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Fifth Third Bancorp

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Employees 10,000+
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FY2003 Annual Report · Fifth Third Bancorp
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The Strength Behind Our Numbers

2003 Annual Report

C O R P O R AT E   P R O F I L E

About Fifth Third Bancorp

Traverse 
City

Grand 
Rapids

Detroit

Chicago

Toledo Cleveland

Columbus

Indianapolis

Dayton
Cincinnati

Evansville

Florence

Huntington

Louisville

Lexington

Nashville

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial
services company headquartered in 
Cincinnati, Ohio. Fifth Third operates 
17 affiliates with 952 full-service locations in
Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois,
Florida, West Virginia and Tennessee. We serve
5.7 million customers through our affiliate
banking network and feature four primary
businesses: Commercial Banking, Retail
Banking, Investment Advisors and Fifth Third
Processing Solutions. With approximately 
$91 billion in assets, Fifth Third is among the
15 largest bank holding companies in the
United States, and its market capitalization of
$33 billion places it among the 10 largest
bank holding companies in the United States
at year end.

Naples

5.7Million

Customers

About the Cover

Over the years, Fifth Third has grown to become one of the largest providers of financial
services in the United States. With almost 18,900 full-time employees, over 1,900 Fifth Third
Jeanie® ATMs, 952 banking locations, $91 billion in assets and over $8.5 billion in
shareholders’ equity, Fifth Third strives to deliver customized services to our 5.7 million
customers through our network of 17 banking affiliates. Performance in 2003 was
highlighted by a 15 percent increase in the annual dividend to $1.13 per share and returns
on assets and equity were 2.01 percent and 20.4 percent, respectively.

F I NA N C I A L   H I G H L I G H T S

For the years ended December 31

2003

2002

Percent
Change

$ in millions, except per share data
Earnings and Dividends
Net Income Available to Common Shareholders
Cash Dividends Declared

Per Share
Earnings
Diluted Earnings
Cash Dividends Declared
Year-End Book Value
Year-End Market Price

At Year-End
Assets
Loans and Leases
Deposits
Shareholders’ Equity
Market Capitalization

Key Ratios (Percent)
Return on Average Assets (ROA)
Return on Average Equity (ROE)
Net Interest Margin
Efficiency Ratio
Average Shareholders’ Equity to Average Assets

Actuals
Number of Shares
Number of Banking Locations
Number of Full-Time Equivalent Employees
Shareholders of Record

Debt Ratings

Fifth Third Bancorp

Commercial Paper
Senior Debt

Fifth Third Bank and 
Fifth Third Bank (Michigan)

Short-Term Deposit
Long-Term Deposit

$ 1,754
645

$   3.07
3.03
1.13
15.04
59.10

$91,143
52,308
57,095
8,525
33,491

2.01
20.4
3.62
45.0
9.85

$ 1,634
567

$  2.82
2.76
.98
14.76
58.55

$80,894
45,928
52,208
8,475
33,628

2.18
19.9
3.96
44.9
10.93

566,685,301
952
18,899
53,900

574,355,247
930
19,119
56,300

7
14

9
10
15
2
1

13
14
9
1
–

(8)
3
(9)
–
(10)

(1)
2
(1)
(4)

Moody’s

Standard & Poor’s

Fitch

Prime–1
Aa2

Prime–1
Aa1

A–1+
AA-

A–1+
AA-

F1+
AA-

F1+
AA

1

P R E S I D E N T ’ S   L E T T E R

George A. Schaefer, Jr.
President & CEO
Fifth Third Bancorp

Dear Shareholders and Friends,
It gives me great pleasure to report to you that 2003
was another good year for Fifth Third. Earnings per
diluted share were $3.03, an increase of 10 percent
over last year’s $2.76. Return on average assets was
2.01 percent and return on average equity was 20.4
percent on a strong capital base, continuing our long
history of high returns and once again ranking among
the best in the industry. Our four lines of business –
Retail and Commercial Banking, Investment Advisors
and Electronic Payment Processing – continued to
provide strong results in 2003 with total revenues up
10 percent for the full year. The 2003 dividend of $1.13
per share was a 15 percent increase over last year and
a 36 percent increase over the 2001 annual dividend.
Other highlights include:

•Retail Banking continued expansion plans with the

opening of 58 new banking centers since December
2002 and delivered 12 percent growth in average
consumer checking accounts and record levels of
productivity on a per banking center basis.

• Our Investment Advisors group posted strong

investment performance, added significantly to its
customer base and finished the year on a high note
as revenue accelerated in the fourth quarter to a 14
percent year over year growth rate.

• Our Electronic Payment Processing team

contributed 12 percent revenue growth in 2003
despite a tough environment in terms of year over
year comparisons for retailers.

• Commercial Banking welcomed a record number of
new middle market relationships during the year,
driving 37 percent growth in commercial demand
deposits and 13 percent growth in commercial
banking revenues.

2

• Our consumer lending and residential mortgage

group had a record year in 2003 with very strong
loan and revenue growth.

While 2003 was certainly not an easy year, I believe
we accomplished a great deal.  We were faced with
the lowest level of interest rates in over 40 years,
earning asset yields and margins declining to levels not
seen since the 1970’s and business and economic
stress in some segments of the economy that resulted in
credit losses well in excess of our historical averages.
Despite these factors, we were able to produce solid
earnings growth driven by a focused loan and deposit
sales effort and continued growth from our service
businesses.  We also invested significantly in
strengthening your investment in Fifth Third for the
years to come by adding new banking center locations
in vibrant growth markets, increasing automation of
processes, building a comprehensive risk management
infrastructure and welcoming numerous talented and
experienced bankers to the Fifth Third team.

Over the years, we have delivered value to our
shareholders by staying committed to and focused on
the things we do best. Banking is first and foremost a
relationship business where the strength of the
competition and challenges for growth can vary in
every market and indeed on every street corner. I’ve
always believed that the bank with the best people will
eventually gain leading market share over time. In
realization of these facts, we strive to operate the
company through many small units and give individual
managers, from the banking center to the executive
level, the opportunity to drive results. All of our lines 
of business report to local presidents in each of our
markets and all of our managers are evaluated based
on financial performance. We continue to strive to
make all of our employees business owners that share
in the success of the businesses they are building, and I
am consistently amazed at the ideas that talented and
passionate people come up with when they are given
the incentives and opportunity to succeed.  More so
than at any time in our history, this promise of being
recognized and rewarded for individual contributions
at Fifth Third is attracting experienced, passionate and
energetic bankers to work for us. These people bring
with them new and better ideas that are implemented
across the company to the benefit of each and every
one of us as owners. In all, we are reaching sales and

productivity results on a per banking center and
relationship manager basis that I never would have
dreamed possible three years ago – levels of growth
and production that business managers and banking
center personnel have now shown to be
commonplace. This is the essence of capitalism, the
heart of our affiliate banking model and I believe the
single largest reason for our strong performance. 

In the pages that follow, I invite you to read about the
history and performance of a few of our affiliates.
Individually, each of these markets presents very
different challenges, opportunities for growth and
competitive dynamics. As a result, the steps necessary
to improve bottom-line performance and increase
market share have been and continue to be different as
well. Taken together, these individual growth stories
demonstrate our approach to the business and further
illustrate that the best decisions are made by the people
familiar with the market and the customers. In all, our
17 affiliates continue to generate excellent growth and
we now have 10 affiliates each of which have local
assets in excess of $4 billion. 

The past couple of years have brought about a number
of changes in our economy as corporate America
continues to respond to changes in regulations and the
challenges and shortcomings illustrated by recent
corporate scandals. I believe that good companies have
a very real opportunity to differentiate themselves in
this environment and Fifth Third is committed to being
among them. In 2003, we made significant investments
to enhance our internal control structure, internal audit
department, and build an enterprise-wide risk
management function that will help ensure the
scalability and strength of your company.  These
improvements in processes and infrastructure
complement our local market operating model and
meet the needs of a larger and growing financial
institution. Fifth Third has long been known for its
commitment to measurement and accountability at
every level of our organization and this holds true for
our commitment to maintaining best-in-class
governance and oversight functions as well. 

The banking industry began 2003 with investor
concerns about the effects of falling interest rates on
net interest margins and credit quality in a stalled
economy. As we begin 2004, the concerns are focused
on the low level of interest rates and the implications

for revenue growth in the industry. Low levels of
interest rates and inflation can have very negative
impacts on investment opportunities and force good
companies to carefully evaluate their businesses and
ensure that resources are invested in those areas that
produce the best returns. Fifth Third remains committed
to investing where we feel we have a competitive
advantage within our core middle market commercial
and retail customer base. You can expect to see us
rationalize and exit smaller businesses in 2004 that 
do not meet our strict return criteria as we strive to
ensure that expense levels are in line with growth
opportunities.  In all, we are excited about the future as
Fifth Third continues to produce very strong returns on
a balance sheet that is among the least leveraged in our
industry, expects near-term credit quality trend
improvement, maintains a cost advantage over our
competitors and continues to have significant sales
momentum in all of our markets. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Thomas B.
Donnell, Donald B. Shackelford and David J. Wagner,
all of whom retired from our Board of Directors in
2003. Their insight and guidance have been extremely
valuable over the years and they will be missed.

I would also like to thank our customers, employees, 
board members and the communities in our 17
affiliates for their contributions in producing another
successful year and their continued support and
confidence. Fifth Third remains focused on continuing
to drive revenue and deposit growth, increasing the
contribution of our Investment Advisors and Electronic
Payment Processing divisions in each of our markets
and gaining market share by striving to meet all the
financial services needs of our customers. It is with a
great deal of pride that we announce another year of
solid growth and look forward to meeting the
opportunities and challenges that 2004 will provide.

Sincerely,

George A. Schaefer, Jr.
President & CEO
January 2004

3

P R E S I D E N T ’ S   Q & A

Q:
A:

Can Fifth Third maintain its culture and sales
focus as it continues to grow? 

The one thing we’ve learned over the last
couple of years is that our culture is just a
matter of trusting capitalism inside the company.
We’ve found that when our expectations are clear,
you keep score and publish results, the measure 
of success is well defined. People want to win. 
The resulting competition improves performance
across the board, top performers are identified and
rewarded, winning strategies are copied and the
areas in need of improvement become clear as well.

Q:
A:

What lessons have been learned from 
Fifth Third’s recent regulatory challenges?

Fifth Third has always focused on dissecting
the company into small pieces and measuring

results to make sure we knew what parts of our
business were working and what areas needed
improvement. More recently, we have focused on
enhancing our capabilities to produce an enterprise-
wide view of the risks inherent in our businesses.
These efforts include improvements in software,
processes and internal audit oversight, all of which
should serve us extremely well as we continue to
focus on the things we do best.

Q:

Where do you see your largest opportunities
for growth and what is Fifth Third’s appetite
and outlook for future banking acquisitions?

A:

Our best opportunities for growth are clearly
in the markets with the largest populations

and lowest market share. At this point, we are
investing significantly in our Chicago, Detroit and
Cleveland affiliates and I feel that we have a great
deal of positive momentum in these markets. It’s
important to note that we only have about seven
percent market share in terms of deposits and even
less in some of our individual business lines in our
five principal states, so we have a tremendous
opportunity in all of our markets. In terms of

4

acquisitions, we have always been very cautious in
evaluating potential deals, but I think we’ll continue
to be opportunistic given the consolidation trends in
our industry. We believe there are a few markets
where an acquisition might make sense in order to
establish a platform for growth.

Q:
A:

How has the competitive landscape in your
business changed?

Our toughest competitors are different in
every single neighborhood and that’s
something that has never really changed. While I do
believe it’s true that some of our major regional
competitors have realized the importance of a retail
banking franchise, I still believe that success in this
business largely depends on the ability to respond
with individualized and market-specific strategies.
That means having flexible pricing to go after
entrenched large market share competitors and the
less efficient smaller institutions, as well as
maintaining a high touch, customer focused local
operation. In this respect, I feel that our affiliate
banking model provides a very unique competitive
advantage in all of our markets.

Q:
A:

What do you see as the primary driver for
delivering value to your shareholders?

The primary driver of shareholder value at Fifth
Third is consistent and strong growth in
earnings per diluted share. The industry will fall in and
out of favor with investors at various points in time, but
ultimately we believe that earnings growth and stock
price performance compound over time. Fifth Third
has a strong track record of delivering earnings growth
and industry-leading returns on equity. At times,
growth can build capital to a level that exceeds our
targets and, in the absence of investment opportunities
that meet our strict return criteria, alternative return
strategies such as share buybacks are also an effective
means of delivering value.

Q:
A:

How important is maintaining a strong
balance sheet to Fifth Third?

Financial strength has always been a vitally
important aspect of Fifth Third. A strong
balance sheet and low risk profile are becoming
increasingly important as competition intensifies
across the financial services landscape and financial
markets become more complex. More specifically,
we are first and foremost concerned with earning a
high return on invested capital, but a strong balance
sheet can provide a higher margin of safety for our
shareholders and a means to take advantage of
expansion opportunities when others in the industry
begin to struggle. It’s important to our shareholders
and our customers to know that they are doing
business with an institution that will be here for them
in the future. 

Q:

Is the affiliate banking model scalable and at
what point does it become strained by the
sheer number of affiliates?

A:

I truly believe that a decentralized model is
the most logical organizational structure to

compete in the banking industry - it keeps decisions
close to the customer and does not sacrifice the
relationship nature of our business. Our affiliates are
individually managed for growth, capitalizing on the
benefits of several small companies, instead of one
large one. I’m not entirely sure what the magic
number of affiliates is, but I do feel very confident in
the ability of our risk management and operational
infrastructure to support growth and expansion into
new markets for many years to come.  

Q:

As Fifth Third becomes larger and continues
to enter new markets, are you concerned by
the ability to place experienced Fifth Third
managers in these markets?

A:

Not at all. The key to our success at Fifth
Third is constantly evaluating performance at

the smallest levels of the organization and making
every effort to give the best bankers more

responsibility and opportunities for success. What
has become clear is that successful managers at Fifth
Third have several traits in common: a strong work
ethic, an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to win. In
fact, as I look across our management ranks, I find
that it’s fairly evenly split between those that have
grown up at Fifth Third, those that have joined us in
an acquisition and those that were hired from other
companies.  

Q:

Fifth Third has experienced very rapid growth
in its sales force over the last couple of years.
What attracts people to work at Fifth Third?

A:

I think our industry has seen a number of
companies move toward greater
centralization of operational control over the last 
few years. This has sometimes resulted in strange
reporting structures that largely remove decision
making ability and creativity from the hands of local
relationship bankers. I think Fifth Third offers several
advantages, most notably, the ability to individually
tailor financial solutions for their customers and the
ability to build personal wealth by sharing in the
ownership and success of the company.    

Q:
A:

Where do you see Fifth Third 
in five years?

I think we will continue to focus on what we
do best: Retail and Commercial Banking,

Investment Advisors and Electronic Payment
Processing. We like the businesses we’re in and
believe our operating model is the best in the
industry. Other than that, we will probably have a
presence in a few more metropolitan markets and
hopefully a larger market share in our existing
markets, but I expect that we will look a great deal 
like we do today.

5

F I F T H  T H I R D   BA N K   ( W E S T E R N   M I C H I G A N )

Transforming numbers from 

a leading market share position

Fifth Third Bank (Western Michigan) is led by Kevin T.
Kabat, a three-year Fifth Third veteran and former
executive at Old Kent Financial. The affiliate was formed
from the April 2001 purchase of Old Kent and
conversion to Fifth Third’s affiliate operating platform of
banking operations in Grand Rapids, Lansing,
Kalamazoo, and the Lakeshore areas of Western
Michigan. Today, the Western Michigan affiliate is the
second largest affiliate in the Fifth Third network and
comprises 12 percent of the Bancorp’s deposits and 10
percent of its total assets. 

Kevin T. Kabat
President
Fifth Third Bank (Western Michigan)

From a mature banking platform, our team in Western
Michigan has largely been focused on transforming the
deposit mix and improving sales production. 
Demand deposits have increased by 57
percent since 2001 and interest checking 
account balances have grown by over 
26 percent. Core deposits have increased
by $1.1 billion since the conversion and

18,899Full-Time Employees

transaction deposits have increased by
$2.1 billion from a base of $3.7 billion in
the first quarter of 2001. As a result of the
growth they have been able to generate in
transaction deposits, the deposit mix today is proving
imminently more profitable. 

The Western Michigan affiliate has undergone a
transformation marked by a focused and energetic sales
force that is producing among the best results in the
company. They have seen very strong growth in
consumer loan balances, electronic payment processing,
international banking and across the board improvement
in all deposit based service revenues. They are
continuing to grow their business and are aggressively
seeking more customers and deeper relationships
everyday.

6

Western
Michigan
$6.9 billion in deposits
$9.3 billion in assets
136 banking locations

Mark Michon
Investment Advisors

Michelle VanDyke
Retail Banking

Increased advertising and a
broader product set, combined
with a best-in-class sales
management process that
brings individual accountability
to the lowest levels has
dramatically increased
production and profitability in
Western Michigan. The number
of checking accounts being
opened per banking center has
increased by 65 percent since
2001 and consumer loan
production per banking center
has increased by over 50
percent. The result has been
very strong revenue growth in
what could have been
considered a mature market.
Western Michigan’s efficiency
ratio has improved from 50.8
percent in 2001 to today’s 42.1
percent on the strength of
improved sales results and
revenue growth rather than
expense cuts.

F I F T H  T H I R D   BA N K   ( L O U I S V I L L E )

Powerful numbers 

from thrift beginnings

Fifth Third Bank (Louisville) is led by James R. Gaunt, a
35-year Fifth Third veteran, and was formed from the
August 1994 acquisition of Cumberland Federal
Bancorporation. From a thrift platform with revenues of
$42 million and transaction deposits of $292 million in
its last full year of stand-alone operation in 1993, the
Louisville affiliate has been transformed into a thriving
commercial bank with 43 banking locations, revenues
exceeding $160 million in 2003 and transaction
deposits exceeding $1 billion. With $1.3 billion in
deposits and $2.7 billion in assets, Louisville ranks as
the eleventh largest affiliate in the Fifth Third network. 

James R. Gaunt
President
Fifth Third Bank (Louisville)

$8.5 Billion

in Shareholders’ Equity

The challenge to grow in Louisville has largely been
in building a diversified business mix from an acquired
mortgage banking and time deposit driven platform.
Demand deposits have grown at a ten year annualized
rate of 43 percent and now represent over 26 percent of
the total deposits in the market from just one percent at
formation. By aggressively adding commercial relationship
managers, Louisville has seen commercial revenues
increase from zero to over 24 percent of revenues. Total
service revenues have increased from under $5 million in
1993 to over $75 million in 2003, an annualized growth
rate of 33 percent. 

Today, Fifth Third is the fifth largest bank operating in
Louisville with 22 new banking locations opened since
entering the market. Plans for future growth include the
opening of six new banking locations in 2004 and
continuing to aggressively pursue new consumer banking
relationships and middle-market commercial customers.    

8

Louisville
$1.3 billion in deposits
$2.7 billion in assets
43 banking locations

Aubrey Hayden
Retail Banking 

In the last three years,
Louisville has earned $142
million in net income, or $16
million more than the total
stock and cash consideration
paid for the acquisition that
provided entry into the market.
Louisville’s total revenue 
has increased by an annualized
rate of 14 percent since 1993
and has accelerated more
recently to an annualized rate
of 17 percent since 1998.
Overall, the efficiency ratio has
improved from 72.0 percent at
formation to 43.3 percent today
with net income per employee
improving from $20,000 
to $101,000.

F I F T H  T H I R D   BA N K   ( N O RT H E A S T E R N   O H I O )

From de-novo beginnings

Robert J. King, Jr.
President
Fifth Third Bank (Northeastern Ohio)

Fifth Third Bank (Northeastern Ohio) is led by Robert J.
King, Jr., a 28-year Fifth Third veteran, and was formed
in 1990 with the opening of the first banking center in
the Cleveland area. Over the years that followed, Fifth
Third acquired 53 additional banking centers with
approximately $2.4 billion in deposits, almost 70
percent of which were time deposits. Today, Cleveland
has 76 banking locations, is the sixth largest affiliate in
the Fifth Third network and comprises 6 percent of the
Bancorp’s deposits and total assets. 

Cleveland has realized outstanding growth in the ten
plus years of its existence from transforming the
balance sheet and improving the profitability of
acquired thrifts and banking centers in the market, as
well as building new full-service banking centers and
building out other business lines. During this time,
Cleveland has seen service revenues increase to 
over 43 percent of total revenues and commercial
banking deliver a five-year annualized growth rate 
of 19 percent in revenues.   

$91 Billion

Total Bancorp Assets

In the last two years, Cleveland has hired almost 80 sales
professionals in order to capitalize on the significant
opportunity to continue to grow our base of deposits,
loans and earnings in a market dominated by locally
headquartered financial institutions. The infrastructure
and people are in place, growth rates have been
accelerating and, with just a 4 percent share of the
market, the opportunity is tremendous.

10

Northeastern
Ohio
$3.2 billion in deposits
$5.3 billion in assets
76 banking locations

Don Graham
Consumer Lending

In 2003, Cleveland delivered
27 percent growth in demand
deposits, 35 percent growth in
interest checking accounts, 48
percent growth in service
revenues, and 28 percent
growth in total revenues over
the prior year. Net income per
employee has increased from
approximately $30,000 in
1994, $62,000 in 1999, to
$107,000 in 2003.  Six new
banking centers were opened
in the Cleveland market during
2003 and an additional nine
new banking centers are
planned for 2004. In short, 
we are continuing to diversify
our earnings stream, deposits
and loans have demonstrated
very strong growth and we 
are continuing to attract 
new customers in the
Cleveland market.

F I F T H  T H I R D   BA N K   ( C H I CAG O )

Building a business mix

Bradlee F. Stamper
President
Fifth Third Bank (Chicago)

Fifth Third Bank (Chicago) is led by Bradlee F. Stamper,
an 18-year Fifth Third veteran, and was formed from the
27 banking centers in northwestern Indiana acquired in
the 1999 acquisition of CNB Bancshares, later
complemented with an additional 73 banking centers
from the 2001 acquisition of Old Kent. Today, Chicago
has 109 banking locations and is the third largest
affiliate in the Fifth Third network and comprises 14
percent of the Bancorp’s deposits and 10 percent of its
total assets.

Since the conversion to the Fifth Third operating platform
in June of 2001, the Chicago affiliate has seen significant
growth with total deposits increasing by over $1 billion,
transaction deposits increasing by 64 percent, loan and
lease outstandings increasing by 26 percent, service
revenues increasing by 67 percent and return on assets
now approaching 2.00 percent from a base of 1.34
percent. Chicago is continuing to hire experienced
bankers to take advantage of the opportunity in this
market.

952Full-Service Banking Locations

The Chicago metropolitan area is an extremely
fragmented banking market that represents an incredible
opportunity for Fifth Third with a population in excess of
eight million people and over $200 billion in deposits.
Fifth Third has opened 15 new banking locations in 
the Chicago market thus far and an additional 35 new
banking locations are planned in the next three years.
With just under a 3 percent share of the total deposit
market and very strong growth rates, Chicago will be an
important driver of growth for the company as a whole
for many years to come.

12

Chicago
$7.8 billion in deposits
$9.0 billion in assets
109 banking locations

Jeanne Reynolds
Middle Market Commercial Banking

Chicago is continuing to focus
on hiring the best people across
all business lines as they continue
to grow and transform the
revenue mix of a banking
operation that was largely
formed from the acquisition 
of savings banks in the
Chicagoland area. With over
150 new sales hires, Chicago
has seen total revenue increase 
by 18 percent in 2003. In
deposit and loan campaigns
conducted throughout the 
year, the Chicago affiliate was
responsible for 26 percent of
new Bancorp checking account
balances and 17 percent of
new Bancorp direct loan
balances. We have significant
positive momentum in the
Chicago market and look
forward to the opportunities
that 2004 and continued
growth will provide.

F I F T H  T H I R D   C O M M U N I T Y   A F FA I R S

Fifth Third in the community

Fifth Third provides banking, investments and processing
solutions to 5.7 million customers everyday, and we
leverage our success to strengthen the communities we
serve. We reaffirmed our commitment through $27 million
in grants and support to deserving organizations, including
$21 million from the Fifth Third Foundation and charitable
trusts for which the Bank serves as Trustee, and were
honored to be ranked #4 in BusinessWeek’s “America’s
Most Philanthropic Companies” listing as a percentage of
revenues. The Fifth Third Foundation Office, Community
Development Corporation and Community Affairs
department are three key extensions of the Bank’s
community investment activities.

$27Million

in Grants and Community Programs

The Foundation Office helps direct grants for Arts & Culture,
Community Development, Education, and Health & Human
Services, while the Fifth Third Community Development
Corporation invests in low-income housing, historic tax
credit and economic development projects to support
community revitalization. Our Community Affairs
department identifies lending and real estate opportunities in
traditionally underserved markets, such as ethnically diverse,
urban, and low- to moderate-income census tracts. This
group also champions financial literacy – the keystone for
stable communities – by providing homebuyer training,
credit counseling and college savings match programs.

Fifth Third was recognized for its efforts with over $1 million
in grants from the U.S. Treasury Department and the
Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund.
The funding extended our outreach and access programs for
the “unbanked” in Eastern Michigan and Central Ohio, and
we forged a partnership with LexLinc Community Credit
Union to fund two loan programs in Central Kentucky.

We are proud of our legacy of philanthropy. These initiatives
and many others reflect our realization that if you build a
stronger community, you will build a stronger bank.

United Way Giving
Over the past five years, Fifth Third’s
corporate and employee
contributions to the United Way have
reached $33 million.

1999
2000
2001
2002
2003

$4.6 million
$5.5 million
$6.5 million
$7.4 million
$9.0 million

14

Community
Support
$21 million in grants
$9 million to United Way
$6 million for 

community programs

Adriene Zuberi
Community Affairs

Each year, Fifth Third buys $25
million in goods and services
from minority- and women-
owned business enterprises
throughout the Midwest and
Florida. “Our needs grow as our
marketplace expands,” offers
Adriene Zuberi, who manages
Fifth Third Bancorp’s Supplier
Diversity Business Opportunities
Program. “We’re looking for high-
quality companies to partner
with, and we are committed to
enhancing and ensuring the
diversity of our supplier base.”
Ms. Zuberi is responsible for
managing market analyses,
identifying purchasing
opportunities as well as the
successful on-boarding of 
new vendors. “We took the
program online this year at
SupplierDiversity.53.com 
as another point of entry. 
The site features a listing of
business opportunities and
contact information for our 
eight-state region.”

F I NA N C I A L   P R E S E N TAT I O N

Financial Contents

Consolidated Statements of Income

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Statements of
Changes in Shareholders’ Equity

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Independent Auditors’ Report

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Consolidated Ten Year Comparison

Directors and Officers

Corporate Information

17

18

19

20

21

46

47

71

72

73

16

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Consolidated Statements of Income

For the Years Ended December 31 ($ in millions, except per share data)
Interest Income
Interest and Fees on Loans and Leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest on Securities:

Taxable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Exempt from Income Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Interest on Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest on Other Short-Term Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest Expense
Interest on Deposits:

Interest Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Savings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Money Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Certificates–$100,000 and Over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Foreign Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Interest on Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest on Federal Funds Purchased . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest on Other Short-Term Borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest on Long-Term Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Interest Expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Interest Income After Provision for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Operating Income
Electronic Payment Processing Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Service Charges on Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Mortgage Banking Net Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Investment Advisory Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Service Charges and Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating Lease Revenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securities Gains, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securities Gains, Net – Non-Qualifying Hedges on Mortgage Servicing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Other Operating Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating Expenses
Salaries, Wages and Incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Employee Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Equipment Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Occupancy Expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating Lease Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Operating Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Merger-Related Charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Operating Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes, Minority Interest

and Cumulative Effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Applicable Income Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations Before Minority Interest and Cumulative Effect . . . . . . 
Minority Interest, Net of Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations Before Cumulative Effect
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax of $24 million,

$2 million and $2 million, respectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income Before Cumulative Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle, Net of Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Dividends on Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income Available to Common Shareholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Earnings Per Share from Continuing Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Earnings Per Share from Discontinued Operations, Net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Earnings Per Share from Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle, Net . . . . . . 
Earnings Per Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Diluted Earnings Per Share from Continuing Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Diluted Earnings Per Share from Discontinued Operations, Net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Diluted Earnings Per Share from Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle, Net
Diluted Earnings Per Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

17

2003

$2,711

1,226
51
1,277
3
3,991

189
64
32
214
45
44
588
80
55
363
1,086
2,905
399
2,506

575
485
302
332
581
124
81
3
2,483

922
240
82
159
94
945
—
2,442

2,547
805
1,742
(20)
1,722

44
1,766
(11)
1,755
1
$1,754
$ 3.01(
(.08(
(.02)
$ 3.07(
$ 2.97(
(.08(
(.02)
$ 3.03(

2002

2,810

1,257
56
1,313
6
4,129

296
158
27
357
55
35
928
54
67
381
1,430
2,699
246
2,453

512
431
188
325
580
—
114
33
2,183

902
201
79
142
—
886
—
2,210

2,426
757
1,669
(38)
1,631

4
1,635
—
1,635
1
1,634
2.81
.01
—
2.82
2.75
.01
—
2.76

2001

3,420

1,213
66
1,279
10
4,709

311
174
38
745
187
97
1,552
155
204
367
2,278
2,431
236
2,195

347
367
63
298
542
—
28
143
1,788

842
148
91
146
—
760
349
2,336

1,647
548
1,099
(2)
1,097

4
1,101
(7)
1,094
1
1,093
1.90
.01
(.01)
1.90
1.86
.01
(.01)
1.86

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Consolidated Balance Sheets

At December 31 ($ in millions, except share data)
Assets
Cash and Due from Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securities Available-for-Sale (amortized cost 2003–$29,076 and 2002–$24,790). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securities Held-to-Maturity (fair value 2003–$135 and 2002–$52) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Trading Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Short-Term Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Loans Held for Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Loans and Leases:

Commercial Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Construction Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial Mortgage Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial Lease Financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Residential Mortgage Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer Lease Financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Unearned Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Loans and Leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Reserve for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Loans and Leases, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Bank Premises and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating Lease Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Accrued Interest Receivable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Goodwill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Intangible Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Servicing Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Liabilities
Deposits:

Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Savings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Money Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Certificates–$100,000 and Over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Foreign Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Federal Funds Purchased . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Short-Term Bank Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Short-Term Borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Accrued Taxes, Interest and Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Long-Term Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Minority Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Shareholders’ Equity
Common Stock (a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Preferred Stock (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Capital Surplus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Retained Earnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Accumulated Nonowner Changes in Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Treasury Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Shareholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003

2002

$ 2,359
28,999
135
55
268
1,881

14,209
3,636
6,894
4,430
4,425
17,432
2,709
(1,427)
52,308
(770)
51,538
1,061
767
415
700
195
299
2,471
$91,143

$12,142
19,757
7,375
3,201
6,686
1,371
6,563
57,095
6,928
500
5,742
2,304
986
9,063
82,618
—

1,295
9
1,293
7,010
(120)
(962)
8,525
$91,143

1,891
25,464
52
18
294
3,358

12,743
3,327
5,885
3,986
3,495
15,116
2,638
(1,262)
45,928
(683)
45,245
891
—
461
702
236
263
2,019
80,894

10,095
17,878
10,056
1,044
8,180
1,181
3,774
52,208
4,748
—
4,075
2,308
440
8,179
71,958
461

1,295
9
1,442
5,904
369
(544)
8,475
80,894

(a) Stated value $2.22 per share; authorized 1,300,000,000; outstanding at 2003 — 566,685,301 (excludes 16,766,390 treasury shares) and 2002 — 574,355,247 (excludes
9,071,857 treasury shares). 
(b) 490,750 shares of undesignated no par value preferred stock are authorized of which none had been issued; 7,250 shares of 8.0% cumulative Series D convertible (at
$23.5399 per share) perpetual preferred stock with a stated value of $1,000 were authorized, issued and outstanding; 2,000 shares of 8.0% cumulative Series E perpetual
preferred stock with a stated value of $1,000 were authorized, issued and outstanding.
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

18

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity

($ in millions, except per share data)
Balance at December 31, 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income and Nonowner Changes 

in Equity, Net of Tax:

Net Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) on 

Securities Available-for-Sale, Net . . . . . . 
Change in Unrealized Losses on Qualifying 
Cash Flow Hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income and Nonowner Changes in Equity
Cash Dividends Declared:
Fifth Third Bancorp:

Common Stock at $.83 per share . . . . . . 
Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Pooled Companies Prior to Acquisition:

Common Stock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Conversion of Subordinated Debentures

to Common Stock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Shares Acquired for Treasury. . . . . . . . . . . . 
Stock Options Exercised,

Including Treasury Shares Issued . . . . . . 

Corporate Tax Benefit Related to Exercise 

of Non-Qualified Stock Options . . . . . . 
Stock Issued in Acquisitions and Other . . . . 

Balance at December 31, 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income and Nonowner Changes 

in Equity, Net of Tax:

Net Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) on 

Securities Available-for-Sale, Net . . . . . . 
Change in Unrealized Losses on Qualifying 
Cash Flow Hedges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Change in Minimum Pension Liability . . . . 
Net Income and Nonowner Changes in Equity
Cash Dividends Declared:
Common Stock at $.98 per share . . . . . . . . 
Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Shares Acquired for Treasury. . . . . . . . . . . . 
Stock Options Exercised,

Including Treasury Shares Issued . . . . . . 

Corporate Tax Benefit Related to Exercise 

of Non-Qualified Stock Options . . . . . . 
Other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Balance at December 31, 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income and Nonowner Changes 

in Equity, Net of Tax:

Net Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) on 

Securities Available-for-Sale, Net . . . . . . 
Change in Unrealized Losses on Qualifying  
Cash Flow Hedges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Change in Minimum Pension Liability . . . . 
Net Income and Nonowner Changes in Equity
Cash Dividends Declared:

Common Stock at $1.13 per share. . . . . 
Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Shares Acquired for Treasury. . . . . . . . . . . . 
Stock Options Exercised,

Including Treasury Shares Issued . . . . . . 

Loans Issued Related to the Exercise 

of Stock Options, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Corporate Tax Benefit Related to Exercise 

of Non-Qualified Stock Options . . . . . . 
Other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance at December 31, 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . 
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Common
Stock
$1,263

Preferred
Stock
9

Capital
Surplus
1,140

Retained
Earnings
4,225

Accumulated
Nonowner
Changes 
in Equity
28

Treasury
Stock
(1)

Other Total
6,662

(2)

(10)

(10)

8

420

(7)
(52)

1,094

(460)
(1)

(51)

30

4,837

1,635

(567)
(1)

1,094

(10)

(10)
1,074

(460)
(1)

(51)

168
(15)

119

22
121

2

— 7,639

1,635

420

(7)
(52)
1,996

(567)
(1)
(720)

104

26
(2)

(15)

11

1

(4)

(720)

180

10

9

12

158

99

22
76

1,294

9

1,495

1

(77)

26
(2)

1,295

9

1,442

5,904

369

(544)

— 8,475

(487)

9
(11)

1,755

(645)
(1)

(3)
7,010

(120)

1,755

(487)

9
(11)
1,266

(645)
(1)
(655)

97

(34)

24
(2)
— 8,525

(655)

233

4
(962)

$1,295

9

(136)

(34)

24
(3)
1,293

19

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

For the Years Ended December 31 ($ in millions)
Operating Activities
Net Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Adjustments to Reconcile Net Income to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities:

Provision for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Minority Interest in Net Income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle, Net of Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Depreciation, Amortization and Accretion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for Deferred Income Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Realized Securities Gains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Realized Securities Gains – Non-Qualifying Hedges on Mortgage Servicing . . . . . . . . . 
Realized Securities Losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Realized Securities Losses – Non-Qualifying Hedges on Mortgage Servicing . . . . . . . . . 
Proceeds from Sales/Transfers of Residential Mortgage and Other Loans Held for Sale . . 
Net Gains on Sales of Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Gains on Divestitures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase in Residential Mortgage and Other Loans Held for Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase in Trading Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Decrease (Increase) in Accrued Interest Receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
(Increase) Decrease in Other Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Taxes, Interest and Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase (Decrease) in Other Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Investing Activities
Proceeds from Sales of Securities Available-for-Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Proceeds from Calls, Paydowns and Maturities of Securities Available-for-Sale . . . . . . . . . . 
Purchases of Securities Available-for-Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Proceeds from Calls, Paydowns and Maturities of Securities Held-to-Maturity . . . . . . . . . . 
Purchases of Securities Held-to-Maturity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Decrease (Increase) in Other Short-Term Investments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase in Loans and Leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Decrease in Operating Lease Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Purchases of Bank Premises and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Proceeds from Disposal of Bank Premises and Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Cash Received (Paid) in Acquisitions/Divestitures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Investing Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Financing Activities
Increase in Core Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase (Decrease) in Certificates – $100,000 and Over, including Foreign Office . . . . . . 
Increase in Federal Funds Purchased . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase (Decrease) in Short-Term Bank Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase (Decrease) in Other Short-Term Borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-Term Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Proceeds from Issuance of Preferred Stock of Subsidiary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Repayment of Long-Term Debt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Payment of Cash Dividends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Exercise of Stock Options, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Purchases of Treasury Stock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Due from Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cash and Due from Banks at Beginning of Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cash and Due from Banks at End of Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cash Payments
Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Federal Income Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Significant Noncash Transactions
Securitization and Transfer to Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Reclassification of Minority Interest to Long-Term Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Conversion of Trust Preferred Securities to Common Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Consolidation of Special Purpose Entity:

Operating Leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Long-Term Debt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Assets/Liabilities, Net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

20

2003

2002

2001

$ 1,755

399
20
11
550
44
(150)
(3)
69
—
16,280
(340)
(40)
(10,501)
(37)
45
(646)
259
399
8,114

22,522
9,264
(36,123)
18
(92)
33
(10,651)
214
(284)
16
67
(15,016)

1,908
2,978
2,180
500
2,093
1,095
—
(2,159)
(631)
63
(655)
(2)
7,370
468
1,891
$ 2,359

$ 1,112
432

$ —
482
—

1,068
1,109
25

1,635

246
38
—
338
279
(125)
(86)
11
53
9,924
(269)
(34)
(9,892)
(18)
49
453
(107)
(286)
2,209

20,605
7,481
(32,278)
5
(35)
(69)
(5,608)
—
(174)
14
55
(10,004)

4,916
1,536
2,204
(34)
(304)
1,143
—
(635)
(553)
104
(720)
(2)
7,655
(140)
2,031
1,891

1,497
456

496
—
—

—
—
—

1,094

236
2
7
236
254
(43)
(151)
15
8
8,957
(197)
(43)
(9,281)
—
(43)
(398)
27
223
903

10,177
14,295
(23,771)
17
—
7
(84)
—
(139)
15
(125)
392

3,855
(6,815)
314
34
661
6,466
425
(5,555)
(461)
141
(15)
(21)
(971)
324
1,707
2,031

2,334
139

1,421
—
172

—
—
—

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

1. Summary of Significant Accounting and

Reporting Policies

Nature of Operations
Fifth Third Bancorp (Bancorp), an Ohio corporation, conducts its
principal activities through its banking and non-banking subsidiaries
from 952 banking centers located throughout Ohio, Indiana,
Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, West Virginia and Tennessee.
Principal activities include commercial and retail banking,
investment advisory services and electronic payment processing.

Basis of Presentation
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the
Bancorp and its majority-owned subsidiaries. Other entities,
including certain joint ventures, in which there is greater than 20%
ownership, but upon which the Bancorp does not possess, nor
cannot exert, significant influence or control, are accounted for by
the equity method and not consolidated; those in which there is
less than 20% ownership, but upon which the Bancorp does not
possess nor cannot exert, significant influence or control are
generally carried at the lower of cost or fair value. All material
intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.
Certain prior period data has been reclassified to conform to
current period presentation.

Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America requires management to make estimates and assumptions
that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and
accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Securities
Securities are classified as held-to-maturity, available-for-sale or trading
on the date of purchase. Only those securities classified as held-to-
maturity, and which management has the intent and ability to hold to
maturity, are reported at amortized cost. Available-for-sale and trading
securities are reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses, net
of related deferred income taxes, included in accumulated nonowner
changes in equity and income, respectively. The fair value of a security
is determined based on quoted market prices. If quoted market
prices are not available, fair value is determined based on quoted
prices of similar instruments. Realized securities gains or losses are
reported within other operating income in the Consolidated
Statements of Income. The cost of securities sold is based on the
specific identification method. Available-for-sale and held-to-maturity
securities are reviewed quarterly for possible other-than-temporary
impairment. The review includes an analysis of the facts and
circumstances of each individual investment such as the length of time
the fair value has been below cost, the expectation for that security’s
performance, the credit worthiness of the issuer and the Bancorp’s
intent and ability to hold the security to maturity. A decline in
value that is considered to be other-than-temporary is recorded as a
loss within other operating income in the Consolidated Statements
of Income.

Loans and Leases
Interest income on loans is based on the principal balance
outstanding computed using the effective interest method. The
accrual of interest income for commercial, construction and mortgage
loans is discontinued when there is a clear indication the borrower’s

cash flow may not be sufficient to meet payments as they become
due. Such loans are also placed on nonaccrual status when the
principal or interest is past due ninety days or more, unless the loan is
well secured and in the process of collection. Consumer loans and
revolving lines of credit for equity lines that have principal and interest
payments that have become past due one hundred and twenty days
and credit cards that have principal and interest payments that have
become past due one hundred and eighty days are charged off to the
reserve for credit losses. When a loan is placed on nonaccrual status,
all previously accrued and unpaid interest receivable is charged
against income and the loan is accounted for on the cash method
thereafter, until qualifying for return to accrual status. Generally, a
loan is returned to accrual status when all delinquent interest and
principal payments become current in accordance with the terms of
the loan agreement or when the loan is both well secured and in the
process of collection and collectibility is no longer doubtful.

Loan and lease origination and commitment fees and certain

direct loan and lease origination costs are deferred and the net
amount amortized over the estimated life of the related loans or
commitments as a yield adjustment.

Direct financing leases are carried at the aggregate of lease
payments plus estimated residual value of the leased property, less
unearned income. Interest income on direct financing leases is
recognized over the term of the lease to achieve a constant periodic
rate of return on the outstanding investment. Interest income on
leveraged leases is recognized over the term of the lease to achieve a
constant rate of return on the outstanding investment in the lease,
net of the related deferred income tax liability, in the years in which
the net investment is positive.

Residential mortgage loans held for sale are valued at the lower

of aggregate cost or fair value. Loans held for sale that qualify for
fair value hedge accounting are carried at fair value. Fair value is
based on the contract price at which the mortgage loans will be sold.
The Bancorp generally has commitments to sell residential mortgage
loans held for sale in the secondary market. Gains or losses on sales
are recognized in mortgage banking net revenue upon delivery.
Impaired loans are measured based on the present value of
expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest
rate or the fair value of the underlying collateral. The Bancorp
evaluates the collectibility of both principal and interest when
assessing the need for a loss accrual.

Other Real Estate Owned
Other real estate owned (OREO), which is included in other assets,
represents property acquired through foreclosure or other
proceedings. OREO is carried at the lower of cost or fair value, less
costs to sell. All property is periodically evaluated and reductions in
fair value are recognized in other operating expense in the
Consolidated Statements of Income.

Reserve for Credit Losses
The Bancorp maintains a reserve to absorb probable loan and lease
losses inherent in the portfolio. The reserve for credit losses is
maintained at a level the Bancorp considers to be adequate to
absorb probable loan and lease losses inherent in the portfolio, based
on evaluations of the collectibility and historical loss experience of
loans and leases. Credit losses are charged and recoveries are credited
to the reserve. Provisions for credit losses are based on the Bancorp’s
review of the historical credit loss experience and such factors that,
in management’s judgment, deserve consideration under existing
economic conditions in estimating probable credit losses.

21

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The reserve is based on ongoing quarterly assessments of the
probable estimated losses inherent in the loan and lease portfolio. In
determining the appropriate level of reserves, the Bancorp estimates
losses using a range derived from “base” and “conservative” estimates.
The Bancorp’s methodology for assessing the appropriate reserve level
consists of several key elements, as discussed below. The Bancorp’s
strategy for credit risk management includes a combination of
conservative exposure limits significantly below legal lending limits,
and conservative underwriting, documentation and collection
standards. The strategy also emphasizes diversification on a geographic,
industry and customer level, regular credit examinations and quarterly
management reviews of large credit exposures and loans experiencing
deterioration of credit quality.

Larger commercial loans that exhibit probable or observed credit

weaknesses are subject to individual review. Where appropriate,
reserves are allocated to individual loans based on management’s
estimate of the borrower’s ability to repay the loan given the
availability of collateral, other sources of cash flow and legal options
available to the Bancorp.

Included in the review of individual loans are those that are

impaired as provided in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
(SFAS) No. 114, “Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a
Loan.” Any reserves for impaired loans are measured based on the
present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s
effective interest rate or fair value of the underlying collateral. The
Bancorp evaluates the collectibility of both principal and interest when
assessing the need for loss accrual.

Historical loss rates are applied to other commercial loans not
subject to specific reserve allocations. The loss rates are derived from a
migration analysis, which computes the net charge-off experience
sustained on loans according to their internal risk grade. These grades
encompass ten categories that define a borrower’s ability to repay their
loan obligations. The risk rating system is intended to identify and
measure the credit quality of all commercial lending relationships.

Homogenous loans, such as consumer installment, residential

mortgage loans and automobile leases, are not individually risk
graded. Rather, standard credit scoring systems and delinquency
monitoring are used to assess credit risk. Reserves are established
for each pool of loans based on the expected net charge-offs for one
year. Loss rates are based on the average net charge-off history by
loan category.

Historical loss rates for commercial and consumer loans may be

adjusted for significant factors that, in management’s judgment,
reflect the impact of any current conditions on loss recognition.
Factors that management considers in the analysis include the
effects of the national and local economies, trends in the nature
and volume of loans (delinquencies, charge-offs and nonaccrual
loans), changes in mix, credit score migration comparisons, asset
quality trends, risk management and loan administration, changes
in the internal lending policies and credit standards, collection
practices and examination results from bank regulatory agencies
and the Bancorp’s internal credit examiners.

An unallocated reserve is maintained to recognize the imprecision

in estimating and measuring loss when evaluating reserves for
individual loans or pools of loans. Reserves on individual loans and
historical loss rates are reviewed quarterly and adjusted as necessary
based on changing borrower and/or collateral conditions and actual
collection and charge-off experience.

The Bancorp’s primary market areas for lending are Ohio,
Kentucky, Indiana, Florida, Michigan, Illinois, West Virginia and

Tennessee. When evaluating the adequacy of reserves, consideration
is given to this regional geographic concentration and the closely
associated effect changing economic conditions has on the
Bancorp’s customers.

The Bancorp has not substantively changed any aspect of its overall

approach in the determination of the reserve for loan and lease losses.
There have been no material changes in assumptions or estimation
techniques as compared to prior years that impacted the determination
of the current year reserve for loan and lease losses.

Loan Sales and Securitizations
When the Bancorp sells loans through either securitizations or
individual loan sales in accordance with its investment policies, it
may retain one or more subordinated tranches, servicing rights,
interest-only strips, credit recourse, other residual interests and in
some cases, a cash reserve account, all of which are considered
retained interests in the securitized or sold loans. Gain or loss on
sale or securitization of the loans depends in part on the previous
carrying amount of the financial assets sold or securitized, allocated
between the assets sold and the retained interests based on their
relative fair value at the date of sale or securitization. To obtain fair
values, quoted market prices are used if available. If quotes are not
available for retained interests, the Bancorp calculates fair value
based on the present value of future expected cash flows using both
management’s best estimates and third-party data sources for the
key assumptions — credit losses, prepayment speeds, forward yield
curves and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved.
Gain or loss on sale or securitization of loans is reported as a
component of other operating income in the Consolidated
Statements of Income. Retained interests from securitized or sold
loans, excluding servicing rights, are carried at fair value.
Adjustments to fair value for retained interests classified as
available-for-sale securities are included in accumulated
nonowner changes in equity, or in other operating income in the
Consolidated Statements of Income if the fair value has declined
below the carrying amount and such decline has been determined
to be other-than-temporary. Adjustments to fair value for
retained interests classified as trading securities are recorded
within other operating income in the Consolidated Statements of
Income.

Servicing rights resulting from residential mortgage and home
equity line of credit loan sales are amortized in proportion to and
over the period of estimated net servicing revenues and are reported
as a component of mortgage banking net revenue and other service
charges and fees, respectively, in the Consolidated Statements of
Income. Servicing rights are assessed for impairment monthly,
based on fair value, with temporary impairment recognized
through a valuation allowance and permanent impairment
recognized through a write-off of the servicing asset and related
valuation reserve. Key economic assumptions used in measuring
any potential impairment of the servicing rights include the
prepayment speed of the underlying loans, the weighted-average
life of the loan, the discount rate and the weighted-average default
rate, as applicable. The primary risk of material changes to the
value of the servicing rights resides in the potential volatility in the
economic assumptions used, particularly the prepayment speed.
The Bancorp monitors this risk and adjusts its valuation allowance
as necessary to adequately reserve for any probable impairment in
the portfolio. For purposes of measuring impairment, the mortgage
servicing rights are stratified based on the financial asset type and

22

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

interest rates. In addition, the Bancorp obtains an independent
third-party valuation of the mortgage servicing portfolio on a
quarterly basis. Fees received for servicing loans owned by investors
are based on a percentage of the outstanding monthly principal
balance of such loans and are included in operating income as loan
payments are received. Costs of servicing loans are charged to
expense as incurred.

Bank Premises and Equipment
Bank premises and equipment, including leasehold improvements,
are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization.
Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method based on
estimated useful lives of the assets for book purposes, while
accelerated depreciation is used for income tax purposes. Amorti-
zation of leasehold improvements is computed using the straight-
line method over the lives of the related leases or useful lives of the
related assets, whichever is shorter. Maintenance, repairs and minor
improvements are charged to operating expenses as incurred.

Operating Lease Equipment
Operating lease equipment is recorded at cost, net of accumulated
depreciation. Income from operating leases is recognized ratably over
the term of the leases and recorded within other operating income in
the Consolidated Statements of Income. Depreciation expense on
operating lease equipment is recorded on a straight-line basis over the
term of the lease from the original cost of the asset to the estimated
residual value at the end of the lease term. Depreciation expense is
recorded within operating lease expense in the Consolidated
Statements of Income. The estimated residual value of operating lease
assets is periodically reviewed and, in the event that the original
estimated residual value is determined to be greater than the asset’s
estimated market value at the end of the lease term, depreciation
expense is adjusted prospectively.

Derivative Financial Instruments
The Bancorp accounts for its derivatives under SFAS No. 133,
“Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,” as
amended. The Standard requires recognition of all derivatives as either
assets or liabilities in the balance sheet and requires measurement of
those instruments at fair value through adjustments to either accumu-
lated nonowner changes in equity or current earnings or both, as
appropriate. On the date the Bancorp enters into a derivative contract,
the Bancorp designates the derivative instrument as either a fair value
hedge, cash flow hedge or as a free-standing derivative instrument.
For a fair value hedge, changes in the fair value of the derivative
instrument and changes in the fair value of the hedged asset or liability
or of an unrecognized firm commitment attributable to the hedged
risk are recorded in current period net income. For a cash flow hedge,
changes in the fair value of the derivative instrument, to the extent
that it is effective, are recorded in accumulated nonowner changes in
equity within shareholders’ equity and subsequently reclassified to net
income in the same period(s) that the hedged transaction impacts net
income. For free-standing derivative instruments, changes in fair
values are reported in current period net income. 

Prior to entering a hedge transaction, the Bancorp formally
documents the relationship between hedging instruments and
hedged items, as well as the risk management objective and strategy
for undertaking various hedge transactions. This process includes
linking all derivative instruments that are designated as fair value or
cash flow hedges to specific assets and liabilities on the balance sheet
or to specific forecasted transactions along with a formal assessment

at both inception of the hedge and on an ongoing basis as to the
effectiveness of the derivative instrument in offsetting changes in fair
values or cash flows of the hedged item. If it is determined that the
derivative instrument is not highly effective as a hedge, hedge
accounting is discontinued and the adjustment to fair value of the
derivative instrument is recorded in net income.

Earnings Per Share
In accordance with SFAS No. 128, “Earnings Per Share,” basic
earnings per share are computed by dividing net income available to
common shareholders by the weighted-average number of shares of
common stock outstanding during the period. Earnings per diluted
share are computed by dividing adjusted net income available to
common shareholders by the weighted-average number of shares of
common stock and common stock equivalents outstanding during
the period. Dilutive common stock equivalents represent the
assumed conversion of convertible subordinated debentures,
convertible preferred stock and the exercise of stock options.

Other
Securities and other property held by Fifth Third Investment
Advisors, a division of the Bancorp’s banking subsidiaries, in a
fiduciary or agency capacity are not included in the Consolidated
Balance Sheets because such items are not assets of the subsidiaries.
Investment advisory revenue in the Consolidated Statements of
Income is recognized on the accrual basis. Investment advisory
service revenues are recognized monthly based on a fee charged per
transaction processed and a fee charged on the market value of ending
account balances associated with individual contracts.

The Bancorp recognizes revenue from its electronic payment
processing services as such services are performed, recording revenues
net of certain costs (primarily interchange fees charged by credit card
associations) not controlled by the Bancorp. 

Acquisitions of treasury stock are carried at cost. Reissuance of
shares in treasury for acquisitions, stock option exercises or other
corporate purposes is recorded based on the specific identification
method. 

New Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2001, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
issued SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.”
This Statement discontinued the practice of amortizing goodwill
and indefinite lived intangible assets and initiated an annual review
for impairment. Impairment is to be examined more frequently if
certain indicators are encountered. The Bancorp has completed its
most recent annual goodwill impairment test required by this
Standard as of September 30, 2003 and has determined that no
impairment exists. Intangible assets with a determinable useful life
will continue to be amortized over that period. The Bancorp adopted
the amortization provisions of SFAS No. 142 effective January 1,
2002. See Note 7 for certain pro forma financial disclosures related
to SFAS No.142.

In June 2001, the FASB issued SFAS No. 143, “Accounting for

Asset Retirement Obligations.” This Statement addresses financial
accounting and reporting for obligations associated with the retirement
of tangible long-lived assets and the associated asset retirement costs.
This Statement amends SFAS No. 19, “Financial Accounting and
Reporting by Oil and Gas Producing Companies,” and was effective
for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after June 15,
2002. Adoption of this Standard did not have a material effect on the
Bancorp’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

23

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

In August 2001, the FASB issued SFAS No. 144, “Accounting

for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.” This
Statement eliminates the allocation of goodwill to long-lived assets
to be tested for impairment and details both a “probability-weighted”
and “primary-asset” approach to estimate cash flows in testing for
impairment of a long-lived asset. This Statement supersedes SFAS
No. 121, “Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and
for Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed Of,” and the accounting and
reporting provisions of the Accounting Principles Board (APB)
Opinion No. 30, “Reporting the Results of Operations—Reporting
the Effects of Disposal of a Segment of a Business, and Extraordinary,
Unusual and Infrequently Occurring Events and Transactions.”
This Statement also amends Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
No. 51, “Consolidated Financial Statements.” SFAS No. 144 was
effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning
after December 15, 2001. Adoption of this Standard did not have a
material effect on the Bancorp’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
In April 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 145, “Rescission of
SFAS Statements No. 4, 44, and 64, Amendment of SFAS No. 13,
and Technical Corrections.” This Statement rescinds SFAS No. 4,
“Reporting Gains and Losses from Extinguishment of Debt,” and
amends SFAS No. 64, “Extinguishments of Debt Made to Satisfy
Sinking-Fund Requirements.” This Statement also rescinds SFAS
No. 44, “Accounting for Intangible Assets of Motor Carriers.” This
Statement amends SFAS No. 13, “Accounting for Leases,” to
eliminate an inconsistency between the required accounting for sale-
leaseback transactions and the required accounting for certain lease
modifications that have economic effects that are similar to sale-
leaseback transactions. This Statement also amends other existing
authoritative pronouncements to make various technical corrections,
clarify meanings, or describe their applicability under changed
conditions. SFAS No. 145 was effective for transactions occurring
after May 15, 2002. Adoption of this Standard did not have a
material effect on the Bancorp’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
In June 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 146, “Accounting for

Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities.” This Statement
addresses financial accounting and reporting for costs associated with
exit or disposal activities and nullifies Emerging Issues Task Force
(EITF) Issue No. 94-3, “Liability Recognition for Certain Employee
Termination Benefits and Other Costs to Exit an Activity (including
Certain Costs Incurred in a Restructuring).” This Statement requires
recognition of a liability for a cost associated with an exit or disposal
activity when the liability is incurred, as opposed to being recognized
at the date an entity commits to an exit plan under EITF Issue No.
94-3. This Statement also establishes that fair value is the objective for
initial measurement of the liability. This Statement was effective for
exit or disposal activities that were initiated after December 31, 2002
and has not had a material effect on the Bancorp’s Consolidated
Financial Statements.

In October 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 147, “Acquisitions

of Certain Financial Institutions.” This Statement addresses the
financial accounting and reporting for the acquisition of all or part
of a financial institution, except for a transaction between two or
more mutual enterprises. This Statement removes acquisitions of
financial institutions from the scope of SFAS No. 72, “Accounting
for Certain Acquisitions of Banking or Thrift Institutions” and
FASB Interpretation No. 9, “Applying APB Opinions No. 16 and
17 when a Savings and Loan Association or a Similar Institution Is
Acquired in a Business Combination Accounted for by the Purchase
Method,” and requires that those transactions be accounted for in
accordance with SFAS No. 141 and SFAS No. 142. In addition,

this Statement amends SFAS No. 144 to include in its scope long-
term customer relationship intangible assets of financial institutions
such as depositor and borrower-relationship intangible assets and
credit cardholder intangible assets. Consequently, those intangible
assets are subject to the same undiscounted cash flow recoverability
test and impairment loss recognition and measurement provisions
that SFAS No. 144 requires for other long-lived assets that are held
and used. This Statement was effective October 1, 2002. Adoption
of this Standard did not have a material effect on the Bancorp’s
Consolidated Financial Statements.

In December 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 148, “Accounting

for Stock-Based Compensation-Transition and Disclosure—an
Amendment of FASB Statement No. 123.” This Statement amends
SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” to
provide alternative methods of transition for a voluntary change to
the fair value method of accounting for stock-based employee
compensation. In addition, this Statement amends the disclosure
requirements of SFAS No. 123 to require more prominent
disclosures about the method of accounting for stock-based
employee compensation and the effect of the method used on
reported results in both annual and interim financial statements.
This Statement was effective for financial statements for fiscal years
ending after December 15, 2002. As permitted by SFAS No. 148,
during 2003 the Bancorp continued to apply the provisions of APB
Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” for
all employee stock option grants and has elected to disclose pro
forma net income and earnings per share amounts as if the fair-
value based method had been applied in measuring compensation
costs. In addition, the Bancorp anticipates adopting the fair value
method of expense recognition for employee stock-based
compensation on a retroactive basis during the first quarter of 2004.
The Bancorp’s as reported and pro forma information, including
stock-based compensation expense as if the fair-value based method
had been applied, for the years ended December 31:

($ in millions, except per share data)
As reported net income available to

2003

2002

2001

common shareholders . . . . . . . . . . 

$1,754

1,634

1,093

Less: stock-based compensation 
expense determined under fair 
value method, net of tax . . . . . . . . 
Pro forma net income  . . . . . . . . . . . 
As reported earnings per share . . . . . 
Pro forma earnings per share . . . . . . 
As reported earnings per diluted share
Pro forma earnings per diluted share. 

(90)
$1,664
$ 3.07
$ 2.91
$ 3.03
$ 2.87

(105)
1,529
2.82
2.63
2.76
2.58

(94)
999
1.90
1.74
1.86
1.70

Compensation expense in the pro forma disclosures is not
indicative of future amounts, as options vest over several years and
additional grants are generally made each year.

The weighted-average fair value of options granted was $18.27,
$26.14, and $18.79 in 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. The fair
value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using
the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following
assumptions used for grants in 2003, 2002 and 2001: expected
option lives ranging from six to nine years for all three years;
expected dividend yield of 1.6% for 2003, 1.4% for 2002, and
1.8% for 2001; expected volatility of 28% for all three years and
risk-free interest rates of 4.4%, 5.0%, and 5.1%, respectively.

In April 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 149, “Amendment of
Statement 133 on Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.”
This Statement amends and clarifies financial accounting and

24

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

reporting for derivative instruments, including certain embedded
derivatives, and for hedging activities under SFAS No. 133,
“Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.”
This Statement amends SFAS No. 133 to reflect the decisions made
as part of the Derivatives Implementation Group (DIG) and in
other FASB projects or deliberations. SFAS No. 149 was effective
for contracts entered into or modified after June 30, 2003, and for
hedging relationships designated after June 30, 2003. Adoption of
this Standard did not have a material effect on the Bancorp’s
Consolidated Financial Statements.

In May 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 150, “Accounting for

Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both
Liabilities and Equity.” This Statement establishes standards for how
an entity classifies and measures certain financial instruments with
characteristics of both liabilities and equity. This Statement requires
that an issuer classify a financial instrument that is within its scope
as a liability. Many of those instruments were previously classified as
equity or in some cases presented between the liabilities section and
the equity section of the statement of financial position. This
Statement was effective for financial instruments entered into or
modified after May 31, 2003, and otherwise was effective at the
beginning of the first interim period beginning after June 15, 2003.
Adoption of this Standard on July 1, 2003 required a reclassification
of a minority interest to long-term debt and its corresponding
minority interest expense to interest expense, relating to preferred
stock issued during 2001 by a subsidiary of the Bancorp. The
existence of the mandatory redemption feature of this issue upon its
mandatory conversion to trust preferred securities necessitated these
reclassifications and did not result in any change in bottom line
income statement trends.

In December 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 132 (Revised

2003), “Employers’ Disclosures about Pensions and Other
Postretirement Benefits.” This Statement expands upon the existing
disclosure requirements as prescribed under the original SFAS No.
132 by requiring more details about pension plan assets, benefit
obligations, cash flows, benefit costs and related information. SFAS
No. 132(R) also requires companies to disclose various elements of
pension and postretirement benefit costs in interim-period financial
statements beginning after December 15, 2003. This Statement is
effective for financial statements with fiscal years ending after
December 15, 2003. The Bancorp adopted this Standard and all of
its required disclosures are included in Note 24.

In November 2002, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 45, (FIN

45) “Guarantor’s Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for
Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others,”
which elaborates on the disclosures to be made by a guarantor about
its obligations under certain guarantees issued. It also clarifies that a
guarantor is required to recognize, at the inception of a guarantee, a
liability for the fair value of the obligation undertaken in issuing the
guarantee. The Interpretation expands on the accounting guidance of
SFAS No. 5, “Accounting for Contingencies,” SFAS No. 57, “Related
Party Disclosures,” and SFAS No. 107, “Disclosures about Fair Value
of Financial Instruments.” It also incorporates without change the
provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 34, “Disclosure of Indirect
Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others,” which is superseded. The initial
recognition and measurement provisions of this Interpretation apply on
a prospective basis to guarantees issued or modified after December 31,
2002. The disclosure requirements in this Interpretation were effective
for periods ending after December 15, 2002. Significant guarantees
that have been entered into by the Bancorp are disclosed in Note

15. Adoption of this Interpretation did not have a material effect
on the Bancorp’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

In January 2003, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 46 (FIN

46), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities.” This
Interpretation clarifies the application of ARB No. 51,
“Consolidated Financial Statements,” for certain entities in which
equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling
financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the
entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated
support from other parties. This Interpretation requires variable
interest entities (VIE’s) to be consolidated by the primary
beneficiary which represents the enterprise that will absorb the
majority of the VIE’s expected losses if they occur, receive a
majority of the VIE’s residual returns if they occur, or both.
Qualifying Special Purpose Entities (QSPE) are exempt from the
consolidation requirements of FIN 46. This Interpretation was
effective for VIE’s created after January 31, 2003 and for VIE’s in
which an enterprise obtains an interest after that date. In December
2003, the FASB issued Staff Interpretation No. 46R (FIN 46R),
“Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities — an interpretation of
ARB 51 (revised December 2003),” which replaces FIN 46. FIN
46R was primarily issued to clarify the required accounting for
interests in VIE’s. Additionally, this Interpretation exempts certain
entities from its requirements and provides for special effective dates
for enterprises that have fully or partially applied FIN 46 as of
December 24, 2003. Application of FIN 46R is required in
financial statements of public enterprises that have interests in
structures that are commonly referred to as special-purpose entities,
or SPE’s, for periods ending after December 15, 2003. Application
by public enterprises, other than small business issuers, for all other
types of VIE’s (i.e., non-SPE’s) is required in financial statements
for periods ending after March 15, 2004, with earlier adoption
permitted. The Bancorp early adopted the provisions of FIN 46 on
July 1, 2003. Through December 31, 2003 the Bancorp has
provided full credit recourse to an unrelated and unconsolidated
asset-backed SPE in conjunction with the sale and subsequent
leaseback of leased autos. The unrelated and unconsolidated asset-
backed SPE was formed for the sole purpose of participating in the
sale and subsequent lease-back transactions with the Bancorp. Based
on this credit recourse, the Bancorp is deemed to be the primary
beneficiary as it maintains the majority of the variable interests in
this SPE and was therefore required to consolidate the entity. Early
adoption of this Interpretation required the Bancorp to consolidate
these operating lease assets and a corresponding liability as well as
recognize an after-tax cumulative effect charge of $11 million ($.02
per diluted share) representing the difference between the carrying
value of the leased autos sold and the carrying value of the newly
consolidated obligation as of July 1, 2003. As of December 31,
2003, the outstanding balance of leased autos sold was
approximately $767 million.  Consolidation of these operating lease
assets did not impact risk-based capital ratios or bottom line income
statement trends; however lease payments on the operating lease
assets are now reflected as a component of other operating income
and depreciation expense is now reflected as a component of
operating expenses.  The Bancorp also early adopted the provisions
of FIN 46 related to the consolidation of two wholly-owned finance
entities involved in the issuance of trust preferred securities.
Effective July 1, 2003, the Bancorp deconsolidated the wholly-
owned issuing trust entities resulting in a recharacterization of the
underlying consolidated debt obligation from the previous trust

25

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

preferred securities obligations to the junior subordinated debenture
obligations that exist between the Bancorp and the issuing trust
entities. See Note 15 for discussion of certain guarantees that the
Bancorp has provided for the benefit of the wholly-owned issuing
trust entities related to their debt obligations.

The amortized cost and approximate fair value of securities at

December 31, 2003, by contractual maturity, are shown in the
following table. Actual maturities may differ from contractual matur-
ities when there exists a right to call or prepay obligations with or
without call or prepayment penalties.

2. Securities

Securities available-for-sale as of December 31:

2003

($ in millions)
U.S. Government
and agencies
obligations. . . . . 

Obligations of

states and political
subdivisions . . . . 

Agency mortgage-

backed
securities . . . . . . 

Other bonds,
notes and
debentures . . . . . 
Other securities. . . 
Total securities . . . 

($ in millions)
U.S. Government
and agencies
obligations. . . . . 

Obligations of

states and political
subdivisions . . . . 

Agency mortgage-

backed
securities . . . . . . 

Other bonds,
notes and
debentures . . . . . 
Other securities. . . 
Total securities . . . 

Amortized Unrealized Unrealized
Gains

Losses

Cost

Fair
Value

$ 4,715

922

15

55

(55)

4,675

—

977

21,101

163

(283)

20,981

1,401
937
$29,076

12
35
280

(10)
(9)
(357)

2002

Amortized Unrealized Unrealized
Gains

Losses

Cost

1,403
963
28,999

Fair
Value

$2,611

1,033

82

58

—

2,693

(1)

1,090

19,328

521

(16)

19,833

1,084
734
$24,790

21
26
708

(3)
(14)
(34)

1,102
746
25,464

Securities held-to-maturity as of December 31:

2003

($ in millions)
Obligations of

states and political
subdivisions . . . . 

Other debt

securities . . . . . . 
Total securities . . . 

($ in millions)
Obligations of

states and political
subdivisions . . . . 
Total securities . . . 

Amortized Unrealized Unrealized
Gains

Losses

Cost

$126

9
$135

—

—
—

—

—
—

2002

Amortized Unrealized Unrealized
Gains

Losses

Cost

Fair
Value

126

9
135

Fair
Value

$52
$52

—
—

—
—

52
52

26

($ in millions)
Debt securities:
. . 
Under 1 year 
1-5 years . . . . . . 
6-10 years . . . . . 
Over 10 years . . 
Other securities. . . 
Total securities . . . 

Available-for-Sale
Fair
Value

Amortized
Cost

Held-to-Maturity
Fair
Value

Amortized
Cost

$

110
3,544
3,036
21,449
937
$29,076

111
3,573
3,037
21,315
963
28,999

$ 13
3
81
38
—
$135

13
3
81
38
—
135

The following table provides the gross unrealized losses and fair

value, aggregated by investment category and length of time the
individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss
position, at December 31, 2003:

Less than 12 months

12 months or more

Total

Fair Unrealized

Losses

Fair Unrealized
Value

Losses

Fair Unrealized
Value

Losses

($ in millions) Value
U.S. Govern-
ment and 
agencies
obligations. . $ 2,967

Agency

mortgage-
backed 
securities. . .  12,868

(55)

—

— 2,967

(55)

(283)

Other bonds,
notes and 
debentures. . 

Other 

657

(9)

securities. . . 

36
Total . . . . . . $16,528

(3)
(350)

—

23

36
59

— 12,868

(283)

(1)

680

(10)

(6)
72
(7) 16,587

(9)
(357)

At December 31, 2003, 95% of the unrealized losses in the

available-for-sale security portfolio were comprised of securities issued
by U.S. Government agencies, U.S. Government sponsored agencies
and investment grade municipalities. The Bancorp believes that the
price movements in these securities are dependent upon the
movement in market interest rates particularly given the negligible
inherent credit risk for these securities. At December 31, 2003, the
percentage of unrealized losses in the available-for-sale security
portfolio represented by non-rated securities was 3%.

At December 31, 2003 and 2002, securities with a fair value of
$17.9 billion and $13.8 billion, respectively, were pledged to secure
borrowings, public deposits, trust funds and for other purposes as
required or permitted by law. Of the amount pledged by the
Bancorp at December 31, 2003, $2.1 billion represents encumbered
securities for which the secured party has the right to repledge.

Unrealized gains (losses) on trading securities held at December
31, 2003 and 2002 were not material to the Consolidated Financial
Statements.

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

3. Lease Financing

5. Bank Premises and Equipment

A summary of the gross investment in lease financing at December 31:

A summary of bank premises and equipment at December 31:

($ in millions)
Direct financing leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Leveraged leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total lease financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003
$4,978
2,161
$7,139

2002
5,005
1,619
6,624

The components of the investment in lease financing at December 31:

Estimated
Useful Life

($ in millions)
Land and improvements. . . . . . 
Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 to 50 yrs.
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3 to 20 yrs.
Leasehold improvements . . . . .  5 to 30 yrs.
Accumulated depreciation

2003
$ 273
858
723
118

2002
216
784
642
114

2003

2002

and amortization . . . . . . . . . 

(911)

(865)

($ in millions)
Rentals receivable, net of principal and

interest on nonrecourse debt . . . . . . . . . 
Estimated residual value of leased assets. . . 
Gross investment in lease financing. . . . . . 
Unearned income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net investment in lease financing . . . . . . . 

$4,917
2,222
7,139
(1,427)
$5,712

4,520
2,104
6,624
(1,262)
5,362

At December 31, 2003, the minimum future lease payments
receivable for each of the years 2004 through 2008 were $1,643
million, $1,434 million, $1,225 million, $850 million and $466
million, respectively.

4. Reserve For Credit Losses

Transactions in the reserve for credit losses for the years ended
December 31:

($ in millions)
Balance at January 1 . . . . . . . . . . 
Losses charged off. . . . . . . . . . . . 
Recoveries of losses previously

charged off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net charge-offs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision charged to operations. . 
Merger-related provision 

charged to operations. . . . . . . . 

Reserve of acquired institutions 

and other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance at December 31 . . . . . . . 

2003
$683
(380)

68
(312)
399

—

—
$770

2002
624
(273)

86
(187)
246

—

—
683

Impaired loan information, under SFAS No. 114, at 

December 31:

($ in millions)
Impaired loans with a valuation reserve . . . 
Impaired loans with no valuation reserve. . 
Total impaired loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Valuation reserve on impaired loans . . . . . 

2003
$182
23
$205
$ 40

2001
609
(309)

82
(227)
201

35

6
624

2002
180
40
220
56

Average impaired loans, net of valuation reserves, were $166
million in 2003, $163 million in 2002 and $142 million in 2001.
Cash basis interest income recognized on those loans during each of
the years was immaterial.

Total bank premises and

equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$1,061

891

Depreciation and amortization expense related to bank premises

and equipment was $106 million in 2003, $97 million in 2002
and $99 million in 2001.

Occupancy expense has been reduced by rental income from
leased premises of $14 million in 2003, $14 million in 2002 and
$16 million in 2001.

The Bancorp’s subsidiaries have entered into a number of
noncancelable lease agreements with respect to bank premises and
equipment. A summary of the minimum annual rental commit-
ments under noncancelable lease agreements for land and buildings
at December 31, 2003, exclusive of income taxes and other charges
payable by the lessee:

($ in millions)
2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2009 and subsequent years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Land and
Buildings
$ 42
35
32
29
24
114
$276

Rental expense for cancelable and noncancelable leases was $56
million for 2003, $48 million for 2002, and $57 million for 2001.

6. Operating Lease Equipment

Operating lease equipment primarily consists of automobiles leased
to customers, which are reported at cost, net of accumulated
depreciation. Upon the early adoption of FIN 46 on July 1, 2003,
the Bancorp was required to consolidate operating lease assets of an
unrelated and previously unconsolidated asset-backed SPE that was
formed for the sole purpose of participating in sale and subsequent
leaseback transactions with the Bancorp. See Note 1 for further
discussion of adoption of FIN 46.

Operating lease equipment at December 31, 2003 was $.8
billion, net of accumulated depreciation of $.5 billion. Depreciable
lives for operating lease equipment generally range from 3 years to
10 years.

The minimum future lease rental payments due from customers
on operating lease equipment at December 31, 2003, totaled $809
million, of which $452 million is due in 2004, $253 million in
2005, $100 million in 2006 and $4 million in 2007. Depreciation
expense related to operating lease equipment for the year ended
December 31, 2003 was $87 million.

27

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

7. Intangible Assets and Goodwill

Intangible assets consist of core deposits, acquired merchant processing
portfolios and servicing rights. Intangibles, excluding servicing right
assets, are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated
useful lives, generally over a period of up to 25 years. The Bancorp
reviews intangible assets for possible impairment whenever events or
changes in circumstances indicate that carrying amounts may not
be recoverable. 

Upon adoption of the amortization provisions of SFAS No. 142 on
January 1, 2002, the Bancorp discontinued the practice of amortizing
goodwill, which decreased operating expenses and increased net income
available to common shareholders as compared to 2001.

The following tables illustrate financial results on a pro forma
basis as if SFAS No. 142 were effective beginning January 1, 2001.

Results of operations for the year ended December 31:

As of December 31, 2003, all of the Bancorp’s intangible assets
were being amortized. Amortization expense of $216 million, $191
million, and $131 million respectively, was recognized on intangible
assets (including servicing rights) for the years ended December 31,
2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. 

Estimated amortization expense, including servicing rights, for

fiscal years 2004 through 2008 is as follows:

For the Years Ended December 31 ($ in millions)
2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$135
111
83
51
40

8. Servicing Rights

2003

2002

2001

Changes in capitalized servicing rights for the years ended
December 31:

($ in millions, except per share data)
Income From Continuing Operations 

Before Minority Interest 
and Cumulative Effect. . . . . . . . . 

Net Income Available to 

$1,742

1,669

1,133

Common Shareholders . . . . . . . . 
Earnings Per Diluted Share . . . . . . . 

$1,754
$ 3.03

1,634
2.76

1,127
1.92

The following table presents a reconciliation between originally
reported net income available to common shareholders for the year
ended December 31, 2001 and net income available to common
shareholders restated for the effects of SFAS No. 142:

($ in millions)
Net Income Available to Common 

Shareholders (as originally reported)  . . . . . . . 

Effect of Goodwill Amortization 

Expense, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net Income Available to Common 

Shareholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2001

$1,093

34

$1,127

Detail of amortizable intangible assets as of December 31:

($ in millions)
Mortgage Servicing Rights . . 
Other Consumer and 

Commercial Servicing 
Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Core Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . 
Merchant Processing 

Portfolios . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

($ in millions)
Mortgage Servicing Rights . . 
Core Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . 
Merchant Processing and

Credit Card Portfolios . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Gross Carrying
Amount
$  870

11
341

60
$1,282

Gross Carrying
Amount
$  800
341

66
$1,207

2003
Accumulated

Net

Amortization (a) Carrying Amount

581

1
181

25
788

2002
Accumulated

289

10
160

35
494

Net

Amortization (a) Carrying Amount

537
156

15
708

263
185

51
499

(a) Accumulated amortization for Mortgage Servicing Rights includes a $152 million
and $278 million valuation allowance at December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002,
respectively.

($ in millions)
Balance at January 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Amount capitalized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Amortization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Change in valuation reserve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance at December 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003
$ 263
217
(177)
(1)
(3)
$299

2002
426
140
(157)
(6)
(140)
263

Changes in the servicing rights valuation reserve for the years

ended December 31:

($ in millions)
Balance at January 1 . . . . . . . . . . 
Servicing valuation provision. . . . 
Permanent impairment write-off . . 
Balance at December 31 . . . . . . . 

2003
$(278)
(3)
129
$(152)

2002
(209)
(140)
71
(278)

2001
(10)
(199)
—
(209)

The Bancorp maintains a non-qualifying hedging strategy to
manage a portion of the risk associated with changes in impairment
on the mortgage servicing rights (MSR) portfolio. This strategy
includes the purchase of various securities (primarily FHLMC and
FNMA agency bonds, U.S. treasury bonds and principal only (PO)
strips) and the purchase of various free-standing derivatives (PO
swaps, swaptions, floors, forward contracts, options and interest rate
swaps). The interest income, mark-to-market adjustments and gain
or loss from sale activities in these portfolios are expected to
economically hedge a portion of the change in value of the MSR
portfolio caused by fluctuating discount rates, earnings rates and
prepayment speeds. The combined magnitude of decreasing interest
rates during the first six months of 2003 and subsequent increasing
interest rates in the last six months of 2003, led to the recognition of
a net $3 million in temporary impairment on the MSR portfolio in
2003. Significant decreases in primary and secondary mortgage
rates in 2002 led to an increase in prepayment speeds and
recognition of $140 million in temporary impairment. As
temporary impairment was recognized on the MSR portfolio in
2003 and 2002 due to falling primary and secondary mortgage rates
and earnings rates and corresponding increases in prepayment speeds,
the Bancorp sold certain of these securities resulting in net realized
gains of $3 million and $33 million in 2003 and 2002, respectively,
that were captured as a component of other operating income in the
Consolidated Statements of Income. In addition, the Bancorp

28

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

recognized a net gain of $15 million and $100 million in 2003 and
2002, respectively, related to changes in fair value and settlement of
free-standing derivatives purchased to economically hedge the MSR
portfolio.  The decline in net security gains from securities
purchased and designated under the non-qualifying hedging strategy
in 2003 compared to 2002 is due to increased reliance on free-
standing derivatives rather than available-for-sale securities as part of
the Bancorp’s overall hedging strategy. As of December 31, 2002,
the Bancorp’s available-for-sale security portfolio included $147
million of securities related to the non-qualifying hedging strategy.
As of December 31, 2003, the Bancorp no longer held any
available-for-sale securities related to its non-qualifying hedging
strategy. As of December 31, 2003 and 2002, other assets included
free-standing derivative instruments with a fair value of $8 million
and $37 million, respectively, on outstanding notional amounts
totaling $.9 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively.

The continued decline in primary and secondary mortgage rates
during 2002 and the first six months of 2003 led to historically high
refinance rates and corresponding increases in prepayment speeds.
Therefore, during 2003 and 2002, the Bancorp determined a portion
of the MSR portfolio was permanently impaired, resulting in write-
offs of $129 million and $71 million, respectively, in MSR’s against
the related valuation reserve. Impairment charges are captured as a
component of mortgage banking net revenue in the Consolidated
Statements of Income.

The fair value of capitalized servicing rights was $307 million
and $264 million at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively.
The Bancorp serviced $24.5 billion and $26.5 billion of residential
mortgage loans for other investors at December 31, 2003 and 2002,
respectively.

9. Derivatives

The Bancorp maintains an overall interest rate risk management
strategy that incorporates the use of derivative instruments to minimize
significant unplanned fluctuations in earnings and cash flows caused by
interest rate volatility. The Bancorp’s interest rate risk management
strategy involves modifying the re-pricing characteristics of certain assets
and liabilities so that changes in interest rates do not adversely affect the
net interest margin and cash flows. Derivative instruments that the
Bancorp may use as part of its interest rate risk management strategy
include interest rate swaps, interest rate floors, interest rate caps, forward
contracts, options and swaptions. Interest rate swap contracts are
exchanges of interest payments, such as fixed-rate payments for floating-
rate payments, based on a common notional amount and maturity
date. Forward contracts are contracts in which the buyer agrees to
purchase, and the seller agrees to make delivery of, a specific financial
instrument at a predetermined price or yield. Swaptions, which have
the features of a swap and an option, allow, but do not require,
counterparties to exchange streams of payments over a specified period
of time. As part of its overall risk management strategy relative to its
mortgage banking activities, the Bancorp may enter into various free-
standing derivatives (PO swaps, swaptions, floors, forward contracts,
options and interest rate swaps) to economically hedge interest rate lock
commitments and changes in fair value of its largely fixed rate MSR
portfolio. PO swaps are total return swaps based on changes in the
value of the underlying PO trust. The Bancorp also enters into foreign
exchange contracts, interest rate swaps, floors and caps for the benefit of
customers. The Bancorp economically hedges the significant exposures
related to these free-standing derivatives, entered into for the benefit of
customers, by entering into offsetting third-party contracts with

approved reputable counterparties with matching terms and
currencies that are generally settled daily. Credit risks arise from the
possible inability of counterparties to meet the terms of their
contracts and from any resultant exposure to movement in foreign
currency exchange rates, limiting the Bancorp’s exposure to the
replacement value of the contracts rather than the notional principal
of contract amounts. The Bancorp minimizes the credit risk
through credit approvals, limits and monitoring procedures. The
Bancorp will hedge its interest rate exposure on customer transactions
by executing offsetting swap agreements with primary dealers.

Fair Value Hedges
The Bancorp enters into interest rate swaps to convert its non-
prepayable, fixed-rate long-term debt to floating-rate debt. The
Bancorp’s practice is to convert fixed-rate debt to floating-rate debt.
Decisions to convert fixed-rate debt to floating are made primarily
by consideration of the asset/liability mix of the Bancorp, the
desired asset/liability sensitivity and by interest rate levels. For the
years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002, certain interest rate
swaps met the criteria required to qualify for the shortcut method of
accounting. Based on this shortcut method accounting treatment,
no ineffectiveness is assumed and fair value changes in the interest
rate swaps are recorded as changes in the value of both the swap and
the long-term debt. If any of the interest rate swaps do not qualify
for the shortcut method of accounting, the ineffectiveness due to
differences in the changes in the fair value of the interest rate swap
and the long-term debt are reported within interest expense in the
Consolidated Statements of Income. For the years ended December
31, 2003 and 2002, changes in the fair value of any interest rate
swaps attributed to hedge ineffectiveness were insignificant to the
Bancorp’s Consolidated Statements of Income. 

During 2003, the Bancorp terminated interest rate swaps
designated as fair value hedges and in accordance with SFAS No.
133, the fair value of the swaps at the date of termination was
recognized as a premium on the previously hedged long-term debt
and is being amortized over the remaining life of the long-term debt
as an adjustment to yield. The Bancorp had $54 million and $146
million of fair value hedges included in other assets in the
December 31, 2003 and 2002 Consolidated Balance Sheets,
respectively. 

The Bancorp also enters into forward contracts to hedge the
forecasted sale of its residential mortgage loans. For the years ended
December 31, 2003 and 2002, the Bancorp met certain criteria to
qualify for matched terms accounting on the hedged loans for sale.
Based on this treatment, fair value changes in the forward contracts
are recorded as changes in the value of both the forward contract
and loans held for sale in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The
Bancorp had $3 million and $25 million of fair value hedges
included in other liabilities in the December 31, 2003 and 2002
Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively.

As of December 31, 2003, there were no instances of designated

hedges no longer qualifying as fair value hedges. 

Cash Flow Hedges
The Bancorp enters into interest rate swaps to convert floating-rate
liabilities to fixed rates and to hedge certain forecasted transactions.
The liabilities are typically grouped and share the same risk exposure
for which they are being hedged. The Bancorp may also enter into
forward contracts to hedge certain forecasted transactions. As of
December 31, 2003 and 2002, $8 million and $17 million,

29

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

respectively, in deferred losses, net of tax, related to cash flow hedges
were recorded in accumulated nonowner changes in equity. Gains
and losses on derivative contracts that are reclassified from
accumulated nonowner changes in equity to current period earnings
are included in the line item in which the hedged item’s effect in
earnings is recorded. As of December 31, 2003, approximately $5
million in deferred losses, net of tax, on derivative instruments
included in accumulated nonowner changes in equity are expected to
be reclassified into earnings during the next twelve months. All
components of each derivative instrument’s gain or loss are included
in the assessment of hedge effectiveness.

The maximum term over which the Bancorp is hedging its
exposure to the variability of future cash flows is approximately 19
months for hedges converting floating-rate debt to fixed and 15
years for a hedge entered into to fix the purchase price of certain
securities available-for-sale. The Bancorp has approximately $7
million and $26 million of cash flow hedges related to the floating-
rate liabilities included in other liabilities in the December 31, 2003
and 2002 Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively.

For the year ended December 31, 2003, there were no cash flow

hedges that were discontinued related to forecasted transactions
deemed not probable of occurring. 

Free-Standing Derivative Instruments
The Bancorp enters into various derivative contracts that focus on
providing derivative products to commercial customers. These
derivative contracts are not designated against specific assets or
liabilities on the balance sheet or to forecasted transactions and,
therefore, do not qualify for hedge accounting. These instruments
include foreign exchange derivative contracts entered into for the
benefit of commercial customers involved in international trade to
hedge their exposure to foreign currency fluctuations and various other
derivative contracts for the benefit of commercial customers. The
Bancorp economically hedges significant exposures related to these
derivative contracts entered into for the benefit of customers by
entering into offsetting third-party forward contracts with approved
reputable counterparties with matching terms and currencies that are
generally settled daily. Interest rate lock commitments issued on
residential mortgage loan commitments that will be held for resale are
also considered free-standing derivative instruments. The interest rate
exposure on these commitments is economically hedged primarily with
forward contracts. The Bancorp also enters into a combination of free-
standing derivative instruments (PO swaps, swaptions, floors, forward
contracts, options and interest rate swaps) to economically hedge
changes in fair value of its largely fixed rate MSR portfolio.
Additionally, the Bancorp occasionally may enter into free-standing
derivative instruments (options) in order to minimize significant
fluctuations in earnings and cash flows caused by interest rate volatility.
The interest rate lock commitments and free-standing derivative
instruments related to the MSR portfolio are marked to market and
recorded as a component of mortgage banking net revenue, and the
foreign exchange derivative contracts, other customer derivative
contracts and interest rate risk derivative contracts are marked to
market and recorded within other service charges and fees in the
Consolidated Statements of Income. 

The net gains (losses) recorded in the Consolidated Statements of
Income relating to free-standing derivative instruments for the years
ended December 31 are summarized below:

($ in millions)
Foreign exchange contracts 

2003

2002

2001

for customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$35

25

Forward contracts and 

purchased options related to 
interest rate lock commitments . . . 
Free-standing derivative instruments 
related to MSR portfolio . . . . . . . . 
Free-standing derivative instruments 
related to interest rate risk . . . . . . . 

(1)

(2)

15

6

100

—

23

2

17

—

As of December 31, 2003, the Bancorp had approximately $234

million and $198 million of free-standing derivatives related to
commercial customer transactions (both foreign exchange related
contracts and other commercial customer related contracts) included
in other assets and other liabilities, respectively, in the Consolidated
Balance Sheet, and $66 million included in both other assets and
other liabilities in the December 31, 2002 Consolidated Balance
Sheet. The following table reflects all other free-standing derivatives
included within other assets at December 31:

($ in millions)
Forward contracts related to interest 
rate lock commitments . . . . . . . . . 
Free-standing derivative instruments 
related to MSR portfolio . . . . . . . . 
Free-standing derivative instruments 
related to interest rate risk . . . . . . . 

2003

$(1)

8

7

2002

—

37

—

The following table summarizes the Bancorp’s derivative activity

(excluding customer derivatives) at December 31, 2003:

Weighted-Average
Remaining 
Notional Maturity in
Balance

Months

Average
Receive
Rate

Average
Pay
Rate

($ in millions)
Interest Rate Swaps–
Receive Fixed/
Pay Floating . . . . . . 

Interest Rate Swaps–
Receive Floating/
Pay Fixed . . . . . . . . 

Mortgage Lending 
Commitments:
Forward Contracts . 
Interest Rate Lock 

Commitments . . 

Mortgage Servicing 
Rights Portfolio:

Principal Only Swaps
Interest Rate Swaps – 
Receive Fixed/Pay 
Floating . . . . . 
Purchased Options

Other:

Purchased Options . 
Sold Options . . . . . 

$2,300

421

796

377

181

88
680

400
400

84

19

2

1

22

125
3

11
11

5.7%

1.9%

1.1%

4.1%

—

—

—

5.1%
3.9%

4.8%
4.1%

—

—

1.3%

1.1%
—

—
—

The outstanding notional amounts related to commercial

customer contracts were approximately $9.4 billion as of December
31, 2003.

30

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

10. Short-Term Borrowings

11. Long-Term Borrowings

A summary of short-term borrowings and rates at December 31:

A summary of long-term borrowings at December 31:

($ in millions)
Federal funds purchased:

2003

Balance at year end . . .  $ 6,928
Rate at year end . . . . . 
Average outstanding . .  $ 7,001
Weighted-average

.91%

rate . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Maximum month-end

1.14%

balance . . . . . . . . . .  $ 7,768

Short-term bank notes:

Balance at year end . . .  $
Rate at year end . . . . . 
Average outstanding . .  $
Weighted-average

rate . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Maximum month-end

500
1.05%
22

1.06%

balance . . . . . . . . . .  $

500

Securities sold under
agreements to repurchase:

Balance at year end . . .  $ 5,718
Rate at year end . . . . . 
Average outstanding . .  $ 5,289
Weighted-average

.74%

rate . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Maximum month-end

1.03%

balance . . . . . . . . . .  $ 6,878

Other:

Balance at year end . . .  $
Rate at year end . . . . . 
Average outstanding . .  $
Weighted-average

rate . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Maximum month-end

24
.98%
61

1.19%

balance . . . . . . . . . .  $

154

Total short-term
borrowings:

Balance at year end . . .  $13,170
Rate at year end . . . . . 
Average outstanding . .  $12,373
Weighted-average

.84%

rate . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Maximum month-end

1.09%

2002

4,748
1.21
3,262

1.66

5,976

—
—
2

3.40

34

3,924
1.28
3,871

1.72

4,348

151
1.11
56

1.07

151

8,823
1.24
7,191

1.69

2001

2,544
1.75
3,682

4.21

6,303

34
3.57
10

2.13

34

4,854
1.76
5,097

4.00

5,189

21
3.65
10

3.98

21

7,453
1.60
8,799

4.08

balance . . . . . . . . . .  $14,020

10,134

10,113

Short-term senior notes with maturities ranging from 30 days to
one year can be issued by two subsidiary banks. As of December 31,
2003, one of the subsidiary banks had $500 million of floating rate
senior notes outstanding, due on December 16, 2004.  There were
no other short-term senior notes outstanding on either of the two
subsidiary banks as of December 31, 2003.

At December 31, 2003, the Bancorp had issued $4 million in

commercial paper, with unused lines of credit of $96 million
available to support commercial paper transactions and other
corporate requirements.

($ in millions)
Junior subordinated debentures,

2003

2002

8.136%, due 2027 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$  233

Junior subordinated debentures, three-

month LIBOR plus .80%, due 2027 . . . 

Subordinated notes,

6.625%, due 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Subordinated notes, 6.75%, due 2005 . . . 
Subordinated notes, years 1-5: 7.75%; 
years 6-10: one-month LIBOR plus 
1.16%, due 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Subordinated notes, 4.50%, due 2018 . . . 
Medium-term senior notes, 3.375% 

due 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Mandatorily redeemable securities, 

due 2031 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Federal Home Loan Bank advances. . . . . . 
Securities sold under agreements 

to repurchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial paper backed obligations . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total long-term borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . 

103

104
261

159
458

497

505
5,094

825
792
32
$9,063

241

100

106
263

163
—

—

—
5,686

1,597
—
23
8,179

The 8.136% Junior Subordinated Debentures due in 2027 were
issued by the Bancorp to Fifth Third Capital Trust I (FTCT1). The
Bancorp has fully and unconditionally guaranteed all of FTCT1's
obligations under trust preferred securities issued by FTCT1.
The three-month LIBOR plus .80% Junior Subordinated

Debentures due in 2027 were assumed by the Bancorp in
connection with the 2001 Old Kent merger. The obligations were
issued to Old Kent Capital Trust 1 (OKCT1). The Bancorp has
fully and unconditionally guaranteed all of OKCT1's obligations
under trust preferred securities issued by OKCT1.

Upon the early adoption of FIN 46 effective July 1, 2003, the
Bancorp deconsolidated both FTCT1 and OKCT1 resulting in a
recharacterization of the underlying consolidated debt obligations
from the previous trust preferred securities obligations to Junior
Subordinated Debenture obligations. The Junior Subordinated
Debenture obligations both qualify as total capital for regulatory
capital purposes.

The 6.625% Subordinated Notes due in 2005 are unsecured
obligations of a subsidiary bank. Interest is payable semi-annually and
the notes partially qualify as total capital for regulatory capital
purposes.

The 6.75% Subordinated Notes due in 2005 are unsecured

obligations of a subsidiary bank. Interest is payable semi-annually and
the notes partially qualify as total capital for regulatory capital
purposes.

The 7.75% (years 1-5); one-month LIBOR + 1.16% (years 6-10)

Subordinated Notes due 2010 are unsecured obligations of a
subsidiary bank. Interest is payable semi-annually and the notes may
also be redeemed on the semi-annual interest payment date. The
notes qualify as total capital for regulatory capital purposes.

The 4.50% Subordinated Notes due in 2018 are unsecured
obligations of a subsidiary bank. Interest is payable semi-annually
and the notes qualify as total capital for regulatory capital purposes.
The 3.375% Medium-Term Senior Notes due in 2008 are
unsecured obligations of a subsidiary bank with interest payable
semi-annually.

31

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

The Mandatorily Redeemable Securities due 2031 relate to an
obligation of an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bancorp.
Upon the adoption of SFAS No. 150 on July 1, 2003, the Bancorp
reclassified its previous minority interest obligation to long-term
borrowings due to the existence of a mandatory redemption feature.
See Note 12 for further discussion of this obligation.

At December 31, 2003, Federal Home Loan Bank advances

have rates ranging from .97% to 8.34%, with interest payable
monthly. The advances were secured by certain residential
mortgage loans and securities totaling $8.3 billion. The advances
mature as follows: $204 million in 2004, $511 million in 2005,
$111 million in 2006, $1,844 million in 2007, $2,424 million in
2008 and thereafter. 

At December 31, 2003, securities sold under agreements to
repurchase have rates ranging from 5.08% to 7.26%, with interest
payable monthly. The repurchase agreements mature as follows:
$25 million in 2004 and $800 million in 2008 and thereafter.
The floating rate commercial paper backed obligations are

rolling in nature and mature through 2005 and were recognized as a
result of the early adoption of FIN 46 and related consolidation of
an unrelated SPE involved in the sale and subsequent leaseback of
certain automobile operating lease assets with the Bancorp. See Note
1 for further discussion of adoption of FIN 46. 

Medium-term senior notes and subordinated bank notes with
maturities ranging from one year to 30 years can be issued by two
subsidiary banks, of which $497 million was outstanding at December
31, 2003. There were no other medium-term senior notes outstanding
on either of the two subsidiary banks as of December 31, 2003.
During January 2004, a subsidiary of the Bancorp issued a total of
$1.1 billion of medium-term bank notes with maturities ranging from
18 months to 3 years.

12. Minority Interest

During 2001, a subsidiary of the Bancorp issued $425 million of
preferred stock through a private placement. The preferred stock
qualified as Tier 1 capital for regulatory capital purposes. The
preferred stock will be exchanged for trust preferred securities in
2031. The Bancorp has the ability to exchange the preferred stock
for trust preferred securities or cash prior to 2031, subject to
regulatory approval, beginning five years from the date of issuance,
upon a change in the Bancorp’s long-term debt credit rating to BBB
or below, upon the investor changing tax elections or upon a change
in applicable tax law. Through June 30, 2003, annual dividend
returns to the preferred stock holder were reflected as minority
interest expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
Adoption of SFAS No. 150 on July 1, 2003 resulted in the
reclassification of the preferred stock to long-term debt and its
corresponding minority interest expense to interest expense. The
preferred stock continues to qualify as Tier 1 capital for regulatory
capital purposes. See Note 1 for further discussion of adoption of
SFAS No. 150.

13. Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

The Bancorp, in the normal course of business, uses derivatives to
manage its interest rate risks and prepayment risks and to meet the
financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments
primarily include commitments to extend credit, standby and
commercial letters of credit, foreign exchange contracts, commitments
to sell residential mortgage loans, interest rate swap agreements,
interest rate floors and caps, principal only swaps, purchased and
sold options and interest rate lock commitments. These instruments

involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk, counterparty risk
and market risk in excess of the amounts recognized in the Bancorp’s
Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2003, 100% of
the Bancorp’s non-customer related counterparty derivatives
exposure was to investment grade companies. The contract or
notional amounts of these instruments reflect the extent of
involvement the Bancorp has in particular classes of financial
instruments.

Creditworthiness for all instruments is evaluated on a case-by-
case basis in accordance with the Bancorp’s credit policies. Collateral,
if deemed necessary, is based on management’s credit evaluation of
the counterparty and may include business assets of commercial
borrowers, as well as personal property and real estate of individual
borrowers and guarantors.

A summary of significant commitments and other financial

instruments at December 31:

($ in millions)
Commitments to extend credit . . . . . . . . . . 
Letters of credit (including

standby letters of credit) . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Foreign exchange contracts:

Spots –

Commitments to buy. . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commitments to sell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Forwards –

Commitments to buy. . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commitments to sell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Options –

Commitments to buy. . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Commitments to sell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Commitments to sell

residential mortgage loans . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest rate swap agreements . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest rate floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest rate caps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Principal only swaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Purchased options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Options sold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest rate lock commitments. . . . . . . . . 

Contract or 
Notional Amount

2003
$25,406

2002
21,667

4,908

4,015

66
75

1,957
1,993

240
240

796
7,280
24
376
181
1,080
400
377

133
100

1,133
1,157

121
121

2,543
4,824
46
201
386
1,491
—
1,200

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend, generally
having fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses that may
require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments to extend
credit may expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment
amounts do not necessarily represent future cash flow requirements.
The Bancorp’s exposure to credit risk in the event of nonperformance
by the other party is the contract amount. Fixed-rate commitments
are subject to market risk resulting from fluctuations in interest rates
and the Bancorp’s exposure is limited to the replacement value of
those commitments.

Standby and commercial letters of credit are conditional

commitments issued to guarantee the performance of a customer to
a third party. At December 31, 2003, approximately $1,822 million
of standby letters of credit expire within one year, $2,855 million
expire between one to five years and $197 million expire thereafter.
At December 31, 2003, letters of credit of approximately $34
million were issued to commercial customers for a duration of one
year or less to facilitate trade payments in domestic and foreign
currency transactions. The amount of credit risk involved in
issuing letters of credit in the event of nonperformance by the other

32

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

party is the contract amount.

Foreign exchange contracts are for future delivery or purchase of
foreign currency at a specified price. As of December 31, 2003, the
Bancorp had entered into various foreign exchange (F/X) related
derivative instruments (F/X spots, F/X forwards, F/X options) with
commercial customers. Risks arise from the possible inability of
counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts and from any
resultant exposure to movement in foreign currency exchange rates,
limiting the Bancorp’s exposure to the replacement value of the
contracts rather than the notional amounts. The Bancorp generally
reduces its market risk for foreign exchange contracts by entering into
offsetting third-party forward contracts. The foreign exchange
contracts outstanding at December 31, 2003 generally mature in
one year or less.

The Bancorp enters into forward contracts for future delivery of
residential mortgage loans at a specified yield to reduce the interest
rate risk associated with fixed-rate residential mortgages held for sale
and commitments to fund residential mortgage loans. Credit risk
arises from the possible inability of the other parties to comply with
the contract terms. The majority of the Bancorp’s forward contracts
are to-be-announced securities backed by U.S. Government-
sponsored agencies (FNMA, FHLMC) with investment grade
companies.

The Bancorp manages a portion of the risk of the mortgage

servicing rights portfolio with a combination of derivatives.
Throughout 2003, the Bancorp entered into principal only swaps
and interest rate swaps and purchased and sold various options on
interest rate swaps. See Note 9 for the notional amounts, average
receive rate and average pay rate for the mortgage servicing rights
portfolio related derivatives at December 31, 2003.

The Bancorp also enters into interest rate swaps to convert

certain fixed-rate long-term debt to floating-rate debt and to convert
certain floating-rate debt to fixed-rate debt. See Note 9 for the
notional amounts, average receive rate and average pay rate on
interest rate swap derivative contracts at December 31, 2003.

As of December 31, 2003, the Bancorp had also entered into

various interest rate related derivative instruments (interest rate
swaps, interest rate floors and interest rate caps) with commercial
clients with an aggregate notional amount of $2.4 billion. The
Bancorp has hedged its interest rate exposure with commercial
clients by executing offsetting swap agreements with other
derivatives dealers. These transactions involve the exchange of fixed
and floating interest rate payments without the exchange of the
underlying principal amounts. Therefore, while notional principal
amounts are typically used to express the volume of these
transactions it does not represent the much smaller amounts that
are potentially subject to credit risk.  Entering into interest rate
swap agreements involves the risk of dealing with counterparties
and their ability to meet the terms of the contract. The Bancorp
controls the credit risk of these transactions through adherence to a
derivatives products policy, credit approval policies and monitoring
procedures.

Interest rate lock commitments represent interest rate locks on
fixed-rate residential mortgage loan commitments that will be held
for sale. The interest rate exposure related to these interest rate lock
commitments is economically hedged primarily with forward
contracts. See Note 9 for the notional amounts and the weighted-
average remaining maturity in months on interest rate lock
commitments outstanding at December 31, 2003.

There are claims pending against the Bancorp and its subsidiaries

which have arisen in the normal course of business. Based on a

review of such litigation with legal counsel, management believes
any resulting liability would not have a material effect upon the
Bancorp’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

14. Legal and Regulatory Proceedings

During 2003, eight putative class action complaints were filed in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
against the Bancorp and certain of its officers alleging violations of
federal securities laws related to disclosures made by the Bancorp
regarding its integration of Old Kent and its effect on the Bancorp’s
infrastructure, including internal controls, and prospects and related
matters. The complaints seek unquantified damages on behalf of
putative classes of persons who purchased the Bancorp’s common
stock, attorneys’ fees and other expenses. Management believes there
are substantial defenses to these lawsuits and intends to defend them
vigorously. The impact of the final disposition of these lawsuits
cannot be assessed at this time.

The Bancorp and its subsidiaries are not parties to any other
material litigation other than those arising in the normal course of
business. While it is impossible to ascertain the ultimate resolution
or range of financial liability with respect to these contingent
matters, management believes any resulting liability from these
other actions would not have a material effect upon the Bancorp’s
consolidated financial position or results of operations.

On March 27, 2003, the Bancorp announced that it and Fifth
Third Bank had entered into a Written Agreement with the Federal
Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the State of Ohio Department of
Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions, which outlines a
series of steps to address and strengthen the Bancorp’s risk
management processes and internal controls.  These steps include
independent third-party reviews and the submission of written plans
in a number of areas. These areas include the Bancorp’s
management, corporate governance, internal audit, account
reconciliation procedures and policies, information technology and
strategic planning. The Bancorp has submitted all documentation
and information currently required by the Written Agreement,
including all independent third-party reviews. The Bancorp has
largely completed the staffing of its Risk Management group and
has supplemented the size and expertise of the Internal Audit group.
The Bancorp believes the improvement of these areas, as well as
others described in the Written Agreement, is nearly completed.
The Bancorp is continuing to work in cooperation with the Federal
Reserve Bank and the State of Ohio and is devoting its attention to
assisting the Regulators in verifying this progress. The Bancorp is
targeting to accomplish this verification during the first quarter of
2004.

On November 12, 2002, the Bancorp was informed by a letter
from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission)
that the Commission was conducting an informal investigation
regarding the after-tax charge of $54 million reported in the
Bancorp’s Form 8-K dated September 10, 2002 and the existence or
effects of weaknesses in financial controls in the Bancorp’s Treasury
and/or Trust operations. The Bancorp has responded to all of the
Commission’s requests. 

In December of 2003, the Bancorp completed the merger of its

Fifth Third Bank, Kentucky, Inc., Fifth Third Bank, Northern
Kentucky, Inc., Fifth Third Bank, Indiana and Fifth Third Bank,
Florida subsidiary banks with and into Fifth Third Bank
(Michigan). Although these mergers changed the legal structure of
the subsidiary banks, there were no significant changes to the
Bancorp’s affiliate structure or operating model.

33

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

15. Guarantees

The Bancorp has performance obligations upon the occurrence of
certain events under financial guarantees provided in certain contractual
arrangements. These various arrangements are summarized below.  
At December 31, 2003, the Bancorp had issued approximately
$4.9 billion of financial and performance standby letters of credit to
guarantee the performance of various customers to third parties.
The maximum amount of credit risk in the event of
nonperformance by these parties is equivalent to the contract
amount and totals $4.9 billion. Upon issuance, the Bancorp
recognizes a liability equivalent to the amount of fees received from
the customer for these standby letter of credit commitments. At
December 31, 2003, the Bancorp maintained a credit loss reserve of
approximately $24 million related to these financial standby letters
of credit. Approximately 81% of the total standby letters of credit
are secured and in the event of nonperformance by the customers,
the Bancorp has rights to the underlying collateral provided
including commercial real estate, physical plant and property,
inventory, receivables, cash and marketable securities.

Through December 31, 2003, the Bancorp had transferred,
subject to credit recourse, certain primarily fixed-rate and short-term
investment grade commercial loans to an unconsolidated QSPE that
is wholly owned by an independent third-party. The outstanding
balance of such loans at December 31, 2003 was approximately
$1.8 billion. These loans may be transferred back to the Bancorp
upon the occurrence of an event specified in the legal documents
that established the QSPE. These events include borrower default
on the loans transferred, bankruptcy preferences initiated against
underlying borrowers and ineligible loans transferred by the
Bancorp to the QSPE. The maximum amount of credit risk in the
event of nonperformance by the underlying borrowers is
approximately equivalent to the total outstanding balance. The
maximum amount of credit risk at December 31, 2003 was $1.8
billion. The outstanding balances are generally secured by the
underlying collateral that include commercial real estate, physical
plant and property, inventory, receivables, cash and marketable
securities. Given the investment grade nature of the loans
transferred as well as the underlying collateral security provided, the
Bancorp has not maintained any loss reserve related to these loans
transferred.

At December 31, 2003, the Bancorp had provided credit
recourse on approximately $559 million of residential mortgage
loans sold to unrelated third parties. In the event of any customer
default, pursuant to the credit recourse provided, the Bancorp is
required to reimburse the third party. The maximum amount of
credit risk in the event of nonperformance by the underlying
borrowers is equivalent to the total outstanding balance of $559
million. In the event of nonperformance, the Bancorp has rights to
the underlying collateral value attached to the loan. Consistent with
its overall approach in estimating credit losses for various categories
of residential mortgage loans held in its loan portfolio, the Bancorp
maintains an estimated credit loss reserve of approximately $14
million relating to these residential mortgage loans sold. 

As of December 31, 2003, the Bancorp has also fully and
unconditionally guaranteed $336 million of certain long-term
borrowing obligations issued by two wholly-owned issuing trust
entities that have been deconsolidated upon the early adoption of
the provisions of FIN 46. See Note 1 for further discussion of
adoption of FIN 46.

During 2003, the Bancorp, through its electronic payment
processing division, processed VISA® and MasterCard® merchant

34

card transactions. Pursuant to VISA® and MasterCard® rules, the
Bancorp assumes certain contingent liabilities relating to these
transactions which typically arise from billing disputes between the
merchant and cardholder that are ultimately resolved in the
cardholder’s favor. In such cases, these transactions are “charged
back” to the merchant and disputed amounts are refunded to the
cardholder. In the event that the Bancorp is unable to collect these
amounts from the merchant, it will bear the loss for refunded
amounts. The likelihood of incurring a contingent liability arising
from chargebacks is relatively low, as most products or services are
delivered when purchased, and credits are issued on returned items.
For the year ended December 31, 2003, the Bancorp processed
approximately $109 million of chargebacks presented by issuing
banks resulting in actual losses to the Bancorp of approximately $4
million. The Bancorp accrues for probable losses based on historical
experience and maintains an estimated credit loss reserve of
approximately $1 million at December 31, 2003.

Fifth Third Securities, Inc (FTS), a subsidiary of the Bancorp,
guarantees the collection of all margin account balances held by its
brokerage clearing agent for the benefit of FTS customers.  FTS is
responsible for payment to its brokerage clearing agent for any loss,
liability, damage, cost or expense incurred as a result of customers
failing to comply with margin or margin maintenance calls on all
margin accounts. The margin account balance held by the brokerage
clearing agent as of December 31, 2003 was $51 million. In the
event of any customer default, FTS has rights to the underlying
collateral provided. Given certain FTS margin account
relationships were in place prior to January 1, 2003 and the
existence of the underlying collateral provided as well as the
negligible historical credit losses, FTS does not maintain any loss
reserve.

16. Related Party Transactions

At December 31, 2003 and 2002, certain directors, executive officers,
principal holders of Bancorp common stock and associates of such
persons were indebted, including undrawn commitments to lend, to
the Bancorp’s banking subsidiaries in the aggregate amount, net of
participations, of $385 million and $486 million, respectively. As of
December 31, 2003 and 2002, the outstanding balance on loans to
related parties, net of participations and undrawn commitments, was
$118 million and $160 million, respectively. 

Commitments to lend to related parties as of December 31, 2003,

net of participations, were comprised of $364 million in loans and
guarantees for various business and personal interests made to the
Bancorp and subsidiary directors and $21 million to certain executive
officers. This indebtedness was incurred in the ordinary course of
business on substantially the same terms as those prevailing at the
time of comparable transactions with unrelated parties.

None of the Bancorp’s affiliates, officers, directors or employees

has an interest in or receives any remuneration from any special
purpose entities or qualified special purpose entities with which the
Bancorp transacts business.

17. Nonowner Changes in Equity

The Bancorp has elected to present the disclosures required by SFAS
No. 130, “Reporting Comprehensive Income,” in the Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity on page 19. The
caption “Net Income and Nonowner Changes in Equity” represents
total comprehensive income as defined in the Statement. Disclosure
of the reclassification adjustments, related tax effects allocated to

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

nonowner changes in equity and accumulated nonowner changes in
equity as of and for the years ended December 31:

2003

2002

2001

($ in millions)
Reclassification adjustment, pretax:
Change in unrealized net gains 
(losses) arising during year . . 
Reclassification adjustment for net 
gains included in net income. . 
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 
on securities available-for-sale

$(667) 

(84)

$(751)

Related tax effects:

Change in unrealized net gains 
(losses) arising during year . . 
Reclassification adjustment for net 
gains included in net income. . 
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 
on securities available-for-sale
Reclassification adjustment, net of tax:

$(234)

(30)

$(264) 

Change in unrealized net gains 
(losses) arising during year . . 
Reclassification adjustment for net 
gains included in net income. . 
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 
on securities available-for-sale

$(433)

(54)

$(487)

Accumulated nonowner changes in equity:

793

(147)

646

277

(51)

226

516

(96)

420

Beginning balance — 

Unrealized net gains on 
securities available-for-sale . . 
Current period change . . . . . . 
Ending balance — 

Unrealized gains (losses) on 
securities available-for-sale . . 

Beginning balance — 

Unrealized net losses on 
qualifying cash flow hedges . . 

Current period change, net of
tax of $5 million, and tax 
benefit of $3 million and $6
million, respectively. . . . . . . 

Ending balance — 

Unrealized net losses on 
qualifying cash flow hedges, net
of tax benefit of $4 million, 
$9 million and $6 million,
respectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Beginning balance —

Minimum pension liability . . 
Current period change, net of 
tax benefit of $6 million and 
$28 million, respectively . . . 
Ending balance — Minimum 
pension liability, net of tax 
benefit of $34 million and 
$28 million, respectively . . . 

$(438)
(487)

18
420

$(49)

438

$(17)

(10)

$(8)

$(52)

(17)

—

(11)

(52)

$(63)

(52)

Ending balance — 

Unrealized net gains (losses) on 
securities available-for-sale . . 

Unrealized net losses on

qualifying cash flow hedges . . 
Minimum pension liability . . . 
Accumulated nonowner

$(49)

(8)
(63)

changes in equity . . . . . . . . 

$(120)

438

(17)
(52)

369

156

(171)

(15)

61

(66)

(5)

95

(105)

(10)

28
(10)

18

—

18. Common Stock and Treasury Stock

The following is a summary of the share activity within common
stock issued and treasury stock for the years ended December 31:

(shares in millions)
Shares at December 31, 2000 . . . . . . . . . . 
Conversion of subordinated debentures 

to common stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Stock options exercised . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Stock issued in acquisitions and other . . . . 
Shares at December 31, 2001 . . . . . . . . . . 
Shares acquired for treasury . . . . . . . . . . . 
Stock options exercised, including treasury

shares issued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Shares at December 31, 2002 . . . . . . . . . . 
Shares acquired for treasury . . . . . . . . . . . 
Stock options exercised, including treasury

shares issued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Shares at December 31, 2003 . . . . . . . . . . 

Common Treasury 

Stock
569

5
4
5
583
—

—
583
—

—
583

Stock

—

—
—
—
—
12

(3)
9
12

(4)
17

19. Stock Options and Employee Stock Grants

The Bancorp has historically emphasized employee stock ownership.
Accordingly, the Bancorp encourages further ownership through
granting stock options to approximately 26% of its employees,
including approximately 5,000 officers. Share grants represented
approximately 1.1%, 1.1%, and 1.2% of average outstanding shares
in 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Based on total stock options
outstanding and shares remaining for future option grants under
the 1998 Long Term Incentive Stock Plan, the Bancorp’s total
overhang is approximately eight percent.

The following provides detail of the number of shares to be
issued upon exercise of outstanding options and remaining shares
available for future issuance under all of the Bancorp's equity
compensation plans, as of December 31, 2003:

Number of Shares Weighted-
Number of Shares
to Be Issued Upon Average Exercise Remaining Available
for Future Issuance
Price of
Outstanding
Under Equity
CompensationPlans(d)
Options

Exercise of
Outstanding
Options

Plan Category (in thousands)
Equity compensation plans 

approved by shareholders . . 
Equity compensation plans not 
approved by shareholders . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

38,530

—(b)
38,530

$44.82

—(b)
$44.82

2,499 (a)

1,000 (c)
3,499

(a) Includes .5 million shares issuable relating to deferred stock compensation plans.

(b) Excludes 2.2 million outstanding options awarded under plans assumed by the
Bancorp in connection with certain mergers and acquisitions. The Bancorp has not
made any awards under these plans and will make no additional awards under these
plans. The weighted-average exercise price of the outstanding options is $36.99 per share.

(c) Represents remaining shares of Fifth Third common stock under the Bancorp’s
1993 Stock Purchase Plan, as amended and restated.

(d) Excludes shares to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options.

(10)

—

—

—

18

(10)
—

8

35

9

(7)

(10)

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Options are eligible for issuance under the Bancorp’s 1998 Long

Term Incentive Stock Plan to key employees and directors of the
Bancorp and its subsidiaries. Option grants are at fair market value at
the date of grant, have up to ten year terms and vest and become fully
exercisable at the end of three to four years of continued employment.
The Bancorp applies the provisions of APB Opinion No. 25 in
accounting for stock based compensation plans. Under APB Opinion
No. 25, because the exercise price of the Bancorp’s stock option
grants equals the market price of the underlying stock on the date of
the grant, no compensation cost is recognized. A summary of option
transactions during the years ended December 31:

2003

2002

2001

Average
Shares Option
(000’s) Price

Average
Shares Option
Price
(000’s)

Average
Shares Option
Price
(000’s)

Outstanding
beginning
of year . . .  39,030 $41.85 36,735
Exercised. . .  (3,843) 27.25 (3,736)
(533)
Expired . . . . 
6,564
Granted . . .  6,498
Outstanding
end of
year . . . . .  40,727 $44.40 39,030

(958) 58.61
51.88

Exercisable
end of
year . . . . .  30,574 $40.46 29,935

$36.27 33,034
30.73 (4,010)
(565)
53.97
8,276
67.68

$32.90
31.39
45.43
51.94

$41.85 36,735

$36.27

$36.96 27,568

$32.59

At December 31, 2003, there were 17 million incentive options

and 23.7 million non-qualified options outstanding, and 1.9
million shares were available for granting additional options.
Options outstanding represent 7% of the Bancorp’s issued shares at
December 31, 2003.

Exercise Price
per Share

Lowest Highest
Price
Price
Under $11 $ 8.62 $10.88
24.90
$11-$25
39.96
$25-$40
54.99
$40-$55
Over $55
68.76
All Options $ 8.62 $68.76

11.06
25.22
40.17
55.01

Outstanding Stock Options
Number of Weighted- Average
Options at
Year End
(000’s)
814
6,458
5,383
21,019
7,053
40,727

Weighted-
Average Remaining Number of Average
Exercise
Exercise Contractual Options
Price
(000’s)
Life (yrs)
Price
$10.29
0.7
$10.29
814
18.66
6,458
2.8
18.66
36.16
5,363
4.4
36.16
46.97
14,268
7.0
48.38
66.50
3,671
8.2
66.34
$40.46
30,574
6.1
$44.40

The Bancorp sponsors a Stock Purchase Plan which allows
substantially all qualifying employees to purchase shares of the
Bancorp’s common stock at a ten percent discount from market
price. During the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002 and
2001, respectively, there were 194,133, 157,308 and 118,605
shares purchased by participants and the Bancorp recognized
compensation expense of $1 million in all three years related to the
discount from market price.

20. Other Service Charges And Fees and Other

Operating Expenses

The major components of Other Service Charges and Fees and
Other Operating Expenses for the years ended December 31:

2003

2002

2001

($ in millions)
Other Service Charges and Fees:

Cardholder fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer loan and lease fees . . . 
Commercial banking revenue . . . 
Bank owned life insurance 

income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Insurance income . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Gain on sale of branches. . . . . . . 
Gain on sale of property and 

casualty insurance 
product lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 59
65
178

62
28
—

—
189

Total Other Service Charges 

and Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$581

Other Operating Expenses:

Marketing and 

communications . . . . . . . . . . . 
Postal and courier . . . . . . . . . . . 
Bankcard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Intangible and goodwill 

amortization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Franchise and other taxes . . . . . . 
Loan and lease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Printing and supplies . . . . . . . . . 
Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Data processing and operations. . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Other Operating Expenses . . 

$ 99
49
169

40
33
106
35
35
103
276
$945

51
70
157

62
55
7

26
152

580

96
48
142

37
24
91
37
38
82
291
886

50
59
125

52
49
43

—
164

542

102
50
103

71
18
62
40
34
70
210
760

During 2003 and 2002, the Bancorp sold fixed and adjustable rate
residential mortgage loans in securitization transactions and in 2003
securitized and sold certain home equity lines of credit. In all those
sales, the Bancorp retained servicing responsibilities. In addition, the
Bancorp retained a residual interest during a 2003 securitization
transaction and an interest-only strip (IO strip) and a subordinated
interest in a 2002 securitization transaction. The Bancorp receives
annual servicing fees at a percentage of the outstanding balance and
rights to future cash flows arising after the investors in the
securitization trusts have received the return for which they
contracted. The investors and the securitization trusts have no
recourse to the Bancorp’s other assets for failure of debtors to pay
when due. The Bancorp’s retained interests are subordinate to
investor’s interests. Their value is subject to credit, prepayment and
interest rate risks on the sold financial assets. In 2003 and 2002, the
Bancorp recognized pretax gains of $340 million and $269 million,
respectively, on the sales of residential mortgage loans and home
equity lines of credit. Total proceeds from residential mortgage loan
and home equity line of credit sales in 2003 and 2002 were $16.0
billion and $9.9 billion, respectively.

36

Exercisable Options

21. Sales and Transfers of Loans

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Initial carrying values of retained interests recognized during

2003 and 2002 were as follows:

($ in millions)
Mortgage Servicing Assets . . . . . 
Other Consumer and

Commercial Servicing Assets . . 
Consumer Residual Interests . . . 
IO Strips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Subordinated Interests . . . . . . . . 

2003
$206

$ 11
$ 29
$ —
$ —

2002
140

—
—
3
22

Key economic assumptions used in measuring the retained
interests at the date of securitization resulting from securitizations
completed during 2003 and 2002 were as follows:

2003

Mortgage Servicing Asset
Fixed-Rate
15.5%

Adjustable
31.9

Other Consumer Consumer
and Commercial Residual
Interest
Servicing Assets
Adjustable
Adjustable
40
40

6.2

3.3

9.8%

10.7

—%

—

2.1

12.0

—

2.1

11.7

.35

2002

Mortgage Servicing Asset
Adjustable
Fixed-Rate
30.1
22.7%

4.6

3.1

9.1%

11.0

—%

—

Interest-Only Subordinated

Strips
65

.89

—

—

Interest
35

2.83

—

.9

Prepayment speed. . . . 
Weighted-average life 
(in years) . . . . . . . 
Residual servicing cash 
flows discounted at. . 

Weighted-average

default rate . . . . . . . . 

Prepayment speed. . . . 
Weighted-average life 
(in years) . . . . . . . 
Residual servicing cash 
flows discounted at. . 

Weighted-average

default rate . . . . . . . . 

Based on historical credit experience, expected credit losses and

the effect of an unfavorable change in credit losses for servicing
rights and IO strips have been deemed to not be material.

At December 31, 2003, key economic assumptions and the

sensitivity of the current fair value of residual cash flows to
immediate 10 percent and 20 percent adverse changes in those
assumptions are as follows:

Mortgage 
Servicing Asset
Fixed-Rate Adjustable

Other Consumer Consumer
Residual
and Commercial
Interest
Servicing Assets
Adjustable
Adjustable

Interest-
Only
Strips

Subordinated
Interests

$267

29

11

32

1

55

(in millions)
Fair value of 
retained 
interests . . . . 

Weighted-

4.8

2.6

2.4

2.0

1.7

1.6

average life 
(in years) . . . 
Prepayment speed 
assumption
(annual rate) . 
Impact on fair value 
of 10% adverse 
change. . . . . 
Impact on fair value 
of 20% adverse 
change. . . . . 
Residual servicing cash 
flows discount rate 
(annual) . . . . 
Impact on fair value 
of 10% adverse 
change. . . . . 
Impact on fair value 
of 20% adverse 
change. . . . . 
Weighted-average
default rate . . 
Impact on fair value 
of 10% adverse 
change. . . . . 
Impact on fair value 
of 20% adverse 
change. . . . . 

$ 14

$ 27

$

7

$ 13

$ —

$ —

22% 45

40

40

2

4

1

1

3

6

42

—

1

9.9% 11.2

12.0

11.7 —

—.% —

1

1

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1

1

.35

1

1

—

—

—

—

—

46

—

—

—

—

—

.9

1

1

These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with

caution. As the figures indicate, changes in fair value based on a 10%
variation in assumptions generally cannot be extrapolated because the
relationship of the change in assumption to the change in fair value
may not be linear. Also, in the above table, the effect of a variation in a
particular assumption on the fair value of the retained interest is
calculated without changing any other assumption; in reality, changes
in one factor may result in changes in another (for example, increases
in market interest rates may result in lower prepayments and increased
credit losses), which might magnify or counteract the sensitivities.

During 2003 and 2002, the Bancorp transferred, subject to credit
recourse, certain commercial loans to an unconsolidated QSPE that is
wholly owned by an independent third party. At December 31, 2003
and 2002, the outstanding balance of loans transferred was $1.8
billion. The commercial loans transferred to the QSPE are primarily
fixed-rate and short-term investment grade in nature. Generally, the
loans transferred, due to their investment grade nature, provide a lower
yield and therefore transferring these loans to the QSPE allows the
Bancorp to reduce its exposure to these lower yielding loan assets and
at the same time maintain these customer relationships. These
commercial loans are transferred at par with no gain or loss recognized.
The Bancorp receives rights to future cash flows arising after the
investors in the securitization trust have received the return for which
they contracted. Due to the relatively short-term nature of the loans
transferred, no value has been assigned to this retained future stream of
fees to be received. As of December 31, 2003, the $1.8 billion balance

37

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

of outstanding loans had a weighted-average remaining maturity of 87
days.

During 2003, the Bancorp securitized and sold $903 million in

home equity lines of credit to an unconsolidated QSPE that is
wholly owned by an independent third party. The Bancorp retained
servicing rights and receives a servicing fee based on a percentage of
the outstanding balance. Additionally, the Bancorp retained rights
to future cash flows arising after investors in the securitization trust
have received the return for which they contracted. The investors
and the securitization trust have no recourse to the Bancorp’s other
assets for failure of debtors to pay when due. The Bancorp’s retained
interest is subordinate to investor’s interests and its value is subject
to credit, prepayment and interest rate risks on the sold home equity
lines of credit. As of December 31, 2003, the remaining balance of
sold home equity lines of credit was $856 million.

The Bancorp had the following cash flows with unconsolidated

QSPE’s during 2003 and 2002:

($ in millions)
Proceeds from transfers,

2003

2002

including new securitizations. . . . . 

$1,345

Proceeds from collections 

re-invested in revolving-period 
securitizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Transfers received from QSPE . . . . . 
Fees received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$
46
$ 116
25
$

258

—
270
26

22. Discontinued Operations

In November 2003, the Bancorp announced an agreement to sell its
corporate trust business, a component of the Commercial Banking
segment. The transaction closed in December 2003. The Bancorp
recognized an after tax gain of $40 million on the sale, which is
captured as a component of net income from discontinued
operations in the Consolidated Statements of Income.  The
transaction also included an earn-out feature, the realization of
which is contingent upon the occurrence of certain future events
in 2004.

The following is summarized financial information for

discontinued operations:

($ in millions)
Total revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Gain on sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income before income taxes . . . . 
Applicable income taxes . . . . . . . 
Net income from

discontinued operations . . . . . . 
Total assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

23. Income Taxes

2003
$12
62
6
68
24

$44
$ 2

2002
12
—
6
6
2

4
2

2001
12
—
6
6
2

4
1

The Bancorp and its subsidiaries file a consolidated Federal income
tax return. A summary of applicable income taxes included in the
Consolidated Statements of Income at December 31:

($ in millions)
Current U.S. income taxes . . . . . 
State and local income taxes . . . . 
Total current tax . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Deferred U.S. income taxes
resulting from temporary
differences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Applicable income taxes . . . . . . . 

2003
$488
40
528

277
$805

2002
461
23
484

273
757

2001
263
31
294

254
548

Deferred income taxes are included as a component of Accrued
Taxes, Interest and Expenses in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and
are comprised of the following temporary differences at December 31:

($ in millions)
Lease financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Reserve for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Bank premises and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net unrealized gains on securities

available-for-sale and hedging instruments . 
Mortgage servicing and other . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total net deferred tax liability. . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003
$1,888
(282)
56

(32)
129
$1,759

2002
1,653
(249)
40

227
44
1,715

A reconciliation between the statutory U.S. income tax rate and
the Bancorp’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31:

2002
Statutory tax rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  35.0% 35.0
Increase (Decrease) resulting from:

2003

State taxes, net of federal benefit . . . . . 
Tax-exempt income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other–net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

.6
(2.1)
(.9)
(1.4)
Effective tax rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  31.6% 31.2

1.0
(1.8)
(1.2)
(1.4)

2001
35.0

1.2
(3.0)
(.8)
.9
33.3

Retained earnings at December 31, 2003 includes $157 million in

allocations of earnings for bad debt deductions of former thrift
subsidiaries for which no income tax has been provided. Under
current tax law, if certain of the Bancorp’s subsidiaries use these bad
debt reserves for purposes other than to absorb bad debt losses, they
will be subject to Federal income tax at the current corporate tax rate.

24. Retirement and Benefit Plans

The measurement date for all of the Bancorp’s defined benefit
retirement plans is December 31. A combined summary of the
defined benefit retirement plans as of and for the years ended
December 31:

($ in millions)
Change in benefit obligation:

2003

2002

Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year . . 
Service cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Curtailment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Actuarial loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Benefits paid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Projected benefit obligation at end of year. . . . . . . 
Change in plan assets:

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year. . . . 
Actual return on assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Benefits paid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fair value of plan assets at end of year . . . . . . . . . . 

$243
1
16
—
(27)
40
(9)
$264

$177
28
62
(35)
(9)
$223

263
1
16
(25)
(35)
32
(9)
243

264
(37)
3
(44)
(9)
177

38

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Plan assets consist primarily of common trust and mutual funds

(equities and fixed income) managed by Fifth Third Bank, an
affiliate of the Bancorp, and Bancorp common stock securities. The
following table provides the Bancorp’s weighted-average asset
allocations by asset category for 2003 and 2002:

Equity securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Bancorp common stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total equity securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total fixed income securities . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Weighted-Average
Asset Allocation

2003
54%
18
72
26
2
100%

2002

52%
23
75
24
1
100%

The Bancorp’s policy for the investment of Plan assets is to
employ investment strategies that achieve a weighted-average target
asset allocation of  70% to 80% in equity securities, 20% to 25% in
fixed income securities and up to 5% in cash.

The accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit plans

was $262 million and $232 million at December 31, 2003 and
December 31, 2002, respectively. For the Bancorp’s defined benefit
plans, with an accumulated benefit obligation exceeding assets, the
total projected benefit obligation, accumulated benefit obligation and
fair value of plan assets were $260 million, $257 million and $218
million, respectively, as of December 31, 2003 and $236 million,
$228 million and $169 million, respectively, as of December 31,
2002. The increase in the additional minimum pension liability,
recorded as a reduction to shareholders’ equity, was $11 million, net
of a tax benefit of $6 million, in 2003 and $52 million, net of a tax
benefit of $28 million, in 2002. 

Based on the actuarial assumptions, the Bancorp expects to make
no cash contribution to the Plan in 2004. Estimated pension benefit
payments, which reflects expected future service, for fiscal years
2004 through 2013 are as follows:

For the years ended December 31 ($ in millions)
2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $24
21
2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
16
2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
16
2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
17
2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
78
2009-2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

The Bancorp’s profit sharing plan contribution was $48 million

for 2003, $58 million for 2002, and $34 million for 2001.
Expenses recognized during the years ended December 31, 2003,
2002 and 2001 for matching contributions to the Bancorp’s
defined contribution savings plans were $12 million, $14 million
and $12 million, respectively.

2003
($ in millions)
Funded status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ (41)
(1)
Unrecognized transition amount. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Unrecognized prior service cost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
4
103
Unrecognized actuarial loss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
$ 65
Net amount recognized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated 

Balance Sheets consist of:

Prepaid benefit cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Accrued benefit liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Intangible asset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Deferred tax asset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Accumulated nonowner changes in equity . . . . . . . 
Net amount recognized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 3
(39)
4
34
63
$ 65

2002
(66)
(4)
5
98
33

5
(57)
5
28
52
33

($ in millions)
Components of net periodic pension 

cost:
Service cost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Curtailment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Expected return on assets . . . . . . . 
Amortization and deferral of transition 
amount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Amortization of actuarial 

loss (gain) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Amortization of unrecognized prior 
service cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net periodic pension cost . . . . . . . . . . 

2003

2002

2001

$ 1
16
—
(15)

(2)

15

1
15
$31

1
16
2
(23)

(2)

—

—
19
13

12
18
2
(29)

(2)

(2)

1
2
2

Net periodic pension cost is recorded as a component of employee

benefits in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Net periodic
pension cost for 2003 and 2002 included settlement charges of $15
million and $19 million, respectively, related to an increased level of
lump-sum distributions made during the respective years as a result of
the headcount reductions that occurred in connection with the
integration of Old Kent.

The Plan assumptions are evaluated annually and are updated
as necessary. The discount rate assumption reflects the yield of a
portfolio of high quality fixed-income instruments that have a
similar duration to the Plan’s liabilities. The expected long-term
rate of return assumption reflects the average return expected on
the assets invested to provide for the Plan’s liabilities. In
determining the expected long-term rate of return assumption, the
Bancorp evaluated actuarial and economic inputs, including long-
term inflation rate assumptions and broad equity and bond indices
long-term return projections, as well as actual long-term historical
Plan performance.

Assumptions
Weighted-average assumptions:

For disclosure:

Discount rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Rate of compensation increase . . 
Expected return on plan assets . . 
For measuring net periodic pension 

cost:
Discount rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Rate of compensation increase . . 
Expected return on plan assets . . 

2003

2002

2001

6.00% 6.75% 7.25%
5.10
5.00
9.00
8.75

4.86
8.99

6.75
5.10
9.00

7.25
4.86
8.99

7.80
4.77
9.52

39

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

25. Earnings Per Share

Reconciliation of Earnings Per Share to Earnings Per Diluted Share
for the years ended December 31:

2003
Average
Shares

Per Share
Amount

Income

(in millions, except per share data)
EPS
Income from continuing 

operations before cumulative 
effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $1,722
(1)

Dividends on preferred stock . . . 
Net income from continuing 
operations available to 
common shareholders . . . . . . . 

1,721

572

$3.01

Income from discontinued 

operations, net of tax. . . . . . . . 

Cumulative effect of change 
in accounting principle, 
net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income available to 

44

(11)

.08

(.02)

common shareholders . . . . . . .  $1,754

572

$3.07

Diluted EPS
Net income from continuing 
operations available to 
common shareholders. . . . . . .  $1,721

Effect of Dilutive Securities—
Stock options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Dividends on convertible 

preferred stock . . . . . . . . . . . .

Income from continuing 

operations plus assumed 
conversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income from discontinued 

operations, net of tax . . . . . . . 

Cumulative effect of change 
in accounting principle, 
net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income available to 

1,722

580

$2.97

44

(11)

.08

(.02)

common shareholders plus 
assumed conversions . . . . . . . .  $1,755

(in millions, except per share data)
EPS
Income from continuing 

Income

580

$3.03

2002
Average
Shares

Per Share
Amount

operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $1,631
(1)

Dividends on preferred stock . . . 
Net income from continuing 
operations available to 
common shareholders . . . . . . . 

(in millions, except per share data)
Income from continuing 

operations plus assumed 
conversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income from discontinued 

2002
Average
Shares

Per Share
Amount

Income

1,631

592

$2.75

operations, net of tax . . . . . . . 

4

.01

Net income available to 

common shareholders plus 
assumed conversions . . . . . . . .  $1,635

592

$2.76

2001
Average
Shares

Per Share
Amount

Income

(in millions, except per share data)
EPS
Income from continuing 

operations before 
cumulative effect . . . . . . . . . .  $1,097
(1)

Dividends on preferred stock . . . 
Net income from continuing 
operations available to 
common shareholders . . . . . . . 

1,096

575

$1.90

575

12

4

—

5

1

Diluted EPS
Net income from continuing 
operations available to 
common shareholders. . . . . . .  $1,096

Effect of Dilutive Securities—
Stock options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest on 6% convertible 
subordinated debentures 
due 2028, net of tax . . . . . . . .

Dividends on convertible 

preferred stock . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income from continuing 

operations plus assumed 
conversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Income from discontinued 

operations, net of tax . . . . . . . 

Cumulative effect of change 
in accounting principle, 
net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income available to 

1,102

591

$1.86

4

(7)

.01

(.01)

572

8

—

Income from discontinued 

operations, net of tax . . . . . . . 

Cumulative effect of change 
in accounting principle, 
net of tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Net income available to 

4

(7)

.01

(.01)

common shareholders . . . . . . .  $1,093

575

$1.90

1

1,630

580

$2.81

common shareholders plus 
assumed conversions . . . . . . . .  $1,099

591

$1.86

Income from discontinued 

operations, net of tax . . . . . . . 

4

Net income available to 

.01

common shareholders . . . . . . .  $1,634

580

$2.82

Diluted EPS
Net income from continuing 
operations available to 
common shareholders. . . . . . .  $1,630

Effect of Dilutive Securities—
Stock options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Dividends on convertible 

preferred stock . . . . . . . . . . . .

1

580

12

—

In connection with the merger of CNB in 1999, the Bancorp
assumed $173 million of trust preferred securities through CNB
Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory business trust. Effective
December 31, 2001, the Bancorp redeemed all of the outstanding
6.0% convertible subordinated debentures due 2028, thereby causing
a redemption of all the issued and outstanding 6.0% trust preferred
securities. The holders elected to convert all but 2,800 shares of the
trust preferred securities into Bancorp common stock in December,
2001. 

Options to purchase 7.0 million, 6.2 million and .6 million

shares outstanding at December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001,

40

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

respectively, were not included in the computation of net income
per diluted share because the exercise price of these options was
greater than the average market price of the common shares, and
therefore, the effect would be antidilutive.

26. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Carrying amounts and estimated fair values for financial instruments
at December 31:

($ in millions)
Financial Assets:

Cash and due from banks . . . . . . . . . . 
Securities available-for-sale . . . . . . . . . 
Securities held-to-maturity . . . . . . . . . 
Trading securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other short-term investments . . . . . . . 
Loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total loans and leases, net . . . . . . . . . 
Derivative assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Bank owned life insurance assets . . . . . 

Financial Liabilities:

Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Federal funds purchased . . . . . . . . . . . 
Short-term bank notes . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other short-term borrowings . . . . . . . 
Long-term debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Derivative liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other Financial Instruments:

Commitments to extend credit . . . . . . 
Letters of credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

($ in millions)
Financial Assets:

Cash and due from banks . . . . . . . . . . 
Securities available-for-sale . . . . . . . . . 
Securities held to maturity  . . . . . . . . . 
Trading securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other short-term investments . . . . . . . 
Loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total loans and leases, net . . . . . . . . . 
Derivative assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Bank owned life insurance assets . . . . . 

Financial Liabilities:

Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Federal funds purchased . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other short-term borrowings . . . . . . . 
Long-term debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Derivative liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Other Financial Instruments:

Commitments to extend credit . . . . . . 
Letters of credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003

Carrying
Amount

Fair
Value

$ 2,359
28,999
135
55
268
1,881
51,538
302
1,016

57,095
6,928
500
5,742
9,063
208

—
24

$ 2,359
28,999
135
55
268
1,897
52,258
302
1,016

56,990
6,928
500
5,742
9,724
208

33
24

2002

Carrying
Amount

Fair
Value

$ 1,891
25,464
52
18
294
3,358
45,245
249
960

52,208
4,748
4,075
8,179
117

$ 1,891
25,464
52
18
294
3,395
45,911
249
960

52,433
4,748
4,063
9,115
117

—
16

25
16

Fair values for financial instruments, which were based on various

assumptions and estimates as of a specific point in time, represent
liquidation values and may vary significantly from amounts that will
be realized in actual transactions. In addition, certain non-financial
instruments were excluded from the fair value disclosure
requirements. Therefore, the fair values presented in the table above
should not be construed as the underlying value of the Bancorp.
The following methods and assumptions were used in

determining the fair value of selected financial instruments:
Short-term financial assets and liabilities–for financial
instruments with a short-term or no stated maturity, prevailing
market rates and limited credit risk, carrying amounts approximate
fair value. Those financial instruments include cash and due from
banks, other short-term investments, certain deposits (demand,
interest checking, savings and money market), federal funds
purchased, short-term bank notes, and other short-term borrowings.

Available-for-sale, held-to-maturity and trading

securities–fair values were based on prices obtained from an
independent nationally recognized pricing service.

Loans–fair values were estimated by discounting the future cash
flows using the current rates at which similar loans would be made to
borrowers with similar credit ratings and for the same remaining
maturities.

Loans held for sale–the fair value of loans held for sale was
estimated based on outstanding commitments from investors or
current investor yield requirements.

Deposits–fair values for other time, certificates of deposit–

$100,000 and over and foreign office were estimated using a
discounted cash flow calculation that applies interest rates currently
being offered for deposits of similar remaining maturities.

Long-term debt–fair value of long-term debt was based on quoted
market prices, when available, and a discounted cash flow calculation
using prevailing market rates for borrowings of similar terms.
Commitments and letters of credit–fair values of loan
commitments and letters of credit were based on fees currently
charged and estimated probable credit losses, respectively.

Derivative assets and derivative liabilities–fair values were
based on the estimated amount the Bancorp would receive or pay to
terminate the derivative contracts, taking into account the current
interest rates and the creditworthiness of the counterparties. The fair
values represent an asset or liability at December 31, 2003.

Bank owned life insurance assets–fair values of insurance

policies owned by the Bancorp were based on the insurance
contract’s cash surrender value, net of any policy loans.

27. Acquisitions

Consideration

Common

Date

Cash

Completed (in millions)

Universal Companies (USB), 10/31/01

$220

Shares Method of
Accounting
Issued
Purchase

—

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Old Kent Financial 
Corporation,
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Capital Holdings, Inc.,
Sylvania, Ohio

Resource Management, Inc.,

1/2/01

Cleveland, Ohio

4/2/01

— 103,716,638

Pooling

3/9/01

—

18

4,505,385

Pooling

470,162

Purchase

The assets, liabilities and shareholders’ equity of the pooled
entities were recorded on the books of the Bancorp at their values as
reported on the books of the pooled entities immediately prior to
the consummation of the merger with the Bancorp. This presentation
required the restatements for material acquisitions of prior periods
as if the companies had been combined for all years presented.

On April 2, 2001, the Bancorp acquired Old Kent, a publicly-
traded financial holding company headquartered in Grand Rapids,
Michigan. The contribution of Old Kent to consolidated net interest
income, other operating income and net income available to common

41

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

shareholders for the period prior to the merger was as follows:

The pro forma effect and the financial results of Capital Holdings,

Three Months Ended
March 31, 2001

($ in millions)
Net Interest Income:
Bancorp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Old Kent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Combined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Operating Income:
Bancorp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Old Kent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Combined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income Available to 
Common Shareholders:

$393
195
$588

$292
121
$413

Bancorp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Old Kent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Combined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$244
55
$299

In the second and third quarters of 2001, as a result of the Old

Kent acquisition and a formally developed integration plan, the
Bancorp recorded merger-related charges of $384 million ($294
million after tax) of which $349 million was recorded as operating
expense and $35 million was recorded as additional provision for
credit losses. Credit quality charges relate to conforming Old Kent
commercial and consumer loans to the Bancorp’s credit policies.
Specifically, these loans were conformed to the Bancorp’s credit rating
and review systems, as documented in the Bancorp’s credit policies.

The merger-related operating charges consist of:

($ in millions)
2001
Employee severance and benefit obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $ 77
95
Duplicate facilities and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
51
Conversion expenses 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
46
Professional fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
20
Contract termination costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
29
Loss on portfolio sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net loss on sales of subsidiaries and out-

15
of-market line of business operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
16
Merger-related charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $349

In 2001, employee severance included the packages negotiated with

approximately 1,400 people (including all levels of the previous Old
Kent organization from the executive management level to back office
support staff) and the change-in-control payments made pursuant to
pre-existing employment agreements. Employee-related payments
made through December 31, 2002 totaled $77 million, including
payments to the approximate 1,400 people that were terminated as of
December 31, 2002. All terminations related to this transaction were
completed in 2002.

Duplicate facilities and equipment charges of $95 million

largely include write-downs of duplicative equipment and software,
negotiated terminations of several office leases and other facility
exit costs. The Bancorp has approximately $1 million and $4
million of remaining negotiated termination and lease payments of
exited facilities as of December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002,
respectively.

Summary of merger-related accrual activity at December 31:

($ in millions)
Balance, January 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cash payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance, December 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003
$4)
(3)
$1)

2002
55
(51)
4

42

Inc. included in the results of operations subsequent to the date of
the acquisitions were not material to the Bancorp’s financial
condition and operating results for the periods presented.

28.Pending Acquisition

On July 23, 2002, the Bancorp entered into an agreement to acquire
Franklin Financial Corporation and its subsidiary, Franklin National
Bank, headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. At December 31, 2003,
Franklin Financial Corporation had approximately $954 million in
total assets and $801 million in total deposits. The pending
transaction is structured as a tax-free exchange of stock for a total
transaction value of approximately $310 million. The pending
transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. In addition, the
transaction is subject to the approval of Franklin Financial
Corporation shareholders. Pursuant to the current terms of the
Affiliation Agreement with Franklin Financial Corporation, the
transaction must be consummated by June 30, 2004.

29. Regulatory Requirements and Capital Ratios

The principal source of income and funds for the Bancorp (parent
company) are dividends from its subsidiaries. During 2003, the
amount of dividends the subsidiaries can pay to the Bancorp
without prior approval of regulatory agencies is limited to their
2003 eligible net profits, as defined, and the adjusted retained 2002
and 2001 net income of the subsidiaries.

The Bancorp’s subsidiary banks must maintain cash reserve
balances when total reservable deposit liabilities are greater than the
regulatory exemption. These reserve requirements may be satisfied
with vault cash and noninterest-bearing cash balances on reserve
with the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB). In 2003 and 2002, the banks
were required to maintain average cash reserve balances of $290
million and $303 million, respectively.

In December of 2003, the Bancorp completed the merger of its

Fifth Third Bank, Kentucky, Inc., Fifth Third Bank, Northern
Kentucky, Inc., Fifth Third Bank, Indiana and Fifth Third Bank,
Florida subsidiary banks with and into Fifth Third Bank
(Michigan). Although these mergers changed the legal structure of
the subsidiary banks, there were no significant changes to the
Bancorp’s affiliate structure or operating model.

The FRB adopted quantitative measures which assign risk
weightings to assets and off-balance-sheet items and also define and
set minimum regulatory capital requirements (risk-based capital
ratios). All banks are required to have core capital (Tier 1) of at least
4% of risk-weighted assets, total capital of at least 8% of risk-
weighted assets and a minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio of 3% of
adjusted quarterly average assets. Tier 1 capital consists principally of
shareholders’ equity including capital-qualifying subordinated debt
but excluding unrealized gains and losses on securities available-for-
sale, less goodwill and certain other intangibles. Total capital consists
of Tier 1 capital plus certain debt instruments and the reserve for
credit losses, subject to limitation. Failure to meet certain capital
requirements can initiate certain actions by regulators that, if
undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Consolidated
Financial Statements of the Bancorp. The regulations also define well-
capitalized levels of Tier 1, total capital and Tier 1 leverage as 6%,
10%, and 5%, respectively. The Bancorp and each of its subsidiary
banks had Tier 1, total capital and leverage ratios above the well-
capitalized levels at December 31, 2003 and 2002. As of December
31, 2003, the most recent notification from the FRB categorized the

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Bancorp and each of its subsidiary banks as well-capitalized under the
regulatory framework for prompt corrective action.

Capital and risk-based capital and leverage ratios for the Bancorp

and its significant subsidiary banks at December 31:

($ in millions)
Total Capital (to Risk-Weighted Assets):

Fifth Third Bancorp (Consolidated)  . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Ohio). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Michigan) . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tier 1 Capital (to Risk-Weighted Assets):

Fifth Third Bancorp (Consolidated)  . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Ohio). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Michigan) . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tier 1 Leverage Capital (to Average Assets):

Fifth Third Bancorp (Consolidated)  . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Ohio). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Michigan) . . . . . . . . . . . 

($ in millions)
Total Capital (to Risk-Weighted Assets):

Fifth Third Bancorp (Consolidated)  . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Ohio). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Michigan) . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tier 1 Capital (to Risk-Weighted Assets):

Fifth Third Bancorp (Consolidated)  . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Ohio). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Michigan) . . . . . . . . . . . 

Tier 1 Leverage Capital (to Average Assets):

Fifth Third Bancorp (Consolidated)  . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Ohio). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fifth Third Bank (Michigan) . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003

Amount

Ratio

$9,992
5,080
3,785

8,168
4,280
3,237

8,168
4,280
3,237

13.38%
11.59
11.03

10.94
9.76
9.43

9.11
7.57
8.50

2002

Amount

Ratio

$8,844
4,444
3,771

7,656
3,592
3,269

7,656
3,592
3,269

13.51%
11.68
12.00

11.70
9.44
10.40

9.73
7.93
8.58

30. Parent Company Financial Statements

The condensed financial statements of the Bancorp ($ in millions):

Condensed Statements of Income (Parent Company Only)
For the Years Ended December 31
2002
Income
Dividends from Subsidiaries . . . . . 
Interest on Loans to 

$1,262

1,258

2003

2001

215

39
24
278

25
37
62

27
24
1,313

31
2
33

32
—
1,290

5
3
8

1,280
6

1,282
8

216
(6)

1,274

1,274

222

Subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Expenses
Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income Before Taxes and

Change in Undistributed
Earnings of Subsidiaries . . . . . 
Applicable Income Taxes (Benefit) . 
Income Before Change in

Undistributed Earnings of
Subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Increase in Undistributed

Earnings of Subsidiaries . . . . . . 
Net Income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

481
$1,755

361
1,635

872
1,094

43

2003

40
1,581
7,603
137
59
$9,420

$

Condensed Balance Sheets (Parent Company Only)
At December 31
Assets
Cash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Loans to Subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Investment in Subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . 
Goodwill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Liabilities
Commercial Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities. 
Long-Term Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Shareholders’ Equity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Liabilities and 

$

4
187
704
895
8,525

Shareholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$9,420

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (Parent Company Only)
For the Years Ended December 31
Operating Activities
Net Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Adjustments to Reconcile Net

$1,755

1,635

2003

2002

2002

—
1,144
7,870
137
55
9,206

93
397
241
731
8,475

9,206

2001

1,094

Income to Net Cash Provided
by Operating Activities:

Amortization/Depreciation. . . 
Benefit for 

Deferred Income Taxes. . . . 
Increase in Other Assets . . . . . 
Increase in Accrued Expenses 
and Other Liabilities  . . . . . 

Increase in Undistributed 

—

(4)
(39)

54

—

(3)
(29)

2

6

(8)
(3)

65

Earnings of Subsidiaries . . . 

(481)

(361)

(872)

Net Cash Provided by

Operating Activities. . . . . . . . . 

1,285

1,244

282

Investing Activities
Proceeds from Sales of

Securities Available-for-Sale . . . . 

—

1

—

(Increase) Decrease in Loans 

to Subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Capital Contributions to Subsidiaries
Net Cash Used in

(471)
—

(159)
—

251
(255)

Investing Activities . . . . . . . . . 

(471)

(158)

(4)

Financing Activities
Decrease in Interest-

Bearing Deposits. . . . . . . . . . . . 

(Decrease) Increase in Other

Short-Term Borrowings . . . . . . 

Proceeds from Issuance of

Long-Term Debt . . . . . . . . . . . 
Payment of Cash Dividends . . . . . 
Purchases of Treasury Stock . . . . . 
Exercise of Stock Options. . . . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Cash Used in

Financing Activities . . . . . . . . 
Increase (Decrease) in Cash . . . . 
Cash at Beginning of Year . . . . . 
Cash at End of Year . . . . . . . . . . 

—

(89)

497
(631)
(655)
97
7

(774)
40
—
40

$

—

72

—
(553)
(719)
104
10

(1,086)
—
—
—

12

10

—
(460)
(15)
98
71

(284)
(6)
6
—

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

31. Segments

The Bancorp’s principal activities include Retail Banking,
Commercial Banking, Investment Advisory Services and Electronic
Payment Processing. Retail Banking provides a full range of deposit
products and consumer loans and leases. Commercial Banking offers
banking, cash management and financial services to business,
government and professional customers. Investment Advisory Services
provides a full range of investment alternatives for individuals,
companies and not-for-profit organizations. Fifth Third Processing
Solutions, the Electronic Payment Processing division, provides
electronic funds transfer (EFT) services, merchant transaction
processing, operates the Jeanie ATM network and provides other data
processing services to affiliated and unaffiliated customers. General
Corporate and Other includes the investment portfolio, certain non-
deposit funding, unassigned equity, the net effect of funds transfer
pricing and other items not allocated to operating segments. 

The financial information for each operating segment is reported

on the basis used internally by the Bancorp’s management to
evaluate performance and allocate resources. The allocation has been
consistently applied for all periods presented. Revenues from
affiliated transactions, principally EFT services from Fifth Third
Processing Solutions to the banking segments, are generally charged
at rates available to and transacted with unaffiliated customers. 
The performance measurement of the operating segments is

based on the management structure of the Bancorp and is not
necessarily comparable with similar information for any other
financial institution. The information presented is also not
necessarily indicative of the segments’ financial condition and results
of operations if they were independent entities.

Results of operations and selected financial information by
operating segment for each of the three years ended December 31
are as follows:

44

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Commercial
Banking

Retail
Banking

Investment
Advisory
Services

Electronic
Payment
Processing (a)

General
Corporate
and Other

Elimina-
tions (a)

($ in millions)
2003
Results of Operations
Net Interest Income (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for Credit Losses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Interest Income After 

Provision for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Operating Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations Before 

Income Taxes, Minority Interest and
Cumulative Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Applicable Income Taxes (c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Minority Interest, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Discontinued Operations, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cumulative Effect, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Dividends on Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income Available to 

Common Shareholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Selected Financial Information
Goodwill as of January 1, 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Goodwill Adjustment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Goodwill as of December 31, 2003 . . . . . . . . . . 
Identifiable Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2002
Results of Operations
Net Interest Income (Expense) (b) . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for Credit Losses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Interest Income (Expense) After 

Provision for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Operating Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations Before 

Income Taxes, Minority Interest and 
Cumulative Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Applicable Income Taxes (c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Minority Interest, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Discontinued Operations, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Dividends on Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income Available to 

Common Shareholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Selected Financial Information
Goodwill as of January 1, 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Goodwill Recognized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Divestiture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Goodwill as of December 31, 2002 . . . . . . . . . . 
Identifiable Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2001
Results of Operations
Net Interest Income (Expense) (b) . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for Credit Losses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Interest Income (Expense) After 

Provision for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Operating Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Merger-Related Charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations Before 

Income Taxes, Minority Interest and
Cumulative Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Applicable Income Taxes (c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Minority Interest, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Discontinued Operations, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cumulative Effect, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Dividends on Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income Available to 

Common Shareholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$ 1,086
187

899
435
489

845
(276)
—
44
—
—

$ 

613

$ 

183
—
183
$ 
$24,174

$ 1,015
99

916
360
446

830
(267)
—
4
—

$

567

$

183
—
—
$
183
$21,690

$

941
91

850
219
—
384

685
(240)
—
4
—
—

$

449

1,701
209

1,492
904
1,192

1,204
(393)
(20)
—
(11)
—

780

227
—
227
30,132

1,568
144

1,424
666
1,022

1,068
(345)
(38)
—
—

685

236
—
(9)
227
28,465

1,386
104

1,282
585
—
982

885
(310)
—
—
—
—

575

147
3

144
344
322

166
(54)
—
—
—
—

112

98
(2)
96
2,133

128
3

125
336
291

170
(55)
—
—
—

115

98
—
—
98
1,720

96
6

90
307
—
235

162
(57)
—
—
—
—

105

—
—

—
609
362

247
(81)
—
—
—
—

166

194
—
194
467

(4)
—

(4)
543
302

237
(77)
—
—
—

160

165
29
—
194
491

(5)
—

(5)
372
—
200

167
(59)
—
—
—
—

108

494

10
—

10
225
111

124
(40)
—
—
—
(1)

83

—
—
—
34,237

31
—

31
309
180

160
(52)
—
—
(1)

107

—
—
—
—
28,528

58
35

23
330
349
211

(207)
73
(2)
—
(7)
(1)

(144)

24,632

—
—

—
(34)
(34)

—
—
—
—
—
—

—

—
—
—
—

—
—

—
(31)
(31)

—
—
—
—
—

—

—
—
—
—
—

—
—

—
(25)
—
(25)

—
—
—
—
—
—

—

—

Total

2,944
399

2,545
2,483
2,442

2,586
(844)
(20)
44
(11)
(1)

1,754

702
(2)
700
91,143

2,738
246

2,492
2,183
2,210

2,465
(796)
(38)
4
(1)

1,634

682
29
(9)
702
80,894

2,476
236

2,240
1,788
349
1,987

1,692
(593)
(2)
4
(7)
(1)

1,093

71,026

Selected Financial Information
Identifiable Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$19,506

25,088

1,306

(a) Electronic payment processing service revenues provided to the banking segments by Fifth Third Processing Solutions are eliminated in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
(b) Net interest income is fully taxable equivalent and is presented on a funds transfer price basis for the business segments.
(c) Applicable income taxes includes income tax provision and taxable equivalent adjustment reversal of $39 million, $39 million and $45 million for the years ended December
31, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively.

45

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Independent Auditors’ Report

To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of Fifth Third Bancorp:

We have audited the consolidated balance sheets of Fifth Third
Bancorp and subsidiaries (“Bancorp”) as of December 31, 2003 and
2002, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in
shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the
period ended December 31, 2003. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Bancorp’s management. Our responsibility is to
express an opinion on the financial statements based on our audits. 

We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards
generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards
require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable
assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.
An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the
overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits
provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to
above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of
Fifth Third Bancorp and subsidiaries at December 31, 2003 and
2002, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each
of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003 in
conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America.

As discussed in Note 1, the Bancorp adopted the provisions of

Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46,
“Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities,” effective July 1, 2003
and adopted the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets,”
effective January 1, 2002.

Cincinnati, Ohio
February 4, 2004 

46

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

This report includes forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Sections 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and Rule 175 promulgated thereunder, and 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 3b-6 promulgated
thereunder, that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. This report
contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the
financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future
performance and business of the Bancorp including statements
preceded by, followed by or that include the words or phrases such as
“believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “trend,” “objective,”
“continue,” “remain,” “pattern” or similar expressions or future or
conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,”
“might,” “can,” “may” or similar expressions. There are a number of
important factors that could cause future results to differ materially
from historical performance and these forward-looking statements.
Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not
limited to: (1) competitive pressures among depository institutions
increase significantly; (2) changes in the interest rate environment
reduce interest margins; (3) prepayment speeds, loan sale volumes,
charge-offs and loan loss provisions; (4) general economic conditions,
either national or in the states in which the Bancorp does business,
are less favorable than expected; (5) political developments, wars or
other hostilities may disrupt or increase volatility in securities
markets or other economic conditions; (6) legislative or regulatory
changes or actions adversely affect the businesses in which the
Bancorp is engaged; (7) changes and trends in the securities markets;
(8) a delayed or incomplete resolution of regulatory issues; (9) the
impact of reputational risk created by these developments on such
matters as business generation and retention, funding and liquidity;
and (10) the outcome of regulatory and legal proceedings. The
Bancorp undertakes no obligation to release revisions to these
forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after
the date of this report.

The data presented in the following pages should be read in
conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements on
pages 17 to 45 of this report.
Results Of Operations

Summary
The Bancorp’s net income was $1.8 billion in 2003, up 7%
compared to $1.6 billion in 2002. Earnings per diluted share were
$3.03 for the year, up 10% from $2.76 in 2002. Net income for
2003 includes an after-tax charge of $11 million, or $.02 per
diluted share, for a nonrecurring cumulative effect of a change in
accounting principle related to the early adoption of FIN 46. The
early adoption of FIN 46 required the Bancorp to consolidate a
special purpose entity involved in the sale-leaseback of certain auto
leases as the Bancorp was deemed to be the primary beneficiary
under the provisions of this new Interpretation.  Early adoption of
the provisions of this Interpretation required the Bancorp to
consolidate these operating lease assets and a corresponding liability
as well as recognize the after-tax cumulative effect charge of $11
million representing the difference between the carrying value of the
leased autos sold and the carrying value of the newly consolidated
obligation. Consolidation of these operating lease assets did not
impact risk-based capital ratios or bottom line income statement
trends; however, lease payments on the operating lease assets are
now reflected as a component of other operating income and
depreciation expense is now reflected as component of operating
expenses.

Net income for 2003 also includes after-tax income from
discontinued operations of $44 million, or $.08 per diluted share.
In December 2003, the Bancorp completed the sale of its corporate
trust business enabling the Bancorp to refine its focus and reinvest
in core middle market business activities that the Bancorp believes
provide the best return to shareholders. Corporate trust services has
been a relatively small contributor to both total revenues and
earnings in all periods. See Note 22 of the Notes to Consolidated
Financial Statements for further discussion.

Cash dividends for 2003 increased 15% to $1.13 per common

share compared to 2002. The Bancorp’s net interest income, net
income, earnings per share, earnings per diluted share, dividends per
share, dividend payout ratio, net income to average assets, referred
to as return on average assets (ROA), return on average
shareholders’ equity (ROE), net interest margin and efficiency ratio
for the most recent five years are as follows:

Table 1–Operating Data

Net interest income 

($ in millions, taxable
equivalent) . . . . . . . . . 
Net income ($ in millions)
Earnings per share (a) . . . 
Earnings per diluted

share (a) . . . . . . . . . . . 

Cash dividends per 

common share (b). . . . 
Dividend payout ratio (c)
ROA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
ROE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net interest margin

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

$2,944
1,754
3.07

2,738
1,634
2.82

2,476
1,093
1.90

2,297
1,140
2.02

2,213
947
1.68

3.03

2.76

1.13
.98
37.3% 35.5
2.01% 2.18
20.4% 19.9

1.86

.83
44.7
1.55
15.1

1.98

.70
38.2
1.71
19.1

1.66

.59
40.9
1.57
17.3

(taxable equivalent) . . . 
Efficiency ratio. . . . . . . . 
(a) Per share amounts have been adjusted for the three-for-two stock split

3.62% 3.96
45.0% 44.9

3.73
50.8

3.82
54.8

3.96
53.3

effected in the form of stock dividends paid July 14, 2000.

(b) Cash dividends per common share are those the Bancorp declared prior

to the merger with Old Kent in 2001.

(c) As originally reported prior to the merger with Old Kent in 2001.

Net interest income, net interest margin, net interest rate spread,

weighted-average yields on investment securities and the efficiency
ratio are presented in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations on a fully taxable-
equivalent (FTE) basis as the interest on certain loans and securities
held by the Bancorp are not taxable for federal income tax purposes.
The FTE basis adjusts for the tax-favored status of income from certain
loans and securities. The Bancorp believes this measure to be the
preferred industry measurement of net interest income and provides
relevant comparison between taxable and non-taxable amounts.

Net Interest Income
Net interest income is the difference between interest income on
earning assets such as loans, leases and securities, and interest
expense paid on liabilities such as deposits and borrowings, and
continues to be the Bancorp’s largest revenue source. Net interest
income is affected by the general level of interest rates, changes in
interest rates and by changes in the amount and composition of
interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. The relative
performance of the lending and deposit-raising functions is
frequently measured by two statistics – net interest margin and net

47

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

interest rate spread. The net interest margin is determined by
dividing fully-taxable equivalent net interest income by average
interest-earning assets. The net interest rate spread is the difference
between the average fully-taxable equivalent yield earned on
interest-earning assets and the average rate paid on interest-bearing
liabilities. The net interest margin is generally greater than the net
interest rate spread due to the additional income earned on those
assets funded by noninterest-bearing liabilities, or free funding, such
as demand deposits and shareholders’ equity. 

of Net Interest Income, presents the net interest income, net interest
margin, and net interest rate spread for the three years of 2001
through 2003, comparing interest income, average interest-bearing
liabilities and average free funding outstanding. Each of these
measures is reported on a FTE basis. Nonaccrual loans and leases and
loans held for sale have been included in the average loans and lease
balances. Average outstanding securities balances are based upon fair
value including any unrealized gains or losses on securities available-
for-sale.

Table 2 below, Consolidated Average Balance Sheets and Analysis

Net interest income on a FTE basis rose 8% to $2.9 billion in

Table 2–Consolidated Average Balance Sheets and Analysis of Net Interest Income
For the Years Ended December 31 (Taxable Equivalent Basis) 

2003

2002

2001

Average
Average Revenue/ Yield/
Rate
Cost
Balance

Average
Average Revenue/ Yield/
Rate
Cost
Balance

Average
Average Revenue/ Yield/
Rate
Cost
Balance

($ in millions)

Assets
Interest-Earning Assets:

Loans and Leases (a) . . . . . . . . . .  $52,414
Securities:
Taxable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Exempt from Income Taxes (a) . 
Other Short-Term Investments . . 
Total Interest-Earning Assets . . . . . 
Cash and Due from Banks. . . . . . . 
Other Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Reserve for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . 
Total Assets
Liabilities
Interest-Bearing Liabilities:

27,584
1,056
307
81,361
1,600
5,212
(730)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $87,443

Interest Checking. . . . . . . . . . . .  $18,679
8,020
Savings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
3,189
Money Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
7,168
Other Time Deposits . . . . . . . . . 
3,090
Certificates–$100,000 and Over . 
3,862
Foreign Office Deposits . . . . . . . 
7,001
Federal Funds Purchased . . . . . . 
Short-Term Bank Notes . . . . . . . 
22
5,350
Other Short-Term Borrowings . . 
8,747
Long-Term Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . 
65,128
Total Interest-Bearing Liabilities . . 
10,482
Demand Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2,982
Other Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
78,592
Total Liabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
234
Minority Interest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Shareholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . 
8,617
Total Liabilities and 

Shareholders’ Equity . . . . . . . .  $87,443

Net Interest Income Margin on 

a Taxable Equivalent Basis . . . . . 
Net Interest Rate Spread . . . . . . . . 
Interest-Bearing Liabilities

to Interest-Earning Assets  . . . . . 

$2,724

5.20%

$45,539

$2,824

6.20%

$44,888

$3,434

7.65%

1,226
77
3
4,030

4.45
7.26
.97
4.95

1.01%
$ 189
.79
64
1.01
32
2.98
214
1.46
45
1.13
44
80
1.14
— 1.06
1.03
55
4.15
363
1.67
1,086

1,257
81
6
4,168

5.68
7.40
1.72
6.03

1.83%
$ 296
1.67
158
2.36
27
3.80
357
3.24
55
1.71
35
54
1.66
— 3.40
1.71
67
4.99
381
2.61
1,430

22,145
1,101
339
69,124
1,551
4,969
(645)
$74,999

$16,239
9,465
1,162
9,403
1,689
2,018
3,262
2
3,927
7,640
54,807
8,953
2,602
66,362
440
8,197

$74,999

1,213
97
10
4,754

6.56
7.71
4.88
7.33

2.71%
$  311
3.54
174
1.47
38
5.53
745
4.89
187
4.84
97
155
4.21
— 2.13
4.00
204
5.83
367
4.27
2,278

18,482
1,255
201
64,826
1,482
4,980
(625)
$70,663

$11,489
4,928
2,552
13,473
3,821
1,992
3,682
10
5,107
6,301
53,355
7,394
2,623
63,372
30
7,261

$70,663

$2,944

3.62%
3.28%

80.05%

$2,738

3.96%
3.42%

79.29%

$2,476

3.82%
3.06%

82.30%

(a) Interest income and yield include the effects of taxable-equivalent adjustments using a federal income tax rate of 35%, reduced by the nondeductible portion of interest
expenses. The net taxable-equivalent adjustment amounts included in the above table are $39 million, $39 million and $45 million for the years ended December 31, 2003,
2002 and 2001, respectively.

48

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Table 3–Analysis of Net Interest Income Changes (Taxable Equivalent Basis)

($ in millions)
Increase (Decrease) in Interest Income:

Loans and Leases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securities:
Taxable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Exempt from Income Taxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Short-Term Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Interest Income Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Increase (Decrease) in Interest Expense:

Interest Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Savings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Money Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Time Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Certificates — $100,000 and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Foreign Office Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Federal Funds Purchased . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other Short-Term Borrowings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Long-Term Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total Interest Expense Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Increase (Decrease) in Net Interest Income 
on a Taxable Equivalent Basis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Decrease in Taxable Equivalent Adjustment . . . . . . 
Net Interest Income Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003 Compared to 2002

Volume(a)

Yield/Rate(a)

Total

Volume

2002 Compared to 2001
Yield/Rate

$393

$(493)

$(100)

$ 50

$(660)

273
(3)
(1)
662

40
(21)
27
(75)
30
24
47
20
51
143

(304)
(1)
(2)
(800)

(147)
(73)
(22)
(68)
(40)
(15)
(21)
(32)
(69)
(487)

$519

$(313)

221
(12)
4
263

105
107
(27)
(190)
(82)
1
(16)
(39)
72
(69)

$332

(31)
(4)
(3)
(138)

(107)
(94)
5
(143)
(10)
9
26
(12)
(18)
(344)

$ 206
—
$ 206

(177)
(4)
(8)
(849)

(120)
(123)
16
(198)
(50)
(63)
(85)
(98)
(58)
(779)

$(70)

Total

$(610)

44
(16)
(4)
(586)

(15)
(16)
(11)
(388)
(132)
(62)
(101)
(137)
14
(848)

$ 262
6
$ 268

(a) Changes not solely attributable to changes in volume or rates are allocated consistently in proportion to the absolute dollar amount of the change in volume and rates.

2003 from $2.7 billion in 2002 despite a 34 basis point (bp) decrease
in net interest margin. The improvement in 2003’s net interest income
was attributable to a $12.2 billion (18%) increase in average interest-
earning assets mitigated by the 34 bp reduction in the net interest
margin. The net interest margin decreased from 3.96% in 2002 to
3.62% in 2003 compared to a 14 bp increase from 2001 to 2002.
Contraction in the net interest margin in the current year is
attributable to the effect of the absolute level of interest rates on
earning asset yields, the impact of higher origination volumes at lower
market rates of interest and accelerated prepayment rates experienced
in all earning-asset classes due to the lowest level of interest rates seen
in over 40 years. Specifically, the yield on average interest-earning
assets declined 108 bps from 2002; primarily attributable to a decrease
in average yields on loans and leases and taxable securities of 100 bps
and 123 bps, respectively. The negative effects of lower asset yields were
offset by a 94 bp decrease in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities in
2003 resulting from faster repricing of borrowed funds and lower year-
over-year deposit rates on existing accounts as well as the continued
improvement in the overall mix of interest-bearing liabilities. The
Bancorp realized an overall increase in total average deposits between
years of approximately $5.6 billion highlighted by a 13% year-over-
year increase in average transaction account balances reflecting the
Bancorp’s emphasis on deposits as an important source of funding.
The contribution of free funding to the net interest margin was
reduced to 34 bps in 2003, from 54 bps in 2002, despite the benefits
of a $1.5 billion increase in average demand deposits, due to the lower
interest rate environment. Additional contraction in the net interest
margin is attributable to the implementation of SFAS No. 150 during
2003, and the resulting reclassification of approximately $20 million of
minority interest expense into interest expense, in comparison to 2002.
See Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for
further discussion of adoption of SFAS No. 150. The Bancorp expects
that net interest margin and net interest income trends in coming

periods will be dependent upon the magnitude of deposit growth in
relation to balance sheet growth and the speed of interest rate changes
in an improving economy, with expected net interest income growth
trending in-line with expected growth in the overall balance sheet in
the mid to high single digit range.

Average interest-earning assets increased by 18% to $81.4 billion

in 2003, an increase of $12.2 billion from 2002. During 2002,
average interest-earning assets grew by 7% over 2001. In 2003, sales
and securitizations of loans and leases, excluding gains realized,
totaled approximately $15.6 billion compared to $9.7 billion in
2002. The Bancorp continues to use loan sales and securitizations to
manage the composition of the balance sheet, to limit balance sheet
leverage due to exceptionally strong demand experienced in certain
asset classes relative to the entire portfolio and to improve balance
sheet liquidity. Sales and securitizations permit the Bancorp to grow
the origination and servicing functions and to increase revenues
without increasing capital leverage.

Average interest-bearing liabilities grew to $65.1 billion during
2003, an increase of 19% over the $54.8 billion average in 2002.
Average transaction deposits (which excludes time deposits,
certificates of deposit with balances greater than $100,000 and
foreign office deposits) increased $4.6 billion, or 13%, over 2002
and remain the Bancorp’s most important and lowest cost source of
funding.

Table 3 shows changes in tax-equivalent interest income, interest

expense, and net interest income due to volume and rate variances
for major categories of earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities.

Other Operating Income
Table 4 shows the components of other operating income for each of
the last five years. Total other operating income increased 14% in
2003 and 22% in 2002. As previously discussed, the early adoption

49

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

of FIN 46 on July 1, 2003, required the Bancorp to consolidate a
special purpose entity involved in the sale-leaseback of certain auto
leases. The consolidation of these operating lease assets has resulted
in the Bancorp recognizing $124 million in operating lease revenue
during 2003, representing lease payments received, reflected as a
component of other operating income.

Electronic payment processing service revenue increased 12% in
2003 and 47% in 2002. Comparisons to the 2002 growth rate are
impacted by a slowdown in transaction volume growth rates on the
existing customer base reflective of overall economic conditions in
2003 and sluggish growth in the retail sector of the economy, the
MasterCard ®/Visa ® settlement implemented in August 2003, and
the fourth quarter 2001 purchase acquisition of Universal
Companies (USB). The Bancorp continues to realize positive sales
momentum from the addition of new customer relationships in
both its Merchant Services and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
businesses.

Merchant processing revenues increased 16% in 2003, compared

to an 81% increase in 2002. The increase in 2003 is due to
transaction volume growth attributable to the addition of new
customers, offset by a slowdown in transaction volume growth on
the existing customer base reflective of sluggish growth in the retail
sector. The increase in 2002 was due to the addition of new
customers and resulting increase in transaction volumes, as well as
the incremental contributions from the fourth quarter 2001 USB
acquisition. Excluding the incremental revenue contribution from
USB, merchant processing revenues increased 35% in 2002
compared to 2001.

EFT revenues increased 7% in 2003, compared to a 22%

increase in 2002. Comparisons to 2002 are impacted by a slowdown
in transaction volume growth rates on the existing customer base
and a $13 million revenue impact associated with the MasterCard®/-
Visa® settlement. During 2003, VISA® and MasterCard® reached
separate agreements to settle merchant litigation regarding debit card
interchange reimbursement fees. These agreements, implemented in
August 2003, included provisions to lower fee structures which
resulted in a reduction in revenues for debit card issuers. The impact of
this settlement on the Bancorp's electronic payment processing
revenues for 2004 is expected to be approximately $30 million to $35
million. The Bancorp handled 9.0 billion ATM, point-of-sale and 
e-commerce transactions in 2003, a 10% increase compared to 8.2
billion in 2002, and the Bancorp’s world-class capabilities as a
transaction processor position the Bancorp well to continue to take
advantage of the opportunities of e-commerce. 

Service charges on deposits were $485 million in 2003, an
increase of 13% over 2002’s $431 million. Service charges on
deposits increased 17% in 2002 compared to 2001. The growth in
2003 was fueled by the expansion of the Bancorp’s retail and
commercial network, continued sales success in corporate treasury
management products, successful sales campaigns promoting retail
and commercial deposit accounts and the benefit of a lower interest
rate environment during the year. Commercial deposit based
revenues increased 15% over last year on the strength of continued
focus on cross-sell initiatives, new customer relationships and the
benefit of a lower interest rate environment with notable growth in
Chicago, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit and Grand
Rapids. Retail based deposit revenue increased 11% in 2003
compared to 2002, driven by the success of sales campaigns and
direct marketing programs in generating new account relationships.
Mortgage banking net revenue increased 61% to $302 million in

2003 from $188 million in 2002. In 2003 and 2002, mortgage

banking net revenue was comprised of $466 million and $386
million, respectively, of total mortgage banking fees and loan sales,
$14 million and $98 million, respectively, in gains and mark-to-
market adjustments on both settled and outstanding free-standing
derivative instruments and a reduction of $178 million and $296
million, respectively, in net valuation adjustments and amortization
on mortgage servicing rights (MSR) portfolio.

The Bancorp maintains a comprehensive management strategy
relative to its mortgage banking activity, including consultation with
an outside independent third-party specialist, in order to manage a
portion of the risk associated with changes in impairment on its MSR
portfolio as a result of changing interest rates. This strategy includes
the utilization of securities available-for-sale and free-standing
derivatives as well as engaging in loan securitization and sale
transactions. The Bancorp’s non-qualifying hedging strategy includes
the purchase of various securities (primarily FHLMC and FNMA
agency bonds, US treasury bonds, and PO strips) and the purchase of
free-standing derivatives (PO swaps, swaptions, floors, forward
contracts, options and interest rate swaps). The interest income,
mark-to-market adjustments and gain or loss from sale activities in
these portfolios are expected to economically hedge a portion of the
change in value of the MSR portfolio caused by fluctuating discount
rates, earnings rates and prepayment speeds. The combined
magnitude of decreasing interest rates in the first half of 2003 and
subsequent increase in interest rates in the second half of 2003 led to
the recognition of a net $3 million in temporary impairment for 2003.
The significant decline in interest rates in 2002 led to an increase in
prepayment speeds and the recognition of $140 million in temporary
impairment. Servicing rights are typically deemed impaired when a
borrower’s loan rate is distinctly higher than prevailing market rates. As
temporary impairment was recognized on the MSR portfolio in 2003
and 2002 due to falling primary and secondary mortgage rates and
earnings rates and corresponding increases in prepayment speeds, the
Bancorp sold certain of these securities resulting in net realized gains of
$3 million and $33 million in 2003 and 2002, respectively, that were
captured as a component of other operating income in the
Consolidated Statements of Income. In addition, the Bancorp
recognized net gains of $15 million and $100 million in 2003 and
2002, respectively, related to changes in fair value and settlement of
free-standing derivatives purchased to economically hedge the MSR
portfolio. The decline of gains in mark-to-market adjustments and
settlement of free-standing derivative financial instruments in 2003
compared to 2002 resulted from movements of interest rates and
the resulting impact of changing prepayment speeds on the MSR
portfolio. The decline in net security gains from securities
purchased and designated under the non-qualifying hedging
strategy in 2003 compared to 2002 is due to increased reliance on
free-standing derivatives rather than available-for-sale securities as
part of the Bancorp’s overall hedging strategy. As of December 31,
2003 there were no available-for-sale securities held as a part of the
Bancorp’s overall hedging strategy and at December 31, 2002 the
Bancorp held $147 million of U.S. treasury bonds as part of the
non-qualifying hedging strategy. On an overall basis and inclusive
of the net security gain component of the Bancorp’s mortgage
banking risk management strategy, mortgage banking net revenue
increased 38% to $305 million in 2003 from $221 million in
2002.

In 2003, the Bancorp primarily used PO strips/swaps and

purchased options to hedge the economic risk of the MSR portfolio
as they are deemed to be the best available instrument for several
reasons. POs hedge the mortgage-LIBOR spread because they

50

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Table 4–Other Operating Income

($ in millions)
Electronic payment processing revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Service charges on deposits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Mortgage banking net revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Investment advisory revenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other service charges and fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating lease revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Subtotal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securities gains, net 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securities gains, net — non-qualifying hedges on mortgage servicing . . 
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
After-tax securities gains, net  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
After-tax securities gains, net — non-qualifying hedges on 

2003
$  575
485
302
332
581
124
2,399
81
3
$2,483
52
$

mortgage servicing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$

2

2002
512
431
188
325
580
—
2,036
114
33
2,183
74

22

2001
347
367
63
298
542
—
1,617
28
143
1,788
17

88

2000
252
298
256
275
389
—
1,470
6
—
1,476
4

—

1999
189
252
290
258
338
—
1,327
8
—
1,335
5

—

appreciate in value as a result of tightening spreads. They also provide
prepayment protection as they increase in value as prepayment speeds
increase (as opposed to MSR’s that lose value in a faster prepayment
environment). Purchased options are positive convexity hedges
primarily used to hedge the negative convexity of the MSR
portfolio. Due to an increasing interest rate environment during the
second half of 2003, the Bancorp increased the level of purchased
options used to economically hedge the MSR portfolio as compared
to 2002. As of December 31, 2003 and 2002, the Bancorp held a
combination of free-standing derivatives including PO swaps, options,
swaptions and interest rate swaps with a fair value of $8 million and
$37 million, respectively, on an outstanding notional amount of $.9
billion and $1.8 billion, respectively. The decline in the derivative
outstanding notionals at December 31, 2003 as compared to 2002
is primarily due to the level of current interest rates.

Total originations were $16.0 billion in 2003 and $11.5 billion
in 2002. Originations increased in 2003 due to continued declines
in primary and secondary mortgage rates during the first half of
2003. The Bancorp expects the core contribution of mortgage
banking to total revenues to decline from 2003 record levels as
refinance activity and new applications continue to decline.

The Bancorp’s total residential mortgage loan servicing portfolio

at the end of 2003 and 2002 was $30.0 billion and $33.3 billion,
respectively, with $24.5 billion and $26.5 billion, respectively, of
loans serviced for others.

Investment advisory service revenue was $332 million in 2003, an

increase of 2% over 2002. Investment advisory service revenue
increased 9% in 2002. The increase in revenue in 2003 compared to
2002 resulted primarily from strengthening sales results in Retirement
Plan Services, improved institutional asset management revenues from
better market performance partially mitigated by moderating private
client revenues. The Bancorp continues to focus its sales efforts on
integrating services across business lines and working closely with retail
and commercial team members to take advantage of a diverse and
expanding customer base. The Bancorp continues to be one of the

largest money managers in the Midwest and as of December 31, 2003,
had $194 billion in assets under care, $35 billion in assets under
management and $13.6 billion in its proprietary Fifth Third Funds.*
Other service charges and fee revenues were $581 million in
2003 and remained relatively flat compared to 2002. Commercial
banking revenue, consumer loan and lease fees, cardholder fees,
and bank owned life insurance (BOLI) represent the majority of
other service charges and fees. Other service charges and fees for 2002
included a pretax gain of $26 million from the fourth quarter 2002
sale of the property and casualty insurance product lines and a $7
million pretax gain on the third quarter 2002 sale of six branches in
Southern Illinois.

The commercial banking revenue component of other service
charges and fees grew 13% to $178 million in 2003, led by strong
growth in international department revenue which includes foreign
currency exchange revenue and letter of credit fee revenue.
Compared to 2002, total international revenues increased 34% to
$82 million in 2003. Consumer loan and lease fees continued to be
strong in 2003 at $65 million compared to $70 million in 2002, due
to sustained strength in originations. Cardholder fees from the credit
card portfolio provided $59 million, an increase of 15% over 2002
due to growth in the number of relationships in the portfolio and
income from BOLI provided $62 million, remaining flat compared
to 2002. Insurance revenue for 2003 was $28 million compared to
$55 million in 2002. Insurance revenue comparisons to the previous
year are impacted by the fourth quarter 2002 sale of the property
and casualty insurance product line operations representing
approximately $26 million in revenue on a full year 2002 basis. The
other component of other service charges and fees was $189 million in
2003, compared to $152 million in 2002, an increase of 25%. The
other component of other service charges includes a $23 million gain
from the third quarter 2003 securitization and sale of home equity lines
of credit. Several other categories also contributed to the increase in
the other component of other service charges and fees in 2003
compared to 2002, including a $10 million increase in institutional

Fifth Third Funds® Performance Disclosure

*Investments in the Fifth Third Funds are: NOT INSURED BY THE FDIC or any other government agency, are not deposits or

obligations of, or guaranteed by, any bank, the distributor or any of their affiliates, and involve investment risks, including the
possible loss of the principal amount invested. For more complete information including charges, risks, expenses, ongoing fees, investment
objective and other important information, call 1-888-889-1025 for a prospectus. Please read the prospectus carefully and consider this
information before investing or sending money. Fifth Third Funds Distributor, Inc. is the distributor for the funds.

51

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

fixed income trading and sales and a $16 million increase in
customer interest rate derivative product related fee revenue,
partially offset by a net $12 million decrease in various other
revenue categories.

Operating Expenses
The Bancorp’s proven expense discipline continues to drive its
efficiency ratio to levels well below its peer group within the banking
industry. The Bancorp’s success in controlling operating expenses
comes from efficient staffing, a focus on process improvement and
the centralization of various internal functions such as data
processing, loan servicing and other corporate overhead functions.
Operating expense levels are often measured using an efficiency
ratio (operating expenses divided by the sum of taxable equivalent net
interest income and other operating income). The efficiency ratio for
2003 was 45.0% compared to 44.9% in 2002. 

Total operating expenses increased 10% in 2003 compared to
2002. Total operating expenses decreased 5% in 2002 compared to
2001 as the total operating expenses for 2001 included pretax
nonrecurring merger-related charges of $349 million associated with
the merger and integration of Old Kent. Excluding the effect of the
merger-related charges, total operating expenses increased 11% in
2002 compared to 2001.

Comparisons of 2003 total operating expenses to prior periods

are impacted by implications of growth in all of the Bancorp’s
markets and increases in spending related to the expansion and
improvement of the sales force, increases in employee benefit
expenses, third-party consulting expenses, continuing investment in
support personnel including the risk management and internal audit
functions among others, process improvement, technology and
infrastructure to support recent and future growth and volume
related increases in expenses such as bankcard and loan and lease
costs. The Bancorp has also invested significantly in the growth of
its retail banking platform with the opening of 58 new banking
centers since December of 2002. Although the Bancorp has seen
improvement, largely as a result of focused marketing initiatives, the
break-even contribution date for new banking center openings still
occurs on average approximately 11 months following the opening.
Operating expenses for 2003 also include $94 million of expense,
primarily depreciation expense, on operating lease assets consolidated
as a result of the early adoption of FIN 46. See Note 1 to the Con-
solidated Financial Statements for discussion of adoption of FIN 46. 
Salaries, wages and incentives increased 2% in 2003 and 7% in
2002 and employee benefits expense increased 19% in 2003 and 36%
in 2002. The increase in 2003 employee benefits expense is
primarily related to an increase in pension and insurance expenses.
Net pension expense for 2003 was $31 million compared to $13
million in 2002. The increase in pension expense during 2003 was

due to a decrease in the expected return on assets in 2003 compared
to 2002 and an increased amortization of actuarial losses as the
unrecognized net actuarial losses exceeded the corridor limit in
2003. The increase in employee benefits expense in 2002 resulted
primarily from an increase in profit sharing expense due to the
inclusion of the former Old Kent employees in the Plan beginning
in January 2002.

The Bancorp’s net pension expense for 2003 is based upon
specific actuarial assumptions, including an expected long-term rate
of return of 9%. The expected long-term rate of return assumption
reflects the average return expected on the assets invested to provide
for the Plan’s liabilities. In determining the expected long-term rate
of return assumption, the Bancorp evaluated actuarial and economic
inputs, including long-term inflation rate assumptions and broad
equity and bond indices long-term return projections. The Bancorp
believes the 9% long-term rate of return assumption appropriately
reflects both projected broad equity and bond indices long-term
return projections as well as actual long-term historical Plan
performance. The discount rate assumption reflects the yield of a
portfolio of high quality fixed-income instruments that have a similar
duration to the Plan’s liabilities. The discount rate determined on this
basis has decreased from 6.75% at December 31, 2002 to 6% at
December 31, 2003. Lowering the expected long-term rate of return
on Plan assets by .25% (from 9% to 8.75%) would have increased
the pension expense for 2003 by approximately $1 million.
Lowering the discount rate by .25% (from 6.75% to 6.50%) would
have increased the pension expense for 2003 by approximately $2
million. The Plan assumptions are evaluated annually and are
updated as necessary.

The Bancorp based the determination of pension expense on a

market-related valuation of assets. This market-related valuation
recognizes investment gains or losses over a three-year period from
the year in which they occur. Investment gains or losses for this
purpose are the difference between the expected return calculated
using the market-related value of assets and the actual return based
on the market-related value of assets. Since the market-related value
of assets recognizes gains or losses over a three-year period, the future
value of assets will be impacted as previously deferred gains or losses
are recorded. As of December 31, 2003 the Bancorp had cumulative
losses of approximately $103 million which remain to be recognized in
the calculation of the market-related value of assets. These
unrecognized net actuarial losses result in an increase in the Bancorp’s
future pension expense depending on several factors, including
whether such losses at each measurement date exceed the corridor in
accordance with SFAS No. 87, “Employers’ Accounting for Pensions.”
The value of the Plan assets has increased from $177 million at
December 31, 2002 to $223 million at December 31, 2003. The
investment performance returns and contributions made during 2003

Table 5–Operating Expenses

($ in millions)
Salaries, wages and incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Employee benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Equipment expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net occupancy expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating lease expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other operating expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Subtotal  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Merger-related charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003
$ 922 
240
82
159
94
945
2,442
—
$2,442

52

2002
902
201
79
142
—
886
2,210
—
2,210

2001
842
148
91
146
—
760
1,987
349
2,336

2000
782
144
100
138
—
665
1,829
87
1,916

1999
761
142
98
131
—
649
1,781
108
1,889

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

have reduced the Bancorp’s unfunded Plan status, net of benefit
obligations, from $66 million at December 31, 2002 to an unfunded
status of $41 million at December 31, 2003. During 2003, the
Bancorp made $62 million in cash contributions to the Plan and
believes that, based on the actuarial assumptions, no cash contribution
to the Plan will be required in 2004. 

Additionally, the Bancorp anticipates adopting the fair value

method of expense recognition for employee stock-based
compensation on a retroactive basis during the first quarter of 2004.
See Note 1 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for
additional information, including historical compensation expense
impact as if the fair value method of expense recognition had been
applied during 2003, 2002 and 2001.

Full-time equivalent (FTE) employees were 18,899 at December

31, 2003 down from 19,119 at December 31, 2002 and up from
18,373 at December 31, 2001.

Equipment expense increased 3% in 2003 to $82 million and
decreased 13% to $79 million in 2002. The significant decrease in
equipment expense during 2002 was primarily due to dispositions
related to the 2001 Old Kent acquisition. Net occupancy expenses
increased 12% in 2003 to $159 million primarily due to the growth
in the number of banking centers and certain incremental leased
location costs. Banking centers at December 31, 2003 totaled 952
compared to 930 at December 31, 2002. Net occupancy expense
decreased 3% to $142 million in 2002 compared to 2001. The
decrease in 2002 was largely related to the elimination of duplicate
facilities in connection with the integration of Old Kent.

Other operating expenses increased to $945 million in 2003, up

$59 million or 7% over 2002 and increased $126 million or 17%
over 2001. Volume-related expenses and higher loan and lease
processing costs from strong origination volumes in the processing
and fee businesses contributed to the increases in 2003 and 2002
other operating expenses. Additionally, increases in other operating
expenses for 2003 relate to several categories, including increasing
insurance expenses, FDIC expenses, human resource expenses such
as recruiting and training and expenses related to certain third-party
consultant reviews. Third-party consultant reviews of reconciliation
activities and process evaluations associated with the March 26,
2003 Written Agreement entered into by the Bancorp, Fifth Third
Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the Ohio
Department of Commerce, Division of Financial Institutions
resulted in approximately $24 million in incremental expenses in
2003. Several other items, as described below, also impact
comparisons of other operating expense to prior periods. Other
operating expense for 2002 includes an $82 million pre-tax charge
Table 6–Distribution of Loan and Lease Portfolio

realized in the third quarter of 2002 related to treasury clearing and
other related settlement accounts. During the second quarter of
2003, the Bancorp concluded the review of the treasury clearing and
other related settlement accounts that gave rise to the $82 million
pre-tax charge-off, resulting in a $31 million pre-tax recovery,
realized as a credit to other operating expenses. Additionally, during
2003, the Bancorp realized a charge of approximately $20 million
related to the early retirement of approximately $200 million of
Federal Home Loan Bank advances, captured in other operating
expenses. Excluding the impact of the above discussed treasury
clearing and other related settlement items in both 2003 and 2002,
the early debt retirement charge of $20 million, third-party
consultant expenses of $24 million and the operating lease expense
of $94 million incurred as a result of the implementation of FIN 46
in the third quarter of 2003, total operating expenses for 2003
increased $207 million, or 10% over 2002; comparisons being
provided to supplement an understanding of the fundamental
trends in operating expenses. The Bancorp expects continued near-
term improvement from certain volume related expense items and
efficiency initiatives related to non-risk management expenses. For
instance, the Bancorp is aggressively reducing mortgage banking
volume-related processing expenses as originations have slowed in
recent periods. As part of a core emphasis on operating leverage,
these efficiency initiatives include increasing levels of automation of
processes, the rationalization and reduction of non-core businesses
as they relate to our retail and middle market commercial customer
base, returns on invested capital and related opportunities for
continued growth in 2004 and years to come.

As referred to above, during the third quarter of 2002, in
connection with overall data validation procedures completed in
preparation for a conversion and implementation of a new treasury
investment portfolio accounting system, and a review of related
account reconciliations, the Bancorp became aware of a misapplication
of proceeds from a mortgage loan securitization against unrelated
treasury items in a treasury clearing account. Upon this discovery and
after rectifying the mortgage loan securitization receivable, a treasury
clearing account used to process entries into and out of the Bancorp’s
securities portfolio went from a small credit balance to a debit balance
of approximately $82 million consisting of numerous posting and
settlement items, all relating to the Bancorp’s investment portfolio.
Upon concluding that the $82 million balance did not result from a
single item but rather numerous settlement and reconciliation items,
many of which had aged or for which no sufficient detail was readily
available for presentment for claim from counterparties, the Bancorp
recorded a charge-off for these items because it became apparent that

($ in millions)
Commercial, financial

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

Amount

%

Amount

%

Amount

%

Amount

%

Amount

%

and agricultural loans. . . . . . 

$14,209

27% $12,743

28%

$10,807

26% $10,669

25% $ 9,879

25%

Real estate – 

construction loans . . . . . . . . 
Real estate – mortgage loans . . . 
Consumer loans . . . . . . . . . . . 
Lease financing. . . . . . . . . . . . 
Loans and leases, net of

unearned income. . . . . . . . . 
Reserve for credit losses. . . . . . 
Loans and leases, net of reserve . . 
Loans held for sale . . . . . . . . . 

3,636
11,319
17,432
5,712

52,308
(770)
$51,538
$ 1,881

7
22
33
11

100%

3,327
9,380
15,116
5,362

45,928
(683)
$45,245
$ 3,358

8
26
30
10

100%

3,356
10,590
12,565
4,230

41,548
(624)
$40,924
$ 2,180

3,223
11,862
11,551
5,225

42,530
(609)
$41,921
$ 1,655

8
28
27
12

100%

2,272
12,336
9,054
5,296

38,837
(573)
$38,264
$ 1,198

6
32
23
14

100%

7
20
33
12

100%

53

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

any collection would be uncertain, and, if achieved, time consuming
and would require a significant amount of focused research. During
the second quarter of 2003 the Bancorp concluded the review of the
treasury clearing and other related settlement accounts that gave rise to
the $82 million pre-tax ($53 million after-tax) charge-off realized in
2002. The Bancorp expended considerable effort and internal
resources and employed significant external resources with expertise in
treasury operations in the review and reconstruction of these accounts
as well as in the validation of the results. The conclusion of this process
in the second quarter of 2003 identified a $31 million pre-tax ($20
million after-tax) recovery, realized as a credit to other operating
expenses. Based on activities performed by the Bancorp and
independent third-party experts, including the completion of a third-
party review of all the Bancorp’s account reconciliations, the Bancorp
has concluded that there is no additional material financial impact
relating to these treasury clearing and other related settlement
accounts. Additionally, upon completion of the review of the treasury
clearing and other related settlement accounts, the Bancorp did not
identify any specific triggering event that gave rise to the $82 million
pre-tax charge-off to a period other than the third quarter of 2002.
(See also the “Regulatory Matters” section of Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations for additional information.)

Securities
At December 31, 2003, total available-for-sale, held-to-maturity and
trading investment securities were $29.2 billion, compared to $25.5

Table 7—Securities Portfolio at December 31

billion at December 31, 2002, an increase of 14 percent, remaining
relatively proportionate with the growth in the overall balance sheet.
Table 8 provides a breakout of the weighted-average expected

maturity of the available-for-sale portfolio by security type at
December 31. The investment portfolio consists largely of fixed and
floating-rate mortgage-related securities, predominantly
underwritten to the standards of and guaranteed by the
government-sponsored agencies of FHLMC, FNMA and GNMA.
These securities differ from traditional debt securities primarily in
that they have uncertain maturity dates and are priced based on
estimated prepayment rates on the underlying mortgages. The other
bonds, notes and debentures portion of the portfolio at December
31, 2003 consisted of certain non-agency mortgage backed securities
totaling approximately $507 million, certain other asset backed
securities (primarily credit card, automobile and commercial loan
backed securities) totaling approximately $842 million and
corporate bond securities totaling approximately $54 million. The
other securities portion of the portfolio at December 31, 2003
consisted of Federal Home Loan Bank, Federal Reserve Bank and
FHLMC stock holdings totaling approximately $650 million and
certain mutual fund holdings and equity security holdings totaling
approximately $313 million. The estimated average life of the
available-for-sale portfolio increased to 5.2 years at December 31,
2003 based on current prepayment expectations compared to 3.1
years at December 31, 2002. The weighted-average yield of the
available-for-sale securities portfolio at December 31, 2003 was
4.66%, compared to 5.33% at December 31, 2002.

($ in millions)
Securities Available-for-Sale:

U.S. Treasury  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
U.S. Government agencies and corporations  . . . . . . . . . . . .
States and political subdivisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Agency mortgage-backed securities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other bonds, notes and debentures  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other securities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Securities Held-to-Maturity:

U.S. Treasury  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
U.S. Government agencies and corporations  . . . . . . . . . . . .
States and political subdivisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Agency mortgage-backed securities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other bonds, notes and debentures  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other securities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2003

$ 

815
3,860
977
20,981
1,403
963

$ —
—
126
—
9
—

2002

304
2,389
1,090
19,833
1,102
746

—
—
52
—
—
—

2001

96
1,202
1,218
15,308
1,896
787

—
—
16
—
—
—

2000

198
1,240
903
13,940
1,957
791

—
—
475
—
45
33

1999

368
1,020
934
11,410
1,867
326

3
28
599
87
11
10

Table 8—Weighted-Average Maturity of Securities at December 31, 2003

($ in millions)
Securities Available-for-Sale:

U.S. Treasury  . . . . . . . . . . . .
U.S. Government agencies

and corporations  . . . . . . . .

States and political

subdivisions (a)  . . . . . . . . .

Agency mortgage-

backed securities (b) . . . . . .

Other bonds, notes and

debentures (c)  . . . . . . . . . .

Within 1 Year
Yield

Amount

1-5 Years

6-10 Years

Amount

Yield

Amount

Yield

Over 10 Years
Yield

Amount

Total

Amount

Yield

$ 42

1.77%

$ 

292

3.08% $ 481

3.71% $ — 8.36% $

815

3.39%

20

48

779

93

6.44

8.17

6.11

6.31

2,795

3.37

1,036

4.00

9

10.29

3,860

3.57

253

7.75

431

7.42

245

7.49

977

7.56

10,705

4.95

8,291

4.53

1,206

4.33

20,981

4.78

1,094

3.76

78

6.92

138

9.23

1,403

4.64

Maturities of mortgage-backed securities were estimated based on historical and predicted prepayment trends. Yields are computed based on historical cost balances.
(a) Taxable-equivalent yield using a federal income tax rate of 35%, reduced by the nondeductible portion of interest expense. Taxable-equivalent yield adjustments included in
the above table are 2.77%, 2.62%, 2.52%, 2.54% and 2.56% for securities maturing within 1 year, 1-5 years, 6-10 years, over 10 years and in total, respectively.
(b) Included in agency mortgage-backed securities available-for-sale are floating-rate securities totaling $1,847 million.
(c) Included in other bonds, notes and debentures available-for-sale are floating-rate securities totaling $189 million.

54

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

At December 31, 2003, the available-for-sale securities portfolio

included $77 million of net unrealized losses compared to a net
unrealized gain of $674 million at December 31, 2002. The
movement in market interest rates at December 31, 2003 compared
to December 31, 2002 resulted in a movement of the portfolio to
an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2003. 

The credit quality of the available-for-sale security portfolio
continues to be sound, with 88% of the available-for-sale security
portfolio comprised of securities issued by U.S. Government
agencies and U.S. Government sponsored agencies. At December
31, 2003, 95% of the unrealized losses in the available-for-sale
securities portfolio are comprised of securities issued by U.S.
Government agencies, U.S. Government sponsored agencies and
investment grade municipalities. See Note 2 of the Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements for information on the length of
time individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss
position.

Loans and Leases
The Bancorp’s total loan portfolio, excluding held for sale, was
$52.3 billion at December 31, 2003 compared to $45.9 billion at
December 31, 2002, an increase of $6.4 billion (14 percent). The
Bancorp’s held for sale portfolio was $1.9 billion at December 31,
2003 compared to $3.4 billion at December 31, 2002. 

The following tables provide the distribution of commercial
and consumer loans and leases, including loans held for sale, by
major category at December 31. Additional loan component detail is
provided in Table 6.

Table 9–Distribution of Loan and Lease Portfolio
(Including Held For Sale)

Commercial:

Commercial . . . . 
Mortgage . . . . . . . 
Construction. . . . 
Leases . . . . . . . . . 
Subtotal. . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer:

Installment . . . . . 
Mortgage and 

Construction . . 
Credit Card . . . . 
Leases . . . . . . . . . 
Subtotal. . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . 

($ in millions)
Commercial:

Commercial . . . . 
Mortgage . . . . . . . 
Construction. . . . 
Leases . . . . . . . . . 
Subtotal. . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer:

Installment . . . . . 
Mortgage and 

Construction . . 
Credit Card . . . . 
Leases . . . . . . . . . 
Subtotal. . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

26%
13
6
6
51

32

11
1
5
49
100%

26
12
6
6
50

30

14
1
5
50
100

25
14
7
6
52

28

15
1
4
48
100

24
14
6
6
50

26

17
1
6
50
100

25
14
5
5
49

22

20
1
8
51
100

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

$14,226
6,894
3,301
3,264
27,685

12,786
5,885
3,009
3,019
24,699

10,909
6,085
3,103
2,487
22,584

10,734
6,227
2,819
2,571
22,351

10,002
5,640
2,019
2,106
19,767

17,429

14,584

12,138

11,249

8,757

5,865
762
2,448
26,504
$54,189

7,123
537
2,343
24,587
49,286

6,815
448
1,743
21,144
43,728

7,570
361
2,654
21,834
44,185

8,003
318
3,190
20,268
40,035

Balance sheet loans and leases, including loans held for sale,
increased 10% and 13%, respectively, in 2003 and 2002. The
increase in outstandings in 2003 resulted from continued very strong
consumer lending as well as continued growth in commercial loans
and leases.

Consumer installment loan balances, including held for sale,
totaled $17.4 billion at December 31, 2003 compared to $14.6
billion at December 31, 2002, an increase of 20%. Consumer
installment loan balances, including held for sale, increased 20% at
December 31, 2002 compared to December 31, 2001. The increase
in 2003 was attributable to continued strong direct origination
volume in the Indianapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Columbus
and Dayton markets. Consumer installment loan originations were
$7.4 billion during 2003, compared to $6.7 billion in 2002. The
Bancorp is continuing to devote significant focus on producing
banking center based loan originations given the strong credit
performance and attractive yields available in these products.
Consumer installment loan balance comparisons to prior periods are
impacted by the securitization and sale of $903 million in home
equity lines of credit in the third quarter of 2003. The sale of certain
home equity lines of credit was undertaken to limit balance sheet
leverage due to the exceptionally strong demand experienced in this
asset class during 2003 relative to the entire loan and lease portfolio.
In addition to residential mortgage activity, the Bancorp expects to
continue securitization and sale of certain loan classes in 2004.
Residential mortgage and construction loans, including held for sale,
totaled $5.9 billion at December 31, 2003 compared to $7.1 billion
at December 31, 2002, a decrease of 18%. Comparisons to prior
periods are directly dependent upon the volume and timing of
originations as well as the effects of timing on held for sale outflows.
Residential mortgage originations totaled $16.0 billion during 2003
compared to $11.5 billion in 2002. Consumer lease balances
increased 4% at December 31, 2003 compared to December 31,
2002 as a result of continued strong origination volume. Consumer
loan and lease outstandings are affected considerably by sales and
securitizations, which totaled approximately $15.6 billion in 2003
and $9.7 billion in 2002. 

Commercial loan and lease outstandings, including loans held for
sale, totaled $27.7 billion at December 31, 2003 compared to $24.7
billion at December 31, 2002, an increase of 12% . The commercial
loan and lease portfolio increase was attributable to growth in middle-
market and small business loan originations and on the strength of
improving demand and new customer additions in Cincinnati,
Columbus, Chicago, Indianapolis, Lexington and Detroit. Tables 10
and 11 provide a breakout of the commercial loan and lease portfolio,
including held for sale, by major industry classification and size of
credit illustrating the diversity and granularity of the Bancorp’s
portfolio. The commercial portfolio is further characterized by 87%
of outstanding balances and 88% of exposures concentrated within
the Bancorp’s primary market areas of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana,
Florida, Michigan, Illinois, West Virginia and Tennessee. Exclusive of
a national large-ticket leasing business, the commercial loan portfolio
is characterized by 94% of outstanding balances and 93% of
exposures concentrated within these eight states. The mortgage and
construction segments of the commercial loan portfolio are
characterized by 98% of outstanding balances and exposures
concentrated within these eight states. As part of its overall credit risk
management strategy, the Bancorp emphasizes small participations in
individual credits, strict monitoring of industry concentrations within
the portfolio and a relationship-based lending approach that
determines the level of participation in individual credits based on

55

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

multiple factors, including the existence of and potential to provide
additional products and services.

Table 10–Commercial Loan and Lease Portfolio
Exposure by Industry at December 31

2003

2002

($ in millions)
Manufacturing . . . . 
Real Estate . . . . . . . 
Construction . . . . . 
Retail Trade. . . . . . 
Business 

Services . . . . . . . 

Wholesale 

Trade . . . . . . . . . 
Individuals. . . . . . . 
Financial Services 

& Insurance . . . . 
Healthcare . . . . . . . 
Transportation & 

Warehousing . . . 

Accommodation 

& Food . . . . . . . 

Public 

Administration . . 
Other Services . . . . 
Other . . . . . . . . . . 
Communication & 
Information . . . . 

Entertainment & 

Outstanding (a) Exposure (a) Outstanding (a) Exposure (a)
$ 6,814
6,084
4,742
3,804

$ 3,497
6,303
3,121
2,449

$ 7,464
7,289
4,896
4,060

$ 3,090
5,230
3,019
2,106

1,851

1,330
1,511

602
1,151

1,222

861

862
648
645

423

2,964

2,508
1,943

1,938
1,714

1,434

1,144

965
878
857

768

1,896

1,190
645

505
1,015

1,013

897

750
790
990

445

2,978

2,293
907

1,885
1,523

1,228

1,074

845
1,208
990

620

401
456
164
188
$27,685

470
Recreation . . . . . 
533
Agribusiness. . . . . . 
418
Utilities . . . . . . . . . 
347
Mining . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . 
$38,763
(a) Outstanding reflects total commercial customer loan and lease balances,
net of unearned income, and exposure reflects total commercial customer
lending commitments.

603
593
531
278
$42,827

365
424
113
216
$24,699

Table 11–Commercial Loan Portfolio Exposure 
by Loan Size by Obligor at December 31

($ in millions)
Less than 

$5 million . . . . . 

$5 million to

$15 million . . . . 

$15 million to 

$25 million . . . . 

Greater than 

2003

2002

Outstanding (a) Exposure (a) Outstanding (a) Exposure (a)

66%

55%

67%

55%

24

7

26

12

24

8

27

11

7
$25 million . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . 
100%
(a) Outstanding reflects total commercial customer loan and lease balances,
net of unearned income, and exposure reflects total commercial customer
lending commitments.

3
100%

7
100%

1
100%

To maintain balance sheet flexibility and enhance liquidity
during 2003 and 2002, the Bancorp transferred, with servicing
retained, certain primarily fixed-rate, short-term investment grade
commercial loans to an unconsolidated QSPE. The outstanding
balance of loans transferred was $1.8 billion both at December 31,

56

2003 and 2002.

In addition to the loan and lease portfolio, the Bancorp serviced
loans and leases for others totaling approximately $29.2 billion and
$31.7 billion at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively,
including $24.5 billion and $26.5 billion of residential mortgage
loans at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

Based on repayment schedules at December 31, 2003, the

remaining maturities of loans and leases held for investment follows:

Table 12–Loan and Lease Maturities

Real 
Estate

Real 
Commercial,
Financial and
Estate
Agricultural Construction Commercial Residential Consumer
Loans

Mortgage

Loans

Loans

Loans

Lease
Financing

Total

($ in millions)
Due in one year 

or less. . . . . .  $ 8,609

1,992

2,121

1,317

4,218

1,031

19,288

Due between 
one and  
five years . . . 

Due after 

4,940

1,400

4,051

1,450

9,712

3,050

24,603

five years . . . 

660
Total . . . . . . . .  $14,209

244
3,636

722
6,894

1,658
4,425

3,502
17,432

1,631
5,712

8,417
52,308

A summary of the remaining maturities of the loan and lease
portfolio as of December 31, 2003 based on the sensitivity of the loans
and leases to interest rate changes for loans due after one year follows:

Table 13–Loan and Lease Interest Rate Sensitivity

Real 
Estate

Real 
Commercial,
Financial and
Estate
Agricultural Construction Commercial Residential Consumer
Loans

Mortgage

Loans

Loans

Loans

Lease
Financing

Total

($ in millions)
Predetermined 

interest rate . . 

$1,970

413

2,139

1,300

6,571

4,681

17,074

Floating or 
adjustable 
interest rate . . 

$3,630

1,231

2,634

1,808

6,643

—

15,946

Nonperforming and Underperforming Assets
Nonperforming assets include (1) nonaccrual loans and leases on
which the ultimate collectibility of the full amount of interest is
uncertain, (2) loans and leases which have been renegotiated to provide
for a reduction or deferral of interest or principal because of a
deterioration in the financial position of the borrower and (3) other
assets, including other real estate owned and repossessed equipment.
Underperforming assets include nonperforming assets and loans and
leases past due 90 days or more as to principal or interest. For a
detailed discussion on the Bancorp’s policy on accrual of interest on
loans see Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. 

Total nonperforming assets were $319 million at December 31,

2003, or .61 percent of total loans, leases and other assets,
including other real estate owned, up $46 million (2 bps)
compared to $273 million, or .59 percent, at December 31, 2002.
Compared to 2002 there has, however, been a decrease in loans
and leases ninety days past due. The $46 million increase in total
nonperforming assets at December 31, 2003 is primarily comprised
of a net decrease of $5 million in nonaccrual loans and leases, an
$8 million increase in renegotiated loans and leases, a $28 million
increase in other real estate owned and a $15 million increase in
other nonperforming assets. Table 15 provides the breakout of
nonaccrual loans and leases by loan category. The decrease in

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

nonaccrual commercial loan and lease balances as compared to
2002 is largely reflective of modest credit improvement and certain
charge-off outflows in several markets including Chicago,
Columbus, Grand Rapids, Evansville and Cincinnati. Table 16
provides a breakout of the commercial nonaccrual loans and leases by
loan size, further illustrating the granularity of the Bancorp’s
commercial loan portfolio. The increase in nonaccrual consumer
loans and nonaccrual residential mortgage and construction loans at
December 31, 2003 compared to 2002 was primarily attributable to
elevated trends in unemployment and personal bankruptcies.  The
increase in other real estate owned of $28 million was specifically
attributable to a $9 million increase in commercial loan and lease
related balances, an $11 million increase in residential mortgage and
construction loan related balances and an $8 million increase in
other consumer loan related balances, with no particular market
concentration. Nonperforming consumer loans and other real estate
owned reflect the estimated salvage value of underlying collateral
associated with previously charged-off assets.

Total underperforming assets were $464 million at December

31, 2003 compared to $435 million at December 31, 2002, an
increase of 7%. Total underperforming assets as a percentage of
total loans, leases and other assets, including other real estate
owned decreased 6 bps to .89% at December 31, 2003.

At December 31, 2003, there were $3 million of loans and leases

currently performing in accordance with contractual terms where
there were serious doubts as to the ability of the borrower to comply
with such terms. For the years 2003, 2002, and 2001, interest
income of $5 million, $5 million and $7 million, respectively, was
recorded on nonaccrual and renegotiated loans and leases.
Additional interest income of $23 million, $24 million and $24
million, respectively, for the years 2003, 2002 and 2001 would have
been recorded if the nonaccrual and renegotiated loans and leases
had been current in accordance with the original terms.

A summary of nonperforming and underperforming assets at

December 31 follows:

Table 14–Summary of Nonperforming and
Underperforming Assets

($ in millions)
Nonaccrual loans 

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

and leases . . . . . . . . . . 

$242

247

216

174

133

Renegotiated loans 

and leases . . . . . . . . . . 
Other assets including, other 
real estate owned . . . . . 

Total nonperforming 

assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Ninety days past due 

loans and leases . . . . . . 

Total underperforming 

assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Nonperforming assets as a 
percent of total loans, 
leases and other assets,
including other real 
estate owned . . . . . . . . 
Underperforming assets as a 
percent of total loans, 
leases and other assets,
including other
real estate owned . . . . . 

8

69

319

145

$464

—

26

273

162

435

—

19

235

164

399

2

25

201

128

329

2

19

154

83

237

.61%

.59

.57

.47

.40

.89%

.95

.96

.77

.61

57

The portfolio composition of nonaccrual loans and leases and
ninety days past due loans and leases as of December 31 follows:

Table 15–Composition of Nonaccrual and Past Due
Loans and Leases

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

($ in millions)
Commercial loans 

and leases . . . . . . . . . . 
Commercial mortgages . . 
Commercial construction. . 
Residential mortgages and

construction . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer loans. . . . . . . . 
Total nonaccrual 

loans and leases . . . . . . 

Commercial loans 

and leases . . . . . . . . . . 

Commercial mortgages 

and construction . . . . . 
Credit card receivables . . . 
Residential mortgages 

and construction . . . . . 

Consumer loans and 

leases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total ninety days past due 
loans and leases . . . . . . 

$129
42
19

25
27

$242

$ 15

12
13

51

54

159
41
14

18
15

247

29

18
9

60

46

122
57
26

11
—

73
42
11

42
6

53
25
4

48
3

216

174

133

25

24
8

56

51

31

6
5

49

37

21

5
5

37

15

83

$145

162

164

128

A summary of commercial nonaccrual loans and leases exposure

by loan size by obligor at December 31 follows:

Table 16–Summary of Commercial Nonaccrual Loans
and Leases by Loan Size by Obligor

Less than $200,000 . . . . . . . . . 
$200,000 to $1 million . . . . . . 
$1 million to $5 million. . . . . . 
$5 million to $10 million. . . . . 
$10 million to $15 million . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003
23%
34
28
15
—
100%

2002
16%
19
34
25
6
100%

Of the total underperforming assets at December 31, 2003,
$233 million are to borrowers or projects in the Ohio market area,
$61 million in the Illinois market area, $83 million in the Michigan
market area, $56 million in the Indiana market area, $27 million in
the Kentucky market area, $2 million in the Tennessee market area,
and $2 million in the Florida market area.

The Bancorp’s middle market commercial focus, long history
of low exposure limits, avoidance of national or subprime lending
businesses, centralized risk management and diversified portfolio
provide an effective position to weather an economic downturn
and reduce the likelihood of significant future unexpected credit
losses.

Provision and Reserve for Credit Losses
The Bancorp provides as an expense an amount for probable credit
losses which is based on a review of historical loss experience and such
factors which, in management’s judgment, deserve consideration under
existing economic conditions. The expected credit loss expense is
included in the Consolidated Statements of Income as provision for
credit losses. Actual losses on loans and leases are charged against the

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

reserve for credit losses on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The
amount of loans and leases actually removed as assets from the
Consolidated Balance Sheets is referred to as charge-offs and net
charge-offs include current charge-offs less recoveries in the current
period on previously charged-off assets. The Bancorp’s strategy for
credit risk management includes a combination of conservative
exposure limits significantly below legal lending limits and conservative
underwriting, documentation and collection standards. In addition,
the Bancorp also emphasizes diversification on a geographic, industry
and customer level and performs regular credit examinations and
quarterly management reviews of large credit exposures as well as loans
experiencing deterioration of credit quality. The Bancorp has not
substantively changed any aspect to its overall approach in the
determination of the reserve for loan and lease losses, and there have
been no material changes in assumptions or estimation techniques, as
compared to prior periods that impacted the determination of the
current period allowance. For a detailed discussion regarding factors
considered in the determination of the reserve for credit losses see
Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Net charge-offs increased $125 million to $312 million in 2003,

compared to $187 million in 2002. Net charge-offs as a percentage
of loans and leases outstanding increased 20 bps to .63% in 2003
from .43% in 2002. The increase was due to higher net charge-offs on
both commercial and consumer loans and leases. Total commercial
net charge-offs were $136 million, compared with $61 million in
2002. The ratio of commercial loan net charge-offs to average loans
outstanding in 2003 was 1.0%, an increase from .52% in 2002. The
increase in commercial loan net charge-offs in 2003 is reflective of
the overall challenging economic landscape and stress existing in
several segments of the economy as well as the overall growth of the
commercial loan portfolio. Incremental charge-off activity was
experienced within the Cincinnati, Chicago, Columbus, Cleveland,
Dayton and Grand Rapids markets with no particular industry
concentration and individual credits ranging in size from $1 million
to $7 million. Total commercial mortgage net charge-offs in 2003
were $7 million, compared with $13 million in 2002. Total
residential mortgage net charge-offs in 2003 were $24 million,
compared with $10 million in 2002. The ratio of residential mortgage
net charge-offs to average loans outstanding in 2003 was .57%, an
increase from .23% in 2002. Total consumer loan net charge-offs in

Table 17–Summary of Credit Loss Experience for the Years Ended December 31

($ in millions)
Losses charged off:

Commercial, financial and agricultural loans . . . . . . . . 
Real estate - commercial mortgage loans . . . . . . . . . . . 
Real estate - construction loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Real estate - residential mortgage loans . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Lease financing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Recoveries of losses previously charged off:

Commercial, financial and agricultural loans . . . . . . . . 
Real estate - commercial mortgage loans . . . . . . . . . . . 
Real estate - construction loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Real estate - residential mortgage loans . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Lease financing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total recoveries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net losses charged off:

Commercial, financial and agricultural loans . . . . . . . . 
Real estate - commercial mortgage loans . . . . . . . . . . . 
Real estate - construction loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Real estate - residential mortgage loans . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Consumer loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Lease financing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total net losses charged off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Reserve for credit losses, January 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net losses charged off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Reserve of acquired institutions and other. . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision charged to operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Merger-related provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Reserve for credit losses, December 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Loans and leases outstanding at December 31 (a) . . . . . . 
Average loans and leases (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Reserve as a percent of loans and leases outstanding . . . . 
Net charge-offs as a percent of average loans and leases . . 
Reserve as a percent of total nonperforming assets . . . . . . 
Reserve as a percent of total underperforming assets . . . . 

(a) Average loans and leases exclude loans held for sale.

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

(80.5)
(17.9)
(6.3)
(9.8)
(115.3)
(42.7)
(272.5)

19.6
4.5
2.5
.3
46.6
12.2
85.7

(60.9)
(13.4)
(3.8)
(9.5)
(68.7)
(30.5)
(186.8)
624.1
(186.8)
(.7)
246.6
—
683.2
45,928
43,529
1.49
.43
250.62
157.12

(106.2)
(11.5)
(2.2)
(7.2)
(116.3)
(65.2)
(308.6)

21.6
9.2
.4 
.2 
38.2 
11.9 
81.5

(84.6)
(2.3)
(1.8)
(7.0)
(78.1)
(53.3)
(227.1)
609.3
(227.1)
5.9
200.6 
35.4 
624.1
41,548
42,339
1.50
.54
265.45
156.49

(37.4)
(21.6)
(1.1)
(2.6)
(73.5)
(39.6)
(175.8)

16.3 
9.4
.3 
.2 
31.7 
9.2 
67.1 

(21.1)
(12.2)
(.8)
(2.4)
(41.8)
(30.4)
(108.7)
572.9
(108.7)
7.4
125.7 
12.0 
609.3
42,530
41,303
1.43
.26
303.85
185.21

(53.6)
(17.4)
(1.1)
(4.7)
(92.2)
(40.3)
(209.3)

14.6 
5.0
—
.7 
33.8 
13.6 
67.7 

(39.0)
(12.4)
(1.1)
(4.0)
(58.4)
(26.7)
(141.6)
532.2 
(141.6)
12.9 
143.2 
26.2
572.9 
38,837
36,543
1.48
.39
370.86
241.16

$(152.7)
(8.6)
(3.7)
(23.8)
(135.5)
(55.9)
(380.2)

16.3
2.1
.5
.2
39.5
9.4
68.0

(136.4)
(6.5)
(3.2)
(23.6)
(96.0)
(46.5)
$(312.2)
$(683.2
(312.2)
—
399.4
—
$(770.4 
$52,308
$49,700

1.47%
.63%
242.01%
166.19%

58

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Table 18–Elements of the Reserve for Credit Losses at December 31

($ in millions)
Commercial, financial and agricultural loans . . . . 
Real estate – commercial mortgage loans . . . . . . . 
Real estate – construction loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Real estate – residential mortgage loans . . . . . . . . 
Consumer loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Lease financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Unallocated reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total reserve for credit losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003
$292.6
77.2
38.0
29.0
156.3
64.1
113.2
$770.4

Reserve Amount
2001
2000
117.9   106.8
102.8
102.6
27.9
32.5
17.7
31.1
134.2
131.6
113.3
100.7
106.6
107.7
609.3
624.1

2002
158.5
116.7
41.4
43.4
141.3
131.8
50.1
683.2

1999
121.0
122.8
20.2
24.5
126.8
82.1
75.5
572.9

Reserve as a Percent of
Loans and Leases
2001
1.09
1.69
.97
.69
1.05
2.38
.26
1.50

2000
1.00
1.65
.87
.31
1.16
2.17
.25
1.43

2003
2002
2.06% 1.24
1.98
1.12
1.24
1.05
1.24
.66
.93
.90
2.46
1.12
.11
.22
1.47% 1.49

1999
1.22
2.18
.89
.37
1.40
1.55
.19
1.48

2003 were $96 million, compared with $69 million in 2002. The
ratio of consumer loan net charge-offs to average loans in 2003 was
.58%, an increase from .49% in 2002. The increase in consumer
loan and residential mortgage net charge-offs as compared to the
prior year reflects general trends in the national economy as it relates
to unemployment and personal bankruptcies. Total lease net charge-
offs in 2003 were $47 million, compared with $31 million in 2002.
The ratio of lease net charge-offs to average leases outstanding in
2003 was .84%, compared with .65% in 2002. The increase in lease
net charge-offs in 2003 was largely attributable to $28 million in net
charge-offs relating to three airline leases. The following table
illustrates net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans and leases
outstanding by loan category for the years ended December 31:

Table 19–Net Charge-offs as a Percentage of 
Average Loans and Leases Outstanding

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

Commercial, financial 

and agricultural loans  . .

1.00%

Real estate – commercial

mortgage loans  . . . . . .

.10%

Real estate – 

construction loans  . . . .

.09%

Real estate –  residential

mortgage loans  . . . . . .
Consumer loans  . . . . . .
Lease financing . . . . . . .
Weighted-Average Ratio . .

.57%
.58%
.84%
.63%

.52

.23

.12

.23
.49
.65
.43

.79

.04

.06

.14
.65
1.13
.54

.20

.21

.03

.04
.41
.58
.26

.41

.25

.05

.05
.72
.58
.39

The reserve for credit losses totaled $770 million at December 31,
2003 and $683 million at December 31, 2002. The reserve for credit
losses at December 31, 2003 was 1.47% of the total loan and lease
portfolio compared to 1.49% at December 31, 2002. An analysis of the
changes in the reserve for credit losses, including charge-offs, recoveries
and provision is presented in Table 17. The increase in the reserve for
credit losses in the current year compared to 2002 is primarily due
to the overall increase in the total loan and lease portfolio, the
increase in nonperforming and underperforming assets at December
31, 2003 as compared to December 31, 2002 and the overall assessed
probable estimated loan and lease losses inherent in the portfolio. The
total reserve for credit losses as a percent of nonperforming assets
was 242% at December 31, 2003, compared with 250.6% at
December 31, 2002. The total reserve for credit losses as a percent of
underperforming assets was 166.2% at December 31, 2003,
compared with 157.1% at December 31, 2002. Table 18 above
provides the amount of the reserve for credit losses by loan and lease
category. The reserve established for commercial loans increased
$134 million to $293 million in 2003. The increase is largely

reflective of growth in the portfolio, particularly in the Cincinnati,
Chicago, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids and Detroit markets with the
overall increase as a percent of loans and leases reflective of recent
increasing charge-off experience. The reserve established for consumer
loans increased $15 million to $156 million in 2003. The increase
reflects the growth in the overall portfolio achieved through the
sales success of the Bancorp’s direct installment loan campaigns,
while the reserve as a percent of loans and leases has remained relatively
steady. The reserve for lease financing decreased $68 million to $64
million in 2003 attributable, in large part, to specific airline lease
charge-off's in 2003 along with recent stability and an overall
improving outlook for the commercial leasing portfolio. The reserve
established for commercial mortgage decreased $40 million to $77
million in 2003. The decrease in the reserve is largely reflective of
improvement in credit experience realized in 2003 and the outlook
as lower interest rates and subsequent prepayment activity led to an
increased ability to exit certain acquired commercial mortgage credit
exposures. An unallocated reserve is maintained to recognize the
imprecision in estimating and measuring loss when evaluating
reserves for individual loans or pools of loans. The unallocated
reserve was $113 million at December 31, 2003 or .22% of total
loans and leases outstanding.

Deposits
Commercial customer additions and net new retail checking account
growth fueled another year of strong deposit growth across all of the
Bancorp’s regional markets. Total deposits increased 9%, or $4.9
billion over 2002 due to a $3.4 billion, or 9% percent, increase in
transaction deposit accounts and a $3.0 billion, or 60%, growth in
certificates over $100,000 and foreign office deposits utilized to fund
asset growth in 2003, offset by an 18%, or $1.5 billion decrease in
consumer time deposits. Total average deposits increased 11%, or $5.6
billion over 2002 due to a $4.6 billion, or 13%, increase in average
transaction deposit accounts and a $3.2 billion, or 88%, growth in
average certificates over $100,000 and average foreign office deposits,
offset by a 24%, or $2.2 billion decrease in average consumer time
deposits. The transaction account deposit growth during the current
year is primarily attributable to the Bancorp’s competitive deposit
products and a continuing focus on expanding its customer base
through the overall success of campaigns emphasizing customer
deposit accounts. Average interest checking and demand deposit
balances rose 15% and 17%, respectively, from 2002 average levels.
Overall, the Bancorp experienced deposit growth in many of its
markets, with significant contributions from the Cincinnati,
Indianapolis, Chicago, Columbus and Florida markets, due to the
popularity of existing products, such as Totally Free Checking,
Platinum One Checking, MaxSaver, Business 53 Checking, the e53

59

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Checking Account and the Platinum Capital Account — the
Bancorp’s consolidated bank and investment account. These balances
represent an important source of funding and revenue growth
opportunity as the Bancorp is continuing to focus on net checking
account growth in its retail and commercial franchises. The Bancorp
also realized a decrease in time deposit balances, resulting from the
declining interest rate environment. The Bancorp expects near term
trends in transaction account deposit growth will continue to reflect
success in attracting new customer relationships across the footprint
mitigated by the implications of an improving interest rate
environment. Table 22 below shows the relative composition of the
Bancorp’s average deposits and Table 20 below shows the change in
average deposit sources during the last five years. Other time deposits
are comprised of consumer certificates of deposit. All foreign office
deposits are denominated in amounts greater than $100,000. 

Table 20–Change in Average Deposit Sources

($ in millions)
Demand . . . . . . . . 
Interest checking . . 
Savings . . . . . . . . . 
Money market. . . . 
Other time . . . . . . 
Certificates–$100,000
and over . . . . . . 
Foreign office . . . . 
Total change . . . . . 

2003
$1,529
2,440
(1,445)
2,027
(2,235)

1,401
1,844
$5,561

2002
1,559
4,750
4,537
(1,390)
(4,070)

(2,132)
26
3,280

2001
1,137
1,958
(871)
1,613
(243)

(462)
(1,904)
1,228

2000
178
978
(407)
(389)
(142)

86
2,944
3,248

1999
452
1,523
(126)
(143)
(1,259)

341
682
1,470

Certificates carrying a balance of $100,000 or more and deposits in

the Bancorp’s foreign branch located in the Cayman Islands are
wholesale funding tools utilized to fund asset growth. Maturity
distribution of domestic certificates of deposit of $100,000 and over at
December 31, 2003 are as follows: 

Table 21–Maturity Distribution of Certificates —
$100,000 and over

($ in millions)
Three months or less . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Over three months through six months. . . 
Over six months through twelve months . . 
Over twelve months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total certificates-$100,000 and over . . . . . 

$ 872
179
166
154
$1,371

Borrowings
Short-term borrowings consist primarily of short-term excess funds
from correspondent banks, securities sold under agreements to
repurchase and commercial paper issuances. Short-term borrowings
primarily fund short-term, rate-sensitive earning-asset growth. As part
Table 22–Distribution of Average Deposits

of its overall interest rate risk management strategy reflective of
shortening asset durations in 2003, the Bancorp increased its use of
short-term borrowings to fund a portion of the growth in the average
earning-asset portfolio. As Table 23 indicates, the Bancorp was a net
borrower of $12.3 billion in 2003, compared to $7.0 billion in 2002.

Table 23–Average Short-Term Borrowings

($ in millions)
Federal funds

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

purchased . . 

$ 7,001

3,262

3,682

4,801

4,443

Short-term

bank notes . 
Other short-term
borrowings . 
Total short-term
borrowings . 
Federal funds 
sold . . . . . . 

Net funds 

22

2

10

1,102

1,053

5,350

3,927

5,107

3,822

3,077

12,373

7,191

8,799

9,725

8,573

(92)

(155)

(69)

(118)

(224)

borrowed . . . 

$12,281

7,036

8,730

9,607

8,349

Long-term debt was $9.1 billion at December 31, 2003, compared
with $8.2 billion at December 31, 2002. As previously discussed, the early
adoption of FIN 46 on July 1, 2003 resulted in the consolidation of an
SPE for which the Bancorp is deemed to be the primary beneficiary. The
early adoption of FIN 46 resulted in the consolidation of a long-term
debt obligation totaling $1.1 billion on July 1, 2003. See Note 1 of the
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of
adoption of FIN 46. The adoption of SFAS No. 150 on July 1, 2003
resulted in the reclassification of a $482 million minority interest to long-
term debt, relating to preferred stock issued during 2001 by a subsidiary
of the Bancorp. See Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements for further discussion of adoption of SFAS No. 150. In
addition to the above, during 2003, the Bancorp retired approximately
$200 million of Federal Home Loan Bank advances with a coupon of
6.38 percent and a maturity date of June 29, 2005, incurring a charge to
operating expenses of approximately $20 million. Also, during 2003 the
Bancorp issued $500 million, 4.50% Subordinated Notes due June 1,
2018 under a shelf registration in place with the Securities and Exchange
Commission that had $2 billion of issuance availability. The Bancorp
continues to explore additional alternatives regarding the level and cost of
various other sources of funds.

Capital Resources
The Bancorp maintains a relatively high level of capital as a margin of
safety for its depositors and shareholders. At December 31, 2003,
shareholders’ equity was $8.5 billion. The Federal Reserve Board has
adopted risk-based capital guidelines that assign risk weightings to assets

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

($ in millions)
Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest checking. . . . . . . . . . . . 
Savings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Money market . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Other time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Certificates–$100,000

and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Foreign office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Amount
$10,482
18,679
8,020
3,189
7,168

3,090
3,862
$54,490

%
Amount
19% $ 8,953
16,239
34
9,465
15
1,162
6
9,403
13

6
7

1,689
2,018
100% $48,929

%
18%
33
19
3
19

4
4
100%

60

Amount
$ 7,394
11,489
4,928
2,552
13,473

3,821
1,992
$45,649

%
Amount
16% $ 6,257
9,531
25
5,799
11
939
6
13,716
30

%
Amount
14% $ 6,079
8,553
22
6,206
13
1,328
2
13,858
31

8
4

4,283
3,896
100% $44,421

9
9

4,197
952
100% $41,173

%
15%
21
15
3
34

10
2
100%

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

and off-balance sheet items and also define and set minimum capital
requirements (risk-based capital ratios). The guidelines define “well-
capitalized” ratios of Tier 1, total capital and leverage as 6 percent, 10
percent and 5 percent, respectively. The Bancorp and each of its
subsidiaries had Tier 1, total capital and leverage ratios above the well-
capitalized levels at December 31, 2003 and 2002. The Bancorp
expects to maintain these ratios above the well capitalized levels in
2004.

Table 24 provides the Bancorp's regulatory risk-based capital and
risk-weighted assets and capital and liquidity ratios at December 31:

Table 24–Capital Ratios

2002
($ in millions)
2003
7,656
Tier 1 capital . . . . . . . . . $ 8,168
Total capital . . . . . . . . . . $ 9,992
8,844
Risk-weighted assets  . . . . $74,689 65,444
Risk-based capital ratios:  . .

Tier 1 capital  . . . . . . 10.94% 11.70
Total capital  . . . . . . . 13.38% 13.51
9.11% 9.73

Tier 1 leverage ratio . . . .

2001
7,358
8,581

1999
2000
5,573
6,317
7,494
6,485
59,491 55,943 49,379

12.37
14.42
10.54

11.29
13.40
9.40

11.29
13.13
9.04

Table 25–Average Equity Ratios

2003

2002

2001

Average shareholders’ equity to: 

Average assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9.85% 10.93
Average deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  15.81% 16.75
Average loans and leases. . . . . . . . . .  16.44% 18.00

10.28
15.91
16.18

In December 2001, and as amended in May 2002, the Board of

Directors authorized the repurchase in the open market, or in any
private transaction, of up to three percent of common shares
outstanding. In March 2003, the Board of Directors authorized the
repurchase in the open market, or in any private transaction, of up to
an additional 20 million common shares. In 2003, the Bancorp
repurchased approximately 11.5 million shares of common stock at
an average price of $57 for an aggregate of approximately $655
million. During 2003, the authority under the repurchase plan
approved by the Board of Directors in December 2001 had been
completed and the remaining authority under the plan authorized in
March 2003 was approximately 14.1 million shares at December 31,
2003. With increasing capital levels and greater stability in earning
asset yields anticipated in 2004, the Bancorp continues to view share
repurchases as an effective means of returning excess capital to
shareholders.

Foreign Currency Exposure
At December 31, 2003 and 2002, the Bancorp maintained foreign
office deposits of $6.6 billion and $3.8 billion, respectively. These
foreign deposits represent U.S. dollar denominated deposits in the
Bancorp’s foreign branch located in the Cayman Islands. Foreign
deposits increased as compared to 2002 as the Bancorp utilized these
deposits to aid in the funding of earning asset growth. In addition,
the Bancorp enters into foreign exchange derivative contracts for the
benefit of customers involved in international trade to hedge their
exposure to foreign currency fluctuations. The Bancorp minimizes its
exposure to these derivative contracts by entering into offsetting third-
party forward contracts with approved reputable counterparties, with
matching terms and currencies that are generally settled daily.

Related Party Transactions
At December 31, 2003 and 2002, certain directors, executive officers,
principal holders of Bancorp common stock and associates of such
persons were indebted, including undrawn commitments to lend, to
the Bancorp’s banking subsidiaries in the aggregate amount, net of
participations, of $385 million and $486 million, respectively. The
merger in 2003 of four of the Bancorp’s subsidiary banks into Fifth
Third Bank (Michigan) resulted in a reduction in the number of
insiders and a corresponding reduction in the outstanding loan and
commitment balance at December 31, 2003. As of December 31,
2003 and 2002, the outstanding balance on loans to related parties,
net of participations and undrawn commitments, was $118 million
and $160 million, respectively. 

Commitments to lend to related parties as of December 31, 2003,

net of participations, were comprised of $364 million in loans and
guarantees for various business and personal interests made to the
Bancorp and subsidiary directors and $21 million to certain executive
officers. This indebtedness was incurred in the ordinary course of
business on substantially the same terms as those prevailing at the
time of comparable transactions with unrelated parties.

None of the Bancorp’s affiliates, officers, directors or employees

have an interest in or receive any remuneration from any special
purpose entities or qualified special purpose entities with which the
Bancorp transacts business.

Regulatory Matters
On March 27, 2003, the Bancorp announced that it and Fifth Third
Bank had entered into a Written Agreement with the Federal Reserve
Bank of Cleveland and the State of Ohio Department of Commerce,
Division of Financial Institutions which outlines a series of steps to
address and strengthen the Bancorp’s risk management processes and
internal controls. These steps include independent third-party reviews
and the submission of written plans in a number of areas. These areas
include the Bancorp’s management, corporate governance, internal
audit, account reconciliation procedures and policies, information
technology and strategic planning. The Bancorp has submitted all
documentation and information currently required by the Written
Agreement, including all independent third-party reviews. The
Bancorp has largely completed the staffing of its Risk Management
group and has supplemented the size and expertise of the Internal
Audit group. The Bancorp believes the improvement of these areas, as
well as others described in the Written Agreement, is nearly
completed. The Bancorp is continuing to work in cooperation with
the Federal Reserve Bank and the State of Ohio and is devoting its
attention to assisting the Regulators in verifying this progress. The
Bancorp is targeting to accomplish this verification during the first
quarter of 2004. Reference is made to the text of the Written
Agreement (filed as Exhibit 99.8 to the Bancorp’s Form 10-K filed on
March 27, 2003) for additional information regarding the terms of
the Written Agreement. The Bancorp believes that the steps taken in
conjunction with the above Written Agreement have made the
organization stronger through the development of new and expanded
risk management, audit and infrastructure processes.

Reference is made to Item 1 “Business — Regulation and

Supervision” on pages 5, 6 and 8 in the Bancorp’s Form 10-K (filed
on March 27, 2003) for a discussion of certain possible effects of this
regulatory action, including, among others, no longer satisfying
financial holding company requirements for purposes of the Gramm-
Leach-Bliley Act, higher deposit insurance premiums, incremental
staff expenses and higher legal and consulting expenses.

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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

On November 12, 2002, the Bancorp was informed by a letter
from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”)
that the Commission was conducting an informal investigation
regarding the after-tax charge of $54 million reported in the
Bancorp’s Form 8-K dated September 10, 2002 and the existence or
effects of weaknesses in financial controls in the Bancorp’s Treasury
and/or Trust operations. The Bancorp has responded to all of the
Commission’s requests. 

In December of 2003, the Bancorp completed the merger of its

Fifth Third Bank, Kentucky, Inc., Fifth Third Bank, Northern
Kentucky, Inc., Fifth Third Bank, Indiana and Fifth Third Bank,
Florida subsidiary banks with and into Fifth Third Bank (Michigan).
Although these mergers changed the legal structure of the subsidiary
banks, there were no significant changes to the Bancorp’s affiliate
structure or operating model.

Legal Proceedings
During 2003, eight putative class action complaints were filed in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
against the Bancorp and certain of its officers alleging violations of
federal securities laws related to disclosures made by the Bancorp
regarding its integration of Old Kent and its effect on the Bancorp’s
infrastructure, including internal controls, and prospects and related
matters. The complaints seek unquantified damages on behalf of
putative classes of persons who purchased the Bancorp’s common
stock, attorneys’ fees and other expenses. Management believes there
are substantial defenses to these lawsuits and intends to defend them
vigorously. The impact of the final disposition of these lawsuits
cannot be assessed at this time.

The Bancorp and its subsidiaries are not parties to any other
material litigation other than those arising in the normal course of
business. While it is impossible to ascertain the ultimate resolution or
range of financial liability with respect to these contingent matters,
management believes any resulting liability from these other actions
would not have a material effect upon the Bancorp’s consolidated
financial position or results of operations.

Enterprise Risk Management 
Managing risk is an essential component of successfully operating a
financial services company. The Bancorp’s risk management
function is responsible for the identification, measurement,
monitoring, control, and reporting of risk and avoidance of those
risks that are inconsistent with the Bancorp’s risk profile. The
Enterprise Risk Management division, led by the Bancorp Chief
Risk Officer, ensures consistency in the Bancorp's approach to
managing and monitoring risk including, but not limited to, credit,
market, operational and regulatory compliance risk, within the
structure of Fifth Third's affiliate banking model. In addition, the
Internal Audit division provides an independent assessment of the
Bancorp's internal control structure and related systems and
processes. The Enterprise Risk Management division includes the
following key functions: (i) a Risk Policy function that ensures
consistency in the approach to risk management as the Bancorp's
clearinghouse for credit, market and operational risk policies,
procedures and guidelines, (ii) an Operational Risk Management
function that is responsible for the risk self-assessment process, the
change control evaluation process, business continuity planning and
disaster recovery, fraud prevention and fraud detection, and root
cause analysis and corrective action plans relating to identified
operational losses, (iii) an Insurance Risk Management function that

is responsible for all property, casualty and liability insurance
policies including the claims administration process for the Bancorp,
(iv) a Market Risk Management function that is responsible for
establishing and monitoring proprietary trading limits, monitoring
liquidity and interest rate risk, and utilizing value at risk and
earnings at risk models, (v) an Affiliate Risk Management function
that is responsible for the coordination of risk management activities
in each banking affiliate and division, (vi) a Credit Risk Review
function that is responsible for evaluating the sufficiency of
underwriting, documentation and approval processes for consumer
and commercial credits, (vii) a Compliance Risk Management
function that is responsible for oversight of compliance with all
banking regulations, and (viii) a Risk Strategies and Reporting
function that is responsible for quantitative analytics and Board and
senior management reporting on credit, market and operational risk
metrics.

All business lines and affiliates have a designated risk manager

reporting jointly to the senior executive within the division or
affiliate and to the Enterprise Risk Management division. 

Risk management oversight and governance is provided by the

Risk and Compliance Committee of the Board and through
multiple management committees whose membership includes a
broad cross-section of line of business, affiliate and support
representatives. The Risk and Compliance Committee of the Board
consists of three outside directors and has the responsibility for the
oversight of credit, market, operational, regulatory compliance and
strategic risk management activities for the Bancorp as well as for
the Bancorp's overall aggregate risk profile. The Risk and
Compliance Committee has approved the formation of key
management governance committees that are responsible for
evaluating risks and controls. These committees include the Market
Risk Committee, the Credit Risk Committee, and the Operational
Risk Committee. There are also New Products/New Initiatives
Committees for each line of business and major support area, which
ensure that an appropriate readiness assessment is performed before
launching a new product or initiative. 

Significant risk policies approved by the management
governance committees are also reviewed and approved by the
Board Risk and Compliance Committee. 

Credit Risk Management
The objective of the Bancorp's credit risk management strategy is to
quantify and manage credit risk on an aggregate portfolio basis as
well as to limit the risk of loss resulting from an individual customer
default. Credit risk is managed through a combination of
conservative exposure limits and underwriting, documentation and
collection standards and overall counterparty limits. The Bancorp's
credit risk management strategy also emphasizes diversification on a
geographic, industry and customer level, regular credit examinations
and quarterly management reviews of large credit exposures and
credits experiencing deterioration of credit quality. Lending officers
with the authority to extend credit are delegated specific authority
amounts, the utilization of which is closely monitored. Lending
activities are largely decentralized, while the policy process is
managed centrally by the Enterprise Risk Management division.
The Credit Risk Review function, within the Enterprise Risk
Management division, provides objective assessments of the quality
of underwriting and documentation, the accuracy of risk grades and
the charge-off and reserve analysis process. 

The Bancorp's credit review process and overall assessment of

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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

required reserves is based on ongoing quarterly assessments of the
probable estimated losses inherent in the loan and lease portfolio. In
addition to the individual review of larger commercial loans that
exhibit probable or observed credit weaknesses, the commercial
credit review process includes the use of a risk grading system. The
risk grading system utilized in 2003 for commercial loans and leases
encompassed ten categories. This risk grading system was in the
process of being revised at the end of 2003 to provide for a dual risk
rating system that provides for 13 probability of default grade
categories and an additional 6 grade categories measuring loss
factors given an event of default. Previously, the probability of
default and loss given default analyses had not been separated. The
refined risk grading system is consistent with Basel II expectations,
and should allow for more precision in the analysis of commercial
credit risk. Scoring systems and delinquency monitoring are used to
assess the credit risk in the Bancorp's homogeneous consumer loan
portfolios. 

Operational Risk Management
The Bancorp's approach for managing operational risk establishes
the framework to comprehensively and effectively identify, measure,
mitigate, monitor and report operational risks. The Bancorp
maintains a system of controls that provides timely and accurate
operational information. The Operational Risk Management
function within the Enterprise Risk Management division is
responsible for the analysis of all non-credit and non-market risks
faced by the Bancorp, and assisting line of business, affiliate and
support units in the enhancement of operational risk controls. The
Operational Risk Management function also coordinates with the
Internal Audit division on risk identification throughout the
Bancorp. The Operational Risk Management function oversees a
readiness assessment process that ensures that any significant change
introduced to the Bancorp's operating environment is properly
considered before implementation so that execution risk is
substantially reduced. Proper management of operational risks
through assessments, root cause analyses, controls and monitoring
can result in reduced expense and improved business practices.

Liquidity and Market Risk Management
The objective of the Bancorp’s asset/liability management function
is to maintain consistent growth in net interest income within the
Bancorp’s policy limits. This objective is accomplished through
management of the Bancorp’s balance sheet liquidity, composition
and interest rate risk exposures arising from changing economic
conditions, interest rates and customer preferences.

The goal of liquidity management is to provide adequate funds

to meet changes in loan and lease demand or unexpected deposit
withdrawals. This goal is accomplished by maintaining liquid assets
in the form of investment securities, maintaining sufficient unused
borrowing capacity in the national money markets and delivering
consistent growth in core deposits. The primary source of asset
driven liquidity is provided by debt securities in the available-for-
sale securities portfolio. The estimated average life of the available-
for-sale portfolio is 5.2 years at December 31, 2003 based on
current prepayment expectations. Of the $29 billion (fair value
basis) of securities in the portfolio at December 31, 2003, $5.7
billion, or 20%, is expected to mature or be prepaid in 2004 and an
additional $2.6 billion, or 9%, is expected to mature or be prepaid
in 2005. In addition to the sale of available-for-sale portfolio
securities, asset-driven liquidity is provided by the Bancorp’s ability

to sell or securitize loan and lease assets. In order to reduce the
exposure to interest rate fluctuations as well as to manage liquidity,
the Bancorp has developed securitization and sale procedures for
several types of interest-sensitive assets. A majority of the long-term,
fixed-rate single-family residential mortgage loans underwritten
according to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation or Federal
National Mortgage Association guidelines are sold for cash upon
origination. Periodically, additional assets such as jumbo fixed-rate
residential mortgages, certain floating rate short-term commercial
loans and certain floating rate home equity loans are also securitized,
sold or transferred off-balance sheet. During 2003 and 2002, a total
of $15.9 billion and $9.7 billion, respectively, were sold, securitized,
or transferred off-balance sheet. The Bancorp also has in place a
shelf registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission
permitting ready access to the public debt markets. At December
31, 2003, $1.5 billion of debt or other securities were available for
issuance under this shelf registration. These sources, in addition to
the Bancorp’s 9.85% average equity capital base, provide a stable
funding base. During January 2004, in conjunction with the
continual management of the composition and mix of liabilities and
overall interest rate sensitivity of the balance sheet, a subsidiary of
the Bancorp issued a total of $1.1 billion of medium-term bank
notes with maturities ranging from 18 months to 3 years.

Since June 2002, Moody's senior debt rating for the Bancorp
has been Aa2, a rating equaled or surpassed by only three other U.S.
bank holding companies.  This rating by Moody's reflects the
Bancorp's capital strength and financial stability.

Table 26–Agency Ratings

Moody’s

Standard
& Poor’s

Fifth Third Bancorp:

Commercial Paper  . . . . . . Prime-1
Aa2
Senior Debt  . . . . . . . . . . .

Fifth Third Bank and 
Fifth Third Bank (Michigan):
Short-Term Deposit  . . . . .
Long-Term Deposit  . . . . .

Prime-1
Aa1

A-1+
AA-

A-1+
AA-

Fitch

F1+
AA-

F1+
AA.

These debt ratings, along with capital ratios significantly above
regulatory guidelines, provide the Bancorp with additional access to
liquidity. Based on the continued strength of the balance sheet,
stable credit quality, risk management policies and revenue growth
trends, management does not currently expect any downgrade in
these credit ratings based on financial performance. Core customer
deposits have historically provided the Bancorp with a sizeable source
of relatively stable and low-cost funds. The Bancorp’s average core
deposits and stockholders’ equity funded 64% of its average total
assets during 2003. In addition to core deposit funding, the Bancorp
also accesses a variety of other short-term and long-term funding
sources, which includes the use of the Federal Home Loan Bank
(FHLB) as a funding source. Management does not rely on any one
source of liquidity and manages availability in response to changing
balance sheet needs.

Interest rate risk is the exposure to adverse changes in net interest
income due to changes in interest rates. Management considers interest
rate risk a prominent market risk in terms of its potential impact on
earnings. Interest rate risk can occur for any one or more of the
following reasons: (a) assets and liabilities may mature or re-price at
different times; (b) short-term and long-term market interest rates may
change by different amounts; or (c) the remaining maturity of various

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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

assets or liabilities may shorten or lengthen as interest rates change. In
addition to the direct impact of interest rate changes on net interest
income, interest rates can indirectly impact earnings through their
effect on loan demand, credit losses, mortgage origination fees, the
value of mortgage servicing rights and other sources of the Bancorp’s
earnings. Consistency of the Bancorp’s net interest income is largely
dependent upon the effective management of interest rate risk. The
Bancorp employs a variety of measurement techniques to identify and
manage its interest rate risk including the use of an earnings simulation
model to analyze net interest income sensitivity to changing interest
rates. The model is based on actual cash flows and re-pricing
characteristics for all of the Bancorp’s financial instruments and
incorporates market-based assumptions regarding the effect of
changing interest rates on the prepayment rates of certain assets and
liabilities. The model also includes senior management projections for
activity levels in each of the product lines offered by the Bancorp.
Actual results will differ from these simulated results due to timing,
magnitude, and frequency of interest rate changes as well as changes in
market conditions and management strategies.

The Bancorp’s Asset/Liability Committee (ALCO), which

includes senior management representatives and reports to the Board
of Directors, monitors and manages interest rate risk within Board
approved policy limits. In addition to the risk management activities
of ALCO, the Bancorp in 2003 created a Market Risk Management
department as part of the Enterprise Risk Management division
which provides independent oversight of market risk activities. The
Bancorp’s current interest rate risk policy limits are determined by
measuring the anticipated change in net interest income over a 12
month and 24 month horizon assuming a 200 bp linear increase or
decrease in all interest rates. In accordance with the current policy,
the rate movements occur over one year and are sustained thereafter. 
The following table shows the Bancorp’s estimated earnings

sensitivity profile as of December 31, 2003:

Table 27–Estimated Earnings Sensitivity Profile

Change in 
Interest Rates
(basis points)
+200
-100

Percentage Change in 
Net Interest Income

Year 1
(1.4)%
(.4)%

Year 2
1.4)%
(6.1)%

Given a linear 200 bp increase in the yield curve used in the
simulation model, it is estimated that net interest income for the
Bancorp would decrease by 1.4% in the first year and increase by
1.4% in the second year. A 100 bp linear decrease in interest rates
would decrease net interest income by .4% in the first year and an
estimated 6.1% in the second year. Given the low level of interest
rates, the Bancorp’s ALCO has measured the risk of a decrease in
interest rates at 100 basis points. Management does not expect any
significant adverse effect to net interest income in 2004 based on
the composition of the portfolio and anticipated trends in rates.
In the ordinary course of business, the Bancorp enters into
derivative transactions as a part of its overall strategy to manage its
interest rate risks and prepayment risks and to accommodate the
business requirements of its customers. Derivative instruments that
the Bancorp may use as part of its interest rate risk management
strategy include interest rate swaps, interest rate floors, interest rate
caps, forward contracts, options and swaptions. As part of its overall
risk management strategy relative to its mortgage banking activities,
the Bancorp enters into PO swaps, swaptions, floors, forward

contracts, options and interest rate swaps to economically hedge
interest rate lock commitments and changes in fair value of its
largely fixed rate MSR portfolio. The notional amounts and fair
values of these derivative instruments as of December 31, 2003 are
presented in Note 9 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. 

Critical Accounting Policies
Reserve for Credit Losses: The Bancorp maintains a reserve to absorb
probable loan and lease losses inherent in the portfolio. The reserve
for credit losses is maintained at a level the Bancorp considers to be
adequate to absorb probable loan and lease losses inherent in the
portfolio and is based on ongoing quarterly assessments and
evaluations of the collectibility and historical loss experience of loans
and leases. Credit losses are charged and recoveries are credited to the
reserve. Provisions for credit losses are based on the Bancorp’s review
of the historical credit loss experience and such factors that, in
management’s judgment, deserve consideration under existing
economic conditions in estimating probable credit losses. In
determining the appropriate level of reserves, the Bancorp estimates
losses using a range derived from “base” and “conservative” estimates.
The Bancorp’s methodology for assessing the appropriate reserve level
consists of several key elements, as discussed below. The Bancorp’s
strategy for credit risk management includes a combination of
conservative exposure limits significantly below legal lending limits,
and conservative underwriting, documentation and collection
standards. The strategy also emphasizes diversification on a
geographic, industry and customer level, regular credit examinations
and quarterly management reviews of large credit exposures and loans
experiencing deterioration of credit quality.

Larger commercial loans that exhibit probable or observed credit

weaknesses are subject to individual review. Where appropriate,
reserves are allocated to individual loans based on management’s
estimate of the borrower’s ability to repay the loan given the
availability of collateral, other sources of cash flow and legal options
available to the Bancorp. Included in the review of individual loans are
those that are impaired as provided in SFAS No. 114, “Accounting by
Creditors for Impairment of a Loan.” Any reserves for impaired loans
are measured based on the present value of expected future cash
flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate or fair value of
the underlying collateral. The Bancorp evaluates the collectibility of
both principal and interest when assessing the need for a loss accrual.
Historical loss rates are applied to other commercial loans not subject
to specific reserve allocations. The loss rates are derived from a
migration analysis, which computes the net charge-off experience
sustained on loans according to their internal risk grade. These grades
encompass ten categories that define a borrower’s ability to repay their
loan obligations. The risk rating system is intended to identify and
measure the credit quality of all commercial lending relationships.
Homogenous loans, such as consumer installment, residential

mortgage loans, and automobile leases, are not individually risk
graded. Rather, standard credit scoring systems and delinquency
monitoring are used to assess credit risks. Reserves are established for
each pool of loans based on the expected net charge-offs for one year.
Loss rates are based on the average net charge-off history by loan
category. 

Historical loss rates for commercial and consumer loans may be

adjusted for significant factors that, in management’s judgment,
reflect the impact of any current conditions on loss recognition.
Factors that management considers in the analysis include the effects
of the national and local economies, trends in the nature and volume

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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

of loans (delinquencies, charge-offs and nonaccrual loans), changes in
mix, credit score migration comparisons, asset quality trends, risk
management and loan administration, changes in the internal lending
policies and credit standards, collection practices and examination
results from bank regulatory agencies and the Bancorp’s internal
credit examiners.

An unallocated reserve is maintained to recognize the
imprecision in estimating and measuring loss when evaluating
reserves for individual loans or pools of loans. Reserves on individual
loans and historical loss rates are reviewed quarterly and adjusted as
necessary based on changing borrower and/or collateral conditions
and actual collection and charge-off experience.

The Bancorp’s primary market areas for lending are Ohio,
Kentucky, Indiana, Florida, Michigan, Illinois, West Virginia and
Tennessee. When evaluating the adequacy of reserves, consideration
is given to this regional geographic concentration and the closely
associated effect changing economic conditions have on the
Bancorp’s customers.

The Bancorp has not substantively changed any aspect of its
overall approach in the determination of the reserve for loan and
lease losses. There have been no material changes in assumptions or
estimation techniques as compared to prior periods that impacted
the determination of the current year reserve for loan and lease
losses.

Based on the procedures discussed above, management is of the

opinion that the reserve of $770 million was adequate, but not
excessive, to absorb estimated credit losses associated with the loan
and lease portfolio at December 31, 2003. 

Valuation of Derivatives: The Bancorp maintains an overall
interest rate risk management strategy that incorporates the use of
derivative instruments to minimize significant unplanned
fluctuations in earnings and cash flows caused by interest rate
volatility. The Bancorp’s interest rate risk management strategy
involves modifying the re-pricing characteristics of certain assets and
liabilities so that changes in interest rates do not adversely affect the
net interest margin and cash flows. Derivative instruments that the
Bancorp may use as part of its interest rate risk management strategy
include interest rate swaps, interest rate floors, interest rate caps,
forward contracts and swaptions. As part of its overall risk
management strategy relative to its mortgage banking activities, the
Bancorp may enter into various free-standing derivatives (PO swaps,
swaptions, floors, forward contracts, options and interest rate swaps)
to economically hedge interest rate lock commitments and changes
in fair value of its largely fixed rate MSR portfolio. The primary risk
of material changes to the value of the derivative instruments is
fluctuation in interest rates; however, as the Bancorp principally
utilizes these derivative instruments as part of a designated hedging
program, the change in the derivative value is generally offset by a
corresponding change in the value of the hedged item or a
forecasted transaction. The fair values of derivative financial
instruments are based on current market quotes.

Valuation of Securities: The Bancorp’s available-for-sale security

portfolio is reported at fair value. The fair value of a security is
determined based on quoted market prices. If quoted market prices are
not available, fair value is determined based on quoted prices of similar
instruments. Available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities are
reviewed quarterly for possible other-than-temporary impairment. The
review includes an analysis of the facts and circumstances of each
individual investment such as the length of time the fair value has been
below cost, the expectation for that security’s performance, the credit

worthiness of the issuer and the Bancorp’s intent and ability to hold
the security to maturity. A decline in value that is considered to be
other-than-temporary is recorded as a loss within other operating
income in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Valuation of Servicing Rights: When the Bancorp sells loans
through either securitizations or individual loan sales in accordance
with its investment policies, it may retain one or more subordinated
tranches, servicing rights, interest-only strips, credit recourse, other
residual interests and, in some cases, a cash reserve account, all of
which are considered retained interests in the securitized or sold loans.
Gain or loss on sale or securitization of the loans depends in part on
the previous carrying amount of the financial assets sold or
securitized, allocated between the assets sold and the retained interests
based on their relative fair value at the date of sale or securitization.
To obtain fair values, quoted market prices are used if available. If
quotes are not available for retained interests, the Bancorp calculates
fair value based on the present value of future expected cash flows
using both management’s best estimates and third-party data sources
for the key assumptions — credit losses, prepayment speeds, forward
yield curves and discount rates commensurate with the risks involved.
Gain or loss on sale or securitization of loans is reported as a
component of other operating income in the Consolidated
Statements of Income. Retained interests from securitized or sold
loans, excluding servicing rights, are carried at fair value.
Adjustments to fair value for retained interests classified as available-
for-sale securities are included in accumulated nonowner changes in
equity, or in other operating income in the Consolidated Statements
of Income if the fair value has declined below the carrying amount
and such decline has been determined to be other-than-temporary.
Adjustments to fair value for retained interests classified as trading
securities are recorded within other operating income in the
Consolidated Statements of Income.

Servicing rights resulting from loan sales are amortized in

proportion to and over the period of estimated net servicing revenues.
Servicing rights are assessed for impairment monthly, based on fair
value, with temporary impairment recognized through a valuation
allowance and permanent impairment recognized through a write-off
of the servicing asset and related valuation reserve. Key economic
assumptions used in measuring any potential impairment of the
servicing rights include the prepayment speed of the underlying
loans, the weighted-average life of the loan, the discount rate and
the weighted-average default rate, as applicable. The primary risk of
material changes to the value of the servicing rights resides in the
potential volatility in the economic assumptions used, particularly
the prepayment speed. The Bancorp monitors this risk and adjusts
its valuation allowance as necessary to adequately reserve for any
probable impairment in the portfolio. For purposes of measuring
impairment, the mortgage servicing rights are stratified based on
financial asset type and interest rates. In addition, the Bancorp obtains
an independent third-party valuation of the mortgage servicing
portfolio on a quarterly basis. Fees received for servicing loans owned
by investors are based on a percentage of the outstanding monthly
principal balance of such loans and are included in operating income
as loan payments are received. Costs of servicing loans are charged to
expense as incurred.

The change in the fair value of the MSR's at December 31,
2003, to immediate 10 percent and 20 percent adverse changes in
the current prepayment assumption would be approximately $16
million and $31 million, respectively, and to immediate 10 percent
and 20 percent favorable changes in the current prepayment

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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

assumption would be approximately $18 million and $39 million,
respectively. The change in the fair value of MSR's at December 31,
2003, to immediate 10 percent and 20 percent adverse changes in
the discount rate assumption would be approximately $8 million
and $14 million, respectively, and to immediate 10 percent and 20
percent favorable changes in the discount rate assumption would be
approximately $8 million and $16 million, respectively. Sensitivity
analysis related to other consumer and commercial servicing rights is
not material to the Bancorp's Consolidated Financial Statements.
These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution.
As the figures indicate, change in fair value based on a 10 percent
and 20 percent variation in assumptions generally cannot be
extrapolated because the relationship of the change in assumptions
to changes in fair value may not be linear. Also, the effect of a
variation in a particular assumption on the fair value of the retained
interests is calculated without changing any other assumption; in
reality, changes in one factor may result in changes in another,
which might magnify or counteract the sensitivities.

New Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2001, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
issued SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.”
This Statement discontinued the practice of amortizing goodwill
and indefinite lived intangible assets and initiated an annual review
for impairment. Impairment is to be examined more frequently if
certain indicators are encountered. The Bancorp has completed its
most recent annual goodwill impairment test required by this
Standard as of September 30, 2003 and has determined that no
impairment exists. Intangible assets with a determinable useful life
will continue to be amortized over that period. The Bancorp adopted
the amortization provisions of SFAS No. 142 effective January 1,
2002. See Note 7 for certain pro forma financial disclosures related
to SFAS No.142.

In June 2001, the FASB issued SFAS No. 143, “Accounting for

Asset Retirement Obligations.” This Statement addresses financial
accounting and reporting for obligations associated with the retirement
of tangible long-lived assets and the associated asset retirement costs.
This Statement amends SFAS No. 19, “Financial Accounting and
Reporting by Oil and Gas Producing Companies,” and was effective
for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after June 15,
2002. Adoption of this Standard did not have a material effect on the
Bancorp’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2001, the FASB issued SFAS No. 144, “Accounting

for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.” This
Statement eliminates the allocation of goodwill to long-lived assets
to be tested for impairment and details both a “probability-weighted”
and “primary-asset” approach to estimate cash flows in testing for
impairment of a long-lived asset. This Statement supersedes SFAS
No. 121, “Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and
for Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed Of,” and the accounting and
reporting provisions of the Accounting Principles Board (APB)
Opinion No. 30, “Reporting the Results of Operations—Reporting
the Effects of Disposal of a Segment of a Business, and Extraordinary,
Unusual and Infrequently Occurring Events and Transactions.”
This Statement also amends Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
No. 51, “Consolidated Financial Statements.” SFAS No. 144 was
effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning
after December 15, 2001. Adoption of this Standard did not have a
material effect on the Bancorp’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
In April 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 145, “Rescission of

SFAS Statements No. 4, 44, and 64, Amendment of SFAS No. 13,
and Technical Corrections.” This Statement amends SFAS No. 13,
“Accounting for Leases,” to eliminate an inconsistency between the
required accounting for sale-leaseback transactions and the required
accounting for certain lease modifications that have economic effects
that are similar to sale-leaseback transactions. This Statement also
amends other existing authoritative pronouncements to make
various technical corrections, clarify meanings, or describe their
applicability under changed conditions. SFAS No. 145 was effective
for transactions occurring after May 15, 2002. Adoption of this
Standard did not have a material effect on the Bancorp’s
Consolidated Financial Statements.

In June 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 146, “Accounting for

Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities.” This Statement
addresses financial accounting and reporting for costs associated with
exit or disposal activities and nullifies EITF Issue No. 94-3, “Liability
Recognition for Certain Employee Termination Benefits and Other
Costs to Exit an Activity (including Certain Costs Incurred in a
Restructuring).” This Statement requires recognition of a liability for
a cost associated with an exit or disposal activity when the liability is
incurred, as opposed to being recognized at the date an entity
commits to an exit plan. This Statement also establishes that fair value
is the objective for initial measurement of the liability. This Statement
was effective for exit or disposal activities that are initiated after
December 31, 2002 and has not had a material effect on the
Bancorp’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

In October 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 147, “Acquisitions

of Certain Financial Institutions.” This Statement addresses the
financial accounting and reporting for the acquisition of all or part
of a financial institution, except for a transaction between two or
more mutual enterprises. This Statement requires transactions to be
accounted for in accordance with SFAS No. 141 and SFAS No.
142. In addition, this Statement amends SFAS No. 144 to include
in its scope long-term customer relationship intangible assets of
financial institutions such as depositor and borrower-relationship
intangible assets and credit cardholder intangible assets.
Consequently, those intangible assets are subject to the same
undiscounted cash flow recoverability test and impairment loss
recognition and measurement provisions that SFAS No. 144
requires for other long-lived assets that are held and used. This
Statement was effective October 1, 2002. Adoption of this Standard
did not have a material effect on the Bancorp’s Consolidated
Financial Statements.

In December 2002, the FASB issued SFAS No. 148, “Accounting

for Stock-Based Compensation-Transition and Disclosure—an
Amendment of FASB Statement No. 123.” This Statement provides
alternative methods of transition for a voluntary change to the fair
value method of accounting for stock-based employee compensation.
This Statement was effective for financial statements for fiscal years
ending after December 15, 2002. As permitted by SFAS No. 148,
during 2003 the Bancorp continued to apply the provisions of APB
Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” for all
employee stock option grants and provide all disclosures required. In
addition, the Bancorp anticipates adopting the fair value method of
expense recognition for employee stock-based compensation on a
retroactive basis during the first quarter of 2004.

In April 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 149, “Amendment of
Statement 133 on Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.”
This Statement amends and clarifies financial accounting and
reporting for derivative instruments, including certain embedded

66

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

derivatives, and for hedging activities under SFAS No. 133,
“Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.”
This Statement amends SFAS No. 133 to reflect the decisions made
as part of the Derivatives Implementation Group (DIG) and in other
FASB projects or deliberations. SFAS No. 149 was effective for
contracts entered into or modified after June 30, 2003, and for
hedging relationships designated after June 30, 2003. Adoption of
this Standard did not have a material effect on the Bancorp's
Consolidated Financial Statements.

In May 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 150, “Accounting for
Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities
and Equity.” This Statement establishes standards for how an entity
classifies and measures certain financial instruments with
characteristics of both liabilities and equity. This Statement was
effective for financial instruments entered into or modified after May
31, 2003, and otherwise was effective at the beginning of the first
interim period beginning after June 15, 2003. Adoption of this
Standard on July 1, 2003 required a reclassification of a minority
interest to long-term debt and its corresponding minority interest
expense to interest expense, relating to preferred stock issued during
2001 by a subsidiary of the Bancorp. The existence of the mandatory
redemption feature of this issue upon its mandatory conversion to
trust preferred securities necessitated these reclassifications and did
not result in any change in bottom line income statement trends.
In December 2003, the FASB issued SFAS No. 132 (Revised

2003), “Employers’ Disclosures about Pensions and Other
Postretirement Benefits.” This Statement expands upon the existing
disclosure requirements as prescribed under the original SFAS No.
132 by requiring more details about pension plan assets, benefit
obligations, cash flows, benefit costs and related information. SFAS
No. 132(R) also requires companies to disclose various elements of
pension and postretirement benefit costs in interim-period financial
statements beginning after December 15, 2003. This Statement is
effective for financial statements with fiscal years ending after
December 15, 2003. The Bancorp adopted this Standard and all of
its required disclosures are included in Note 24.

In November 2002, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 45, (FIN

45) “Guarantor’s Accounting and Disclosure Requirements for
Guarantees, Including Indirect Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others,”
which elaborates on the disclosures to be made by a guarantor about
its obligations under certain guarantees issued. It also clarifies that a
guarantor is required to recognize, at the inception of a guarantee, a
liability for the fair value of the obligation undertaken in issuing the
guarantee. The Interpretation expands on the accounting guidance of
SFAS No. 5, “Accounting for Contingencies,” SFAS No. 57, “Related
Party Disclosures,” and SFAS No. 107, “Disclosures about Fair Value
of Financial Instruments.” It also incorporates without change the
provisions of FASB Interpretation No. 34, “Disclosure of Indirect
Guarantees of Indebtedness of Others,” which is superseded. The initial
recognition and measurement provisions of this Interpretation apply on
a prospective basis to guarantees issued or modified after December 31,
2002. The disclosure requirements in this Interpretation were effective
for periods ending after December 15, 2002. Significant guarantees
that have been entered into by the Bancorp are disclosed in Note
15. Adoption of this Interpretation did not have a material effect
on the Bancorp’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

In January 2003, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 46 (FIN

46), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities.” This
Interpretation clarifies the application of ARB No. 51,
“Consolidated Financial Statements,” for certain entities in which

equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling
financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the
entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated
support from other parties. This Interpretation requires variable
interest entities (VIE’s) to be consolidated by the primary
beneficiary which represents the enterprise that will absorb the
majority of the VIE’s expected losses if they occur, receive a
majority of the VIE’s residual returns if they occur, or both.
Qualifying Special Purpose Entities (QSPE) are exempt from the
consolidation requirements of FIN 46. This Interpretation was
effective for VIE’s created after January 31, 2003 and for VIE’s in
which an enterprise obtains an interest after that date. In December
2003, the FASB issued Staff Interpretation No. 46R (FIN 46R),
“Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities — an interpretation of
ARB 51 (revised December 2003),” which replaces FIN 46.  FIN
46R was primarily issued to clarify the required accounting for
interests in VIE’s.  Additionally, this Interpretation exempts certain
entities from its requirements and provides for special effective dates
for enterprises that have fully or partially applied FIN 46 as of
December 24, 2003.  Application of FIN 46R is required in
financial statements of public enterprises that have interests in
structures that are commonly referred to as special-purpose entities,
or SPE’s, for periods ending after December 15, 2003.  Application
by public enterprises, other than small business issuers, for all other
types of VIE’s (i.e., non-SPE’s) is required in financial statements
for periods ending after March 15, 2004, with earlier adoption
permitted. The Bancorp early adopted the provisions of FIN 46 on
July 1, 2003. Through December 31, 2003 the Bancorp has
provided full credit recourse to an unrelated and unconsolidated
asset-backed SPE in conjunction with the sale and subsequent
leaseback of leased autos. The unrelated and unconsolidated asset-
backed SPE was formed for the sole purpose of participating in the
sale and subsequent lease-back transactions with the Bancorp. Based
on this credit recourse, the Bancorp is deemed to be the primary
beneficiary as it maintains the majority of the variable interests in
this SPE and was therefore required to consolidate the entity. Early
adoption of this Interpretation required the Bancorp to consolidate
these operating lease assets and a corresponding liability as well as
recognize an after-tax cumulative effect charge of $11 million ($.02
per diluted share) representing the difference between the carrying
value of the leased autos sold and the carrying value of the newly
consolidated obligation as of July 1, 2003. As of December 31,
2003, the outstanding balance of leased autos sold was
approximately $767 million.  Consolidation of these operating lease
assets did not impact risk-based capital ratios or bottom line income
statement trends; however lease payments on the operating lease
assets are now reflected as a component of other operating income
and depreciation expense is now reflected as a component of
operating expenses.  The Bancorp also early adopted the provisions
of FIN 46 related to the consolidation of two wholly-owned finance
entities involved in the issuance of trust preferred securities.
Effective July 1, 2003, the Bancorp deconsolidated the wholly-
owned issuing trust entities resulting in a recharacterization of the
underlying consolidated debt obligation from the previous trust
preferred securities obligations to the junior subordinated debenture
obligations that exist between the Bancorp and the issuing trust
entities. See Note 15 for discussion of certain guarantees that the
Bancorp has provided for the benefit of the wholly-owned issuing
trust entities related to their debt obligations.

67

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Off-Balance Sheet and Certain Trading Activities
The Bancorp consolidates all of its majority-owned subsidiaries. Other
entities, including certain joint ventures, in which there is greater than
20% ownership, but upon which the Bancorp does not possess, nor
cannot exert, significant influence or control, are accounted for by
equity method accounting and not consolidated; those in which there
is less than 20% ownership, but upon which the Bancorp does not
possess nor cannot exert, significant influence or control are generally
carried at cost.

The Bancorp does not participate in any trading activities

involving commodity contracts that are accounted for at fair value. In
addition, the Bancorp has no fair value contracts for which a lack of
marketplace quotations necessitates the use of fair value estimation
techniques. The Bancorp’s derivative product policy and investment
policies provide a framework within which the Bancorp and its
affiliates may use certain authorized financial derivatives as an
asset/liability management tool in meeting the Bancorp’s ALCO
capital planning directives, to hedge changes in fair value of its largely
fixed rate MSR portfolio or to provide qualifying customers access to
the derivative products market. These policies are reviewed and
approved annually by the Audit Committee and the Board of
Directors.

As part of the Bancorp’s ALCO management, the Bancorp may
transfer, subject to credit recourse, certain types of individual financial
assets to a non-consolidated QSPE that is wholly owned by an
independent third party. In 2003 and 2002, certain primarily fixed-
rate short-term investment grade commercial loans were transferred to
the QSPE. Generally, the loans transferred, due to their investment
grade nature, provide a lower yield and therefore transferring these
loans to the QSPE allows the Bancorp to reduce its exposure to these
lower yielding loan assets and at the same time maintain these
customer relationships. These individual loans are transferred at par
with no gain or loss recognized and qualify as sales, as set forth in
SFAS No. 140. At December 31, 2003, the outstanding balance of
loans transferred was $1.8 billion. Given the investment grade nature
of the loans transferred, as well as the underlying collateral security
provided that includes commercial real estate, physical plant and
property, inventory, receivables, cash and marketable securities, the
Bancorp does not expect this recourse feature to result in a significant
use of funds in future periods or losses and therefore, the Bancorp has
not maintained any loss reserve related to these loans transferred. 

The Bancorp utilizes securitization trusts formed by independent

third parties to facilitate the securitization process of residential
mortgage loans and certain floating rate home equity lines of credit. As
previously discussed, during 2003, the Bancorp securitized and sold
$903 million in home equity lines of credit to an unconsolidated
QSPE that is wholly owned by an independent third party. See Note
21 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional
detail. The cash flows to and from the securitization trusts are
principally limited to the initial proceeds from the securitization trust
at the time of sale with subsequent cash flows relating to retained
interests. The Bancorp’s securitization policy permits the retention of
subordinated tranches, servicing rights, interest-only strips, residual
interests, credit recourse, other residual interests and, in some cases, a
cash reserve account. At December 31, 2003, the Bancorp had
retained servicing assets totaling $299 million, an interest-only strip
totaling $1 million, subordinated tranche security interests totaling
$55 million and residual interests totaling $32 million. 

The accounting for QSPE’s is currently under review by the FASB

and the conditions for consolidation or deconsolidation of such

68

entities could change.

The Bancorp had the following cash flows with these
unconsolidated QSPE’s for the year ended December 31:

Table 28–Cash Flows with Unconsolidated QSPE’s

($ in millions)
Proceeds from transfers, including new 

2003

2002

securitizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$1,345

Proceeds from collections re-invested in 

revolving-period securitizations . . . . . . . 
Transfers received from QSPE . . . . . . . . . 
Fees received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

$
46
$ 116
25
$

258

—
270
26

At December 31, 2003, the Bancorp had provided credit recourse

on approximately $559 million of residential mortgage loans sold to
unrelated third parties. In the event of any customer default, pursuant
to the credit recourse provided, the Bancorp is required to reimburse
the third party. The maximum amount of credit risk in the event of
nonperformance by the underlying borrowers is equivalent to the total
outstanding balance of $559 million. In the event of nonperformance,
the Bancorp has rights to the underlying collateral value attached to
the loan. Consistent with its overall approach in estimating credit
losses for residential mortgage loans held in its loan portfolio, the
Bancorp maintains an estimated credit loss reserve of approximately
$14 million relating to these residential mortgage loans sold.
Through December 31, 2003, the Bancorp, through its
electronic payment processing division, processed approximately
89.3 billion of VISA® and MasterCard® merchant card transactions.
Pursuant to VISA® and MasterCard® rules, the Bancorp assumes
certain contingent liabilities relating to these transactions which
typically arise from billing disputes between the merchant and
cardholder that are ultimately resolved in the cardholder’s favor. In
such cases, these transactions are “charged back” to the merchant
and disputed amounts are credited or refunded to the cardholder. In
the event that the Bancorp is unable to collect these amounts from
the merchant, it will bear the loss for refunded amounts. The
likelihood of incurring a contingent liability arising from
chargebacks is relatively low, as most products or services are
delivered when purchased, and credits are issued on returned items.
For the year ended December 31, 2003, the Bancorp processed
approximately $109 million of chargebacks presented by issuing
banks resulting in actual losses to the Bancorp of approximately $4
million. The Bancorp accrues for probable losses based on historical
experience and has recorded an estimated credit loss reserve of
approximately $1 million at December 31, 2003.

Fifth Third Securities, Inc (FTS), a subsidiary of the Bancorp,
guarantees the collection of all margin account balances held by its
brokerage clearing agent for the benefit of FTS customers.  FTS is
responsible for payment to its brokerage clearing agent for any loss,
liability, damage, cost or expense incurred as a result of customers
failing to comply with margin or margin maintenance calls on all
margin accounts. The margin account balance held by the brokerage
clearing agent as of December 31, 2003 was $51 million. In the
event of any customer default, FTS has rights to the underlying
collateral provided. Given certain FTS margin account relationships
were in place prior to January 1, 2003 and the existence of the
underlying collateral provided as well as the negligible historical
credit losses, FTS does not maintain any loss reserve.

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

As disclosed in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial

Statements, the Bancorp has certain obligations and commitments to
make future payments under contracts. At December 31, 2003, the
aggregate contractual obligations and commitments are:

Table 29–Aggregate Contractual Obligations and
Other Commitments

Payments Due by Period

Less than
1 Year

1-3
Years

4-5 After 5
Years Years
549
472
3,442
3,608
—
—

2,298
1,345
—

Total

Contractual Obligations 
($ in millions)
Total Deposits . . . . . . . . . . .  $57,095 53,776
9,063
Long-Term Borrowings . . . . 
668
Short-Term Borrowings . . . . 
13,170 13,170
Annual Rental/Purchase 
Commitments Under 
Noncancelable 
Leases/Contracts . . . . . . . . 

72
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $79,669 67,686

341

86
3,729

69
4,149

114
4,105

Other Commitments 
($ in millions)
Total
Letters of Credit. . . . . . . . . .  $ 4,908
Commitments to 

Expiration by Period

Less than
1 Year

1-3
Years

1,857

1,496

4-5 After 5
Years Years
197

1,358

Extend Credit. . . . . . . . . . 

8,928
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $30,314 18,335 10,424

25,406 16,478

—
1,358

—
197

69

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Table 30–Consolidated Six Year Summary Of Operations

For the Years Ended December 31 ($ in millions, except per share)
Interest Income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interest Expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Merger-Related Loan Loss Provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Interest Income After Provision for Credit Losses . . . . . . . 
Other Operating Income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating Expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Merger-Related Charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes, 

Minority Interest and Cumulative Effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Applicable Income Taxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations Before Minority Interest

and Cumulative Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Minority Interest, Net of Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations Before

Cumulative Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax . . . . . . . . . 
Income Before Cumulative Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle, Net of Tax
Net Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Dividends on Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Income Available to Common Shareholders . . . . . . . . . . . 
Earnings Per Share (a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Earnings Per Diluted Share (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cash Dividends Declared Per Share (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003
$3,991
1,086
2,905
399
—
2,506
2,483
2,442
—

2,547
805

1,742
(20)

1,722
44
1,766
(11)
1,755
1
$1,754
$ 3.07 
$ 3.03
$ 1.13 

2002
4,129
1,430
2,699
246
—
2,453
2,183
2,210
—

2,426
757

1,669
(38)

1,631
4
1,635
—
1,635
1
1,634
2.82
2.76
.98

2001
4,709
2,278
2,431
201
35
2,195
1,788
1,987
349

1,647
548

1,099
(2)

1,097
4
1,101
(7)
1,094
1
1,093
1.90
1.86
.83

2000
4,947
2,697
2,250
126
12
2,112
1,476
1,829
87

1,672
536

1,136
—

1,136
5
1,141
—
1,141
1
1,140
2.02
1.98
.70

1999
4,199
2,026
2,173
143
26
2,004
1,335
1,781
108

1,450
505

945
—

945
3
948
—
948
1
947
1.68
1.66
.59

(a) Per share amounts have been adjusted for the three-for-two stock splits effected in the form of stock dividends paid July 14, 2000 and April 15, 1998.
Table 31–Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Information

As of December 31 ($ in millions)
Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Loans and Leases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Loans Held for Sale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Short-Term Borrowings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Long-Term Debt and Convertible Subordinated Debentures . . 
Shareholders’ Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2003
$29,189
52,308
1,881
91,143
57,095
13,170
9,063
8,525

Table 32–Summarized Quarterly Financial Information

2002
25,534
45,928
3,358
80,894
52,208
8,823
8,179
8,475

2001
20,523
41,548
2,180
71,026
45,854
7,453
7,030
7,639

2000
19,582
42,530
1,655
69,658
48,360
6,344
6,239
6,662

1999
16,663
38,837
1,198
62,157
41,856
10,096
3,279
5,563

($ in millions, except per share)
Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Net Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Provision for Credit Losses . . . . . . . . 
Income from Continuing Operations 
Before Income Taxes, Minority 
Interest and Cumulative Effect . . . 

Net Income Available to 

Common Shareholders . . . . . . . . . 
Earnings Per Share  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Earnings Per Diluted Share  . . . . . . . 

Fourth
Quarter
$988
735
94

606

460
.81
.80

2003

Third
Quarter
983
725
112

Second
Quarter
1,020
739
109

First
Quarter
1,000
706
85

Fourth
Quarter
1,028
698
72

2002

Second
Quarter
1,047
678
64

Third
Quarter
1,037
677
56

629

419
.73
.72

639

423
.73
.72

609

417
.72
.70

599

404
.69
.68

660

437
.77
.76

654

437
.76
.75

70

1998
4,052
2,047
2,005
156
20
1,829
1,161
1,619
146

1,225
421

804
—

804
4
808
—
808
1
807
1.44
1.42
.47

1998
16,510
34,115
2,861
58,202
41,014
6,214
4,285
5,371

First
Quarter
1,018
646
55

578

390
.67
.66

F I F T H   T H I R D   B A N C O R P   A N D   S U B S I D I A R I E S

Consolidated Ten Year Comparison

Average Assets ($ in millions)

Year
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
Average Deposits and Short-Term Borrowings ($ in millions)

Securities
$28,640
23,246
19,737
18,630
16,901
16,090
15,425
14,959
12,715
11,595

Interest-Earning Assets
Interest-Bearing
Deposits
in Banks (a)
$215
184
132
82
103
135
186
211
182
134

Loans and
Leases
$52,414
45,539
44,888
42,690
38,652
36,014
33,850
30,742
27,598
22,849

Federal
Funds
Sold (a)
$ 92
155
69
118
224
241
327
325
494
340

Deposits

Cash and
Due from
Banks
$1,600
1,551
1,482
1,456
1,628
1,566
1,367
1,401
1,365
1,256

Total
$81,361
69,124
64,826
61,520
55,880
52,480
49,788
46,237
40,989
34,918

Other
Assets
$5,212
4,969
4,980
4,228
3,344
2,782
2,495
2,212
1,715
1,491

Total
Average
Assets
$87,443
74,999
70,663
66,610
60,292
56,306
53,161
49,367
43,608
37,427

Year
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
Income ($ in millions, except per share data)

Demand
$10,482
8,953
7,394
6,257
6,079
5,627
4,932
4,492
4,050
3,585

Savings
$8,020
9,465
4,928
5,799
6,206
6,332
4,548
4,237
3,374
4,062

Interest
Checking
$18,679
16,239
11,489
9,531
8,553
7,030
6,209
5,559
5,017
3,521

Money
Market
$3,189
1,162
2,552
939
1,328
1,471
2,508
2,909
2,949
4,093

Other
Time
$7,168
9,403
13,473
13,716
13,858
15,117
15,887
15,171
12,597
10,284

Certificates–
$100,000
and Over
$3,090
1,689
3,821
4,283
4,197
3,856
4,173
4,186
3,944
2,371

Foreign
Office
$3,862
2,018
1,992
3,896
952
270
441
569
1,007
814

Short-
Term
Borrowings
$12,373
7,191
8,799
9,725
8,573
7,095
6,113
4,837
4,582
3,543

Total
$54,490
48,929
45,649
44,421
41,173
39,703
38,698
37,123
32,938
28,730

Total
$66,863
56,120
54,448
54,146
49,746
46,798
44,811
41,960
37,520
32,273

Per Share (b)

Originally Reported

Net Income
Avail. to
Operating Operating Common

Other

Interest
Income
$3,991
4,129
4,709
4,947
4,199
4,052
3,933
3,621
3,239
2,520

Year
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
Miscellaneous at December 31 ($ in millions, except per share data)

Expense Shareholders Earnings
$1,754
$2,442
1,634
2,210
1,093
2,336
1,140
1,916
947
1,889
807
1,765
776
1,461
654
1,414
592
1,219
498
1,093

Income
$2,483
2,183
1,788
1,476
1,335
1,161
901
746
613
516

$3.07
2.82
1.90
2.02
1.68
1.44
1.39
1.16
1.09
.96

Interest
Expense
$1,086
1,430
2,278
2,697
2,026
2,047
2,030
1,853
1,677
1,124

Diluted Dividends
Earnings Declared
$3.03
2.76
1.86
1.98
1.66
1.42
1.37
1.14
1.07
.94

$1.13
.98
.83
.70
.58 2/3
.47 1/3
.37 9/10
.32 4/7
.28 4/9
.23 7/10

Diluted
Earnings
$3.03
2.76
1.86
1.83
1.43
1.17
1.13
.93
.84
.73

Dividend
Payout
Ratio
37.3%
35.5
44.7
38.2
40.9
40.3
33.6
34.9
33.8
32.3

Earnings
$3.07
2.82
1.90
1.86
1.46
1.20
1.15
.95
.86
.75

Number of

Shares of Stock Common

Year Outstanding (b)
566,685,301
2003 
574,355,247
2002 
582,674,580
2001 
2000(c)
569,056,843
1999(c) 565,425,468
557,438,774
1998
556,356,059
1997
564,561,419
1996
548,266,213
1995
520,876,043
1994

Stock
$1,295
1,295
1,294
1,263
1,255
1,238
1,235
1,253
1,217
1,156

Preferred
Stock
$ 9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
14
14

Capital
Surplus
$1,293
1,442
1,495
1,140
897
786
772
740
522
256

Shareholders’ Equity
Accumulated
Nonowner
Changes in
Equity
$(120)
369
8
28
(302)
135
140
17
46
(67)

Retained
Earnings
$7,010
5,904
4,837
4,225
3,708
3,261
3,033
2,676
2,401
2,087

Treasury
Stock
$(962)
(544)
(4)
(1)
—
(58)
(184)
—
—
—

Per
Share (b)
$15.04
14.76
13.11
11.71
9.84
9.64
9.00
8.32
7.66
6.62

Reserve
for Credit
Losses
$770
683
624
609
573
532
509
484
474
427

Total
$8,525
8,475
7,639
6,662
5,563
5,371
5,005
4,695
4,200
3,446

(a) Federal funds sold and interest-bearing deposits in banks are combined in other short-term investments in the Consolidated Financial Statements.
(b) Number of shares outstanding and per share data have been adjusted for stock splits in 2000, 1998, 1997 and 1996.
(c) Excludes the unamortized portion of the 1999 non-officer employee stock grant totaling $2 million in 2000 and $4 million in 1999.

71

D I R E C TO R S   A N D   O F F I C E R S

FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
DIRECTORS
George A. Schaefer, Jr.
President & CEO
Fifth Third Bancorp and
Fifth Third Bank

Darryl F. Allen
Retired Chairman
President & CEO
Aeroquip-Vickers, Inc.

John F. Barrett
Chairman, President & CEO
The Western & Southern Life
Insurance Company

Richard T. Farmer
Chairman
Cintas Corporation

James P. Hackett
President & CEO
Steelcase, Inc.

Joseph H. Head, Jr.
Chairman
Atkins & Pearce, Inc.

Joan R. Herschede
President & CEO
The Frank Herschede Company

Allen M. Hill
Retired President & CEO
DPL, Inc.

Robert L. Koch II
President & CEO,
Koch Enterprises, Inc.

Mitchel D. Livingston, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs
and Services
University of Cincinnati

Hendrik G. Meijer
Co-Chairman
Meijer, Inc.

Robert B. Morgan
Executive Counselor 
Cincinnati Financial Corporation
& Cincinnati Insurance Company

James E. Rogers
Chairman, President & CEO
Cinergy Corp.

John J. Schiff, Jr.
Chairman, President & CEO
Cincinnati Financial Corporation

Dudley S. Taft
President
Taft Broadcasting Company

Thomas W. Traylor
CEO
Traylor Bros., Inc.

DIRECTORS EMERITI
Neil A. Armstrong
Philip G. Barach
Vincent H. Beckman
J. Kenneth Blackwell
Milton C. Boesel, Jr.
Douglas G. Cowan
Thomas L. Dahl
Ronald A. Dauwe
Gerald V. Dirvin
Thomas B. Donnell
Nicholas M. Evans
Louis R. Fiore
John D. Geary
Ivan W. Gorr
William A. Hopple III
William J. Keating
Jerry L. Kirby
Michael H. Norris
Brian H. Rowe
C. Wesley Rowles
Donald B. Shackelford
David B. Sharrock
Stephen Stranahan
N. Beverley Tucker, Jr.
Alton C. Wendzel

FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
OFFICERS
George A. Schaefer, Jr.
President & CEO

Neal E. Arnold
Executive Vice President &
Chief Financial Officer

Michael D. Baker
Executive Vice President

Greg D. Carmichael
Executive Vice President and
Chief Information Officer

David J. DeBrunner
Vice President & Controller

Diane L. Dewbrey
Senior Vice President

James R. Gaunt
Executive Vice President

R. Mark Graf
Senior Vice President and
Treasurer

Malcolm D. Griggs
Executive Vice President and
Chief Risk Officer

Kevin T. Kabat
Executive Vice President

Robert J. King, Jr.
Executive Vice President

Robert P. Niehaus
Executive Vice President

Daniel T. Poston
Executive Vice President &
Auditor

Paul L. Reynolds
Executive Vice President,
Secretary & General Counsel

Stephen J. Schrantz
Executive Vice President

Bradlee F. Stamper
Executive Vice President

Robert A. Sullivan
Executive Vice President

AFFILIATE PRESIDENTS
& CEOs
Samuel G. Barnes
Lexington, Kentucky

Todd F. Clossin
Tennessee

John N. Daniel
Southern Indiana

Robert M. Eversole
Central Ohio

Patrick J. Fehring, Jr.
Eastern Michigan

James R. Gaunt
Louisville, Kentucky

Kevin T. Kabat
Western Michigan

Robert J. King, Jr.
Northeastern Ohio

Colleen M. Kvetko
Florida

Bruce K. Lee
Northwestern Ohio

John E. Pelizzari
Northern Michigan

Timothy P. Rawe
Northern Kentucky

R. Daniel Sadlier
Western Ohio

Maurice J. Spagnoletti
Central Indiana

72

Bradlee F. Stamper
Chicago

Raymond J. Webb
Ohio Valley

AFFILIATE CHAIRMEN
H. Lee Cooper
Southern Indiana

Donald B. Shackelford
Central Ohio

William A. Stinnett III
Ohio Valley

John S. Szuch
Northwestern Ohio

FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
BOARD COMMITTEES
Executive Committee
George A. Schaefer, Jr.,
Chairman
Joseph H. Head, Jr.
Allen M. Hill
John J. Schiff, Jr.
Dudley S. Taft

Compensation Committee
Joseph H. Head, Jr., Chairman
Allen M. Hill
James E. Rogers

Audit Committee
Robert B. Morgan, Chairman
Darryl F. Allen, Vice Chairman
John F. Barrett
James P. Hackett
Joan R. Herschede

Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee
Dudley S. Taft, Chairman
Darryl F. Allen
Robert L. Koch II
James E. Rogers

Risk and Compliance
Committee
John F. Barrett, Chairman
Hendrik G. Meijer
Thomas W. Traylor

Trust Committee
Mitchel D. Livingston, Ph.D.,
Chairman
Joseph H. Head, Jr.
Joan R. Herschede
George A. Schaefer, Jr.

C O R P O R AT E   I N F O R M AT I O N

Corporate Office
Fifth Third Center
Cincinnati, Ohio 45263
(513) 579-5300

Independent Auditor
Deloitte & Touche LLP
250 East Fifth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Website
www.53.com

Investor Relations
Neal E. Arnold
Executive Vice President &
Chief Financial Officer
(513) 579-4356 
(513) 534-0629 (fax)

Bradley S. Adams
Vice President &
Investor Relations Officer
(513) 534-0983 
(513) 534-0629 (fax)

Transfer Agent
Computershare Investor Services LLC
PO Box 2388
Chicago, IL 60690-2388
(888) 294-8285
Investordirect.53.com

Stock Trading
The common stock of Fifth Third Bancorp is
traded in the over-the-counter market and is
listed under the symbol “FITB” on the
Nasdaq National Market.

Press Releases
For copies of current press releases, please
visit our website at www.53.com.

Stock Data

Fourth Quarter
Third Quarter
Second Quarter
First Quarter

©Fifth Third Bank 2004
Member F.D.I.C. – Federal Reserve System
®Reg. U.S. Pat. & T.M. Office

2003

Low

$55.47
$52.50
$47.24
$47.05

Dividends
Paid Per
Share

$.29
$.29
$.29
$.26

High

$66.47
$68.54
$69.70
$69.69

2002

Low

$55.40
$55.26
$62.45
$60.10

Dividends
Paid Per
Share

$.26
$.26
$.23
$.23

High

$60.01
$59.44
$60.49
$62.15

73

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