8. DERIVATIVES

The Company is exposed to economic risks arising from its business operations and uses derivatives primarily to manage risk associated with changing interest rates, and to assist customers with their risk management objectives. The Company designates certain derivatives as hedging instruments in a qualifying hedge accounting relationship (cash flow or fair value hedge). The remaining are classified as free-standing derivatives that do not qualify for hedge accounting and consist of interest rate contracts, which include loan swaps and interest rate cap agreements, as well as interest rate lock commitments.

Derivatives Counterparty Credit Risk

Derivative instruments contain an element of credit risk that arises from the potential failure of a counterparty to perform according to the terms of the contract. The Company’s exposure to derivative counterparty credit risk, at any point in time, is equal to the amount reported as a derivative asset on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets, assuming no recoveries of underlying collateral. The Company clears certain over-the-counter derivatives with central clearinghouses through futures commission merchants due to applicable regulatory requirements, which reduces the Company’s counterparty risk.

The Company also enters into legally enforceable master netting agreements and collateral agreements, where possible, with certain derivative counterparties to mitigate the risk of default on a bilateral basis. These bilateral agreements typically provide the right to offset exposures and require one counterparty to post collateral on derivative instruments in a net liability position to the other counterparty. For the over-the-counter derivatives cleared with central clearinghouses, the variation margin is treated as settlement of the related derivatives fair values.

Cash Flow Hedges

The Company designates derivatives as cash flow hedges when they are used to manage exposure to variability in cash flows related to forecasted transactions on variable rate financial instruments. The Company uses interest rate swap agreements as part of its hedging strategy by exchanging a notional amount, equal to the principal amount of the borrowings or commercial loans, for fixed-rate interest based on benchmarked interest rates. The original terms and conditions of the interest rate swaps vary in range and length. Amounts receivable or payable are recognized as accrued under the terms of the agreements.

All swaps were entered into with counterparties that met the Company’s credit standards, and the agreements contain collateral provisions protecting the at-risk party. The Company concluded that the credit risk inherent in the contract is not significant.

For derivatives designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges, ineffectiveness is not measured or separately disclosed. Rather, as long as the hedging relationship continues to qualify for hedge accounting, the entire change in the fair value of the hedging instrument is recorded in OCI and recognized in earnings as the hedged transaction affects earnings. Derivative amounts affecting earnings are recognized consistent with the classification of the hedged item.

At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had interest rate swaps designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges of the Company’s forecasted variable interest receipts on variable rate loans due to changes in the interest rate with a notional amount of $900 million. For each agreement, the Company receives interest at a fixed rate and pays at a variable rate. 

Fair Value Hedges

Derivatives are designated as fair value hedges when they are used to manage exposure to changes in the fair value of certain financial assets and liabilities, referred to as the hedged items, which fluctuate in value as a result of movements in interest rates.

Loans: During the normal course of business, the Company enters into swap agreements to convert certain long-term fixed-rate loans to floating rates to hedge the Company’s exposure to interest rate risk. The Company pays a fixed interest rate to the counterparty and receives a floating rate from the same counterparty calculated on the aggregate notional amount. At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the aggregate notional amount of the related hedged items for certain long-term fixed rate loans totaled $82.0 million and $83.6 million, respectively, and the fair value of the swaps associated with the derivative related to hedged items was an unrealized gain of $9.2 million and $11.0 million, respectively.

AFS Securities: The Company has a swap agreement to hedge the interest rate risk on a portion of its fixed rate AFS securities. At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the aggregate notional amount of the related hedged items of the AFS securities totaled $50.0 million and the fair value of the swaps associated with the derivative related to hedged items was an unrealized gain of $1.2 million and $1.9 million, respectively.

The Company applies hedge accounting in accordance with ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and the fair value hedge and the underlying hedged item, attributable to the risk being hedged, are recorded at fair value with unrealized gains and losses being recorded on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company assesses the effectiveness of each hedging relationship by comparing the changes in fair value or cash flows on the derivative hedging instrument with the changes in fair value or cash flows on the designated hedged item or transactions for the risk being hedged. If a hedging relationship ceases to qualify for hedge accounting, the relationship is discontinued and future changes in the fair value of the derivative instrument are recognized in current period earnings. For a discontinued or terminated fair value hedging relationship, all remaining basis adjustments to the carrying amount of the hedged item are amortized to interest income or expense over the remaining life of the hedged item consistent with the amortization of other discounts or premiums. Previous balances deferred in AOCI from discontinued or terminated cash flow hedges are reclassified to interest income or expense as the hedged transactions affect earnings or over the originally specified term of the hedging relationship. The Company’s hedges continue to be highly effective and had no material impact on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Interest Rate Contracts

During the normal course of business, the Company enters into interest rate contracts with borrowers to help meet their financing needs. Upon entering into interest rate contracts, the Company enters into offsetting positions with a third party in order to minimize interest rate risk. These interest rate contracts qualify as financial derivatives with fair values as reported in “Other assets” and “Other liabilities” on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

RPAs: The Company enters into RPAs where it may either sell or assume credit risk related to a borrower’s performance under certain non-hedging interest rate derivative contracts on participated loans. The Company manages its credit risk under RPAs by monitoring the creditworthiness of the borrowers based on the Company’s normal credit review process. RPAs are carried at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in “Other operating income” on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income.

The following table summarizes key elements of the Company’s derivative instruments as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, segregated by derivatives that are considered accounting hedges and those that are not (dollars in thousands):

⁽¹⁾ Notional amounts are not recorded on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and are generally used only as a basis on which interest and other payments are determined.

⁽²⁾ Balances represent fair value of derivative financial instruments.

⁽³⁾ The Company’s cleared derivatives are classified as a single-unit of accounting, resulting in the fair value of the designated swap being reduced by the variation margin, which is treated as settlement of the related derivatives fair value for accounting purposes.

⁽⁴⁾ Includes RPAs.

​

The following table summarizes the carrying value of the Company’s hedged assets in fair value hedges and the associated cumulative basis adjustments included in those carrying values as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 (dollars in thousands):

​

⁽¹⁾ These amounts include the amortized cost basis of the investment securities designated in hedging relationships for which the hedged item is the last layer expected to be remaining at the end of the hedging relationship. At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the amortized cost basis of this portfolio was $88.9 million and $91 million, respectively, and the cumulative basis adjustment associated with this hedge was $1.2 million and $1.9 million, respectively. The amount of the designated hedged item at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 totaled $50 million.

⁽²⁾ Carrying value represents amortized cost.

⁽³⁾ The fair value of the swaps associated with the derivative related to hedged items at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 was an unrealized gain of $9.2 million and $11.0 million, respectively.