FEATURE Your Institution’s Balance Sheet


IS IT INCREASING YOUR INTEREST RATE RISK? Jon Markfort | Manager, CLA | jonathan.markfort@claconnect.com


On December 19, 2018, the Federal Open Market Committee increased rates for the ninth time since the great recession. While CLA has seen net interest margins steadily rise over the last several years, we have also continued to see pressure on deposit pricing, which has resulted in many of our financial institution clients experiencing tightened credit margins. This interest rate volatility may impact your institution’s budgeting, incentive plans, and overall profitability (see chart). While we can only speculate what 2019 and beyond holds


for rates going forward, there is one thing we know for sure: Any changes to the rate curve will affect your institution’s balance sheet.


Identify Balance Sheet Risk with an ALM Model


Your institution must evaluate its interest rate risk (IRR) position through a well-executed asset liability management (ALM) model. This ALM model is the basis for determining what, if any, balance sheet maneuvers are necessary. Having a sound, well-supported ALM model is key to management’s overall assessment of the risks embedded within your institution. Using this model, you may find that a large-scale change could benefit your institution, leading you to put a new plan into motion to better manage your IRR.


Common Balance Sheet Management Strategies


While there are many ways to address your interest rate exposure, it generally comes down to whether your balance sheet is asset-sensitive or liability-sensitive. Many common approaches for addressing balance sheet risks include:


• Shortening or lengthening deposits • Utilizing external funding • Varying the fixed rate vs. floating rate mix within the loan portfolio • Adjusting investment decisions to complement the balance sheet composition


While these are effective strategies in addressing IRR, many financial institutions are implementing alternatives that may allow them greater balance sheet management flexibility while meeting the needs of your customers.


Alternative Strategies for Hedging Interest Rate Risk Exposure


Recent changes to the hedge accounting standard can provide increased flexibility to solve complex IRR problems with the use of plain-vanilla derivatives. When structured and accounted for properly, you can utilize these new strategies to efficiently achieve the IRR you desire without the need to alter the composition of loans, securities, or the funding mix. As the divergence of opinions on the potential direction of interest rates has recently increased, the relevance of incorporating these tools into the Asset/Liability Committee framework cannot be understated. “We have seen a meaningful uptick in the use of derivative


strategies by banks and credit unions as the increased volatility in capital markets only adds to the difficult operating environment for financial institutions. The inverted yield curve has added a new sense of urgency for institutions who find themselves to be more asset-sensitive than they prefer.” — Todd Cuppia, Managing Director of Balance Sheet Risk Management, Chatham Financial


Implementing a Hedging Strategy


A sound entity-wide hedging policy will give your board of directors and management the foundation to build a well-developed strategy. But implementing a hedging strategy comes with additional governance oversight. Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging, was intended to reflect the economic results of hedging in the financial statements and simplify hedge accounting. You should determine any impact to your financial statements prior to implementing a hedging strategy.


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