Derivative Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

The Corporation’s derivative financial instruments are used to manage differences in the amount, timing and duration of the Corporation’s known or expected cash receipts and its known or expected cash payments principally to manage the Corporation’s interest rate risk. Additionally, the Corporation enters into interest rate derivatives to accommodate the business requirements of its customers. All derivatives are recognized as either assets or liabilities on the balance sheet and are measured at fair value. The accounting for changes in the fair value of derivatives depends on the intended use of the derivative and resulting designation.

Interest Rate Risk Management Agreements

Interest rate risk management agreements, such as caps, swaps and floors, are used from time to time as part of the Corporation’s interest rate risk management strategy. Interest rate swaps are agreements in which the Corporation and another party agree to exchange interest payments (e.g., fixed-rate for variable-rate payments) computed on a notional principal amount. Interest rate caps and floors represent options purchased by the Corporation to manage the interest rate paid throughout the term of the option contract. The credit risk associated with these transactions is the risk of default by the counterparty. To minimize this risk, the Corporation enters into interest rate agreements only with highly rated counterparties that management believes to be creditworthy. The notional amounts of these agreements do not represent amounts exchanged by the parties and, thus, are not a measure of the potential loss exposure.

Cash Flow Hedging Instruments

As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Corporation had two interest rate swap contracts with a total notional amount of $60.0 million that were designated as cash flow hedges to hedge the interest rate risk associated with short-term variable rate FHLB advances. The interest rate swaps mature in 2021 and 2023.

The changes in fair value of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges are recorded in other comprehensive income and subsequently reclassified to earnings when gains or losses are realized.

Loan Related Derivative Contracts

Interest Rate Swap Contracts with Customers

The Corporation enters into interest rate swap contracts to help commercial loan borrowers manage their interest rate risk. The interest rate swap contracts with commercial loan borrowers allow them to convert variable-rate loan payments to fixed-rate loan payments. When the Corporation enters into an interest rate swap contract with a commercial loan borrower, it simultaneously enters into a “mirror” swap contract with a third party. The third party exchanges the client’s fixed-rate loan payments for variable-rate loan payments. The Corporation retains the risk that is associated with the potential failure of counterparties and the risk inherent in originating loans. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, Washington Trust had interest rate swap contracts with commercial loan borrowers with notional amounts of $983.6 million and $991.0 million, respectively, and equal amounts of “mirror” swap contracts with third party financial institutions. These derivatives are not designated as hedges and therefore, changes in fair value are recognized in earnings.

Risk Participation Agreements

The Corporation has entered into risk participation agreements with other banks in commercial loan arrangements. Participating banks guarantee the performance on borrower-related interest rate swap contracts. These derivatives are not designated as hedges and therefore, changes in fair value are recognized in earnings.

Under a risk participation-out agreement, a derivative asset, the Corporation participates out a portion of the credit risk associated with the interest rate swap position executed with the commercial borrower for a fee paid to the participating bank. Under a risk participation-in agreement, a derivative liability, the Corporation assumes, or participates in, a portion of the credit risk associated with the interest rate swap position with the commercial borrower for a fee received from the other bank.

As of March 31, 2021, the notional amounts of risk participation-out agreements and risk participation-in agreements were $62.0 million and $107.5 million, respectively, compared to $61.6 million and $92.7 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2020.

Mortgage Loan Commitments

Interest rate lock commitments are extended to borrowers and relate to the origination of mortgage loans held for sale. To mitigate the interest rate risk and pricing risk associated with rate locks and mortgage loans held for sale, the Corporation enters into forward sale commitments. Forward sale commitments are contracts for delayed delivery or net settlement of the underlying instrument, such as a residential real estate mortgage loan, where the seller agrees to deliver on a specified future date, either a specified instrument at a specified price or yield or the net cash equivalent of an underlying instrument. Both interest rate lock commitments and forward sale commitments are derivative financial instruments, but do not meet criteria for hedge accounting and therefore, the changes in fair value of these commitments are reflected in earnings.

As of March 31, 2021, the notional amounts of interest rate lock commitments and forward sale commitments were $155.8 million and $291.0 million, respectively, compared to $167.7 million and $279.7 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2020.

The following table presents the fair values of derivative instruments in the Unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheets:


(Dollars in thousands)	Derivative Assets			Derivative Liabilities
		Fair Value			Fair Value
	Balance Sheet Location	Mar 31, 2021	Dec 31, 2020	Balance Sheet Location	Mar 31, 2021	Dec 31, 2020
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedging Instruments:
Interest rate risk management contracts:

Interest rate swaps	Other assets	$—	$—	Other liabilities	$1,569	$1,958

Derivatives not Designated as Hedging Instruments:
Loan related derivative contracts:
Interest rate swaps with customers	Other assets	44,732	75,804	Other liabilities	3,589	68
Mirror swaps with counterparties	Other assets	3,497	67	Other liabilities	44,903	76,248
Risk participation agreements	Other assets	2	22	Other liabilities	1	2

Mortgage loan commitments:
Interest rate lock commitments	Other assets	2,776	7,202	Other liabilities	102	—
Forward sale commitments	Other assets	3,193	—	Other liabilities	666	2,914
Gross amounts		54,200	83,095		50,830	81,190
Less: amounts offset (1)		3,495	67		3,495	67
Derivative balances, net of offset		50,705	83,028		47,335	81,123
Less: collateral pledged (2)		—	—		39,945	74,698
Net amounts		$50,705	$83,028		$7,390	$6,425

(1)Interest rate risk management contracts and loan related derivative contracts with counterparties are subject to master netting arrangements.

(2)Collateral pledged to derivative counterparties is in the form of cash. Washington Trust may need to post additional collateral in the future in proportion to potential increases in unrealized loss positions.

The following tables present the effect of derivative instruments in the Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity and Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income:


(Dollars in thousands)	Gain (Loss) Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax

Three months ended March 31,	2021	2020
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedging Instruments:
Interest rate risk management contracts:
Interest rate caps	$—	$22
Interest rate swaps	297	(1,325)
Interest rate floors	—	253
Total	$297	($1,050)

The Corporation previously had interest rate cap and interest rate floor contracts designated as cash flow hedges. During 2020, the interest rate caps and interest rate floors matured.

For derivatives designated as cash flow hedging instruments, see Note 16 for additional disclosure pertaining to the amounts and location of reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive income into earnings.


(Dollars in thousands)		Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivatives

Three months ended March 31,	Statement of Income Location	2021	2020
Derivatives not Designated as Hedging Instruments:
Loan related derivative contracts:
Interest rate swaps with customers	Loan related derivative income	($30,231)	$58,531
Mirror swaps with counterparties	Loan related derivative income	30,683	(56,190)
Risk participation agreements	Loan related derivative income	15	114

Mortgage loan commitments:
Interest rate lock commitments	Mortgage banking revenues	(4,529)	3,736
Forward sale commitments	Mortgage banking revenues	7,285	(3,634)
Total		$3,223	$2,557