Profile: Citizens Republic Bancorp, Inc. (CRBC.O)

Citizens Republic Bancorp, Inc., incorporated in 1980, is a diversified banking and financial services company that is registered as a bank holding company. Citizens provides a range of banking and financial services to individuals and businesses through its subsidiaries Citizens Bank and F&M Bank, Iowa. These services include deposit products, such as checking, savings, and money market accounts, and loan products, such as business, personal, residential, and commercial mortgage loans, and other consumer-oriented financial services, such as individual retirement account (IRA) accounts and safe deposit and night depository facilities. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), which provide around the clock banking services to customers, are installed in many locations in the Corporation’s service areas.

The Company participates in an interstate and international shared ATM network, which allows its customers to perform banking transactions from their checking, savings, or credit card accounts at ATMs in a multi-state and international environment. Among the services designed specifically to meet the needs of businesses are various types of specialized financing, treasury management services, and transfer/collection facilities. Citizens also provides wealth management services through Citizens Bank Wealth Management, N.A., and through the affiliate trust department of F&M Bank-Iowa.

Specialty Commercial includes the commercial real estate, public funds, and asset-based lending teams. It provides a range of lending, depository, and related financial services to commercial real estate developers, owners of multi-unit commercial properties, middle-market companies, and local governments and municipalities. Products and services offered include commercial mortgages, real estate construction lending, term loans, revolving credit arrangements, inventory and accounts receivable financing, and letters of credit. Non-credit services for these customers include deposit accounts, treasury management, corporate cash management, international banking services, advice and assistance in the placement of securities, and financial planning.

Regional Banking includes the consumer, residential mortgage, commercial and industrial, small business, private banking and treasury management teams. The Company provides a range of lending, depository, and other related financial services to both businesses and individual consumers. The products and services offered to consumer clients include: direct loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, residential mortgage loans, checking, savings and money market accounts, debit and credit cards, ATM network services, certificates of deposit, and fixed and variable annuities, as well as private banking services for affluent clients. The products and services offered to commercial clients, which include term loans, revolving credit arrangements, inventory and accounts receivable financing, commercial mortgages, letters of credit, and small business loans. Non-credit services for commercial clients include deposit accounts, treasury management, corporate cash management, international banking services, advice and assistance in the placement of securities, and financial planning.

Wealth Management offers an array of asset management, 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 with special emphasis on 401(k) plans. Brokerage and insurance delivers retail mutual funds, other securities, variable and fixed annuities, personal disability and life insurance products and discounted brokerage services.

Activities that are not directly attributable to one of the Company’s three primary business lines are included in the Other business line. Included in this category are the Holding Company; indirect consumer lending; shared services unit; Citizens’ treasury unit, including the securities portfolio, short-term borrowing and asset/liability management activities; inter-company eliminations; and the economic impact of certain assets, capital and support functions not specifically identifiable with the three primary lines of business. The Specialty Commercial and Regional Banking business lines are involved in lending activity. Lending involves credit risk, which is controlled and monitored through active asset quality management, the use of lending standards, and thorough review of potential borrowers.

The Company competes with JP Morgan Chase & Co., Comerica Incorporated, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., Fifth Third Bancorp, Bank of America, Marshall & Ilsley Corporation, Associated Banc-Corp, US Bancorp, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, Wells Fargo, TCF Financial Corporation, Charter One (RBS) and KeyCorp.