UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

Commission file number:001-31369

CIT GROUP INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☑

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer ☑ Accelerated filer ☐ Non-accelerated filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☐ Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.☑

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ☐ No ☑

At February 7, 2020,5, 2021, there were 98,031,69698,707,907 shares of CIT's common stock, par value $0.01 per share, outstanding.

The aggregate market value of voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Transaction closing price of Common Stock ($52.5420.73 per share, 94,745,44197,809,180 shares of common stock outstanding), which occurred on June 28, 2019,30, 2020, was $4,951,528,691.$2,027,584,301. For purposes of this computation, all officers and directors of the registrant are deemed to be affiliates. Such determination shall not be deemed an admission that such officers and directors are, in fact, affiliates of the registrant.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Section 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court.

Yes ☑ No ☐

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant's definitive proxy statement relating to the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III.

CONTENTS

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 20192020

PART ONE

Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms

The following is a list of certain abbreviations and acronyms we use throughout this document, including the notes to the financial statements. You may find it helpful to refer back to this table.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Item 1. Business Overview

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

CIT Group Inc. is a bank holding company ("BHC") and a financial holding company ("FHC"). CIT Group Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively “we”"we", “our”"our", “CIT”"CIT" or the “Company”"Company"), is a bank holding company (“BHC”) and a financial holding company (“FHC”) with $46has $53.9 billion of earning assets and total$43.1 billion of deposits of $35 billion at December 31, 2019.2020. CIT was formed in 1908 and provides financing, leasing and advisory services, principally to middle-market companies and small businesses in a wide variety of industries, primarily in North America. CITWe also providesprovide banking and related services to commercial and individual customers through our banking subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A. (“("CIT Bank”Bank" or the "Bank"), which includes over 60a regional branch network of 80 branches located in Southern California and its online bank.  Visit cit.com.

CIT is regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“FRB”("FRB") and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (“FRBNY”("FRBNY") under the U.S. Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (“BHC Act”).amended. CIT Bank is regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury ("OCC"). In addition, CIT Bank, as an insured depository institution, is supervised by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).

On January 1, 2020, we acquired Mutual of Omaha Bank (“MOB”), the savings bank subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company and Omaha Financial Holdings, Inc. (“OFHI”). CIT paid approximately $1 billion as consideration, comprised of $850 million in cash and approximately 3.1 million shares of CIT Group Inc. common stock (valued at approximately $141 million at the time of closing). Total assets acquired were approximately $8.4 billion and deposits were approximately $7.0 billion. See Because the acquisition closed on January 1, 2020,Note 2 – Acquisitions and Discontinued Operations balancesin Item 8. Financial Statements and results of operations of MOB are not included in CIT’s reported financial resultsSupplementary Information (“Item 8”) in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as of or for the year ended December 31, 20192020 (“20192020 Form 10-K”). See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data (“Item 8”), Note 29 — Subsequent Events and Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) for additional information.

On October 16, 2020, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (“First Citizens”), the parent company of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company (“FCB”), and CIT Group Inc. jointly announced that they entered into a definitive agreement by and among First Citizens, FCB, FC Merger Subsidiary IX, Inc. and CIT, under which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger (the “Merger Agreement”). Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, CIT stockholders will receive 0.062 shares of First Citizens Class A common stock for each share of CIT common stock they own. First Citizens stockholders will own approximately 61% and CIT stockholders will own approximately 39% of the combined company. The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties and customary covenants, such as non-solicitation obligations and other provisions, including a break-up fee of $64 million payable in certain circumstances. The Merger Agreement also provides certain termination rights for CIT and First Citizens, including, among others, if the merger has not been completed by October 15, 2021. The combined bank will be regulated by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, the FDIC, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

The Board of Directors of the combined company will consist of 14 directors, the current 11 First Citizens Board members and 3 CIT Board members, including Ellen Alemany, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of CIT, Michael A. Carpenter, and Vice Admiral John R. Ryan, USN (Ret.).

The combined company will operate under the First Citizens name and will be headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., and will maintain significant operations in California, Nebraska, Arizona, Florida, and South Carolina, as well as in New York and New Jersey. The pro forma organization will include over $100 billion in assets and over $80 billion in deposits.

On February 9, 2021, CIT and First Citizens received the approvals of the stockholders of CIT and First Citizens necessary to complete the merger of the companies.  The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

BUSINESS SEGMENTS

As of December 31, 2019,2020, we manage our business and report our financial results in two operating segments: Commercial Banking and Consumer Banking, and a non-operating segment, Corporate. In the fourth quarter of 2019, we modified our business segment reporting. The former segment Non-Strategic Portfolios (“NSP”), which included a nominal amount of loans held for sale at December 31, 2019, is now reported in Corporate. We also modified reporting of select asset balances and financial statistics at the division level in Commercial Banking. Our factoring business, Commercial Services, which was reported in the Business Capital division, is now reported in the Commercial Finance division. In addition, an equipment financing portfolio consisting mostly of large ticket leases was transferred from Business Capital to Commercial Finance. Also, in Consumer Banking, Other Consumer Banking was renamed Consumer and Community Banking. All segment data included in this 2019 Form 10-K has been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.

We set underwriting standards for each business and employ portfolio risk management models to achieve desired portfolio demographics. Our collection and servicing operations are organized by business and geography to provide efficient client interfaces and uniform customer experiences.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2019

Information about our segments is also included in the MD&AItem 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) and Item 8, Note 24 — Business Segment Information.

COMMERCIAL BANKING

Commercial Banking provides a range of lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary products that include interest rate risk management and foreign exchange products, and services, including factoring, cash management, capital markets, asset management, and advisory services, primarily to small and medium-sized companies, as well as to the rail industry. Revenue is generated from interest earned on loans, rent on equipment leased, fees and other revenue from lending and leasing activities, banking services, and capital markets transactions, along with commissions earned on factoring and related activities. We source our commercial lending business primarily through direct marketing to borrowers, lessees, manufacturers, vendors and distributors, and through referral sources and other intermediaries. Periodically we buy participations in syndications of loans and lines of credit and purchase loans on a whole-loan basis.

Commercial Banking is comprised of four divisions, Commercial Finance, Business Capital, Rail, and Real Estate Finance. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Commercial Finance and Real Estate Finance. In addition, the HOA deposits were included in Commercial Banking.

Description of Divisions

Commercial Finance provides a range of commercial lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary services and products, including cash management, capital markets and advisory services, primarily to small and middle market companies in a wide range of industries, including aerospace & defense, aviation, communication, power and energy, entertainment, gaming, healthcare, industrials, maritime, restaurants, retail, services and technology. Loans offered are primarily senior secured loans collateralized by accounts receivable, inventory, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment and/or intangibles, and are often used for working capital, plant expansion, acquisitions or recapitalizations. These loans include revolving lines of credit and term loans and, depending on the nature and quality of the collateral, may be referred to as collateral-backed loans, asset-based loans or cash flow loans. Loans are originated through relationships with private equity sponsors, or through direct relationships, led by originators with extensive experience in their respective industries. We also provide asset management services for which we collect management fees and partner in joint ventures.

In addition, through our Commercial Services business, unit, we provide factoring, receivable management, and secured financing to businesses (our clients, who are generally manufacturers or importers of goods) that operate in several industries, including apparel, textile, furniture, home furnishings and consumer electronics. Factoring entails the assumption of credit risk with respect to trade accounts receivable arising from the sale of goods by our clients to their customers (generally retailers) that have been factored (i.e., sold or assigned to the factor).

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Business Capital provides leasing and equipment financing to small businesses and middle market companies in a wide range of industries on both an indirect and direct basis through integrated vendor platforms. In our indirect business, we assist manufacturers and distributors in growing sales, profitability and customer loyalty by providing customized, value-added finance solutions to their commercial clients. In our direct financing and leasing business, we provide financing solutions for our borrowers and lessees. Additionally, through Small Business Solutions, our on-line credit lending platform, we provide small business unsecured loans and equipment financing. Our lending platform allows small businesses to access commercial loans and leases, including both capital and operating leases, through a highly automated credit approval, documentation and funding process.

Real Estate Finance provides senior secured commercial real estate loans to developers and other commercial real estate professionals. We focus on properties with a stable cash flow, provide financing to reposition existing properties, and originate construction loans to highly experienced and well capitalized developers.

Rail offers customized leasing and financing solutions on a fleet of railcars and locomotives to railroads and shippers throughout North America. Railcar types include covered hopper cars used to ship grain and agricultural products, plastic pellets, sand, and cement; tank cars for energy products and chemicals; gondolas for coal, steel coil and mill service products; openopen-top hopper cars for coal and aggregates; boxcars for paper and auto parts,parts; and centerbeams and flat cars for lumber. The rail portfolio is discussed further in the Concentrations section of the MD&A.

Real Estate Finance provides senior secured commercial real estate loans to developers and other commercial real estate professionals. We focus on properties with a stable cash flow, provide financing to reposition existing properties, and originate construction loans to highly experienced and well capitalized developers. The division also includes a portfolio of acquired multi-family commercial mortgage loans in run-off.

Key Risks

Key risks faced by the divisions include credit, business, market and asset risk. Credit risks associated with secured financings relate to the ability of our borrower to repay our loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should ourthe borrower default on its obligations. Business risks include the demand for services that is broadly affected by the overall level of economic growth and is more specifically affected by the overall level of economic activity in CIT's target industries. Changes in supply and demand of products and services affect the pricing CIT can earn in the market. New business volume in Commercial Banking is affected by CIT's ability to maintain and develop relationships with its equity sponsors, clients, vendor partners, distributors and resellers. Commercial Banking is also exposed to market risk related to its syndication activity, which could expose CIT to risk arising from the inability to sell loans to other lenders, resulting in lower fee income and higher than expected credit exposure to certain borrowers.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2019

The products and services provided by Commercial Services involve two types of credit risk: customer and client. A customer is the account debtor and obligor on trade accounts receivable that have been factored with and assigned to the factor. The most prevalent risk in factoring transactions for Commercial Services is customer credit risk, which relates to the financial inability of a customer to pay undisputed factored trade accounts receivable. A client is the counterparty to Commercial Services on any factoring, financing, or receivables purchasing agreement to sell trade receivables to Commercial Services, and generally is a manufacturer or importer of goods. While less significant than customer credit exposure, client credit risk relates to a decline in the creditworthiness of a borrowing client, their consequent inability to repay their loan, and the possible insufficiency of the underlying collateral (including the customer accounts receivable) to cover any loan repayment shortfall.

Commercial Services is also subject to a variety of other risks, including operational risk, due to the high transaction volume, business risks related to competitive pressures from other banks, boutique factors, and credit insurers, and seasonal risks due to retail trends. These pressures create risk of reduced pricing and factoring volume for CIT. In addition, client de-factoring can occur if retail credit conditions are benign for a long period and clients no longer demand factoring services for credit protection.

The primary risks for Rail are asset risk (resulting from ownership of the railcars and related equipment on operating lease) and credit risk. Asset risk arises from fluctuations in supply and demand for the underlying rail equipment that is leased. Rail invests in long-lived equipment, railcars and locomotives, which have economic useful lives of approximately 40-5040 to 50 years. This equipment is then leased to commercial end-users with lease terms of typically three to five years. CIT is exposed to the risk that, at the end of the lease term, the value of the asset will be lower than expected, resulting in reduced future lease income over the remaining life of the asset or a lower sale value.

Asset risk generally is generally recognized through changes to lease income streams from fluctuations in lease rates and/or utilization. Changes to lease income occur when the existing lease contract expires and is renewed at a lower rate or the asset comes off lease, and the business seeks to enter a new lease agreement. Asset risk may also change depreciation, resulting from changes in the residual value of the operating lease asset or through impairment of the asset carrying value, which can occur at any time during the life of the asset. However, asset values are not typically impacted by short-term market/cyclical fluctuations given the long-lived nature of rail assets. Asset risk is primarily related to the Rail division, and to a lesser extent, Business Capital and Commercial Finance.

Credit risk in the leased equipment portfolio results from the potential default of lessees, driven either by obligor specific or industry-wide conditions and is economically less significant than asset risk for Rail, because in the operating lease business there is no extension of credit to the obligor. Instead, the lessor deploys a portion of the useful life of the asset. Credit losses manifest through multiple parts of the income statement of operations including loss of lease/rental income due to missed payments, time off lease, or lower rental payments than the existing contract due to either a restructuring with the existing obligor or re-leasing of the asset to another obligor, as well as higher expenses due to, for example, repossession costs to recover, refurbish, and re-lease assets.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

CONSUMER BANKING

Consumer Banking is comprised of two divisions: Consumer and Community Banking and LCM. Consumer and Community Banking includes Retail Banking, Consumer Lending, and SBA Lending, which are grouped together for purposes of discussion asand community development lending and investments. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Consumer and Community Banking,Banking. Revenue is generated from interest earned on residential mortgages, small business loans and LCM.from fees for banking services. We source our Consumer Lending business primarily through our branch network and industry referrals, as well as direct digital marketing efforts. Periodically we purchase loans on a whole-loan basis. We source our SBA loans through a network of SBA originators. We also make community development investments and loans that support the construction of affordable housing in our communities.communities in line with our CRA initiatives.

Consumer and Community Banking offers consumer mortgage lending and deposit products to its consumer customers. The division offers conforming and jumbo residential mortgage loans throughout the United States. Mortgage loans are primarily originated through CIT Bank branches and retail referrals, employee referrals, internet leads, direct marketing and a correspondent lending channel. Additionally, loans are purchased through whole loan and portfolio acquisitions. Consumer Lending includes product specialists, internal sales support and origination processing, structuring and closing. Retail Banking is the primary deposit gathering business of CIT Bank and operates through a network of retail branches predominantly in Southern California and an online direct channel. We offer a broad range of deposit and lending products along with payment solutions to meet the needs of our clients (both individuals and small businesses), including checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts, and time deposits.

The division also originates qualified SBA 504 loans and 7(a) loans.loans and supports community development activities through lending and investments. SBA 504 loans generally provide growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. SBA 7(a) loans provide working capital, acquisition of inventory, machinery, equipment, furniture, and fixtures, the refinance of outstanding debt subject to any program guidelines, and acquisition of businesses, including partnership buyouts.

LCM includes portfolios ofacquired SFR mortgages from the OneWest Bank acquisition that are beingin run-off or being sold. Certain of these loans were covered by loss sharing agreements (“LSAs”) with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) against certain future losses sustained on these loans. Covered Loans were previously acquired by OneWest Bank, N.A. in connection with the LSAs for the FDIC-assisted acquisitions of IndyMac Federal Bank, FSB (“IndyMac”) (expired March 2019), First Federal Bank of California, FSB (“First Federal”) (expired December 2019), and La Jolla Bank, FSB (“La Jolla”) (expiring(expired February 2020). All of the LSAs have expired at December 31, 2020 and there are no covered loans.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2019

Key Risks

Key risks in Consumer Banking include credit, collateral and geographic concentration risk. Similar to our commercial business, credit risks associated with secured consumer financings relate to the ability of the borrower to repay its loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should the borrower default on its obligations. Our consumer mortgage loans are typically collateralized by the underlying property, primarily single-family residential homes. Therefore, collateral risk relates to the potential decline in value of the property securing the loan. A majority of the loans are concentrated in Southern California, resulting in geographic concentration risk related to a potential downturn in the economic conditions or a potential natural disaster, such as earthquakes, mudslides, or wildfires, in that region.

See Risk Factors in Item 1A. and the Risk Management section in the MD&A for further discussions on risk.

CIT BANK, N.A.

CIT Bank is regulated by the OCC.

CIT Bank raises deposits through its regional branch network of over 60 locations in Southern California,80 branches, its online bank (visit cit.com), from retail and institutional customers through commercial channels, and, to a lesser extent, broker channels. CIT Bank's existing suite of deposit products includes checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts and time deposits.

CIT Bank provides lending, leasing and other financial and advisory services, primarily to small and middle-market companies across select industries through its Commercial Finance, Rail,Business Capital, Real Estate Finance, and Business CapitalRail divisions. The Bank also offers residential mortgage lending and deposits to its customers through its Consumer and Community Banking division. To help fulfill its community reinvestment act (“CRA”) obligations, CIT Bank provides equity investments, loans to support affordable housing and other community development activities, as well as grants and service-related activities, throughout its assessment area in Southern California.

CIT Bank's loans and leases are primarily commercial loans, consumer loans and operating lease equipment. CIT Bank's operating lease portfolio consists primarily of leased railcars and related equipment.

At year-end, CIT Bank remained well capitalized, maintaining capital ratios above required levels.

See discussion in Item 8, Note 29 — Subsequent Events, regarding the acquisition of MOB.merger with FCB earlier in this section.

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INFORMATION SECURITY

Information security, including cybersecurity, is a high priority for CIT. Recent highly publicized events have highlighted the importance of cybersecurity, including cyberattacks against financial institutions, governmental agencies and other organizations that resulted in the compromise of personal and/or confidential information, the theft or destruction of corporate information, and demands for ransom payments to release corporate information encrypted by so-called “ransomware.” A successful cyberattack could harm CIT’s reputation and/or impair its ability to provide services to its customers.

CIT has developed policies and technology designed to (i) protect both our own and our clients’ information from cyberattacks or other corruption or loss, (ii) reasonably assure the continuity of CIT’s business in the event of disruptions of CIT’s or its vendors’ critical systems, and (iii) comply with regulatory requirements relating to the protection of customer information (see Regulation – Privacy Provisions and Customer and Client Information below). For additional information on CIT’s cybersecurity and business continuity programs, see the Risk Management section of the MD&A below.&A.

DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

At December 31, 2019,2020, there were no assets or liabilities of discontinued operations. Discontinued operations are discussed in Item 8, Note 2 — Acquisition and Discontinued Operations in Item 8.

EMPLOYEESHUMAN CAPITAL

CIT employed 3,609 people at December 31, 2019. Based uponbelieves that our employees are our most important asset. We have therefore developed a human capital strategy which fosters the locationwellbeing, development and engagement of our workforce as a matter of corporate culture and contemporary business practice to aid us in attracting, developing, leading and retaining talent.

The following principles guide our Human Capital Framework:

As of the Company's legal entities,end of the 2020 fiscal year, we employed approximately 4,500 people, including contract employees. Our strong employee base, along with their commitment to our Pride Pledge and core values - Be Empowered; Be Collaborative; Be Inclusive; Be Agile; Be an Achiever - provides the foundation of our company’s success.  

The following figures are as of December 31, 2019, 3,572 were employed2020:

Oversight and Governance

CIT believes a commitment to effective corporate governance and high ethical standards promotes long-term performance. CIT is proud of the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, expertise, geographic reach, tenure and ethnicity found on its Board of Directors. All members of CIT’s Board of Directors are independent, except for the Chairwoman and CEO.

As part of its common recurring activities, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for discussing, evaluating and reviewing regular updates from management in U.S. entitiesthe area of CIT’s human capital, including with respect to diversity and 37inclusion.

Learning & Development

CIT invests in non-U.S. entities.developing its employees through various training and educational programs, focusing on new hire on-boarding and readiness, leadership development, sales enablement, product knowledge, compliance and ethics and technical and professional skills.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

In 2020, CIT shifted to providing its training virtually to support employees working from home due to COVID-19.

Diversity & Inclusion

More perspectives bring greater innovation. At CIT, we welcome a diverse group of employees to create a better workplace and innovative products for our clients. CIT is committed to fostering an environment where all employees bring their best selves to work, feeling included, empowered and able to thrive.

CIT is committed to providing an inclusive environment where all individuals have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices by employees (including managers and co-workers) or contingent workers.

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) at CIT is a strategic imperative, rooted in our core values and reinforced in our performance management process. CIT’s D&I program, Be You @CIT, includes a focus on employee programs that drive inclusion, community partnerships to support diversity, leadership initiatives to drive action and efforts in supplier diversity. Initiatives are driven by an Executive Diversity Council and four Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are chartered with a focus on Women, Veterans, LGBTQ+ and Black employees, and open to all employees. Our continuing progress in building an inclusive culture was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which designated CIT as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality in 2020.

CIT is proud of the diversity of our Board of Directors in gender, race, ethnicity and experience, with women comprising a third of the board and people of color also comprising a third of the Board. CIT also has a strong Executive Management Committee with more than 30% gender diversity.

Total Rewards

CIT has a “pay-for-performance” philosophy that forms the foundation of decisions regarding incentive compensation of CIT’s employees. This compensation philosophy and the compensation program in place are central to CIT’s ability to attract, retain and motivate individuals who can achieve superior long-term financial results.

CIT is also committed to making it easier for employees to stay healthy by offering a comprehensive benefits program with high-quality, consumer-driven plans, health spending accounts and flexible options to protect employees and their families. Employees can balance work and personal life with paid time off, flexible work arrangements and programs for employee and family support. We also provide peace of mind with insurance including Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment for employees and eligible dependents, along with Business Travel Accident Insurance, protection through our short- and long-term disability plan, and a generous parental leave program.

Employees are able to gain skills and knowledge needed to grow their careers with the support of our tuition reimbursement program and plan for retirement with our 401(k) plan and company match.

Eligible employees are encouraged to further their ownership of CIT stock by purchasing shares of CIT common stock at a 15% discounted price through our CIT Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Volunteering

Social responsibility is core to CIT’s culture. We are committed to making positive and lasting impacts in our communities through our business activities and our volunteer and charitable efforts. We are a vital part of the communities where we live and work, and every CIT employee is encouraged to volunteer their time and talent to nonprofit organizations. CIT supports these efforts by providing eight hours of paid time off to all employees annually to devote to volunteer efforts.

COMPETITION

We operate in highly competitive markets. Our competitors include global and regional commercial banks, and community banks, as well as captive finance companies, leasing companies, business development companies, and other non-bank lenders.lenders and financial technology companies, or “fintechs,” which may offer bank-like products or services that compete directly with our products and services. In most of our business lines, we have a few large competitors that have significant market share and many smaller niche competitors. Many of our competitors have substantial financial, technological, and marketing resources.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2019

Our customer value proposition is primarily based on financing terms, industry expertise, transaction structuring, technology driven solutions, and client service. From time to time, due to highly competitive markets, we may (i) lose market share if we are unwilling to match product structure, pricing, or terms of our competitors that do not meet our credit standards or return requirements or (ii) receive lower returns or incur higher credit losses if we match our competitors’ product structure, pricing, or terms. We tend not to compete on price, but rather on industry experience, asset and equipment knowledge, and customer service.

REGULATION

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

We are regulated pursuant to U.S. federal banking laws, regulations, and policies. Such laws and regulations are intended primarily for the protection of depositors, customers and the federal Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”), as well as to minimize risk to the banking system as a whole, and not for the protection of our shareholders or non-depository creditors. Bank regulatory agencies have broad examination and enforcement power over BHCs and their bank and non-bank subsidiaries, including the power to impose substantial fines, limit dividends and other capital distributions, restrict operations and acquisitions, and require divestitures. BHCs and banks, as well as subsidiaries of both, are prohibited by law from engaging in practices that the relevant regulatory authority deems unsafe or unsound. CIT Group Inc. is a BHC and elected to be treated as an FHC under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). CIT Bank is chartered as a national bank by the OCC and is a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. CIT and CIT Bank are subject to certain limitations on our activities, transactions with affiliates, and payment of dividends, and certain standards for capital and liquidity, safety and soundness, and incentive compensation, among other matters. The principal regulator of CIT Group Inc. and its non-bank subsidiaries is the FRB and the principal regulator of CIT Bank and its subsidiaries is the OCC. Both CIT Group Inc. and CIT Bank are subject to the jurisdiction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”).

Certain of our subsidiaries are subject to the jurisdiction of other governmental agencies and self-regulated organizations. CIT Capital Securities LLC is a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), a self-regulated organization. CIT Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser subject to the jurisdiction of the SEC. Our insurance operations are primarily conducted through The Equipment Insurance Company and CIT Insurance Agency, Inc. Each company is licensed to enter into insurance contracts and is subject to regulation and examination by state insurance regulators.

In May 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) was signed into law. Among other changes, the EGRRCPA amended provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) to increase the threshold for applicability of the enhanced prudential standards for BHCs from $50 billion to $250 billion. The EGRRCPA’s increased threshold took effect immediately for BHCs with total consolidated assets of less than $100 billion, including CIT. As a result, certain of the enhanced prudential standards required under Sections 165 and 166 of the Dodd-Frank Act are not applicable to CIT.

Upon completion of the Company’s pending merger with First Citizens, the Company expects that the combined institution will have more than $100 billion in total consolidated assets. Therefore, subject to transitional provisions, the combined company is expected to be classified as a Category IV banking institution under the Tailoring Rules (defined below) and subject to the requirements applicable to Category IV institutions. As a Category IV institution, the combined company would be subject to additional regulatory requirements, including capital planning requirements, including as part of the Federal Reserve’s comprehensive capital analysis and review (“CCAR”) process, biennial supervisory stress testing and the stress capital buffer rule, which would replace the static 2.5% component of the capital conservation buffer with a capital buffer that is based on supervisory stress test results and the combined company’s planned common stock dividends. In addition, the combined company would be subject to enhanced liquidity and risk management standards including quarterly liquidity stress tests and a liquidity buffer.

Banking Supervision and Regulation

Permissible Activities

As a BHC, CIT Group Inc. may engage in the business of banking, managing or controlling banks, performing servicing activities for subsidiaries, and engaging in activities that the FRB has determined, by order or regulation, are so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident thereto. As an FHC, CIT Group Inc. may also may engage in or acquire and retain the shares of a company engaged in activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature as long as the FHC continues to meet the eligibility requirements for FHCs, including that the FHC and each of its U.S. depository institution subsidiaries remain “well-capitalized” and “well-managed.”

A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-capitalized” if it satisfies the requirements discussed below under “Prompt Corrective Action.” A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-managed” if it received a composite rating and management rating of at least “satisfactory” in its most recent examination. If an FHC ceases to be well-capitalized and well-managed, the FHC must enter into a non-public confidential agreement with the FRB to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements. Until the FHC returns to compliance, the FRB may impose limitations or conditions on the conduct of its activities, and the company may not commence any new non-banking financial activities permissible for FHCs or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities without prior approval of the FRB. If the company does not timely return to compliance, the FRB may require divestiture of the FHCs depository institutions. BHCs and banks must also be well-capitalized and well-managed in order to acquire banks located outside their home state. An FHC will also be limited in its ability to commence non-banking financial activities or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities if any of its insured depository institution subsidiaries fails to maintain a “satisfactory” rating under the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”), as described below under “Community Reinvestment Act.”

Activities that are “financial in nature” include securities underwriting, dealing and market making, advising mutual funds and investment companies, insurance underwriting and agency, merchant banking, and activities that the FRB, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, determines to be financial in nature or incidental to such financial activity. “Complementary

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activities” are activities that the FRB determines upon application to be complementary to a financial activity and that do not pose a safety and soundness issue. CIT is primarily engaged in activities that are permissible for a BHC and conducts only limited business involving the expanded activities available to an FHC.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2019

Capital Requirements

The Company and the Bank are subject to risk-based requirements and rules issued by the FRB, OCC, and FDIC (the “Basel III Rules”) that are based upon the final framework of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (the “Basel Committee”) for strengthening capital and liquidity regulation. Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank apply the Standardized Approach in measuring their risk-weighted assets (“RWA”) and regulatory capital.

Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank are subject to minimum capital ratios for common equity tier 1 (“CET1”) capital, Tier 1 capital, and Total capital of 4.5%, 6.0% and 8.0%, respectively. The Basel III Rules also include a “capital conservation buffer” (“CCB”) of 2.5%, composed entirely of CET1 capital, in addition to the minimum capital to RWA ratios. The capital conservation bufferCCB is designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions with a ratio of CET1 to RWA above the minimum but below the capital conservation bufferCCB will face constraints on dividends, equity repurchases, and compensation based on the amount of the shortfall and the institution’s "eligible retained income" (that is,(since March 2020, defined as the greater of (i) net income for the four quarter trailing net income,preceding quarters, net of distributions and associated tax effects not reflected in net income)income; and (ii) the average of net income over the preceding four quarters).

As of January 1, 2020, CIT is required to maintain the following risk-based capital ratios:

The Company and CIT Bank meet all capital requirements under the Basel III Rules, including the capital conservation buffer.CCB. The table in the MD&A (Regulatory Capital section) presents CIT's and CIT Bank's capital ratios.

The Company and CIT Bank are also required to maintain a minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to a quarterly average of non-risk weighted total assets) of 4%. The Company and CIT Bank are not subject to the Basel III Rules’Rule’s countercyclical buffer or the supplementary leverage ratio.

The Basel III Rules provide for a number ofseveral deductions from and adjustments to CET1. These include, for example, goodwill, other intangible assets, and deferred tax assets (“DTAs”) that arise from net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards net of any related valuation allowance. Mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”), DTAs arising from temporary differences that could not be realized through net operating loss carrybacks and investments in non-consolidated financial institutions must also be deducted from CET1 to the extent that they exceed certain thresholds. In November 2017, the federal bank regulators revised the Basel III Rules to extend the transitional treatment of certain DTAs, MSRs, investments in non-consolidated financial institutions and minority interests for non-advanced approaches banking organizations, such as the Company and the Bank, until April 1, 2020, when the revisions to simplify the regulatory capital treatment ofrequirements relating to the threshold deductions for those items taketook effect.

The Company and CIT Bank, as non-advanced approaches banking organizations, made a one-time, permanent election under the Basel III Rules to exclude the effects of certain components of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) included in shareholders’ equity under U.S. GAAP (for example, mark-to-market of securities held in the available-for-sale (“AFS”) portfolio) in determining regulatory capital ratios.

Under the Basel III Rules, certain off-balance sheet commitments and obligations are converted into RWA, that, together with on-balance sheet assets, are the base against which regulatory capital is measured. The Basel III Rule defined the risk-weighting categories for BHCs and banks that follow the Standardized Approach based on a risk-sensitive analysis, depending on the nature of the exposure. Risk weights range from 0% for U.S. government and agency securities, to as high as 1,250% for such exposures as certain tranches of securitizations or unsettled security/commodity transactions. In November 2019, the federal banking agencies adopted a rule revising the scope of commercial real estate mortgages subject to a 150% risk weight.

In December 2017, the Basel Committee published standards that it described as the finalization of the Basel III post-crisis regulatory reforms (the standards are commonly referred to as “Basel IV”). Among other things, these standards revise the Basel Committee's Standardized Approach for credit risk (including by recalibrating risk weights and introducing new capital requirements for certain "unconditionally cancellable commitments," such as unused credit card and home equity lines of credit) and provides a new standardized approach for operational risk capital. Under the Basel framework, these standards will generally be effective on January 1, 2022,2023, with an aggregate output floor phasing in through January 1, 2027.2028. Under the current U.S. capital rules, operational risk capital requirements and a capital floor apply only to advanced approaches institutions, and not to the Company or CIT Bank. The impact of Basel IV on the Company and CIT Bank will depend on whether, and the manner in which,how, it is implemented by the federal bank regulators.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Current Expected Credit Losses Transitional Provisions

In June 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which revises the methodology for estimating credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized

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cost (including loans and held-to-maturity debt securities), net investments in finance leases, available for sale debt securities and unfunded loan commitments. Under this guidance, the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) model is based on lifetime expected credit losses, rather than incurred losses, and requires the recognition of these lifetime losses in the allowance for credit losses, or other liabilitiesallowance for unfunded loan commitments, on the balanceoff-balance sheet credit exposures, at the time of origination or purchase. The Company has adopted this new guidance effective as of January 1, 2020.

In December 2018,During 2020, the federal bank regulators issuedOCC, FRB and FDIC collectively adopted a final rule that allows banking organizations to allow financial institutionsdelay for two years the impact of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital, followed by a three-year transition period. During the first two years of the five-year transition period, CIT will delay the day one impact of CECL to phaseretained earnings plus a scaling factor of 25 percent of the change in the day-oneAdjusted Allowance for Credit Losses (“AACL”) from initial CECL implementation to the end of the current quarter, excluding the impact of the initial non-PCD charge related to MOB. After the initial two-year delay period, there will be a three-year transition period starting January 1, 2022. The day one impact of CECL and the 25% scaling factor of the change in non-PCD ACL from Day 1 to the end of the second year will be phased out as follows: 75 percent of transitional benefits are recognized in regulatory capital effects ofin year three; 50 percent in year four; and 25 percent in year five. After year five, CIT expects to have fully reversed out the adoption of ASU 2016-13. A financial institution that electstemporary regulatory capital benefits from the two-year delay and three-year transition period. These changes are only applicable to phase in the day-one adverse effects of CECL adoption will phase in theregulatory capital. There was no impact to its regulatory capital calculations over a three-year period beginning on the first daybalance sheet or the statement of the fiscal year in which the financial institution adopts CECL. The Company has elected to phase in the regulatory capital impact over the allowable three years. See Note 1 - Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – Recent Accounting Pronouncements in Item 8 for additional information on this accounting pronouncement.operations.

Regulatory Expectations for Capital PlanningOrderly Liquidation Authority

Under Sections 165 and 166CRO

Chief Risk Officer

OREO

Other Real Estate Owned

CTA

Currency Translation Adjustment

OTTI

Other than Temporary Impairment

DCF

Discounted Cash Flows

PAA

Purchase Accounting Adjustments

DIF

Deposit Insurance Fund

PB

Primary Beneficiary

DPA

Deferred Purchase Agreement

PCI

Purchased Credit-Impaired

DTA/DTL

Deferred Tax Asset / Deferred Tax Liability

PCD

Purchased Credit Deteriorated

EPS

Earnings Per Share

PD

Probability of the Dodd-Frank Act, as amended by the EGRRCPA, the FRB has promulgated regulations and issued guidance imposing enhanced prudential supervision requirements on BHCs with total consolidated assetsObligor Default

ERC

Enterprise Risk Committee

PLM

Problem Loan Management

EVE Sensitivity

Economic Value of $100 billion or more. As a BHC with total consolidated assets of less than $100 billion, CIT is not subject to these enhanced prudential standards, including capital planning and stress testing requirements under the FRB’s “Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review” (“CCAR”) process. However, the FRB has indicated that the capital planning and risk management practices of financial institutions with assets of less than $100 billion will continue to be reviewed through the regular supervisory process.Equity Sensitivity

CIT is required to maintain a comprehensive and effective capital planning process in accordance with SR Letter 09-4, “Applying Supervisory Guidance and Regulations on the Payment of Dividends, Stock Redemptions, and Stock Repurchases at Bank Holding Companies” (“SR 09-4”). Under SR 09-4, a BHC is expected to inform and consult with the FRB before (i) declaring and paying a dividend that could raise safety and soundness concerns, (ii) redeeming or repurchasing regulatory capital instruments when the BHC is experiencing financial weakness, or (iii) redeeming or repurchasing common stock or perpetual preferred stock that would result in a net reduction in the amount of such instrument during the quarter in which the redemption or repurchase occurs. BHCs are expected to advise the FRB sufficiently in advance of such capital action to provide reasonable opportunity for supervisory review and possible objection. The FRB reviews our capital planning process as part of its regular supervisory process.  RCC

In July 2019, the FRB eliminated the standalone prior approval requirement in the capital rules for repurchase or redemption of common stock. In certain circumstances, CIT’s repurchases of its common stock may be subject to a prior approval or notice requirement under the regulations or policies of the FRB. Any redemption or repurchase of preferred stock or subordinated debt remains subject to prior supervisory approval.Risk Control Committee

Liquidity RequirementsFASB

In line with international liquidity standards established by the Basel Committee to ensure that banking entities address both short-term and long-term funding needs, the federal banking agencies set minimum liquidity requirements for large banking organizations, including minimum levels of unencumbered high-quality liquid assets. In 2014, the federal banking regulators adopted a joint final rule implementing a liquidity coverage ratio (“LCR”), calculated as the ratio of a banking entity’s high-quality liquid assets to its total net cash outflows over 30 consecutive calendar days, for large and internationally active U.S. banking entities. The final rule applied a modified version of the LCR requirements to bank holding companies with total consolidated assets of greater than $50 billion but less than $250 billion.Financial Accounting Standards Board

On July 6, 2018, following approval of the EGRRCPA, the FRB issued a statement to provide guidance on how it would administer certain regulations and reporting requirements that the EGRRCPA immediately affected. Among other actions, the FRB stated that it would not require bank holding companies with less than $100 billion in total consolidated assets to comply with the LCR requirements. In October 2019, the federal bank regulators issued final rules under the EGRRCPA for tailoring the criteria for determining the applicability of capital and liquidity requirements for large U.S. banking organizations (the “Tailoring Rules”). Under the Tailoring Rules, banking organizations with less than $100 billion in total consolidated assets, including the Company, are not subject to the LCR.RMC

Nevertheless, the federal bank regulators have indicated that the capital planning and risk management practices of financial institutions with assets of less than $100 billion will continue to be reviewed through the regular supervisory process. The Company and CIT Bank intend to maintain a liquidity risk management and monitoring process designed to ensure appropriate liquidity to meet expected and contingent funding needs under both normal and stress environments, subject to the regular supervisory review process. See “MD&A – Risk Management – Liquidity Risk”.Committee

AcquisitionsFCB

First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company

RMG

Risk Management Group

FCPA

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

ROAEA

Return on Average Earning Assets

FDIA

Federal and state laws impose notice and approval requirements for mergers and acquisitions involving depository institutions or BHCs. The BHCDeposit Insurance Act requires the prior approval of the FRB for (i) the acquisition by a BHC of direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of any class of voting shares of a bank, savings association, or BHC, (ii) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of any bank or savings association by any subsidiary of a BHC other than a bank, or (iii) the merger

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or consolidation of any BHC with another BHC. Prior regulatory approval is also generally required for mergers, acquisitions and consolidations involving other insured depository institutions. In reviewing acquisition and merger applications, the bank regulatory authorities will consider, among other things, the competitive effect of the transaction, financial and managerial issues, including the capital position of the combined organization, convenience and needs factors, including the applicant's CRA record, the effectiveness of the subject organizations in combating money laundering activities, and the transaction's effectReturn on the stability of the U.S. banking or financial system. In addition, a FHC must obtain prior approval of the FRB before acquiring certain non-bank financial companies with assets exceeding $10 billion.Tangible Common Stockholders' Equity

DividendsFDIC

CIT Group Inc. is a legal entity separate and distinct from CIT Bank and CIT’s other subsidiaries. Its primary sources of cash are interest on intercompany loans to its subsidiaries and dividends from its subsidiaries.

It is the policy of the FRB that a BHC generally pay dividends on common stock out of net income available to common shareholders over the past year, and only if the prospective rate of earnings retention appears consistent with capital needs, asset quality, and overall financial condition, and the BHC is not in danger of failing to meet its minimum regulatory capital adequacy ratios. A BHC should not maintain a dividend level that places undue pressure on the capital of bank subsidiaries, or that may undermine the BHC’s ability to serve as a source of strength to its subsidiary bank.

The ability of CIT to pay dividends on common stock may be affected by various factors, including regulatory capital requirements. Capital and non-capital standards established for depository institutions under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

ROU

Right of Use

FDICIA

FDIC Improvement Act of 1991 as amended (“FDICIA”) may limit the ability

RWA

Risk Weighted Assets

FHA

Federal Housing Administration

SBA

Small Business Administration

FHC

Financial Holding Company

SEC

Securities and Exchange Commission

FHLB

Federal Home Loan Bank

SFR

Single Family Residential

FICO

Fair, Isaac Corporation

SIFI

Systemically Important Financial Institution

FINRA

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority

SOFR

Secured Overnight Financing Rate

FNMA

Federal National Mortgage Association

TBV

Tangible Book Value

FRB

Board of CIT Bank to pay dividends to CIT. The right of CIT, its stockholders, and its creditors to participate in any distributionGovernors of the Federal Reserve System

TCE

Tangible Common Stockholders' Equity

FRBNY

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

TDR

Troubled Debt Restructuring

FV

Fair Value

UPB

Unpaid Principal Balance

GAAP

Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the U.S.

VA

Valuation Allowance

GLBA

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act

VIE

Variable Interest Entity

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Item 1. Business Overview

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

CIT Group Inc. is a bank holding company ("BHC") and a financial holding company ("FHC"). CIT Group Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively "we", "our", "CIT" or the "Company"), has $53.9 billion of earning assets and $43.1 billion of deposits at December 31, 2020. CIT was formed in 1908 and provides financing, leasing and advisory services, principally to middle-market companies in a wide variety of industries, primarily in North America. We also provide banking and related services to commercial and individual customers through our banking subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A. ("CIT Bank" or the "Bank"), which includes a regional branch network of 80 branches and its online bank.  

CIT is regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("FRB") and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York ("FRBNY") under the U.S. Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. CIT Bank is regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury ("OCC"). In addition, CIT Bank, as an insured depository institution, is supervised by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).

On January 1, 2020, we acquired Mutual of Omaha Bank (“MOB”), the savings bank subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company and Omaha Financial Holdings, Inc. (“OFHI”). CIT paid approximately $1 billion as consideration, comprised of $850 million in cash and approximately 3.1 million shares of CIT Group Inc. common stock (valued at approximately $141 million at the time of closing). Total assets acquired were approximately $8.4 billion and deposits were approximately $7.0 billion. See Note 2 – Acquisitions and Discontinued Operations in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Information (“Item 8”) in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as of or for the year ended December 31, 2020 (“2020 Form 10-K”) for additional information.

On October 16, 2020, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (“First Citizens”), the parent company of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company (“FCB”), and CIT Group Inc. jointly announced that they entered into a definitive agreement by and among First Citizens, FCB, FC Merger Subsidiary IX, Inc. and CIT, under which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger (the “Merger Agreement”). Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, CIT stockholders will receive 0.062 shares of First Citizens Class A common stock for each share of CIT common stock they own. First Citizens stockholders will own approximately 61% and CIT stockholders will own approximately 39% of the combined company. The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties and customary covenants, such as non-solicitation obligations and other provisions, including a break-up fee of $64 million payable in certain circumstances. The Merger Agreement also provides certain termination rights for CIT and First Citizens, including, among others, if the merger has not been completed by October 15, 2021. The combined bank will be regulated by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, the FDIC, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

The Board of Directors of the combined company will consist of 14 directors, the current 11 First Citizens Board members and 3 CIT Board members, including Ellen Alemany, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of CIT, Michael A. Carpenter, and Vice Admiral John R. Ryan, USN (Ret.).

The combined company will operate under the First Citizens name and will be headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., and will maintain significant operations in California, Nebraska, Arizona, Florida, and South Carolina, as well as in New York and New Jersey. The pro forma organization will include over $100 billion in assets and over $80 billion in deposits.

On February 9, 2021, CIT and First Citizens received the approvals of the stockholders of CIT and First Citizens necessary to complete the merger of the companies.  The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals.

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BUSINESS SEGMENTS

As of December 31, 2020, we manage our business and report our financial results in two operating segments: Commercial Banking and Consumer Banking, and a non-operating segment, Corporate.

We set underwriting standards for each business and employ portfolio risk management models to achieve desired portfolio demographics. Our collection and servicing operations are organized by business and geography to provide efficient client interfaces and uniform customer experiences.

Information about our segments is also included in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) and Item 8, Note 24 — Business Segment Information.

COMMERCIAL BANKING

Commercial Banking provides a range of lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary products that include interest rate risk management and foreign exchange products, and services, including factoring, cash management, capital markets, asset management, and advisory services, primarily to small and medium-sized companies, as well as to the rail industry. Revenue is generated from interest earned on loans, rent on equipment leased, fees and other revenue from lending and leasing activities, banking services, and capital markets transactions, along with commissions earned on factoring and related activities. We source our commercial lending business primarily through direct marketing to borrowers, lessees, manufacturers, vendors and distributors, and through referral sources and other intermediaries. Periodically we buy participations in syndications of loans and lines of credit and purchase loans on a whole-loan basis.

Commercial Banking is comprised of four divisions, Commercial Finance, Business Capital, Rail, and Real Estate Finance. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Commercial Finance and Real Estate Finance. In addition, the HOA deposits were included in Commercial Banking.

Description of Divisions

Commercial Finance provides a range of commercial lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary services and products, including cash management, capital markets and advisory services, primarily to small and middle market companies in a wide range of industries, including aerospace & defense, communication, power and energy, entertainment, gaming, healthcare, industrials, maritime, restaurants, retail, services and technology. Loans offered are primarily senior secured loans collateralized by accounts receivable, inventory, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment and/or intangibles, and are often used for working capital, plant expansion, acquisitions or recapitalizations. These loans include revolving lines of credit and term loans and, depending on the nature and quality of the collateral, may be referred to as collateral-backed loans, asset-based loans or cash flow loans. Loans are originated through relationships with private equity sponsors, or through direct relationships, led by originators with extensive experience in their respective industries. We also provide asset management services for which we collect management fees and partner in joint ventures.

In addition, through our Commercial Services business, we provide factoring, receivable management, and secured financing to businesses (our clients, who are generally manufacturers or importers of goods) that operate in several industries, including apparel, textile, furniture, home furnishings and consumer electronics. Factoring entails the assumption of credit risk with respect to trade accounts receivable arising from the sale of goods by our clients to their customers (generally retailers) that have been factored (i.e., sold or assigned to the factor).

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Business Capital provides leasing and equipment financing to small businesses and middle market companies in a wide range of industries on both an indirect and direct basis through integrated vendor platforms. In our indirect business, we assist manufacturers and distributors in growing sales, profitability and customer loyalty by providing customized, value-added finance solutions to their commercial clients. In our direct financing and leasing business, we provide financing solutions for our borrowers and lessees. Additionally, through Small Business Solutions, our on-line credit lending platform, we provide small business unsecured loans and equipment financing. Our lending platform allows small businesses to access commercial loans and leases, including both capital and operating leases, through a highly automated credit approval, documentation and funding process.

Real Estate Finance provides senior secured commercial real estate loans to developers and other commercial real estate professionals. We focus on properties with a stable cash flow, provide financing to reposition existing properties, and originate construction loans to highly experienced and well capitalized developers.

Rail offers customized leasing and financing solutions on a fleet of railcars and locomotives to railroads and shippers throughout North America. Railcar types include covered hopper cars used to ship grain and agricultural products, plastic pellets, sand, and cement; tank cars for energy products and chemicals; gondolas for coal, steel coil and mill service products; open-top hopper cars for coal and aggregates; boxcars for paper and auto parts; and centerbeams and flat cars for lumber. The rail portfolio is discussed further in the Concentrations section of the MD&A.

Key Risks

Key risks faced by the divisions include credit, business, market and asset risk. Credit risks associated with secured financings relate to the ability of our borrower to repay our loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should the borrower default on its obligations. Business risks include the demand for services that is broadly affected by the overall level of economic growth and is more specifically affected by the overall level of economic activity in CIT's target industries. Changes in supply and demand of products and services affect the pricing CIT can earn in the market. New business volume in Commercial Banking is affected by CIT's ability to maintain and develop relationships with its equity sponsors, clients, vendor partners, distributors and resellers. Commercial Banking is also exposed to market risk related to its syndication activity, which could expose CIT to risk arising from the inability to sell loans to other lenders, resulting in lower fee income and higher than expected credit exposure to certain borrowers.

The products and services provided by Commercial Services involve two types of credit risk: customer and client. A customer is the account debtor and obligor on trade accounts receivable that have been factored with and assigned to the factor. The most prevalent risk in factoring transactions for Commercial Services is customer credit risk, which relates to the financial inability of a customer to pay undisputed factored trade accounts receivable. A client is the counterparty to Commercial Services on any factoring, financing, or receivables purchasing agreement to sell trade receivables to Commercial Services, and generally is a manufacturer or importer of goods. While less significant than customer credit exposure, client credit risk relates to a decline in the creditworthiness of a borrowing client, their consequent inability to repay their loan, and the possible insufficiency of the underlying collateral (including the customer accounts receivable) to cover any loan repayment shortfall.

Commercial Services is also subject to a variety of other risks, including operational risk, due to the high transaction volume, business risks related to competitive pressures from other banks, boutique factors, and credit insurers, and seasonal risks due to retail trends. These pressures create risk of reduced pricing and factoring volume for CIT. In addition, client de-factoring can occur if retail credit conditions are benign for a long period and clients no longer demand factoring services for credit protection.

The primary risks for Rail are asset risk (resulting from ownership of the railcars and related equipment on operating lease) and credit risk. Asset risk arises from fluctuations in supply and demand for the underlying rail equipment that is leased. Rail invests in long-lived equipment, railcars and locomotives, which have economic useful lives of approximately 40 to 50 years. This equipment is then leased to commercial end-users with lease terms of typically three to five years. CIT is exposed to the risk that, at the end of the lease term, the value of the asset will be lower than expected, resulting in reduced future lease income over the remaining life of the asset or a lower sale value.

Asset risk generally is recognized through changes to lease income streams from fluctuations in lease rates and/or utilization. Asset risk may also change depreciation, resulting from changes in the residual value of the operating lease asset or through impairment of the asset carrying value, which can occur at any time during the life of the asset. However, asset values are not typically impacted by short-term market/cyclical fluctuations given the long-lived nature of rail assets. Asset risk is primarily related to the Rail division, and to a lesser extent, Business Capital and Commercial Finance.

Credit risk in the leased equipment portfolio results from the potential default of lessees, driven either by obligor specific or industry-wide conditions and is economically less significant than asset risk for Rail, because in the operating lease business there is no extension of credit to the obligor. Instead, the lessor deploys a portion of the useful life of the asset. Credit losses manifest through multiple parts of the statement of operations including loss of lease/rental income due to missed payments, time off lease, or lower rental payments than the existing contract due to either a restructuring with the existing obligor or re-leasing of the asset to another obligor, as well as higher expenses due to, for example, repossession costs to recover, refurbish, and re-lease assets.

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CONSUMER BANKING

Consumer Banking is comprised of two divisions: Consumer and Community Banking and LCM. Consumer and Community Banking includes Retail Banking, Consumer Lending, SBA Lending, and community development lending and investments. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Consumer and Community Banking. Revenue is generated from interest earned on residential mortgages, small business loans and from fees for banking services. We source our Consumer Lending business through our branch network and industry referrals, as well as direct digital marketing efforts. Periodically we purchase loans on a whole-loan basis. We source our SBA loans through a network of SBA originators. We also make community development investments and loans that support the construction of affordable housing in our communities in line with our CRA initiatives.

Consumer and Community Banking offers consumer mortgage lending and deposit products to its consumer customers. The division offers conforming and jumbo residential mortgage loans throughout the United States. Mortgage loans are primarily originated through CIT Bank branches and retail referrals, employee referrals, internet leads, direct marketing and a correspondent lending channel. Additionally, loans are purchased through whole loan and portfolio acquisitions. Consumer Lending includes product specialists, internal sales support and origination processing, structuring and closing. Retail Banking is the primary deposit gathering business of CIT Bank and operates through a network of retail branches predominantly in Southern California and an online direct channel. We offer a broad range of deposit and lending products along with payment solutions to meet the needs of our clients (both individuals and small businesses), including checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts, and time deposits.

The division also originates qualified SBA 504 loans and 7(a) loans and supports community development activities through lending and investments. SBA 504 loans generally provide growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. SBA 7(a) loans provide working capital, acquisition of inventory, machinery, equipment, furniture, and fixtures, the refinance of outstanding debt subject to any program guidelines, and acquisition of businesses, including partnership buyouts.

LCM includes acquired SFR mortgages from the OneWest Bank acquisition that are in run-off or being sold. Certain of these loans were covered by loss sharing agreements (“LSAs”) with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) against certain future losses sustained on these loans. Covered Loans were previously acquired by OneWest Bank, N.A. in connection with the LSAs for the FDIC-assisted acquisitions of IndyMac Federal Bank, FSB (“IndyMac”) (expired March 2019), First Federal Bank of California, FSB (“First Federal”) (expired December 2019), and La Jolla Bank, FSB (“La Jolla”) (expired February 2020). All of the LSAs have expired at December 31, 2020 and there are no covered loans.

Key Risks

Key risks in Consumer Banking include credit, collateral and geographic concentration risk. Similar to our commercial business, credit risks associated with secured consumer financings relate to the ability of the borrower to repay its loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should the borrower default on its obligations. Our consumer mortgage loans are typically collateralized by the underlying property, primarily single-family residential homes. Therefore, collateral risk relates to the potential decline in value of the property securing the loan. A majority of the loans are concentrated in Southern California, resulting in geographic concentration risk related to a potential downturn in the economic conditions or a potential natural disaster, such as earthquakes, mudslides, or wildfires, in that region.

See Risk Factors in Item 1A. and the Risk Management section in the MD&A for further discussions on risk.

CIT BANK, N.A.

CIT Bank raises deposits through its regional branch network of 80 branches, its online bank (visit cit.com), from retail and institutional customers through commercial channels, and, to a lesser extent, broker channels. CIT Bank's existing suite of deposit products includes checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts and time deposits.

CIT Bank provides lending, leasing and other financial and advisory services, primarily to small and middle-market companies across select industries through its Commercial Finance, Business Capital, Real Estate Finance, and Rail divisions. The Bank also offers residential mortgage lending and deposits to its customers through its Consumer and Community Banking division. To help fulfill its community reinvestment act (“CRA”) obligations, CIT Bank provides equity investments, loans to support affordable housing and other community development activities, as well as grants and service-related activities, throughout its assessment area in Southern California.

CIT Bank's loans and leases are primarily commercial loans, consumer loans and operating lease equipment. CIT Bank's operating lease portfolio consists primarily of leased railcars and related equipment.

At year-end, CIT Bank remained well capitalized, maintaining capital ratios above required levels.

See discussion regarding the merger with FCB earlier in this section.

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INFORMATION SECURITY

Information security, including cybersecurity, is a high priority for CIT. Recent highly publicized events have highlighted the importance of cybersecurity, including cyberattacks against financial institutions, governmental agencies and other organizations that resulted in the compromise of personal and/or confidential information, the theft or destruction of corporate information, and demands for ransom payments to release corporate information encrypted by so-called “ransomware.” A successful cyberattack could harm CIT’s reputation and/or impair its ability to provide services to its customers.

CIT has developed policies and technology designed to (i) protect both our own and our clients’ information from cyberattacks or other corruption or loss, (ii) reasonably assure the continuity of CIT’s business in the event of disruptions of CIT’s or its vendors’ critical systems, and (iii) comply with regulatory requirements relating to the protection of customer information (see Regulation – Privacy Provisions and Customer and Client Information below). For additional information on CIT’s cybersecurity and business continuity programs, see the Risk Management section of the MD&A.

DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

At December 31, 2020, there were no assets or liabilities of discontinued operations. Discontinued operations are discussed in Item 8, Note 2 — Acquisition and Discontinued Operations.

HUMAN CAPITAL

CIT believes that our employees are our most important asset. We have therefore developed a human capital strategy which fosters the wellbeing, development and engagement of our workforce as a matter of corporate culture and contemporary business practice to aid us in attracting, developing, leading and retaining talent.

The following principles guide our Human Capital Framework:

As of the end of the 2020 fiscal year, we employed approximately 4,500 people, including contract employees. Our strong employee base, along with their commitment to our Pride Pledge and core values - Be Empowered; Be Collaborative; Be Inclusive; Be Agile; Be an Achiever - provides the foundation of our company’s success.  

The following figures are as of December 31, 2020:

Oversight and Governance

CIT believes a commitment to effective corporate governance and high ethical standards promotes long-term performance. CIT is proud of the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, expertise, geographic reach, tenure and ethnicity found on its Board of Directors. All members of CIT’s Board of Directors are independent, except for the Chairwoman and CEO.

As part of its common recurring activities, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for discussing, evaluating and reviewing regular updates from management in the area of CIT’s human capital, including with respect to diversity and inclusion.

Learning & Development

CIT invests in developing its employees through various training and educational programs, focusing on new hire on-boarding and readiness, leadership development, sales enablement, product knowledge, compliance and ethics and technical and professional skills.

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In 2020, CIT shifted to providing its training virtually to support employees working from home due to COVID-19.

Diversity & Inclusion

More perspectives bring greater innovation. At CIT, we welcome a diverse group of employees to create a better workplace and innovative products for our clients. CIT is committed to fostering an environment where all employees bring their best selves to work, feeling included, empowered and able to thrive.

CIT is committed to providing an inclusive environment where all individuals have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices by employees (including managers and co-workers) or contingent workers.

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) at CIT is a strategic imperative, rooted in our core values and reinforced in our performance management process. CIT’s D&I program, Be You @CIT, includes a focus on employee programs that drive inclusion, community partnerships to support diversity, leadership initiatives to drive action and efforts in supplier diversity. Initiatives are driven by an Executive Diversity Council and four Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are chartered with a focus on Women, Veterans, LGBTQ+ and Black employees, and open to all employees. Our continuing progress in building an inclusive culture was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which designated CIT as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality in 2020.

CIT is proud of the diversity of our Board of Directors in gender, race, ethnicity and experience, with women comprising a third of the board and people of color also comprising a third of the Board. CIT also has a strong Executive Management Committee with more than 30% gender diversity.

Total Rewards

CIT has a “pay-for-performance” philosophy that forms the foundation of decisions regarding incentive compensation of CIT’s employees. This compensation philosophy and the compensation program in place are central to CIT’s ability to attract, retain and motivate individuals who can achieve superior long-term financial results.

CIT is also committed to making it easier for employees to stay healthy by offering a comprehensive benefits program with high-quality, consumer-driven plans, health spending accounts and flexible options to protect employees and their families. Employees can balance work and personal life with paid time off, flexible work arrangements and programs for employee and family support. We also provide peace of mind with insurance including Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment for employees and eligible dependents, along with Business Travel Accident Insurance, protection through our short- and long-term disability plan, and a generous parental leave program.

Employees are able to gain skills and knowledge needed to grow their careers with the support of our tuition reimbursement program and plan for retirement with our 401(k) plan and company match.

Eligible employees are encouraged to further their ownership of CIT stock by purchasing shares of CIT common stock at a 15% discounted price through our CIT Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Volunteering

Social responsibility is core to CIT’s culture. We are committed to making positive and lasting impacts in our communities through our business activities and our volunteer and charitable efforts. We are a vital part of the communities where we live and work, and every CIT employee is encouraged to volunteer their time and talent to nonprofit organizations. CIT supports these efforts by providing eight hours of paid time off to all employees annually to devote to volunteer efforts.

COMPETITION

We operate in highly competitive markets. Our competitors include global and regional commercial banks, community banks, as well as captive finance companies, leasing companies, business development companies, other non-bank lenders and financial technology companies, or “fintechs,” which may offer bank-like products or services that compete directly with our products and services. In most of our business lines, we have a few large competitors that have significant market share and many smaller niche competitors. Many of our competitors have substantial financial, technological, and marketing resources.

Our customer value proposition is primarily based on financing terms, industry expertise, transaction structuring, technology driven solutions, and client service. From time to time, due to highly competitive markets, we may (i) lose market share if we are unwilling to match product structure, pricing, or terms of our competitors or (ii) receive lower returns or incur higher credit losses if we match our competitors’ product structure, pricing, or terms. We tend not to compete on price, but rather on industry experience, asset and equipment knowledge, and customer service.

REGULATION

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We are regulated pursuant to U.S. federal banking laws, regulations, and policies. Such laws and regulations are intended primarily for the protection of depositors, customers and the federal Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”), as well as to minimize risk to the banking system as a whole, and not for the protection of our shareholders or non-depository creditors. Bank regulatory agencies have broad examination and enforcement power over BHCs and their bank and non-bank subsidiaries, including the power to impose substantial fines, limit dividends and other capital distributions, restrict operations and acquisitions, and require divestitures. BHCs and banks, as well as subsidiaries of both, are prohibited by law from engaging in practices that the relevant regulatory authority deems unsafe or unsound. CIT Group Inc. is a BHC and elected to be treated as an FHC under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). CIT Bank is chartered as a national bank by the OCC and is a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. CIT and CIT Bank are subject to certain limitations on our activities, transactions with affiliates, and payment of dividends, and certain standards for capital and liquidity, safety and soundness, and incentive compensation, among other matters. The principal regulator of CIT Group Inc. and its non-bank subsidiaries is the FRB and the principal regulator of CIT Bank and its subsidiaries is the OCC. Both CIT Group Inc. and CIT Bank are subject to the jurisdiction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”).

Certain of our subsidiaries are subject to the jurisdiction of other governmental agencies and self-regulated organizations. CIT Capital Securities LLC is a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), a self-regulated organization. CIT Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser subject to the jurisdiction of the SEC. Our insurance operations are primarily conducted through The Equipment Insurance Company and CIT Insurance Agency, Inc. Each company is licensed to enter into insurance contracts and is subject to regulation and examination by state insurance regulators.

In May 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) was signed into law. Among other changes, the EGRRCPA amended provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) to increase the threshold for applicability of the enhanced prudential standards for BHCs from $50 billion to $250 billion. The EGRRCPA’s increased threshold took effect immediately for BHCs with total consolidated assets of less than $100 billion, including CIT. As a result, certain of the enhanced prudential standards required under Sections 165 and 166 of the Dodd-Frank Act are not applicable to CIT.

Upon completion of the Company’s pending merger with First Citizens, the Company expects that the combined institution will have more than $100 billion in total consolidated assets. Therefore, subject to transitional provisions, the combined company is expected to be classified as a Category IV banking institution under the Tailoring Rules (defined below) and subject to the requirements applicable to Category IV institutions. As a Category IV institution, the combined company would be subject to additional regulatory requirements, including capital planning requirements, including as part of the Federal Reserve’s comprehensive capital analysis and review (“CCAR”) process, biennial supervisory stress testing and the stress capital buffer rule, which would replace the static 2.5% component of the capital conservation buffer with a capital buffer that is based on supervisory stress test results and the combined company’s planned common stock dividends. In addition, the combined company would be subject to enhanced liquidity and risk management standards including quarterly liquidity stress tests and a liquidity buffer.

Banking Supervision and Regulation

Permissible Activities

As a BHC, CIT Group Inc. may engage in the business of banking, managing or controlling banks, performing servicing activities for subsidiaries, and engaging in activities that the FRB has determined, by order or regulation, are so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident thereto. As an FHC, CIT Group Inc. may also engage in or acquire and retain the shares of a company engaged in activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature as long as the FHC continues to meet the eligibility requirements for FHCs, including that the FHC and each of its U.S. depository institution subsidiaries remain “well-capitalized” and “well-managed.”

A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-capitalized” if it satisfies the requirements discussed below under “Prompt Corrective Action.” A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-managed” if it received a composite rating and management rating of at least “satisfactory” in its most recent examination. If an FHC ceases to be well-capitalized and well-managed, the FHC must enter into a non-public confidential agreement with the FRB to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements. Until the FHC returns to compliance, the FRB may impose limitations or conditions on the conduct of its activities, and the company may not commence any new non-banking financial activities permissible for FHCs or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities without prior approval of the FRB. If the company does not timely return to compliance, the FRB may require divestiture of the FHCs depository institutions. BHCs and banks must also be well-capitalized and well-managed in order to acquire banks located outside their home state. An FHC will also be limited in its ability to commence non-banking financial activities or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities if any of its insured depository institution subsidiaries fails to maintain a “satisfactory” rating under the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”), as described below under “Community Reinvestment Act.”

Activities that are “financial in nature” include securities underwriting, dealing and market making, advising mutual funds and investment companies, insurance underwriting and agency, merchant banking, and activities that the FRB, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, determines to be financial in nature or incidental to such financial activity. “Complementary

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activities” are activities that the FRB determines upon application to be complementary to a financial activity and that do not pose a safety and soundness issue. CIT is primarily engaged in activities that are permissible for a BHC and conducts only limited business involving the expanded activities available to an FHC.

Capital Requirements

The Company and the Bank are subject to risk-based requirements and rules issued by the FRB, OCC, and FDIC (the “Basel III Rules”) that are based upon the final framework of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (the “Basel Committee”) for strengthening capital and liquidity regulation. Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank apply the Standardized Approach in measuring their risk-weighted assets (“RWA”) and regulatory capital.

Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank are subject to minimum capital ratios for common equity tier 1 (“CET1”) capital, Tier 1 capital, and Total capital of 4.5%, 6.0% and 8.0%, respectively. The Basel III Rules also include a “capital conservation buffer” (“CCB”) of 2.5%, composed entirely of CET1 capital, in addition to the minimum capital to RWA ratios. The CCB is designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions with a ratio of CET1 to RWA above the minimum but below the CCB will face constraints on dividends, equity repurchases, and compensation based on the amount of the shortfall and the institution’s "eligible retained income" (since March 2020, defined as the greater of (i) net income for the four preceding quarters, net of distributions and associated tax effects not reflected in net income; and (ii) the average of net income over the preceding four quarters).

As of January 1, 2020, CIT is required to maintain the following risk-based capital ratios:

The Company and CIT Bank meet all capital requirements under the Basel III Rules, including the CCB. The table in the MD&A (Regulatory Capital section) presents CIT's and CIT Bank's capital ratios.

The Company and CIT Bank are also required to maintain a minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to a quarterly average of non-risk weighted total assets) of 4%. The Company and CIT Bank are not subject to the Basel III Rule’s countercyclical buffer or the supplementary leverage ratio.

The Basel III Rules provide for several deductions from and adjustments to CET1. These include, for example, goodwill, other intangible assets, and deferred tax assets (“DTAs”) that arise from net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards net of any related valuation allowance. Mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”), DTAs arising from temporary differences that could not be realized through net operating loss carrybacks and investments in non-consolidated financial institutions must also be deducted from CET1 to the extent that they exceed certain thresholds. In November 2017, the federal bank regulators revised the Basel III Rules to extend the transitional treatment of certain DTAs, MSRs, investments in non-consolidated financial institutions and minority interests for non-advanced approaches banking organizations, such as the Company and the Bank, until April 1, 2020, when the revisions to simplify the capital requirements relating to the threshold deductions for those items took effect.

The Company and CIT Bank, as non-advanced approaches banking organizations, made a one-time, permanent election under the Basel III Rules to exclude the effects of certain components of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) included in shareholders’ equity under U.S. GAAP (for example, mark-to-market of securities held in the available-for-sale (“AFS”) portfolio) in determining regulatory capital ratios.

Under the Basel III Rules, certain off-balance sheet commitments and obligations are converted into RWA, that, together with on-balance sheet assets, are the base against which regulatory capital is measured. The Basel III Rule defined the risk-weighting categories for BHCs and banks that follow the Standardized Approach based on a risk-sensitive analysis, depending on the nature of the exposure. Risk weights range from 0% for U.S. government and agency securities, to as high as 1,250% for such exposures as certain tranches of securitizations or unsettled security/commodity transactions. In November 2019, the federal banking agencies adopted a rule revising the scope of commercial real estate mortgages subject to a 150% risk weight.

In December 2017, the Basel Committee published standards that it described as the finalization of the Basel III post-crisis regulatory reforms (the standards are commonly referred to as “Basel IV”). Among other things, these standards revise the Basel Committee's Standardized Approach for credit risk (including by recalibrating risk weights and introducing new capital requirements for certain "unconditionally cancellable commitments," such as unused credit card and home equity lines of credit) and provides a new standardized approach for operational risk capital. Under the Basel framework, these standards will generally be effective on January 1, 2023, with an aggregate output floor phasing in through January 1, 2028. Under the current U.S. capital rules, operational risk capital requirements and a capital floor apply only to advanced approaches institutions, and not to the Company or CIT Bank. The impact of Basel IV on the Company and CIT Bank will depend on whether, and how, it is implemented by the federal bank regulators.

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Current Expected Credit Losses Transitional Provisions

In June 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which revises the methodology for estimating credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost (including loans and held-to-maturity debt securities), net investments in finance leases, available for sale debt securities and unfunded loan commitments. Under this guidance, the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) model is based on lifetime expected credit losses, rather than incurred losses, and requires the recognition of these lifetime losses in the allowance for credit losses, or allowance for off-balance sheet credit exposures, at the time of origination or purchase. The Company adopted this new guidance effective January 1, 2020.

During 2020, the OCC, FRB and FDIC collectively adopted a rule that allows banking organizations to delay for two years the impact of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital, followed by a three-year transition period. During the first two years of the five-year transition period, CIT will delay the day one impact of CECL to retained earnings plus a scaling factor of 25 percent of the change in the Adjusted Allowance for Credit Losses (“AACL”) from initial CECL implementation to the end of the current quarter, excluding the impact of the initial non-PCD charge related to MOB. After the initial two-year delay period, there will be a three-year transition period starting January 1, 2022. The day one impact of CECL and the 25% scaling factor of the change in non-PCD ACL from Day 1 to the end of the second year will be phased out as follows: 75 percent of transitional benefits are recognized in regulatory capital in year three; 50 percent in year four; and 25 percent in year five. After year five, CIT expects to have fully reversed out the temporary regulatory capital benefits from the two-year delay and three-year transition period. These changes are only applicable to regulatory capital. There was no impact to the balance sheet or the statement of operations.

Orderly Liquidation Authority

The Dodd-FrankCRO

Chief Risk Officer

OREO

Other Real Estate Owned

CTA

Currency Translation Adjustment

OTTI

Other than Temporary Impairment

DCF

Discounted Cash Flows

PAA

Purchase Accounting Adjustments

DIF

Deposit Insurance Fund

PB

Primary Beneficiary

DPA

Deferred Purchase Agreement

PCI

Purchased Credit-Impaired

DTA/DTL

Deferred Tax Asset / Deferred Tax Liability

PCD

Purchased Credit Deteriorated

EPS

Earnings Per Share

PD

Probability of Obligor Default

ERC

Enterprise Risk Committee

PLM

Problem Loan Management

EVE Sensitivity

Economic Value of Equity Sensitivity

RCC

Risk Control Committee

FASB

Financial Accounting Standards Board

RMC

Risk Management Committee

FCB

First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company

RMG

Risk Management Group

FCPA

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

ROAEA

Return on Average Earning Assets

FDIA

Federal Deposit Insurance Act

ROTCE

Return on Tangible Common Stockholders' Equity

FDIC

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

ROU

Right of Use

FDICIA

FDIC Improvement Act created the Orderly Liquidationof 1991

RWA

Risk Weighted Assets

FHA

Federal Housing Administration

SBA

Small Business Administration

FHC

Financial Holding Company

SEC

Securities and Exchange Commission

FHLB

Federal Home Loan Bank

SFR

Single Family Residential

FICO

Fair, Isaac Corporation

SIFI

Systemically Important Financial Institution

FINRA

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("OLA"), a resolution regime for systemically important non-bank financial companies, including BHCs and their non-bank affiliates, under which the FDIC may be appointed receiver to liquidate such a company upon a determination by the Secretary

SOFR

Secured Overnight Financing Rate

FNMA

Federal National Mortgage Association

TBV

Tangible Book Value

FRB

Board of the Treasury (Treasury), after consultation with the President of the United States, with support by a supermajority recommendation from the FRB and, depending on the type of entity, the approval of the directorGovernors of the Federal InsuranceReserve System

TCE

Tangible Common Stockholders' Equity

FRBNY

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

TDR

Troubled Debt Restructuring

FV

Fair Value

UPB

Unpaid Principal Balance

GAAP

Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the U.S.

VA

Valuation Allowance

GLBA

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act

VIE

Variable Interest Entity

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Item 1. Business Overview

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

CIT Group Inc. is a bank holding company ("BHC") and a financial holding company ("FHC"). CIT Group Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively "we", "our", "CIT" or the "Company"), has $53.9 billion of earning assets and $43.1 billion of deposits at December 31, 2020. CIT was formed in 1908 and provides financing, leasing and advisory services, principally to middle-market companies in a wide variety of industries, primarily in North America. We also provide banking and related services to commercial and individual customers through our banking subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A. ("CIT Bank" or the "Bank"), which includes a regional branch network of 80 branches and its online bank.  

CIT is regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("FRB") and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York ("FRBNY") under the U.S. Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. CIT Bank is regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury ("OCC"). In addition, CIT Bank, as an insured depository institution, is supervised by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).

On January 1, 2020, we acquired Mutual of Omaha Bank (“MOB”), the savings bank subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company and Omaha Financial Holdings, Inc. (“OFHI”). CIT paid approximately $1 billion as consideration, comprised of $850 million in cash and approximately 3.1 million shares of CIT Group Inc. common stock (valued at approximately $141 million at the time of closing). Total assets acquired were approximately $8.4 billion and deposits were approximately $7.0 billion. See Note 2 – Acquisitions and Discontinued Operations in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Information (“Item 8”) in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as of or for the year ended December 31, 2020 (“2020 Form 10-K”) for additional information.

On October 16, 2020, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (“First Citizens”), the parent company of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company (“FCB”), and CIT Group Inc. jointly announced that they entered into a definitive agreement by and among First Citizens, FCB, FC Merger Subsidiary IX, Inc. and CIT, under which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger (the “Merger Agreement”). Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, CIT stockholders will receive 0.062 shares of First Citizens Class A common stock for each share of CIT common stock they own. First Citizens stockholders will own approximately 61% and CIT stockholders will own approximately 39% of the combined company. The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties and customary covenants, such as non-solicitation obligations and other provisions, including a break-up fee of $64 million payable in certain circumstances. The Merger Agreement also provides certain termination rights for CIT and First Citizens, including, among others, if the merger has not been completed by October 15, 2021. The combined bank will be regulated by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, the FDIC, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

The Board of Directors of the combined company will consist of 14 directors, the current 11 First Citizens Board members and 3 CIT Board members, including Ellen Alemany, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of CIT, Michael A. Carpenter, and Vice Admiral John R. Ryan, USN (Ret.).

The combined company will operate under the First Citizens name and will be headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., and will maintain significant operations in California, Nebraska, Arizona, Florida, and South Carolina, as well as in New York and New Jersey. The pro forma organization will include over $100 billion in assets and over $80 billion in deposits.

On February 9, 2021, CIT and First Citizens received the approvals of the stockholders of CIT and First Citizens necessary to complete the merger of the companies.  The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals.

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BUSINESS SEGMENTS

As of December 31, 2020, we manage our business and report our financial results in two operating segments: Commercial Banking and Consumer Banking, and a non-operating segment, Corporate.

We set underwriting standards for each business and employ portfolio risk management models to achieve desired portfolio demographics. Our collection and servicing operations are organized by business and geography to provide efficient client interfaces and uniform customer experiences.

Information about our segments is also included in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) and Item 8, Note 24 — Business Segment Information.

COMMERCIAL BANKING

Commercial Banking provides a range of lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary products that include interest rate risk management and foreign exchange products, and services, including factoring, cash management, capital markets, asset management, and advisory services, primarily to small and medium-sized companies, as well as to the rail industry. Revenue is generated from interest earned on loans, rent on equipment leased, fees and other revenue from lending and leasing activities, banking services, and capital markets transactions, along with commissions earned on factoring and related activities. We source our commercial lending business primarily through direct marketing to borrowers, lessees, manufacturers, vendors and distributors, and through referral sources and other intermediaries. Periodically we buy participations in syndications of loans and lines of credit and purchase loans on a whole-loan basis.

Commercial Banking is comprised of four divisions, Commercial Finance, Business Capital, Rail, and Real Estate Finance. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Commercial Finance and Real Estate Finance. In addition, the HOA deposits were included in Commercial Banking.

Description of Divisions

Commercial Finance provides a range of commercial lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary services and products, including cash management, capital markets and advisory services, primarily to small and middle market companies in a wide range of industries, including aerospace & defense, communication, power and energy, entertainment, gaming, healthcare, industrials, maritime, restaurants, retail, services and technology. Loans offered are primarily senior secured loans collateralized by accounts receivable, inventory, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment and/or intangibles, and are often used for working capital, plant expansion, acquisitions or recapitalizations. These loans include revolving lines of credit and term loans and, depending on the nature and quality of the collateral, may be referred to as collateral-backed loans, asset-based loans or cash flow loans. Loans are originated through relationships with private equity sponsors, or through direct relationships, led by originators with extensive experience in their respective industries. We also provide asset management services for which we collect management fees and partner in joint ventures.

In addition, through our Commercial Services business, we provide factoring, receivable management, and secured financing to businesses (our clients, who are generally manufacturers or importers of goods) that operate in several industries, including apparel, textile, furniture, home furnishings and consumer electronics. Factoring entails the assumption of credit risk with respect to trade accounts receivable arising from the sale of goods by our clients to their customers (generally retailers) that have been factored (i.e., sold or assigned to the factor).

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Business Capital provides leasing and equipment financing to small businesses and middle market companies in a wide range of industries on both an indirect and direct basis through integrated vendor platforms. In our indirect business, we assist manufacturers and distributors in growing sales, profitability and customer loyalty by providing customized, value-added finance solutions to their commercial clients. In our direct financing and leasing business, we provide financing solutions for our borrowers and lessees. Additionally, through Small Business Solutions, our on-line credit lending platform, we provide small business unsecured loans and equipment financing. Our lending platform allows small businesses to access commercial loans and leases, including both capital and operating leases, through a highly automated credit approval, documentation and funding process.

Real Estate Finance provides senior secured commercial real estate loans to developers and other commercial real estate professionals. We focus on properties with a stable cash flow, provide financing to reposition existing properties, and originate construction loans to highly experienced and well capitalized developers.

Rail offers customized leasing and financing solutions on a fleet of railcars and locomotives to railroads and shippers throughout North America. Railcar types include covered hopper cars used to ship grain and agricultural products, plastic pellets, sand, and cement; tank cars for energy products and chemicals; gondolas for coal, steel coil and mill service products; open-top hopper cars for coal and aggregates; boxcars for paper and auto parts; and centerbeams and flat cars for lumber. The rail portfolio is discussed further in the Concentrations section of the MD&A.

Key Risks

Key risks faced by the divisions include credit, business, market and asset risk. Credit risks associated with secured financings relate to the ability of our borrower to repay our loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should the borrower default on its obligations. Business risks include the demand for services that is broadly affected by the overall level of economic growth and is more specifically affected by the overall level of economic activity in CIT's target industries. Changes in supply and demand of products and services affect the pricing CIT can earn in the market. New business volume in Commercial Banking is affected by CIT's ability to maintain and develop relationships with its equity sponsors, clients, vendor partners, distributors and resellers. Commercial Banking is also exposed to market risk related to its syndication activity, which could expose CIT to risk arising from the inability to sell loans to other lenders, resulting in lower fee income and higher than expected credit exposure to certain borrowers.

The products and services provided by Commercial Services involve two types of credit risk: customer and client. A customer is the account debtor and obligor on trade accounts receivable that have been factored with and assigned to the factor. The most prevalent risk in factoring transactions for Commercial Services is customer credit risk, which relates to the financial inability of a customer to pay undisputed factored trade accounts receivable. A client is the counterparty to Commercial Services on any factoring, financing, or receivables purchasing agreement to sell trade receivables to Commercial Services, and generally is a manufacturer or importer of goods. While less significant than customer credit exposure, client credit risk relates to a decline in the creditworthiness of a borrowing client, their consequent inability to repay their loan, and the possible insufficiency of the underlying collateral (including the customer accounts receivable) to cover any loan repayment shortfall.

Commercial Services is also subject to a variety of other risks, including operational risk, due to the high transaction volume, business risks related to competitive pressures from other banks, boutique factors, and credit insurers, and seasonal risks due to retail trends. These pressures create risk of reduced pricing and factoring volume for CIT. In addition, client de-factoring can occur if retail credit conditions are benign for a long period and clients no longer demand factoring services for credit protection.

The primary risks for Rail are asset risk (resulting from ownership of the railcars and related equipment on operating lease) and credit risk. Asset risk arises from fluctuations in supply and demand for the underlying rail equipment that is leased. Rail invests in long-lived equipment, railcars and locomotives, which have economic useful lives of approximately 40 to 50 years. This equipment is then leased to commercial end-users with lease terms of typically three to five years. CIT is exposed to the risk that, at the end of the lease term, the value of the asset will be lower than expected, resulting in reduced future lease income over the remaining life of the asset or a lower sale value.

Asset risk generally is recognized through changes to lease income streams from fluctuations in lease rates and/or utilization. Asset risk may also change depreciation, resulting from changes in the residual value of the operating lease asset or through impairment of the asset carrying value, which can occur at any time during the life of the asset. However, asset values are not typically impacted by short-term market/cyclical fluctuations given the long-lived nature of rail assets. Asset risk is primarily related to the Rail division, and to a lesser extent, Business Capital and Commercial Finance.

Credit risk in the leased equipment portfolio results from the potential default of lessees, driven either by obligor specific or industry-wide conditions and is economically less significant than asset risk for Rail, because in the operating lease business there is no extension of credit to the obligor. Instead, the lessor deploys a portion of the useful life of the asset. Credit losses manifest through multiple parts of the statement of operations including loss of lease/rental income due to missed payments, time off lease, or lower rental payments than the existing contract due to either a restructuring with the existing obligor or re-leasing of the asset to another obligor, as well as higher expenses due to, for example, repossession costs to recover, refurbish, and re-lease assets.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

CONSUMER BANKING

Consumer Banking is comprised of two divisions: Consumer and Community Banking and LCM. Consumer and Community Banking includes Retail Banking, Consumer Lending, SBA Lending, and community development lending and investments. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Consumer and Community Banking. Revenue is generated from interest earned on residential mortgages, small business loans and from fees for banking services. We source our Consumer Lending business through our branch network and industry referrals, as well as direct digital marketing efforts. Periodically we purchase loans on a whole-loan basis. We source our SBA loans through a network of SBA originators. We also make community development investments and loans that support the construction of affordable housing in our communities in line with our CRA initiatives.

Consumer and Community Banking offers consumer mortgage lending and deposit products to its consumer customers. The division offers conforming and jumbo residential mortgage loans throughout the United States. Mortgage loans are primarily originated through CIT Bank branches and retail referrals, employee referrals, internet leads, direct marketing and a correspondent lending channel. Additionally, loans are purchased through whole loan and portfolio acquisitions. Consumer Lending includes product specialists, internal sales support and origination processing, structuring and closing. Retail Banking is the primary deposit gathering business of CIT Bank and operates through a network of retail branches predominantly in Southern California and an online direct channel. We offer a broad range of deposit and lending products along with payment solutions to meet the needs of our clients (both individuals and small businesses), including checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts, and time deposits.

The division also originates qualified SBA 504 loans and 7(a) loans and supports community development activities through lending and investments. SBA 504 loans generally provide growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. SBA 7(a) loans provide working capital, acquisition of inventory, machinery, equipment, furniture, and fixtures, the refinance of outstanding debt subject to any program guidelines, and acquisition of businesses, including partnership buyouts.

LCM includes acquired SFR mortgages from the OneWest Bank acquisition that are in run-off or being sold. Certain of these loans were covered by loss sharing agreements (“LSAs”) with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) against certain future losses sustained on these loans. Covered Loans were previously acquired by OneWest Bank, N.A. in connection with the LSAs for the FDIC-assisted acquisitions of IndyMac Federal Bank, FSB (“IndyMac”) (expired March 2019), First Federal Bank of California, FSB (“First Federal”) (expired December 2019), and La Jolla Bank, FSB (“La Jolla”) (expired February 2020). All of the LSAs have expired at December 31, 2020 and there are no covered loans.

Key Risks

Key risks in Consumer Banking include credit, collateral and geographic concentration risk. Similar to our commercial business, credit risks associated with secured consumer financings relate to the ability of the borrower to repay its loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should the borrower default on its obligations. Our consumer mortgage loans are typically collateralized by the underlying property, primarily single-family residential homes. Therefore, collateral risk relates to the potential decline in value of the property securing the loan. A majority of the loans are concentrated in Southern California, resulting in geographic concentration risk related to a potential downturn in the economic conditions or a potential natural disaster, such as earthquakes, mudslides, or wildfires, in that region.

See Risk Factors in Item 1A. and the Risk Management section in the MD&A for further discussions on risk.

CIT BANK, N.A.

CIT Bank raises deposits through its regional branch network of 80 branches, its online bank (visit cit.com), from retail and institutional customers through commercial channels, and, to a lesser extent, broker channels. CIT Bank's existing suite of deposit products includes checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts and time deposits.

CIT Bank provides lending, leasing and other financial and advisory services, primarily to small and middle-market companies across select industries through its Commercial Finance, Business Capital, Real Estate Finance, and Rail divisions. The Bank also offers residential mortgage lending and deposits to its customers through its Consumer and Community Banking division. To help fulfill its community reinvestment act (“CRA”) obligations, CIT Bank provides equity investments, loans to support affordable housing and other community development activities, as well as grants and service-related activities, throughout its assessment area in Southern California.

CIT Bank's loans and leases are primarily commercial loans, consumer loans and operating lease equipment. CIT Bank's operating lease portfolio consists primarily of leased railcars and related equipment.

At year-end, CIT Bank remained well capitalized, maintaining capital ratios above required levels.

See discussion regarding the merger with FCB earlier in this section.

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INFORMATION SECURITY

Information security, including cybersecurity, is a high priority for CIT. Recent highly publicized events have highlighted the importance of cybersecurity, including cyberattacks against financial institutions, governmental agencies and other organizations that resulted in the compromise of personal and/or confidential information, the theft or destruction of corporate information, and demands for ransom payments to release corporate information encrypted by so-called “ransomware.” A successful cyberattack could harm CIT’s reputation and/or impair its ability to provide services to its customers.

CIT has developed policies and technology designed to (i) protect both our own and our clients’ information from cyberattacks or other corruption or loss, (ii) reasonably assure the continuity of CIT’s business in the event of disruptions of CIT’s or its vendors’ critical systems, and (iii) comply with regulatory requirements relating to the protection of customer information (see Regulation – Privacy Provisions and Customer and Client Information below). For additional information on CIT’s cybersecurity and business continuity programs, see the Risk Management section of the MD&A.

DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

At December 31, 2020, there were no assets or liabilities of discontinued operations. Discontinued operations are discussed in Item 8, Note 2 — Acquisition and Discontinued Operations.

HUMAN CAPITAL

CIT believes that our employees are our most important asset. We have therefore developed a human capital strategy which fosters the wellbeing, development and engagement of our workforce as a matter of corporate culture and contemporary business practice to aid us in attracting, developing, leading and retaining talent.

The following principles guide our Human Capital Framework:

As of the end of the 2020 fiscal year, we employed approximately 4,500 people, including contract employees. Our strong employee base, along with their commitment to our Pride Pledge and core values - Be Empowered; Be Collaborative; Be Inclusive; Be Agile; Be an Achiever - provides the foundation of our company’s success.  

The following figures are as of December 31, 2020:

Oversight and Governance

CIT believes a commitment to effective corporate governance and high ethical standards promotes long-term performance. CIT is proud of the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, expertise, geographic reach, tenure and ethnicity found on its Board of Directors. All members of CIT’s Board of Directors are independent, except for the Chairwoman and CEO.

As part of its common recurring activities, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for discussing, evaluating and reviewing regular updates from management in the area of CIT’s human capital, including with respect to diversity and inclusion.

Learning & Development

CIT invests in developing its employees through various training and educational programs, focusing on new hire on-boarding and readiness, leadership development, sales enablement, product knowledge, compliance and ethics and technical and professional skills.

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In 2020, CIT shifted to providing its training virtually to support employees working from home due to COVID-19.

Diversity & Inclusion

More perspectives bring greater innovation. At CIT, we welcome a diverse group of employees to create a better workplace and innovative products for our clients. CIT is committed to fostering an environment where all employees bring their best selves to work, feeling included, empowered and able to thrive.

CIT is committed to providing an inclusive environment where all individuals have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices by employees (including managers and co-workers) or contingent workers.

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) at CIT is a strategic imperative, rooted in our core values and reinforced in our performance management process. CIT’s D&I program, Be You @CIT, includes a focus on employee programs that drive inclusion, community partnerships to support diversity, leadership initiatives to drive action and efforts in supplier diversity. Initiatives are driven by an Executive Diversity Council and four Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are chartered with a focus on Women, Veterans, LGBTQ+ and Black employees, and open to all employees. Our continuing progress in building an inclusive culture was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which designated CIT as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality in 2020.

CIT is proud of the diversity of our Board of Directors in gender, race, ethnicity and experience, with women comprising a third of the board and people of color also comprising a third of the Board. CIT also has a strong Executive Management Committee with more than 30% gender diversity.

Total Rewards

CIT has a “pay-for-performance” philosophy that forms the foundation of decisions regarding incentive compensation of CIT’s employees. This compensation philosophy and the compensation program in place are central to CIT’s ability to attract, retain and motivate individuals who can achieve superior long-term financial results.

CIT is also committed to making it easier for employees to stay healthy by offering a comprehensive benefits program with high-quality, consumer-driven plans, health spending accounts and flexible options to protect employees and their families. Employees can balance work and personal life with paid time off, flexible work arrangements and programs for employee and family support. We also provide peace of mind with insurance including Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment for employees and eligible dependents, along with Business Travel Accident Insurance, protection through our short- and long-term disability plan, and a generous parental leave program.

Employees are able to gain skills and knowledge needed to grow their careers with the support of our tuition reimbursement program and plan for retirement with our 401(k) plan and company match.

Eligible employees are encouraged to further their ownership of CIT stock by purchasing shares of CIT common stock at a 15% discounted price through our CIT Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Volunteering

Social responsibility is core to CIT’s culture. We are committed to making positive and lasting impacts in our communities through our business activities and our volunteer and charitable efforts. We are a vital part of the communities where we live and work, and every CIT employee is encouraged to volunteer their time and talent to nonprofit organizations. CIT supports these efforts by providing eight hours of paid time off to all employees annually to devote to volunteer efforts.

COMPETITION

We operate in highly competitive markets. Our competitors include global and regional commercial banks, community banks, as well as captive finance companies, leasing companies, business development companies, other non-bank lenders and financial technology companies, or “fintechs,” which may offer bank-like products or services that compete directly with our products and services. In most of our business lines, we have a few large competitors that have significant market share and many smaller niche competitors. Many of our competitors have substantial financial, technological, and marketing resources.

Our customer value proposition is primarily based on financing terms, industry expertise, transaction structuring, technology driven solutions, and client service. From time to time, due to highly competitive markets, we may (i) lose market share if we are unwilling to match product structure, pricing, or terms of our competitors or (ii) receive lower returns or incur higher credit losses if we match our competitors’ product structure, pricing, or terms. We tend not to compete on price, but rather on industry experience, asset and equipment knowledge, and customer service.

REGULATION

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We are regulated pursuant to U.S. federal banking laws, regulations, and policies. Such laws and regulations are intended primarily for the protection of depositors, customers and the federal Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”), as well as to minimize risk to the banking system as a whole, and not for the protection of our shareholders or non-depository creditors. Bank regulatory agencies have broad examination and enforcement power over BHCs and their bank and non-bank subsidiaries, including the power to impose substantial fines, limit dividends and other capital distributions, restrict operations and acquisitions, and require divestitures. BHCs and banks, as well as subsidiaries of both, are prohibited by law from engaging in practices that the relevant regulatory authority deems unsafe or unsound. CIT Group Inc. is a BHC and elected to be treated as an FHC under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). CIT Bank is chartered as a national bank by the OCC and is a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. CIT and CIT Bank are subject to certain limitations on our activities, transactions with affiliates, and payment of dividends, and certain standards for capital and liquidity, safety and soundness, and incentive compensation, among other matters. The principal regulator of CIT Group Inc. and its non-bank subsidiaries is the FRB and the principal regulator of CIT Bank and its subsidiaries is the OCC. Both CIT Group Inc. and CIT Bank are subject to the jurisdiction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”).

Certain of our subsidiaries are subject to the jurisdiction of other governmental agencies and self-regulated organizations. CIT Capital Securities LLC is a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), a self-regulated organization. CIT Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser subject to the jurisdiction of the SEC. Our insurance operations are primarily conducted through The Equipment Insurance Company and CIT Insurance Agency, Inc. Each company is licensed to enter into insurance contracts and is subject to regulation and examination by state insurance regulators.

In May 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) was signed into law. Among other changes, the EGRRCPA amended provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) to increase the threshold for applicability of the enhanced prudential standards for BHCs from $50 billion to $250 billion. The EGRRCPA’s increased threshold took effect immediately for BHCs with total consolidated assets of less than $100 billion, including CIT. As a result, certain of the enhanced prudential standards required under Sections 165 and 166 of the Dodd-Frank Act are not applicable to CIT.

Upon completion of the Company’s pending merger with First Citizens, the Company expects that the combined institution will have more than $100 billion in total consolidated assets. Therefore, subject to transitional provisions, the combined company is expected to be classified as a Category IV banking institution under the Tailoring Rules (defined below) and subject to the requirements applicable to Category IV institutions. As a Category IV institution, the combined company would be subject to additional regulatory requirements, including capital planning requirements, including as part of the Federal Reserve’s comprehensive capital analysis and review (“CCAR”) process, biennial supervisory stress testing and the stress capital buffer rule, which would replace the static 2.5% component of the capital conservation buffer with a capital buffer that is based on supervisory stress test results and the combined company’s planned common stock dividends. In addition, the combined company would be subject to enhanced liquidity and risk management standards including quarterly liquidity stress tests and a liquidity buffer.

Banking Supervision and Regulation

Permissible Activities

As a BHC, CIT Group Inc. may engage in the business of banking, managing or controlling banks, performing servicing activities for subsidiaries, and engaging in activities that the FRB has determined, by order or regulation, are so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident thereto. As an FHC, CIT Group Inc. may also engage in or acquire and retain the shares of a company engaged in activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature as long as the FHC continues to meet the eligibility requirements for FHCs, including that the FHC and each of its U.S. depository institution subsidiaries remain “well-capitalized” and “well-managed.”

A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-capitalized” if it satisfies the requirements discussed below under “Prompt Corrective Action.” A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-managed” if it received a composite rating and management rating of at least “satisfactory” in its most recent examination. If an FHC ceases to be well-capitalized and well-managed, the FHC must enter into a non-public confidential agreement with the FRB to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements. Until the FHC returns to compliance, the FRB may impose limitations or conditions on the conduct of its activities, and the company may not commence any new non-banking financial activities permissible for FHCs or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities without prior approval of the FRB. If the company does not timely return to compliance, the FRB may require divestiture of the FHCs depository institutions. BHCs and banks must also be well-capitalized and well-managed in order to acquire banks located outside their home state. An FHC will also be limited in its ability to commence non-banking financial activities or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities if any of its insured depository institution subsidiaries fails to maintain a “satisfactory” rating under the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”), as described below under “Community Reinvestment Act.”

Activities that are “financial in nature” include securities underwriting, dealing and market making, advising mutual funds and investment companies, insurance underwriting and agency, merchant banking, and activities that the FRB, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, determines to be financial in nature or incidental to such financial activity. “Complementary

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activities” are activities that the FRB determines upon application to be complementary to a financial activity and that do not pose a safety and soundness issue. CIT is primarily engaged in activities that are permissible for a BHC and conducts only limited business involving the expanded activities available to an FHC.

Capital Requirements

The Company and the Bank are subject to risk-based requirements and rules issued by the FRB, OCC, and FDIC (the “Basel III Rules”) that are based upon the final framework of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (the “Basel Committee”) for strengthening capital and liquidity regulation. Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank apply the Standardized Approach in measuring their risk-weighted assets (“RWA”) and regulatory capital.

Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank are subject to minimum capital ratios for common equity tier 1 (“CET1”) capital, Tier 1 capital, and Total capital of 4.5%, 6.0% and 8.0%, respectively. The Basel III Rules also include a “capital conservation buffer” (“CCB”) of 2.5%, composed entirely of CET1 capital, in addition to the minimum capital to RWA ratios. The CCB is designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions with a ratio of CET1 to RWA above the minimum but below the CCB will face constraints on dividends, equity repurchases, and compensation based on the amount of the shortfall and the institution’s "eligible retained income" (since March 2020, defined as the greater of (i) net income for the four preceding quarters, net of distributions and associated tax effects not reflected in net income; and (ii) the average of net income over the preceding four quarters).

As of January 1, 2020, CIT is required to maintain the following risk-based capital ratios:

The Company and CIT Bank meet all capital requirements under the Basel III Rules, including the CCB. The table in the MD&A (Regulatory Capital section) presents CIT's and CIT Bank's capital ratios.

The Company and CIT Bank are also required to maintain a minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to a quarterly average of non-risk weighted total assets) of 4%. The Company and CIT Bank are not subject to the Basel III Rule’s countercyclical buffer or the supplementary leverage ratio.

The Basel III Rules provide for several deductions from and adjustments to CET1. These include, for example, goodwill, other intangible assets, and deferred tax assets (“DTAs”) that arise from net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards net of any related valuation allowance. Mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”), DTAs arising from temporary differences that could not be realized through net operating loss carrybacks and investments in non-consolidated financial institutions must also be deducted from CET1 to the extent that they exceed certain thresholds. In November 2017, the federal bank regulators revised the Basel III Rules to extend the transitional treatment of certain DTAs, MSRs, investments in non-consolidated financial institutions and minority interests for non-advanced approaches banking organizations, such as the Company and the Bank, until April 1, 2020, when the revisions to simplify the capital requirements relating to the threshold deductions for those items took effect.

The Company and CIT Bank, as non-advanced approaches banking organizations, made a one-time, permanent election under the Basel III Rules to exclude the effects of certain components of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) included in shareholders’ equity under U.S. GAAP (for example, mark-to-market of securities held in the available-for-sale (“AFS”) portfolio) in determining regulatory capital ratios.

Under the Basel III Rules, certain off-balance sheet commitments and obligations are converted into RWA, that, together with on-balance sheet assets, are the base against which regulatory capital is measured. The Basel III Rule defined the risk-weighting categories for BHCs and banks that follow the Standardized Approach based on a risk-sensitive analysis, depending on the nature of the exposure. Risk weights range from 0% for U.S. government and agency securities, to as high as 1,250% for such exposures as certain tranches of securitizations or unsettled security/commodity transactions. In November 2019, the federal banking agencies adopted a rule revising the scope of commercial real estate mortgages subject to a 150% risk weight.

In December 2017, the Basel Committee published standards that it described as the finalization of the Basel III post-crisis regulatory reforms (the standards are commonly referred to as “Basel IV”). Among other things, these standards revise the Basel Committee's Standardized Approach for credit risk (including by recalibrating risk weights and introducing new capital requirements for certain "unconditionally cancellable commitments," such as unused credit card and home equity lines of credit) and provides a new standardized approach for operational risk capital. Under the Basel framework, these standards will generally be effective on January 1, 2023, with an aggregate output floor phasing in through January 1, 2028. Under the current U.S. capital rules, operational risk capital requirements and a capital floor apply only to advanced approaches institutions, and not to the Company or CIT Bank. The impact of Basel IV on the Company and CIT Bank will depend on whether, and how, it is implemented by the federal bank regulators.

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Current Expected Credit Losses Transitional Provisions

In June 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which revises the methodology for estimating credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost (including loans and held-to-maturity debt securities), net investments in finance leases, available for sale debt securities and unfunded loan commitments. Under this guidance, the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) model is based on lifetime expected credit losses, rather than incurred losses, and requires the recognition of these lifetime losses in the allowance for credit losses, or allowance for off-balance sheet credit exposures, at the time of origination or purchase. The Company adopted this new guidance effective January 1, 2020.

During 2020, the OCC, FRB and FDIC collectively adopted a rule that allows banking organizations to delay for two years the impact of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital, followed by a three-year transition period. During the first two years of the five-year transition period, CIT will delay the day one impact of CECL to retained earnings plus a scaling factor of 25 percent of the change in the Adjusted Allowance for Credit Losses (“AACL”) from initial CECL implementation to the end of the current quarter, excluding the impact of the initial non-PCD charge related to MOB. After the initial two-year delay period, there will be a three-year transition period starting January 1, 2022. The day one impact of CECL and the 25% scaling factor of the change in non-PCD ACL from Day 1 to the end of the second year will be phased out as follows: 75 percent of transitional benefits are recognized in regulatory capital in year three; 50 percent in year four; and 25 percent in year five. After year five, CIT expects to have fully reversed out the temporary regulatory capital benefits from the two-year delay and three-year transition period. These changes are only applicable to regulatory capital. There was no impact to the balance sheet or the statement of operations.

Regulatory Expectations for Capital Planning

CIT is required to maintain a comprehensive and effective capital planning process and is subject to Federal Reserve guidance in supervision and regulation letter, SR 09-4  “Applying Supervisory Guidance and Regulations on the Payment of Dividends, Stock Redemptions, and Stock Repurchases at Bank Holding Companies” (“SR 09-4”). Under SR 09-4, a BHC is expected to inform and consult with the FRB before (i) declaring and paying a dividend that could raise safety and soundness concerns, (ii) redeeming or repurchasing regulatory capital instruments when the BHC is experiencing financial weakness, or (iii) redeeming or repurchasing common stock or perpetual preferred stock that would result in a net reduction in the amount of such instrument during the quarter in which the redemption or repurchase occurs. BHCs are expected to advise the FRB sufficiently in advance of such capital actions to provide reasonable opportunity for supervisory review and possible objection.  

In certain circumstances, CIT’s repurchases of its common stock may be subject to a prior approval or notice requirement under the regulations or policies of the FRB. Any redemption or repurchase of preferred stock or subordinated debt remains subject to prior supervisory approval.

In July 2020, the FRB issued Attachment C “Situations in Which Holding Companies May Expect Expedited Consultation” to SR 09-4, which provides clarity regarding the process that the Federal Reserve uses when consulting with holding companies as described in SR 09-4.

Liquidity Requirements

In line with international liquidity standards established by the Basel Committee to ensure that banking entities address both short-term and long-term funding needs, the federal banking agencies set minimum liquidity requirements for large banking organizations, including minimum levels of unencumbered high-quality liquid assets. In 2014, the federal banking regulators adopted a joint final rule implementing a liquidity coverage ratio (“LCR”), calculated as the ratio of a banking entity’s high-quality liquid assets to its total net cash outflows over 30 consecutive calendar days, for large and internationally active U.S. banking entities. The final rule applied a modified version of the LCR requirements to bank holding companies with total consolidated assets of greater than $50 billion but less than $250 billion.

In October 2019, the federal bank regulators issued final rules under the EGRRCPA for tailoring the criteria for determining the applicability of capital and liquidity requirements for large U.S. banking organizations (the “Tailoring Rules”). Under the Tailoring Rules, banking organizations with less than $100 billion in total consolidated assets, including the Company, are not subject to the LCR.

Nevertheless, the federal bank regulators have indicated that the capital planning and risk management practices of financial institutions with assets of less than $100 billion will continue to be reviewed through the regular supervisory process. The Company and CIT Bank maintain a liquidity risk management and monitoring process designed to ensure appropriate liquidity to meet expected and contingent funding needs under both normal and stress environments, subject to the regular supervisory review process. See “MD&A – Risk Management – Liquidity Risk”.

Acquisitions

Federal and state laws impose notice and approval requirements for mergers and acquisitions involving depository institutions or BHCs. The BHC Act requires the prior approval of the FRB for (i) the acquisition by a BHC of direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of any class of voting shares of a bank, savings association, or BHC, (ii) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of any bank or savings association by any subsidiary of a BHC other than a bank, or (iii) the merger

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or consolidation of any BHC with another BHC. Prior regulatory approval is also generally required for mergers, acquisitions and consolidations involving other insured depository institutions. In reviewing acquisition and merger applications, the bank regulatory authorities will consider, among other things, the competitive effect of the transaction, financial and managerial issues, including the capital position of the combined organization, convenience and needs factors, including the applicant's CRA record, the effectiveness of the subject organizations in combating money laundering activities, and the transaction's effect on the stability of the U.S. banking or financial system. In addition, a FHC must obtain prior approval of the FRB before acquiring certain non-bank financial companies with assets exceeding $10 billion. As discussed in the Business Description section, our merger with FCB is pending regulatory approvals.

Dividends

CIT Group Inc. is a legal entity separate and distinct from CIT Bank and CIT’s other subsidiaries. Its primary sources of cash are interest on intercompany loans to its subsidiaries and dividends from its subsidiaries.

It is the policy of the FRB that a BHC generally pay dividends on common stock out of net income available to common shareholders over the past year, only if the prospective rate of earnings retention appears consistent with capital needs, asset quality, and overall financial condition, and the BHC is not in danger of failing to meet its minimum regulatory capital adequacy ratios. A BHC should not maintain a dividend level that places undue pressure on the capital of bank subsidiaries, or that may undermine the BHC’s ability to serve as a source of strength to its subsidiary bank.

The ability of CIT Group Inc. to pay dividends on common stock may be affected by various factors, including regulatory capital requirements. Capital and non-capital standards established for depository institutions under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991, as amended (“FDICIA”) may limit the ability of CIT Bank to pay dividends to CIT Group Inc. The right of CIT Group Inc., its stockholders, and its creditors to participate in any distribution of the assets or earnings of its subsidiaries is further subject to prior claims of creditors of CIT Bank and CIT Group Inc.’s other subsidiaries.

OCC regulations limit CIT Bank’s ability to pay dividends if the total amount of all dividends (common and preferred) declared in any current year, including the proposed dividend, exceeds the total net income for the current year to date plus any retained net income for the prior two years, less the sum of any transfers required by the OCC and any transfers required to fund the retirement of any preferred stock. If a dividend in either of the prior two years exceeded that year’s net income, the excess will not reduce the net income for the three-year period described above, provided the amount of excess dividends for either of the prior two years can be offset by retained net income in the current year minus three years or the current year minus four years.

Volcker Rule

Provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, commonly known as the “Volcker Rule,” prohibit banks and their affiliates from engaging in proprietary trading and investing in and sponsoring hedge funds and private equity funds and other private funds that are offered within specified exemptions to the Investment Company Act, known as “covered funds,” subject to certain exemptions. In November 2019, the OCC, FDIC, FRB, SEC, and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) (together, the “Volcker Rule Regulators”) approved revisions to the regulations implementing the Volcker Rule (the “2019 Final Rule”), effective January 1, 2020, with mandatory compliance by January 1, 2021. The revisions implement the compliance programs requirements based on the trading size of an institution’s trading operations, which builds on the relief granted by the EGRRCPA.

The 2019 Final Rule established three tiers of banking entities, based on the dollar amount of trading assets and liabilities (excluding obligations of or guaranteed by the United States or its agencies and certain U.S. government owned or sponsored enterprises). Each banking entity must establish its compliance program based on whether it has significant trading assets and liabilities ($20 billion or more), moderate trading assets and liabilities ($1 billion or more but less than $20 billion), or limited trading assets and liabilities (less than $1 billion). Banking entities with limited trading assets and liabilities, such as CIT, have a rebuttable presumption of reliance, are not subject to CEO attestation requirements, and may implement the prohibitions and other requirements of the permitted trading activity into their existing internal policies and procedures.

In June 2020, the Volcker Rule Regulators finalized amendments to the Volcker Rule covered funds regulations, effective October 1, 2020. The amendments modified the provisions for certain existing covered fund exclusions, including loan securitizations and public welfare and small business funds, and added certain additional covered fund exclusions, including credit funds and venture capital funds.

Orderly Liquidation Authority

The Dodd-Frank Act created the Orderly Liquidation Authority ("OLA"), a resolution regime for systemically important non-bank financial companies, including BHCs and their non-bank affiliates, under which the FDIC may be appointed receiver to liquidate such a company upon a determination by the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the President of the United States, with support by a supermajority recommendation from the FRB and, depending on the type of entity, the approval of the director of the Federal Insurance Office, a supermajority vote of the SEC, or a supermajority vote of the FDIC, that the company is in danger of default, that such default presents a systemic risk to U.S. financial stability, and that the company should be subject to the OLA process. This resolution authority is similar to the FDIC resolution model for depository institutions, with certain modifications to reflect differences between depository institutions and non-bank financial companies and to reduce disparities between the treatment of creditors' claims under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and in an OLA proceeding compared to those that would exist under the resolution model for insured depository institutions.

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An Orderly Liquidation Fund will fund OLA liquidation proceedings through borrowings from the Treasury and risk-based assessments made, first, on entities that received more in the resolution than they would have received in liquidation to the extent of such excess, and second, if necessary, on BHCs with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more, any non-bank financial company supervised by the FRB, and certain other financial companies with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more. If an orderly liquidation is triggered, CIT Group Inc. could face assessments for the Orderly Liquidation Fund. We do not yet have an indication of the potential level of such assessments.

Prompt Corrective Action

The FDICIA, among other things, establishes five capital categories for FDIC-insured banks: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized. The following table sets forth the required capital ratios to be deemed “well capitalized” or “adequately capitalized” under regulations in effect at December 31, 2020.

CIT Bank's capital ratios were all in excess of minimum requirements to be deemed well capitalized at December 31, 2020.

The FDICIA requires the applicable federal regulatory authorities to implement systems for prompt corrective action for insured depository institutions that do not meet minimum requirements. FDICIA imposes progressively more restrictive constraints on operations, management and capital distributions as the capital category of an institution declines. Undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized depository institutions are required to submit a capital restoration plan to their primary federal regulator. Although prompt corrective action regulations apply only to depository institutions and not to BHCs, the holding company must guarantee any such capital restoration plan in certain circumstances. The liability of the parent holding company under any such guarantee is limited to the lesser of five percent of the bank’s assets at the time it became “undercapitalized” or the amount needed to comply. The parent holding company might also be liable for civil money damages for failure to fulfill that guarantee. In the event of the bankruptcy of the parent holding company, such guarantee would take priority over the parent’s general unsecured creditors.

Regulators take into consideration both risk-based capital ratios and other factors that can affect a bank's financial condition, including (i) concentrations of credit risk, (ii) interest rate risk, and (iii) risks from non-traditional activities, along with an institution's ability to manage those risks, when determining capital adequacy. This evaluation is made during the institution's safety and soundness examination. An institution may be downgraded to, or deemed to be in, a capital category that is lower than is indicated by its capital ratios if it is determined to be in an unsafe or unsound condition or if it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating with respect to certain matters.

Brokered Deposits

An insured depository institution, such as CIT Bank, generally is prohibited from accepting, renewing or rolling over brokered deposits unless the institution is well-capitalized under the prompt corrective action framework described above, or unless it is adequately capitalized and obtains a waiver from the FDIC. In addition, less than well-capitalized banks are subject to restrictions on the interest rates they may pay on deposits. In December 2020, the FDIC issued a proposed rule that is designed to bring the brokered deposits regulations in line with modern deposit taking methods and that may change the amount of deposits that would be classified as brokered.

Source of Strength Doctrine and Support for Subsidiary Banks

FRB policy and, after the Dodd-Frank Act, the BHC Act requires BHCs such as CIT Group Inc. to serve as a source of strength and to commit capital and other financial resources to subsidiary banks. This support may be required at times when CIT Group Inc. may not be able to provide such support without adversely affecting its ability to meet other obligations. If CIT Group Inc. is unable to provide such support, the FRB could instead require the divestiture of CIT Bank and impose operating restrictions pending the divestiture. Any capital loans by a BHC to any of its subsidiary banks are subordinate in right of payment to depositors and to certain other indebtedness of the subsidiary bank, including intercompany loans from the BHC to its subsidiary banks and senior and subordinated debt securities issued by the subsidiary banks to the BHC. If a BHC commits to a federal bank regulator that it will maintain the capital of its bank subsidiary, whether in response to the FRB's invoking its source of strength authority or in response to other regulatory measures, that commitment will be assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and

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An Orderly Liquidation Fund will fund OLA liquidation proceedings through borrowings from the Treasury and risk-based assessments made, first, on entities that received more in the resolution than they would have received in liquidation to the extent of such excess, and second, if necessary, on BHCs with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more, any non-bank financial company supervised by the FRB, and certain other financial companies with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more. If an orderly liquidation is triggered, CIT could face assessments for the Orderly Liquidation Fund. We do not yet have an indication of the level of such assessments.

Prompt Corrective Action

FDICIA, among other things, establishes five capital categories for FDIC-insured banks: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized. The following table sets forth the required capital ratios to be deemed “well capitalized” or “adequately capitalized” under regulations in effect at December 31, 2019.

CIT Bank's capital ratios were all in excess of minimum requirements for well capitalized at December 31, 2019.

FDICIA requires the applicable federal regulatory authorities to implement systems for prompt corrective action for insured depository institutions that do not meet minimum requirements. FDICIA imposes progressively more restrictive constraints on operations, management and capital distributions as the capital category of an institution declines. Undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized depository institutions are required to submit a capital restoration plan to their primary federal regulator. Although prompt corrective action regulations apply only to depository institutions and not to BHCs, the holding company must guarantee any such capital restoration plan in certain circumstances. The liability of the parent holding company under any such guarantee is limited to the lesser of five percent of the bank’s assets at the time it became “undercapitalized” or the amount needed to comply. The parent holding company might also be liable for civil money damages for failure to fulfill that guarantee. In the event of the bankruptcy of the parent holding company, such guarantee would take priority over the parent’s general unsecured creditors.

Regulators take into consideration both risk-based capital ratios and other factors that can affect a bank's financial condition, including (i) concentrations of credit risk, (ii) interest rate risk, and (iii) risks from non-traditional activities, along with an institution's ability to manage those risks, when determining capital adequacy. This evaluation is made during the institution's safety and soundness examination. An institution may be downgraded to, or deemed to be in, a capital category that is lower than is indicated by its capital ratios if it is determined to be in an unsafe or unsound condition or if it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating with respect to certain matters.

Brokered Deposits

An insured depository institution, such as CIT Bank, generally is prohibited from accepting, renewing or rolling over brokered deposits unless the institution is well-capitalized under the prompt corrective action framework described above, or unless it is adequately capitalized and obtains a waiver from the FDIC. In addition, less than well-capitalized banks are subject to restrictions on the interest rates they may pay on deposits. In December 2019, the FDIC issued a proposed rule that is designed to bring the brokered deposits regulations in line with modern deposit taking methods and that may reduce the amount of deposits that would be classified as brokered. The impact on the Bank from any changes to the brokered deposit regulations will depend on the final form of the proposed rule and cannot be predicted at this time.

Source of Strength Doctrine and Support for Subsidiary Banks

FRB policy and, after the Dodd-Frank Act, the BHC Act requires BHCs such as CIT to serve as a source of strength and to commit capital and other financial resources to subsidiary banks. This support may be required at times when CIT may not be able to provide such support without adversely affecting its ability to meet other obligations. If CIT is unable to provide such support, the FRB could instead require the divestiture of CIT Bank and impose operating restrictions pending the divestiture. Any capital loans by a BHC to any of its subsidiary banks are subordinate in right of payment to depositors and to certain other indebtedness of the subsidiary bank, including intercompany loans from the BHC to its subsidiary banks and senior and subordinated debt securities issued by the subsidiary banks to the BHC. If a BHC commits to a federal bank regulator that it will maintain the capital of its bank subsidiary, whether in response to the FRB's invoking its source of strength authority or in

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response to other regulatory measures, that commitment will be assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and the bank will be entitled to priority payment in respect of that commitment.

Enforcement Powers of Federal Banking Agencies

The FRB and other U.S. banking agencies have broad enforcement powers with respect to an insured depository institution and its holding company, including the power to (i) impose cease and desist orders, substantial fines and other civil penalties, (ii) terminate deposit insurance, and (iii) appoint a conservator or receiver. Failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations could subject CIT or CIT Bank, as well as their officers and directors, to administrative sanctions and potentially substantial civil and criminal penalties.

FDIC Deposit Insurance

Deposits of CIT Bank are insured by the DIF up to $250,000 for each depositor. The DIF is funded by fees assessed on insured depository institutions, including CIT Bank.

The FDIC uses a two scorecard system, one scorecard for most large institutions with more than $10 billion in assets, such as CIT Bank, and another scorecard for "highly complex" institutions with over $50 billion in assets that are directly or indirectly controlled by a U.S. parent with over $500 billion in assets. Each scorecard has a performance score and a loss-severity score that is combined to produce a total score, which is translated into an initial assessment rate. In calculating these scores, the FDIC utilizes a bank's capital level and CAMELS ratings (a composite regulatory rating based on Capital adequacy, Asset quality, Management, Earnings, Liquidity, and Sensitivity to market risk) and certain financial measures designed to assess an institution's ability to withstand asset-related stress and funding-related stress. The FDIC also has the ability to make discretionary adjustments to the total score, up or down based upon significant risk factors that are not adequately captured in the scorecard. The total score translates to an initial base assessment rate on a non-linear, sharply increasing scale. For large institutions, such as CIT Bank, the initial base assessment rate ranges from three to thirty basis points (0.03% – 0.30%) on an annualized basis. After the effect of potential base rate adjustments, the total base assessment rate could range from one and a half to forty basis points (0.015% – 0.40%) on an annualized basis. The total base assessment rate is multiplied by the institution’s assessment base, which is the average consolidated total assets minus average tangible equity, to determine the FDIC assessment fees.

The FDIC will, at least semi-annually, update its income and loss projections for the DIF and, if necessary, propose rules to further increase assessment rates.

Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ("FDIA"), the FDIC may terminate an institution’s deposit insurance upon a finding that the institution has engaged in unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC.

Transactions with AffiliatesCommunity Reinvestment Act

Transactions between CITOFAC

Office of Foreign Assets Control

COVID-19

Novel Coronavirus disease

OLA

Orderly Liquidation Authority

CRO

Chief Risk Officer

OREO

Other Real Estate Owned

CTA

Currency Translation Adjustment

OTTI

Other than Temporary Impairment

DCF

Discounted Cash Flows

PAA

Purchase Accounting Adjustments

DIF

Deposit Insurance Fund

PB

Primary Beneficiary

DPA

Deferred Purchase Agreement

PCI

Purchased Credit-Impaired

DTA/DTL

Deferred Tax Asset / Deferred Tax Liability

PCD

Purchased Credit Deteriorated

EPS

Earnings Per Share

PD

Probability of Obligor Default

ERC

Enterprise Risk Committee

PLM

Problem Loan Management

EVE Sensitivity

Economic Value of Equity Sensitivity

RCC

Risk Control Committee

FASB

Financial Accounting Standards Board

RMC

Risk Management Committee

FCB

First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company

RMG

Risk Management Group

FCPA

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

ROAEA

Return on Average Earning Assets

FDIA

Federal Deposit Insurance Act

ROTCE

Return on Tangible Common Stockholders' Equity

FDIC

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

ROU

Right of Use

FDICIA

FDIC Improvement Act of 1991

RWA

Risk Weighted Assets

FHA

Federal Housing Administration

SBA

Small Business Administration

FHC

Financial Holding Company

SEC

Securities and its subsidiaries, and CIT and its other subsidiaries and affiliates (“Affiliate Transactions”), are regulated pursuant to Sections 23A and 23BExchange Commission

FHLB

Federal Home Loan Bank

SFR

Single Family Residential

FICO

Fair, Isaac Corporation

SIFI

Systemically Important Financial Institution

FINRA

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority

SOFR

Secured Overnight Financing Rate

FNMA

Federal National Mortgage Association

TBV

Tangible Book Value

FRB

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

TCE

Tangible Common Stockholders' Equity

FRBNY

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

TDR

Troubled Debt Restructuring

FV

Fair Value

UPB

Unpaid Principal Balance

GAAP

Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the U.S.

VA

Valuation Allowance

GLBA

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act

VIE

Variable Interest Entity

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Item 1. Business Overview

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

CIT Group Inc. is a bank holding company ("BHC") and a financial holding company ("FHC"). CIT Group Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively "we", "our", "CIT" or the "Company"), has $53.9 billion of earning assets and $43.1 billion of deposits at December 31, 2020. CIT was formed in 1908 and provides financing, leasing and advisory services, principally to middle-market companies in a wide variety of industries, primarily in North America. We also provide banking and related services to commercial and individual customers through our banking subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A. ("CIT Bank" or the "Bank"), which includes a regional branch network of 80 branches and its online bank.  

CIT is regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("FRB") and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York ("FRBNY") under the U.S. Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. CIT Bank is regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury ("OCC"). In addition, CIT Bank, as an insured depository institution, is supervised by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).

On January 1, 2020, we acquired Mutual of Omaha Bank (“MOB”), the savings bank subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company and Omaha Financial Holdings, Inc. (“OFHI”). CIT paid approximately $1 billion as consideration, comprised of $850 million in cash and approximately 3.1 million shares of CIT Group Inc. common stock (valued at approximately $141 million at the time of closing). Total assets acquired were approximately $8.4 billion and deposits were approximately $7.0 billion. See Note 2 – Acquisitions and Discontinued Operations in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Information (“Item 8”) in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as of or for the year ended December 31, 2020 (“2020 Form 10-K”) for additional information.

On October 16, 2020, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (“First Citizens”), the parent company of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company (“FCB”), and CIT Group Inc. jointly announced that they entered into a definitive agreement by and among First Citizens, FCB, FC Merger Subsidiary IX, Inc. and CIT, under which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger (the “Merger Agreement”). Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, CIT stockholders will receive 0.062 shares of First Citizens Class A common stock for each share of CIT common stock they own. First Citizens stockholders will own approximately 61% and CIT stockholders will own approximately 39% of the combined company. The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties and customary covenants, such as non-solicitation obligations and other provisions, including a break-up fee of $64 million payable in certain circumstances. The Merger Agreement also provides certain termination rights for CIT and First Citizens, including, among others, if the merger has not been completed by October 15, 2021. The combined bank will be regulated by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, the FDIC, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

The Board of Directors of the combined company will consist of 14 directors, the current 11 First Citizens Board members and 3 CIT Board members, including Ellen Alemany, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of CIT, Michael A. Carpenter, and Vice Admiral John R. Ryan, USN (Ret.).

The combined company will operate under the First Citizens name and will be headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., and will maintain significant operations in California, Nebraska, Arizona, Florida, and South Carolina, as well as in New York and New Jersey. The pro forma organization will include over $100 billion in assets and over $80 billion in deposits.

On February 9, 2021, CIT and First Citizens received the approvals of the stockholders of CIT and First Citizens necessary to complete the merger of the companies.  The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals.

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BUSINESS SEGMENTS

As of December 31, 2020, we manage our business and report our financial results in two operating segments: Commercial Banking and Consumer Banking, and a non-operating segment, Corporate.

We set underwriting standards for each business and employ portfolio risk management models to achieve desired portfolio demographics. Our collection and servicing operations are organized by business and geography to provide efficient client interfaces and uniform customer experiences.

Information about our segments is also included in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) and Item 8, Note 24 — Business Segment Information.

COMMERCIAL BANKING

Commercial Banking provides a range of lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary products that include interest rate risk management and foreign exchange products, and services, including factoring, cash management, capital markets, asset management, and advisory services, primarily to small and medium-sized companies, as well as to the rail industry. Revenue is generated from interest earned on loans, rent on equipment leased, fees and other revenue from lending and leasing activities, banking services, and capital markets transactions, along with commissions earned on factoring and related activities. We source our commercial lending business primarily through direct marketing to borrowers, lessees, manufacturers, vendors and distributors, and through referral sources and other intermediaries. Periodically we buy participations in syndications of loans and lines of credit and purchase loans on a whole-loan basis.

Commercial Banking is comprised of four divisions, Commercial Finance, Business Capital, Rail, and Real Estate Finance. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Commercial Finance and Real Estate Finance. In addition, the HOA deposits were included in Commercial Banking.

Description of Divisions

Commercial Finance provides a range of commercial lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary services and products, including cash management, capital markets and advisory services, primarily to small and middle market companies in a wide range of industries, including aerospace & defense, communication, power and energy, entertainment, gaming, healthcare, industrials, maritime, restaurants, retail, services and technology. Loans offered are primarily senior secured loans collateralized by accounts receivable, inventory, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment and/or intangibles, and are often used for working capital, plant expansion, acquisitions or recapitalizations. These loans include revolving lines of credit and term loans and, depending on the nature and quality of the collateral, may be referred to as collateral-backed loans, asset-based loans or cash flow loans. Loans are originated through relationships with private equity sponsors, or through direct relationships, led by originators with extensive experience in their respective industries. We also provide asset management services for which we collect management fees and partner in joint ventures.

In addition, through our Commercial Services business, we provide factoring, receivable management, and secured financing to businesses (our clients, who are generally manufacturers or importers of goods) that operate in several industries, including apparel, textile, furniture, home furnishings and consumer electronics. Factoring entails the assumption of credit risk with respect to trade accounts receivable arising from the sale of goods by our clients to their customers (generally retailers) that have been factored (i.e., sold or assigned to the factor).

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Business Capital provides leasing and equipment financing to small businesses and middle market companies in a wide range of industries on both an indirect and direct basis through integrated vendor platforms. In our indirect business, we assist manufacturers and distributors in growing sales, profitability and customer loyalty by providing customized, value-added finance solutions to their commercial clients. In our direct financing and leasing business, we provide financing solutions for our borrowers and lessees. Additionally, through Small Business Solutions, our on-line credit lending platform, we provide small business unsecured loans and equipment financing. Our lending platform allows small businesses to access commercial loans and leases, including both capital and operating leases, through a highly automated credit approval, documentation and funding process.

Real Estate Finance provides senior secured commercial real estate loans to developers and other commercial real estate professionals. We focus on properties with a stable cash flow, provide financing to reposition existing properties, and originate construction loans to highly experienced and well capitalized developers.

Rail offers customized leasing and financing solutions on a fleet of railcars and locomotives to railroads and shippers throughout North America. Railcar types include covered hopper cars used to ship grain and agricultural products, plastic pellets, sand, and cement; tank cars for energy products and chemicals; gondolas for coal, steel coil and mill service products; open-top hopper cars for coal and aggregates; boxcars for paper and auto parts; and centerbeams and flat cars for lumber. The rail portfolio is discussed further in the Concentrations section of the MD&A.

Key Risks

Key risks faced by the divisions include credit, business, market and asset risk. Credit risks associated with secured financings relate to the ability of our borrower to repay our loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should the borrower default on its obligations. Business risks include the demand for services that is broadly affected by the overall level of economic growth and is more specifically affected by the overall level of economic activity in CIT's target industries. Changes in supply and demand of products and services affect the pricing CIT can earn in the market. New business volume in Commercial Banking is affected by CIT's ability to maintain and develop relationships with its equity sponsors, clients, vendor partners, distributors and resellers. Commercial Banking is also exposed to market risk related to its syndication activity, which could expose CIT to risk arising from the inability to sell loans to other lenders, resulting in lower fee income and higher than expected credit exposure to certain borrowers.

The products and services provided by Commercial Services involve two types of credit risk: customer and client. A customer is the account debtor and obligor on trade accounts receivable that have been factored with and assigned to the factor. The most prevalent risk in factoring transactions for Commercial Services is customer credit risk, which relates to the financial inability of a customer to pay undisputed factored trade accounts receivable. A client is the counterparty to Commercial Services on any factoring, financing, or receivables purchasing agreement to sell trade receivables to Commercial Services, and generally is a manufacturer or importer of goods. While less significant than customer credit exposure, client credit risk relates to a decline in the creditworthiness of a borrowing client, their consequent inability to repay their loan, and the possible insufficiency of the underlying collateral (including the customer accounts receivable) to cover any loan repayment shortfall.

Commercial Services is also subject to a variety of other risks, including operational risk, due to the high transaction volume, business risks related to competitive pressures from other banks, boutique factors, and credit insurers, and seasonal risks due to retail trends. These pressures create risk of reduced pricing and factoring volume for CIT. In addition, client de-factoring can occur if retail credit conditions are benign for a long period and clients no longer demand factoring services for credit protection.

The primary risks for Rail are asset risk (resulting from ownership of the railcars and related equipment on operating lease) and credit risk. Asset risk arises from fluctuations in supply and demand for the underlying rail equipment that is leased. Rail invests in long-lived equipment, railcars and locomotives, which have economic useful lives of approximately 40 to 50 years. This equipment is then leased to commercial end-users with lease terms of typically three to five years. CIT is exposed to the risk that, at the end of the lease term, the value of the asset will be lower than expected, resulting in reduced future lease income over the remaining life of the asset or a lower sale value.

Asset risk generally is recognized through changes to lease income streams from fluctuations in lease rates and/or utilization. Asset risk may also change depreciation, resulting from changes in the residual value of the operating lease asset or through impairment of the asset carrying value, which can occur at any time during the life of the asset. However, asset values are not typically impacted by short-term market/cyclical fluctuations given the long-lived nature of rail assets. Asset risk is primarily related to the Rail division, and to a lesser extent, Business Capital and Commercial Finance.

Credit risk in the leased equipment portfolio results from the potential default of lessees, driven either by obligor specific or industry-wide conditions and is economically less significant than asset risk for Rail, because in the operating lease business there is no extension of credit to the obligor. Instead, the lessor deploys a portion of the useful life of the asset. Credit losses manifest through multiple parts of the statement of operations including loss of lease/rental income due to missed payments, time off lease, or lower rental payments than the existing contract due to either a restructuring with the existing obligor or re-leasing of the asset to another obligor, as well as higher expenses due to, for example, repossession costs to recover, refurbish, and re-lease assets.

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CONSUMER BANKING

Consumer Banking is comprised of two divisions: Consumer and Community Banking and LCM. Consumer and Community Banking includes Retail Banking, Consumer Lending, SBA Lending, and community development lending and investments. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Consumer and Community Banking. Revenue is generated from interest earned on residential mortgages, small business loans and from fees for banking services. We source our Consumer Lending business through our branch network and industry referrals, as well as direct digital marketing efforts. Periodically we purchase loans on a whole-loan basis. We source our SBA loans through a network of SBA originators. We also make community development investments and loans that support the construction of affordable housing in our communities in line with our CRA initiatives.

Consumer and Community Banking offers consumer mortgage lending and deposit products to its consumer customers. The division offers conforming and jumbo residential mortgage loans throughout the United States. Mortgage loans are primarily originated through CIT Bank branches and retail referrals, employee referrals, internet leads, direct marketing and a correspondent lending channel. Additionally, loans are purchased through whole loan and portfolio acquisitions. Consumer Lending includes product specialists, internal sales support and origination processing, structuring and closing. Retail Banking is the primary deposit gathering business of CIT Bank and operates through a network of retail branches predominantly in Southern California and an online direct channel. We offer a broad range of deposit and lending products along with payment solutions to meet the needs of our clients (both individuals and small businesses), including checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts, and time deposits.

The division also originates qualified SBA 504 loans and 7(a) loans and supports community development activities through lending and investments. SBA 504 loans generally provide growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. SBA 7(a) loans provide working capital, acquisition of inventory, machinery, equipment, furniture, and fixtures, the refinance of outstanding debt subject to any program guidelines, and acquisition of businesses, including partnership buyouts.

LCM includes acquired SFR mortgages from the OneWest Bank acquisition that are in run-off or being sold. Certain of these loans were covered by loss sharing agreements (“LSAs”) with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) against certain future losses sustained on these loans. Covered Loans were previously acquired by OneWest Bank, N.A. in connection with the LSAs for the FDIC-assisted acquisitions of IndyMac Federal Bank, FSB (“IndyMac”) (expired March 2019), First Federal Bank of California, FSB (“First Federal”) (expired December 2019), and La Jolla Bank, FSB (“La Jolla”) (expired February 2020). All of the LSAs have expired at December 31, 2020 and there are no covered loans.

Key Risks

Key risks in Consumer Banking include credit, collateral and geographic concentration risk. Similar to our commercial business, credit risks associated with secured consumer financings relate to the ability of the borrower to repay its loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should the borrower default on its obligations. Our consumer mortgage loans are typically collateralized by the underlying property, primarily single-family residential homes. Therefore, collateral risk relates to the potential decline in value of the property securing the loan. A majority of the loans are concentrated in Southern California, resulting in geographic concentration risk related to a potential downturn in the economic conditions or a potential natural disaster, such as earthquakes, mudslides, or wildfires, in that region.

See Risk Factors in Item 1A. and the Risk Management section in the MD&A for further discussions on risk.

CIT BANK, N.A.

CIT Bank raises deposits through its regional branch network of 80 branches, its online bank (visit cit.com), from retail and institutional customers through commercial channels, and, to a lesser extent, broker channels. CIT Bank's existing suite of deposit products includes checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts and time deposits.

CIT Bank provides lending, leasing and other financial and advisory services, primarily to small and middle-market companies across select industries through its Commercial Finance, Business Capital, Real Estate Finance, and Rail divisions. The Bank also offers residential mortgage lending and deposits to its customers through its Consumer and Community Banking division. To help fulfill its community reinvestment act (“CRA”) obligations, CIT Bank provides equity investments, loans to support affordable housing and other community development activities, as well as grants and service-related activities, throughout its assessment area in Southern California.

CIT Bank's loans and leases are primarily commercial loans, consumer loans and operating lease equipment. CIT Bank's operating lease portfolio consists primarily of leased railcars and related equipment.

At year-end, CIT Bank remained well capitalized, maintaining capital ratios above required levels.

See discussion regarding the merger with FCB earlier in this section.

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INFORMATION SECURITY

Information security, including cybersecurity, is a high priority for CIT. Recent highly publicized events have highlighted the importance of cybersecurity, including cyberattacks against financial institutions, governmental agencies and other organizations that resulted in the compromise of personal and/or confidential information, the theft or destruction of corporate information, and demands for ransom payments to release corporate information encrypted by so-called “ransomware.” A successful cyberattack could harm CIT’s reputation and/or impair its ability to provide services to its customers.

CIT has developed policies and technology designed to (i) protect both our own and our clients’ information from cyberattacks or other corruption or loss, (ii) reasonably assure the continuity of CIT’s business in the event of disruptions of CIT’s or its vendors’ critical systems, and (iii) comply with regulatory requirements relating to the protection of customer information (see Regulation – Privacy Provisions and Customer and Client Information below). For additional information on CIT’s cybersecurity and business continuity programs, see the Risk Management section of the MD&A.

DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

At December 31, 2020, there were no assets or liabilities of discontinued operations. Discontinued operations are discussed in Item 8, Note 2 — Acquisition and Discontinued Operations.

HUMAN CAPITAL

CIT believes that our employees are our most important asset. We have therefore developed a human capital strategy which fosters the wellbeing, development and engagement of our workforce as a matter of corporate culture and contemporary business practice to aid us in attracting, developing, leading and retaining talent.

The following principles guide our Human Capital Framework:

As of the end of the 2020 fiscal year, we employed approximately 4,500 people, including contract employees. Our strong employee base, along with their commitment to our Pride Pledge and core values - Be Empowered; Be Collaborative; Be Inclusive; Be Agile; Be an Achiever - provides the foundation of our company’s success.  

The following figures are as of December 31, 2020:

Oversight and Governance

CIT believes a commitment to effective corporate governance and high ethical standards promotes long-term performance. CIT is proud of the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, expertise, geographic reach, tenure and ethnicity found on its Board of Directors. All members of CIT’s Board of Directors are independent, except for the Chairwoman and CEO.

As part of its common recurring activities, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for discussing, evaluating and reviewing regular updates from management in the area of CIT’s human capital, including with respect to diversity and inclusion.

Learning & Development

CIT invests in developing its employees through various training and educational programs, focusing on new hire on-boarding and readiness, leadership development, sales enablement, product knowledge, compliance and ethics and technical and professional skills.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

In 2020, CIT shifted to providing its training virtually to support employees working from home due to COVID-19.

Diversity & Inclusion

More perspectives bring greater innovation. At CIT, we welcome a diverse group of employees to create a better workplace and innovative products for our clients. CIT is committed to fostering an environment where all employees bring their best selves to work, feeling included, empowered and able to thrive.

CIT is committed to providing an inclusive environment where all individuals have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices by employees (including managers and co-workers) or contingent workers.

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) at CIT is a strategic imperative, rooted in our core values and reinforced in our performance management process. CIT’s D&I program, Be You @CIT, includes a focus on employee programs that drive inclusion, community partnerships to support diversity, leadership initiatives to drive action and efforts in supplier diversity. Initiatives are driven by an Executive Diversity Council and four Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are chartered with a focus on Women, Veterans, LGBTQ+ and Black employees, and open to all employees. Our continuing progress in building an inclusive culture was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which designated CIT as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality in 2020.

CIT is proud of the diversity of our Board of Directors in gender, race, ethnicity and experience, with women comprising a third of the board and people of color also comprising a third of the Board. CIT also has a strong Executive Management Committee with more than 30% gender diversity.

Total Rewards

CIT has a “pay-for-performance” philosophy that forms the foundation of decisions regarding incentive compensation of CIT’s employees. This compensation philosophy and the compensation program in place are central to CIT’s ability to attract, retain and motivate individuals who can achieve superior long-term financial results.

CIT is also committed to making it easier for employees to stay healthy by offering a comprehensive benefits program with high-quality, consumer-driven plans, health spending accounts and flexible options to protect employees and their families. Employees can balance work and personal life with paid time off, flexible work arrangements and programs for employee and family support. We also provide peace of mind with insurance including Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment for employees and eligible dependents, along with Business Travel Accident Insurance, protection through our short- and long-term disability plan, and a generous parental leave program.

Employees are able to gain skills and knowledge needed to grow their careers with the support of our tuition reimbursement program and plan for retirement with our 401(k) plan and company match.

Eligible employees are encouraged to further their ownership of CIT stock by purchasing shares of CIT common stock at a 15% discounted price through our CIT Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Volunteering

Social responsibility is core to CIT’s culture. We are committed to making positive and lasting impacts in our communities through our business activities and our volunteer and charitable efforts. We are a vital part of the communities where we live and work, and every CIT employee is encouraged to volunteer their time and talent to nonprofit organizations. CIT supports these efforts by providing eight hours of paid time off to all employees annually to devote to volunteer efforts.

COMPETITION

We operate in highly competitive markets. Our competitors include global and regional commercial banks, community banks, as well as captive finance companies, leasing companies, business development companies, other non-bank lenders and financial technology companies, or “fintechs,” which may offer bank-like products or services that compete directly with our products and services. In most of our business lines, we have a few large competitors that have significant market share and many smaller niche competitors. Many of our competitors have substantial financial, technological, and marketing resources.

Our customer value proposition is primarily based on financing terms, industry expertise, transaction structuring, technology driven solutions, and client service. From time to time, due to highly competitive markets, we may (i) lose market share if we are unwilling to match product structure, pricing, or terms of our competitors or (ii) receive lower returns or incur higher credit losses if we match our competitors’ product structure, pricing, or terms. We tend not to compete on price, but rather on industry experience, asset and equipment knowledge, and customer service.

REGULATION

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We are regulated pursuant to U.S. federal banking laws, regulations, and policies. Such laws and regulations are intended primarily for the protection of depositors, customers and the federal Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”), as well as to minimize risk to the banking system as a whole, and not for the protection of our shareholders or non-depository creditors. Bank regulatory agencies have broad examination and enforcement power over BHCs and their bank and non-bank subsidiaries, including the power to impose substantial fines, limit dividends and other capital distributions, restrict operations and acquisitions, and require divestitures. BHCs and banks, as well as subsidiaries of both, are prohibited by law from engaging in practices that the relevant regulatory authority deems unsafe or unsound. CIT Group Inc. is a BHC and elected to be treated as an FHC under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). CIT Bank is chartered as a national bank by the OCC and is a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. CIT and CIT Bank are subject to certain limitations on our activities, transactions with affiliates, and payment of dividends, and certain standards for capital and liquidity, safety and soundness, and incentive compensation, among other matters. The principal regulator of CIT Group Inc. and its non-bank subsidiaries is the FRB and the principal regulator of CIT Bank and its subsidiaries is the OCC. Both CIT Group Inc. and CIT Bank are subject to the jurisdiction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”).

Certain of our subsidiaries are subject to the jurisdiction of other governmental agencies and self-regulated organizations. CIT Capital Securities LLC is a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), a self-regulated organization. CIT Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser subject to the jurisdiction of the SEC. Our insurance operations are primarily conducted through The Equipment Insurance Company and CIT Insurance Agency, Inc. Each company is licensed to enter into insurance contracts and is subject to regulation and examination by state insurance regulators.

In May 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) was signed into law. Among other changes, the EGRRCPA amended provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) to increase the threshold for applicability of the enhanced prudential standards for BHCs from $50 billion to $250 billion. The EGRRCPA’s increased threshold took effect immediately for BHCs with total consolidated assets of less than $100 billion, including CIT. As a result, certain of the enhanced prudential standards required under Sections 165 and 166 of the Dodd-Frank Act are not applicable to CIT.

Upon completion of the Company’s pending merger with First Citizens, the Company expects that the combined institution will have more than $100 billion in total consolidated assets. Therefore, subject to transitional provisions, the combined company is expected to be classified as a Category IV banking institution under the Tailoring Rules (defined below) and subject to the requirements applicable to Category IV institutions. As a Category IV institution, the combined company would be subject to additional regulatory requirements, including capital planning requirements, including as part of the Federal Reserve’s comprehensive capital analysis and review (“CCAR”) process, biennial supervisory stress testing and the stress capital buffer rule, which would replace the static 2.5% component of the capital conservation buffer with a capital buffer that is based on supervisory stress test results and the combined company’s planned common stock dividends. In addition, the combined company would be subject to enhanced liquidity and risk management standards including quarterly liquidity stress tests and a liquidity buffer.

Banking Supervision and Regulation

Permissible Activities

As a BHC, CIT Group Inc. may engage in the business of banking, managing or controlling banks, performing servicing activities for subsidiaries, and engaging in activities that the FRB has determined, by order or regulation, are so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident thereto. As an FHC, CIT Group Inc. may also engage in or acquire and retain the shares of a company engaged in activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature as long as the FHC continues to meet the eligibility requirements for FHCs, including that the FHC and each of its U.S. depository institution subsidiaries remain “well-capitalized” and “well-managed.”

A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-capitalized” if it satisfies the requirements discussed below under “Prompt Corrective Action.” A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-managed” if it received a composite rating and management rating of at least “satisfactory” in its most recent examination. If an FHC ceases to be well-capitalized and well-managed, the FHC must enter into a non-public confidential agreement with the FRB to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements. Until the FHC returns to compliance, the FRB may impose limitations or conditions on the conduct of its activities, and the company may not commence any new non-banking financial activities permissible for FHCs or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities without prior approval of the FRB. If the company does not timely return to compliance, the FRB may require divestiture of the FHCs depository institutions. BHCs and banks must also be well-capitalized and well-managed in order to acquire banks located outside their home state. An FHC will also be limited in its ability to commence non-banking financial activities or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities if any of its insured depository institution subsidiaries fails to maintain a “satisfactory” rating under the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”), as described below under “Community Reinvestment Act.”

Activities that are “financial in nature” include securities underwriting, dealing and market making, advising mutual funds and investment companies, insurance underwriting and agency, merchant banking, and activities that the FRB, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, determines to be financial in nature or incidental to such financial activity. “Complementary

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activities” are activities that the FRB determines upon application to be complementary to a financial activity and that do not pose a safety and soundness issue. CIT is primarily engaged in activities that are permissible for a BHC and conducts only limited business involving the expanded activities available to an FHC.

Capital Requirements

The Company and the Bank are subject to risk-based requirements and rules issued by the FRB, OCC, and FDIC (the “Basel III Rules”) that are based upon the final framework of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (the “Basel Committee”) for strengthening capital and liquidity regulation. Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank apply the Standardized Approach in measuring their risk-weighted assets (“RWA”) and regulatory capital.

Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank are subject to minimum capital ratios for common equity tier 1 (“CET1”) capital, Tier 1 capital, and Total capital of 4.5%, 6.0% and 8.0%, respectively. The Basel III Rules also include a “capital conservation buffer” (“CCB”) of 2.5%, composed entirely of CET1 capital, in addition to the minimum capital to RWA ratios. The CCB is designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions with a ratio of CET1 to RWA above the minimum but below the CCB will face constraints on dividends, equity repurchases, and compensation based on the amount of the shortfall and the institution’s "eligible retained income" (since March 2020, defined as the greater of (i) net income for the four preceding quarters, net of distributions and associated tax effects not reflected in net income; and (ii) the average of net income over the preceding four quarters).

As of January 1, 2020, CIT is required to maintain the following risk-based capital ratios:

The Company and CIT Bank meet all capital requirements under the Basel III Rules, including the CCB. The table in the MD&A (Regulatory Capital section) presents CIT's and CIT Bank's capital ratios.

The Company and CIT Bank are also required to maintain a minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to a quarterly average of non-risk weighted total assets) of 4%. The Company and CIT Bank are not subject to the Basel III Rule’s countercyclical buffer or the supplementary leverage ratio.

The Basel III Rules provide for several deductions from and adjustments to CET1. These include, for example, goodwill, other intangible assets, and deferred tax assets (“DTAs”) that arise from net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards net of any related valuation allowance. Mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”), DTAs arising from temporary differences that could not be realized through net operating loss carrybacks and investments in non-consolidated financial institutions must also be deducted from CET1 to the extent that they exceed certain thresholds. In November 2017, the federal bank regulators revised the Basel III Rules to extend the transitional treatment of certain DTAs, MSRs, investments in non-consolidated financial institutions and minority interests for non-advanced approaches banking organizations, such as the Company and the Bank, until April 1, 2020, when the revisions to simplify the capital requirements relating to the threshold deductions for those items took effect.

The Company and CIT Bank, as non-advanced approaches banking organizations, made a one-time, permanent election under the Basel III Rules to exclude the effects of certain components of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) included in shareholders’ equity under U.S. GAAP (for example, mark-to-market of securities held in the available-for-sale (“AFS”) portfolio) in determining regulatory capital ratios.

Under the Basel III Rules, certain off-balance sheet commitments and obligations are converted into RWA, that, together with on-balance sheet assets, are the base against which regulatory capital is measured. The Basel III Rule defined the risk-weighting categories for BHCs and banks that follow the Standardized Approach based on a risk-sensitive analysis, depending on the nature of the exposure. Risk weights range from 0% for U.S. government and agency securities, to as high as 1,250% for such exposures as certain tranches of securitizations or unsettled security/commodity transactions. In November 2019, the federal banking agencies adopted a rule revising the scope of commercial real estate mortgages subject to a 150% risk weight.

In December 2017, the Basel Committee published standards that it described as the finalization of the Basel III post-crisis regulatory reforms (the standards are commonly referred to as “Basel IV”). Among other things, these standards revise the Basel Committee's Standardized Approach for credit risk (including by recalibrating risk weights and introducing new capital requirements for certain "unconditionally cancellable commitments," such as unused credit card and home equity lines of credit) and provides a new standardized approach for operational risk capital. Under the Basel framework, these standards will generally be effective on January 1, 2023, with an aggregate output floor phasing in through January 1, 2028. Under the current U.S. capital rules, operational risk capital requirements and a capital floor apply only to advanced approaches institutions, and not to the Company or CIT Bank. The impact of Basel IV on the Company and CIT Bank will depend on whether, and how, it is implemented by the federal bank regulators.

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Current Expected Credit Losses Transitional Provisions

In June 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which revises the methodology for estimating credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost (including loans and held-to-maturity debt securities), net investments in finance leases, available for sale debt securities and unfunded loan commitments. Under this guidance, the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) model is based on lifetime expected credit losses, rather than incurred losses, and requires the recognition of these lifetime losses in the allowance for credit losses, or allowance for off-balance sheet credit exposures, at the time of origination or purchase. The Company adopted this new guidance effective January 1, 2020.

During 2020, the OCC, FRB and FDIC collectively adopted a rule that allows banking organizations to delay for two years the impact of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital, followed by a three-year transition period. During the first two years of the five-year transition period, CIT will delay the day one impact of CECL to retained earnings plus a scaling factor of 25 percent of the change in the Adjusted Allowance for Credit Losses (“AACL”) from initial CECL implementation to the end of the current quarter, excluding the impact of the initial non-PCD charge related to MOB. After the initial two-year delay period, there will be a three-year transition period starting January 1, 2022. The day one impact of CECL and the 25% scaling factor of the change in non-PCD ACL from Day 1 to the end of the second year will be phased out as follows: 75 percent of transitional benefits are recognized in regulatory capital in year three; 50 percent in year four; and 25 percent in year five. After year five, CIT expects to have fully reversed out the temporary regulatory capital benefits from the two-year delay and three-year transition period. These changes are only applicable to regulatory capital. There was no impact to the balance sheet or the statement of operations.

Regulatory Expectations for Capital Planning

CIT is required to maintain a comprehensive and effective capital planning process and is subject to Federal Reserve guidance in supervision and regulation letter, SR 09-4  “Applying Supervisory Guidance and Regulations on the Payment of Dividends, Stock Redemptions, and Stock Repurchases at Bank Holding Companies” (“SR 09-4”). Under SR 09-4, a BHC is expected to inform and consult with the FRB before (i) declaring and paying a dividend that could raise safety and soundness concerns, (ii) redeeming or repurchasing regulatory capital instruments when the BHC is experiencing financial weakness, or (iii) redeeming or repurchasing common stock or perpetual preferred stock that would result in a net reduction in the amount of such instrument during the quarter in which the redemption or repurchase occurs. BHCs are expected to advise the FRB sufficiently in advance of such capital actions to provide reasonable opportunity for supervisory review and possible objection.  

In certain circumstances, CIT’s repurchases of its common stock may be subject to a prior approval or notice requirement under the regulations or policies of the FRB. Any redemption or repurchase of preferred stock or subordinated debt remains subject to prior supervisory approval.

In July 2020, the FRB issued Attachment C “Situations in Which Holding Companies May Expect Expedited Consultation” to SR 09-4, which provides clarity regarding the process that the Federal Reserve uses when consulting with holding companies as described in SR 09-4.

Liquidity Requirements

In line with international liquidity standards established by the Basel Committee to ensure that banking entities address both short-term and long-term funding needs, the federal banking agencies set minimum liquidity requirements for large banking organizations, including minimum levels of unencumbered high-quality liquid assets. In 2014, the federal banking regulators adopted a joint final rule implementing a liquidity coverage ratio (“LCR”), calculated as the ratio of a banking entity’s high-quality liquid assets to its total net cash outflows over 30 consecutive calendar days, for large and internationally active U.S. banking entities. The final rule applied a modified version of the LCR requirements to bank holding companies with total consolidated assets of greater than $50 billion but less than $250 billion.

In October 2019, the federal bank regulators issued final rules under the EGRRCPA for tailoring the criteria for determining the applicability of capital and liquidity requirements for large U.S. banking organizations (the “Tailoring Rules”). Under the Tailoring Rules, banking organizations with less than $100 billion in total consolidated assets, including the Company, are not subject to the LCR.

Nevertheless, the federal bank regulators have indicated that the capital planning and risk management practices of financial institutions with assets of less than $100 billion will continue to be reviewed through the regular supervisory process. The Company and CIT Bank maintain a liquidity risk management and monitoring process designed to ensure appropriate liquidity to meet expected and contingent funding needs under both normal and stress environments, subject to the regular supervisory review process. See “MD&A – Risk Management – Liquidity Risk”.

Acquisitions

Federal and state laws impose notice and approval requirements for mergers and acquisitions involving depository institutions or BHCs. The BHC Act requires the prior approval of the FRB for (i) the acquisition by a BHC of direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of any class of voting shares of a bank, savings association, or BHC, (ii) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of any bank or savings association by any subsidiary of a BHC other than a bank, or (iii) the merger

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or consolidation of any BHC with another BHC. Prior regulatory approval is also generally required for mergers, acquisitions and consolidations involving other insured depository institutions. In reviewing acquisition and merger applications, the bank regulatory authorities will consider, among other things, the competitive effect of the transaction, financial and managerial issues, including the capital position of the combined organization, convenience and needs factors, including the applicant's CRA record, the effectiveness of the subject organizations in combating money laundering activities, and the transaction's effect on the stability of the U.S. banking or financial system. In addition, a FHC must obtain prior approval of the FRB before acquiring certain non-bank financial companies with assets exceeding $10 billion. As discussed in the Business Description section, our merger with FCB is pending regulatory approvals.

Dividends

CIT Group Inc. is a legal entity separate and distinct from CIT Bank and CIT’s other subsidiaries. Its primary sources of cash are interest on intercompany loans to its subsidiaries and dividends from its subsidiaries.

It is the policy of the FRB that a BHC generally pay dividends on common stock out of net income available to common shareholders over the past year, only if the prospective rate of earnings retention appears consistent with capital needs, asset quality, and overall financial condition, and the BHC is not in danger of failing to meet its minimum regulatory capital adequacy ratios. A BHC should not maintain a dividend level that places undue pressure on the capital of bank subsidiaries, or that may undermine the BHC’s ability to serve as a source of strength to its subsidiary bank.

The ability of CIT Group Inc. to pay dividends on common stock may be affected by various factors, including regulatory capital requirements. Capital and non-capital standards established for depository institutions under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991, as amended (“FDICIA”) may limit the ability of CIT Bank to pay dividends to CIT Group Inc. The right of CIT Group Inc., its stockholders, and its creditors to participate in any distribution of the assets or earnings of its subsidiaries is further subject to prior claims of creditors of CIT Bank and CIT Group Inc.’s other subsidiaries.

OCC regulations limit CIT Bank’s ability to pay dividends if the total amount of all dividends (common and preferred) declared in any current year, including the proposed dividend, exceeds the total net income for the current year to date plus any retained net income for the prior two years, less the sum of any transfers required by the OCC and any transfers required to fund the retirement of any preferred stock. If a dividend in either of the prior two years exceeded that year’s net income, the excess will not reduce the net income for the three-year period described above, provided the amount of excess dividends for either of the prior two years can be offset by retained net income in the current year minus three years or the current year minus four years.

Volcker Rule

Provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, commonly known as the “Volcker Rule,” prohibit banks and their affiliates from engaging in proprietary trading and investing in and sponsoring hedge funds and private equity funds and other private funds that are offered within specified exemptions to the Investment Company Act, known as “covered funds,” subject to certain exemptions. In November 2019, the OCC, FDIC, FRB, SEC, and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) (together, the “Volcker Rule Regulators”) approved revisions to the regulations implementing the Volcker Rule (the “2019 Final Rule”), effective January 1, 2020, with mandatory compliance by January 1, 2021. The revisions implement the compliance programs requirements based on the trading size of an institution’s trading operations, which builds on the relief granted by the EGRRCPA.

The 2019 Final Rule established three tiers of banking entities, based on the dollar amount of trading assets and liabilities (excluding obligations of or guaranteed by the United States or its agencies and certain U.S. government owned or sponsored enterprises). Each banking entity must establish its compliance program based on whether it has significant trading assets and liabilities ($20 billion or more), moderate trading assets and liabilities ($1 billion or more but less than $20 billion), or limited trading assets and liabilities (less than $1 billion). Banking entities with limited trading assets and liabilities, such as CIT, have a rebuttable presumption of reliance, are not subject to CEO attestation requirements, and may implement the prohibitions and other requirements of the permitted trading activity into their existing internal policies and procedures.

In June 2020, the Volcker Rule Regulators finalized amendments to the Volcker Rule covered funds regulations, effective October 1, 2020. The amendments modified the provisions for certain existing covered fund exclusions, including loan securitizations and public welfare and small business funds, and added certain additional covered fund exclusions, including credit funds and venture capital funds.

Orderly Liquidation Authority

The Dodd-Frank Act created the Orderly Liquidation Authority ("OLA"), a resolution regime for systemically important non-bank financial companies, including BHCs and their non-bank affiliates, under which the FDIC may be appointed receiver to liquidate such a company upon a determination by the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the President of the United States, with support by a supermajority recommendation from the FRB and, depending on the type of entity, the approval of the director of the Federal Insurance Office, a supermajority vote of the SEC, or a supermajority vote of the FDIC, that the company is in danger of default, that such default presents a systemic risk to U.S. financial stability, and that the company should be subject to the OLA process. This resolution authority is similar to the FDIC resolution model for depository institutions, with certain modifications to reflect differences between depository institutions and non-bank financial companies and to reduce disparities between the treatment of creditors' claims under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and in an OLA proceeding compared to those that would exist under the resolution model for insured depository institutions.

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An Orderly Liquidation Fund will fund OLA liquidation proceedings through borrowings from the Treasury and risk-based assessments made, first, on entities that received more in the resolution than they would have received in liquidation to the extent of such excess, and second, if necessary, on BHCs with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more, any non-bank financial company supervised by the FRB, and certain other financial companies with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more. If an orderly liquidation is triggered, CIT Group Inc. could face assessments for the Orderly Liquidation Fund. We do not yet have an indication of the potential level of such assessments.

Prompt Corrective Action

The FDICIA, among other things, establishes five capital categories for FDIC-insured banks: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized. The following table sets forth the required capital ratios to be deemed “well capitalized” or “adequately capitalized” under regulations in effect at December 31, 2020.

CIT Bank's capital ratios were all in excess of minimum requirements to be deemed well capitalized at December 31, 2020.

The FDICIA requires the applicable federal regulatory authorities to implement systems for prompt corrective action for insured depository institutions that do not meet minimum requirements. FDICIA imposes progressively more restrictive constraints on operations, management and capital distributions as the capital category of an institution declines. Undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized depository institutions are required to submit a capital restoration plan to their primary federal regulator. Although prompt corrective action regulations apply only to depository institutions and not to BHCs, the holding company must guarantee any such capital restoration plan in certain circumstances. The liability of the parent holding company under any such guarantee is limited to the lesser of five percent of the bank’s assets at the time it became “undercapitalized” or the amount needed to comply. The parent holding company might also be liable for civil money damages for failure to fulfill that guarantee. In the event of the bankruptcy of the parent holding company, such guarantee would take priority over the parent’s general unsecured creditors.

Regulators take into consideration both risk-based capital ratios and other factors that can affect a bank's financial condition, including (i) concentrations of credit risk, (ii) interest rate risk, and (iii) risks from non-traditional activities, along with an institution's ability to manage those risks, when determining capital adequacy. This evaluation is made during the institution's safety and soundness examination. An institution may be downgraded to, or deemed to be in, a capital category that is lower than is indicated by its capital ratios if it is determined to be in an unsafe or unsound condition or if it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating with respect to certain matters.

Brokered Deposits

An insured depository institution, such as CIT Bank, generally is prohibited from accepting, renewing or rolling over brokered deposits unless the institution is well-capitalized under the prompt corrective action framework described above, or unless it is adequately capitalized and obtains a waiver from the FDIC. In addition, less than well-capitalized banks are subject to restrictions on the interest rates they may pay on deposits. In December 2020, the FDIC issued a proposed rule that is designed to bring the brokered deposits regulations in line with modern deposit taking methods and that may change the amount of deposits that would be classified as brokered.

Source of Strength Doctrine and Support for Subsidiary Banks

FRB policy and, after the Dodd-Frank Act, the BHC Act requires BHCs such as CIT Group Inc. to serve as a source of strength and to commit capital and other financial resources to subsidiary banks. This support may be required at times when CIT Group Inc. may not be able to provide such support without adversely affecting its ability to meet other obligations. If CIT Group Inc. is unable to provide such support, the FRB could instead require the divestiture of CIT Bank and impose operating restrictions pending the divestiture. Any capital loans by a BHC to any of its subsidiary banks are subordinate in right of payment to depositors and to certain other indebtedness of the subsidiary bank, including intercompany loans from the BHC to its subsidiary banks and senior and subordinated debt securities issued by the subsidiary banks to the BHC. If a BHC commits to a federal bank regulator that it will maintain the capital of its bank subsidiary, whether in response to the FRB's invoking its source of strength authority or in response to other regulatory measures, that commitment will be assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and

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the bank will be entitled to priority payment in respect of that commitment.

Enforcement Powers of Federal Banking Agencies

The FRB and other U.S. banking agencies have broad enforcement powers with respect to an insured depository institution and its holding company, including the power to (i) impose cease and desist orders, substantial fines and other civil penalties, (ii) terminate deposit insurance, and (iii) appoint a conservator or receiver. Failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations could subject CIT or CIT Bank, as well as their officers and directors, to administrative sanctions and potentially substantial civil and criminal penalties.

FDIC Deposit Insurance

Deposits of CIT Bank are insured by the DIF up to $250,000 for each depositor. The DIF is funded by fees assessed on insured depository institutions, including CIT Bank.

The FDIC uses a two scorecard system, one scorecard for most large institutions with more than $10 billion in assets, such as CIT Bank, and another scorecard for "highly complex" institutions with over $50 billion in assets that are directly or indirectly controlled by a U.S. parent with over $500 billion in assets. Each scorecard has a performance score and a loss-severity score that is combined to produce a total score, which is translated into an initial assessment rate. In calculating these scores, the FDIC utilizes a bank's capital level and CAMELS ratings (a composite regulatory rating based on Capital adequacy, Asset quality, Management, Earnings, Liquidity, and Sensitivity to market risk) and certain financial measures designed to assess an institution's ability to withstand asset-related stress and funding-related stress. The FDIC also has the ability to make discretionary adjustments to the total score, up or down based upon significant risk factors that are not adequately captured in the scorecard. The total score translates to an initial base assessment rate on a non-linear, sharply increasing scale. For large institutions, such as CIT Bank, the initial base assessment rate ranges from three to thirty basis points (0.03% – 0.30%) on an annualized basis. After the effect of potential base rate adjustments, the total base assessment rate could range from one and a half to forty basis points (0.015% – 0.40%) on an annualized basis. The total base assessment rate is multiplied by the institution’s assessment base, which is the average consolidated total assets minus average tangible equity, to determine the FDIC assessment fees.

The FDIC will, at least semi-annually, update its income and loss projections for the DIF and, if necessary, propose rules to further increase assessment rates.

Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ("FDIA"), the FDIC may terminate an institution’s deposit insurance upon a finding that the institution has engaged in unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC.

Community Reinvestment Act

The CRA requires depository institutions like CIT Bank to assist in meeting the credit needs of their market areas consistent with safe and sound banking practice by, among other things, providing credit to low- and moderate-income (“LMI”) individuals and communities within its assessment area. The CRA does not establish specific lending requirements or programs for depository institutions nor does it limit an institution's discretion to develop the types of products and services that it believes are best suited to its particular community, consistent with the CRA. Depository institutions are periodically examined for compliance with the CRA and are assigned ratings, which are made available to the public. In order for a FHC to commence any new activity permitted by the BHC Act, or to acquire any company engaged in any new activity permitted by the BHC Act, each insured depository institution subsidiary of the FHC must have received a rating of at least "satisfactory" in its most recent examination under the CRA. Furthermore, banking regulators take into account CRA ratings when considering approval of applications to acquire, merge, or consolidate with another banking institution or its holding company, to establish a new branch office that will accept deposits or to relocate an office, and such record may be the basis for denying the application. CIT Bank received a rating of "Satisfactory" on its most recent published CRA examination by the OCC dated August 6, 2018 and released December 5, 2019.OFAC

In December 2019, the OCC and the FDIC proposed a rule that would seek to expand the types of activities that qualify for CRA credit; revise how banks delineate their CRA assessment areas; and establish new standards for evaluating banks with more than $500 million in assets, including, among others, the number of qualifying retail loan originations to LMI individuals. The impact on CIT Bank from any changes to the CRA regulations will depend on the final form of the proposed rule and how it is implemented and applied.

On November 1, 2019, as part of the process to acquire MOB, CIT announced a Community Benefits Plan developed in collaboration with the California Reinvestment Coalition (“CRC”) and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (“NCRC”). Through the plan, CIT Bank agreed to $7.75 billion in CRA qualified lending and investments over a four-year term, covering the period of January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2023. Of the $7.75 billion commitment, $6.5 billion over the four-year plan period will be within California for statewide CRA lending and investments, with sub-targets for specified small business and mortgage lending. Outside of California, the Bank has committed $1.25 billion over the four-year term in CRA qualified lending and investments to communities where the bank will have physical branches. The Plan sets forth additional goals for supplier diversity, and the addition of a new branch in California, which will serve LMI customers in a neighborhood of color.

Incentive Compensation

The federal banking agencies issued comprehensive guidance intended to ensure that the incentive compensation policies of banking organizations do not undermine the safety and soundness of such organizations by encouraging excessive risk-taking. The guidance, which covers all employees that have the ability to materially affect the risk profile of an organization, either individually or as part of a group, is based upon the key principles that a banking organization's incentive compensation arrangements should (i) provide incentives that do not encourage risk-taking beyond the organization's ability to effectively identify and manage risks, (ii) be compatible with effective internal controls and risk management, and (iii) be supported by strong corporate governance, including active and effective oversight by the organization's board of directors. These three principles are incorporated into the proposed joint compensation regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act discussed below.

In 2016, the federal banking agencies and the SEC proposed rules on incentive-based payment arrangements at specified regulated entities having at least $1 billion in total assets (including CIT and CIT Bank). These rules have not yet been adopted.

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Anti-Money Laundering ("AML") and Economic Sanctions

In the U.S., the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, imposes significant obligations on financial institutions, including banks, to detect and deter money laundering and terrorist financing, including requirements to implement AML programs, verify the identity of customers that maintain accounts, file currency transaction reports, and monitor and report suspicious activity to appropriate law enforcement or regulatory authorities. Financial institutions are subject to Customer Due Diligence requirements, issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), to identify and verify the identity of natural persons, known as beneficial owners, who own, control, and profit from legal entity customers when those customers open accounts. The Company has implemented policies, procedures, and internal controls that are designed to comply with all applicable AML laws and regulations. The Company has also implemented policies, procedures, and internal controls that are designed to comply with the regulations and economic sanctions programs administered by the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control

COVID-19

Novel Coronavirus disease

OLA

Orderly Liquidation Authority

CRO

Chief Risk Officer

OREO

Other Real Estate Owned

CTA

Currency Translation Adjustment

OTTI

Other than Temporary Impairment

DCF

Discounted Cash Flows

PAA

Purchase Accounting Adjustments

DIF

Deposit Insurance Fund

PB

Primary Beneficiary

DPA

Deferred Purchase Agreement

PCI

Purchased Credit-Impaired

DTA/DTL

Deferred Tax Asset / Deferred Tax Liability

PCD

Purchased Credit Deteriorated

EPS

Earnings Per Share

PD

Probability of Obligor Default

ERC

Enterprise Risk Committee

PLM

Problem Loan Management

EVE Sensitivity

Economic Value of Equity Sensitivity

RCC

Risk Control Committee

FASB

Financial Accounting Standards Board

RMC

Risk Management Committee

FCB

First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company

RMG

Risk Management Group

FCPA

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

ROAEA

Return on Average Earning Assets

FDIA

Federal Deposit Insurance Act

ROTCE

Return on Tangible Common Stockholders' Equity

FDIC

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

ROU

Right of Use

FDICIA

FDIC Improvement Act of 1991

RWA

Risk Weighted Assets

FHA

Federal Housing Administration

SBA

Small Business Administration

FHC

Financial Holding Company

SEC

Securities and Exchange Commission

FHLB

Federal Home Loan Bank

SFR

Single Family Residential

FICO

Fair, Isaac Corporation

SIFI

Systemically Important Financial Institution

FINRA

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority

SOFR

Secured Overnight Financing Rate

FNMA

Federal National Mortgage Association

TBV

Tangible Book Value

FRB

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

TCE

Tangible Common Stockholders' Equity

FRBNY

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

TDR

Troubled Debt Restructuring

FV

Fair Value

UPB

Unpaid Principal Balance

GAAP

Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the U.S.

VA

Valuation Allowance

GLBA

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act

VIE

Variable Interest Entity

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Item 1. Business Overview

BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

CIT Group Inc. is a bank holding company ("BHC") and a financial holding company ("FHC"). CIT Group Inc., together with its subsidiaries (collectively "we", "our", "CIT" or the "Company"), has $53.9 billion of earning assets and $43.1 billion of deposits at December 31, 2020. CIT was formed in 1908 and provides financing, leasing and advisory services, principally to middle-market companies in a wide variety of industries, primarily in North America. We also provide banking and related services to commercial and individual customers through our banking subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A. ("CIT Bank" or the "Bank"), which includes a regional branch network of 80 branches and its online bank.  

CIT is regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("FRB") and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York ("FRBNY") under the U.S. Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. CIT Bank is regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury ("OCC"). In addition, CIT Bank, as an insured depository institution, is supervised by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).

On January 1, 2020, we acquired Mutual of Omaha Bank (“MOB”), the savings bank subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company and Omaha Financial Holdings, Inc. (“OFHI”). CIT paid approximately $1 billion as consideration, comprised of $850 million in cash and approximately 3.1 million shares of CIT Group Inc. common stock (valued at approximately $141 million at the time of closing). Total assets acquired were approximately $8.4 billion and deposits were approximately $7.0 billion. See Note 2 – Acquisitions and Discontinued Operations in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Information (“Item 8”) in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as of or for the year ended December 31, 2020 (“2020 Form 10-K”) for additional information.

On October 16, 2020, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (“First Citizens”), the parent company of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company (“FCB”), and CIT Group Inc. jointly announced that they entered into a definitive agreement by and among First Citizens, FCB, FC Merger Subsidiary IX, Inc. and CIT, under which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger (the “Merger Agreement”). Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, CIT stockholders will receive 0.062 shares of First Citizens Class A common stock for each share of CIT common stock they own. First Citizens stockholders will own approximately 61% and CIT stockholders will own approximately 39% of the combined company. The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties and customary covenants, such as non-solicitation obligations and other provisions, including a break-up fee of $64 million payable in certain circumstances. The Merger Agreement also provides certain termination rights for CIT and First Citizens, including, among others, if the merger has not been completed by October 15, 2021. The combined bank will be regulated by the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, the FDIC, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

The Board of Directors of the combined company will consist of 14 directors, the current 11 First Citizens Board members and 3 CIT Board members, including Ellen Alemany, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of CIT, Michael A. Carpenter, and Vice Admiral John R. Ryan, USN (Ret.).

The combined company will operate under the First Citizens name and will be headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., and will maintain significant operations in California, Nebraska, Arizona, Florida, and South Carolina, as well as in New York and New Jersey. The pro forma organization will include over $100 billion in assets and over $80 billion in deposits.

On February 9, 2021, CIT and First Citizens received the approvals of the stockholders of CIT and First Citizens necessary to complete the merger of the companies.  The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

BUSINESS SEGMENTS

As of December 31, 2020, we manage our business and report our financial results in two operating segments: Commercial Banking and Consumer Banking, and a non-operating segment, Corporate.

We set underwriting standards for each business and employ portfolio risk management models to achieve desired portfolio demographics. Our collection and servicing operations are organized by business and geography to provide efficient client interfaces and uniform customer experiences.

Information about our segments is also included in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) and Item 8, Note 24 — Business Segment Information.

COMMERCIAL BANKING

Commercial Banking provides a range of lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary products that include interest rate risk management and foreign exchange products, and services, including factoring, cash management, capital markets, asset management, and advisory services, primarily to small and medium-sized companies, as well as to the rail industry. Revenue is generated from interest earned on loans, rent on equipment leased, fees and other revenue from lending and leasing activities, banking services, and capital markets transactions, along with commissions earned on factoring and related activities. We source our commercial lending business primarily through direct marketing to borrowers, lessees, manufacturers, vendors and distributors, and through referral sources and other intermediaries. Periodically we buy participations in syndications of loans and lines of credit and purchase loans on a whole-loan basis.

Commercial Banking is comprised of four divisions, Commercial Finance, Business Capital, Rail, and Real Estate Finance. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Commercial Finance and Real Estate Finance. In addition, the HOA deposits were included in Commercial Banking.

Description of Divisions

Commercial Finance provides a range of commercial lending, leasing and deposit products, as well as ancillary services and products, including cash management, capital markets and advisory services, primarily to small and middle market companies in a wide range of industries, including aerospace & defense, communication, power and energy, entertainment, gaming, healthcare, industrials, maritime, restaurants, retail, services and technology. Loans offered are primarily senior secured loans collateralized by accounts receivable, inventory, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment and/or intangibles, and are often used for working capital, plant expansion, acquisitions or recapitalizations. These loans include revolving lines of credit and term loans and, depending on the nature and quality of the collateral, may be referred to as collateral-backed loans, asset-based loans or cash flow loans. Loans are originated through relationships with private equity sponsors, or through direct relationships, led by originators with extensive experience in their respective industries. We also provide asset management services for which we collect management fees and partner in joint ventures.

In addition, through our Commercial Services business, we provide factoring, receivable management, and secured financing to businesses (our clients, who are generally manufacturers or importers of goods) that operate in several industries, including apparel, textile, furniture, home furnishings and consumer electronics. Factoring entails the assumption of credit risk with respect to trade accounts receivable arising from the sale of goods by our clients to their customers (generally retailers) that have been factored (i.e., sold or assigned to the factor).

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Business Capital provides leasing and equipment financing to small businesses and middle market companies in a wide range of industries on both an indirect and direct basis through integrated vendor platforms. In our indirect business, we assist manufacturers and distributors in growing sales, profitability and customer loyalty by providing customized, value-added finance solutions to their commercial clients. In our direct financing and leasing business, we provide financing solutions for our borrowers and lessees. Additionally, through Small Business Solutions, our on-line credit lending platform, we provide small business unsecured loans and equipment financing. Our lending platform allows small businesses to access commercial loans and leases, including both capital and operating leases, through a highly automated credit approval, documentation and funding process.

Real Estate Finance provides senior secured commercial real estate loans to developers and other commercial real estate professionals. We focus on properties with a stable cash flow, provide financing to reposition existing properties, and originate construction loans to highly experienced and well capitalized developers.

Rail offers customized leasing and financing solutions on a fleet of railcars and locomotives to railroads and shippers throughout North America. Railcar types include covered hopper cars used to ship grain and agricultural products, plastic pellets, sand, and cement; tank cars for energy products and chemicals; gondolas for coal, steel coil and mill service products; open-top hopper cars for coal and aggregates; boxcars for paper and auto parts; and centerbeams and flat cars for lumber. The rail portfolio is discussed further in the Concentrations section of the MD&A.

Key Risks

Key risks faced by the divisions include credit, business, market and asset risk. Credit risks associated with secured financings relate to the ability of our borrower to repay our loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should the borrower default on its obligations. Business risks include the demand for services that is broadly affected by the overall level of economic growth and is more specifically affected by the overall level of economic activity in CIT's target industries. Changes in supply and demand of products and services affect the pricing CIT can earn in the market. New business volume in Commercial Banking is affected by CIT's ability to maintain and develop relationships with its equity sponsors, clients, vendor partners, distributors and resellers. Commercial Banking is also exposed to market risk related to its syndication activity, which could expose CIT to risk arising from the inability to sell loans to other lenders, resulting in lower fee income and higher than expected credit exposure to certain borrowers.

The products and services provided by Commercial Services involve two types of credit risk: customer and client. A customer is the account debtor and obligor on trade accounts receivable that have been factored with and assigned to the factor. The most prevalent risk in factoring transactions for Commercial Services is customer credit risk, which relates to the financial inability of a customer to pay undisputed factored trade accounts receivable. A client is the counterparty to Commercial Services on any factoring, financing, or receivables purchasing agreement to sell trade receivables to Commercial Services, and generally is a manufacturer or importer of goods. While less significant than customer credit exposure, client credit risk relates to a decline in the creditworthiness of a borrowing client, their consequent inability to repay their loan, and the possible insufficiency of the underlying collateral (including the customer accounts receivable) to cover any loan repayment shortfall.

Commercial Services is also subject to a variety of other risks, including operational risk, due to the high transaction volume, business risks related to competitive pressures from other banks, boutique factors, and credit insurers, and seasonal risks due to retail trends. These pressures create risk of reduced pricing and factoring volume for CIT. In addition, client de-factoring can occur if retail credit conditions are benign for a long period and clients no longer demand factoring services for credit protection.

The primary risks for Rail are asset risk (resulting from ownership of the railcars and related equipment on operating lease) and credit risk. Asset risk arises from fluctuations in supply and demand for the underlying rail equipment that is leased. Rail invests in long-lived equipment, railcars and locomotives, which have economic useful lives of approximately 40 to 50 years. This equipment is then leased to commercial end-users with lease terms of typically three to five years. CIT is exposed to the risk that, at the end of the lease term, the value of the asset will be lower than expected, resulting in reduced future lease income over the remaining life of the asset or a lower sale value.

Asset risk generally is recognized through changes to lease income streams from fluctuations in lease rates and/or utilization. Asset risk may also change depreciation, resulting from changes in the residual value of the operating lease asset or through impairment of the asset carrying value, which can occur at any time during the life of the asset. However, asset values are not typically impacted by short-term market/cyclical fluctuations given the long-lived nature of rail assets. Asset risk is primarily related to the Rail division, and to a lesser extent, Business Capital and Commercial Finance.

Credit risk in the leased equipment portfolio results from the potential default of lessees, driven either by obligor specific or industry-wide conditions and is economically less significant than asset risk for Rail, because in the operating lease business there is no extension of credit to the obligor. Instead, the lessor deploys a portion of the useful life of the asset. Credit losses manifest through multiple parts of the statement of operations including loss of lease/rental income due to missed payments, time off lease, or lower rental payments than the existing contract due to either a restructuring with the existing obligor or re-leasing of the asset to another obligor, as well as higher expenses due to, for example, repossession costs to recover, refurbish, and re-lease assets.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

CONSUMER BANKING

Consumer Banking is comprised of two divisions: Consumer and Community Banking and LCM. Consumer and Community Banking includes Retail Banking, Consumer Lending, SBA Lending, and community development lending and investments. Complementary businesses and assets from MOB were included with Consumer and Community Banking. Revenue is generated from interest earned on residential mortgages, small business loans and from fees for banking services. We source our Consumer Lending business through our branch network and industry referrals, as well as direct digital marketing efforts. Periodically we purchase loans on a whole-loan basis. We source our SBA loans through a network of SBA originators. We also make community development investments and loans that support the construction of affordable housing in our communities in line with our CRA initiatives.

Consumer and Community Banking offers consumer mortgage lending and deposit products to its consumer customers. The division offers conforming and jumbo residential mortgage loans throughout the United States. Mortgage loans are primarily originated through CIT Bank branches and retail referrals, employee referrals, internet leads, direct marketing and a correspondent lending channel. Additionally, loans are purchased through whole loan and portfolio acquisitions. Consumer Lending includes product specialists, internal sales support and origination processing, structuring and closing. Retail Banking is the primary deposit gathering business of CIT Bank and operates through a network of retail branches predominantly in Southern California and an online direct channel. We offer a broad range of deposit and lending products along with payment solutions to meet the needs of our clients (both individuals and small businesses), including checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts, and time deposits.

The division also originates qualified SBA 504 loans and 7(a) loans and supports community development activities through lending and investments. SBA 504 loans generally provide growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. SBA 7(a) loans provide working capital, acquisition of inventory, machinery, equipment, furniture, and fixtures, the refinance of outstanding debt subject to any program guidelines, and acquisition of businesses, including partnership buyouts.

LCM includes acquired SFR mortgages from the OneWest Bank acquisition that are in run-off or being sold. Certain of these loans were covered by loss sharing agreements (“LSAs”) with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) against certain future losses sustained on these loans. Covered Loans were previously acquired by OneWest Bank, N.A. in connection with the LSAs for the FDIC-assisted acquisitions of IndyMac Federal Bank, FSB (“IndyMac”) (expired March 2019), First Federal Bank of California, FSB (“First Federal”) (expired December 2019), and La Jolla Bank, FSB (“La Jolla”) (expired February 2020). All of the LSAs have expired at December 31, 2020 and there are no covered loans.

Key Risks

Key risks in Consumer Banking include credit, collateral and geographic concentration risk. Similar to our commercial business, credit risks associated with secured consumer financings relate to the ability of the borrower to repay its loan and the value of the collateral underlying the loan should the borrower default on its obligations. Our consumer mortgage loans are typically collateralized by the underlying property, primarily single-family residential homes. Therefore, collateral risk relates to the potential decline in value of the property securing the loan. A majority of the loans are concentrated in Southern California, resulting in geographic concentration risk related to a potential downturn in the economic conditions or a potential natural disaster, such as earthquakes, mudslides, or wildfires, in that region.

See Risk Factors in Item 1A. and the Risk Management section in the MD&A for further discussions on risk.

CIT BANK, N.A.

CIT Bank raises deposits through its regional branch network of 80 branches, its online bank (visit cit.com), from retail and institutional customers through commercial channels, and, to a lesser extent, broker channels. CIT Bank's existing suite of deposit products includes checking, savings, money market, individual retirement accounts and time deposits.

CIT Bank provides lending, leasing and other financial and advisory services, primarily to small and middle-market companies across select industries through its Commercial Finance, Business Capital, Real Estate Finance, and Rail divisions. The Bank also offers residential mortgage lending and deposits to its customers through its Consumer and Community Banking division. To help fulfill its community reinvestment act (“CRA”) obligations, CIT Bank provides equity investments, loans to support affordable housing and other community development activities, as well as grants and service-related activities, throughout its assessment area in Southern California.

CIT Bank's loans and leases are primarily commercial loans, consumer loans and operating lease equipment. CIT Bank's operating lease portfolio consists primarily of leased railcars and related equipment.

At year-end, CIT Bank remained well capitalized, maintaining capital ratios above required levels.

See discussion regarding the merger with FCB earlier in this section.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

INFORMATION SECURITY

Information security, including cybersecurity, is a high priority for CIT. Recent highly publicized events have highlighted the importance of cybersecurity, including cyberattacks against financial institutions, governmental agencies and other organizations that resulted in the compromise of personal and/or confidential information, the theft or destruction of corporate information, and demands for ransom payments to release corporate information encrypted by so-called “ransomware.” A successful cyberattack could harm CIT’s reputation and/or impair its ability to provide services to its customers.

CIT has developed policies and technology designed to (i) protect both our own and our clients’ information from cyberattacks or other corruption or loss, (ii) reasonably assure the continuity of CIT’s business in the event of disruptions of CIT’s or its vendors’ critical systems, and (iii) comply with regulatory requirements relating to the protection of customer information (see Regulation – Privacy Provisions and Customer and Client Information below). For additional information on CIT’s cybersecurity and business continuity programs, see the Risk Management section of the MD&A.

DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

At December 31, 2020, there were no assets or liabilities of discontinued operations. Discontinued operations are discussed in Item 8, Note 2 — Acquisition and Discontinued Operations.

HUMAN CAPITAL

CIT believes that our employees are our most important asset. We have therefore developed a human capital strategy which fosters the wellbeing, development and engagement of our workforce as a matter of corporate culture and contemporary business practice to aid us in attracting, developing, leading and retaining talent.

The following principles guide our Human Capital Framework:

As of the end of the 2020 fiscal year, we employed approximately 4,500 people, including contract employees. Our strong employee base, along with their commitment to our Pride Pledge and core values - Be Empowered; Be Collaborative; Be Inclusive; Be Agile; Be an Achiever - provides the foundation of our company’s success.  

The following figures are as of December 31, 2020:

Oversight and Governance

CIT believes a commitment to effective corporate governance and high ethical standards promotes long-term performance. CIT is proud of the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, expertise, geographic reach, tenure and ethnicity found on its Board of Directors. All members of CIT’s Board of Directors are independent, except for the Chairwoman and CEO.

As part of its common recurring activities, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for discussing, evaluating and reviewing regular updates from management in the area of CIT’s human capital, including with respect to diversity and inclusion.

Learning & Development

CIT invests in developing its employees through various training and educational programs, focusing on new hire on-boarding and readiness, leadership development, sales enablement, product knowledge, compliance and ethics and technical and professional skills.

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

In 2020, CIT shifted to providing its training virtually to support employees working from home due to COVID-19.

Diversity & Inclusion

More perspectives bring greater innovation. At CIT, we welcome a diverse group of employees to create a better workplace and innovative products for our clients. CIT is committed to fostering an environment where all employees bring their best selves to work, feeling included, empowered and able to thrive.

CIT is committed to providing an inclusive environment where all individuals have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices by employees (including managers and co-workers) or contingent workers.

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) at CIT is a strategic imperative, rooted in our core values and reinforced in our performance management process. CIT’s D&I program, Be You @CIT, includes a focus on employee programs that drive inclusion, community partnerships to support diversity, leadership initiatives to drive action and efforts in supplier diversity. Initiatives are driven by an Executive Diversity Council and four Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are chartered with a focus on Women, Veterans, LGBTQ+ and Black employees, and open to all employees. Our continuing progress in building an inclusive culture was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which designated CIT as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality in 2020.

CIT is proud of the diversity of our Board of Directors in gender, race, ethnicity and experience, with women comprising a third of the board and people of color also comprising a third of the Board. CIT also has a strong Executive Management Committee with more than 30% gender diversity.

Total Rewards

CIT has a “pay-for-performance” philosophy that forms the foundation of decisions regarding incentive compensation of CIT’s employees. This compensation philosophy and the compensation program in place are central to CIT’s ability to attract, retain and motivate individuals who can achieve superior long-term financial results.

CIT is also committed to making it easier for employees to stay healthy by offering a comprehensive benefits program with high-quality, consumer-driven plans, health spending accounts and flexible options to protect employees and their families. Employees can balance work and personal life with paid time off, flexible work arrangements and programs for employee and family support. We also provide peace of mind with insurance including Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment for employees and eligible dependents, along with Business Travel Accident Insurance, protection through our short- and long-term disability plan, and a generous parental leave program.

Employees are able to gain skills and knowledge needed to grow their careers with the support of our tuition reimbursement program and plan for retirement with our 401(k) plan and company match.

Eligible employees are encouraged to further their ownership of CIT stock by purchasing shares of CIT common stock at a 15% discounted price through our CIT Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Volunteering

Social responsibility is core to CIT’s culture. We are committed to making positive and lasting impacts in our communities through our business activities and our volunteer and charitable efforts. We are a vital part of the communities where we live and work, and every CIT employee is encouraged to volunteer their time and talent to nonprofit organizations. CIT supports these efforts by providing eight hours of paid time off to all employees annually to devote to volunteer efforts.

COMPETITION

We operate in highly competitive markets. Our competitors include global and regional commercial banks, community banks, as well as captive finance companies, leasing companies, business development companies, other non-bank lenders and financial technology companies, or “fintechs,” which may offer bank-like products or services that compete directly with our products and services. In most of our business lines, we have a few large competitors that have significant market share and many smaller niche competitors. Many of our competitors have substantial financial, technological, and marketing resources.

Our customer value proposition is primarily based on financing terms, industry expertise, transaction structuring, technology driven solutions, and client service. From time to time, due to highly competitive markets, we may (i) lose market share if we are unwilling to match product structure, pricing, or terms of our competitors or (ii) receive lower returns or incur higher credit losses if we match our competitors’ product structure, pricing, or terms. We tend not to compete on price, but rather on industry experience, asset and equipment knowledge, and customer service.

REGULATION

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CIT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

We are regulated pursuant to U.S. federal banking laws, regulations, and policies. Such laws and regulations are intended primarily for the protection of depositors, customers and the federal Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”), as well as to minimize risk to the banking system as a whole, and not for the protection of our shareholders or non-depository creditors. Bank regulatory agencies have broad examination and enforcement power over BHCs and their bank and non-bank subsidiaries, including the power to impose substantial fines, limit dividends and other capital distributions, restrict operations and acquisitions, and require divestitures. BHCs and banks, as well as subsidiaries of both, are prohibited by law from engaging in practices that the relevant regulatory authority deems unsafe or unsound. CIT Group Inc. is a BHC and elected to be treated as an FHC under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). CIT Bank is chartered as a national bank by the OCC and is a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. CIT and CIT Bank are subject to certain limitations on our activities, transactions with affiliates, and payment of dividends, and certain standards for capital and liquidity, safety and soundness, and incentive compensation, among other matters. The principal regulator of CIT Group Inc. and its non-bank subsidiaries is the FRB and the principal regulator of CIT Bank and its subsidiaries is the OCC. Both CIT Group Inc. and CIT Bank are subject to the jurisdiction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”).

Certain of our subsidiaries are subject to the jurisdiction of other governmental agencies and self-regulated organizations. CIT Capital Securities LLC is a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), a self-regulated organization. CIT Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser subject to the jurisdiction of the SEC. Our insurance operations are primarily conducted through The Equipment Insurance Company and CIT Insurance Agency, Inc. Each company is licensed to enter into insurance contracts and is subject to regulation and examination by state insurance regulators.

In May 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) was signed into law. Among other changes, the EGRRCPA amended provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) to increase the threshold for applicability of the enhanced prudential standards for BHCs from $50 billion to $250 billion. The EGRRCPA’s increased threshold took effect immediately for BHCs with total consolidated assets of less than $100 billion, including CIT. As a result, certain of the enhanced prudential standards required under Sections 165 and 166 of the Dodd-Frank Act are not applicable to CIT.

Upon completion of the Company’s pending merger with First Citizens, the Company expects that the combined institution will have more than $100 billion in total consolidated assets. Therefore, subject to transitional provisions, the combined company is expected to be classified as a Category IV banking institution under the Tailoring Rules (defined below) and subject to the requirements applicable to Category IV institutions. As a Category IV institution, the combined company would be subject to additional regulatory requirements, including capital planning requirements, including as part of the Federal Reserve’s comprehensive capital analysis and review (“CCAR”) process, biennial supervisory stress testing and the stress capital buffer rule, which would replace the static 2.5% component of the capital conservation buffer with a capital buffer that is based on supervisory stress test results and the combined company’s planned common stock dividends. In addition, the combined company would be subject to enhanced liquidity and risk management standards including quarterly liquidity stress tests and a liquidity buffer.

Banking Supervision and Regulation

Permissible Activities

As a BHC, CIT Group Inc. may engage in the business of banking, managing or controlling banks, performing servicing activities for subsidiaries, and engaging in activities that the FRB has determined, by order or regulation, are so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident thereto. As an FHC, CIT Group Inc. may also engage in or acquire and retain the shares of a company engaged in activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complementary to activities that are financial in nature as long as the FHC continues to meet the eligibility requirements for FHCs, including that the FHC and each of its U.S. depository institution subsidiaries remain “well-capitalized” and “well-managed.”

A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-capitalized” if it satisfies the requirements discussed below under “Prompt Corrective Action.” A depository institution subsidiary is considered “well-managed” if it received a composite rating and management rating of at least “satisfactory” in its most recent examination. If an FHC ceases to be well-capitalized and well-managed, the FHC must enter into a non-public confidential agreement with the FRB to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements. Until the FHC returns to compliance, the FRB may impose limitations or conditions on the conduct of its activities, and the company may not commence any new non-banking financial activities permissible for FHCs or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities without prior approval of the FRB. If the company does not timely return to compliance, the FRB may require divestiture of the FHCs depository institutions. BHCs and banks must also be well-capitalized and well-managed in order to acquire banks located outside their home state. An FHC will also be limited in its ability to commence non-banking financial activities or acquire a company engaged in such financial activities if any of its insured depository institution subsidiaries fails to maintain a “satisfactory” rating under the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”), as described below under “Community Reinvestment Act.”

Activities that are “financial in nature” include securities underwriting, dealing and market making, advising mutual funds and investment companies, insurance underwriting and agency, merchant banking, and activities that the FRB, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, determines to be financial in nature or incidental to such financial activity. “Complementary

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activities” are activities that the FRB determines upon application to be complementary to a financial activity and that do not pose a safety and soundness issue. CIT is primarily engaged in activities that are permissible for a BHC and conducts only limited business involving the expanded activities available to an FHC.

Capital Requirements

The Company and the Bank are subject to risk-based requirements and rules issued by the FRB, OCC, and FDIC (the “Basel III Rules”) that are based upon the final framework of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (the “Basel Committee”) for strengthening capital and liquidity regulation. Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank apply the Standardized Approach in measuring their risk-weighted assets (“RWA”) and regulatory capital.

Under the Basel III Rules, the Company and the Bank are subject to minimum capital ratios for common equity tier 1 (“CET1”) capital, Tier 1 capital, and Total capital of 4.5%, 6.0% and 8.0%, respectively. The Basel III Rules also include a “capital conservation buffer” (“CCB”) of 2.5%, composed entirely of CET1 capital, in addition to the minimum capital to RWA ratios. The CCB is designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions with a ratio of CET1 to RWA above the minimum but below the CCB will face constraints on dividends, equity repurchases, and compensation based on the amount of the shortfall and the institution’s "eligible retained income" (since March 2020, defined as the greater of (i) net income for the four preceding quarters, net of distributions and associated tax effects not reflected in net income; and (ii) the average of net income over the preceding four quarters).

As of January 1, 2020, CIT is required to maintain the following risk-based capital ratios:

The Company and CIT Bank meet all capital requirements under the Basel III Rules, including the CCB. The table in the MD&A (Regulatory Capital section) presents CIT's and CIT Bank's capital ratios.

The Company and CIT Bank are also required to maintain a minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to a quarterly average of non-risk weighted total assets) of 4%. The Company and CIT Bank are not subject to the Basel III Rule’s countercyclical buffer or the supplementary leverage ratio.

The Basel III Rules provide for several deductions from and adjustments to CET1. These include, for example, goodwill, other intangible assets, and deferred tax assets (“DTAs”) that arise from net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards net of any related valuation allowance. Mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”), DTAs arising from temporary differences that could not be realized through net operating loss carrybacks and investments in non-consolidated financial institutions must also be deducted from CET1 to the extent that they exceed certain thresholds. In November 2017, the federal bank regulators revised the Basel III Rules to extend the transitional treatment of certain DTAs, MSRs, investments in non-consolidated financial institutions and minority interests for non-advanced approaches banking organizations, such as the Company and the Bank, until April 1, 2020, when the revisions to simplify the capital requirements relating to the threshold deductions for those items took effect.

The Company and CIT Bank, as non-advanced approaches banking organizations, made a one-time, permanent election under the Basel III Rules to exclude the effects of certain components of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) included in shareholders’ equity under U.S. GAAP (for example, mark-to-market of securities held in the available-for-sale (“AFS”) portfolio) in determining regulatory capital ratios.

Under the Basel III Rules, certain off-balance sheet commitments and obligations are converted into RWA, that, together with on-balance sheet assets, are the base against which regulatory capital is measured. The Basel III Rule defined the risk-weighting categories for BHCs and banks that follow the Standardized Approach based on a risk-sensitive analysis, depending on the nature of the exposure. Risk weights range from 0% for U.S. government and agency securities, to as high as 1,250% for such exposures as certain tranches of securitizations or unsettled security/commodity transactions. In November 2019, the federal banking agencies adopted a rule revising the scope of commercial real estate mortgages subject to a 150% risk weight.

In December 2017, the Basel Committee published standards that it described as the finalization of the Basel III post-crisis regulatory reforms (the standards are commonly referred to as “Basel IV”). Among other things, these standards revise the Basel Committee's Standardized Approach for credit risk (including by recalibrating risk weights and introducing new capital requirements for certain "unconditionally cancellable commitments," such as unused credit card and home equity lines of credit) and provides a new standardized approach for operational risk capital. Under the Basel framework, these standards will generally be effective on January 1, 2023, with an aggregate output floor phasing in through January 1, 2028. Under the current U.S. capital rules, operational risk capital requirements and a capital floor apply only to advanced approaches institutions, and not to the Company or CIT Bank. The impact of Basel IV on the Company and CIT Bank will depend on whether, and how, it is implemented by the federal bank regulators.

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Current Expected Credit Losses Transitional Provisions

In June 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which revises the methodology for estimating credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost (including loans and held-to-maturity debt securities), net investments in finance leases, available for sale debt securities and unfunded loan commitments. Under this guidance, the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) model is based on lifetime expected credit losses, rather than incurred losses, and requires the recognition of these lifetime losses in the allowance for credit losses, or allowance for off-balance sheet credit exposures, at the time of origination or purchase. The Company adopted this new guidance effective January 1, 2020.

During 2020, the OCC, FRB and FDIC collectively adopted a rule that allows banking organizations to delay for two years the impact of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital, followed by a three-year transition period. During the first two years of the five-year transition period, CIT will delay the day one impact of CECL to retained earnings plus a scaling factor of 25 percent of the change in the Adjusted Allowance for Credit Losses (“AACL”) from initial CECL implementation to the end of the current quarter, excluding the impact of the initial non-PCD charge related to MOB. After the initial two-year delay period, there will be a three-year transition period starting January 1, 2022. The day one impact of CECL and the 25% scaling factor of the change in non-PCD ACL from Day 1 to the end of the second year will be phased out as follows: 75 percent of transitional benefits are recognized in regulatory capital in year three; 50 percent in year four; and 25 percent in year five. After year five, CIT expects to have fully reversed out the temporary regulatory capital benefits from the two-year delay and three-year transition period. These changes are only applicable to regulatory capital. There was no impact to the balance sheet or the statement of operations.

Regulatory Expectations for Capital Planning

CIT is required to maintain a comprehensive and effective capital planning process and is subject to Federal Reserve guidance in supervision and regulation letter, SR 09-4  “Applying Supervisory Guidance and Regulations on the Payment of Dividends, Stock Redemptions, and Stock Repurchases at Bank Holding Companies” (“SR 09-4”). Under SR 09-4, a BHC is expected to inform and consult with the FRB before (i) declaring and paying a dividend that could raise safety and soundness concerns, (ii) redeeming or repurchasing regulatory capital instruments when the BHC is experiencing financial weakness, or (iii) redeeming or repurchasing common stock or perpetual preferred stock that would result in a net reduction in the amount of such instrument during the quarter in which the redemption or repurchase occurs. BHCs are expected to advise the FRB sufficiently in advance of such capital actions to provide reasonable opportunity for supervisory review and possible objection.  

In certain circumstances, CIT’s repurchases of its common stock may be subject to a prior approval or notice requirement under the regulations or policies of the FRB. Any redemption or repurchase of preferred stock or subordinated debt remains subject to prior supervisory approval.

In July 2020, the FRB issued Attachment C “Situations in Which Holding Companies May Expect Expedited Consultation” to SR 09-4, which provides clarity regarding the process that the Federal Reserve uses when consulting with holding companies as described in SR 09-4.

Liquidity Requirements

In line with international liquidity standards established by the Basel Committee to ensure that banking entities address both short-term and long-term funding needs, the federal banking agencies set minimum liquidity requirements for large banking organizations, including minimum levels of unencumbered high-quality liquid assets. In 2014, the federal banking regulators adopted a joint final rule implementing a liquidity coverage ratio (“LCR”), calculated as the ratio of a banking entity’s high-quality liquid assets to its total net cash outflows over 30 consecutive calendar days, for large and internationally active U.S. banking entities. The final rule applied a modified version of the LCR requirements to bank holding companies with total consolidated assets of greater than $50 billion but less than $250 billion.

In October 2019, the federal bank regulators issued final rules under the EGRRCPA for tailoring the criteria for determining the applicability of capital and liquidity requirements for large U.S. banking organizations (the “Tailoring Rules”). Under the Tailoring Rules, banking organizations with less than $100 billion in total consolidated assets, including the Company, are not subject to the LCR.

Nevertheless, the federal bank regulators have indicated that the capital planning and risk management practices of financial institutions with assets of less than $100 billion will continue to be reviewed through the regular supervisory process. The Company and CIT Bank maintain a liquidity risk management and monitoring process designed to ensure appropriate liquidity to meet expected and contingent funding needs under both normal and stress environments, subject to the regular supervisory review process. See “MD&A – Risk Management – Liquidity Risk”.

Acquisitions

Federal and state laws impose notice and approval requirements for mergers and acquisitions involving depository institutions or BHCs. The BHC Act requires the prior approval of the FRB for (i) the acquisition by a BHC of direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of any class of voting shares of a bank, savings association, or BHC, (ii) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of any bank or savings association by any subsidiary of a BHC other than a bank, or (iii) the merger

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or consolidation of any BHC with another BHC. Prior regulatory approval is also generally required for mergers, acquisitions and consolidations involving other insured depository institutions. In reviewing acquisition and merger applications, the bank regulatory authorities will consider, among other things, the competitive effect of the transaction, financial and managerial issues, including the capital position of the combined organization, convenience and needs factors, including the applicant's CRA record, the effectiveness of the subject organizations in combating money laundering activities, and the transaction's effect on the stability of the U.S. banking or financial system. In addition, a FHC must obtain prior approval of the FRB before acquiring certain non-bank financial companies with assets exceeding $10 billion. As discussed in the Business Description section, our merger with FCB is pending regulatory approvals.

Dividends

CIT Group Inc. is a legal entity separate and distinct from CIT Bank and CIT’s other subsidiaries. Its primary sources of cash are interest on intercompany loans to its subsidiaries and dividends from its subsidiaries.

It is the policy of the FRB that a BHC generally pay dividends on common stock out of net income available to common shareholders over the past year, only if the prospective rate of earnings retention appears consistent with capital needs, asset quality, and overall financial condition, and the BHC is not in danger of failing to meet its minimum regulatory capital adequacy ratios. A BHC should not maintain a dividend level that places undue pressure on the capital of bank subsidiaries, or that may undermine the BHC’s ability to serve as a source of strength to its subsidiary bank.

The ability of CIT Group Inc. to pay dividends on common stock may be affected by various factors, including regulatory capital requirements. Capital and non-capital standards established for depository institutions under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991, as amended (“FDICIA”) may limit the ability of CIT Bank to pay dividends to CIT Group Inc. The right of CIT Group Inc., its stockholders, and its creditors to participate in any distribution of the assets or earnings of its subsidiaries is further subject to prior claims of creditors of CIT Bank and CIT Group Inc.’s other subsidiaries.

OCC regulations limit CIT Bank’s ability to pay dividends if the total amount of all dividends (common and preferred) declared in any current year, including the proposed dividend, exceeds the total net income for the current year to date plus any retained net income for the prior two years, less the sum of any transfers required by the OCC and any transfers required to fund the retirement of any preferred stock. If a dividend in either of the prior two years exceeded that year’s net income, the excess will not reduce the net income for the three-year period described above, provided the amount of excess dividends for either of the prior two years can be offset by retained net income in the current year minus three years or the current year minus four years.

Volcker Rule

Provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, commonly known as the “Volcker Rule,” prohibit banks and their affiliates from engaging in proprietary trading and investing in and sponsoring hedge funds and private equity funds and other private funds that are offered within specified exemptions to the Investment Company Act, known as “covered funds,” subject to certain exemptions. In November 2019, the OCC, FDIC, FRB, SEC, and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) (together, the “Volcker Rule Regulators”) approved revisions to the regulations implementing the Volcker Rule (the “2019 Final Rule”), effective January 1, 2020, with mandatory compliance by January 1, 2021. The revisions implement the compliance programs requirements based on the trading size of an institution’s trading operations, which builds on the relief granted by the EGRRCPA.

The 2019 Final Rule established three tiers of banking entities, based on the dollar amount of trading assets and liabilities (excluding obligations of or guaranteed by the United States or its agencies and certain U.S. government owned or sponsored enterprises). Each banking entity must establish its compliance program based on whether it has significant trading assets and liabilities ($20 billion or more), moderate trading assets and liabilities ($1 billion or more but less than $20 billion), or limited trading assets and liabilities (less than $1 billion). Banking entities with limited trading assets and liabilities, such as CIT, have a rebuttable presumption of reliance, are not subject to CEO attestation requirements, and may implement the prohibitions and other requirements of the permitted trading activity into their existing internal policies and procedures.

In June 2020, the Volcker Rule Regulators finalized amendments to the Volcker Rule covered funds regulations, effective October 1, 2020. The amendments modified the provisions for certain existing covered fund exclusions, including loan securitizations and public welfare and small business funds, and added certain additional covered fund exclusions, including credit funds and venture capital funds.

Orderly Liquidation Authority

The Dodd-Frank Act created the Orderly Liquidation Authority ("OLA"), a resolution regime for systemically important non-bank financial companies, including BHCs and their non-bank affiliates, under which the FDIC may be appointed receiver to liquidate such a company upon a determination by the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the President of the United States, with support by a supermajority recommendation from the FRB and, depending on the type of entity, the approval of the director of the Federal Insurance Office, a supermajority vote of the SEC, or a supermajority vote of the FDIC, that the company is in danger of default, that such default presents a systemic risk to U.S. financial stability, and that the company should be subject to the OLA process. This resolution authority is similar to the FDIC resolution model for depository institutions, with certain modifications to reflect differences between depository institutions and non-bank financial companies and to reduce disparities between the treatment of creditors' claims under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and in an OLA proceeding compared to those that would exist under the resolution model for insured depository institutions.

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An Orderly Liquidation Fund will fund OLA liquidation proceedings through borrowings from the Treasury and risk-based assessments made, first, on entities that received more in the resolution than they would have received in liquidation to the extent of such excess, and second, if necessary, on BHCs with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more, any non-bank financial company supervised by the FRB, and certain other financial companies with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more. If an orderly liquidation is triggered, CIT Group Inc. could face assessments for the Orderly Liquidation Fund. We do not yet have an indication of the potential level of such assessments.

Prompt Corrective Action

The FDICIA, among other things, establishes five capital categories for FDIC-insured banks: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized. The following table sets forth the required capital ratios to be deemed “well capitalized” or “adequately capitalized” under regulations in effect at December 31, 2020.

CIT Bank's capital ratios were all in excess of minimum requirements to be deemed well capitalized at December 31, 2020.

The FDICIA requires the applicable federal regulatory authorities to implement systems for prompt corrective action for insured depository institutions that do not meet minimum requirements. FDICIA imposes progressively more restrictive constraints on operations, management and capital distributions as the capital category of an institution declines. Undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized depository institutions are required to submit a capital restoration plan to their primary federal regulator. Although prompt corrective action regulations apply only to depository institutions and not to BHCs, the holding company must guarantee any such capital restoration plan in certain circumstances. The liability of the parent holding company under any such guarantee is limited to the lesser of five percent of the bank’s assets at the time it became “undercapitalized” or the amount needed to comply. The parent holding company might also be liable for civil money damages for failure to fulfill that guarantee. In the event of the bankruptcy of the parent holding company, such guarantee would take priority over the parent’s general unsecured creditors.

Regulators take into consideration both risk-based capital ratios and other factors that can affect a bank's financial condition, including (i) concentrations of credit risk, (ii) interest rate risk, and (iii) risks from non-traditional activities, along with an institution's ability to manage those risks, when determining capital adequacy. This evaluation is made during the institution's safety and soundness examination. An institution may be downgraded to, or deemed to be in, a capital category that is lower than is indicated by its capital ratios if it is determined to be in an unsafe or unsound condition or if it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating with respect to certain matters.

Brokered Deposits

An insured depository institution, such as CIT Bank, generally is prohibited from accepting, renewing or rolling over brokered deposits unless the institution is well-capitalized under the prompt corrective action framework described above, or unless it is adequately capitalized and obtains a waiver from the FDIC. In addition, less than well-capitalized banks are subject to restrictions on the interest rates they may pay on deposits. In December 2020, the FDIC issued a proposed rule that is designed to bring the brokered deposits regulations in line with modern deposit taking methods and that may change the amount of deposits that would be classified as brokered.

Source of Strength Doctrine and Support for Subsidiary Banks

FRB policy and, after the Dodd-Frank Act, the BHC Act requires BHCs such as CIT Group Inc. to serve as a source of strength and to commit capital and other financial resources to subsidiary banks. This support may be required at times when CIT Group Inc. may not be able to provide such support without adversely affecting its ability to meet other obligations. If CIT Group Inc. is unable to provide such support, the FRB could instead require the divestiture of CIT Bank and impose operating restrictions pending the divestiture. Any capital loans by a BHC to any of its subsidiary banks are subordinate in right of payment to depositors and to certain other indebtedness of the subsidiary bank, including intercompany loans from the BHC to its subsidiary banks and senior and subordinated debt securities issued by the subsidiary banks to the BHC. If a BHC commits to a federal bank regulator that it will maintain the capital of its bank subsidiary, whether in response to the FRB's invoking its source of strength authority or in response to other regulatory measures, that commitment will be assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and

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the bank will be entitled to priority payment in respect of that commitment.

Enforcement Powers of Federal Banking Agencies

The FRB and other U.S. banking agencies have broad enforcement powers with respect to an insured depository institution and its holding company, including the power to (i) impose cease and desist orders, substantial fines and other civil penalties, (ii) terminate deposit insurance, and (iii) appoint a conservator or receiver. Failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations could subject CIT or CIT Bank, as well as their officers and directors, to administrative sanctions and potentially substantial civil and criminal penalties.

FDIC Deposit Insurance

Deposits of CIT Bank are insured by the DIF up to $250,000 for each depositor. The DIF is funded by fees assessed on insured depository institutions, including CIT Bank.

The FDIC uses a two scorecard system, one scorecard for most large institutions with more than $10 billion in assets, such as CIT Bank, and another scorecard for "highly complex" institutions with over $50 billion in assets that are directly or indirectly controlled by a U.S. parent with over $500 billion in assets. Each scorecard has a performance score and a loss-severity score that is combined to produce a total score, which is translated into an initial assessment rate. In calculating these scores, the FDIC utilizes a bank's capital level and CAMELS ratings (a composite regulatory rating based on Capital adequacy, Asset quality, Management, Earnings, Liquidity, and Sensitivity to market risk) and certain financial measures designed to assess an institution's ability to withstand asset-related stress and funding-related stress. The FDIC also has the ability to make discretionary adjustments to the total score, up or down based upon significant risk factors that are not adequately captured in the scorecard. The total score translates to an initial base assessment rate on a non-linear, sharply increasing scale. For large institutions, such as CIT Bank, the initial base assessment rate ranges from three to thirty basis points (0.03% – 0.30%) on an annualized basis. After the effect of potential base rate adjustments, the total base assessment rate could range from one and a half to forty basis points (0.015% – 0.40%) on an annualized basis. The total base assessment rate is multiplied by the institution’s assessment base, which is the average consolidated total assets minus average tangible equity, to determine the FDIC assessment fees.

The FDIC will, at least semi-annually, update its income and loss projections for the DIF and, if necessary, propose rules to further increase assessment rates.

Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ("FDIA"), the FDIC may terminate an institution’s deposit insurance upon a finding that the institution has engaged in unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC.

Transactions with Affiliates

Transactions between CIT Bank and its subsidiaries, and CIT Group Inc, and its other subsidiaries and affiliates (“Affiliate Transactions”), are regulated pursuant to Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and the FRB's Regulation W. These laws and regulations limit the types and amounts of Affiliate Transactions, including loans and other extensions of credit. Extensions of credit include credit exposure arising from repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and derivative transactions. These laws and regulations also restrict certain other Affiliate Transactions that may otherwise take place, such as the purchase of existing loans or other assets. Affiliate Transactions generally must be on an arms-length basis and, in the case of extensions of credit, be secured by specified amounts and types of collateral. These laws and regulations generally do not apply to transactions between CIT Bank and its subsidiaries.

Most of CIT Bank’s covered transactions over the last 10 years have involved the purchase of railcars from CIT Group Inc.’s non-bank subsidiaries. During 2015, 2016 and 2018 CIT Bank purchased railcars from non-bank subsidiaries of CIT Group Inc. The aggregate remaining covered value of the railcar transfers to CIT Bank was $766 million at December 31, 2020. Several non-bank subsidiaries of CIT have entered into transactions to sell assets to CIT Bank from time to time. Each of these transactions by CIT Bank with non-bank subsidiaries of CIT constitute transactions with affiliates and are subject to the volume, asset quality, deal terms and other limits set forth in Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and Regulation W.

Safety and Soundness Standards

The FDICIA requires the federal bank regulatory agencies to prescribe safety and soundness standards, by regulations or guidelines, as the agencies deem appropriate. Guidelines adopted by the federal bank regulatory agencies establish general standards relating to internal controls and information systems, internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate risk exposure, asset growth, and compensation, fees and benefits. In general, the guidelines require, among other things, appropriate systems and practices to identify and manage the risks and exposures specified in the guidelines. The guidelines prohibit excessive compensation as an unsafe and unsound practice and describe compensation as excessive when the amounts paid are unreasonable or disproportionate to the services performed by an executive officer, employee, director or principal stockholder. In addition, the agencies have adopted regulations that authorize, but do not require, an agency to order an institution that has been given notice by an agency that it is not satisfying any of such safety and soundness standards to submit a compliance plan. If, after being so notified, an institution fails to submit an acceptable compliance plan or fails in any

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material respect to implement an acceptable compliance plan, the agency must issue an order directing action to correct the deficiency and may issue an order directing other actions of the types to which an undercapitalized institution is subject under the “prompt corrective action” provisions of the FDIA. See “Prompt Corrective Action” above. If an institution fails to comply with such an order, the agency may seek to enforce such order in judicial proceedings and to impose civil monetary penalties.

Insolvency of an Insured Depository Institution

If the FDIC is appointed the conservator or receiver of an insured depository institution, upon its insolvency or in certain other events, the FDIC has the power:

In addition, under federal law, the claims of holders of deposit liabilities, including the claims of the FDIC as the guarantor of insured depositors, and certain claims for administrative expenses against an insured depository institution would be afforded priority over other general unsecured claims against such an institution, including claims of debt holders of the institution, in the liquidation or other resolution of such an institution by any receiver. As a result, whether or not the FDIC ever seeks to repudiate any debt obligations of CIT Bank, the debt holders would be treated differently from, and could receive, if anything, substantially less than CIT Bank's depositors.

Consumer Protection Regulation

Retail banking activities are subject to a variety of statutes and regulations designed to protect consumers. Interest and other charges collected or contracted for by national banks are subject to federal laws concerning interest rates. Loan operations are also subject to numerous laws applicable to credit transactions, such as:

Deposit operations also are subject to consumer protection laws and regulation, such as:

CIT and CIT Bank are also subject to certain other non-preempted state laws and regulations designed to protect consumers. Additionally, CIT Bank is subject to a variety of regulatory and contractual obligations imposed by credit owners, insurers and guarantors of the mortgages we originate and service. This includes, but is not limited to, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA"), and the Federal Housing Administration ("FHA"). We are also subject to the requirements of the Home Affordable Modification Program ("HAMP") and other government programs in which we participate.

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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") Supervision

The CFPB is authorized to interpret and administer, and to issue orders or guidelines pursuant to, any federal consumer financial laws, as well as to directly examine and enforce compliance with those laws by depository institutions with assets of $10 billion or more, such as CIT Bank. The CFPB has jurisdiction over CIT, CIT Bank, and other subsidiaries with respect to matters that relate to these laws and consumer financial services and products and periodically conducts examinations.

The CFPB has adopted a number of significant rules that require banks to, among other things: (a) develop and implement procedures to ensure compliance with a new “ability to repay” requirement and identify whether a loan meets a new definition for a “qualified mortgage”; (b) implement new or revised disclosures, policies and procedures for servicing mortgages including, but not limited to, early intervention with delinquent borrowers and specific loss mitigation procedures for loans secured by a borrower’s principal residence; and (c) comply with additional rules and restrictions regarding mortgage loan originator compensation and the qualification and registration or licensing of loan originators.

The CFPB and other federal agencies have also jointly finalized rules imposing credit risk retention requirements on lenders originating certain mortgage loans, which require sponsors of a securitization to retain at least 5 percent of the credit risk of assets collateralizing asset-backed securities. Residential mortgage-backed securities qualifying as "qualified residential mortgages" will be exempt from the risk retention requirements. The final rule maintains revisions to the proposed rules that cover degrees of flexibility for meeting risk retention requirements and the relationship between "qualified mortgages" and "qualified residential mortgages." These rules and any other new regulatory requirements promulgated by the CFPB could require changes to the Company's mortgage origination business, result in increased compliance costs and affect the streams of revenue of such business.

Community Reinvestment Act

The CRA requires depository institutions like CIT Bank to assist in meeting the credit needs of their market areas consistent with safe and sound banking practice by, among other things, providing credit to low- and moderate-income (“LMI”) individuals and communities within its assessment area. The CRA does not establish specific lending requirements or programs for depository institutions nor does it limit an institution's discretion to develop the types of products and services that it believes are best suited to its particular community, consistent with the CRA. Depository institutions are periodically examined for compliance with the CRA and are assigned ratings, which are made available to the public. In order for a FHC to commence any new activity permitted by the BHC Act, or to acquire any company engaged in any new activity permitted by the BHC Act, each insured depository institution subsidiary of the FHC must have received a rating of at least "satisfactory" in its most recent examination under the CRA. Furthermore, banking regulators take into account CRA ratings when considering approval of applications to acquire, merge, or consolidate with another banking institution or its holding company, to establish a new branch office that will accept deposits or to relocate an office, and such record may be the basis for denying the application. CIT Bank received a rating of "Satisfactory" on its most recent published CRA examination by the OCC dated August 6, 2018 and released December 5, 2019.

In May 2020, the OCC issued revisions to its CRA regulations, which expand the types of activities that qualify for CRA credit; revise how banks delineate their CRA assessment areas; and establish new standards for evaluating banks with more than $500 million in assets. The new rule is effective October 1, 2020 with compliance by banks that are subject to the general performance standards (banks over $2.5 billion in assets) to comply by January 1, 2023. In September 2020, the FRB issued a notice of proposed rulemaking requesting comments on how to modernize its CRA regulatory and supervisory framework, with comments due February 16, 2021. To date, the FDIC has not committed to either approach nor issued proposed rulemaking. The impact on CIT Bank from any changes to the CRA regulations will depend on how they are implemented and applied.

On November 1, 2019, as part of the process to acquire MOB, CIT announced a Community Benefits Plan developed in collaboration with the California Reinvestment Coalition (“CRC”) and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (“NCRC”). Through the plan, CIT Bank agreed to fund $7.75 billion in CRA qualified lending and investments over a four-year term, covering the period of January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2023. Of the $7.75 billion commitment, $6.5 billion over the four-year plan period will be within California for statewide CRA lending and investments, with sub-targets for specified multi-family, small business and mortgage lending. Outside of California, the Bank has committed $1.25 billion over the four-year term in CRA qualified lending and investments to communities where the bank will have physical branches. The Plan sets forth additional goals for supplier diversity, and the addition of a new branch in California, which will serve LMI customers in a neighborhood of color.

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Incentive Compensation

The federal banking agencies have issued comprehensive guidance intended to ensure that the incentive compensation policies of banking organizations do not undermine the safety and soundness of such organizations by encouraging excessive risk-taking. The guidance, which covers all employees that have the ability to materially affect the risk profile of an organization, either individually or as part of a group, is based upon the key principles that a banking organization's incentive compensation arrangements should (i) provide incentives that do not encourage risk-taking beyond the organization's ability to effectively identify and manage risks, (ii) be compatible with effective internal controls and risk management, and (iii) be supported by strong corporate governance, including active and effective oversight by the organization's board of directors.

In 2016, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the federal banking agencies and the SEC issued proposed rules on incentive-based payment arrangements at specified regulated entities having at least $1 billion in total assets (including CIT and CIT Bank) based on the same three principles in the existing guidance. These rules have not yet been adopted.

Anti-Money Laundering ("AML") and Economic Sanctions

In the U.S., the Bank Secrecy Act (the “BSA”), as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, imposes significant obligations on financial institutions, including banks, to detect and deter money laundering and terrorist financing, including requirements to implement AML programs, verify the identity of customers that maintain accounts, file currency transaction reports, and monitor and report suspicious activity to appropriate law enforcement or regulatory authorities. Financial institutions are subject to Customer Due Diligence requirements, issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), to identify and verify the identity of natural persons, known as beneficial owners, who own, control, and profit from legal entity customers when those customers open accounts. The Company has implemented policies, procedures, and internal controls that are designed to comply with all applicable AML laws and regulations. The Company has also implemented policies, procedures, and internal controls that are designed to comply with the regulations and economic sanctions programs administered by the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC"), which administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the U.S., as well as sanctions based on United Nations and other international mandates.

In January 2021, the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (“AMLA”), which amends the BSA, was enacted. The AMLA is intended to comprehensively reform and modernize U.S. anti-money laundering laws. Among other things, the AMLA codifies a risk-based approach to anti-money laundering compliance for financial institutions; requires the development of standards by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for evaluating technology and internal processes for BSA compliance; and expands enforcement- and investigation-related authority, including a significant expansion in the available sanctions for certain BSA violations. Many of the statutory provisions in the AMLA will require additional rulemakings, reports and other measures, and the impact of the AMLA will depend on, among other things, rulemaking and implementation guidance.

Anti-corruption

The Company is subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), which prohibits offering, promising, giving, or authorizing others to give anything of value, either directly or indirectly, to a non-U.S. government official in order to influence official action or otherwise gain an unfair business advantage, such as to obtain or retain business. The Company is also subject to applicable anti-corruption laws in other jurisdictions in which it may do business, which often prohibit commercial bribery, the receipt of a bribe, and the failure to prevent bribery by an associated person, in addition to prohibiting improper payments to foreign government officials. The Company has implemented policies, procedures, and internal controls that are designed to comply with such laws, rules, and regulations.

Privacy Provisions, and Customer and Client Information, and Cybersecurity

Certain aspects of the Company’s business are subject to legal requirements concerning the use and protection of customer information, including those adopted pursuant to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (“GLBA”) and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 in the U.S., and various laws in other jurisdictions in which it may do business. Federal banking regulators, as required under the GLBA, have adopted rules limiting the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose nonpublic information about consumers to nonaffiliated third parties, requiring disclosure of privacy policies to consumers and, in some circumstances, allowing consumers to prevent disclosure of certain personal information to nonaffiliated third parties. Federal financial regulators have issued regulations under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act that have the effect of increasing the length of the waiting period, after privacy disclosures are provided to new customers, before information can be shared among different affiliated companies for cross-selling products and services between those affiliated companies.

In addition, privacy and data protection are areas of increasing state legislative focus, and several states have recently enacted consumer privacy laws that impose compliance obligations with respect to personal information. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (the “CCPA”), which became effective on January 1, 2020, applies to for-profit businesses that conduct business in California and meet certain revenue or data collection thresholds. The CCPA gives consumers the right to request disclosure of information collected about them, and whether that information has been sold or shared with others, the right to request deletion of personal information (subject to certain exceptions), the right to opt out of the sale of the consumer’s personal information, and the right not to be discriminated against for exercising these rights. The CCPA contains several exemptions, including for information that is collected, processed, sold or disclosed pursuant to the GLBA. In August 2020, the California Office of Administrative Law approved the California Attorney General’s regulations to implement the CCPA. These

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regulations went into effect immediately. In November 2020, voters in the State of California approved the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”), a ballot measure that amends and supplements the CCPA by creating the California Privacy Protection Agency, a watchdog privacy agency to be appointed shortly after the CPRA’s enactment. The CPRA alsomodifies the CCPA by expanding both the scope of businesses covered by the law and certain rights relating to personal information and its use, collection, and disclosure by covered businesses. In addition, similar laws have and may be adopted by other states where the Company does business.

In December 2020, the federal bank regulatory agencies released a proposed rule regarding notification requirements for banking organizations related to significant computer security incidents. Under the proposal, a bank holding company, such as the Company, and a national bank, such as CIT Bank, would be required to notify the Federal Reserve or OCC, respectively, within 36 hours of incidents that could result in the banking organization’s inability to deliver services to a material portion of its customer base, jeopardize the viability of key operations of the banking organization, or impact the stability of the financial sector. The effects of this rulemaking on the Company and CIT Bank will depend on the final form of the rule and how it is implemented.

Other Regulations

In addition to U.S. banking regulation, our operations are subject to supervision and regulation by other federal, state, and various foreign governmental authorities. Additionally, our operations may be subject to various laws and judicial and administrative decisions. This oversight may serve to:

Our Aerospace, Rail, Maritime, and other equipment financing operations are subject to various laws, rules, and regulations administered by authorities in jurisdictions where we do business. In the U.S., our equipment financing and leasing operations, including for aircraft, railcars, ships, and other equipment, are subject to rules and regulations relating to safety, operations, maintenance, and mechanical standards promulgated by various federal and state agencies and industry organizations, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Association of American Railroads, the Maritime Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, state agencies regulate some aspects of rail and maritime operations with respect to health and safety matters not otherwise preempted by federal law.

Each of CIT's insurance subsidiaries is licensed and regulated in the states in which it conducts insurance business. The extent of such regulation varies, but most jurisdictions have laws and regulations governing the financial aspects and business conduct of insurers. State laws in the U.S. grant insurance regulatory authorities broad administrative powers with respect to, among other things: licensing companies and agents to transact business; establishing statutory capital and reserve requirements and the solvency standards that must be met and maintained; regulating certain premium rates; reviewing and approving policy forms; regulating unfair trade and claims practices, including through the imposition of restrictions on marketing and sales practices, distribution arrangements and payment of inducements; approving changes in control of insurance companies; restricting the payment of dividends and other transactions between affiliates; and regulating the types, amounts and valuation of investments. Each insurance subsidiary is required to file reports, generally including detailed annual financial statements, with insurance regulatory authorities in each of the jurisdictions in which it does business conduct of insurers. State laws in the U.S. grant insurance regulatory authorities broad administrative powers with respect to, among other things: licensing companies and agents to transact business; establishing statutory capital and reserve requirements and the solvency standards that must be met and maintained; regulating certain premium rates; reviewing and approving policy forms; regulating unfair trade and claims practices, including through the imposition of restrictions on marketing and sales practices, distribution arrangements and payment of inducements; approving changes in control of insurance companies; restricting the payment of dividends and other transactions between affiliates; and regulating the types, amounts and valuation of investments. Our Vermont insurance captive subsidiary is required to file reports, generally including detailed annual financial statements, with the insurance regulatory authority, and its operations and accounts are subject to periodic examination by such authorities.

Changes to laws of states and countries in which we do business could affect the operating environment in substantial and unpredictable ways. We cannot accurately predict whether such changes will occur or, if they occur, the ultimate effect they would have upon our financial condition or results of operations.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

The SEC maintains an Internet site at www.sec.gov, on which interested parties can electronically access our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, as well as our Proxy Statements.

Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, as well as our annual Proxy Statements, are available free of charge on the Company's Internet site at www.cit.com as soon as reasonably practicable after such materials are electronically filed or furnished with the SEC. Copies of our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Charters of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Nominating and Governance Committee, and the Risk Management Committee, and our Code of Business Conduct are available, free of charge, on our internet site at www.cit.com/about/us/governance, and printed copies are available by contacting Investor Relations, 1 CIT Drive, Livingston, NJ 07039 or by telephone at (973) 740-5000. Information contained on our website or that can be accessed through our website is not incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K, unless we have specifically incorporated it by reference.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Accretable Yield reflects the excess of cash flows expected to be collected (estimated fair value at acquisition date) over the recorded investment of Purchase Credit Impaired (“PCI”) Loans and Investments and is recognized in interest income using an effective yield method over the expected remaining life. The accretable yield is affected by changes in interest rate indices for variable rate PCI loans, changes in prepayment assumptions and changes in expected principal and interest payments and collateral values. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, and related ASUs, on January 1, 2020, the concept of PCI was eliminated, thereby eliminating the concept of Accretable Yield. See Item 8, Note 1 — Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

Adjusted Allowance for Credit Losses (“AACL”) is a regulatory measure that includes only the allowances that have been charged against earnings or retained earnings, which excludes allowances on PCD assets. The Revised CECL Transition Rule utilizes AACL in the calculation of the 25% scaling factor transition amount. The scaling factor is calculated by multiplying 25% by the difference between the AACL at CECL adoption and the AACL as of the end of the quarter during the first two years of the transition.

Allowance for Credit Losses (“ACL”) reflects the estimated credit losses over the full remaining expected life of the portfolio. See CECL below. For presentation purposes, the previously reported 2019 allowance for loan losses (“ALLL”) has been re-labeled as ACL in certain tables and text in this document.

Assets Held for Sale ("AHFS") include loans and operating lease equipment that we no longer have the intent or ability to hold until maturity. As applicable, AHFS also includes a component of goodwill associated with portfolios or businesses held for sale.

Available Cash consists of the unrestricted portions of ‘Cash and due from banks’ and ‘Interest-bearing cash’, excluding cash not accessible for liquidity, such as vault cash and deposits in transit.

Available-for-sale ("AFS") is a classification that pertains to debt securities. We classify thesedebt securities as AFS when they are not considered trading securities, securities carried at fair value, or held-to-maturity securities. AFS securities are included in investment securities in the balance sheet.

Average Earning Assets ("AEA"), is a non-GAAP measure andthat is computed using daily balances of Earning Assets. We use this average for certain key profitability ratios, including return on AEA, and Net Finance Revenue as a percentage of AEA (Net Finance Margin) for the respective period.

Average Loans is computed using daily balances and is used to measure the rate of return on loans and the rate of net charge-offs, for the respective period.

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Average Operating Leases ("AOL") is computed using daily balances and is used to measure the rate of return on our operating lease portfolio for the respective period.

Capital Conservation Buffer (“CCB”) is the excess 2.5% of each of the capital tiers that banks are required to hold in accordance with Basel III rules, above the minimum CET 1 Capital, Tier 1 capital and Total capital requirements, designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress.

Common Equity Tier 1 ("CET1"), Additional Tier 1 Capital, Tier 1 Capital, Tier 2 Capital, and Total Capital are regulatory capital measures as defined in the capital adequacy guidelines issued by the Federal Reserve. CET1 is common stockholders' equity reduced by capital deductions such as goodwill, intangible assets and DTAs that arise from net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards and adjusted by elements of other comprehensive income and other items. Tier 1 Capital is Common Tier 1 Capital plus other Additional Tier 1 Capital instruments including, non-cumulative preferred stock. Total Capital consists of Tier 1 Capital and Tier 2 Capital, which includes subordinated debt, and qualifying allowance for credit losses and other reserves.

Covered Loans are loans that 19

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Current Expected Credit Losses (“CECL”) introduces a portionforward-looking “expected loss” model to estimate credit losses over the full remaining expected life of future lossesthe portfolio, rather than the incurred loss model under previous U.S. GAAP standards. Estimates under the termsCECL model are based on relevant information about past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts regarding the collectability of Loss Sharing Agreements withreported amounts. Generally, the FDIC.model requires that an ACL be estimated and recognized for financial assets measured at amortized cost within its scope.

Delinquent Loan categorization occurs when payment is not received when contractually due. Delinquent loan trends are used as a gauge of potential portfolio degradation or improvement.

Deposit Betas represents the correlation, or relative rate change, between changes in the rates paid on deposits and changes in overall market interest rates.

Derivative Contract is a contract whose value is derived from a specified asset or an index, such as an interest rate or a foreign currency exchange rate. As the value of that asset or index changes, so does the value of the derivative contract.

Earning Assets is a non-GAAP measure that is the sum of loans (defined below) (less(as defined below, less the credit balances of factoring clients), operating lease equipment, net of accumulated depreciation, AHFS, interest-bearing cash, investment securities, and securities purchased under agreements to resell, and indemnification asset, all as of a specific date.

Economic Value of Equity Sensitivity ("EVE Sensitivity") measures the net impact of hypothetical changes on the value of equity by assessing the economic value of assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet instruments.

FICO Score is a credit bureau-based industry standard score developed by the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO)(“FICO”) that predicts the likelihood of borrower default. We use FICO scores in underwriting and assessing risk in our consumer lending portfolio.

Gross Yield is calculated as finance revenue (interest income plus rental income on operating leases) divided by AEA and derives the revenue yield generated over the respective period.

High Quality Liquid Securities (“HQL securities”) consist of readily-marketable, unpledged securities, as well as securities pledged but not drawn against at the FHLB and available for sale, and generally is comprised of Treasury and Agency securities held outright or via reverse repurchase agreements.  

Impaired Loan is a loan for which, based on current information and events, it is probable that CIT will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan.

Interest income includes interest earned on loans, interest-bearing cash balances, debt investments and dividends on investments.

Lease — finance is an agreement in which the party who owns the property (lessor), which is CIT as part of our finance business, permits another party (lessee), which is our customer, to use the property with substantially all of the economic benefits and risks of asset ownership passed to the lessee. Finance leases are commonly known as sales-type leases and direct finance leases.

Lease — operating is a lease in which CIT retains ownership of the asset (operating lease equipment, net), collects rental payments, recognizes depreciation on the asset, and retains the risks of ownership, including obsolescence.

Liquid Assets includes Available Cash and HQL securities.

Loans include loans, finance lease receivables, and factoring receivables, and do not include amounts contained within AHFS.

Loans and Leases include Loans,, operating lease equipment, net, and AHFS, all measured as of a specific date.

Loan-to-Value Ratio ("LTV") is a calculation of a loan's collateral coverage that is used in underwriting and assessing risk in our lending portfolio. LTV at any point in time is the result ofcalculated as the total loan obligations (unpaid principal balance) secured by collateral divided by the fair value of the collateral.

Loss Sharing Agreements are agreements in which the FDIC indemnifies OneWest Bank against certain future losses on assets purchased from the FDIC. Eligible losses are submitted to the FDIC for reimbursement when a qualifying loss event occurs (e.g., charge-off of loan balance or liquidation of collateral). Reimbursements approved by the FDIC usually are received within 60 days of submission. Receivables related to these loss sharing agreements are referred to as Covered Loans.

Lower of Cost or Fair Value relates to the carrying value of an asset. The cost refers to the current book balance of certain assets, such as AHFS.

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Net Efficiency Ratio is a non-GAAP measure that measures the level of operating expenses to our revenue generation over a period of time. It is calculated by dividing operating expenses, excluding intangible assets amortization and restructuring charges, by Total Net Revenue. This calculation may differ from other financial institutions' ratio due to the inclusion of operating lease revenue and associated expenses, and the exclusion of the noted item.

Net Finance Revenue ("NFR") is a non-GAAP measurement reflecting Net Interest Revenue (defined below) plus net operating lease revenue (rental income on operating lease equipment less depreciation on operating lease equipment and maintenance and other operating lease expenses). When divided by AEA, the product is defined as Net Finance Margin ("NFM"). NFM is a

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non-GAAP measurement. These are key measures used by management in the evaluation of the financial performance of our business.

Net Interest Income Sensitivity ("NII Sensitivity") measures the net impact of hypothetical changes in interest rates on forecasted NFR, for our interest rate sensitive assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet instruments, assuming a static balance sheet over a twelve-month period.

Net Interest Revenue reflects interest and fees on loans, interest on interest-bearing cash, and interest/dividends on investments less interest expense on deposits and borrowings.

Net Operating Loss Carryforward / Carryback ("NOLs") is a tax concept, whereby tax losses in one year can be used to offset taxable income in other years. The rules pertaining to the number of years allowed for the carryback or carryforward of an NOL varies by jurisdiction.

New business volume represents the initial cash outlay related to new loan or lease equipment transactions entered into during the period. The amount includes CIT's portion of a syndicated transaction, whether it acts as the agent or a participant, and in certain instances, it includes asset purchases from third parties.

Non-accrual Loans include loans greater than or equal to $500,000 that are individually evaluated and determined to be impaired, as well as loans less than $500,000 that are delinquent (generally for 90 days or more), unless it is both well secured and in the process of collection. Non-accrual loans also include loans with revenue recognition on a cash basis because of deterioration in the financial position of the borrower.

Non-performing Assets include Non-accrual Loans, OREO, and repossessed assets.

Other Non-Interest Income includes (1) fee revenues,income, including fees on lines of credit, letters of credit, capital market related fees, agent and advisory fees and servicing fees, (2) factoring commissions (3) gains and losses on leasing equipment, net of impairments, (4) BOLI income, (5) property tax income, (6) gains and losses on investment securities, net of impairments, and (7) other revenues.income.

Other Real Estate Owned ("OREO") is a term applied to real estate properties owned by a financial institution and are considered non-performing assets.

Purchase Accounting AdjustmentsPurchased Credit-Impaired (“PAA”PCI”) reflect accretable and non-accretable components of the fair value adjustments to acquired assets and liabilities assumed in a business combination. Accretable adjustments reflect discounts and premiums to the acquired assets and liabilities.

PCI Loans and PCI Investments are loans and investments that at the time of an acquisition were considered impaired, because there was evidence of credit deterioration since origination of the loan and investment and it was probable that all contractually due amounts (principal and interest) would not be collected. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, and related ASUs, on January 1, 2020, the concept of PCI was eliminated and replaced by purchase credit deteriorated (“PCD”) loans.accounting. See Item 8, Note 1 — Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

Pledged Assets are those required under the collateral maintenance requirement in connection with borrowing availability at the FHLB, which are comprised primarily of consumer and commercial real estate loans and also include certain HQL securities that are available for secured funding at the FHLB.

Purchase Accounting Adjustments (“PAA”) reflect the fair value adjustments to acquired assets and liabilities assumed in a business combination.

Purchased Credit Deteriorated (“PCD”) financial assets are acquired individual financial assets (or acquired groups of financial assets with similar risk characteristics) that as of the date of acquisition, have experienced a more-than-insignificant deterioration in credit quality since origination, as determined by an acquirer’s assessment. Previously reported PCI loans under ASC 310-30 transitioned to PCD loans upon adoption of CECL.

Regulatory Credit Classifications used by CIT are as follows:

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Classified assets are rated as substandard, doubtful or loss based on the criteria outlined above. Classified assets can be accruing or on non-accrual depending on the evaluation of the relevant factors. Classified loans plus special mention loans are considered criticized loans.

Residual Values represent the estimated value of equipment at the end of its lease term. For operating lease equipment, it is the value to which the asset is depreciated at the end of its estimated useful life.

Right of Use Asset (“ROU Asset”) represents our right, as lessee, to use underlying assets for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the leases.

Risk Weighted Assets ("RWA") is the denominator to which CET1, Tier 1 Capital and Total Capital is compared to derive the respective risk based regulatory ratios. RWA is comprised of both on-balance sheet assets and certain off-balance sheet items (for example loan commitments, purchase commitments or derivative contracts). RWA items are adjusted by certain risk-weightings as defined by the regulators, which are based upon, among other things, the relative credit risk of the counterparty.