Popular, Inc. Puerto Rico Savings and Investment Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2020 and 2019
Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America require plan management to evaluate tax positions taken by the Plan and recognize a tax liability (or asset) if the Plan has taken an uncertain position that more likely than not would not be sustained upon examination by federal, state and/or local taxing authorities. The plan administrator believes there are no tax positions and has concluded that as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 there are no uncertain positions taken or expected to be taken that would require recognition of a liability (or asset) or disclosure in the financial statements. The Plan is subject to routine audits by taxing jurisdictions. At December 31, 2020, the years 2016 and thereafter remain subject to examination; however, there are currently no audits for any tax periods in progress.
5. | Risks and Uncertainties |
The Plan’s investments are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, market and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investments and the level of uncertainty related to changes in the values of investments, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in these factors in the near term could materially affect participants’ account balances and the amounts reported in the Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits and the Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits. Individual participants’ accounts bear the risk of loss resulting from fluctuations in investment values.
COVID-19 Pandemic
In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) surfaced in Wuhan, China and has since spread globally to other countries and jurisdictions. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted and negatively impacted the global economy, disrupted global supply chains, created significant volatility and disruption in financial markets, significantly increased unemployment levels worldwide and decreased consumer confidence and commercial activity generally.
The COVID-19 pandemic created economic uncertainties which resulted in significant volatility in the investment markets and affected the market price of the Popular Inc, common stock and other Plan assets, in turn affecting participants’ account balances. Even though recently there have been signs of an improving economy since the height of the pandemic, the full impact of the pandemic continues to evolve. The duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and whether these economic uncertainties may resurge, as well as the ultimate economic and financial impact of these circumstances in the Corporation and the Plan, are highly uncertain and are difficult to predict at this time.
6. | Related Party Transactions |
At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Plan held 1,204,801 and 1,219,426 common stock shares of Popular, Inc., with a quoted market value of $67,854,679 and $71,641,248 respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Plan purchased or acquired through rollovers 167,446 common shares of Popular, Inc., with an acquisition price of $6,911,328 and completed sales and distributions of 182,071 shares which had a carrying value of $7,194,566, resulting in a realized gain of $530,899. These transactions are permitted party-in-interest transactions under provisions of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
The accompanying Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits, includes accrued dividend income of $483,638 and $364,424, related to the dividends declared on Popular Inc.’s common stock during the fourth quarter of 2020 and 2019, which were paid in January 2021 and 2020, respectively.
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