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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract]  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
1.
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
Basis of Presentation-The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) and its wholly-owned subsidiaries MidSouth Bank, N.A. (the “Bank”) and Financial Services of the South, Inc. (the “Finance Company”), which has liquidated its loan portfolio. We merged our two wholly-owned banking subsidiaries, MidSouth Bank, N.A. (Louisiana) and MidSouth Bank Texas, N.A. into MidSouth Bank, N.A., at the end of the first quarter of 2008.  All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.  We are subject to regulation under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956.  The Bank is primarily regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).
 
We are a bank holding company headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana operating principally in the community banking business by providing banking services to commercial and retail customers through the Bank. The Bank is community oriented and focuses primarily on offering competitive commercial and consumer loan and deposit services to individuals and small to middle market businesses in south Louisiana and central and east Texas.
 
The accounting principles we follow and the methods of applying these principles conform with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and with general practices within the banking industry.  In preparing the financial statements in conformity with GAAP, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements.  Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.  Material estimates common to the banking industry that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term include, but are not limited to, the determination of the allowance for loan losses, the valuation of real estate acquired in connection with or in lieu of foreclosure on loans, the assessment of goodwill for impairment, and valuation allowances associated with the realization of deferred tax assets which are based on future taxable income. Given the current instability of the economic environment, it is reasonably possible that the methodology of the assessment of potential loan losses, losses on other real estate owned, goodwill impairment, and other fair value measurements could change in the near term or could result in impairment going forward.
 
A summary of significant accounting policies follows:
 
Cash and cash equivalents-Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, amounts due from banks, interest-bearing deposits in other banks with original maturities of less than 90 days, and federal funds sold.
 
Investment Securities-We determine the appropriate classification of debt securities at the time of purchase and reassesses this classification periodically. Trading account securities are held for resale in anticipation of short-term market movements. Debt securities are classified as held-to-maturity when we have the positive intent and ability to hold the securities to maturity. Securities not classified as held-to-maturity or trading are classified as available-for-sale. We had no trading account securities during the three years ended December 31, 2011. Held-to-maturity securities are stated at amortized cost. Available-for-sale securities are stated at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of deferred taxes, reported as a separate component of shareholders' equity.
 
The amortized cost of debt securities classified as held-to-maturity or available-for-sale is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity or, in the case of mortgage-backed securities, over the estimated life of the security. Amortization, accretion, and accrued interest are included in interest income on securities. Realized gains and losses on the sale of securities available-for-sale are included in earnings and are determined using the specific-identification method.
 
Management evaluates investment securities for other than temporary impairment on a quarterly basis.  A decline in the fair value of available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities below cost that is deemed other than temporary is charged to earnings for a decline in value deemed to be credit related and a new cost basis for the security is established.  The decline in value attributed to non-credit related factors is recognized in other comprehensive income.
 
Other Investments-Other investments include Federal Reserve Bank and Federal Home Loan Bank stock, as well as other correspondent bank stocks and our CRA investment which have no readily determined market value and are carried at cost.  Due to the redemption provisions of the investments, the fair value equals cost and no impairment exists.
 
Loans-Loans that we have the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future or until maturity are reported at the principal amount outstanding, net of the allowance for loan losses and any deferred fees or costs on originated loans. Interest income on commercial and real estate mortgage loans is calculated by using the simple interest method on the daily balance of the principal amount outstanding. Unearned income on installment loans is credited to operations based on a method which approximates the interest method. In-house legal counsel and the collections department are responsible for validating loans past due for reporting purposes.  Once loans are determined to be past due, the collections department actively works with customers to bring loans back to current status.
 
We consider a loan to be impaired when, based upon current information and events, we believe it is probable that we will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. All loans classified as special mention, substandard, or doubtful, based on credit risk rating factors, are reviewed for impairment.  Our impaired loans include troubled debt restructurings and performing and nonperforming major loans in which full payment of principal or interest is not expected. Although our policy requires that non-major homogenous loans, which include all loans under $250,000, be evaluated on an overall basis, our current volume of impaired loans allows us to evaluate each impaired loan individually. We calculate the allowance required for impaired loans based on the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan's effective interest rate, or at the loan's observable market price or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent.  A loan may be impaired but not on nonaccrual status when available information suggests that it is probable the Bank may not receive all contractual principal and interest, however, the loan is still current and payments are received in accordance with the terms of the loan. Payments received for impaired loans not on nonaccrual status are applied to principal and interest.
 
All impaired loans are reviewed, at minimum, on a quarterly basis.  Reviews may be performed more frequently if material information is available before the next scheduled quarterly review.  Existing valuations are reviewed to determine if additional discounts or new appraisals are required.  After this review, when comparing the resulting collateral valuation to the outstanding loan balance, if the discounted collateral value exceeds the loan balance no specific allocation is reserved.  All loans included in our impairment analysis are subject to the same procedure and review, with no distinction given to the dollar amount of the loan.
 
Our Special Assets Committee meets monthly on troubled credits to review loans with adverse classifications.  Loan officers, loan review officers, and in-house legal counsel contribute updated information on each credit, reviewing potential declines or improvements in the borrower's repayment ability and our collateral position.  If deterioration in our collateral position is determined, additional discounts may be applied to the impairment analysis before the new appraisal is received.  The committee makes a determination of whether the loans reviewed have reached a point of collateral dependency and sufficient doubt exists as to collectability.  As a matter of policy, loans are placed on nonaccrual status when, in the judgment of committee members, the probability of collection of interest is deemed insufficient to warrant further accrual.  For loans placed on nonaccrual status, the accrual of interest is discontinued and subsequent payments received are applied to the principal balance.  Interest income is recorded after principal has been satisfied and as payments are received.  Additionally, loans may be placed on nonaccrual status when the loan becomes 90 days past due and any of the following conditions exist: it becomes evident that the borrower will not make payments or will not or cannot meet the Bank's terms for the renewal of a matured loan, full repayment of principal and interest is not expected, the loan has a credit quality of substandard, the borrower files bankruptcy and an approved plan of reorganization or liquidation is not anticipated in the near future, or foreclosure action is initiated.  When a loan is placed on nonaccrual status, previously accrued but unpaid interest for the current year is deducted from interest income.  Prior year unpaid interest is charged to the allowance for loan losses.  Some loans may continue accruing after 90 days if the loan is in the process of renewing, being paid off, or the underlying collateral fully supports both the principal and accrued interest and the loan is in the process of collection.
 
Nonaccrual loans may be returned to accrual status if all principal and interest amounts contractually owed are reasonably assured of repayment within a reasonable period and there is a period of at least six months to one year of repayment performance by the borrower depending on the contractual payment terms.  Our Special Assets Committee must approve the return of loans to accrual status as well as exceptions to any requirements of the non-accrual policy.
 
Generally, commercial, financial, and agricultural loans; construction loans; commercial real estate loans; consumer loans; and finance leases which become 90 days delinquent are either in the process of collection through repossession or foreclosure or are deemed currently uncollectible. The portion of loans deemed currently uncollectible, due to insufficient collateral, are charged-off against the allowance for loan losses. All loans requested to be charged-off must be specifically authorized by in-house legal counsel and the CEO.  Requests may be initiated by collection personnel, bank counsel, loan review, and lending personnel.  Charge-offs will be reviewed by in-house legal counsel and the CEO to ensure the propriety and accuracy of charge-off recommendations.  Factors considered when determining loan collectibility and amount to be charged off for all segments in our loan portfolio include delinquent principal or interest repayment, the ability of borrower to make future payments, collateral value of outstanding debt, and the adequacy of guarantors support.  It is the responsibility of in-house legal counsel to report all charge-offs to the Board of Directors or its designated Committee for ratification.
 
Credit Risk Rating-We manage credit risk by observing written underwriting standards and lending policy established by the Board of Directors and management to govern all lending activities.  The risk management program requires that each individual loan officer review his or her portfolio on a quarterly basis and assign recommended credit ratings on each loan.  These efforts are supplemented by independent reviews performed by a loan review officer and other validations performed by the internal audit department.  The results of the reviews are reported directly to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.  Additionally, Bank concentrations are monitored and reported quarterly for risk rating distributions, major standard industry classification segments, real estate concentrations, and collateral distributions.
 
Consumer and residential real estate loans are normally graded at inception, and the grade generally remains the same throughout the life of the loan.  Loan grades on commercial, financial, and agricultural; construction; commercial real estate; and finance leases may be changed at any time when circumstances warrant, and are at a minimum reviewed quarterly.
 
Loans can be classified into the following three risk rating grades: pass, special mention, and substandard/doubtful.  Factors considered in determining a risk rating grade include debt service capacity, capital structure/liquidity, management, collateral quality, industry risk, company trends/operating performance, repayment source, revenue diversification/customer concentration, quality of financial information, and financing alternatives.  Pass grade signifies the highest quality of loans to loans with reasonable credit risk, which may include borrowers with marginally adequate financial performance, but have the ability to repay the debt.  Special mention loans have potential weaknesses that warrant extra attention from the loan officer and other management personnel, but still have the ability to repay the debt.  Substandard classification includes loans with well-defined weaknesses with risk of potential loss.  Loans classified as doubtful are considered to have little recovery value and are charged off.
 
Allowance for Loan Losses-The allowance for loan losses is a valuation account available to absorb probable losses on loans. All losses are charged to the allowance for loan losses when the loss actually occurs or when a determination is made that a loss is likely to occur. Recoveries are credited to the allowance for loan losses at the time of recovery.  Quarterly, we estimate the probable level of losses in the existing portfolio through consideration of such factors including, but not limited to, past loan loss experience; estimated losses in significant credits; known deterioration in concentrations of credit; trends in nonperforming assets; volume and composition of the loan portfolio, including percentages of special mention, substandard and past due loans; lending policies and control systems; known inherent risks in the portfolio; adverse situations that may affect the borrower's ability to repay; the estimated value of any underlying collateral; current national and local economic conditions, including the unemployment rate, the price of oil, and real estate absorption time; the experience, ability and depth of lending management; collections personnel experience; and the results of examinations of the loan portfolio by regulatory agencies and others. Based on these estimates, the allowance for loan losses is increased by charges to earnings and decreased by charge-offs (net of recoveries).
 
The allowance is composed of general reserves and specific reserves.  General reserves are determined by applying loss percentages to segments of the portfolio.  The loss percentages are based on each segment's historical loss experience, generally over the past twelve to eighteen months, and adjustment factors derived from conditions in the Bank's internal and external environment.  All loans considered to be impaired are evaluated on an individual basis to determine specific reserve allocations in accordance with GAAP.  Loans for which specific reserves are provided are excluded from the calculation of general reserves.
 
We have an internal loan review department that is independent of the lending function to challenge and corroborate the loan grade assigned by the lender and to provide additional analysis in determining the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses.
 
Management and the Board of Directors believe the allowance for loan losses is appropriate at December 31, 2011.  While determination of the allowance for loan losses is based on available information at a given point in time, future additions to the allowance may be necessary based on changes in economic conditions.  In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review our allowance for loan losses.  Such agencies may require us to recognize additions or deductions to the allowance based on their judgment and information available to them at the time of their examination.
 
Premises and Equipment-Premises and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets.  The estimated useful lives used to compute depreciation are:
 
Buildings and improvements
10 - 40 years
Furniture, fixtures, and equipment
3 - 10 years
Automobiles
5 years
 
Leasehold improvements are amortized over the estimated useful lives of the improvements or the term of the lease, whichever is shorter.
 
Other Real Estate Owned-Real estate properties acquired through, or in lieu of, loan foreclosures are initially recorded at the lower of carrying value or fair value less estimated costs to sell based on a current valuation at the time of foreclosure. After foreclosure, valuations are periodically performed by management and the real estate is carried at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell. Revenues and expenses from operations and changes in the valuation allowance are charged to earnings.
 
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets-Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net identifiable assets acquired in a business combination.  Goodwill and other intangible assets deemed to have an indefinite useful life are not amortized but instead are subject to review for impairment annually, or more frequently if deemed necessary.  Also, in connection with business combinations involving banks and branch locations, we generally record core deposit intangibles representing the value of the acquired core deposit base.  Core deposit intangibles are amortized over the estimated useful life of the deposit base, generally on either a straight-line basis not exceeding 15 years or an accelerated basis over 10 years.  The remaining useful lives of core deposit intangibles are evaluated periodically to determine whether events and circumstances warrant revision of the remaining period of amortization.
 
Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance-Life insurance contracts represent single premium life insurance contracts on the lives of certain officers of the Company. The Company is the beneficiary of these policies. These contracts are reported at their cash surrender value and changes in the cash surrender value are included in other noninterest income.
 
Repurchase Agreements-Securities sold under agreements to repurchase are secured borrowings treated as financing activities and are carried at the amounts at which the securities will be subsequently reacquired as specified in the respective agreements.
 
Deferred Compensation-We record the expense of deferred compensation agreements over the service periods of the persons covered under these agreements.
 
Income Taxes-Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded for future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis.  Future tax benefits, such as net operating loss carry forwards, are recognized to the extent that realization of such benefits is more likely than not.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which the assets and liabilities are expected to be recovered or settled.  The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income tax expense in the period that includes the enactment date.
 
In the event the future tax consequences of differences between the financial reporting bases and the tax bases of our assets and liabilities results in deferred tax assets, an evaluation of the probability of being able to realize the future benefits indicated by such assets is required.  A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that a portion or the full amount of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.  In assessing the ability to realize the deferred tax assets, management considers the scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, and tax planning strategies.  A deferred tax liability is not recognized for portions of the allowance for loan losses for income tax purposes in excess of the financial statement balance.  Such a deferred tax liability will only be recognized when it becomes apparent that those temporary differences will reverse in the foreseeable future.
 
A tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur.  The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50 percent more likely of being realized on examination.  For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded.
 
The Company recognizes interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.
 
Stock-Based Compensation-We expense stock-based compensation based upon the grant date fair value of the related equity award over the requisite service period of the employee.
 
Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Common Share-Basic earnings per common share (“EPS”) excludes dilution and is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of the Company. Diluted EPS is computed by dividing net earnings by the total of the weighted-average number of shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of outstanding options.  The amounts of common stock and additional paid-in capital are adjusted to give retroactive effect to large stock dividends.  Small stock dividends, or dividends less than 25% of issued shares at the declaration date, are reflected as an increase in common stock and additional paid-in capital and a decrease in retained earnings for the market value of the shares on the date the dividend is declared.
 
Comprehensive Income-Generally all recognized revenues, expenses, gains and losses are included in net earnings.  Although certain changes in assets and liabilities, such as unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, are reported as a separate component of the equity section of the consolidated balance sheets, such items, along with net earnings, are components of comprehensive income.  We present comprehensive income in a separate consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
 
Statements of Cash Flows-For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, amounts due from banks, federal funds sold, and interest-bearing deposits in other banks with original maturities of less than 90 days. Generally, federal funds are sold for one-day periods.
 
Recent Accounting Pronouncements-In December 2010, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2010-29, Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations (“ASU No. 2010-29”). ASU No. 2010-29 specifies that if a public entity presents comparative financial statements, the entity should disclose revenue and earnings of the combined entity as though the business combination that occurred during the current year had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period only. ASU No. 2010-29 is effective prospectively for business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2010.  ASU No. 2010-29 disclosures on the three acquisitions completed in 2011 were not required to be included in Note 2 – Acquisition due to the immateriality of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in each transaction to the Company's consolidated balance sheet.
 
In April 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-02, A Creditor's Determination of Whether a Restructuring Is a Troubled Debt Restructuring, which amends guidance for evaluating whether the restructuring of a receivable by a creditor is a troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”).  The ASU responds to concerns that creditors are inconsistently applying existing guidance for identifying TDRs.  The main provision of this Update requires a creditor to separately conclude whether the restructuring constitutes a concession and whether the debtor is experiencing financial difficulties, in order to determine if a restructuring constitutes a TDR.  Guidance is also provided to assist the creditor in evaluating these two criteria.  Furthermore, the amendments clarify that a creditor is precluded from using the effective interest rate test, as described in the debtors guidance on restructuring payables, when evaluating whether a restructuring constitutes a TDR.  The Company adopted ASU No. 2011-02 for the interim period beginning July 1, 2011.  Adoption of ASU No. 2011-02 did not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, financial position or disclosures.
 
In April 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-03, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860): Reconsideration of Effective Control for Repurchase Agreements. The amendments in this update remove from the assessment of effective control (1) the criterion requiring the transferor to have the ability to repurchase or redeem the financial assets on substantially the agreed terms, even in the event of default by the transferee, and (2) the collateral maintenance implementation guidance related to that criterion. Other criteria applicable to the assessment of effective control are not changed by the amendments in this update. The guidance in this update is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after December 15, 2011. The guidance should be applied prospectively to transactions or modifications of existing transactions that occur on or after the effective date. Early adoption is not permitted.  ASU No. 2011-03 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, financial position or disclosures.
 
In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRSs”). The amendments in this Update result in common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs. Consequently, the amendments change the wording used to describe many of the requirements in U.S. GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements. For many of the requirements, the FASB Board does not intend for the amendments in this update to result in a change in the application of the requirements in Topic 820. The update also reflects the FASB's consideration of the different characteristics of public and non-public entities and the needs of users of their financial statements. Non-public entities will be exempt from a number of the new disclosure requirements.  The amendments in this update are to be applied prospectively. For public entities, the amendments are effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Early application by public entities is not permitted.  ASU No. 2011-04 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, financial position or disclosures.
 
In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income.  The amendments in this update allow an entity the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In both choices, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. This update eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in shareholders' equity. The amendments in this update do not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. The amendments in this update should be applied retrospectively. For public entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is permitted, because compliance with the amendments is already permitted. The amendments do not require any transition disclosures.  The Company has presented the statement of comprehensive income in a separate, consecutive statement following the statement of earnings for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009.  This format will be applied to quarterly filings of Form 10Q beginning with the first quarter 2012 filing.
 
In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, Intangibles- Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment. The amendments in this update give an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, an entity determines it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. However, if an entity concludes otherwise, then it is required to perform the first step of the two-step impairment test by calculating the fair value of the reporting unit and comparing the fair value with the carrying amount of the reporting unit, as described in ASC 350-20-35-4. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, then the entity is required to perform the second step of the goodwill impairment test to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any, as described in ASC 350-20-35-9. Under the amendments in this update, an entity has the option to bypass the qualitative assessment for any reporting unit in any period and proceed directly to performing the first step of the two-step goodwill impairment test. An entity may resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period. The amendments in this update are effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is permitted, including for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed as of a date before September 15, 2011, if an entity's financial statements for the most recent annual or interim period have not yet been issued.  The Company has elected to adopt ASU 2011-08 effective for the year ended December 31, 2011.  The adoption of ASU 2011-08 had an effect on how the Company performs its test for impairment of goodwill, but the adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, financial position or disclosures.
 
In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05.  The amendments in this update defers the requirements in ASU 2011-05 to present items that are reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income.  ASU 2011-12 does not affect any of the other requirements of ASU 2011-05, including the requirement to report comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement or in two separate but consecutive statements.
 
Reclassifications-Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior years' financial statements in order to conform to the classifications adopted for reporting in 2011.  The reclassifications had no impact on net income or shareholders equity.