MONTEBELLO, N.Y. and LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Aug. 16, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sterling Bancorp (NYSE:STL), the holding company for Sterling National Bank and Astoria Financial Corporation (NYSE:AF), the holding company for Astoria Bank, announced today that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has approved the merger of Astoria with and into Sterling. The transaction, which was announced March 7, 2017 and approved by the shareholders of Astoria Financial Corporation and Sterling Bancorp on June 13, 2017, remains subject to other customary closing conditions, including the approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Assuming such conditions are satisfied, Sterling Bancorp and Astoria Financial Corporation expect to complete the Merger early in the fourth calendar quarter of 2017.

About Sterling Bancorp

Sterling Bancorp, whose principal subsidiary is Sterling National Bank, specializes in the delivery of service and solutions to business owners, their families and consumers within the communities it serves through teams of dedicated and experienced relationship managers. Sterling National Bank offers a complete line of commercial, business, and consumer banking products and services. For more information, visit the Sterling Bancorp website at www.sterlingbancorp.com.

About Astoria Financial Corporation

Astoria Financial Corporation, with assets of $14.1 billion, is the holding company for Astoria Bank. Established in 1888, Astoria Bank, with deposits in New York totaling $8.9 billion, is the second largest thrift depository in New York and provides its retail and business customers and local communities it serves with quality financial products and services through 88 convenient banking branch locations, a business banking office in Manhattan, and multiple delivery channels, including its flexible mobile banking app. Astoria Bank commands a significant deposit market share in the attractive Long Island market, which includes Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties with a population exceeding that of 38 individual states. Astoria Bank originates multi-family and commercial real estate loans, primarily on rent controlled and rent stabilized apartment buildings, located in New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area and originates residential mortgage loans in New York State, the District of Columbia and eight other states through its banking and loan production offices in New York.