Note 9 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]

9.           Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company carries certain financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value in accordance with ASC Topic 825, “Financial Instruments” (“ASC Topic 825”) and values those financial assets and financial liabilities in accordance with ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC Topic 820”).  ASC Topic 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.  ASC Topic 825 permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value. At March 31, 2012, the Company carried financial assets and financial liabilities under the fair value option with fair values of $65.9 million and $26.1 million, respectively. At December 31, 2011, the Company carried financial assets and financial liabilities under the fair value option with fair values of $68.7 million and $26.3 million, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2012, the Company did not elect to carry any additional financial assets or financial liabilities under the fair value option. The Company elected to measure at fair value securities with a cost of $10.0 million that were purchased during the three months ended March 31, 2011.

The following table presents the financial assets and financial liabilities reported at fair value under the fair value option, and the changes in fair value included in the Consolidated Statement of Income – Net gain (loss) from fair value adjustments, at or for the periods ended as indicated:

	Fair Value		Fair Value		Changes in Fair Values For Items Measured at Fair Value
	Measurements		Measurements		Pursuant to Election of the Fair Value Option
	at March 31,		at December 31,		Three Months Ended
(Dollars in thousands)	2012		2011		March 31, 2012			March 31, 2011
Mortgage-backed securities	$	34,629	$	37,787	$	(18	)	$	(602	)
Other securities		31,247		30,942		241			(509	)
Borrowed funds		26,136		26,311		171			425
Net gain from fair value adjustments (1)					$	394		$	(686	)

(1)   The net gain (loss) from fair value adjustments presented in the above table does not include net losses of $0.8 million and gains of $31,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, from the change in the fair value of interest rate caps / swaps.

Included in the fair value of the financial assets and financial liabilities selected for the fair value option is the accrued interest receivable or payable for the related instrument. One pooled trust preferred security is over 90 days past due and the Company has stopped accruing interest. The Company continues to accrue on the remaining financial instruments and reports, as interest income or interest expense in the Consolidated Statement of Income, the interest receivable or payable on the financial instruments selected for the fair value option at their respective contractual rates.

The borrowed funds had a contractual principal amount of $61.9 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.  The fair value of borrowed funds includes accrued interest payable of $0.4 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

The Company generally holds its earning assets, other than securities available for sale, to maturity and settles its liabilities at maturity. However, fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time and are based on relevant market information. These estimates do not reflect any premium or discount that could result from offering for sale at one time the Company’s entire holdings of a particular instrument. Accordingly, as assumptions change, such as interest rates and prepayments, fair value estimates change and these amounts may not necessarily be realized in an immediate sale.

Disclosure of fair value does not require fair value information for items that do not meet the definition of a financial instrument or certain other financial instruments specifically excluded from its requirements. These items include core deposit intangibles and other customer relationships, premises and equipment, leases, income taxes, foreclosed properties and equity.

Further, fair value disclosure does not attempt to value future income or business. These items may be material and accordingly, the fair value information presented does not purport to represent, nor should it be construed to represent, the underlying “market” or franchise value of the Company.

Financial assets and financial liabilities reported at fair value are required to be measured based on either: (1) quoted prices in active markets for identical financial instruments (Level 1); (2) significant other observable inputs (Level 2); or (3) significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

A description of the methods and significant assumptions utilized in estimating the fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities that are carried at fair value on a recurring basis are as follows:

Level 1 – where quoted market prices are available in an active market. The Company did not value any of its assets or liabilities that are carried at fair value on a recurring basis as Level 1 at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

Level 2 – when quoted market prices are not available, fair value is estimated using quoted market prices for similar financial instruments and adjusted for differences between the quoted instrument and the instrument being valued.  Fair value can also be estimated by using pricing models, or discounted cash flows.  Pricing models primarily use market-based or independently sourced market parameters as inputs, including, but not limited to, yield curves, interest rates, equity or debt prices and credit spreads.  In addition to observable market information, models also incorporate maturity and cash flow assumptions. At March 31, 2012, Level 2 includes mortgage related securities, corporate debt and interest rate caps/swaps. At December 31, 2011, Level 2 includes mortgage related securities, corporate debt and interest rate caps.

Level 3 – when there is limited activity or less transparency around inputs to the valuation, financial instruments are classified as Level 3.  At March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, Level 3 includes trust preferred securities owned by and junior subordinated debentures issued by the Company.

The methods described above may produce fair values that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. While the Company believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with those of other market participants, the use of different methodologies, assumptions and models to determine fair value of certain financial instruments could produce different estimates of fair value at the reporting date.

The following table sets forth the assets and liabilities that are carried at fair value on a recurring basis, classified within Level 3 of the valuation hierarchy for the period indicated:

	For the three months ended March 31, 2012
	Trust preferred securities		Junior subordinated debentures
	(In thousands)
Beginning balance	$	5,632	$	26,311
Transfer into Level 3		-		-
Net gain from fair value adjustment of financial assets		142		-
Net gain  from fair value adjustment of financial liabilities		-		(171	)
Decrease in accrued interest		-		(4	)
Change in unrealized net gains included in other comprehensive income		1,005		-
Ending balance	$	6,779	$	26,136

The following table sets forth the assets and liabilities that are carried at fair value on a recurring basis and the method that was used to determine their fair value, at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011:

	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)				Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)				Significant Other Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)				Total carried at fair value on a recurring basis
	March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011		March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011		March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011		March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011
							(in thousands)
Assets:
Mortgage-backed Securities	$	-	$	-	$	733,873	$	747,288	$	-	$	-	$	733,873	$	747,288
Other securities		-		-		156,981		59,610		6,779		5,632		163,760		65,242
Interest rate caps		-		-		208		356		-		-		208		356
Total assets	$	-	$	-	$	891,062	$	807,254	$	6,779	$	5,632	$	897,841	$	812,886
Liabilities:
Borrowings	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	26,136	$	26,311	$	26,136	$	26,311
Interest rate swaps		-		-		693		-		-		-		693		-
Total liabilities	$	-	$	-	$	693	$	-	$	26,136	$	26,311	$	26,829	$	26,311

The following table sets forth the Company’s assets that are carried at fair value on a non-recurring basis and the method that was used to determine their fair value, at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011:

	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)				Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)				Significant Other Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)				Total carried at fair value on a non-recurring basis
	March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011		March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011		March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011		March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011
							(in thousands)
Assets:
Impaired loans	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	60,826	$	48,555	$	60,826	$	48,555
Other Real Estate Owned		-		-		-		-		3,604		3,179		3,604		3,179
Total assets	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	64,430	$	51,734	$	64,430	$	51,734

The Company did not have any liabilities that were carried at fair value on a non-recurring basis at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

The estimated fair value of each material class of financial instruments at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 and the related methods and assumptions used to estimate fair value are as follows:

Cash and Due from Banks, Overnight Interest-Earning Deposits and Federal Funds Sold:

The fair values of financial instruments that are short-term or reprice frequently and have little or no risk are considered to have a fair value that approximates carrying value (Level 1).

FHLB-NY stock:

The fair value is based upon the par value of the stock which equals its carrying value (Level 2).

Securities Available for Sale:

Securities available for sale are carried at fair value in the Consolidated Financial Statements. Fair value is based upon quoted market prices (Level 1 input), where available. If a quoted market price is not available, fair value is estimated using quoted market prices for similar securities and adjusted for differences between the quoted instrument and the instrument being valued (Level 2 input). When there is limited activity or less transparency around inputs to the valuation, securities are classified as (Level 3 input).

Loans:

The estimated fair value of loans is estimated by discounting the expected future cash flows using the current rates at which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings and remaining maturities (Level 3 input).

For non-accruing loans, fair value is generally estimated by discounting management’s estimate of future cash flows with a discount rate commensurate with the risk associated with such assets (Level 3 input).

Due to Depositors:

The fair values of demand, passbook savings, NOW, money market deposits and escrow deposits are, by definition, equal to the amount payable on demand at the reporting dates (i.e. their carrying value) (Level 1). The fair value of fixed-maturity certificates of deposits are estimated by discounting the expected future cash flows using the rates currently offered for deposits of similar remaining maturities (Level 2 input).

Borrowings:

The estimated fair value of borrowings are estimated by discounting the contractual cash flows using interest rates in effect for borrowings with similar maturities and collateral requirements (Level 2 input) or using a market-standard model (Level 3 input).

Interest Rate Caps:

The estimated fair value of interest rate caps is based upon broker quotes (Level 2 input).

Interest Rate Swaps:

The estimated fair value of interest rate swaps is based upon broker quotes (Level 2 input).

Other Real Estate Owned:

OREO are carried at fair value less selling costs.  The fair value is based on appraised value through a current appraisal, or sometimes through an internal review, additionally adjusted by the estimated costs to sell the property (Level 3 input).

Other Financial Instruments:

The fair values of commitments to sell, lend or borrow are estimated using the fees currently charged or paid to enter into similar agreements, taking into account the remaining terms of the agreements and the present creditworthiness of the counterparties or on the estimated cost to terminate them or otherwise settle with the counterparties at the reporting date. For fixed-rate loan commitments to sell, lend or borrow, fair values also consider the difference between current levels of interest rates and committed rates (where applicable).

At March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the fair values of the above financial instruments approximate the recorded amounts of the related fees and were not considered to be material.

The following table sets forth the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of selected financial instruments as well as assumptions used by the Company in estimating fair value at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011:

	March 31, 2012										December 31, 2011
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Carrying Amount		Fair Value
	(in thousands)
Assets:
Cash and due from banks	$	35,390	$	35,390	$	35,390	$	-	$	-	$	55,721	$	55,721
Mortgage-backed Securities		733,873		733,873		-		733,873		-		747,288		747,288
Other securities		163,760		163,760		-		156,981		6,779		65,242		65,242
Loans		3,228,698		3,385,874		-		-		3,385,874		3,228,881		3,407,454
FHLB-NY stock		32,221		32,221		-		32,221		-		30,245		30,245
Interest rate caps		208		208		-		208		-		356		356
OREO		3,604		3,604		-		-		3,604		3,179		3,179
Total assets	$	4,197,754	$	4,354,930	$	35,390	$	923,283	$	3,396,257	$	4,130,912	$	4,309,485
Liabilities:
Deposits	$	3,170,134	$	3,224,365	$	1,708,483	$	1,515,882	$	-	$	3,146,245	$	3,211,405
Borrowings		729,161		771,284		-		745,148		26,136		685,139		728,067
Interest rate swaps		693		693		-		693		-		-		-
Total liabilities	$	3,899,988	$	3,996,342	$	1,708,483	$	2,261,723	$	26,136	$	3,831,384	$	3,939,472