Strong market positions Solid asset quality Strong core profitability Aggressive capital position Notable reliance on wholesale funding Standard&Poor's Ratings Services' ratings on Buffalo, N.Y.-based M&T Bank Corp. (M&T) are based on strong market positions in upstate New York, central Pennsylvania, and the Maryland-northern Virginia-Washington D.C. area. The ratings also consider strong asset-quality metrics supported by M&T's consistent operating performance and low capital ratios, as acquisitions have resulted in sizable goodwill. M&T enjoys strong market-share positions in a number of local markets. The strong market shares are a result of M&T's local community banking strategy, which provides a full array of banking and investment services to consumers and small and middle-market customers. M&T has been more successful in this
