Use of Estimates

The accounting principles and reporting policies of the Company, and the methods of applying these principles, conform with U.S. GAAP and with general practices within the financial services industry. In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated statements of condition and revenues and expenses for the period included in the consolidated statements of operations and of cash flows. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant changes in the near-term relate to the accounting for the allowance for loan losses, the value of OREO and certain collateral dependent loans, and deferred tax asset valuation. In connection with the determination of the allowance for loan losses and other real estate owned, in some cases, management obtains independent appraisals for significant properties, evaluates the overall portfolio characteristics and delinquencies and monitors economic conditions.

A substantial portion of the Company’s loans are secured by real estate in its primary market area. Accordingly, the ultimate collectability of a substantial portion of the Company’s loan portfolio and the recovery of a portion of the carrying amount of foreclosed real estate are susceptible to changes in economic conditions in the Company’s primary market.

Revenue Recognition

The main source of revenue for the Company is interest revenue, which is recognized on an accrual basis calculated by non-discretionary formulas based on written contracts, such as loan agreements or securities contracts. Loan origination fees are amortized into interest income over the term of the loan. Other types of non-interest revenue, such as service charges on deposits, are accrued and recognized into income as services are provided and the amount of fees earned is reasonably determinable.

Investment Securities

Securities may be held in three portfolios: trading account securities, held-to-maturity securities and securities available-for-sale. Trading account securities are carried at estimated fair value, with unrealized gains and losses included in operations. The Company held no securities in a trading account as of December 31, 2013 or 2012. Investment securities held-to-maturity are carried at cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts. With regard to investment securities held-to-maturity, management has the intent and the Bank has the ability to hold such securities until maturity. Investment securities available-for-sale are carried at fair value, with any unrealized gains or losses excluded from operations and reflected, net of tax, as a separate component of shareholders’ equity in accumulated other comprehensive income or loss. Investment securities available-for-sale are so classified because management may decide to sell certain securities prior to maturity for liquidity, tax planning or other valid business purposes. When the fair value of a security falls below carrying value, an evaluation must be made to determine if the unrealized loss is a temporary or other-than-temporary impairment. Impaired securities that are not deemed to be temporarily impaired are written down by a charge to operations to the extent that the impairment is related to credit losses. The amount of impairment related to other factors is recognized in other comprehensive income or loss. The Company uses a systematic methodology to evaluate potential impairment of its investments that considers, among other things, the magnitude and duration of the decline in fair value, the financial health of and business outlook of the issuer and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment until such time as the security recovers its fair value.

Interest earned on investment securities available-for-sale is included in interest income. Amortization of premiums and discounts on investment securities is determined by the interest method and included in interest income. Gains and losses on the sale of investment securities available-for-sale, computed principally on the specific identification method, are shown separately in non-interest income.

Loans and Interest Income

Loans are reported at principal amounts outstanding, adjusted for unearned income, net deferred loan origination fees and costs, purchase premiums and discounts, write-downs and the allowance for loan losses. Loan origination fees, net of certain deferred origination costs, and purchase premiums and discounts are recognized as an adjustment to yield of the related loans, on an effective yield basis.

Interest on all loans is accrued and credited to income based on the principal amount outstanding.

The accrual of interest on loans is discontinued when, in the opinion of management, there is an indication that the borrower may be unable to meet payments as they become due. Upon such discontinuance, all unpaid accrued interest is reversed against current income unless the collateral for the loan is sufficient to cover the accrued interest. Interest received on non-accrual loans generally is either applied against principal or reported as interest income, according to management’s judgment as to the collectability of principal. The policy for interest recognition on impaired loans is consistent with the non-accrual interest recognition policy. Generally, loans are restored to accrual status when the obligation is brought current and has performed in accordance with the contractual terms for a reasonable period of time and the ultimate collectability of the total contractual principal and interest is no longer in doubt.

Premises and Equipment

Premises and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization computed principally by the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets or the expected lease terms for leasehold improvements, whichever is shorter. Useful lives for all premises and equipment range between three and thirty years.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes on the accrual basis through the use of the asset and liability method. Under the asset and liability method, deferred taxes are recognized for the tax consequences of temporary differences by applying enacted statutory tax rates applicable to future years to differences between the consolidated financial statement carrying amounts and the basis of existing assets and liabilities. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates would be recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

In accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, a tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded.

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs for promoting the Company are minimal and expensed as incurred.

Subsequent Events

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through the filing date of the consolidated financial statements. No subsequent events requiring recognition or disclosure were identified, and, therefore, none were incorporated into the consolidated financial statements presented herein.

Accounting Policies Recently Adopted and Pending Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-04, Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40): Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force). ASU 2014-04 clarifies when an “in substance repossession or foreclosure” occurs, that is, when a creditor should be considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan, such that all or a portion of the loan should be derecognized and the real estate property recognized. ASU 2014-04 states that a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan, upon either the creditor obtaining legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure, or the borrower conveying all interest in the residential real estate property to the creditor to satisfy that loan through completion of a deed in lieu of foreclosure or through a similar legal agreement. The amendments of ASU 2014-04 also require interim and annual disclosure of both the amount of foreclosed residential real estate property held by the creditor and the recorded investment in consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate properties that are in the process of foreclosure. The amendments of ASU 2014-04 are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2014, and may be applied using either a modified retrospective transition method or a prospective transition method as described in ASU 2014-04. The adoption of ASU 2014-04 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-01, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force). ASU 2014-01 permits reporting entities that invest in qualified affordable housing projects to elect to account for those investments using the “proportional amortization method” if certain conditions are met. Under this method, an entity amortizes the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognizes the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense (benefit). The decision to apply the proportional amortization method of accounting is an accounting policy decision and should be applied consistently to all qualifying affordable housing project investments. ASU 2014-01 should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented and is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2014. The Company does not have a significant amount of investments in qualified affordable housing projects that qualify for the low income housing tax credit. Such investments are currently either consolidated in the Company’s financial statements or accounted for as cost method investments. The adoption of ASU 2014-01 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-11, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force). ASU 2013-11 provides that an entity’s unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of its unrecognized tax benefit, should be presented in its financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, with one exception. The exception states that to the extent a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position, or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets. ASU 2013-11 applies prospectively for all entities that have unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or tax credit carryforward exists at the reporting date. ASU 2013-11 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2013. The adoption of ASU 2013-11 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-02, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. ASU 2013-02 requires an entity to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on net income line items only for those items that are reported in their entirety in net income in the period of reclassification. For these items, entities are required to disclose the effect of the reclassification on each line item of net income that is affected by the reclassification adjustment. For items that are not reclassified in their entirety into net income, an entity is required to add a cross-reference to the note that includes additional information about the effect of the reclassification. For entities that only have reclassifications into net income in their entirety, this information may be presented either in the notes or parenthetically on the face of the statement that reports net income as long as the required information is reported in a single location. Entities that have one or more reclassification items that are not presented in their entirety in net income in the period of reclassification must present this information in the notes to the financial statements. ASU 2013-02 became effective for the Company’s financial statements on January 1, 2013, and the adoption did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

The remaining limited partnership investments are unconsolidated and are accounted for under the cost method as allowed under ASC Topic 325, Accounting for Tax Benefits Resulting from Investments in Affordable Housing Projects. The Company amortizes the excess of carrying value of the investment over its estimated residual value during the period in which tax credits are allocated to the investors.

The Company follows the provisions of ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements, which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.

Fair Value Hierarchy

The assumptions used in the estimation of the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments are detailed below. Where quoted prices are not available, fair values are based on estimates using discounted cash flows and other valuation techniques. The use of discounted cash flows can be significantly affected by the assumptions used, including the discount rate and estimates of future cash flows. The following disclosures should not be considered a surrogate of the liquidation value of the Company, but rather represent a good-faith estimate of the increase or decrease in value of financial instruments held by the Company since purchase, origination or issuance.

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between willing market participants at the measurement date. In determining fair value, the Company uses various methods, including market, income and cost approaches. Based on these approaches, the Company often utilizes certain assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and/or the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. These inputs can be readily observable, market corroborated or generally unobservable inputs. The Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Based on the observability of the inputs used in the valuation techniques, the Company is required to provide the following information according to the fair value hierarchy. The fair value hierarchy ranks the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values. Assets and liabilities carried at fair value will be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

 

•

Level 1 — Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in active exchange markets, such as the New York Stock Exchange. Level 1 also includes equity securities in banks that are publicly traded. Valuations are obtained from readily available pricing sources for market transactions involving identical assets or liabilities.

 

•

Level 2 — Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in less active dealer or broker markets. Valuations are obtained from third-party pricing services for identical or similar assets or liabilities.

 

•

Level 3 — Valuations for assets and liabilities that are derived from other valuation methodologies, including option pricing models, discounted cash flow models and similar techniques, and not based on market exchange, dealer or broker-traded transactions. Level 3 valuations incorporate certain assumptions and projections in determining the fair value assigned to such assets or liabilities.