DALLAS, Jan. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) today announced an increase in our quarterly cash dividend for common stock of 7 cents, or 12 percent, to 67 cents ($0.67) per share. The dividend is payable April 1, 2019, to common stock shareholders of record at the close of business on March 15, 2019.

"Today's increase reflects our solid capital position and strong earnings performance as well as our future growth potential," said Ralph W. Babb Jr., Comerica's chairman and chief executive officer. 

In addition, the Board approved the authorization to repurchase up to an additional 15.0 million shares of Comerica Incorporated outstanding common stock. This action is in addition to the 4.7 million shares remaining at December 31, 2018 under the Board's prior authorizations for the share repurchase program. The timing and amount of equity repurchases are subject to various factors, including the company's financial performance and market conditions. Shares will be purchased occasionally in the open market, through privately negotiated transactions, utilizing Rule 10b5-1 plans or otherwise. The repurchased shares may be held as treasury stock or retired.

Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and strategically aligned by three business segments: The Business Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Comerica focuses on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. In addition to Texas, Comerica Bank locations can be found in Arizona, California, Florida and Michigan, with select businesses operating in several other states, as well as in Canada and Mexico. Comerica reported total assets of $70.8 billion at Dec. 31, 2018.

Forward-looking Statements
Any statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "contemplates," "feels," "expects," "estimates," "seeks," "strives," "plans," "intends," "outlook," "forecast," "position," "target," "mission," "assume," "achievable," "potential," "strategy," "goal," "aspiration," "opportunity," "initiative," "outcome," "continue," "remain," "maintain," "on track," "trend," "objective," "looks forward," "projects," "models" and variations of such words and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," "might," "can," "may" or similar expressions, as they relate to Comerica or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are predicated on the beliefs and assumptions of Comerica's management based on information known to Comerica's management as of the date of this news release and do not purport to speak as of any other date. Forward-looking statements may include descriptions of plans and objectives of Comerica's management for future or past operations, products or services, including the GEAR Up initiative, and forecasts of Comerica's revenue, earnings or other measures of economic performance, including statements of profitability, business segments and subsidiaries as well as estimates of the economic benefits of the GEAR Up initiative, estimates of credit trends and global stability. Such statements reflect the view of Comerica's management as of this date with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks materialize or should underlying beliefs or assumptions prove incorrect, Comerica's actual results could differ materially from those discussed. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences are changes in general economic, political or industry conditions; changes in monetary and fiscal policies; whether Comerica may achieve opportunities for revenue enhancements and efficiency improvements under the GEAR Up initiative, or changes in the scope or assumptions underlying the GEAR Up initiative; operational difficulties, failure of technology infrastructure or information security incidents; reliance on other companies to provide certain key components of business infrastructure; Comerica's ability to maintain adequate sources of funding and liquidity; the effects of more stringent capital or liquidity requirements; declines or other changes in the businesses or industries of Comerica's customers; unfavorable developments concerning credit quality; changes in regulation or oversight; changes in the financial markets, including fluctuations in interest rates and their impact on deposit pricing; transitions away from LIBOR towards new interest rate benchmarks; reductions in Comerica's credit rating; damage to Comerica's reputation; Comerica's ability to utilize technology to efficiently and effectively develop, market and deliver new products and services; competitive product and pricing pressures among financial institutions within Comerica's markets; the interdependence of financial service companies; the implementation of Comerica's strategies and business initiatives; changes in customer behavior; management's ability to maintain and expand customer relationships; the effectiveness of methods of reducing risk exposures; the effects of catastrophic events including, but not limited to, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, droughts and floods; the effects of recent tax reform and potential legislative, administrative or judicial changes or interpretations related to these and other tax regulations; any future strategic acquisitions or divestitures; management's ability to retain key officers and employees; the impact of legal and regulatory proceedings or determinations; the effects of terrorist activities and other hostilities; changes in accounting standards; the critical nature of Comerica's accounting policies and the volatility of Comerica's stock price. Comerica cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not all-inclusive. For discussion of factors that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, please refer to "Item 1A. Risk Factors" beginning on page 11 of Comerica's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and "Item 1A. Risk Factors" beginning on page 59 of Comerica's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Comerica does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect facts, circumstances, assumptions or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. For any forward-looking statements made in this news release or in any documents, Comerica claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

SOURCE Comerica Incorporated