Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of Operations

Nature of Operations. Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (Cullen/Frost) is a financial holding company and a bank holding company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas that provides, through its subsidiaries, a broad array of products and services throughout numerous Texas markets. In addition to general commercial and consumer banking, other products and services offered include trust and investment management, investment banking, insurance, brokerage, leasing, asset-based lending, treasury management and item processing.

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation. The consolidated financial statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q include the accounts of Cullen/Frost and all other entities in which Cullen/Frost has a controlling financial interest (collectively referred to as the “Corporation”). All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accounting and financial reporting policies the Corporation follows conform, in all material respects, to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to general practices within the financial services industry.

The consolidated financial statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q have not been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm, but in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Corporation’s financial position and results of operations. All such adjustments were of a normal and recurring nature. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Accordingly, the financial statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the Corporation’s consolidated financial statements, and notes thereto, for the year ended December 31, 2012, included in the Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 8, 2013 (the “2012 Form 10-K”). Operating results for the interim periods disclosed herein are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for a full year or any future period.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The allowance for loan losses, the fair value of stock-based compensation awards, the fair values of financial instruments and the status of contingencies are particularly subject to change.

Balance Sheet - Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities

ASU 2011-11, “Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.” ASU 2011-11 amends Topic 210, “Balance Sheet,” to require an entity to disclose both gross and net information about financial instruments, such as sales and repurchase agreements and reverse sale and repurchase agreements and securities borrowing/lending arrangements, and derivative instruments that are eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and/or subject to a master netting arrangement or similar agreement. ASU No. 2013-01, “Balance Sheet (Topic 210) – Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities,” clarifies that ordinary trade receivables are not within the scope of ASU 2011-11. ASU 2011-11, as amended by ASU 2013-01, became effective for the Corporation on January 1, 2013. See Note 9 – Balance Sheet Offsetting for applicable disclosures.

Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment

ASU 2012-02, “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) – Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment.” ASU 2012-02 gives entities the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, an entity determines it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired, then the entity must perform the quantitative impairment test. If, under the quantitative impairment test, the carrying amount of the intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an entity should recognize an impairment loss in the amount of that excess. Permitting an entity to assess qualitative factors when testing indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment results in guidance that is similar to the goodwill impairment testing guidance in ASU 2011-08. ASU 2012-02 became effective for the Corporation on January 1, 2013 and did not have a significant impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.

Business Combinations - Subsequent Accounting for an Indemnification Asset Recognized at the Acquisition Date as a Result of a Government-Assisted Acquisition of a Financial Institution

ASU 2012-06, “Business Combinations (Topic 805) – Subsequent Accounting for an Indemnification Asset Recognized at the Acquisition Date as a Result of a Government-Assisted Acquisition of a Financial Institution (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force).” ASU 2012-06 clarifies the applicable guidance for subsequently measuring an indemnification asset recognized as a result of a government-assisted acquisition of a financial institution. Under ASU 2012-06, when a reporting entity recognizes an indemnification asset as a result of a government-assisted acquisition of a financial institution and, subsequently, a change in the cash flows expected to be collected on the indemnification asset occurs (as a result of a change in cash flows expected to be collected on the assets subject to indemnification), the reporting entity should subsequently account for the change in the measurement of the indemnification asset on the same basis as the change in the assets subject to indemnification. Any amortization of changes in value should be limited to the contractual term of the indemnification agreement (that is, the lesser of the term of the indemnification agreement and the remaining life of the indemnified assets). ASU 2012-06 became effective for the Corporation on January 1, 2013 and did not have a significant impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.

Comprehensive Income - Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

ASU 2013-02, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) – Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.” ASU 2013-02 amends recent guidance related to the reporting of comprehensive income to enhance the reporting of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income. ASU 2013-02 became effective for the Corporation on January 1, 2013 and did not have a significant impact on the Corporation’s financial statements. See Note 14 – Other Comprehensive Income (Loss).

Financial Services - Investment Companies - Amendments to the Scope, Measurement and Disclosure Requirements

ASU 2013-08, “Financial Services – Investment Companies (Topic 946) – Amendments to the Scope, Measurement and Disclosure Requirements.” ASU 2013-08 clarifies the characteristics of investment companies and sets forth a new approach for determining whether a company is an investment company. The fundamental characteristics of an investment company include (i) the company obtains funds from investors and provides the investors with investment management services; (ii) the company commits to its investors that its business purpose and only substantive activities are investing the funds for returns solely from capital appreciation, investment income, or both; and (iii) the company or its affiliates do not obtain or have the objective of obtaining returns or benefits from an investee or its affiliates that are not normally attributable to ownership interests or that are other than capital appreciation or investment income. ASU 2013-08 also sets forth the scope, measurement and disclosure requirements for investment companies. ASU 2013-08 is effective for the Corporation on January 1, 2014 and is not expected to have a significant impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.

Derivatives and Hedging - Inclusion of the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes

ASU 2013-10, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) – Inclusion of the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate (or Overnight Index Swap Rate) as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes.” ASU 2013-10 permits the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate (or Overnight Index Swap Rate) to be used as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes under Topic 815, in addition to interest rates on direct Treasury obligations of the U.S. government and the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). ASU 2013-10 became effective for qualifying new or redesignated hedging relationships entered into on or after July 17, 2013 and did not have a significant impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.