Regulatory Capital

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Banking and Thrift [Abstract]

Regulatory Capital

Regulatory Capital:

The following table sets forth the respective regulatory capital positions for Sterling and Sterling Bank as of March 31, 2012:

	Actual				Adequately Capitalized				Well-Capitalized
	Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio
	(in thousands)
Tier 1 leverage ratio
Sterling	$	1,030,540	11.1	%	$	371,501	4.0	%	$	464,377	5.0	%
Sterling Bank	1,005,841		10.9	%	370,727		4.0	%	463,409		5.0	%
Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio
Sterling	1,030,540		16.1	%	255,824		4.0	%	383,736		6.0	%
Sterling Bank	1,005,841		15.7	%	255,808		4.0	%	383,713		6.0	%
Total risk-based capital ratio
Sterling	1,111,613		17.4	%	511,648		8.0	%	639,560		10.0	%
Sterling Bank	1,086,909		17.0	%	511,617		8.0	%	639,521		10.0	%