Merger with MidCarolina

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Merger with MidCarolina [Abstract]

Merger with MidCarolina

Note 2 –Merger with MidCarolina

On July 1, 2011, the Company completed its merger with MidCarolina Financial Corporation (“MidCarolina”) pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated December 15, 2010, between the Company and MidCarolina (the “merger agreement”).  MidCarolina was headquartered in Burlington, North Carolina, and engaged in banking operations through its subsidiary bank, MidCarolina Bank.  The transaction has significantly expanded the Company's footprint in North Carolina, adding eight branches in Alamance and Guilford Counties.

Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, as a result of the merger, the holders of shares of MidCarolina common stock received 0.33 shares of the Company's common stock for each share of MidCarolina common stock held immediately prior to the effective date of the merger. Each share of Company common stock outstanding immediately prior to the merger has continued to be outstanding after the merger. Each option to purchase a share of MidCarolina common stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger was converted into an option to purchase shares of Company common stock, adjusted for the 0.33 exchange ratio. Additionally, the holders of shares of noncumulative perpetual Series A preferred stock of MidCarolina received one share of a newly authorized noncumulative perpetual Series A preferred stock of the Company for each MidCarolina preferred share held immediately before the merger.  The Company's Series A preferred stock was issued with terms, preferences, rights and limitations that are identical in all material respects to the MidCarolina Series A preferred stock.

The Company issued 1,626,157 shares of additional common stock in connection with the MidCarolina merger. This represents 20.9% of the now outstanding shares of the Company.

In connection with the transaction, MidCarolina Bank was merged with and into the Bank.

The merger with MidCarolina was accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting and, accordingly, assets acquired, liabilities assumed and consideration paid were recorded at their estimated fair values as of the merger date. The excess of consideration paid over the fair value of net assets acquired was recorded as goodwill in the amount of approximately $16.4 million, which will not be amortizable and is not deductible for tax purposes the Company allocated the total balance of goodwill to its community banking segment. The Company also recorded $6.6 million in core deposit intangibles which will be amortized over nine years using a declining balance method.

In connection with the merger, the consideration paid, and the fair value of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the merger date are summarized in the following table:

(dollars in thousands)
Consideration Paid:
Common shares issued (1,626,157)	$	29,905
Cash paid to Shareholders		12
Fair Value of Options		132
Preferred shares issued (5,000)		5,000
Value of consideration		35,049
Assets acquired:
Cash and cash equivalents		34,783
Investment securities		51,442
Loans held for sale		113
Loans, net of unearned income		328,123
Premises and equipment, net		5,708
Deferred income taxes		15,310
Core deposit intangible		6,556
Other real estate owned		3,538
Other assets		13,535
Total assets		459,108
Liabilities assumed:
Deposits		420,248
FHLB advances		9,858
Other borrowings		6,546
Other liabilities		3,838
Total Liabilities		440,490
Net assets acquired		18,618
Goodwill resulting from merger with MidCarolina	$	16,431

The following table details the changes fair value of net assets acquired and liabilities assumed from the amounts originally reported in the Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2011, (in thousands).

Goodwill at September 30, 2011	$	15,241
Effect of adjustments to:
Portfolio loans		(411	)
Fair value of stock options transferred		132
Deferred tax asset		317
Premises and equipment		1,152
Goodwill at December 31, 2011	$	16,431

In many cases, the fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed were determined by estimating the cash flows expected to result from those assets and liabilities and discounting them at appropriate market rates. The most significant category of assets for which this procedure was used was that of acquired loans. The Company acquired the $367.4 million loan portfolio at a fair value discount of $39.9 million. The performing portion of the portfolio estimated fair value was $286.5 million. The excess of expected cash flows above the fair value of the performing portion of loans will be accreted to interest income over the remaining lives of the loans in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ ASC”) 310-20 (formerly SFAS 91).

Certain loans, those for which specific credit-related deterioration since origination was identified, are recorded at fair value, reflecting the present value of the amounts expected to be collected. Income recognition on these loans is based on reasonable expectation about the timing and amount of cash flows to be collected. Acquired loans deemed impaired and considered collateral dependent, with the timing of the sale of loan collateral indeterminate, remain on non-accrual status and have no accretable yield.

       The following tables details the acquired loans that are accounted for in accordance with FASB ASC 310-30 (formerly Statement of Position (“SOP”) 03-3) as of July 1, 2011, (in thousands).

Contractually required principal and interest at acquisition	$	56,681
Contractual cash flows not expected to be collected (nonaccretable difference)		17,472
Expected cash flows at acquisition		39,209
Interest component of expected cash flows (accretable discount)		1,663
Fair value of acquired loans accounted for under FASB ASC 310-30	$	37,546

In accordance with U.S. GAAP, there was no carryover of the allowance for loan losses that had been previously recorded by MidCarolina.

In connection with the merger with MidCarolina, the Company acquired an investment portfolio with a fair value of $51.4 million. The fair value of the investment portfolio was determined by taking into account market prices obtained from independent valuation sources.

In connection with the merger with MidCarolina, the Company recorded a deferred income tax asset of $15.3 million related to MidCarolina' s valuation allowance on foreclosed real estate and bad debt expenses, as well as other tax attributes of the acquired company, along with the effects of fair value adjustments resulting from applying the acquisition method of accounting.

       In connection with the merger with MidCarolina, The Company acquires other real estate owned with a fair value of $3.5 million. Other real estate owned was measured at fair value less cost to sell.

In connection with the merger with MidCarolina, the Company acquired premises and equipment with a fair value of $5.7 million. Property appraisals for all owned locations were obtained. The fair value adjustment will be amortized as expense over the remaining lives of the properties. The Company also acquired several lease obligations in connection with the merger. The unfavorable lease position will be amortized over the remaining lives of the leases.

The fair value of savings and transaction deposit accounts acquired from MidCarolina was assumed to approximate their carrying value as these accounts have no stated maturity and are payable on demand. Certificates of deposit accounts were valued by comparing the contractual cost of the portfolio to an identical portfolio bearing current market rates. The portfolio was segregated into pools based on segments: retail, individual retirement accounts brokered, and Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service (often referred to as CDARs). For each segment, the projected cash flows from maturing certificates were then calculated based on contractual rates and prevailing market rates. The valuation adjustment for each segment is equal to the present value of the difference of these two cash flows, discounted at the assumed market rate for a certificate with a corresponding maturity. This valuation adjustment will be accreted to reduce interest expense over the remaining maturities of the respective pools.

The fair value of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (“FHLB”) advances was determined based on the discounted cash flows of future payments. This adjustment to the face value of the borrowings will be amortized to increase interest expense over the remaining lives of the respective borrowings.

The fair value of junior subordinated debentures (Other Borrowings) was determined based on the fair value of similar debt or equity instruments with reasonably comparable terms. This adjustment to the face value of the borrowings will be amortized to increase interest expense over the remaining lives of the respective borrowings.

Direct costs related to the acquisition were expensed as incurred. During 2011, the Company incurred $1.6 million in merger and acquisition integration expenses related to the transaction, including $1.4 million in professional services, $130,000 in technology and communications, $22,000 in advertising and marketing, and $26,000 in other non-interest expenses.

The following table presents unaudited pro forma information as if the merger with MidCarolina had occurred on January 1, 2009. This pro forma information gives effect to certain adjustments, including purchase accounting fair value adjustments, amortization of core deposit and other intangibles and related income tax effects. The pro forma information does not necessarily reflect the results of operations that would have occurred had the merger with MidCarolina occurred in 2010.  In particular, expected operational cost savings are not reflected in the pro forma amounts.

	Pro forma
	At December 31,
(in thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Net interest income	$	41,883	$	49,971	$	53,407
Provision for loan losses		3,170		7,908		6,117
Non-interest income		9,244		11,773		11,305
Non-interest expense		27,931		34,703		38,882
Income Taxes		5,696		4,246		6,583
Net income	$	14,330	$	14,887	$	13,130