HANCOCK WHITNEY CORP - Quarter Report: 2020 September (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark one)

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2020

OR

For the transition period from           to            

Commission file number: 001-36872

HANCOCK WHITNEY CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(228) 868-4000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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

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, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definition s of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act:

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. 

86,412,669 common shares were outstanding at October 31, 2020.

Table of Contents

Hancock Whitney Corporation

Index

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Hancock Whitney Corporation

Glossary of Defined Terms

Entities:

Hancock Whitney Corporation – a financial holding company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission

Hancock Whitney Bank – a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hancock Whitney Corporation through which Hancock Whitney Corporation conducts its banking operations

Company – Hancock Whitney Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries

Parent – Hancock Whitney Corporation, exclusive of its subsidiaries

Bank – Hancock Whitney Bank

Other Terms:

ACL – allowance for credit losses

AFS – available for sale securities

AOCI – accumulated other comprehensive income or loss

ALLL – allowance for loan and lease losses

ARRC – Alternative Reference Rates Committee

ASC – Accounting Standards Codification

ASR – accelerated share repurchase

ASU – Accounting Standards Update

ATM – automated teller machine

Basel III – Basel Committee's 2010 Regulatory Capital Framework (Third Accord)

Beta – amount by which deposit or loan costs change in response to movement in short-term interest rates

BOLI – bank-owned life insurance

bp(s) – basis point(s)

C&I – commercial and industrial loans

CARES Act – Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

CD – certificate of deposit

CDE – Community Development Entity

CECL – Current Expected Credit Losses, the term commonly used to refer to the methodology of estimating credit losses required by ASC 326, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses.” ASC 326 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2020, superseding the methodology prescribed by ASC 310.

CMO – collateralized mortgage obligation

Coronavirus – the novel coronavirus declared a pandemic during the first quarter of 2020, resulting in profound market disruptions

COVID-19 – disease caused by the novel coronavirus

FASB – Financial Accounting Standards Board

FDIC – Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

FHLB – Federal Home Loan Bank

GAAP – Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States of America

HTM – held to maturity securities

LIBOR – London Interbank Offered Rate

LIHTC – Low Income Housing Tax Credit

MD&A – management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations

MidSouth – MidSouth Bancorp, Inc., an entity the Company acquired on September 21, 2019

NAICS – North American Industry Classification System

NII – net interest income

n/m – not meaningful

OCI – other comprehensive income or loss

ORE – other real estate defined as foreclosed and surplus real estate

PCD – purchased credit deteriorated loans, as defined by ASC 326

PCI – purchased credit impaired loans, as defined by ASC 310-30

PPP – Paycheck Protection Program, a loan program administered by the Small Business Administration designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep workers on payroll during interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic

Reference rate reform – refers to the global transition away from LIBOR and other interbank offered rates toward new reference rates that are more reliable and robust

Repos – securities sold under agreements to repurchase

SBA – Small Business Administration

SEC – U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Securities Act – Securities Act of 1933, as amended

SOFR – secured overnight financing rate

te – taxable equivalent adjustment, or the term used to indicate that a financial measure is presented on a fully taxable equivalent basis

TDR – troubled debt restructuring

TSR – total shareholder return

U.S. Treasury – The United States Department of the Treasury

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Part I. Financial Information

Item 1. Financial Statements

Hancock Whitney Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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Hancock Whitney Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Income

(Unaudited)

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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Hancock Whitney Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(Unaudited)

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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Hancock Whitney Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity

(Unaudited)

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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Hancock Whitney Corporation and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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HANCOCK WHITNEY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Hancock Whitney Corporation and all other entities in which it has a controlling interest (the “Company”). The financial statements include all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary to fairly state the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the interim periods presented. The Company has also evaluated all subsequent events for potential recognition and disclosure through the date of the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Some financial information and disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q pursuant to Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Financial information reported in these financial statements is not necessarily indicative of the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows for any other interim or annual period.

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. These changes in presentation did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition or operating results.

Use of Estimates

The accounting principles the Company follows and the methods for applying these principles conform to GAAP and general practices followed by the banking industry. These accounting principles require management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 326, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses,” more commonly referred to as CECL, on a modified retrospective basis. The provisions of this guidance require a material change to the manner in which the Company estimates and reports losses on financial instruments, including loans and unfunded lending commitments, select securities and other assets carried at amortized cost. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2020 are presented under ASC 326, while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with previously applicable GAAP.  Changes to the Company’s accounting policies related to CECL are described below. Further, the Company performed an interim test of goodwill impairment using a quantitative assessment, as described below. There were no other material changes or developments during the reporting period with respect to methodologies that the Company uses when applying what management believes are critical accounting policies and developing critical accounting estimates as disclosed in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Refer to Note 16 – Recent Accounting Pronouncements for a discussion of accounting standards adopted during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and the impact to the Company’s financial statements.

Accounting Policy Updates

Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans, Leases Held for Investment and Unfunded Exposures

For reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2020, the Allowance for Credit Losses (ACL) is comprised of the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses (ALLL), a valuation account available to absorb losses on loans and leases held for investment, and the Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments, a liability established to absorb credit losses for the expected life of the contractual term of on and off-balance sheet exposures as of the date of the determination. Quarterly, management estimates losses in the portfolio and unfunded exposures based on a number of factors, including the Company’s past loan loss experience, known and potential risks in the portfolio, adverse situations that may affect the borrowers’ ability to repay, the estimated value of any underlying collateral, and current and forecasted economic conditions.

The analysis and methodology for estimating the ACL includes two primary elements: a collective approach for pools of loans that have similar risk characteristics using a loss rate analysis, and a specific reserve analysis for credits individually evaluated for credit loss. For the collective approach, the Company segments loans into commercial non-real estate, commercial real estate – owner occupied, commercial real estate – income producing, construction and land development, residential mortgage and consumer, with further segmentation by region and sub-portfolio, as deemed appropriate. Both quantitative and qualitative factors are applied at the portfolio segment levels. The Company applies the practical expedient that permits the exclusion of the accrued interest receivable balance from amortized cost basis of financing receivables.

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For the collectively evaluated portfolios, the Company utilizes internally developed credit models and third party economic forecasts for the calculation of expected credit loss over the reasonable and supportable forecast period for the majority of the portfolio and other methods, generally historical loss based, for select portfolios. The Company calculates collective allowance for a two-year reasonable and supportable forecast period utilizing probability weighted multiple macroeconomic scenarios, and then reverts on a linear basis over four quarters to an average historical loss rate for the remaining term. The credit models consist primarily of multivariate regression and autoregressive models that correlate our historical net charge-off rates to select macroeconomic variables at a collective level. Forward-looking macroeconomic forecasts are applied as inputs to the regression equations to estimate quarterly collective net charge-off rates over the reasonable and supportable period. The net charge-off rates from the credit models for the reasonable and supportable period, the linear reversion rates, and the average loss rates for the post reasonable and supportable periods are applied to forecasted balance runoff for the estimated remaining term. The balance runoff incorporates prepayment assumptions developed from historical experience that are applied to the multiple macroeconomic forecasts. Forecasted net charge-off rates are also applied to forecasted draws and subsequent runoff of unfunded commitments in the calculation of the reserve for unfunded lending commitments. Qualitative adjustments to the output of quantitative calculations are made when management deems it necessary to reflect differences in current and forecasted conditions as compared to those during the historical loss period used in model development. Conditions to be considered include, but are not limited to, problem loan trends, current business and economic conditions, credit concentrations, lending policies and procedures, lending staff, collateral values, loan profiles and volumes, loan review quality, changes in competition and regulations, and other adjustments for model limitations or other variables not specifically captured.

The Company establishes specific reserves using an individually evaluated approach for nonaccrual loans, loans modified in troubled debt restructures, loans for which a troubled debt restructure is reasonably expected, and other financial instruments that are deemed to not share risk characteristics with other collectively evaluated financial assets. For loans individually evaluated, a specific allowance is recognized for any shortfall between the loan’s value and its recorded investment. The loan’s value is measured by either the loan’s observable market price, the fair value of the collateral of the loan (less liquidation costs) if it is collateral dependent, or by the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate. The Company applies the practical expedient and defines collateral dependent loans as those where the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty and on which repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral. Loans individually analyzed are not incorporated into the pool analysis to avoid double counting. The Company limits the individually evaluated specific reserve analysis to include commercial and residential mortgage loans with relationship balances of $1 million or greater and all loans classified as troubled debt restructurings.

Acquired Loans and Other Financial Assets

Acquired loans and other financial assets within the scope of CECL are segregated between those purchased with credit deterioration (“PCD”) and those that are not (“non PCD”). Assets considered PCD include those individual financial assets (or groups of financial assets with similar risk characteristics) that as of the date of acquisition are assessed as having experienced a more-than-insignificant deterioration in credit quality since origination. The assessment of what is more-than-insignificant credit deterioration since origination considers information including, but not limited to, financial assets that are delinquent, on nonaccrual and/or otherwise adversely risk rated as of the acquisition date, those that have been downgraded since origination, and those for which, after origination, credit spreads have widened beyond the threshold specified in policy. The Company bifurcates the fair value discount between the credit and noncredit components and records an allowance for credit losses for PCD assets by adding the credit portion of the fair value discount to the initial amortized cost basis and increasing the allowance for credit losses at the date of acquisition. Any noncredit discount or premium resulting from acquiring assets with credit deterioration is allocated to each individual asset. All non PCD financial assets acquired are recorded at the estimated fair value of the asset at acquisition, with the estimated allowance for credit loss recorded as a provision for credit losses through earnings in the period in which the acquisition has occurred. The noncredit discount or premium for PCD assets and full discount for non PCD assets will be accreted to interest income using the interest method based on the effective interest rate at the acquisition date.

Under the transition provisions for application of CECL, the Company has classified all purchased credit impaired loans (“PCI”) previously accounted for under Financial Accounting Standard Subtopic 310-30 to be classified as PCD, without reassessing whether the financial assets meet the criteria of PCD as of the date of adoption. The application of these provisions resulted in an adjustment to the amortized cost basis of the financial asset to reflect the addition of the allowance for credit losses at the date of adoption. The Company elected not to maintain pools of loans accounted for under Subtopic 310-30 at adoption. The Company was also not required to reassess whether modifications to individual acquired financial assets accounted for in pools were troubled debt restructurings as of the date of adoption. The noncredit discount, after the adjustment for the allowance for credit losses, will be accreted to interest income using the interest method based on the effective interest rate determined after the adjustment for credit losses at the adoption date.

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Allowance for Credit Losses on Securities

The CECL standard also requires an assessment of the Company’s held to maturity debt securities for expected credit losses and the available for sale debt securities for credit-related impairment. The Company applies the practical expedient to exclude the accrued interest receivable balance from amortized cost basis of financing receivables. The allowance for credit losses on held to maturity debt securities is estimated at the individual security level when there is a more than inconsequential risk of default. The assessment uses probability of default and loss given default models based on public ratings, where available, or mapped internally developed risk grades to public ratings and forecasted cash flows using the same economic forecasts and probability weighting as used for the Company’s evaluation of the loan portfolio. Qualitative adjustments to the output of the quantitative calculation are made when management deems it necessary to reflect differences in current and forecasted conditions as compared to those during the historical loss period used in model development. The Company evaluates credit impairment on available for sale debt securities at an individual security level. This evaluation is done for securities whose fair value is below amortized cost with a more than inconsequential risk of default and where the Company has assessed the decline in fair value is significant enough to suggest a credit event occurred. Credit events are generally assessed based on adverse conditions specifically related to the security, an industry, or geographic area, changes in the financial condition of the issuer of the security, or in the case of an asset-backed debt security, changes in the financial condition of the underlying loan obligors. The allowance for credit losses for such securities is measured using a discounted cash flow methodology, through which management compares the present value of expected cash flows with the amortized cost basis of the security. The allowance for credit loss is limited to the amount by which the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis.

The Company reassesses the potential for credit losses at each reporting period and records subsequent changes in the allowance for credit losses on securities with a corresponding adjustment recorded in the provision for credit loss expense. If the Company intends to sell the debt security, or more likely than not will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis, the security is charged down to fair value against the allowance for credit losses, with any incremental impairment reported in earnings.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Goodwill Impairment Testing

Goodwill, which represents the excess of cost over the fair value of the net assets of an acquired business, is not amortized but is assessed for impairment on an annual basis, or more often if events or circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists. The impairment test compares the estimated fair value of a reporting unit with its net book value. If the unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value, an impairment is recognized.

The Company completed its annual impairment test of goodwill as of September 30, 2019 by performing a qualitative (“Step Zero”) assessment. The qualitative assessment involved the examination of changes in macroeconomic conditions, industry and market conditions, overall financial performance, cost factors and other relevant entity-specific events, including changes in management and other key personnel and changes in the share price of the Company’s common stock. As a result of the assessment, the Company concluded that its goodwill was not impaired.

During the third quarter of 2020, the Company assessed the indicators of goodwill impairment and noted certain events that indicated that it is “more likely than not” that a goodwill impairment exists, necessitating an interim test of impairment. Triggering events stemming from and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic include continued economic disruption, operating losses driven by a higher provision for credit losses and a lower interest rate environment, and a sustained decrease in the Company’s share price. As such, the Company performed a quantitative assessment of goodwill impairment as of September 30, 2020, which included determining the estimated fair value of the reporting unit and comparing that fair value to the reporting unit's carrying amount. The results of the test indicated that the estimated fair value of the reporting unit exceeded its carrying amount at September 30, 2020; therefore, goodwill was not impaired as of the testing date.

The Company used multiple approaches to measure its fair value at September 30, 2020. The primary approaches included an income approach using the discounted net present value of estimated future cash flows and a market approach using transaction or price-to-forward earnings multiples methodology using the actual price paid in recent acquisition transactions for similar entities, discounted for the current recessionary environment, neither of which resulted in impairment. The results from each of the primary approaches were weighted equally, with the valuation of the reporting unit approximately 14% in excess of net book value at September 30, 2020.

Both valuation techniques employed by the Company require significant assumptions. Depending upon the specific approach, assumptions are made regarding the economic environment, expected net interest margins, growth rates, discount rate used to present value future cash flows, asset quality metrics, control premiums, and price-to-forward earnings multiples. Changes to any one of these assumptions could result in significantly different results. Changes in the amount and/or timing of the Company’s expected future cash flows or estimated growth rates, lack of improvement and/or further decline in the price of the Company’s common stock relative to our book value per share, and/or further deterioration in the economic environment beyond current estimates could result in an impairment charge to goodwill in future reporting periods. Annual impairment testing will be performed in the fourth quarter of 2020 in coordination with our annual strategic planning process, and interim testing is expected to continue until indicators of goodwill impairment no longer exist.

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2. Business Combination

On September 21, 2019, the Company completed the acquisition of MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. (“MidSouth”) (NYSE: MSL), parent company of MidSouth Bank, N.A. The transaction provides the Company opportunity for both enhanced growth in several of its current markets, such as MidSouth’s home market of Lafayette, Louisiana, as well as opportunities for expansion into new markets in Louisiana and Texas. The transaction was accounted for as a business combination whereby the Company acquired net assets with an estimated fair value of $130.5 million and recorded goodwill of $63.4 million. In consideration for the net assets acquired, the Company issued approximately 5.0 million shares of our common stock, resulting in a transaction value of $193.8 million. The following table sets forth the acquisition date fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, and the resulting goodwill. The goodwill is not deductible for federal income tax purposes.

The results of the acquired business were included in the Company’s consolidated results of operations from the date of acquisition. The results of the acquired business are not material to the Company’s consolidated results of operations and, as such, neither supplemental pro forma information of the combined entity nor revenue and earnings contributed by the acquired business since the date of acquisition are presented.

Goodwill Resulting from Business Combinations

Goodwill represents the excess of the consideration transferred over the fair value of the net assets acquired. It is comprised of estimated future economic benefits arising from the transaction that cannot be individually identified or do not qualify for separate recognition. These benefits include expanded presence in existing markets and entry into new markets, and expected earnings streams and operational efficiencies that the Company believes will result from this business combination. The following table presents the change in the Company’s goodwill during the year ended December 31, 2019. No measurement period adjustments were recorded during the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

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3.  Securities

The following tables set forth the amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses, and estimated fair value of debt securities classified as available for sale and held to maturity at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019. Amortized cost of securities does not include accrued interest which is reflected in the accrued interest line item on the consolidated balance sheets totaling $23.2 million and $23.9 million at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.