Regulatory Capital

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Regulatory Capital Disclosure [Abstract]

Regulatory Capital

Note 12 - Regulatory Capital

Synovus is subject to regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal and state banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory, and possibly additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the consolidated financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, Synovus must meet specific capital levels that involve quantitative measures of both on- and off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory capital guidelines. Capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings, and other factors.

The Basel III capital rules, implemented in the U.S. with certain changes mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act, strengthen the definition of regulatory capital, increase risk-based capital requirements, and make selected changes to the calculation of risk-weighted assets. The rules became effective January 1, 2015, for Synovus and Synovus Bank, subject to a transition period for several aspects, including the capital conservation buffer and certain regulatory capital adjustments and deductions, as described below. Under the Basel III capital rules, the minimum capital requirements for Synovus and Synovus Bank include a common equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 4.5%; Tier 1 capital ratio of 6%; total capital ratio of 8%; and leverage ratio of 4%. When fully phased-in on January 1, 2019, the Basel III capital rules include a capital conservation buffer of 2.5% that is added on top of each of the minimum risk-based capital ratios. The implementation of the capital conservation buffer will begin on January 1, 2016 at the 0.625% level and be phased-in over a three-year period (increasing by that amount on each subsequent January 1, until it reaches 2.5% on January 1, 2019). As a financial holding company, Synovus and its subsidiary bank, Synovus Bank, are required to maintain capital levels required for a well-capitalized institution as defined by federal banking regulations. Under the Basel III capital rules, Synovus and Synovus Bank are well-capitalized if each has a CET1 ratio of 6.5% or greater, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8% or greater, a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% or greater, a leverage ratio of 5% or greater, and are not subject to any written agreement, order, capital directive, or prompt corrective action directive from a federal and/or state banking regulatory agency to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure.

Management currently believes, based on internal capital analyses and earnings projections, that Synovus' capital position is adequate to meet current and future regulatory minimum capital requirements.

The following table summarizes regulatory capital information at December 31, 2015 and 2014 on a consolidated basis and for Synovus’ significant subsidiary, defined as any direct subsidiary with assets or net income levels exceeding 10% of the consolidated totals.

	Actual				For Capital Adequacy Purposes		To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions (1)
(dollars in thousands)	2015			2014	2015	2014	2015	2014
Capital rules in effect	Basel III			Basel I	Basel III	Basel I	Basel III	Basel I
Synovus Financial Corp.
Tier 1 capital	$	2,660,016		2,543,625	1,538,637	1,051,909	N/A	N/A
Common equity tier 1 capital(2)	2,660,016			N/A	1,153,977	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total risk-based capital	3,255,758			2,987,406	2,051,515	1,874,516	N/A	N/A
Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio	10.37		%	10.86	6.00	4.00	N/A	N/A
Common equity tier 1 capital ratio(2)	10.37			10.74	4.50	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total risk-based capital ratio	12.70			12.75	8.00	8.00	N/A	N/A
Leverage ratio	9.43			9.67	4.00	4.00	N/A	N/A
Synovus Bank
Tier 1 capital	$	3,136,132		2,988,189	1,535,541	1,049,257	2,047,388	1,405,071
Common equity tier 1 capital(2)	3,136,132			N/A	1,151,656	N/A	1,663,503	N/A
Total risk-based capital	3,390,764			3,251,836	2,047,388	1,873,428	2,559,235	2,341,785
Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio	12.25		%	12.76	6.00	4.00	8.00	6.00
Common equity tier 1 capital ratio(2)	12.25			N/A	4.50	N/A	6.50	N/A
Total risk-based capital ratio	13.25			13.89	8.00	8.00	10.00	10.00
Leverage ratio	11.15			11.39	4.00	4.00	5.00	5.00

⁽¹⁾ The prompt corrective action provisions are applicable at the bank level only.

⁽²⁾ 2015 regulatory capital determined under Basel III transitional capital rules.