PNC Financial (PNP) Risk Analysis

Our accounting policies are key to how we report our financial condition and results of operations. We must exercise judgment in selecting and applying many of these policies and methods to comply with GAAP and reflect management's judgment regarding the most appropriate manner to report PNC's financial condition and results of operations. Management's selection of a particular accounting policy to apply, while reasonable and appropriate, could result in PNC reporting different results than would have been reported under a different alternative. In addition, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, SEC and other regulatory agencies may issue new or amend existing accounting and reporting standards or change existing interpretations of those standards that could materially affect our financial statements. In some cases, PNC may be required to retrospectively apply a new or amended standard resulting in changes to previously reported financial results. Certain accounting policies require that we use estimates, assumptions and judgments in preparing our financial statements, including in determining credit loss reserves, reserves related to legal proceedings and the fair value of certain assets and liabilities, among other items. These policies require management to make difficult, subjective and complex judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain, and different amounts could be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions. For example, CECL requires us to make difficult, subjective and complex judgments about future economic and market conditions in determining the ACL. Some of our financial instruments, including certain derivatives, debt securities, loans, MSRs and private equity investments, among other items, require a determination of their fair value for our financial statements. Assets and liabilities carried at fair value inherently result in a higher degree of financial statement volatility. Changes in underlying factors or assumptions in any of the areas underlying our estimates could materially impact our future financial condition and results of operations. During periods of market disruption, it would be difficult to value certain assets if trading becomes less frequent and/or market data becomes less observable. There may be certain asset classes that were historically traded in active markets with significant observable data that rapidly become illiquid due to market volatility, a loss in market confidence or other factors. In addition, we have assets and liabilities carried at fair value that are estimated using unobservable inputs that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. The valuation of any asset or liability substantially based on unobservable inputs is necessarily less reliable than those based on active trading markets. Further, rapidly changing and unprecedented market conditions could materially impact the valuation of assets as reported within our consolidated financial statements. Our ability to hedge exposure is in part dependent on our ability to value the related assets or liabilities. The determination of the amount of loss allowances and asset impairments varies by asset type and is based upon our periodic evaluation and assessment of known and inherent risks associated with the respective asset class. Management updates its evaluations regularly and reflects changes in allowances and impairments in operations as such evaluations are revised. Although we have policies and procedures in place to determine loss allowances and asset impairments, due to the subjective nature of this area, the level of impairments taken, and allowances reflected in our financial statements may not accurately reflect the actual level of risk and the amount of future losses.