Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK
Market risk is a broad term for the risk of economic loss due to adverse changes in the fair value of a financial instrument. These changes may be the result of various factors, including interest rates, foreign exchange rates, commodity prices, or equity prices. Additionally, the financial instruments subject to market risk can be classified either as held for trading purposes or held for other than trading.
We are subject to market risk primarily through the effect of changes in interest rates on our portfolio of assets held for purposes other than trading. Additionally, we have some market risk relative to commodity prices through our energy lending activities. Declines and volatility in commodity prices negatively impacted our energy clients' ability to perform on their loan obligations in recent years, and further uncertainty and volatility could have a negative impact on our customers and our loan portfolio in future periods. Foreign exchange rates, commodity prices (other than energy) and equity prices are not expected to pose significant market risk to us.
The responsibility for managing market risk rests with the ALCO, which operates under policy guidelines established by our board of directors. The acceptable negative variation in net interest revenue due to a 100 basis point increase or decrease in interest rates is generally limited by these guidelines to plus or minus 10-12%. These guidelines establish maximum levels for short-term borrowings, short-term assets and public and brokered deposits and minimum levels for liquidity, among other things. Oversight of our compliance with these guidelines is the ongoing responsibility of the ALCO, with exceptions reported to the Risk Management Committee, and to our board of directors if deemed necessary, on a quarterly basis. Additionally, the Credit Policy Committee ("CPC") specifically manages risk relative to commodity price market risks. The CPC establishes maximum portfolio concentration levels for energy loans as well as maximum advance rates for energy collateral.
Interest Rate Risk Management
Our interest rate sensitivity is illustrated in the following table. The table reflects rate-sensitive positions as of December 31, 2020, and is not necessarily indicative of positions on other dates. The balances of interest rate sensitive assets and liabilities are presented in the periods in which they next reprice to market rates or mature and are aggregated to show the interest rate sensitivity gap. The mismatch between repricings or maturities within a time period is commonly referred to as the “gap” for that period. A positive gap (asset sensitive), where interest rate-sensitive assets exceed interest rate sensitive liabilities, generally will result in the net interest margin increasing in a rising rate environment and decreasing in a falling rate environment. A negative gap (liability sensitive) will generally have the opposite results on the net interest margin. To reflect anticipated prepayments, certain asset and liability categories are shown in the table using estimated cash flows rather than contractual cash flows. The Company employs interest rate floors in certain variable rate loans to enhance the yield on those loans at times when market interest rates are extraordinarily low. The degree of asset sensitivity, spreads on loans and net interest margin may be reduced until rates increase by an amount sufficient to eliminate the effects of floors. The adverse effect of floors as market rates increase may also be offset by the positive gap, the extent to which rates on deposits and other funding sources lag increasing market rates for loans and changes in composition of funding.
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Interest Rate Sensitivity Gap Analysis
December 31, 2020
(in thousands) 0-3 mo
Balance 4-12 mo
Balance 1-3 yr
Balance 3+ yr
Balance Total
Balance
Assets:
Interest-bearing deposits in other banks, federal funds sold and securities purchased under resale agreements $ 9,032,807 $ — $ — $ — $ 9,032,807
Investment securities(1) 46,444 1,724 605 3,148,197 3,196,970
Total variable loans 21,278,748 62,769 28,117 267,871 21,637,505
Total fixed loans 237,836 1,239,653 877,452 792,549 3,147,490
Total loans(2) 21,516,584 1,302,422 905,569 1,060,420 24,784,995
Total interest sensitive assets $ 30,595,835 $ 1,304,146 $ 906,174 $ 4,208,617 $ 37,014,772
Liabilities:
Interest-bearing customer deposits $ 16,016,123 $ — $ — $ — $ 16,016,123
CDs & IRAs 166,858 352,776 71,782 4,929 596,345
Traditional brokered deposits 286,736 511,188 845,250 — 1,643,174
Total interest-bearing deposits 16,469,717 863,964 917,032 4,929 18,255,642
Repurchase agreements, federal funds purchased, FHLB borrowings 3,111,751 — — — 3,111,751
Subordinated notes — — — 282,490 282,490
Trust preferred subordinated debentures — — — 113,406 113,406
Total borrowings 3,111,751 — — 395,896 3,507,647
Total interest sensitive liabilities $ 19,581,468 $ 863,964 $ 917,032 $ 400,825 $ 21,763,289
GAP $ 11,014,367 $ 440,182 $ (10,858) $ 3,807,792 $ —
Cumulative GAP $ 11,014,367 $ 11,454,549 $ 11,443,691 $ 15,251,483 $ 15,251,483
Demand deposits 12,740,947
Stockholders’ equity 2,871,224
Total $ 15,612,171
(1) Investment securities based on fair market value.
(2) Total loans includes loans held for investments, stated at gross, and loans held for sale.
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While a gap interest table is useful in analyzing interest rate sensitivity, an interest rate sensitivity simulation provides a better illustration of the sensitivity of earnings to changes in interest rates. Earnings are also affected by the effects of changing interest rates on the value of funding derived from demand deposits and stockholders’ equity. We perform a sensitivity analysis to identify interest rate risk exposure on net interest income. We quantify and measure interest rate risk exposure using a model to dynamically simulate the effect of changes in net interest income relative to changes in interest rates over the next twelve months based on three interest rate scenarios. These are a static rate scenario and two “shock test” scenarios.
These scenarios are based on interest rates as of the last day of a reporting period published by independent sources and incorporate relevant spreads of instruments that are actively traded in the open market. The Federal Reserve’s federal funds target affects short-term borrowing; the prime lending rate and LIBOR are the basis for most of our variable-rate loan pricing. The 10-year treasury rate is also monitored because of its effect on prepayment speeds for mortgage-backed securities and MSRs. These are our primary interest rate exposures. We are currently not using derivatives to manage our interest rate exposure, except for MSRs, although we may do so in the future if that appears advisable.
For modeling purposes, the “shock test” scenarios as of December 31, 2019 assume immediate, sustained 100 and 200 basis point increases in interest rates and a 100 basis point decrease in interest rates. As short-term rates have declined during 2020, we do not believe that analysis of an assumed decrease in interest rates would provide meaningful results. As such, the scenarios as of December 31, 2020 assume immediate, sustained 100 and 200 basis point increases only. We will continue to evaluate these scenarios as interest rates change, until short-term rates rise above 3.0%, at which point we will resume evaluations of shock scenarios in which interest rates decrease.
Our interest rate risk exposure model incorporates assumptions regarding the level of interest rate on indeterminable maturity deposits (demand deposits, interest-bearing transaction accounts and savings accounts) for a given level of market rate change. In the current environment of decreasing short-term rates, deposit pricing can vary by product and customer. These assumptions have been developed through a combination of historical analysis and projection of future expected pricing behavior. Changes in prepayment behavior of mortgage-backed securities, residential and commercial mortgage loans in each rate environment are captured using industry estimates of prepayment speeds for various coupon segments of the portfolio. The impact of these changes is factored into the simulation model. This modeling indicated interest rate sensitivity as follows:
Anticipated Impact Over the Next
Twelve Months as Compared to Most Likely Scenario
December 31, 2020 December 31, 2019
(in thousands) 100 bps Increase 200 bps Increase 100 bps Increase 200 bps Increase 100 bps Decrease
Change in net interest income $ 35,286 $ 87,613 $ 93,290 $ 187,968 $ (81,988)
The simulations used to manage market risk are based on numerous assumptions regarding the effect of changes in interest rates on the timing and extent of repricing characteristics, future cash flows and customer behavior. These assumptions are inherently uncertain and, as a result, the model cannot precisely estimate net interest income or precisely predict the impact of higher or lower interest rates on net interest income. Actual results will differ from simulated results due to timing, magnitude and frequency of interest rate changes as well as changes in market conditions, customer behavior and management strategies, among other factors.
Our business relies upon a large volume of loans, derivative contracts and other financial instruments with attributes that are either directly or indirectly dependent on LIBOR to establish their interest rate and/or value. In 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority announced that it would no longer compel banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. The administrator of LIBOR has proposed to extend publication of the most commonly used U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings to June 30, 2023 and to cease publishing other LIBOR settings on December 31, 2021. The U.S. federal banking agencies issued guidance strongly encouraging banking organizations to cease using U.S. dollar LIBOR as a reference rate in new contracts as soon as practicable and in any event by December 31, 2021. It is not possible to know whether LIBOR will continue to be viewed as an acceptable market benchmark, what rate or rates may become accepted alternatives to LIBOR or what the effect of any such changes in views or alternatives may have on the financial markets for LIBOR-linked financial instruments. The full impact of alternatives to LIBOR on the valuations, pricing and operation of our financial instruments is not yet known; however, the primary instruments that may be impacted include loans, securities, borrowings and derivatives indexed to LIBOR that mature after December 31, 2021. We have established a working group, consisting of key stakeholders from throughout the company, to monitor developments relating to LIBOR uncertainty and changes and to guide the Bank's response. This team is currently working to ensure that our technology systems are prepared for the transition, our loan documents that reference LIBOR-based rates have been appropriately amended to reference other methods of interest rate determinations and internal and external stakeholders are apprised of the transition.
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