ITEM 1 – BUSINESS

Business Overview

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we are one of the largest diversified financial services companies in the United States. We have businesses engaged in retail banking, corporate and institutional banking, asset management, and residential mortgage banking, providing many of our products and services nationally, as well as other products and services in our primary geographic markets located in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Maryland, Indiana, Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Wisconsin and South Carolina. We also provide certain products and services internationally. At December 31, 2015, our consolidated total assets, total deposits and total shareholders’ equity were $358.5 billion, $249.0 billion and $44.7 billion, respectively.

We were incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1983 with the consolidation of Pittsburgh National Corporation and Provident National Corporation. Since 1983, we have diversified our geographical presence, business mix and product capabilities through internal growth, strategic bank and non-bank acquisitions and equity investments, and the formation of various non-banking subsidiaries.

Review of Business Segments

In addition to the following information relating to our lines of business, we incorporate the information under the captions Business Segment Highlights and Business Segments Review in Item 7 of this Report here by reference. Also, we include the financial and other information by business in Note 23 Segment Reporting in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report here by reference.

Assets, revenue and earnings attributable to foreign activities were not material in the periods presented. We periodically refine our internal methodologies as management reporting practices are enhanced. To the extent significant and practicable, retrospective application of new methodologies is made to prior period reportable business segment results and disclosures to create comparability with the current period.

See Note 23 Segment Reporting in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report for information on enhancements made in the first quarter of 2015 to PNC’s internal funds transfer pricing methodology.

Retail Banking provides deposit, lending, brokerage, investment management and cash management services to consumer and small business customers within our primary geographic markets. Our customers are serviced through our branch network, ATMs, call centers, online banking and mobile channels. The branch network is located primarily in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Maryland, Indiana, Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Wisconsin and South Carolina.

Our core strategy is to acquire and retain customers who maintain their primary checking and transaction relationships with PNC. We also seek revenue growth by deepening our share of our customers’ financial assets, such as savings and liquidity deposits, loans and investable assets, including retirement assets. A strategic priority for PNC is to redefine the retail banking business in response to changing customer preferences. A key element of this strategy is to expand the use of lower-cost alternative distribution channels while continuing to optimize the traditional branch network. In addition, we have a disciplined process to continually improve the engagement of both our employees and customers, which is a strong indicator of customer growth, retention and relationship expansion.

Corporate & Institutional Banking provides lending, treasury management, and capital markets-related products and services to mid-sized and large corporations, government and not-for-profit entities. Lending products include secured and unsecured loans, letters of credit and equipment leases. Treasury management services include cash and investment management, receivables management, disbursement services, funds transfer services, information reporting and global trade services. Capital markets-related products and services include foreign exchange, derivatives, securities sales and underwriting, loan syndications, mergers and acquisitions advisory, equity capital markets advisory and related services. We also provide commercial loan servicing and technology solutions for the commercial real estate finance industry.

 

Products and services are generally provided within our primary geographic markets, with certain products and services offered nationally and internationally.

Corporate & Institutional Banking’s strategy is to be the leading relationship-based provider of traditional banking products and services to its customers through the economic cycles. We aim to expand our market share and drive higher returns by growing and deepening customer relationships by driving solutions-based selling, while maintaining prudent risk and expense management.

Asset Management Group includes personal wealth management for high net worth and ultra high net worth clients and institutional asset management. Wealth management products and services include investment and retirement planning, customized investment management, private banking, tailored credit solutions, and trust management and administration for individuals and their families. Our Hawthorn unit provides multi-generational family planning including wealth strategy, investment management, private banking, tax and estate planning guidance, performance reporting and personal administration services to ultra high net worth families. Institutional asset management provides investment management, custody administration and retirement administration services. The business also offers PNC proprietary mutual funds. Institutional clients include corporations, unions, municipalities, non-profits, foundations and endowments, primarily located in our geographic footprint.

Asset Management Group is focused on being one of the premier bank-held individual and institutional asset managers in each of the markets it serves. The business seeks to deliver high quality banking, trust and investment management services to our high net worth, ultra high net worth and institutional client sectors through a broad array of products and services. Asset Management Group’s primary goals are to service our clients, grow the business and deliver solid financial performance with prudent risk and expense management.

Residential Mortgage Banking directly originates first lien residential mortgage loans on a nationwide basis with a significant presence within the retail banking footprint. Mortgage loans represent loans collateralized by one-to-four-family residential real estate. These loans are typically underwritten to government agency and/or third-party standards, and either sold, servicing retained, or held on PNC’s balance sheet. Loan sales are primarily to secondary mortgage conduits of Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), Federal Home Loan Banks and third-party investors, or are securitized and issued under the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) program, as

described in more detail in Note 2 Loan Sale and Servicing Activities and Variable Interest Entities in Item 8 of this Report and included here by reference. The mortgage servicing operation performs all functions related to servicing mortgage loans, primarily those in first lien position, for various investors and for loans owned by PNC.

Residential Mortgage Banking is focused on adding value to the PNC franchise by building stronger customer relationships, providing quality investment loans and mortgage servicing opportunities, and delivering acceptable returns consistent with our desired risk appetite. A strategic priority for PNC is to build a stronger residential mortgage business offering seamless delivery to customers while improving efficiencies. Our national distribution capability provides volume that drives economies of scale, risk dispersion and cost-effective extension of the retail banking footprint for cross-selling opportunities.

BlackRock, in which we hold an equity investment, is a leading publicly traded investment management firm providing a broad range of investment and risk management services to institutional and retail clients worldwide. Using a diverse platform of active and index investment strategies across asset classes, BlackRock develops investment outcomes and asset allocation solutions for clients. Product offerings include single- and multi-asset class portfolios investing in equities, fixed income, alternatives and money market instruments. BlackRock also offers an investment and risk management technology platform, risk analytics and advisory services and solutions to a broad base of institutional investors. Our equity investment in BlackRock provides us with an additional source of noninterest income and increases our overall revenue diversification. BlackRock is a publicly traded company, and additional information regarding its business is available in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Non-Strategic Assets Portfolio includes a consumer portfolio of mainly residential mortgage and brokered home equity loans and lines of credit and a small commercial/commercial real estate loan and lease portfolio. We obtained a significant portion of these non-strategic assets through acquisitions of other companies.

Subsidiaries

Our corporate legal structure at December 31, 2015 consisted of one domestic subsidiary bank, including its subsidiaries, and approximately 70 active non-bank subsidiaries, in addition to various affordable housing investments. Our bank subsidiary is PNC Bank, National Association (PNC Bank), a national bank headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For additional information on our subsidiaries, see Exhibit 21 to this Report.

 

Statistical Disclosure By Bank Holding Companies

The following statistical information is included on the indicated pages of this Report and is incorporated herein by reference:

 

		Form 10-K page
Average Consolidated Balance Sheet And Net Interest Analysis		214-215
Analysis Of Year-To-Year Changes In Net Interest Income		216
Book Values Of Securities		44-45 and 144-148
Maturities And Weighted-Average Yield Of Securities		45 and 148
Loan Types		41-43, 127-128 and 217
Selected Loan Maturities And Interest Sensitivity		220
Nonaccrual, Past Due And Restructured Loans And Other Nonperforming Assets		71-77, 113-116, 126-139 and 218
Potential Problem Loans And Loans Held For Sale		45-46 and 71-79
Summary Of Loan Loss Experience		77-79, 141-143 and 219
Allocation Of Allowance For Loan And Lease Losses		77-79 and 220
Average Amount And Average Rate Paid On Deposits		214-215
Time Deposits Of $100,000 Or More		220
Selected Consolidated Financial Data		32-33
Short-term borrowings – not included as average balances during 2015, 2014, and 2013 were less than 30% of total shareholders’ equity at the end of each period.

Supervision and Regulation

PNC is a bank holding company (BHC) registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (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. See Note 19 Regulatory Matters in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report for additional information regarding our regulatory matters. Applicable laws and regulations restrict our permissible activities and investments, impose conditions and requirements on the products and services we offer and

the manner in which they are offered and sold, 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 our bank subsidiary, and impose capital adequacy and liquidity requirements. The consequences of noncompliance can include substantial monetary and nonmonetary sanctions.

In addition, we are subject to comprehensive supervision and periodic examination 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). These examinations consider not only compliance with applicable laws, regulations and supervisory policies of the agency, but also capital levels, asset quality, risk management effectiveness, 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 and take enforcement action against a regulated entity where the relevant agency determines, among other things, that such operations fail to comply with applicable law or regulations or are conducted in an unsafe or unsound manner. This supervisory framework, including the examination reports and supervisory ratings (which are not publicly available) of the agencies, could materially impact the conduct, growth and profitability of our operations.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is responsible for examining PNC Bank and its affiliates (including PNC) for compliance with most federal consumer financial protection laws, including the laws relating to fair lending and prohibiting unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices in connection with the offer, sale or provision of consumer financial products or services, and for enforcing such laws with respect to PNC Bank and its affiliates. The results of the CFPB’s examinations, which are not publicly available, also can result in restrictions or limitations on the operations of a regulated entity as well as enforcement actions against a regulated entity, including the imposition of substantial monetary penalties and nonmonetary requirements.

We also are subject to regulation by the 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.

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, CFPB, SEC, CFTC and other domestic and foreign regulators have broad enforcement powers, and certain of the regulators have the power to approve, deny, or refuse to act upon our applications or notices to conduct new activities, acquire or divest businesses, assets or deposits, or reconfigure existing operations.

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. 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 as Risk Factors in Item 1A of this Report discussing the impact of financial regulatory reform initiatives, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank), and regulations promulgated to implement it, on the regulatory environment for PNC and 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 the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering laws, the oversight of arrangements with third-party vendors and suppliers, the protection of confidential customer information, capital and liquidity management, the structure and effectiveness of enterprise risk management frameworks, and cyber-security. In addition, there is an increased focus on fair lending and other consumer protection issues.

Additional legislation, changes in rules promulgated by federal financial regulators, 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 sectors in general, including changes to the laws governing taxation, antitrust regulation and electronic commerce.

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, regulations and supervisory policies 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.

Dodd-Frank Act

Dodd-Frank, which was signed into law on July 21, 2010, comprehensively reformed the regulation of financial institutions, products and services. Dodd-Frank requires various federal regulatory agencies to implement numerous new rules and regulations. Because federal agencies are granted broad discretion in drafting these rules and regulations, and many implementing rules have not yet been issued, have only been issued in proposed form, or have only recently been finalized, some of the details and the full impact of Dodd-Frank may not be known for months or years. Among other things, Dodd-Frank established the CFPB; provided for new capital standards that eliminate the treatment of trust preferred securities as Tier 1 regulatory capital; required that deposit insurance assessments be calculated based on an insured depository institution’s assets rather than its insured deposits; raised the minimum Designated Reserve Ratio (the balance in the Deposit Insurance Fund divided by estimated insured deposits) to 1.35%; established a comprehensive regulatory regime for the derivatives activities of financial institutions; prohibited banking entities, after a transition period and subject to certain exceptions and exemptions, from engaging in proprietary trading, as well as acquiring or retaining ownership interests in, sponsoring, and having certain types of relationships with hedge funds, private equity funds, and other private funds (through provisions commonly referred to as the “Volcker Rule”); placed limitations on the interchange fees charged for debit card transactions; and established new minimum mortgage underwriting standards for residential mortgages.

Financial Stability Oversight Council. Dodd-Frank also established the 10-member inter-agency Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), which is charged with identifying and monitoring systemic risks and strengthening the regulation of financial holding companies and certain non-bank companies deemed to be “systemically important.” In extraordinary cases, the FSOC, in conjunction with the Federal Reserve, could order the break-up of financial firms that are deemed to present a grave threat to the financial stability of the United States.

Banking Regulation and Supervision

Enhanced Prudential Requirements. Dodd-Frank requires the Federal Reserve to establish enhanced prudential standards for BHCs with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more, such as PNC, as well as systemically important non-bank financial companies designated by the FSOC for Federal Reserve supervision. For such BHCs, these enhanced standards must be more stringent than the standards and requirements applicable to BHCs with less than $50 billion in assets, and must increase in stringency based on the Federal Reserve’s assessment of a BHC’s risk to the financial system. The FSOC may make recommendations to the Federal Reserve concerning the establishment and refinement of these enhanced prudential standards.

 

The Federal Reserve’s enhanced prudential standards related to liquidity risk management and overall risk management took effect for PNC on January 1, 2015. These rules, among other things, require that covered BHCs conduct liquidity stress tests at least monthly, maintain a contingency funding plan and sufficient highly liquid assets to meet net stress cash-flow needs (as projected under the company’s liquidity stress tests) for 30 days, and establish certain oversight and governance responsibilities for the chief risk officer, the board of directors, and the risk committee of the board of directors of a covered company. These standards also require the Federal Reserve to impose a maximum 15-to-1 debt to equity ratio on a BHC if the FSOC determines that the company poses a grave threat to the financial stability of the United States and that the imposition of such a debt-to-equity requirement would mitigate such risk. The Federal Reserve continues to work towards finalizing the other enhanced prudential standards that it must establish under Dodd-Frank, including counterparty credit exposure limits and early remediation requirements. For additional information see Item 1A Risk Factors of this Report.

Regulatory Capital Requirements, Stress Testing and Capital Planning. PNC and PNC Bank are subject to the regulatory capital requirements established by the Federal Reserve and the OCC, respectively. Under the regulatory capital rules, a banking organization’s risk-based capital ratios are calculated by allocating assets and specified off-balance sheet financial instruments into risk-weighted categories (with higher levels of capital being required for the categories perceived as representing greater risk), which are used to determine the amount of a banking organization’s total risk-weighted assets. The foundation of the agencies’ regulatory capital rules is the international regulatory capital framework developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel Committee), the international body responsible for developing global regulatory standards for banking organizations for consideration and adoption by national jurisdictions. In July 2013, the U.S. banking agencies adopted rules to implement the new international regulatory capital standards established by the Basel Committee, known as “Basel III”, as well as to implement certain provisions of Dodd-Frank. Many provisions are phased-in over a period of years, with the rules generally fully phased-in as of January 1, 2019.

The rules adopted in July 2013 generally have three fundamental parts. The first part, referred to as the Basel III capital rule, among other things, narrows the definition of regulatory capital, requires banking organizations with $15 billion or more in assets (including PNC) to phase-out trust preferred securities from Tier 1 regulatory capital, establishes a new common equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital regulatory requirement for banking organizations, and revises the capital levels at which PNC and PNC Bank would be subject to prompt corrective action. These rules also require that significant common stock investments in unconsolidated financial institutions, as well as mortgage servicing rights and

deferred tax assets, be deducted from CET1 regulatory capital to the extent such items individually exceed 10%, or in the aggregate exceed 15%, of the organization’s adjusted Basel III CET1 regulatory capital. Our common stock investment in BlackRock is treated as a significant common stock investment in an unconsolidated financial institution for these purposes. We previously referred to Basel III CET1 capital as Basel III Tier 1 common capital. The Basel III capital rule also significantly limits the extent to which minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries (including minority interests in the form of REIT preferred securities) may be included in regulatory capital. In addition, for banking organizations, like PNC, which are subject to the advanced approaches (described below), the rule includes other comprehensive income related to both available for sale securities and pension and other post-retirement plans as a component of CET1 capital. The Basel III capital rule became effective on January 1, 2014 for PNC and PNC Bank, although many provisions are phased-in over a period of years.

The second part of the rules adopted in July 2013 is referred to as the advanced approaches and materially revises the framework for the risk-weighting of assets under Basel II. The Basel II framework, which was adopted by the Basel Committee in 2004, seeks to provide more risk-sensitive regulatory capital calculations and promote enhanced risk management practices among large, internationally active banking organizations. Advanced approaches risk-weighted assets take account of credit, market and operational risk and rely to a significant extent on internal models. The advanced approaches modifications adopted by the U.S. banking agencies became effective on January 1, 2014, and generally apply to banking organizations (such as PNC and PNC Bank) that have $250 billion or more in total consolidated assets or that have $10 billion or more in on-balance sheet foreign exposure. Prior to fully implementing the advanced approaches to calculate risk-weighted assets, PNC and PNC Bank must successfully complete a “parallel run” qualification phase. PNC and PNC Bank entered this parallel run qualification phase on January 1, 2013. Although the minimum parallel run qualification period is four quarters, the parallel run period for PNC and PNC Bank, now in its fourth year, is consistent with the experience of other U.S. banks that have all had multi-year parallel run periods.

The third major part of the rules adopted in July 2013 is referred to as the standardized approach and materially revises the framework for the risk-weighting of assets under Basel I. The standardized approach for risk-weighted assets takes into account credit and market risk. Under the standardized approach for credit risk, the nominal dollar amounts of assets and credit equivalent amounts of off-balance sheet items are generally multiplied by one of several risk adjustment percentages set forth in the rules and that increase as the perceived credit risk of the relevant asset increases. For certain types of exposures, such as securitization exposures, the standardized approach establishes one or more

 

methodologies that are to be used to calculate the risk-weighted asset amount for the exposure. The standardized approach took effect on January 1, 2015.

The risk-based capital and leverage rules that the federal banking regulators have adopted require the capital-to-assets ratios of banking organizations, including PNC and PNC Bank, to meet certain minimum standards. The Basel III rule generally divides regulatory capital into three components: CET1 capital, additional Tier 1 capital (which, together with CET1 capital, comprises Tier 1 capital) and Tier 2 capital. CET1 capital is generally common stock, retained earnings, qualifying minority interest and, for advanced approaches banking organizations, accumulated other comprehensive income, less the deductions required to be made from CET1 capital. Additional Tier 1 capital generally includes, among other things, perpetual preferred stock and qualifying minority interests, less the deductions required to be made from additional Tier 1. Tier 2 capital generally comprises qualifying subordinated debt, less any required deductions from Tier 2 capital. Total capital is the sum of Tier 1 capital and Tier 2 capital, less the deductions required from total capital.

As a result of the staggered effective dates of the final U.S. capital rules issued in July 2013, as well as the fact that PNC remains in the parallel run qualification phase for the advanced approaches, PNC’s regulatory risk-based capital ratios in 2015 were based on the definitions of, and deductions from, capital under Basel III (as such definitions and deductions were phased-in for 2015) and the standardized approach for determining risk-weighted assets. Until PNC has exited parallel run, PNC’s regulatory risk-based Basel III ratios will be calculated using the standardized approach for determining risk-weighted assets, and the definitions of, and deductions from, capital under Basel III (as such definitions and deductions are phased-in through 2019). Once PNC exits parallel run, its regulatory risk-based capital ratios will be the lower of the ratios calculated under the standardized approach and the advanced approaches. We refer to the capital ratios calculated using the phased-in Basel III provisions as the Transitional Basel III ratios. The Transitional Basel III regulatory capital ratios of PNC and PNC Bank as of December 31, 2015 exceeded the applicable minimum levels in effect for 2015. For additional information regarding the Transitional Basel III capital ratios of PNC and PNC Bank as of December 31, 2015, as well as the levels needed to be considered “well capitalized”, see the Capital portion of the Consolidated Balance Sheet Review section of Item 7 of this Report.

The Basel III capital rule requires that banking organizations maintain a minimum CET1 ratio of 4.5%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6.0%, and a total capital ratio of 8.0% to be considered “adequately capitalized.” The Basel III capital rule also includes a capital conservation buffer requirement above the minimum risk-based capital ratio requirements that banking organizations must meet in order to avoid limitations on capital distributions (including dividends and repurchases of

any Tier 1 capital instrument, including common and qualifying preferred stock) and certain discretionary incentive compensation payments. The multi-year phase-in of the capital conservation buffer requirement began on January 1, 2016, and, for 2016, banking organizations (including PNC and PNC Bank) are required to maintain a CET1 capital ratio of at least 5.125%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 6.625%, and a total capital ratio of at least 8.625% to avoid limitations on capital distributions and certain discretionary incentive compensation payments. When fully phased-in on January 1, 2019, banking organizations must maintain a CET1 capital ratio of at least 7.0%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 8.5%, and a total capital ratio of at least 10.5% to avoid limitations on capital distributions and certain discretionary incentive compensation payments.

For banking organizations that are subject to the advanced approaches (such as PNC and PNC Bank), these higher capital conservation buffer levels above the regulatory minimums could be supplemented by a countercyclical capital buffer based on U.S. credit exposures of up to an additional 2.5% of risk-weighted assets (once fully phased-in), although this buffer is currently set at zero in the United States. In December 2015, the Federal Reserve issued for public comment a proposed policy statement on the framework and factors the Federal Reserve would use in setting and adjusting the amount of the U.S. countercyclical capital buffer. Under the Basel III rule, covered banking organizations would generally have 12 months after the announcement of any increase in the countercyclical capital buffer to meet the increased buffer requirement amount, unless the Federal Reserve determines to establish an earlier effective date. Under the phase-in schedule for the countercyclical capital buffer, the maximum potential countercyclical capital buffer amount is 0.625% in 2016, 1.25% in 2017, 1.875% in 2018, and 2.5% in 2019 and thereafter. When fully phased-in and if the full buffer amount is implemented, covered banking organizations would be required to maintain a CET1 capital ratio of at least 9.5%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 11%, and a total capital ratio of at least 13% to avoid limitations on capital distributions and certain discretionary incentive compensation payments.

In July 2015, the Federal Reserve adopted final rules to apply an additional risk-based CET1 capital surcharge of between 1.0% and 4.5% (when fully phased-in on January 1, 2019) to U.S. firms identified as globally systemically important banks (GSIBs) using a scoring methodology that is based on five measures of global systemic importance (size, interconnectedness, substitutability, complexity, and cross-jurisdictional activity). Based on the methodology, PNC is not subject to this GSIB surcharge.

In October 2015, the Federal Reserve requested public comment on proposed rules that would require U.S. GSIBs and the U.S. operations of foreign-based GSIBs to meet a new minimum long-term debt requirement and a new minimum

 

total loss-absorbing capacity (TLAC) requirement. Under the proposed rules, once the requirements are fully phased-in, U.S. GSIBs would be required to maintain at a minimum (i) a long-term debt amount of the greater of 6 percent plus its GSIB risk-based surcharge of risk-weighted assets or 4.5 percent of total leverage exposure; and (ii) a TLAC amount of the greater of 18 percent of risk-weighted assets or 9.5 percent of total leverage exposure. As proposed, these requirements would not apply to PNC.

The regulatory capital framework adopted by the federal banking regulators also requires that banking organizations maintain a minimum amount of Tier 1 capital to average consolidated assets, referred to as the leverage ratio. Banking organizations are required to maintain a minimum leverage ratio of Tier 1 capital to total assets of 4.0%. As of December 31, 2015, the leverage ratios of PNC and PNC Bank were above the required minimum level.

Under the Basel III capital rule, banking organizations subject to the advanced approaches (such as PNC and PNC Bank) also will be subject to a new minimum 3.0% supplementary leverage ratio that becomes effective on January 1, 2018. The supplementary leverage ratio is calculated by dividing Tier 1 capital by total leverage exposure and takes into account on balance sheet assets as well as certain off-balance sheet items, including loan commitments and potential future exposure under derivative contracts. BHCs with total consolidated assets of more than $700 billion or assets under custody of more than $10 trillion, as well as the insured depository institution subsidiaries of these BHCs, are subject to a higher supplementary leverage ratio requirement. These higher supplementary leverage requirements do not apply to PNC or PNC Bank.

Failure to meet applicable capital guidelines could subject a banking organization to a variety of enforcement remedies available to the federal bank regulatory agencies, including a limitation on the ability to pay dividends or repurchase shares, the issuance of a capital directive to increase capital and, in severe cases, the termination of deposit insurance by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the appointment of a conservator or receiver. 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. Business activities may also be affected by an institution’s capital classification. For instance, only a “well capitalized” insured depository institution may accept brokered deposits without prior regulatory approval. In addition, in order for PNC to remain a financial holding company and engage in the broader range of financial activities authorized for such a company, PNC and PNC Bank must remain “well capitalized.” At December 31, 2015, PNC

and PNC Bank exceeded the required ratios for classification as “well capitalized.” The Basel III capital rule revised the thresholds at which an insured depositary institution is considered “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized” or “critically undercapitalized.” The revised thresholds, among other things, (i) include the CET1 capital metric; (ii) generally increase the amount of Tier 1 capital required to remain within each capital category (other than the “critically undercapitalized” category); and (iii) for institutions subject to the advanced approaches, include a supplementary leverage ratio threshold in the definitions of “adequately capitalized” and “undercapitalized” once the supplementary leverage ratio takes effect as a minimum requirement in 2018. The revised thresholds generally took effect on January 1, 2015. For additional discussion of capital adequacy requirements, we refer you to the Capital portion of the Consolidated Balance Sheet Review section of Item 7 of this Report and to Note 19 Regulatory Matters in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report.

In addition to these regulatory capital requirements, PNC is subject to the Federal Reserve’s capital plan rule, annual capital stress testing requirements and Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) process, as well as the annual and mid-year Dodd-Frank capital stress testing (DFAST) requirements of the Federal Reserve and the OCC. As part of the CCAR process, the Federal Reserve undertakes a supervisory assessment of the capital adequacy of BHCs, including PNC, that have $50 billion or more in total consolidated assets. This capital adequacy assessment is based on a review of a comprehensive capital plan submitted by each participating BHC to the Federal Reserve that describes the company’s planned capital actions, such as plans to pay or increase common stock dividends, reinstate or increase common stock repurchase programs, or redeem preferred stock or other regulatory capital instruments, during the nine quarter review period, as well as the results of stress tests conducted by both the company and the Federal Reserve under different hypothetical macro-economic scenarios, including a supervisory adverse scenario and severely adverse scenario provided by the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve can object to a BHC’s capital plan for qualitative or quantitative reasons, in which case the BHC cannot make capital distributions without specific Federal Reserve approval.

In evaluating a BHC’s capital plan, the Federal Reserve considers a number of qualitative factors, which have become increasingly important in the CCAR process in recent years. The Federal Reserve’s supervisory expectations for the capital planning and stress testing processes at large and complex BHCs, including PNC, are heightened relative to smaller and less complex BHCs. In assessing a BHC’s capital planning and stress testing processes, the Federal Reserve considers whether the BHC has sound and effective governance to oversee these processes. The Federal Reserve’s evaluation

 

focuses on whether a BHC’s capital planning and stress testing processes are supported by a strong risk management framework to identify, measure and assess material risks and to provide a strong foundation to capital planning. The Federal Reserve also considers the comprehensiveness of a BHC’s control framework and evaluates a BHC’s policy guidelines for capital planning and assessing capital adequacy. A BHC’s scenario design processes and approaches for estimating the impact of stress on its capital position are comprehensively reviewed to ensure that projections reflect the impact of appropriately stressful conditions on its capital position. Significant deficiencies in a BHC’s capital planning and stress testing processes may result in a qualitative objection by the Federal Reserve to its capital plan.

From a quantitative perspective, the Federal Reserve considers whether under different hypothetical macro-economic scenarios, including the supervisory severely adverse scenario, the company would be able to maintain throughout each quarter of the nine quarter planning horizon, even if it maintained its base case planned capital actions, projected regulatory risk-based and leverage capital ratios that exceed the minimums that are, or would then be, in effect for the company, taking into account the Basel III capital rules and any applicable phase-in periods. Failure to meet a minimum regulatory risk-based or leverage capital requirement on a projected stress basis is grounds for objection to a BHC’s capital plan. In addition, the Federal Reserve evaluates a company’s projected path towards compliance with the Basel III regulatory capital framework on a fully implemented basis.

In connection with the 2016 CCAR exercise, PNC must file its capital plan and stress testing results using financial data as of December 31, 2015 with the Federal Reserve by April 5, 2016. PNC expects to receive the Federal Reserve’s response (either a non-objection or objection) to the capital plan submitted as part of the 2016 CCAR in June 2016.

As part of the CCAR and annual DFAST processes, both the Federal Reserve and PNC release certain revenue, loss and capital results from their stress testing exercises. For the 2016 exercises, the Federal Reserve has announced that it intends to publish its supervisory revenue, loss and capital projections for participating BHCs under the supervisory adverse and severely adverse macro-economic scenarios using the common assumptions concerning capital distributions established by the Federal Reserve in its DFAST regulations (DFAST capital action assumptions), as well as capital ratio information using the company’s proposed base case capital actions. Within 15 days after the Federal Reserve publishes its DFAST results, PNC also is required to publicly disclose its own estimates of certain capital, revenue and loss information under the same hypothetical supervisory severely adverse macro-economic scenario and applying the DFAST capital action assumptions.

Federal Reserve regulations also require that PNC and other large BHCs conduct a separate stress test using financial data

as of June 30 and three company-derived macro-economic scenarios (base, adverse and severely adverse) and publish a summary of the results under the severely adverse scenario. For the 2016 stress test cycle, PNC must publish its results in the period between October 5 and November 4, 2016.

The Federal Reserve’s capital plan rule provides that a BHC must resubmit a new capital plan prior to the annual submission date if, among other things, there has been or will be a material change in the BHC’s risk profile, financial condition, or corporate structure since its last capital plan submission. Under the “de minimis” safe harbor of the Federal Reserve’s capital plan rule, PNC may make limited repurchases of common stock or other capital distributions in amounts that exceed the amounts included in its most recently approved capital plan, provided that, among other things, such distributions do not exceed, in the aggregate, 1% of PNC’s Tier 1 capital and the Federal Reserve does not object to the additional repurchases or distributions.

Basel III Liquidity and Other Requirements. The Basel III framework adopted by the Basel Committee included short-term liquidity standards (the “Liquidity Coverage Ratio” or “LCR”) and long-term funding standards (the “Net Stable Funding Ratio” or “NSFR”).

The rules adopted by the U.S. banking agencies to implement the LCR took effect on January 1, 2015. The LCR rules are designed to ensure that covered banking organizations maintain an adequate level of cash and high quality, unencumbered liquid assets (HQLA) to meet estimated net liquidity needs in a short-term stress scenario using liquidity inflow and outflow assumptions provided in the rules (net cash outflow). A company’s LCR is the amount of its HQLA, as defined and calculated in accordance with the haircuts and limitations in the rule, divided by its net cash outflow, with the quotient expressed as a percentage.

Top-tier BHCs (like PNC) that are subject to the advanced approaches for regulatory capital purposes, as well as any subsidiary depository institution of such a company that has $10 billion or more in total consolidated assets (such as PNC Bank), are subject to the full LCR (rather than the less stringent modified LCR). However, the minimum required LCR is subject to a phase-in. The minimum LCR PNC and PNC Bank must maintain was 80% in 2015, increased to 90% in 2016 and increases to 100% when fully phased-in starting in 2017. PNC and PNC Bank are required to calculate the LCR on a month-end basis until June 30, 2016, and then on a daily basis beginning on July 1, 2016. An institution required to calculate its LCR on a month-end basis must consult with its primary federal regulator if its LCR falls below the required minimum for three consecutive days to determine whether the institution must provide a plan for achieving compliance with the minimum LCR. An institution required to calculate the LCR on a daily basis must promptly provide its

 

regulator with a plan for achieving compliance with the minimum if its LCR is below the minimum for three consecutive business days.

The Federal Reserve also has adopted new liquidity risk management requirements for BHCs with $50 billion or more in consolidated total assets (like PNC) that became effective on January 1, 2015. The new rules require covered BHCs to, among other things, conduct internal liquidity stress tests over a range of time horizons, maintain a buffer of highly liquid assets sufficient to meet projected net outflows under the BHC’s 30-day liquidity stress test, and maintain a contingency funding plan that meets detailed requirements.

For additional discussion of regulatory liquidity requirements, please refer to the Liquidity Risk Management portion of the Risk Management section of Item 7 of this Report.

In November 2015, the Federal Reserve issued a proposed rule for public comment that would require large BHCs, including PNC, to publicly disclose quantitative and qualitative measures of their liquidity profile. The proposed disclosure would include a common disclosure template that would include the components used to calculate the LCR (e.g., HQLA, cash outflows and inflows for the consolidated parent company), and a qualitative discussion of the LCR results, including, among other things, key drivers of the results, composition of HQLA and concentration of funding sources. As proposed, PNC would be required to make these disclosures starting with the third quarter, 2017.

The NSFR is designed to promote a stable maturity structure of assets and liabilities of banking organizations over a one-year time horizon. The Basel Committee, in October 2014, released the final NSFR framework. Under that framework, the NSFR would take effect as a minimum regulatory standard on January 1, 2018, although the U.S. banking agencies have not yet proposed rules to implement the NSFR.

Parent Company Liquidity and Dividends. The principal source of our liquidity at the parent company level is dividends from PNC Bank. PNC Bank is subject to various restrictions on its ability to pay dividends to PNC Bancorp, Inc., its direct parent, which is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of PNC. PNC Bank is also subject to federal laws limiting extensions of credit to its parent holding company and non-bank affiliates as discussed in Note 19 Regulatory Matters in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report. Further information on bank level liquidity and parent company liquidity and on certain contractual restrictions is also available in the Liquidity Risk Management portion of the Risk Management section of Item 7 of this Report, and in Note 11 Borrowed Funds and Note 16 Equity in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report.

Federal Reserve rules provide that a BHC is expected to serve as a source of financial strength to its subsidiary banks and to commit resources to support such banks if necessary. Consistent with the “source of strength” policy for subsidiary banks, the Federal Reserve has stated that, as a matter of prudent banking, a BHC 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 2016 CCAR, discussed above, the Federal Reserve stated that it expects capital plans submitted in 2016 to 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.

Additional Powers Under the GLB Act. The GLB Act permits a qualifying BHC 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 BHC. 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. PNC became a financial holding company as of March 13, 2000. In order to be and remain a financial holding company, a BHC 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 authorized by the GLB Act, or acquire a company engaged in such a new 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). 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. 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.

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

 

In addition, the GLB Act permits qualifying national banks to engage in expanded activities through the formation of a “financial subsidiary.” PNC Bank has filed a financial subsidiary certification with the OCC and currently engages in insurance agency activities through financial subsidiaries. PNC Bank may also generally engage through a financial subsidiary in any activity that is determined to be financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Federal Reserve (other than insurance underwriting activities, insurance company investment activities and merchant banking). In order to have a financial subsidiary, a national bank and each of its depository institution affiliates must be and remain “well capitalized” and “well managed.” In addition, a financial subsidiary generally may not engage in a new financial activity authorized by the GLB Act, or acquire a company engaged in such a new financial activity, if the national bank or any of its insured depository institution affiliates received a less than Satisfactory rating at its most recent evaluation under the CRA.

Volcker Rule. In December 2013, the U.S. banking agencies, SEC and CFTC issued final rules to implement the “Volcker Rule” provisions of Dodd-Frank. The Volcker Rule’s prohibitions and restrictions generally became effective on July 21, 2015. The rules prohibit banks and their affiliates (collectively, banking entities) from trading as principal on a short-term basis in securities, derivatives and certain other financial instruments, but also includes several important exclusions and exemptions from this prohibition. These exclusions and exemptions, for example, permit banking entities, subject to a variety of conditions and restrictions, to trade as principal for securities underwriting, market making and risk-mitigating hedging purposes, and to trade in U.S. government and municipal securities. We currently do not expect the proprietary trading aspects of the final rules to have a material effect on PNC’s businesses or revenue. However, the limits and restrictions of the Volcker Rule could, depending on the agencies’ approach to interpreting the rules, cause PNC to forego engaging in hedging or other transactions that it would otherwise undertake in the ordinary course of business and, thus, to some extent, may limit the ability of PNC to most effectively hedge its risks, manage its balance sheet or provide products or services to its customers.

The rules also prohibit banking entities from acquiring and retaining ownership interests in, sponsoring, and having certain relationships with private funds (such as, for example, private equity and hedge funds) that would be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940 but for the exemptions in sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of that act (covered funds). Again there are exemptions from these restrictions which themselves are subject to a variety of conditions. Moreover, the rules prohibit banking entities from engaging in permitted trading or covered fund activities if the activity would involve or result in a material conflict of interest between the banking entity and its clients, customers,

or counterparties, result in a material exposure by the banking entity to a high-risk asset or a high-risk trading strategy, or pose a threat to the safety and soundness of the banking entity or to the financial stability of the United States. Banking entities, like PNC, that have $50 billion or more in total assets are required to establish and maintain an enhanced compliance program designed to ensure that the entity complies with the requirements of the final rules.

In December 2014, the Federal Reserve granted an extension of the conformance period to give all banking entities until July 21, 2016 to conform their investments in, and relationships with, covered funds that were held or existed prior to December 31, 2013 (legacy covered funds). Moreover, the Federal Reserve indicated its intent to grant an additional one-year extension of the conformance period for legacy covered funds, which would give banking entities until July 21, 2017 to conform their ownership interests in, and relationships with, legacy covered funds subject to the Volcker Rule. The Federal Reserve also has the ability to provide up to an additional 5-year conformance period for investments held as of May 1, 2010 in qualifying illiquid funds. For additional information concerning the potential impact of the Volcker Rule on PNC’s operations, please refer to Item 1A Risk Factors of this Report.

Other Federal Reserve and OCC Regulation and Supervision. Laws and regulations limit the scope of our permitted activities and investments. The federal banking agencies also possess broad powers to take corrective action as deemed appropriate for an insured depository institution and its holding company.

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 BHC to engage in new activities, grow, acquire new businesses, repurchase its stock or pay dividends, or to continue to conduct existing activities. The OCC, moreover, has established certain heightened risk management and governance standards for large banks, including PNC Bank, as enforceable guidelines under section 39 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act). The guidelines, among other things, establish minimum standards for the design and implementation of a risk governance framework, describe the appropriate risk management roles and responsibilities of front line units, independent risk management, internal audit, and the board of directors, and provide that a covered bank should have a comprehensive written statement that articulates its risk appetite and serves as a basis for the framework (a risk appetite statement). If the OCC determines that a covered national bank is not in compliance with these or other guidelines established under section 39 of the FDI Act (including the guidelines relating to information security standards), the OCC may require the bank to submit a corrective action plan and may initiate

 

enforcement action against the bank if an acceptable plan is not submitted or the bank fails to comply with an approved plan.

Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and the Federal Reserve’s implementing regulation, Regulation W, place quantitative and qualitative restrictions on covered transactions between a bank and its affiliates (for example between PNC Bank, on the one hand, and PNC and its nonbank subsidiaries, on the other hand). In general, section 23A and Regulation W limit the total amount of covered transactions between a bank and any single affiliate to 10 percent of the bank’s capital stock and surplus, limit the total amount of covered transactions between a bank and all its affiliates to 20 percent of the bank’s capital stock and surplus, prohibit a bank from purchasing low-quality assets from an affiliate, and require certain covered transactions to be secured with prescribed amounts of collateral. Section 23B generally requires that transactions between a bank and its affiliates be on terms that are at least as favorable to the bank as the terms that would apply in comparable transactions between the bank and a third party. Dodd-Frank amended section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act to include as a covered transaction the credit exposure of a bank to an affiliate arising from a derivative transaction with the affiliate. The Federal Reserve has yet to propose rules to implement these revisions.

The Federal Reserve’s prior approval is required whenever we propose to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of any bank or savings association, to acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of any class of voting securities of any bank or savings association, or to merge or consolidate with any other BHC or savings and loan holding company. The BHC Act and other federal law enumerates the factors the Federal Reserve must consider when reviewing the merger of BHCs, the acquisition of banks, or the acquisition of voting securities of a bank or BHC. 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 the financial stability of the United States; 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 Federal Reserve also must consider the concentration of deposits nationwide and in certain individual states. Under Dodd-Frank, a BHC is generally prohibited from merging or consolidating with, or acquiring, another company if the resulting company’s liabilities upon consummation would exceed 10% of the aggregate liabilities of the U.S. financial sector (including the U.S. liabilities of foreign financial companies). OCC prior approval is required for PNC Bank to acquire another insured bank or savings association by merger or to acquire deposits

or substantially all of the assets of such institutions. 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. Approval of the FDIC is required to merge a nonbank entity into PNC Bank. Our ability to grow through acquisitions or reorganize our operations could be limited by these approval requirements.

At December 31, 2015, PNC Bank had an “Outstanding” rating with respect to the CRA.

As a national bank, PNC Bank is required to be a member of the Federal Reserve System. A member bank is required to subscribe to stock in its regional Federal Reserve Bank and receives an annual dividend on the amount of paid-in stock. Effective January 1, 2016, the annual dividend rate paid by a Federal Reserve Bank to stockholders with total consolidated assets of $10 billion or more, such as PNC Bank, was changed (from a flat 6 percent rate) to be the lower of (i) the rate equal to the high yield of the 10-year Treasury note auctioned at the last auction before the dividend is paid, or (ii) 6 percent.

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

FDIC Insurance and Related Matters. PNC Bank is insured by the FDIC and subject to deposit 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, among other things, weaknesses that are found by the primary banking regulator through its examination and supervision of the bank and the bank’s holdings of assets or liabilities classified as higher risk by the FDIC. For example, an insured depository institution’s examination rating and the amount of brokered deposits (as defined under the FDI Act) held by an insured depository institution, among other things, can adversely affect the institution’s deposit insurance assessments. 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. The methodology for the deposit insurance base calculation currently uses average assets less average tangible equity.

Federal banking laws and regulations also apply a variety of requirements or restrictions on insured depository institutions with respect to brokered deposits. For example, brokered deposits are generally subject to higher outflow assumptions than other types of deposits for purposes of the LCR. In 2015, the FDIC issued a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the definition of brokered deposits under the FDI Act and then requested public comment on potential revisions to the FAQs.

 

The Dodd-Frank Act mandated an increase in the Designated Reserve Ratio (the balance in the Deposit Insurance Fund divided by estimated insured deposits) from 1.15% to 1.35% by September 30, 2020, and required that insured depository institutions with $10 billion or more in total assets, such as PNC, bear the cost of the increase. In October 2015, the FDIC requested comment on a proposed rule that would impose a surcharge, equal to 4.5 basis points of an institution’s deposit insurance assessment base, on the quarterly deposit insurance assessments of all insured depository institutions with total consolidated assets of $10 billion or more (including PNC Bank) in order to fund this increase in the Designated Reserve Ratio. Under the proposal, the surcharge would take effect for assessments billed after the Designated Reserve Ratio reaches 1.15 percent (estimated by the FDIC to most likely occur in the first quarter of 2016) or such later date as the proposed rule is finalized, and would continue until the reserve ratio reached 1.35 percent (estimated by the FDIC to occur under the proposal before the end of 2018). Based on data as of December 31, 2015, we estimate that the net effect of the proposed surcharge, together with the scheduled reduction of regular assessments that will go into effect when the Designated Reserve Ratio reaches 1.15 percent, would increase PNC Bank’s quarterly assessment by approximately $20 million. The comment period closed on January 5, 2016.

Recovery and Resolution Planning. Dodd-Frank requires BHCs that have $50 billion or more in assets, such as PNC, to periodically submit to the Federal Reserve and the FDIC 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 a covered BHC, 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 the company under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (or other applicable resolution framework), and additionally could require the company to divest assets or take other actions if the company did not submit an acceptable resolution plan within two years after any such restrictions were imposed. The FDIC also requires large insured depository institutions, including PNC Bank, 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 FDI Act in a manner that protects depositors and limits losses or costs to creditors of the bank in accordance with the FDI Act. Depending on how the agencies conduct their review of the resolution plans submitted by PNC and PNC Bank, these requirements could affect the ways in which PNC structures and conducts its business and result in higher compliance and operating costs. PNC and PNC Bank submitted their 2015 resolution plans under these rules in December 2015.

In December 2015, the OCC issued for public comment proposed enforceable guidelines under section 39 of the FDI

Act that would establish standards for recovery planning for insured national banks, with average total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more, including PNC Bank. The proposed guidelines would require a covered bank to develop and maintain a recovery plan that, among other things, identifies a range of options that could be undertaken by the banking organization to restore its financial and operational strength and viability should identified triggering events reflecting the banking organization’s vulnerabilities occur. The proposal does not specify an effective date for the guidelines. The public comment period for the enforceable guidelines closed on February 16, 2016.

CFPB Regulation and Supervision. As noted above, Dodd-Frank gives the CFPB authority to examine PNC and PNC Bank for compliance with a broad range of federal consumer financial laws and regulations, including the laws and regulations that relate to deposit products, credit card, mortgage, automobile and other consumer loans, and other consumer financial products and services we offer. The CFPB also has the power to issue regulations and take enforcement actions to prevent and remedy acts and practices relating to consumer financial products and services that it deems to be unfair, deceptive or abusive, and to impose new disclosure requirements for any consumer financial product or service. In addition to these authorities, on July 21, 2011, and pursuant to Dodd-Frank, the CFPB assumed authorities under other consumer financial laws in effect on that date governing the provision of consumer financial products and services.

The CFPB has engaged in extensive rulemaking activities, including adopting comprehensive new rules on mortgage related topics required under Dodd-Frank, including borrower ability-to-repay and qualified mortgage standards, mortgage servicing standards and loan originator compensation standards.

In October 2015, broad new regulations took effect that substantially revised the disclosures we provide to prospective residential mortgage customers. These regulations, among other things, require the provision of new disclosures near the time a prospective borrower submits an application and three days prior to closing of a mortgage loan. The CFPB is also engaged or expected to engage in rulemakings that impact products and services offered by PNC Bank, including regulations impacting prepaid cards, overdraft fees charged on deposit accounts and arbitration provisions included in customer account agreements.

Securities and Derivatives Regulation

Our registered broker-dealer and investment adviser subsidiaries are subject to rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC.

Several of our subsidiaries are registered with the SEC as investment advisers and may provide investment advisory services to clients, other PNC affiliates or related entities, including registered investment companies. Certain of these

 

advisers are registered as investment advisers to private equity funds under rules adopted under Dodd-Frank.

Broker-dealer subsidiaries are registered with the SEC and subject to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and related regulations. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the primary self-regulatory organization (SRO) for our registered broker-dealer subsidiaries. Investment adviser subsidiaries are subject to the requirements of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and related regulations. Our investment adviser subsidiary that serves as adviser to registered investment companies is also subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and related regulations. Our broker-dealer and investment adviser subsidiaries also are subject to additional regulation by states or local jurisdictions.

Over the past several years, the SEC and other regulatory agencies have increased their focus on the asset management, mutual fund and broker-dealer industries. Congress and the SEC have adopted regulatory reforms and are considering additional reforms that have increased, and are likely to continue to increase, the extent of regulation of the mutual fund, investment adviser 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 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.

Title VII of Dodd-Frank imposes new comprehensive and significant regulations on the activities of financial institutions that are active in the U.S. over-the-counter derivatives and foreign exchange markets. Title VII was enacted to (i) address systemic risk issues, (ii) bring greater transparency to the derivatives markets, (iii) provide enhanced disclosures and protection to customers, and (iv) promote market integrity. Among other things, Title VII: (i) requires the registration of both “swap dealers” and “major swap participants” with one or both of the CFTC (in the case of non security-based swaps) and the SEC (in the case of security-based swaps); (ii) requires that most standardized swaps be centrally cleared through a regulated clearing house and traded on a centralized exchange or swap execution facility; (iii) subjects swap

dealers and major swap participants to capital and margin requirements in excess of historical practice; (iv) subjects swap dealers and major swap participants to comprehensive new recordkeeping and real-time public reporting requirements; (v) subjects swap dealers and major swap participants to new business conduct requirements, including the provision of daily marks to counterparties and disclosing to counterparties (pre-execution) the material risks, material incentives, and any conflicts of interest associated with their swap; and (vi) imposes special duties on swap dealers and major swap participants when transacting a swap with a “special entity” (e.g., governmental agency (federal, state or local) or political subdivision thereof, pension plan or endowment).

Based on the definition of a “swap dealer” under Title VII, PNC Bank registered with the CFTC as a swap dealer on January 31, 2013. As a result, PNC Bank is subject to the regulations and requirements imposed on registered swap dealers, and the CFTC (and for certain delegated responsibilities, the National Futures Association) will have a meaningful supervisory role with respect to PNC Bank’s derivatives and foreign exchange businesses. Because of the limited volume of our security-based swap activities, PNC Bank has not registered with the SEC as a security-based swap dealer. The regulations and requirements applicable to swap dealers will collectively impose implementation and ongoing compliance burdens on PNC Bank and will introduce additional legal risks (including as a result of newly applicable antifraud and anti-manipulation provisions and private rights of action).

As originally enacted, the so-called “swap push-out” provisions of Section 716 of Dodd-Frank required an insured depository institution that is a “swaps entity” (defined to include a registered swap dealer like PNC Bank) to cease engaging in certain types of swaps by July 16, 2013, although the institution’s appropriate Federal banking agency could extend this transition period. In 2013, PNC Bank received such an extension of the transition period to July 16, 2015 from its appropriate Federal banking agency. In December 2014, the U.S. Congress significantly narrowed the “push-out” restrictions of Section 716. These amendments generally allow insured depository institutions that are a swaps entity to engage in all types of swaps other than structured finance swaps (defined as a swap that references either an asset-backed security or a group or index primarily comprised of asset-backed securities). However, an insured depository institution is permitted to engage in structured finance swaps for hedging or other risk mitigating purposes. An insured depository institution that fails to comply with the restrictions in Section 716 could face restrictions on the institution’s access to the Federal Reserve’s discount window or FDIC deposit insurance or guarantees. These provisions, as amended, do not prohibit PNC Bank from engaging in its current swap activities.

 

BlackRock has subsidiaries in securities and related businesses subject to SEC, other governmental agencies, state, local and FINRA regulation, and a federally chartered nondepository trust company subsidiary subject to supervision and regulation by the OCC. For additional information about the regulation of BlackRock by these agencies and otherwise, 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.

Competition

We are subject to intense competition from other regulated banking organizations, as well as various other types of financial institutions and 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 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 deposits and investments.

PNC Bank 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.

Competitors may seek to compete with us through traditional channels (such as physical locations) or primarily through on-line or mobile channels. We include here by reference the additional information regarding competition and factors affecting our competitive position included in the Item 1A Risk Factors of this Report.

Employees

Employees totaled 52,513 at December 31, 2015. This total includes 49,148 full-time and 3,365 part-time employees, of which 21,896 full-time and 2,877 part-time employees were employed by our Retail Banking business.

SEC Reports and Corporate Governance Information

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (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, including exhibits, 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 with 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 our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, and principal accounting officer or 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 at www.pnc.com/corporategovernance) may do so by sending their requests to PNC’s Corporate Secretary at corporate headquarters at The Tower at PNC Plaza, 300 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2401. Copies will be provided without charge to shareholders.

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

Internet Information

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 Us – Investor Relations.” We use our Twitter account, @pncnews, as an additional way of disseminating public information from time to time to investors.

We generally post the following under “About Us – Investor Relations” shortly before or promptly following its first use or release: financially-related press releases, including earnings releases, and supplemental financial information, various SEC filings, including annual, quarterly and current reports and proxy statements, presentation materials associated with earnings and other investor conference calls or events, and access to live and recorded audio from earnings and other

investor conference calls or events. In some cases, we may post the presentation materials for other investor conference calls or events several days prior to the call or event. 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. For earnings and other conference calls or events, we generally include in our posted materials a cautionary statement regarding forward-looking and adjusted information and we provide GAAP reconciliations when we refer to adjusted information and results. Where applicable, we provide GAAP reconciliations for such additional information in materials for that event or in materials for other prior investor presentations or in our annual, quarterly or current reports.

PNC is required to provide additional public disclosure regarding estimated income, losses and pro forma regulatory capital ratios under supervisory and PNC-developed hypothetical severely adverse economic scenarios, as well as information concerning its capital stress testing processes, pursuant to the stress testing regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve and the OCC. PNC is also required to make certain additional regulatory capital-related public disclosures about PNC’s capital structure, risk exposures, risk assessment processes, risk-weighted assets and overall capital adequacy, including market risk-related disclosures, under the regulatory capital rules adopted by the Federal banking agencies. Under these regulations, PNC may satisfy these requirements through postings on its website, and PNC has done so and expects to continue to do so without also providing disclosure of this information through filings with the SEC.

Other information posted on our corporate website that may not be available in our filings with the SEC include information relating to our corporate governance and quarterly and annual communications from our chairman to shareholders.

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 1A – 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 operations 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.

Our success 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, but are not limited to, credit risk, market risk, liquidity risk, operational risk, model risk, technology, 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, including those described below. These risk factors and other risks are also discussed further in other sections of this Report.

Difficult economic conditions or volatility in the financial markets would likely have an adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

As a financial services company, PNC’s business and overall financial performance are vulnerable to the impact of poor or weak economic conditions, particularly in the United States but also to some extent in the global economy. Recessionary conditions, particularly if severe such as was experienced starting in late 2007 and ending in 2009, are likely to have a negative financial impact across the financial services industry, including on PNC. Recessionary economic conditions can lead to turmoil and volatility in financial markets, which can increase the adverse impact on financial institutions such as PNC, with the impact increased to the extent the conditions are more severe. A return to recessionary economic conditions in the United States would likely adversely affect PNC, its business and financial performance, with the impact potentially as or more detrimental than that of the last recession.

The economic recovery from the 2008-2009 recession continued in 2015, but at a slower pace than for recoveries from prior recessions. Although unemployment rates have dropped significantly from the highest levels during the recession, wage growth has been muted. Consumer and business confidence is improving but remains in the cautious zone.

The beginning of 2016 has seen significant market volatility driven in part by concerns related to, among other things, the Chinese economy and the impact of low commodity prices, including oil and gas. The continued impact of these issues, including related market volatility, could adversely affect the U.S. or global economies, with direct or indirect impacts on PNC and its business. Results could include drops in consumer and business confidence, credit deterioration, diminished capital markets activity, delays in Federal Reserve increases in interest rates, and reduced exports related to further strengthening of the U.S. dollar.

Over the last several years, there have been several instances where there has been uncertainty regarding the ability of Congress and the President collectively to reach agreement on federal budgetary, taxing and spending matters. A continuation of divisions within government on these subjects, which could be exacerbated as a result of the upcoming presidential and congressional elections, could lead to increased concern on these topics, which could affect business activity and consumer and business confidence. A period of failure to reach agreement on these matters, particularly if accompanied by an actual or threatened government shutdown or default, would likely have at least a short term adverse impact on the U.S. economy.

The global recession and disruption of the financial markets in 2008-2009 led to concerns over the solvency of certain European countries, affecting these countries’ capital markets access and in some cases sovereign credit ratings, as well as market perception of financial institutions that have significant direct or indirect exposure to these countries. These concerns continue even as the global economy is recovering and some previously stressed European economies have experienced at least partial recoveries from their lowpoint during the recession. If measures to address sovereign debt and financial sector problems in Europe are inadequate, they may delay or weaken economic recovery, or result in the exit of one or more member states from the Eurozone or more severe economic and financial conditions. If realized, these risk scenarios could contribute to severe financial market stress or a global recession, likely affecting the economy and capital markets in the United States as well.

Other Risk Factors, presented below, address specific ways in which we may be adversely impacted by economic conditions.

Our business and financial results are subject to risks associated with the creditworthiness of our customers and counterparties.

Credit risk is inherent in the financial services business and results from, among other things, extending credit to customers, purchasing securities, and entering into financial derivative transactions and certain guarantee contracts. Credit risk is one of our most significant risks, particularly given the high percentage of our assets represented directly or indirectly

 

by loans and securities and the importance of lending to our overall business. We manage credit risk by assessing and monitoring the creditworthiness of our customers and counterparties, by diversifying our loan portfolio and by investing primarily in high quality securities. Many factors impact credit risk.

A borrower’s ability to repay a loan can be adversely affected by several factors, such as business performance, job losses or health issues. A weak or deteriorating economy and changes in the United States or global markets also could adversely impact the ability of our borrowers to repay outstanding loans. Any decrease in our borrowers’ ability to repay loans would result in higher levels of nonperforming loans, net charge-offs, provision for credit losses and valuation adjustments on loans held for sale.

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.

Despite maintaining a diversified loan and securities portfolio, in the ordinary course of business, we may have concentrated credit exposure to a particular person or entity, industry, region, market or counterparty. Loans secured by commercial and residential real estate represent a significant percentage of our overall credit portfolio as well as of the assets underlying our investment securities. Events adversely affecting specific customers, industries, regions or markets, a decrease in the credit quality of a customer base, or an adverse change in the risk profile of a market, industry, or group of customers could adversely affect us.

Our credit risk may be exacerbated when collateral held by us to secure obligations to 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.

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 every year since the end of the recent recession. If we were to once again experience higher levels of provision for credit losses, it could result in lower levels of net income.

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:

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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.

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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.

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

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Such changes can also affect our ability to hedge various forms of market and interest rate risk and may decrease the effectiveness of those hedges in helping to manage such risks.

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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 effects that they may have on our activities and financial results. The current very low interest rate environment has had a negative impact on our ability to increase our net interest income. Although the Federal Reserve increased its benchmark interest rate in December 2015, ending approximately seven years of near zero rates, and is expected to continue raising rates through 2016, there is no assurance that it will do so, particularly in light of recent market turmoil. The failure to continue raising rates could affect consumer and business behavior in ways that are

 

adverse to us in addition to continuing to affect our net interest income. Even if the Federal Reserve continues to increase the interest rates it directly influences, there may be a prolonged period before interest rates return to more historically typical levels.

In addition, monetary and fiscal policy actions by governmental and regulatory decision makers in other countries or in the European Union could have an impact on global interest rates, affecting rates in the United States as well as rates on instruments denominated in currencies other than the United States dollar, any of which could have one or more of the potential effects on PNC described above.

While we have not experienced negative interest rates in the United States, some central banks in Europe and Asia have cut interest rates below zero. It is unclear what the impact of these actions will be. If U.S. interest rates fell below zero, it could significantly affect our businesses and results of operation.

Our business and financial performance are vulnerable to the impact of changes in the values of financial assets.

As a financial institution, a substantial majority of PNC’s assets and liabilities are financial in nature (items such as loans, securities, servicing rights, deposits and borrowings). Such assets and liabilities will fluctuate in value, often significantly, due to movements in the financial markets or market volatility as well as developments specific to the asset or liability in question.

Credit-based assets and liabilities will fluctuate in value due to changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the borrowers and also due to changes in market interest rates. A lessening of confidence in the creditworthiness of the United States or other governments whose securities we hold could impact the value of those holdings. Changes in loan prepayment speeds, usually based on fluctuations in market interest rates, could adversely impact the value of our mortgage servicing rights. The financial strength of counterparties, with whom we have hedged some of our exposure to certain types of assets, could affect the value of such transactions and assets. Additionally, the underlying value of an asset under lease may decrease due to supply and demand for the asset or the condition of the asset at the end of the lease. This could cause our recorded lease value to decline.

In many cases, PNC marks its assets and liabilities to market on its financial statements, either through its Net income and Retained earnings or through adjustments to Accumulated other comprehensive income on its balance sheet. We may need to record losses in the value of financial assets even where our expectation of realizing the face value of the underlying instrument has not changed.

In addition, asset management revenue is primarily based on a percentage of the value of the assets being managed and thus

is impacted by general changes in market valuations. Thus, 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.

Our business and financial performance are dependent on our ability to attract and retain customers for our products and services, which may be negatively impacted by a lack of consumer and business economic confidence as well as our actions, including our ability to anticipate and satisfy customer demands for products and services.

As a financial institution, our performance is subject to risks associated with the loss of customer confidence and demand. Economic and market developments, particularly in the United States, Europe and Asia, may affect consumer and business confidence levels. If customers lose confidence due to a weak or deteriorating economy or uncertainty surrounding the future of the economy, the demand for our products and services could suffer.

We may also fail to attract or retain customers if we are unable to develop and market products and services that meet evolving customer needs or demands or if we are unable to deliver them effectively and securely to our customers, particularly to the extent that our competitors are able to do so.

News or other publicity that impairs our reputation, or the reputation of our industry generally, also could cause a loss of customers.

If we fail to attract and retain customers, demand for our loans and other financial products and services could decrease and we could experience adverse changes in payment patterns. We could lose interest income from a decline in credit usage and fee income from a decline in product sales, investments and other transactions. PNC’s customers could remove money from checking and savings accounts and other types of deposit accounts in favor of other banks or other types of investment products. Deposits are a low cost source of funds. Therefore, losing deposits could increase our funding costs and reduce our net interest income.

For several years, the United States has been in a very low interest rate environment. This situation has decreased the attractiveness of alternatives to bank checking and savings accounts, which may lack deposit insurance and some of the convenience associated with more traditional banking products and which may no longer be able to offer much higher interest rates. If interest rates were to rise significantly, customers may be less willing to maintain balances in non-interest bearing or low interest bank accounts, which could result in a loss of deposits or a relatively higher cost of funds to PNC. This could also result in a loss of fee income.

In our asset management business, investment performance is an important factor influencing the level of assets that we

 

manage. 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 the financial services industry as a whole is subject to significant regulatory reform initiatives in the United States and elsewhere.

PNC is a bank holding company (BHC) 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 banking, consumer protection, securities and derivatives regulatory bodies. 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 and pay dividends to shareholders is largely dependent on the receipt of dividends and advances from its subsidiaries, primarily PNC Bank. The Federal Reserve requires a BHC to act as a source of financial and managerial strength for its subsidiary banks. The Federal Reserve could require PNC to commit resources to PNC Bank when doing so is not otherwise in the interests of PNC or its shareholders or creditors.

Applicable laws and regulations restrict permissible activities and investments and require compliance with provisions designed to protect 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.

Starting shortly after the beginning of the financial crisis in 2007, we have faced, and expect to continue to face for the foreseeable future, increased regulation of the financial services industry as a result of initiatives intended to promote the safety and soundness of financial institutions, financial market stability, the transparency and liquidity of financial markets, and consumer and investor protection. We also expect, in many cases, more intense scrutiny from bank,

consumer protection and other 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 the company’s costs and reduce its revenue, and may limit the company’s ability to pursue certain desirable business opportunities. New reforms will also introduce additional legal risk (including as a result of newly applicable antifraud and anti-manipulation provisions and private rights of action) and affect regulatory oversight, applicable capital and liquidity requirements, and residential mortgage and other consumer financial products. The consequences of noncompliance with applicable laws and regulations can include substantial monetary and nonmonetary sanctions as well as damage to our reputation and businesses.

A number of reform provisions are likely to significantly impact the ways in which banks and BHCs, including PNC, do business. Some of the reform initiatives have led to the formation of new regulatory bodies, such as the CFPB, which has 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. Other agencies have significant new powers relevant to PNC, such as the authority now held by the CFTC to regulate non security-based swaps, which, among other things, led PNC Bank to register with the CFTC as a swap dealer in early 2013.

See Supervision and Regulation in Item 1 of this Report for more information concerning the regulation of PNC and recent initiatives to reform financial institution regulation, including some of the matters discussed in this Risk Factor. Note 19 Regulatory Matters in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report also discusses some of the regulation applicable to PNC.

The following describes the key risks associated with some of the initiatives recently undertaken as part of the regulatory reform initiatives affecting the financial services industry, either where pending rules have not yet been finalized or where the impact of new rules has not been substantially realized.

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In December 2013, the U.S. banking agencies, the SEC and the CFTC adopted final rules implementing the Volcker Rule provisions of Dodd-Frank. The Volcker Rule prohibits banks and their affiliates from engaging in proprietary trading and acquiring and retaining ownership interests in, sponsoring, or having specified other financial relationships with certain types of private funds (referred to as covered funds), unless the activity qualifies for an exemption or exception under the Rule. We discuss the Volcker Rule in the Supervision and Regulation section included in Item 1 of this Report. PNC discontinued its designated proprietary trading operations several years ago.

 

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As of December 31, 2015, PNC held interests in private equity and hedge funds that are covered funds subject to the final Volcker Rule totaling approximately $446 million, including $128 million of sponsored funds. Certain of PNC’s REIT preferred securities also were issued by statutory trusts that, as currently structured, are considered covered funds. As of December 31, 2015, PNC also held approximately $1.1 billion of senior debt interests in collateralized loan obligations and certain other investment securities that may be considered ownership interests in covered funds. The net unrealized gain associated with these securities was approximately $13 million. In December 2014, the Federal Reserve extended the conformance period for the Volcker Rule, which generally went into effect on July 21, 2015, to give all banking entities until July 21, 2016 to conform their ownership interests in, and relationships with, covered funds subject to the Volcker Rule that were held or existed, respectively, prior to December 31, 2013 (legacy covered fund interests and relationships). Moreover, the Federal Reserve also indicated its intent to grant an additional one-year extension of the conformance period until July 21, 2017 to conform their legacy covered fund interests and relationships. PNC’s remaining ownership interests in and sponsorship relationships with covered funds qualify for this legacy covered fund extended conformance period. Moreover, certain of PNC’s legacy covered fund interests may qualify for an additional 5-year conformance period (i.e., until July 21, 2022), subject to Federal Reserve approval. It is likely that at least some of the amounts invested in legacy covered funds will reduce over time in the ordinary course before compliance is required. A forced sale or restructuring of PNC’s investments due to the Volcker Rule would likely result in PNC receiving less value than it would otherwise have received or experiencing other adverse consequences. In addition, if we cannot otherwise bring PNC’s REIT preferred securities into compliance with the Volcker Rule during the applicable conformance period, we will need to redeem them. The next par redemption date for such securities is in March 2017. For additional information regarding the redemption terms of PNC’s REIT preferred securities, see Note 16 Equity in the Notes To the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report.

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The Federal Reserve continues to develop certain enhanced prudential standards that are required under Dodd-Frank for bank holding companies with $50 billion or more in consolidated total assets, including the counterparty credit exposure limits and early remediation requirements that were the subject of proposed rules issued in December 2011. Under these proposed rules, PNC could be subject to increasingly

stringent actions by the Federal Reserve if 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. In addition, the Federal Reserve has indicated that it intends to continue to develop the set of enhanced prudential standards that apply to large BHCs in order to further promote the resiliency of such firms and the U.S. financial system. Until the Federal Reserve’s rules and initiatives to establish these enhanced prudential standards are completed, we are unable to fully estimate their impact on PNC, although we expect these initiatives will result in increased compliance costs.

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Dodd-Frank requires that the Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC, National Credit Union Administration, SEC and Federal Housing Finance Agency jointly adopt regulations or guidelines to prohibit incentive-based compensation arrangements that are determined to encourage inappropriate risk-taking and require that a covered institution (which would include PNC and PNC Bank) provide its appropriate regulator information concerning the structure of its incentive-based compensation arrangements. The agencies in April 2011, requested public comment on proposed rules to implement these requirements, but agency officials have indicated that the rules will likely be re-proposed in modified form for public comment. The nature, scope and terms of any final regulations adopted by the agencies could negatively affect PNC’s ability to attract and retain officers and employees with appropriate skills and experience and compete with non-bank financial services providers that would not be subject to these rules.

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In October 2014, six federal agencies (the Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC, SEC, Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development) adopted final rules to implement the credit risk retention requirements of Section 941 of Dodd-Frank for asset-backed securitization transactions. The regulations specify when and how securitizers of different types of asset-backed securitizations, including transactions backed by residential mortgages, commercial mortgages, and commercial, credit card and auto loans, must comply with the Dodd-Frank requirement that they retain at least five percent of the credit risk of the assets being securitized. The final rules also implement the exemptions from these credit risk retention requirements for transactions that are backed by “qualified residential mortgages” or other high-quality commercial mortgage, commercial or automobile loans, each as defined in the final rules. The regulations took effect on December 24, 2015

 

with respect to new securitization transactions backed by residential mortgages and will take effect on December 24, 2016 with respect to new securitization transactions backed by other types of assets. The final rules are likely to have an impact on PNC both directly as well as indirectly. Although the initial impact of the regulations that took effect in December 2015 has not been material, the ultimate extent and magnitude of these impacts is not yet known and will, to some extent, depend on how the markets and market participants (including PNC) adjust to the new rules.

PNC also 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 market for third-party loan servicers. The risk retention rules also 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.

Even after new rules are finalized and become effective, it still may take a period of time before the manner in which the rules will be interpreted and administered by the relevant agencies becomes clarified and known. A failure to comply, or to have adequate policies and procedures designed to comply, with these and other 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.

New capital and liquidity standards 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.

We are subject to regulatory capital and liquidity requirements established by the Federal Reserve and the OCC, and discuss these requirements and standards in the Supervision and Regulation section included in Item 1 of this Report.

The regulatory capital requirements applicable to banks and BHCs have undergone, and continue to undergo, significant

changes. For example, the final rules adopted by the U.S. banking agencies in July 2013 to implement the new international guidelines for determining regulatory capital established by the Basel Committee known as “Basel III”, as well as to implement certain provisions of Dodd-Frank, fundamentally altered the U.S. regulatory capital requirements for U.S. BHCs and banks. Significant parts of these rules are now effective for PNC, although as a result of the staggered effective dates of the rules many provisions are phased-in over a period of years, with the rules generally fully phased-in as of January 1, 2019. The Basel Committee, moreover, continues to consider additional, significant changes to the international capital framework for banking organizations, including modifications that would significantly alter the international frameworks governing the market risk capital requirements for trading positions and the standardized risk weighting approach for credit risk, establish a capital floor for banking organizations subject to the advanced approaches for the risk weighting of assets, modify the treatment of securitization positions, and seek to enhance the transparency and consistency of capital requirements amongst banks and jurisdictions. It is unclear how these or other initiatives by the Basel Committee may be finalized and implemented in the United States and, thus, we are unable to estimate what potential impact such initiatives may have on PNC.

The liquidity standards applicable to large U.S. banking organizations also are expected to be supplemented in the coming years. For example, the Basel Committee, in October 2014, released the final framework for the NSFR standard, which is designed to ensure that banking organizations maintain a stable, long-term funding profile in relation to their asset composition and off-balance sheet activities. Under that framework, the NSFR would take effect as a minimum regulatory standard on January 1, 2018. The U.S. banking agencies have not yet proposed rules to implement the NSFR and, thus, the potential impact of the rules on PNC remains unclear.

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 require PNC to maintain holdings of highly liquid short-term investments, thereby reducing PNC’s ability to invest in longer-term or less liquid assets even if more desirable from a balance sheet or interest rate risk 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. Moreover, PNC, as a BHC that is subject to the advanced approaches for regulatory capital purposes, is subject to a higher LCR requirement than other BHCs that have more than $50 billion in total assets but are not subject to the advanced approaches. Until the scope and terms of pending or future rulemakings relating to capital, liquidity, or liability composition are known, the extent to which such rules may apply to PNC and the potential impact of such rules on PNC will remain uncertain.

We depend on information systems, both internally and through third-parties, to conduct our business and could suffer a material adverse impact from interruptions in the effective operation of, or security breaches affecting, those systems.

As a large financial company, we handle a substantial volume of customer and other financial transactions virtually on a continuous basis. As a result, we rely heavily on information systems to conduct our business and to process, record, and monitor our transactions. In recent years, PNC has increased substantially in size, scope and complexity. We have also seen more customer usage of technological solutions for financial needs and higher expectations of customers and regulators regarding effective and safe systems operation. We expect these trends to continue for the foreseeable future. The need to ensure proper functioning of these systems has become more challenging, and the costs involved in that effort are greater than ever.

The risks to these systems result from a variety of factors, both internal and external. In some cases, these factors relate to the potential for bad acts on the part of hackers, criminals, foreign governments or their agents, employees and others, and to some extent will be beyond our ability to prevent. In other cases, our systems could fail to operate as needed, including failures to prevent access in an unauthorized manner, due to factors such as design or performance issues, human error, unexpected transaction volumes, or inadequate measures to protect against unauthorized access or transmissions. We are also at risk for the impact of natural or other disasters, terrorism, international hostilities and the like on our systems or for the effect of outages or other failures involving power or communications systems operated by others. In addition, we face a variety of types of cyber attacks, some of which are discussed in more detail below. Cyber attacks often include efforts to disrupt our ability to provide services or to gain access to, or destroy, confidential company and customer information.

We rely on other companies for the provision of a broad range of products and services. Many of these products and services include information systems themselves or involve the use of such systems in connection with providing the products or services. In some cases, these other companies provide the infrastructure that supports electronic communications. These

other companies are generally subject to many of the same risks we face with respect to our systems. To the extent we rely on these other companies, we could be adversely affected if they are impacted by system failures, cyber attacks or employee misconduct.

All of these types of events, whether resulting from cyber attacks or other internal or external sources, expose customer and other confidential information to security risks. They also could disrupt our ability to use our accounting, deposit, loan and other systems and could cause errors in transactions with customers, vendors or other counterparties.

In addition, our customers often use their own devices, such as computers, smartphones and tablets, to do business with us and may provide their PNC customer information (including passwords) to a third party in connection with obtaining services from the third party. We have limited ability to assure the safety and security of our customers’ transactions with us and their customer information to the extent they are utilizing their own devices or providing third parties access to their accounts.

We are faced with ongoing efforts by others to breach data security at financial institutions or with respect to financial transactions. Some of these involve efforts to enter our systems directly by going through or around our security protections. Others involve the use of schemes such as “phishing” to gain access to identifying customer information, often from customers themselves. Most corporate and commercial transactions are now handled electronically, and our retail customers increasingly use online access and mobile devices to bank with us. The ability to conduct business with us in this manner depends on the transmission of confidential information, which increases the risk of data security breaches.

Starting in late 2012, there have been several well-publicized series of apparently related denial of service attacks on large financial services companies, including PNC. In a denial of service attack, individuals or organizations flood commercial websites with extraordinarily high volumes of traffic, with the goal of disrupting the ability of commercial enterprises to process transactions and possibly making their websites unavailable to customers for extended periods of time. The attacks against PNC have resulted in temporary disruptions in customers’ ability to access the corporate website and to perform on-line banking transactions. To date, no customer data has been lost or compromised as a result of these attacks and these efforts have not had a material impact on PNC. We cannot, however, provide assurance that future attacks of this type might not have a greater effect on PNC.

As our customers regularly use PNC-issued credit and debit cards to pay for transactions with retailers and other businesses, there is the risk of data security breaches at those other businesses covering PNC account information. When our customers use PNC-issued cards to make purchases from

 

those businesses, card account information may be provided to the business. If the business’s systems that process or store card account information are subject to a data security breach, holders of our cards who have made purchases from that business may experience fraud on their card accounts. PNC may suffer losses associated with reimbursing our customers for such fraudulent transactions on customers’ card accounts, as well as for other costs related to data security compromise events, such as replacing cards associated with compromised card accounts. In addition, PNC provides card transaction processing services to some merchant customers under agreements we have with payment networks such as Visa and MasterCard. Under these agreements, we may be responsible for certain losses and penalties if one of our merchant customers suffers a data security breach.

Over the last few years, several large retailers, prominently including Target and Home Depot, disclosed that they had suffered substantial data security breaches compromising millions of card accounts. To date, PNC’s losses and costs related to these breaches have not been material, but other similar events in the future could be more significant to PNC.

There have been other recent publicly announced cyber attacks that were not focused on gaining access to credit card information but instead sought access to a range of other types of confidential information including internal emails and other forms of customer financial information or sought to capture and possibly shutdown systems and devices maintained by target companies. Notable examples include attacks in 2014 on JP Morgan Chase and Sony Pictures and in 2015 on Anthem. These other attacks have generally not had any financial impact on PNC but demonstrate the risks to confidential information and systems operations potentially posed by cyber attacks.

Methods used by others to attack information systems change frequently (with generally increasing sophistication), often are not recognized until launched against a target, may be supported by foreign governments or other well-financed entities, and may originate from less regulated and remote areas around the world. As a result, we may be unable to address these methods in advance of attacks, including by implementing adequate preventive measures.

We have policies, procedures and systems (including business continuity programs) designed to prevent or limit the effect of possible failures, interruptions or breaches in security of information systems. We design our business continuity and other information and technology risk management programs to manage our capabilities to provide services in the case of an event resulting in material disruptions of business activities affecting our employees, facilities, technology or suppliers. We regularly seek to test the effectiveness of and enhance these policies, procedures and systems.

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

In recent years, we have incurred significant expense towards improving the reliability of our systems and their security against external and internal threats. Nonetheless, there remains the risk that one or more adverse events might occur. If one does occur, we might not be able to remediate the event or its consequences timely or adequately. To the extent that the risk relates to products or services provided by others, we seek to engage in due diligence and monitoring to limit the risk, but here, as well, we cannot eliminate it. Should an adverse event affecting another company’s systems occur, we may not have indemnification or other protection from the other company sufficient to compensate us or otherwise protect us from the consequences.

The occurrence of any failure, interruption or security breach of any of our information or communications systems, or the systems of other companies on which we rely, could result in a wide variety of adverse consequences to PNC. This risk is greater if the issue is widespread or results in financial losses to our customers. Possible adverse consequences include damage to our reputation or a loss of customer business. We also could face litigation or additional regulatory scrutiny. Litigation or regulatory actions in turn could lead to liability or other sanctions, including fines and penalties or reimbursement of customers adversely affected by a systems problem or security breach. Even if we do not suffer any material adverse consequences as a result of events affecting us directly, successful attacks or systems failures at other financial institutions could lead to a general loss of customer confidence in financial institutions, including PNC. Also, systems problems, including those resulting from third party attacks, whether at PNC or at our competitors, would likely increase regulatory and customer concerns regarding the functioning, safety and security of such systems generally. In that case, we would expect to incur even higher levels of costs with respect to prevention and mitigation of these risks.

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. We

 

have been investing in technology and connectivity to automate functions previously performed manually, to facilitate the ability of customers to engage in financial transactions, and otherwise to enhance the customer experience with respect to our products and services. On the retail side, this has included developments such as more sophisticated ATMs and expanded access to banking transactions through the internet, smart phones, tablets and other remote devices. These efforts have all been in response to actual and anticipated customer behavior and expectations. 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, including demands for faster and more secure payment services, and create efficiencies in our operations. A failure to maintain or enhance our competitive position with respect to technology, whether because we fail to anticipate customer expectations or because our technological developments fail to perform as desired or are not rolled out in a timely manner, may cause us to lose market share or incur additional expense.

There are risks resulting from the extensive use of models in our business.

PNC relies on quantitative models to measure risks and to estimate certain financial values. Models may be used in such processes as determining the pricing of various products, grading loans and extending credit, measuring interest rate and other market risks, predicting or estimating losses, assessing capital adequacy, and calculating economic and regulatory capital levels, as well as to estimate the value of financial instruments and balance sheet items. Poorly designed or implemented models present the risk that our business decisions based on information incorporating model output will be adversely affected due to the inadequacy of that information. Also, information we provide to the public or to our regulators based on poorly designed or implemented models could be inaccurate or misleading. Some of the decisions that our regulators make, including those related to capital distributions to our shareholders, could be affected adversely due to their perception that the quality of the models used to generate the relevant information is insufficient. See the Model Risk Management portion of the Risk Management section included in Item 7 of this Report.

Our asset and liability valuations and the determination of the amount of loss allowances and impairments taken on our assets are highly subjective, and inaccurate estimates could materially impact our results of operations or financial position.

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. 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, 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. Further, rapidly changing and unprecedented market conditions in any particular market could materially impact the valuation of assets as reported within our consolidated financial statements.

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. 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 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 certain of our pending legal proceedings in Note 20 Legal Proceedings in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report.

PNC faces legal and regulatory risk arising out of its residential mortgage businesses.

Numerous federal and state governmental, legislative and regulatory authorities are investigating practices in the business of mortgage and home equity loan lending and servicing and in the 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. They could also result in reputational harm to PNC, either individually or as part of the overall industry, regardless of the extent to which PNC is penalized.

In addition to governmental or regulatory inquiries and investigations, PNC, like other companies with residential mortgage and home equity loan origination and servicing operations, faces the risk of class actions, other litigation and claims from: the owners of, investors in, or purchasers of such loans originated or serviced by PNC (or securities backed by such loans), homeowners involved in foreclosure proceedings or various mortgage-related insurance programs, downstream purchasers of homes sold after foreclosure, title insurers, and other potential claimants. Included among these claims are claims from purchasers of mortgage and home equity loans seeking the repurchase of loans where the loans allegedly breached origination covenants and representations and warranties made to the purchasers in the purchase and sale agreements.

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 and home equity loan lending, servicing or reinsurance practices, although such actions, litigation and claims could, individually or in the aggregate, result in significant expense. See Note 20 Legal Proceedings and Note 21 Commitments and Guarantees 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 and additional information regarding potential repurchase obligations relating to mortgage and home equity loans.

There is a continuing risk of incurring costs related to further remedial and related efforts required by governmental or regulatory authorities 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 and home equity loan business and could reduce future business opportunities. Investors in mortgage loans and other assets that we sell are more likely to seek indemnification from us against losses or otherwise seek to have us share in such losses.

The CFPB has issued new rules for mortgage origination and mortgage servicing. Both the origination and servicing rules create new private rights of action for consumers against lenders and servicers like PNC in the event of certain violations. For additional information concerning the mortgage rules, see Supervision and Regulation in Item 1 of this Report.

Additionally, two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) (FHLMC and FNMA) are currently in conservatorship, with their primary regulator acting as a conservator. We cannot predict when or if the conservatorships will end or whether, as a result of legislative or regulatory action, there will be any associated changes to the structure of these GSEs or the housing finance industry more generally, including, but not limited to, changes to the relationship among these GSEs, the government and the private markets. The effects of any such reform on our business and financial results are uncertain.

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

Our retail banking business is primarily concentrated within our retail branch network footprint. Although our other businesses are national in scope, to a lesser extent these other businesses also have a greater presence within these primary geographic markets. Thus, we are particularly vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Southeast regions.

We grow our business in part by acquiring other financial services companies or assets 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 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 or take longer 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, for example resulting from being able to offer product sets to a broader

 

potential customer base) 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 pending at the time of the acquisition or be filed or commenced thereafter, as a result of an acquisition or otherwise, could impact the timing or realization of anticipated benefits to PNC. Note 20 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.

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.

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, our ability to make large acquisitions in the future may be negatively impacted by regulatory rules or future regulatory initiatives designed to limit the potential for a financial institution to become “too big to fail.”

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.” 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.

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. Banks generally are facing the risk of increased competition from products and services offered by non-bank financial technology companies, particularly related to payment 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. Limitations on the manner in which regulated financial institutions can compensate their officers and employees may make it more difficult for regulated financial institutions to compete with unregulated financial institutions for talent.

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.

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

Neither the occurrence nor the potential impact of disasters (such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other severe weather conditions, pandemics, dislocations, fires, explosions, and other catastrophic accidents or events), 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 1B – 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 currently located at The Tower at PNC Plaza, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 33-story structure is owned by PNC Bank, National Association.

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 for the purposes of our business operations. We include here by reference the additional information regarding our properties in Note 9 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 20 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 22, 2016 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 (a)
William S. Demchak			53			Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (b)			2002
Joseph C. Guyaux			65			Senior Vice Chairman and President and Chief Executive Officer of PNC Mortgage			1972
Orlando C. Esposito			57			Executive Vice President and Head of Asset Management Group			1988
Neil F. Hall			67			Executive Vice President and Head of Retail Banking			1995
Michael J. Hannon			59			Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer			1982
Vicki C. Henn			47			Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer			1994
Gregory B. Jordan			56			Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer			2013
Stacy M. Juchno			40			Executive Vice President and General Auditor			2009
Karen L. Larrimer			53			Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer			1995
Michael P. Lyons			45			Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate & Institutional Banking			2011
E William Parsley, III			50			Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer			2003
Robert Q. Reilly			51			Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer			1987
Joseph E. Rockey			51			Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer			1999
Steven Van Wyk			57			Executive Vice President and Head of Technology and Operations			2013
Gregory H. Kozich			52			Senior Vice President and Controller			2010

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

(b)	Mr. Demchak also serves as a director. Biographical information for Mr. Demchak is included in “Election of Directors (Item 1)” in our proxy statement for the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders. See Item 10 of this Report.

 

Joseph C. Guyaux has served as Senior Vice Chairman since February 2012 and was appointed chief executive officer and president of PNC Mortgage in January 2015. Mr. Guyaux was Chief Risk Officer from February 2012 to January 2015, prior to which he served as President. Mr. Guyaux has announced that he will retire in the spring of 2016.

Orlando C. Esposito was appointed Executive Vice President and head of PNC’s Asset Management Group in April 2013. Prior to being named to his current position, he held numerous leadership positions including Executive Vice President of Corporate Banking from November 2006 to April 2013.

Neil F. Hall has been an Executive Vice President since April 2012 and head of PNC’s Retail Banking since February 2012. Prior to being named to his current position, Mr. Hall led the delivery of sales and service to PNC’s retail and small business customers, directed branch banking, business banking, community development and PNC Investments. Mr. Hall has announced that he will retire on July 1, 2016.

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 2001. He also served as Interim Chief Risk Officer from December 2011 to February 2012.

Vicki C. Henn has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of PNC since July 2014. Ms. Henn joined PNC in 1994 and has held numerous management positions. Prior to being named to her current position, Ms. Henn was a Senior Vice President, responsible for Human Resources for Retail Banking.

Gregory B. Jordan joined PNC as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Head of Regulatory and Government Affairs in October 2013. In February 2016, Mr. Jordan was also appointed Chief Administrative Officer. Prior to joining PNC, he served as the Global Managing Partner for the last 13 years of his 29 year tenure at Reed Smith LLP.

Stacy M. Juchno has served as Executive Vice President and General Auditor of PNC since April 2014. Ms. Juchno joined PNC in 2009 and previously served as a Senior Vice President and Finance Governance and Oversight Director.

Karen L. Larrimer was appointed Executive Vice President in May 2013. She has served as Chief Customer Officer since April 2014, prior to which she served as Chief Marketing Officer. Ms. Larrimer will become head of PNC’s Retail Banking later this year in addition to retaining her role as Chief Customer Officer.

Michael P. Lyons has been an Executive Vice President since November 2011 and is head of PNC’s Corporate and Institutional Banking. Prior to joining PNC in October 2011,

from May 2010 until October 2011, Mr. Lyons was head of corporate development and strategic planning for Bank of America.

E William Parsley, III has served as Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer since January 2004. He was appointed Executive Vice President in February 2009. In addition to retaining his current roles, Mr. Parsley will become head of PNC Mortgage in spring 2016 upon Mr. Guyaux’s retirement.

Robert Q. Reilly was appointed Chief Financial Officer in August 2013. He served as the head of PNC’s Asset Management Group from 2005 until April 2013. Previously, he held numerous management roles in both Corporate Banking and Asset Management. He was appointed Executive Vice President in February 2009.

Joseph E. Rockey was appointed Chief Risk Officer in January 2015. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Rockey led enterprise risk management and the Basel office within PNC’s risk management organization. Mr. Rockey joined PNC in 1999 and was appointed Executive Vice President in January 2015.

Steven Van Wyk joined PNC as Head of Technology and Operations in January 2013. From 2007 until joining PNC, Mr. Van Wyk served as Global Chief Operating Officer for ING. He was appointed Executive Vice President of PNC in February 2013.

Gregory H. Kozich has served as a Controller of PNC since 2011. He was appointed as Senior Vice President in November 2010.

 

DIRECTORS OF THE REGISTRANT

The name, age and principal occupation of each of our directors as of February 22, 2016 and the year he or she first became a director is set forth below:

•

Charles E. Bunch, 66, Executive Chairman of PPG Industries, Inc. (coatings, sealants and glass products) (2007)

•

Paul W. Chellgren, 73, Operating Partner, Snow Phipps Group, LLC (private equity) (1995)

•

Marjorie Rodgers Cheshire, 47, President and Chief Operating Officer, A&R Development Corp. (real estate development company) (2014)

•

William S. Demchak, 53, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of PNC (2013)

•

Andrew T. Feldstein, 51, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chief Investment Officer of BlueMountain Capital Management, LLC (asset management firm) (2013)

•

Daniel R. Hesse, 62, Retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Sprint Corporation (telecommunications) (2016)

•

Kay Coles James, 66, President and Founder of The Gloucester Institute (non-profit) (2006)

•

Richard B. Kelson, 69, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, ServCo LLC (strategic sourcing, supply chain management) (2002)

•

Anthony A. Massaro, 71, Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (manufacturer of welding and cutting products) (2002)

•

Jane G. Pepper, 70, Retired President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (non-profit) (1997)

•

Donald J. Shepard, 69, Retired Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of AEGON N.V. (insurance) (2007)

•

Lorene K. Steffes, 70, Independent Business Advisor (executive, business management and technical expertise) (2000)

•

Dennis F. Strigl, 69, Retired President and Chief Operating Officer of Verizon Communications Inc. (telecommunications) (2001)

•

Thomas J. Usher, 73, Non-executive Chairman of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (oil and gas industry) (1992)

•

Michael J. Ward, 65, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer CSX Corporation (railroads, transportation) (2016)

•

Gregory D. Wasson, 57, Retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance (pharmacy, health and wellbeing enterprise) (2015)

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, 2016, there were 64,309 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 and certain outstanding capital securities issued by the parent company 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). The amount of our dividend is also currently subject to the results of the supervisory assessment of capital adequacy and capital planning processes undertaken by the Federal Reserve and our primary bank regulators as part of the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) process as described in the Supervision and Regulation section 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 other factors that could limit PNC’s ability to pay dividends, as well as restrictions on loans, dividends or advances from bank subsidiaries to the parent company, see the Supervision and Regulation section in Item 1, Item 1A Risk Factors, the Capital portion of the Consolidated Balance Sheet Review section and the Liquidity Risk Management portion of the Risk Management section in Item 7, and Note 11 Borrowed Funds, Note 16 Equity and Note 19 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 Common Stock Prices/Dividends Declared section 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, 2015 in the table (with introductory paragraph and notes) that appears under the caption “Approval of 2016 Incentive Award Plan – Item 3” in our Proxy Statement to be filed for the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders and is incorporated by reference herein and in Item 12 of this Report.

Our stock transfer agent and registrar is:

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

250 Royall Street

Canton, MA 02021

800-982-7652

Registered shareholders may contact the above phone number regarding dividends and other shareholder services.

We include here by reference the information that appears under the Common Stock Performance Graph caption 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 2015 are included in the following table:

In thousands, except per share data

 

2015 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			2,528			$	89.24				2,506				85,413
November 1 – 30			1,923			$	94.06				1,923				83,490
December 1 – 31			1,379			$	95.20				1,379				82,111
Total			5,830			$	92.24

(a)

Includes PNC common stock purchased in connection with our various employee benefit plans generally related to forfeitures of unvested restricted stock awards and shares used to cover employee payroll tax withholding requirements. Note 12 Employee Benefit Plans and Note 13 Stock Based Compensation Plans in the Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report include additional information regarding our employee benefit and equity compensation plans that use PNC common stock.

(b)

On March 11, 2015, we announced that our Board of Directors had approved the establishment of a new stock repurchase program authorization in the amount of 100 million shares of PNC common stock, effective April 1, 2015. Repurchases are made in open market or privately negotiated transactions and the timing and exact amount of common stock repurchases will depend on a number of factors including, among others, market and general economic conditions, economic capital and regulatory capital considerations, alternative uses of capital, the potential impact on our credit ratings, and contractual and regulatory limitations, including the results of the supervisory assessment of capital adequacy and capital planning processes undertaken by the Federal Reserve as part of the CCAR process.

Our 2015 capital plan, submitted as part of the CCAR process and accepted by the Federal Reserve, included share repurchase programs of up to $2.875 billion for the five quarter period beginning with the second quarter of 2015. This amount does not include share repurchases in connection with various employee benefit plans referenced in note (a). In the fourth quarter of 2015, in accordance with PNC’s 2015 capital plan and under the share repurchase authorization in effect during that period, we repurchased 5.8 million shares of common stock on the open market, with an average price of $92.26 per share and an aggregate repurchase price of $.5 billion.

 

Common Stock Performance Graph

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, 2015, as compared with: (1) a selected peer group as set forth below and referred to as 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, 2011 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, 2010 Total Return = Price change plus reinvestment of dividends																				5-Year Compound Growth Rate
		Dec. 10				Dec. 11				Dec. 12				Dec. 13				Dec. 14				Dec. 15
PNC			100				96.94				100.49				137.13				164.99				176.22				12.00	%
S&P 500 Index			100				102.11				118.44				156.78				178.22				180.67				12.56	%
S&P 500 Banks			100				89.28				110.76				150.33				173.64				175.12				11.86	%
Peer Group			100				89.57				108.81				151.61				164.35				164.38				10.45	%

The Peer Group for the preceding chart and table consists of the following companies: BB&T Corporation; 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 for 2015 by the Board’s Personnel and Compensation Committee. Such Committee has approved the same peer group for 2016.

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, 2010 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.