PNC Financial Services (PNC)

Fair Value Measurements

We must use estimates, assumptions, and judgments when assets and liabilities are required to be recorded at, or adjusted to reflect, fair value. This includes the initial measurement at fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in acquisitions qualifying as business combinations under SFAS 141 or SFAS 141(R), “Business Combinations.” The valuation of both financial and nonfinancial assets and liabilities in these transactions require numerous assumptions and estimates and the use of third-party sources including appraisers and valuation specialists.

Assets and liabilities carried at fair value inherently result in a higher degree of financial statement volatility. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, including those elected under SFAS 159, include available for sale and trading securities, financial derivatives, certain commercial and residential mortgage loans held for sale, customer resale agreements, private equity investments, and residential mortgage servicing rights. Fair values and the information used to record valuation adjustments for certain assets and liabilities are based on either quoted market prices or are provided by other independent third-party sources, when available. When such third-party information is not available, we estimate fair value primarily by using cash flow and other financial modeling techniques. Changes in underlying factors, assumptions, or estimates in any of these areas could materially impact our future financial condition and results of operations.

Effective January 1, 2008, PNC adopted SFAS 157. SFAS 157 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell a financial asset or paid to transfer a financial liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. SFAS 157 established a three level hierarchy for disclosure of assets and liabilities recorded at fair value. The classification of assets and liabilities within the hierarchy is based on whether the inputs to the valuation methodology used in the measurement are observable or unobservable.