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 consisting of customer accommodation loan swaps and interest rate lock commitments that do not qualify for hedge accounting.

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 OTC derivatives with central clearinghouses through FCMs due to applicable regulatory requirement, 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.

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 and range in 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.

During the quarter ended March 31, 2021, the Company executed two 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 LIBOR rate with a total notional amount of $200 million.   For each agreement, the Company receives interest at a fixed rate and pays at a variable rate. 

During the quarter ended March 31, 2020, the Company terminated interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges prior to their respective maturity dates resulting in net losses of approximately $1.8 million, which resulted in the losses being recognized immediately in earnings as the forecasted transactions will not occur. The Company did not have any derivatives designated as cash flow hedges outstanding at December 31, 2020.

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Fair Value Hedge

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, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the aggregate notional amount of the related hedged items for certain long-term fixed rate loans totaled $121.3 million and $74.7 million, respectively, and the fair value of the swaps associated with the derivative related to hedged items was an unrealized loss of $672,000 and $5.1 million, respectively.

AFS Securities: The Company has entered into a swap agreement to hedge the interest rate risk on a portion of its fixed rate available for sale securities. At March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the aggregate notional amount of the related hedged items of the AFS securities totaled $50 million and the fair value of the swaps associated with the derivative related to hedged items was an unrealized loss of $5.1 million and $7.3 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.

Loan Swaps

During the normal course of business, the Company offers interest rate swap loan relationships (“loan swaps”) to its borrowers to help meet their financing needs. Upon entering into the loan swaps, the Company enters into offsetting positions with a third party in order to minimize interest rate risk. These back-to-back loan swaps qualify as financial derivatives with fair values as reported in “Other Assets” and “Other Liabilities” on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The following table summarizes key elements of the Company’s derivative instruments as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, segregated by derivatives that are considered accounting hedges and those that are not (dollars in thousands):

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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, 2021 and December 31, 2020 (dollars in thousands):

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