STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY [Text Block]	NOTE 21 – STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Common Stock As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Corporation had 2,000,000,000 authorized shares of common stock with a par value of $0.10 per share. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were 222,955,394 and 222,103,721 shares issued, respectively, and 218,160,725 and 217,359,337 shares outstanding, respectively. Refer to Note 4 – Stock-Based Compensation, to the consolidated financial statements, for information about transactions related to common stock under the Omnibus Plan. On February 6, 2020, the Corporation announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share that was paid on March 13, 2020 to shareholders of record at the close business on February 28, 2020. For the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, total cash dividends declared on shares of common stock amounted to $10.9 million and $6.5 million, respectively. The Corporation intends to continue to pay quarterly dividends on common stock. Preferred Stock The Corporation has 50,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock with a par value of $1.00, redeemable at the Corporation’s option, subject to certain terms. This stock may be issued in series and the shares of each series have such rights and preferences as are fixed by the Board of Directors when authorizing the issuance of that particular series. As of March 31, 2020, the Corporation has five outstanding series of non-convertible, non-cumulative preferred stock: 7.125% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series A; 8.35% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series B; 7.40% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series C; 7.25% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series D; and 7.00% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series E. The liquidation value per share is $25. Effective January 17, 2012, the Corporation delisted all of its outstanding series of non-convertible, non-cumulative preferred stock from the New York Stock Exchange. The Corporation has not arranged for listing and/or registration on another national securities exchange or for quotation of the Series A through E preferred stock in a quotation medium. The Corporation has continued to pay monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock. For each of the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, total cash dividends declared on shares of preferred stock amounted to $0.7 million. The Corporation intends to continue to make monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual to make monthly income preferred stock. Treasury stock During the first quarter of 2020 and 2019, the Corporation withheld an aggregate of 50,285 shares and 168,679 shares, respectively, of the restricted stock that vested during those quarters, to cover the officers’ payroll and income tax withholding liabilities; these shares are held as treasury stock. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Corporation had 4,794,669 and 4,744,384 shares held as treasury stock, respectively. FirstBank Statutory Reserve (Legal Surplus) The Banking Law of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico requires that a minimum of 10% of FirstBank’s net income for the year be transferred to a legal surplus reserve until such surplus equals the total of paid-in-capital on common and preferred stock. Amounts transferred to the legal surplus reserve from retained earnings are not available for distribution to the Corporation, including for payment as dividends to the stockholders, without the prior consent of the Puerto Rico Commissioner of Financial Institutions. The Puerto Rico Banking Law provides that, when the expenditures of a Puerto Rico commercial bank are greater than receipts, the excess of the expenditures over receipts must be charged against the undistributed profits of the bank, and the balance, if any, must be charged against the legal surplus reserve, as a reduction thereof. If there is no legal surplus reserve sufficient to cover such balance in whole or in part, the outstanding amount must be charged against the capital account and the Bank cannot pay dividends until it can replenish the legal surplus reserve to an amount of at least 20% of the original capital contributed. FirstBank’s legal surplus reserve, included as part of retained earnings in the Corporation’s consolidated statements of financial condition, amounted to $97.6 million as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. There were no transfers to the legal surplus reserve during the quarter ended March 31, 2020.

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

NOTE 21 – STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Common Stock

As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Corporation had 2,000,000,000 authorized shares of common stock with a par value of $0.10 per share. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were 222,955,394 and 222,103,721 shares issued, respectively, and 218,160,725 and 217,359,337 shares outstanding, respectively. Refer to Note 4 – Stock-Based Compensation, to the consolidated financial statements, for information about transactions related to common stock under the Omnibus Plan.

On February 6, 2020, the Corporation announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share that was paid on March 13, 2020 to shareholders of record at the close business on February 28, 2020. For the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, total cash dividends declared on shares of common stock amounted to $10.9 million and $6.5 million, respectively. The Corporation intends to continue to pay quarterly dividends on common stock.

Preferred Stock

The Corporation has 50,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock with a par value of $1.00, redeemable at the Corporation’s option, subject to certain terms. This stock may be issued in series and the shares of each series have such rights and preferences as are fixed by the Board of Directors when authorizing the issuance of that particular series. As of March 31, 2020, the Corporation has five outstanding series of non-convertible, non-cumulative preferred stock: 7.125% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series A; 8.35% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series B; 7.40% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series C; 7.25% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series D; and 7.00% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series E. The liquidation value per share is $25.

Effective January 17, 2012, the Corporation delisted all of its outstanding series of non-convertible, non-cumulative preferred stock from the New York Stock Exchange. The Corporation has not arranged for listing and/or registration on another national securities exchange or for quotation of the Series A through E preferred stock in a quotation medium. The Corporation has continued to pay monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock. For each of the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, total cash dividends declared on shares of preferred stock amounted to $0.7 million. The Corporation intends to continue to make monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual to make monthly income preferred stock.

Treasury stock

During the first quarter of 2020 and 2019, the Corporation withheld an aggregate of 50,285 shares and 168,679 shares, respectively, of the restricted stock that vested during those quarters, to cover the officers’ payroll and income tax withholding liabilities; these shares are held as treasury stock. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Corporation had 4,794,669 and 4,744,384 shares held as treasury stock, respectively.

FirstBank Statutory Reserve (Legal Surplus)

The Banking Law of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico requires that a minimum of 10% of FirstBank’s net income for the year be transferred to a legal surplus reserve until such surplus equals the total of paid-in-capital on common and preferred stock. Amounts transferred to the legal surplus reserve from retained earnings are not available for distribution to the Corporation, including for payment as dividends to the stockholders, without the prior consent of the Puerto Rico Commissioner of Financial Institutions. The Puerto Rico Banking Law provides that, when the expenditures of a Puerto Rico commercial bank are greater than receipts, the excess of the expenditures over receipts must be charged against the undistributed profits of the bank, and the balance, if any, must be charged against the legal surplus reserve, as a reduction thereof. If there is no legal surplus reserve sufficient to cover such balance in whole or in part, the outstanding amount must be charged against the capital account and the Bank cannot pay dividends until it can replenish the legal surplus reserve to an amount of at least 20% of the original capital contributed. FirstBank’s legal surplus reserve, included as part of retained earnings in the Corporation’s consolidated statements of financial condition, amounted to $97.6 million as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. There were no transfers to the legal surplus reserve during the quarter ended March 31, 2020.