Annual Statements Open main menu

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP - Quarter Report: 2020 September (Form 10-Q)

caty20200930_10q.htm
 

Table of Contents

 UNITED STATES

securities and exchange commission

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

form 10-Q

(Mark One)

☒      quarterly report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period endedSeptember 30, 2020

OR

☐    transition report pursuant to section 13 or 15 (d) of the SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period fromto
  
Commission file number001-31830

 

Cathay General Bancorp 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware 95-4274680
(State of other jurisdiction of incorporation  (I.R.S. Employer
or organization) Identification No.)
   
777 North Broadway, Los Angeles, California 90012
(Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip Code)

 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(213) 625-4700

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

Trading Symbol

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock

CATY

Nasdaq Global Select Market

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.                                                  Yes ☑          No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).                                         Yes ☑          No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer ☑ Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☐Smaller reporting company ☐
Emerging growth company ☐ 

                                                               

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).                                                                                           Yes ☐          No ☑

 

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

 

Common stock, $.01 par value, 79,660,767 shares outstanding as of October 31, 2020.

 

 

 

 

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARies

3Rd quarter 2020 REPORT ON FORM 10-Q

table of contents

 

 

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION 3
     
Item 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited) 3
  NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited) 8
Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS. 45
Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK 72
Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES. 73
     
PART II – OTHER INFORMATION 73
     
Item 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. 73
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS. 74
Item 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS. 76
Item 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES. 77
Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES. 77
Item 5. OTHER INFORMATION. 77
Item 6. EXHIBITS. 77
     
SIGNATURES   78

 

 

 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

In this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the term “Bancorp” refers to Cathay General Bancorp and the term “Bank” refers to Cathay Bank. The terms “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Bancorp and the Bank collectively.

 

The statements in this report include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the applicable provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding management’s beliefs, projections, and assumptions concerning future results and events. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provision for forward-looking statements in these provisions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including statements about anticipated future operating and financial performance, financial position and liquidity, growth opportunities and growth rates, growth plans, acquisition and divestiture opportunities, business prospects, strategic alternatives, business strategies, financial expectations, regulatory and competitive outlook, loan and deposit growth, investment and expenditure plans, financing needs and availability, level of nonperforming assets, and other similar forecasts and statements of expectation and statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Words such as “aims,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “hopes,” “intends,” “may,” “optimistic,” “plans,” “potential,” “possible,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “shall,” “should,” “will,” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements by us are based on estimates, beliefs, projections, and assumptions of management and are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to:

 

 

local, regional, national and international economic and market conditions and events and the impact they may have on us, our customers and our operations, assets and liabilities;

 

 

the impact on our business, operations, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, prospects and trading prices of our shares arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic;

 

 

possible additional provisions for loan losses and charge-offs;

 

 

credit risks of lending activities and deterioration in asset or credit quality;

 

 

extensive laws and regulations and supervision that we are subject to, including potential supervisory action by bank supervisory authorities;

 

 

increased costs of compliance and other risks associated with changes in regulation, including the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”);

 

 

higher capital requirements from the implementation of the Basel III capital standards;

 

 

compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and other money laundering statutes and regulations;

 

 

potential goodwill impairment;

 

 

liquidity risk;

 

 

fluctuations in interest rates;

 

 

risks associated with acquisitions and the expansion of our business into new markets;

 

 

inflation and deflation;

 

 

real estate market conditions and the value of real estate collateral;

 

 

environmental liabilities;

 

 

our ability to generate anticipated returns from our investments and/or financings in certain tax advantaged-projects;

 

 

 

our ability to compete with larger competitors;

 

 

our ability to retain key personnel;

 

 

successful management of reputational risk;

 

 

natural disasters, public health crises (including the occurrence of a contagious disease or illness, such as the COVID-19 pandemic) and geopolitical events;

 

 

failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems;

 

 

our ability to adapt our systems to the expanding use of technology in banking;

 

 

risk management processes and strategies;

 

 

adverse results in legal proceedings;

 

 

the impact of regulatory enforcement actions, if any;

 

 

certain provisions in our charter and bylaws that may affect acquisition of the Company;

 

 

changes in accounting standards or tax laws and regulations;

 

 

market disruption and volatility;

 

 

fluctuations in the Bancorp’s stock price;

 

 

restrictions on dividends and other distributions by laws and regulations and by our regulators and our capital structure;

 

 

issuances of preferred stock;

 

 

capital level requirements and successfully raising additional capital, if needed, and the resulting dilution of interests of holders of our common stock; and

 

 

the soundness of other financial institutions.

 

These and other factors are further described in Bancorp’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (Item 1A in particular), other reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and other filings Bancorp makes with the SEC from time to time. Actual results in any future period may also vary from the past results discussed in this report. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. We have no intention and undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to announce publicly any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect developments, events, occurrences or circumstances after the date of such statement, except as required by law.

 

Bancorp’s filings with the SEC are available at the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov, or by request directed to Cathay General Bancorp, 9650 Flair Drive, El Monte, California 91731, Attention: Investor Relations (626) 279-3296.

 

 

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)

 

 

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited)

 

  

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 

Assets

        

Cash and due from banks

 $128,896  $177,240 

Short-term investments and interest-bearing deposits

  1,305,170   416,538 

Cash and cash equivalents

        

Securities available-for-sale (amortized cost of $1,060,975 at September 30, 2020 and $1,443,730 at December 31, 2019)

  1,080,540   1,451,842 

Loans

  15,565,779   15,075,481 

Less:  Allowance for loan losses 

  (179,130)  (123,224)

Unamortized deferred loan fees, net

  (4,210)  (626)

Loans, net 

  15,382,439   14,951,631 

Equity securities 

  22,964   28,005 

Federal Home Loan Bank stock 

  17,250   18,090 

Other real estate owned, net 

  4,918   10,244 

Affordable housing investments and alternative energy partnerships, net

  325,013   308,681 

Premises and equipment, net 

  103,438   104,239 

Customers’ liability on acceptances

  12,973   10,694 

Accrued interest receivable 

  57,102   53,541 

Goodwill 

  372,189   372,189 

Other intangible assets, net 

  5,631   6,296 

Right-of-use assets - operating leases 

  32,591   33,990 

Other assets

  167,124   150,924 

Total assets

 $19,018,238  $18,094,144 
         

Liabilities

        

Deposits:

        

Non-interest-bearing demand deposits 

 $3,306,421  $2,871,444 

Interest-bearing deposits:

        

NOW deposits 

  1,767,227   1,358,152 

Money market deposits 

  3,227,359   2,260,764 

Savings deposits 

  784,076   758,903 

Time deposits

  6,949,165   7,443,045 

Total deposits 

  16,034,248   14,692,308 

Short-term borrowings 

     25,683 

Advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank 

  230,000   670,000 

Other borrowings of affordable housing investments 

  23,788   29,022 

Long-term debt

  119,136   119,136 

Deferred payments from acquisition 

     7,644 

Acceptances outstanding 

  12,973   10,694 

Lease liabilities - operating leases 

  35,116   35,873 

Other liabilities 

  188,254   209,501 

Total liabilities

  16,643,515   15,799,861 

Commitments and contingencies 

      

Stockholders’ Equity

        

Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 90,394,359 issued and 79,659,396 outstanding at September 30, 2020, and 90,064,382 issued and 79,729,419 outstanding at December 31, 2019

  904   900 

Additional paid-in-capital 

  955,742   950,466 

Accumulated other comprehensive income, net 

  6,389   2,302 

Retained earnings 

  1,743,106   1,659,153 

Treasury stock, at cost (10,734,963 shares at September 30, 2020, and 10,334,963 shares at December 31, 2019)

  (331,418)  (318,538)

Total equity

  2,374,723   2,294,283 

Total liabilities and equity

 $19,018,238  $18,094,144 

 

See accompanying Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

 

 

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Unaudited)

 

   

Three months ended September 30,

   

Nine months ended September 30,

 
   

2020

   

2019

   

2020

   

2019

 
   

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 

Interest and Dividend Income

                               

Loans receivable, including loan fees

  $ 167,556     $ 187,827     $ 513,575     $ 548,395  

Investment securities

    4,115       8,687       17,130       24,454  

Federal Home Loan Bank stock

    216       301       735       903  

Deposits with banks

    347       1,016       1,538       4,289  

Total interest and dividend income

    172,234       197,831       532,978       578,041  
                                 

Interest Expense

                               

Time deposits

    26,247       40,378       92,213       113,992  

Other deposits

    5,761       6,626       19,671       17,591  

Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank

    1,251       1,661       4,119       5,976  

Long-term debt

    1,456       1,948       4,336       6,087  

Deferred payments from acquisition

    15       93       115       502  

Short-term borrowings

          125       234       198  

Total interest expense

    34,730       50,831       120,688       144,346  
                                 

Net interest income before provision/(reversal) for credit losses

    137,504       147,000       412,290       433,695  

Provision/(reversal) for credit losses

    12,500       (2,000 )     62,500       (2,000 )

Net interest income after provision/(reversal) for credit losses

    125,004       149,000       349,790       435,695  
                                 

Non-Interest Income

                               

Net (losses)/gains from equity securities

    (1,605 )     364       (1,928 )     7,764  

Securities gains/(losses), net

          (121 )     1,153       (108 )

Letters of credit commissions

    1,792       1,602       4,992       4,733  

Depository service fees

    1,263       1,119       3,678       3,617  

Other operating income

    8,527       7,424       23,474       20,097  

Total non-interest income

    9,977       10,388       31,369       36,103  
                                 

Non-Interest Expense

                               

Salaries and employee benefits

    33,341       31,915       92,477       97,200  

Occupancy expense

    5,295       5,579       15,435       16,617  

Computer and equipment expense

    3,044       2,741       8,218       8,453  

Professional services expense

    5,241       5,952       15,586       17,209  

Data processing service expense

    3,772       3,246       11,004       9,737  

FDIC and regulatory assessments

    1,993       2,582       6,854       7,190  

Marketing expense

    1,089       2,436       3,890       5,556  

Other real estate owned expense/(income)

    423       190       (3,229 )     839  

Amortization of investments in low income housing and alternative energy partnerships

    16,173       6,997       42,997       26,909  

Amortization of core deposit intangibles

    172       172       515       515  

Other operating expense

    5,454       3,770       14,672       15,871  

Total non-interest expense

    75,997       65,580       208,419       206,096  
                                 

Income before income tax expense

    58,984       93,808       172,740       265,702  

Income tax expense

    2,190       20,973       14,773       53,944  

Net income

  $ 56,794     $ 72,835     $ 157,967     $ 211,758  
                                 

Other Comprehensive (Loss)/Income, net of tax

                               

Unrealized holding (losses)/gains on securities available-for-sale

    (2,496 )     1,233       8,880       21,216  

Unrealized holding gains/(losses) on cash flow hedge derivatives

    532       (793 )     (3,981 )     (4,119 )

Less: reclassification adjustments for gains/(losses) included in net income

    -       (85 )     812       (76 )

Total other comprehensive (loss)/income, net of tax

    (1,964 )     525       4,087       17,173  

Total comprehensive income

  $ 54,830     $ 73,360     $ 162,054     $ 228,931  
                                 

Net Income Per Common Share:

                               

Basic

  $ 0.71     $ 0.91     $ 1.98     $ 2.64  

Diluted

  $ 0.71     $ 0.91     $ 1.98     $ 2.64  

Cash dividends paid per common share

  $ 0.31     $ 0.31     $ 0.93     $ 0.93  

Average Common Shares Outstanding:

                               

Basic

    79,628,372       79,736,814       79,599,288       80,096,855  

Diluted

    79,764,318       79,993,830       79,758,943       80,330,616  

 

See accompanying Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

 

 

 

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(Unaudited)

 

              

Accumulated

             
  

Common Stock

  

Additional

  

Other

          

Total

 
  

Number of

      

Paid-in

  

Comprehensive

  

Retained

  

Treasury

  

Stockholders'

 

Three months ended

 

Shares

  

Amount

  

Capital

  

Income/(Loss)

  

Earnings

  

Stock

  

Equity

 
  

(In thousands, except share data)

 

Balance at June 30, 2020

  79,619,984  $903  $953,616  $8,353  $1,710,994  $(331,418) $2,342,448 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

  37,420   1   866            867 

Restricted stock units vested

  1,992                   

Shares withheld related to net share settlement of RSUs

        (4)           (4)

Stock -based compensation

        1,264            1,264 

Cash dividends of $0.31 per share

              (24,682)     (24,682)

Other comprehensive loss

           (1,964)        (1,964)

Net income

              56,794      56,794 

Balance at September 30, 2020

  79,659,396   904   955,742   6,389   1,743,106   (331,418)  2,374,723 

 

 

              

Accumulated

             
  

Common Stock

  

Additional

  

Other

          

Total

 
  

Number of

      

Paid-in

  

Comprehensive

  

Retained

  

Treasury

  

Stockholders'

 
  

Shares

  

Amount

  

Capital

  

(Loss)/Income

  

Earnings

  

Stock

  

Equity

 
  

(In thousands, except share data)

 

Balance at June 30, 2019

  79,818,003  $900  $945,250  $(1,358) $1,568,351  $(313,846) $2,199,297 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

  23,508      841            841 

Purchases of treasury stock

  (135,000)              (4,692)  (4,692)

Stock -based compensation

        1,789            1,789 

Cash dividends of $0.31 per share

              (24,701)     (24,701)

Other comprehensive income

           525         525 

Net income

              72,835      72,835 

Balance at September 30, 2019

  79,706,511   900   947,880   (833)  1,616,485   (318,538)  2,245,894 

 

See accompanying Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(Unaudited)

 

              

Accumulated

             
  

Common Stock

  

Additional

  

Other

          

Total

 
  

Number of

      

Paid-in

  

Comprehensive

  

Retained

  

Treasury

  

Stockholders'

 

Nine months ended

 

Shares

  

Amount

  

Capital

  

Income

  

Earnings

  

Stock

  

Equity

 
  

(In thousands, except share data)

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

  79,729,419  $900  $950,466  $2,302  $1,659,153  $(318,538) $2,294,283 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

  109,988   2   2,571            2,573 

Restricted stock units vested

  188,879   2               2 

Shares withheld related to net share settlement of RSUs

        (1,903)           (1,903)

Stock issued to directors

  31,110      800            800 

Purchases of treasury stock

  (400,000)              (12,880)  (12,880)

Stock-based compensation

        3,808            3,808 

Cash dividends of $0.93 per share

              (74,014)     (74,014)

Other comprehensive income

           4,087         4,087 

Net income

              157,967      157,967 

Balance at September 30, 2020

  79,659,396  $904  $955,742  $6,389  $1,743,106  $(331,418) $2,374,723 

 

 

              

Accumulated

             
  

Common Stock

  

Additional

  

Other

          

Total

 
  

Number of

      

Paid-in

  

Comprehensive

  

Retained

  

Treasury

  

Stockholders'

 
  

Shares

  

Amount

  

Capital

  

(Loss)/Income

  

Earnings

  

Stock

  

Equity

 
  

(In thousands, except share data)

 

Balance at December 31, 2018

  80,501,948  $898  $942,062  $(18,006) $1,479,149  $(282,237) $2,121,866 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

  70,798   1   2,521            2,522 

Restricted stock units vested

  123,199   1               1 

Shares withheld related to

                            

net share settlement of RSUs

        (2,300)           (2,300)

Stock issued to directors

  21,160      749            749 

Purchases of treasury stock

  (1,010,594)              (36,301)  (36,301)

Stock-based compensation

        4,848            4,848 

Cash dividends of $0.93 per share

              (74,422)     (74,422)

Other comprehensive income

           17,173         17,173 

Net income

              211,758      211,758 

Balance at September 30, 2019

  79,706,511  $900  $947,880  $(833) $1,616,485  $(318,538) $2,245,894 

 

See accompanying Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

 

 

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

 

  

Nine months ended September 30,

 
  

2020

  

2019

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

        

Net income

 $157,967  $211,758 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

        

Provision/(reversal) for credit losses

  62,500   (2,000)

Provision for losses on other real estate owned

  717   494 

Deferred tax (benefit)/provision

  (10,305)  9,911 

Depreciation and amortization

  5,644   5,009 

Amortization of right-of-use asset

  6,624   6,248 

Change in operating lease liabilities

  (757)  (5,298)

Net gains on sale and transfer of other real estate owned

  (4,216)  (193)

Net gains on sale of loans held for sale

  (219)  (795)

Proceeds from sales of loans held for sale

  6,406   38,742 

Originations of loans held for sale

  (6,187)   

Amortization on alternative energy partnerships, venture capital and other investments

  42,904   27,009 

Net (gain)/loss on sales and calls of securities

  (1,153)  108 

Amortization/accretion of security premiums/discounts, net

  6,211   2,376 

Loss on sales or disposal of fixed assets

  45    

Unrealized loss/(gain) on equity securities

  1,928   (7,764)

Stock based compensation and stock issued to officers as compensation

  4,608   5,597 

Net change in accrued interest receivable and other assets

  (13,000)  (31,640)

Net change in other liabilities

  (26,597)  64,186 

Net cash provided by operating activities

  233,120   323,748 
         

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

        

Purchase of investment securities available-for-sale

  (272,961)  (539,979)

Proceeds from sale of investment securities available-for-sale

  107,539   149,725 

Proceeds from sale of equity securities

  3,112    

Proceeds from repayments, maturities and calls of investment securities available-for-sale

  543,114   233,058 

Purchase of Federal Home Loan Bank stock

  (840)  (975)

Redemptions of Federal Home Loan Bank stock

  1,680   975 

Net increase in loans

  (496,732)  (803,291)

Purchase of premises and equipment

  (4,372)  (5,125)

Proceeds from sales of other real estate owned

  4,308   1,905 

Net increase in investment in affordable housing and alternative energy partnerships

  (60,129)  (35,952)

Net cash used for investing activities

  (175,281)  (999,659)
         

Cash Flows from Financing Activities

        

Net increase in deposits

  1,342,019   955,679 

Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank

  1,450,000   3,610,000 

Repayment of Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings

  (1,890,000)  (3,540,000)

Cash dividends paid

  (74,014)  (74,422)

Repayment of other borrowings

  (7,663)  (39,918)

Proceeds from other borrowings

     25,507 

Purchases of treasury stock

  (12,880)  (36,301)

Repayment of short-term borrowings

  (25,683)   

Proceeds from shares issued under Dividend Reinvestment Plan

  2,573   2,522 

Taxes paid related to net share settlement of RSUs

  (1,903)  (2,300)

Net cash provided by financing activities

  782,449   900,767 
         

Increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash

  840,288   224,856 

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of the period

  593,778   600,290 

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of the period

 $1,434,066  $825,146 
         

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information

        

Cash paid during the period:

        

Interest

 $133,151  $137,422 

Income taxes paid

 $35,490  $43,507 

Non-cash investing and financing activities:

        

Net change in unrealized holding loss on securities available-for-sale, net of tax

 $8,068  $21,292 

Net change in unrealized holding loss on cash flow hedge derivatives

 $(3,981) $(4,119)

Transfers to other real estate owned from loans held for investment

 $  $860 

Loans transferred from held for investment to held for sale, net

 $  $75,285 

 

 

See accompanying Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)

 

 

1. Business

 

Cathay General Bancorp (“Bancorp”) is the holding company for Cathay Bank (the “Bank” and, together, with Bancorp, the “Company”), ten limited partnerships investing in affordable housing investments in which the Bank is the sole limited partner, Asia Realty Corp. and GBC Venture Capital, Inc. Bancorp also owns 100% of the common stock of five statutory business trusts created for the purpose of issuing capital securities. The Bank was founded in 1962 and offers a wide range of financial services. As of September 30, 2020, the Bank operates 25 branches in Southern California, 13 branches in Northern California, 10 branches in New York State, four in Washington State, three in Illinois, two in Texas, one in Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Jersey, one in Hong Kong, and a representative office in Taipei, Beijing, and Shanghai. Deposit accounts at the Hong Kong branch are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”).

 

 

2. Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020. For further information, refer to the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

The preparation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP requires management of the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Company expects that the most significant estimates subject to change are the allowance for loan losses.

 

 

3. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

Accounting Standards Adopted in 2020

 

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment.” This update simplifies how an entity is required to test goodwill for impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Step 2 measures a goodwill impairment loss by comparing the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. Adoption of this update is on a prospective basis and the amendments in this update are to be applied to annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Adoption of ASU 2017-04 did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, “Disclosure Framework Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement.” This ASU eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. Among the changes, entities will no longer be required to disclose the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy but will be required to disclose the range and weighted average used to develop significant unobservable inputs for Level 3 fair value measurements. ASU No. 2018-13 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019; early adoption is permitted. As ASU No. 2018-13 only revises disclosure requirements, there was no material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

Other Accounting Standards Pending Adoption

 

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.”  This update requires an entity to use a broader range of reasonable and supportable (“R&S”) forecasts, in addition to historical experience and current conditions, to develop an expected credit loss estimate, referred to as the Current Expected Credit Loss (“CECL”) model, for financial assets and net investments that are not accounted for at fair value through net income.  Credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities should be recorded through an allowance for credit losses to the amount by which fair value is below amortized cost. 

 

The FASB issued additional ASUs containing clarifying guidance, transition relief provisions and minor updates to the original ASU. These include ASU 2018-19 (issued November 2018), ASU 2019-04 (issued April 2019), ASU 2019-05 (issued May 2019), ASU 2019-10 (issued November 2019), ASU 2019-11 (issued November 2019), ASU 2020-02 (issued February 2020) and ASU 2020-03 (issued March 2020). ASU 2016-13 and subsequent ASUs are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. This amendment is required to be adopted using a modified retrospective approach with a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings, as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. 

 

As previously disclosed, the Company formed a multidisciplinary project team and implementation plan, developed a conceptual framework, and engaged an outside firm to develop econometric regression models for net losses during the R&S forecast period.  Our approach for estimating expected life-time credit losses includes, among other things, the following key components for all loan portfolio segments: a. The use of a probability of default/loss given default methodology; b. A number of scenarios based on forecasts from an outside economic forecasting company to develop economic forecasts for the R&S period; c. An initial R&S forecast period of eight quarters for all loan portfolio segments, which reflects management's expectation of losses based on forward-looking economic scenarios over that time; and d. A post-R&S reversion period of four quarters using a linear transition to the historical loss rates for each loan pool. Model back testing, third party model validation and management review of model results are substantially underway, and are nearing completion.

 

As previously disclosed, the Company has elected to delay its adoption of ASU 2016-13, as provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the “CARES Act”), until the date on which the national emergency related to the COVID-19 outbreak is terminated or December 31, 2020, whichever occurs first. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-13, the Company expects to recognize, as of January 1, 2020, a one-time cumulative effect adjustment through retained earnings of between $10 million to $12 million and expects to increase its allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) by $15 to $17 million. As of September 30, 2020, the Company’s process for estimation of the ACL under the CECL model is in progress as to the March 31, 2020 ACL, the June 30, 2020 ACL and the September 30, 2020 ACL. Based on its preliminary analysis as of September 30, 2020, the Company preliminarily estimates an addition to its ACL of between $10 to $15 million for the first quarter of 2020, an addition of between $5 million and $10 million for the second quarter of 2020, and a reduction of between $15 to $25 million for the third quarter of 2020 above the $25 million reported under the incurred loss method for both the quarter ended March 31, 2020 and the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and below the $12.5 million recorded under the incurred loss method for the quarter ended September 30, 2020.

 

 

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11, “Earnings per Share (Topic 260), Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480) and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815).” There are two parts to this update. Part I of this update addresses the complexity of accounting for certain financial instruments with down round features. Down round features are features of certain equity-linked instruments that result in the strike price being reduced on the basis of the pricing of future equity offerings. Part II of this update addresses the difficulty in navigating Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, because of the existence of extensive pending content in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. This pending content is the result of the indefinite deferral of accounting requirements about mandatorily redeemable financial instruments of certain nonpublic entities and certain mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted for all entities, including adoption in an interim period. If an entity early adopts the amendments in an interim period, any adjustments should be reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year that includes that interim period. The amendments in part I of this update should be applied in either of the following ways: (i) Retrospectively to outstanding financial instruments with a down round feature by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the statement of financial position as of the beginning of the first fiscal year and interim periods in which the pending content that links to this paragraph is effective; or (ii) Retrospectively to outstanding financial instruments with a down round feature for each prior reporting period presented in accordance with the guidance on accounting changes in paragraphs 250-10-45-5 through 45-10. The amendments to Part II of this update do not require any transition guidance because those amendments do not have an accounting effect. The Company does not expect ASU 2017-11 to have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740); Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.” This ASU removes specific exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. It eliminates the need for an organization to analyze whether the following apply in a given period: exception to the incremental approach for intra-period tax allocation; exception to accounting for basis differences when there are ownership changes in foreign investments; and exception in interim period income tax accounting for year-to-date losses that exceed anticipated losses. The ASU also improves financial statement preparers’ application of income tax-related guidance and simplifies GAAP for: Franchise taxes that are partially based on income; transactions with a government that result in a step up in the tax basis of goodwill; separate financial statements of legal entities that are not subject to tax; and enacted changes in tax laws in interim periods. This ASU is effective for public business entities, for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 with early adoption permitted for public business entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2019-12 to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

In January 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-01, “'Investments—Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments—Equity Method and Joint-Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815). Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815.” This ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early application is permitted, including early adoption in an interim period for public business entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. An entity should apply ASU No. 2020-01 prospectively at the beginning of the interim period that includes the adoption date. This ASU, among other things, clarifies that a company should consider observable transactions that require a company to either apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting under Topic 323, Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures, for the purposes of applying the measurement alternative in accordance with Topic 321 immediately before applying or upon discontinuing the equity method. The new ASU clarifies that, when determining the accounting for certain forward contracts and purchased options, a company should not consider, whether upon settlement or exercise, if the underlying securities would be accounted for under the equity method or fair value option. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2020-01 to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.” ASU No. 2020-04 is effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. This ASU provides temporary optional guidance to ease the potential burden in accounting for reference rate reform. The new guidance provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying generally accepted accounting principles to contract modifications and hedging relationships, subject to meeting certain criteria, that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued. The ASU is intended to help stakeholders during the global market-wide reference rate transition period. Therefore, it will be in effect for a limited time through December 31, 2022. The Company is evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2020-02 on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

 

4. Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

 

The Company manages its cash and cash equivalents based upon the Company’s operating, investment, and financing activities. Cash and cash equivalents, including for purposes of reporting cash flows, consist of cash on hand, amounts due from banks, and short-term investments with original maturity of three months or less.

 

The Company is required to maintain reserves with the Federal Reserve Bank. Reserve requirements are based on a percentage of deposit liabilities. The average reserve balances required were $78 thousand and $110 thousand for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and for the year ended December 31, 2019, respectively. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had $39.0 million and $17.7 million, respectively, on deposit in a cash margin account that serves as collateral for interest rate swaps. These amounts included $13.2 million and $7.1 million, respectively, on deposit in a cash margin account that serves as collateral for the Bancorp’s interest rate swaps. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company held $21.8 million and $18.9 million, respectively, in a restricted escrow account with a major bank for its alternative energy investments.

 

 

 

5. Earnings per Share

 

Basic earnings per share excludes dilution and is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock and resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in earnings. Restricted stock units (“RSUs”) with anti-dilutive effect were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share. The following table sets forth earnings per common share calculations:

 

  

Three months ended September 30,

  

Nine months ended September 30,

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

 
  

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 
                 

Net income

 $56,794  $72,835  $157,967  $211,758 
                 

Weighted-average shares:

                

Basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding

  79,628,372   79,736,814   79,599,288   80,096,855 

Dilutive effect of weighted-average outstanding common share equivalents RSUs

  135,946   257,016   159,655   233,761 

Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding

  79,764,318   79,993,830   79,758,943   80,330,616 
                 

Average restricted stock units with anti-dilutive effect

  117,621   32,321   97,110   47,690 

Earnings per common share:

                

Basic

 $0.71  $0.91  $1.98  $2.64 

Diluted

 $0.71  $0.91  $1.98  $2.64 

 

 

 

6. Stock-Based Compensation

 

Pursuant to the Company’s 2005 Incentive Plan, as amended and restated, the Company may grant incentive stock options (employees only), non-statutory stock options, common stock awards, restricted stock, RSUs, stock appreciation rights and cash awards to non-employee directors and eligible employees.

 

RSUs are generally granted at no cost to the recipient. RSUs generally vest ratably over three years or cliff vest after one or three years of continued employment from the date of the grant. While a portion of RSUs may be time-vesting awards, others may vest subject to the attainment of specified performance goals and are referred to as “performance-based RSUs.” All RSUs are subject to forfeiture until vested.

 

Performance-based RSUs are granted at the target amount of awards. Based on the Company’s attainment of specified performance goals and consideration of market conditions, the number of shares that vest can be adjusted to a minimum of zero and to a maximum of 150% of the target. The amount of performance-based RSUs that are eligible to vest is determined at the end of each performance period and is then added together to determine the total number of performance shares that are eligible to vest. Performance-based RSUs generally cliff vest three years from the date of grant.

 

Compensation costs for the time-based awards are based on the quoted market price of the Company’s stock at the grant date. Compensation costs associated with performance-based RSUs are based on grant date fair value, which considers both market and performance conditions. Compensation costs of both time-based and performance-based awards are recognized on a straight-line basis from the grant date until the vesting date of each grant.

 

 

The following table presents RSU activity during the nine months ended September 30, 2020:

 

  

Time-Based RSUs

  

Performance-Based RSUs

 
      

Weighted-Average

      

Weighted-Average

 
      

Grant Date

      

Grant Date

 
  

Shares

  

Fair Value

  

Shares

  

Fair Value

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

  273,200  $35.90   297,744  $32.65 

Granted

  3,013   24.89   212,369   19.66 

Vested

  (79,630)  25.39   (193,240)  21.68 

Forfeited

  (8,162)  39.41   (14,071)  39.08 

Balance at September 30, 2020

  188,421  $40.01   302,802  $30.24 

 

The compensation expense recorded for RSUs was $1.3 million and $1.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, the compensation expense recorded for RSUs was $3.8 million and $4.8 million, respectively. Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs was $8.0 million and $11.5 million as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of September 30, 2020, these costs are expected to be recognized over the next 1.7 years for time-based and performance-based RSUs.

 

As of September 30, 2020, 2,150,724 shares were available for future grants under the Company’s 2005 Incentive Plan, as amended and restated.

 

Tax deficiency from share-based payment arrangements increased income tax expense by $0.4 million and a tax benefit from share-based payment arrangements reduced income tax expense by $0.6 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

 

7. Investment Securities

 

The following tables set forth the amortized cost, gross unrealized gains, gross unrealized losses, and fair value of securities available-for-sale as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019:

 

  

September 30, 2020

 
      

Gross

  

Gross

     
  

Amortized

  

Unrealized

  

Unrealized

     
  

Cost

  

Gains

  

Losses

  

Fair Value

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Securities Available-for-Sale

                

U.S. treasury securities

 $99,968  $12  $  $99,980 

U.S. government agency entities

  104,661   465   530   104,596 

Mortgage-backed securities

  709,756   20,045   557   729,244 

Collateralized mortgage obligations

  222      11   211 

Corporate debt securities

  146,368   288   147   146,509 

Total

 $1,060,975  $20,810  $1,245  $1,080,540 

 

 

  

December 31, 2019

 
      

Gross

  

Gross

     
  

Amortized

  

Unrealized

  

Unrealized

     
  

Cost

  

Gains

  

Losses

  

Fair Value

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Securities Available-for-Sale

                

U.S. treasury securities

 $74,926  $10  $  $74,936 

U.S. government agency entities

  90,452   663   319   90,796 

U.S. government sponsored entities

  225,000      557   224,443 

Mortgage-backed securities

  880,040   8,574   824   887,790 

Collateralized mortgage obligations

  569      17   552 

Corporate debt securities

  172,743   605   23   173,325 

Total

 $1,443,730  $9,852  $1,740  $1,451,842 

 

The amortized cost and fair value of securities available-for-sale as of September 30, 2020, by contractual maturities, are set forth in the tables below. Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or repay obligations with or without call or repayment penalties.  

 

  

September 30, 2020

 
  

Securities Available-For-Sale

 
  

Amortized Cost

  

Fair Value

 
  

(In thousands)

 
         

Due in one year or less

 $182,047  $182,289 

Due after one year through five years

  44,028   44,044 

Due after five years through ten years

  176,079   178,429 

Due after ten years

  658,821   675,778 

Total

 $1,060,975  $1,080,540 

 

Equity Securities - The Company recognized a net loss of $1.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020, due to the decrease in fair value of equity investments with readily determinable fair values compared to a net gain of $0.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019. The Company recognized a net loss of $1.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, due to the decrease in fair value of equity investments with readily determinable fair values compared to a net gain of $7.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. Equity securities were $23.0 million and $28.0 million as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

 

 

The following tables set forth the gross unrealized losses and related fair value of the Company’s investment portfolio, aggregated by investment category and the length of time that individual security has been in a continuous unrealized loss position, as of  September 30, 2020 and  December 31, 2019:

 

  

September 30, 2020

 
  

Less than 12 Months

  

12 Months or Longer

  

Total

 
      

Gross

      

Gross

      

Gross

 
  

Fair

  

Unrealized

  

Fair

  

Unrealized

  

Fair

  

Unrealized

 
  

Value

  

Losses

  

Value

  

Losses

  

Value

  

Losses

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                         

Securities Available-for-Sale

                        

U.S. government agency entities

 $21,824  $94  $40,793  $436  $62,617  $530 

Mortgage-backed securities

  1,924   20   8,944   537   10,868   557 

Collateralized mortgage obligations

        211   11   211   11 

Corporate debt securities

  45,762   147         45,762   147 

Total

 $69,510  $261  $49,948  $984  $119,458  $1,245 

 

 

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

Less than 12 Months

  

12 Months or Longer

  

Total

 
      

Gross

      

Gross

      

Gross

 
  

Fair

  

Unrealized

  

Fair

  

Unrealized

  

Fair

  

Unrealized

 
  

Value

  

Losses

  

Value

  

Losses

  

Value

  

Losses

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                         

Securities Available-for-Sale

                        

U.S. government agency entities

 $48,829  $172  $3,570  $147  $52,399  $319 

U.S. government sponsored entities

        224,443   557   224,443   557 

Mortgage-backed securities

  43,719   36   120,801   788   164,520   824 

Collateralized mortgage obligations

        552   17   552   17 

Corporate debt securities

  51,791   23         51,791   23 

Total

 $144,339  $231  $349,366  $1,509  $493,705  $1,740 

 

To the Company’s knowledge, the Company believes the unrealized losses were primarily attributed to yield curve movement, together with widened liquidity spreads and credit spreads. The issuers have not, to the Company’s knowledge, established any cause for default on these securities. Management believes the gross unrealized losses detailed in the table above are temporary. The Company expects to recover the amortized cost basis of its securities and has no present intent to sell and will not be required to sell available-for-sale securities that have declined below their cost before their anticipated recovery. Accordingly, no other than temporary impairment write-downs were recorded on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income in the three or nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019.

 

Securities available-for-sale having a carrying value of $18.6 million and $20.1 million as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, were pledged to secure public deposits, other borrowings and treasury tax and loan.

 

 

8.Loans

 

Most of the Company’s business activities are with customers located in the high-density Asian-populated areas of Southern and Northern California; New York City, New York; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Seattle, Washington; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Edison, New Jersey; Rockville, Maryland; and Las Vegas, Nevada. The Company also has loan customers in Hong Kong. The Company has no specific industry concentration, and generally its loans, when secured, are secured by real property or other collateral of the borrowers. The Company generally expects loans to be paid off from the operating profits of the borrowers, from refinancing by other lenders, or through sale by the borrowers of the secured collateral.

 

 

The types of loans in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

  

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

(In thousands)

 
         

Commercial loans

 $2,848,000  $2,778,744 

Residential mortgage loans

  4,169,847   4,088,586 

Commercial mortgage loans

  7,459,316   7,275,262 

Real estate construction loans

  675,112   579,864 

Equity lines

  411,848   347,975 

Installment and other loans

  1,656   5,050 

Gross loans

 $15,565,779  $15,075,481 

Allowance for loan losses

  (179,130)  (123,224)

Unamortized deferred loan fees, net

  (4,210)  (626)

Total loans, net

 $15,382,439  $14,951,631 

 

 

As of September 30, 2020, recorded investment in impaired loans totaled $105.8 million and was comprised of non-accrual loans of $77.2 million and accruing troubled debt restructured loans (“TDRs”) of $28.6 million. As of December 31, 2019, recorded investment in impaired loans totaled $75.9 million and was comprised of non-accrual loans of $40.5 million and accruing TDRs of $35.4 million. For impaired loans, the amounts previously charged off represent 6.1% and 2.1% of the contractual balances for impaired loans as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

 

The following table presents the average recorded investment and interest income recognized on impaired loans for the periods indicated:

 

  

Three Months Ended September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

 
  

Average

Recorded

Investment

  

Interest

Income

Recognized

  

Average

Recorded

Investment

  

Interest

Income

Recognized

  

Average

Recorded

Investment

  

Interest

Income

Recognized

  

Average

Recorded

Investment

  

Interest

Income

Recognized

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                                 

Commercial loans

 $30,346  $148  $38,659  $208  $30,723  $242  $41,132  $705 

Real estate construction loans

  4,368   98   4,662      4,444   245   4,734    

Commercial mortgage loans

  40,708   268   40,699   332   37,730   966   51,323   1,034 

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

  16,609   74   13,133   78   15,240   200   13,126   237 

Total impaired loans

 $92,031  $588  $97,153  $618  $88,137  $1,653  $110,315  $1,976 

 

 

The following table presents impaired loans and the related allowance for loan losses as of the dates indicated:

 

  

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

Unpaid

Principal

Balance

  

Recorded

Investment

  

Allowance

  

Unpaid

Principal

Balance

  

Recorded

Investment

  

Allowance

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                         

With no allocated allowance

                        

Commercial loans

 $16,210  $13,293  $  $20,134  $15,857  $ 

Real estate construction loans

  5,776   4,335      5,776   4,580    

Commercial mortgage loans

  22,996   22,532      9,234   9,030    

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

  7,921   7,814      6,171   6,073    

Subtotal

 $52,903  $47,974  $  $41,315  $35,540  $ 
                         

With allocated allowance

                        

Commercial loans

 $28,059  $20,871  $7,704  $8,769  $8,739  $2,543 

Commercial mortgage loans

  31,138   31,019   582   26,117   26,040   473 

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

  6,632   5,914   209   6,740   5,540   220 

Subtotal

 $65,829  $57,804  $8,495  $41,626  $40,319  $3,236 

Total impaired loans

 $118,732  $105,778  $8,495  $82,941  $75,859  $3,236 

 

The following tables present the aging of the loan portfolio by type as of September 30, 2020, and as of December 31, 2019:

 

  

September 30, 2020

 
  

30-59 Days

Past Due

  

60-89 Days

Past Due

  

90 Days or

More Past

Due

  

Non-accrual

Loans

  

Total Past

Due

  

Loans Not

Past Due

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                             

Commercial loans

 $4,956  $7,098  $  $29,757  $41,811  $2,806,189  $2,848,000 

Real estate construction loans

  19,000   2,657      4,335   25,992   649,120   675,112 

Commercial mortgage loans

  4,275      2,868   33,782   40,925   7,418,391   7,459,316 

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

  212         9,317   9,529   4,572,166   4,581,695 

Installment and other loans

                 1,656   1,656 

Total loans

 $28,443  $9,755  $2,868  $77,191  $118,257  $15,447,522  $15,565,779 

 

 

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

30-59 Days

Past Due

  

60-89 Days

Past Due

  

90 Days or

More Past

Due

  

Non-accrual

Loans

  

Total Past

Due

  

Loans Not

Past Due

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                             

Commercial loans

 $24,681  $9,954  $6,409  $19,381  $60,425  $2,718,319  $2,778,744 

Real estate construction loans

  5,846   6,753      4,580   17,179   562,685   579,864 

Commercial mortgage loans

  7,694   2,609      9,928   20,231   7,255,031   7,275,262 

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

  26,028   965      6,634   33,627   4,402,934   4,436,561 

Installment and other loans

                 5,050   5,050 

Total loans

 $64,249  $20,281  $6,409  $40,523  $131,462  $14,944,019  $15,075,481 

 

The determination of the amount of the allowance for loan losses for impaired loans is based on management’s current judgment about the credit quality of the loan portfolio and takes into consideration known relevant internal and external factors that affect collectability when determining the appropriate level for the allowance for loan losses. The nature of the process by which the Bank determines the appropriate allowance for loan losses requires the exercise of considerable judgment. This allowance evaluation process is also applied to TDRs since they are considered to be impaired loans. The allowance for loan losses and the reserve for off-balance sheet credit commitments are significant estimates that can and do change based on management’s process in analyzing the loan portfolio and on management’s assumptions about specific borrowers, underlying collateral, and applicable economic, market and environmental conditions, among other factors. Although the Company took steps to incorporate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic conditions and other factors (such as the severity and length of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts) utilized to determine the allowance for loan losses, if the economic conditions or other factors worsen relative to the assumptions the Company utilized, the allowance for loan losses will increase accordingly in future periods.

 

 

A TDR is a formal modification of the terms of a loan when the lender, for economic or legal reasons related to the borrower’s financial difficulties, grants a concession to the borrower. The concessions may be granted in various forms, including a change in the stated interest rate, a reduction in the loan balance or accrued interest, or an extension of the maturity date that causes significant delay in payment.

 

TDRs on accrual status are comprised of the loans that have, pursuant to the Bank’s policy, performed under the restructured terms and have demonstrated sustained performance under the modified terms for six months before being returned to accrual status. The sustained performance considered by management pursuant to its policy includes the periods prior to the modification if the prior performance met or exceeded the modified terms. This would include cash paid by the borrower prior to the restructure to set up interest reserves.

 

As of September 30, 2020, accruing TDRs were $28.6 million and non-accrual TDRs were $9.9 million compared to accruing TDRs of $35.3 million and non-accrual TDRs of $18.0 million as of December 31, 2019. The Company allocated specific reserves of $395 thousand to accruing TDRs and $42 thousand to non-accrual TDRs as of September 30, 2020, and $822 thousand to accruing TDRs and $2.2 million to non-accrual TDRs as of December 31, 2019. The following tables set forth TDRs that were modified during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, their specific reserves as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, and charge-offs for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019:

 

  

Three Months Ended September 30, 2020

  

September 30, 2020

 
  

No. of

Contracts

  

Pre-Modification

Outstanding

Recorded

Investment

  

Post-Modification

Outstanding

Recorded

Investment

  

Charge-offs

  

Specific Reserve

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                     

Commercial loans

  2  $2,983  $2,983  $  $203 

Total

  2  $2,983  $2,983  $  $203 

 

19

 

  

Three Months Ended September 30, 2019

  

September 30, 2019

 
  

No. of

Contracts

  

Pre-Modification

Outstanding

Recorded

Investment

  

Post-Modification

Outstanding

Recorded

Investment

  

Charge-offs

  

Specific Reserve

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                     

Commercial loans

  3  $7,585  $6,165  $  $89 

Total

  3  $7,585  $6,165  $  $89 

 

 

 

  

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020

  

September 30, 2020

 
  

No. of

Contracts

  

Pre-Modification

Outstanding

Recorded

Investment

  

Post-Modification

Outstanding

Recorded

Investment

  

Charge-offs

  

Specific Reserve

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                     

Commercial loans

  5  $5,417  $5,417  $  $203 

Total

  5  $5,417  $5,417  $  $203 

 

 

 

  

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019

  

September 30, 2019

 
  

No. of

Contracts

  

Pre-Modification

Outstanding

Recorded

Investment

  

Post-Modification

Outstanding

Recorded

Investment

  

Charge-offs

  

Specific Reserve

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                     

Commercial loans

  23  $25,937  $10,814  $  $125 

Total

  23  $25,937  $10,814  $  $125 

 

Modifications of the loan terms in the nine months ended September 30, 2020 were in the form of extensions of maturity dates, which ranged generally from three to twelve months from the modification date. 

 

 

We expect that the TDRs on accruing status as of September 30, 2020, which were all performing in accordance with their restructured terms, will continue to comply with the restructured terms because of the reduced principal or interest payments on these loans.  The ongoing impact of the COVID pandemic, however, could increase the risk of such TDRs becoming non-accrual due to the borrowers' inability to continue to comply with their restructured terms.  A summary of TDRs by type of concession and by type of loan, as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, is set forth in the table below:

 

  

September 30, 2020

 
  

Payment

Deferral

  

Rate

Reduction

  

Rate Reduction

and Payment

Deferral

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Accruing TDRs

                

Commercial loans

 $4,406  $  $  $4,406 

Commercial mortgage loans

  582   5,662   13,526   19,770 

Residential mortgage loans

  1,940   284   2,187   4,411 

Total accruing TDRs

 $6,928  $5,946  $15,713  $28,587 

 

  

September 30, 2020

 
  

Payment

Deferral

  

Rate

Reduction

  

Rate Reduction

and Payment

Deferral

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Non-accrual TDRs

                

Commercial loans

 $8,902  $  $  $8,902 

Residential mortgage loans

  1,017         1,017 

Total non-accrual TDRs

 $9,919  $  $  $9,919 

 

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

Payment

Deferral

  

Rate

Reduction

  

Rate Reduction

and Payment

Deferral

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Accruing TDRs

                

Commercial loans

 $5,215  $  $  $5,215 

Commercial mortgage loans

  615   5,748   18,779   25,142 

Residential mortgage loans

  2,525   311   2,143   4,979 

Total accruing TDRs

 $8,355  $6,059  $20,922  $35,336 

 

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

Payment

Deferral

  

Rate

Reduction

  

Rate Reduction

and Payment

Deferral

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Non-accrual TDRs

                

Commercial loans

 $16,692  $  $  $16,692 

Commercial mortgage loans

  1,220      136   1,356 

Total non-accrual TDRs

 $17,912  $  $136  $18,048 

 

 

The activity within TDRs for the periods indicated is set forth below:

 

  

Three Months Ended September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Accruing TDRs

                

Beginning balance

 $31,671  $64,898  $35,336  $65,071 

New restructurings

  2,983   240   5,417   15,432 

Restructured loans restored to accrual status

  263      263    

Charge-offs

     (1,341)     (1,341)

Payments

  (6,330)  (22,150)  (12,429)  (36,219)

Restructured loans placed on non-accrual status

           (1,296)

Ending balance

 $28,587  $41,647  $28,587  $41,647 

 

  

Three Months Ended September 30,

  

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Non-accrual TDRs

                

Beginning balance

 $12,670  $22,457  $18,048  $24,189 

New restructurings

     7,345      10,505 

Restructured loans placed on non-accrual status

           1,296 

Charge-offs

     (2,389)  (4,970)  (3,607)

Payments

  (2,488)  (7,626)  (2,896)  (12,596)

Restructured loans restored to accrual status

  (263)     (263)   

Ending balance

 $9,919  $19,787  $9,919  $19,787 

 

The Company considers a loan to be in payment default once it is 60 to 90 days contractually past due under the modified terms.  The Company did not have any loans that were modified as a TDR during the previous twelve months and which had subsequently defaulted as of September 30, 2020.

 

Under the Company’s internal underwriting policy, an evaluation is performed of the probability that the borrower will be in payment default on any of its debt in the foreseeable future without the modification in order to determine whether a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty.

 

As of September 30, 2020, there were no commitments to lend additional funds to those borrowers whose loans had been restructured, were considered impaired, or were on non-accrual status.

 

The CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, permits financial institutions to suspend requirements under GAAP for loan modifications to borrowers affected by COVID-19 that would otherwise be characterized as TDRs and suspend any determination related thereto if (i) the loan modification is made between March 1, 2020 and the earlier of December 31, 2020 or 60 days after the end of the coronavirus emergency declaration and (ii) the applicable loan was not more than 30 days past due as of December 31, 2019. In addition, federal bank regulatory authorities have issued guidance to encourage financial institutions to make loan modifications for borrowers affected by COVID-19 and have assured financial institutions that they will neither receive supervisory criticism for such prudent loan modifications, nor be required by examiners to automatically categorize COVID-19-related loan modifications as TDRs. The Company is applying this guidance to qualifying loan modifications.

 

 

As part of the on-going monitoring of the credit quality of our loan portfolio, the Company utilizes a risk grading matrix to assign a risk grade to each loan. The risk rating categories can be generally described by the following grouping for non-homogeneous loans: 

 

 

Pass/Watch – These loans range from minimal credit risk to lower than average, but still acceptable, credit risk.

   
 Special Mention  Borrower is fundamentally sound, and loan is currently protected but adverse trends are apparent that, if not corrected, may affect ability to repay. Primary source of loan repayment remains viable but there is increasing reliance on collateral or guarantor support.
   
 Substandard  These loans are inadequately protected by current sound net worth, paying capacity, or collateral. Well-defined weaknesses exist that could jeopardize repayment of debt. Loss may not be imminent, but if weaknesses are not corrected, there is a good possibility of some loss.
   
 Doubtful – The possibility of loss is extremely high, but due to identifiable and important pending events (which may strengthen the loan), a loss classification is deferred until the situation is better defined.
   
 Loss – These loans are considered uncollectible and of such little value that to continue to carry the loan as an active asset is no longer warranted.

 

The following tables set forth the loan portfolio by risk rating as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019:

 

  

September 30, 2020

 
  

Pass/Watch

  

Special

Mention

  

Substandard

  

Doubtful

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Commercial loans

 $2,553,148  $156,869  $137,983  $  $2,848,000 

Real estate construction loans

  548,075   122,299   4,738      675,112 

Commercial mortgage loans

  7,215,288   114,653   129,375      7,459,316 

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

  4,571,766   212   9,717      4,581,695 

Installment and other loans

  1,656            1,656 

Total gross loans

 $14,889,933  $394,033  $281,813  $  $15,565,779 

 

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

Pass/Watch

  

Special

Mention

  

Substandard

  

Doubtful

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Commercial loans

 $2,528,944  $166,016  $83,784  $  $2,778,744 

Real estate construction loans

  461,597   113,687   4,580      579,864 

Commercial mortgage loans

  6,992,933   196,454   85,875      7,275,262 

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

  4,427,205   914   8,442      4,436,561 

Installment and other loans

  5,050            5,050 

Total gross loans

 $14,415,729  $477,071  $182,681  $  $15,075,481 

 

 

The following tables set forth the balance in the allowance for loan losses by portfolio segment and based on impairment method as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019:

 

  

September 30, 2020

 
      

Real Estate

  

Commercial

  

Residential

  

Installment

     
  

Commercial

  

Construction

  

Mortgage

  

Mortgage Loans

  

and

     
  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Loans

  

and Equity Lines

  

Other Loans

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Loans individually evaluated for impairment

                        

Allowance

 $7,704  $  $582  $209  $  $8,495 

Balance

 $34,164  $4,335  $53,551  $13,728  $  $105,778 

Loans collectively evaluated for impairment

                        

Allowance

 $71,690  $32,712  $46,083  $20,150  $  $170,635 

Balance

 $2,813,836  $670,777  $7,405,765  $4,567,967  $1,656  $15,460,001 

Total allowance

 $79,394  $32,712  $46,665  $20,359  $  $179,130 

Total balance

 $2,848,000  $675,112  $7,459,316  $4,581,695  $1,656  $15,565,779 

 

  

December 31, 2019

 
      

Real Estate

  

Commercial

  

Residential

  

Installment

     
  

Commercial

  

Construction

  

Mortgage

  

Mortgage Loans

  

and

     
  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Loans

  

and Equity Lines

  

Other Loans

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Loans individually evaluated for impairment

                        

Allowance

 $2,543  $  $473  $220  $  $3,236 

Balance

 $24,596  $4,580  $35,070  $11,613  $  $75,859 

Loans collectively evaluated for impairment

                        

Allowance

 $54,478  $19,474  $33,129  $12,888  $19  $119,988 

Balance

 $2,754,148  $575,284  $7,240,192  $4,424,948  $5,050  $14,999,622 

Total allowance

 $57,021  $19,474  $33,602  $13,108  $19  $123,224 

Total balance

 $2,778,744  $579,864  $7,275,262  $4,436,561  $5,050  $15,075,481 

 

 

The following tables set forth activity in the allowance for loan losses by portfolio segment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, and September 30, 2019. Allocation of a portion of the allowance to one category of loans does not preclude its availability to absorb losses in other categories.

 

Three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019

                     
              

Residential

         
      

Real Estate

  

Commercial

  

Mortgage Loans

  

Installment

     
  

Commercial

  

Construction

  

Mortgage

  

and

  

and Other

     
  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Equity Lines

  

Loans

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                         

June 30, 2020 Ending Balance

 $82,256  $26,700  $41,132  $19,592  $  $169,680 

Provision for possible credit losses

  298   6,012   5,438   752      12,500 

Charge-offs

  (6,956)              (6,956)

Recoveries

  3,796      95   15      3,906 

Net (charge-offs)/recoveries

  (3,160)     95   15      (3,050)

September 30, 2020 Ending Balance

 $79,394  $32,712  $46,665  $20,359  $  $179,130 

 

              

Residential

         
      

Real Estate

  

Commercial

  

Mortgage Loans

  

Installment

     
  

Commercial

  

Construction

  

Mortgage

  

and

  

and Other

     
  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Equity Lines

  

Loans

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                         

June 30, 2019 Ending Balance

 $54,293  $21,010  $33,154  $14,164  $30  $122,651 

Provision/(reversal) for possible credit losses

  7,400   (2,690)  (4,648)  (2,057)  (5)  (2,000)

Charge-offs

  (3,356)              (3,356)

Recoveries

  212   3,378   4,961   62      8,613 

Net (charge-offs)/recoveries

  (3,144)  3,378   4,961   62      5,257 

September 30, 2019 Ending Balance

 $58,549  $21,698  $33,467  $12,169  $25  $125,908 

 

 

Nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019

                     
              

Residential

         
      

Real Estate

  

Commercial

  

Mortgage Loans

  

Installment

     
  

Commercial

  

Construction

  

Mortgage

  

and

  

and Other

     
  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Equity Lines

  

Loans

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                         

2020 Beginning Balance

 $57,021  $19,474  $33,602  $13,108  $19  $123,224 

Provision/(reversal) for possible credit losses

  29,402   13,238   12,718   7,161   (19)  62,500 

Charge-offs

  (13,383)              (13,383)

Recoveries

  6,354      345   90      6,789 

Net (charge-offs)/recoveries

  (7,029)     345   90      (6,594)

September 30, 2020 Ending Balance

 $79,394  $32,712  $46,665  $20,359  $  $179,130 

Reserve for impaired loans

 $7,704  $  $582  $209  $  $8,495 

Reserve for non-impaired loans

 $71,690  $32,712  $46,083  $20,150  $  $170,635 

Reserve for off-balance sheet credit commitments

 $4,297  $896  $172  $294  $4  $5,663 

 

              

Residential

         
      

Real Estate

  

Commercial

  

Mortgage Loans

  

Installment

     
  

Commercial

  

Construction

  

Mortgage

  

and

  

and Other

     
  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Loans

  

Equity Lines

  

Loans

  

Total

 
  

(In thousands)

 
                         

2019 Beginning Balance

 $54,978  $19,626  $33,487  $14,282  $18  $122,391 

Provision/(reversal) for possible credit losses

  8,262   (2,540)  (5,234)  (2,495)  7   (2,000)

Charge-offs

  (6,300)              (6,300)

Recoveries

  1,609   4,612   5,214   382      11,817 

Net (charge-offs)/recoveries

  (4,691)  4,612   5,214   382      5,517 

September 30, 2019 Ending Balance

 $58,549  $21,698  $33,467  $12,169  $25  $125,908 

Reserve for impaired loans

 $744  $  $536  $221  $  $1,501 

Reserve for non-impaired loans

 $57,805  $21,698  $32,931  $11,948  $25  $124,407 

Reserve for off-balance sheet credit commitments

 $2,505  $1,608  $121  $313  $3  $4,550 

 

 

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in the United States and international economies and financial markets. Although banks have generally been permitted to continue operating, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions to our business and could cause material disruptions to our business and operations in the future. The Company has continued its efforts to support its customers affected by the pandemic and to maintain asset quality and balance sheet strength, including the following:

 

 

The Company has provided loans through the SBA's Paycheck Protection Program, or “PPP”. As of September 30, 2020, 1,437 PPP loans with a current balance of $265.7 million have been approved by the Small Business Administration.

 

 

The Company has outstanding modifications on approximately 95 commercial real estate loans totaling $428.1 million as of September 30, 2020, which represented 5.7% of the Bank’s commercial real estate loans and 24 commercial loans, totaling $64..6 million, which represented 2.3% of the total commercial loans.

 

 

As of September 30, 2020, COVID-19 modifications outstanding include 367, or $180.6 million, in residential mortgage loans, that represented 4.3% of the total residential mortgage portfolio, and 21 HELOC loans totaling $6.5 million, which represented 1.6% of total HELOC loans.

 

 

 

9. Commitments and Contingencies

 

From time to time, Bancorp and its subsidiaries are parties to litigation that arise in the ordinary course of business or otherwise are incidental to various aspects of its operations. Based upon information available to the Company and its review of any such litigation with counsel, management presently believes that the liability relating to such litigation, if any, would not be expected to have a material adverse impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity taken as a whole. The outcome of litigation and other legal and regulatory matters is inherently uncertain, however, and it is possible that one or more of the legal matters currently pending or threatened against the Company could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity taken as a whole.

 

Although the Company establishes accruals for legal proceedings when information related to the loss contingencies represented by those matters indicates both that a loss is probable and that the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated, the Company does not have accruals for all legal proceedings where there is a risk of loss. In addition, amounts accrued may not represent the ultimate loss to the Company from the legal proceedings in question. Thus, ultimate losses may be higher or lower, and possibly significantly so, than the amounts accrued for legal loss contingencies.

 

In the normal course of business, the Company from time to time becomes a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit in the form of loans, or through commercial or standby letters of credit and financial guarantees. These instruments represent varying degrees of exposure to risk in excess of the amounts included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The contractual or notional amount of these instruments indicates a level of activity associated with a particular class of financial instrument and is not a reflection of the level of expected losses, if any.

 

The Company’s unfunded commitments related to investments in qualified affordable housing and alternative energy partnerships were $117.8 million and $114.5 million as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

 

 

 

10. Leases

 

The Company determines if a contract arrangement is a lease at inception and primarily enters into operating lease contracts for its branch locations, office space and certain equipment. As part of its property lease agreements, the Company may seek to include options to extend or terminate at lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise those options. The Right-of-Use (“ROU”) lease asset also includes any lease payments made and lease incentives. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company does not possess any leases that have variable lease payments or residual value guarantees as of September 30, 2020.

 

Accounting Policy Elections - The Company has elected the package of practical expedients that permits the Company to not reassess its prior conclusions about lease identification, lease classification and initial direct costs. The Company also elected all of the new standard’s available transition practical expedients, including the short-term lease recognition exemption that includes not recognizing ROU assets or lease liabilities for existing short-term leases, and the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components for all of the Company’s leases.

 

The ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate to determine the present value of its lease liabilities.

 

The following table presents the operating lease related assets and liabilities recorded on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet, and the weighted-average remaining lease terms and discount rates as of  September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019:

 

  

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

($ In millions)

 
         

Operating Leases:

        

ROU assets

 $32.6  $34.0 

Lease liabilities

 $35.1  $35.9 
         

Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years)

  4.9   5.4 

Weighted-average discount rate

  2.79

%

  3.10

%

 

 

Operating lease expense was $3.1 million and $3.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively, and includes short-term leases that were immaterial. Operating lease expense was $8.8 million and $10.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively, and includes short-term leases that were immaterial. Operating cash flows from operating leases were $2.2 million and $2.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Operating cash flows from operating leases were $6.8 million and $6.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

 

The following table presents a maturity analysis of the Company’s operating lease liabilities as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

 

  

As of September 30, 2020

 
  

Operating Leases

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Remaining 2020

 $2,392 

2021

  9,235 

2022

  8,183 

2023

  6,758 

2024

  4,570 

Thereafter

  6,641 

Total lease payments

  37,779 

Less amount of payment representing interest

  (2,663)

Total present value of lease payments

 $35,116 

 

  

As of December 31, 2019

 
  

Operating Leases

 
  

(In thousands)

 

2020

 $8,764 

2021

  7,923 

2022

  6,771 

2023

  5,714 

2024

  3,852 

Thereafter

  6,199 

Total lease payments

  39,223 

Less amount of payment representing interest

  (3,350)

Total present value of lease payments

 $35,873 

 

28

 

 

11. Borrowed Funds

 

Borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) There were no over-night borrowings from the FHLB as of September 30, 2020, compared to $450 million at a weighted average rate of 1.66% as of December 31, 2019. Advances from the FHLB were $230 million at a weighted average rate of 2.16% as of September 30, 2020 and $220 million at a weighted average rate of 2.26% as of December 31, 2019. As of September 30, 2020, FHLB advances of $5 million will mature in November 2020, $80 million in May 2021, $50 million in June 2021, $75 million in July 2021, and $20 million in May 2023.

 

Junior Subordinated Notes – The Company established three special purpose trusts in 2003 and two in 2007 for the purpose of issuing Guaranteed Preferred Beneficial Interests in their Subordinated Debentures to outside investors (“Capital Securities”). The proceeds from the issuance of the Capital Securities as well as our purchase of the common stock of the special purpose trusts were invested in Junior Subordinated Notes of the Company (“Junior Subordinated Notes”). The trusts exist for the purpose of issuing the Capital Securities and investing in Junior Subordinated Notes. Subject to some limitations, payment of distributions out of the monies held by the trusts and payments on liquidation of the trusts, or the redemption of the Capital Securities, are guaranteed by the Company to the extent the trusts have funds on hand at such time. The obligations of the Company under the guarantees and the Junior Subordinated Notes are subordinate and junior in right of payment to all indebtedness of the Company and are structurally subordinated to all liabilities and obligations of the Company’s subsidiaries. The Company has the right to defer payments of interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes at any time or from time to time for a period of up to twenty consecutive quarterly periods with respect to each deferral period. Under the terms of the Junior Subordinated Notes, the Company may not, with certain exceptions, declare or pay any dividends or distributions on its capital stock or purchase or acquire any of its capital stock if it has deferred payment of interest on any Junior Subordinated Notes.

 

At September 30, 2020, Junior Subordinated Notes totaled $119.1 million with a weighted average interest rate of 2.41%, compared to $119.1 million with a weighted average rate of 4.09% at December 31, 2019. The Junior Subordinated Notes have a stated maturity term of 30 years.

 

 

12. Income Taxes

 

The effective tax rate for the first nine months of 2020 was 8.6% compared to 20.3% for the first nine months of 2019. The effective tax rate includes the impact of low-income housing and alternative energy investment tax credits. Income tax expense for the first nine months of 2020 was increased by $0.4 million related to a tax deficiency from the distribution of restricted stock units.

 

The Company’s tax returns are open for audit by the Internal Revenue Service back to 2016 and by the California Franchise Tax Board back to 2015. The audit by the Internal Revenue Service for 2017 was completed in July 2020 and did not have an impact on income tax expense.

 

It is reasonably possible that unrecognized tax benefits could change significantly over the next twelve months. The Company does not expect that any such changes would have a material impact on its annual effective tax rate.

 

 

 

13. Fair Value Measurements

 

The Company determined the fair values of our financial instruments based on the following:

 

 

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

 

Level 2 - Observable prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities; prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; directly observable market inputs for substantially the full term of the asset and liability; market inputs that are not directly observable but are derived from or corroborated by observable market data.

 

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs based on the Company’s own judgment about the assumptions that a market participant would use.

 

The Company uses the following methodologies to measure the fair value of its financial assets and liabilities on a recurring basis:

 

Securities Available for Sale - For certain U.S. Treasury securities, the Company measures the fair value based on quoted market prices in active exchange markets at the reporting date, a Level 1 measurement. The Company also measures securities by using quoted market prices for similar securities or dealer quotes, a Level 2 measurement. This category generally includes U.S. Government agency securities, U.S. Government sponsored entities, state and municipal securities, mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”), collateralized mortgage obligations and corporate bonds.

 

Equity Securities The Company measures the fair value based on quoted market prices in active exchange markets at the reporting date, a level 1 measurement. Equity securities are comprised of mutual funds, preferred stock of government-sponsored entities and other equity securities.

 

Foreign Exchange Contracts - The Company measures the fair value of foreign exchange contracts based on dealer quotes, a Level 2 measurement.

 

Warrants - The Company measures the fair value of warrants based on unobservable inputs based on assumptions and management judgment, a Level 3 measurement.

 

Interest Rate Swaps - Fair value of interest rate swaps is derived from third party models with observable market data, a Level 2 measurement.

 

Assets measured at estimated fair value on a non-recurring basis:

 

Certain assets or liabilities are required to be measured at estimated fair value on a nonrecurring basis subsequent to initial recognition. Generally, these adjustments are the result of lower-of-cost-or-fair value or other impairment write-downs of individual assets. In determining the estimated fair values during the period, the Company determined that substantially all the changes in estimated fair value were due to declines in market conditions versus instrument specific credit risk. For the periods ended September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were no material adjustments to fair value for the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

 

The following tables present the Company’s hierarchy for its assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019:

 

  

September 30, 2020

     
  

Fair Value Measurements Using

  

Total Fair Value

 
  

Level 1

  

Level 2

  

Level 3

  

Measurements

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Assets

                

Securities available-for-sale

                

U.S. Treasury securities

 $99,980  $  $  $99,980 

U.S. government agency entities

     104,596      104,596 

Mortgage-backed securities

     729,244      729,244 

Collateralized mortgage obligations

     211      211 

Corporate debt securities

     146,509      146,509 

Total securities available-for-sale

 $99,980  $980,560  $  $1,080,540 
                 

Equity securities

                

Mutual funds

 $6,430  $  $  $6,430 

Preferred stock of government sponsored entities

  5,522         5,522 

Other equity securities

  11,012         11,012 

Total equity securities

 $22,964  $  $  $22,964 
                 

Warrants

 $  $  $20  $20 

Interest rate swaps

     3,992      3,992 

Foreign exchange contracts

     3,236      3,236 

Total assets

 $122,944  $987,788  $20  $1,110,752 
                 

Liabilities

                

Option contracts

 $  $6  $  $6 

Interest rate swaps

     31,525      31,525 

Foreign exchange contracts

     1,592      1,592 

Total liabilities

 $  $33,123  $  $33,123 

 

 

  

December 31, 2019

     
  

Fair Value Measurements Using

  

Total Fair Value

 
  

Level 1

  

Level 2

  

Level 3

  

Measurements

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Assets

                

Securities available-for-sale

                

U.S. Treasury securities

 $74,936  $  $  $74,936 

U.S. government agency entities

     90,796      90,796 

U.S. government sponsored entities

     224,443      224,443 

Mortgage-backed securities

     887,790      887,790 

Collateralized mortgage obligations

     552      552 

Corporate debt securities

     173,325      173,325 

Total securities available-for-sale

 $74,936  $1,376,906  $  $1,451,842 
                 

Equity securities

                

Mutual funds

 $6,277  $  $  $6,277 

Preferred stock of government sponsored entities

  10,529         10,529 

Other equity securities

  11,199         11,199 

Total equity securities

 $28,005  $  $  $28,005 
                 

Warrants

 $  $  $39  $39 

Interest rate swaps

     2,181      2,181 

Foreign exchange contracts

     2,411      2,411 

Total assets

 $102,941  $1,381,498  $39  $1,484,478 
                 

Liabilities

                

Option contracts

 $  $7  $  $7 

Interest rate swaps

     14,229      14,229 

Foreign exchange contracts

     1,415      1,415 

Total liabilities

 $  $15,651  $  $15,651 

 

 

The Company measured the fair value of its warrants on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs. The fair value adjustment of warrants was included in other operating income in the first nine months of 2020. The significant unobservable inputs in the Black-Scholes option pricing model for the fair value of warrants are their expected life ranging from 1 to 6 years, risk-free interest rate from 0.23% to 0.66%, and stock volatility from 16.58% to 25.50%.

 

For financial assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis that were still reflected in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2020, the following tables set forth the level of valuation assumptions used to determine each adjustment, the carrying value of the related individual assets as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, and the total losses for the periods indicated:

 

  

As of September 30, 2020

  

Total Losses

 
  

Fair Value Measurements Using

  

Total Fair Value

  

For the Three Months Ended

  

For the Nine Months Ended

 
  

Level 1

  

Level 2

  

Level 3

  

Measurements

  

September 30, 2020

  

September 30, 2019

  

September 30, 2020

  

September 30, 2019

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Assets

                                

Impaired loans by type:

                                

Commercial loans

 $  $  $13,167  $13,167  $6,950  $  $6,950  $ 

Commercial mortgage loans

        30,437   30,437             

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

        5,705   5,705             

Total impaired loans

        49,309   49,309   6,950      6,950    

Loans held-for-sale

                 120      120 

Other real estate owned (1)

     905   4,238   5,143         717   494 

Investments in venture capital and private company stock

        1,381   1,381   3   83   107   101 

Total assets

 $  $905  $54,928  $55,833  $6,953  $203  $7,774  $715 

 

(1) Other real estate owned balance of $4.9 million in the condensed consolidated balance sheet is net of estimated disposal costs.

 

 

  

As of December 31, 2019

  

Total Losses/(Gains)

 
  

Fair Value Measurements Using

  

Total Fair Value

  

For the Twelve Months Ended

 
  

Level 1

  

Level 2

  

Level 3

  

Measurements

  

December 31, 2019

  

December 31, 2018

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Assets

                        

Impaired loans by type:

                        

Commercial loans

 $  $  $6,196  $6,196  $  $ 

Commercial mortgage loans

        25,566   25,566       

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

        5,320   5,320       

Total impaired loans

        37,082   37,082       

Other real estate owned (1)

     6,490   4,343   10,833   681   (619)

Investments in venture capital and private company stock

        1,604   1,604   167   330 

Total assets

 $  $6,490  $43,029  $49,519  $848  $(289)

 

(1) Other real estate owned balance of $10.2 million in the Consolidated Balance Sheets is net of estimated disposal costs.

 

The significant unobservable (Level 3) inputs used in the fair value measurement of collateral for collateral-dependent impaired loans are primarily based on the appraised value of collateral adjusted by estimated sales cost and commissions. The Company generally obtains new appraisal reports every twelve months as appropriate. As the Company’s primary objective in the event of default would be to monetize the collateral to settle the outstanding balance of the loan, less marketable collateral would receive a larger discount. In the current year, the Company used borrower specific collateral discounts with various discount levels.

 

 

The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement of other real estate owned (“OREO”) are primarily based on the appraised value of OREO adjusted by estimated sales cost and commissions. The Company applies estimated sales cost and commissions ranging from 3% to 6% of the collateral value of impaired loans, quoted price, or loan sale price of loans held for sale, and appraised value of OREO.

 

 

14. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

The Company uses the following methods and assumptions to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instruments.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents - For cash and cash equivalents, the carrying amount is assumed to be a reasonable estimate of fair value, a Level 1 measurement.

 

Short-term Investments and interest-bearing deposits - For short-term investments and interest-bearing deposits, the carrying amount is assumed to be a reasonable estimate of fair value, a Level 1 measurement.

 

Securities Available for Sale - For certain U.S. Treasury securities, the Company measures the fair value based on quoted market prices in active exchange markets at the reporting date, a Level 1 measurement. The Company also measures securities by using quoted market prices for similar securities or dealer quotes, a Level 2 measurement. This category generally includes U.S. Government agency securities, U.S. Government sponsored entities, state and municipal securities, mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”), collateralized mortgage obligations and corporate bonds.

 

Equity Securities The Company measures the fair value based on quoted market prices in active exchange markets at the reporting date, a level 1 measurement. Equity securities are comprised of mutual funds, preferred stock of government-sponsored entities and other equity securities.

 

Loans - Fair values are estimated for portfolios of loans with similar financial characteristics. Each loan category is further segmented into fixed and adjustable rate interest terms and by performing and non-performing categories. The fair values are based primarily on third-party vendor pricing to determine fair values based on the exit price notion.

 

The fair value of performing loans is calculated by discounting scheduled cash flows through the estimated maturity using estimated market discount rates that reflect the credit and interest rate risk inherent in the loan, a Level 3 measurement.

 

The fair value of impaired loans is calculated based on the net realizable fair value of the collateral or the observable market price of the most recent sale or quoted price from loans held for sale. The Company does not record loans at fair value on a recurring basis. Nonrecurring fair value adjustments to collateral dependent impaired loans are recorded based on the current appraised value or adjusted appraised value of the collateral, a Level 2 or Level 3 measurement.

 

Loans Held-for-Sale The Company records loans held for sale at fair value based on quoted prices from third party sale analysis, existing sale agreements, or appraisal reports adjusted by sales commission assumption, a Level 3 measurement.

 

FHLB Stock - These securities can only be redeemed or sold at their par value and only to the respective issuing government-supported institution or to another member institution. Management considers these non-marketable equity securities to be long-term investments. Accordingly, when evaluating these securities for impairment, management considers the ultimate recoverability of the par value rather than recognizing temporary declines in value.     

 

 

Deposit Liabilities - The fair value of demand deposits, savings accounts, and certain money market deposits is assumed to be the amount payable on demand at the reporting date. The fair value of fixed-maturity certificates of deposit is estimated using the rates currently offered for deposits with similar remaining maturities, a Level 3 measurement.

 

Advances from FHLB - The fair value of the advances is based on quotes from the FHLB to settle the advances, a Level 2 measurement.

 

Short-term and Other Borrowings - This category includes borrowings from other financial institutions.  The fair value of other borrowings is calculated by discounting scheduled cash flows through the estimated maturity using estimated market discount rates that reflect the credit and interest rate risk, a Level 3 measurement. 

 

Long-term Debt - The fair value of long-term debt is estimated based on the quoted market prices or dealer quotes, a Level 2 measurement.

 

Currency Option and Foreign Exchange Contracts - The Company measures the fair value of currency option and foreign exchange contracts based on dealer quotes, a Level 2 measurement.

 

Interest Rate Swaps - Fair value of interest rate swaps is derived from third party models with observable market data, a Level 2 measurement.

 

Off-Balance-Sheet Financial Instruments - The fair value of commitments to extend credit, standby letters of credit, and financial guarantees written is estimated using the fees currently charged to enter into similar agreements, taking into account the remaining terms of the agreements and the present creditworthiness of the counterparties. The fair value of guarantees and letters of credit is based on fees currently charged for similar agreements or on the estimated cost to terminate them or otherwise settle the obligations with the counterparties at the reporting date. The fair value of off-balance-sheet financial instruments is based on the assumptions that a market participant would use, a Level 3 measurement.

 

Fair value is estimated in accordance with ASC Topic 825. Fair value estimates are made at specific points in time, based on relevant market information and information about the financial instrument. These estimates do not reflect any premium or discount that could result from offering for sale at one time the Bank’s entire holdings of a particular financial instrument. Because no market exists for a significant portion of the Bank’s financial instruments, fair value estimates are based on judgments regarding future expected loss experience, current economic conditions, risk characteristics of various financial instruments, and other factors. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and therefore cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates.

 

 

The following table sets forth the carrying and notional amounts and estimated fair value of financial instruments as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019:

 

  

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

 
  

Carrying

      

Carrying

     
  

Amount

  

Fair Value

  

Amount

  

Fair Value

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Financial Assets

                

Cash and due from banks

 $128,896  $128,896  $177,240  $177,240 

Short-term investments

  1,305,170   1,305,170   416,538   416,538 

Securities available-for-sale

  1,080,540   1,080,540   1,451,842   1,451,842 

Loans, net

  15,382,439   16,030,529   14,951,631   15,444,752 

Equity securities

  22,964   22,964   28,005   28,005 

Investment in Federal Home Loan Bank stock

  17,250   17,250   18,090   18,090 

Warrants

  20   20   39   39 

 

   

Notional

      

Notional

     
   

Amount

  

Fair Value

  

Amount

  

Fair Value

 

Foreign exchange contracts

 $107,071  $3,236  $146,397  $2,411 

Interest rate swaps

  72,717   3,992   130,401   2,181 

 

  

Carrying

      

Carrying

     
  

Amount

  

Fair Value

  

Amount

  

Fair Value

 

Financial Liabilities

                

Deposits

 $16,034,248  $16,061,257  $14,692,308  $14,719,452 

Short-term borrowings

        25,683   25,683 

Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank

  230,000   238,509   670,000   674,530 

Other borrowings

  23,788   19,550   36,666   30,764 

Long-term debt

  119,136   64,296   119,136   76,058 

 

   

Notional

      

Notional

     
   

Amount

  

Fair Value

  

Amount

  

Fair Value

 

Option contracts

 $850  $6  $908  $7 

Foreign exchange contracts

  160,489   1,592   127,003   1,415 

Interest rate swaps

  686,785   31,525   602,291   14,229 

 

  

Notional

      

Notional

     
  

Amount

  

Fair Value

  

Amount

  

Fair Value

 

Off-Balance Sheet Financial Instruments

                

Commitments to extend credit

 $3,033,685  $(8,847) $3,077,081  $(9,826)

Standby letters of credit

  255,173   (1,647)  282,352   (2,431)

Other letters of credit

  24,591   (21)  22,209   (20)

Bill of lading guarantees

  221      319   (1)

 

 

The following tables set forth the level in the fair value hierarchy for the estimated fair values of financial instruments as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

 

  

As of September 30, 2020

 
  

Estimated

             
  

Fair Value

             
  

Measurements

  

Level 1

  

Level 2

  

Level 3

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Financial Assets

                

Cash and due from banks

 $128,896  $128,896  $  $ 

Short-term investments

  1,305,170   1,305,170       

Securities available-for-sale

  1,080,540   99,980   980,560    

Loans, net

  16,030,529         16,030,529 

Equity securities

  22,964   22,964       

Investment in Federal Home Loan Bank stock

  17,250      17,250    

Warrants

  20         20 

Financial Liabilities

                

Deposits

  16,061,257         16,061,257 

Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank

  238,509      238,509    

Other borrowings

  19,550         19,550 

Long-term debt

  64,296      64,296    

 

  

As of December 31, 2019

 
  

Estimated

             
  

Fair Value

             
  

Measurements

  

Level 1

  

Level 2

  

Level 3

 
  

(In thousands)

 

Financial Assets

                

Cash and due from banks

 $177,240  $177,240  $  $ 

Short-term investments

  416,538   416,538       

Securities available-for-sale

  1,451,842   74,936   1,376,906    

Loans, net

  15,444,752         15,444,752 

Equity securities

  28,005   28,005       

Investment in Federal Home Loan Bank stock

  18,090      18,090    

Warrants

  39         39 

Financial Liabilities

                

Deposits

  14,719,452         14,719,452 

Short-term borrowings

  25,683         25,683 

Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank

  674,530      674,530    

Other borrowings

  30,764         30,764 

Long-term debt

  76,058      76,058    

 

 

15. Goodwill and Goodwill Impairment

 

The Company’s policy is to assess goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis or between annual assessments if a triggering event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount.  Impairment is the condition that exists when the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value.  

 

During the third quarter of 2020, the Company assessed its goodwill for impairment. The Company performed an assessment of the criteria included in ASC 350 and, based on such assessment, the Company concluded that the goodwill of the Company’s two reporting units is not impaired.

 

 

 

16. Financial Derivatives

 

It is our policy not to speculate on the future direction of interest rates. However, from time to time, we may enter into financial derivatives in order to seek mitigation of exposure to interest rate risks related to our interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. We believe that these transactions, when properly structured and managed, may provide a hedge against inherent interest rate risk in our assets or liabilities and against risk in specific transactions. In such instances, we may enter into interest rate swap contracts or other types of financial derivatives. Prior to considering any hedging activities, we seek to analyze the costs and benefits of the hedge in comparison to other viable alternative strategies. All hedges must be approved by the Bank’s Investment Committee.

 

The Company follows ASC Topic 815 that establishes accounting and reporting standards for financial derivatives, including certain financial derivatives embedded in other contracts, and hedging activities. It requires the recognition of all financial derivatives as assets or liabilities in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and measurement of those financial derivatives at fair value. The accounting treatment of changes in fair value is dependent upon whether or not a financial derivative is designated as a hedge and, if so, the type of hedge. Fair value is determined using third-party models with observable market data. For derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, changes in fair value are recognized in other comprehensive income and are reclassified to earnings when the hedged transaction is reflected in earnings. For derivatives designated as fair value hedges, changes in the fair value of the derivatives are reflected in current earnings, together with changes in the fair value of the related hedged item if there is a highly effective correlation between changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps and changes in the fair value of the underlying asset or liability that is intended to be hedged. If there is not a highly effective correlation between changes in the fair value of the interest rate swap and changes in the fair value of the underlying asset or liability that is intended to be hedged, then only the changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps are reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

The Company offers various interest rate derivative contracts to its customers. When derivative transactions are executed with its customers, the derivative contracts are offset by paired trades with third-party financial institutions including with central counterparties (“CCP”). Certain derivative contracts entered with CCPs are settled-to-market daily to the extent the CCP’s rulebooks legally characterize the variation margin as settlement. Derivative contracts are intended to allow borrowers to lock in attractive intermediate and long-term fixed rate financing while not increasing the interest rate risk to the Company. These transactions are generally not linked to specific Company assets or liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets or to forecasted transactions in a hedging relationship and, therefore, are economic hedges. The contracts are marked to market at each reporting period. The changes in fair values of the derivative contracts traded with third-party financial institutions are expected to be largely comparable to the changes in fair values of the derivative transactions executed with customers throughout the terms of these contracts, except for the credit valuation adjustment component.  The Company records credit valuation adjustments on derivatives to properly reflect the variances of credit worthiness between the Company and the counterparties, considering the effects of enforceable master netting agreements and collateral arrangements.

 

 

In May 2014, the Bancorp entered into interest rate swap contracts in the notional amount of $119.1 million for a period of ten years. The objective of these interest rate swap contracts, which were designated as hedging instruments in cash flow hedges, was to hedge the quarterly interest payments on the Bancorp’s $119.1 million of Junior Subordinated Debentures that had been issued to five trusts, throughout the ten-year period beginning in June 2014 and ending in June 2024, from the risk of variability of these payments resulting from changes in the three-month LIBOR interest rate. As of September 30, 2020, and 2019, the ineffective portion of these interest rate swaps was not significant. The notional amount and net unrealized loss of the Company’s cash flow derivative financial instruments as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

  

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

 

Cash flow swap hedges:

 

($ in thousands)

 

Notional

 $119,136  $119,136 

Weighted average fixed rate-pay

  2.61%  2.61%

Weighted average variable rate-receive

  0.51%  2.26%
         

Unrealized loss, net of taxes (1)

 $(7,393) $(3,412)

 

  

Three months ended

  

Nine months ended

 
  

September 30, 2020

  

September 30, 2019

  

September 30, 2020

  

September 30, 2019

 

Periodic net settlement of swaps (2)

 $702  $78  $1,471  $41 

 

(1)-Included in other comprehensive income.

(2)-the amount of periodic net settlement of interest rate swaps was included in interest expense.

 

As of September 30, 2020, the Bank’s outstanding interest rate swap contracts had a notional amount of $494.9 million for various terms from three to ten years. The Bank entered into these interest rate swap contracts that are matched to individual fixed-rate commercial real estate loans in the Bank’s loan portfolio. These contracts have been designated as hedging instruments to hedge the risk of changes in the fair value of the underlying commercial real estate loans due to changes in interest rates. The swap contracts are structured so that the notional amounts reduce over time to match the contractual amortization of the underlying loan and allow prepayments with the same pre-payment penalty amounts as the related loan. As of September 30, 2020, and 2019, the ineffective portion of these interest rate swaps was not significant. The notional amount and net unrealized loss of the Company’s fair value derivative financial instruments as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

  

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

 

Fair value swap hedges:

 

($ in thousands)

 

Notional

 $494,932  $579,584 

Weighted average fixed rate-pay

  4.57%  4.71%

Weighted average variable rate spread

  1.90%  2.62%

Weighted average variable rate-receive

  3.27%  4.87%
         

Net unrealized loss (1)

 $(17,037) $(7,205)

 

  

Three months ended

 

Nine months ended

  

September 30, 2020

September 30, 2019

 

September 30, 2020

September 30, 2019

Periodic net settlement of SWAPs (2)

 

$ (2,510)

$ 205

 

$ (5,307)

$ 1,352

 

(1)-the amount is included in other non-interest income.

(2)-the amount of periodic net settlement of interest rate swaps was included in interest income.

 

The Company has designated as a partial-term hedging election $25.0 million of a pool of loans with a notational value of $44.7 million as of September 30, 2020. The loans are not expected to be affected by prepayment, defaults, or other factors affecting the timing and amount of cash flows under the last-of-layer method. The Company has entered into a pay-fixed and receive 1-Month LIBOR interest rate swap to convert the last-of-layer $25.0 million portion of a $44.7 million fixed rate loan tranche in order to reduce the Company’s exposure to higher interest rates for the last-of-layer tranche. As of September 30, 2020, the last-of-layer loan tranche had a fair value basis adjustment of $397 thousand. The interest rate swap converts this last-of-layer tranche into a floating rate instrument. The Company’s risk management objective with respect to this last-of-layer interest rate swap is to reduce interest rate exposure as to the last-of-layer tranche.

 

 

Interest rate swap contracts involve the risk of dealing with institutional derivative counterparties and their ability to meet contractual terms. Institutional counterparties must have a strong credit profile and be approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company’s credit exposure on interest rate swaps is limited to the net favorable value and interest payments of all swaps by each counterparty. Credit exposure may be reduced by the amount of collateral pledged by the counterparty. The Bancorp’s interest rate swaps have been assigned by the counterparties to a derivative clearing organization and daily margin is indirectly maintained with the derivative clearing organization. Cash posted as collateral by the Bancorp related to derivative contracts totaled $13.2 million as of September 30, 2020 and $7.1 million as of December 31, 2019.

 

The Company from time to time enters into foreign exchange forward contracts with various counterparties to mitigate the risk of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates for foreign exchange certificates of deposit or foreign exchange contracts entered into with our clients. These contracts are not designated as hedging instruments and are recorded at fair value in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Changes in the fair value of these contracts as well as the related foreign exchange certificates of deposit and foreign exchange contracts are recognized immediately in net income as a component of non-interest income. Period end gross positive fair values are recorded in other assets and gross negative fair values are recorded in other liabilities. The notional amount and fair value of the Company’s derivative financial instruments not designated as hedging instruments as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

  

December 31, 2019

 

Derivative financial instruments not designated as hedging instruments:

 

($ in thousands)

 

Notional amounts:

        

Option contracts

 $850  $908 

Spot, forward, and swap contracts with positive fair value

 $107,071  $146,397 

Spot, forward, and swap contracts with negative fair value

 $160,489  $127,003 

Fair value:

        

Option contracts

 $(6) $(7)

Spot, forward, and swap contracts with positive fair value

 $3,236  $2,411 

Spot, forward, and swap contracts with negative fair value

 $(1,592) $(1,415)

 

39

 

 

17. Balance Sheet Offsetting

 

Certain financial instruments, including resell and repurchase agreements, securities lending arrangements and derivatives, may be eligible for offset in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and/or subject to master netting arrangements or similar agreements. The Company’s securities sold with agreements to repurchase and derivative transactions with upstream financial institution counterparties are generally executed under International Swaps and Derivative Association master agreements that include “right of set-off” provisions. In such cases, there is generally a legally enforceable right to offset recognized amounts and there may be an intention to settle such amounts on a net basis. Nonetheless, the Company does not generally offset such financial instruments for financial reporting purposes.

 

Financial instruments that are eligible for offset in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, are set forth in the following table:

 

              

Gross Amounts Not Offset in the
Balance Sheet

 
                         
  

Gross

Amounts

Recognized

  

Gross Amounts

Offset in the

Balance Sheet

  

Net Amounts

Presented in the

Balance Sheet

  

Financial

Instruments

  

Collateral

Posted

  

Net Amount

 

September 30, 2020

 

(In thousands)

 

Assets:

                        

Derivatives

 $3,992  $  $3,992  $  $  $3,992 
                         

Liabilities:

                        

Derivatives

 $31,525  $(20,247) $11,278  $  $  $11,278 
                         

December 31, 2019

                        

Assets:

                        

Derivatives

 $2,181  $  $2,181  $  $  $2,181 
                         

Liabilities:

                        

Derivatives

 $14,229  $  $14,229  $  $(14,229) $ 

 

 

 

18. Revenue from Contracts with Customers

 

The following is a summary of revenue from contracts with customers that are in-scope and not in-scope under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers:

 

  

Three months Ended September 30,

  

Nine months Ended September 30,

 
  

2020

  

2019

  

2020

  

2019

 
  

(In thousands)

         

Non-interest income, in-scope:

                

Fees and service charges on deposit accounts

 $2,018  $1,892  $5,945  $5,940 

Wealth management fees

  2,628   2,049   7,974   6,258 

Other service fees(1)

  3,676   3,645   10,038   10,593 

Total noninterest income

  8,322   7,586   23,957   22,791 
                 

Noninterest income, not in-scope(2)

  1,655   2,802   7,412   13,312 

Total noninterest income

 $9,977  $10,388  $31,369  $36,103 

 

 

(1) Other service fees comprise of fees related to letters of credit, wire fees, fees on foreign exchange transactions and other immaterial individual revenue streams.

 

(2) These amounts primarily represent revenue from contracts with customers that are out of the scope of ASC 606.

 

The major revenue streams by fee type that are within the scope of ASC 606 presented in the above tables are described in additional detail below:

 

Fees and Services Charges on Deposit Accounts

 

Fees and service charges on deposit accounts include charges for analysis, overdraft, cash checking, ATM, and safe deposit activities executed by our deposit clients, as well as interchange income earned through card payment networks for the acceptance of card based transactions. Fees earned from our deposit clients are governed by contracts that provide for overall custody and access to deposited funds and other related services and can be terminated at will by either party. Fees received from deposit clients for the various deposit activities are recognized as revenue by the Company once the performance obligations are met.

 

Wealth Management Fees

 

The Company employs financial consultants to provide investment planning services for customers including wealth management services, asset allocation strategies, portfolio analysis and monitoring, investment strategies, and risk management strategies. The fees the Company earns are variable and are generally received monthly by the Company. The Company recognizes revenue for the services performed at quarter end based on actual transaction details received from the broker dealer the Company engages.

 

Practical Expedients and Exemptions

 

The Company applies the practical expedient in ASC 606-10-50-14 and does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations as the Company’s contracts with customers generally have a term that is less than one year, are open-ended with a cancellation period that is less than one year, or allow the Company to recognize revenue in the amount to which the Company has the right to invoice.

 

In addition, given the short term nature of the contracts, the Company also applies the practical expedient in ASC 606-10-32-18 and does not adjust the consideration from customers for the effects of a significant financing component, if at contract inception the period between when the entity transfers the goods or services and when the customer pays for that good or service is one year or less.

 

 

 

19. Stockholders’ Equity

 

Total equity was $2.37 billion as of September 30, 2020, an increase of $80.4 million, from $2.29 billion as of December 31, 2019, primarily due to net income of $158.0 million, increases in other comprehensive income of $4.1 million, and proceeds from dividend reinvestment of $2.6 million, and partially offset by common stock cash dividends of $74.0 million and repurchases of the Company’s common stock of $12.9 million.

 

Activity in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, and reclassification out of accumulated other comprehensive income for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2020, and September 30, 2019, was as follows:

 

  

Three months ended September 30, 2020

  

Three months ended September 30, 2019

 
  

Pre-tax

  

Tax expense/ (benefit)

  

Net-of-tax

  

Pre-tax

  

Tax expense/ (benefit)

  

Net-of-tax

 

Beginning balance, gain/(loss), net of tax

 

(In thousands)

 

Securities available-for-sale

      $16,278          $2,209 

Cash flow hedge derivatives

       (7,925)          (3,567)

Total

         $8,353          $(1,358)
                         

Net unrealized (losses)/gains arising during the period

                        

Securities available-for-sale

 $(3,543) $(1,047) $(2,496) $1,750  $517  $1,233 

Cash flow hedge derivatives

  755   223   532   (1,126)  (333)  (793)

Total

 $(2,788) $(824) $(1,964) $624  $184  $440 
                         

Reclassification adjustment for net (gains)/losses in net income

                       

Securities available-for-sale

           121   36   85 

Cash flow hedge derivatives

                  

Total

           121   36   85 
                         

Total other comprehensive (loss)/income

                        

Securities available-for-sale 

 $(3,543) $(1,047) $(2,496) $1,871  $553  $1,318 

Cash flow hedge derivatives 

  755   223   532   (1,126)  (333)  (793)

Total

 $(2,788) $(824) $(1,964) $745  $220  $525 
                         

Ending balance, gain/(loss), net of tax

                        

Securities available-for-sale 

      $13,782          $3,527 

Cash flow hedge derivatives 

       (7,393)          (4,360)

Total

         $6,389          $(833)

 

 

  

Nine months ended September 30, 2020

  

Nine months ended September 30, 2019

 
  

Pre-tax

  

Tax expense/ (benefit)

  

Net-of-tax

  

Pre-tax

  

Tax expense/ (benefit)

  

Net-of-tax

 

Beginning balance, gain/(loss), net of tax

 

(In thousands)

 

Securities available-for-sale

      $5,714          $(17,765)

Cash flow hedge derivatives

       (3,412)          (241)

Total

         $2,302          $(18,006)
                         

Net unrealized gains/(losses) arising during the period

                        

Securities available-for-sale

 $12,607  $3,727  $8,880  $30,119  $8,903  $21,216 

Cash flow hedge derivatives

  (5,652)  (1,671)  (3,981)  (5,848)  (1,729)  (4,119)

Total

 $6,955  $2,056  $4,899  $24,271  $7,174  $17,097 
                         

Reclassification adjustment for net (gains)/losses in net income

                       

Securities available-for-sale

  (1,153)  (341)  (812)  108   32   76 

Cash flow hedge derivatives

                  

Total

  (1,153)  (341)  (812)  108   32   76 
                         

Total other comprehensive income/(loss)

                        

Securities available-for-sale

 $11,454  $3,386  $8,068  $30,227  $8,935  $21,292 

Cash flow hedge derivatives

  (5,652)  (1,671)  (3,981)  (5,848)  (1,729)  (4,119)

Total

 $5,802  $1,715  $4,087  $24,379  $7,206  $17,173 
                         

Ending balance, gain/(loss), net of tax

                        

Securities available-for-sale

      $13,782          $3,527 

Cash flow hedge derivatives

       (7,393)          (4,360)

Total

         $6,389          $(833)

 

 

 

20. Stock Repurchase Program

 

On May 7, 2019, the Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program to buy back up to $50.0 million of the Company’s common stock. In 2019, the Company repurchased 741,934 shares for $26.4 million, at an average cost of $35.59 per share under the May 2019 repurchase program. The Company repurchased 400,000 shares for $12.9 million, at an average cost of $32.20 per share under the May 2019 repurchase program in the three months ended March 31, 2020. No shares were repurchased under the may 2019 repurchase program during the three months ended June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020. As of September 30, 2020, the Company repurchased in the aggregate 1,141,934 shares for $39.3 million, at an average cost of $34.40 per share.

 

 

21. Subsequent Events

 

The Company has evaluated the effect of events that have occurred subsequent to September 30, 2020, through the date of issuance of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, and, based on such evaluation, the Company believes that there have been no material events during such period that would require recognition in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements or disclosure in the Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Between October 30, 2020 and November 4, 2020, the Company repurchased 120,000 shares for $2.9 million at an average cost of $24.19 and $7.8 million remain under the May 2019 stock repurchase program.

 

 

 

Item 2. MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

 

The following discussion is based on the assumption that the reader has access to and has read the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

The discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations are based upon its unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues, and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

 

Critical accounting policies involve significant judgments, assumptions and uncertainties and are essential to understanding the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. Management of the Company considers the following to be critical accounting policies:

 

Accounting for the allowance for loan losses involves significant judgments and assumptions by management, which have a material impact on, among other things, the carrying value of net loans. The judgments and assumptions used by management are based on historical experience and other factors, which are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances as described in “Allowance for Credit Losses” under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

Recent Developments: Impact of and Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

 

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in the United States and international economies and financial markets. The spread of COVID-19 in the United States has caused illness, quarantines, cancellation of events and travel, business and school shutdowns, reduction in commercial activity and financial transactions, supply chain interruptions, increased unemployment, and overall economic and financial market instability. Many states, including California, New York, Washington, Illinois, Texas, Massachusetts, Nevada and other states in which we have significant operations, have imposed restrictions on leisure, business, commercial and other activities and gatherings to seek to slow the spread of COVID-19.

 

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly heightened the level of challenges, risks and uncertainties facing our Company and its operations, including the following:

 

 

Market interest rates have declined significantly and these reductions, especially if prolonged, could adversely affect our net interest income, net interest margin and earnings.

 

 

We anticipate a potential slowdown in demand for our products and services, including the demand for traditional loans, although we believe the decline may be partially offset due to the new volume of PPP loans under the CARES Act and other governmental programs established in response to the pandemic.

 

 

The inability of our customers to meet their loan commitments due to job and other losses resulting from the pandemic could result in increased risk of delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, and declining collateral values, resulting in losses to our Company.

 

 

 

The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have created significant volatility and disruption in the financial markets, and these conditions may require us to recognize an elevated level of other than temporary impairments on investment securities in our portfolio as issues of these securities are negatively impacted by the economic slowdown. Declines in fair value of investment securities in our portfolio could also reduce the unrealized gains reported as part of our consolidated comprehensive income (loss).

 

Additional potential impacts arising from, and our anticipated responses to, the COVID-19 pandemic are set forth below. See also Item 1A Risk Factors.

 

Financial position and results of operations

 

Our financial position and results of operations as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic environment and uncertainty related to the pandemic, higher specific reserves for impaired loans and net charge-offs of $3.1 million during the third quarter contributed to a $62.5 million provision for credit losses recognized during the nine months ended September 30, 2020. While we have not yet experienced significant write-offs related to the COVID-19 pandemic as of September 30, 2020, the continued uncertainty regarding the severity and duration of the pandemic and related economic effects will continue to affect our estimate of our allowance for credit losses and resulting provision for credit losses. To the extent the impact of the pandemic is prolonged and economic conditions worsen or persist longer than forecast, such estimates may be insufficient and change significantly in the future. Our interest income may also be negatively impacted in future periods as we continue to work with our affected borrowers to defer payments, interest, and fees. Additionally, net interest margin may be reduced generally as a result of the low rate environment. These uncertainties and the economic environment will continue to affect earnings, slow growth, and may result in deterioration of asset quality in our loan and investment portfolios.

 

The below table details our exposure to borrowers in industries generally considered to be the most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic:

 

September 30, 2020

 

Industry (1)

 

Loan Balance

   

Percent of Total
Loan Portfolio

 
   

($ in millions)

 

Restaurants

  $ 166.1       1

%

Hotels/motels

    295.5       2  

Retail businesses/properties

    1,753.0       11  
    $ 2,214.6       14

%

 

(1)- Balances capture credit exposures in the business segments that manage the significant majority of industry relationships. Balances consist of commercial real estate secured loans where the collateral consist of restaurants, hotels/motels or have a retail dependency.

 

 

While we have not experienced disproportionate impacts among our business segments as of September 30, 2020, borrowers in the industries detailed in the table above (and potentially other industries) could have greater sensitivity to the economic downturn resulting from COVID-19 with potentially longer recovery periods than other business lines.

 

Loan and lease modifications

 

We began receiving requests from our borrowers for loan and lease deferrals in March following the onset of the pandemic. Modifications include the deferral of principal payments or the deferral of principal and interest payments for terms generally 90 - 180 days. Requests are evaluated individually, and approved modifications are based on the unique circumstances of each borrower. We are committed to working with our clients to allow time to work through the challenges of this pandemic. At this time, it is uncertain what future impact loan and lease modifications related to COVID-19 difficulties will have on our financial condition, results of operations and reserve for loan and lease losses.

 

As of September 30, 2020, COVID-19 modifications outstanding include 367, or $180.6 million, in residential mortgage loans, with a weighted average loan to value of 57.9% that represented 4.3% of the total residential mortgage portfolio and 24, or $64.6 million, in commercial loan balances that represented 2.3% of total commercial loans.

 

The CARES Act permits financial institutions to suspend requirements under GAAP for loan modifications to borrowers affected by COVID-19 and is intended to provide interpretive guidance as to conditions that would constitute a short-term modification that would not meet the definition of a TDR. This includes the following (i) the loan modification is made between March 1, 2020 and the earlier of December 31, 2020 or 60 days after the end of the coronavirus emergency declaration and (ii) the applicable loan was not more than 30 days past due as of December 31, 2019. The Company is applying this guidance to qualifying loan modifications and anticipates that it will continue to experience an increase in short-term modifications.

 

The following table shows COVID-19 CRE loan and lease modifications outstanding by property type as of September 30, 2020.

 

Property Type

 

# of Loan Deferrals Approved

   

Balance as of September 30, 2020

   

Total Category Balance

   

Weighted Avg LTV

 
   

($ in millions)

 

Hotel/Motel

    6     $ 39.1     $ 295.5       50 %

Retail

    23       161.0       1,753.0       52 %

Residential

    21       46.4       2,100.4       55 %

Warehouse

    3       18.0       900.0       48 %

Office & Comm'l Condo

    26       114.8       1,337.3       51 %

Theater

                25.0        

Special Use & HK Portfolio

    12       41.0       386.4       49 %

Industrial and Multi-Use

    3       5.0       391.8       48 %

Restaurant

    1       2.8       166.1        

Other

                103.8        

Total CRE

    95     $ 428.1     $ 7,459.3       52 %

 

 

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

 

As part of the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has been authorized to guarantee loans under the PPP through September 30, 2020 for small businesses who meet the necessary eligibility requirements in order to keep their workers on the payroll. One of the notable features of the PPP is that borrowers are eligible for loan forgiveness if borrowers, among other conditions, maintain their staff and payroll and if loan amounts are used to cover payroll, mortgage interest, rents and utilities payments. These loans have a two to five year term and earn interest at a rate of 1%. We began accepting applications on April 3, 2020. As of September 30, 2020, we had processed 1,437 PPP loans with a current balance of $265.7 million. PPP loans are guaranteed by the SBA and therefore we believe PPP loans generally do not represent a material credit risk.

 

Capital and liquidity

 

While we believe we have sufficient capital and do not anticipate any need for additional liquidity as of September 30, 2020, in response to the uncertainty regarding the severity and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared to take additional actions, as needed, to maintain strong capital levels and ensure the strength of our liquidity position. Such actions may include pledging additional collateral to increase our borrowing capacity with the FRB, if necessary. Our Board of Directors also will continue to evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the appropriateness of declaring future dividends and the rate of any future dividends as well as any stock repurchases, in light of our capital and liquidity needs.

 

Asset impairment

 

At this time, as of September 30, 2020, we do not believe there exists any impairment to our goodwill and intangible assets, long-lived assets, right of use assets, or available-for-sale investment securities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is uncertain whether prolonged effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will result in future impairment charges related to any of the aforementioned assets. Continued and sustained declines in Bancorp’s stock price and/or other credit related impacts could give rise to triggering events in the future that could result in a write-down in the value of our goodwill, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations.

 

Our processes, controls and business continuity plan

 

As a financial institution, we are considered an essential business and therefore continue to operate on a modified basis to comply with governmental restrictions and public health authority guidelines. The health and safety of our employees and customers is a major concern to our management. We are continuing to permit employees to work from home when feasible or, if working from one of our locations is required, to maintain appropriate social distancing and observe other health precautions. We have also taken such other actions as social distancing, restrictions on in-person meetings and conferences, Company travel restrictions and increased sanitary protocols. We believe these actions offer the best protection for our employees and customers, and enhance our ability to continue providing our banking services.

 

Through this time of disruption, we have remained open for business supporting our customers while implementing our business continuity plan to mitigate the risks of the spread of COVID-19 to our employees and customers. While physical access to our bank offices remains restricted, customer business is still being transacted through drive-up facilities, online, telephone or by appointment.

 

We believe that we are positioned to continue these business continuity measures for the foreseeable future, however, no assurances can be provided as these circumstances may change depending on the duration and severity of the pandemic.

 

 

Highlights

 

 

The net interest margin of 3.02% during the third quarter of 2020 is unchanged from the second quarter of 2020.

 

 

The provision for loan losses decreased to $12.5 million for the third quarter of 2020 compared to $25.0 million for the second quarter of 2020.

 

Quarterly Statement of Operations Review

 

Net Income

 

Net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, was $56.8 million, a decrease of $16.0 million, or 22.0%, compared to net income of $72.8 million for the same quarter a year ago. Diluted earnings per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 was $0.71 compared to $0.91 for the same quarter a year ago.

 

Return on average stockholders’ equity was 9.53% and return on average assets was 1.18% for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, compared to a return on average stockholders’ equity of 12.98% and a return on average assets of 1.65% for the same quarter a year ago.

 

Financial Performance

 

   

Three months ended

 
   

September 30, 2020

   

September 30, 2019

 

Net income (in millions)

  $ 56.8     $ 72.8  

Basic earnings per common share

  $ 0.71     $ 0.91  

Diluted earnings per common share

  $ 0.71     $ 0.91  

Return on average assets

    1.18 %     1.65 %

Return on average total stockholders' equity

    9.53 %     12.98 %

Efficiency ratio

    51.53 %     41.67 %

 

Net Interest Income Before Provision for Credit Losses

 

Net interest income before provision for credit losses decreased $9.5 million, or 6.5%, to $137.5 million during the third quarter of 2020, compared to $147.0 million during the same quarter a year ago. The decrease was due primarily to a decrease in interest income from loans and securities.

 

The net interest margin was 3.02% for the third quarter of 2020 compared to 3.56% for the third quarter of 2019 and 3.02% for the second quarter of 2020.

 

For the third quarter of 2020, the yield on average interest-earning assets was 3.78%, the cost of funds on average interest-bearing liabilities was 1.04%, and the cost of interest-bearing deposits was 0.99%. In comparison, for the third quarter of 2019, the yield on average interest-earning assets was 4.80%, the cost of funds on average interest-bearing liabilities was 1.65%, and the cost of interest-bearing deposits was 1.60%. The decrease in the yield on average interest-earning assets resulted mainly from lower rates on loans. The net interest spread, defined as the difference between the yield on average interest-earning assets and the cost of funds on average interest-bearing liabilities, was 2.74% for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, compared to 3.15% for the same quarter a year ago.

 

 

The following table sets forth information concerning average interest-earning assets, average interest-bearing liabilities, and the average yields and rates paid on those assets and liabilities for the three months ended September 30, 2020, and 2019. Average outstanding amounts included in the table are daily averages.

 

   

Interest-Earning Assets and Interest-Bearing Liabilities

 
   

Three months ended September 30,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 
           

Interest

   

Average

           

Interest

   

Average

 
   

Average

   

Income/

   

Yield/

   

Average

   

Income/

   

Yield/

 
   

Balance

   

Expense

   

Rate (1)(2)

   

Balance

   

Expense

   

Rate (1)(2)

 
   

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Interest-earning assets:

                                               

Total loans and leases (1)

  $ 15,592,536     $ 167,556       4.28 %   $ 14,662,847     $ 187,827       5.08 %

Investment securities

    1,145,092       4,115       1.43       1,498,569       8,687       2.30  

Federal Home Loan Bank stock

    17,250       216       4.99       17,250       301       6.92  

Interest-bearing deposits

    1,385,535       347       0.10       188,772       1,016       2.14  

Total interest-earning assets

    18,140,413       172,234       3.78       16,367,438       197,831       4.80  

Non-interest earning assets:

                                               

Cash and due from banks

    136,671                       204,974                  

Other non-earning assets

    1,064,371                       1,037,937                  

Total non-interest earning assets

    1,201,042                       1,242,911                  

Less: Allowance for loan losses

    (172,225 )                     (125,399 )                

Deferred loan fees

    (5,010 )                     (1,574 )                

Total assets

  $ 19,164,220                     $ 17,483,376                  
                                                 

Interest-bearing liabilities:

                                               

Interest-bearing demand accounts

  $ 1,695,882     $ 724       0.17 %   $ 1,281,629     $ 589       0.18 %

Money market accounts

    3,119,091       4,833       0.62       2,028,039       5,684       1.11  

Savings accounts

    766,521       204       0.11       726,763       354       0.19  

Time deposits

    7,281,403       26,247       1.43       7,623,238       40,378       2.10  

Total interest-bearing deposits

    12,862,897       32,008       0.99       11,659,669       47,005       1.60  
                                                 

Other borrowings

    263,306       1,266       1.91       362,698       1,878       2.05  

Long-term debt

    119,136       1,456       4.86       165,023       1,948       4.68  

Total interest-bearing liabilities

    13,245,339       34,730       1.04       12,187,390       50,831       1.65  
                                                 

Non-interest bearing liabilities:

                                               

Demand deposits

    3,301,253                       2,805,582                  

Other liabilities

    246,811                       263,813                  

Total equity

    2,370,817                       2,226,591                  

Total liabilities and equity

  $ 19,164,220                     $ 17,483,376                  
                                                 

Net interest spread

                    2.74 %                     3.15 %

Net interest income

          $ 137,504                     $ 147,000          

Net interest margin

                    3.02 %                     3.56 %
                                                 

 

(1) Yields and amounts of interest earned include loan fees. Non-accrual loans are included in the average balance.

(2) Calculated by dividing net interest income by average outstanding interest-earning assets.

 

 

The following table summarizes the changes in interest income and interest expense attributable to changes in volume and changes in interest rates for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019:

 

Taxable-Equivalent Net Interest Income — Changes Due to Volume and Rate(1)

   

Three months ended September 30,

2020-2019

Increase/(Decrease) in

Net Interest Income Due to:

 
   

Changes in Volume

   

Changes in Rate

   

Total Change

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Interest-earning assets:

                       

Loans and leases

  $ 11,100     $ (31,371 )   $ (20,271 )

Investment securities

    (1,756 )     (2,816 )     (4,572 )

Federal Home Loan Bank stock

          (85 )     (85 )

Deposits with other banks

    1,089       (1,758 )     (669 )

Total changes in interest income

    10,433       (36,030 )     (25,597 )
                         

Interest-bearing liabilities:

                       

Interest-bearing demand accounts

    178       (42 )     136  

Money market accounts

    2,283       (3,134 )     (851 )

Savings accounts

    18       (168 )     (150 )

Time deposits

    (1,748 )     (12,383 )     (14,131 )

Other borrowed funds

    (489 )     (123 )     (612 )

Long-term debt

    (562 )     70       (492 )

Total changes in interest expense

    (320 )     (15,780 )     (16,100 )

Changes in net interest income

  $ 10,753     $ (20,250 )   $ (9,497 )

 

(1)

Changes in interest income and interest expense attributable to changes in both volume and rate have been allocated proportionately to changes due to volume and changes due to rate.

 

 

Provision/(reversal) for credit losses

 

Based on a review of the appropriateness of the allowance for loan losses at September 30, 2020, the Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $12.5 million in third quarter of 2020 compared to a reversal for credit losses of $2.0 million in the third quarter of 2019. The provision for credit losses is primarily a result of the economic deterioration of the global economy resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. While we took steps to incorporate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic forecast and other factors utilized to determine our allowance for credit losses, if the economic forecast or other factors worsen relative to the assumptions we utilized, our allowance for credit losses will increase accordingly in future periods. The following table summarizes the charge-offs and recoveries for the periods indicated:

 

   

Three months ended September 30,

   

Nine months ended September 30,

 
   

2020

   

2019

   

2020

   

2019

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Charge-offs:

                               

Commercial loans

  $ 6,956     $ 3,356     $ 13,383     $ 6,300  

Total charge-offs

    6,956       3,356       13,383       6,300  

Recoveries:

                               

Commercial loans

    3,796       212       6,354       1,609  

Construction loans

          3,378             4,612  

Real estate loans (1)

    110       5,023       435       5,596  

Total recoveries

    3,906       8,613       6,789       11,817  

Net charge-offs/(recoveries)

  $ 3,050     $ (5,257 )   $ 6,594     $ (5,517 )

 

(1)

Real estate loans include commercial mortgage loans, residential mortgage loans, and equity lines.

 

 

Non-Interest Income

 

Non-interest income, which includes revenues from depository service fees, letters of credit commissions, equity securities gains (losses), wire transfer fees, and other sources of fee income, was $10.0 million for the third quarter of 2020, a decrease of $0.4 million, or 3.8%, compared to $10.4 million for the third quarter of 2019. The decrease was primarily due to a $2.0 million decrease in net gains from equity securities, and a decrease of $0.7 million from gain on sale of loans, offset in part by a $1.4 million increase in gain on low income housing investments, and a $0.6 million increase in wealth management fees, when compared to the same quarter a year ago.

 

Non-Interest Expense

 

Non-interest expense increased $10.4 million, or 15.9%, to $76.0 million in the third quarter of 2020, compared to $65.6 million in the same quarter a year ago. The increase was primarily due to an increase of $9.2 million in amortization expense of investments in low-income housing and alternative energy partnerships, an increase of $1.4 million in salaries and employee benefits and an increase of $1.0 million in provision for unfunded commitments offset, in part, by a decrease of $1.3 million in marketing expense, when compared to the same quarter a year ago. The efficiency ratio was 51.5% in the third quarter of 2020 compared to 41.7% for the same quarter a year ago.

 

Income Taxes

 

The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2020 was 3.7% compared to 22.4% for the third quarter of 2019. The effective tax rate was lower in 2020 due to the impact of higher tax credits from low-income housing and alternative energy investment tax credits.

 

Year-to-Date Statement of Operations Review

 

Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, was $158.0 million, a decrease of $53.8 million, or 25.4%, compared to net income of $211.8 million for the same period a year ago. Diluted earnings per share was $1.98 compared to $2.64 per share for the same period a year ago. The net interest margin for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, was 3.12% compared to 3.61% for the same period a year ago.

 

Return on average stockholders’ equity was 8.99% and return on average assets was 1.13% for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, compared to a return on average stockholders’ equity of 12.94% and a return on average assets of 1.65% for the same period a year ago. The efficiency ratio for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, was 46.98% compared to 43.87% for the same period a year ago.

 

 

The following table sets forth information concerning average interest-earning assets, average interest-bearing liabilities, and the average yields and rates paid on those assets and liabilities for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, and 2019. Average outstanding amounts included in the table are daily averages.

 

   

Interest-Earning Assets and Interest-Bearing Liabilities

 
   

Nine months ended September 30,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 
           

Interest

   

Average

           

Interest

   

Average

 
   

Average

   

Income/

   

Yield/

   

Average

   

Income/

   

Yield/

 
   

Balance

   

Expense

   

Rate (1)(2)

   

Balance

   

Expense

   

Rate (1)(2)

 
   

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Interest-earning assets:

                                               

Total loans and leases (1)

  $ 15,477,883     $ 513,575       4.43 %   $ 14,374,397     $ 548,395       5.10 %

Investment securities

    1,263,937       17,130       1.81       1,404,046       24,454       2.33  

Federal Home Loan Bank stock

    17,317       735       5.67       17,268       903       6.99  

Interest-bearing deposits

    894,302       1,538       0.23       245,971       4,289       2.33  

Total interest-earning assets

    17,653,439       532,978       4.03       16,041,682       578,041       4.82  

Non-interest earning assets:

                                               

Cash and due from banks

    149,777                       198,835                  

Other non-earning assets

    1,048,008                       1,038,009                  

Total non-interest earning assets

    1,197,785                       1,236,844                  

Less: Allowance for loan losses

    (148,437 )                     (123,854 )                

Deferred loan fees

    (1,787 )                     (1,476 )                

Total assets

  $ 18,701,000                     $ 17,153,196                  
                                                 

Interest-bearing liabilities:

                                               

Interest-bearing demand accounts

  $ 1,557,371     $ 2,176       0.19 %   $ 1,285,180     $ 1,773       0.18 %

Money market accounts

    2,772,463       16,712       0.81       1,933,898       14,754       1.02  

Savings accounts

    746,870       783       0.14       725,257       1,064       0.20  

Time deposits

    7,463,821       92,213       1.65       7,421,255       113,992       2.05  

Total interest-bearing deposits

    12,540,525       111,884       1.19       11,365,590       131,583       1.55  
                                                 

Other borrowings

    355,758       4,468       1.68       392,483       6,676       2.27  

Long-term debt

    119,136       4,336       4.86       172,567       6,087       4.72  

Total interest-bearing liabilities

    13,015,419       120,688       1.24       11,930,640       144,346       1.62  
                                                 

Non-interest bearing liabilities:

                                               

Demand deposits

    3,089,578                       2,790,367                  

Other liabilities

    249,954                       244,568                  

Total equity

    2,346,049                       2,187,621                  

Total liabilities and equity

  $ 18,701,000                     $ 17,153,196                  
                                                 

Net interest spread

                    2.79 %                     3.20 %

Net interest income

          $ 412,290                     $ 433,695          

Net interest margin

                    3.12 %                     3.61 %

 

(1)

Yields and amounts of interest earned include loan fees. Non-accrual loans are included in the average balance.

(2)

Calculated by dividing net interest income by average outstanding interest-earning assets.

 

 

The following table summarizes the changes in interest income and interest expense attributable to changes in volume and changes in interest rates:

 

Taxable-Equivalent Net Interest Income — Changes Due to Volume and Rate(1)

   

Nine months ended September 30,

2020-2019

Increase/(Decrease) in

Net Interest Income Due to:

 
   

Changes in Volume

   

Changes in Rate

   

Total Change

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Interest-earning assets:

                       

Loans and leases

  $ 40,381     $ (75,201 )   $ (34,820 )

Investment securities

    (2,267 )     (5,057 )     (7,324 )

Federal Home Loan Bank stock

    3       (170 )     (167 )

Deposits with other banks

    3,728       (6,479 )     (2,751 )

Total changes in interest income

    41,845       (86,907 )     (45,062 )
                         

Interest-bearing liabilities:

                       

Interest-bearing demand accounts

    382       22       404  

Money market accounts

    5,512       (3,555 )     1,957  

Savings accounts

    31       (312 )     (281 )

Time deposits

    656       (22,435 )     (21,779 )

Other borrowed funds

    (581 )     (1,627 )     (2,208 )

Long-term debt

    (1,935 )     183       (1,752 )

Total changes in interest expense

    4,065       (27,724 )     (23,659 )

Changes in net interest income

  $ 37,780     $ (59,183 )   $ (21,403 )

 

(1)

Changes in interest income and interest expense attributable to changes in both volume and rate have been allocated proportionately to changes due to volume and changes due to rate.

 

 

Non-Interest Income

 

Non-interest income, which includes revenues from depository service fees, letters of credit commissions, equity securities gains (losses), wire transfer fees, and other sources of fee income, was $31.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, a decrease of $4.7 million, or 13.0%, compared to $36.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily due to a $9.7 million decrease in net gains from equity securities, offset, in part, by an increase of $2.4 million in gain on low income housing investments, and increase of $1.1 million from the gain on sale of mortgage backed securities and an increase of $1.7 million from wealth management fees when compared to the same period a year ago.

 

Non-Interest Expense

 

Non-interest expense increased $2.3 million, or 1.1%, to $208.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, compared to $206.1 million for the same period a year ago. The increase was primarily due to an increase of $16.1 million in amortization expense of investments in low-income housing and alternative energy partnerships, offset, in part, by a $4.7 million decrease in salaries and employee benefits resulting from lower bonus accruals and an increase in salaries capitalized for loan originations, a decrease of $4.1 million in other real estate owned expense, a decrease of $1.7 million in marketing expense, a decrease of $1.6 million in professional services expense, and a decrease of $1.2 million in occupancy expense, when compared to the same period a year ago.

 

 

Income Taxes

 

The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was 8.6% compared to 20.3% for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. The effective tax rate was lower in 2020 due to the impact of higher tax credits from low-income housing and alternative energy investment tax credits.

 

Balance Sheet Review

 

Assets

 

Total assets were $19.0 billion as of September 30, 2020, an increase of $0.9 billion, or 5.0%, from $18.1 billion as of December 31, 2019, primarily due to an increase in short-term investments and loan growth offset in part by a decrease in investment securities.

 

Securities Available for Sale

 

Securities available-for-sale represented 5.7% of total assets as of September 30, 2020, compared to 8.0% of total assets as of December 31, 2019. Securities available-for-sale were $1.1 billion as of September 30, 2020, compared to $1.5 billion as of December 31, 2019.

 

The following tables set forth the amortized cost, gross unrealized gains, gross unrealized losses, and fair value of securities available-for-sale as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019:

 

   

September 30, 2020

 
           

Gross

   

Gross

         
   

Amortized

   

Unrealized

   

Unrealized

         
   

Cost

   

Gains

   

Losses

   

Fair Value

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Securities Available-for-Sale

                               

U.S. treasury securities

  $ 99,968     $ 12     $     $ 99,980  

U.S. government agency entities

    104,661       465       530       104,596  

Mortgage-backed securities

    709,756       20,045       557       729,244  

Collateralized mortgage obligations

    222             11       211  

Corporate debt securities

    146,368       288       147       146,509  

Total

  $ 1,060,975     $ 20,810     $ 1,245     $ 1,080,540  

 

 

   

December 31, 2019

 
           

Gross

   

Gross

         
   

Amortized

   

Unrealized

   

Unrealized

         
   

Cost

   

Gains

   

Losses

   

Fair Value

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Securities Available-for-Sale

                               

U.S. treasury securities

  $ 74,926     $ 10     $     $ 74,936  

U.S. government agency entities

    90,452       663       319       90,796  

U.S. government sponsored entities

    225,000             557       224,443  

Mortgage-backed securities

    880,040       8,574       824       887,790  

Collateralized mortgage obligations

    569             17       552  

Corporate debt securities

    172,743       605       23       173,325  

Total

  $ 1,443,730     $ 9,852     $ 1,740     $ 1,451,842  

 

 

For additional information, see Note 7 to the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

 

Securities available-for-sale having a carrying value of $18.6 million as of September 30, 2020, and $20.1 million as of December 31, 2019, were pledged to secure public deposits, other borrowings and treasury tax and loan.

 

Equity Securities

 

The Company recognized a net loss of $1.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020, due to the decrease in fair value of equity investments with readily determinable fair values compared to a net gain of $0.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019. The Company recognized a net loss of $1.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, due to the decrease in fair value of equity investments with readily determinable fair values compared to a net gain of $7.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. Equity securities were $23.0 million and $28.0 million as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

 

Loans

 

Gross loans were $15.6 billion at September 30, 2020, an increase of $490.3 million, or 3.3%, from $15.1 billion at December 31, 2019. The increase was primarily due to $265.7 million in Paycheck Protection Program Loans and increases of $184.1 million, or 2.5%, in commercial mortgage loans, $81.3 million, or 2.0%, in residential mortgage loans, $63.9 million, or 18.4%, in equity lines and $95.2 million, or 16.4%, in real estate construction loans offset, in part, by a decrease of $196.5 million, or 7.1%, in commercial loans not including Paycheck Protection Program Loans. The loan balances and composition at September 30, 2020, compared to December 31, 2019 are set forth below:

 

   

September 30, 2020

   

% of Gross Loans

   

December 31, 2019

   

% of Gross Loans

   

% Change

 
   

(Dollars in thousands)

 
                                         

Commercial loans

  $ 2,582,272       16.6 %   $ 2,778,744       18.4 %     (7.1 %)

Paycheck protection program loans

    265,728       1.7                   100.0  

Residential mortgage loans

    4,169,847       26.8       4,088,586       27.1       2.0  

Commercial mortgage loans

    7,459,316       47.9       7,275,262       48.3       2.5  

Real estate construction loans

    675,112       4.3       579,864       3.9       16.4  

Equity lines

    411,848       2.7       347,975       2.3       18.4  

Installment and other loans

    1,656       0.0       5,050       0.0       (67.2 )

Gross loans

  $ 15,565,779       100 %   $ 15,075,481       100 %     3.3 %

Allowance for loan losses

    (179,130 )             (123,224 )             45.4  

Unamortized deferred loan fees

    (4,210 )             (626 )             572.5  

Total loans, net

  $ 15,382,439             $ 14,951,631               2.9 %

 

 

Non-performing Assets

 

Non-performing assets include loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing interest, non-accrual loans, and other real estate owned (“OREO”). The Company’s policy is to place loans on non-accrual status if interest and/or principal is past due 90 days or more, or in cases where management deems the full collection of principal and interest unlikely. After a loan is placed on non-accrual status, any previously accrued but unpaid interest is reversed and charged against current income and subsequent payments received are generally first applied towards the outstanding principal balance of the loan. Depending on the circumstances, management may elect to continue the accrual of interest on certain past due loans if partial payment is received and/or the loan is well collateralized and in the process of collection. The loan is generally returned to accrual status when the borrower has brought the past due principal and interest payments current and, in the opinion of management, the borrower has demonstrated the ability to make future payments of principal and interest as scheduled.

 

 

Management reviews the loan portfolio regularly to seek to identify problem loans. From time to time during the ordinary course of business, management may become aware of borrowers that may not be able to meet the contractual requirements of their loan agreements. Such loans generally are placed under closer supervision with consideration given to placing the loans on non-accrual status, the need for an additional allowance for loan losses, and (if appropriate) partial or full charge-off.

 

The ratio of non-performing assets to total assets was 0.4% at September 30, 2020, compared to 0.3% at December 31, 2019. Total non-performing assets increased $27.8 million, or 48.6%, to $85.0 million at September 30, 2020, compared to $57.2 million at December 31, 2019, primarily due to an increase of $36.7 million, or 90.6%, in nonaccrual loans, offset, in part, by a decrease of $5.3 million, or 52.0%, in other real estate owned and a decrease of $3.5 million, or 55.2%, in accruing loans past due 90 days or more.

 

As a percentage of gross loans plus OREO, our non-performing assets was 0.55% as of September 30, 2020, compared to 0.38% as of December 31, 2019. The non-performing loan portfolio coverage ratio, defined as the allowance for credit losses to non-performing loans, decreased to 230.8% as of September 30, 2020, from 270.8% as of December 31, 2019.

 

The following table sets forth the changes in non-performing assets and troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”) as of September 30, 2020, compared to December 31, 2019, and to September 30, 2019:

 

   

September 30, 2020

   

December 31, 2019

   

% Change

   

September 30, 2019

   

% Change

 
   

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Non-performing assets

                                       

Accruing loans past due 90 days or more

  $ 2,868     $ 6,409       (55 )   $ 683       320  

Non-accrual loans:

                                       

Construction loans

    4,335       4,580       (5 )     4,629       (6 )

Commercial mortgage loans

    33,782       9,928       240       12,330       174  

Commercial loans

    29,757       19,381       54       22,970       30  

Residential mortgage loans

    9,317       6,634       40       7,271       28  

Total non-accrual loans

  $ 77,191     $ 40,523       90     $ 47,200       64  

Total non-performing loans

    80,059       46,932       71       47,883       67  

Other real estate owned

    4,918       10,244       (52 )     11,329       (57 )

Total non-performing assets

  $ 84,977     $ 57,176       49     $ 59,212       44  

Accruing troubled debt restructurings

  $ 28,587     $ 35,336       (19 )   $ 41,647       (31 )
                                         

Allowance for loan losses

  $ 179,130     $ 123,224       45     $ 125,908       42  
                                         

Total gross loans outstanding, at period-end (1)

  $ 15,565,779     $ 15,075,481       3     $ 14,728,554       6  
                                         

Allowance for loan losses to non-performing loans, at period-end (2)

    223.75 %     262.56 %             262.95 %        

Allowance for loan losses to gross loans, at period-end (1)

    1.15 %     0.82 %             0.85 %        

 

(1)

Excludes loans held for sale at period-end.

(2)

Excludes non-accrual loans held for sale at period-end.

 

Non-accrual Loans

 

At September 30, 2020, total non-accrual loans were $77.2 million, an increase of $36.7 million, or 90.6%, from $40.5 million at December 31, 2019, and an increase of $30.0 million, or 63.6%, from $47.2 million at September 30, 2019. The allowance for the collateral-dependent loans is calculated based on the difference between the outstanding loan balance and the value of the collateral as determined by recent appraisals, sales contracts, or other available market price information, less cost to sell. The allowance for collateral-dependent loans varies from loan to loan based on the collateral coverage of the loan at the time of designation as non-performing. We continue to monitor the collateral coverage of these loans, based on recent appraisals, on a quarterly basis and adjust the allowance accordingly. Non-accrual loans also include those TDRs that do not qualify for accrual status.

 

 

The following tables set forth the type of properties securing the non-accrual portfolio loans and the type of businesses the borrowers engaged in as of the dates indicated:

 

   

September 30, 2020

   

December 31, 2019

 
   

Real

           

Real

         
   

Estate (1)

   

Commercial

   

Estate (1)

   

Commercial

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Type of Collateral

                               

Single/multi-family residence

  $ 9,851     $ 9,290     $ 6,874     $ 9,475  

Commercial real estate

    37,583       338       14,268       1,603  

Personal property (UCC)

          20,129             8,303  

Total

  $ 47,434     $ 29,757     $ 21,142     $ 19,381  

 

(1)

Real estate includes commercial mortgage loans, real estate construction loans, residential mortgage loans and equity lines.

 

   

September 30, 2020

   

December 31, 2019

 
   

Real

           

Real

         
   

Estate (1)

   

Commercial

   

Estate (1)

   

Commercial

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Type of Business

                               

Real estate development

  $ 13,153     $     $ 14,305     $  

Wholesale/Retail

    25,134       8,516       637       9,684  

Import/Export

          7,306             4,697  

Other

    9,147       13,935       6,200       5,000  

Total

  $ 47,434     $ 29,757     $ 21,142     $ 19,381  

 

(1)

Real estate includes commercial mortgage loans, real estate construction loans, residential mortgage loans and equity lines.

 

Impaired Loans

 

We consider a loan to be impaired when it is probable that we will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement based on current circumstances and events. The assessment for impairment occurs when and while such loans are on non-accrual as a result of delinquency status of over 90 days or our receipt of information otherwise indicating that full collection of principal is doubtful, or when the loan has been restructured in a TDRs. Those loans with a balance less than our defined selection criteria, generally a loan amount less than $500 thousand, are treated as a homogeneous portfolio. If loans meeting the defined criteria are not collateral dependent, we measure the impairment based on the present value of the expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate. If loans meeting the defined criteria are collateral dependent, we measure the impairment by using the loan’s observable market price or the fair value of the collateral. We generally obtain an appraisal to determine the amount of impairment at the date that the loan becomes impaired. The appraisals are generally based on “as is” or bulk sale valuations. To ensure that appraised values remain current, we generally obtain an updated appraisal every twelve months from qualified independent appraisers. If the fair value of the collateral, less cost to sell, is less than the recorded amount of the loan, we then recognize impairment by creating or adjusting an existing valuation allowance with a corresponding charge to the provision for loan losses. If an impaired loan is expected to be collected through liquidation of the collateral, the amount of impairment, excluding disposal costs (which generally range between 3% to 6% of the fair value, depending on the size of the impaired loan), is charged off against the allowance for loan losses. Non-accrual impaired loans, including TDRs, are not returned to accrual status unless the unpaid interest has been brought current and full repayment of the recorded balance is expected or if the borrower has made six consecutive monthly payments of the scheduled amounts due, and TDRs are reviewed for continued impairment until they are no longer reported as TDRs.

 

 

As of September 30, 2020, recorded investment in impaired loans totaled $105.8 million and was comprised of non-accrual loans of $77.2 million and accruing TDRs of $28.6 million. As of December 31, 2019, recorded investment in impaired loans totaled $75.9 million and was comprised of non-accrual loans of $40.5 million and accruing TDRs of $35.4 million. For impaired loans, the amounts previously charged off represent 6.1% as of September 30, 2020, and 2.1% as of December 31, 2019, of the contractual balances for impaired loans. As of September 30, 2020, $47.4 million, or 61.5%, of the $77.2 million of non-accrual loans were secured by real estate compared to $21.1 million, or 52.2%, of the $40.5 million of non-accrual loans that were secured by real estate as of December 31, 2019. The Bank generally seeks to obtain current appraisals, sales contracts, or other available market price information intended to provide updated factors in evaluating potential loss.

 

As of September 30, 2020, $8.5 million of the $179.1 million allowance for loan losses was allocated for impaired loans and $170.6 million was allocated to the general allowance. As of December 31, 2019, $3.2 million of the $123.2 million allowance for loan losses was allocated for impaired loans and $120.0 million was allocated to the general allowance.

 

The allowance for loan losses to non-performing loans was 223.8% as of September 30, 2020, compared to 262.6% as of December 31, 2019, primarily due to an increase in the non-accrual loans. Non-accrual loans also include those TDRs that do not qualify for accrual status.

 

The following table sets forth impaired loans and the related allowance as of the dates indicated:

 

   

September 30, 2020

   

December 31, 2019

 
   

Unpaid Principal Balance

   

Recorded Investment

   

Allowance

   

Unpaid Principal Balance

   

Recorded Investment

   

Allowance

 
   

(In thousands)

 
                                                 

With no allocated allowance

                                               

Commercial loans

  $ 16,210     $ 13,293     $     $ 20,134     $ 15,857     $  

Real estate construction loans

    5,776       4,335             5,776       4,580        

Commercial mortgage loans

    22,996       22,532             9,234       9,030        

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

    7,921       7,814             6,171       6,073        

Subtotal

  $ 52,903     $ 47,974     $     $ 41,315     $ 35,540     $  
                                                 

With allocated allowance

                                               

Commercial loans

  $ 28,059     $ 20,871     $ 7,704     $ 8,769     $ 8,739     $ 2,543  

Commercial mortgage loans

    31,138       31,019       582       26,117       26,040       473  

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

    6,632       5,914       209       6,740       5,540       220  

Subtotal

  $ 65,829     $ 57,804     $ 8,495     $ 41,626     $ 40,319     $ 3,236  

Total impaired loans

  $ 118,732     $ 105,778     $ 8,495     $ 82,941     $ 75,859     $ 3,236  

 

 

Loan Interest Reserves 

 

In accordance with customary banking practice, we originate construction loans and land development loans where interest on the loan is disbursed from pre-established interest reserves included in the total original loan commitment. Our construction loans and land development loans generally include optional renewal terms after the maturity of the initial loan term. New appraisals are obtained prior to extension or renewal of these loans in part to determine the appropriate interest reserve to be established for the new loan term. Loans with interest reserves are generally underwritten to the same criteria, including loan to value and, if applicable, pro forma debt service coverage ratios, as loans without interest reserves. Construction loans with interest reserves are monitored on a periodic basis to gauge progress towards completion. Interest reserves are frozen if it is determined that additional draws would result in a loan to value ratio that exceeds policy maximums based on collateral property type. Our policy limits in this regard are consistent with supervisory limits and range from 50% in the case of land to 85% in the case of one to four family residential construction projects.

 

As of September 30, 2020, construction loans of $635.1 million were disbursed with pre-established interest reserves of $74.4 million, compared to $550.0 million with pre-established interest reserves of $73.4 million at December 31, 2019.  The balance for construction loans with interest reserves that have been extended was $148.6 million with pre-established interest reserves of $5.2 million at September 30, 2020, compared to $129.2 million with pre-established interest reserves of $4.7 million at December 31, 2019.  Land loans of $25.8 million were disbursed with pre-established interest reserves of $364 thousand at September 30, 2020, compared to $45.5 million of land loans disbursed with pre-established interest reserves of $1.9 million at December 31, 2019.  The balance for land loans with interest reserves that have been extended was $942 thousand at September 30, 2020 with pre-established interest reserves of $58 thousand, compared to $1.7 million in land loans with pre-established interest reserves of $2 thousand at December 31, 2019. 

 

At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Bank had no loans on non-accrual status with available interest reserves.  At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, $4.3 million and $4.6 million of non-accrual non-residential construction loans had been originated with pre-established interest reserves, respectively.  While we typically expect loans with interest reserves to be repaid in full according to the original contractual terms, some loans may require one or more extensions beyond the original maturity before full repayment.  Typically, these extensions are required due to construction delays, delays in the sale or lease of the property, or some combination of these two factors.

 

Loan Concentration

 

Most of the Company’s business activities are with customers located in the high-density Asian-populated areas of Southern and Northern California; New York City, New York; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Seattle, Washington; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Edison, New Jersey; Rockville, Maryland; and Las Vegas, Nevada. The Company also has loan customers in Hong Kong. The Company has no specific industry concentration, and generally its loans are collateralized with real property or other pledged collateral of the borrowers. The Company generally expects loans to be paid off from the operating profits of the borrowers, refinancing by another lender, or through sale by the borrowers of the collateral. There were no loan concentrations to multiple borrowers in similar activities that exceeded 10% of total loans as of September 30, 2020, or as of December 31, 2019.

 

The federal banking regulatory agencies issued final guidance on December 6, 2006, regarding risk management practices for financial institutions with high or increasing concentrations of commercial real estate (“CRE”) loans on their balance sheets. The regulatory guidance reiterates the need for sound internal risk management practices for those institutions that have experienced rapid growth in CRE lending, have notable exposure to specific types of CRE, or are approaching or exceeding the supervisory criteria used to evaluate the CRE concentration risk, but the guidance is not to be construed as a limit for CRE exposure. The supervisory criteria are: (1) total reported loans for construction, land development, and other land represent 100% of the institution’s total risk-based capital, and (2) total CRE loans represent 300% or more of the institution’s total risk-based capital and the institution’s CRE loan portfolio has increased 50% or more within the last thirty-six months. Total loans for construction, land development, and other land represented 35% of the Bank’s total risk-based capital as of September 30, 2020, and 34% as of December 31, 2019. Total CRE loans represented 273% of total risk-based capital as of September 30, 2020, and 277% as of December 31, 2019 and were below the Bank’s internal limit for CRE loans of 400% of total capital at both dates.

 

 

Allowance for Credit Losses

 

The Bank maintains the allowance for credit losses at a level that the Bank considers appropriate to absorb the estimated and known risks in the loan portfolio and off-balance sheet unfunded credit commitments. Allowance for credit losses is comprised of the allowance for loan losses and the reserve for off-balance sheet unfunded credit commitments. With this risk management objective, the Bank’s management has an established monitoring system that it believes is designed to identify impaired and potential problem loans, and to permit periodic evaluation of impairment and the appropriate level of the allowance for credit losses in a timely manner.

 

In addition, the Bank’s Board of Directors has established a written credit policy that includes a credit review and control system that the Board of Directors believes should be effective in ensuring that the Bank maintains an appropriate allowance for credit losses. The Board of Directors provides oversight for the allowance evaluation process, including quarterly evaluations, and determines whether the allowance is appropriate to absorb losses in the credit portfolio. The determination of the amount of the allowance for credit losses and the provision for credit losses are based on management’s current judgment about the credit quality of the loan portfolio and take into consideration known relevant internal and external factors that affect collectability when determining the appropriate level for the allowance for credit losses. The nature of the process by which the Bank determines the appropriate allowance for credit losses requires the exercise of considerable judgment. Additions to the allowance for credit losses are made by charges to the provision for credit losses. While management utilizes its business judgment based on the information available, the ultimate appropriateness of the allowance is dependent upon a variety of factors, many of which are beyond the Bank’s control, including but not limited to the performance of the Bank’s loan portfolio, the economy and market conditions, changes in interest rates, and the view of the regulatory authorities toward loan classifications. Identified credit exposures that are determined to be uncollectible are charged against the allowance for credit losses. Recoveries of previously charged off amounts, if any, are credited to the allowance for credit losses. A weakening of the economy or other factors that adversely affect asset quality could result in an increase in the number of delinquencies, bankruptcies, or defaults, and a higher level of non-performing assets, net charge-offs, and provision for credit losses in future periods.

 

The allowance for loan losses was $179.1 million and the allowance for off-balance sheet unfunded credit commitments was $5.7 million at September 30, 2020, which represented the amount believed by management to be appropriate to absorb credit losses inherent in the loan portfolio, including unfunded credit commitments. The $179.1 million allowance for loan losses at September 30, 2020, increased $55.9 million, or 45.4%, from $123.2 million at December 31, 2019. This increase includes additional provisions for credit losses and reflects the deterioration in economic conditions related to COVID-19 and an increase in specific reserves of $5.3 million. This deterioration is reflected in unprecedented increases in new unemployment claims in the United States and deterioration in global economic measures during this period. While we took steps to incorporate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic forecast and other factors utilized to determine our allowance for loan losses, if the economic forecast or other factors (such as the severity and length of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts) worsen relative to the assumptions we utilized, our allowance for loan losses will increase accordingly in future periods. The allowance for loan losses represented 1.15% of period-end gross loans and 223.8% of non-performing loans at September 30, 2020. The comparable ratios were 0.82% of period-end gross loans and 262.6% of non-performing loans at December 31, 2019.

 

 

The following table sets forth information relating to the allowance for loan losses, charge-offs, recoveries, and the reserve for off-balance sheet credit commitments for the periods indicated:

 

   

Three months ended September 30,

   

Nine months ended September 30,

 
   

2020

   

2019

   

2020

   

2019

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Allowance for loan losses

                               

Balance at beginning of period

  $ 169,680     $ 122,651     $ 123,224     $ 122,391  

Provision/(reversal) for credit losses

    12,500       (2,000 )     62,500       (2,000 )

Charge-offs:

                               

Commercial loans

    (6,956 )     (3,356 )     (13,383 )     (6,300 )

Total charge-offs

    (6,956 )     (3,356 )     (13,383 )     (6,300 )

Recoveries:

                               

Commercial loans

    3,796       212       6,354       1,609  

Construction loans

          3,378             4,612  

Real estate loans

    110       5,023       435       5,596  

Total recoveries

    3,906       8,613       6,789       11,817  

Balance at end of period

  $ 179,130     $ 125,908     $ 179,130     $ 125,908  
                                 

Reserve for off-balance sheet credit commitments

                               

Balance at beginning of period

  $ 4,663     $ 4,550     $ 3,855     $ 2,250  

Provision for credit losses

    1,000             1,808       2,300  

Balance at end of period

  $ 5,663     $ 4,550     $ 5,663     $ 4,550  
                                 

Average loans outstanding during the period (1)

  $ 15,592,536     $ 14,654,644     $ 15,477,883     $ 14,371,633  

Total gross loans outstanding, at period-end (1)

  $ 15,565,779     $ 14,728,554     $ 15,565,779     $ 14,728,554  

Total non-performing loans, at period-end (2)

  $ 80,059     $ 47,883     $ 80,059     $ 47,883  

Ratio of net (charge-offs)/recoveries to average loans outstanding during the period (1)

    (0.08% )     0.14 %     (0.06% )     0.05 %

Provision for credit losses to average loans outstanding during the period (1)

    0.34 %     (0.05% )     0.55 %     0.00 %

Allowance for credit losses to non-performing loans, at period-end (2)

    230.82 %     272.45 %     230.82 %     272.45 %

Allowance for credit losses to gross loans, at period-end (1)

    1.19 %     0.89 %     1.19 %     0.89 %

 

(1)

Excludes loans held for sale.

(2)

Excludes non-accrual loans held for sale.

 

 

Our allowance for loan losses consists of the following:

 

 

 • 

Specific allowance: For impaired loans, we provide specific allowances for loans that are not collateral dependent based on an evaluation of the present value of the expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate and for loans that are collateral dependent based on the fair value of the underlying collateral determined by the most recent valuation information received, which may be adjusted based on factors such as changes in market conditions from the time of valuation. If the measure of the impaired loan is less than the recorded investment in the loan, the deficiency will be charged off against the allowance for loan losses or, alternatively, a specific allocation will be established.

 

 

General allowance: The unclassified portfolio is segmented on a group basis. Segmentation is determined by loan type and common risk characteristics. The non-impaired loans are grouped into 19 segments: two commercial segments, ten commercial real estate segments, one residential construction segment, one non-residential construction segment, one SBA segment, one installment loans segment, one residential mortgage segment, one equity lines of credit segment, and one overdrafts segment. The allowance is provided for each segmented group based on the group’s historical loan loss experience aggregated based on loan risk classifications which take into account, among other things, the current financial condition of the borrowers and guarantors, the prevailing value of the underlying collateral if collateral dependent, charge-off history, management’s knowledge of the portfolio, general economic conditions, environmental factors, trends in delinquency and non-accrual, and other significant factors, such as the national and local economy, volume and composition of the portfolio, strength of management and loan staff, underwriting standards, and concentration of credit. In addition, management reviews reports on past-due loans to check for appropriate classification.

 

The table set forth below reflects management’s allocation of the allowance for loan losses by loan category and the ratio of each loan category to the average gross loans as of the dates indicated:

 

   

September 30, 2020

   

December 31, 2019

 
           

Percentage of

           

Percentage of

 
           

Loans in Each

           

Loans in Each

 
           

Category

           

Category

 
           

to Average

           

to Average

 
   

Amount

   

Gross Loans

   

Amount

   

Gross Loans

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Type of Loan:

                               

Commercial loans

  $ 79,394       19.0 %   $ 57,021       18.9 %

Real estate construction loans

    32,712       3.9       19,474       4.0  

Commercial mortgage loans

    46,665       47.7       33,602       48.0  

Residential mortgage loans and equity lines

    20,359       29.4       13,108       29.1  

Installment and other loans

                19        

Total loans

  $ 179,130       100 %   $ 123,224       100 %

 

The allowance allocated to commercial loans increased $22.4 million, or 39.2%, to $79.4 million at September 30, 2020, from $57.0 million at December 31, 2019. The increase is due primarily to an increase in the allowance due to the continued deterioration in economic conditions related to COVID-19, the impact on loss rates from charge-offs of commercial loans and increases in specific reserves on impaired loans, year to date.

 

 

The allowance allocated to real estate construction loans increased $13.2 million, or 68.0%, to $32.7 million at September 30, 2020 from $19.5 million at December 31, 2019. The increase is due primarily to continued deterioration in economic conditions, year to date, related to COVID-19 and increases in real estate construction loans.

 

The allowance allocated to commercial mortgage loans increased $13.1 million, or 38.9%, to $46.7 million at September 30, 2020, from $33.6 million at December 31, 2019. The increase is due primarily to continued deterioration in economic conditions, year to date, related to COVID-19.

 

The allowance allocated for residential mortgage loans increased by $7.3 million, or 55.3%, to $20.4 million as of September 30, 2020, from $13.1 million at December 31, 2019. The increase is due primarily to continued deterioration in economic conditions, year to date, related to COVID-19.

 

Deposits

 

Total deposits were $16.0 billion at September 30, 2020, an increase of $1.3 billion, or 8.8%, from $14.7 billion at December 31, 2019. The increases in non-interest bearing demand deposits, NOW deposits, and money market deposits resulted from higher liquidity maintained by our depositors during these uncertain times, and improved money market deposit generation from corporate accounts. The decreases in time deposits resulted primarily from the runoff of wholesale time deposits. The following table sets forth the deposit mix as of the dates indicated:

 

   

September 30, 2020

   

December 31, 2019

 
   

Amount

   

Percentage

   

Amount

   

Percentage

 

Deposits

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Non-interest-bearing demand deposits

  $ 3,306,421       20.6 %   $ 2,871,444       19.5 %

Interest bearing demand deposits

    1,767,227       11.0       1,358,152       9.2  

Money market deposits

    3,227,359       20.1       2,260,764       15.4  

Savings deposits

    784,076       4.9       758,903       5.2  

Time deposits

    6,949,165       43.4       7,443,045       50.7  

Total deposits

  $ 16,034,248       100.0 %   $ 14,692,308       100.0 %

 

The following table sets forth the maturity distribution of time deposits at September 30, 2020:

 

   

At September 30, 2020

 
   

Time Deposits -under $100,000

   

Time Deposits -$100,000 and over

   

Total Time Deposits

 
   

(Dollars in thousands)

 

Less than three months

  $ 352,732     $ 1,322,805     $ 1,675,537  

Three to six months

    749,486       1,889,171       2,638,657  

Six to twelve months

    490,537       1,825,301       2,315,838  

Over one year

    90,796       228,337       319,133  

Total

  $ 1,683,551     $ 5,265,614     $ 6,949,165  
                         

Percent of total deposits

    10.5 %     32.8 %     43.3 %

 

 

Borrowings

 

Borrowings include federal funds purchased, funds obtained as advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) of San Francisco, and borrowings from other financial institutions.

 

Borrowings from the FHLB There were no over-night borrowings from the FHLB as of September 30, 2020, compared to $450 million at a weighted average rate of 1.66% as of December 31, 2019. Advances from the FHLB were $230 million at a weighted average rate of 2.16% as of September 30, 2020 and $220 million at a weighted average rate of 2.26% as of December 31, 2019. As of September 30, 2020, FHLB advances of $5 million will mature in November 2020, $80 million in May 2021, $50 million in June 2021, $75 million in July 2021, and $20 million in May 2023.

 

Junior Subordinated Notes – At September 30, 2020, Junior Subordinated Notes totaled $119.1 million with a weighted average interest rate of 2.41%, compared to $119.1 million with a weighted average rate of 4.09% at December 31, 2019. The Junior Subordinated Notes have a stated maturity term of 30 years. The trusts are not consolidated with the Company in accordance with an accounting pronouncement that took effect in December 2003.

 

For additional information, see Note 11 to the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Off-Balance-Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations

 

The following table summarizes the Company’s contractual obligations to make future payments as of September 30, 2020. Payments for deposits and borrowings do not include interest. Payments related to leases are based on actual payments specified in the underlying contracts.

 

   

Payment Due by Period

 
           

More than

   

3 years or

                 
           

1 year but

   

more but

                 
   

1 year

   

less than

   

less than

   

5 years

         
   

or less

   

3 years

   

5 years

   

or more

   

Total

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Contractual obligations:

                                       

Deposits with stated maturity dates

  $ 6,630,032     $ 318,959     $ 162     $ 12     $ 6,949,165  

Advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank

    210,000       20,000                   230,000  

Other borrowings

                      23,788       23,788  

Long-term debt

                      119,136       119,136  

Operating leases

    9,469       15,629       8,022       4,704       37,824  

Total contractual obligations and other commitments

  $ 6,849,501     $ 354,588     $ 8,184     $ 147,640     $ 7,359,913  

 

In the normal course of business, we enter into various transactions, which, in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, are not included in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. We enter into these transactions to meet the financing needs of our customers. These transactions include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit, which involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk and interest rate risk in excess of the amounts recognized in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

 

Loan Commitments - We enter into contractual commitments to extend credit, normally with fixed expiration dates or termination clauses, at specified rates and for specific purposes. Substantially all of our commitments to extend credit are contingent upon customers maintaining specific credit standards at the time of loan funding. We seek to minimize our exposure to loss under these commitments by subjecting them to credit approval and monitoring procedures. Management assesses the credit risk associated with certain commitments to extend credit in determining the level of the allowance for credit losses.

 

 

Standby Letters of Credit - Standby letters of credit are written conditional commitments issued by us to secure the obligations of a customer to a third party. In the event the customer does not perform in accordance with the terms of an agreement with the third party, we would be required to fund the commitment. The maximum potential amount of future payments we could be required to make is represented by the contractual amount of the commitment. If the commitment is funded, we would be entitled to seek reimbursement from the customer. Our policies generally require that standby letter of credit arrangements contain security and debt covenants similar to those contained in loan agreements.

 

Capital Resources

 

Total equity was $2.37 billion as of September 30, 2020, an increase of $80.4 million, from $2.29 billion as of December 31, 2019, primarily due to net income of $158.0 million, increases in other comprehensive income of $4.1 million, and amortization of share-based compensation of $3.8 million, which were partially offset by common stock cash dividends of $74.0 million and repurchases of the Company’s common stock of $12.9 million.

 

The following table summarizes changes in total equity for the nine months ended September 30, 2020:

 

   

Nine months ended

 
   

September 30, 2020

 
   

(In thousands)

 

Net income

  $ 157,967  

Proceeds from shares issued through the Dividend Reinvestment Plan

    2,573  

RSUs distributed

    2  

Shares withheld related to net share settlement of RSUs

    (1,903 )

Stock issued to directors

    800  

Purchase of treasury stock

    (12,880 )

Share-based compensation

    3,808  

Cash dividends paid to common stockholders

    (74,014 )

Other comprehensive income

    4,087  

Net increase in total equity

  $ 80,440  

 

Capital Adequacy Review

 

Management seeks to maintain the Company’s capital at a level sufficient to support future growth, protect depositors and stockholders, and comply with various regulatory requirements.

 

The following tables set forth actual and required capital ratios as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 for Bancorp and the Bank under the Basel III Capital Rules. The Basel III Capital Rules became fully phased-in on January 1, 2019. Capital levels required to be considered well capitalized are based upon prompt corrective action regulations, as amended to reflect the changes under the Basel III Capital Rules. See the 2019 Form 10-K for a more detailed discussion of the Basel III Capital Rules.

 

 

   

Actual

   

Minimum Capital Required - Basel III

   

Required to be Considered Well Capitalized

 
   

Capital Amount

   

Ratio

   

Capital Amount

   

Ratio

   

Capital Amount

   

Ratio

 

September 30, 2020

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 
                                                 

Common Equity Tier 1 to Risk-Weighted Assets

                                         

Cathay General Bancorp

  $ 1,970,778       13.22     $ 1,043,776       7.00     $ 969,221       6.50  

Cathay Bank

  $ 2,034,242       13.65     $ 1,042,861       7.00     $ 968,371       6.50  
                                                 

Tier 1 Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets

                                               

Cathay General Bancorp

  $ 1,970,778       13.22     $ 1,267,443       8.50     $ 1,192,887       8.00  

Cathay Bank

  $ 2,034,242       13.65     $ 1,266,331       8.50     $ 1,191,841       8.00  
                                                 

Total Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets

                                               

Cathay General Bancorp

  $ 2,271,071       15.23     $ 1,565,664       10.50     $ 1,491,109       10.00  

Cathay Bank

  $ 2,219,035       14.89     $ 1,564,291       10.50     $ 1,489,801       10.00  
                                                 

Leverage Ratio

                                               

Cathay General Bancorp

  $ 1,970,778       10.51     $ 750,036       4.00     $ 937,545       5.00  

Cathay Bank

  $ 2,034,242       10.87     $ 748,839       4.00     $ 936,048       5.00  

 

 

   

Actual

   

Minimum Capital Required - Basel III

   

Required to be Considered Well Capitalized

 
   

Capital Amount

   

Ratio

   

Capital Amount

   

Ratio

   

Capital Amount

   

Ratio

 

December 31, 2019

 

(Dollars in thousands)

 
                                                 

Common Equity Tier 1 to Risk-Weighted Assets

                                         

Cathay General Bancorp

  $ 1,892,321       12.51     $ 1,059,259       7.00     $ 983,597       6.50  

Cathay Bank

  $ 1,959,832       12.97     $ 1,057,880       7.00     $ 982,318       6.50  
                                                 

Tier 1 Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets

                                               

Cathay General Bancorp

  $ 1,892,321       12.51     $ 1,286,243       8.50     $ 1,210,581       8.00  

Cathay Bank

  $ 1,959,832       12.97     $ 1,284,569       8.50     $ 1,209,006       8.00  
                                                 

Total Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets

                                               

Cathay General Bancorp

  $ 2,134,900       14.11     $ 1,588,888       10.50     $ 1,513,227       10.00  

Cathay Bank

  $ 2,086,911       13.81     $ 1,586,821       10.50     $ 1,511,258       10.00  
                                                 

Leverage Ratio

                                               

Cathay General Bancorp

  $ 1,892,321       10.83     $ 699,173       4.00     $ 873,966       5.00  

Cathay Bank

  $ 1,959,832       11.23     $ 697,976       4.00     $ 872,470       5.00  

 

As of September 30, 2020, capital levels at Bancorp and the Bank exceed all capital adequacy requirements under the fully phased-in Basel III Capital Rules. Based on the ratios presented above, capital levels as of September 30, 2020 at Bancorp and the Bank exceed the minimum levels necessary to be considered “well capitalized.”

 

Dividend Policy

 

Holders of common stock are entitled to dividends as and when declared by our Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends. Although we have historically paid cash dividends on our common stock, we are not required to do so. The amount of future dividends, if any, will depend on our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements and other factors, and will be determined by our Board of Directors. The terms of our Junior Subordinated Notes also limit our ability to pay dividends. We increased the common stock dividend from $0.21 per share in the fourth quarter of 2016, to $0.24 per share in the fourth quarter of 2017, and to $0.31 per share in the fourth quarter of 2018.

 

The Company declared a cash dividend of $0.31 per share on 79,620,510 shares outstanding on September 1, 2020, for distribution to holders of our common stock on September 11, 2020, $0.31 per share on 79,587,596 shares outstanding on June 2, 2020, for distribution to holders of our common stock on June 12, 2020, and $0.31 per share on 79,546,735 shares outstanding on March 2, 2020, for distribution to holders of our common stock on March 12, 2020. The Company paid total cash dividends of $74.0 million in the first nine months of 2020.

 

 

Financial Derivatives

 

It is our policy not to speculate on the future direction of interest rates. However, from time to time, we may enter into financial derivatives in order to seek mitigation of exposure to interest rate risks related to our interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. We believe that these transactions, when properly structured and managed, may provide a hedge against inherent interest rate risk in our assets or liabilities and against risk in specific transactions. In such instances, we may enter into interest rate swap contracts or other types of financial derivatives. Prior to considering any hedging activities, we seek to analyze the costs and benefits of the hedge in comparison to other viable alternative strategies. All hedges must be approved by the Bank’s Investment Committee.

 

The Company follows ASC Topic 815 that establishes accounting and reporting standards for financial derivatives, including certain financial derivatives embedded in other contracts, and hedging activities. It requires the recognition of all financial derivatives as assets or liabilities in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and measurement of those financial derivatives at fair value. The accounting treatment of changes in fair value is dependent upon whether or not a financial derivative is designated as a hedge and, if so, the type of hedge. Fair value is determined using third-party models with observable market data. For derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, changes in fair value are recognized in other comprehensive income and are reclassified to earnings when the hedged transaction is reflected in earnings. For derivatives designated as fair value hedges, changes in the fair value of the derivatives are reflected in current earnings, together with changes in the fair value of the related hedged item if there is a highly effective correlation between changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps and changes in the fair value of the underlying asset or liability that is intended to be hedged. If there is not a highly effective correlation between changes in the fair value of the interest rate swap and changes in the fair value of the underlying asset or liability that is intended to be hedged, then only the changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps are reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

The Company offers various interest rate derivative contracts to its customers. When derivative transactions are executed with its customers, the derivative contracts are offset by paired trades with third-party financial institutions including with central counterparties (“CCP”). Certain derivative contracts entered with CCPs are settled-to-market daily to the extent the CCP’s rulebooks legally characterize the variation margin as settlement. Derivative contracts are intended to allow borrowers to lock in attractive intermediate and long-term fixed rate financing while not increasing the interest rate risk to the Company. These transactions are generally not linked to specific Company assets or liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets or to forecasted transactions in a hedging relationship and, therefore, are economic hedges. The contracts are marked to market at each reporting period. The changes in fair values of the derivative contracts traded with third-party financial institutions are expected to be largely comparable to the changes in fair values of the derivative transactions executed with customers throughout the terms of these contracts, except for the credit valuation adjustment component.  The Company records credit valuation adjustments on derivatives to properly reflect the variances of credit worthiness between the Company and the counterparties, considering the effects of enforceable master netting agreements and collateral arrangements.

 

 

In May 2014, the Bancorp entered into interest rate swap contracts in the notional amount of $119.1 million for a period of ten years. The objective of these interest rate swap contracts, which were designated as hedging instruments in cash flow hedges, was to hedge the quarterly interest payments on the Bancorp’s $119.1 million of Junior Subordinated Debentures that had been issued to five trusts, throughout the ten-year period beginning in June 2014 and ending in June 2024, from the risk of variability of these payments resulting from changes in the three-month LIBOR interest rate. As of September 30, 2020, and 2019, the ineffective portion of these interest rate swaps was not significant. The notional amount and net unrealized loss of the Company’s cash flow derivative financial instruments as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

   

September 30, 2020

   

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

($ in thousands)

 
Cash flow swap hedges:                

Notional

  $ 119,136     $ 119,136  

Weighted average fixed rate-pay

    2.61 %     2.61 %

Weighted average variable rate-receive

    0.51 %     2.26 %
                 

Unrealized loss, net of taxes (1)

  $ (7,393 )   $ (3,412 )

 

 

   

Three months ended

   

Nine months ended

 
   

September 30, 2020

   

September 30, 2019

   

September 30, 2020

   

September 30, 2019

 

Periodic net settlement of swaps (2)

  $ 702     $ 78     $ 1,471     $ 41  

 

 

(1)-

Included in other comprehensive income.

 

(2)-

the amount of periodic net settlement of interest rate swaps was included in interest expense.

 

As of September 30, 2020, the Bank’s outstanding interest rate swap contracts had a notional amount of $494.9 million for various terms from three to ten years. The Bank entered into these interest rate swap contracts that are matched to individual fixed-rate commercial real estate loans in the Bank’s loan portfolio. These contracts have been designated as hedging instruments to hedge the risk of changes in the fair value of the underlying commercial real estate loans due to changes in interest rates. The swap contracts are structured so that the notional amounts reduce over time to match the contractual amortization of the underlying loan and allow prepayments with the same pre-payment penalty amounts as the related loan. As of September 30, 2020, and 2019, the ineffective portion of these interest rate swaps was not significant. The notional amount and net unrealized loss of the Company’s fair value derivative financial instruments as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

   

September 30, 2020

   

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

($ in thousands)

 
Fair value swap hedges:                

Notional

  $ 494,932     $ 579,584  

Weighted average fixed rate-pay

    4.57 %     4.71 %

Weighted average variable rate spread

    1.90 %     2.62 %

Weighted average variable rate-receive

    3.27 %     4.87 %
                 

Net unrealized loss (1)

  $ (17,037 )   $ (7,205 )

 

 

   

Three months ended

   

Nine months ended

 
   

September 30, 2020

   

September 30, 2019

   

September 30, 2020

   

September 30, 2019

 

Periodic net settlement of SWAPs (2)

  $ (2,510 )   $ 205     $ (5,307 )   $ 1,352  

 

 

(1)-

the amount is included in other non-interest income.

 

(2)-

the amount of periodic net settlement of interest rate swaps was included in interest income.

 

 

The Company has designated as a partial-term hedging election $25.0 million of a pool of loans with a notational value of $44.7 million as of September 30, 2020. The loans are not expected to be affected by prepayment, defaults, or other factors affecting the timing and amount of cash flows under the last-of-layer method. The Company has entered into a pay-fixed and receive 1-Month LIBOR interest rate swap to convert the last-of-layer $25.0 million portion of a $44.7 million fixed rate loan tranche in order to reduce the Company’s exposure to higher interest rates for the last-of-layer tranche. As of September 30, 2020, the last-of-layer loan tranche had a fair value basis adjustment of $397 thousand. The interest rate swap converts this last-of-layer tranche into a floating rate instrument. The Company’s risk management objective with respect to this last-of-layer interest rate swap is to reduce interest rate exposure as to the last-of-layer tranche.

 

Interest rate swap contracts involve the risk of dealing with institutional derivative counterparties and their ability to meet contractual terms. Institutional counterparties must have a strong credit profile and be approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company’s credit exposure on interest rate swaps is limited to the net favorable value and interest payments of all swaps by each counterparty. Credit exposure may be reduced by the amount of collateral pledged by the counterparty. The Bancorp’s interest rate swaps have been assigned by the counterparties to a derivative clearing organization and daily margin is indirectly maintained with the derivative clearing organization. Cash posted as collateral by the Bancorp related to derivative contracts totaled $13.2 million as of September 30, 2020 and $7.1 million as of December 31, 2019.

 

The Company from time to time enters into foreign exchange forward contracts with various counterparties to mitigate the risk of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates for foreign exchange certificates of deposit or foreign exchange contracts entered into with our clients. These contracts are not designated as hedging instruments and are recorded at fair value in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Changes in the fair value of these contracts as well as the related foreign exchange certificates of deposit and foreign exchange contracts are recognized immediately in net income as a component of non-interest income. Period end gross positive fair values are recorded in other assets and gross negative fair values are recorded in other liabilities. The notional amount and fair value of the Company’s derivative financial instruments not designated as hedging instruments as of September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

   

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

($ in thousands)

 
Derivative financial instruments not designated as hedging instruments:      

Notional amounts:

               

Option contracts

  $ 850     $ 908  

Spot, forward, and swap contracts with positive fair value

  $ 107,071     $ 146,397  

Spot, forward, and swap contracts with negative fair value

  $ 160,489     $ 127,003  

Fair value:

               

Option contracts

  $ (6 )   $ (7 )

Spot, forward, and swap contracts with positive fair value

  $ 3,236     $ 2,411  

Spot, forward, and swap contracts with negative fair value

  $ (1,592 )   $ (1,415 )

 

 

Liquidity

 

Liquidity is our ability to maintain sufficient cash flow to meet maturing financial obligations and customer credit needs, and to take advantage of investment opportunities as they are presented in the marketplace. Our principal sources of liquidity are growth in deposits, proceeds from the maturity or sale of securities and other financial instruments, repayments from securities and loans, federal funds purchased, securities sold under agreements to repurchase, and advances from the FHLB. As of September 30, 2020, our average monthly liquidity ratio (defined as net cash plus short-term and marketable securities to net deposits and short-term liabilities) was 16.0% compared to 12.9% as of December 31, 2019.

 

The Bank is a shareholder of the FHLB, which enables the Bank to have access to lower-cost FHLB financing when necessary. At September 30, 2020, the Bank had an approved credit line with the FHLB of San Francisco totaling $4.8 billion. Total advances from the FHLB of San Francisco were $230.0 million and standby letter of credits issued by the FHLB on the Company’s behalf were $529.1 million as of September 30, 2020. These borrowings bear fixed rates and are secured by the Bank’s loans. See Note 11 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. At September 30, 2020, the Bank pledged $7.5 million of its commercial loans to the Federal Reserve Bank’s Discount Window under the Borrower-in-Custody program. The Bank had borrowing capacity of $7.8 million from the Federal Reserve Bank Discount Window at September 30, 2020.

 

Liquidity can also be provided through the sale of liquid assets, which consist of federal funds sold, securities purchased under agreements to resell, and securities available-for-sale. At September 30, 2020, investment securities totaled $1.1 billion, with $18.6 million pledged as collateral for borrowings and other commitments. The remaining $1.1 billion was available as additional liquidity or to be pledged as collateral for additional borrowings.

 

Approximately 95% of our time deposits mature within one year or less as of September 30, 2020. Management anticipates that there may be some outflow of these deposits upon maturity due to the keen competition in the Bank’s marketplace. However, based on our historical runoff experience, we expect the outflow will not be significant and can be replenished through our normal growth in deposits. As of September 30, 2020, management believes all the above-mentioned sources will provide adequate liquidity during the next twelve months for the Bank to meet its operating needs. Deposits and other sources of liquidity, however, may be adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The business activities of Bancorp consist primarily of the operation of the Bank and limited activities in other investments. The Bank paid dividends to Bancorp totaling $96.0 million and $176.5 million during the first nine months of 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

 

Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

 

We use a net interest income simulation model to measure the extent of the differences in the behavior of the lending and funding rates to changing interest rates, so as to project future earnings or market values under alternative interest rate scenarios. Interest rate risk arises primarily through the Company’s traditional business activities of extending loans and accepting deposits. Many factors, including but not limited to economic, market and financial conditions, movements in interest rates, and consumer preferences, affect the spread between interest earned on assets and interest paid on liabilities. The net interest income simulation model is designed to measure the volatility of net interest income and net portfolio value, defined as net present value of assets and liabilities, under immediate rising or falling interest rate scenarios in 100 basis point increments.

 

Although the modeling can be helpful in managing interest rate risk, it does require significant assumptions for the projection of loan prepayment rates on mortgage related assets, loan volumes and pricing, and deposit and borrowing volume and pricing, that might prove inaccurate. Because these assumptions are inherently uncertain, the model cannot precisely estimate net interest income, or precisely predict the effect of higher or lower interest rates on net interest income. Actual results will differ from simulated results due to the timing, magnitude, and frequency of interest rate changes, the differences between actual experience and the assumed volume, changes in market conditions, and management strategies, among other factors. The Company monitors its interest rate sensitivity and seeks to reduce the risk of a significant decrease in net interest income caused by a change in interest rates.

 

We have established a tolerance level in our policy to define and limit net interest income volatility to a change of plus or minus 5% when the hypothetical rate change is plus or minus 200 basis points. When the net interest rate simulation projects that our tolerance level will be met, or exceeded, we seek corrective action after considering, among other things, market conditions, customer reaction, and the estimated impact on profitability. The Company’s simulation model also projects the net economic value of our portfolio of assets and liabilities. We have established a tolerance level in our policy to limit the loss in the net economic value of our portfolio of assets and liabilities to zero when the hypothetical rate change is plus or minus 200 basis points.

 

The table below shows the estimated impact of changes in interest rates on net interest income and market value of equity as of September 30, 2020:

 

     

Net Interest

   

Market Value

 
     

Income

   

of Equity

 

Change in Interest Rate (Basis Points)

   

Volatility (1)

   

Volatility (2)

 

+200

      8.8       7.1  

+100

      4.0       3.9  
-100       -0.2       -3.0  
-200       -0.1       -2.9  

 

 

(1)

The percentage change in this column represents net interest income of the Company for 12 months in a stable interest rate environment versus the net interest income in the various rate scenarios.

 

(2)

The percentage change in this column represents the net portfolio value of the Company in a stable interest rate environment versus the net portfolio value in the various rate scenarios.

 

 

Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

The Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures,” as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report. Based upon their evaluation, the principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports filed or submitted by it under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, and include controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in such reports is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

There has not been any change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the third quarter of 2020 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1.     LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

 

From time to time, Bancorp and its subsidiaries are parties to litigation that arise in the ordinary course of business or otherwise are incidental to various aspects of its operations. Based upon information available to the Company and its review of any such litigation with counsel, management presently believes that the liability relating to such litigation, if any, would not be expected to have a material adverse impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity taken as a whole. The outcome of litigation and other legal and regulatory matters is inherently uncertain, however, and it is possible that one or more of the legal matters currently pending or threatened against the Company could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity taken as a whole.

 

 

Item 1A.     RISK FACTORS.

 

Other than the supplemental risk factor set forth below, the Company is not aware of any material change to the risk factors as previously disclosed in Part I, Item 1A, of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. In addition to the other information set forth in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, you should carefully consider the risk factors disclosed in Part I, Item 1A, of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, which could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and stock price. The risk factors disclosed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K are not the only risks facing the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties, including those not presently known to the Company or that the Company presently believes not to be material, could also materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations and stock price.

 

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant global economic downturn, which has adversely affected, and is expected to continue to adversely affect, our business and results of operations, and the future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy and our business, results of operations and financial condition remain uncertain.

 

Global health and economic concerns relating to the COVID-19 outbreak and government actions taken to reduce the spread of the virus have had a material adverse impact on the macroeconomic environment, and the outbreak has significantly increased economic uncertainty. The pandemic has resulted in federal, state and local authorities, including those who govern the markets in which we operate, implementing numerous measures to try to contain the virus. Such measures have included travel bans and restrictions, curfews, quarantines, shelter in place or total lock-down orders and business limitations and shutdowns. Such measures have significantly contributed to rising unemployment and negatively impacted consumer and business spending. The United States government has taken steps to attempt to mitigate some of the more severe anticipated economic effects of the virus, including the passage of the CARES Act, but there can be no assurance that such steps will be effective or achieve their desired results in the near future.

 

The outbreak has adversely impacted and is likely to continue to adversely impact our workforce and operations and the operations of our customers and business partners. In particular, we may experience financial losses due to a number of operational factors impacting us or our customers or business partners, including but not limited to the following:

 

 

Our business is dependent upon the willingness and ability of our customers to conduct banking and other financial transactions. The spread of COVID-19 could disrupt the business, activities, and operations of our customers, cause a decline in demand for our products and services, including loans and deposits which may result in a significant decrease in business and would negatively impact our liquidity position, and our growth strategy.

 

 

Our financial results could also be impacted due to an inability of our customers to meet their loan commitments due to job losses or other losses associated with impacts of the disease, and could also result in increased risk of delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, declining collateral values and the ability of our borrowers to repay their loans resulting in losses to our Bank.

 

 

Based on a review of the appropriateness of the allowance for loan losses at September 30, 2020, we recorded a provision for credit losses of $12.5 million in third quarter of 2020, primarily a result of the economic deterioration of the global economy resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. While we took steps to incorporate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic forecast and other factors utilized to determine our allowance for loan losses, if the economic forecast or other factors worsen relative to the assumptions we utilized, our allowance for loan losses will increase accordingly in future periods.

 

 

 

Market interest rates have declined significantly. We expect that these reductions in interest rates, especially if prolonged, could adversely affect our net interest income, margins and our profitability. Our assets and liabilities may be significantly impacted by changes in interest rates.

 

 

The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have created significant volatility and disruption in the financial markets, and these conditions may require us to recognize an elevated level of other than temporary impairments on investment securities in our portfolio as issues of these securities are negatively impacted by the economic slowdown. Declines in fair value of investment securities in our portfolio could also reduce the unrealized gains reported as part of our consolidated comprehensive income (loss).

 

 

We are required to comply with minimum capital and leverage requirements. Our capital strategy is primarily to maintain capital levels through the COVID-19 pandemic, and our Board of Directors could determine, as appropriate, to reduce or forego dividends in order to maintain and/or strengthen our capital and liquidity position.

 

 

Current and future governmental action may temporarily require us to conduct business related to foreclosures, repossessions, payments, deferrals and other customer-related transactions differently.

 

 

The pandemic creates heightened risks of cyber and payment fraud, as cyber criminals try to take advantage of the disruption and increased online activity brought about by the pandemic.

 

 

Although we have established a pandemic response plan and procedures, our workforce has been, is, and may continue to be impacted by COVID-19. We are taking precautions to protect the safety and well-being of our employees and customers, including temporary branch and office closures, but no assurance can be given that our actions will be adequate or appropriate, nor can we predict the level of disruption which will occur to our employees’ ability to provide customer support and service. The spread could also negatively impact availability of key personnel and employee productivity, as well as the business and operations of third-party service providers who perform critical services for us, which could adversely impact our ability to deliver products and services to our customers.

 

These and other factors may exist for an extended period of time and may continue to adversely affect our business, financial condition and operations even after the COVID-19 outbreak has subsided. The extent to which the pandemic impacts our business, financial condition and operations will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and are difficult to predict, including, but not limited to, the pandemic’s duration and severity, the actions to contain it or treat its impact, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. Even after the pandemic has subsided, we may continue to experience materially adverse impacts to our business as a result of its economic impact, including the availability of credit, adverse impacts on our liquidity and any recession that has occurred or may occur in the future. Additionally, future outbreaks of COVID-19, or other viruses, may occur.

 

There are no comparable recent events that provide guidance as to the effect the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic may have, and, as a result, the ultimate impact of the pandemic is highly uncertain and subject to change. We do not yet know the full extent of the impacts on our business, our operations or the global economy as a whole. Therefore, the risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in this Form 10-Q could be heightened, changed or be added to in the future.

 

 

Item 2.     UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS.

 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Period

(a) Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased

(b) Average Price Paid per Share (or Unit)

(c) Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs

(d) Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares (or Units) that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs

(July 1, 2020 - July 31, 2020)

0

$0.00

0

$10,713,881

(August 1, 2020 - August 31, 2020)

0

$0.00

0

$10,713,881

(September 1, 2020 - September 30, 2020)

0

$0.00

0

$10,713,881

Total

0

$0.00

0

$10,713,881

 

 

For additional information, see Note 20 to the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

For a discussion of limitations on the payment of dividends, see “Dividend Policy” and “Liquidity under Part I—Item 2— “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

 

 

Item 3.     DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 4.     MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5.     OTHER INFORMATION.

 

None.

 

Item 6.     EXHIBITS.

 

Exhibit 10.1 Employment Agreement, dated as of July 16, 2020, among Cathay General Bancorp, Cathay Bank and Chang M. Liu. **+
   
Exhibit 10.2 Change in Control Employment Agreement, dated as of July 16, 2020, among Cathay General Bancorp, Cathay Bank and Chang M. Liu. **+
   

Exhibit 31.1

Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.+

   

Exhibit 31.2

Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.+

   

Exhibit 32.1

Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.++

   

Exhibit 32.2

Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.++

   
Exhibit 99.1 Press Release of Cathay General Bancorp dated July 16, 2020, announcing CEO succession.
   

Exhibit 101.INS

XBRL Instance Document – the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document*

   

Exhibit 101.SCH

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document*

   

Exhibit 101.CAL

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document*

   

Exhibit 101.DEF

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document*

   

Exhibit 101.LAB

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document*

   

Exhibit 101.PRE

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document*

   

Exhibit 104

Cover Page Interactive Data File – the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document*

 

____________________

+

Filed herewith.

 

++

Furnished herewith.

 

*

Filed electronically herewith.

 

**

Indicates a management contract or compensation plan.

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

Cathay General Bancorp

(Registrant)

   
   

Date: November 6, 2020

/s/ Chang M. Liu 

 
 

Chang M. Liu

President and Chief Executive Officer

   
   

Date: November 6, 2020

/s/ Heng W. Chen 

 
 

Heng W. Chen

Executive Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer

 

78