Recently Adopted and Newly Issued Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

The accounting and reporting policies of German American Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiaries (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Company") conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles have been condensed or omitted. All adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods reported have been included in the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements, and all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature.

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09 and all subsequent amendments to the ASU that modified Topic 606. Topic 606 creates a single framework for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers that fall within its scope and revises when it is appropriate to recognize a gain (loss) from the transfer of nonfinancial assets. Since the guidance does not apply to revenue associated with financial instruments, the new guidance did not have a material impact on revenue most closely associated with financial instruments, including interest income and expense. The majority of the Company's revenues are from financial instruments and are not within the scope of Topic 606. The Company completed its overall assessment of revenue streams and related contracts, including service charges on deposit accounts, interchange income, and trust and investment brokerage fees. Based on the assessment, the Company concluded that ASU 2014-09 did not materially change the method in which the Company currently recognizes revenue for these revenue streams. The Company also completed its evaluation of certain costs related to these revenue streams to determine whether certain revenue streams should be reported gross versus net of certain expenses. Based on its evaluation, the Company determined that the classification of certain debit card related costs should change and now be reported as expenses versus contra-revenue. This reclassification change resulted in an immaterial impact to both revenue and expense. The Company adopted ASU 2014-09 and its related amendments utilizing the modified retrospective approach. Since there was no net income impact upon adoption of this guidance, a cumulative adjustment to retained earnings was not deemed necessary. Consistent with the modified retrospective approach, the Company did not adjust prior period amounts for the debit card costs noted above.

A description of the Company's revenue streams accounted for under Topic 606 follows:

Service Charges on Deposit Accounts: The Company earns fees from its deposit customers for transaction-based, account maintenance, and overdraft services. Transaction-based fees, which include services such as stop payment charges and statement rendering, are recognized at the time the transaction is executed (the point in time the Company fills the customer's request). Account maintenance fees, which relate primarily to monthly maintenance, are earned over the course of a month, representing the period over which the Company satisfies the performance obligation. Overdraft fees are recognized at the point in time that the overdraft occurs.

Interchange Fee Income: The Company earns interchange fees from debit/credit cardholder transactions conducted through various payment networks. Interchange fees from cardholder transactions represent a percentage of the underlying transaction value and are recognized daily, concurrently with the transaction processing services provided to the cardholder.

Trust and Investment Product Fees: The Company earns trust and investment brokerage fees from its contracts with trust and brokerage customers to manage assets for investment and/or to transact their accounts. These fees are primarily earned over time as the Company provides the contracted monthly or quarterly services and are generally assessed based on the market value of assets under management at month-end. Fees that are transaction based, including trade execution services, are recognized at the point in time that the transaction is executed (trade date).

Insurance Revenues: The Company earns insurance revenue from commissions derived from the sale of personal and corporate property and casualty insurance products. These commissions are primarily earned over time as the Company provides the contracted insurance product to customers.

Recently Adopted and Newly Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

In February 2016, the FASB amended existing guidance (ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842)) that requires lessees recognize the following for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) at the commencement date (1) A lease liability, which is a lessee’s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis; and (2) A right-of-use asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term. Under the new guidance, lessor accounting is largely unchanged.

The Company adopted the amendments to Topic 842 on January 1, 2019, utilizing the modified retrospective approach and the transition option issued under ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842) Targeted Improvements. The Company elected to apply the package of practical expedients permitting entities to not reassess (1) expired or existing contracts that may contain leases; (2) lease classification of expired or existing leases; (3) initial direct costs for existing leases as well as the practical expedient for land easements. The Company also elected certain optional relief for accounting policy elections under ASU 2016-02 (1) to not separate the lease and non-lease components and instead use them for a single lease component for leases related to office equipment and (2) the option to not recognize right-of-use assets and liabilities that arise from short-term leases.

Upon adoption of this guidance on January 1, 2019, the Company recorded a right-of-use asset and corresponding lease liability of $9,034 on the consolidated balance sheet. No cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings resulted from the adoption of this guidance. For additional detail on this recently adopted accounting guidance, see Note 14 - Leases.

Accounting Guidance Issued but not yet Adopted

In June 2016, the FASB issued guidance (ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326)) to replace the incurred loss model with an expected loss model, which is referred to as the current expected credit loss (CECL) model. The CECL model is applicable to the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loan receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, and reinsurance receivables. It also applies to off-balance sheet credit exposures not accounted for as insurance (loan commitments, standby letters of credit, financial guarantees, and other similar instruments) and net investments in leases recognized by a lessor. This standard will be effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that reporting period.

The transition to the new standard will be applied as follows:


•	For debt securities with other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI), the guidance will be applied prospectively.

•

Existing purchased credit impaired (PCI) assets will be grandfathered and classified as purchased credit deteriorated (PCD) assets at the date of adoption. The asset will be grossed up for the allowance for expected credit losses for all PCD assets at the date of adoption and will continue to recognize the noncredit discount in interest income based on the yield of such assets as of the adoption date. Subsequent changes in expected credit losses will be recorded through the allowance.


•	For all other assets within the scope of CECL, a cumulative-effect adjustment will be recognized in retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective.

After having implemented the new software necessary for the CECL model, the Company plans to run parallel processing of its existing allowance for loan loss model with the CECL model in the fourth quarter of 2019. The Company expects to recognize a one-time cumulative adjustment to the allowance for loan losses as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the new standard is effective, but cannot estimate the amount at this time.

In March 2017, the FASB amended existing guidance (ASU No. 2017-08, Receivables-Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20)) to amend the amortization period for certain purchased callable debt securities held at a premium. The amortization period has been shortened to the earliest call date. Under current generally accepted accounting principles, entities generally amortize the premium as an adjustment of yield over the contractual life of the instrument. These amendments are effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company early adopted this guidance in 2017 and it did not have a material impact on the Company's operating results or financial condition.

Leases

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the amendments to ASC 842, Leases, which requires lessees to recognize lease assets and liabilities arising from operating leases on the balance sheet.

At the inception of a contract, an entity should determine whether the contract contains a lease. Topic 842 defines a lease as a contract, or part of a contract, that conveys the right to control the use of identified property, plant, or equipment (an identified asset) for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Control over the use of an identified asset means that the customer has both (1) the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from the use of the asset and (2) the right to direct the use of the asset.

German American has finance leases for branch offices as well as operating leases for branch offices, ATM locations and certain office equipment. In prior periods, German American included the finance leases on the balance sheet with a right-of-use asset as well as a lease liability. Upon adopting the amended guidance, German American recorded a right-of-use asset and lease liability for its operating leases in the amount of $9,034. Also, at this time, management considered a reasonable expectation of renewal periods to include for the leases. The right-of-use asset is included in the 'Premises, Furniture and Equipment, Net' line of the consolidated balance sheet. The lease liability is included in the 'Accrued Interest Payable and Other Liabilities' line of the consolidated balance sheet.

The Company used the implicit lease rate when determining the present value of lease payments for finance leases. The present value of lease payments for operating leases was determined using the incremental borrowing rate as of the date the Company adopted this standard.