Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 1—Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business — The consolidated financial statements of Horizon Bancorp (Horizon) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Horizon Bank, N.A. (Bank) conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and reporting practices followed by the banking industry.

The Bank is a full-service commercial bank offering a broad range of commercial and retail banking and other services incident to banking along with a trust department that offers corporate and individual trust and agency services and investment management services. The Bank has two active wholly owned subsidiaries, Horizon Investments, Inc. (Investment Company) and Horizon Grantor Trust. Investment Company manages the investment portfolio of the Bank. Horizon Grantor Trust holds title to certain company owned life insurance policies. The Bank maintains 22 full service facilities. The Bank also wholly owns Horizon Insurance Services, Inc. (Insurance Agency) which is inactive, but previously offered a full line of personal and corporate insurance products. The net income generated from the insurance operations was not significant to the overall operations of Horizon and the majority of the Insurance Agency assets were sold during 2005. Horizon conducts no business except that incident to its ownership of the subsidiaries.

Horizon formed Horizon Statutory Trust II in 2004 and Horizon Bancorp Capital Trust III in 2006 for the purpose of participating in Pooled Trust Preferred Stock offerings. The Company assumed additional debentures as the result of the acquisition of Alliance in 2005, which formed Alliance Financial Statutory Trust I (Alliance Trust), and American Trust & Savings Bank in 2010, which formed Am Tru Statutory Trust I (Am Tru Trust). See Note 12 for further discussion regarding these previously consolidated entities that are now reported separately.

Basis of Reporting — The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Horizon and subsidiaries. All material inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Fair Value Measurements — Horizon uses fair value measurements to record fair value adjustments, to certain assets, and liabilities and to determine fair value disclosures. Horizon has adopted Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures for all applicable financial and nonfinancial assets and liabilities. This accounting guidance defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. This guidance applies only when other guidance requires or permits assets or liabilities to be measured at fair value; it does not expand the use of fair value in any new circumstances.

As defined in codification, fair value is the price to sell an asset or transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. It represents an exit price at the measurement date. Market participants are buyers and sellers, who are independent, knowledgeable, and willing and able to transact in the principal (or most advantageous) market for the asset or liability being measured. Current market conditions, including imbalances between supply and demand, are considered in determining fair value. Horizon values its assets and liabilities in the principal market where it sells the particular asset or transfers the liability with the greatest volume and level of activity. In the absence of a principal market, the valuation is based on the most advantageous market for the asset or liability (i.e., the market where the asset could be sold or the liability transferred at a price that maximizes the amount to be received for the asset or minimizes the amount to be paid to transfer the liability).

In measuring the fair value of an asset, Horizon assumes the highest and best use of the asset by a market participant to maximize the value of the asset, and does not consider the intended use of the asset.

When measuring the fair value of a liability, Horizon assumes that the nonperformance risk associated with the liability is the same before and after the transfer. Nonperformance risk is the risk that an obligation will not be satisfied and encompasses not only Horizon’s own credit risk (i.e., the risk that Horizon will fail to meet its obligation), but also other risks such as settlement risk. Horizon considers the effect of its own credit risk on the fair value for any period in which fair value is measured.

There are three acceptable valuation techniques that can be used to measure fair value: the market approach, the income approach and the cost approach. Selection of the appropriate technique for valuing a particular asset or liability takes into consideration the exit market, the nature of the asset or liability being valued, and how a market participant would value the same asset or liability. Ultimately, determination of the appropriate valuation method requires significant judgment, and sufficient knowledge and expertise are required to apply the valuation techniques.

Valuation inputs refer to the assumptions market participants would use in pricing a given asset or liability using one of the three valuation techniques. Inputs can be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are those assumptions which market participants would use in pricing the particular asset or liability. These inputs are based on market data and are obtained from a source independent of Horizon. Unobservable inputs are assumptions based on Horizon’s own information or estimate of assumptions used by market participants in pricing the asset or liability. Unobservable inputs are based on the best and most current information available on the measurement date. All inputs, whether observable or unobservable, are ranked in accordance with a prescribed fair value hierarchy which gives the highest ranking to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest ranking to unobservable inputs (Level 3). Fair values for assets or liabilities classified as Level 2 are based on one or a combination of the following factors: (i) quoted prices for similar assets; (ii) observable inputs for the asset or liability, such as interest rates or yield curves; or (iii) inputs derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data. The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Corporation considers an input to be significant if it drives 10% or more of the total fair value of a particular asset or liability.

Assets and liabilities are considered to be fair valued on a recurring basis if fair value is measured regularly (i.e., daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly). Recurring valuation occurs at a minimum on the measurement date. Assets and liabilities are considered to be fair valued on a nonrecurring basis if the fair value measurement of the instrument does not necessarily result in a change in the amount recorded on the balance sheet. Generally, nonrecurring valuation is the result of the application of other accounting pronouncements which require assets or liabilities to be assessed for impairment or recorded at the lower of cost or fair value. The fair value of assets or liabilities transferred in or out of Level 3 is measured on the transfer date, with any additional changes in fair value subsequent to the transfer considered to be realized or unrealized gains or losses.

Investment Securities Available for Sale — Horizon designates the majority of its investment portfolio as available for sale based on management’s plans to use such securities for asset and liability management, liquidity and not to hold such securities as long-term investments. Management repositions the portfolio to take advantage of future expected interest rate trends when Horizon’s long-term profitability can be enhanced. Investment securities available for sale and marketable equity securities are carried at estimated fair value and any net unrealized gains/losses (after tax) on these securities are included in accumulated other comprehensive income. Gains/losses on the disposition of securities available for sale are recognized at the time of the transaction and are determined by the specific identification method.

Investment Securities Held to Maturity — Includes any security for which Horizon has the positive intent and ability to hold until maturity. These securities are carried at amortized cost.

Loans Held for Sale — Loans held for sale are reported at the lower of cost or market value in the aggregate.

Interest and Fees on Loans — Interest on commercial, mortgage and installment loans is recognized over the term of the loans based on the principal amount outstanding. When principal or interest is past due 90 days or more, and the loan is not well secured or in the process of collection, or when serious doubt exists as to the collectability of a loan, the accrual of interest is discontinued. Loan origination fees, net of direct loan origination costs, are deferred and recognized over the life of the loan as a yield adjustment.

Concentrations of Credit Risk — The Bank grants commercial, real estate, and consumer loans to customers located primarily in Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan and provides mortgage warehouse lines to mortgage companies in the United States. Commercial loans make up approximately 36% of the loan portfolio and are secured by both real estate and business assets. These loans are expected to be repaid from cash flows from operations of the businesses. The Bank does not have a concentration in speculative commercial real estate loans. Residential real estate loans make up approximately 16% of the loan portfolio and are secured by residential real estate. Installment loans make up approximately 27% of the loan portfolio and are primarily secured by consumer assets. Mortgage warehouse loans make up approximately 21% of the loan portfolio and are secured by residential real estate.

Mortgage Warehouse Loans — Horizon’s mortgage warehousing has specific mortgage companies as customers of Horizon Bank. Individual mortgage loans originated by these mortgage companies are funded as a secured borrowing with pledge of collateral under Horizon’s agreement with the mortgage company. Each individual mortgage is assigned to Horizon until the loan is sold to the secondary market by the mortgage company. In addition, Horizon takes possession of each original note and forwards such note to the end investor once the mortgage company has sold the loan. At the time a loan is transferred to the secondary market, the mortgage company repurchases the loan under its option within the agreement.

Due to the repurchase feature contained in the agreement, the transaction does not qualify as a sale under ASC 860, Transfers and Servicing and therefore is accounted for as a secured borrowing with pledge of collateral pursuant to the agreement with the mortgage company. When the individual loan is sold to the end investor by the mortgage company the proceeds from the sale of the loan are received by Horizon and used to pay off the loan balance with Horizon along with any accrued interest and any related fees. The remaining balance from the sale is forwarded to the mortgage company. These individual loans typically are sold by the mortgage company within 30 days and are seldom held more than 90 days. Interest income is accrued during this period and collected at the time each loan is sold. Fee income for each loan sold is collected when the loan is sold and no costs are deferred due to the term between each loan funding and related payoff is typically less than 30 days.

Based on the agreements with each mortgage company, at any time a mortgage company can repurchase from Horizon their outstanding loan balance on an individual mortgage and regain possession of the original note. Horizon also has the option to request that the mortgage company repurchase an individual mortgage. Should this occur, Horizon would return the original note and reassign the assignment of the mortgage to the mortgage company. Also, in the event that the end investor would not be able to honor the sales commitment and the mortgage company would not be able to repurchase its loan on an individual mortgage, Horizon would be able to exercise its rights under the agreement.

Allowance for Loan Losses — An allowance for loan losses is maintained to absorb probable incurred losses inherent in the loan portfolio. The allowance is based on ongoing quarterly assessments of the probable incurred losses inherent in the loan portfolio. The allowance is increased by the provision for credit losses, which is charged against current period operating results and decreased by the amount of charge offs, net of recoveries. Horizon’s methodology for assessing the appropriateness of the allowance consists of several key elements, which include the general allowance, specific allowances for identified problem loans and the qualitative allowance.

The general allowance is calculated by applying loss factors to pools of outstanding loans. Loss factors are based on historical loss experience and may be adjusted for significant factors that, in management’s judgment, affect the collectability of the portfolio as of the evaluation date.

Specific allowances are established in cases where management has identified conditions or circumstances related to a credit that management believes indicate the probability that a loss will be incurred in excess of the amount determined by the application of the formula allowance.

The qualitative allowance is based upon management’s evaluation of various conditions, the effects of which are not directly measured in the determination of the general and specific allowances. The evaluation of the inherent loss with respect to these conditions is subject to a higher degree of uncertainty because they are not identified with specific credits. The conditions evaluated in connection with the qualitative allowance may include factors such as local, regional and national economic conditions and forecasts, concentrations of credit and changes in the composition of the portfolio.

Loan Impairment — When analysis determines a borrower’s operating results and financial condition are not adequate to meet debt service requirements, the loan is evaluated for impairment. Often this is associated with a delay or shortfall in payments of 30 days or more. Loans are generally placed on non-accrual status when 90 days or more past due. These loans are also often considered impaired. Impaired loans or portions thereof, are charged-off when deemed uncollectible. This typically occurs when the loan is 120 or more days past due.

Loans are considered impaired if borrower does not exhibit the ability to pay or the full principal or interest payments are not expected or made in accordance with the original terms of the loan. Impaired loans are measured and carried at the lower of cost or the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, at the loan’s observable market price or at the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent.

Smaller balance homogenous loans are evaluated for impairment in the aggregate. Such loans include residential first mortgage loans secured by one to four family residences, residential construction loans and automobile, home equity and second mortgages. Commercial loans and mortgage loans secured by other properties are evaluated individually for impairment.

Premises and Equipment — Buildings and major improvements are capitalized and depreciated using primarily the straight-line method with useful lives ranging from 3 to 40 years. Furniture and equipment are capitalized and depreciated using primarily the straight-line method with useful lives ranging from 2 to 20 years. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred while major additions and improvements are capitalized. Gains and losses on disposition are included in current operations.

Federal Reserve and Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBI) Stock — The stock is a required investment for institutions that are members of the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) and Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBI) systems. The required investment in the common stock is based on a predetermined formula.

Mortgage Servicing Rights — Mortgage servicing rights on originated loans that have been sold are capitalized by allocating the total cost of the mortgage loans between the mortgage servicing rights and the loans based on their relative fair values. Capitalized servicing rights are amortized in proportion to and over the period of estimated servicing revenue. Impairment of mortgage-servicing rights is assessed based on the fair value of those rights. Fair values are estimated using discounted cash flows based on a current market interest rate. For purposes of measuring impairment, the rights are stratified based on the predominant risk characteristics of the underlying loans. The predominant characteristic currently used for stratification is type of loan. The amount of impairment recognized is the amount by which the capitalized mortgage servicing rights for a stratum exceed their fair value. Amortization expense and charges related to an impairment write-down are included in other income.

Goodwill — Goodwill is tested annually for impairment. At December 31, 2011, Horizon had core deposit intangibles of $2.3 million subject to amortization and $5.9 million of goodwill, which is not subject to amortization. Goodwill arising from business combinations represents the value attributable to unidentifiable intangible assets in the business acquired. Horizon’s goodwill relates to the value inherent in the banking industry and that value is dependent upon the ability of Horizon to provide quality, cost effective banking services in a competitive marketplace. The goodwill value is supported by revenue that is in part driven by the volume of business transacted. If the implied fair value of goodwill is lower than its carrying amount, goodwill impairment is indicated and goodwill is written down to its implied fair value. Goodwill totaled $5.9 million at December 31, 2011 and 2010. A large majority of the goodwill relates to the acquisition of Alliance Financial Corporation.

Income Taxes — Horizon files annual consolidated income tax returns with its subsidiaries. Income tax in the consolidated statements of income includes deferred income tax provisions or benefits for all significant temporary differences in recognizing income and expenses for financial reporting and income tax purposes.

Trust Assets and Income — Property, other than cash deposits, held in a fiduciary or agency capacity is not included in the consolidated balance sheets since such property is not owned by Horizon.

Earnings per Common Share — Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income available to common shareholders (net income less dividend requirements for preferred stock and accretion of preferred stock discount) by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share reflect the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock. The following table shows computation of basic and diluted earnings per share.

	December 31 2011		December 31 2010		December 31 2009
Basic earnings per share
Net income	$	12,797	$	10,455	$	9,140
Less: Preferred stock dividends and accretion of discount		1,325		1,406		1,402
Net income available to common shareholders	$	11,472	$	9,049	$	7,738
Weighted average common shares outstanding (1)		4,938,172		4,915,604		4,848,050
Basic earnings per share	$	2.32	$	1.84	$	1.60
Diluted earnings per share
Net income available to common shareholders	$	11,472	$	9,049	$	7,738
Weighted average common shares outstanding (1)		4,938,172		4,915,604		4,848,050
Effect of dilutive securities:
Warrants		107,948		60,654		—
Restricted stock		2,907		22,028		48,426
Stock options		9,902		3,612		9,609
Weighted average shares outstanding		5,058,929		5,001,897		4,906,085
Diluted earnings per share	$	2.27	$	1.81	$	1.58

⁽¹⁾ Adjusted for 3:2 stock split on December 9, 2011

At December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009 there were 31,411 shares, 48,333 shares, and 71,514 shares that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because they were non-dilutive.

Dividend Restrictions — Regulations of the Comptroller of the Currency limit the amount of dividends that may be paid by a national bank to its parent holding company without prior approval of the Comptroller of the Currency. At December 31, 2011, $13.8 million was available for payment of dividends from the Bank to Horizon. Additionally, the Federal Reserve Board limits the amount of dividends that may be paid by Horizon to its stockholders under its capital adequacy guidelines.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows — For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents are defined to include cash and due from banks, money market investments and federal funds sold with maturities of one day or less. Horizon reports net cash flows for customer loan transactions, deposit transactions, short-term investments and borrowings.

Share-Based Compensation — At December 31, 2011, Horizon has stock option plans, which are described more fully in Note 19. All share-based payments to be recognized as expense, based upon their fair values, in the financial statements over the vesting period of the awards. Horizon has recorded approximately $35,000, $30,000, and $39,000 for 2011, 2010, and 2009, in compensation expense relating to vesting of stock options less estimated forfeitures for the 12 month period ended December 31, 2011 and 2010.

Current Economic Conditions — The current economic environment presents financial institutions with unprecedented circumstances and challenges which in some cases have resulted in large declines in the fair values of investments and other assets, constraints on liquidity and significant credit quality problems, including severe volatility in the valuation of real estate and other collateral supporting loans. The financial statements have been prepared using values and information currently available to Horizon.

Given the volatility of current economic conditions, the values of assets and liabilities recorded in the financial statements could change rapidly, resulting in material future adjustments in asset values, the allowance for loan losses and capital that could negatively impact Horizon’s ability to meet regulatory capital requirements and maintain sufficient liquidity.

Reclassifications — Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2011 and 2010 consolidated financial statements to be comparable to 2011. These reclassifications had no effect on net income.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

FASB Accounting Standards Update 2011-12, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05

The FASB has issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-12, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05. The amendments to the Codification in ASU No. 2011-12 are effective at the same time as the amendments in ASU No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income, so that entities will not be required to comply with the presentation requirements in ASU No. 2011-05 that ASU No. 2011-12 is deferring.

In order to defer only those changes in ASU No. 2011-05 that relate to the presentation of reclassification adjustments, the paragraphs in ASU No. 2011-12 supersede certain pending paragraphs in ASU No. 2011-05. The amendments are being made to allow the FASB time to redeliberate whether to present on the face of the financial statements the effects of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the components of net income and other comprehensive income for all periods presented. While the FASB is considering the operational concerns about the presentation requirements for reclassification adjustments and the needs of financial statement users for additional information about reclassification adjustments, entities should continue to report reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income consistent with the presentation requirements in effect before ASU No. 2011-05.

All other requirements in ASU No. 2011-05 are not affected by ASU No. 2011-12, including the requirement to report comprehensive income either in a single continuous financial statement or in two separate but consecutive financial statements. Public entities should apply these requirements for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. Nonpublic entities should begin applying these requirements for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2012, and interim and annual periods thereafter. These disclosures will be adopted by the Company in future reporting periods.

FASB Accounting Standards Update 2011-11, Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities

The eligibility criteria for offsetting are different in IFRS and U.S. GAAP. Offsetting, otherwise known as netting, is the presentation of assets and liabilities as a single net amount in the statement of financial position (balance sheet). Unlike IFRS, U.S. GAAP allows companies the option to present net in their balance sheets derivatives that are subject to a legally

enforceable netting arrangement with the same party where rights of set-off are only available in the event of default or bankruptcy.

To address these differences between IFRS and U.S. GAAP, in January 2011 the FASB and the IASB (the Boards) issued an exposure draft that proposed new criteria for netting that were narrower than the current conditions currently in U.S. GAAP. Nevertheless, in response to feedback from their respective stakeholders, the Boards decided to retain their existing offsetting models. Instead, the Boards have issued common disclosure requirements related to offsetting arrangements to allow investors to better compare financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS or U.S. GAAP.

The amendments to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification in this ASU require an entity to disclose information about offsetting and related arrangements to enable users of its financial statements to understand the effect of those arrangements on its financial position. Coinciding with the release of ASU No. 2011-11, the IASB has issued Disclosures—Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (Amendments to IFRS 7). This amendment requires disclosures about the offsetting of financial assets and financial liabilities common to those in ASU No. 2011-11.

An entity is required to apply the amendments for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. An entity should provide the disclosures required by those amendments retrospectively for all comparative periods presented. The Company is evaluating the impact of these disclosures for future reporting periods.

FASB Accounting Standards Update 2011-09, Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Multiemployer Plans (Subtopic 715-80): Disclosures about an Employer’s Participation in a Multiemployer Plan

ASU 2011-09 is intended to address concerns from various users of financial statements on the lack of transparency about an employer’s participation in a multiemployer pension plan. Users of financial statements have requested additional disclosure to increase awareness of the commitments and risks involved with participating in multiemployer pension plans. The amendments in this ASU will require additional disclosures about an employer’s participation in a multiemployer pension plan. Previously, disclosures were limited primarily to the historical contributions made to the plans.

ASU 2011-09 applies to nongovernmental entities that participate in multiemployer plans. For public entities, ASU 2011-09 is effective for annual periods for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2011. For nonpublic entities, ASU 2011-09 is effective for annual periods for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2012. Early adoption is permissible for both public and nonpublic entities. ASU 2011-09 should be applied retrospectively for all prior periods presented. This pronouncement is not expected to have a significant impact to the Company’s financial statements.