8-K

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): December 22, 2010

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
__________________________________________
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland	1-34073	31-0724920
_____________________ (State or other jurisdiction	_____________ (Commission	______________ (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)	File Number)	Identification No.)
41 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio		43287
_________________________________ (Address of principal executive offices)		___________ (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 614-480-8300

Not Applicable
______________________________________________
Former name or former address, if changed since last report

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On December 22, 2010, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated issued a press release disclosing that it has completed the repurchase of its $1.4 billion of Series B Perpetual Preferred Stock that it issued to the U.S. Department of the Treasury under its Troubled Asset Relief Program’s (TARP) Capital Purchase Program.

A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

The following exhibit is being furnished herewith:

Exhibit 99.1 - News Release of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, dated December 22, 2010.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
December 31, 2010	By:	/s/ Donald R. Kimble
		Name: Donald R. Kimble
		Title: Sr. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit Index

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Release of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, dated December 22, 2010.

EX-99.1

December 22, 2010

Contacts:
Analysts
Todd Beekman (614) 480-3878

Media
Maureen Brown (412) 445-7598

HUNTINGTON BANCSHARES COMPLETES ITS REPURCHASE OF $1.4 BILLION IN TARP CAPITAL

Bank plans to continue investment in innovative customer initiatives

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 22, 2010 — Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ: HBAN) today announced that it has completed the repurchase of its $1.4 billion of Series B Perpetual Preferred Stock that it issued to the U.S. Department of the Treasury under its Troubled Asset Relief Program’s (TARP) Capital Purchase Program. The repurchase was made earlier today, following last week’s successful equity and debt issuances.

“We are grateful to our shareholders and customers who remained confident in and loyal to Huntington over the past two years,” said Stephen D. Steinour, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “The repayment was possible because of the significant progress we have made in strengthening our balance sheet, demonstrating our ability to grow earnings, and increasing investor confidence in our future performance. We are now positioned to accelerate our investments aimed at growing the business and focusing on improving long-term shareholders’ returns.

“We are also better positioned to further deepen customer relationships, improve overall customer convenience and invest in our communities,” added Steinour. “In 2010, we took steps to increase our branch network by 17%, added 1,500 positions, most of which were customer-facing, committed $4 billion to small business lending and rolled out 24-Hour Grace ^TM as part of our Fair Play Banking philosophy. We believe that we are now on our way to being the most customer-friendly bank in our markets.” Huntington is believed to be the only bank in the country to offer a product like Huntington’s 24-Hour Grace ^TM, which allows customers time during the next business day to bring the account positive and avoid overdraft fees.

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $53 billion regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Through its affiliated companies, Huntington has been providing a full range of financial services for 144 years. Huntington offers checking, loans, savings, insurance and investment services. It has more than 600 branches and also offers retail and commercial financial services online; through its telephone bank; and through its network of over 1,350 ATMs. Huntington’s Auto Finance and Dealer Services group offers automobile loans to consumers and commercial loans to automobile dealers within our six-state banking franchise area, as well as selected New England states.

Forward-looking Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including certain plans, expectations, goals, projections, and statements, which are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those contained or implied by such statements for a variety of factors including: (1) credit quality performance could worsen due to a number of factors such as the underlying value of the collateral could prove less valuable than otherwise assumed and assumed cash flows may be worse than expected; (2) changes in economic conditions; (3) movements in interest rates;(4) competitive pressures on product pricing and services; (5) success and timing of other business strategies; (6) extended disruption of vital infrastructure; and (7) the nature, extent, and timing of governmental actions and reforms, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as well as future regulations which will be adopted by the relevant regulatory agencies, including the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), to implement the Act’s provisions. In addition, consummation of the above referenced offerings are subject to customary conditions to closing set forth in underwriting agreements that Huntington has entered into in connection with the offerings. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in Huntington’s 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K, and documents subsequently filed by Huntington with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based on information available at the time of the release. Huntington assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.