Note 12 - Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended December 31,
	2013			2012		2011
	(In thousands)
Current:
Federal	$	62,254		$	44,263	$	26,548
State		23,295			17,081		10,905
	$	85,549		$	61,344	$	37,453
Deferred:
Federal		(11,162	)		3,755		10,133
State		(3,952	)		1,029		3,675
	$	(15,114	)	$	4,784	$	13,808
Total income tax expense/(benefit)	$	70,435		$	66,128	$	51,261

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

	As of December 31,
	2013			2012
	(In thousands)
Deferred Tax Assets
Loan loss allowance, due to differences in computation of bad debts	$	89,560		$	100,774
Write-down on equity securities and venture capital investments		2,857			3,374
Share-based compensation		13,573			16,120
State tax		6,493			4,479
Non-accrual interest		3,968			3,208
Write-down on other real estate owned		8,595			10,302
Accrual for bonuses		3,380			432
Accrual for litigation		2,415			2,415
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps		-			175
Unrealized loss on securities available-for-sale, net		21,569			-
Other, net		4,214			2,937
Gross deferred tax assets		156,624			144,216
Deferred Tax Liabilities
Core deposit intangibles		-			(1,632	)
Investment in aircraft financing trust and venture capital partnerships		-			(19,684	)
Unrealized gain on securities available-for-sale, net		-			(338	)
Basis difference in acquired assets		(3,138	)		(3,145	)
Dividends on Federal Home Loan Bank common stock		(2,986	)		(3,071	)
Other, net		(2,773	)		(1,939	)
Gross deferred tax liabilities		(8,897	)		(29,809	)
Valuation allowance		(1,263	)		(2,125	)
Net deferred tax assets	$	146,464		$	112,282

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended December 31,
	2013					2012					2011
	(In thousands)
Tax provision at Federal statutory rate	$	67,752		35.0	%	$	64,248		35.0	%	$	52,994		35.0	%
State income taxes, net of Federal income tax benefit		12,573		6.5			11,772		6.4			9,477		6.3
Interest on obligations of state and political subdivisions, which are exempt from Federal taxation		(348	)	(0.2	)		(1,456	)	(0.8	)		(1,476	)	(1.0	)
Low income housing and other tax credits		(10,056	)	(5.2	)		(9,353	)	(5.1	)		(10,087	)	(6.6	)
Other, net		514		0.3			917		0.5			353		0.2
Total income tax expense/(benefit)	$	70,435		36.4	%	$	66,128		36.0	%	$	51,261		33.9	%