Segment Information

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Information

Management monitors the Corporation’s results by an internal performance measurement system, which provides lines of business results and key performance measures. The profitability measurement system is based on internal management methodologies designed to produce consistent results and reflect the underlying economics of the businesses. The development and application of these methodologies is a dynamic process. Accordingly, these measurement tools and assumptions may be revised periodically to reflect methodological, product, and/or management organizational changes. Further, these tools measure financial results that support the strategic objectives and internal organizational structure of the Corporation. Consequently, the information presented is not necessarily comparable with similar information for other financial institutions.

A description of each business, selected financial performance, and the methodologies used to measure financial performance are presented below.

• Commercial – The commercial line of business provides a full range of lending, depository, and related financial services to middle-market corporate, industrial, financial, business banking (formerly known as small business), public entities, and leasing clients. Commercial also includes personal business from commercial loan clients in coordination with the Wealth Management segment. Products and services offered include commercial term loans, revolving credit arrangements, asset-based lending, leasing, commercial mortgages, real estate construction lending, letters of credit, treasury management, government banking, international banking, merchant card and other depository products and services.

• Retail – The retail line of business includes consumer lending and deposit gathering, residential mortgage loan origination and servicing, and branch-based small business banking (formerly known as the "micro business" line). Retail offers a variety of retail financial products and services including consumer direct and indirect installment loans, debit and credit cards, debit gift cards, residential mortgage loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, deposit products, fixed and variable annuities and ATM network services. Deposit products include checking, savings, money market accounts and certificates of deposit.

• Wealth – The wealth line of business offers a broad array of asset management, private banking, financial planning, estate settlement and administration, credit and deposit products and services. Trust and investment services include personal trust and planning, investment management, estate settlement and administration services. Retirement plan services focus on investment management and fiduciary activities. Brokerage and insurance delivers retail mutual funds, other securities, variable and fixed annuities, personal disability and life insurance products and brokerage services. Private banking provides credit, deposit and asset management solutions for affluent clients.

• Other – The other line of business includes activities that are not directly attributable to one of the three principal lines of business. Included in the Other category are the parent company, eliminations companies, community development operations, the treasury group, which includes the securities portfolio, wholesale funding and asset liability management activities, and the economic impact of certain assets, capital and support function not specifically identifiable with the three primary lines of business.

The accounting policies of the lines of businesses are the same as those of the Corporation described in Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) to the 2012 Form 10-K. Funds transfer pricing is used in the determination of net interest income by assigning a cost for funds used or credit for funds provided to assets and liabilities within each business unit. Assets and liabilities are match-funded based on their maturity, prepayment and/or repricing characteristics. As a result, the three primary lines of business are generally insulated from changes in interest rates. Changes in net interest income due to changes in rates are reported in Other by the treasury group. Capital has been allocated on an economic risk basis. Loans and lines of credit have been allocated capital based upon their respective credit risk. Asset management holdings in the Wealth segment have been allocated capital based upon their respective market risk related to assets under management. Normal business operating risk has been allocated to each line of business by the level of noninterest expense. Mismatch between asset and liability cash flow as well as interest rate risk for mortgage servicing rights and the origination business franchise value have been allocated capital based upon their respective asset/liability management risk. The provision for loan loss is allocated based upon the actual net charge-offs of each respective line of business, adjusted for loan growth and changes in risk profile. Noninterest income and expenses directly attributable to a line of business are assigned to that line of business. Expenses for centrally provided services are allocated to the business line by various activity based cost formulas.

The Corporation’s business is conducted solely in the United States of America. The following tables present a summary of financial results as of and for the three and six months endedJune 30, 2013 and June 30, 2012:

																				FirstMerit
	Commercial				Retail				Wealth					Other						Consolidated
June 30, 2013	QTD		YTD		QTD		YTD		QTD			YTD		QTD			YTD			QTD		YTD
OPERATIONS:
Net interest income (loss)	$	109,705	$	175,224	$	89,701	$	136,132	$	3,774		$	7,549	$	(5,149	)	$	(9,526	)	$	198,031	$	309,379
Provision for loan losses	2,120		6,886		2,101		6,174		(42		)	166		3,130			4,030			7,309		17,256
Other income	20,895		40,127		33,330		57,718		12,821			21,131		2,393			7,856			69,439		126,832
Other expenses	51,891		94,918		85,512		138,419		13,832			24,006		38,405			39,222			189,640		296,565
Net income (loss)	49,783		73,805		23,021		32,016		1,824			2,930		(26,178		)	(22,955		)	48,450		85,796
AVERAGES:
Assets	8,852,267		7,800,594		5,006,423		4,016,956		263,454			250,206		8,688,558			6,846,825			22,810,702		18,914,581

																				FirstMerit
	Commercial				Retail				Wealth					Other						Consolidated
June 30, 2012	QTD		YTD		QTD		YTD		QTD			YTD		QTD			YTD			QTD		YTD
OPERATIONS:
Net interest income (loss)	$	64,476	$	128,329	$	53,287	$	107,564	$	4,590		$	9,189	$	(3,430	)	$	(7,372	)	$	118,923	$	237,710
Provision for loan losses	3,465		12,570		1,728		4,265		(24		)	201		7,027			9,221			12,196		26,257
Other income	18,047		32,356		24,177		49,443		8,392			16,460		4,685			8,768			55,301		107,027
Other expenses	40,128		83,479		56,784		115,830		9,792			20,007		12,373			13,529			119,077		232,845
Net income (loss)	25,304		42,013		12,319		23,992		2,090			3,536		(9,128		)	(8,612		)	30,585		60,929
AVERAGES:
Assets	6,364,148		6,346,311		2,918,710		2,914,532		237,548			237,060		5,038,108			5,029,609			14,558,514		14,527,512