BASIS OF PRESENTATION

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

NOTE 1.          BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The consolidated financial statements (the “financial statements”) of Bar Harbor Bankshares and its subsidiaries (the “Company” or “Bar Harbor”) have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Bar Harbor Bankshares is a Maine Financial Institution Holding Company for the purposes of the laws of the state of Maine, and as such is subject to the jurisdiction of the Superintendent of the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions. These financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiary Bar Harbor Bank & Trust (the "Bank") and the Bank’s consolidated subsidiaries. The results of operations of companies or assets acquired are included only from the dates of acquisition. All material wholly owned and majority owned subsidiaries are consolidated unless GAAP requires otherwise.

In addition, these interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X, and accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared according to GAAP have been omitted.

The results for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and note disclosures for the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").  In management's opinion, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement are reflected in the interim periods presented.

Reclassifications: Whenever necessary, amounts in the prior years’ financial statements are reclassified to conform to current presentation. The reclassifications had no impact on net income in the Company’s consolidated income statement.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The disclosures below supplement updates the accounting policies previously disclosed in NOTE 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.  The updates reflect the adoption of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Updates (ASU) 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) - Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”, referred to as ASC 326 or, more commonly, referred to as Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL).

Allowance for Credit Loss on AFS Debt Securities: Upon adoption of CECL, effective January 1, 2021,  the Company monitors the credit quality of available for sale debt securities through credit ratings from various rating agencies and substantial price changes. Credit ratings express opinions about the credit quality of a security and are utilized by the Company to make informed decisions.  Securities are triggered for further review in the quarter if the security has significant fluctuations in ratings, drops below investment grade, or significant pricing changes. For securities without credit ratings, the Company utilizes other financial information indicating the financial health of the underlying municipality, agency, or organization associated with the underlying security.  If this assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows expected to be collected from the security are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security.  If the present value of cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an allowance on AFS debt securities is recorded for the credit loss, limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. When assessing an AFS debt security for credit loss, securities with identical CUSIPs are pooled together to assess for impairment using the average cost basis. Any impairment that has not been recorded through an allowance is recognized in other comprehensive income.

A change in the allowance on AFS debt securities may be in full or a portion thereof, is recorded as expense (credit) within provision for credit losses on the consolidated statements of income. Losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of an AFS debt security is confirmed  based on the above described analysis.  As of March 31, 2021 and January 1, 2021 (i.e. ASU 2016-13 adoption), there was no allowance carried on the Company's AFS debt securities. Refer to Note 2 of the consolidated financial statements for further discussion.

Loans:  Loans held for investment by the Company are reported at amortized cost.  Amortized cost is the principal balance outstanding net of the unamortized balance of any deferred fees or costs and the unamortized balance of any premiums or discounts on loans purchased or acquired through mergers.  

For originated loans, loan fees and certain direct origination costs are deferred and amortized into interest income over the contractual term of the loan using the level-yield method over the estimated lives of the related loans. When a loan is paid off, the unamortized portion of deferred fees or costs are recognized in interest income. Interest income on originated loans is accrued based upon the daily principal amount outstanding except for loans on non-accrual status.  

For acquired loans, interest income is accrued based upon the daily principal amount outstanding and is then further adjusted by the accretion of any discount or amortization of any premium associated with the loan that was recognized based on the acquisition date fair value. When a loan is paid off, the unamortized portion of any premiums or discounts on loans are recognized in interest income.

Purchase Credit Deteriorated (PCD) Loans:  Loans that the Company acquired in acquisitions include some loans that have experienced more than insignificant credit deterioration since origination. The initial allowance for credit losses is determined on a collective basis and allocated to the individual loans. The sum of the loan’s purchase price and allowance for credit losses becomes its initial amortized cost. The difference between the initial amortized cost and the par value of the loan is a discount or premium, which is amortized into interest income over the life of the loan. Subsequent changes to the allowance for credit losses are recorded through provision expense.

The Company adopted CECL using the prospective transition approach for financial assets purchased with credit deterioration that were previously classified as purchased credit impaired (PCI) and accounted for under ASC 310-30. In accordance with the standard, the Company did not reassess whether PCI assets met the definition of PCD assets as of the date of adoption. On January 1, 2021, the amortized cost basis of the PCD assets representing the noncredit discount will be accreted into interest income using the level-yield method over the estimated lives of the related loans.  The converted PCD assets of $12.5 million were then pooled by call report coding and an additional allowance was calculated on the pooled assets separately from other loan pools totaling $524 thousand.

Non-performing loans: Residential real estate and consumer loans are generally placed on non-accrual status when reaching 90 days past due, or in process of foreclosure, or sooner if considered appropriate by management. Secured consumer loans are written down to net realizable value and unsecured consumer loans are charged-off upon reaching 120 days past due. Commercial real estate loans and commercial business loans that are 90 days or more past due are generally placed on non-accrual status, unless secured by sufficient cash or other assets immediately convertible to cash, and the loan is in the process of collection. Commercial real estate and commercial business loans may be placed on non-accrual status prior to the 90 days delinquency date if considered appropriate by management.

When a loan has been placed on non-accrual status, previously accrued and uncollected interest is reversed against interest on the loan. The interest on non-accrual loans is accounted for using the cash-basis or cost-recovery method depending on corresponding credit risk, until qualifying for return to accrual status. A loan can be returned to accrual status when collectability of principal is reasonably assured and the loan has performed for a period of time, generally six months.

Previously, acquired loans that met the criteria for non-accrual of interest prior to the acquisition were considered performing upon acquisition, regardless of whether the customer is contractually delinquent, if the Company could reasonably estimate the timing and amount of the expected cash flows on such loans and if the Company expects to fully collect the new carrying value of the loans and any change in performance would have impacted accretable yield.  After adoption of ASC 326 on January 1, 2021 the Company now treats these non-performing acquired loans that meet the criteria for non-accrual consistent with originated loans.

Allowance for Credit Losses: The allowance for credit losses (the “allowance”) is a significant accounting estimate used in the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements.  The Allowance is comprised of the allowance for loan losses and the allowance for off-balance sheet credit exposures, which is accounted for as a separate liability in other liabilities on the balance sheet. The level of the allowance represents management’s estimate of expected credit losses over the expected life of the loans at the balance sheet date.

Upon adoption of ASC 326 or CECL on January 1, 2021, the Company replaced the incurred loss impairment model that recognizes losses when it becomes probable that a credit loss will be incurred, with a requirement to recognize lifetime expected credit losses immediately when a financial asset is originated or purchased. The allowance for credit losses is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost basis of loans to present the net amount expected to be collected on the loans. Loans, or portions thereof, are charged off against the allowance when they are deemed uncollectible. Expected recoveries do not exceed the aggregate of amounts previously charged-off and expected to be charged- off.  The allowance is comprised of reserves measured on a collective (pool) basis based on a lifetime loss-rate model when similar risk characteristics exist. Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis, generally larger non-accruing commercial loans and TDRs.

The Company uses the discounted cash flow (“DCF”) method to estimate expected credit losses for all loan portfolio segments measured on a collective (pool) basis. For each loan segment, the Company generates cash flow projections at the instrument level wherein payment expectations are adjusted for estimated prepayment speeds, probability of default, and loss given default. The modeling of prepayment speeds is based on historical internal data.

The Company uses regression analysis of historical internal and peer data to determine suitable loss drivers to utilize when modeling lifetime probability of default. This analysis also determines how expected probability of default and loss given default will react to forecasted levels of the loss drivers. For all loan pools utilizing the DCF method, management utilizes various economic indicators such as changes in unemployment rates, gross domestic product, property values, housing starts, and other relevant factors as loss drivers.  For all DCF models, management has determined that due to historic volatility in economic data, two quarters currently represents a reasonable and supportable forecast period, followed by a six-period reversion to historical mean levels for each of the various economic indicators.

The combination of adjustments for credit expectations (default and loss) and timing expectations (prepayment, curtailment, and time to recovery) produces an expected cash flow stream at the instrument level. Specific instrument effective yields are calculated, net of the impacts of prepayment assumptions, and the instrument expected cash flows are then discounted at that effective yield to produce an instrument-level Net Present Value ("NPV"). An allowance is established for the difference between the instrument’s NPV and amortized cost basis.

The allowance evaluation also considers various qualitative factors, such as: (i) changes to lending policies, underwriting standards and/or management personnel performing such functions, (ii) delinquency and other credit quality trends, (iii) credit risk concentrations, if any, (iv) changes to the nature of the Company's business impacting the loan portfolio, (v) and other external factors, that may include, but are not limited to, results of internal loan reviews, stress testing, examinations by bank regulatory agencies, or other events such as a natural disaster.

Arriving at an appropriate level of allowance involves a high degree of judgment. The determination of the adequacy of the allowance and provisioning for estimated losses is evaluated regularly based on review of loans, with particular emphasis on non-performing and other loans that management believes warrant special consideration.  While management uses available information to recognize losses on loans, changing economic conditions and the economic prospects of the borrowers may necessitate future additions or reductions to the allowance.

Individually Evaluated Loans:  Prior to the adoption of CECL on January 1, 2021, a loan was individually evaluated when the loan was considered impaired.  Impaired loans were based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company will not be able to collect all amounts due from the borrower in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan, including scheduled interest payments.

With the adoption of CECL, loans that do not share risk characteristics with existing pools are evaluated on an individual basis.  For collateral dependent financial loans where the Company has determined that foreclosure of the collateral is probable, or where the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty and the Company expects repayment of the financial asset to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral.  When repayment is expected to be from the operation of the collateral, the specific credit loss reserve is calculated as the amount by which the amortized cost basis of the financial asset exceeds the NPV from the operation of the collateral. When repayment is expected to be from the sale of the collateral, the specific credit loss reserve is calculated as the amount by which the amortized costs basis of the

financial asset exceeds the fair value of the underlying collateral less estimated cost to sell.  The allowance may be zero if the fair value of the collateral at the measurement date exceeds the amortized cost basis of the financial asset.

Accrued Interest. Upon adoption of CECL, effective as of January 1, 2021, the Company made the following elections regarding accrued interest receivable: (i) present accrued interest receivable balances within other assets on the consolidated statements of condition; (ii) exclude accrued interest from the measurement of the allowance for credit losses, including investments and loans; and (iii) continue to write-off accrued interest receivable by reversing interest income. The Company has a policy in place to write-off accrued interest when a loan is placed on non-accrual.  Historically, the Company has not experienced uncollectible accrued interest receivable on investment debt securities.

Allowance for off-balance sheet credit exposures:  The exposure is a component of other liabilities on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet and represents the estimate for probable credit losses inherent in unfunded commitments to extend credit.  Unfunded commitments to extend credit include unused portions of lines of credit and standby and commercial letters of credit. The process used to determine the allowance for these exposures is consistent with the process for determining the allowance for loans, as adjusted for estimated funding probabilities or loan equivalency factors.  A charge (credit) to provision for credit losses on the consolidated statements of income is made to account for the change in the allowance on off-balance sheet exposures between reporting periods.

Impact of Adoption

The following table illustrates the adoption of CECL on January 1, 2021:

			Reclassification		Pre-CECL		Post-CECL
			to CECL		Adoption		Adoption		Impact of
	Pre-CECL		Portfolio		Portfolio		Portfolio		CECL
(in thousands)	Adoption		Segmentation		Segmentation		Segmentation		Adoption
Assets:
Loans:
Commercial construction	$	131,123	$	(13,241)	$	117,882	$	117,882	$	—
Commercial real estate		953,258		(953,258)		—		—		—
Commercial real estate owner occupied		—		219,217		219,217		219,217		—
Commercial real estate non-owner occupied		—		716,776		716,776		716,776		—
Tax exempt		63,431		(15,569)		47,862		47,862		—
Commercial and industrial		377,638		(21,954)		355,684		355,684		—
Residential real estate		923,891		71,325		995,216		995,216		—
Home equity		102,464		(2,368)		100,096		100,096		—
Consumer other		11,080		(928)		10,152		10,152		—
Total loans	$	2,562,885	$	—	$	2,562,885	$	2,562,885	$	—
Allowance for credit losses on loans
Commercial construction	$	1,044	$	(220)	$	824	$	2,020	$	1,196
Commercial real estate		10,199		(10,199)		—		—		—
Commercial real estate owner occupied		—		1,783		1,783		2,491		708
Commercial real estate non-owner occupied		—		7,864		7,864		5,856		(2,008)
Tax exempt		80		(22)		58		98		40
Commercial and industrial		3,302		(165)		3,137		6,133		2,996
Residential real estate		4,078		932		5,010		6,742		1,732
Home equity		258		27		285		888		603
Consumer other		121		—		121		82		(39)
Total allowance for credit losses on loans	$	19,082	$	—	$	19,082	$	24,310	$	5,228
Liabilities:
Allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments	$	359	$	—	$	359	$	1,975	$	1,616
Total allowance for credit losses	$	19,441	$	—	$	19,441	$	26,285	$	6,844
Retained earnings:
Total increase in Allowance for credit losses									$	6,844
Balance sheet reclassification										—
Total pre-tax impact										6,844
Tax effect										(1,602)
Decrease to retained earnings									$	5,242

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

The following table provides a brief description of recent accounting standards updates ("ASU") that could have a material impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements upon adoption:

Standard	Description	Required Date of Adoption	Effect on financial statements
Standards Adopted in 2021
ASU 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments ASU 2018‑19, Codification Improvements to ASU 2016-13	This ASU amends Topic 326, Financial Instruments- Credit Losses to replace the current incurred loss accounting model with a current expected credit loss approach ("CECL") for financial instruments measured at amortized cost and other commitments to extend credit, such as of balance sheet credit exposures (loan comitments, unused line of credit and stand-by letters of credit). The amendments require entities to consider all available relevant information when estimating current expected credit losses, including details about past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The resulting allowance for credit losses is to reflect the portion of the amortized cost basis that the entity does not expect to collect. The amendments also eliminate the current accounting model for purchased credit impaired loans and certain off-balance sheet exposures. Additional quantitative and qualitative disclosures are required upon adoption. While the CECL model does not apply to available for sale debt securities, the ASU does require entities to record an allowance when recognizing credit losses for available for sale securities with unrealized losses, rather than reduce the amortized cost of the securities by direct write-offs. The guidance will require companies to recognize improvements to estimated credit losses immediately in earnings rather than interest income over time. The ASU should be adopted on a modified retrospective basis. Entities that have loans accounted for under ASC 310-30 at the time of adoption should prospectively apply the guidance in this amendment for purchase credit deteriorated assets.	January 1, 2022 ​	Adoption of this ASU is expected to primarily change how the Company estimates credit losses with the application of the expected credit loss model. The Company will apply the standard's provisions as a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective (i.e., modified retrospective approach). The Company's CECL implementation efforts in the first quarter focused on the finalization and board approval of the final CECL model, completed modelling of off-balance sheet credit risks, completed formal governance and control documentation, and developed and presented revised disclosures for board approval. The ASU was originally effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2020; however, after the The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES CARES Act Act, was enacted on March 27, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff clarified that once the deferral was elected by a registrant, Dec. 31, 2020, adoption of CECL was required, retrospective to Jan. 1, 2020 (ignoring an early termination of the national emergency). Under the amendments, a registrant electing the delay under the CARES Act is further delayed until Jan. 1, 2022, effective as of Jan. 1, 2022 (absent an early termination of the national emergency). With regard to the amendments to Section 4014, the SEC staff indicated it would not object to a registrant early adopting on Dec. 31, 2020, retrospective to Jan. 1, 2020, or Jan. 1, 2021, effective as of Jan. 1, 2021. The Company adopted CECL effective January 1, 2021, which increased its allowance for credit losses (ACL) by $5.2 million and reserve for unfunded commitments by $1.6 million. Equity was reduced by $5.2 million, net of deferred tax of $1.6 million in the first quarter due to adoption. The coverage ratio of ACL to total loans increased to 0.94% as of March 31, 2021 from 0.76% at December 31, 2020, excluding PPP loans.

Standard	Description	Required Date of Adoption	Effect on financial statements
Standards Adopted in 2021
ASU 2018-14 Compensation- Disclosure Requirements for Defined Pension Plans Topic 715-20	This ASU makes minor changes to the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension and/or other post-retirement benefit plans.	January 1, 2021 Early adoption is permitted.	Adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. The impact will be reflected in the Company’s annual 10-K disclosures of employee benefit plans.
ASU 2020-01, Investments—Equity Securities, Investments Equity Method and Joint Ventures, and Derivatives and Hedging	In January 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which added Topic 321, Investments – Equity Securities, and made targeted improvements to address certain aspects of accounting for financial instruments. The amendments in this Update affect all entities that apply the guidance in Topics 321, 323, and 815 and (1) elect to apply the measurement alternative or (2) enter into a forward contract or purchase an option to purchase securities that, upon settlement of the forward contract or exercise of the purchased option, would be accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The amendments in this Update clarify certain interactions between the guidance to account for certain equity securities under Topic 321, the guidance to account for investments under the equity method of accounting in Topic 323, and the guidance in Topic 815, which could change how an entity accounts for an equity security under the measurement alternative or a forward contract or purchased option to purchase securities that, upon settlement of the forward contract or exercise of the purchased option, would be accounted for under the equity method of accounting or the fair value option in accordance with Topic 825, Financial Instruments. The amendments in this Update should be applied prospectively.	December 15, 2020	The adoption had no material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. The Company’s equity method investments which primarily consist of community limited partnership investments are in compliance with the new guidance prospectively in 2021.
ASU 2020-04 Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform, Topic 848, as amended in ASU 2021-01	This ASU provides temporary optional expedients and exceptions to GAAP guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting to ease the financial reporting burdens of the expected market transition from the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"). For instance, companies can (1) elect not to apply certain modification accounting requirements to contracts affected by reference rate reform, if certain criteria are met. A company that makes this election would not have to re-measure the contracts at the modification date or reassess a previous accounting determination. Companies can also (2) elect various optional expedients that would allow them to continue applying hedge accounting for hedging relationships affected by reference rate reform, if certain criteria are met. Finally, companies can (3) make a one-time election to sell and/or reclassify held-to-maturity debt securities that	May be elected through December 31, 2022.	The Company is currently evaluating all of its contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions that will be effected by reference rates that are being discontinued and determining which elections need to be made. The Company is currently evaluating all of its contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions that will be effected by reference rates that are being discontinued and determining which elections need to be made

reference an interest rate affected by reference rate reform.

Rate Reform Elections at March 31, 2021

Adherence to ISDA Fallback Protocol

The ISDA 2020 IBOR Fallbacks Protocol (the “ISDA Fallback Protocol”) was made available for adherence on October 23, 2020 with an effective date of January 25, 2021. Once adhered to by both counterparties in a bilateral relationship and the effective date is reached, the ISDA Fallback Protocol represents a change to the contractual terms of derivatives governed by each respective ISDA agreement between the Company and a derivative counterparty. The change relates to reference rate reform and represents the potential for addition of or changes to contractual terms and was developed by a private-sector working group convened by a regulator as referenced in 848-20-15-5(g). For all of the Company’s interest rate swaps that meet the scope requirements of 848-10-15-3 and 848-10-15-3A and for which the Company adhered to the ISDA Fallback Protocol, the Company makes the following elections:

• Modification related elections

• Option to not reassess a previous accounting determination (paragraph 848-20-35-4).

• Hedge accounting related modifications

• Option to not dedesignate a hedging relationship due to a change in a critical term (paragraph 848-30-25-3).

• Option to change the contractual terms of a hedging instrument, hedged item, or forecasted transaction and to not dedesignate a hedging relationship (paragraph 848-30-25-5).

Cash flow hedges

The Company hereby amends the hedge documentation, without dedesignating and redesignating, for all outstanding cash flow hedging relationships for the following elections:

• Probability of forecasted transactions: The Company elects the expedient in ASC 848-50-25-2 to assert probability of the hedged interest payments/receipts regardless of any expected modification in terms related to reference rate reform.

• Assessment of effectiveness: In accordance with ASC 848-30-25-4, ASC 848-30-25-8, and ASC 848-50-35-1 through 35-24 the Company has the option to change the method of assessing effectiveness upon a change in the critical terms of the derivative or the hedged transactions and upon the end of relief under ASC 848. At this time the Company elects to continue the method of assessing effectiveness as documented in the original hedge documentation and elects to apply the expedient in ASC 848-50-35-17 so that the reference rate on the hypothetical derivative matches the reference rate on the hedging instrument. For new hedging relationships designated subsequent to the date of this memorandum, the Company elects to apply the expedient in ASC 848-50-25-11 to assume that the reference rate will not be replaced for the remainder of the hedging relationship.

New hedging activity

The Company makes the same elections for each hedging relationship designated subsequent to March 31, 2021.  Any hedging relationship-specific elections beyond the elections noted above will be documented in the respective inception hedge documentation. Subsequent election of optional expedients and exceptions after the March 31, 2021 will be documented in accordance with the elections being made here.