NOTE 9 – ACCOUNTING STANDARDS UPDATES

ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” ASU 2014-09 implements a common revenue standard that clarifies the principles for recognizing revenue. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve that core principle, an entity should apply the following steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer, (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.  A significant portion of the Company’s revenue is comprised of net interest income on financial instruments, which is explicitly excluded from the scope of ASU 2014-09.  In addition to interest income, the Company has various noninterest income revenue streams that the Company is in the process of assessing.  The Company has formed a revenue recognition working group and to date has completed its preliminary scoping and walk-through of noninterest income revenue streams.  Amongst non-interest income revenue streams, mortgage banking fees are not in the scope of the standard.  Management is in the process of completing its detailed contract review for the remaining revenue streams.  ASU 2014-09 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018 and must be retrospectively applied.  The Company expects to adopt the standard with a cumulative effect adjustment to opening retained earnings, if such adjustment is deemed to be significant.

ASU 2016-09, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” Under ASU 2016-09 all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies related to share-based payment awards should be recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement during the period in which they occur. Previously, such amounts were recorded in the pool of excess tax benefits included in additional paid-in capital, if such pool was available. Because excess tax benefits are no longer recognized in additional paid-in capital, the assumed proceeds from applying the treasury stock method when computing earnings per share should exclude the amount of excess tax benefits that would have previously been recognized in additional paid-in capital. Additionally, excess tax benefits should be classified along with other income tax cash flows as an operating activity rather than a financing activity, as was previously the case. ASU 2016-09 also provides that an entity can make an entity-wide accounting policy election to either estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest (current GAAP) or account for forfeitures when they occur. ASU 2016-09 changes the threshold to qualify for equity classification (rather than as a liability) to permit withholding up to the maximum statutory tax rates (rather than the minimum as was previously the case) in the applicable jurisdictions. ASU 2016-09 was implemented by the Company in the first quarter of 2017 and did not have a significant impact on its financial statements.

ASU 2017-03, “Accounting Changes and Error Corrections (Topic 250) and Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcements at the September 22, 2016 and November 17, 2016 EITF Meetings (SEC Update).” ASU 2017-03 incorporates into the FASB Accounting Standards Codification recent SEC guidance about disclosing, under SEC SAB Topic 11.M, the effect on financial statements upon adopting the revenue, leases and credit losses standards. ASU 2017-03 was implemented by the Company in the first quarter of 2017 and did not have a significant impact on its financial statements.

ASU 2017-04, “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350).” ASU 2017-04 simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Instead, under the amendments in this Update, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. Additionally, an entity should consider income tax effects from any tax deductible goodwill on the carrying amount of the reporting unit when measuring the goodwill impairment loss, if applicable. ASU 2017-04 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2020 and is not expected to have a significant impact on its financial statements.

ASU 2017-05, “Other Income-Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets (Subtopic 610-20) - Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Asset.” ASU 2017-05 clarifies the scope of Subtopic 610-20 and adds guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets, including partial sales of real estate. Historically, U.S. GAAP contained several different accounting models to evaluate whether the transfer of certain assets qualified for sale treatment. ASU 2017-05 reduces the number of potential accounting models that might apply and clarifies which model does apply in various circumstances. ASU 2017-05 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018 and is not expected to have a significant impact on its financial statements.

ASU 2017-07, “Compensation – Retirement Benefits (Topic 715).” ASU 2017-07 requires that an employer report the service cost component in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period. The other components of net benefit cost as defined in paragraphs 715-30-35-4 and 715-60-35-9 are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations, if one is presented. If a separate line item or items are used to present the other components of net benefit cost, that line item or items must be appropriately described. If a separate line item or items are not used, the line item or items used in the income statement to present the other components of net benefit cost must be disclosed. ASU 2017-07 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018 and is not expected to have a significant impact on its financial statements.

ASU 2017-08, “Receivables – Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20).” ASU 2017-08 shortens the amortization period for certain callable debt securities held at a premium. Specifically, the amendments require the premium to be amortized to the earliest call date. The amendments do not require an accounting change for securities held at a discount; the discount continues to be amortized to maturity. ASU 2017-08 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018 and is not expected to have a significant impact on its financial statements.