Note 10 - Losses on loans and guarantees

Accounting Policy

Loan loss provisions are recognised based on expected credit loss (ECL). The general model for provisions for loss of financial assets in IFRS 9 applies to both financial assets measured at amortised cost and to financial assets at fair value with changes in value through profit or loss, which are not impaired when purchased or issued. In addition, unused credit, loan commitments and financial guarantee contracts that are not measured at fair value through profit or loss are also included. 

Measurement of the provision for expected loss depends on whether credit risk has increased significantly since first- time recognition. Upon first-time recognition, and when credit risk has not increased significantly since first-time recognition, provision shall be made for expected loss occuring due to defaults that occur within 12 months.

If credit risk has risen significantly, provision shall be made for expected loss across the entire life. Loss estimates are prepared quarterly, and build on data in the data warehouse which has historical accounting and customer data for the entire credit portfolio. The bank uses three macroeconomic scenarios to take into account non-linear aspects of expected losses. The various scenarios are used to adjust relevant parameters for calculating expected losses, and a probability-weighted average of expected losses under the respective scenarios is recognised as a loss

Loss estimates are computed based on 12-month and lifelong probability of default (PD), loss given default (LGD) and exposure at default (EAD). The data warehouse contains historical data for observed PD and observed LGD. This forms the basis for estimating future values for PD and LGD. In keeping with IFRS 9 the bank groups its loans in three stages.

Stage 1:
This is the starting point for all financial assets covered by the general loss model. All assets that do not have significantly higher credit risk than at first-time recognition receive a loss provision corresponding to 12 months’ expected loss. All assets that are not transferred to stage 2 or 3 reside in this category.

Stage 2:
Stage 2 of the loss model encompasses assets that show a significant increase in credit risk since first-time recognition, but where objective evidence of loss is not present. For these assets a provision for expected loss over the entire lifetime is to be made. In this group we find accounts with a significant degree of credit deterioration, but which at the balance sheet date belong to customers classified as performing. As regards delineation against stage 1, the bank defines ‘significant degree of credit deterioration’ by taking a basis in whether the exposure’s calculated probability of default shows a significant increase. SpareBank 1 SMN has decided to utilise both absolute and relative changes in PD as criteria for transfer to stage 2. The most important factor for a significant change in credit risk is the quantitative change in PD on the period end compared to the PD at first time recognition. A change in PD by more than 150 per cent is considered to be a significant change in credit risk. The change will have to be over 0.6 percentage points. In addition, customers with payments 30 days past due will be transferred to stage 2. A qualitative assessment is also done when engagements have been put on watch list or given forbearance.

The thresholds for movement between Stage 1 and Stage 2 are symmetrical. After a financial asset has transferred to Stage 2, if its credit risk is no longer considered to have significantly increased relative to its initial recognition, the financial asset will move back to Stage 1. 

Stage 3:
Stage 3 of the loss model encompasses assets that show a significant increase in credit risk since loan approval and where there is objective evidence of loss at the balance sheet date. For these assets a provision shall be made for expected loss over the entire lifetime. These are assets which under previous rules were defined as defaulted and written down.

Impairment must be a result of one or more events occurring after first-time recognition (a loss event), and it must be possible to measure the result of the loss event(s) reliably. Objective evidence of impairment of a financial asset includes observable data which come to the group’s knowledge on the following loss events:

• significant financial difficulties on the part of the issuer or borrower
• a not insignificant breach of contract, such as failure to pay instalments and interest
• the group grants the borrower special terms in light of financial or legal aspects of the borrower’s situation
• the debtor is likely to start debt negotiation or other financial restructuring

The group assesses first whether individual objective evidence exists that individually significant financial assets have suffered impairment. Where there is objective evidence of impairment, the size of the impairment is measured as the difference between the asset’s carrying value and the present value of estimated future cash flows (excluding future credit losses that have not been incurred), discounted at the financial asset’s original effective interest rate. The carrying value of the asset is reduced through a provision account and the loss is recognised in the income statement.

Defaulted or non-performing loans
Default is defined in two categories: 1) payment default or 2) default based on manual default marking.

1) Payment default is defined as material payment arrears or overdrafts of more than 90 days’ duration. Threshold values for material arrears or overdrafts are set out in the Norwegian CRR/CRD IV regulations.

2) Default resulting from manual default marking is based to a larger degree on individual credit assessments, and to a lesser degree on automatic mechanisms. Events included in this category are provision for loss on a customer loan, bankruptcy/debt restructuring, forbearance assessments, deferment of interest and instalment payments for more than 180 days, or other indications suggesting considerable doubt as to whether the borrower will perform his obligations.

The new default definition entails the introduction of a ‘waiting period’ during which borrowers are categorised as still in default after the default has been rectified. The waiting period is three months or 12 months depending on the underlying cause of the default.

Furthermore, rules on default marking at group level are introduced whereby corporate customers in default to a group company (e.g. SpareBank 1 SMN Finans Midt-Norge) will also be considered to be in default to the bank. For personal customers, threshold values are specified for default contagion in the group. Where a defaulted exposure exceeds 20 per cent of total exposure, the exposure will be considered to be in default at group level.

Actual loan losses
Write-down for actual losses (derecognition of book value) are made when the bank has no reasonable expectations to recover the asset in its whole or partially. Criteria for write-down are as follows:

. Closed bankruptcy in limited liability companies
· Confirmed chord / debt negotiations
· Settlement for other companies with limited liability
· Ended living at death
· By lawful judgment
· Collateral is realized

The commitment will normally be placed on long-term monitoring in case the debtor should again become solvent and suable.

Financial guarantees issued
Financial guarantees are contracts that require the bank to reimburse the holder for a loss due to a specific debtor failure to pay in accordance with the terms is classified as issued financial guarantees. On initial recognition of issued financial guarantees, the guarantees are recognised in the balance sheet at the received consideration for the guarantee. Subsequent measurement assesses issued financials
guarantees to the highest amount of the loss provision and the amount that was recognised at initial recognition less any cumulative income recognised in the income statement. When issuing financial guarantees, the consideration for the guarantee is recognised under "Other liabilities" in the balance sheet. Revenue from issued financial guarantees and costs related to purchased financial guarantees is amortised over the duration of the instrument and presented as "Commission income" or "Commission expenses". Changes in expected credit losses are included in the line «Losses on loans and guarantees» in the income statement.

Loan commitments
Expected credit losses are calculated for loan commitments and presented as "Other liabilities" in the balance sheet. Changes in the provision for expected losses are presented in the line «Losses on loans and guarantees» in the income statement. For instruments that have both a drawn portion and an unutilised limit, expected credit losses are distributed pro-rata between provisions for loan losses and provisions in the balance sheet based on the relative proportion of exposure.