Note 6 - Investment Securities

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]

Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities (and Certain Trading Assets) Disclosure [Text Block]

6. Investment Securities

The following tables summarize the amortized costs and estimated fair value of the securities portfolio at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014. The summary is divided into available for sale and held to maturity investment securities.

September 30, 2015 (In thousands)	Amortized Cost		Gross UnrealizedGains		Gross UnrealizedLosses		Estimated Fair Value
Available For Sale
Obligations of U.S. government-sponsored entities	$	126,197	$	642	$	155	$	126,684
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		143,502		2,648		240		145,910
Mortgage-backed securities – residential		306,466		7,254		460		313,260
Mortgage-backed securities – commercial		15,870		205		1		16,074
Corporate debt securities		6,879		16		865		6,030
Mutual funds and equity securities		618		-		66		552
Total securities – available for sale	$	599,532	$	10,765	$	1,787	$	608,510
Held To Maturity
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	$	3,689	$	204	$	-	$	3,893

December 31, 2014 (In thousands)	Amortized Cost		Gross UnrealizedGains		Gross UnrealizedLosses		Estimated Fair Value
Available For Sale
Obligations of U.S. government-sponsored entities	$	110,094	$	369	$	1,015	$	109,448
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		133,563		2,600		397		135,766
Mortgage-backed securities – residential		363,729		7,959		1,199		370,489
Mortgage-backed securities – commercial		2,515		7		10		2,512
Corporate debt securities		6,639		26		358		6,307
Mutual funds and equity securities		1,889		2		25		1,866
Total securities – available for sale	$	618,429	$	10,963	$	3,004	$	626,388
Held To Maturity
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	$	3,728	$	195	$	-	$	3,923

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of the debt securities portfolio at September 30, 2015, by contractual maturity, are detailed below. The summary is divided into available for sale and held to maturity securities. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties. Mutual funds and equity securities in the available for sale portfolio consist of investments attributed to the Company’s captive insurance subsidiary. These securities have no stated maturity and are not included in the maturity schedule that follows.

Mortgage-backed securities are stated separately due to the nature of payment and prepayment characteristics of these securities, as principal is not due at a single date.

	Available For Sale				Held To Maturity
	Amortized		Estimated		Amortized		Estimated
September 30, 2015 (In thousands)	Cost		Fair Value		Cost		Fair Value
Due in one year or less	$	12,156	$	12,183	$	-	$	-
Due after one year through five years		167,082		168,576		-		-
Due after five years through ten years		80,840		82,061		705		800
Due after ten years		16,500		15,804		2,984		3,093
Mortgage-backed securities		322,336		329,334		-		-
Total	$	598,914	$	607,958	$	3,689	$	3,893

Gross realized gains and losses on the sale of available for sale investment securities were as follows:

	Three Months Ended					Nine Months Ended
	September 30,					September 30,
(In thousands)	2015			2014		2015		2014
Gross realized gains	$	5		$	8	$	185	$	186
Gross realized losses		7			-		22		253
Net realized (loss) gain	$	(2	)	$	8	$	163	$	(67	)

Investment securities with unrealized losses at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 not recognized in income are presented in the tables below. The tables segregate investment securities that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months from those that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for twelve months or more. The tables also include the fair value of the related securities.

	Less than 12 Months				12 Months or More				Total
September 30, 2015 (In thousands)	Fair Value		Unrealized Losses		Fair Value		Unrealized Losses		Fair Value		Unrealized Losses
Obligations of U.S. government-sponsored entities	$	10,201	$	71	$	17,468	$	84	$	27,669	$	155
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		27,192		159		8,714		81		35,906		240
Mortgage-backed securities – residential		26,332		74		22,958		386		49,290		460
Mortgage-backed securities – commercial		3,167		1		-		-		3,167		1
Corporate debt securities		304		11		5,038		854		5,342		865
Mutual funds and equity securities		489		45		63		21		552		66
Total	$	67,685	$	361	$	54,241	$	1,426	$	121,926	$	1,787

	Less than 12 Months				12 Months or More				Total
December 31, 2014 (In thousands)	Fair Value		Unrealized Losses		Fair Value		Unrealized Losses		Fair Value		Unrealized Losses
Obligations of U.S. government-sponsored entities	$	22,696	$	76	$	60,892	$	939	$	83,588	$	1,015
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		20,746		81		21,272		316		42,018		397
Mortgage-backed securities – residential		37,451		82		71,311		1,117		108,762		1,199
Mortgage-backed securities – commercial		-		-		723		10		723		10
Corporate debt securities		76		4		5,525		354		5,601		358
Mutual funds and equity securities		305		11		95		14		400		25
Total	$	81,274	$	254	$	159,818	$	2,750	$	241,092	$	3,004

Unrealized losses included in the tables above have not been recognized in income since they have been identified as temporary. The Company evaluates investment securities for other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) at least quarterly, and more frequently when economic or market conditions warrant. Many factors are considered, including: (1) the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, (2) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, (3) whether the market decline was effected by macroeconomic conditions, and (4) whether the Company has the intent to sell the security or more likely than not will be required to sell the security before its anticipated recovery. The assessment of whether an OTTI charge exists involves a high degree of subjectivity and judgment and is based on the information available to the Company at a point in time.

Corporate debt securities in the Company’s investment securities portfolio at September 30, 2015 include single-issuer trust preferred capital securities with an unrealized loss of $854 thousand and a carrying value of $5.0 million. At year-end 2014, these securities had an unrealized loss of $354 thousand. These securities were issued by a national and global financial services firm and purchased by the Company during 2007. The securities are currently performing and continue to be rated as investment grade by the rating agencies. The issuer of the securities announced in the first quarter of 2015 an increase in per share common dividend payments and authorization of a common equity repurchase plan. The Company does not intend to sell these securities nor does the Company believe it is likely that it will be required to sell these securities prior to their anticipated recovery. The Company believes these securities are not impaired due to reasons of credit quality or other factors, but rather the unrealized loss is primarily attributed to continuing global economic issues and market volatility. The Company believes that it will collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of these securities and that the fair values of these securities will recover as they approach their maturity dates.

The Company attributes the unrealized losses in other sectors of its investment securities portfolio to changes in market interest rates and volatility. Investment securities with unrealized losses at September 30, 2015 are performing according to their contractual terms, and the Company does not expect to incur a loss on these securities unless they are sold prior to maturity. The Company does not have the intent to sell these securities nor does it believe it is likely that it will be required to sell these securities prior to their anticipated recovery. The Company does not consider any of the securities to be impaired due to reasons of credit quality or other factors.