SECURITIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

SECURITIES

SECURITIES

4. SECURITIES

The following tables summarize the major categories of securities as of the dates indicated:

	December 31, 2023
			Gross		Gross
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized		Fair
(In thousands)	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
Securities available-for-sale:
Agency notes	$	10,000	$	—	$	(629)	$	9,371
Treasury securities		245,877		—		(11,687)		234,190
Corporate securities		174,978		—		(23,808)		151,170
Pass-through mortgage-backed securities ("MBS") issued by government sponsored entities ("GSEs")		230,253		10		(24,978)		205,285
Agency CMOs		305,860		46		(46,491)		259,415
State and municipal obligations		28,741		—		(1,932)		26,809
Total securities available-for-sale	$	995,709	$	56	$	(109,525)	$	886,240
	December 31, 2023
			Gross		Gross
	Amortized		Unrecognized		Unrecognized		Fair
(In thousands)	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
Securities held-to-maturity:
Agency notes	$	89,563	$	—	$	(11,300)	$	78,263
Corporate securities		9,000		—		(1,825)		7,175
Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs		279,853		—		(37,579)		242,274
Agency CMOs		216,223		16		(27,021)		189,218
Total securities held-to-maturity	$	594,639	$	16	$	(77,725)	$	516,930

	December 31, 2022
			Gross		Gross
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized		Fair
(In thousands)	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
Securities available-for-sale:
Treasury securities	$	246,899	$	—	$	(19,643)	$	227,256
Corporate securities		183,791		57		(17,075)		166,773
Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs		272,774		—		(31,534)		241,240
Agency CMOs		331,394		2		(50,057)		281,339
State and municipal obligations		37,000		—		(3,021)		33,979
Total securities available-for-sale	$	1,071,858	$	59	$	(121,330)	$	950,587
	December 31, 2022
			Gross		Gross
	Amortized		Unrecognized		Unrecognized		Fair
(In thousands)	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
Securities held-to-maturity:
Agency notes	$	89,157	$	—	$	(14,095)	$	75,062
Corporate securities		9,000		—		(553)		8,447
Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs		278,281		—		(40,960)		237,321
Agency CMOs		209,360		—		(24,431)		184,929
Total securities held-to-maturity	$	585,798	$	—	$	(80,039)	$	505,759

During the year ended December 31, 2023, there were no transfers of securities from available-for-sale to securities held-to-maturity. There were no transfers of securities from held-to-maturity to available-for-sale during the year ended December 31, 2023. The Company reassessed classification of certain investments and transferred securities with a book value of $372.2 million from available-for-sale to securities held-to-maturity during the year ended December 31, 2022. The related unrealized losses of $27.7 million were converted to a discount that is being accreted through interest income on a level-yield method over the term of the securities, while the unrealized losses recorded in other comprehensive income are amortized out of other comprehensive income through interest income on a level-yield method over the remaining term of securities, with no net change to interest income. No gain or loss was recorded at the time of transfer. There were no transfers from securities held-to-maturity during the year ended December 31, 2022. There were $140.4 million transferred from securities available-for-sale to securities held-to-maturity during the year ended December 31, 2021. There were no transfers from securities held-to-maturity during the year ended December 31, 2021.

The carrying amount of securities pledged at December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $457.7 million and $631.4 million, respectively. The pledged securities are mainly used as collateral for a portion of the Company’s municipal deposit portfolio.

At December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were no holdings of securities of any one issuer, other than the U.S. Government and its agencies, in an amount greater than 10% of stockholders’ equity.

The amortized cost and fair value of securities are shown by contractual maturity. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities if borrowers have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.  Securities not due at a single maturity date are shown separately.  

	December 31, 2023
	Amortized		Fair
(In thousands)	Cost		Value
Available-for-sale
Within one year	$	88,498	$	86,233
One to five years		198,552		186,041
Five to ten years		172,546		149,266
Beyond ten years		—		—
Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs and agency CMO		536,113		464,700
Total	$	995,709	$	886,240
Held-to-maturity
Within one year	$	—	$	—
One to five years		19,783		18,397
Five to ten years		78,780		67,041
Beyond ten years		—		—
Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs and agency CMO		496,076		431,492
Total	$	594,639	$	516,930

The following table presents the information related to sales of securities available-for-sale for the periods indicated:

	Year Ended December 31,
(In thousands)	2023		2022		2021
Proceeds	$	77,804	$	—	$	138,077
Gross gains		130		—		1,327
Tax expense on gains		39		—		421
Gross losses		1,577		—		120
Tax benefit on losses		467		—		38

Equity securities included in other assets in the consolidated statements of financial condition had a fair value of $2.2 million as of December 31, 2023. Net loss on equity securities of $758 thousand was recognized for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Marketable equity securities were fully liquidated in connection with the termination of the BMP.  Prior to termination, the Company held marketable equity securities as the underlying mutual fund investments of the BMP, held in a rabbi trust.

A summary of the sales of marketable equity securities is listed below for the periods indicated:

	Year Ended December 31,
(In thousands)	2023		2022		2021
Proceeds:
Marketable equity securities	$	—	$	—	$	6,101

The related gain or loss on marketable equity securities shown in the consolidated statements of operations was due to market valuation changes. Net gain on marketable equity securities of $131 thousand were recognized for the year ended December 31, 2021.

There were no sales of securities held-to-maturity during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, or 2021.

The following table summarizes the gross unrealized losses and fair value of securities aggregated by investment category and the length of time the securities were in a continuous unrealized loss position for the periods indicated:

	December 31, 2023
	Less than 12				12 Consecutive
	Consecutive Months				Months or Longer				Total
	Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized
(In thousands)	Value		Losses		Value		Losses		Value		Losses
Securities available-for-sale:
Agency notes	$	—	$	—	$	9,371	$	629	$	9,371	$	629
Treasury securities		—		—		234,190		11,687		234,190		11,687
Corporate securities		20,935		917		130,235		22,891		151,170		23,808
Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs		—		—		203,469		24,978		203,469		24,978
Agency CMOs		—		—		251,900		46,491		251,900		46,491
State and municipal obligations		1,796		54		21,513		1,878		23,309		1,932

	December 31, 2022
	Less than 12				12 Consecutive
	Consecutive Months				Months or Longer				Total
	Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized		Fair		Unrealized
(In thousands)	Value		Losses		Value		Losses		Value		Losses
Securities available-for-sale:
Treasury securities	$	—	$	—	$	227,256	$	19,643	$	227,256	$	19,643
Corporate securities		110,707		8,494		50,116		8,581		160,823		17,075
Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs		50,813		2,010		190,427		29,524		241,240		31,534
Agency CMOs		55,924		3,454		220,413		46,603		276,337		50,057
State and municipal obligations		10,848		174		22,681		2,847		33,529		3,021

As of December 31, 2023, none of the Company’s available-for-sale debt securities were in an unrealized loss position due to credit and therefore no allowance for credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities was required. Additionally, given the high-quality composition of the Company’s held-to-maturity portfolio, the Company did not record an allowance for credit losses on the held-to-maturity portfolio. With respect to certain classes of debt securities, primarily U.S. Treasuries and securities issued by Government Sponsored Entities, the Company considers the history of credit losses, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts, which may indicate that the expectation that nonpayment of the amortized cost basis is or continues to be zero, even if the U.S. government were to technically default. Accrued interest receivable on securities totaled $5.3 million and $5.4 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022 respectively, and was excluded from the amortized cost and estimated fair value totals in the table above.

Management evaluates available-for-sale debt securities in unrealized loss positions to determine whether the impairment is due to credit-related factors or noncredit-related factors. Consideration is given to (1) the extent to which the fair value is less than amortized cost, (2) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and (3) the intent and ability of the Company to retain its investment in the security for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in fair value.

At December 31, 2023, substantially all of the securities in an unrealized loss position had a fixed interest rate and the cause of the temporary impairment was directly related to changes in interest rates. The Company generally views changes in fair value caused by changes in interest rates as temporary, which is consistent with its experience. The following major security types held by the Company are all issued by U.S. government entities and agencies and therefore either explicitly or implicitly guaranteed by the U.S. government: Agency Notes, Treasury Securities, Pass-through MBS issued by GSEs, Agency Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. Substantially all of the corporate bonds within the portfolio have maintained an investment grade rating by either Kroll, Egan-Jones, Fitch, Moody’s or Standard and Poor’s. None of the unrealized losses are related to credit losses. Substantially all of the state and municipal obligations within the portfolio have all maintained an investment grade rating by either Moody’s or Standard and Poor’s. The Company does not have the intent to sell these securities and it is more likely than not that it will not be required to sell the securities before their anticipated recovery. The issuers continue to make timely principal and interest payments on the debt. The fair value is expected to recover as the securities approach maturity.