Certain Regulatory Requirements and Capital Ratios

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Certain Regulatory Requirements and Capital Ratios

28. Certain regulatory requirements and capital ratios

The principal source of income and funds for the Bancorp (parent company) are dividends from its subsidiaries. The dividends paid by the Bancorp's banking subsidiary are subject to regulations and limitations prescribed by the appropriate state and federal supervisory authorities. The Bancorp's nonbank subsidiaries are also limited by certain federal and state statutory provisions and regulations covering the amount of dividends that may be paid in any given year.

The Bancorp's banking subsidiary must maintain cash reserve balances when total reservable deposit liabilities are greater than the regulatory exemption. These reserve requirements may be satisfied with vault cash and noninterest-bearing cash balances on deposit with the FRB. In 2011 and 2010, the banking subsidiary was required to maintain average cash reserve balances of $744 million and $547 million, respectively.

The FRB adopted guidelines pursuant to which it assesses the adequacy of capital in examining and supervising a bank holding company and in analyzing applications to it under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. These guidelines include quantitative measures that assign risk weightings to assets and off-balance sheet items, as well as define and set minimum regulatory capital requirements. All bank holding companies are required to maintain Tier I capital (core capital) of at least four percent of risk-weighted assets (Tier I capital ratio), total capital (Tier I plus Tier II capital) of at least eight percent of risk-weighted assets (Total risk-based capital ratio), and Tier I capital of at least three percent of adjusted quarterly average assets (Tier I leverage ratio). Failure to meet the minimum capital requirements can initiate certain actions by regulators that could have a direct material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Bancorp.

Tier I capital consists principally of shareholders' equity including Tier I qualifying trust preferred securities. It excludes unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities and unrecognized pension actuarial gains and losses and prior service cost,goodwill, certain other intangibles and unrealized cash flow hedges. Current provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act will phase out the inclusion of certain trust preferred securities as a component of Tier I capital beginning January 1, 2013. Under these provisions, these trust preferred securities would qualify as a component of Tier II capital. At December 31, 2011, the Bancorp's Tier I capital included $2.2billion of trust preferred securities.

Tier II capital consists principally of term subordinated debt, redeemable preferred stock and, subject to limitations, allowances for loan and lease losses.

Assets and credit equivalent amounts of off-balance-sheet items are assigned to one of several broad risk categories, according to the obligor, guarantor or nature of collateral. The aggregate dollar value of the amount of each category is multiplied by the associated risk weighting of that category. The resulting weighted values from each of the risk categories in sum is the total risk-weighted assets. Quarterly average assets for this purpose do not include goodwill and any other intangible assets and other investments that the FRB determines should be deducted from Tier I capital.

The supervisory agencies, including the Bancorp's primary regulator, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, have issued regulations regarding the capital adequacy of banking subsidiaries. These requirements are substantially similar to those adopted by the FRB regarding bank holding companies, as described previously. In addition, the federal banking agencies have issued substantially similar regulations to implement the system of prompt corrective action established by Section 38 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. Under the regulations, a bank generally shall be deemed to be well-capitalized if it has a Total risk-based capital ratio of 10% or more, a Tier I capital ratio of six percent or more, a Tier I leverage ratio of five percent or more and is not subject to any written capital order or directive. If an institution becomes undercapitalized, it would become subject to significant additional oversight, regulations and requirements as mandated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Act.

The Bancorp and its banking subsidiary, Fifth Third Bank (Ohio), had Tier I, Total risk-based capital and Tier I leverage ratios above the well-capitalized levels at December 31, 2011 and 2010. As of December 31, 2011, the most recent notification from the FRB categorized the Bancorp and its banking subsidiary as well-capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. To continue to qualify for financial holding company status pursuant to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, the Bancorp's banking subsidiary must, among other things, maintain “well-capitalized” capital ratios.

The following table presents capital and risk-based capital and leverage ratios for the Bancorp and its banking subsidiary at December 31:

		2011			2010
($ in millions)		Amount	Ratio		Amount	Ratio
Tier I capital (to risk-weighted assets):(a)
Fifth Third Bancorp (Consolidated)	$	12,503	11.91%	$	13,965	13.89%
Fifth Third Bank		12,373	12.02		12,976	13.13
Total risk-based capital (to risk-weighted assets):(a)
Fifth Third Bancorp (Consolidated)		16,885	16.09		18,178	18.08
Fifth Third Bank		14,013	13.61		14,936	15.12
Tier I leverage (to average assets):
Fifth Third Bancorp (Consolidated)		12,503	11.10		13,965	12.79
Fifth Third Bank		12,373	11.20		12,976	12.08

(a) Under the banking agencies risk-based capital guidelines, assets and credit equivalent amounts of derivatives and off-balance sheet exposures are assigned to broad risk categories. The aggregate dollar amount in each risk category is multiplied by the associated risk weight of the category. The resulting weighted values are added together resulting in the Bancorp's total risk-weighted assets.