Basis of Presentation and Informational Disclosures	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Basis of Presentation and Informational Disclosures
Basis of Presentation and Informational Disclosures	(1) Basis of Presentation and Informational Disclosures Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) or (“NWBI”), a Maryland corporation headquartered in Warren, Pennsylvania, is a savings and loan holding company regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Company was incorporated to be the successor to Northwest Bancorp, Inc. upon the completion of the mutual-to-stock conversion of Northwest Bancorp, MHC in December 2009. The primary activity of the Company is the ownership of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Northwest Savings Bank, a Pennsylvania-chartered savings bank (“Northwest”). Northwest is regulated by the FDIC and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking. At March 31, 2014, Northwest operated 165 community-banking offices throughout Pennsylvania, western New York, eastern Ohio and Maryland. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiary, Northwest, and Northwest’s subsidiaries Northwest Settlement Agency, LLC, Northwest Consumer Discount Company, Northwest Financial Services, Inc., Northwest Advisors, Inc., Northwest Capital Group, Inc., Northwest Retirement Services, Allegheny Services, Inc., Great Northwest Corporation, Northwest Insurance Services and Evans Capital Management, Inc. The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information or footnotes required for complete annual financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and results of operations have been included. The consolidated statements have been prepared using the accounting policies described in the financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 updated, as required, for any new pronouncements or changes. The results of operations for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2014, or any other period. Stock-Based Compensation Stock-based compensation expense of $1.2 million and $1.1 million for the quarters ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, was recognized in compensation expense relating to our stock benefit plans. At March 31, 2014 there was compensation expense of $4.9 million to be recognized for awarded but unvested stock options and $14.6 million for unvested common shares. Income Taxes- Uncertain Tax Positions Accounting standards prescribe a comprehensive model for how a company should recognize, measure, present and disclose in its financial statements uncertain tax positions that the company has taken or expects to take on a tax return. A tax benefit from an uncertain position may be recognized only if it is “more likely than not” that the position is sustainable, based on its technical merits. The tax benefit of a qualifying position is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority having full knowledge of all relevant information. As of March 31, 2014 we had no liability for unrecognized tax benefits. We recognize interest accrued related to: (1) unrecognized tax benefits in federal and state income taxes and (2) refund claims in other operating income. We recognize penalties (if any) in federal and state income taxes. There is no amount accrued for the payment of interest or penalties at March 31, 2014. We are subject to audit by the Internal Revenue Service and any state in which we conduct business for the tax periods ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-01, “Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects.” This guidance permits reporting entities to make an accounting policy election to account for investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met. The proportional amortization method permits the amortization of the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received, and recognizes the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense. This guidance is effective retrospectively for fiscal years and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2014, and early adoption is permitted. We do not expect that this standard will have a material impact on our results of operations or financial position. In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-04, “Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure”. This guidance clarifies that an in substance repossession or foreclosure has occurred, and a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan, upon either the creditor obtaining legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure or the borrower conveying all interest in the residential real estate property to the creditor to satisfy that loan through completion of a deed in lieu of foreclosure. Interim and annual disclosure is required of both the amount of foreclosed residential real estate property held by the creditor and the recorded investment in consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate property that are in the process of foreclosure. This guidance is effective using either the modified retrospective transition method or a prospective transition method for fiscal years and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2014, and early adoption is permitted. We do not expect that this standard will have a material impact on our results of operations or financial position.

(1) Basis of Presentation and Informational Disclosures

Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) or (“NWBI”), a Maryland corporation headquartered in Warren, Pennsylvania, is a savings and loan holding company regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Company was incorporated to be the successor to Northwest Bancorp, Inc. upon the completion of the mutual-to-stock conversion of Northwest Bancorp, MHC in December 2009. The primary activity of the Company is the ownership of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Northwest Savings Bank, a Pennsylvania-chartered savings bank (“Northwest”). Northwest is regulated by the FDIC and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking. At March 31, 2014, Northwest operated 165 community-banking offices throughout Pennsylvania, western New York, eastern Ohio and Maryland.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiary, Northwest, and Northwest’s subsidiaries Northwest Settlement Agency, LLC, Northwest Consumer Discount Company, Northwest Financial Services, Inc., Northwest Advisors, Inc., Northwest Capital Group, Inc., Northwest Retirement Services, Allegheny Services, Inc., Great Northwest Corporation, Northwest Insurance Services and Evans Capital Management, Inc. The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information or footnotes required for complete annual financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and results of operations have been included. The consolidated statements have been prepared using the accounting policies described in the financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 updated, as required, for any new pronouncements or changes.

The results of operations for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2014, or any other period.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation expense of $1.2 million and $1.1 million for the quarters ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, was recognized in compensation expense relating to our stock benefit plans. At March 31, 2014 there was compensation expense of $4.9 million to be recognized for awarded but unvested stock options and $14.6 million for unvested common shares.

Income Taxes- Uncertain Tax Positions

Accounting standards prescribe a comprehensive model for how a company should recognize, measure, present and disclose in its financial statements uncertain tax positions that the company has taken or expects to take on a tax return. A tax benefit from an uncertain position may be recognized only if it is “more likely than not” that the position is sustainable, based on its technical merits. The tax benefit of a qualifying position is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority having full knowledge of all relevant information. As of March 31, 2014 we had no liability for unrecognized tax benefits.

We recognize interest accrued related to: (1) unrecognized tax benefits in federal and state income taxes and (2) refund claims in other operating income. We recognize penalties (if any) in federal and state income taxes. There is no amount accrued for the payment of interest or penalties at March 31, 2014. We are subject to audit by the Internal Revenue Service and any state in which we conduct business for the tax periods ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-01, “Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects.” This guidance permits reporting entities to make an accounting policy election to account for investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met. The proportional amortization method permits the amortization of the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received, and recognizes the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense. This guidance is effective retrospectively for fiscal years and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2014, and early adoption is permitted. We do not expect that this standard will have a material impact on our results of operations or financial position.

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-04, “Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure”. This guidance clarifies that an in substance repossession or foreclosure has occurred, and a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan, upon either the creditor obtaining legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure or the borrower conveying all interest in the residential real estate property to the creditor to satisfy that loan through completion of a deed in lieu of foreclosure. Interim and annual disclosure is required of both the amount of foreclosed residential real estate property held by the creditor and the recorded investment in consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate property that are in the process of foreclosure. This guidance is effective using either the modified retrospective transition method or a prospective transition method for fiscal years and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2014, and early adoption is permitted. We do not expect that this standard will have a material impact on our results of operations or financial position.