Note 9 - Derecognition of financial assets

In its ordinary business the Bank undertakes transactions that result in the sale of financial assets. The Bank transfers such financial assets mainly through sales of customers’ home mortgage loans to SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt or commercial property loans to SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt.

Payment received for loans sold to SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt and SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt corresponds to book value and is deemed to equal the loans’ fair value at the time of sale.

In accordance with the management agreement with the above mortgage companies, the Bank is responsible for management of the loans and maintains customer contact. The Bank receives payment in the form of commission for the obligations ensuing from management of the loans.

The above mortgage companies can sell the loans bought from the Bank, while the Bank’s right to service the customers and receive commission continues to apply. Should the Bank be unable to service customers, its right to service and commission may lapse. The Bank may have the option to repurchase the loans under given conditions.

If the mortgage companies incur losses on purchased loans, they have a certain right to settle such loss against commissions from all banks that have sold the loans. Hence a limited residual involvement exists related to sold loans in the event of a possible limited settlement of loss against commission. However, this opportunity of settlement is not considered to be of such a nature as to alter the conclusion that the great majority of risk and advantages is transferred. The Bank’s maximum exposure to loss is represented by the highest amount reimbursable under the agreements.

The Bank has considered the accounting implications such that great majority of risk and advantages related to the sold loans is transferred to the mortgage companies. This entails full derecognition of sold loans. The Bank recognises all right and obligations that are created or retained in connection with the sale separately as assets or liabilities.

SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt

SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt AS is owned by savings banks participating in the SpareBank 1 Alliance. The Bank has a stake of 17.67 per cent as of 31 December 2014 (17.48 per cent as of 31 December 2013). SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt AS acquires loans secured on dwellings and issues covered bonds within the applicable rules that were established in 2007. Loans sold to SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt are secured on dwellings at up to 75 per cent of property valuation. Sold loans are legally owned by SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt and the Bank has, over and above the right to be responsible for management and receipt of commission, and the right to take over written-down loans in whole or in part, no right to make use of the loans. The Bank is responsible for management of the sold loans and receives commission based on the net of the return on the loans that the Bank has sold and the mortgage company costs.

In 2014 mortgage loans were bought and sold to a net value of minus NOK 2.1bn (1.2bn in 2013) to SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt. In total, mortgage loans to SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt were derecognised in an amount of NOK 28.4bn at the end of the financial year (NOK 30.5bn in 2013). The reduction in volume is due to instalment payments and repurchases.

Liquidity facility
SpareBank 1 SMN has, together with the other owners of SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt, entered an agreement for the establishment of a liquidity facility for SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt. Under this agreement the Banks undertake to purchase covered bonds issued by the mortgage company limited to the overall value of amounts falling due over the next 12 months at SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt.

The liability is limited to the mortgage company’s obligation to redeem issued covered bonds after the company’s own holding of liquidity at the due date is subtracted. Each owner is liable principally for its share of the need, subsidiarily for twice the primary liability under the same agreement. The bonds may be deposited in Norges Bank and therefore entail no significant increase in risk for the Bank. Under its liquidity strategy, SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt holds liquidity in compliance with the Net Stable Funding Ratio requirements. This liquidity reserve is taken into account in assessing the Banks’ liability. Hence it is only in cases where the company no longer has sufficient liquidity to meet amounts falling due over the next 12 months that the Bank will report any exposure in this regard.

Financial strength
Together with the other owners of SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt, SpareBank 1 SMN has also entered an agreement to ensure that SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt has at all times a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 9 per cent. The shareholders are required to supply sufficient core capital within 3 months of receiving a written request to do so, unless other initiatives are taken to reduce the capital need.

The shareholders’ undertaking to supply such core capital is on a pro rata rather than a solitary basis, and is based on each shareholder’s pro rata portion of the shares of SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt. Each owner is liable principally for its share of the need, subsidiarily for twice the primary liability under the same agreement. At year-end the company has about 14 per cent own funds, of which about 12 per cent is core capital. Viewed in light of the mortgage company’s very low risk profile, the Bank considers it unlikely that capital will be called up under this agreement and has opted not to maintain reserves to that end.

SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt

SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt AS is owned by savings banks making up the SpareBank 1 Alliance. The Bank has a stake of 33.62 per cent as at 31 December 2014 (34.05 per cent as at 31 December 2013). SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt AS acquires loans secured on dwellings and issues covered bonds within the applicable rules that were established in 2007. Loans sold to SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt are secured on commercial property at up to 60 per cent of property valuation. Sold loans are legally owned by SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt and the bank has, over and above the right to be responsible for management and receipt of commission, and the right to take over written-down loans in whole or in part, no right to make use of the loans. The Bank is responsible for management of the sold loans and receives commission based on the net of the return on the loans that the Bank has sold and the mortgage company costs.

In 2014 commercial property loans were sold to a net value of NOK 242m to SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt (NOK 600m in 2013). In total, mortgage loans to SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt were derecognised in an amount of NOK 1.5bn by the end of the financial year (NOK 1.2bn in 2013).

Liquidity facility
As described above with regard to SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt, a similar agreement has been entered with SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt.

Financial strength
An agreement to secure a core capital ratio of at least 9 per cent at SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt has been similarly entered into. See the above account concerning SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt.