Note 19 - Derivatives

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 19 – Derivatives

As part of our overall asset liability management and strategy the Company uses derivative instruments, which can include interest rate swaps, collars, caps, and floors. The notional amount does not represent amounts exchanged by the parties. The amount exchanged is determined by reference to the notional amount and the other terms of the individual agreements. Derivative instruments are recognized on the balance sheet at their fair value and are not reported on a net basis.

Derivatives Designated as Hedges

Subsequent changes in fair value for a hedging instrument that has been designated and qualifies as part of a hedging relationship are accounted for in the following manner:

1) Cash flow hedges: changes in fair value are recognized as a component in other comprehensive income

2) Fair value hedges: changes in fair value are recognized concurrently in earnings

As long as a hedging instrument is designated and the results of the effectiveness testing support that the instrument qualifies for hedge accounting treatment, 100% of the periodic changes in fair value of the hedging instrument are accounted for as outlined above. This is the case whether or not economic mismatches exist in the hedging relationship. As a result, there is no periodic measurement or recognition of ineffectiveness. Rather, the full impact of hedge gains and losses is recognized in the period in which the hedged transactions impact earnings. The change in fair value of the hedging instrument that is included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness is presented in the same income statement line item that is used to present the earnings effect of the hedged item.

 Cash Flow Hedges

The Company entered into eleven pay fixed-rate interest rate swaps, with a total notional amount of $500 million, all of which were entered into in 2021 and 2022. These are designated as cash flow hedges of current, Federal Home Loan Bank advances. We are required to pay fixed rates of interest ranging from 0.63% to 3.41% and receive variable rates of interest that reset quarterly based on the daily compounding secured overnight financing rate (“SOFR”). All swaps carry expiration dates on the eleven positions ranging from December 2025 to March 2028. The swaps are determined to be fully effective during the period presented and therefore no amount of ineffectiveness has been included in net income. Therefore, the aggregate fair value of the swap is recorded in other assets (liabilities) with changes in fair value recorded in other comprehensive income (loss). The amount included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) would be reclassified to current earnings should the hedges no longer be considered effective. The Company expects the hedges to remain fully effective during the remaining term of the swaps. 

The Company previously entered into one forward starting interest rate cap spread transaction, with a total notional amount of $150 million, which became effective on October 1, 2022 and matures in October of 2027 and one additional interest rate cap spread transaction, with a total notional amount of $75 million, which became effective in November 2022 and matures in November of 2027. These are designated as cash flow hedges of brokered certificates of deposits, and the interest rate cap spread is indexed to a benchmark of fed funds with payment required on a monthly basis. The structure of these instruments is such that the Company entered into a total of $225 million in notional amount of sold interest rate cap agreements, in which we are required to pay the counterparty an incremental amount if the index rate exceeds a set cap rate. Simultaneously, the Company purchased a total of $225 million notional amount of interest rate cap agreements in which we receive an incremental amount if the index rate is above a set cap rate. No payments are required if the index rate is at, or below, the cap rate on the sold or purchased interest rate cap agreements. 

Interest (income) expense recorded on these swap and cap transactions totaled approximately $(20.2) million, $(3.3) million, and $1.9 million during 2023, 2022, and 2021 is reported as a component of either interest expense on FHLB Advances or brokered certificates of deposits.

The following table presents the net gains (losses), recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income and the Consolidated Statements of Income relating to the cash flow derivative instruments for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

	2023
	Amount of gain		Amount of (gain)			Amount of gain (loss)
	(loss) recognized		loss reclassified			recognized in other
	in OCI (Effective		from OCI to			Noninterest income
(dollars in thousands)	Portion)		interest expense			(Ineffective Portion)
Interest rate contracts	$	9,431	$	(20,230	)	$	-

	2022
	Amount of gain		Amount of (gain)			Amount of gain (loss)
	(loss) recognized		loss reclassified			recognized in other
	in OCI (Effective		from OCI to			Noninterest income
(dollars in thousands)	Portion)		interest expense			(Ineffective Portion)
Interest rate contracts	$	46,282	$	(3,343	)	$	-

The following table reflects the cash flow hedges included in the Consolidated Statements of Condition as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022:

	2023				2022
	Notional				Notional
(dollars in thousands)	Amount		Fair Value		Amount		Fair Value
Included in other assets/(liabilities):
Interest rate contracts	$	950,000	$	43,805	$	950,000	$	56,797

There were no net gains (losses) recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income or in the Consolidated Statement of Income relating to cash flow derivative instruments for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.