Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Stock Transactions

Stock Transactions

The Company has incentive and nonqualified option plans, which allow for the grant of options to officers, employees and members of the Board of Directors.  In addition, restricted stock is issued under the stock bonus program to reward employees and directors and to retain them by distributing stock over a period of time.

Stock Option Plans

Grants under the Company’s incentive and nonqualified option plans generally vest over 3 years and must be exercised within 10 years of the date of grant.  The exercise price of each option is the market price on the date of grant.  As of June 30, 2012, 1,720,529 shares have been reserved for issuance upon the exercise of options, 628,807 option grants are outstanding, and 961,398 option grants have been exercised, forfeited or expired, leaving 130,324 shares available for grant.

No options were granted during the six months ended June 30, 2012, compared to 67,000 options during the six months ended June 30, 2011.The fair value of the options granted in 2011 was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:

	For the six months ended June 30,
	2012			2011
Number of options granted		-			67,000
Weighted average exercise price	$	-		$	6.66
Weighted average fair value of options	$	-		$	3.20
Expected life (years)		-			4.62
Expected volatility		-	%		57.69	%
Risk-free interest rate		-	%		1.28	%
Dividend yield		-	%		-	%

The expected life of the options was estimated based on historical employee behavior and represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding. Expected volatility of the Company’s stock price was based on the historical volatility over the period commensurate with the expected life of the options.The risk-free interest rate is the U.S.Treasury rate commensurate with the expected life of the options on the date of grant.The expected dividend yield is the projected annual yield based on the grant date stock price.

Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification ("FASB ASC") Topic 718, “Compensation - Stock Compensation,” requires an entity to recognize the fair value of equity awards as compensation expense over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for such an award (vesting period).  Compensation expense related to stock options and the related income tax benefit for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 is detailed in the following table:

	For the three months ended June 30,				For the six months ended June 30,
	2012		2011		2012		2011
Compensation expense	$	35,249	$	26,383	$	75,464	$	45,778
Income tax benefit		14,079		9,230		28,397		16,853

As of June 30, 2012, unrecognized compensation costs related to nonvested share-based compensation arrangements granted under the Company’s stock option plans totaled approximately $262 thousand.  That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.1years.

Transactions under the Company’s stock option plans for the six months ended June 30, 2012 are summarized in the following table:

	Shares		Weighted average exercise price		Weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)		Aggregate intrinsic value
Outstanding at December 31, 2011		642,647	$	6.80		5.3	$	517,867
Options granted		-		-
Options exercised		(3,841)		4.44
Options forfeited		(9,666)		6.16
Options expired		(333)		3.98
Outstanding at June 30, 2012		628,807	$	6.82		4.6	$	402,547
Exercisable at June 30, 2012		516,225	$	6.97		3.7	$	369,720

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding at June 30, 2012:

		Options outstanding						Options exercisable
Range of exercise prices		Options outstanding		Weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)		Weighted average exercise price		Options exercisable		Weighted average exercise price
$	0.00 - 4.00		122,083		6.8	$	3.87		105,832	$	3.86
	4.01 - 8.00		328,466		5.0		6.05		232,135		5.85
	8.01 - 12.00		121,617		1.7		9.22		121,617		9.22
	12.01 - 16.00		56,641		4.2		12.54		56,641		12.54
	Total		628,807		4.6	$	6.82		516,225	$	6.97

The following table presents information about options exercised during the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011:

	For the three months ended June 30,				For the six months ended June 30,
	2012		2011		2012		2011
Number of options exercised		-		191,895		3,841		232,367
Total intrinsic value of options exercised	$	-	$	669,799	$	6,055	$	751,146
Cash received from options exercised		-		440,541		17,046		442,905
Tax deduction realized from options exercised		-		262,223		513		294,713

Upon exercise, the Company issues shares from its authorized but unissued common stock to satisfy the options.

Restricted Stock Awards

Restricted stock awards granted to date vest over a period of 4 years and are recognized as compensation to the recipient over the vesting period.  The awards are recorded at fair market value at the time of grant and amortized into salary expense on a straight line basis over the vesting period.  As of June 30, 2012, 221,551 shares of restricted stock were reserved for issuance, of which 47,162 shares are available for grant.

Restricted stock awards granted during the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 were as follows:

	For the six months ended June 30,
	2012		2011
Number of shares granted		-		22,500
Average grant date fair value	$	-	$	6.66

Compensation expense related to the restricted stock for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 is detailed in the following table:

	For the three months ended June 30,				For the six months ended June 30,
	2012		2011		2012		2011
Compensation expense	$	37,754	$	15,214	$	81,112	$	31,418

As of June 30, 2012, there was approximately $422 thousand of unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock awards granted under the Company’s stock incentive plans.  That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 3.0years.

The following table summarizes nonvested restricted stock activity for the six months ended June 30, 2012:

	Shares		Average grant date fair value
Nonvested restricted stock at December 31, 2011		93,684	$	6.06
Granted		-		-
Vested		(7,859)		6.93
Forfeited		(2,000)		6.25
Nonvested restricted stock at June 30, 2012		83,825	$	5.97

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company follows FASB ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” which prescribes a threshold for the financial statement recognition of income taxes and provides criteria for the measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.  ASC 740 also includes guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition of income taxes.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rates applicable to taxable income for the years in which those temporary differences 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 in the period that includes the enactment date.  Valuation reserves are established against certain deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized.  Increases or decreases in the valuation reserve are charged or credited to the income tax provision.

When tax returns are filed, it is highly certain that some positions taken would be sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities, while others are subject to uncertainty about the merits of the position taken or the amount of the position that ultimately would be sustained.  The benefit of a tax position is recognized in the financial statements in the period during which, based on all available evidence, management believes it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including the resolution of appeals or litigation processes, if any.  The evaluation of a tax position taken is considered by itself and not offset or aggregated with other positions.  Tax positions that meet the more likely than not recognition threshold are measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely of being realized upon settlement with the applicable taxing authority.  The portion of benefits associated with tax positions taken that exceeds the amount measured as described above is reflected as a liability for unrecognized tax benefits in the accompanying balance sheet along with any associated interest and penalties that would be payable to the taxing authorities upon examination.

Interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits are recognized in income tax expense on the income statement.

Derivative Instruments And Hedging Activities

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

The Company may use derivative instruments, such as interest rate swaps, to manage interest rate risk.  The Company recognizes all derivative instruments at fair value as either assets or liabilities in other assets or other liabilities.  The accounting for changes in the fair value of a derivative instrument depends on whether it has been designated and qualifies as part of a hedging relationship.  For derivatives not designated as an accounting hedge, the gain or loss is recognized in trading noninterest income.  The Company had no derivative instruments at June 30, 2012, and all of the Company's derivative instruments qualified as hedging instruments at December 31, 2011.

For those derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments, the Company must designate the hedging instrument, based on the exposure being hedged, as a fair value hedge, a cash flow hedge or a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation.  The Company does not have any fair value hedges or hedges of foreign operations.

The Company formally documents the relationship between the hedging instruments and hedged item, as well as the risk management objective and strategy before undertaking a hedge.  To qualify for hedge accounting, the derivatives and hedged items must be designated as a hedge.  For hedging relationships in which effectiveness is measured, the Company formally assesses both at inception and on an ongoing basis, if the derivatives are highly effective in offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of the hedged item.  If it is determined that the derivative instrument is not highly effective as a hedge, hedge accounting is discontinued.

For derivatives that are designated as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the gain or loss on derivatives is reported as a component of other comprehensive income or loss and subsequently reclassified in interest income in the same period during which the hedged transaction affects earnings.  As a result, the change in fair value of any ineffective portion of the hedging derivative is recognized immediately in earnings.

The Company will discontinue hedge accounting when it is determined that the derivative is no longer qualifying as an effective hedge; the derivative expires or is sold, terminated or exercised; or the derivative is de-designated as a fair value or cash flow hedge or it is no longer probable that the forecasted transaction will occur by the end of the originally specified time period.  If the Company determines that the derivative no longer qualifies as a cash flow or fair value hedge and therefore hedge accounting is discontinued, the derivative will continue to be recorded on the balance sheet at its fair value with changes in fair value included in current earnings.

Loans Held To Maturity And Loans Held For Sale

Loans Held to Maturity and Loans Held for Sale

Loans held to maturity are stated at the unpaid principal balance, net of unearned discounts and net of deferred loan origination fees and costs.  Loan origination fees, net of direct loan origination costs, are deferred and are recognized over the estimated life of the related loans as an adjustment to the loan yield utilizing the level yield method.

Interest is credited to operations primarily based upon the principal amount outstanding.  When management believes there is sufficient doubt as to the ultimate ability to collect interest on a loan, interest accruals are discontinued and all past due interest, previously recognized as income, is reversed and charged against current period earnings.  Payments received on nonaccrual loans are applied as principal.  Loans are returned to an accrual status when the ability to collect is reasonably assured and when the loan is brought current as to principal and interest.

Loans are reported as past due when either interest or principal is unpaid in the following circumstances: fixed payment loans when the borrower is in arrears for two or more monthly payments; open end credit for two or more billing cycles; and single payment notes if interest or principal remains unpaid for 30 days or more.

Loans are charged off when collection is sufficiently questionable and when the Company can no longer justify maintaining the loan as an asset on the balance sheet. Loans qualify for charge-off when, after thorough analysis, all possible sources of repayment are insufficient.  These include: 1) potential future cash flows, 2) value of collateral, and/or 3) strength of co-makers and guarantors.  All unsecured loans are charged off upon the establishment of the loan’s nonaccrual status.  Additionally, all loans classified as a loss or that portion of the loan classified as a loss is charged off.  All loan charge-offs are approved by the Board of Directors.

Nonperforming loans consist of loans that are not accruing interest (nonaccrual loans) as a result of principal or interest being in default for a period of 90 days or more or when the ability to collect principal and interest according to the contractual terms is in doubt.  When a loan is classified as nonaccrual, interest accruals discontinue and all past due interest previously recognized as income is reversed and charged against current period income. Generally, until the loan becomes current, any payments received from the borrower are applied to outstanding principal until such time as management determines that the financial condition of the borrower and other factors merit recognition of a portion of such payments as interest income.

The Company evaluates its loans for impairment.A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events; it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement.  The Company has defined impaired loans to be all troubled debt restructurings and nonperforming loans.Impairment is evaluated in total for smaller-balance loans of a similar nature (consumer and residential mortgage loans), and on an individual basis for other loans.  Troubled debt restructurings ("TDRs") occur when a creditor, for economic or legal reasons related to a debtor’s financial condition, grants a concession to the debtor that it would not otherwise consider.  These concessions typically include reductions in interest rate, extending the maturity of a loan, or a combination of both. Interest income on accruing TDRs is credited to operations primarily based upon the principal amount outstanding, as stated in the paragraphs above.  Impairment of a loan is measured based on the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan's effective interest rate.  Impairment can also be measured based on a loan’s observable market price or the fair value of collateral, net of estimated costs to sell, if the loan is collateral dependent.  If the measure of the impaired loan is less than the recorded investment in the loan, the Company establishes a valuation allowance, or adjusts existing valuation allowances, with a corresponding charge or credit to the provision for loan losses.

Loans held for sale are SBA loans and are reflected at the lower of aggregate cost or market value.  The net amount of loan origination fees on loans sold is included in the carrying value and in the gain or loss on the sale.

The Company originates loans to customers under an SBA program that historically has provided for SBA guarantees of up to 90 percent of each loan.  The Company generally sells the guaranteed portion of its SBA loans to a third party and retains the servicing, holding the nonguaranteed portion in its portfolio.  When sales of SBA loans do occur, the premium received on the sale and the present value of future cash flows of the servicing assets are recognized in income. 

Serviced loans sold to others are not included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.  Income and fees collected for loan servicing are credited to noninterest income when earned, net of amortization on the related servicing assets.

For additional information see the section titled "Loan Portfolio" under Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis.

Allowance For Loan Losses And Unfunded Loan Commitments

Allowance for Loan Losses and Unfunded Loan Commitments

The allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level management considers adequate to provide for probable loan losses as of the balance sheet date.  The allowance is increased by provisions charged to expense and is reduced by net charge-offs.  

The level of the allowance is based on management’s evaluation of probable losses in the loan portfolio, after consideration of prevailing economic conditions in the Company’s market area, the volume and composition of the loan portfolio, and historical loan loss experience.   The allowance for loan losses consists of specific reserves for individually impaired credits and troubled debt restructurings, reserves for nonimpaired loans based on historical loss factors and reserves based on general economic factors and other qualitative risk factors such as changes in delinquency trends, industry concentrations or local/national economic trends.   This risk assessment process is performed at least quarterly, and, as adjustments become necessary, they are realized in the periods in which they become known.   

Although management attempts to maintain the allowance at a level deemed adequate to provide for probable losses, future additions to the allowance may be necessary based upon certain factors including changes in market conditions and underlying collateral values.  In addition, various regulatory agencies periodically review the adequacy of the Company’s allowance for loan losses.  These agencies may require the Company to make additional provisions based on their judgments about information available to them at the time of their examination.

The Company maintains an allowance for unfunded loan commitments that is maintained at a level that management believes is adequate to absorb estimated probable losses.  Adjustments to the allowance are made through other expenses and applied to the allowance which is maintained in other liabilities.

For additional information, see the sections titled "Asset Quality" and "Allowance for Loan Losses and Unfunded Loan Commitments" under Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis.

Other-Than-Temporary Impairment

Other-Than-Temporary Impairment

The Company has a process in place to identify debt securities that could potentially incur credit impairment that is other-than-temporary.  This process involves monitoring late payments, pricing levels, downgrades by rating agencies, key financial ratios, financial statements, revenue forecasts and cash flow projections as indicators of credit issues.  Management evaluates securities for other-than-temporary impairment at least on a quarterly basis, and more frequently when economic or market concern warrants such evaluation.  This evaluation considers relevant facts and circumstances in evaluating whether a credit or interest rate-related impairment of a security is other-than-temporary. Relevant facts and circumstances considered include: (1) the extent and length of time the fair value has been below cost; (2) the reasons for the decline in value; (3) the financial position and access to capital of the issuer, including the current and future impact of any specific events and (4) for fixed maturity securities, our intent to sell a security or whether it is more likely than not we will be required to sell the security before the recovery of its amortized cost which, in some cases, may extend to maturity and for equity securities, our ability and intent to hold the security for a forecasted period of time that allows for the recovery in value.

Management assesses its intent to sell or whether it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell a security before recovery of its amortized cost basis less any current-period credit losses. For debt securities that are considered other-than-temporarily impaired where management has no intent to sell and the Company has no requirement to sell prior to recovery of its amortized cost basis, the amount of the impairment is separated into the amount that is credit related (credit loss component) and the amount due to all other factors. The credit loss component is recognized in earnings and is the difference between the security’s amortized cost basis and the present value of its expected future cash flows. The remaining difference between the security’s fair value and the present value of future expected cash flows is due to factors that are not credit related and is recognized in other comprehensive income.

The present value of expected future cash flows is determined using the best estimate cash flows discounted at the effective interest rate implicit to the security at the date of purchase or the current yield to accrete an asset-backed or floating rate security. The methodology and assumptions for establishing the best estimate cash flows vary depending on the type of security. The asset-backed securities cash flow estimates are based on bond specific facts and circumstances that may include collateral characteristics, expectations of delinquency and default rates, loss severity and prepayment speeds and structural support, including subordination and guarantees. The corporate bond cash flow estimates are derived from scenario-based outcomes of expected corporate restructurings or the disposition of assets using bond specific facts and circumstances including timing, security interests and loss severity.