Note 12 - Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

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

	Year Ended December 31,
	2014		2013			2012
	(In thousands)
Current:
Federal	$	36,180	$	62,254		$	44,263
State		14,481		23,295			17,081
Total Current	$	50,661	$	85,549		$	61,344
Deferred:
Federal		23,783		(11,162	)		3,755
State		7,521		(3,952	)		1,029
Total Deferred	$	31,304	$	(15,114	)	$	4,784
Total income tax expense/(benefit)	$	81,965	$	70,435		$	66,128

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

	As of December 31,
	2014			2013
	(In thousands)
Deferred Tax Assets
Loan loss allowance, due to differences in computation of bad debts	$	66,999		$	89,560
Share-based compensation		12,808			13,573
Accrual for bonuses		4,585			3,380
Non-accrual interest		3,735			3,968
Accrual for litigation		2,918			2,415
Write-down on equity securities and venture capital investments		2,697			2,857
Write-down on other real estate owned		1,357			8,595
State tax		3,253			6,493
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps		1,739			-
Unrealized loss on securities available-for-sale, net		2,301			21,569
Other, net		2,179			4,214
Gross deferred tax assets		104,571			156,624
Deferred Tax Liabilities
Basis difference in acquired assets		(3,321	)		(3,138	)
Dividends on Federal Home Loan Bank common stock		(1,927	)		(2,986	)
Other, net		(3,075	)		(2,773	)
Gross deferred tax liabilities		(8,323	)		(8,897	)
Valuation allowance		-			(1,263	)
Net deferred tax assets	$	96,248		$	146,464

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

	Year Ended December 31,
	2014					2013					2012
	(In thousands)
Tax provision at Federal statutory rate	$	76,928		35.0	%	$	67,752		35.0	%	$	64,248		35.0	%
State income taxes, net of Federal income tax benefit		14,324		6.6			12,573		6.5			11,772		6.4
Interest on obligations of state and political subdivisions, which are exempt from Federal taxation		-		-			(348	)	(0.2	)		(1,456	)	(0.8	)
Low income housing and other tax credits		(10,014	)	(4.6	)		(10,056	)	(5.2	)		(9,353	)	(5.1	)
Other, net		727		0.3			514		0.3			917		0.5
Total income tax expense	$	81,965		37.3	%	$	70,435		36.4	%	$	66,128		36.0	%