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NBT BANCORP INC - Quarter Report: 2017 March (Form 10-Q)


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 ended March 31, 2017.
OR
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from ________ to ________.
 
COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 0-14703
 
NBT BANCORP INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
 
DELAWARE
 
16-1268674
(State of Incorporation)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
 
 
 
52 SOUTH BROAD STREET, NORWICH, NEW YORK 13815
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
 
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (607) 337-2265
 
None
(Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report)
 
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 and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  Yes    No
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check One):

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
 
As of April 30, 2017, there were 43,443,866 shares outstanding of the Registrant’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share.
 


NBT BANCORP INC.
FORM 10-Q-Quarter Ended March 31, 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 PART I
FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1
Financial Statements
 
     
 
3
     
 
4
     
 
5
     
 
6
     
 
7
     
 
9
     
Item 2
38
     
Item 3
50
     
Item 4
50
     
PART II
OTHER INFORMATION
 
     
Item 1
51
Item 1A
51
Item 2
51
Item 3
51
Item 4
51
Item 5
51
Item 6
52
 
53
 
54
 
Item 1 – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
NBT Bancorp Inc. and Subsidiaries
           
Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited)
           
 
 
March 31,
   
December 31,
 
(In thousands, except share and per share data)
 
2017
   
2016
 
 Assets
           
Cash and due from banks
 
$
137,308
   
$
147,789
 
Short-term interest bearing accounts
   
4,588
     
1,392
 
Securities available for sale, at fair value
   
1,367,574
     
1,338,290
 
Securities held to maturity (fair value $513,654 and $525,050, respectively)
   
515,793
     
527,948
 
Trading securities
   
10,044
     
9,259
 
Federal Reserve and Federal Home Loan Bank stock
   
42,577
     
47,033
 
Loans
   
6,272,303
     
6,198,057
 
Less allowance for loan losses
   
65,700
     
65,200
 
Net loans
   
6,206,603
     
6,132,857
 
Premises and equipment, net
   
83,144
     
84,187
 
Goodwill
   
265,439
     
265,439
 
Intangible assets, net
   
14,848
     
15,815
 
Bank owned life insurance
   
169,423
     
168,012
 
Other assets
   
128,144
     
129,247
 
Total assets
 
$
8,945,485
   
$
8,867,268
 
                 
Liabilities
               
Demand (noninterest bearing)
 
$
2,205,419
   
$
2,195,845
 
Savings, negotiable order withdrawal and money market
   
4,153,552
     
3,905,432
 
Time
   
826,080
     
872,411
 
Total deposits
   
7,185,051
     
6,973,688
 
Short-term borrowings
   
540,243
     
681,703
 
Long-term debt
   
104,023
     
104,087
 
Junior subordinated debt
   
101,196
     
101,196
 
Other liabilities
   
88,133
     
93,278
 
Total liabilities
   
8,018,646
     
7,953,952
 
                 
Stockholders’ equity
               
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value. Authorized 2,500,000 shares at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016
   
-
     
-
 
Common stock, $0.01 par value. Authorized 100,000,000 shares at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016; issued 49,651,493 at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016
   
497
     
497
 
Additional paid-in-capital
   
573,627
     
575,078
 
Retained earnings
   
511,925
     
501,761
 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
   
(19,592
)
   
(21,520
)
Common stock in treasury, at cost, 6,209,092 and 6,393,743 shares at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively
   
(139,618
)
   
(142,500
)
Total stockholders’ equity
   
926,839
     
913,316
 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
 
$
8,945,485
   
$
8,867,268
 
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
 
NBT Bancorp Inc. and Subsidiaries
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
Consolidated Statements of Income (unaudited)
 
2017
   
2016
 
(In thousands, except per share data)
           
Interest, fee, and dividend income
           
Interest and fees on loans
 
$
64,027
   
$
61,230
 
Securities available for sale
   
7,009
     
5,987
 
Securities held to maturity
   
2,781
     
2,288
 
Other
   
619
     
449
 
Total interest, fee, and dividend income
   
74,436
     
69,954
 
Interest expense
               
Deposits
   
3,474
     
3,597
 
Short-term borrowings
   
1,139
     
328
 
Long-term debt
   
606
     
833
 
Junior subordinated debt
   
726
     
619
 
Total interest expense
   
5,945
     
5,377
 
Net interest income
   
68,491
     
64,577
 
Provision for loan losses
   
7,379
     
6,098
 
Net interest income after provision for loan losses
   
61,112
     
58,479
 
Noninterest income
               
Insurance and other financial services revenue
   
6,770
     
6,946
 
Service charges on deposit accounts
   
3,977
     
3,939
 
ATM and debit card fees
   
4,950
     
4,583
 
Retirement plan administration fees
   
4,172
     
3,754
 
Trust
   
4,532
     
4,376
 
Bank owned life insurance
   
1,411
     
1,291
 
Net securities gains
   
-
     
29
 
Other
   
2,938
     
3,449
 
Total noninterest income
   
28,750
     
28,367
 
Noninterest expense
               
Salaries and employee benefits
   
33,587
     
32,441
 
Occupancy
   
6,170
     
5,491
 
Data processing and communications
   
4,198
     
4,050
 
Professional fees and outside services
   
3,032
     
3,231
 
Equipment
   
3,698
     
3,460
 
Office supplies and postage
   
1,608
     
1,547
 
FDIC expenses
   
1,178
     
1,258
 
Advertising
   
390
     
504
 
Amortization of intangible assets
   
967
     
1,096
 
Loan collection and other real estate owned
   
1,279
     
705
 
Other
   
5,175
     
4,441
 
Total noninterest expense
   
61,282
     
58,224
 
Income before income tax expense
   
28,580
     
28,622
 
Income tax expense
   
8,301
     
9,731
 
Net income
 
$
20,279
   
$
18,891
 
Earnings per share
               
Basic
 
$
0.47
   
$
0.44
 
Diluted
   
0.46
     
0.43
 
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
 
NBT Bancorp Inc. and Subsidiaries
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (unaudited)
 
2017
   
2016
 
(In thousands)
           
Net income
 
$
20,279
   
$
18,891
 
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
               
Unrealized net holding gains arising during the period (pre-tax amounts of $836 and $13,211)
   
497
     
8,072
 
Reclassification adjustment for net gains (losses) related to securities available for sale included in net income (pre-tax amounts of $- and $29)
   
-
     
(19
)
Reclassification adjustment for an impairment write-down of equity security (pre-tax amounts of $1,312 and $-)
   
811
 
   
-
 
Unrealized gains on derivatives (cash flow hedges) (pre-tax amounts of $331 and $-)
   
204
     
-
 
Amortization of unrealized net gains related to the reclassification of available for sale investment securities to held to maturity (pre-tax amounts of $238 and $296)
   
147
     
181
 
Pension and other benefits:
               
Amortization of prior service cost and actuarial loss (pre-tax amounts of $435 and $512)
   
269
     
313
 
Total other comprehensive income
   
1,928
     
8,547
 
Comprehensive income
 
$
22,207
   
$
27,438
 
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
 
NBT Bancorp Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity (unaudited)
 
   
Common stock
   
Additional paid-in-capital
   
Retained earnings
   
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
   
Common stock in treasury
   
Total
 
(In thousands, except share and per share data)
                                   
Balance at December 31, 2015
 
$
497
   
$
576,726
   
$
462,232
   
$
(22,418
)
 
$
(135,033
)
 
$
882,004
 
Net income
   
-
     
-
     
18,891
     
-
     
-
     
18,891
 
Cash dividends - $0.22 per share
   
-
     
-
     
(9,473
)
   
-
     
-
     
(9,473
)
Purchase of 675,535 treasury shares
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
(17,193
)
   
(17,193
)
Net issuance of 106,674 shares to employee benefit plans and other stock plans, including tax benefit
   
-
     
(4,584
)
   
-
     
-
     
1,923
     
(2,661
)
Stock-based compensation
   
-
     
1,612
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
1,612
 
Other comprehensive income
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
8,547
     
-
     
8,547
 
Balance at March 31, 2016
 
$
497
   
$
573,754
   
$
471,650
   
$
(13,871
)
 
$
(150,303
)
 
$
881,727
 
 
                                               
Balance at December 31, 2016
 
$
497
   
$
575,078
   
$
501,761
   
$
(21,520
)
 
$
(142,500
)
 
$
913,316
 
Net income
   
-
     
-
     
20,279
     
-
     
-
     
20,279
 
Cash dividends - $0.23 per share
   
-
     
-
     
(10,020
)
   
-
     
-
     
(10,020
)
Net issuance of 184,651 shares to employee benefit plans and other stock plans, including tax benefit
   
-
     
(3,712
)
   
-
     
-
     
2,882
     
(830
)
Stock-based compensation
   
-
     
2,261
     
(95
)
   
-
     
-
     
2,166
 
Other comprehensive income
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
1,928
     
-
     
1,928
 
Balance at March 31, 2017
 
$
497
   
$
573,627
   
$
511,925
   
$
(19,592
)
 
$
(139,618
)
 
$
926,839
 
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
 
NBT Bancorp Inc. and Subsidiaries
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)
2017
   
2016
(In thousands, except per share data)
Operating activities
Net income
$
20,279
$
18,891
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities
Provision for loan losses
7,379
6,098
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment
2,249
2,244
Net accretion on securities
1,267
799
Amortization of intangible assets
967
1,096
Excess tax benefit on stock-based compensation
1,472
-
Stock-based compensation expense
2,166
1,612
Bank owned life insurance income
(1,411
)
(1,291
)
Trading security purchases
(1,277
)
(568
)
Losses on trading securities
491
40
Proceeds from sales of loans held for sale
24,896
22,098
Originations and purchases of loans held for sale
(27,622
)
(22,133
)
Net gains on sales of loans held for sale
(46
)
(49
)
Net security (gains)
-
(29
)
Net loss (gain) on sales of other real estate owned
157
(306
)
Impairment write-down
1,312
-
Net decrease in other assets
595
2,135
Net (decrease) in other liabilities
 
(5,145
)
   
(1,319
)
Net cash provided by operating activities
 
27,729
     
29,318
Investing activities
Securities available for sale:
Proceeds from maturities, calls, and principal paydowns
78,038
74,090
Proceeds from sales
1,000
-
Purchases
(110,330
)
(142,613
)
Securities held to maturity:
Proceeds from maturities, calls, and principal paydowns
19,914
15,591
Purchases
(5,943
)
(9,471
)
Other:
Net increase in loans
(82,299
)
(90,342
)
Proceeds from Federal Home Loan Bank stock redemption
56,521
33,886
Purchases of Federal Reserve and Federal Home Loan Bank stock
(52,065
)
(29,475
)
Proceeds from settlement of bank owned life insurance
-
1,457
Purchases of bank owned life insurance
-
(45,000
)
Purchases of premises and equipment, net
(1,269
)
(1,625
)
Proceeds from the sales of other real estate owned
 
2,430
     
3,208
Net cash used in investing activities
 
(94,003
)
   
(190,294
)
Financing activities
Net increase in deposits
211,363
300,199
Net decrease in short-term borrowings
(141,460
)
(94,613
)
Repayments of long-term debt
(64
)
(70
)
Proceeds from the issuance of shares to employee benefit plans and other stock plans
1,983
(7
)
Cash paid by employer for tax-withholding on stock issuance
(2,813
)
(2,654
)
Purchase of treasury stock
-
(17,193
)
Cash dividends
 
(10,020
)
   
(9,473
)
Net cash provided by financing activities
 
58,989
     
176,189
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
(7,285
)
15,213
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
 
149,181
     
140,297
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
$
141,896
   
$
155,510
 
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
Cash paid during the period for:
 
2017
   
2016
 
Interest
 
$
6,363
   
$
5,876
 
Income taxes paid
   
1,019
     
3,405
 
Noncash investing activities:
               
Loans transferred to other real estate owned
 
$
3,946
   
$
952
 
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
 
NBT BANCORP INC. and Subsidiaries
NOTES TO UNAUDITED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
March 31, 2017
 
1.
Description of Business
 
NBT Bancorp Inc. (the “Registrant” or the “Company”) is a registered financial holding company incorporated in the state of Delaware in 1986, with its principal headquarters located in Norwich, New York.  The principal assets of the Registrant consist of all of the outstanding shares of common stock of its subsidiaries, including:  NBT Bank, National Association (the “Bank”), NBT Financial Services, Inc. (“NBT Financial”), NBT Holdings, Inc. (“NBT Holdings”), Hathaway Agency, Inc., and CNBF Capital Trust I, NBT Statutory Trust I, NBT Statutory Trust II, Alliance Financial Capital Trust I, and Alliance Financial Capital Trust II (collectively, the “Trusts”).  The Company’s principal sources of revenue are the management fees and dividends it receives from the Bank, NBT Financial and NBT Holdings.
 
The Company’s business, primarily conducted through the Bank but also through its other subsidiaries, consists of providing commercial banking and financial services to customers in its market area, which includes central and upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Hampshire, western Massachusetts, Vermont, and the greater Portland, Maine area.  The Company has been, and intends to continue to be, a community-oriented financial institution offering a variety of financial services.  The Company’s business philosophy is to operate as a community bank with local decision-making, principally in non-metropolitan markets, providing a broad array of banking and financial services to retail, commercial, and municipal customers.

2.
Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Registrant and its wholly owned subsidiaries, the Bank, NBT Financial and NBT Holdings.  Collectively, the Registrant and its subsidiaries are referred to herein as “the Company.”  The interim data includes all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).  These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year or any other interim period.  All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Amounts in the prior period financial statements are reclassified whenever necessary to conform to current period presentation.  The Company has evaluated subsequent events for potential recognition and/or disclosure and there were none identified.
 
3.
Securities

The amortized cost, estimated fair value, and unrealized gains and losses of available for sale (“AFS”) securities are as follows:

(In thousands)
 
Amortized
cost
   
Unrealized
gains
   
Unrealized
losses
   
Estimated
fair value
 
March 31, 2017
                       
Federal agency
 
$
160,064
   
$
80
   
$
563
   
$
159,581
 
State & municipal
   
47,910
     
161
     
227
     
47,844
 
Mortgage-backed:
                               
Government-sponsored enterprises
   
559,228
     
3,156
     
2,280
     
560,104
 
U.S. government agency securities
   
17,566
     
397
     
40
     
17,923
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
                               
Government-sponsored enterprises
   
511,651
     
562
     
6,910
     
505,303
 
U.S. government agency securities
   
58,239
     
180
     
741
     
57,678
 
Other securities
   
13,537
     
5,767
     
163
     
19,141
 
Total securities AFS
 
$
1,368,195
   
$
10,303
   
$
10,924
   
$
1,367,574
 
December 31, 2016
                               
Federal agency
 
$
175,135
   
$
78
   
$
805
   
$
174,408
 
State & municipal
   
47,053
     
153
     
480
     
46,726
 
Mortgage-backed:
                               
Government-sponsored enterprises
   
513,814
     
3,345
     
2,492
     
514,667
 
U.S. government agency securities
   
14,955
     
411
     
189
     
15,177
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
                               
Government-sponsored enterprises
   
513,431
     
532
     
7,688
     
506,275
 
U.S. government agency securities
   
60,822
     
184
     
708
     
60,298
 
Other securities
   
15,849
     
6,394
     
1,504
     
20,739
 
Total securities AFS
 
$
1,341,059
   
$
11,097
   
$
13,866
   
$
1,338,290
 

Securities with amortized costs totaling $1.6 billion at March 31, 2017 and $1.5 billion at December 31, 2016 were pledged to secure public deposits and for other purposes required or permitted by law. At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, securities with an amortized cost of $244.3 million and $235.6 million, respectively, were pledged as collateral for securities sold under repurchase agreements.
 
The amortized cost, estimated fair value, and unrealized gains and losses of securities held to maturity (“HTM”) are as follows:

(In thousands)
 
Amortized cost
   
Unrealized gains
   
Unrealized losses
   
Estimated fair value
 
March 31, 2017
                       
Mortgage-backed:
                       
     Government-sponsored enterprises
 
$
94,849
   
$
-
   
$
1,227
   
$
93,622
 
     U.S. government agency securities
   
491
     
76
     
-
     
567
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
                               
     Government-sponsored enterprises
   
215,639
     
959
     
1,637
     
214,961
 
State & municipal
   
204,814
     
972
     
1,282
     
204,504
 
Total securities HTM
 
$
515,793
   
$
2,007
   
$
4,146
   
$
513,654
 
December 31, 2016
                               
Mortgage-backed:
                               
     Government-sponsored enterprises
 
$
96,668
   
$
-
   
$
1,176
   
$
95,492
 
     U.S. government agency securities
   
533
     
87
     
-
     
620
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations:
                               
     Government-sponsored enterprises
   
225,213
     
1,060
     
1,508
     
224,765
 
State & municipal
   
205,534
     
434
     
1,795
     
204,173
 
Total securities HTM
 
$
527,948
   
$
1,581
   
$
4,479
   
$
525,050
 
 
The following table sets forth information with regard to investment securities with unrealized losses at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, segregated according to the length of time the securities had been in a continuous unrealized loss position:
 
 
 
Less than 12 months
   
12 months or longer
   
Total
 
Security Type:
 
Fair value
   
Unrealized losses
   
Number of positions
   
Fair value
   
Unrealized losses
   
Number of positions
   
Fair value
   
Unrealized losses
   
Number of positions
 
 
                                                     
March 31, 2017
                                                     
AFS Securities:
                                                     
Federal agency
 
$
94,535
   
$
(563
)
   
9
   
$
-
   
$
-
     
-
   
$
94,535
   
$
(563
)
   
9
 
State & municipal
   
24,235
     
(200
)
   
37
     
1,528
     
(27
)
   
2
     
25,763
     
(227
)
   
39
 
Mortgage-backed
   
265,960
     
(2,307
)
   
46
     
974
     
(13
)
   
4
     
266,934
     
(2,320
)
   
50
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations
   
442,362
     
(7,651
)
   
57
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
442,362
     
(7,651
)
   
57
 
Other securities
   
1,983
     
(17
)
   
1
     
2,959
     
(146
)
   
1
     
4,942
     
(163
)
   
2
 
Total securities with unrealized losses
 
$
829,075
   
$
(10,738
)
   
150
   
$
5,461
   
$
(186
)
   
7
   
$
834,536
   
$
(10,924
)
   
157
 
 
                                                                       
March 31, 2017
                                                                       
HTM securities:
                                                                       
Mortgaged-backed
 
$
93,622
   
$
(1,227
)
   
5
   
$
-
   
$
-
     
-
   
$
93,622
   
$
(1,227
   
5
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations
   
103,287
     
(360
)
   
12
     
33,841
     
(1,277
)
   
4
     
137,128
     
(1,637
)
   
16
 
State & municipal
   
48,303
     
(1,282
)
   
75
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
48,303
     
(1,282
)
   
75
 
Total securities with unrealized losses
 
$
245,212
   
$
(2,869
)
   
92
   
$
33,841
   
$
(1,277
)
   
4
    $
279,053
   
$
(4,146
)
   
96
 
                                                                         
December 31, 2016
                                                                       
AFS securities :
                                                                       
Federal agency
 
$
119,363
   
$
(805
)
   
10
   
$
-
   
$
-
     
-
   
$
119,363
   
$
(805
)
   
10
 
State & municipal
   
31,873
     
(478
)
   
55
     
483
     
(2
)
   
1
     
32,356
     
(480
)
   
56
 
Mortgage-backed
   
277,524
     
(2,668
)
   
49
     
985
     
(13
)
   
4
     
278,509
     
(2,681
)
   
53
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations
   
473,746
     
(8,396
)
   
57
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
473,746
     
(8,396
)
   
57
 
Other securities
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
4,363
     
(1,504
)
   
2
     
4,363
     
(1,504
)
   
2
 
Total securities with unrealized losses
 
$
902,506
   
$
(12,347
)
   
171
   
$
5,831
   
$
(1,519
)
   
7
   
$
908,337
   
$
(13,866
)
   
178
 
 
                                                                       
December 31, 2016
                                                                       
HTM securities:
                                                                       
Mortgage -backed
 
$
95,492
   
$
(1,176
)
   
5
   
$
-
   
$
-
     
-
   
$
95,492
   
$
(1,176
)
   
5
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations
   
108,587
     
(319
)
   
12
     
35,209
     
(1,189
)
   
4
     
143,796
     
(1,508
)
   
16
 
State & municipal
   
81,984
     
(1,795
)
   
155
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
81,984
     
(1,795
)
   
155
 
Total securities with unrealized losses
 
$
286,063
   
$
(3,290
)
   
172
   
$
35,209
   
$
(1,189
)
   
4
   
$
321,272
   
$
(4,479
)
   
176
 
 
Declines in the fair value of HTM and AFS securities below their cost that are deemed to be other-than-temporary are reflected in earnings as realized losses or in other comprehensive income. Depending on whether the Company intends to sell the security or more likely than not will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis less any current-period credit loss, the other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) shall be recognized in earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s amortized cost basis and its fair value at the balance sheet date. If the Company does not intend to sell the security and it is not more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis less any current-period credit loss, the OTTI shall be separated into (a) the amount representing the credit loss and (b) the amount related to all other factors. The amount of the total OTTI related to the credit loss shall be recognized in earnings. The amount of the total OTTI related to other factors shall be recognized in other comprehensive income, net of applicable taxes.

In estimating OTTI losses, management considers, among other things, (i) the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, (ii) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and (iii) the historical and implied volatility of the fair value of the security.

Management has the intent to hold the securities classified as HTM until they mature, at which time it is believed the Company will receive full value for the securities. The unrealized losses on HTM debt securities are due to increases in market interest rates over yields available at the time the underlying securities were purchased. When necessary, the Company has performed a discounted cash flow analysis to determine whether or not it will receive the contractual principal and interest on certain securities. The fair value is expected to recover as the bonds approach their maturity date or repricing date or if market yields for such investments decline.
 
Management also has the intent to hold and will not be required to sell, the securities classified as AFS for a period of time sufficient for a recovery of cost, which may be until maturity. The unrealized losses on AFS debt securities are due to increases in market interest rates over the yields available at the time the underlying securities were purchased. When necessary, the Company has performed a discounted cash flow analysis to determine whether or not it will receive the contractual principal and interest on certain securities. The unrealized losses on equity securities are due to declines in the fair value below the cost basis of the securities. For AFS debt and equity securities, the Company considers a decline in fair value to be other-than-temporary if it is probable that the Company will not recover its cost basis. For equity securities, OTTI losses are recognized in earnings if the Company intends to sell the security. In other cases the Company considers the relevant factors noted above, as well as the Company’s intent and ability to retain its investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value, and whether evidence exists to support a realizable value equal to or greater than the cost basis. Any impairment loss on an equity security is equal to the full difference between the cost basis and the fair value of the security.
 
As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, management believes the impairments detailed in the table above are temporary. For the quarter ended March 31, 2017, $1.3 million of an OTTI loss on an equity investment was realized in the Company’s consolidated statements of income.  There were no OTTI losses realized in the Company’s consolidated statements of income for the quarter ended December 31, 2016.
 
The following tables set forth information with regard to contractual maturities of debt securities at March 31, 2017:
 
(In thousands)
 
Amortized cost
   
Estimated fair value
 
AFS debt securities:
           
Within one year
 
$
43,247
   
$
43,292
 
From one to five years
   
163,135
     
163,417
 
From five to ten years
   
162,510
     
163,494
 
After ten years
   
985,766
     
978,230
 
 
 
$
1,354,658
   
$
1,348,433
 
HTM debt securities:
               
Within one year
 
$
38,266
   
$
38,275
 
From one to five years
   
30,155
     
30,330
 
From five to ten years
   
126,026
     
126,080
 
After ten years
   
321,346
     
318,969
 
 
 
$
515,793
   
$
513,654
 
 
Maturities of mortgage-backed, collateralized mortgage obligations and asset-backed securities are stated based on their estimated average lives. Actual maturities may differ from estimated average lives or contractual maturities because, in certain cases, borrowers have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.
 
Except for U.S. Government securities, there were no holdings, when taken in the aggregate, of any single issuer that exceeded 10% of consolidated stockholders’ equity at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.
 
4.
Allowance for Loan Losses and Credit Quality of Loans

Allowance for Loan Losses

The allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level estimated by management to provide appropriately for risk of probable incurred losses inherent in the current loan portfolio. The appropriateness of the allowance for loan losses is continuously monitored.  It is assessed for appropriateness using a methodology designed to ensure the level of the allowance reasonably reflects the loan portfolio’s risk profile. It is evaluated to ensure that it is sufficient to absorb all reasonably estimable credit losses inherent in the current loan portfolio.

To develop and document a systematic methodology for determining the allowance for loan losses, the Company has divided the loan portfolio into three segments, each with different risk characteristics and methodologies for assessing risk. Those segments are further segregated between our loans accounted for under the amortized cost method (referred to as “originated” loans) and loans acquired in a business combination (referred to as “acquired” loans). Each portfolio segment is broken down into class segments where appropriate. Class segments contain unique measurement attributes, risk characteristics and methods for monitoring and assessing risk that are necessary to develop the allowance for loan losses. Unique characteristics such as borrower type, loan type, collateral type, and risk characteristics define each class segment. The following table illustrates the portfolio and class segments for the Company’s loan portfolio:

Portfolio
Class
  Commercial Loans
  Commercial
 
  Commercial Real Estate
 
  Agricultural
 
  Agricultural Real Estate
 
  Business Banking
  Consumer Loans
  Indirect
 
  Home Equity
 
  Direct
  Residential Real Estate Mortgages
 

COMMERCIAL LOANS

The Company offers a variety of commercial loan products including commercial (non-real estate), commercial real estate, agricultural, agricultural real estate, and business banking loans.  The Company’s underwriting analysis for commercial loans typically includes credit verification, independent appraisals, a review of the borrower’s financial condition, and a detailed analysis of the borrower’s underlying cash flows.

CommercialThe Company offers a variety of loan options to meet the specific needs of our commercial customers including term loans, time notes and lines of credit. Such loans are made available to businesses for working capital needs such as inventory and receivables, business expansion and equipment purchases. Generally, a collateral lien is placed on equipment or other assets owned by the borrower. These loans carry a higher risk than commercial real estate loans due to the nature of the underlying collateral, which can be business assets such as equipment and accounts receivable and is generally less liquid than real estate. To reduce the risk, management also attempts to secure real estate as collateral and obtain personal guarantees of the borrowers.
 
Commercial Real Estate – The Company offers commercial real estate loans to finance real estate purchases, refinancings, expansions and improvements to commercial properties. Commercial real estate loans are made to finance the purchases of real property which generally consists of real estate with completed structures. These commercial real estate loans are secured by first liens on the real estate, which may include apartments, commercial structures, housing businesses, healthcare facilities, and other non owner-occupied facilities. These loans are typically less risky than commercial loans, since they are secured by real estate and buildings. The Company’s underwriting analysis includes credit verification, independent appraisals, a review of the borrower’s financial condition, and a detailed analysis of the borrower’s underlying cash flows. These loans are typically originated in amounts of no more than 80% of the appraised value of the property.

Agricultural – The Company offers a variety of agricultural loans to meet the needs of our agricultural customers including term loans, time notes, and lines of credit. These loans are made to purchase livestock, purchase and modernize equipment, and finance seasonal crop expenses. Generally, a collateral lien is placed on the livestock, equipment, produce inventories, and/or receivables owned by the borrower. These loans may carry a higher risk than commercial and agricultural real estate loans due to the industry price volatility, and in some cases, the perishable nature of the underlying collateral. To reduce these risks, management may attempt to secure these loans with additional real estate collateral, obtain personal guarantees of the borrowers, or obtain government loan guarantees to provide further support.
 
Agricultural Real Estate – The Company offers real estate loans to our agricultural customers to finance farm related real estate purchases, refinancings, expansions, and improvements to agricultural properties. Agricultural real estate loans are made to finance the purchase and improvements of farm properties that generally consist of barns, production facilities, and land. The agricultural real estate loans are secured by first liens on the farm real estate. Because they are secured by land and buildings, these loans may be less risky than agricultural loans. The Company’s underwriting analysis includes credit verification, independent appraisals, a review of the borrower’s financial condition, and a detailed analysis of the borrower’s underlying cash flows. These loans are typically originated in amounts of no more than 75% of the appraised value of the property. Government loan guarantees may be obtained to provide further support.
 
Business Banking - The Company offers a variety of loan options to meet the specific needs of our business banking customers including term loans, business banking mortgages and lines of credit. Such loans are generally less than $0.8 million and are made available to businesses for working capital such as inventory and receivables, business expansion, equipment purchases, and agricultural needs. Generally, a collateral lien is placed on equipment or other assets owned by the borrower such as inventory and/or receivables. These loans carry a higher risk than commercial loans due to the smaller size of the borrower and lower levels of capital. To reduce the risk, the Company obtains personal guarantees of the owners for a majority of the loans.

CONSUMER LOANS

The Company offers a variety of consumer loan products including indirect, home equity, and direct loans.

Indirect – The Company maintains relationships with many dealers primarily in the communities that we serve.  Through these relationships, the company primarily finances the purchases of automobiles and recreational vehicles (such as campers, boats, etc.) indirectly through dealer relationships. Approximately 70% of the indirect relationships represent automobile financing.  Most of these loans carry a fixed rate of interest with principal repayment terms typically ranging from three to six years, based upon the nature of the collateral and the size of the loan. The majority of indirect consumer loans are underwritten on a secured basis using the underlying collateral being financed.
 
Home Equity The Company offers fixed home equity loans as well as home equity lines of credit to consumers to finance home improvements, debt consolidation, education and other uses. Consumers are able to borrow up to 85% of the equity in their homes. The Company originates home equity lines of credit and second mortgage loans (loans secured by a second lien position on one-to-four-family residential real estate). These loans carry a higher risk than first mortgage residential loans as they are in a second position with respect to collateral. Risk is reduced through underwriting criteria, which include credit verification, appraisals, a review of the borrower’s financial condition, and personal cash flows. A security interest, with title insurance when necessary, is taken in the underlying real estate.

Direct – The Company offers a variety of consumer installment loans to finance vehicle purchases, mobile home purchases and personal expenditures. Most of these loans carry a fixed rate of interest with principal repayment terms typically ranging from one to ten years, based upon the nature of the collateral and the size of the loan. The majority of consumer loans are underwritten on a secured basis using the underlying collateral being financed or a customer’s deposit account. In addition to installment loans, the Company also offers personal lines of credit and overdraft protection. A minimal amount of loans are unsecured, which carry a higher risk of loss.
 
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE LOANS

Residential real estate loans consist primarily of loans secured by first or second deeds of trust on primary residences. We originate adjustable-rate and fixed-rate, one-to-four-family residential real estate loans for the construction, purchase or refinancing of a mortgage. These loans are collateralized by owner-occupied properties located in the Company’s market area. When market conditions are favorable, for longer term, fixed-rate residential mortgages without escrow, the Company retains the servicing, but sells the right to receive principal and interest to Freddie Mac. This practice allows the Company to manage interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk. Loans on one-to-four-family residential real estate are generally originated in amounts of no more than 85% of the purchase price or appraised value (whichever is lower), or have private mortgage insurance. Mortgage title insurance and hazard insurance are normally required. Construction loans have a unique risk, because they are secured by an incomplete dwelling. This risk is reduced through periodic site inspections, including one at each loan draw period.
 
Allowance for Loan Loss Calculation

For purposes of evaluating the adequacy of the allowance, the Company considers a number of significant factors that affect the collectibility of the portfolio. For individually analyzed loans, these include estimates of loss exposure, which reflect the facts and circumstances that affect the likelihood of repayment of such loans as of the evaluation date. For homogeneous pools of loans, estimates of the Company’s exposure to credit loss reflect a current assessment of a number of factors, which could affect collectibility. These factors include:  past loss experience;  size, trend, composition, and nature of loans;  changes in lending policies and procedures, including underwriting standards and collection,  charge-offs  and  recoveries; trends experienced in nonperforming and delinquent loans; current economic conditions in the Company’s market;  portfolio concentrations that may affect loss experienced across one or more components of the portfolio; the effect of external factors such as competition, legal and regulatory requirements; and the experience, ability, and depth of lending management and staff.

In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral component of their examination process, periodically review the Company’s allowance for loan losses. Such agencies may require the Company to make loan grade changes as well as recognize additions to the allowance based on their examinations.
 
After a thorough consideration of the factors discussed above, any required additions or reductions to the allowance for loan losses are made periodically by charges or credits to the provision for loan losses. These charges are necessary to maintain the allowance at a level which management believes is reflective of overall inherent risk of probable loss in the portfolio. While management uses available information to recognize losses on loans, additions and reductions of the allowance may fluctuate from one reporting period to another. These fluctuations are reflective of changes in risk associated with portfolio content and/or changes in management’s assessment of any or all of the determining factors discussed above.
 
The following tables illustrate the changes in the allowance for loan losses by our portfolio segments for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016:
 
(In thousands)
 
Commercial Loans
   
Consumer Loans
   
Residential Real Estate Mortgages
   
Unallocated
   
Total
 
Balance as of December 31, 2016
 
$
25,444
   
$
33,375
   
$
6,381
   
$
-
   
$
65,200
 
Charge-offs
   
(1,294
)
   
(6,502
)
   
(598
)
   
-
     
(8,394
)
Recoveries
   
447
     
1,035
     
33
     
-
     
1,515
 
Provision
   
130
     
6,861
     
388
     
-
     
7,379
 
Ending Balance as of March 31, 2017
 
$
24,727
   
$
34,769
   
$
6,204
   
$
-
   
$
65,700
 
 
                                       
Balance as of December 31, 2015
 
$
25,545
   
$
29,253
   
$
7,960
   
$
260
   
$
63,018
 
Charge-offs
   
(437
)
   
(5,413
)
   
(709
)
   
-
     
(6,559
)
Recoveries
   
765
     
974
     
22
     
-
     
1,761
 
Provision
   
(574
)
   
6,221
     
711
     
(260
)
   
6,098
 
Ending Balance as of March 31, 2016
 
$
25,299
   
$
31,035
   
$
7,984
   
$
-
   
$
64,318
 

For acquired loans, to the extent that we experience deterioration in borrower credit quality resulting in a decrease in our expected cash flows subsequent to the acquisition of the loans, an allowance for loan losses would be established based on our estimate of future credit losses over the remaining life of the loan. There was no allowance for loan losses for the acquired loan portfolio as of March 31, 2017 and $0.7 million as of December 31, 2016. Net charge-offs related to acquired loans totaled approximately $0.4 million and $0.1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2016, respectively, and are included in the table above.
 
The following tables illustrate the allowance for loan losses and the recorded investment by portfolio segments as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016:
 
(In thousands)
 
Commercial Loans
   
Consumer Loans
   
Residential Real Estate Mortgages
   
Total
 
As of March 31, 2017
                       
Allowance for loan losses
 
$
24,727
   
$
34,769
   
$
6,204
   
$
65,700
 
Allowance for loans individually evaluated for impairment
   
422
     
-
     
-
     
422
 
Allowance for loans collectively evaluated for impairment
 
$
24,305
   
$
34,769
   
$
6,204
   
$
65,278
 
Ending balance of loans
 
$
2,824,936
   
$
2,171,593
   
$
1,275,774
   
$
6,272,303
 
Ending balance of originated loans individually evaluated for impairment
   
10,736
     
8,379
     
6,194
     
25,309
 
Ending balance of acquired loans individually evaluated for impairment
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
 
Ending balance of acquired loans collectively evaluated for impairment
   
228,021
     
56,852
     
193,253
     
478,126
 
Ending balance of originated loans collectively evaluated for impairment
 
$
2,586,179
   
$
2,106,362
   
$
1,076,327
   
$
5,768,868
 
 
                               
As of December 31, 2016
                               
Allowance for loan losses
 
$
25,444
   
$
33,375
   
$
6,381
   
$
65,200
 
Allowance for loans individually evaluated for impairment
   
1,517
     
-
     
-
     
1,517
 
Allowance for loans collectively evaluated for impairment
 
$
23,927
   
$
33,375
   
$
6,381
   
$
63,683
 
Ending balance of loans
 
$
2,786,002
   
$
2,149,441
   
$
1,262,614
   
$
6,198,057
 
Ending balance of originated loans individually evaluated for impairment
   
13,070
     
8,488
     
6,111
     
27,669
 
Ending balance of acquired loans individually evaluated for impairment
   
1,205
     
-
     
-
     
1,205
 
Ending balance of acquired loans collectively evaluated for impairment
   
236,413
     
63,005
     
199,471
     
498,889
 
Ending balance of originated loans collectively evaluated for impairment
 
$
2,535,314
   
$
2,077,948
   
$
1,057,032
   
$
5,670,294
 
 
Credit Quality of Loans

For all loan classes within the Company’s loan portfolio, loans are placed on nonaccrual status when timely collection of principal and interest in accordance with contractual terms is doubtful. Loans are transferred to nonaccrual status generally when principal or interest payments become ninety days delinquent, unless the loan is well-secured and in the process of collection, or sooner when management concludes or circumstances indicate that borrowers may be unable to meet contractual principal or interest payments. When a loan is transferred to a nonaccrual status, all interest previously accrued in the current period but not collected is reversed against interest income in that period. Interest accrued in a prior period and not collected is charged-off against the allowance for loan losses.
 
If ultimate repayment of a nonaccrual loan is expected, any payments received are applied in accordance with contractual terms. If ultimate repayment of principal is not expected, any payment received on a nonaccrual loan is applied to principal until ultimate repayment becomes expected. For all loan classes within the Company’s loan portfolio, nonaccrual loans are returned to accrual status when they become current as to principal and interest and demonstrate a period of performance under the contractual terms and, in the opinion of management, are fully collectible as to principal and interest. For loans in all portfolios, the principal amount is charged off in full or in part as soon as management determines, based on available facts, that the collection of principal in full is improbable. For commercial loans, management considers specific facts and circumstances relative to individual credits in making such a determination. For consumer and residential loan classes, management uses specific guidance and thresholds from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s Uniform Retail Credit Classification and Account Management Policy.
 
The following tables set forth information with regard to past due and nonperforming loans by loan class as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016:
 
As of March 31, 2017

(In thousands)
 
31-60 Days Past Due Accruing
   
61-90 Days Past Due Accruing
   
Greater Than 90 Days Past Due Accruing
   
Total Past Due Accruing
   
Nonaccrual
   
Current
   
Recorded Total Loans
 
ORIGINATED
                                         
Commercial Loans:
                                         
Commercial
 
$
292
   
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
292
   
$
4,913
   
$
702,383
   
$
707,588
 
Commercial Real Estate
   
286
     
-
     
-
     
286
     
2,516
     
1,346,470
     
1,349,272
 
Agricultural
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
685
     
36,052
     
36,737
 
Agricultural Real Estate
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
1,771
     
30,314
     
32,085
 
Business Banking
   
2,965
     
428
     
-
     
3,393
     
4,766
     
463,074
     
471,233
 
Total Commercial Loans
   
3,543
     
428
     
-
     
3,971
     
14,651
     
2,578,293
     
2,596,915
 
Consumer Loans:
                                                       
Indirect
   
15,407
     
3,552
     
2,222
     
21,181
     
2,135
     
1,575,393
     
1,598,709
 
Home Equity
   
2,635
     
614
     
58
     
3,307
     
2,926
     
447,902
     
454,135
 
Direct
   
246
     
71
     
103
     
420
     
63
     
61,414
     
61,897
 
Total Consumer Loans
   
18,288
     
4,237
     
2,383
     
24,908
     
5,124
     
2,084,709
     
2,114,741
 
Residential Real Estate Mortgages
   
2,444
     
322
     
-
     
2,766
     
8,585
     
1,071,170
     
1,082,521
 
Total Originated Loans
 
$
24,275
   
$
4,987
   
$
2,383
   
$
31,645
   
$
28,360
   
$
5,734,172
   
$
5,794,177
 
 
                                                       
ACQUIRED
                                                       
Commercial Loans:
                                                       
Commercial
 
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
45,908
   
$
45,908
 
Commercial Real Estate
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
889
     
132,611
     
133,500
 
Business Banking
   
441
     
-
     
-
     
441
     
800
     
47,372
     
48,613
 
Total Commercial Loans
   
441
     
-
     
-
     
441
     
1,689
     
225,891
     
228,021
 
Consumer Loans:
                                                       
Indirect
   
37
     
1
     
9
     
47
     
39
     
5,713
     
5,799
 
Home Equity
   
177
     
-
     
-
     
177
     
196
     
47,716
     
48,089
 
Direct
   
24
     
1
     
-
     
25
     
13
     
2,926
     
2,964
 
Total Consumer Loans
   
238
     
2
     
9
     
249
     
248
     
56,355
     
56,852
 
Residential Real Estate Mortgages
   
1,300
     
15
     
-
     
1,315
     
2,377
     
189,561
     
193,253
 
Total Acquired Loans
 
$
1,979
   
$
17
   
$
9
   
$
2,005
   
$
4,314
   
$
471,807
   
$
478,126
 
Total Loans
 
$
26,254
   
$
5,004
   
$
2,392
   
$
33,650
   
$
32,674
   
$
6,205,979
   
$
6,272,303
 
 
As of December 31, 2016

(In thousands)
 
31-60 Days Past Due Accruing
   
61-90 Days Past Due Accruing
   
Greater Than 90 Days Past Due Accruing
   
Total Past Due Accruing
   
Nonaccrual
   
Current
   
Recorded Total Loans
 
ORIGINATED
                                         
Commercial Loans:
                                         
Commercial
 
$
33
   
$
5
   
$
-
   
$
38
   
$
2,964
   
$
650,568
   
$
653,570
 
Commercial Real Estate
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
7,935
     
1,343,854
     
1,351,789
 
Agricultural
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
730
     
37,186
     
37,916
 
Agricultural Real Estate
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
1,803
     
30,619
     
32,422
 
Business Banking
   
1,609
     
318
     
-
     
1,927
     
4,860
     
465,900
     
472,687
 
Total Commercial Loans
   
1,642
     
323
     
-
     
1,965
     
18,292
     
2,528,127
     
2,548,384
 
Consumer Loans:
                                                       
Indirect
   
19,253
     
4,185
     
2,499
     
25,937
     
2,145
     
1,538,593
     
1,566,675
 
Home Equity
   
3,416
     
1,065
     
528
     
5,009
     
2,851
     
448,797
     
456,657
 
Direct
   
452
     
125
     
20
     
597
     
107
     
62,400
     
63,104
 
Total Consumer Loans
   
23,121
     
5,375
     
3,047
     
31,543
     
5,103
     
2,049,790
     
2,086,436
 
Residential Real Estate Mortgages
   
2,725
     
172
     
1,406
     
4,303
     
6,682
     
1,052,158
     
1,063,143
 
Total Originated Loans
 
$
27,488
   
$
5,870
   
$
4,453
   
$
37,811
   
$
30,077
   
$
5,630,075
   
$
5,697,963
 
                                                         
ACQUIRED
                                                       
Commercial Loans:
                                                       
Commercial
 
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
-
   
$
49,447
   
$
49,447
 
Commercial Real Estate
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
-
     
1,891
     
135,398
     
137,289
 
Business Banking
   
236
     
-
     
-
     
236
     
804
     
49,842
     
50,882
 
Total Commercial Loans
   
236
     
-
     
-
     
236
     
2,695
     
234,687
     
237,618
 
Consumer Loans:
                                                       
Indirect
   
100
     
5
     
-
     
105
     
47
     
8,541
     
8,693
 
Home Equity
   
254
     
53
     
30
     
337
     
237
     
50,553
     
51,127
 
Direct
   
30
     
2
     
-
     
32
     
20
     
3,133
     
3,185
 
Total Consumer Loans
   
384
     
60
     
30
     
474
     
304
     
62,227
     
63,005
 
Residential Real Estate Mortgages
   
609
     
28
     
327
     
964
     
2,636
     
195,871
     
199,471
 
Total Acquired Loans
 
$
1,229
   
$
88
   
$
357
   
$
1,674
   
$
5,635
   
$
492,785
   
$
500,094
 
Total Loans
 
$
28,717
   
$
5,958
   
$
4,810
   
$
39,485
   
$
35,712
   
$
6,122,860
   
$
6,198,057
 

There were no material commitments to extend further credit to borrowers with nonperforming loans as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.
 
Impaired Loans

The methodology used to establish the allowance for loan losses on impaired loans incorporates specific allocations on loans analyzed individually. Classified loans, including all trouble debt restructured loans (“TDRs”) and nonaccrual commercial loans that are graded Substandard or below, with outstanding balances of $0.8 million or more are evaluated for impairment through the Company’s quarterly status review process. In determining whether we are able to collect all principal and interest payments due in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan agreements, we consider factors such as payment history and changes in the financial condition of individual borrowers, local economic conditions, historical loss experience and the conditions of the various markets in which the collateral may be liquidated. For loans that are evaluated for impairment, impairment is measured by one of three methods: 1) the fair value of collateral less cost to sell, 2) present value of expected future cash flows or 3) the loan’s observable market price. These impaired loans are reviewed on a quarterly basis for changes in the measurement of impairment. Any change to the previously recognized impairment loss is recognized as a change to the allowance account and recorded in the consolidated statement of income as a component of the provision for loan losses.

The following table provides information on loans specifically evaluated for impairment as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016:
 
 
 
March 31, 2017
   
December 31, 2016
 
(In thousands)
 
Recorded Investment Balance (Book)
   
Unpaid Principal Balance(Legal)
   
Related Allowance
   
Recorded Investment Balance (Book)
   
Unpaid Principal Balance(Legal)
   
Related Allowance
 
ORIGINATED
                                   
With no related allowance recorded:
                                   
Commercial Loans:
                                   
Commercial
 
$
3,495
   
$
3,536
         
$
1,278
   
$
1,697
       
Commercial Real Estate
   
3,778
     
3,810
           
3,816
     
3,841
       
Agricultural
   
130
     
138
           
130
     
137
       
Agricultural Real Estate
   
1,520
     
1,660
           
1,434
     
1,567
       
Business Banking
   
645
     
724
           
655
     
728
       
Total Commercial Loans
   
9,568
     
9,868
           
7,313
     
7,970
       
 
                                           
Consumer Loans:
                                           
Indirect
   
5
     
15
           
5
     
16
       
Home Equity
   
8,374
     
9,272
           
8,483
     
9,429
       
Total Consumer Loans
   
8,379
     
9,287
           
8,488
     
9,445
       
 
                                           
Residential Real Estate Mortgages
   
6,194
     
7,028
           
6,111
     
6,906
       
Total
   
24,141
     
26,183
           
21,912
     
24,321
       
 
                                           
With an allowance recorded:
                                           
Commercial Loans:
                                           
Commercial Real Estate
   
1,081
     
1,081
    $
335
     
5,553
     
5,736
    $
735
 
Agricultural
   
37
     
37
     
37
     
49
     
49
     
37
 
Agricultural Real Estate
   
50
     
50
     
50
     
155
     
155
     
54
 
Total Commercial Loans
   
1,168
     
1,168
     
422
     
5,757
     
5,940
     
826
 
                                                 
ACQUIRED
                                               
With an allowance recorded:
                                               
Commercial Loans:
                                               
Commercial Real Estate
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
1,205
     
1,321
     
691
 
Total Commercial Loans
   
-
     
-
     
-
     
1,205
     
1,321
     
691
 
                                                 
Total:
 
$
25,309
   
$
27,351
   
$
422
   
$
28,874
   
$
31,582
   
$
1,517
 
 
The following tables summarize the average recorded investments on impaired loans specifically evaluated for impairment and the interest income recognized for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016:

 
 
For the three months ended
 
 
 
March 31, 2017
   
March 31, 2016
 
(In thousands)
 
Average Recorded Investment
   
Interest Income Recognized
   
Average Recorded Investment
   
Interest Income Recognized
 
ORIGINATED
                       
Commercial Loans:
                       
Commercial
 
$
2,926
   
$
-
   
$
2,773
   
$
19
 
Commercial Real Estate
   
5,995
     
44
     
13,509
     
100
 
Agricultural
   
173
     
-
     
158
     
-
 
Agricultural Real Estate
   
1,580
     
11
     
616
     
11
 
Business Banking
   
650
     
2
     
978
     
6
 
Consumer Loans:
                               
Indirect
   
5
     
-
     
11
     
-
 
Home Equity
   
8,431
     
110
     
8,003
     
121
 
Residential Real Estate Mortgages
   
5,611
     
39
     
6,121
     
67
 
Total Originated
   
25,371
     
206
     
32,169
     
324
 
                                 
ACQUIRED
                               
Commercial Loans:
                               
Commercial Real Estate
   
301
     
-
     
1,205
     
-
 
Total Acquired
   
301
     
-
     
1,205
     
-
 
Total Loans
 
$
25,672
   
$
206
   
$
33,374
   
$
324
 
 
Credit Quality Indicators

The Company has developed an internal loan grading system to evaluate and quantify the Bank’s loan portfolio with respect to quality and risk. The system focuses on, among other things, financial strength of borrowers, experience and depth of management, primary and secondary sources of repayment, payment history, nature of the business, and outlook on particular industries. The internal grading system enables the Company to monitor the quality of the entire loan portfolio on a consistent basis and provide management with an early warning system, enabling recognition and response to problem loans and potential problem loans.
Commercial Grading System
For commercial and agricultural loans, the Company uses a grading system that relies on quantifiable and measurable characteristics when available. This would include comparison of financial strength to available industry averages, comparison of transaction factors (loan terms and conditions) to loan policy, and comparison of credit history to stated repayment terms and industry averages. Some grading factors are necessarily more subjective such as economic and industry factors, regulatory environment, and management. Commercial loans are graded as Doubtful, Substandard, Special Mention and Pass.

Doubtful

A doubtful loan has a high probability of total or substantial loss, but because of specific pending events that may strengthen the asset, its classification as a loss is deferred. Doubtful borrowers are usually in default, lack adequate liquidity or capital, and lack the resources necessary to remain an operating entity. Pending events can include mergers, acquisitions, liquidations, capital injections, the perfection of liens on additional collateral, the valuation of collateral, and refinancing. Generally, pending events should be resolved within a relatively short period and the ratings will be adjusted based on the new information. Because of high probability of loss, nonaccrual treatment is required for Doubtful assets.
 
Substandard

Substandard loans have a high probability of payment default, or they have other well-defined weaknesses. They require more intensive supervision by bank management. Substandard loans are generally characterized by current or expected unprofitable operations, inadequate debt service coverage, inadequate liquidity, or marginal capitalization. Repayment may depend on collateral or other credit risk mitigants. For some Substandard loans, the likelihood of full collection of interest and principal may be in doubt and those loans should be placed on nonaccrual. Although Substandard assets in the aggregate will have a distinct potential for loss, an individual asset’s loss potential does not have to be distinct for the asset to be rated Substandard.
 
Special Mention

Special Mention loans have potential weaknesses that may, if not checked or corrected, weaken the asset or inadequately protect the Company’s position at some future date. These loans pose elevated risk, but their weakness does not yet justify a Substandard classification. Borrowers may be experiencing adverse operating trends (declining revenues or margins) or may be struggling with an ill-proportioned balance sheet (e.g., increasing inventory without an increase in sales, high leverage, tight liquidity). Adverse economic or market conditions, such as interest rate increases or the entry of a new competitor, may also support a Special Mention rating. Although a Special Mention loan has a higher probability of default than a pass asset, its default is not imminent.
 
Pass

Loans graded as Pass encompass all loans not graded as Doubtful, Substandard, or Special Mention.  Pass loans are in compliance with loan covenants, and payments are generally made as agreed.  Pass loans range from superior quality to fair quality.
 
Business Banking Grading System

Business banking loans are graded as either Classified or Non-classified:

Classified

Classified loans are inadequately protected by the current worth and paying capacity of the obligor or, if applicable, the collateral pledged. These loans have a well-defined weakness, or weaknesses, that jeopardize the liquidation of the debt, or in some cases make collection or liquidation in full, on the basis of currently existing facts, conditions, and values, highly questionable and improbable. They are characterized by the distinct possibility that the Company will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected. Classified loans have a high probability of payment default, or a high probability of total or substantial loss. These loans require more intensive supervision by management and are generally characterized by current or expected unprofitable operations, inadequate debt service coverage, inadequate liquidity, or marginal capitalization. Repayment may depend on collateral or other credit risk mitigants. When the likelihood of full collection of interest and principal may be in doubt, Classified loans are considered to have a nonaccrual status. In some cases, Classified loans are considered uncollectible and of such little value that their continuance as assets is not warranted.
 
Non-classified

Loans graded as Non-classified encompass all loans not graded as Classified. Non-classified loans are in compliance with loan covenants, and payments are generally made as agreed.
 
Consumer and Residential Mortgage Grading System

Consumer and Residential Mortgage loans are graded as either Performing or Nonperforming.  

Nonperforming

Nonperforming loans are loans that are 1) over 90 days past due and interest is still accruing or 2) on nonaccrual status.
 
Performing
All loans not meeting any of these criteria are considered Performing.
 
The following tables illustrate the Company’s credit quality by loan class as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016:
 
Credit Quality Indicators
As of March 31, 2017
(In thousands)
ORIGINATED
                             
Commercial Credit Exposure
                             
By Internally Assigned Grade:
 
Commercial
   
Commercial Real Estate
   
Agricultural
   
Agricultural Real Estate
   
Total
 
Pass
  $
658,916
    $
1,286,478
    $
34,144
    $
27,349
    $
2,006,887
 
Special Mention
   
12,987
     
31,208
     
310
     
2,558
     
47,063
 
Substandard
   
35,685
     
31,586
     
2,278
     
2,178
     
71,727
 
Doubtful
   
-
     
-
     
5
     
-
     
5
 
Total
  $
707,588
    $
1,349,272
    $
36,737
    $
32,085
    $
2,125,682
 
 
                                       
Business Banking Credit Exposure
                                       
By Internally Assigned Grade:
                         
Business Banking
   
Total
 
Non-classified
                          $
457,783
    $
457,783
 
Classified
                           
13,450
     
13,450
 
Total
                          $
471,233
    $
471,233
 
 
                                       
Consumer Credit Exposure
                                       
By Payment Activity:
       
Indirect
   
Home Equity
   
Direct
   
Total
 
Performing
          $
1,594,352
    $
451,151
    $
61,731
    $
2,107,234
 
Nonperforming
           
4,357
     
2,984
     
166
     
7,507
 
Total
          $
1,598,709
    $
454,135
    $
61,897
    $
2,114,741
 
 
                                       
Residential Mortgage Credit Exposure
                                       
By Payment Activity:
                         
Residential Mortgage
   
Total
 
Performing
                          $
1,073,936
    $
1,073,936
 
Nonperforming
                           
8,585
     
8,585
 
Total
                          $
1,082,521
    $
1,082,521
 
 
Credit Quality Indicators
As of March 31, 2017
(In thousands)
ACQUIRED
                       
Commercial Credit Exposure
                       
By Internally Assigned Grade:
       
Commercial
   
Commercial Real Estate
   
Total
 
Pass
        $
44,782
    $
123,532
    $
168,314
 
Special Mention
         
55
     
2,883
     
2,938
 
Substandard
         
1,071
     
7,085
     
8,156
 
Total
        $
45,908
    $
133,500
    $
179,408
 
 
                             
Business Banking Credit Exposure
                             
By Internally Assigned Grade:
               
Business Banking
   
Total
 
Non-classified
                $
44,889
    $
44,889
 
Classified
                 
3,724
     
3,724
 
Total
                $
48,613
    $
48,613
 
 
                             
Consumer Credit Exposure
                             
By Payment Activity:
 
Indirect
   
Home Equity
   
Direct
   
Total
 
Performing
  $
5,751
    $
47,893
    $
2,951
    $
56,595
 
Nonperforming
   
48
     
196
     
13
     
257
 
Total
  $
5,799
    $
48,089
    $
2,964
    $
56,852
 
 
                               
Residential Mortgage Credit Exposure
                               
By Payment Activity:
                 
Residential Mortgage
   
Total
 
Performing
                  $
190,876
    $
190,876
 
Nonperforming
                   
2,377
     
2,377
 
Total
                  $
193,253
    $
193,253
 
 
Credit Quality Indicators
As of December 31, 2016
(In thousands)
ORIGINATED
                             
Commercial Credit Exposure
                             
By Internally Assigned Grade:
 
Commercial
   
Commercial Real Estate
   
Agricultural
   
Agricultural Real Estate
   
Total
 
Pass
  $
616,829
    $
1,288,409
    $
36,762
    $
28,912
    $
1,970,912
 
Special Mention
   
7,750
     
31,053
     
25
     
1,896
     
40,724
 
Substandard
   
28,991
     
32,327
     
1,124
     
1,614
     
64,056
 
Doubtful
   
-
     
-
     
5
     
-
     
5
 
Total
  $
653,570
    $
1,351,789
    $
37,916
    $
32,422
    $
2,075,697
 
 
                                       
Business Banking Credit Exposure
                                       
By Internally Assigned Grade:
                         
Business Banking
   
Total
 
Non-classified
                          $
458,864
    $
458,864
 
Classified
                           
13,823
     
13,823
 
Total
                          $
472,687
    $
472,687
 
                                         
Consumer Credit Exposure
                                       
By Payment Activity:
         
Indirect
   
Home Equity
   
Direct
   
Total
 
Performing
          $
1,562,031
    $
453,278
    $
62,977
    $
2,078,286
 
Nonperforming
           
4,644
     
3,379
     
127
     
8,150
 
Total
          $
1,566,675
    $
456,657
    $
63,104
    $
2,086,436
 
 
                                       
Residential Mortgage Credit Exposure
                                       
By Payment Activity:
                         
Residential Mortgage
   
Total
 
Performing
                          $
1,055,055
    $
1,055,055
 
Nonperforming
                           
8,088
     
8,088
 
Total
                          $
1,063,143
    $
1,063,143
 
 
Credit Quality Indicators
As of December 31, 2016
 (In thousands)
ACQUIRED
                       
Commercial Credit Exposure
                       
By Internally Assigned Grade:
       
Commercial
   
Commercial Real Estate
   
Total
 
Pass
        $
48,194
    $
127,660
    $
175,854
 
Special Mention
         
76
     
1,231
     
1,307
 
Substandard
         
1,177
     
7,193
     
8,370
 
Doubtful
         
-
     
1,205
     
1,205
 
Total
        $
49,447
    $
137,289
    $
186,736
 
 
                             
Business Banking Credit Exposure
                             
By Internally Assigned Grade:
               
Business Banking
   
Total
 
Non-classified
                $
47,347
    $
47,347
 
Classified
                 
3,535
     
3,535
 
Total
                $
50,882
    $
50,882
 
 
                             
Consumer Credit Exposure
                             
By Payment Activity:
 
Indirect
   
Home Equity
   
Direct
   
Total
 
Performing
  $
8,646
    $
50,860
    $
3,165
    $
62,671
 
Nonperforming
   
47
     
267
     
20
     
334
 
Total
  $
8,693
    $
51,127
    $
3,185
    $
63,005
 
 
                               
Residential Mortgage Credit Exposure
                               
By Payment Activity:
                 
Residential Mortgage
   
Total
 
Performing
                  $
196,508
    $
196,508
 
Nonperforming
                   
2,963
     
2,963
 
Total
                  $
199,471
    $
199,471
 
 
Troubled Debt Restructured Loans

Substantially all modifications included one or a combination of the following: an extension of the maturity date at a stated rate of interest lower than the current market rate for new debt with similar risk; temporary reduction in the interest rate; or change in scheduled payment amount. Residential and home equity TDRs occurring during 2017 and 2016 were due to the reduction in the interest rate or extension of the term.
 
When the Company modifies a loan, management evaluates any possible impairment based on the present value of the expected future cash flows, discounted at the contractual interest rate of the original loan agreement, except when the sole (remaining) source of repayment for the loan is the operation or liquidation of the collateral. In these cases, management uses the current fair value of the collateral, less selling costs, instead of discounted cash flows. If management determines that the value of the modified loan is less than the recorded investment in the loan (net of previous charge-offs, deferred loan fees or costs and unamortized premium or discount), impairment is recognized.
 
The following tables illustrate the recorded investment and number of modifications for modified loans, including the recorded investment in the loans prior to a modification and the recorded investment in the loans after restructuring for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 (dollars in thousands):

 
 
Three months ended March 31, 2017
 
  
 
Number of contracts
   
Pre-Modification Outstanding Recorded Investment
   
Post-Modification Outstanding Recorded Investment
 
Consumer
                 
Home Equity
   
2
   
$
78
   
$
77
 
Total Consumer
   
2
     
78
     
77
 
                         
Residential Real Estate
   
1
     
141
     
138
 
                         
Total Troubled Debt Restructurings
   
3
   
$
219
   
$
215
 

 
 
Three months ended March 31, 2016
 
  
 
Number of contracts
   
Pre-Modification Outstanding Recorded Investment
   
Post-Modification Outstanding Recorded Investment
 
Consumer
                 
Home Equity
   
12
   
$
1,035
   
$
952
 
Total Consumer
   
12
     
1,035
     
952
 
                         
Residential Real Estate
   
4
     
531
     
437
 
                         
Total Troubled Debt Restructurings
   
16
   
$
1,566
   
$
1,389
 

Residential and home equity TDRs occurring during 2017 and 2016 were due to the reduction in the interest rate or extension of the term. The following table illustrates the recorded investment and number of modifications for TDRs within the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 where a concession has been made and subsequently defaulted during the period (dollars in thousands):

   
Three months ended March 31, 2017
   
Three months ended March 31, 2016
 
   
Number of contracts
   
Recorded Investment
   
Number of contracts
   
Recorded Investment
 
Residential Real Estate
   
-
    $
-
     
1
    $
175
 
 
                               
Total Troubled Debt Restructurings
   
-
    $
-
     
1
    $
175
 
 
5.
Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans
 
The Company has a qualified, noncontributory, defined benefit pension plan (“the Plan”) covering substantially all of its employees at March 31, 2017. Benefits paid from the plan are based on age, years of service, compensation, social security benefits, and are determined in accordance with defined formulas. The Company’s policy is to fund the pension plan in accordance with Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 standards. Assets of the plan are invested in bonds and publicly traded stocks and mutual funds. The Company is not required to make contributions to the Plan in 2017, and did not do so during the three months ended March 31, 2017.

In addition to the Plan, the Company also provides supplemental employee retirement plans to certain current and former executives. The Company also assumed supplemental retirement plans for certain current and former executives in the Alliance acquisition. These supplemental employee retirement plans and the Plan are collectively referred to herein as “Pension Benefits.”

Also, the Company provides certain health care benefits for retired employees. Benefits are accrued over the employees’ active service period. Only employees that were employed by the Company on or before January 1, 2000 are eligible to receive postretirement health care benefits. In addition, the Company assumed post-retirement medical life insurance benefits for certain Alliance employees, retirees and their spouses, if applicable, in the Alliance acquisition. These postretirement benefits are referred to herein as “Other Benefits.”

The components of expense for Pension Benefits and Other Benefits are set forth below):

 
 
Pension Benefits
   
Other Benefits
 
(In thousands)
 
Three months ended March 31,
   
Three months ended March 31,
 
Components of net periodic cost (benefit):
 
2017
   
2016
   
2017
   
2016
 
Service cost
  $
402
    $
560
    $
3
    $
4
 
Interest cost
   
1,042
     
1,051
     
86
     
94
 
Expected return on plan assets
   
(1,985
)
   
(1,835
)
   
-
     
-
 
Net amortization
   
415
     
483
     
20
     
29
 
Total cost (benefit)
  $
(126
)
  $
259
    $
109
    $
127
 
 
6.
Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) excludes dilution and is computed by dividing income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of the entity (such as the Company’s dilutive stock options and restricted stock ).

The following is a reconciliation of basic and diluted EPS for the periods presented in the consolidated statements of income:

   
Three months ended March 31,
 
(In thousands, except per share data)
 
2017
   
2016
 
Basic EPS:
           
Weighted average common shares outstanding
 
43,513
   
43,342
 
Net income available to common stockholders
  $ 
20,279
   
18,891
 
Basic EPS
 
$
0.47
   
$
0.44
 
                 
Diluted EPS:
               
Weighted average common shares outstanding
   
43,883
     
43,342
 
Dilutive effect of common stock options and restricted stock
   
371
     
365
 
Weighted average common shares and common share equivalents
   
44,254
     
43,707
 
Net income available to common stockholders
  $
20,279
    $
18,891
 
Diluted EPS
 
$
0.46
   
$
0.43
 

There were 783 and 30,861 stock options for the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2016, respectively, that were not considered in the calculation of diluted EPS since the stock options’ exercise price was greater than the average market price during these periods.
 
7.
Reclassification Adjustments Out of Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The following table summarizes the reclassification adjustments out of accumulated other comprehensive loss (in thousands):
 
Detail About Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income Components
 
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
   
Affected line item in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income
 
 
Three months ended
   
 
 
 
March 31, 2017
   
March 31, 2016
   
 
Available for sale securities:
             
     
(Gains) on available for sale securities
 
$
-
   
$
(29
)
 
Net securities (gains) losses
Amortization of unrealized gains and losses related to securities transfer
   
238
     
296
   
Interest income
Impairment write-down of equity security
   
1,312
 
   
-
   
Other noninterest income
Income tax (expense)
   
(592
   
(105
)
 
Income tax (expense)
Net of tax
 
$
958
 
 
$
162
   
 
 
                 
      
Pension and other benefits:
                 
     
Amortization of net losses
 
$
435
   
$
515
   
Salaries and employee benefits
Amortization of prior service costs
   
-
     
(3
)
 
Salaries and employee benefits
Income tax (expense)
   
(166
)
   
(199
)
 
Income tax (expense)
Net of tax
 
$
269
   
$
313
   
 
 
                 
      
Total reclassifications during the period, net of tax
 
$
1,227
 
 
$
475
   
 
 
8.
Fair Value Measurements and Fair Value of Financial Instruments

GAAP states that fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants.  Fair value measurements are not adjusted for transaction costs.  A fair value hierarchy exists within U.S. GAAP that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:

Level 1 - Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;

Level 2 -  Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability;

Level 3 - Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (e.g., supported by little or no market activity).

A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
 
The types of instruments valued based on quoted market prices in active markets include most U.S. government and agency securities, many other sovereign government obligations, liquid mortgage products, active listed equities and most money market securities. Such instruments are generally classified within Level 1 or Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.  The Company does not adjust the quoted price for such instruments.
 
The types of instruments valued based on quoted prices in markets that are not active, broker or dealer quotations, or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency include most investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds, less liquid mortgage products, less liquid agency securities, less liquid listed equities, state, municipal and provincial obligations, and certain physical commodities. Such instruments are generally classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. The prices for these instruments are obtained through an independent pricing service or dealer market participants with whom the Company has historically transacted both purchases and sales of investment securities. Prices obtained from these sources include prices derived from market quotations and matrix pricing. The fair value measurements consider observable data that may include dealer quotes, market spreads, cash flows, the U.S. Treasury yield curve, live trading levels, trade execution data, market consensus prepayment speeds, credit information and the bond's terms and conditions, among other things. Management reviews the methodologies used in pricing the securities by its third party providers.
 
Level 3 is for positions that are not traded in active markets or are subject to transfer restrictions, valuations are adjusted to reflect illiquidity and/or non-transferability, and such adjustments are generally based on available market evidence. In the absence of such evidence, management’s best estimate will be used. Management’s best estimate consists of both internal and external support on certain Level 3 investments. Subsequent to inception, management only changes Level 3 inputs and assumptions when corroborated by evidence such as transactions in similar instruments, completed or pending third-party transactions in the underlying investment or comparable entities, subsequent rounds of financing, recapitalizations and other transactions across the capital structure, offerings in the equity or debt markets, and changes in financial ratios or cash flows.
 
For the three month periods ended March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company has made no transfers of assets between Level 1 and Level 2, and has had no Level 3 activity.
 
The following tables set forth the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis that were accounted for at fair value as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.  Assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement (in thousands):
 
 
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Balance as of March 31, 2017
 
Assets:
                       
AFS securities:
                       
Federal agency
 
$
-
   
$
159,581
   
$
-
   
$
159,581
 
State & municipal
   
-
     
47,844
     
-
     
47,844
 
Mortgage-backed
   
-
     
578,027
     
-
     
578,027
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations
   
-
     
562,981
     
-
     
562,981
 
Other securities
   
10,923
     
8,218
     
-
     
19,141
 
Total AFS securities
 
$
10,923
   
$
1,356,651
   
$
-
   
$
1,367,574
 
Trading Securities
   
10,044
     
-
     
-
     
10,044
 
Interest Rate Swaps
   
-
     
3,971
     
-
     
3,971
 
Total
 
$
20,967
   
$
1,360,622
   
$
-
   
$
1,381,589
 
 
                               
Liabilities:
                               
Interest Rate Swaps
 
$
-
   
$
736
   
$
-
   
$
736
 
Total
 
$
-
   
$
736
   
$
-
   
$
736
 
 
   
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Balance as of December 31, 2016
 
Assets:
                       
AFS securities:
                       
Federal agency
 
$
-
   
$
174,408
   
$
-
   
$
174,408
 
State & municipal
   
-
     
46,726
     
-
     
46,726
 
Mortgage-backed
   
-
     
529,844
     
-
     
529,844
 
Collateralized mortgage obligations
   
-
     
566,573
     
-
     
566,573
 
Other securities
   
11,493
     
9,246
     
-
     
20,739
 
Total AFS securities
 
$
11,493
   
$
1,326,797
   
$
-
   
$
1,338,290
 
Trading Securities
   
9,259
     
-
     
-
     
9,259
 
Interest Rate Swaps
   
-
     
3,210
     
-
     
3,210
 
Total
 
$
20,752
   
$
1,330,007
   
$
-
   
$
1,350,759
 
 
                               
Liabilities:
                               
Interest Rate Swaps
 
$
-
   
$
506
   
$
-
   
$
506
 
Total
 
$
-
   
$
506
   
$
-
   
$
506
 
 
GAAP requires disclosure of assets and liabilities measured and recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis such as goodwill, loans held for sale, other real estate owned, collateral-dependent impaired loans, mortgage servicing rights, and held-to-maturity securities. The only nonrecurring fair value measurements recorded during the three month period ended March 31, 2017 were related to impaired loans. For the three months periods ending March 31, 2017 and  March 31, 2016, the Company had $1.2 million and $9.0 million, respectively, of loans recorded at fair value with specific allowance reserves of $0.4 million and $3.0 million, respectively. The Company uses the fair value of underlying collateral, less costs to sell, to estimate the specific reserves for collateral dependent impaired loans. The appraisals may be adjusted by management for qualitative factors such as economic conditions and estimated liquidation expenses ranging from 10% to 35%. Based on the valuation techniques used, the fair value measurements for collateral dependent impaired loans are classified as Level 3.

The following table sets forth information with regard to estimated fair values of financial instruments at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.  This table excludes financial instruments for which the carrying amount approximates fair value.  Financial instruments for which the fair value approximates carrying value include cash and cash equivalents, securities available for sale, trading securities, accrued interest receivable, non-maturity deposits, short-term borrowings, accrued interest payable, and interest rate swaps. 
 
 
       
March 31, 2017
   
December 31, 2016
 
(In thousands)
 
Fair Value Hierarchy
   
Carrying amount
   
Estimated fair value
   
Carrying amount
   
Estimated fair value
 
Financial assets
                             
Securities held to maturity
 
2
   
$
515,793
   
$
513,654
   
$
527,948
   
$
525,050
 
Net loans
 
3
     
6,206,603
     
6,354,631
     
6,132,857
     
6,273,233
 
Financial liabilities
                                     
Time deposits
 
2
   
$
826,080
   
$
821,557
   
$
872,411
   
$
868,153
 
Long-term debt
 
2
     
104,023
     
103,976
     
104,087
     
104,113
 
Junior subordinated debt
 
2
     
101,196
     
101,922
     
101,196
     
102,262
 

Fair value estimates are made at a specific point 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 Company’s entire holdings of a particular financial instrument. Because no market exists for a significant portion of the Company’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.

Fair value estimates are based on existing on and off balance sheet financial instruments without attempting to estimate the value of anticipated future business and the value of assets and liabilities that are not considered financial instruments. For example, the Company has a substantial trust and investment management operation that contributes net fee income annually. The trust and investment management operation is not considered a financial instrument, and its value has not been incorporated into the fair value estimates. Other significant assets and liabilities include the benefits resulting from the low-cost funding of deposit liabilities as compared to the cost of borrowing funds in the market, and premises and equipment. In addition, the tax ramifications related to the realization of the unrealized gains and losses can have a significant effect on fair value estimates and have not been considered in the estimate of fair value.

Securities Held to Maturity

The fair value of the Company’s investment securities held to maturity is primarily measured using information from a third party pricing service.  The fair value measurements consider observable data that may include dealer quotes, market spreads, cash flows, the U.S. Treasury yield curve, live trading levels, trade execution data, market consensus prepayment speeds, credit information and the bond’s terms and conditions, among other things.
 
Net Loans
 
The fair value of the Company’s loans was estimated by discounting the expected future cash flows using the current interest rates at which similar loans would be made for the same remaining maturities.  Loans were first segregated by type, and then further segmented into fixed and variable rate and loan quality categories.  Expected future cash flows were projected based on contractual cash flows, adjusted for estimated prepayments.
 
Time Deposits

The fair value of time deposits was estimated using a discounted cash flow approach that applies prevailing market interest rates for similar maturity instruments.  The fair values of the Company’s time deposit liabilities do not take into consideration the value of the Company’s long-term relationships with depositors, which may have significant value.
 
Long-Term Debt

The fair value of long-term debt was estimated using a discounted cash flow approach that applies prevailing market interest rates for similar maturity instruments.
 
Junior Subordinated Debt

The fair value of junior subordinated debt has been estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis.
 
Interest Rate Swaps

The Company enters into interest rate swaps to facilitate customer transactions and meet their financing needs. These swaps are considered derivatives, but are not designated in hedging relationships. These instruments have interest rate and credit risk associated with them. To mitigate the interest rate risk, the Company enters into offsetting interest rate swaps with counterparties. The counterparty swaps are also considered derivatives and are also not designated in hedging relationships. Interest rate swaps are recorded within other assets or other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet at their estimated fair value. Changes to the fair value of assets and liabilities arising from these derivatives are included, net, in other operating income in the consolidated statement of income. At March 31, 2017 the notional amount of these customer derivative agreement and the offsetting derivative counterparty positions each totaled $394.9 million and the fair values included in other assets and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet applicable to these agreements amounted to $0.7 million. At December 31, 2016, the notional amount of these customer derivative agreements and the offsetting derivative counterparty positions each totaled $371.1 million. At December 31, 2016, fair values included in other assets and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet applicable to these agreements amounted to $0.3 million.

In 2016, the Company entered into interest rate swaps to modify the interest rate characteristics of certain short-term FHLB advances from variable rate to fixed rate in order to reduce the impact of changes in future cash flows due to market interest rate changes. These agreements are designated as cash flow hedges. The notional amount of these interest rate derivative agreements total $250.0 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016. Fair values included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheet applicable to these agreements amounted to $3.2 million at March 31, 2017 and $2.7 million at December 31, 2016.
 
9.
Commitments and Contingencies

The Company is a party to financial instruments in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers and to reduce its own exposure to fluctuating interest rates. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit, unused lines of credit, and standby letters of credit. Exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to make loans and standby letters of credit is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. The Company uses the same credit origination guidelines, portfolio maintenance and management procedures as other credit and off-balance sheet products. Commitments to extend credit and unused lines of credit totaled $1.5 billion at March 31, 2017 and $1.5 billion at December 31, 2016. Since commitments to extend credit and unused lines of credit may expire without being fully drawn upon, this amount does not necessarily represent future cash commitments. Collateral obtained upon exercise of the commitment is determined using management’s credit evaluation of the borrower and may include accounts receivable, inventory, property, land and other items.

The Company guarantees the obligations or performance of customers by issuing standby letters of credit to third parties. These standby letters of credit are frequently issued in support of third party debt, such as corporate debt issuances, industrial revenue bonds and municipal securities. The credit risk involved in issuing standby letters of credit is essentially the same as the credit risk involved in extending loan facilities to customers, and they are subject to the same credit origination guidelines, portfolio maintenance and management procedures as other credit and off-balance sheet products. Typically, these instruments have terms of five years or less and expire unused; therefore, the total amounts do not necessarily represent future cash commitments. Standby letters of credit totaled $48.9 million at March 31, 2017 and $36.8 million at December 31, 2016. As of March 31, 2017, the fair value of standby letters of credit was not significant to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
 
10.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted the prevision of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. ASU 2016-09 requires several revisions to equity compensation accounting. Under the new guidance all excess tax benefits and deficiencies that occur when an award vests, is exercised, or expires are recognized in income tax expense as discrete period items. Previously, these transactions were typically recorded directly within equity. Consistent with this change, excess tax benefits and deficiencies are no longer included within estimated proceeds when performing the treasury stock method for calculating diluted earnings per share. Excess tax benefits are also recognized at the time an award is exercised or vests compared to the previous requirements to delay recognition until the deduction reduces taxes payable. The presentation of excess tax benefits in the statement of cash flows shifted to an operating activity from the prior classification as a financing activity. ASU 2016-09 also provides an accounting policy election to recognize forfeitures of awards as they occur when estimating stock-based compensation expense rather than the previous requirement to estimate forfeitures from inception. Further, ASU 2016-09 permits employers to use a net-settlement feature to withhold taxes on equity compensation awards up to the maximum statutory tax rate without affecting the equity classification of the award.
 
Transition to the new guidance was accomplished through a combination of cumulative-effect adjustment to equity (forfeitures) and prospective methodologies (cash flows, tax windfalls and shortfalls). The actual effects of adoption in 2017 will primarily depend upon the share price of the common stock, which affects the vesting of certain performance awards, probability of exercise of certain stock options and the magnitude of windfalls for all awards upon either vesting or exercise. The effect on earnings per share calculations and election to account for forfeitures as incurred have not been significant.

Accounting Standards Issued Not Yet Adopted

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-08, Receivables – Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic310-20). ASU 2017-08 requires amortization of premiums to the earliest call date on debt securities with call features that are explicit, on contingent and callable at fixed prices on present dates. The ASU does not impact securities held at a discount; the discount continues to be amortized to the contractual maturity. The guidance is required to be applied with a modified retrospective approach through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. ASU 2017-08 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, Compensation – Retirement Benefits (Topic 715). ASU 2017-07 requires the service cost component of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost to be reported separately in the consolidated statements of income from the other components. Additionally, the amendments in the ASU require presentation of the service cost component in the consolidated statements of income in the same line item as other employee compensation costs and presentation of the other components in a different line item from the service cost component. The amendments in this ASU are required to be applied retrospectively for the presentation of the service cost component and the other components of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost in the income statement and prospectively, on or after the effective date, for the capitalization of the service cost component of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit in assets with a practical expedient allowed for prior comparative period presentation permitted.. ASU 2017-07 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In February 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-05, Other Income – Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets (Subtopic 610-20). ASU 2017-05 will clarify the scope of Subtopic 610-20 and add guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets. The amendments define the term in substance nonfinancial assets, and clarify that a nonfinancial asset within the scope may include nonfinancial assets transferred within a legal entity to a counterparty, in part, as a financial asset promised to a counterparty in a contract. Additionally, the amendments in ASU clarify that an entity should identify each distinct nonfinancial asset or in substance nonfinancial assets and allocate consideration to each distinct asset. The amendments should be applied either on retrospectively to each period presented or with a modified retrospective approach. ASU 2017-05 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018 and the Company is required to apply the amendment at the same time that is applies the amendments in 2014-09. Early adoption is permitted but only as of annual reporting period beginning after December 15, 2016. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
 
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment . ASU 2017-04 will amend and simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill, the amendments eliminate Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. The amendments also eliminate the requirements for any reporting unit with a zero or negative carrying amount to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. An entity still has the option to perform the qualitative assessment for a reporting unit to determine if the qualitative impairment test is necessary. The amendments should be applied on a prospective basis. The nature of and reason for the change in accounting principle should be disclosed upon transition. ASU 2017-04 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2020. Early adoption is permitted on testing dates after January 1, 2017. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. ASU 2017-01 provides a more robust framework to use in determining when a set of assets and activities (“set”) is a business and to address stakeholder feedback that the definition of a business in current GAAP is applied too broadly. The primary amendments in the ASU provide a screen to exclude transactions where substantially all of the fair value of the transferred set is concentrated in a single asset, or group of similar assets, from being evaluated as a business. ASU 2017-01 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018 using the prospective method. Early adoption is permitted. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash . ASU 2016-18 address diversity in practice from entities classifying and presenting transfers between cash and restricted cash as operating, investing, or financing activities, or as a combination of those activities in the Statement of Cash Flows. The ASU requires entities to show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents in the Statement of Cash Flows. As a result, transfers between such categories will no longer be presented in the Statement of Cash Flows. ASU 2016-18 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018 using the retrospective method. Early adoption is permitted provided that all amendments are adopted in the same period. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments). ASU 2016-15 addresses diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. This standard addresses the following eight specific cash flow issues: Debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing; contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies; distributions received from equity method investees; beneficial interests in securitization transactions; and separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. ASU 2016-15 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. ASU 2016-13 requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Financial institutions and other organizations will now use forward-looking information to better inform their credit loss estimates. Many of the loss estimation techniques applied today will still be permitted, although the inputs to those techniques will change to reflect the full amount of expected credit losses. In addition, ASU 2016-16 amends the accounting for credit losses on available for sale debt securities and purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. ASU 2016-13 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2020. Early adoption is permitted for all organizations for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
 
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize right of use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. For leases with a term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize a right of use asset and lease liability. Additionally, when measuring assets and liabilities arising from a lease, optional payments should be included only if the lessee is reasonable certain to exercise an option to extend the lease, exercise a purchase option or not exercise an option to terminate the lease. ASU 2016-02 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted in any interim or annual period. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10) – Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. ASU 2016-01 addresses certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments and requires entities to measure equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value. Any changes in fair value will be recognized in net income unless the investments qualify for a new practicability exception. This ASU also requires entities to recognize changes in instrument-specific credit risk related to financial liabilities measured under the fair value option in other comprehensive income. No changes were made to the guidance for classifying and measuring investments in debt securities and loans. ASU 2016-01 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. Early adoption is permitted in any interim or annual period. Management is evaluating the effect that this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard that will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under GAAP and is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. The ASU also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. For financial reporting purposes, the standard allows for either full retrospective adoption, meaning the standard is applied to all of the periods presented, or modified retrospective adoption, meaning the standard is applied only to the most current period presented in the financial statements with the cumulative effect of initially applying the standard recognized at the date of initial application. ASU 2014-09 was initially effective for the Company on January 1, 2017; however, in August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Deferral of the Effective Date, which deferred the effective date to January 1, 2018. Early adoption is not permitted. In addition, the FASB has begun to issue targeted updates to clarify specific implementation issues of ASU 2014-09. These updates include ASU No. 2016-08 - Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net), ASU No. 2016-10 - Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, ASU No. 2016-12 - Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients, and ASU No. 2016-20 - Technical Corrections and Improvements to Top 606 - Revenue from Contract with Customers. The adoption of these ASUs will be required using one of two retrospective application methods beginning with the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending March 31, 2018. The Company plans to apply the modified retrospective method with a cumulative-effect adjustment to opening retained earnings. Management is currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements. In evaluating this standard, management has determined that the majority of revenue earned by the Company is from revenue streams not included in the scope of this standard and therefore management does not expect the adoption of the new revenue recognition guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
 
NBT BANCORP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Item 2 -- MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
The purpose of this discussion and analysis is to provide a concise description of the financial condition and results of operations of NBT Bancorp Inc. and its wholly owned consolidated subsidiaries, NBT Bank, National Association (the “Bank”), NBT Financial Services, Inc. (“NBT Financial”), and NBT Holdings, Inc. (“NBT Holdings”) (collectively referred to herein as the “Company”). This discussion will focus on results of operations, financial condition, capital resources and asset/liability management. Reference should be made to the Company’s consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in this Form 10Q as well as to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 2016 for an understanding of the following discussion and analysis.  Operating results for the three-month period ending March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results of the full year ending December 31, 2017 or any future period.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this filing and future filings by the Company with the SEC, in the Company’s press releases or other public or shareholder communications or in oral statements made with the approval of an authorized executive officer, contain forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements may be identified by the use of phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “forecasts,”  “projects,”  “will,”  “can,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may,” or other similar terms. There are a number of factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, among others, the following possibilities: (1) local, regional, national and international economic conditions and the impact they may have on the Company and its customers and the Company’s assessment of that impact; (2) changes in the level of nonperforming assets and charge-offs; (3) changes in estimates of future reserve requirements based upon the periodic review thereof under relevant regulatory and accounting requirements; (4) the effects of and changes in trade and monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board; (5) inflation, interest rate, securities market and monetary fluctuations; (6) political instability; (7) acts of war or terrorism; (8) the timely development and acceptance of new products and services and perceived overall value of these products and services by users; (9) changes in consumer spending, borrowings and savings habits; (10) changes in the financial performance and/or condition of the Company’s borrowers; (11) technological changes; (12) acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses; (13) the ability to increase market share and control expenses; (14) changes in the competitive environment among financial holding companies; (15) the effect of changes in laws and regulations (including laws and regulations concerning taxes, banking, securities and insurance) with which the Company and its subsidiaries must comply including those under the Dodd-Frank Act; (16) the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies, as well as the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and other accounting standard setters; (17) changes in the Company’s organization, compensation and benefit plans; (18) the costs and effects of legal and regulatory developments including the resolution of legal proceedings or regulatory or other governmental inquiries and the results of regulatory examinations or reviews; (19) greater than expected costs or difficulties related to the integration of new products and lines of business; and (20) the Company’s success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items.

The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made and advises readers that various factors, including those described above and other factors discussed in the Company’s annual and quarterly reports previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could affect the Company’s financial performance and could cause the Company’s actual results or circumstances for future periods to differ materially from those anticipated or projected.

Unless required by law, the Company does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligations to publicly release any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
 
Non-GAAP Measures

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).  These measures adjust GAAP measures to exclude the effects of acquisition-related intangible amortization expense on earnings and equity as well as providing a fully taxable equivalent yield on securities and loans. Where non-GAAP disclosures are used in this Form 10-Q, the comparable GAAP measure, as well as a reconciliation to the comparable GAAP measure, is provided in the accompanying tables. Management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information that is important to an understanding of the results of NBT’s core business as well as provide information standard in the financial institution industry. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered substitutes for financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP and investors should consider NBT’s performance and financial condition as reported under GAAP and all other relevant information when assessing the performance or financial condition of NBT.

Critical Accounting Policies

The Company has identified policies as being critical because they require management to make particularly difficult, subjective and/or complex judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain and because of the likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions. These policies relate to the allowance for loan losses, pension accounting, other-than-temporary impairment, provision for income taxes and intangible assets.

Management  of  the  Company  considers  the  accounting  policy relating to the allowance for loan losses to be a critical accounting policy given the uncertainty  in  evaluating  the level of the allowance required to cover credit losses inherent in the loan portfolio and the material effect that such judgments can have on the results of operations. While management’s current evaluation of the allowance for loan losses indicates that the allowance is appropriate, under adversely different conditions or assumptions, the allowance may need to be increased. For example, if historical loan loss experience significantly worsened or if current economic conditions significantly deteriorated, additional provision for loan losses would be required to increase the allowance. In addition, the assumptions and estimates used in the internal reviews of the Company’s nonperforming loans and potential problem loans have a significant impact on the overall analysis of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. While management has concluded that the current evaluation of collateral values is reasonable under the circumstances, if collateral values were significantly lower, the Company’s allowance for loan loss policy would also require additional provision for loan losses.

Management is required to make various assumptions in valuing the Company’s pension assets and liabilities. These assumptions include the expected rate of return on plan assets, the discount rate and the rate of increase in future compensation levels. Changes to these assumptions could impact earnings in future periods. The Company takes into account the plan asset mix, funding obligations and expert opinions in determining the various rates used to estimate pension expense. The Company also considers the Citigroup Pension Liability Index, market interest rates and discounted cash flows in setting the appropriate discount rate. In addition, the Company reviews expected inflationary and merit increases to compensation in determining the rate of increase in future compensation levels.

The Company is subject to examinations from various taxing authorities.  Such examinations may result in challenges to the tax return treatment applied by the Company to specific transactions.  Management believes that the assumptions and judgments used to record tax related assets or liabilities have been appropriate.  Should tax laws change or the taxing authorities determine that management’s assumptions were inappropriate, an adjustment may be required which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations.

Another critical accounting policy is the policy for acquired loans. Acquired loans are initially recorded at their acquisition date fair values.  The carryover of allowance for loan losses is prohibited as any credit losses in the loans are included in the determination of the fair value of the loans at the acquisition date.  Fair values for acquired loans are based on a discounted cash flow methodology that involves assumptions and judgments as to credit risk, prepayment risk, liquidity risk, default rates, loss severity, payment speeds, collateral values and discount rate.  Subsequent to the acquisition of acquired impaired loans, applicable accounting guidance requires the continued estimation of expected cash flows to be received.  This estimation involves the use of key assumptions and estimates, similar to those used in the initial estimate of fair value.  Changes in expected cash flows could result in the recognition of impairment through provision for credit losses.   Subsequent to the purchase date, the methods utilized to estimate the required allowance for loan losses for the non-impaired acquired loans is similar to originated loans.
 
As a result of acquisitions, the Company has acquired goodwill and identifiable intangible assets.  Goodwill represents the cost of acquired companies in excess of the fair value of net assets at the acquisition date.  Goodwill is evaluated at least annually or when business conditions suggest that an impairment may have occurred.  Goodwill will be reduced to its carrying value through a charge to earnings if impairment exists.  Core deposits and other identifiable intangible assets are amortized to expense over their estimated useful lives.  The determination of whether or not impairment exists is based upon discounted cash flow modeling techniques that require management to make estimates regarding the amount and timing of expected future cash flows.  It also requires selection of a discount rate that reflects the current return requirements of the market in relation to present risk-free interest rates, required equity market premiums and Company-specific risk indicators, all of which are susceptible to change based on changes in economic conditions and other factors.  Future events or changes in the estimates used to determine the carrying value of goodwill and identifiable intangible assets could have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations.

The Company’s policies on the allowance for loan losses, pension accounting, provision for income taxes, acquired loans and goodwill and intangible assets are disclosed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements presented in our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K.  All accounting policies are important and as such, the Company encourages the reader to review each of the policies included in Note 1 to obtain a better understanding of how the Company’s financial performance is reported.

Overview

Significant factors management reviews to evaluate the Company’s operating results and financial condition include, but are not limited to:  net income and earnings per share, return on average assets, equity and tangible common equity, net interest margin, noninterest income, operating expenses, asset quality indicators, loan and deposit growth, capital management, liquidity and interest rate sensitivity, enhancements to customer products and services, technology advancements, market share and peer comparisons.  The following information should be considered in connection with the Company’s results for the first three months of 2017:

First quarter loan growth of 4.9% (annualized)
Average demand deposits up 9.6% from the first quarter of 2016
Net interest margin expands 5 basis points
Net interest income up 6.1% from the first quarter of 2016
Adopted new accounting guidance for equity-based transactions

Results of Operations

Net income for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was $20.3 million, up from $18.9 million for the same period last year. Earnings per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was $0.46, up from $0.43 for the first quarter of 2016. Return on average assets (annualized) was 0.92% for the three months ended March 31, 2017 as compared to 0.92% for the same period last year. Return on average tangible common equity (annualized) was 13.24% for the three months ended March 31, 2017 as compared to 13.17% for the three months ended March 31, 2016. Return on average tangible common equity is a non-GAAP measure and excludes amortization of intangible assets (net of tax) from net income and average tangible equity calculated as follows:

 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
(In thousands)
 
2017
   
2016
 
Net Income
 
$
20,279
   
$
18,891
 
Amortization of intangible assets (net of tax)
   
597
     
670
 
 
 
$
20,876
   
$
19,561
 
 
               
Average stockholders’ equity
 
$
920,047
   
$
880,311
 
Less: average goodwill and other intangibles
   
280,774
     
282,751
 
Average tangible common equity
 
$
639,273
   
$
597,560
 
 
Net Interest Income

Net interest income is the difference between interest income on earning assets, primarily loans and securities and interest expense on interest bearing liabilities, primarily deposits and borrowings.  Net interest income is affected by the interest rate spread, the difference between the yield on earning assets and cost of interest bearing liabilities, as well as the volumes of such assets and liabilities. Net interest income is one of the key determining factors in a financial institution’s performance as it is the principal source of earnings.

Net interest income was $68.5 million for the first quarter of 2017, up $1.1 million, or 1.6%, from the previous quarter and up $3.9 million, or 6.1%, from the first quarter of 2016. Fully taxable-equivalent (“FTE”) net interest margin was 3.46% for the three months ended March 31, 2017, up from 3.41% for the previous quarter and down from 3.47% for the first quarter of 2016. The increase in net interest margin from the previous quarter was driven by an increase in yields on earning assets primarily due to higher interest rates in the quarter and two fewer days in the first quarter. Average interest earning assets were up $164.3 million, or 2.1%, for the first quarter of 2017 as compared to the prior quarter and up $558.7 million, or 7.4%, from the same period in 2016. This increase from the fourth quarter of 2016 was driven by a $74.3 million increase in securities available for sale and a $55.1 million increase in loans.

Net interest income was $68.5 million for the first quarter of 2017, up $3.9 million from the first quarter of 2016. FTE net interest margin was 3.46% for the three months ended March 31, 2017, down from 3.47% for the first quarter of 2016. Interest income for the first quarter of 2017 was up $4.5 million from the first quarter of 2016 primarily due to 7.4% increase in average interest earning assets. Interest expense for the first quarter of 2017 was up $0.6 million from the same period in 2016 and resulted primarily from increased interest rates and the average balance of interest bearing liabilities.
 
Average Balances and Net Interest Income

The following tables include the condensed consolidated average balance sheet, an analysis of interest income/expense and average yield/rate for each major category of earning assets and interest bearing liabilities on a taxable equivalent basis. Interest income for tax-exempt securities and loans has been adjusted to a taxable-equivalent basis using the statutory Federal income tax rate of 35%.

Three months ended
                                                     
   
March 31, 2017
   
December 31, 2016
   
March 31, 2016
 
(Dollars in thousands)
 
Average
Balance
   
Interest
   
Yield/
Rates
   
Average
Balance
   
Interest
   
Yield/
Rates
   
Average
Balance
   
Interest
   
Yield/
Rates
 
ASSETS
                                                     
Short-term interest bearing accounts
 
$
14,342
   
$
47
     
1.33
%
 
$
14,190
   
$
23
     
0.64
%
 
$
13,639
   
$
21
     
0.63
%
Securities available for sale (1)
   
1,352,219
     
7,121
     
2.14
%
   
1,277,931
     
6,164
     
1.92
%
   
1,188,437
     
6,090
     
2.06
%
Securities held to maturity (1)
   
520,283
     
3,408
     
2.66
%
   
492,415
     
3,144
     
2.54
%
   
465,916
     
2,870
     
2.48
%
Investment in FRB and FHLB Banks
   
46,326
     
572
     
5.01
%
   
39,448
     
604
     
6.09
%
   
33,470
     
428
     
5.14
%
Loans (2)
   
6,211,058
     
64,227
     
4.19
%
   
6,155,985
     
64,095
     
4.14
%
   
5,884,073
     
61,401
     
4.20
%
Total interest earning assets
   
8,144,228
   
$
75,375
     
3.75
%
   
7,979,969
   
$
74,030
     
3.69
%
   
7,585,535
   
$
70,810
     
3.75
%
Other assets
   
748,476
                     
760,563
                     
699,194
                 
Total assets
 
$
8,892,704
                   
$
8,740,532
                   
$
8,284,729
                 
 
                                                                       
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
                                                                       
Money market deposit accounts
 
$
1,688,060
   
$
894
     
0.21
%
 
$
1,674,119
   
$
880
     
0.21
%
 
$
1,653,930
   
$
912
     
0.22
%
NOW deposit accounts
   
1,143,231
     
183
     
0.06
%
   
1,130,578
     
146
     
0.05
%
   
1,051,959
     
132
     
0.05
%
Savings deposits
   
1,176,224
     
157
     
0.05
%
   
1,145,352
     
161
     
0.06
%
   
1,105,480
     
158
     
0.06
%
Time deposits
   
847,410
     
2,240
     
1.07
%
   
890,506
     
2,370
     
1.06
%
   
921,754
     
2,395
     
1.04
%
Total interest bearing deposits
 
$
4,854,925
   
$
3,474
     
0.29
%
 
$
4,840,555
   
$
3,557
     
0.29
%
 
$
4,733,123
   
$
3,597
     
0.31
%
Short-term borrowings
   
657,442
     
1,139
     
0.70
%
   
523,708
     
641
     
0.49
%
   
369,443
     
328
     
0.36
%
Long-term debt
   
104,048
     
606
     
2.36
%
   
109,656
     
779
     
2.83
%
   
130,420
     
619
     
2.46
%
Junior subordinated debt
   
101,196
     
726
     
2.91
%
   
101,196
     
707
     
2.78
%
   
101,196
     
833
     
2.57
%
Total interest bearing liabilities
 
$
5,717,611
   
$
5,945
     
0.42
%
 
$
5,575,115
   
$
5,684
     
0.41
%
 
$
5,334,182
   
$
5,377
     
0.41
%
Demand deposits
   
2,159,893
                     
2,136,310
                     
1,970,315
                 
Other liabilities
   
95,153
                     
115,258
                     
99,921
                 
Stockholders’ equity
   
920,047
                     
913,849
                     
880,311
                 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
 
$
8,892,704
                   
$
8,740,532
                   
$
8,284,729
                 
Net interest income (FTE)
           
69,430
                     
68,346
                     
65,433
         
Interest rate spread
                   
3.33
%
                   
3.29
%
                   
3.34
%
Net interest margin
                   
3.46
%
                   
3.41
%
                   
3.47
%
Taxable equivalent adjustment
           
939
                     
921
                     
856
         
Net interest income
         
$
68,491
                   
$
67,425
                   
$
64,577
         

(1)
Securities are shown at average amortized cost
(2)
For purposes of these computations, nonaccrual loans are included in the average loan balances outstanding
 
The following table presents changes in interest income and interest expense attributable to changes in volume (change in average balance multiplied by prior year rate), changes in rate (change in rate multiplied by prior year volume) and the net change in net interest income. The net change attributable to the combined impact of volume and rate has been allocated to each in proportion to the absolute dollar amounts of change.

Three months ended March 31,
                 
 
 
Increase (Decrease)
2017 over 2016
 
(In thousands)
 
Volume
   
Rate
   
Total
 
Short-term interest bearing accounts
 
$
1
   
$
25
   
$
26
 
Securities available for sale
   
816
     
215
     
1,031
 
Securities held to maturity
   
333
     
205
     
538
 
Investment in FRB and FHLB Banks
   
156
     
(12
)
   
144
 
Loans
   
2,879
     
(53
)
   
2,826
 
Total interest income
   
4,185
     
380
     
4,565
 
 
                       
Money market deposit accounts
   
15
     
(33
)
   
(18
)
NOW deposit accounts
   
12
     
39
     
51
 
Savings deposits
   
9
     
(10
)
   
(1
)
Time deposits
   
(209
)
   
54
     
(155
)
Short-term borrowings
   
360
     
451
     
811
 
Junior subordinated debt
   
-
     
107
     
107
 
Long-term debt
   
(162
)
   
(65
)
   
(227
)
Total interest expense
   
25
     
543
     
568
 
 
                       
Change in FTE net interest income
 
$
4,160
   
$
(163
)
 
$
3,997
 

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income is a significant source of revenue for the Company and an important factor in the Company’s results of operations. The following table sets forth information by category of noninterest income for the periods indicated:

 
 
Three months ended March 31,
 
 
 
2017
   
2016
 
(In thousands)
           
Insurance and other financial services revenue
 
$
6,770
   
$
6,946
 
Service charges on deposit accounts
   
3,977
     
3,939
 
ATM and debit card fees
   
4,950
     
4,583
 
Retirement plan administration fees
   
4,172
     
3,754
 
Trust
   
4,532
     
4,376
 
Bank owned life insurance
   
1,411
     
1,291
 
Net securities gains
   
-
     
29
 
Other
   
2,938
     
3,449
 
Total noninterest income
 
$
28,750
   
$
28,367
 

Noninterest income for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was $28.8 million, up $0.7 million from the prior quarter and up $0.4 million, or 1.4%, from the fourth quarter of 2016. The increase from the fourth quarter of 2016 was driven primarily by a $1.1 million seasonal increase in insurance and other financial services revenue. This was partially offset by a $0.5 million decrease in other non-interest income due to an equity securities impairment write-down of $1.3 million, which was offset by an equity investment gain of $0.8 million. Retirement plan administration fees were up $0.4 million, or 11.1%, for the first quarter of 2017 as compared to the first quarter of 2016 due primarily to the 2016 third quarter asset acquisition of Actuarial Designs & Solutions, Inc. ATM and debit card fees are up $0.4 million from the first quarter of 2016 due to increased accounts and card usage.
 
Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expenses are also an important factor in the Company’s results of operations. The following table sets forth the major components of noninterest expense for the periods indicated:

 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
 
2017
   
2016
 
(In thousands)
           
Salaries and employee benefits
 
$
33,587
   
$
32,441
 
Occupancy
   
6,170
     
5,491
 
Data processing and communications
   
4,198
     
4,050
 
Professional fees and outside services
   
3,032
     
3,231
 
Equipment
   
3,698
     
3,460
 
Office supplies and postage
   
1,608
     
1,547
 
FDIC expenses
   
1,178
     
1,258
 
Advertising
   
390
     
504
 
Amortization of intangible assets
   
967
     
1,096
 
Loan collection and other real estate owned
   
1,279
     
705
 
Other
   
5,175
     
4,441
 
Total noninterest expense
 
$
61,282
   
$
58,224
 

Noninterest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was $61.3 million, up $3.6 million or 6.3%, from the prior quarter and up $3.1 million, or 5.3%, from the first quarter of 2016. The increase from the prior quarter was due primarily to a $2.0 million increase in salaries and benefits due primarily to higher stock-based compensation and employee benefit expenses. Occupancy expense increased from the prior quarter by $1.0 million due to seasonal expenses. In addition, other noninterest expense increased $1.2 million from the previous quarter due to a $1.4 million favorable accrual adjustment recorded in the fourth quarter of 2016. Salaries and employee benefits increased $1.1 million, or 3.5%, from the first quarter of 2016 to the first quarter of 2017 due primarily to the merit pay increases and higher stock-based compensation expense.

Income Taxes

During the first quarter of 2017, NBT adopted new accounting guidance for equity-based transactions requiring that all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies associated with equity-based compensation be recognized as an income tax benefit or expense in the income statement. Previously, tax effects resulting from changes in NBT’s share price subsequent to the grant date were recorded through stockholders’ equity at the time of vesting or exercise. The adoption of the accounting guidance resulted in a $1.5 million income tax benefit in the first quarter of 2017, or $0.03 of diluted earnings per share.

Income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was $8.3 million, down $1.8 million, or 17.8% from the prior quarter and down $1.4 million, or 14.7%, from the first quarter of 2016. The effective tax rate of 29.0% for the first quarter of 2017 was down from 34.0% for the prior quarter and first quarter of 2016 primarily due to the $1.5 million income tax benefit related to the adoption of new accounting guidance in the first quarter of 2017. Excluding the tax benefit of the new accounting guidance the effective tax rate was 34.3% for the first quarter of 2017.
 
ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

Securities

Total securities increased $17.9 million, or 1.0%, from December 31, 2016 to March 31, 2017. The securities portfolio represents 21.2% of total assets as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.

The following table details the composition of securities available for sale, securities held to maturity and regulatory investments for the periods indicated:

(In thousands)
 
March 31, 2017
   
December 31, 2016
 
Mortgage-backed securities:
           
With maturities 15 years or less
   
30
%
   
28
%
With maturities greater than 15 years
   
5
%
   
5
%
Collateral mortgage obligations
   
41
%
   
42
%
Municipal securities
   
14
%
   
14
%
US agency notes
   
9
%
   
10
%
Other
   
1
%
   
1
%
Total
   
100
%
   
100
%

The Company’s mortgage backed securities, U.S. agency notes and collateralized mortgage obligations are all “prime/conforming” and are guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Federal Home Loan Bank, Federal Farm Credit Banks, or Ginnie Mae (“GNMA”).  GNMA securities are considered equivalent to U.S. Treasury securities, as they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Currently, there are no subprime mortgages in our investment portfolio. Refer to Note 3 to the Company’s unaudited interim consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-Q for information related to other-than-temporary impairment considerations.

Loans

A summary of loans, net of deferred fees and origination costs, by category for the periods indicated follows:

(In thousands)
 
March 31, 2017
   
December 31, 2016
 
Residential real estate mortgages
 
$
1,275,774
   
$
1,262,614
 
Commercial
   
1,284,464
     
1,242,701
 
Commercial real estate mortgages
   
1,540,472
     
1,543,301
 
Consumer
   
1,669,369
     
1,641,657
 
Home equity
   
502,224
     
507,784
 
Total loans
 
$
6,272,303
   
$
6,198,057
 

Total loans increased by $74.2 million, or 1.2%, at March 31, 2017 from December 31, 2016, or 4.9% annualized during the three months ended March 31, 2017. Loan growth in the first three months of 2017 resulted from growth in the commercial, residential and consumer portfolios. Total loans represent approximately 70.1% of assets as of March 31, 2017, as compared to 69.9% as of December 31, 2016. 
 
Allowance for Loan Losses, Provision for Loan Losses, and Nonperforming Assets

The allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level estimated by management to provide appropriately for risk of probable incurred losses inherent in the current loan portfolio. The adequacy of the allowance for loan losses is continuously monitored using a methodology designed to ensure that the level of the allowance reasonably reflects the loan portfolio’s risk profile. It is evaluated to ensure that it is sufficient to absorb all reasonably estimable incurred credit losses inherent in the current loan portfolio.

Management considers the accounting policy relating to the allowance for loan losses to be a critical accounting policy given the degree of judgment exercised in evaluating the level of the allowance required to cover credit losses in the portfolio and the material effect that such judgments can have on the consolidated results of operations.

For purposes of evaluating the adequacy of the allowance, the Company considers a number of significant factors that affect the collectability of the portfolio. For individually analyzed loans, these factors include estimates of loss exposure, which reflect the facts and circumstances that affect the likelihood of repayment of such loans as of the evaluation date. For homogeneous pools of loans, estimates of the Company’s exposure to credit loss reflect a thorough current assessment of a number of factors, which affect collectability. These factors include: past loss experience; the size, trend, composition and nature of the loans; changes in lending policies and procedures, including underwriting  standards and collection, charge-off and recovery practices; trends experienced in nonperforming and delinquent loans; current economic conditions in the Company’s market; portfolio concentrations that may affect loss experienced across one or more components of the portfolio; the effect of external factors such as competition, legal and regulatory requirements; and the experience, ability and depth of lending management and staff.  In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral component of their examination process, periodically review the Company’s allowance for loan losses.  Such agencies may require the Company to recognize additions to the allowance based on their judgment about information available to them at the time of their examination, which may not be currently available to management.

After a thorough consideration and validation of the factors discussed above, required additions or reductions to the allowance for loan losses are made periodically by charges or credits to the provision for loan losses. These are necessary to maintain the allowance at a level which management believes is reasonably reflective of the overall inherent risk of probable loss in the portfolio. While management uses available information to recognize losses on loans, additions or reductions to the allowance may fluctuate from one reporting period to another. These fluctuations are reflective of changes in risk associated with portfolio content and/or changes in management’s assessment of any or all of the determining factors discussed above. Management considers the allowance for loan losses to be appropriate based on evaluation and analysis of the loan portfolio.

The following table reflects changes to the allowance for loan losses for the periods presented. The allowance is increased by provisions for losses charged to operations and is reduced by net charge-offs. Charge-offs are made when the ability to collect loan principal within a reasonable time becomes unlikely. Any recoveries of previously charged-off loans are credited directly to the allowance for loan losses.
 
 
 
Three months ended
 
(Dollars in thousands)
 
March 31, 2017
   
March 31, 2016
 
Balance, beginning of period
 
$
65,200
         
$
63,018
       
Recoveries
   
1,515
           
1,761
       
Charge-offs
   
(8,394
)
         
(6,559
)
     
Net charge-offs
   
(6,879
)
         
(4,798
)
     
Provision for loan losses
   
7,379
           
6,098
       
Balance, end of period
 
$
65,700
         
$
64,318
       
                             
Composition of Net Charge-offs
                           
Commercial and agricultural
 
$
(847
)
   
12
%
 
$
328
     
(7
)%
Real estate mortgage
   
(565
)
   
8
%
   
(687
)
   
14
%
Consumer
   
(5,467
)
   
80
%
   
(4,439
)
   
93
%
Net charge-offs
 
$
(6,879
)
   
100
%
 
$
(4,798
)
   
100
%
Annualized net charge-offs to average loans
   
0.45
%
           
0.33
%
       

Net charge-offs were $6.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017, down from $8.6 million for the prior quarter and up from $4.8 million for the first quarter of 2016. Provision expense was $7.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017, as compared with $8.2 million for the prior quarter and $6.1 million for the first quarter of 2016. Annualized net charge-offs to average loans for the first quarter of 2017 was 0.45%, compared with 0.56% for the fourth quarter of 2016 and 0.33% for the first quarter of 2016.

The allowance for loan losses totaled $65.7 million at March 31, 2017, compared to $65.2 million at December 31, 2016 and $64.3 million at March 31, 2016.

Nonperforming assets consist of nonaccrual loans, loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing, restructured loans, other real estate owned (“OREO”) and nonperforming securities. Loans are generally placed on nonaccrual when principal or interest payments become 90 days past due, unless the loan is well secured and in the process of collection. Loans may also be placed on nonaccrual when circumstances indicate that the borrower may be unable to meet the contractual principal or interest payments. In the third quarter of 2016 the threshold for evaluating classified and nonperforming loans specifically evaluated for impairment was increased from $0.5 million to $0.8 million. OREO represents property acquired through foreclosure and is valued at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value, less any estimated disposal costs.  Nonperforming securities, which include securities which management believes are other-than-temporarily impaired, are carried at their estimated fair value and are not accruing interest.
 
(Dollars in thousands)
 
March 31, 2017
   
December 31, 2016
 
Nonaccrual loans
 
Amount
   
%
   
Amount
   
%
 
Commercial and agricultural loans and real estate
 
$
14,719
     
45
%
 
$
19,351
     
54
%
Real estate mortgages
   
9,498
     
29
%
   
8,027
     
23
%
Consumer
   
4,573
     
14
%
   
4,653
     
13
%
Troubled debt restructured loans
   
3,884
     
12
%
   
3,681
     
10
%
Total nonaccrual loans
   
32,674
     
100
%
   
35,712
     
100
%
Loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing
                               
Commercial and agricultural loans and  real estate
   
-
     
0
%
   
-
     
0
%
Real estate mortgages
   
-
     
0
%
   
1,733
     
36
%
Consumer
   
2,392
     
100
%
   
3,077
     
64
%
Total loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing
   
2,392
     
100
%
   
4,810
     
100
%
 
                               
Total nonperforming loans
   
35,066
             
40,522
         
OREO
   
6,940
             
5,581
         
Total nonperforming assets
 
$
42,006
           
$
46,103
         
Total nonperforming loans to total loans
   
0.56
%
           
0.65
%
       
Total nonperforming assets to total assets
   
0.47
%
           
0.52
%
       
Allowance for loan losses to total nonperforming loans
   
187.36
%
           
160.90
%
       

Nonperforming loans to total loans was 0.56% at March 31, 2017, down 9 bps from December 31, 2016 and down 13 bps from March 31, 2016. Past due loans as a percentage of total loans was 0.54% at March 31, 2017, down from 0.64% at December 31, 2016. For acquired loans that are not deemed to be impaired at acquisition, credit discounts representing the principal losses expected over the life of the loan are a component of the initial fair value and amortized over the life of the asset.

For acquired loans that are not deemed to be impaired at acquisition, credit discounts representing the principal losses expected over the life of the loan are a component of the initial fair value and amortized over the life of the asset.

As a result of the application of this accounting methodology, certain credit-related ratios may not necessarily be directly comparable with periods prior to the acquisition, or comparable with other institutions. The credit metrics most impacted by our acquisitions were the allowance for loans losses to total loans and total allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans. As of March 31, 2017, the allowance for loan losses to total originated loans and the total allowance for loan losses to originated nonperforming loans were 1.13% and 213.71%, respectively. As of December 31, 2016, the allowance for loan losses to total originated loans and the total allowance for loan losses to originated nonperforming loans were 1.13% and 186.82%, respectively.

In addition to nonperforming loans, the Company has also identified approximately $81.0 million in potential problem loans at March 31, 2017 as compared to $70.0 million at December 31, 2016. At March 31, 2017, potential problem loans primarily consisted of commercial real estate, commercial and agricultural loans. Potential problem loans are loans that are currently performing, but known information about possible credit problems of the borrowers causes management to have doubts as to the ability of such borrowers to comply with the present loan repayment terms, which may result in classification of such loans as nonperforming at some time in the future.  Potential problem loans are typically defined as loans that are performing but are classified by the Company’s loan rating system as “substandard.” Management cannot predict the extent to which economic conditions may worsen or other factors which may impact borrowers and the potential problem loans. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that other loans will not become 90 days or more past due, be placed on nonaccrual, become restructured or require increased allowance coverage and provision for loan losses.

Deposits

Total deposits were $7.2 billion at March 31, 2017, up $211.4 million, or 3.0%, from December 31, 2016. Total average deposits increased $311.4 million, or 4.6%, for the three months ended March 31, 2017, as compared to the same period last year driven primarily by growth in non-interest bearing demand deposits of $190.0 million, or 9.6%, combined with a $121.8 million, or 2.6%, increase in interest bearing deposits due to growth in money market deposit accounts, NOW accounts and savings accounts.
 
Borrowed Funds
 
The Company's borrowed funds consist of short-term borrowings, long-term debt and junior subordinated debt. Short-term borrowings totaled $540.2 million at March 31, 2017 compared to $681.7 million at December 31, 2016. Long-term debt was $104.0 million at March 31, 2017 compared to $104.1 million at December 31, 2016. Junior subordinated debt was $101.2 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.
 
For more information about the Company’s borrowing capacity and liquidity position, see “Liquidity Risk” below.
 
Capital Resources

Stockholders’ equity of $926.8 million represented 10.36% of total assets at March 31, 2017 compared with $913.3 million, or 10.30% as of December 31, 2016. The increase in stockholders’ equity resulted primarily from net income of $20.3 million for the three months ending March 31, 2017, partially offset by dividends paid of $10.0 million during the period.

The Company did not purchase shares of its common stock during the three months ended March 31, 2017. As of March 31, 2017, there were 1,000,000 shares available for repurchase under a plan authorized on March 28, 2016, which expires on December 31, 2017.

The Board of Directors considers the Company’s earnings position and earnings potential when making dividend decisions. The Company does not have a target dividend pay-out ratio.

As the capital ratios in the following table indicate, the Company remained “well capitalized” at March 31, 2017 under applicable bank regulatory requirements.  Capital measurements are well in excess of regulatory minimum guidelines and meet the requirements to be considered well capitalized for all periods presented. To be considered well capitalized, tier 1 leverage, common equity tier 1 capital, tier 1 capital and total risk-based capital ratios must be 5%, 6.5%, 8% and 10%, respectively.

Capital Measurements
 
March 31, 2017
   
December 31, 2016
 
Tier 1 leverage ratio
   
9.08
%
   
9.11
%
Common equity tier 1 capital ratio
   
10.02
%
   
9.98
%
Tier 1 capital ratio
   
11.40
%
   
11.42
%
Total risk-based capital ratio
   
12.40
%
   
12.39
%
Cash dividends as a percentage of net income
   
49.41
%
   
50.00
%
Per common share:
               
Book value
 
$
21.34
   
$
21.11
 
Tangible book value (1)
 
$
14.88
   
$
14.61
 

(1)
Stockholders’ equity less goodwill and intangible assets divided by common shares outstanding.

Liquidity and Interest Rate Sensitivity Management

Market Risk

Interest rate risk is the primary market risk affecting the Company.  Other types of market risk, such as foreign currency exchange rate risk and commodity price risk, do not arise in the normal course of the Company’s business activities.  Interest rate risk is defined as an exposure to a movement in interest rates that could have an adverse effect on the Company’s net interest income.  Net interest income is susceptible to interest rate risk to the degree that interest bearing liabilities mature or reprice on a different basis than earning assets.  When interest bearing liabilities mature or reprice more quickly than earning assets in a given period, a significant increase in market rates of interest could adversely affect net interest income.  Similarly, when earning assets mature or reprice more quickly than interest bearing liabilities, falling interest rates could result in a decrease in net interest income.

In an attempt to manage the Company’s exposure to changes in interest rates, management monitors the Company’s interest rate risk.  Management’s Asset Liability Committee (“ALCO”) meets monthly to review the Company’s interest rate risk position and profitability and to recommend strategies for consideration by the Board of Directors.  Management also reviews loan and deposit pricing and the Company’s securities portfolio, formulates investment and funding strategies and oversees the timing and implementation of transactions to assure attainment of the Board’s objectives in the most effective manner. Notwithstanding the Company’s interest rate risk management activities, the potential effect of changing interest rates is an uncertainty that can have an adverse effect on net income.

In adjusting the Company’s asset/liability position, the Board and management attempt to manage the Company’s interest rate risk while minimizing net interest margin compression.  At times, depending on the level of general interest rates, the relationship between long- and short-term interest rates, market conditions and competitive factors, the Board and management may determine to increase the Company’s interest rate risk position somewhat in order to increase its net interest margin.  The Company’s results of operations and net portfolio values remain vulnerable to changes in interest rates and fluctuations in the difference between long- and short-term interest rates. Increases in short-term interest rates in December 2016 and March 2017 helped drive a modest expansion of the net interest margin in Q1 2017, as the increases had little impact on deposit pricing.  Future increases in short-term rates could result in deposits re-pricing higher, which, coupled with a flatter yield curve, would put pressure on the net interest margin.

The primary tool utilized by ALCO to manage interest rate risk is a balance sheet/income statement simulation model (interest rate sensitivity analysis).  Information, such as principal balance, interest rate, maturity date, cash flows, next repricing date (if needed) and current rates is uploaded into the model to create an ending balance sheet.  In addition, ALCO makes certain assumptions regarding prepayment speeds for loans and mortgage related investment securities along with any optionality within the deposits and borrowings.
 
The model is first run under an assumption of a flat rate scenario (i.e. no change in current interest rates) with a static balance sheet over a 12 month period.  Two additional models are run with static balance sheets: (1) a gradual increase of 200 bp and (2) a gradual decrease of 100 bp taking place over a 12 month period. Under these scenarios, assets subject to prepayments are adjusted to account for faster or slower prepayment assumptions.  Any investment securities or borrowings that have callable options embedded into them are handled accordingly based on the interest rate scenario. The resulting changes in net interest income are then measured against the flat rate scenario.

 In the declining rate scenario, net interest income is projected to decrease when compared to the forecasted net interest income in the flat rate scenario through the simulation period. The decrease in net interest income is a result of earning assets repricing downward at a faster rate than interest bearing liabilities. The inability to effectively lower deposit rates will likely reduce or eliminate the benefit of lower interest rates. In the rising rate scenarios, net interest income is projected to experience a decline from the flat rate scenario. Net interest income is projected to remain at lower levels than in a flat rate scenario through the simulation period primarily due to a lag in assets repricing while funding costs increase. The potential impact on earnings is dependent on the ability to lag deposit repricing. If short-term rates continue to increase, the Company expects competitive pressures will likely lead to core deposit pricing increases, which will likely continue compression of the net interest margin.
 
Net interest income for the next 12 months in the + 200/- 100 bp scenarios, as described above, is within the internal policy risk limits of not more than a 7.5% change in net interest income. The following table summarizes the percentage change in net interest income in the rising and declining rate scenarios over a 12-month period from the forecasted net interest income in the flat rate scenario using the March 31, 2017 balance sheet position:

Interest Rate Sensitivity Analysis
 
Change in interest rates
Percent change in
(in bp points)
net interest income
+200
(3.01%)
-100
(2.94%)

Liquidity Risk

Liquidity involves the ability to meet the cash flow requirements of customers who may be depositors wanting to withdraw funds or borrowers needing assurance that sufficient funds will be available to meet their credit needs. ALCO is responsible for liquidity management and has developed guidelines which cover all assets and liabilities, as well as off-balance sheet items that are potential sources or uses of liquidity. Liquidity policies must also provide the flexibility to implement appropriate strategies and tactical actions. Requirements change as loans grow, deposits and securities mature and payments on borrowings are made. Liquidity management includes a focus on interest rate sensitivity management with a goal of avoiding widely fluctuating net interest margins through periods of changing economic conditions.

The primary liquidity measurement the Company utilizes is called the Basic Surplus, which captures the adequacy of its access to reliable sources of cash relative to the stability of its funding mix of average liabilities. Basic Surplus is calculated by subtracting short-term liabilities from liquid assets. This approach recognizes the importance of balancing levels of cash flow liquidity from short- and long-term securities with the availability of dependable borrowing sources, which can be accessed when necessary. At March 31, 2017, the Company’s Basic Surplus measurement was 14.2% of total assets or approximately $1.3 billion as compared to the December 31, 2016 Basic Surplus of 13.6% or $1.2 billion and was above the Company’s minimum of 5% or $0.4 billion set forth in its liquidity policies.

This Basic Surplus approach enables the Company to appropriately manage liquidity from both operational and contingency perspectives. By tempering the need for cash flow liquidity with reliable borrowing facilities, the Company is able to operate with a more fully invested and, therefore, higher interest income generating securities portfolio. The makeup and term structure of the securities portfolio is, in part, impacted by the overall interest rate sensitivity of the balance sheet. Investment decisions and deposit pricing strategies are impacted by the liquidity position.
 
The Company’s primary source of funds is the Bank. Certain restrictions exist regarding the ability of the Bank to transfer funds to the Company in the form of cash dividends. The approval of the Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is required to pay dividends when a bank fails to meet certain minimum regulatory capital standards or when such dividends are in excess of a subsidiary bank’s earnings retained in the current year plus retained net profits for the preceding two years (as defined in the regulations). At March 31, 2017, approximately $77.2 million of the total stockholders’ equity of the Bank was available for payment of dividends to the Company without approval by the OCC. The Bank’s ability to pay dividends is also subject to the Bank being in compliance with regulatory capital requirements. The Bank is currently in compliance with these requirements. Under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Company may declare and pay dividends either out of its surplus or, in case there is no surplus, out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year.

At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, FHLB advances outstanding totaled approximately $549 million and $598 million, respectively. The Bank is a member of the FHLB system and had additional borrowing capacity from the FHLB of approximately $1.0 billion at March 31, 2017 and $0.8 billion at December 31, 2016. In addition, unpledged securities could have been used to increase borrowing capacity at the FHLB by an additional $558 million at March 31, 2017, or used to collateralize other borrowings, such as repurchase agreements. At March 31, 2017 the Bank also had additional borrowing capacity from unused collateral at the Federal Reserve of $0.8 billion.
 
Item 3.
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
 
Information called for by Item 3 is contained in the Liquidity and Interest Rate Sensitivity Management section of the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
 
Item 4.
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
 
The  Company’s  management, with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of  the  Company’s  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  (as  defined  in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of March 31, 2017, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

There  were  no changes made in the Company’s internal control over financial  reporting  that  occurred  during  the  Company’s  most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
 
PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION
 
Item 1 – LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
There are no material legal proceedings, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their property is subject, except as described in the Company’s 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
Item 1A – RISK FACTORS
 
There are no material changes to the risk factors as previously discussed in Part I, Item 1A of our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
Item 2 – UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
 
(a)
Not applicable
 
(b)
Not applicable
 
(c)
None

Item 3 – DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

None
 
Item 4 – MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

None
 
Item 5 – OTHER INFORMATION

On May 9, 2017, the Company, the Bank and John H. Watt Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank, entered into a Split-Dollar Agreement (the “Agreement”) for the benefit of Mr. Watt. Pursuant to the Agreement, Mr. Watt shall be the direct beneficiary of death proceeds equal to the lesser of (i) the difference in the death benefit payable by the insurance carrier and the cash surrender value of the Policy (the “Net Amount at Risk”) and (ii) the following:

 
Year of Death
Employee’s Interest

2017-2018
$3,000,000

2019-2020
$2,225,000

2021-2022
$1,375,000

2023 and thereafter
$500,000.

If Mr. Watt is a member of the Board of Directors of the Company or the Bank but no longer an employee of the Company or the Bank at the time of his death, he shall be the direct beneficiary of death proceeds equal to the lesser of (i) $500,000 and (ii) the Net Amount at Risk. During Mr. Watt’s lifetime, the Agreement may be terminated at any time by written instrument signed by the Company, the Bank and Mr. Watt, or by the Company and the Bank unilaterally at any time after Mr. Watt has ceased to be both the President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of the Company and the Bank, other than by reason of his disability. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Bank will pay the premiums on the related policy and will be the sole owner of the policy. The economic benefit of the Agreement to Mr. Watt will be imputed to him on an annual basis.

The foregoing description of the Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.
 
Item 6 – EXHIBITS

3.1
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of NBT Bancorp Inc. as amended through July 1, 2015 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to Registrant’s Form 10-Q, filed on August 10, 2015, and incorporated herein by reference).
   
3.2
Amended and Restated Bylaws of NBT Bancorp Inc. effective January 23, 2017 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on January 25, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference).
   
3.3
Certificate of Designation of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (filed as Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on November 18, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference).
   
4.1
Specimen common stock certificate for NBT’s Bancorp Inc. common stock (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-4, filed on December 27, 2005, and incorporated herein by reference).
   
10.1
Split-Dollar Agreement between NBT Bancorp Inc., NBT Bank, National Association and John H. Watt Jr. dated May 9, 2017.*
   
31.1
Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rules 13(a)-14(a)/15(d)-14(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.
   
31.2
Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rules 13(a)-14(a)/15(d)-14(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.
   
32.1
Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
   
32.2
Certification of the Chief Financial  Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of  2002.
   
101.INS
XBRL Instance Document.
   
101.SCH
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
   
101.CAL
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
   
101.DEF
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
   
101.LAB
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.
   
101.PRE
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.

* Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
 
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, this 10th day of May 2017.
 
 
 
NBT BANCORP INC.
 
 
 
 
 
 
By:
/s/ Michael J. Chewens
 
   
Michael J. Chewens, CPA
 
   
Senior Executive Vice President
 
   
Chief Financial Officer
 
 
EXHIBIT INDEX
 
3.1
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of NBT Bancorp Inc. as amended through July 1, 2015 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to Registrant’s Form 10-Q, filed on August 10, 2015, and incorporated herein by reference).
   
3.2
Amended and Restated Bylaws of NBT Bancorp Inc. effective January 23, 2017 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on January 25, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference).
   
3.3
Certificate of Designation of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (filed as Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Form 8-K, filed on November 18, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference).
   
4.1
Specimen common stock certificate for NBT’s Bancorp Inc. common stock (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-4, filed on December 27, 2005, and incorporated herein by reference).
   
Split-Dollar Agreement between NBT Bancorp Inc., NBT Bank, National Association and John H. Watt Jr. dated May 9, 2017.*
   
Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rules 13(a)-14(a)/15(d)-14(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.
   
Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rules 13(a)-14(a)/15(d)-14(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.
   
Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
   
Certification of the Chief Financial  Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of  2002.
   
101.INS
XBRL Instance Document.
   
101.SCH
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
   
101.CAL
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
   
101.DEF
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
   
101.LAB
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.
   
101.PRE
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
 
* Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
 
 
54