118		178		25,118		178
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	40,385		140		40,201		621		80,586		761
Residential mortgage-backed securities	10,630		22		—		—		10,630		22
Corporate debt securities	16,400		72		213		4		16,613		76
Total temporarily impaired Securities	$	67,415	$	234	$	65,898	$	805	$	133,313	$	1,039

Held to maturity
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	$	534	$	3	$	—	$	—	$	534	$	3
Total temporarily impaired Securities	$	534	$	3	$	—	$	—	$	534	$	3

	Continuous unrealized losses existing for less than 12 months, gross				Continuous unrealized losses existing for greater than 12 months, gross				Total, gross
	Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized
	Value		Losses		Value		Losses		Value		Losses
	(dollars in thousands)
December 31, 2013:
Available for sale
U.S. Treasury securities	$	25,830	$	67	$	—	$	—	$	25,830	$	67
Obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies	25,946		328		—		—		25,946		328
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	92,703		2,518		8,492		294		101,195		2,812
Residential mortgage-backed securities	53,543		535		—		—		53,543		535
Corporate debt securities	1,614		33		—		—		1,614		33
Total temporarily impaired Securities	$	199,636	$	3,481	$	8,492	$	294	$	208,128	$	3,775

Held to maturity
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	$	597	$	4	$	—	$	—	$	597	$	4
Total temporarily impaired Securities	$	597	$	4	$	—	$	—	$	597	$	4

Management evaluates securities for other-than-temporary impairment at least on a quarterly basis, and more frequently when economic or market concerns warrant such evaluation. Consideration is given to the length of time and extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and whether the Company has the intent to sell the security and it is more likely than not it will have to sell the security before recovery of its cost basis.

The total number of securities in the investment portfolio in an unrealized loss position as of December 31, 2014 was 202, and represented a loss of 0.8% of the aggregate carrying value. Based upon a review of unrealized loss circumstances, the unrealized losses resulted from changes in market interest rates and liquidity, not from changes in the probability of receiving the contractual cash flows. The Company does not intend to sell the securities and it is more likely than not that the Company will recover the amortized cost prior to being required to sell the securities. Full collection of the amounts due according to the contractual terms of the securities is expected; therefore, the Company does not consider these investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired at December 31, 2014.

The Company had available for sale obligations of state and political subdivisions with a fair value of $220.2 million and $272.2 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. In addition, the Company had held to maturity obligations of state and political subdivisions totaling $1.4 million and $0.8 million at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

As of December 31, 2014, the Company’s obligations of state and political subdivisions portfolio was comprised of $183.7 million of general obligation bonds and $37.9 million of revenue bonds issued by 220 issuers, primarily consisting of states, counties, cities, towns, villages and school districts. The Company held investments in general obligation bonds in 23 states (including the District of Columbia), including seven states in which the aggregate fair value exceeded $5.0 million. The Company held investments in revenue bonds in 15 states, including two states where the aggregate fair value exceeded $5.0 million.

As of December 31, 2013, the Company’s obligations of state and political subdivisions portfolio was comprised of $223.5 million of general obligation bonds and $49.5 million of revenue bonds issued by 267 issuers, primarily consisting of states, counties, cities, towns, villages and school districts. The Company held investments in general obligation bonds in 25 states (including the District of Columbia), including seven states in which the aggregate fair value exceeded $5.0 million. The Company held investments in revenue bonds in 21 states, including two states where the aggregate fair value exceeded $5.0 million.

The amortized cost and fair values of the Company’s portfolio of general obligation bonds are summarized in the following tables by the issuers’ state:

December 31, 2014:

						Average Exposure
	Number of	Amortized		Fair		Per Issuer
U.S. State	Issuers	Cost		Value		(Fair Value)
	(dollars in thousands)
Illinois	63	$	59,979	$	61,058	$	969
Wisconsin	39	36,165		36,365		932
Michigan	33	30,400		30,739		931
Pennsylvania	10	12,756		12,761		1,276
Ohio	8	9,954		9,922		1,240
Texas	7	7,364		7,313		1,045
Iowa	3	6,116		6,142		2,047
Other	24	18,862		19,370		807
Total general obligations bonds	187	$	181,596	$	183,670	$	982

December 31, 2013:

						Average Exposure
	Number of	Amortized		Fair		Per Issuer
U.S. State	Issuers	Cost		Value		(Fair Value)
	(dollars in thousands)
Illinois	82	$	82,884	$	83,804	$	1,022
Wisconsin	41	43,117		43,122		1,052
Michigan	37	35,350		35,365		956
Pennsylvania	11	14,132		14,133		1,285
Ohio	12	11,709		11,426		952
Texas	7	7,510		7,270		1,039
Iowa	3	6,126		6,060		2,020
Other	26	21,865		22,290		857
Total general obligations bonds	219	$	222,693	$	223,470	$	1,020

The general obligation bonds are diversified across many issuers, with $3.4 million and $5.0 million being the largest exposure to a single issuer at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company did not hold general obligation bonds of any single issuer, the aggregate book or market value of which exceeded 10% of the Company’s stockholders’ equity. Of the general obligation bonds in the Company’s portfolio, 97.1% had been rated by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization and 2.9% were unrated, based on the fair value as of December 31, 2014. Of the general obligation bonds in the Company’s portfolio, 96.4% had been rated by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization and 3.6% were unrated, based on the fair value as of December 31, 2013.

The amortized cost and fair values of the Company’s portfolio of revenue bonds are summarized in the following tables by the issuers’ state:

December 31, 2014:

						Average Exposure
	Number of	Amortized		Fair		Per Issuer
U.S. State	Issuers	Cost		Value		(Fair Value)
	(dollars in thousands)
Illinois	4	$	6,772	$	6,708	$	1,677
Indiana	8	12,520		12,469		1,559
Other	21	18,721		18,685		890
Total revenue bonds	33	$	38,013	$	37,862	$	1,147

December 31, 2013:

						Average Exposure
	Number of	Amortized		Fair		Per Issuer
U.S. State	Issuers	Cost		Value		(Fair Value)
	(dollars in thousands)
Illinois	4	$	7,356	$	7,121	$	1,780
Indiana	14	14,740		14,481		1,034
Other	30	28,122		27,911		930
Total revenue bonds	48	$	50,218	$	49,513	$	1,032

The revenue bonds are diversified across many issuers and revenue sources with $3.0 million being the largest exposure to a single issuer at each of December 31, 2014 and 2013. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company did not hold revenue bonds of any single issuer, the aggregate book or market value of which exceeded 10% of the Company’s stockholders’ equity. All of the revenue bonds in the Company’s portfolio had been rated by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization as of December 31, 2014 and 2013. Some of the primary types of revenue bonds owned in the Company’s portfolio include: primary education or government building lease rentals secured by ad valorem taxes, utility systems secured by utility system net revenues, housing authorities secured by mortgage loans or principal receipts on mortgage loans, secondary education secured by student fees/tuitions, and pooled issuances (i.e. bond bank) consisting of multiple underlying municipal obligors.

Substantially all of the Company’s obligations of state and political subdivision securities are owned by Busey Bank, whose investment policy requires that state and political subdivision securities purchased be investment grade. Busey Bank’s investment policy also limits the amount of rated state and political subdivision securities to an aggregate 100% of the Bank’s Total Risk Based Capital at the time of purchase and an aggregate 15% of Total Risk Based Capital for unrated state and political subdivision securities issued by municipalities having taxing authority or located in counties/micropolitan statistical areas/metropolitan statistical areas in which an office of the Bank is located. The investment policy states fixed income investments that are not Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Type 1 securities (U.S. Treasuries, agencies, municipal government general obligation and, for well-capitalized institutions, most municipal revenue bonds) should be analyzed prior to acquisition to determine that (1) the security has low risk of default by the obligor, and (2) the full and timely repayment of principal and interest is expected over the expected life of the investment. All securities in the Bank’s obligations of state and political subdivision securities portfolio are subject to ongoing review. Factors that may be considered as part of ongoing monitoring of state and political subdivision securities include credit rating changes by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations, market valuations, third-party municipal credit analysis, which may include indicative information regarding the issuer’s capacity to pay, market and economic data and such other factors as are available and relevant to the security or the issuer such as its budgetary position and sources, strength and stability of taxes and/or other revenue.

As of December 31, 2014, the Company’s regular monitoring of its obligations of state and political subdivisions portfolio had not uncovered any facts or circumstances resulting in significantly different credit ratings than those assigned by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization.