TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PART I				Page
Item 1		Business.			2
Item 1A		Risk Factors.			11
Item 1B		Unresolved Staff Comments.			23
Item 2		Properties.			23
Item 3		Legal Proceedings.			23
Item 4		Mine Safety Disclosures.			23
Executive Officers of the Registrant					24
Directors of the Registrant					25
PART II
Item 5		Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.			25
		Common Stock Performance Graph			26
Item 6		Selected Financial Data.			27
Item 7		Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations			29
Item 7A		Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.			101
Item 8		Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.			101
Item 9		Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.			212
Item 9A		Controls and Procedures.			212
Item 9B		Other Information.			212
PART III
Item 10		Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.			212
Item 11		Executive Compensation.			213
Item 12		Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.			213
Item 13		Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.			215
Item 14		Principal Accounting Fees and Services.			215
PART IV
Item 15		Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.			215
SIGNATURES					216
EXHIBIT INDEX					E-1

PART I

Forward-Looking Statements: From time to time, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (PNC or the Corporation) has made and may continue to make written or oral forward-looking statements regarding our outlook for earnings, revenues, expenses, capital levels and ratios, liquidity levels, asset levels, asset quality and other matters regarding or affecting PNC and its future business and operations or the impact of legal, regulatory or supervisory matters on our business operations or performance. This Annual Report on Form 10-K (the Report or Form 10-K) also includes forward-looking statements. With respect to all such forward-looking statements, you should review our Risk Factors discussion in Item 1A, our Risk Management, Critical Accounting Estimates And Judgments, and Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information sections included in Item 7, and Note 22 Legal Proceedings and Note 23 Commitments and Guarantees in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Report.

 

E UROPEAN E XPOSURE

As of December 31, 2011, our loans, leases, securities, derivatives, letters of credit, unfunded contractual commitments and other direct financial exposure (“exposure”) with European entities totaled $2.1 billion of which $1.6 billion or .59% of our total assets represent outstanding balances. European entities are defined as supranational, sovereign, financial institutions and non-financial entities within the countries that comprise the European Union, European Union candidate countries and other European countries. Of the $2.1 billion in direct financial exposure, $357 million are securities issued by AAA-rated sovereigns, $625 million represents cross-border leases in support of national infrastructure and supported by letters of credit having trigger mechanisms that require collateral in the form of cash or United States Treasury securities, and $440 million of unfunded contractual commitments primarily to United Kingdom local office commitments for Business Credit corporate customers on a secured basis. There was no individual country where the exposure was greater than .75% of total assets.

We also track other European financial exposures where PNC is appointed as a fronting bank by our clients and we elect to assume the joint probability of default risk. For PNC to incur a loss in these types of indirect exposures, the obligor and the financial counterparty participating bank would need to default. As of December 31, 2011, PNC had $2.0 billion of indirect exposure where PNC is the fronting bank.

Foreign exposure underwriting and approvals are centralized. Country exposures are monitored and reported on a regular basis. We actively monitor sovereign risk, banking system health, and market conditions and adjust limits as appropriate. We rely on information from internal and external sources including international financial institutions, economists and analysts, industry trade organizations, rating agencies, econometric data analytical service providers, and geopolitical news analysis services.

Among the regions and nations that PNC monitors, we have identified eight countries for which we are more closely monitoring their economic and financial situation. The basis for the increased monitoring includes, but is not limited to, sovereign debt burden, near term financing risk, political instability, GDP trends, balance of payments, market confidence, banking system distress and/or holdings of stressed sovereign debt. The countries identified are: Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain (collectively “GIIPS”), Belgium, France and Turkey. Direct and indirect exposure to entities in the GIIPS countries totaled $181 million as of December 31, 2011 of which $118 million is direct exposure in the form of cross-border leases within Portugal and indirect exposure primarily composed of $48 million from letters of credit with strong underlying obligors and $15 million of unfunded commitments to Spain. Direct and indirect exposure to entities in Belgium, France, and Turkey totaled $924 million as of December 31, 2011 of which, there is direct exposure of $75 million in the form of cross-border leases

within Belgium, and $11 million of 90% Overseas Private Investment Corporation (“OPIC”) guaranteed Turkish loans and indirect exposure primarily composed of $770 million in letters of credit with strong underlying obligors in France and Belgium.

S UPERVISION A ND R EGULATION

O VERVIEW

PNC is a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (BHC Act) and a financial holding company under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act).

We are subject to numerous governmental regulations, some of which are highlighted below. You should also read Note 21 Regulatory Matters in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report, included here by reference, for additional information regarding our regulatory matters. Applicable laws and regulations restrict our permissible activities and investments and require compliance with protections for loan, deposit, brokerage, fiduciary, investment management and other customers, among other things. They also restrict our ability to repurchase stock or pay dividends, or to receive dividends from bank subsidiaries, and impose capital adequacy requirements. The consequences of noncompliance can include substantial monetary and nonmonetary sanctions.

In addition, we are subject to comprehensive examination and supervision by, among other regulatory bodies, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which results in examination reports and ratings (which are not publicly available) that can impact the conduct and growth of our businesses. These examinations consider not only compliance with applicable laws and regulations, but also capital levels, asset quality and risk, management ability and performance, earnings, liquidity, and various other factors. The results of examination activity by any of our federal bank regulators potentially can result in the imposition of significant limitations on our activities and growth. These regulatory agencies generally have broad discretion to impose restrictions and limitations on the operations of a regulated entity where the relevant agency determines, among other things, that such operations are conducted in an unsafe or unsound manner, fail to comply with applicable law or are otherwise inconsistent with the regulations or supervisory policies of the agency. This supervisory framework could materially impact the conduct, growth and profitability of our operations.

We also are subject to regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by virtue of our status as a public company and by the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) due to the nature of some of our businesses. Our banking and securities businesses with operations outside the United States, including those conducted by BlackRock, are also subject to regulation by

 

appropriate authorities in the foreign jurisdictions in which they do business.

Effective as of July 21, 2011, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a new agency established by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank), assumed responsibility for examining PNC Bank, N.A. and its affiliates (including PNC) for compliance with consumer financial protection laws and enforcing such laws with respect to PNC Bank, N.A. and its affiliates. This authority previously was exercised by the OCC and Federal Reserve. Starting July 21, 2011, the CFPB also assumed authority for prescribing rules governing the provision of consumer financial products and services such as credit cards, student and other loans, deposits and residential mortgages. After this date, the subsidiaries of PNC Bank, N.A. are generally subject to state consumer protection laws. Additionally, new provisions concerning the applicability of state consumer protection laws to national banks became effective on July 21, 2011. Questions may arise as to whether certain state consumer financial laws may be preempted with respect to PNC Bank, N.A. after this date. We expect to experience an increase in regulation of our retail banking business and additional compliance obligations, revenue and costs impacts.

As a regulated financial services firm, our relationships and good standing with regulators are of fundamental importance to the operation and growth of our businesses. The Federal Reserve, OCC, SEC, and other domestic and foreign regulators have broad enforcement powers, and powers to approve, deny, or refuse to act upon our applications or notices to conduct new activities, acquire or divest businesses or assets and deposits, or reconfigure existing operations. Dodd-Frank provides the CFPB with broad enforcement powers over PNC Bank, N.A. and its affiliates with respect to compliance with consumer financial protection laws. The CFPB also has the ability to issue rules that affect a wide range of the consumer financial products and services that we provide.

We anticipate new legislative and regulatory initiatives over the next several years, focused specifically on banking and other financial services in which we are engaged. These initiatives would be in addition to the actions already taken by Congress and the regulators, including the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (Credit CARD Act), the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act (the SAFE Act), and Dodd-Frank, as well as changes to the regulations implementing the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Federal Truth in Lending Act, and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, including the new rules set forth in Regulation E related to overdraft charges.

Dodd-Frank, which was signed into law on July 21, 2010, comprehensively reforms the regulation of financial institutions, products and services. Dodd-Frank requires various federal regulatory agencies to implement numerous rules and regulations. Because the federal agencies are granted broad discretion in drafting these rules and regulations, and many implementing rules either have not yet been issued or have only been issued in proposed form, many of the details and much of the impact of Dodd-Frank may not be known for many months or years. Among other things, Dodd-Frank provides for new capital standards that eliminate the treatment of trust preferred securities as Tier 1 regulatory capital; requires that deposit insurance assessments be calculated based on an insured depository institution’s assets rather than its insured deposits, and raises the minimum Designated Reserve Ratio (the balance in the Deposit Insurance Fund divided by estimated insured deposits) to 1.35%; establishes a comprehensive regulatory regime for the derivatives activities of financial institutions; limits proprietary trading and owning or sponsoring hedge funds and private equity funds by banking entities; requires the Federal Reserve to establish a variety of enhanced prudential standards for bank holding companies with $50 billion or more in total assets; places limitations on the interchange fees we can charge for debit card transactions; and establishes new minimum mortgage underwriting standards for residential mortgages.

Legislative and regulatory developments to date, as well as those that come in the future, have had and are likely to continue to have an impact on the conduct of our business. The more detailed description of the significant regulations to which we are subject included in this Report is based on the current regulatory environment and is subject to potentially material change. See also the additional information included in Item 1A of this Report under the risk factors discussing the impact of financial regulatory reform initiatives, including Dodd-Frank and regulations promulgated to implement it, on the regulatory environment for the financial services industry. Among other areas that have been receiving a high level of regulatory focus over the last several years are compliance with anti-money laundering laws and the protection of confidential customer information. In addition, at least in part driven by the current economic and financial situation, there is an increased focus on fair lending and other issues related to the mortgage industry. Ongoing mortgage-related regulatory reforms include measures aimed at reducing mortgage foreclosures.

Additional legislation, changes in rules promulgated by the Federal Reserve, the OCC, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the CFPB, the SEC, the CFTC, other federal and state regulatory authorities and self-regulatory organizations, or changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing laws and rules may directly affect the method of operation and profitability of our businesses. The profitability of our businesses could also be affected by rules and regulations that impact the business and financial communities

 

There are numerous rules governing the regulation of financial services institutions and their holding companies. Accordingly, the following discussion is general in nature and does not purport to be complete or to describe all of the laws and regulations that apply to us. To a substantial extent, the purpose of the regulation and supervision of financial services institutions and their holding companies is not to protect our shareholders and our non-customer creditors, but rather to protect our customers (including depositors) and the financial markets in general.

B ANKING R EGULATION AND S UPERVISION

On November 22, 2011, the Federal Reserve adopted a final rule implementing an annual capital plan review process for domestic bank holding companies (BHCs) that have $50 billion or more in total consolidated assets. In addition, on that date, the Federal Reserve launched its annual review process, referred to as the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR), for 2012. In connection with the 2012 CCAR, and as part of the annual capital planning process in future years, the Federal Reserve will undertake a supervisory assessment of the capital adequacy of the BHCs, including PNC, that have $50 billion or more in total consolidated assets. This capital adequacy assessment will be based on a review of a comprehensive capital plan submitted by each participating BHC to the Federal Reserve. In connection with the 2012 CCAR, PNC filed its capital plan with the Federal Reserve on January 9, 2012.

The Federal Reserve will evaluate PNC’s capital plan based on PNC’s risk profile and the strength of PNC’s internal capital assessment process under the regulatory capital standards currently applicable and in accordance with PNC’s plans to address proposed revisions to the regulatory capital framework developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel III) and as set forth in relevant provisions of Dodd-Frank. The Federal Reserve’s evaluation will take into consideration any capital distribution plans, such as plans to pay or increase common stock dividends or to reinstate or increase common stock repurchase programs. In conducting this analysis, the Federal Reserve will consider the projected capital adequacy and performance of PNC under base case and adverse economic scenarios developed by both PNC and the Federal Reserve. After completing its review, the Federal Reserve may object or not object to the firm’s proposed capital actions. The Federal Reserve has stated that, after completion of the 2012 CCAR exercise, it expects to publish the Federal Reserve’s estimates of certain capital, revenue and loss information under the Federal Reserve’s own supervisory stress scenario for each of the largest 19 BHCs participating in the 2012 reviews, including PNC.

PNC expects to receive the Federal Reserve’s response (either a non-objection or objection) to the capital plan submitted as part of the 2012 CCAR by the end of the first quarter 2012. The Basel III capital framework has yet to be finalized by the Federal banking agencies and is therefore subject to further

change. Using management’s assumptions relevant to calculation of ratios under Basel III, PNC expects its proforma Tier 1 common ratio under Basel III to reach about 8.0 to 8.5 percent during 2013. This estimate is based on available data and information as of December 31, 2011 and on the phase-in of Basel III rules. It also represents our assumptions and interpretations regarding the Basel II advanced measurement approaches regarding the calculation of risk-weighted assets related to credit, operational and market risk. Both our Basel II and Basel III estimates are point in time estimates and will be subject to both further regulatory guidance and clarity, and the refinement of internal estimates and methodologies.

As a result of Dodd-Frank, subsidiaries of PNC Bank, N.A. will be subject to state law and regulation to the same extent as if they were not subsidiaries of a national bank. Additionally, based on Dodd-Frank, state authorities may assert that certain state consumer financial laws that provide different requirements or limitations than Federal law may apply to national banks, including PNC Bank, N.A. Such state laws may be preempted if they meet certain standards set forth in Dodd-Frank or other applicable law.

Dodd-Frank established the 10-member inter-agency Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), which is charged with identifying systemic risks and strengthening the regulation of in general, including changes to the laws governing taxation, antitrust regulation and electronic commerce. financial holding companies and certain non-bank companies deemed to be “systemically important” and could, in extraordinary cases and in conjunction with the Federal Reserve, break up financial firms that are deemed to be “too big to fail.” Dodd-Frank also requires the Federal Reserve to establish prudential standards for bank holding companies with total consolidated assets equal to or greater than $50 billion that are more stringent than the standards and requirements applicable to bank holding companies with assets below this threshold, and that increase in stringency for bank holding companies that present heightened risk to the financial system. Additional information concerning these enhanced prudential standards is provided in Item 1A of this Report. The FSOC may make recommendations to the Federal Reserve concerning the establishment and refinement of these prudential standards and reporting and disclosure requirements.

Because of PNC’s ownership interest in BlackRock, BlackRock is subject to the supervision and regulation of the Federal Reserve.

Parent Company Liquidity and Dividends . The principal source of our liquidity at the parent company level is dividends from PNC Bank, N.A. PNC Bank, N.A. is subject to various federal restrictions on its ability to pay dividends to PNC Bancorp, Inc., its direct parent. PNC Bank, N.A. is also subject to federal laws limiting extensions of credit to its parent holding company and non-bank affiliates as discussed

 

in Note 21 Regulatory Matters in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Further information on bank level liquidity and parent company liquidity and on certain contractual restrictions is also available in “Liquidity Risk Management” in the Risk Management section and “Trust Preferred Securities” in the Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and VIEs section of Item 7 of this Report, and in Note 13 Capital Securities of Subsidiary Trusts and Perpetual Trust Securities in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report.

Under Federal Reserve policy, a bank holding company is expected to serve as a source of financial strength to its subsidiary banks and to commit resources to support such banks. Consistent with the “source of strength” policy for subsidiary banks, the Federal Reserve has stated that, as a matter of prudent banking, a bank holding company generally should not maintain a rate of cash dividends unless its net income available to common shareholders has been sufficient to fully fund the dividends and the prospective rate of earnings retention appears to be consistent with the corporation’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. Further, in providing guidance to the large BHCs participating in the 2012 CCAR, discussed above, the Federal Reserve stated that it expects plans submitted in 2012 will reflect conservative dividend payout ratios and net share repurchase programs, and that requests that imply common dividend payout ratios above 30% of projected after-tax net income available to common shareholders will receive particularly close scrutiny. The Federal Reserve stated that it expects BHCs that meet the minimum capital ratio requirements under Basel III during the transition periods provided by Basel III, but that do not meet the fully-phased in Basel III ratio of 7 percent Tier 1 common equity (plus any applicable capital surcharge for globally systemically important banks), to maintain prudent earnings retention policies with a view to meeting the fully-phased in requirement as soon as reasonably possible.

Additional Powers Under the GLB Act . The Gramm – Leach – Bliley Act (GLB Act) permits a qualifying bank holding company to become a “financial holding company” and thereby engage in, or affiliate with financial companies engaging in, a broader range of activities than would otherwise be permitted for a bank holding company. Permitted affiliates include securities underwriters and dealers, insurance companies and companies engaged in other activities that are determined by the Federal Reserve, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to be “financial in nature or incidental thereto” or are determined by the Federal Reserve unilaterally to be “complementary” to financial activities. We became a financial holding company as of March 13, 2000. In order to be and remain a financial holding company, a bank holding company and its subsidiary depository institutions must be “well capitalized” and “well managed.” In addition, a

financial holding company generally may not engage in a new financial activity if any of its insured depository institutions received a less than Satisfactory rating at its most recent evaluation under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).

The Federal Reserve is the “umbrella” regulator of a financial holding company, with its operating entities, such as its subsidiary broker-dealers, investment managers, investment companies, insurance companies and banks, also subject to the jurisdiction of various federal and state “functional” regulators with normal regulatory responsibility for companies in their lines of business.

As subsidiaries of a financial holding company under the GLB Act, our non-bank subsidiaries are generally allowed to conduct new financial activities, and PNC is generally permitted to acquire non-bank financial companies that have less than $10 billion in assets, with after-the-fact notice to the Federal Reserve. In addition, our non-bank subsidiaries (and any financial subsidiaries of subsidiary banks) are permitted to engage in certain activities that were not permitted for bank holding companies and banks prior to enactment of the GLB Act, and to engage on less restrictive terms in certain activities that were previously permitted. Among other activities, we currently rely on our status as a financial holding company to conduct merchant banking activities and securities underwriting and dealing activities. In addition, the GLB Act permits national banks, such as PNC Bank, N.A., to engage in expanded activities through the formation of a “financial subsidiary.” PNC Bank, N.A. has filed a financial subsidiary certification with the OCC and currently engages in insurance agency activities through financial subsidiaries. PNC Bank, N.A. may also generally engage through a financial subsidiary in any activity that is financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity. Certain activities, however, are impermissible for a financial subsidiary of a national bank, including insurance underwriting, insurance company investment activities, real estate investment or development, and merchant banking.

Other Federal Reserve and OCC Regulation and Supervision . The federal banking agencies possess broad powers to take corrective action as deemed appropriate for an insured depository institution and its holding company. In some cases, the extent of these powers depends upon whether the institution in question is considered “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized” or “critically undercapitalized.” Generally, the smaller an institution’s capital base in relation to its risk-weighted or total assets, the greater the scope and severity of the agencies’ powers, ultimately permitting the agencies to appoint a receiver for the institution. Business activities may also be influenced by an institution’s capital classification. For instance, only a “well capitalized” depository institution may accept brokered deposits without prior regulatory approval and an “adequately capitalized” depository institution may

 

Laws and regulations limit the scope of our permitted activities and investments. In addition to the activities that would be permitted to be conducted by a financial subsidiary, national banks (such as PNC Bank, N.A.) and their operating subsidiaries may engage in any activities that are determined by the OCC to be part of or incidental to the business of banking.

Moreover, examination ratings of “3” or lower, lower capital ratios than peer group institutions, regulatory concerns regarding management, controls, assets, operations or other factors, can all potentially result in practical limitations on the ability of a bank or bank holding company to engage in new activities, grow, acquire new businesses, repurchase its stock or pay dividends, or to continue to conduct existing activities.

The Federal Reserve’s prior approval is required whenever we propose to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of any bank or thrift, to acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of any class of voting shares of any bank or thrift, or to merge or consolidate with any other bank holding company or thrift holding company. The BHC Act enumerates the factors the Federal Reserve Board must consider when reviewing the merger of bank holding companies or the acquisition of banks. These factors include the competitive effects of the proposal in the relevant geographic markets; the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the companies and banks involved in the transaction; the effect of the transaction on financial stability; the organizations’ compliance with anti-money laundering laws and regulations; the convenience and needs of the communities to be served; and the records of performance under the CRA of the insured depository institutions involved in the transaction. In cases involving interstate bank acquisitions, the Board also must consider the concentration of deposits nationwide and in certain individual states. OCC prior approval is required for PNC Bank, N.A. to acquire another insured bank or thrift by merger. In deciding whether to approve such a transaction, the OCC is required to consider factors similar to those that must be considered by the Federal Reserve. Our ability to grow through acquisitions could be limited by these approval requirements.

At December 31, 2011, PNC Bank, N.A. was rated “Outstanding” with respect to CRA.

FDIC Insurance . PNC Bank, N.A. is insured by the FDIC and subject to premium assessments. Regulatory matters could increase the cost of FDIC deposit insurance premiums to an insured bank as FDIC deposit insurance premiums are “risk based.” Therefore, higher fee percentages would be charged to banks that have lower capital ratios or higher risk profiles. These risk profiles take into account weaknesses that are found by the primary banking regulator through its examination and supervision of the bank. A negative evaluation by the FDIC or a bank’s primary federal banking regulator could increase the costs to a bank and result in an

aggregate cost of deposit funds higher than that of competing banks in a lower risk category. Under Dodd-Frank, in April 2011, the deposit insurance base calculation shifted from deposits to average assets less Tier 1 capital. This methodology change did not materially impact the premiums due to the FDIC.

CFPB Regulation and Supervision . The Dodd-Frank Act gives the CFPB authority to examine PNC and PNC Bank, N.A. for compliance with a broad range of federal consumer financial laws and regulations, including the laws and regulations that relate to credit card, deposit, mortgage and other consumer financial products and services we offer. In addition, Dodd-Frank gives the CFPB broad authority to take corrective action against PNC Bank, N.A. and PNC as it deems appropriate. The CFPB also has powers that it was assigned in Dodd-Frank to issue regulations and take enforcement actions to prevent and remedy acts and practices relating to consumer financial accept brokered deposits only with prior regulatory approval. At December 31, 2011, PNC Bank, N.A. exceeded the required ratios for classification as “well capitalized.” For additional discussion of capital adequacy requirements, we refer you to “Funding and Capital Sources” in the Consolidated Balance Sheet Review section of Item 7 of this Report and to Note 21 Regulatory Matters in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report. products and services that it deems to be unfair, deceptive or abusive. The agency also has authority to impose new disclosure requirements for any consumer financial product or service. These authorities are in addition to the authority the CFPB assumed on July 21, 2011 under existing consumer financial law governing the provision of consumer financial products and services.

S ECURITIES AND D ERIVATIVES R EGULATION

The SEC is the functional regulator of our registered broker-dealer and investment advisor subsidiaries. The registered broker-dealer subsidiaries are also subject to rules and regulations promulgated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), among others.

Several of our subsidiaries are registered with the SEC as investment advisers and provide services to clients, other PNC affiliates and related entities, including registered investment companies. Under rules adopted under Dodd-Frank, we have been required to register additional subsidiaries as investment advisors to private equity funds. Broker-dealer subsidiaries are subject to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the regulations thereunder. Investment advisor subsidiaries are subject to the requirements of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the regulations thereunder. An investment advisor to registered investment companies is also subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the regulations thereunder.

 

Our broker-dealer and investment advisory subsidiaries also may be subject to state securities laws and regulations. Over the past several years, the SEC and other governmental agencies have been focused on the mutual fund, hedge fund and broker-dealer industries. Congress and the SEC have adopted regulatory reforms and are continuing additional reforms that have increased, and are likely to continue to increase, the extent of regulation of the mutual fund, hedge fund and broker-dealer industries and impose additional compliance obligations and costs on our subsidiaries involved with those industries.

Under provisions of the federal securities laws applicable to broker-dealers, investment advisers and registered investment companies and their service providers, a determination by a court or regulatory agency that certain violations have occurred at a company or its affiliates can result in fines, restitution, a limitation on permitted activities, disqualification to continue to conduct certain activities and an inability to rely on certain favorable exemptions. Certain types of infractions and violations can also affect a public company in its timing and ability to expeditiously issue new securities into the capital markets. In addition, certain changes in the activities of a broker-dealer require approval from FINRA, and FINRA takes into account a variety of considerations in acting upon applications for such approval, including internal controls, capital levels, management experience and quality, prior enforcement and disciplinary history and supervisory concerns.

BlackRock has subsidiaries in securities and related businesses subject to SEC and FINRA regulation, as described above, and a federally chartered nondepository trust company subsidiary subject to supervision and regulation by the OCC. For additional information about the regulation of BlackRock, we refer you to the discussion under the “Regulation” section of Item 1 Business in BlackRock’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which may be obtained electronically at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

In addition, Title VII of Dodd-Frank subjects virtually all derivative transactions (swaps) to regulation by either the CFTC (in the case of non security-based swaps) or the SEC (in the case of security-based swaps). This legislation was enacted, among other reasons, to reduce systemic risk, increase transparency, and promote market integrity within the financial system by, among other things: (i) providing for the registration and comprehensive regulation of swap dealers (SDs) and major swap participants (MSPs); (ii) imposing mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements on all standardized swaps, with certain limited exemptions; (iii) creating robust recordkeeping and real-time public data reporting regimes with respect to swaps; (iv) imposing capital and margin requirements on SDs and MSPs; (v) imposing business conduct requirements on SDs and MSPs in their dealings with counterparties; and (vi) enhancing the CFTC’s

and SEC’s rulemaking and enforcement authorities with respect to SDs and MSPs. Under the rules anticipated under Dodd-Frank, we expect one or more of our subsidiaries to register with the CFTC as a SD for interest rate and foreign exchange swaps and accordingly be subject to all of the new regulations and requirements imposed on a SD with respect to these types of swaps.

C OMPETITION

We are subject to intense competition from various financial institutions and from non-bank entities that can offer a number of similar products and services without being subject to bank regulatory supervision and restrictions.

In making loans, PNC Bank, N.A. competes with traditional banking institutions as well as consumer finance companies, leasing companies and other non-bank lenders, and institutional investors including collateralized loan obligation (CLO) managers, hedge funds, mutual fund complexes and private equity firms. Loan pricing, structure and credit standards are extremely important in the current environment as we seek to achieve appropriate risk-adjusted returns. Traditional deposit-taking activities are also subject to pricing pressures and to customer migration as a result of intense competition for consumer investment dollars.

PNC Bank, N.A. competes for deposits with:

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Other commercial banks,

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Savings banks,

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Savings and loan associations,

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Credit unions,

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Treasury management service companies,

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Insurance companies, and

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Issuers of commercial paper and other securities, including mutual funds.

Our various non-bank businesses engaged in investment banking and alternative investment activities compete with:

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Commercial banks,

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Investment banking firms,

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Merchant banks,

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Insurance companies,

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Private equity firms, and

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Other investment vehicles.

In providing asset management services, our businesses compete with:

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Investment management firms,

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Large banks and other financial institutions,

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Brokerage firms,

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Mutual fund complexes, and

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Insurance companies.

We include here by reference the additional information regarding competition included in the Item 1A Risk Factors section of this Report.

 

E MPLOYEES

Employees totaled 51,891 at December 31, 2011. This total includes 45,940 full-time and 5,951 part-time employees.

SEC R EPORTS A ND C ORPORATE G OVERNANCE I NFORMATION

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act), and, in accordance with the Exchange Act, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. Our SEC File Number is 001-09718. You may read and copy this information at the SEC’s Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You can obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.

You can also obtain copies of this information by mail from the Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates.

The SEC also maintains an internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information about issuers, like us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is www.sec.gov. You can also inspect reports, proxy statements and other information about us at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

We also make our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act available free of charge on our internet website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. PNC’s corporate internet address is www.pnc.com and you can find this information at www.pnc.com/secfilings. Shareholders and bondholders may also obtain copies of these filings without charge by contacting Shareholder Services at 800-982-7652 or via the online contact form at www.computershare.com/contactus for copies without exhibits, and by contacting Shareholder Relations at 800-843-2206 or via e-mail at investor.relations@pnc.com for copies of exhibits, including financial statement and schedule exhibits where applicable. The interactive data file (XBRL) exhibit is only available electronically.

Information about our Board of Directors and its committees and corporate governance at PNC is available on PNC’s corporate website at www.pnc.com/corporategovernance. Our PNC Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available on our corporate website at www.pnc.com/corporategovernance. In addition, any future amendments to, or waivers from, a provision of the PNC Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to our directors or executive officers (including the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and the Controller) will be posted at this internet address.

Shareholders who would like to request printed copies of the PNC Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or our Corporate Governance Guidelines or the charters of our Board’s Audit, Nominating and Governance, Personnel and Compensation, or Risk Committees (all of which are posted on the PNC corporate website) may do so by sending their requests to George P. Long, III, Chief Governance Counsel and Corporate Secretary, at corporate headquarters at One PNC Plaza, 249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2707. Copies will be provided without charge to shareholders.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol “PNC.”

I NTERNET I NFORMATION

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.’s financial reports and information about its products and services are available on the internet at www.pnc.com. We provide information for investors on our corporate website under “About PNC – Investor Relations,” such as Investor Events, Quarterly Earnings, SEC Filings, Financial Information, Financial Press Releases and Message from the Chairman. Under “Investor Relations,” we will from time to time post information that we believe may be important or useful to investors. We generally post the following shortly before or promptly following its first use or release: financially-related press releases (including earnings releases), various SEC filings, presentation materials associated with earnings and other investor conference calls or events, and access to live and taped audio from such calls or events. When warranted, we will also use our website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding PNC in advance of distribution of a press release or a filing with the SEC disclosing the same information. You can also find the SEC reports and corporate governance information described in the sections above in the Investor Relations section of our website.

Where we have included web addresses in this Report, such as our web address and the web address of the SEC, we have included those web addresses as inactive textual references only. Except as specifically incorporated by reference into this Report, information on those websites is not part hereof.

ITEM  1 A – RISK FACTORS

We are subject to a number of risks potentially impacting our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. As a financial services organization, certain elements of risk are inherent in our transactions and are present in the business decisions we make. Thus, we encounter risk as part of the normal course of our business, and we design risk management processes to help manage these risks.

There are risks that are known to exist at the outset of a transaction. For example, every loan transaction presents credit risk (the risk that the borrower may not perform in accordance with contractual terms) and market risk (a

 

potential loss in earnings or economic value due to adverse movement in market interest rates or credit spreads), with the nature and extent of these risks principally depending on the financial profile of the borrower and overall economic conditions. We focus on lending that is within the boundaries of our risk framework, and manage these risks by adjusting the terms and structure of the loans we make and through our oversight of the borrower relationship, as well as through management of our deposits and other funding sources.

Risk management is an important part of our business model. The success of our business is dependent on our ability to identify, understand and manage the risks presented by our business activities so that we can appropriately balance revenue generation and profitability. These risks include credit risk, market risk, liquidity risk, operational risk, model risk, compliance and legal risk, and strategic and reputation risk. We discuss our principal risk management processes and, in appropriate places, related historical performance in the Risk Management section included in Item 7 of this Report.

The following are the key risk factors that affect us. Any one or more of these risk factors could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, in addition to presenting other possible adverse consequences, which are described below. These risk factors and other risks are also discussed further in other sections of this Report.

The possibility of the moderate economic recovery returning to recessionary conditions or of turmoil or volatility in the financial markets would likely have an adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

Although the United States economy has shown modest improvement recently, economic conditions continue to pose a risk to financial institutions, including PNC. The economic recovery, although continuing, did so at a slower pace in 2011 than previously anticipated. Job growth has not yet been sufficient to significantly reduce high unemployment in the United States. Consumer and business confidence remains low. There continues to be concern regarding the possibility of a return to recessionary conditions, as well as regarding the possibility of increased turmoil or volatility in financial markets.

The global recession and disruption of the financial markets has led to concerns over capital markets access and the solvency of certain European Union member states, including Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain, and of financial institutions that have significant direct or indirect exposure to debt issued by these countries. Certain of the major rating agencies have downgraded the sovereign debt of Greece, Portugal and Ireland to below investment grade. The sovereign debt of Italy and Spain were also downgraded. These ratings downgrades and implementation of European Union and private sector support programs have increased

concerns that other European Union member states could experience similar financial troubles. A failure to adequately address sovereign debt concerns in Europe could hamper economic recovery or contribute to a return to recessionary economic conditions and contribute to severe stress in the financial markets, including in the United States.

On August 5, 2011, Standard & Poors’s Rating Services lowered its long term sovereign credit rating on the United States of America from AAA to AA+. It is possible that the downgrade and continued concerns about U.S. fiscal policy and trajectory of the national debt of the U.S. could have severe repercussions on the U.S. and global credit and financial markets, further exacerbate concerns over sovereign debt of other countries and could disrupt economic activity in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Current economic conditions have had an adverse effect on our business and financial performance and may not improve in the near future. We expect these conditions to continue to have an ongoing negative impact on us and a worsening of conditions would likely aggravate the adverse effects of these difficult economic and market conditions on us and on others in the financial services industry.

In particular, we may face the following risks in connection with the current economic and market environment:

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Investors may have less confidence in the equity markets in general and in financial services industry stocks in particular, which could place downward pressure on PNC’s stock price and resulting market valuation.

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Economic and market developments, in the United States, Europe or elsewhere, may further affect consumer and business confidence levels and may cause declines in credit usage and adverse changes in payment patterns, causing increases in delinquencies and default rates.

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The continuation of the current very low interest rate environment, which is expected to continue at least through late 2014 based on statements by the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, could affect consumer and business behavior in ways that are adverse to us and could also hamper our ability to increase our net interest income.

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Our ability to assess the creditworthiness of our customers may be impaired if the models and approaches we use to select, manage, and underwrite our customers become less predictive of future behaviors.

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The process we use to estimate losses in our credit exposures requires difficult, subjective, and complex judgments, including with respect to economic conditions and how economic conditions might impair the ability of our borrowers to repay their loans. At any point in time or for any length of time, such losses may no longer be capable of accurate

 

estimation, which may, in turn, adversely impact the reliability of the process for estimating losses and, therefore, the establishment of adequate reserves for those losses.

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We could suffer decreases in customer desire to do business with us, whether as a result of a decreased demand for loans or other financial products and services or decreased deposits or other investments in accounts with PNC.

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Competition in our industry could intensify as a result of the increasing consolidation of financial services companies in connection with current market conditions, or otherwise.

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Increased regulation of compensation at financial services companies as part of government efforts to reform the industry may hinder our ability to attract, retain and incentivize well-qualified individuals in key positions.

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Investors in mortgage loans and other assets that we sell or sold are more likely to seek indemnification from us against losses or otherwise seek to have us share in such losses or to request us to repurchase loans that they believe do not comply with applicable representations and warranties or other contractual provisions.

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We may be subject to additional fees and taxes as the government seeks to recover some of the costs of its recovery efforts, reduce the national debt or pay for additional government programs, in particular from the financial services industry.

The regulatory environment for the financial services industry is being significantly impacted by financial regulatory reform initiatives in the United States and elsewhere, including Dodd-Frank and regulations promulgated to implement it.

The United States and other governments have undertaken major reform of the regulatory oversight structure of the financial services industry, including engaging in new efforts to impose requirements designed to reduce systemic risks and protect consumers and investors from financial abuse. We expect to face further increased regulation of our industry as a result of current and future initiatives intended to provide economic stimulus, financial market stability and enhanced regulation of financial services companies and to enhance the liquidity and solvency of financial institutions and markets. We also expect in many cases more intense scrutiny from our bank supervisors in the examination process and more aggressive enforcement of laws and regulations on both the federal and state levels. Compliance with regulations and other supervisory initiatives will likely increase our cost and reduce our revenue, and may limit our ability to pursue certain desirable business opportunities.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) mandates the most wide-ranging

overhaul of financial industry regulation in decades. Dodd-Frank was signed into law on July 21, 2010. Many parts of the law are now in effect and others are now in the implementation stage, which is likely to continue for several years. The law requires that regulators, some of which are new regulatory bodies created by Dodd-Frank, draft, review and approve more than 300 implementing regulations and conduct numerous studies that are likely to lead to more regulations, a process that, while well underway, is proceeding somewhat slower than originally anticipated, thus extending the uncertainty surrounding the ultimate impact of Dodd-Frank on us. A number of reform provisions are likely to significantly impact the ways in which banks and bank holding companies, including PNC, do business.

 

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Newly created regulatory bodies include the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). The CFPB has been given authority to regulate consumer financial products and services sold by banks and non-bank companies and to supervise banks with assets of more than $10 billion and their affiliates for compliance with Federal consumer protection laws. The FSOC has been charged with identifying systemic risks, promoting stronger financial regulation and identifying those non-bank companies that are “systemically important” and thus should be subject to regulation by the Federal Reserve. In addition, in extraordinary cases and together with the Federal Reserve, the FSOC could break up financial firms that are deemed to present a grave threat to the financial stability of the United States.

 

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Dodd-Frank (through provisions commonly known as the “Volcker Rule”) prohibits banks from engaging in some types of proprietary trading and restricts the ability of banks to sponsor, invest in or have other financial relationships with private equity or hedge funds. In October 2011, four of the five agencies with authority for rulemaking issued proposed rules to implement the Volcker Rule. In January 2012, the fifth agency issued substantially similar proposed rules. The rules set forth a complex and detailed compliance, reporting and monitoring program for large banks, and seek comments on numerous questions. Comments are due in February 2012 on the four agency proposals and later in 2012 on the single agency proposal and a final rule will not be published until some time after those dates. The proposed rules currently require that banking entities have the necessary compliance programs in place by July 2012. Even with the publication of proposed rules, however, there remains considerable uncertainty and we are closely monitoring regulatory developments related to the Volcker Rule. The manner in which the questions posed by the proposed rules are addressed by the agencies will have an

 

important influence on the impact of the final rules on PNC. Although PNC no longer has a designated proprietary trading operation, the proposed rules broadly define what constitutes potentially prohibited “proprietary trading,” thereby making the scope of the statutory and regulatory exemptions for trading activities, including the exemptions for hedging activities and customer trading, all the more important. Until more is known about how the final rules will define “proprietary trading” and the scope of permissible trading activities, it is not possible to determine the impact to PNC of the proprietary trading prohibition. However, any meaningful limitation on PNC’s ability to hedge its risks in the ordinary course or to trade on behalf of customers would likely be adverse to PNC’s business and results of operations. In addition, the proposed rules contain extensive compliance and recordkeeping requirements related to permissible trading activities. Such requirements, if included in a final rule, could increase the costs of hedging or other types of permissible transactions and potentially result in PNC not engaging in certain transactions, or types of transactions, in which we would otherwise engage. With respect to the restrictions on private equity and hedge fund activities, as of December 31, 2011, PNC held interests in such funds likely to be covered totaling approximately $880 million and sponsored three such funds with total invested capital of approximately $441 million. PNC expects that over time it will need to eliminate these investments and cease sponsoring these funds, although it is likely that at least some of these amounts will reduce over time in the ordinary course before compliance is required, and the Volcker Rule also permits extensions of the compliance date under some circumstances. A forced sale of some of these investments due to the Volcker Rule could result in PNC receiving less value than it would otherwise have received. Depending on the provisions of the final rule, it is possible that other structures through which PNC conducts business, such as operating subsidiaries, joint ventures or securitization vehicles, but that are not typically referred to as private equity or hedge funds, could be restricted, with an impact that cannot now be evaluated.

 

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Dodd-Frank requires the Federal Reserve to establish enhanced prudential standards governing capital, liquidity, risk management, stress testing and related disclosures, and single-counterparty credit exposure limits for bank holding companies and certain foreign banking organizations with $50 billion or more in consolidated total assets (“covered companies”). Dodd-Frank also requires the Federal Reserve to establish an “early remediation” regime for covered companies under which the Federal Reserve must or

may take increasingly stringent actions against a covered company as its financial health deteriorates. In December 2011, the Federal Reserve requested comment on proposed rules that would implement these requirements for domestic covered companies, including PNC. The proposed enhanced prudential standards would include, among other things, heightened liquidity risk management and stress testing requirements; new standards governing oversight by a covered company’s board of directors and board-level risk committee; and new limits on the aggregate amount of credit exposure a covered company may have to any single customer or counterparty. These proposed rules also would establish an “early remediation” regime for covered companies, under which the Federal Reserve would be required to take increasingly stringent actions against a covered company as its financial condition or risk management deteriorated as reflected by the company’s current or projected post-stress capital levels, compliance with supervisory liquidity and risk management standards and, in some instances, market-based indicators, such as credit default swap spreads. Comments on the proposed rules will be accepted until at least March 31, 2012. Final rules will not be issued until some time after such date, and as such the impact of these rules cannot now be evaluated. Many aspects of the rules, at least as proposed, would not become effective until mid-2013 at the earliest.

 

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In addition, the relevant regulatory agencies have proposed rules to implement the Dodd-Frank provisions requiring retention of risk by certain securitization participants through holding interests in the securitization vehicles, but the rules are not yet finalized or effective. As a result, the ultimate impact of these Dodd-Frank provisions on PNC remains unpredictable. That impact on PNC could be direct, by requiring PNC to hold interests in a securitization vehicle or other assets that represent a portion of the credit risk of the assets held by the securitization vehicle, or indirect, by impacting markets in which PNC participates. Since the beginning of the financial crisis, there has been and continues to be substantially less private (that is, non-government backed) securitization activity than had previously been the case. It is unclear at present whether and to what extent the private securitization markets will rebound. In recent years PNC has only engaged in a limited extent in securitization transactions under circumstances where we might expect to be required to retain additional risk on our balance sheet as a result of implementation of these Dodd-Frank provisions. If the market for private securitizations rebounds and PNC decides to increase its participation in that market, we would likely be required under the regulations to retain more risk

 

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On the indirect impact side, PNC originates loans of a variety of types, including residential and commercial mortgages, credit card, auto, and student, that historically have commonly been securitized, and PNC is also a significant servicer of residential and commercial mortgages held by others, including securitization vehicles. PNC anticipates that the risk retention requirements will impact the market for loans of types that historically have been securitized, potentially affecting the volumes of loans securitized, the types of loan products made available, the terms on which loans are offered, consumer and business demand for loans, and the need for third-party loan servicers. It should be noted that the risk retention rules themselves could have the effect of slowing the rebound in the securitization markets. One effect of having substantially reduced opportunities to securitize loans would likely be a reduction in the willingness of banks, including PNC, to make loans due to balance sheet management requirements. Any of these potential impacts of the Dodd-Frank risk retention rules could affect the way in which PNC conducts its business, including its product offerings, and could also affect PNC’s revenue and profitability, although, as noted above, not in ways that are currently predictable.

 

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Dodd-Frank imposes a new regulatory regime on the U.S. derivatives markets. While some of the provisions related to derivatives came into effect July 16, 2011, most of the new requirements await final regulations from the relevant regulatory agencies for derivatives, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) (in the case of non security-based swaps) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) (in the case of security-based swaps). One aspect of the Dodd-Frank regulatory regime for non security-based swaps is that substantial oversight responsibility has been provided to the CFTC, which, as a result, will for the first time have a meaningful supervisory role with respect to some of PNC’s businesses. Although the ultimate impact will depend on the final regulations, PNC expects that its derivatives business will be subject to new substantive requirements, including registration with the CFTC, margin requirements in excess of current market practice, capital requirements specific to this business, real time trade reporting and robust record keeping requirements, business conduct requirements (including daily valuations, disclosure of material risks associated with swaps, and disclosure of PNC’s material incentives and conflicts of interest related to its derivatives business), and mandatory clearing and exchange trading of all standardized swaps designated by the relevant regulatory agencies as

required to be cleared. To the extent PNC enters into act in the “best interests” of the special entity. In addition, the final rules for the registration of municipal advisors (which currently remain at the proposal stage) could result in changes in the nature and extent of our municipal swaps business. The above described requirements will collectively impose implementation and ongoing compliance burdens on PNC and will introduce additional legal risk (including as a result of newly applicable antifraud and anti-manipulation provisions and private rights of action).

 

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New provisions under Dodd-Frank concerning the applicability of state consumer protection laws to national banks, such as PNC Bank, N.A., became effective on July 21, 2011. Questions may arise as to whether certain state consumer financial laws that may have previously been preempted by federal law are no longer preempted as a result of the effectiveness of these new provisions. Depending on how such questions are resolved, we may experience an increase in state-level regulation of our retail banking business and additional compliance obligations, revenue impacts and costs. In addition, provisions under Dodd-Frank that also took effect on July 21, 2011 permit state attorneys general to bring civil actions against national banks, such as PNC Bank, N.A., for violations of law, as well as regulations issued by the CFPB.

 

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Dodd-Frank requires bank holding companies that have $50 billion or more in assets, such as PNC, to periodically submit to the Federal Reserve, the FDIC and the FSOC a resolution plan that includes, among other things, an analysis of how the company could be resolved in a rapid and orderly fashion if the company were to fail or experience material financial distress. The Federal Reserve and the FDIC may jointly impose restrictions on PNC, including additional capital requirements or limitations on growth, if the agencies jointly determine that the company’s plan is not credible or would not facilitate a rapid and orderly resolution of PNC under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, and additionally could require PNC to divest assets or take other actions if we did not submit an acceptable resolution plan within two years after any such restrictions were imposed. The FDIC also has adopted a rule that requires large insured depository institutions, including PNC Bank, N.A., to periodically submit a resolution plan to the FDIC that includes, among other things, an analysis of how the institution could be resolved under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act) in a manner that protects depositors and limits losses or costs to creditors of the bank in accordance with the FDI Act. PNC and PNC Bank, N.A. must file their first plans

 

under these rules by December 31, 2013. Depending resolution plans submitted by PNC and PNC Bank, N.A., it is possible that these requirements could affect the ways in which PNC structures and conducts its business and result in higher compliance and operating costs.

 

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Other provisions of Dodd-Frank will affect regulatory oversight, holding company capital requirements, and residential mortgage products.

While much of how the Dodd-Frank and other financial industry reforms will change our current business operations depends on the specific regulatory promulgations and interpretations, many of which have yet to be released or finalized, it is clear that the reforms, both under Dodd-Frank and otherwise, will have a significant effect on our entire industry. Although Dodd-Frank and other reforms will affect a number of the areas in which we do business, it is not clear at this time the full extent of the adjustments that will be required and the extent to which we will be able to adjust our businesses in response to the requirements. Although it is difficult to predict the magnitude and extent of these effects at this stage, we believe compliance with Dodd-Frank and its implementing regulations and other initiatives will continue to negatively impact revenue, at least to some extent, and increase the cost of doing business, both in terms of transition expenses and on an ongoing basis, and may also limit our ability to pursue certain desirable business opportunities.

Capital requirements imposed by Dodd-Frank, together with new capital and liquidity standards adopted by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (the Basel Committee), will result in banks and bank holding companies needing to maintain more and higher quality capital and greater liquidity than has historically been the case.

New and evolving capital standards, both as a result of Dodd-Frank and implementation of new capital standards adopted by the Basel Committee, including the so-called “Basel III” capital accord issued in December 2010, will have a significant effect on banks and bank holding companies, including PNC. Basel III, among other things, narrows the definition of regulatory capital and establishes higher minimum risk-based capital ratios that, when fully phased-in, will require banking organizations, including PNC, to maintain a minimum Tier 1 common ratio of 4.5%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6.0%, and a total capital ratio of 8.0%. A capital conservation buffer of 2.5% above each of these levels also is required, which potentially may be supplemented by an additional countercyclical capital buffer. In addition, Basel III introduces an international leverage ratio. The capital standards adopted by the Basel Committee and to be implemented in the United States also increase the capital requirements for specific types of exposures (including sub-investment grade securitization exposures) and requires

that unconsolidated investments in financial entities on how the agencies conduct their review of the a swap with a “special entity” such as any federal agency, state or state agency, city, county, municipality, or other political subdivisions of a state, additional business conduct requirements will be imposed on PNC, including the requirement that PNC have a reasonable basis to believe that the special entity has a qualified representative that undertakes a duty to act in the best interests of the special entity and that is independent of PNC and the requirement that PNC disclose to the special entity the capacity in which PNC is acting in connection with the swap (and if PNC is acting in more than one capacity, the material differences between such capacities). Further, to the extent PNC acts as an advisor to a special entity, PNC will be required to than would otherwise have been the case, and as a result could be required to consolidate certain securitization vehicles on our balance sheet, with currently an uncertain financial impact. (potentially including PNC’s investment in BlackRock), as well as mortgage servicing rights and deferred tax assets, above certain thresholds be deducted from regulatory capital.

Basel III also includes new short-term liquidity standards (the Liquidity Coverage Ratio) and long-term funding standards (the Net Stable Funding Ratio). The Liquidity Coverage Ratio, which is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2015, is designed to ensure that banking organizations maintain an adequate level of cash, or assets that can readily be converted to cash, to meet potential short-term liquidity needs. The Net Stable Funding Ratio, which is scheduled to take effect by January 1, 2018, is designed to promote a stable maturity structure of assets and liabilities of banking organizations over a one-year time horizon.

In November 2011, the Basel Committee also adopted a framework that would require globally systemically important banks (“G-SIBs”) to maintain additional Tier 1 common capital ranging between 1.0% to 2.5% of risk-weighted assets, with the actual required amount varying based on the firm’s global systemic importance as determined using five criteria (size, interconnectedness, lack of substitutability, cross-jurisdictional activity, and complexity). Regulatory authorities have not yet definitively determined the banking organizations that would be subject to a surcharge as a G-SIB although, based on the criteria included in the Basel Committee’s framework, PNC believes that it is unlikely to be deemed a G-SIB. Dodd-Frank directs the Federal Reserve to establish heightened risk-based and leverage capital requirements and liquidity requirements for bank holding companies, like PNC, that have $50 billion or more in assets. The Federal Reserve has proposed to rely primarily on the forthcoming Basel III capital and liquidity rules, as well as certain existing or proposed rules, to fulfill this directive. However, the Federal Reserve has stated that it is still considering whether to impose an additional capital surcharge on bank holding companies that have $50 billion or more in consolidated total assets, but that are not subject to a G-SIB surcharge.

 

Because implementation of the new Basel III capital and liquidity standards, as well as any additional heightened capital or liquidity standards that may be established by the Federal Reserve under the Dodd-Frank Act, remain subject to rule making in the U.S. and, in many cases, to extended observation and phase-in periods, the full effect of these standards on PNC’s regulatory capital is uncertain at this time. However, pursuant to the “Collins Amendment” to Dodd-Frank, the U.S. federal banking agencies recently adopted a final rule that requires the phase-out of trust preferred securities from Tier 1 regulatory capital, and defined the risk-based capital standards generally applicable to all banking organizations. As of December 31, 2011, PNC had $2.4 billion of trust preferred securities included in Tier 1 capital which, under these rules and to the extent the securities remain outstanding, will no longer qualify as Tier 1 capital over time.

In December 2011, the Federal banking agencies also requested comment on proposed rules that would replace the use of credit ratings as a means of determining regulatory capital requirements under the agencies’ market risk capital rule with alternative methodologies, as required by Section 939A of Dodd-Frank. The agencies have indicated that the credit rating alternatives developed through this rulemaking likely would be incorporated into the agencies’ general risk-based capital rules affecting so-called “banking book” exposures. Accordingly, the credit rating alternatives that are adopted by the agencies through the market risk rulemaking are likely to significantly influence the amount of capital that PNC and other U.S. banking organizations must hold with respect to a wide range of exposures including sovereign, state, municipal, corporate, financial institution and securitization exposures, although the extent to which the final rules will ultimately lead to increased or decreased capital requirements for specific types of exposures or for PNC in the aggregate is not known at this time.

The need to maintain more and higher quality capital, as well as greater liquidity, going forward than historically has been required could limit PNC’s business activities, including lending, and its ability to expand, either organically or through acquisitions. It could also result in PNC taking steps to increase its capital that may be dilutive to shareholders or being limited in its ability to pay dividends or otherwise return capital to shareholders, or selling or refraining from acquiring assets, the capital requirements for which are inconsistent with the assets’ underlying risks. In addition, the new liquidity standards could require PNC to increase its holdings of highly liquid short-term investments, thereby reducing PNC’s ability to invest in longer-term assets even if more desirable from a balance sheet management perspective. Moreover, although these new requirements are being phased in over time, U.S. federal banking agencies have been taking into account expectations regarding the ability of banks to meet these new requirements, including under stressed conditions, in approving actions that represent uses of capital, such as dividend increases, share repurchases and acquisitions.

Our lending and servicing businesses and the value of the loans and debt securities we hold may be adversely affected by economic conditions, including a reversal or slowing of the current moderate recovery. Downward valuation of debt securities could also negatively impact our capital position.

Given the high percentage of our assets represented directly or indirectly by loans, and the importance of lending to our overall business, weak economic conditions are likely to have a negative impact on our business and our results of operations. This could adversely impact loan utilization rates as well as delinquencies, defaults and customer ability to meet obligations under the loans. This is particularly the case during the period in which the aftermath of recessionary conditions continues and the positive effects of economic recovery appear to be slow to materialize and unevenly spread among our customers.

Further, weak economic conditions would likely have a negative impact on our business, our ability to serve our customers, and our results of operations. Such conditions are

likely to lead to increases in the number of borrowers who become delinquent or default or otherwise demonstrate a decreased ability to meet their obligations under their loans. This would result in higher levels of non-performing loans, net charge-offs, provision for credit losses and valuation adjustments on loans held for sale. The value to us of other assets such as investment securities, most of which are debt securities or other financial instruments supported by loans, similarly would be negatively impacted by widespread decreases in credit quality resulting from a weakening of the economy.

We have historically not considered government insured or guaranteed loans to be higher risk loans as defaults are materially mitigated by payments of insurance or guaranteed amounts for approved claims by the applicable government agency. While the level of claim denials by government agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development, has historically been low, if financial conditions prompt government agencies to deny or curtail an increasing number of these claims, we could face additional losses in our lending business. In addition, in the event that submitted claims are denied or curtailed as a result of our failure as a servicer of the loan to adhere to applicable agency servicing guidelines, we will be required to remit the difference between the claims proceeds that should have been received and the claim amounts actually received to the holder of the loan.

A failure to sustain reduced amounts of the provision for credit losses, which has benefitted results of operations in recent periods, could result in decreases in net income.

As was typical in the banking industry, the economic downturn that started in 2007 resulted in PNC experiencing

 

high levels of provision for credit losses. In the quarters from the fourth quarter of 2008 through the second quarter of 2010, PNC’s provision for credit losses ranged from $751 million to $1.1 billion in each quarter. Subsequently, in part due to improvement in economic conditions, as well as actions taken by PNC to manage its portfolio, PNC’s provision for credit losses has declined substantially, reaching a level of $190 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. This decline in provision for credit losses has been a major contributor to PNC’s ability to maintain and grow its net income during this period. If PNC’s provision for credit losses were to rise back towards levels experienced during the height of the economic downturn, it would have an adverse effect on PNC’s net income and could result in lower levels of net income than PNC has reported in recent periods.

Our regional concentrations make us particularly at risk to adverse economic conditions in our primary retail banking footprint.

Although many of our businesses are national in scope, our retail banking business is concentrated within our retail branch network footprint, located principally in our primary geographic markets. Following the expected acquisition of RBC Bank (USA), this footprint will expand to include North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. Thus, we are or in the future may be particularly vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Southeast regions.

Our business and performance are vulnerable to the impact of volatility in debt and equity markets.

As most of our assets and liabilities are financial in nature, we tend to be particularly sensitive to the performance of the financial markets. Turmoil and volatility in U.S. and global financial markets, such as that experienced during the recent financial crisis, can be a major contributory factor to overall weak economic conditions, leading to some of the risks discussed above, including the impaired ability of borrowers and other counterparties to meet obligations to us. Financial market volatility also can have some of the following adverse effects on PNC and our business and financial performance:

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It can affect the value or liquidity of our on-balance sheet and off-balance sheet financial instruments.

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It can affect the value of servicing rights, including those we carry at fair value.

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It can affect our ability to access capital markets to raise funds necessary to support our businesses and maintain our overall liquidity position. Inability to access capital markets as needed, or at cost effective rates, could adversely affect our liquidity and results of operations.

•

It can affect the value of the assets that we manage or otherwise administer for others or the assets for which we provide processing and information

services. Although we are not directly impacted by changes in the value of such assets, decreases in the value of those assets would affect related fee income and could result in decreased demand for our services.

•

It can affect the required funding of our pension obligations to the extent that the value of the assets supporting those obligations drops below minimum levels.

•

In general, it can impact the nature, profitability or risk profile of the financial transactions in which we engage.

Volatility in the markets for real estate and other assets commonly securing financial products has been and is likely

to continue to be a significant contributor to overall volatility in financial markets.

Our business and financial performance is impacted significantly by market interest rates and movements in those rates. The monetary, tax and other policies of governmental agencies, including the Federal Reserve, have a significant impact on interest rates and overall financial market performance over which we have no control and which we may not be able to predict adequately.

As a result of the high percentage of our assets and liabilities that are in the form of interest-bearing or interest-related instruments, changes in interest rates, in the shape of the yield curve or in spreads between different market interest rates can have a material effect on our business, our profitability and the value of our financial assets and liabilities. For example:

•

Changes in interest rates or interest rate spreads can affect the difference between the interest that we earn on assets and the interest that we pay on liabilities, which impacts our overall net interest income and profitability.

•

Such changes can affect the ability of borrowers to meet obligations under variable or adjustable rate loans and other debt instruments, and can, in turn, affect our loss rates on those assets.

•

Such changes may decrease the demand for interest rate based products and services, including loans and deposit accounts.

•

Such changes can also affect our ability to hedge various forms of market and interest rate risk and may decrease the profitability or increase the risk associated with such hedges.

•

Movements in interest rates also affect mortgage prepayment speeds and could result in impairments of mortgage servicing assets or otherwise affect the profitability of such assets.

The monetary, tax and other policies of the government and its agencies, including the Federal Reserve, have a significant

 

impact on interest rates and overall financial market performance. These governmental policies can thus affect the activities and results of operations of banking companies such as PNC. An important function of the Federal Reserve is to regulate the national supply of bank credit and certain interest rates. The actions of the Federal Reserve influence the rates of interest that we charge on loans and that we pay on borrowings and interest-bearing deposits and can also affect the value of our on-balance sheet and off-balance sheet financial instruments. Both due to the impact on rates and by controlling access to direct funding from the Federal Reserve Banks, the Federal Reserve’s policies also influence, to a significant extent, our cost of funding. We cannot predict the nature or timing of future changes in monetary, tax and other policies or the effect that they may have on our activities and financial results.

PNC faces increased risk arising out of its residential mortgage businesses.

Numerous federal and state governmental, legislative and regulatory authorities are investigating practices in the mortgage lending, servicing and mortgage-related insurance and reinsurance industries. PNC has received inquiries from governmental, legislative and regulatory authorities on these topics and is responding to these inquiries. These inquiries and investigations could lead to administrative, civil or criminal proceedings, possibly resulting in remedies including fines, penalties, restitution, alterations in our business practices and additional expenses and collateral costs. See Note 22 Legal Proceedings in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report for additional information regarding federal and state governmental, legislative and regulatory inquiries and investigations, including the consent orders entered into by PNC and PNC Bank, N. A. with the Federal Reserve and the OCC, respectively.

In addition to governmental or regulatory inquiries and investigations, PNC, like other companies with residential mortgage origination and servicing operations, faces the risk of class actions, other litigation and claims from the owners of, investors in or purchasers of mortgages originated or serviced by PNC (or securities backed by such mortgages); homeowners involved in foreclosure proceedings or various mortgage-related insurance programs; downstream purchasers of homes sold after foreclosure; title insurers; and other potential claimants. At this time PNC cannot predict the ultimate overall cost to or effect upon PNC from governmental, legislative or regulatory actions and private litigation or claims arising out of residential mortgage lending, servicing or reinsurance practices, although such actions, litigation and claims could, individually or in the aggregate, result in significant expense.

The issues described above may affect the value of our ownership interests, direct or indirect, in property subject to foreclosure. In addition, possible delays in the schedule for

processing foreclosures may result in an increase in nonperforming loans, additional servicing costs and possible demands for contractual fees or penalties under servicing agreements.

There is also an increased risk of incurring costs related to further remedial and related efforts required by the consent orders and related to repurchase requests arising out of either the foreclosure process or origination issues. Reputational damage arising out of this industry-wide inquiry could also have an adverse effect upon our existing mortgage business and could reduce future business opportunities.

One or more of the foregoing could adversely affect PNC’s business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

We grow our business in part by acquiring other financial services companies from time to time, and these acquisitions present a number of risks and uncertainties related both to the acquisition transactions themselves and to the integration of the acquired businesses into PNC after closing.

Acquisitions of other financial services companies, financial services assets and related deposits and other liabilities present risks and uncertainties to PNC in addition to those presented by the nature of the business acquired.

In general, acquisitions may be substantially more expensive to complete than anticipated (including unanticipated costs incurred in connection with the integration of the acquired company). Anticipated benefits (including anticipated cost savings and strategic gains) may be significantly harder or take longer to achieve than expected or may not be achieved in their entirety as a result of unexpected factors or events.

Our ability to achieve anticipated results from acquisitions is

often dependent also on the extent of credit losses in the acquired loan portfolios and the extent of deposit attrition, which are, in part, related to the state of economic and financial markets. Also, litigation and governmental investigations that may be filed or commenced, as a result of an acquisition or otherwise, could impact the timing or realization of anticipated benefits to PNC.

Integration of an acquired company’s business and operations into PNC, including conversion of the acquired company’s different systems and procedures, may take longer than anticipated or be more costly than anticipated or have unanticipated adverse results relating to the acquired company’s or PNC’s existing businesses. In some cases, acquisitions involve our entry into new businesses or new geographic or other markets, and these situations also present risks and uncertainties in instances where we may be inexperienced in these new areas.

 

Our ability to analyze the risks presented by prospective acquisitions, as well as our ability to prepare in advance of closing for integration, depends, in part, on the information we can gather with respect to the target, which is more limited than the information we have regarding companies we already own.

Our pending acquisition of RBC Bank (USA) presents many of the risks and uncertainties related to acquisition transactions themselves and to the integration of the acquired businesses into PNC after closing described above.

As a regulated financial institution, our ability to pursue or complete attractive acquisition opportunities could be negatively impacted by regulatory delays or other regulatory issues. In addition, legal and regulatory or other governmental proceedings, claims, investigations or inquiries relating to pre-acquisition business and activities of acquired companies may result in future monetary judgments or settlements or other remedies, including damages, fines, penalties, restitution or alterations in our business practices, and in additional expenses and collateral costs, and may cause reputational harm to PNC. The processes of integrating acquired businesses, as well as the deconsolidation of divested businesses, also pose many additional possible risks which could result in increased costs, liability or other adverse consequences to PNC. Note 22 Legal Proceedings in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report describes several legal proceedings related to pre-acquisition activities of companies we have acquired, including National City. Other such legal proceedings may be commenced in the future.

The soundness of other financial institutions could adversely affect us.

Financial services institutions are interrelated as a result of trading, clearing, counterparty, and other relationships. We have exposure to many different industries and counterparties, and we routinely execute transactions with counterparties in the financial services industry, including brokers and dealers, commercial banks, investment banks, mutual and hedge funds, and other institutional clients. Many of these transactions expose us to credit risk in the event of default of our counterparty or client. In addition, our credit risk may be exacerbated when the collateral held by us cannot be realized

upon or is liquidated at prices that are not sufficient to recover the full amount of the loan or derivative exposure due us.

We operate in a highly competitive environment, in terms of the products and services we offer and the geographic markets in which we conduct business, as well as in our labor markets where we compete for talented employees. Competition could adversely impact our customer acquisition, growth and retention, as well as our credit spreads and product pricing, causing us to lose market share and deposits and revenues.

We are subject to intense competition from various financial institutions as well as from non-bank entities that engage in many similar activities without being subject to bank regulatory supervision and restrictions. This competition is described in Item 1 of this Report under “Competition.”

In all, the principal bases for competition are pricing (including the interest rates charged on loans or paid on interest-bearing deposits), product structure, the range of products and services offered, and the quality of customer service (including convenience and responsiveness to customer needs and concerns). The ability to access and use technology is an increasingly important competitive factor in the financial services industry, and it is a critically important component to customer satisfaction as it affects our ability to deliver the right products and services.

Another increasingly competitive factor in the financial services industry is the competition to attract and retain talented employees across many of our business and support areas. This competition leads to increased expenses in many business areas and can also cause us to not pursue certain business opportunities.

A failure to adequately address the competitive pressures we face could make it harder for us to attract and retain customers across our businesses. On the other hand, meeting these competitive pressures could require us to incur significant additional expense or to accept risk beyond what we would otherwise view as desirable under the circumstances. In addition, in our interest rate sensitive businesses, pressures to increase rates on deposits or decrease rates on loans could reduce our net interest margin with a resulting negative impact on our net interest income.

The performance of our asset management businesses may be adversely impacted by overall economic and market conditions as well as the relative performance of our products compared with the offerings by competitors.

Asset management revenue is primarily based on a percentage of the value of the assets and thus is impacted by general changes in market valuations, customer preferences and needs. In addition, investment performance is an important factor influencing the level of assets. Poor investment performance could impair revenue and growth as existing clients might

withdraw funds in favor of better performing products. Additionally, the ability to attract funds from existing and new clients might diminish. Overall economic conditions may limit the amount that customers are able or willing to invest as well as the value of the assets they do invest.

The failure or negative performance of products of other financial institutions could lead to a loss of confidence in similar products offered by us without regard to the performance of our products. Such a negative contagion could lead to withdrawals, redemptions and liquidity issues in such

 

products and have a material adverse impact on our assets under management and asset management revenues and earnings.

As a regulated financial services firm, we are subject to numerous governmental regulations and to comprehensive examination and supervision by regulators, which affect our business as well as our competitive position.

PNC is a bank holding company and a financial holding company and is subject to numerous governmental regulations involving both its business and organization.

Our businesses are subject to regulation by multiple bank regulatory bodies as well as multiple securities industry regulators. Applicable laws and regulations restrict our ability to repurchase stock or to receive dividends from subsidiaries

that operate in the banking and securities businesses and impose capital adequacy requirements. PNC’s ability to service its obligations is dependent on the receipt of dividends and advances from its subsidiaries. Applicable laws and regulations also restrict permissible activities and investments and require compliance with protections for loan, deposit, brokerage, fiduciary, mutual fund and other customers, and for the protection of customer information, among other things. We are also subject to laws and regulations designed to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and transactions with persons, companies or foreign governments designated by U.S. authorities. The consequences of noncompliance can include substantial monetary and nonmonetary sanctions as well as damage to our reputation and businesses.

In addition, we are subject to comprehensive examination and supervision by banking and other regulatory bodies. Examination reports and ratings (which often are not publicly available) and other aspects of this supervisory framework can materially impact the conduct, growth, and profitability of our businesses.

Due to the current economic environment and issues facing the financial services industry, we anticipate that there will be new legislative and regulatory initiatives over the next several years, including many focused specifically on banking and other financial services in which we are engaged. These initiatives will be in addition to the actions already taken by Congress and the regulators, through enactment of the Credit CARD Act, the SAFE Act, and Dodd-Frank, as well as changes to the regulations implementing the Real Estate

Settlement Procedures Act, the Federal Truth in Lending Act, and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. Legislative and regulatory initiatives have had and are likely to continue to have an impact on the conduct of our business. This impact could include rules and regulations that affect the nature and profitability of our business activities, how we use our capital, how we compensate and incent our employees, the type and amount of instruments we hold for liquidity purposes, and other matters potentially having a negative effect on our overall business results and prospects.

Under the regulations of the Federal Reserve, a bank holding company is expected to act as a source of financial and managerial strength for its subsidiary banks. As a result, the Federal Reserve could require PNC to commit resources to PNC Bank, N.A. when doing so is not otherwise in the interests of PNC or its shareholders or creditors.

Our ability to pay dividends to shareholders is largely dependent on dividends from our operating subsidiaries, principally PNC Bank, N.A. Banks are subject to regulation on the amount and circumstances of dividends they can pay to their holding companies.

We discuss these and other regulatory issues applicable to PNC, including some particular areas of current regulatory focus or concern, in the Supervision and Regulation section included in Item 1 of this Report and in Note 21 Regulatory Matters in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report and here by reference.

A failure to comply, or to have adequate policies and procedures designed to comply, with regulatory requirements could expose us to damages, fines and regulatory penalties and other regulatory actions, which could be significant, and could also injure our reputation with customers and others with whom we do business.

We must comply with generally accepted accounting principles established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, accounting, disclosure and other rules set forth by the SEC, income tax and other regulations established by the US Treasury and state and local taxing authorities, and revenue rulings and other guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service, which affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Changes in accounting standards, or interpretations of those standards, can impact our revenue recognition and expense policies and affect our estimation methods used to prepare the consolidated financial statements. Changes in income tax regulations, revenue rulings, revenue procedures, and other guidance can impact our tax liability and alter the timing of cash flows associated with tax deductions and payments. New guidance often dictates how changes to standards and regulations are to be presented in our consolidated financial statements, as either an adjustment to beginning retained earnings for the period or as income or expense in current

period earnings. In some cases, changes may be applied to previously reported disclosures.

The determination of the amount of loss allowances and impairments taken on our assets is highly subjective, and inaccurate estimates could materially impact our results of operations or financial position.

The determination of the amount of loss allowances and asset impairments varies by asset type and is based upon our

 

periodic evaluation and assessment of known and inherent risks associated with the respective asset class. Such evaluations and assessments are revised as conditions change and new information becomes available. Management updates its evaluations regularly and reflects changes in allowances and impairments in operations as such evaluations are revised. Although we have policies and procedures in place to determine loss allowance and asset impairments, due to the substantial subjective nature of this area, there can be no assurance that our management has accurately assessed the level of impairments taken and allowances reflected in our financial statements. Furthermore, additional impairments may need to be taken or allowances provided for in the future. Historical trends may not be indicative of future impairments or allowances.

Our asset valuation may include methodologies, estimations and assumptions that are subject to differing interpretations and this, along with market factors such as volatility in one or more markets, could result in changes to asset valuations that may materially adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

We must use estimates, assumptions, and judgments when assets and liabilities are measured and reported at fair value. Assets and liabilities carried at fair value inherently result in a higher degree of financial statement volatility. Fair values and the information used to record valuation adjustments for certain assets and liabilities are based on quoted market prices and/or other observable inputs provided by independent third-party sources, when available. When such third-party information is not available, we estimate fair value primarily by using cash flow and other financial modeling techniques utilizing assumptions such as credit quality, liquidity, interest rates and other relevant inputs. Changes in underlying factors or assumptions in any of the areas underlying our estimates could materially impact our future financial condition and results of operations.

During periods of market disruption, including periods of significantly rising or high interest rates, rapidly widening credit spreads or illiquidity, it may be more difficult to value certain of our assets if trading becomes less frequent and/or market data becomes less observable. There may be certain asset classes that were historically in active markets with significant observable data that rapidly become illiquid due to market volatility, a loss in market confidence or other factors. In such cases, valuations in certain asset classes may require more subjectivity and management judgment; valuations may include inputs and assumptions that are less observable or require greater estimation. Further, rapidly changing and unprecedented market conditions in any particular market (e.g. credit, equity, fixed income, foreign exchange) could materially impact the valuation of assets as reported within our consolidated financial statements, and the period-to-period changes in value could vary significantly.

We are subject to operational risk.

Like all businesses, we are subject to operational risk, which represents the risk of loss resulting from human error, inadequate or failed internal processes and systems, and external events. Operational risk also encompasses compliance and legal risk, which is the risk of loss from violations of, or noncompliance with, laws, rules, regulations, prescribed practices or ethical standards, as well as the risk of our noncompliance with contractual and other obligations. We are also exposed to operational risk through our outsourcing arrangements, and the effect that changes in circumstances or capabilities of our outsourcing vendors can have on our ability to continue to perform operational functions necessary to our business. Although we seek to mitigate operational risk through a system of internal controls which we review and

update, no system of controls, however well designed and maintained, is infallible. Control weaknesses or failures or other operational risks could result in charges, increased operational costs, harm to our reputation or foregone business opportunities.

We continually encounter technological change and we could falter in our ability to remain competitive in this arena.

The financial services industry is continually undergoing rapid technological change with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. The effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to better serve customers and to reduce costs. Our continued success depends, in part, upon our ability to address the needs of our customers by using technology to provide products and services that satisfy customer demands and create efficiencies in our operations. We may not be able to effectively implement new technology-driven products and services that allow us to remain competitive or be successful in marketing these products and services to our customers.

Our information systems may experience interruptions or breaches in security.

We rely heavily on communications and information systems to conduct our business. Any failure, interruption or breach in security of these systems could result in disruptions to our accounting, deposit, loan and other systems, and adversely affect our customer relationships. While we have policies and

procedures designed to prevent or limit the effect of these possible events, there can be no assurance that any such failure, interruption or security breach will not occur or, if any does occur, that it can be sufficiently remediated.

There have been increasing efforts on the part of third parties to breach data security at financial institutions or with respect to financial transactions, including through the use of social engineering schemes such as “phishing.” In addition, because the techniques used to cause such security breaches change

 

frequently, often are not recognized until launched against a target and may originate from less regulated and remote areas around the world, we may be unable to proactively address these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. The ability of our customers to bank remotely, including online and through mobile devices, requires secure transmission of confidential information and increases the risk of data security breaches.

Although to date efforts to breach our data security have not had a material impact on PNC, the occurrence of any such failure, interruption or security breach of our systems, particularly if widespread or resulting in financial losses to our customers, could damage our reputation, result in a loss of customer business, subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny, or expose us to civil litigation and financial liability.

Our business and financial results could be impacted materially by adverse results in legal proceedings.

Many aspects of our business involve substantial risk of legal liability. We have been named or threatened to be named as defendants in various lawsuits arising from our business activities (and in some cases from the activities of companies we have acquired). In addition, we are regularly the subject of governmental investigations and other forms of regulatory inquiry. We also are at risk when we have agreed to indemnify others for losses related to legal proceedings, including litigation and governmental investigations and inquiries, they face, such as in connection with the sale of a business or assets by us. The results of these legal proceedings could lead to significant monetary damages or penalties, restrictions on the way in which we conduct our business, or reputational harm.

Although we establish accruals for legal proceedings when information related to the loss contingencies represented by those matters indicates both that a loss is probable and that the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated, we do not have accruals for all legal proceedings where we face a risk of loss. In addition, due to the inherent subjectivity of the assessments and unpredictability of the outcome of legal proceedings, amounts accrued may not represent the ultimate loss to us from the legal proceedings in question. Thus, our ultimate losses may be higher, and possibly significantly so, than the amounts accrued for legal loss contingencies.

We discuss further the unpredictability of legal proceedings and describe some of our pending legal proceedings in Note 22 Legal Proceedings in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report.

Our business and financial performance could be adversely affected, directly or indirectly, by disasters, by terrorist activities or by international hostilities.

Neither the occurrence nor the potential impact of disasters, terrorist activities and international hostilities can be

predicted. However, these occurrences could impact us directly (for example, by causing significant damage to our facilities or preventing us from conducting our business in the ordinary course), or indirectly as a result of their impact on our borrowers, depositors, other customers, suppliers or other counterparties. We could also suffer adverse consequences to the extent that disasters, terrorist activities or international hostilities affect the financial markets or the economy in general or in any particular region. These types of impacts could lead, for example, to an increase in delinquencies, bankruptcies or defaults that could result in our experiencing higher levels of nonperforming assets, net charge-offs and provisions for credit losses.

Our ability to mitigate the adverse consequences of such occurrences is in part dependent on the quality of our resiliency planning, and our ability, if any, to anticipate the nature of any such event that occurs. The adverse impact of disasters or terrorist activities or international hostilities also could be increased to the extent that there is a lack of preparedness on the part of national or regional emergency responders or on the part of other organizations and businesses that we deal with, particularly those that we depend upon but have no control over.

ITEM  1 B – UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

There are no SEC staff comments regarding PNC’s periodic or current reports under the Exchange Act that are pending resolution.

ITEM  2 – PROPERTIES

Our executive and primary administrative offices are located at One PNC Plaza, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 30-story structure is owned by PNC Bank, N.A.

We own or lease numerous other premises for use in conducting business activities, including operations centers, offices, and branch and other facilities. We consider the facilities owned or occupied under lease by our subsidiaries to be adequate. We include here by reference the additional information regarding our properties in Note 10 Premises, Equipment and Leasehold Improvements in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report.

ITEM  3 – LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

See the information set forth in Note 22 Legal Proceedings in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report, which is incorporated here by reference.

ITEM  4 – MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Information regarding each of our executive officers as of February 17, 2012 is set forth below. Executive officers do not have a stated term of office. Each executive officer has held the position or positions indicated or another executive position with the same entity or one of its affiliates for the past five years unless otherwise indicated below.

 

Name		Age				Position with PNC		Year Employed (1)
James E. Rohr			63			Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (2)			1972
Joseph C. Guyaux			61			Senior Vice Chairman and Chief Risk Officer			1972
William S. Demchak			49			Senior Vice Chairman			2002
Thomas K. Whitford			55			Vice Chairman			1983
Joan L. Gulley			64			Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer			1986
Michael J. Hannon			55			Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer			1982
Robert F. Hoyt			47			Executive Vice President, Senior Deputy General Counsel, and Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer			2009
Richard J. Johnson			55			Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer			2002
Michael P. Lyons			41			Executive Vice President			2011
E. William Parsley, III			46			Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and Treasurer			2003
Helen P. Pudlin			62			Executive Vice President and General Counsel			1989
Robert Q. Reilly			47			Executive Vice President			1987
Gregory H. Kozich			48			Senior Vice President and Controller			2010

(1)	Where applicable, refers to year employed by predecessor company.

(2)	Also serves as a director of PNC. Biographical information for Mr. Rohr is included in “Election of Directors (Item 1)” in our proxy statement for the 2012 annual meeting of shareholders.

Joseph C. Guyaux was appointed Senior Vice Chairman and Chief Risk Officer in February 2012, prior to which he served as President.

William S. Demchak has served as Senior Vice Chairman since February 2009. Since August 2005, he has had oversight responsibilities for the Corporation’s Corporate & Institutional Banking business, as well as PNC’s asset and liability management activities. Beginning in September 2010, he assumed supervisory responsibility for all PNC businesses.

Thomas K. Whitford has served as Vice Chairman since February 2009. He was appointed Chief Administrative Officer in May 2007. From April 2002 through May 2007 and then from November 2009 until April 2010, he served as Chief Risk Officer.

Joan L. Gulley has served as Chief Human Resources Officer since April 2008. She was appointed Senior Vice President in April 2008 and then Executive Vice President in February 2009. She served as Chief Executive Officer for PNC’s wealth management business from 2002 to 2006. From 1998 until April 2008, she served as Executive Vice President of PNC Bank, N.A. and was responsible for product and segment management, as well as advertising and brand management for PNC.

Michael J. Hannon has served as Executive Vice President since February 2009, prior to which he served as Senior Vice President. He has served as Chief Credit Officer since November 2009. From February 2009 to November 2009 he also served as Chief Risk Officer and served as Interim Chief Risk Officer from December 2011 to February 2012.

Robert F. Hoyt has served as PNC’s Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer since May 2009. He has also served as Senior Deputy General Counsel since October 2009, and served as director of business planning from May 2009 to November 2011. He was appointed Executive Vice President in November 2011 and was previously Senior Vice President. From December 2006 to January 2009, Hoyt served as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Richard J. Johnson has served as Chief Financial Officer since August 2005. He was appointed Executive Vice President in February 2009 and was previously Senior Vice President.

Michael P. Lyons joined PNC in October 2011 and is head of Corporate and Institutional Banking. Previously he served as head of corporate development and strategic planning for Bank of America, principal investment advisor at Maverick Capital, and as a director in Morgan Stanley’s financial institutions group. He was appointed Executive Vice President in November 2011.

E. William Parsley, III has served as Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer since January 2004. He was appointed Executive Vice President of PNC in February 2009.

Helen P. Pudlin has served as General Counsel since 1994. She was appointed Executive Vice President in February 2009 and was previously Senior Vice President.

Robert Q. Reilly has served as the head of PNC’s Asset Management Group since 2005. Previously, he held numerous management roles in both Corporate Banking and Asset Management. He was appointed Executive Vice President in February 2009.

Gregory H. Kozich joined PNC as Senior Vice President of PNC Bank, N.A. in October 2010. He has served as Senior Vice President of PNC since February 2011 and Corporate Controller for PNC since March 2011. Prior to joining PNC, he was with Fannie Mae as its corporate controller and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as a partner in its National Banking Group.

 

DIRECTORS OF THE REGISTRANT

The name, age and principal occupation of each of our directors as of February 17, 2012, and the year he or she first became a director is set forth below:

•

Richard O. Berndt, 69, Managing Partner of Gallagher, Evelius & Jones LLP ( law firm ) (2007)

•

Charles E. Bunch, 62, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PPG Industries, Inc. ( coatings, sealants and glass products ) (2007)

•

Paul W. Chellgren, 69, Operating Partner, Snow Phipps Group, LLC ( private equity ) (1995)

•

Kay Coles James, 62, President and Founder of The Gloucester Institute ( non-profit ) (2006)

•

Richard B. Kelson, 65, President and Chief Executive Officer, ServCo, LLC ( strategic sourcing, supply chain management ) (2002)

•

Bruce C. Lindsay, 70, Chairman and Managing Member of 2117 Associates, LLC ( business consulting firm) (1995)

•

Anthony A. Massaro, 67, Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. ( manufacturer of welding and cutting products ) (2002)

•

Jane G. Pepper, 66, Retired President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society ( non-profit ) (1997)

•

James E. Rohr, 63, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PNC (1990)

•

Donald J. Shepard, 65, Retired Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of AEGON N.V. ( insurance ) (2007)

•

Lorene K. Steffes, 66, Independent Business Advisor ( technology and technical services ) (2000)

•

Dennis F. Strigl, 65, Retired President and Chief Operating Officer of Verizon Communications Inc. ( telecommunications ) (2001)

•

Thomas J. Usher, 69, Non-executive Chairman of Marathon Petroleum Corporation ( oil and gas industry ) (1992)

•

George H. Walls, Jr., 69, former Chief Deputy Auditor for the State of North Carolina (2006)

•

Helge H. Wehmeier, 69, Retired Vice Chairman of Bayer Corporation ( healthcare, crop protection, and chemicals ) (1992)

PART II

ITEM  5 – MARKET FOR REGISTRANT ’ S COMMON EQUITY , RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

(a) (1) Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded under the symbol “PNC.” At the close of business on February 17, 2012, there were 77,045 common shareholders of record.

Holders of PNC common stock are entitled to receive dividends when declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for this purpose. Our Board of Directors may not pay or set apart dividends on the common stock until dividends for all past dividend periods on any series of outstanding preferred stock have been paid or declared and set apart for payment. The Board presently intends to continue the policy of paying quarterly cash dividends. The amount of any future dividends will depend on economic and market conditions, our financial condition and operating results, and other factors, including contractual restrictions and applicable government regulations and policies (such as those relating to the ability of bank and non-bank subsidiaries to pay dividends to the parent company and regulatory capital limitations). Our ability to increase our dividend is currently subject to the results of the Federal Reserve’s 2012 Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) as part of its supervisory assessment of capital adequacy described under “Supervision and Regulation” in Item 1 of this Report.

The Federal Reserve has the power to prohibit us from paying dividends without its approval. For further information concerning dividend restrictions and restrictions on loans, dividends or advances from bank subsidiaries to the parent company, you may review “Supervision and Regulation” in Item 1 of this Report, “Funding and Capital Sources” in the Consolidated Balance Sheet Review section, “Liquidity Risk Management” in the Risk Management section, and “Trust Preferred Securities” in the Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and VIEs section of Item 7 of this Report, and Note 13 Capital Securities of Subsidiary Trusts and Perpetual Trust Securities and Note 21 Regulatory Matters in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report, which we include here by reference.

We include here by reference additional information relating to PNC common stock under the caption “Common Stock Prices/Dividends Declared” in the Statistical Information (Unaudited) section of Item 8 of this Report.

We include here by reference the information regarding our compensation plans under which PNC equity securities are authorized for issuance as of December 31, 2011 in the table (with introductory paragraph and notes) that appears in Item 12 of this Report.

Our registrar, stock transfer agent, and dividend disbursing agent is:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

250 Royall Street

Canton, MA 02021

800-982-7652

We include here by reference the information that appears under the caption “Common Stock Performance Graph” at the end of this Item 5.

 

(a)   (2)

None.

 

(b)	Not applicable.

 

(c)	Details of our repurchases of PNC common stock during the fourth quarter of 2011 are included in the following table:

In thousands, except per share data

 

2011 period		Total shares purchased (a)				Average price paid per share				Total shares purchased as part of publicly announced programs (b)		Maximum number of shares that may yet be purchased under the programs (b)
October 1 – 31			133			$	52.03						24,710
November 1 – 30			4			$	55.51						24,710
December 1 – 31			1			$	57.86						24,710
Total			138			$	52.16

(a)

Reflects PNC common stock purchased in connection with our various employee benefit plans. No shares were purchased under the program referred to in note (b) to this table during the fourth quarter of 2011. Effective January 2011, employer matching contributions to the PNC Incentive Savings Plan are no longer made in PNC common stock, but rather in cash. Note 14 Employee Benefit Plans and Note 15 Stock Based Compensation Plans in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report include additional information regarding our employee benefit plans that use PNC common stock.

(b)

Our current stock repurchase program allows us to purchase up to 25 million shares on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. This program was authorized on October 4, 2007 and will remain in effect until fully utilized or until modified, superseded or terminated. The extent and timing of share repurchases under this program will depend on a number of factors including, among others, market and general economic conditions, economic and regulatory capital considerations, alternative uses of capital, the potential impact on our credit ratings, and contractual and regulatory limitations, including the impact of the Federal Reserve’s current supervisory assessment of capital adequacy program.

C OMMON S TOCK P ERFORMANCE G RAPH

This graph shows the cumulative total shareholder return (i.e., price change plus reinvestment of dividends) on our common stock during the five-year period ended December 31, 2011, as compared with: (1) a selected peer group of our competitors, called the “Peer Group;” (2) an overall stock market index, the S&P 500 Index; and (3) a published industry index, the S&P 500 Banks. The yearly points marked on the horizontal axis of the graph correspond to December 31 of that year. The stock performance graph assumes that $100 was invested on January 1, 2007 for the five-year period and that any dividends were reinvested. The table below the graph shows the resultant compound annual growth rate for the performance period.

 

 

		Base Period				Assumes $100 investment at Close of Market on December 31, 2006 Total Return = Price change plus reinvestment of dividends																				5-Year Compound Growth Rate
		Dec. 06				Dec. 07				Dec. 08				Dec. 09				Dec. 10				Dec. 11
PNC			100				91.71				71.37				78.70				91.14				88.35				(2.45	)%
S&P 500 Index			100				105.49				66.46				84.05				96.71				98.76				(0.25	)%
S&P 500 Banks			100				70.22				36.87				34.44				41.27				36.89				(18.08	)%
Peer Group			100				76.73				43.02				57.56				72.45				59.35				(9.91	)%

The Peer Group for the preceding chart and table consists of the following companies: BB&T Corporation; Comerica Inc.; Fifth Third Bancorp; KeyCorp; The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.; SunTrust Banks, Inc.; U.S. Bancorp; Regions Financial Corporation; Wells Fargo & Company; Capital One Financial, Inc.; Bank of America Corporation; M&T Bank; and JP Morgan Chase and Company. This Peer Group was approved by the Board’s Personnel and Compensation Committee (the Committee) for 2011. The Committee has approved the same Peer Group for 2012.

Each yearly point for the Peer Group is determined by calculating the cumulative total shareholder return for each company in the Peer Group from December 31, 2006 to December 31 of that year (End of Month Dividend Reinvestment Assumed) and then using the median of these returns as the yearly plot point.

In accordance with the rules of the SEC, this section, captioned “Common Stock Performance Graph,” shall not be incorporated by reference into any of our future filings made under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or the Securities Act of 1933. The Common Stock Performance Graph, including its accompanying table and footnotes, is not deemed to be soliciting material or to be filed under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.