Stockholders' Equity	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Stockholders' Equity
Stockholders' Equity	*(9)* *Stockholders’ Equity* We have filed automatic shelf registration statements on Form S-3 with the SEC, which allow us to periodically offer and sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, individually or in any combination, common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, capital securities, guarantees, warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock and units consisting of one or more of the foregoing. These shelf registration statements provide us with greater capital management flexibility and enable us to more readily access the capital markets in order to pursue growth opportunities that may become available to us in the future or should there be any changes in the regulatory environment that call for increased capital requirements. Although the shelf registration statements do not limit the amount of the foregoing items that we may offer and sell, our ability and any decision to do so is subject to market conditions and our capital needs. On March 19, 2013, in a public offering, we sold 5,400,000 depositary shares, each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of our 6.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C, $1.00 par value per share, $1,000 liquidation preference per share (equivalent to $25 per depositary share), or Series C Preferred Stock. We issued 135,000 shares of the Series C Preferred Stock in connection with the sale of the depositary shares. The aggregate proceeds from the offering, net of underwriting discounts and other issuance costs, were approximately $129.8 million. The Series C Preferred Stock, and corresponding depositary shares, may be redeemed at our option, in whole or in part, on April 15, 2018, or on any dividend payment date occurring thereafter, at a redemption price of $1,000 per share (equivalent to $25 per depositary share), plus any declared and unpaid dividends (without accumulation of any undeclared dividends). The Series C Preferred Stock may also be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at any time upon the occurrence of a “regulatory capital treatment event,” as defined in the certificate of designations included in the registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on March 19, 2013. The holders of the Series C Preferred Stock, and the corresponding depositary shares, do not have the right to require the redemption or repurchase of the Series C Preferred Stock. Dividends are payable on the Series C Preferred Stock when, as and if declared by our Board of Directors, on a non-cumulative basis quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year at an annual rate of 6.50% on the liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. No dividend shall be declared, paid, or set aside for payment on our common stock unless the full dividends for the most recently completed dividend period have been declared and paid on our Series C Preferred Stock. On January 7, 2014, we adopted the Astoria Financial Corporation Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”), and terminated the previously existing dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan. Pursuant to the Plan, 1,500,000 shares of authorized and unissued common shares are reserved for use by the Plan, should the need arise. The Plan allows our shareholders to automatically reinvest the cash dividend paid on all or a portion of their shares of our common stock into additional shares of our common stock and make optional cash purchases, up to $10,000 per month, of additional shares of our common stock, unless we grant a waiver permitting a higher amount. Shares of common stock will be purchased either directly from us from authorized but unissued shares or from treasury shares, or on the open market. On April 18, 2007, our Board of Directors approved our twelfth stock repurchase plan authorizing the purchase of 10,000,000 shares, or approximately 10% of our common stock then outstanding in open-market or privately negotiated transactions. At December 31, 2013, a maximum of 8,107,300 shares may yet be purchased under this plan. However, we are not currently repurchasing additional shares of our common stock and have not since the 2008 third quarter. We are subject to the laws of the State of Delaware which generally limit dividends on capital stock to an amount equal to the excess of our net assets (the amount by which total assets exceed total liabilities) over our statutory capital, or if there is no such excess, to our net profits for the current and/or immediately preceding fiscal year. We are also required to seek the approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or FRB, prior to declaring a dividend. Our ability to pay dividends, service our debt obligations and repurchase our common stock is dependent primarily upon receipt of dividend payments from Astoria Federal. Our primary banking regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or OCC, regulates all capital distributions by Astoria Federal directly or indirectly to us, including dividend payments. Astoria Federal must file an application to receive approval from the OCC for a proposed capital distribution if the total amount of all capital distributions (including each proposed capital distribution) for the applicable calendar year exceeds net income for that year-to-date plus the retained net income for the preceding two years. During 2013, Astoria Federal was not required to file such applications, but was required to, and did, notify the OCC of its intent to pay dividends, to which the OCC did not object. Astoria Federal may not pay dividends to us if: (1) after paying those dividends, it would fail to meet applicable regulatory capital requirements; (2) the payment would violate any statute, regulation, regulatory agreement or condition; or (3) after making such distribution, the institution would become “undercapitalized” (as such term is used in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act). Payment of dividends by Astoria Federal also may be restricted at any time at the discretion of the OCC if it deems the payment to constitute an unsafe and unsound banking practice. Astoria Federal must also provide notice to the FRB at least 30 days prior to declaring a dividend. Astoria Federal paid dividends to Astoria Financial Corporation totaling $44.0 million during 2013.

(9) Stockholders’ Equity

We have filed automatic shelf registration statements on Form S-3 with the SEC, which allow us to periodically offer and sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, individually or in any combination, common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, capital securities, guarantees, warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock and units consisting of one or more of the foregoing. These shelf registration statements provide us with greater capital management flexibility and enable us to more readily access the capital markets in order to pursue growth opportunities that may become available to us in the future or should there be any changes in the regulatory environment that call for increased capital requirements. Although the shelf registration statements do not limit the amount of the foregoing items that we may offer and sell, our ability and any decision to do so is subject to market conditions and our capital needs.

On March 19, 2013, in a public offering, we sold 5,400,000 depositary shares, each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of our 6.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C, $1.00 par value per share, $1,000 liquidation preference per share (equivalent to $25 per depositary share), or Series C Preferred Stock. We issued 135,000 shares of the Series C Preferred Stock in connection with the sale of the depositary shares. The aggregate proceeds from the offering, net of underwriting discounts and other issuance costs, were approximately $129.8 million.

The Series C Preferred Stock, and corresponding depositary shares, may be redeemed at our option, in whole or in part, on April 15, 2018, or on any dividend payment date occurring thereafter, at a redemption price of $1,000 per share (equivalent to $25 per depositary share), plus any declared and unpaid dividends (without accumulation of any undeclared dividends). The Series C Preferred Stock may also be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at any time upon the occurrence of a “regulatory capital treatment event,” as defined in the certificate of designations included in the registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on March 19, 2013. The holders of the Series C Preferred Stock, and the corresponding depositary shares, do not have the right to require the redemption or repurchase of the Series C Preferred Stock.

Dividends are payable on the Series C Preferred Stock when, as and if declared by our Board of Directors, on a non-cumulative basis quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year at an annual rate of 6.50% on the liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. No dividend shall be declared, paid, or set aside for payment on our common stock unless the full dividends for the most recently completed dividend period have been declared and paid on our Series C Preferred Stock.

On January 7, 2014, we adopted the Astoria Financial Corporation Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”), and terminated the previously existing dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan. Pursuant to the Plan, 1,500,000 shares of authorized and unissued common shares are reserved for use by the Plan, should the need arise. The Plan allows our shareholders to automatically reinvest the cash dividend paid on all or a portion of their shares of our common stock into additional shares of our common stock and make optional cash purchases, up to $10,000 per month, of additional shares of our common stock, unless we grant a waiver permitting a higher amount. Shares of common stock will be purchased either directly from us from authorized but unissued shares or from treasury shares, or on the open market.

On April 18, 2007, our Board of Directors approved our twelfth stock repurchase plan authorizing the purchase of 10,000,000 shares, or approximately 10% of our common stock then outstanding in open-market or privately negotiated transactions. At December 31, 2013, a maximum of 8,107,300 shares may yet be purchased under this plan. However, we are not currently repurchasing additional shares of our common stock and have not since the 2008 third quarter.

We are subject to the laws of the State of Delaware which generally limit dividends on capital stock to an amount equal to the excess of our net assets (the amount by which total assets exceed total liabilities) over our statutory capital, or if there is no such excess, to our net profits for the current and/or immediately preceding fiscal year. We are also required to seek the approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or FRB, prior to declaring a dividend. Our ability to pay dividends, service our debt obligations and repurchase our common stock is dependent primarily upon receipt of dividend payments from Astoria Federal. Our primary banking regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or OCC, regulates all capital distributions by Astoria Federal directly or indirectly to us, including dividend payments. Astoria Federal must file an application to receive approval from the OCC for a proposed capital distribution if the total amount of all capital distributions (including each proposed capital distribution) for the applicable calendar year exceeds net income for that year-to-date plus the retained net income for the preceding two years. During 2013, Astoria Federal was not required to file such applications, but was required to, and did, notify the OCC of its intent to pay dividends, to which the OCC did not object. Astoria Federal may not pay dividends to us if: (1) after paying those dividends, it would fail to meet applicable regulatory capital requirements; (2) the payment would violate any statute, regulation, regulatory agreement or condition; or (3) after making such distribution, the institution would become “undercapitalized” (as such term is used in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act). Payment of dividends by Astoria Federal also may be restricted at any time at the discretion of the OCC if it deems the payment to constitute an unsafe and unsound banking practice. Astoria Federal must also provide notice to the FRB at least 30 days prior to declaring a dividend. Astoria Federal paid dividends to Astoria Financial Corporation totaling $44.0 million during 2013.