Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK
Market risk represents the potential economic loss on trading and non-trading portfolios and financial instruments due to adverse price movements in markets including interest rates, foreign exchange rates, credit spreads, commodity prices and equity and related implied volatility levels. The Company is subject to market risk primarily through the effect of changes in interest rates on its portfolio of assets held for purposes other than trading and interest rate derivative instruments that are used for managing interest rate risk.
In addition, the Company has exposure to market risk through its trading desk that engages in fixed income and equity securities, derivatives and foreign exchange transactions to support the investing and hedging activities of customers. The Company uses Value-at-Risk (“VaR”) as a means to measure, monitor, and limit aggregate market risk on the trading portfolio. VaR is a statistical risk measure estimating potential loss at the 95th percentile based on a one-year history of market risk factors associated with the trading portfolio. VaR provides a consistent cross-asset measure for risk profiles and allows for diversification benefit based on historical correlations across market moves. As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s exposure through its trading desk does not pose a significant market risk to the Company. All statistical models involve a degree of uncertainty and VaR is calculated at a statistical confidence interval of the 95th percentile based on one-year daily historic market moves. Larger economic losses are possible, particularly during stressed macroeconomic and market conditions.
The responsibility for managing market risk rests with the ALCO, which operates under policy guidelines established by the Company’s board of directors. Oversight of the Company’s compliance with the guidelines is the ongoing responsibility of the ALCO, with exceptions reported to the Executive Risk Committee and the board of directors, if necessary, on a quarterly basis.
Interest Rate Risk Management
The Company’s interest rate sensitivity as of December 31, 2023 is illustrated in the following table. The table reflects rate-sensitive positions as of December 31, 2023 and is not necessarily indicative of positions on other dates. The table does not take into account the effect of the Company’s derivatives designated as cash flow hedges. 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. Certain variable rate loans have embedded floors which limit the decline in 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.
(in thousands) 0-3 months 4-12 months 1-3 years 3+ years Total
Assets
Interest bearing cash and cash equivalents $ 3,042,357 $ — $ — $ — $ 3,042,357
Investment securities(1) 314,764 899 299,493 3,528,038 4,143,194
Variable loans 18,741,790 216,809 96,449 276,745 19,331,793
Fixed loans 25,780 46,491 240,407 820,450 1,133,128
Total loans(2) 18,767,570 263,300 336,856 1,097,195 20,464,921
Total interest sensitive assets $ 22,124,691 $ 264,199 $ 636,349 $ 4,625,233 $ 27,650,472
Liabilities
Interest bearing customer deposits $ 13,264,838 $ — $ — $ — $ 13,264,838
CDs 500,262 1,252,576 25,177 710 1,778,725
Total interest bearing deposits 13,765,100 1,252,576 25,177 710 15,043,563
Short-term borrowings 1,500,000 — — — 1,500,000
Long-term debt 312,905 — 174,457 371,785 859,147
Total borrowings 1,812,905 — 174,457 371,785 2,359,147
Total interest sensitive liabilities $ 15,578,005 $ 1,252,576 $ 199,634 $ 372,495 $ 17,402,710
GAP $ 6,546,686 $ (988,377) $ 436,715 $ 4,252,738 $ —
Cumulative GAP $ 6,546,686 $ 5,558,309 $ 5,995,024 $ 10,247,762 $ 10,247,762
Non-interest bearing deposits 7,328,276
Stockholders’ equity 3,199,142
Total $ 10,527,418
(1) Available-for-sale debt securities and equity securities based on fair market value.
(2) Total loans include gross loans held for investment 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 non-interest bearing deposits and stockholders’ equity. Management performs a sensitivity analysis to identify interest rate risk exposure on net interest income. Management also quantifies and measures 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, SOFR, Bloomberg Short Term Yield Index and other alternative indexes are the basis for most of the variable-rate loan pricing. The 10-year treasury rate is also monitored because of its effect on prepayment speeds for mortgage-backed securities. These are the Company’s primary interest rate exposures. Interest rate derivative contracts may be used to manage exposure to adverse fluctuations in these primary interest rate exposures as is discussed in more detail under the heading Use of Derivatives to Manage Interest Rate and Other Risks below.
For modeling purposes, the “shock test” scenarios as of December 31, 2023 assume immediate, sustained 100 and 200 basis point increases in interest rates as well as 100 and 200 basis point decreases in interest rates. As of December 31, 2022, the scenarios assumed a sustained 100 and 200 basis point increase in interest rates, as well as a 100 basis point decrease in interest rates. The Company will continue to evaluate these scenarios as interest rates change.
During 2023, the Company’s interest rate risk exposure model incorporated updated assumptions regarding the level of interest rate, including indeterminable maturity deposits (non-interest bearing deposits, interest bearing transaction accounts and savings accounts) and loan and security prepayments behaviors for a given level of market rate change. In the current environment of changing 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 results for 2023. This modeling indicated interest rate sensitivity as follows:
Annualized Hypothetical Change in Net Interest Income
December 31, 2023 December 31, 2022
+ 200 basis points 3.2 % 14.5 %
+ 100 basis points 1.6 % 8.0 %
- 100 basis points (4.4) % (10.2) %
- 200 basis points (9.1) % N/A
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.
Use of Derivatives to Manage Interest Rate and Other Risks
In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into derivative transactions to manage various risks and to accommodate the business requirements of its customers.
On the date the Company enters into a derivative contract, the derivative is designated as either a fair value hedge, cash flow hedge, net investment hedge, or a designation is not made as it is a customer-related transaction, an economic hedge for asset/liability risk management purposes or another stand-alone derivative created through the Company’s operations.
To manage the sensitivity of earnings and capital to interest rate, prepayment, credit, price and foreign currency fluctuations (asset and liability management positions), the Company may enter into derivative transactions. In addition, the Company enters into interest rate and foreign exchange derivative contracts to support the business requirements of its customers (customer-related positions).
For additional information regarding derivatives, see Note 14 - Derivative Financial Instruments in the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report.
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