FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

10.FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Fair value is the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair values:

Level 1 Inputs – Quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.

Level 2 Inputs – Significant other observable inputs such as any of the following: (1) quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, (2) quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, (3) inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (e.g., interest rates and yield curves observable at commonly quoted intervals, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks, and default rates), or (4) inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means (market-corroborated inputs).

Level 3 Inputs – Significant unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. Significant unobservable inputs reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability (including assumptions about risk). Significant unobservable inputs shall be used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available, thereby allowing for situations in which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

Securities

The Company’s available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value, which were determined utilizing prices obtained from independent parties. The valuations obtained are based upon market data, and often utilize evaluated pricing models that vary by asset and incorporate available trade, bid and other market information. For securities that do not trade on a daily basis, pricing applications apply available information such as benchmarking and matrix pricing. The market inputs normally sought in the evaluation of securities include benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes (obtained only from market makers or broker/dealers recognized as market participants), issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers and reference data. For certain securities, additional inputs may be used or some market inputs may not be applicable. Prioritization of inputs may vary on any given day based on market conditions.

All MBS, CMOs, treasury securities, and agency notes are guaranteed either implicitly or explicitly by GSEs as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. In accordance with the Company’s investment policy, corporate securities are rated "investment grade" at the time of purchase and the financials of the issuers are reviewed quarterly. Obtaining market values as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 for these securities utilizing significant observable inputs was not difficult due to their liquid nature.

Derivatives

Derivatives represent interest rate swaps and estimated fair values are based on valuation models using observable market data as of the measurement date.

The following tables present financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of the dates indicated, segmented by level within the fair value hierarchy. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

			Fair Value Measurements
			at September 30, 2023 Using
			Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
(In thousands)	Total		Inputs		Inputs		Inputs
Financial Assets:
Securities available-for-sale:
Agency notes	$	9,143	$	—	$	9,143	$	—
Treasury securities		229,873		—		229,873		—
Corporate securities		141,087		—		141,087		—
Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs		206,203		—		206,203		—
Agency CMOs		255,642		—		255,642		—
State and municipal obligations		27,931		—		27,931		—
Derivative – cash flow hedges		16,657		—		16,657		—
Derivative – freestanding derivatives, net		160,712		—		160,712		—
Financial Liabilities:
Derivative – freestanding derivatives, net		160,712		—		160,712		—

			Fair Value Measurements
			at December 31, 2022 Using
			Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
(In thousands)	Total		Inputs		Inputs		Inputs
Financial Assets:
Securities available-for-sale:
Treasury securities	$	227,256	$	—	$	227,256	$	—
Corporate securities		166,773		—		166,773		—
Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs		241,240		—		241,240		—
Agency CMOs		281,339		—		281,339		—
State and municipal obligations		33,979		—		33,979		—
Derivative – cash flow hedges		17,150		—		17,150		—
Derivative – freestanding derivatives, net		137,335		—		137,335		—
Financial Liabilities:
Derivative – freestanding derivatives, net		137,335		—		137,335		—

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Non-recurring Basis

Certain financial assets and financial liabilities are measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis. That is, they are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances. Financial assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis include certain individually evaluated loans (or impaired loans prior to the adoption of ASC 326) reported at the fair value of the underlying collateral if repayment is expected solely from the collateral.

	September 30, 2023
				Fair Value Measurements Using:
			Quoted Prices
			In Active		Significant
			Markets for		Other		Significant
			Identical		Observable		Unobservable
	Carrying		Assets		Inputs		Inputs
(In thousands)	Value		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
Individually evaluated loans	$	352	$	—	$	—	$	352

	December 31, 2022
				Fair Value Measurements Using:
			Quoted Prices
			In Active		Significant
			Markets for		Other		Significant
			Identical		Observable		Unobservable
	Carrying		Assets		Inputs		Inputs
(In thousands)	Value		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
Individually evaluated loans	$	1,179	$	—	$	—	$	1,179

Collateral dependent individually evaluated loans with an allowance for credit losses at September 30, 2023 had a carrying amount of $352 thousand. There was no credit loss recovery or provision on collateral dependent individually evaluated loans during the three months ended September 30, 2023. There was a credit loss recovery of $992 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 on collateral dependent individually evaluated loans, which is included in the amounts reported in the consolidated statements of income.

Individually evaluated loans with an allowance for credit losses at December 31, 2022 had a carrying amount of $1.2 million, which is made up of the outstanding balance of $2.5 million, net of a valuation allowance of $1.3 million.

Financial Instruments Not Measured at Fair Value

The following tables present the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of financial instruments other than those measured at fair value on either a recurring or nonrecurring basis for the dates indicated, segmented by level within the fair value hierarchy. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

			Fair Value Measurements
			at September 30, 2023 Using
	Carrying		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
(In thousands)	Amount		Inputs		Inputs		Inputs		Total
Financial Assets:
Cash and due from banks	$	358,824	$	358,824	$	—	$	—	$	358,824
Securities held-to-maturity		600,291		—		495,986		—		495,986
Loans held for investment, net		10,777,696		—		—		10,255,764		10,255,764
Accrued interest receivable		53,608		—		5,525		48,083		53,608
Financial Liabilities:
Savings, money market and checking accounts (1)		9,194,247		9,194,247		—		—		9,194,247
Certificates of Deposits ("CDs")		1,442,299		—		1,433,548		—		1,433,548
FHLBNY advances		1,123,000		—		1,119,564		—		1,119,564
Subordinated debt, net		200,218		—		162,218		—		162,218
Accrued interest payable		19,948		—		19,948		—		19,948

⁽¹⁾ Includes mortgage escrow deposits.

			Fair Value Measurements
			at December 31, 2022 Using
	Carrying		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
(In thousands)	Amount		Inputs		Inputs		Inputs		Total
Financial Assets:
Cash and due from banks	$	169,297	$	169,297	$	—	$	—	$	169,297
Securities held-to-maturity		585,798		—		505,759		—		505,759
Loans held for investment, net		10,482,145		—		—		10,005,121		10,005,121
Accrued interest receivable		48,561		—		6,105		42,456		48,561
Financial Liabilities:
Savings, money market and checking accounts (1)		9,139,043		9,139,043		—		—		9,139,043
Certificates of Deposits ("CDs")		1,115,364		—		1,096,808		—		1,096,808
FHLBNY advances		1,131,000		—		1,131,217		—		1,131,217
Subordinated debt, net		200,283		—		180,583		—		180,583
Other short-term borrowings		1,360		1,360		—		—		1,360
Accrued interest payable		5,323		—		5,323		—		5,323

⁽¹⁾ Includes mortgage escrow deposits.