As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 7, 2025
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-4
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
USCB FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
| Florida | 6022 | 87-4070846 | ||
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification Number) |
2301 N.W. 87th Avenue
Doral, FL 33172
(305) 715-5200
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)
Robert Anderson
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
USCB Financial Holdings, Inc.
2301 NW 87th Avenue
Doral, FL 33172
(305) 715-5200
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
James J. Barresi, Esq.
Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
201 E. Fourth Street, Suite 1900
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Telephone: (513) 361-1200
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.
If the securities being registered on this Form are being offered in connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check the following box: ☐
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☒ | |||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company | ☒ | |||
| Emerging growth company | ☒ | |||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
If applicable, place an X in the box to designate the appropriate rule provision relied upon in conducting this transaction:
Exchange Act Rule 13e-4(i) (Cross-Border Issuer Tender Offer) ☐
Exchange Act Rule 14d-1(d) (Cross-Border Third-Party Tender Offer) ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not complete the exchange offer and issue these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED NOVEMBER 7, 2025
PROSPECTUS
USCB FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC.
Offer to Exchange
Up to $40,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035
that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933
for any and all outstanding unregistered
7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035
The exchange offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on , 202 , unless extended.
We are offering to exchange 7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), which we refer to in this prospectus as the “New Notes,” for any and all of our outstanding unregistered 7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 that we issued in a private placement on August 14, 2025, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “Old Notes.” We are making this offer to exchange the New Notes for the Old Notes to satisfy our obligations under a registration rights agreement that we entered into with the purchasers of the Old Notes in connection with our issuance of the Old Notes to those purchasers.
We will not receive any cash proceeds from this exchange offer. The issuance of the New Notes in exchange for the Old Notes will not result in any increase in our outstanding indebtedness. Old Notes that are not exchanged for New Notes in this exchange offer will remain outstanding. The exchange offer is not subject to any minimum tender condition, but is subject to certain customary conditions.
Upon expiration of the exchange offer, all Old Notes that have been validly tendered and not withdrawn will be exchanged for an equal principal amount of New Notes. The terms of the New Notes are identical in all material respects to the terms of the Old Notes, except that the New Notes are registered under the Securities Act and are generally not subject to transfer restrictions, are not entitled to registration rights under the registration rights agreement that we entered into with the initial purchasers of the Old Notes and do not have the right to additional interest under the circumstances described in that registration rights agreement relating to our fulfillment of our registration obligations. The New Notes evidence the same debt as the Old Notes and are governed by the same indenture under which the Old Notes were issued.
There is no existing public market for the Old Notes or the New Notes and we do not expect any public market to develop in the future for either the Old Notes or the New Notes. The Old Notes are not listed on any national securities exchange or quotation system and we do not intend to list the New Notes on any national securities exchange or quotation system.
You may withdraw your tender of Old Notes at any time prior to the expiration of the exchange offer. We will exchange all of the outstanding Old Notes that are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the expiration of the exchange offer for an equal principal amount of New Notes.
Each broker-dealer that receives New Notes for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such New Notes. A broker-dealer that acquired Old Notes because of market-making or other trading activities may use this prospectus, as supplemented or amended from time to time, in connection with resales of the New Notes for a period of 180 days after the completion of the exchange offer. See “Plan of Distribution.”
Investing in our securities involves certain risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 9, as well as the risk factors contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2025, June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2025, and in the other reports filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission and incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. These securities are not savings or deposit accounts or other obligations of any bank and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
The date of this prospectus is , 2025.
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This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act. This prospectus does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us, the exchange offer and the securities offered by this prospectus, reference is made to the registration statement, including the exhibits to the registration statement and the documents incorporated by reference.
We are providing this prospectus to holders of Old Notes in connection with our offer to exchange Old Notes for New Notes. We are not making this exchange offer in any jurisdiction where the exchange offer is not permitted.
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the accompanying exchange offer transmittal documents filed by us with the SEC. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with any other information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You should not assume that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date of the applicable document that contains that information. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
You should not consider any information in this prospectus to be investment, legal or tax advice. You should consult your own counsel, accountant and other advisors for legal, tax, business, financial and related advice regarding the exchange offer and ownership of these securities.
Each broker-dealer that receives New Notes for its own account in exchange for Old Notes acquired by the broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such New Notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a participating broker-dealer in connection with resales of New Notes received in exchange for Old Notes. We have agreed in the letter of transmittal to make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any such broker-dealer that requests copies of this prospectus for use in connection with any such resale. See “Plan of Distribution.”
References in this prospectus to the “Corporation,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references refer to USCB Financial Holdings, Inc., a Florida corporation and bank holding company incorporated in 2021, and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, except where the context otherwise requires or as otherwise indicated. References in this prospectus to the “Bank” refer to U.S. Century Bank, a Florida state-chartered bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
This prospectus incorporates important business and financial information about us that is not included in or delivered with this prospectus. Such information is available without charge to holders of Old Notes upon written or oral request made to:
USCB Financial Holdings, Inc.
Attention: Robert Anderson
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
2301 NW 87th Avenue
Doral, FL 33172
Telephone: (305) 715-5200
E-mail: rob.anderson@uscentury.com
To ensure timely delivery of any requested information, holders of Old Notes must make any request no later than , 202 which is five (5) business days before the expiration date of the exchange offer, or, if we decide to extend the expiration date of the exchange offer, no later than five (5) business days before such extended expiration date.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”) and file with the SEC Proxy Statements, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as required of a U.S. listed company. Our SEC filings are available to the public from the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov or on our website at www.uscentury.com. However, other than our available SEC filings, the information on, or that can be accessible through, our website does not constitute a part of, and is not incorporated by reference in, this prospectus. Written requests for copies of the documents we file with the SEC should be directed to USCB Financial Holdings, Inc., 2301 NW 87th Avenue, Doral, Florida 33172, Attention: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, telephone: (305) 715-5200.
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus. These documents may include periodic reports, such as our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as definitive Proxy Statements. Any documents that we subsequently file with the SEC will automatically update and replace the information previously filed with the SEC. Therefore, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information set forth in this prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later.
This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents listed below that we have previously filed with the SEC, except to the extent that any information in such filings, including subsequent filings, is deemed “furnished” but not “filed” in accordance with SEC rules:
| | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on March 14, 2025 (including portions of our Definitive Proxy Statement for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on April 22, 2025, to the extent specifically incorporated by reference in such Form 10-K); |
| | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2025, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on August 8, 2025 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on November 7, 2025; and |
| | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on each of January 6, 2025, May 27, 2025, August 14, 2025 and September 5, 2025 (except to the extent any such Current Reports on Form 8-K contain any information furnished but not filed). |
We are also incorporating by reference all other documents that we subsequently file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date of the initial registration statement of which this prospectus is a part but prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement and between the date of this prospectus and the later of (i) the termination or completion of the exchange offer and (ii) the termination of the period of time described under “Plan of Distribution” during which we have agreed to make available this prospectus to broker-dealers in connection with certain resales of the New Notes.
You may obtain a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus (other than an exhibit to a document unless that exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference into that document) from the SEC through the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov. You also may obtain these documents from us
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without charge by visiting our website at www.uscentury.com or by requesting them in writing, by e-mail or by telephone from us at the following address:
USCB Financial Holdings, Inc.
Attention: Robert Anderson
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
2301 NW 87th Avenue
Doral, Florida 33172
Telephone: (305) 715-5200
E-mail: rob.anderson@uscentury.com
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, any related prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference or that are deemed incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement, and any other written or oral statements made by us from time to time may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements concerning plans, estimates, calculations, forecasts and projections with respect to the anticipated future performance of the Company. These statements are often, but not always, identified by words such as “may”, “might”, “should”, “could”, “predict”, “potential”, “believe”, “expect”, “continue”, “will”, “anticipate”, “seek”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “projection”, “would”, “annualized”, “target” and “outlook”, or the negative version of those words or other comparable words of a future or forward-looking nature. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:
| | the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations; |
| | our ability to successfully manage interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, and other risks inherent to our industry; |
| | the accuracy of our financial statement estimates and assumptions, including the estimates used for our credit loss reserve and deferred tax asset valuation allowance; |
| | the efficiency and effectiveness of our internal control environment; |
| | our ability to comply with the extensive laws and regulations to which we are subject, including the laws for each jurisdiction where we operate; |
| | adverse changes or conditions in the capital and financial markets, including actual or potential stresses in the banking industry; |
| | deposit attrition and the level of our uninsured deposits; |
| | legislative or regulatory changes and changes in accounting principles, policies, practices or guidelines, including the on-going effects of the Current Expected Credit Losses standard; |
| | the lack of a significantly diversified loan portfolio and concentration in the South Florida market, including the risks of geographic, depositor, and industry concentrations, including our concentration in loans secured by real estate, in particular, commercial real estate; |
| | the effects of climate change; |
| | the concentration of ownership of our common stock; |
| | fluctuations in the price of our common stock; |
| | our ability to fund or access the capital markets at attractive rates and terms and manage our growth, both organic growth as well as growth through other means, such as future acquisitions; |
| | inflation, interest rate, unemployment rate, market and monetary fluctuations; |
| | impact of international hostilities and geopolitical events; |
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| | increased competition and its effect on the pricing of our products and services as well as our net interest rate spread and net interest margin; |
| | the loss of key employees; |
| | the effectiveness of our risk management strategies, including operational risks, including, but not limited to, client, employee, or third-party fraud and cybersecurity breaches; and |
| | other risk factors described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other filings we make with the SEC. |
The foregoing factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read together with the other cautionary statements included in this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement. In addition, past results of operations are not necessarily indicative of future results. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this prospectus is based only on information currently available to the Company and speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
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This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding to exchange your Old Notes for New Notes. You should read this prospectus carefully, including the “Risk Factors” sections contained in this prospectus, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, each of which is incorporated by reference herein, as updated by our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, our financial statements and the related notes and the other documents incorporated by reference herein, which are described under the heading “Information Incorporated by Reference” in this prospectus before making a decision about whether to exchange your Old Notes for New Notes.
USCB Financial Holdings, Inc.
The Company was formed on December 17, 2021, to serve as the holding company for the Bank, and is a bank holding company registered with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. The Company is headquartered in Doral, Florida, a municipality that is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida, and, through the Bank, its sole direct subsidiary, operates ten (10) banking centers in South Florida providing a wide range of personal and business banking products and services. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had total consolidated assets of $2.6 billion.
The Bank commenced operations in October 2002 and is a Florida state-chartered, non-Federal Reserve System member bank. Over the course of 2021, the Bank simplified its capitalization structure by exchanging and/or repurchasing all of its issued and outstanding preferred shares, including Class C, Class D, and Class E preferred stock. In December 2021, the Bank reached agreements with holders of its Class B common stock, to exchange all outstanding Class B common stock for Class A common stock in a 1-for-5 stock exchange. On July 27, 2021, the Bank completed an initial public offering of 4,600,000 shares of its Class A common stock. Shares of the Bank’s Class A common stock were sold at a price to the public of $10.00 per share and began trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market under ticker symbol “USCB.”
On December 30, 2021 (the “Effective Date”), the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding stock of the Bank in a share exchange (the “Reorganization”) effected under the Florida Business Corporation Act and in accordance with the terms of an Agreement and Plan of Share Exchange dated December 27, 2021 between the Bank and the Company (the “Share Exchange Agreement”). The Reorganization and the Share Exchange Agreement were approved by the Bank’s stockholders at a special meeting of the Bank’s stockholders held on December 20, 2021. Pursuant to the Share Exchange Agreement, on the Effective Date each issued and outstanding share of the Bank’s Class A common stock was converted into and exchanged for one share of the Company’s Class A Common Stock. As a result, the Bank became the wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, the Company became the holding company for the Bank and the stockholders of the Bank became stockholders of the Company.
Prior to the Effective Date, the Bank’s Class A common stock was registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Bank was subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with Section 12(i) thereof, filed quarterly reports, proxy statements and other information with the FDIC. As a result of the Reorganization, pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) under the Exchange Act, the Company became the successor registrant to the Bank, the Company’s Class A Common Stock was deemed to be registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company became subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and is now required to file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC.
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Prior to the Reorganization, the Company had no material assets and had not conducted any business or operations except for activities related to its incorporation and the Reorganization.
Summary of the Exchange Offer
The following provides a summary of certain terms of the exchange offer. Please refer to the section “The Exchange Offer” appearing elsewhere in this prospectus for a more complete description of the exchange offer and the section “Description of the Notes” for a more complete description of the terms of the Old Notes and New Notes.
| Old Notes |
$40,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035. |
| New Notes |
Up to $40,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035, which have terms that are identical in all material respects to the terms of the Old Notes, except that the New Notes are registered under the Securities Act and are generally not subject to transfer restrictions, are not entitled to registration rights under the registration rights agreement and do not have the right to additional interest under the circumstances described in the registration rights agreement relating to our fulfillment of our registration obligations. |
| Exchange Offer |
We are offering to exchange the New Notes for a like principal amount of Old Notes. Subject to the terms of the exchange offer, promptly following the termination of the exchange offer, we will exchange New Notes for all Old Notes that have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the expiration of the exchange offer. |
| Expiration Date |
The exchange offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on , 202 , unless extended. |
| Withdrawal Rights |
You may withdraw the tender of your Old Notes at any time before the expiration date. |
| Conditions to Exchange Offer |
This exchange offer is subject to customary conditions, which we may waive. See “The Exchange Offer—Conditions.” |
| Procedures for Tendering Old Notes |
For Old Notes that are represented by global book-entry notes, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), as depositary, or its nominee is treated as the registered holder of such Old Notes and will be the only entity that can tender such Old Notes for New Notes. In order to participate in the exchange offer, you must follow the procedures established by DTC for tendering such Old Notes held in book-entry form. These procedures, which we call “ATOP” (“Automated Tender Offer Program”) procedures, require that (i) the exchange agent receive, prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer, a computer generated message known as an “agent’s message” that is transmitted through ATOP, and (ii) DTC has received (a) your instructions to exchange your Old Notes, and (b) your agreement to be bound by the terms of the accompanying letter of transmittal. |
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| For Old Notes that are represented by a physical note that is registered in the initial purchaser’s name, each beneficial holder of such Old Note must transmit a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal, the physical note, and all other documents required by the letter of transmittal to the exchange agent, at its address listed under “The Exchange Offer—Exchange Agent.” |
| Please note that by signing, or agreeing to be bound by, the letter of transmittal, you will be making a number of important representations to us. See “The Exchange Offer—Eligibility; Transferability.” |
| Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations |
The exchange of Old Notes for New Notes in the exchange offer generally should not constitute a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. See “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.” You should consult your own tax advisor as to the tax consequences or implications of exchanging your Old Notes for New Notes. |
| Registration Rights |
Under the terms of the registration rights agreement that we entered into with the initial purchasers of the Old Notes at the time we issued the Old Notes, we agreed to register the New Notes and undertake this exchange offer. This exchange offer is intended to satisfy the rights of holders of Old Notes under that registration rights agreement. After the exchange offer is completed, we will have no further obligations, except under certain limited circumstances, to provide for any exchange or undertake any further registration with respect to the Old Notes. |
| Transferability |
Based upon existing interpretations of the Securities Act by the staff of the SEC contained in several no-action letters issued to third parties, we believe that the New Notes may be offered for resale, resold or otherwise transferred by you without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, provided that: |
| | you are, or the person receiving the New Notes is, acquiring the New Notes in the ordinary course of business; |
| | you are not, nor is any such person, our affiliate as such term is defined under Rule 405 under the Securities Act; |
| | you do not, nor does any such person, have an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in any distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the New Notes; |
| | you are not, nor is any such person, a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act, and you are not engaged in and do not intend to engage in, nor is any such person engaged in or intending to engage in, any distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the New Notes; and |
| | you are not acting on behalf of any person who could not truthfully make the aforementioned statements. |
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| Our belief that transfers of New Notes would be permitted without registration or prospectus delivery under the conditions described above is based on interpretations by the staff of the SEC given to other, unrelated issuers in similar exchange offers. The staff of the SEC has not considered this exchange offer in the context of a no-action letter, and we cannot assure you that the staff of the SEC would make a similar interpretation with respect to our exchange offer. |
| If our belief is not accurate and you transfer a New Note without delivering a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act or without an exemption from such requirements, you may incur liability under the Securities Act. We do not and will not assume, or indemnify you against, such liability. |
| Each broker-dealer that receives New Notes for its own account under the exchange offer in exchange for Old Notes that were acquired by the broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activity must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the New Notes. |
| See “The Exchange Offer—Eligibility; Transferability” and “Plan of Distribution.” |
| Consequences of Failing to Exchange Old Notes |
Any Old Notes that are not exchanged in the exchange offer will continue to be governed by the indenture relating to the Old Notes and the terms of the Old Notes. Old Notes that are not exchanged will remain subject to the restrictions on transfer described in the Old Notes, and you will not be able to offer or sell the Old Notes except under an exemption from the requirements of the Securities Act or unless the Old Notes are registered under the Securities Act. Upon the completion of the exchange offer, we will have no further obligations, except under limited circumstances, to provide for registration of the Old Notes under the U.S. federal securities laws. If you do not participate in the exchange offer, the liquidity of your Old Notes could be adversely affected. See “The Exchange Offer—Consequences of Failure to Exchange.” |
| Use of Proceeds |
We will not receive any cash proceeds from the exchange of Old Notes for New Notes as a result of the exchange offer. |
| Cancellation of Exchanged Old Notes |
Old Notes that are surrendered in exchange for New Notes will be retired and cancelled by us upon receipt and will not be reissued. Accordingly, the issuance of the New Notes under this exchange offer will not result in any increase in our outstanding indebtedness. |
| Exchange Agent |
Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association, is serving as the exchange agent for this exchange offer. See “The Exchange Offer—Exchange Agent” for the address and telephone number of the exchange agent. |
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Summary of the New Notes
The following provides a summary of certain terms of the New Notes. The New Notes have terms that are identical in all material respects to the terms of the Old Notes, except that the New Notes are registered under the Securities Act and are generally not subject to transfer restrictions, are not entitled to registration rights under the registration rights agreement and do not have the right to additional interest under the circumstances described in the registration rights agreement relating to our fulfillment of our registration obligations. The New Notes will evidence the same debt as the Old Notes and will be governed by the same indenture under which the Old Notes were issued. Please refer to the section “Description of the Notes” for a more complete description of the terms of the New Notes. References in this prospectus to the “notes” include both the Old Notes and the New Notes unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires.
| Issuer |
USCB Financial Holdings, Inc. |
| Securities Offered |
7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035. |
| Aggregate Principal Amount |
Up to $40,000,000. |
| Maturity Date |
August 15, 2035, unless previously redeemed. |
| Form and Denomination |
The New Notes will be issued only in registered form without coupons, and in minimum denominations of $100,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. Unless otherwise required for institutional accredited investors, the New Notes will be evidenced by a global note deposited with the trustee for the New Notes, as custodian for DTC, and transfers of beneficial interests will be facilitated only through records maintained by DTC and its participants. |
| Interest Rate and Interest Rate Payment Dates During Fixed Rate Period |
From and including August 14, 2025 to but excluding August 15, 2030 or earlier redemption date, computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, beginning on February 15, 2026. |
| Interest Rate and Interest Rate Payment Dates During Floating Rate Period |
From and including August 15, 2030, to but excluding the maturity date or earlier redemption date (the “Floating Rate Period”), the New Notes will bear interest at an annual floating rate, reset quarterly, equal to the Benchmark rate (which is expected to be the then-current Three-Month Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”)), plus 422 basis points, provided, however, that in the event that the Three-Month Term SOFR is less than zero, Three-Month Term SOFR shall be deemed to be zero (as defined under “Description of the Notes—Principal, Maturity and Interest”). During the Floating Rate Period, interest on the New Notes will be payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year commencing on November 15, 2030. |
| For each interest period during the Floating Rate Period, “Three-Month Term SOFR” means the rate for Term SOFR for a tenor of |
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| three months that is published by the Term SOFR Administrator at the Reference Time for any Floating Interest Period, as determined by the Calculation Agent after giving effect to the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions; provided, however, that in the event Three-Month Term SOFR is less than zero, Three-Month Term SOFR shall be deemed to be zero (each as defined under “Description of the Notes—Principal, Maturity and Interest”). |
| If the Calculation Agent determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date (each as defined under “Description of the Notes—Principal, Maturity and Interest”) have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any determination of the Benchmark on any date, the Benchmark Replacement will replace the then-current Benchmark (each as defined under “Description of the Notes—Principal, Maturity and Interest”) for all purposes relating to the New Notes during the relevant Floating Interest Period in respect of such determination on such date and all determinations on all subsequent dates. In accordance with the benchmark transition provisions, after a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred, the interest rate on the New Notes for each interest period during the Floating Rate Period will be an annual rate equal to the sum of the applicable Benchmark Replacement (as defined under “Description of the Notes—Effect of Benchmark Transition Event”), plus 422 basis points. |
| Day Count Convention |
Twelve 30-day months/360-day year to but excluding August 15, 2030, and thereafter, a 360-day year and the number of days actually elapsed. |
| Record Dates |
Each interest payment will be made to the holders of record who held the New Notes at the close of business on the fifteenth calendar day prior to the applicable interest payment date, without regard to whether the regular record date is a business day. |
| Subordination; Ranking |
The New Notes will be our general unsecured, subordinated obligations and: |
| will rank junior in right of payment and upon our liquidation to our existing and future senior indebtedness (as defined herein); |
| will rank equally in right of payment and upon our liquidation with our existing and all future indebtedness the terms of which provide that such indebtedness ranks equally with promissory notes, bonds, debentures and other evidences of indebtedness of types that include the New Notes; and |
| will rank senior in right of payment and upon our liquidation to any indebtedness the terms of which provide that such indebtedness ranks junior to promissory notes, bonds, debentures and other evidences of indebtedness of types that include the New Notes; and will be effectively subordinated to all of the existing and future indebtedness, |
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| deposits and other liabilities of the Bank and our other current and future subsidiaries, including without limitation, the Bank’s liabilities to depositors in connection with the deposits in the Bank, as well as to its subsidiary’s liabilities to general creditors and liabilities arising during the ordinary course or otherwise. |
| Optional Redemption |
We may, at our option, (i) on any interest payment date on or after August 15, 2030, redeem all or a portion of the New Notes (without premium or penalty), and (ii) redeem all, but not a portion of, the New Notes at any time upon an Investment Company Event, a Tax Event or a Tier 2 Capital Event (each as described in “Description of the Notes—Redemption”). |
| Any redemption of the New Notes will be subject to prior approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or its designee) (the “Federal Reserve”) or any successor agency, and any other banking regulatory agency, to the extent such approval is then required by law, regulation or policy. Any redemption of the New Notes will be at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the New Notes, or a portion thereof, being redeemed, plus accrued but unpaid interest and additional interest, if any, thereon to, but excluding, the date of redemption. |
| If all or any portion of the New Notes ceases to be deemed to be Tier 2 Capital, other than due to the limitation imposed on the capital treatment of subordinated debt during the five (5) years immediately preceding the maturity date of the New Notes, the Company will immediately notify the trustee and the holders thereof, and thereafter the Company and the holders will work together in good faith, subject to the terms of the New Notes, to execute and deliver all agreements as reasonably necessary in order to restructure the applicable portions of the obligations evidenced by the New Notes to qualify as Tier 2 Capital; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the Company’s right to redeem the New Notes pursuant to the terms of the New Notes and the indenture, including upon the occurrence of a Tier 2 Capital Event. |
| The New Notes are not subject to repayment at the option of the holders and there is no sinking fund for the New Notes. |
| No Limitations On Indebtedness |
The terms of the New Notes do not limit the amount of additional indebtedness the Company, the Bank or any of our respective subsidiaries may incur or the amount of other obligations ranking senior or equal to the New Notes that we may incur. |
| Limited Indenture Covenants |
The indenture governing the New Notes contains no financial covenants requiring us to achieve or maintain any minimum financial results relating to our financial position or results of operations or meet or exceed any financial ratios as a general matter or in order to incur additional indebtedness or obligations or to maintain any reserves. |
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| Moreover, neither the indenture nor the New Notes contain any covenants prohibiting us from, or limiting our right to, grant liens on our assets to secure our indebtedness or other obligations that are senior in right of payment to the New Notes, to repurchase our stock or other securities, including any of the New Notes, or to pay dividends or make other distributions to our shareholders (except, in the case of dividends or other distributions on junior securities, upon our failure to timely pay the principal of or interest on the New Notes, when the same becomes due and payable). |
| Listing; No Public Market |
The New Notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market and we do not expect any public market to develop in the future for the New Notes. We do not intend to list the New Notes on any national securities exchange or quotation system. |
| Risk Factors |
See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 7 of this prospectus, as well as in our reports filed with the SEC, and other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should consider carefully before deciding to participate in the exchange offer. |
| Trustee |
Wilmington Trust, National Association. |
| Governing Law |
The New Notes and the indenture will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. |
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In consultation with your own advisors, you should carefully consider, among other matters, the factors set forth below as well as the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus before deciding whether to participate in the exchange offer. In particular, you should carefully consider, among other things, the factors described under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and the factors described under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2025, June 30, 2025 and the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2025, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, as updated by our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. If any of the risks contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus develop into actual events, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected, the value of the New Notes could decline, our ability to repay the New Notes may be impaired, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Some statements in this prospectus, including statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. See the “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” section in this prospectus.
Risks Related to Our Business
For a discussion of certain risks applicable to our business and operations, please refer to the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Part II, Item 1A of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2025 and the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2025.
Risks Related to the Exchange Offer
If you do not properly tender your Old Notes, you will continue to hold unregistered Old Notes and your ability to transfer Old Notes will be adversely affected.
We will only issue New Notes in exchange for Old Notes that you timely and properly tender. Therefore, you should allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery of the Old Notes and you should carefully follow the instructions on how to tender your Old Notes. Neither we nor the exchange agent are required to tell you of any defects or irregularities with respect to your tender of Old Notes. See “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Tendering Old Notes.”
If you do not exchange your Old Notes for New Notes in the exchange offer, you will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer of your Old Notes described in the legend on the certificates for your Old Notes. In general, you may only offer or sell the Old Notes if they are registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or you offer and sell under an exemption from these requirements. We do not plan to register any sale of the Old Notes under the Securities Act.
The tender of Old Notes under the exchange offer will reduce the principal amount of the Old Notes outstanding, which may have an adverse effect upon, and increase the volatility of, the market price of the Old Notes due to reduction in liquidity.
You may not receive New Notes in the exchange offer if you do not properly follow the exchange offer procedures.
We will issue New Notes in exchange for your Old Notes only if you properly tender the Old Notes before expiration of the exchange offer. Neither we nor the exchange agent are required to tell you of any defects or irregularities with respect to your tender of Old Notes. If you are the beneficial holder of Old Notes that are held through your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, and you wish to tender such Old
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Notes in the exchange offer, you should promptly contact the person through whom your Old Notes are held and instruct that person to tender on your behalf in accordance with the procedures described in this prospectus and the accompanying transmittal letter.
The liquidity of any trading market that currently exists for the Old Notes may be adversely affected by the exchange offer, and holders who fail to participate in the exchange offer may find it more difficult to sell their Old Notes after the exchange offer is completed.
To the extent tenders of Old Notes for exchange in the exchange offer are accepted by us and the exchange offer is completed, the trading market for the Old Notes that remain outstanding following the completion of the exchange offer may be significantly more limited. The remaining Old Notes may command lower prices than comparable issues of securities with greater market liquidity and, if they currently qualify for inclusion in certain indices, may no longer qualify for inclusion. Reduced market values and reduced liquidity may also make the trading prices of the remaining Old Notes more volatile. As a result, the market prices for the Old Notes that remain outstanding after the completion of the exchange offer may be adversely affected as a result of the exchange offer.
Some holders who exchange their Old Notes may be deemed to be underwriters.
Based on interpretations of the staff of the SEC contained in certain no action letters addressed to other parties, we believe that you may offer for resale, resell or otherwise transfer the New Notes without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. However, in some instances described in this prospectus under “Plan of Distribution,” certain holders of New Notes will remain obligated to comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to transfer the New Notes. If such a holder transfers any New Notes without delivering a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act or without an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act, such a holder may incur liability under the Securities Act. We do not and will not assume, or indemnify such a holder against, such liability.
The exchange offer may be cancelled or delayed.
The consummation of the exchange offer is subject to, and conditional upon, the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions discussed under “The Exchange Offer—Conditions.” We may, at our option and in our sole discretion, waive any such conditions. Even if the exchange offer is completed, the exchange offer may not be completed on the schedule described in this prospectus. Accordingly, holders participating in the exchange offer may have to wait longer than expected to receive their New Notes, during which time such holders will not be able to effect transfers of their Old Notes tendered for exchange.
Risks Related to the Notes
The notes will be unsecured and subordinated to any existing and future senior indebtedness.
The notes will be subordinated obligations of the Company. Accordingly, they will be junior in right of payment to any existing and all future senior indebtedness, and in certain events of insolvency, to other financial obligations. Our senior indebtedness includes all indebtedness, except indebtedness that is expressly subordinated to or ranked pari passu with the notes, subject to certain exceptions. The notes will rank equally with all other unsecured subordinated indebtedness of the Company issued in the future under the indenture between the Company, as issuer, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Indenture”). In addition, the notes will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness, liabilities and other obligations, including deposits, of our subsidiaries, including the Bank. As of September 30, 2025, on a consolidated basis, we had liabilities of $2.6 billion, of which $2.5 billion rank senior to the notes and $11 million rank pari passu with the notes.
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In addition, the notes will not be secured by any of our assets. As a result, the notes will be effectively subordinated to all of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. The Indenture governing the notes does not limit the amount of senior indebtedness and other financial obligations or secured obligations that we or our subsidiaries may incur.
As a result of the subordination provisions described above, holders of the notes may not be fully repaid in the event of our bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization.
The notes will not be insured or guaranteed by the FDIC, any other governmental agency or any of our subsidiaries. The notes will be structurally subordinated to the indebtedness and other liabilities of our subsidiaries, which means that creditors of our subsidiaries generally will be paid from those subsidiaries’ assets before holders of the notes would have any claims to those assets.
The notes are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of the Bank or any of our non-bank subsidiaries and are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other governmental agency or public or private insurer. The notes are obligations of the Company only and are neither obligations of, nor guaranteed by, any of our subsidiaries. The notes will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities of our subsidiaries, which means that creditors of our subsidiaries (including, in the case of the Bank, its depositors) generally will be paid from those subsidiaries’ assets before holders of the notes would have any claims to those assets. Even if we become a creditor of any of our subsidiaries, our rights as a creditor would be subordinate to any security interest in the assets of that subsidiary and any debt of that subsidiary senior to that held by us, and our rights could otherwise be subordinated to the rights of other creditors and depositors of that subsidiary. Furthermore, none of our subsidiaries is under any obligation to make payments to us, and any payments to us would depend on the earnings or financial condition of our subsidiaries and various business considerations. Statutory, contractual or other restrictions also limit our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends or make distributions, loans or advances to us. For these reasons, we may not have access to any assets or cash flows of our subsidiaries to make interest and principal payments on the notes.
The notes include limited covenants and do not restrict our ability to incur additional debt.
The notes do not contain any financial covenants that would require us to achieve or maintain any minimum financial results relating to our financial condition, liquidity or results of operations or meet or exceed certain financial ratios as a general matter or to incur additional indebtedness or obligations or to maintain any reserves. Moreover, the notes do not contain any covenants prohibiting or limiting us or our subsidiaries from granting liens on assets to secure indebtedness or other obligations, repurchasing our stock or other securities, including any of the notes, or paying dividends or make other distributions to our shareholders. The notes do not contain any provision that would provide protection to the holders of the notes against a material decline in our credit quality.
In addition, the notes do not limit the amount of additional indebtedness of the Company, the Bank or any of our other subsidiaries may incur or the amount of other obligations that the Company or the Bank may incur ranking senior or equal to the indebtedness evidenced by the notes. The issuance or guarantee of any such securities or the incurrence of any such other liabilities may reduce the amount, if any, recoverable by holders of the notes in the event of our insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, winding up or similar proceeding, and may limit our ability to meet our obligations under the notes.
Payments on the notes will depend on receipt of dividends and distributions from our subsidiaries
We are a bank holding company and we conduct substantially all of our operations through subsidiaries, including the Bank. We depend on dividends, distributions and other payments from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations, including to fund payments on the notes.
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We may generally declare a dividend from retained net profits which accrued prior to the preceding two years, but we must, before the declaration of a dividend on our common stock, under applicable Florida law, carry 20% of our net profits for such preceding period as is covered by the dividend to our surplus fund, until the same shall at least equal the amount of our common stock and preferred stock, if any, then issued and outstanding. Under Florida law, we are prohibited from declaring a dividend at any time at which our net income from the current year combined with the retained net income from the preceding two years is a loss or which would cause our capital accounts to fall below the minimum amount required by law, regulation, order, or any written agreement with a state or federal regulatory agency. Furthermore, under applicable FDIC regulations and policy, the Bank must obtain the prior approval of the FDIC before effecting a cash dividend or other capital distribution. Similarly, we have agreed to notify the Federal Reserve before declaring and paying any dividends on our Class A common stock. As of September 30, 2025, the Bank would need prior regulatory approval to pay a dividend to the Company. Also, the Company’s right to participate in a distribution of assets upon a subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization is subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors. In the event the Bank is unable to pay dividends to us, we may not be able to service any debt we may incur, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
The Bank also may not pay dividends if payment would cause it to become undercapitalized or if it is already undercapitalized and must maintain a common equity Tier 1 capital conservation buffer of greater than 2.5% to avoid becoming subject to restrictions on capital distributions, including dividends. Further, contractual or other restrictions may also limit our subsidiaries’ abilities to pay dividends or make distributions, loans or advances to us. See the information under “Regulation and Supervision” in Item 1, “Business,” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. For these reasons, we may not have access to any assets or cash flow of our subsidiaries to make principal or interest payments on the notes.
We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our debt, including the notes.
Our ability to make scheduled payments of principal and interest, or to satisfy our obligations in respect of our debt or to refinance our debt, will depend on our future performance of our operating subsidiaries. Prevailing economic conditions (including interest rates), regulatory constraints, including, without limitation, limiting distributions to us from the Bank and required capital levels with respect to the Bank and financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, will also affect our ability to meet these needs. Our subsidiaries may not be able to generate sufficient cash flows from operations, or we may be unable to obtain future borrowings in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay our debt, or to fund our other liquidity needs. We may need to refinance all or a portion of our debt on or before maturity. We may not be able to refinance any of our debt when needed (including, without limitation, upon commencement of the floating rate period) on commercially reasonable terms or at all.
Regulatory guidelines may restrict our ability to pay the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the notes, regardless of whether we are the subject of an insolvency proceeding.
As a bank holding company, our ability to pay the principal of, and interest on, the notes is subject to the rules and guidelines of the Federal Reserve regarding capital adequacy. We intend to treat the notes as “Tier 2 capital” under these rules and guidelines. The Federal Reserve guidelines generally require us to review the effects of the cash payment of Tier 2 capital instruments, such as the notes, on our overall financial condition. The guidelines also require that we review our net income for the current and past four fiscal quarters, and the amounts we have paid on Tier 2 capital instruments for those periods, as well as our projected rate of earnings retention. Moreover, pursuant to federal law and Federal Reserve regulations, as a bank holding company, we are required to act as a source of financial and managerial strength to the Bank and commit resources to its support, including, without limitation, the guarantee of its capital plans if it is undercapitalized. Such support may be required at times when we may not otherwise be inclined or able to provide it. As a result of the foregoing, we may be unable to pay accrued interest on the notes on one or more of the scheduled interest payment dates, or at any other time, or the principal of the notes at the maturity of the notes.
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If we were to be the subject of a bankruptcy proceeding under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, then the bankruptcy trustee would be deemed to have assumed, and would be required to cure, immediately any deficit under any commitment we have to any of the federal banking agencies to maintain the capital of the Bank, and any other insured depository institution for which we have such a responsibility, and any claim for breach of such obligation would generally have priority over most other unsecured claims.
The notes are subject to limited rights of acceleration.
Payment of principal of the notes may be accelerated only in the case of certain bankruptcy-related events with respect to us. As a result, you have no right to accelerate the payment of principal of the notes if we fail to pay principal of or interest on the notes or if we fail in the performance of any of our other obligations under the notes. Our regulators can, in the event we or the Bank become subject to an enforcement action, prohibit the Bank from paying dividends to us, and prevent our payment of interest or principal on the notes and any dividends on our capital stock, but such limits will not permit acceleration of the notes.
An active trading market for the notes may not develop.
The notes constitute a new issue of securities for which there is no existing trading market. We do not intend to apply for listing of the notes on any securities exchange or for quotation of the notes in any automated dealer quotation system. We cannot provide you with any assurance regarding whether a trading market for the notes will develop, the ability of holders of the notes to sell their notes or the prices at which holders may be able to sell their notes. You should also be aware that there may be a limited number of buyers when you decide to sell your notes. This may affect the price you receive for your notes or your ability to sell your notes at all. Investors in the notes may not be able to sell the notes at all or may not be able to sell the notes at prices that will provide them with a yield comparable to similar investments that have a developed secondary market, and may consequently suffer from increased pricing volatility and market risk.
If a trading market for the notes develops, changes in the debt markets, among others, could adversely affect your ability to liquidate your investment in the notes and the market price of the notes.
If a market develops for the notes, the prices at which holders may be able to sell their notes may be affected, potentially adversely, by a number of factors. These factors include: the method of calculating the principal, premium, if any, interest or other amounts payable, if any, on the notes; the time remaining to the maturity of the notes; the ranking of the notes; the redemption or repayment features of the notes; the aggregate amount outstanding of the notes; the outstanding amount of subordinated notes with terms identical to the notes offered hereby; the prevailing interest rates being paid by other companies similar to us; changes in U.S. interest rates; whether the ratings on the notes or us provided by any rating agency have changed; our financial condition, financial performance and future prospects; the level, direction and volatility of market interest rates generally; general economic conditions of the capital markets in the United States; geopolitical conditions and other financial, political, regulatory, and judicial events that affect the capital markets generally; the extent of any market-making activities, if any, with respect to the notes; and the operating performance of the Bank. The condition of the financial markets and prevailing interest rates have fluctuated significantly in the past and are likely to fluctuate in the future. Such fluctuations could adversely affect the trading market (if any) for, and the market price of, the notes. Often, the only way to liquidate your investment in the notes prior to maturity will be to sell the notes. At that time, there may be a very illiquid market for the notes or no market at all.
Beginning on the fifth anniversary of the issuance of the notes, or at any time in the case of certain events, the notes may be redeemed at our option, which limits the ability of holders of the notes to accrue interest over the full stated term of the notes.
Subject to the prior approval of the Federal Reserve (or, as and if applicable, the rules of any appropriate successor bank regulatory agency), to the extent that such approval is then required under applicable laws or
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regulations, including capital regulations, we may, at our option, redeem the notes (i) in whole or in part, beginning with the interest payment date on August 15, 2030 and on any interest payment date thereafter and (ii) in whole but not in part, at any time upon the occurrence of:
| | a “Tier 2 Capital Event,” which is defined in the Indenture to mean receipt by us of a legal opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that the notes no longer qualify, or within 120 days of the date of such legal opinion, will not qualify, as Tier 2 capital (or its then equivalent), as a result of a change in law or regulation, or interpretation or application thereof, by any judicial, legislative or regulatory authority that becomes effective after the date of issuance of the notes; |
| | a “Tax Event,” which is defined in the Indenture to mean the receipt by us of a legal opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or change (including any final and adopted (or enacted) prospective change) in, the laws (or any regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations, there exists a material risk that interest payable by us on the notes is not, or within 120 days after the receipt of such opinion will not be, deductible by us, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax purposes; or |
| | an “Investment Company Event,” which is defined in the Indenture to mean receipt by us of a legal opinion from counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that there is a material risk that we are, or within 120 days of the date of such legal opinion, will be, required to register as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, |
in each case at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date of redemption. Any redemption of the notes will be subject to prior approval of the Federal Reserve, to the extent such approval is then required. There can be no assurance that the Federal Reserve will approve any redemption of the notes that we may propose. Furthermore, you should not expect us to redeem any notes when they first become redeemable or on any particular date thereafter. If we redeem the notes for any reason, you will not have the opportunity to continue to accrue and be paid interest to the stated maturity date and you may not be able to reinvest the redemption proceeds you receive in a similar security or in securities bearing similar interest rates or yields.
Investors should not expect us to redeem the notes on or after the date on which they become redeemable at our option. Under Federal Reserve regulations, unless the Federal Reserve authorizes us in writing to do otherwise, we are not permitted to redeem the notes unless they are replaced with other Tier 2 capital instruments or unless we can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Federal Reserve that, following redemption, we will continue to hold capital commensurate with our risk.
The amount of interest payable on the notes will vary after the fifth anniversary of the issuance of the notes.
During the fixed rate period, the notes will bear interest at a fixed interest rate per annum. Thereafter, the notes will bear interest at a floating rate per annum equal to the Benchmark rate (which is expected to be Three-Month Term SOFR), plus a spread, subject to certain provisions of the notes. The per annum interest rate that is determined at the reference time for each interest period will apply to the entire quarterly interest period following such determination date even if the Benchmark rate increases during that period.
Floating rate notes bear additional significant risks not associated with fixed rate debt securities. These risks include fluctuation of the interest rates and the possibility that you will receive an amount of interest that is lower than expected. We have no control over a number of matters, including, without limitation, economic, financial, and political events, that are important in determining the existence, magnitude, and longevity of market volatility and other risks and their impact on the value of, or payments made on, the notes. In recent years, interest rates have been volatile, and that volatility may be expected in the future.
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Our published credit ratings may not reflect all risks of an investment in the notes.
The published credit ratings of us or our indebtedness are an assessment by rating agencies of our ability to pay our debts when due. These ratings are not recommendations to purchase, hold or sell the notes, inasmuch as the ratings do not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor, are limited in scope, and do not address all material risks relating to an investment in the notes, but rather reflect only the view of each rating agency at the time the rating is issued. The published credit ratings assigned to the notes may not reflect the potential impact of all risks related to structure and other factors on any trading market for, or trading value of, the notes.
Accordingly, you should consult your own financial and legal advisors as to the risks entailed by an investment in the notes and the suitability of investing in the notes in light of your particular circumstances.
A downgrade in our credit ratings or the ratings of our subsidiaries could have a material adverse impact on us.
Rating agencies continuously evaluate us and our subsidiaries, and their ratings of our long-term and short-term debt are based on a number of factors, including financial strength, as well as factors not entirely within our control, such as conditions affecting the financial services industry generally. In light of these reviews and the continued focus on the financial services industry generally, we and our subsidiaries may not be able to maintain our current credit ratings. Ratings downgrades by a rating agency could have a significant and immediate impact on our funding and liquidity through cash obligations, reduced funding capacity and collateral triggers. A reduction in our or our subsidiaries’ credit ratings could also increase our borrowing costs and limit access to the capital markets.
Downgrades in the credit or financial strength ratings assigned to the counterparties with whom we transact could create the perception that our financial condition will be adversely impacted as a result of potential future defaults by such counterparties. Additionally, we could be adversely affected by a general, negative perception of financial institutions caused by the downgrade of other financial institutions. Accordingly, ratings downgrades for other financial institutions could affect the market price of our stock and could limit our access to or increase our cost of capital.
Investors should not rely on indicative or historical data concerning SOFR.
The interest rate during the floating rate period will be determined using Three-Month Term SOFR (unless a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date occur with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR, in which case the rate of interest will be based on the next-available Benchmark Replacement, which is the sum of Compounded SOFR and the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment). In the following discussion of SOFR, when we refer to the notes, we mean the notes at any time during the floating rate period when the interest rate on the notes is or will be determined based on SOFR, including Three-Month Term SOFR.
SOFR is published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (“FRBNY”) and is intended to be a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities. FRBNY reports that SOFR includes all trades in the Broad General Collateral Rate, plus bilateral U.S. Treasury repurchase agreement (“repo”) transactions cleared through the delivery-versus-payment service offered by the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (the “FICC”), a subsidiary of DTC. SOFR is filtered by FRBNY to remove a portion of the foregoing transactions considered to be “specials.” According to FRBNY, “specials” are repos for specific-issue collateral which take place at cash-lending rates below those for general collateral repos because cash providers are willing to accept a lesser return on their cash in order to obtain a particular security.
FRBNY reports that SOFR is calculated as a volume-weighted median of transaction-level tri-party repo data collected from The Bank of New York Mellon, which currently acts as the clearing bank for the tri-party
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repo market, as well as General Collateral Finance Repo transaction data and data on bilateral U.S. Treasury repo transactions cleared through the FICC’s delivery-versus-payment service. FRBNY states that it obtains information from DTCC Solutions LLC, an affiliate of DTC.
FRBNY currently publishes SOFR daily on its website at https://www.newyorkfed.org/markets/reference-rates/sofr. FRBNY states on its publication page for SOFR that use of SOFR is subject to important disclaimers, limitations and indemnification obligations, including that FRBNY may alter the methods of calculation, publication schedule, rate revision practices or availability of SOFR at any time without notice. The foregoing Internet website is an inactive textual reference only, meaning that the information contained on the website is not part of this document or incorporated by reference herein or therein.
Changes in SOFR could adversely affect holders of the notes.
Because SOFR is published by FRBNY based on data received from other sources, we have no control over its determination, calculation or publication. There is no assurance that SOFR will not be discontinued or fundamentally altered in a manner that is materially adverse to the interests of investors in the notes. If the manner in which SOFR is calculated is changed, that change may result in a reduction in the amount of interest that accrues on the notes during the floating rate period, which may adversely affect the trading prices of the notes. Further, if the Benchmark rate on the notes during the floating rate period on any determination date declines to zero or becomes negative, the interest rate will be deemed to equal zero. In addition, once the Benchmark rate for the notes for each interest period during the floating rate period is determined by the Calculation Agent on the determination date, interest on the notes shall accrue at such Benchmark rate for the applicable interest period and will not be subject to change during such interest period. There is no assurance that changes in SOFR could not have a material adverse effect on the yield on, value of and market for the notes.
Term SOFR and SOFR may be more volatile than other benchmark or market rates.
Since the initial publication of SOFR, daily changes in the rate have, on occasion, been more volatile than daily changes in other benchmark or market rates during corresponding periods, and SOFR may bear little or no relation to the historical actual or indicative data. In addition, although changes in Three-Month Term SOFR and Compounded SOFR generally are not expected to be as volatile as changes in daily levels of SOFR, the return on and value of the notes may fluctuate more than floating rate securities that are linked to less volatile rates.
The interest rate for the notes during the applicable floating rate period may be determined based on a rate other than Three-Month Term SOFR.
Under the terms of the notes, the interest rate on the notes for each interest period during the applicable floating rate period will be based on Three-Month Term SOFR, a forward-looking term rate for a tenor of three months that will be based on SOFR. SOFR has a very limited history, and the future performance of SOFR cannot be predicted based on its limited historical performance. The level of SOFR during the applicable floating rate period for the notes may bear little or no relation to historical actual or indicative data. Prior observed patterns, if any, in the behavior of market variables and their relation to SOFR, such as correlations, may change in the future. While some pre-publication historical data have been released by the FRBNY, such analysis inherently involves assumptions, estimates and approximations, and hypothetical or historical performance data are not indicative of, and have no bearing on, the potential performance of SOFR. The future performance of SOFR is therefore impossible to predict, and no future performance of SOFR may be inferred from any of the historical actual or indicative data. Changes in the levels of SOFR will affect the interest rate of the notes during the applicable floating rate period and accordingly will affect the return on the notes and the market price of the notes, but it is impossible to predict whether such levels will rise or fall.
Under the terms of the notes, we are expressly authorized to make determinations, decisions or elections with respect to technical, administrative or operational matters that we decide are appropriate to reflect the use of
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Three-Month Term SOFR as the interest rate basis for the notes, which are defined in the terms of the notes as “Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions.” Our determination and implementation of any Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions could result in adverse consequences to the amount of interest that accrues on the notes during the applicable floating rate period, which could adversely affect the return on, value of and market for the notes.
Any Benchmark Replacement may not be the economic equivalent of Three-Month Term SOFR.
Under the benchmark transition provisions of the notes, if the Calculation Agent determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR, then the floating interest rate on the notes for each interest period during the floating rate period will be determined using the next-available Benchmark Replacement (which may include a related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment). However, the Benchmark Replacement may not be the economic equivalent of Three-Month Term SOFR. For example, Compounded SOFR, which is used as part of the first-available Benchmark Replacement, is the compounded average of the daily SOFR calculated in arrears, while Three-Month Term SOFR is intended to be a forward-looking rate with a tenor of three months. Further, the ISDA Fallback Rate, which is another Benchmark Replacement, may change over time.
The implementation of Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes could adversely affect holders of the notes.
Under the benchmark transition provisions of the notes, if Three-Month Term SOFR has been discontinued or if a particular Benchmark Replacement or Benchmark Replacement Adjustment cannot be determined, then the next-available Benchmark Replacement or Benchmark Replacement Adjustment will apply. These replacement rates and adjustments may be selected or formulated by: (i) the Relevant Governmental Body; (ii) ISDA; or (iii) in certain circumstances, us. In addition, the benchmark transition provisions expressly authorize us to make certain changes, which are defined in the terms of the notes as “Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes,” with respect to, among other things, the determination of interest periods, and the timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest. The application of a Benchmark Replacement and Benchmark Replacement Adjustment, and any implementation of Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes, could result in adverse consequences to the amount of interest that accrues on the notes during any interest period during the floating rate period, which could adversely affect the yield on, value of and market for the notes. Further, there is no assurance that the characteristics of any Benchmark Replacement will be similar to the then-current Benchmark rate that it is replacing, or that any Benchmark Replacement will produce the economic equivalent of the then-current Benchmark rate that it is replacing.
Also, since SOFR is a relatively new market index, SOFR-linked debt securities likely will have no established trading market when issued, and an established trading market may never develop or may not be very liquid. Market terms for debt securities indexed to SOFR, such as the spread over the index reflected in interest rate provisions, may evolve over time, and trading prices of the notes may be lower than those of later-issued SOFR-linked debt securities as a result. Similarly, if SOFR does not prove to be widely used in securities similar to the notes, the trading price of the notes may be lower than those of debt securities linked to such rates that are more widely used. Debt securities indexed to SOFR (as the notes will be) may not be able to be sold at all or may not be able to be sold at prices that will provide a yield comparable to similar investments that have a developed secondary market, and may consequently suffer from increased pricing volatility and market risk.
We or an affiliate of ours will or could have authority to make determinations and elections that could affect the return on, value of and market for the notes.
Under the terms of the notes, we may make certain determinations, decisions and elections with respect to the Benchmark rate on the notes during the floating rate period, including, without limitation, any determination, decision or election required to be made by the Calculation Agent that the Calculation Agent fails to make. We
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will make any such determination, decision or election in our sole discretion, and any such determination, decision or election that we make could affect the amount of interest that accrues on the notes during any interest period in the floating rate period. If the Calculation Agent fails, when required, to make a determination that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred, or fails, when required, to determine the Benchmark Replacement and Benchmark Replacement Adjustment, then we will make those determinations in our sole discretion. Furthermore, we or an affiliate of ours may assume the duties of Calculation Agent. We will act as the initial Calculation Agent and we cannot assure you that we will appoint an independent third-party Calculation Agent at any time. Any exercise of discretion by us under the terms of the notes, including, without limitation, any discretion exercised by us or by an affiliate acting as Calculation Agent, could present a conflict of interest. In making the required determinations, decisions and elections, we or an affiliate of ours acting as Calculation Agent may have economic interests that are adverse to the interest of the holders of the notes, and those determinations, decisions or elections could have a material adverse effect on the yield on, value of and market for the notes. All determinations, decisions or elections by us, or by us or an affiliate acting as Calculation Agent, under the terms of the notes will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error.
The notes may be issued with original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
The notes may be issued with original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In such case, holders subject to U.S. federal income taxation, whether on the cash or accrual method of tax accounting, generally would be required to include any amounts representing original issue discount in gross income (as ordinary income) as the original issue discount accrues on a constant yield to maturity basis, in advance of the receipt of cash payments to which such income is attributable.
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We will not receive any cash proceeds from the exchange offer. In consideration for issuing the New Notes as contemplated by this prospectus, we will receive in exchange Old Notes in like principal amount. We intend to cancel all Old Notes received in exchange for New Notes in the exchange offer.
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General
In connection with the issuance of the Old Notes on August 14, 2025, we entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers of the Old Notes, which provides for the exchange offer we are making pursuant to this prospectus. The exchange offer will permit eligible holders of Old Notes to exchange their Old Notes for New Notes that are identical in all material respects with the Old Notes, except that:
| | the New Notes have been registered with the SEC under the Securities Act and, as a result, will not bear any legend restricting their transfer; |
| | the New Notes bear different CUSIP numbers from the Old Notes; |
| | the New Notes generally will not be subject to transfer restrictions; |
| | the New Notes will not be entitled to registration rights under the registration rights agreement or otherwise; and |
| | because the New Notes will not be entitled to registration rights, holders of the New Notes will not have the right to additional interest under the circumstances described in the registration rights agreement relating to our fulfillment of our registration obligations. |
The New Notes will evidence the same debt as the Old Notes. Holders of the New Notes will be entitled to the benefits of the indenture. Accordingly, the New Notes and the Old Notes will be treated as a single series of debt securities under the indenture. Old Notes that are not tendered for exchange in the exchange offer will remain outstanding and interest on those Old Notes will continue to accrue at the applicable interest rate and be subject to the terms of the indenture.
The exchange offer does not depend on any minimum aggregate principal amount of Old Notes being tendered for exchange.
We intend to conduct the exchange offer in accordance with the provisions of the registration rights agreement and the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, and the related rules and regulations of the SEC applicable to transactions of this type.
We will be deemed to have accepted validly tendered Old Notes when and if we have given oral or written notice to the exchange agent of our acceptance of such Old Notes. Subject to the terms and conditions of this exchange offer, delivery of New Notes will be made by the exchange agent promptly after receipt of our notice of acceptance. The exchange agent will act as agent for the holders of Old Notes tendering their Old Notes for the purpose of receiving New Notes from us in exchange for such tendered and accepted Old Notes. If any tendered Old Notes are not accepted for exchange because of an invalid tender, the occurrence of other events described in this prospectus or otherwise, we will return or cause to be returned the certificates for any unaccepted Old Notes, at our expense, to the tendering holder promptly after the expiration of the exchange offer.
If a holder of Old Notes validly tenders Old Notes in the exchange offer, the tendering holder will not be required to pay us brokerage commissions or fees. In addition, subject to the instructions in the letter of transmittal and certain limited exceptions described in this prospectus, the tendering holder will not have to pay transfer taxes for the exchange of Old Notes. Subject to certain exceptions described in this prospectus, we will pay all of the expenses in connection with the exchange offer, other than certain applicable taxes. See “—Fees and Expenses.”
Holders of outstanding Old Notes do not have any appraisal, dissenters’ or similar rights in connection with the exchange offer. Outstanding Old Notes which are not tendered, or are tendered but not accepted, in connection with the exchange offer will remain outstanding. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Exchange Offer—If you do not properly tender your Old Notes, you will continue to hold unregistered Old Notes and your ability to transfer Old Notes will be adversely affected.”
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WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY RECOMMENDATION TO THE HOLDERS OF THE OUTSTANDING OLD NOTES AS TO WHETHER TO TENDER OR REFRAIN FROM TENDERING ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THEIR OUTSTANDING OLD NOTES IN THE EXCHANGE OFFER. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO MAKE ANY SUCH RECOMMENDATION. HOLDERS OF THE OUTSTANDING OLD NOTES MUST MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION WHETHER TO TENDER PURSUANT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER, AND, IF SO, THE AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF OUTSTANDING OLD NOTES TO TENDER AFTER READING THIS PROSPECTUS AND THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND CONSULTING WITH THEIR ADVISERS, IF ANY, BASED ON THEIR FINANCIAL POSITION AND INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS.
Registration Rights Agreement
The following provides a summary of certain terms of the registration rights agreement. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete version of the registration rights agreement, which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Under the terms of the registration rights agreement that we entered into with the purchasers of the Old Notes at the time we issued the Old Notes, we agreed to register the New Notes and undertake this exchange offer. This exchange offer is intended to satisfy the rights of holders of Old Notes under that registration rights agreement. After the exchange offer is completed, we will have no further obligations, except under the limited circumstances described below, to provide for any exchange or undertake any further registration with respect to the Old Notes.
Under the terms of the registration rights agreement, we agreed, among other things, to:
| | file a registration statement with the SEC under the Securities Act with respect to a registered offer to exchange the Old Notes for substantially identical notes that do not contain transfer restrictions and will be registered under the Securities Act no later than November 12, 2025, which is the 90th day after August 14, 2025; |
| | use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause that registration statement to become effective no later than January 11, 2026, which is the date that is 150 days after August 14, 2025; |
| | use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to remain effective until the closing of the exchange offer; and |
| | use our commercially reasonable efforts to consummate the exchange offer no later than 45 days after the effective date of the exchange offer registration statement. |
The registration rights agreement also requires us to commence the exchange offer promptly after the effectiveness of the registration statement and to keep the exchange offer open for not less than 20 business days, or longer if required by applicable law, after the date on which notice of the exchange offer is mailed to the holders of the Old Notes.
We also agreed to issue and exchange New Notes for all Old Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn before the expiration of the exchange offer. We are sending this prospectus, together with a letter of transmittal, to all the holders of the Old Notes known to us. For each Old Note validly tendered to us in the exchange offer and not validly withdrawn, the holder will receive a New Note having a principal amount equal to the principal amount of the tendered Old Note. Old Notes may be exchanged, and New Notes will be issued, only in minimum denominations of $100,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
We further agreed that under certain circumstances we would either file a shelf registration statement with the SEC or designate an existing effective shelf registration statement of ours that would allow resales by certain holders of the Old Notes in lieu of such holders participating in the exchange offer.
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Eligibility; Transferability
We are making this exchange offer in reliance on interpretations of the staff of the SEC set forth in several no-action letters provided to other parties. We have not sought our own no-action letter from the staff of the SEC with respect to this particular exchange offer. However, based on these existing SEC staff interpretations, we believe that you, or any other person receiving New Notes, may offer for resale, resell or otherwise transfer the New Notes without complying with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the U.S. federal securities laws, if:
| | you are not, nor is any such person, our affiliate as such term is defined under Rule 405 under the Securities Act; |
| | you are, or the person receiving the New Notes is, acquiring the New Notes in the ordinary course of business; |
| | you do not, nor does any such person, have an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in any distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the New Notes; |
| | you are not, or any such person is not, a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act, and you are not engaged in or such person is not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, any distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the New Notes; and |
| | you are not acting on behalf of any person who could not truthfully make these statements. |
To participate in the exchange offer, you must represent as a holder of Old Notes that each of these statements is true.
In addition, in order for broker-dealers registered under the Exchange Act to participate in the exchange offer, each such broker-dealer must also (i) represent that it is participating in the exchange offer for its own account and is exchanging Old Notes acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities; (ii) confirm that it has not entered into any arrangement or understanding with us or any of our affiliates to distribute the New Notes; and (iii) acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the New Notes. The letter of transmittal to be delivered in connection with a tender of the Old Notes states that by acknowledging that it will deliver, and by delivering, a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resale of the New Notes received in exchange for the Old Notes where such Old Notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. We have agreed that, for a period of 180 days following the expiration date, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the exchange offer registration statement to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any New Notes by such broker-dealers.
Any holder of Old Notes (i) who is our affiliate, (ii) who does not acquire the New Notes in the ordinary course of business, (iii) who intends to participate in the exchange offer for the purpose of distributing the New Notes or (iv) who is a broker-dealer who purchased the Old Notes directly from us:
| | will not be able to rely on the interpretation of the staff of the SEC set forth in the no-action letters described above; |
| | will not be able to tender Old Notes in the exchange offer; and |
| | must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any sale or transfer of the New Notes, unless the sale or transfer is made pursuant to an exemption from those requirements. |
The exchange offer is not being made to, nor will we accept tenders for exchange from, holders of Old Notes in any jurisdiction in which the exchange offer or the acceptance of the exchange offer would not be in compliance with the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdiction.
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Expiration of the Exchange Offer; Extensions; Amendments
The exchange offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time on , 202 , which we refer to as the “expiration date,” unless we extend the exchange offer. If we extend the exchange offer, the expiration date will be the latest date and time to which the exchange offer is extended. To extend the exchange offer, we will notify the exchange agent and each registered holder of the Old Notes of any extension before 9:00 a.m., New York City time on the next business day after the previously scheduled expiration date. During any such extension, all Old Notes previously tendered will remain subject to the exchange offer and may be accepted for exchange by us.
We reserve the right to extend the exchange offer, delay accepting any tendered Old Notes or, if any of the conditions described below under the heading “—Conditions” have not been satisfied, to terminate the exchange offer. We also reserve the right to amend the terms of the exchange offer in any manner. We will give oral or written notice of any delay, extension, termination or amendment to the exchange agent. We will keep the exchange offer open for not less than 20 business days, or longer if required by applicable law, after the date on which notice of the exchange offer is mailed to holders of the Old Notes.
If we amend the exchange offer in a manner that we consider material, we will disclose that amendment by means of a prospectus supplement, and we will extend the exchange offer so that at least five business days remain in the exchange offer following notice of the material change.
If we determine to make a public announcement of any delay, extension, amendment or termination of the exchange offer, we will do so by making a timely release through an appropriate news agency.
If we terminate or withdraw the exchange offer, we will promptly pay the consideration offered, or return any Old Notes deposited, under the exchange offer as required by Rule 14e-1(c) under the Exchange Act.
Conditions
The exchange offer is not conditioned on any minimum aggregate principal amount of Old Notes being tendered or accepted for exchange. Notwithstanding any other term of the exchange offer, we will not be required to accept for exchange, or issue any New Notes for, any Old Notes, and may terminate or amend the exchange offer before the acceptance of the Old Notes, if:
| | such Old Notes are tendered to us other than in accordance with the terms and conditions of the exchange offer; |
| | we determine that the exchange offer violates any law, statute, rule, regulation or interpretation by the staff of the SEC; or |
| | any action or proceeding is instituted or threatened in any court or by or before any governmental agency relating to the exchange offer which, in our judgment, could reasonably be expected to impair our ability to proceed with the exchange offer. |
The conditions listed above are for our sole benefit and may be asserted by us regardless of the circumstances giving rise to any of these conditions. We may waive these conditions in our absolute discretion in whole or in part at any time and from time to time prior to the expiration date. Our failure at any time to exercise any of the above rights will not be considered a waiver of that right, and that right will be considered an ongoing right which we may assert at any time and from time to time.
In addition, we will not accept for exchange any Old Notes tendered, and no New Notes will be issued in exchange for those Old Notes, if at any time any stop order is threatened or issued by the SEC with respect to the registration statement for the exchange offer and the New Notes or the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”). In any such event, we must use our commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any stop order as soon as practicable.
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Further, we will not be obligated to accept for exchange the Old Notes of any holder that has not made to us the representations described under “—Eligibility; Transferability” and “Plan of Distribution.”
Procedures for Tendering Old Notes
In order to participate in the exchange offer, you must validly tender your Old Notes to the exchange agent as described below. It is your responsibility to validly tender your Old Notes. We have the right to waive any defects. However, we are not required to waive defects and are not required to notify you of defects in your tender.
If you have any questions or need help in exchanging your Old Notes, please call the exchange agent, whose address and phone number are set forth in “—Exchange Agent.”
Certain of the Old Notes were issued in book-entry form and are currently represented by global certificates held for the account of DTC. Accordingly, DTC will be the only entity that can tender your Old Notes for New Notes. Therefore, to tender Old Notes subject to the exchange offer and to obtain New Notes you must:
| | comply with DTC’s ATOP procedures described below; and |
| | the exchange agent must receive a timely confirmation of a book-entry transfer of the Old Notes into its account at DTC through ATOP pursuant to the procedure for book-entry transfer described below, along with a properly transmitted “agent’s message” (as defined below), before the expiration date of the exchange offer. |
Following receipt, the exchange agent will establish an ATOP account with DTC for purposes of the exchange offer promptly after the commencement of the exchange offer. Any financial institution that is a DTC participant, including your broker or bank, may make a book-entry tender of outstanding Old Notes by causing the book-entry transfer of such Old Notes into our ATOP account in accordance with DTC’s procedures for such transfers. In connection with the transfer, DTC must send an “agent’s message” to the exchange agent on or prior to 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer.
The term “agent’s message” means a message transmitted by the DTC participants to DTC, and thereafter transmitted by DTC to the exchange agent, which states that DTC has received an express acknowledgement from the participant stating that such participant and beneficial holder agree to be bound by the terms of the exchange offer, including the letter of transmittal, and that the agreement may be enforced against such participant.
Each agent’s message must include the following information:
| | name of the beneficial owner tendering such Old Notes; |
| | account number of the beneficial owner tendering such Old Notes; |
| | principal amount of Old Notes tendered by such beneficial owner; and |
| | a confirmation that the beneficial owner of the Old Notes has made the representations for our benefit set forth under “—Representations” below. |
The delivery of the Old Notes through DTC, and any transmission of an agent’s message through ATOP, is at the election and risk of the person tendering Old Notes. If we do not accept any tendered Old Notes for exchange or if Old Notes are submitted for a greater principal amount than the holder desires to exchange, the unaccepted or non-exchanged Old Notes will be returned, without expense, to their tendering holder. Such non-exchanged Old Notes will be credited to an account maintained with DTC. These actions will occur promptly after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.
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The tender by a holder of Old Notes that is not validly withdrawn prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer and that is accepted by us will constitute a binding agreement between us and the holder in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this prospectus and in the accompanying letter of transmittal. By using the ATOP procedures to exchange Old Notes, you will not be required to deliver a letter of transmittal to the exchange agent. However, you will be bound by its terms, and you will be deemed to have made the acknowledgements and the representations and warranties it contains, just as if you had signed it.
Certain of the Old Notes were issued in physical form to certain initial purchasers. Accordingly, such holders of Old Notes must physically tender their Old Notes for New Notes. Therefore, to tender Old Notes represented in physical form subject to the exchange offer and to obtain New Notes you must transmit to the exchange agent, at its address listed under “—Exchange Agent”:
| | the physical Old Note; |
| | a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal; and |
| | all other documents required by the letter of transmittal. |
The tender by a holder of Old Notes represented in physical form that is not validly withdrawn prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer and that is accepted by us will constitute a binding agreement between us and the holder in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this prospectus and in the accompanying letter of transmittal. You will be required to deliver the physical note and a letter of transmittal to the exchange agent and will be bound by the letter of transmittal terms.
There is no procedure for guaranteed late delivery of the Old Notes.
We will determine all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt) and acceptance and withdrawal of tendered Old Notes in our sole discretion. We reserve the absolute right to reject any and all Old Notes not properly tendered or any Old Notes whose acceptance by us would, in the opinion of our counsel, be unlawful. We also reserve the right to waive any defects, irregularities or conditions of tender as to any particular Old Notes either before or after the expiration date. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer (including the instructions in the accompanying letter of transmittal) will be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of Old Notes must be cured within a time period we will reasonably determine. Although we intend to request the exchange agent to notify holders of defects or irregularities relating to tenders of Old Notes, neither we, the exchange agent nor any other person will have any duty or incur any liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of Old Notes will not be considered to have been made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. If we waive any terms or conditions with respect to a noteholder, we will extend the same waiver to all noteholders with respect to that term or condition. Any Old Notes received by the exchange agent that are not validly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned by the exchange agent, without expense, to the tendering holders, unless otherwise provided in the accompanying letter of transmittal, promptly following the expiration date of the exchange offer.
Representations
By tendering Old Notes, each holder is deemed to have represented to us that:
| | you are not, nor is any such person, our affiliate as such term is defined under Rule 405 under the Securities Act; |
| | you are, or the person receiving the New Notes is, acquiring the New Notes in the ordinary course of business; |
| | you do not, nor does any such person, have an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in any distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the New Notes; and |
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| | if you are a broker-dealer that will receive New Notes for your own account in exchange for Old Notes, you acquired those New Notes as a result of market-making or other trading activities and you will deliver a prospectus (or to the extent permitted by law, make available a prospectus to purchasers) in connection with any resale of such New Notes. |
Proper Execution and Delivery of Letter of Transmittal
Generally, an eligible institution must guarantee signatures on a letter of transmittal or notice of withdrawal unless:
| | you tender your Old Notes as the registered holder and the New Notes issued in exchange for your Old Notes are to be issued in your name and delivered to you at your registered address appearing on the security register for the Old Notes; or |
| | you tender your Old Notes for the account of an eligible institution. |
For the purposes of this prospectus, an “eligible institution” means an “eligible guarantor institution” as defined by Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act which is a member of a recognized signature guarantee program (e.g., Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, Stock Exchange Medallion Program or New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program).
If the letter of transmittal is signed by the holder(s) of Old Notes tendered thereby, the signature(s) must correspond with the name(s) as written on the face of the Old Notes without alteration, enlargement or any change whatsoever. If any of the Old Notes tendered are held by two or more holders, all such holders must sign the letter of transmittal. If any of the Old Notes tendered thereby are registered in different names on different Old Notes, it will be necessary to complete, sign and submit as many separate letters of transmittal, and any accompanying documents, as there are different registrations of certificates.
If Old Notes that are not tendered for exchange under the exchange offer are to be returned to a person other than the holder thereof, certificates for such Old Notes must be endorsed or accompanied by an appropriate instrument of transfer, signed exactly as the name of the registered owner appears on the certificates, with the signatures on the certificates or instruments of transfer guaranteed by an eligible institution.
If the letter of transmittal is signed by a person other than the holder of any Old Notes listed therein, those Old Notes must be properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly completed bond power, signed by such holder exactly as such holder’s name appears on such Old Notes. If the letter of transmittal or any Old Notes, bond powers or other instruments of transfer are signed by trustees, executors, administrators, guardians, attorneys-in-fact, officers of corporations or others acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, those persons should so indicate when signing, and, unless waived by us, evidence satisfactory to us of their authority to so act must be submitted with the letter of transmittal.
No alternative, conditional, irregular or contingent tenders will be accepted. By executing the letter of transmittal (or facsimile thereof), the tendering holders of Old Notes waive any right to receive any notice of the acceptance for exchange of their Old Notes. Tendering holders should indicate in the applicable box in the letter of transmittal the name and address to which payments and/or substitute certificates evidencing Old Notes for amounts not tendered or not exchanged are to be issued or sent, if different from the name and address of the person signing the letter of transmittal. If no such instructions are given, Old Notes not tendered or exchanged will be returned to the tendering holder.
All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt), and acceptance and withdrawal of tendered Old Notes will be determined by us in our absolute discretion, which determination will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute right to reject any and all tendered Old Notes determined by us not to be in proper form or not to be properly tendered or any tendered Old Notes our acceptance of which would, in the
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opinion of our counsel, be unlawful. We also reserve the right to waive, in our absolute discretion, any defects, irregularities or conditions of tender as to particular Old Notes, whether or not waived in the case of other Old Notes. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer (including the instructions in the letter of transmittal) will be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of Old Notes must be cured within such time as we will determine. Although we intend to notify holders of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of Old Notes, neither we, the exchange agent nor any other person will be under any duty to give such notification or will incur any liability for failure to give any such notification. Tenders of Old Notes will not be deemed to have been made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. Any holder whose Old Notes have been mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed will be responsible for obtaining replacement securities or for arranging for indemnification with the trustee of the Old Notes. Holders may contact the exchange agent for assistance with these matters.
Withdrawal of Tenders
Except as otherwise provided in this prospectus, you may validly withdraw your tender of Old Notes at any time prior to 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer. For a withdrawal for Old Notes represented by global certificates to be effective you must comply with the appropriate procedures of DTC’s ATOP system prior to 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer. Any such notice of withdrawal must:
| | specify the name of the tendering holder of Old Notes; |
| | the principal amount of the Old Notes delivered for exchange; |
| | specify the name and number of the account at DTC to be credited with the withdrawn Old Notes; and |
| | a statement that such holder is withdrawing its election to have such Old Notes exchanged. |
For a withdrawal to be effective for Old Notes represented by physical certificates you must comply with the appropriate procedures prior to 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer. Any such notice of withdrawal must:
| | specify the name of the tendering holder of Old Notes; |
| | the principal amount of the Old Notes delivered for exchange; and |
| | a statement that such holder is withdrawing its election to have such Old Notes exchanged. |
We will determine all questions as to the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) of such withdrawal notices. Any Old Notes so withdrawn will be considered not to have been validly tendered for purposes of the applicable exchange offer, and no New Notes will be issued in exchange for such Old Notes unless the Old Notes withdrawn are validly re-tendered. Any Old Notes which have been tendered but which are not accepted for exchange or which are withdrawn will be returned to the holder, without expense to such holder, promptly after withdrawal, rejection of tender or termination of the applicable exchange offer. Validly withdrawn Old Notes may be re-tendered by following one of the procedures described above under “—Procedures for Tendering” at any time prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer.
Exchange Agent
Wilmington Trust, National Association, has been appointed the exchange agent for this exchange offer. Letters of transmittal and all correspondence in connection with this exchange offer should be sent or delivered
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by each holder of Old Notes, or a beneficial owner’s commercial bank, broker, dealer, trust company or other nominee, to the exchange agent as follows:
| By Registered or Certified Mail, Overnight Courier, or Hand Delivery: |
Wilmington Trust, National Association Rodney Square North 1100 North Market Street Wilmington, Delaware 19890 Attention: Workflow Management – 5th Floor | |
| Telephone: | (302) 636-6470 | |
| Email: | DTC@Wilmingtontrust.com |
Delivery to an address other than as listed above does not constitute a valid delivery. We will pay the exchange agent reasonable and customary fees for its services and will reimburse it for its reasonable, out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this exchange offer.
Fees and Expenses
We will bear the expenses of soliciting tenders of the Old Notes and issuance of the New Notes. The principal solicitation is being made by mail. However, we may make additional solicitations by email, telephone or in person by our officers and employees and those of our affiliates.
We have not retained any dealer-manager in connection with the exchange offer and will not make any payments to broker-dealers or others soliciting acceptances of the exchange offer. As indicated above, we will, however, pay the exchange agent reasonable and customary fees for its services and reimburse it for its related reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. We will also pay any other cash expenses that we incur in connection with the exchange offer.
Except as described below, we will pay all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the exchange of Old Notes under the exchange offer. The tendering holder will be required to pay any transfer taxes, whether imposed on the registered holder or any other person, if:
| | New Notes and/or substitute Old Notes not exchanged are to be delivered to, or registered or issued in the name of, any person other than the registered holder of the Old Notes so exchanged; |
| | tendered Old Notes are registered in the name of any person other than the person signing the letter of transmittal; or |
| | a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of Old Notes under the exchange offer. |
If satisfactory evidence of payment of transfer taxes is not submitted with the letter of transmittal, the amount of any transfer taxes will be billed to the tendering holder.
Accounting Treatment
We will record the New Notes at the same carrying value as the Old Notes reflected in our accounting records on the date of the exchange. Accordingly, we will not recognize any gain or loss for accounting purposes upon completion of the exchange offer.
Consequences of Failure to Exchange
Old Notes that are not exchanged will remain “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act.
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Accordingly, they may not be offered, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred except:
| | to us or to any of our subsidiaries; |
| | under a registration statement which has been declared effective under the Securities Act; |
| | for so long as the Old Notes are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, to a person the holder of the Old Notes and any person acting on its behalf reasonably believes is a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A, that purchases for its own account or for the account of another qualified institutional buyer, in each case to whom notice is given that the transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A; or |
| | under any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act (in which case we and the trustee shall have the right to require the delivery of an opinion of counsel (at the holder’s sole cost), certifications and/or other information satisfactory to us and the trustee); |
in each case subject to compliance with any applicable foreign, state or other securities laws.
Upon completion of the exchange offer, due to the restrictions on transfer of the Old Notes and the absence of such restrictions applicable to the New Notes, it is likely that the market, if any, for Old Notes will be relatively less liquid than the market for New Notes. Consequently, holders of Old Notes who do not participate in the exchange offer could experience significant diminution in the value of their Old Notes, compared to the value of the New Notes. The holders of Old Notes not tendered will have no further registration rights, except that, under limited circumstances specified in the registration rights agreement, we may be required to file a shelf registration statement for a continuous offer of Old Notes.
Additional Information Regarding the Registration Rights Agreement
As noted above, we are effecting the exchange offer to comply with the registration rights agreement. The registration rights agreement requires us to cause an exchange offer registration statement to be filed with the SEC under the Securities Act, use our commercially reasonable efforts to cause the registration statement to become effective, and satisfy certain other obligations, within certain time periods.
In the event that:
| | the registration statement is not filed with the SEC on or prior November 12, 2025, which is the 90th day after August 14, 2025; |
| | the registration statement has not been declared effective by the SEC on or prior to January 11, 2026, which is the 150th day after August 14, 2025; or |
| | the exchange offer is not completed on or prior to the 45th day following the effective date of the registration statement; |
the interest rate on the Old Notes will be increased by a rate of 0.25% per annum immediately following such registration default and will increase by 0.25% per annum immediately following each 90-day period during which additional interest accrues, but in no event will such increase exceed 0.50% per annum. Following the cure of all such registration defaults, the accrual of additional interest will cease and the interest rate will be immediately reduced to the original interest rate borne by the Old Notes.
Our obligation to register the New Notes will terminate upon completion of the exchange offer. However, under certain limited circumstances specified in the registration rights agreement, we may be required to file a shelf registration statement for a continuous offer in connection with the Old Notes.
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On August 14, 2025, we issued $40 million in aggregate principal amount of our 7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035, which we have referred to in this prospectus as the Old Notes. The Old Notes were issued in a private placement transaction to certain institutional accredited investors and qualified institutional buyers, and as such, were not registered under the Securities Act. The Old Notes were issued under an indenture dated August 14, 2025, between the Company, as issuer, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, which we have referred to in this prospectus as the “indenture.” The term “notes” refers collectively to the Old Notes and the New Notes.
The New Notes will be issued under the indenture and will evidence the same debt as the Old Notes. The terms of the New Notes are identical in all material respects to those of the Old Notes, except that:
| | the New Notes have been registered with the SEC under the Securities Act and, as a result, will not bear any legend restricting their transfer; |
| | the New Notes bear different CUSIP numbers from the Old Notes; |
| | the New Notes generally will not be subject to transfer restrictions; |
| | the New Notes will not be entitled to registration rights under the registration rights agreement or otherwise; and |
| | because the New Notes will not be entitled to registration rights, holders of the New Notes will not have the right to additional interest under the circumstances described in the registration rights agreement relating to our fulfillment of our registration obligations. |
The New Notes will be issued only in registered form without coupons and in minimum denominations of $100,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. Unless otherwise required for institutional accredited investors, the New Notes will be evidenced by a global note deposited with the trustee for the New Notes, as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, and transfers of beneficial interests will be facilitated only through records maintained by DTC and its participants.
The terms of the New Notes include those stated in the indenture and those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act.
The following provides a summary of certain terms of the indenture and the New Notes. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete version of the indenture, which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and to the form of New Notes, which is included as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We urge you to read the indenture and the form of New Notes because those documents, not this summary description, define your rights as holders of the New Notes. Whenever we refer to the defined terms of the indenture in this prospectus without defining them, the terms have the meanings given to them in the indenture. You must look to the indenture for the most complete description of the information summarized in this prospectus.
General
The exchange offer for the New Notes will be for up to $40 million in aggregate principal amount of the Old Notes. The New Notes, together with any Old Notes that remain outstanding after the exchange offer, will be treated as a single class for all purposes of the indenture, including, without limitation, waivers, consents, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase.
Principal, Maturity and Interest
The New Notes have materially identical interest terms as the Old Notes except with respect to additional interest that may be earned on the Old Notes under circumstances relating to our registration obligations under
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the registration rights agreement. Interest on the notes will accrue from and including August 14, 2025. The notes will mature and become payable, unless earlier redeemed, on August 15, 2035.
From and including August 14, 2025 to but excluding August 15, 2030 or earlier redemption date (the “Fixed Rate Period”), the New Notes will bear interest at a fixed rate equal to 7.625% per year, payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year (each a “Fixed Interest Payment Date”), beginning on February 15, 2026, and interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
From and including August 15, 2030, to but excluding the maturity date or earlier redemption date (the “Floating Rate Period”), the New Notes will bear interest at an annual floating rate, reset quarterly, equal to the Benchmark rate (which is expected to be Three-Month Term SOFR), plus 422 basis points, provided however, that in the event the Three-Month Term SOFR is less than zero, Three-Month Term SOFR shall be deemed to be zero. A “Floating Interest Period” means, the period from, and including, each Floating Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next succeeding Floating Interest Payment Date, except for the initial Floating Interest Period, which will be the period from and including August 15, 2030 to, but excluding the next succeeding Floating Interest Payment Date.
During the Floating Rate Period, interest on the New Notes will be payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year (each a “Floating Interest Payment Date” and, together with any Fixed Interest Payment Date, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing on November 15, 2030 and interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed and payable quarterly in arrears on each Floating Interest Payment Date.
For the purpose of calculating the interest on the New Notes for each interest period during the Floating Rate Period when the Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, Three-Month Term SOFR means the rate for Term SOFR for a tenor of three months that is published by the Term SOFR Administrator at the Reference Time for any Floating Interest Period, as determined by the Calculation Agent after giving effect to the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions; provided, however, that in the event Three-Month Term SOFR is less than zero, Three-Month Term SOFR shall be deemed to be zero. See “—Calculation Agent.”
The following definitions apply to the following discussion of Three-Month Term SOFR:
“Benchmark” means, initially, Three-Month Term SOFR; provided that, if the Calculation Agent determines on or prior to the Reference Time for any Floating Interest Period that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement for such Floating Interest Period and any subsequent Floating Interest Periods.
“Floating Interest Determination Date” means the date upon which the Floating Interest Rate is determined by the Calculation Agent pursuant to the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions.
“FRBNY’s Website” means the website of the FRBNY at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source. The foregoing Internet website is an inactive textual reference only, meaning that the information contained on the website is not part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or incorporated by reference herein or therein.
“Interest Period” means (i) during the Fixed Rate Period, each six-month period beginning on a Fixed Interest Payment Date or (ii) during the Floating Rate Period, each Floating Interest Period.
“Reference Time” with respect to any determination of a Benchmark means: (i) if the Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, the time determined by the Calculation Agent after giving effect to the Three-Month
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Term SOFR Conventions, and (ii) if the Benchmark is not Three-Month Term SOFR, the time determined by the Calculation Agent after giving effect to the Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes.
“Relevant Governmental Body” means the Federal Reserve and/or the FRBNY, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve and/or the FRBNY or any successor thereto.
“SOFR” means the daily Secured Overnight Financing Rate provided by the FRBNY, as the administrator of the benchmark (or a successor administrator), on the FRBNY’s Website.
“Term SOFR” means the forward-looking term rate for the Corresponding Tenor based on SOFR as published by the Term SOFR Administrator.
“Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (or a successor administrator of Three-Month Term SOFR selected by the Calculation Agent in its reasonable discretion).
“Three-Month Term SOFR” means the rate for Term SOFR for a tenor of three months that is published by the Term SOFR Administrator at the Reference Time for any Floating Interest Period, as determined by the Calculation Agent after giving effect to the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions; provided, however, that in the event Three-Month Term SOFR is less than zero, Three-Month Term SOFR shall be deemed to be zero.
“Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions” means any determination, decision or election with respect to any technical, administrative or operational matter (including with respect to the manner and timing of the publication of Three-Month Term SOFR, or changes to the definition of “Floating Interest Period,” timing and frequency of determining Three-Month Term SOFR with respect to each Floating Interest Period and making payments of interest, rounding of amounts or tenors, and other administrative matters) that the Calculation Agent or the Company decides may be appropriate to reflect the use of Three-Month Term SOFR as the Benchmark in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Calculation Agent or the Company decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Calculation Agent or the Company determines that no market practice for the use of Three-Month Term SOFR exists, in such other manner as the Calculation Agent or the Company determines is reasonably necessary).
The terms “Benchmark Replacement,” “Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes,” “Benchmark Replacement Date,” “Benchmark Transition Event” and “Corresponding Tenor” have the meanings set forth below under the heading “—Effect of Benchmark Transition Event.”
Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraphs related to the determination of interest, if the Calculation Agent determines prior to the relevant Floating Interest Determination Date that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date (each as defined below) have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR, then the Company shall promptly provide notice of such determination to the holders and the provisions set forth below under the heading “—Effect of Benchmark Transition Event,” which we refer to as the “benchmark transition provisions,” will thereafter apply to all determinations, calculations and quotations made or obtained for the purposes of calculating the Floating Interest Rate payable on the New Notes during a relevant Floating Interest Period. In accordance with the benchmark transition provisions, after a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred, the interest rate on the New Notes for each interest period during the Floating Rate Period will be an annual rate equal to the sum of the applicable Benchmark Replacement plus 422 basis points.
Absent manifest error, the Calculation Agent’s determination of the interest rate for an interest period for the New Notes will be conclusive and binding on you, the trustee and us. The Calculation Agent’s determination of any interest rate, and its calculation of interest payments for any period, will be maintained on file at the Calculation Agent’s principal offices, will be made available to any holder of the New Notes upon request and will be provided to the trustee.
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In the event that the maturity date, any earlier redemption date or any Fixed Interest Payment Date with respect to the Fixed Rate Period falls on a day that is not a business day, the payment of interest and principal due on that date shall be postponed to the next day that is a business day and no additional interest shall accrue as a result of that postponement. In the event that any Floating Interest Payment Date with respect to the Floating Rate Period, other than the maturity date or an earlier redemption date, falls on a day that is not a business day, the Floating Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the next day that is a business day, in which case interest shall accrue to but excluding the date interest is paid. However, if the postponement would cause the day to fall in the next calendar month during the Floating Interest Period, the Floating Interest Payment Date shall instead be brought forward to the immediately preceding business day.
If the Calculation Agent, determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR at any time when any of the New Notes are outstanding, then the Company shall promptly provide notice of such determination to the holders, with a copy to the trustee, and the foregoing provisions concerning the calculation of the interest rate and interest payments during the Floating Rate Period will be modified in accordance with the benchmark transition provisions. However, if for any reason the Benchmark Replacement has not been determined as of the relevant Floating Interest Determination Date, the Floating Interest Rate for the applicable Floating Interest Period will be equal to the Floating Interest Rate on the last Floating Interest Determination Date for the New Notes, as determined by the Calculation Agent. If the then-current Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR and any of the foregoing provisions concerning the calculation of the interest rate and the payment of interest during the Floating Interest Period are inconsistent with any of the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions determined by the Company, then the relevant Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions will apply.
We will make each interest payment to the holders of record of the notes at the close of business on the fifteenth calendar day prior to the applicable interest payment date.
Principal of and interest on the notes will be payable, and the notes will be exchangeable and transferable, at the office or agency that we have designated and maintain for such purposes, which, initially, will be the corporate trust office of the trustee located at Wilmington Trust, National Association, 99 Wood Avenue South – Suite #1000, Attn: USCB Financial Holdings, Inc. Administrator; except that payment of interest may be made at our option by check mailed to the person entitled thereto as shown on the security register or by wire transfer to an account appropriately designated by the person entitled thereto.
The term “business day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any day which is a federal holiday or other day on which banking institutions in the State of Florida, the Borough of Manhattan, New York, New York or the place of payment are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.
Subordination
Our obligation to make any payment on account of the principal of, or interest on, the notes will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our senior indebtedness. As of September 30, 2025, the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries had outstanding liabilities of $2.6 billion, of which $2.5 billion rank senior to the notes and $11 million rank pari passu with the notes. The notes and the indenture do not contain any limitation on the amount of senior indebtedness that we may incur in the future.
The term “senior indebtedness” means the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, including interest accruing after the commencement of any bankruptcy proceeding relating to us, on, or substantially similar payments we make in respect of the following categories of debt, whether that debt was outstanding on the date of execution of the indenture or thereafter incurred, created or assumed:
| | our indebtedness for borrowed money, whether or not evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds, securities or other similar instruments issued under the provisions of any indenture, fiscal agency agreement, |
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| debenture or note purchase agreement or other agreement, including any senior debt securities that we may offer, and including, but not limited to, deposits of the Bank and our obligations to our general and secured creditors; |
| | our indebtedness for money borrowed or represented by purchase money obligations, as defined below; |
| | our obligations as lessee under leases of property whether made as part of a sale and leaseback transaction to which we are a party or otherwise; |
| | our reimbursement and other obligations relating to letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances and similar obligations and direct credit substitutes; |
| | our obligations in respect of interest rate swap, cap or other agreements, interest rate future or option contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contracts, commodity contracts and other similar arrangements; |
| | all of our obligations issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services, but excluding trade accounts payable and accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business; |
| | any other obligation of ours to our general creditors; |
| | all obligations of the type referred to in the bullets above of other persons for the payment as to which we are liable contingently or otherwise to pay or advance money as obligor, guarantor, endorser or otherwise; |
| | all obligations of the types referred to in the bullets above of other persons secured by a lien on any property or asset of ours; and |
| | deferrals, renewals or extensions of any of the indebtedness or obligations described in the bullets above. |
However, “senior indebtedness” excludes:
| | any subordinated debentures or junior subordinated debentures of ours underlying trust preferred securities issued by subsidiary trusts of the Company that were outstanding as of the date of the issuance of the Old Notes or that are issued after the date of such issuance by a subsidiary trust of the Company; |
| | any indebtedness, obligation or liability that is subordinated to indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of the Company to substantially the same extent as or to a greater extent than the notes are subordinated; and |
| | the notes and, unless expressly provided in the terms thereof, any indebtedness of the Company to its subsidiaries. |
As used above, the term “purchase money obligations” means indebtedness, obligations evidenced by a note, debenture, bond or other instrument, whether or not secured by a lien or other security interest, issued to evidence the obligation to pay or a guarantee of the payment of, and any deferred obligation for the payment of, the purchase price of property but excluding indebtedness or obligations for which recourse is limited to the property purchased, issued or assumed as all or a part of the consideration for the acquisition of property or services, whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, but does not include any trade accounts payable as set forth above.
In accordance with the subordination provisions of the indenture and the notes, we are permitted to make payments of accrued and unpaid interest on the notes on the interest payment dates and at maturity and to pay the principal of the notes at maturity unless:
| | we are subject to any termination, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, whether in bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership or similar proceedings or upon an assignment for the benefit of our creditors or any other marshalling of our assets and liabilities; or |
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| | a default in the payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, any senior indebtedness, has occurred and is continuing beyond any applicable grace period or an event of default has occurred and is continuing with respect to any senior indebtedness, or would occur as a result of a payment of principal of, or interest on, the notes being made and that event of default would permit the holders of any senior indebtedness to accelerate the maturity of that senior indebtedness and such default or event of default has not been cured, waived or otherwise have ceased to exist. |
Upon our termination, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, whether in bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership or similar proceedings or upon an assignment for the benefit of our creditors or any other marshalling of our assets and liabilities or otherwise, we must pay to the holders of all of our senior indebtedness the full amounts of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, that senior indebtedness before any payment is made on the notes. If, after we have paid the senior indebtedness in full, there are any amounts available for payment of the notes and any of our other indebtedness and obligations ranking equally in right of payment with the notes, then we will use such remaining assets to pay the amounts of principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the notes and such other of our indebtedness and obligations that rank equally in right of payment with the notes. If those assets are insufficient to pay in full the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the notes and such other indebtedness and obligations, those assets will be applicable ratably to the payment of such amounts owing with respect to the notes and such other indebtedness and obligations.
In the event that we are subject to any termination, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, whether in bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership or similar proceedings or upon an assignment for the benefit of our creditors or any other marshalling of our assets and liabilities or otherwise, if the holders of the notes receive for any reason any payment on the notes or other distributions of our assets with respect to the notes before all of our senior indebtedness is paid in full, the holders of the notes will be required to return that payment or distribution to the bankruptcy trustee, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee, agent or other person making payment of our assets for all our senior indebtedness remaining unpaid until all that senior indebtedness has been paid in full, after giving effect to any other concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of such senior indebtedness.
As a result of the subordination of the notes in favor of the holders of our senior indebtedness, in the event of our bankruptcy or insolvency, holders of our senior indebtedness may receive more, ratably, and holders of the notes may receive less, ratably, than our other creditors.
All liabilities of the Bank and our other subsidiaries, including deposits and liabilities to general creditors arising during the ordinary course of business or otherwise, will be effectively senior in right of payment to the notes to the extent of the assets of the subsidiary because, as a shareholder of the subsidiary, we do not have any rights to the assets of the subsidiary except if the subsidiary declares a dividend payable to us or if there are assets of the subsidiary remaining after it has discharged its liabilities to its creditors in connection with its liquidation. As of September 30, 2025, on a consolidated basis, the Bank and our other subsidiaries had, in the aggregate, outstanding liabilities of $2.5 billion. Over the term of the notes, we will need to rely primarily on dividends paid to us by the Bank, which is a regulated and supervised depository institution, for the funds necessary to pay the interest on our outstanding debt obligations and to make dividends and other payments on our other securities outstanding now or in the future. With respect to the payment of the principal of the notes at their maturity, we may rely on the funds we receive from dividends paid to us by the Bank, but may have to rely on the proceeds of borrowings and/or the sale of other securities to pay the principal amount of the notes. Regulatory rules may restrict the Bank’s ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us or provide funds to us by other means. As a result, with respect to the assets of the Bank, our creditors (including the holders of the notes) are structurally subordinated to the prior claims of creditors of the Bank, including its depositors, except to the extent that we may be a creditor with recognized claims against the Bank.
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Redemption
We may, at our option, redeem the notes, in whole or in part, beginning with the Interest Payment Date of August 15, 2030 and on any Interest Payment Date thereafter. In addition, at our option, we may redeem the notes in whole but not in part, at any time upon the occurrence of:
| | a “Tier 2 Capital Event,” which is defined in the indenture to mean receipt by us of a legal opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that there is a material risk that the notes no longer qualify or, within 120 days of the date of such legal opinion, will not qualify, as Tier 2 Capital (or its then equivalent), as a result of a change in law or regulation, or interpretation or application thereof, by any judicial, legislative or regulatory authority that becomes effective after the date of issuance of the notes; |
| | a “Tax Event,” which is defined in the indenture to mean the receipt by us of a legal opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or change (including any final and adopted (or enacted) prospective change) in, the laws (or any regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations, there exists a material risk that interest payable by the Company on the notes is not, or within 120 days after the receipt of such opinion, will not be, deductible by the Company, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax purposes; or |
| | an “Investment Company Event,” which is defined in the indenture to mean receipt by us of a legal opinion from counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that there is a material risk that the Company is or, within 120 days after the receipt of such opinion, will be required to register as an “investment company” pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. |
If all or any portion of the New Notes ceases to be deemed to be Tier 2 Capital, other than due to the limitation imposed on the capital treatment of subordinated debt during the five (5) years immediately preceding the maturity date of the New Notes, the Company will immediately notify the trustee and the holders, and thereafter the Company and the holders will work together in good faith, subject to the terms of the indenture, to execute and deliver all agreements as reasonably necessary in order to restructure the applicable portions of the obligations evidenced by the New Notes to qualify as Tier 2 Capital and the Company shall request, subject to the terms of the indenture, that the trustee execute and deliver all such agreements as may be reasonably necessary in order to effect any restructuring agreed to by the Company and the holders; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the Company’s right to redeem the New Notes pursuant to the terms of the New Notes and the indenture, including upon the occurrence of a Tier 2 Capital Event.
Any redemption of the New Notes will be subject to any required regulatory approvals, including but not limited to prior approval of the Federal Reserve, to the extent such approval is then required. Any redemption of the notes will be at a redemption price equal to the principal amount of the notes, or portion thereof, to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption.
If less than all of the notes are to be redeemed, the trustee will select the notes or portions thereof to be redeemed on a pro rata basis, unless otherwise required by law or applicable depositary procedures.
If the notes are represented by global notes held by DTC and such redemption is processed through DTC, such redemption will be made on a “Pro Rata Pass Through Distribution of Principal” basis in accordance with the procedures of DTC.
Notices of redemption will be mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested), facsimile or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, at least 30 but no more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of notes to be redeemed at its registered address. If any note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to that note will state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be
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redeemed. A new note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original note, if any, will be issued in the name of the holder thereof upon cancellation of the original note. Notes called for redemption become due on the date fixed for redemption. On and after the redemption date, interest ceases to accrue on notes or portions of them called for redemption.
Repurchases
We may purchase notes at any time on the open market or otherwise. If we purchase notes in this manner, we have the discretion to hold, resell or surrender the notes to the trustee under the indenture for cancellation.
No Sinking Fund; Non-Convertible
The notes will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund. This means that we will not deposit money on a regular basis into any separate custodial account to repay the notes. The notes are not convertible into, or exchangeable for, any of our equity securities.
Form, Denomination, Transfer, Exchange and Book-Entry Procedures
The notes will be issued only in fully registered form, without interest coupons, and in minimum denominations of $100,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
Unless otherwise required for institutional accredited investors, the notes will be evidenced by a global note which will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC, or any successor thereto, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., or Cede, as nominee of DTC. Except as set forth below, record ownership of the global note may be transferred, in whole or in part, only to another nominee of DTC or to a successor of DTC or its nominee. If New Notes are issued to institutional accredited investors in certificated form, the New Notes will be transferable only on the records of the trustee and may not be exchanged for a beneficial interest in the global note unless the exchange occurs in connection with a transfer where the transferor and transferee provide evidence satisfactory to the trustee and DTC that the transferee is eligible to hold a beneficial interest in the global note.
The global note will not be registered in the name of any person, or exchanged for notes that are registered in the name of any person, other than DTC or its nominee, unless one of the following occurs:
| | DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue acting as the depositary for the global note, or DTC has ceased to be a “clearing agency” registered under the Exchange Act, and in either case we fail to appoint a successor depositary within 90 days; |
| | We determine that the notes are no longer to be represented by the global note and so notify the trustee; or |
| | an event of default with respect to the notes represented by the global note has occurred and is continuing and DTC or its participant(s) has requested the issuance of definitive subordinated notes. |
Any global note exchanged in accordance with the first two items above will be so exchanged in whole and not in part, and any global note exchanged in accordance with the third item above may be exchanged in whole or from time to time in part as directed by DTC. In those circumstances, DTC will determine in whose names any securities issued in exchange for the global note will be registered. Any such notes in certificated form will be issued in minimum denominations of $100,000 and multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof and may be transferred or exchanged only in such minimum denominations.
DTC or its nominee will be considered the sole owner and holder of the global note for all purposes, and as a result:
| | you cannot get notes registered in your name if they are represented by the global note; |
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| | you cannot receive certificated (physical) notes in exchange for your beneficial interest in the global note; |
| | you will not be considered to be the owner or holder of the global note or any note it represents for any purpose; and |
| | all payments on the global note will be made to DTC or its nominee. |
The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain kinds of purchasers (for example, certain insurance companies) can only own securities in definitive (certificated) form. These laws may limit your ability to transfer your beneficial interests in the global note to these types of purchasers.
Only institutions (such as a securities broker or dealer) that have accounts with the DTC or its nominee (called “participants”) and persons that may hold beneficial interests through participants (including through Euroclear Bank SA/NV or Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, as DTC participants) can own a beneficial interest in the global note. The only place where the ownership of beneficial interests in the global note will appear and the only way the transfer of those interests can be made will be on the records kept by DTC (for their participants’ interests) and the records kept by those participants (for interests of persons held by participants on their behalf).
Secondary trading in bonds and notes of corporate issuers is generally settled in clearing-house (that is, next-day) funds. In contrast, beneficial interests in a global note usually trade in DTC’s same-day funds settlement system, and settle in immediately available funds. We make no representations as to the effect that settlement in immediately available funds will have on trading activity in those beneficial interests.
Cash payments of interest on and principal of the global note will be made to Cede, the nominee for DTC, as the registered owner of the global note. These payments will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds on each payment date.
You may exchange or transfer the notes at the corporate trust office of the trustee for the notes or at any other office or agency maintained by us for those purposes. We will not require payment of a service charge for any transfer or exchange of the notes, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any applicable tax or other governmental charge.
We have been informed that, with respect to any cash payment of interest on or principal of the global note, DTC’s practice is to credit participants’ accounts on the payment date with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the notes represented by the global note as shown on DTC’s records, unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payment on that payment date. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in notes represented by the global note held through participants will be the responsibility of those participants, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in “street name.”
We also understand that neither DTC nor Cede will consent or vote with respect to the notes. We have been advised that under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an “omnibus proxy” to us as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns Cede’s consenting or voting rights to those participants to whose accounts the notes are credited on the record date identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy.
Because DTC can only act on behalf of participants, who in turn act on behalf of indirect participants, the ability of a person having a beneficial interest in the principal amount represented by the global note to pledge the interest to persons or entities that do not participate in the DTC book-entry system, or otherwise take actions in respect of that interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical certificate evidencing its interest.
DTC has advised that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of notes (including the presentation of notes for exchange) only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account with DTC
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interests in the global note are credited and only in respect of such portion of the principal amount of the notes represented by the global note as to which such participant has, or participants have, given such direction.
DTC has also advised as follows: DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code, as amended, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities for its participants and facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its participants. Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations and may include certain other organizations. Certain of such participants (or their representatives), together with other entities, own DTC. Indirect access to the DTC system is available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly. The rules applicable to DTC and its direct and indirect participants are on file with the SEC.
The policies and procedures of DTC, which may change periodically, will apply to payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to beneficial interests in the global note. We and the trustee have no responsibility or liability for any aspect of DTC’s or any participants’ records relating to beneficial interests in the global note, including for payments made on the global note, and we and the trustee are not responsible for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of those records.
Indenture Covenants
The indenture contains no covenants or restrictions restricting the incurrence of indebtedness or other obligations by us or by a subsidiary of ours, including the Bank. The indenture contains no financial covenants requiring us to achieve or maintain any minimum financial results relating to our financial position or results of operations or meet or exceed any financial ratios as a general matter or in order to incur additional indebtedness or obligations or to maintain any reserves. Moreover, neither the indenture nor the notes contain any covenants limiting our right to incur additional indebtedness or obligations, grant liens on our assets to secure our indebtedness or other obligations that are senior in right of payment to the notes, repurchase our stock or other securities, including any of the notes, or pay dividends or make other distributions to our shareholders (except, subject to certain limited exceptions, in the case of dividends or other distributions; redemptions, purchases, acquisitions or liquidation payments with respect to our capital stock; and repayments, repurchases or redemptions of any debt securities that rank equal with or junior to the notes, in each case, upon our failure to timely pay the principal of or interest on the notes, when the same becomes due and payable). In addition, neither the indenture nor the notes contain any provision that would provide protection to the holders of the notes against a sudden and dramatic decline in our credit quality resulting from a merger, takeover, recapitalization or similar restructuring or any other event involving us or our subsidiaries that may adversely affect our credit quality.
Events of Default; Right of Acceleration; Failure to Pay Principal or Interest
The following are events of default under the indenture (whatever the reason for such event of default and whether it will be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or in accordance with any judgment, decree, or order of any court or any order, rule, or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):
| | the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company by a court having jurisdiction in the premises in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization law, now or hereafter in effect of the United States or any political subdivision thereof, and such decree or order will have continued unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; |
| | the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization law, now or hereafter in effect of the United States or any political subdivision |
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| thereof, or the consent by the Company to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary case or proceeding under any such law; |
| | the failure of the Company to pay any installment of interest on the notes as and when the same will become due and payable, and the continuation of such failure for a period of 15 days; |
| | the failure of the Company to pay all or any part of the principal of any of the notes as and when the same will become due and payable under the indenture; |
| | the failure of the Company to perform any other covenant or agreement on the part of the Company contained in the notes or in the indenture, and the continuation of such failure for a period of 30 days after the date on which notice specifying such failure, stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” (as defined in the indenture) and demanding that the Company remedy the same, will have been given, in the manner set forth in the indenture, to the Company by the trustee, or to the Company and the trustee by the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the notes at the time outstanding; and |
| | the default by the Company under any bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company having an aggregate principal amount of at least $25,000,000, whether such indebtedness now exists or is created or incurred in the future, which default (i) constitutes a failure to pay any portion of the principal of such indebtedness when due and payable after the expiration of any applicable grace period or (ii) results in such indebtedness becoming due or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it otherwise would have become due and payable without, in the case of clause (i), such indebtedness having been discharged or, in the case of clause (ii) without such indebtedness having been discharged or such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled. |
Upon becoming aware of any event of default, the Company will promptly deliver to the trustee a written statement specifying the event of default. If an event of default with respect to the notes occurs due to a bankruptcy event, then the principal amount of all of the outstanding notes, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding notes will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder, and the Company waives demand, presentment for payment, notice of nonpayment, notice of protest, and all other notices with respect to such event of default. Notwithstanding the foregoing, because the Company will treat the notes as Tier 2 Capital, upon the occurrence of an event of default other than an event of default described in the foregoing sentence, neither the trustee nor any holder may accelerate the maturity of the notes and make the principal of, and any accrued and unpaid interest on, the notes, immediately due and payable.
Under the indenture, if the Company fails to make any payment of interest on any note when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 15 days, or if the Company fails to make any payment of the principal of any note when such principal becomes due and payable, the trustee may, subject to certain limitations and conditions, demand, for the benefit of the holders of the notes, that the Company pay to the trustee, for the benefit of the holders of the notes, the whole amount then due and payable with respect to the notes, with interest upon the overdue principal, and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon any overdue installments of interest at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, provided for or with respect to the notes or, if no such rate or rates are so provided, at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, of interest borne by the notes. Any such rights to receive payment of such amounts under the notes remain subject to the subordination provisions of the notes as discussed above under “—Subordination.” Neither the trustee nor the holders of the notes will have the right to accelerate the maturity of the notes in the case of our failure to pay the principal of, or interest on, the notes or our non-performance of any other covenant or warranty under the notes or the indenture.
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Amendment, Supplement and Waiver
Without the consent of any holder of notes, we and the trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental to the indenture for any of the following purposes:
| | to evidence a succession of another person to the Company, and the assumption by any such successor of our covenants contained in the indenture and the notes; |
| | to add to our covenants for the benefit of the holders, or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us with respect to the notes issued under the indenture; |
| | to permit or facilitate the issuance of notes in uncertificated or global form, provided any such action will not adversely affect the interests of the holders; |
| | to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment under the indenture by a successor trustee with respect to the notes and to add to or change any provisions of the indenture as will be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one trustee in accordance with the terms of the indenture; |
| | to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision of the indenture that may be defective or that may be inconsistent with any other provision in the indenture; |
| | to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the indenture that will not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the notes; |
| | to add any additional events of default; |
| | to supplement any of the provisions of the indenture as necessary to permit or facilitate legal or covenant defeasance, or satisfaction and discharge of the notes in accordance with the indenture, as long as any such action will not adversely affect the interests of any holder; |
| | to provide for the issuance of exchange notes; |
| | to conform any provision of the indenture to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act; or |
| | to make any change that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the indenture of any holder. |
With the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding notes, we and the trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental to the indenture for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the indenture or the notes or of modifying in any manner the rights of the holders under the indenture, except that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding note affected thereby, will:
| | reduce the rate of, or change the time for payment of, interest, including defaulted interest, on any note; |
| | reduce the principal of or change the stated maturity of any note, change the date on which any note may be subject to redemption, or reduce the redemption price at which any note subject to redemption may be redeemed; |
| | make any note payable in money other than dollars; |
| | make any change in provisions of the indenture protecting the right of each holder to receive payment of principal of and interest on such note on or after the due date thereof or to bring suit to enforce such payment; |
| | reduce the threshold of holders the consent of whom is required for any such supplemental indenture or required to waive certain defaults and covenants under the indenture; or |
| | modify any of the provisions of the section of the indenture governing supplemental indentures with the consent of holders, or those provisions relating to waiver of defaults or certain covenants, except to increase any such percentage required for such actions or to provide that certain other provisions of the indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the holder of each outstanding note affected thereby. |
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The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes may on behalf of the holders of all notes waive any past default under the indenture and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any note, or in respect of a covenant or provision of the indenture under which the indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding note.
Satisfaction and Discharge of the Indenture; Defeasance
We may terminate our obligations under the indenture when:
| | either: (1) all notes that have been authenticated and delivered have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation, or (2) all notes that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation (i) have become due and payable, or (ii) will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or (iii) if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the trustee, and in the case of the foregoing clause 2(i), 2(ii) or 2(iii), we have deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee trust funds in trust for such purpose, an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the outstanding notes; |
| | we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums then due and payable by us under the indenture with respect to the notes; and |
| | we have delivered to the trustee an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent under the indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture have been satisfied. |
We may elect, at our option and at any time, to have our obligations discharged with respect to the outstanding notes, which we refer to as legal defeasance. Legal defeasance means that we will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the outstanding notes, except for:
| | the rights of the holders of such notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of and interest on such notes when payments are due; |
| | our obligations and the obligations of the trustee with respect to such notes concerning registration of notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for payments on the notes to be held in trust; |
| | the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee under the indenture; and |
| | the defeasance provisions and the application of trust money provisions of the indenture. |
In addition, we may elect, at our option, to have our obligations released with respect to certain covenants contained in the indenture, which is also called covenant defeasance. In the event covenant defeasance occurs, certain events (not including non-payment, bankruptcy and insolvency events) will no longer constitute an event of default with respect to the notes.
In order to exercise either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to outstanding notes:
| | we must irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to the benefit of the holders of such notes, (i) an amount in dollars, (ii) U.S. government obligations that through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment on the notes, money, or (iii) a combination thereof, in each case, in an amount, sufficient to pay and discharge, and which will be applied by the trustee to pay and discharge, the entire indebtedness in respect of the principal of and interest on the notes on the stated maturity thereof or, with respect to notes called for redemption, on the redemption date thereof; |
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| | such legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by which it is bound; |
| | no event of default, or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an event of default with respect to the outstanding notes will have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit referred to in the first bullet point above (and in the case of legal defeasance will have occurred and be continuing at any time during the period ending on and including the 91st day after the date of such deposit); |
| | in the case of legal defeasance, we must have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that (i) we have received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (ii) since the date of the indenture there has been a change in the applicable U.S. federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion will confirm that, the holders of the notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such legal defeasance to be effected with respect to such notes and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such legal defeasance had not occurred; |
| | in the case of covenant defeasance, we must have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance to be effected with respect to the notes and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred; and |
| | we must have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such legal defeasance or covenant defeasance have been satisfied. |
In connection with a discharge or defeasance, in the event the trustee is unable to apply the moneys deposited as contemplated under the satisfaction and discharge provisions of the indenture for any reason, our obligations under the indenture and the notes will be revived as if the deposit had never occurred.
Effect of Benchmark Transition Event
Benchmark Replacement. If the Calculation Agent determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred on or prior to the Reference Time in respect of any determination of the Benchmark on any date, the Benchmark Replacement will replace the then-current Benchmark for all purposes relating to the notes during the relevant Floating Interest Period in respect of such determination on such date and all determinations on all subsequent dates.
Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Company will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time, and such changes shall become effective without consent from the relevant holders or any other party.
Certain Defined Terms. As used herein:
“Benchmark Replacement” means the Interpolated Benchmark with respect to the then-current Benchmark, plus the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment for such Benchmark; provided that if: (i) the Calculation Agent cannot determine the Interpolated Benchmark as of the Benchmark Replacement Date, or (ii) the then-current Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR and a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR (in which event no Interpolated Benchmark with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR shall be determined), then “Benchmark Replacement”
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means the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Calculation Agent as of the Benchmark Replacement Date:
| (i) | (a) the sum of (A) Compounded SOFR and the (B) Benchmark Replacement Adjustment; |
| (ii) | the sum of: (a) the alternate rate that of interest has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment; |
| (iii) | the sum of: (a) the ISDA Fallback Rate and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment; or |
| (iv) | the sum of: (a) the alternate rate of interest that has been selected by the Calculation Agent as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to any industry-accepted rate of interest as a replacement for the then-current Benchmark for U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate notes at such time, and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment. |
If the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above would be less than zero, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be zero.
“Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Calculation Agent as of the Benchmark Replacement Date:
| (i) | the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero), that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement; |
| (ii) | if the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement is equivalent to the ISDA Fallback Rate, then the ISDA Fallback Adjustment; or |
| (iii) | the spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Calculation Agent giving due consideration to any industry-accepted spread adjustment or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of the then-current Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate notes at such time. |
“Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including, without limitation, changes to the definition of “Floating Interest Period,” timing and frequency of determining rates with respect to each Floating Interest Period and making payments of interest, rounding of amounts or tenors and other administrative matters) that the Calculation Agent or the Company decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption of such Benchmark Replacement in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Calculation Agent or the Company decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Calculation Agent or the Company determines that no market practice for use of the Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner as the Calculation Agent or the Company determines is reasonably necessary).
“Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
| (i) | in the case of clause (i) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the relevant Reference Time in respect of any determination; |
| (ii) | in the case of clause (ii) or (iii) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of the Benchmark permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide the Benchmark; or |
| (iii) | in the case of clause (iv) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein. |
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For the avoidance of doubt, if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for purposes of such determination.
“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
| (i) | if the Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, the Calculation Agent or the Company determines that the use of a forward-looking rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR is not administratively feasible; |
| (ii) | a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of the Benchmark announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide the Benchmark, permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide the Benchmark; |
| (iii) | a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of the Benchmark, the central bank for the currency of the Benchmark, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for the Benchmark, a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for the Benchmark or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for the Benchmark, which states that the administrator of the Benchmark has ceased or will cease to provide the Benchmark permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide the Benchmark; or |
| (iv) | a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of the Benchmark announcing that the Benchmark is no longer representative. |
“Compounded SOFR” means the compounded average of SOFRs for the applicable Corresponding Tenor, with the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate being established by the Company in accordance with:
| (i) | the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining Compounded SOFR; provided that: |
| (ii) | if, and to the extent that, the Calculation Agent determines that Compounded SOFR cannot be determined in accordance with clause (i) above, then the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate that have been selected by the Calculation Agent giving due consideration to any industry-accepted market practice for U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate notes at such time. |
For the avoidance of doubt, the calculation of Compounded SOFR will exclude the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment (if applicable) and the spread of 422 basis points per annum.
“Corresponding Tenor” means (i) with respect to Term SOFR, three months, and (ii) with respect to a Benchmark Replacement, a tenor (including overnight) having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as the applicable tenor for the then-current Benchmark.
“Interpolated Benchmark” with respect to the Benchmark means the rate determined for the Corresponding Tenor by interpolating on a linear basis between: (i) the Benchmark for the longest period (for which the Benchmark is available) that is shorter than the Corresponding Tenor, and (ii) the Benchmark for the shortest period (for which the Benchmark is available) that is longer than the Corresponding Tenor.
“ISDA” means the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or any successor thereto.
“ISDA Definitions” means the 2006 ISDA Definitions published by the ISDA or any successor thereto, as amended or supplemented from time to time, or any successor definitional booklet for interest rate derivatives published from time to time.
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“ISDA Fallback Adjustment” means the spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that would apply for derivatives transactions referencing the ISDA Definitions to be determined upon the occurrence of an index cessation event with respect to the Benchmark for the applicable tenor.
“ISDA Fallback Rate” means the rate that would apply for derivatives transactions referencing the ISDA Definitions to be effective upon the occurrence of an index cessation date with respect to the Benchmark for the applicable tenor excluding the applicable ISDA Fallback Adjustment.
“Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the Benchmark Replacement excluding the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
The terms “FRBNY’s Website,” “Reference Time,” “Relevant Governmental Body,” “SOFR” and “Term SOFR” have the meanings set forth above under the heading “—Principal, Maturity and Interest.”
Determinations and Decisions
The Company or Calculation Agent is expressly authorized to make certain determinations, decisions and elections under the terms of the notes, including with respect to the use of Three-Month Term SOFR as the Benchmark for the Floating Rate Period and under the benchmark transition provisions. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Company or by the Calculation Agent pursuant to the benchmark transition provisions set forth herein, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date, and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection:
| | will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error; |
| | if made by the Company, will be made in the Company’s sole discretion; |
| | if made by the Calculation Agent, will be made after consultation with the Company, and the Calculation Agent will not make any such determination, decision or election to which the Company reasonably objects; and |
| | notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the notes or the purchase agreement, shall become effective without consent from the relevant holders or any other party. |
Calculation Agent
We may appoint a bank or other entity (which may be the Company or an affiliate of the Company) to act as the Calculation Agent for the notes during the Floating Rate Period. The initial Calculation Agent will be the Company.
Regarding the Trustee
Wilmington Trust, National Association is acting as the trustee under the indenture and the initial paying agent and registrar for the notes. From time to time, we and some of our subsidiaries may maintain deposit accounts and conduct other banking transactions, including lending transactions, with the trustee in the ordinary course of business.
Except during the continuance of an event of default under the indenture, the trustee will perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in the indenture. During the continuance of an event of default that has not been cured or waived, the trustee will exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by the indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances.
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The indenture and the Trust Indenture Act contain certain limitations on the rights of the trustee, should it become a creditor of our organization, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The trustee will be permitted to engage in other transactions; however, if it acquires any “conflicting interest” (as defined in the Trust Indenture Act) it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue or resign.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding notes will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the notes, subject to certain exceptions. The indenture provides that in case an event of default has occurred and is continuing, the trustee will exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by the indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs. Subject to such provisions, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by the indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders under the indenture, unless such holders will have provided to the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the trustee against the losses, liabilities and expenses which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Employees, Officers or Directors
No past, present or future director, officer, employee or shareholder of our company or any of our predecessors or successors, as such or in such capacity, will have any personal liability for any of our obligations under the notes or the indenture by reason of his, her or its status as such director, officer, employee or shareholder. Each holder of notes by accepting a note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the notes. Such waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.
Governing Law
The notes and the indenture will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a general summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations of the exchange of outstanding Old Notes for New Notes in the exchange offer. It is not a complete analysis of all the potential tax considerations relating to the exchange of outstanding Old Notes for New Notes. This discussion is based upon the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations under the Code, and administrative and judicial interpretations, all as currently in effect. These authorities are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. We cannot assure you that the Internal Revenue Service will not challenge one or more of the tax consequences described in this discussion, and we have not obtained, nor do we intend to obtain, a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel with respect to the U.S. federal income tax consequences described herein.
The tax treatment of a holder of notes may vary depending on the holder’s particular situation. This discussion is limited to the U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to holders that purchased their Old Notes from us in the initial offering and at the initial offering price for cash and who held the Old Notes, and will hold the New Notes, as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This discussion does not address all U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be applicable to holders’ particular circumstances or to holders that may be subject to special tax rules under U.S. federal income tax laws, including, but not limited to, banks, insurance companies, or other financial institutions, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, tax-exempt organizations, dealers or traders in securities, commodities or currencies, U.S. expatriates, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies, holders subject to the alternative minimum tax, traders in securities that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities holdings, United States holders whose functional currency is not the United States dollar, persons that will hold the New Notes as a position in a hedging transaction, straddle, conversion transaction or other integrated transactions or risk reduction transaction, persons deemed to sell the New Notes under the constructive sale provisions of the Code, persons that will hold the New Notes in an individual retirement account, 401(k) plan or similar tax-favored account, an accrual method taxpayer who is required to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than when such income is taken into account for financial accounting purposes, a person that purchases or sells notes as part of a wash sale for tax purposes, or entities or arrangements classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes or other pass-through entities, or investors in such entities. This discussion does not address the tax considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state or local jurisdiction, or any non-income tax consequences of the exchange of Old Notes for New Notes.
The exchange of Old Notes for New Notes in the exchange offer should not constitute a taxable exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Consequently, (1) holders of Old Notes should not recognize gain or loss upon the receipt of New Notes in the exchange offer, (2) a holder’s basis in the New Notes received in the exchange offer should be the same as such holder’s basis in the Old Notes surrendered in exchange therefor immediately before the exchange, and (3) a holder’s holding period in the New Notes should include such holder’s holding period in the Old Notes surrendered in exchange therefor.
This discussion of material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations is for general information only and may not be applicable depending upon a holder’s particular situation. Holders of Old Notes considering the exchange offer are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences to them of exchanging Old Notes for New Notes, including the tax consequences under state, local, estate, foreign and other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in United States or other tax laws.
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Each broker-dealer that receives New Notes for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it may be a statutory underwriter and that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such New Notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of New Notes received in exchange for Old Notes where such Old Notes were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities provided that such broker-dealer notifies the Company to that effect by so indicating on the letter of transmittal. To the extent that any notifying broker-dealer participates in the exchange offer, we will use our commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of this prospectus.
We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of New Notes by broker-dealers or any other persons. New Notes received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the exchange offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of options on the New Notes or a combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer and/or the purchasers of any New Notes. Any broker-dealer that receives New Notes in exchange for Old Notes acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, and resells such New Notes, and any broker-dealer that participates in a distribution of such New Notes may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit on any such resale of New Notes and any commission or concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. The letter of transmittal states that, by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act.
We will promptly send additional copies of this prospectus and any amendment or supplement to this prospectus to any broker-dealer that reasonably requests such documents. We have agreed to pay certain expenses in connection with the exchange offer and will indemnify the holders of the Old Notes (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act.
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The validity of the New Notes will be passed upon for us by Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP.
The consolidated balance sheets of USCB Financial Holdings Inc. as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years then ended, as incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, have been audited by Crowe LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in auditing and accounting.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
| Item 20. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers. |
Florida Law. The Florida Business Corporation Act, as amended (the “FBCA”) permits, under certain circumstances, the indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents of a corporation with respect to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal, to which such person was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party, by reason of his or her being an officer, director, employee or agent of a corporation, or is or was serving at the request of, such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against liability incurred in connection with such proceeding, including appeals thereof; provided, however, that the officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any such third-party action by judgment, order, settlement, or conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent does not, of itself, create a presumption that the person (1) did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation or (2) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
In the case of proceedings by or in the right of the corporation, the statute permits indemnification of any person by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of, such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses and certain amounts paid in settlement in connection with such proceeding, including appeals thereof; provided, however, that the officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification is made where such person is adjudged liable, unless, and only to the extent that, the court in which such proceeding was brought, or any other court of competent jurisdiction, determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.
To the extent that such person is successful on the merits or otherwise in defending against any such proceeding, the statute provides that he or she shall be indemnified against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith.
Also, under the statute, expenses incurred by an officer or director in defending a civil or criminal proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if he or she is ultimately found not to be entitled to indemnification by the corporation pursuant to this section. Expenses incurred by other employees and agents may be paid in advance upon such terms or conditions that the board of directors deems appropriate.
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Our Articles of Incorporation provide that our officers, directors, employees and agents (and any other persons to which the applicable provisions of the FCBA or any other applicable law not in conflict therewith permits us to provide indemnification) will be indemnified by us to the fullest extent authorized by applicable law, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. Our Articles of Incorporation also acknowledges that the directors nominated by certain of our affiliated stockholders (each an “Investor Director”) may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by the Priam Capital Fund II, LP, Patriot Financial Partners II, L.P., Patriot Financial Partners Parallel II, L.P. and/or certain of their respective affiliates (collectively, the “Investor Indemnitors”). We agree (1) that
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we are the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., our obligations to each Investor Director are primary and any obligation of Investor Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by any Investor Director are secondary), and (2) that we shall be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by each Investor Director and shall be liable for the full amount of all expenses and liabilities, in each case, to the extent permitted by law, without regard to any rights an Investor Director may have against any Investor Indemnitor.
Our Amended and Restated Bylaws (“Bylaws”) contain indemnification provisions similar to the FBCA, and further provide that we may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of our directors, officers, employees and agents in their capacities as such, or serving at the request of us, against any liabilities asserted against such persons and incurred by such persons in any capacity, or arising of such persons status as such, whether or not we would have the power to indemnify such persons against such liability under our Bylaws or applicable law.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted for the directors and officers of the Company or for persons controlling such entity, pursuant to our Articles, Bylaws or the FBCA, we acknowledge that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
In addition to the authority granted to us by the FBCA to indemnify our directors, certain other provisions of the FBCA have the effect of further limiting the personal liability of our directors. For example, a director of a Florida corporation cannot be held personally liable for monetary damages to the corporation or any other person for any statement, vote, decision or failure to act regarding corporate management or policy except in the case of certain qualifying breaches of the director’s duties.
| Item 21. | Exhibits. |
The following exhibits are filed herewith or are incorporated herein by reference to other filings of the Registrant:
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| Item 22. | Undertakings. |
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
| (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| i. | to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
| ii. | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement (notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement); and |
| iii. | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. |
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
For the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
| (i) | any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
| (ii) | any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
| (iii) | the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
| (iv) | any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to respond to respond to requests for information that is incorporated by reference into the prospectus pursuant to Items 4, 10(b), 11, or 13 of this Form, within one
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(1) business day of receipt of such request, and to send the incorporated documents by first class mail or other equally prompt means. This includes information contained in documents filed subsequent to the effective date of the registration statement through the date of responding to the request.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to supply by means of a poste-effective amendment all information concerning a transaction, and the company being acquired involved therein, that was not the subject of and included in the registration statement when it became effective.
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Company has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Doral, State of Florida, on November 7, 2025.
USCB FINANCIAL HOLIDNGS. INC.
| By: | /s/ Luis de la Aguilera | |
| Luis de la Aguilera President and Chief Executive Officer |
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that by so signing, each of the undersigned, in his or her capacity as a director or officer, or both, as the case may be, of USCB Financial Holdings, Inc., does hereby appoint Luis de la Aguilera and Robert Anderson, and each of them severally, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to execute in his or her name, place and stead, in his or her capacity as a director or officer, or both, as the case may be, of USCB Financial Holdings, Inc., this Registration Statement and any and all amendments to this Registration Statement, post-effective amendments and supplements thereto, and to sign any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents shall have full power and authority to do and perform in the name and on behalf of each of the undersigned, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises as fully, and for all intents and purposes, as each of the undersigned might or could do in person, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving the acts of said attorneys-in-fact and each of them and their substitutes lawfully done or caused to be done by virtue of this power of attorney.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below on November 7, 2025 by the following persons in the capacities indicated below.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ Luis de la Aguilera Luis de la Aguilera |
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer and Director) |
November 7, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Robert Anderson Robert Anderson |
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Principal Accounting Officer) |
November 7, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Aida Levitan Aida Levitan |
Director |
November 7, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Howard Feinglass Howard Feinglass |
Director |
November 7, 2025 | ||
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| Signature | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ W. Kirk Wycoff W. Kirk Wycoff |
Director |
November 7, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Ramon A. Abadin Ramon A. Abadin |
Director |
November 7, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Bernardo B. Fernandez Bernardo B. Fernandez |
Director |
November 7, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Ramón A. Rodriguez Ramón A. Rodriguez |
Director |
November 7, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Maria C. Alonso Maria C. Alonso |
Director |
November 7, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Robert E. Kafafian Robert E. Kafafian |
Director |
November 7, 2025 | ||
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Exhibit 5.1
November 7, 2025
USCB Financial Holdings, Inc.
2301 N.W. 87th Avenue
Doral, FL 33172
| Re: | Registration Statement on Form S-4 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to USCB Financial Holdings, Inc., a Florida corporation (the “Company”) in connection with the registration statement on Form S-4, as the same may be amended from time to time (as amended, the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the issuance by the Company of up to Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000) aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 (the “New Notes”) which are to be offered (the “Exchange Offer”) by the Company in exchange for an equal principal amount of the Company’s outstanding unregistered 7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 (the “Old Notes”). The New Notes are to be issued in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, dated as of August 14, 2025 (the “Indenture”) by and between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), dated as of August 14, 2025, by and among the Company and the several purchasers of the Old Notes.
In connection herewith, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records and other instruments as we have deemed necessary for the purposes of this opinion, including: (i) the Registration Statement and the related form of prospectus included therein (including all exhibits thereto) in the form in which it was transmitted to the Commission under the Securities Act; (ii) the Indenture; (iii) the Registration Rights Agreement; (iv) the Old Notes; (v) the forms of the New Notes; (vi) the organizational documents of the Company; (vii) minutes and records of the corporate proceedings of the Company, including any and all resolutions of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof) of the Company related to the Registration Statement and the Exchange Offer, and the issuance of the New Notes (the “Resolutions”). In addition to the foregoing, we have made such investigations of law and fact as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion set forth herein.
| USCB Financial Holdings, Inc. | Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP | |
| November 7, 2025 | ||
| Page 2 |
In such examination and in rendering the opinion expressed below, we have assumed, without independent investigation or verification: (i) the genuineness of all signatures on all agreements, instruments, corporate records, certificates and other documents submitted to us; (ii) the legal capacity and authority of all persons or entities (other than the Company) executing all agreements, instruments, corporate records, certificates and other documents submitted to us; (iii) the authenticity and completeness of all agreements, instruments, corporate records, certificates and other documents submitted to us as originals; (iv) that all agreements, instruments, corporate records, certificates and other documents submitted to us as certified, electronic, facsimile, conformed, photostatic or other copies conform to authentic originals thereof, and that such originals are authentic and complete; (v) the due authorization, execution and delivery of all agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents by all parties thereto (other than the Company); (vi) that the statements contained in the certificates and comparable documents of public officials, officers and representatives of the Company and other persons or entities on which we have relied for the purposes of this opinion set forth below are true and correct; and (vii) that the officers and directors of the Company have properly exercised their fiduciary duties. As to all questions of fact material to the opinion and as to the materiality of any fact or other matter referred to herein, we have relied (without independent investigation) upon representations and certificates or comparable documents of officers and representatives of the Company.
Based upon the foregoing, it is our opinion as of the date hereof that when the New Notes are duly executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee, all in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and issued and delivered in exchange for the Old Notes in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the New Notes will constitute binding obligations of the Company.
The opinion set forth above are subject to the following qualifications and exceptions:
(a) Our opinion set forth above are subject to (i) the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar law of general application affecting creditors’ rights; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity, including (without limitation) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and other similar doctrines affecting the enforceability of agreements generally (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and (iii) insofar as they relate to indemnification provisions, the effect of federal and state securities laws and public policy relating thereto.
(b) In rendering the opinion set forth above, we have assumed that, at the time of the authentication, exchange and delivery of the New Notes, the Resolutions referred to above will not have been modified or rescinded, there will not have occurred any change in the law affecting the authorization, execution, exchange, delivery, validity or enforceability of the New Notes, the Registration Statement will have been declared effective by the Commission and will continue to be effective, none of the particular terms of the New Notes will violate any applicable law and neither the issuance and sale thereof nor the compliance by the Company with the terms thereof will result in a violation of any agreement or instrument then binding upon the Company or any order or decree of any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company.
| USCB Financial Holdings, Inc. | Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP | |
| November 7, 2025 | ||
| Page 3 |
(c) We express no opinion with respect to the enforceability of: (i) consents to, or restrictions upon, judicial relief or jurisdiction or venue; (ii) waivers of rights or defenses with respect to stay, extension or usury laws; (iii) advance waivers of claims, defenses, rights granted by law, or notice, opportunity for hearing, evidentiary requirements, statutes of limitation, trial by jury or at law, or other procedural rights; (iv) waivers of broadly or vaguely stated rights; (v) provisions for exclusivity, election or cumulation of rights or remedies; (vi) provisions authorizing or validating conclusive or discretionary determinations; (vii) grants of setoff rights; (viii) provisions for the payment of attorneys’ fees where such payment is contrary to law or public policy; (ix) proxies, powers and trusts; (x) restrictions upon non-written modifications and waivers; (xi) provisions prohibiting, restricting, or requiring consent to assignment or transfer of any right or property; (xii) any provision to the extent it requires any party to indemnify any other person against loss in obtaining the currency due following a court judgment in another currency; and (xiii) provisions for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty.
Without limiting any of the other limitations, exceptions and qualifications stated elsewhere herein, we express no opinion with regard to the applicability or effect of the law of any jurisdiction other than, as in effect as of the date of this letter, the internal law of the States of New York and Florida and the federal laws of the United States of America. We express no opinion as to matters relating to securities or “blue sky laws” of any jurisdiction or any rules or regulations thereunder (other than federal securities laws).
This opinion letter deals only with the specified legal issues expressly addressed herein, and you should not infer any opinion that is not explicitly stated herein from any matter addressed in this opinion letter. This opinion is given as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, and we assume no obligation to update or supplement the opinion contained herein to reflect any facts or circumstances which may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in laws which may hereafter occur.
We hereby consent to the reference to our firm in the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters” and to the filing and inclusion of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP |
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-4 of USCB Financial Holdings, Inc. of our report dated March 14, 2025, relating to the consolidated financial statements appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of USCB Financial Holdings, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2024, and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.
/s/ Crowe LLP
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
November 7, 2025
Exhibit 25.1
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM T-1
| ☐ | Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) |
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)
16-1486454
(I.R.S. employer identification no.)
1100 North Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19890-0001
(Address of principal executive offices)
Kyle Barry
Senior Vice President
Wilmington Trust Company
285 Delaware Ave.
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 839-6909
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
USCB Financial Holdings, Inc.
(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)
| Florida | 87-4070846 | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
2301 N.W. 87th Avenue
Doral, FL 33172
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Subordinated Debt Securities
(Title of the indenture securities)
| ITEM 1. | GENERAL INFORMATION. |
Furnish the following information as to the trustee:
| (a) | Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject. |
Comptroller of Currency, Washington, D.C.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C.
| (b) | Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers. |
The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.
| ITEM 2. | AFFILIATIONS WITH THE OBLIGOR. |
If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each affiliation:
Based upon an examination of the books and records of the trustee and information available to the trustee, the obligor is not an affiliate of the trustee.
ITEM 3 – 15. Not applicable.
| ITEM 16. | LIST OF EXHIBITS. |
Listed below are all exhibits filed as part of this Statement of Eligibility and Qualification.
| 1. | A copy of the Charter for Wilmington Trust, National Association. |
| 2. | The authority of Wilmington Trust, National Association to commence business was granted under the Charter for Wilmington Trust, National Association, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1 above. |
| 3. | The authorization to exercise corporate trust powers was granted under the Charter for Wilmington Trust, National Association, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1 above. |
| 4. | A copy of the existing By-Laws of Trustee, as now in effect, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4 of this Form T-1. |
| 5. | Not applicable. |
| 6. | The consent of Wilmington Trust, National Association as required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached hereto as Exhibit 6 of this Form T-1. |
| 7. | Current Report of the Condition of Wilmington Trust, National Association, published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached hereto as Exhibit 7 of this Form T-1. |
| 8. | Not applicable. |
| 9. | Not applicable. |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the trustee, Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this Statement of Eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Iselin and State of New Jersey on the 7th day of November, 2025.
| WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Latoya S. Elvin | |
| Name: | Latoya S. Elvin | |
| Title: | Vice President | |
EXHIBIT 1
CHARTER OF WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
For the purpose of organizing an association to perform any lawful activities of national banks, the undersigned do enter into the following articles of association:
FIRST. The title of this association shall be Wilmington Trust, National Association.
SECOND. The main office of the association shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware. The general business of the association shall be conducted at its main office and its branches.
THIRD. The board of directors of this association shall consist of not less than five nor more than twenty-five persons, unless the OCC has exempted the bank from the 25-member limit. The exact number is to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors or by resolution of a majority of the shareholders at any annual or special meeting thereof. Each director shall own common or preferred stock of the association or of a holding company owning the association, with an aggregate par, fair market or equity value $1,000. Determination of these values may be based as of either (i) the date of purchase or (ii) the date the person became a director, whichever value is greater. Any combination of common or preferred stock of the association or holding company may be used.
Any vacancy in the board of directors may be filled by action of a majority of the remaining directors between meetings of shareholders. The board of directors may not increase the number of directors between meetings of shareholders to a number which:
| 1) | exceeds by more than two the number of directors last elected by shareholders where the number was 15 or less; or |
| 2) | exceeds by more than four the number of directors last elected by shareholders where the number was 16 or more, but in no event shall the number of directors exceed 25, unless the OCC has exempted the bank from the 25-member limit. |
Directors shall be elected for terms of one year and until their successors are elected and qualified. Terms of directors, including directors selected to fill vacancies, shall expire at the next regular meeting of shareholders at which directors are elected, unless the directors resign or are removed from office. Despite the expiration of a director’s term, the director shall continue to serve until his or her successor is elected and qualifies or until there is a decrease in the number of directors and his or her position is eliminated.
Honorary or advisory members of the board of directors, without voting power or power of final decision in matters concerning the business of the association, may be appointed by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors, or by resolution of shareholders at any annual or special meeting. Honorary or advisory directors shall not be counted to determine the number of directors of the association or the presence of a quorum in connection with any board action, and shall not be required to own qualifying shares.
FOURTH. There shall be an annual meeting of the shareholders to elect directors and transact whatever other business may be brought before the meeting. It shall be held at the main office or any other convenient place the board of directors may designate, on the day of each year specified therefor in the bylaws, or, if that day falls on a legal holiday in the state in which the association is located, on the next following banking day. If no election is held on the day fixed, or in the event of a legal holiday on the following banking day, an election may be held on any subsequent day within 60 days of the day fixed, to be designated by the board of directors, or, if the directors fail to fix the day, by shareholders representing two-thirds of the shares issued and outstanding. In all cases at least 10 days advance notice of the time, place and purpose of a shareholders’ meeting shall be given to the shareholders by first class mail, unless the OCC determines that an emergency circumstance exists. The sole shareholder of the bank is permitted to waive notice of the shareholders’ meeting.
In all elections of directors, the number of votes each common shareholder may cast will be determined by multiplying the number of shares such shareholder owns by the number of directors to be elected. Those votes may be cumulated and cast for a single candidate or may be distributed among two or more candidates in the manner selected by the shareholder. If, after the first ballot, subsequent ballots are necessary to elect directors, a shareholder may not vote shares that he or she has already fully cumulated and voted in favor of a successful candidate. On all other questions, each common shareholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by him or her.
Nominations for election to the board of directors may be made by the board of directors or by any stockholder of any outstanding class of capital stock of the association entitled to vote for election of directors. Nominations other than those made by or on behalf of the existing management shall be made in writing and be delivered or mailed to the president of the association not less than 14 days nor more than 50 days prior to any meeting of shareholders called for the election of directors; provided, however, that if less than 21 days notice of the meeting is given to shareholders, such nominations shall be mailed or delivered to the president of the association not later than the close of business on the seventh day following the day on which the notice of meeting was mailed. Such notification shall contain the following information to the extent known to the notifying shareholder:
| 1) | The name and address of each proposed nominee. |
| 2) | The principal occupation of each proposed nominee. |
| 3) | The total number of shares of capital stock of the association that will be voted for each proposed nominee. |
| 4) | The name and residence address of the notifying shareholder. |
| 5) | The number of shares of capital stock of the association owned by the notifying shareholder. |
Nominations not made in accordance herewith may, in his/her discretion, be disregarded by the chairperson of the meeting, and the vote tellers may disregard all votes cast for each such nominee. No bylaw may unreasonably restrict the nomination of directors by shareholders.
A director may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the board of directors, its chairperson, or to the association, which resignation shall be effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date.
A director may be removed by shareholders at a meeting called to remove the director, when notice of the meeting stating that the purpose or one of the purposes is to remove the director is provided, if there is a failure to fulfill one of the affirmative requirements for qualification, or for cause; provided, however, that a director may not be removed if the number of votes sufficient to elect the director under cumulative voting is voted against the director’s removal.
FIFTH. The authorized amount of capital stock of this association shall be ten thousand shares of common stock of the par value of one hundred dollars ($100) each; but said capital stock may be increased or decreased from time to time, according to the provisions of the laws of the United States.
No holder of shares of the capital stock of any class of the association shall have any preemptive or preferential right of subscription to any shares of any class of stock of the association, whether now or hereafter authorized, or to any obligations convertible into stock of the association, issued, or sold, nor any right of subscription to any thereof other than such, if any, as the board of directors, in its discretion, may from time to time determine and at such price as the board of directors may from time to time fix. Preemptive rights also must be approved by a vote of holders of two-thirds of the bank’s outstanding voting shares. Unless otherwise specified in these articles of association or required by law, (1) all matters requiring shareholder action, including amendments to the articles of association, must be approved by shareholders owning a majority voting interest in the outstanding voting stock, and (2) each shareholder shall be entitled to one vote per share.
Unless otherwise specified in these articles of association or required by law, all shares of voting stock shall be voted together as a class, on any matters requiring shareholder approval. If a proposed amendment would affect two or more classes or series in the same or a substantially similar way, all the classes or series so affected must vote together as a single voting group on the proposed amendment.
Shares of one class or series may be issued as a dividend for shares of the same class or series on a pro rata basis and without consideration. Shares of one class or series may be issued as share dividends for a different class or series of stock if approved by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the class or series to be issued, unless there are no outstanding shares of the class or series to be issued. Unless otherwise provided by the board of directors, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to a share dividend shall be the date authorized by the board of directors for the share dividend.
Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting is the close of business on the day before the first notice is mailed or otherwise sent to the shareholders, provided that in no event may a record date be more than 70 days before the meeting.
If a shareholder is entitled to fractional shares pursuant to a stock dividend, consolidation or merger, reverse stock split or otherwise, the association may: (a) issue fractional shares; (b) in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares, issue script or warrants entitling the holder to receive a full share upon surrendering enough script or warrants to equal a full share; (c) if there is an established and active market in the association’s stock, make reasonable arrangements to provide the shareholder with an opportunity to realize a fair price through sale of the fraction, or purchase of the additional fraction required for a full share; (d) remit the cash equivalent of the fraction to the shareholder; or (e) sell full shares representing all the fractions at public auction or to the highest bidder after having solicited and received sealed bids from at least three licensed stock brokers; and distribute the proceeds pro rata to shareholders who otherwise would be entitled to the fractional shares. The holder of a fractional share is entitled to exercise the rights for shareholder, including the right to vote, to receive dividends, and to participate in the assets of the association upon liquidation, in proportion to the fractional interest. The holder of script or warrants is not entitled to any of these rights unless the script or warrants explicitly provide for such rights. The script or warrants may be subject to such additional conditions as: (1) that the script or warrants will become void if not exchanged for full shares before a specified date; and (2) that the shares for which the script or warrants are exchangeable may be sold at the option of the association and the proceeds paid to scriptholders.
The association, at any time and from time to time, may authorize and issue debt obligations, whether or not subordinated, without the approval of the shareholders. Obligations classified as debt, whether or not subordinated, which may be issued by the association without the approval of shareholders, do not carry voting rights on any issue, including an increase or decrease in the aggregate number of the securities, or the exchange or reclassification of all or part of securities into securities of another class or series.
SIXTH. The board of directors shall appoint one of its members president of this association, and one of its members chairperson of the board and shall have the power to appoint one or more vice presidents, a secretary who shall keep minutes of the directors’ and shareholders’ meetings and be responsible for authenticating the records of the association, and such other officers and employees as may be required to transact the business of this association.
A duly appointed officer may appoint one or more officers or assistant officers if authorized by the board of directors in accordance with the bylaws.
The board of directors shall have the power to:
| 1) | Define the duties of the officers, employees, and agents of the association. |
| 2) | Delegate the performance of its duties, but not the responsibility for its duties, to the officers, employees, and agents of the association. |
| 3) | Fix the compensation and enter into employment contracts with its officers and employees upon reasonable terms and conditions consistent with applicable law. |
| 4) | Dismiss officers and employees. |
| 5) | Require bonds from officers and employees and to fix the penalty thereof. |
| 6) | Ratify written policies authorized by the association’s management or committees of the board. |
| 7) | Regulate the manner in which any increase or decrease of the capital of the association shall be made, provided that nothing herein shall restrict the power of shareholders to increase or decrease the capital of the association in accordance with law, and nothing shall raise or lower from two-thirds the percentage required for shareholder approval to increase or reduce the capital. |
| 8) | Manage and administer the business and affairs of the association. |
| 9) | Adopt initial bylaws, not inconsistent with law or the articles of association, for managing the business and regulating the affairs of the association. |
| 10) | Amend or repeal bylaws, except to the extent that the articles of association reserve this power in whole or in part to shareholders. |
| 11) | Make contracts. |
| 12) | Generally perform all acts that are legal for a board of directors to perform. |
SEVENTH. The board of directors shall have the power to change the location of the main office to any other place within the limits of Wilmington, Delaware, without the approval of the shareholders, or with a vote of shareholders owning two-thirds of the stock of such association for a relocation outside such limits and upon receipt of a certificate of approval from the Comptroller of the Currency, to any other location within or outside the limits of Wilmington Delaware, but not more than 30 miles beyond such limits. The board of directors shall have the power to establish or change the location of any branch or branches of the association to any other location permitted under applicable law, without approval of shareholders, subject to approval by the Comptroller of the Currency.
EIGHTH. The corporate existence of this association shall continue until termination according to the laws of the United States.
NINTH. The board of directors of this association, or any one or more shareholders owning, in the aggregate, not less than 50 percent of the stock of this association, may call a special meeting of shareholders at any time. Unless otherwise provided by the bylaws or the laws of the United States, a notice of the time, place, and purpose of every annual and special meeting of the shareholders shall be given at least 10 days prior to the meeting by first-class mail, unless the OCC determines that an emergency circumstance exists. If the association is a wholly-owned subsidiary, the sole shareholder may waive notice of the shareholders’ meeting. Unless otherwise provided by the bylaws or these articles, any action requiring approval of shareholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting.
TENTH. For purposes of this Article Tenth, the term “institution-affiliated party” shall mean any institution-affiliated party of the association as such term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813(u).
Any institution-affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) may be indemnified or reimbursed by the association for reasonable expenses actually incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed actions or proceedings and appeals therein, whether civil, criminal, governmental, administrative or investigative, in accordance with and to the fullest extent permitted by law, as such law now or hereafter exists; provided, however, that when an administrative proceeding or action instituted by a federal banking agency results in a final order or settlement pursuant to which such person: (i) is assessed a civil money penalty, (ii) is removed from office or prohibited from participating in the conduct of the affairs of the association, or (iii) is required to cease and desist from or to take any affirmative action described in 12 U.S.C. 1818(b) with respect to the association, then the association shall require the repayment of all legal fees and expenses advanced pursuant to the next succeeding paragraph and may not indemnify such institution-affiliated parties (or their heirs, executors or administrators) for expenses, including expenses for legal fees, penalties or other payments incurred. The association shall provide indemnification in connection with an action or proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by an institution-affiliated party (or by his or her heirs, executors or administrators) only if such action or proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the board of directors.
Expenses incurred by an institution-affiliated party (or by his or her heirs, executors or administrators) in connection with any action or proceeding under 12 U.S.C. 164 or 1818 may be paid by the association in advance of the final disposition of such action or proceeding upon (a) a determination by the board of directors acting by a quorum consisting of directors who are not parties to such action or proceeding that the institution-affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) has a reasonable basis for prevailing on the merits, (b) a determination that the indemnified individual (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) will have the financial capacity to reimburse the bank in the event he or she does not prevail, (c) a determination that the payment of expenses and fees by the association will not adversely affect the safety and soundness of the association, and (d) receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such institution-affiliated party (or by his or her heirs, executors or administrators) to repay such advancement in the event of a final order or settlement pursuant to which such person: (i) is assessed a civil money penalty, (ii) is removed from office or prohibited from participating in the conduct of the affairs of the association, or (iii) is required to cease and desist from or to take any affirmative action described in 12 U.S.C. 1818(b) with respect to the association. In all other instances, expenses incurred by an institution-affiliated party (or by his or her heirs, executors or administrators) in connection with any action or proceeding as to which indemnification may be given under these articles of association may be paid by the association in advance of the final disposition of such action or proceeding upon (a) receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such institution-affiliated party (or by or on behalf of his or her heirs, executors or administrators) to repay such advancement in the event that such institution-affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) is ultimately found not to be entitled to indemnification as authorized by these articles of association and (b) approval by the board of directors acting by a quorum consisting of directors who are not parties to such action or proceeding or, if such a quorum is not obtainable, then approval by stockholders. To the extent permitted by law, the board of directors or, if applicable, the stockholders, shall not be required to find that the institution-affiliated party has met the applicable standard of conduct provided by law for indemnification in connection with such action or proceeding.
In the event that a majority of the members of the board of directors are named as respondents in an administrative proceeding or civil action and request indemnification, the remaining members of the board may authorize independent legal counsel to review the indemnification request and provide the remaining members of the board with a written opinion of counsel as to whether the conditions delineated in the first four paragraphs of this Article Tenth have been met. If independent legal counsel opines that said conditions have been met, the remaining members of the board of directors may rely on such opinion in authorizing the requested indemnification.
In the event that all of the members of the board of directors are named as respondents in an administrative proceeding or civil action and request indemnification, the board shall authorize independent legal counsel to review the indemnification request and provide the board with a written opinion of counsel as to whether the conditions delineated in the first four paragraphs of this Article Tenth have been met. If legal counsel opines that said conditions have been met, the board of directors may rely on such opinion in authorizing the requested indemnification.
To the extent permitted under applicable law, the rights of indemnification and to the advancement of expenses provided in these articles of association (a) shall be available with respect to events occurring prior to the adoption of these articles of association, (b) shall continue to exist after any restrictive amendment of these articles of association with respect to events occurring prior to such amendment, (c) may be interpreted on the basis of applicable law in effect at the time of the occurrence of the event or events giving rise to the action or proceeding, or on the basis of applicable law in effect at the time such rights are claimed, and (d) are in the nature of contract rights which may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction as if the association and the institution-affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) for whom such rights are sought were parties to a separate written agreement.
The rights of indemnification and to the advancement of expenses provided in these articles of association shall not, to the extent permitted under applicable law, be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which any such institution affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) may now or hereafter be otherwise entitled whether contained in these articles of association, the bylaws, a resolution of stockholders, a resolution of the board of directors, or an agreement providing such indemnification, the creation of such other rights being hereby expressly authorized. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the rights of indemnification and to the advancement of expenses provided in these articles of association shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights, pursuant to statute or otherwise, of any such institution-affiliated party (or of his or her heirs, executors or administrators) in any such action or proceeding to have assessed or allowed in his or her favor, against the association or otherwise, his or her costs and expenses incurred therein or in connection therewith or any part thereof.
If this Article Tenth or any part hereof shall be held unenforceable in any respect by a court of competent jurisdiction, it shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remainder of this Article Tenth shall remain fully enforceable.
The association may, upon affirmative vote of a majority of its board of directors, purchase insurance to indemnify its institution-affiliated parties to the extent that such indemnification is allowed in these articles of association; provided, however, that no such insurance shall include coverage to pay or reimburse any institution-affiliated party for the cost of any judgment or civil money penalty assessed against such person in an administrative proceeding or civil action commenced by any federal banking agency. Such insurance may, but need not, be for the benefit of all institution-affiliated parties.
ELEVENTH. These articles of association may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the shareholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of this association, unless the vote of the holders of a greater amount of stock is required by law, and in that case by the vote of the holders of such greater amount. The association’s board of directors may propose one or more amendments to the articles of association for submission to the shareholders.
EXHIBIT 4
BY-LAWS OF WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
(Effective as of March 7, 2024)
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE I
Meetings of Shareholders
Section 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of shareholders shall be held on such date and at such time as may be designated by the chair of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president, the chief operating officer, the secretary, or the Board of Directors for the purpose of the election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, except such date shall not be a legal holiday in Delaware. Notice of the meeting shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, at least 10 days and no more than 60 days prior to the date thereof, addressed to each shareholder at his or her address appearing on the books of the association. If, for any cause, an election of directors is not made on that date, an election may be held on any subsequent day within 60 days of the date fixed, to be designated by the Board of Directors, or, if the directors fail to fix the date, by shareholders representing two-thirds of the shares. In these circumstances, at least 10 days’ notice must be given by first class mail to shareholders.
Section 2. Special Meetings. The chair of the Board of Directors, the president, the chief executive officer, the secretary, or the Board of Directors may call a special meeting of the shareholders. A special meeting shall be called to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of shareholders upon the written request of shareholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at the meeting. Every such special meeting, unless otherwise provided by law, shall be called by mailing, postage prepaid, not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting, to each shareholder at the address appearing on the books of the association a notice stating the purpose of the meeting.
The Board of Directors may fix a record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice and to vote at any meeting, in reasonable proximity to the date of giving notice to the shareholders of such meeting. The record date for determining shareholders entitled to demand a special meeting is the date the first shareholder signs a demand for the meeting describing the purpose or purposes for which it is to be held.
Section 3. Adjournment. If an annual or special shareholders’ meeting is adjourned to a different date, time, or place, notice need not be given of the new date, time or place, if the new date, time or place is announced at the meeting before adjournment, unless any additional items of business are to be considered, or the association becomes aware of an intervening event materially affecting any matter to be voted on more than 10 days prior to the date to which the meeting is adjourned. If a new record date for the adjourned meeting is fixed, however, notice of the adjourned meeting must be given to persons who are shareholders as of the new record date. If, however, the meeting to elect the directors is adjourned before the election takes place, at least ten days’ notice of the new election must be given to the shareholders by first-class mail.
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Section 4. Nominations of Directors. Nominations for election to the Board of Directors may be made by the Board of Directors or by any shareholder of any outstanding class of capital stock of the association entitled to vote for the election of directors. Nominations, other than those made by or on behalf of the existing management of the association, shall be made in writing and shall be delivered or mailed to the president of the association, not less than 14 days nor more than 50 days prior to any meeting of shareholders called for the election of directors; provided, however, that if less than 21 days’ notice of the meeting is given to shareholders, such nomination shall be mailed or delivered to the president of the association not later than the close of business on the seventh day following the day on which the notice of meeting was mailed. Such notification shall contain the following information to the extent known to the notifying shareholder:
| (1) | The name and address of each proposed nominee; |
| (2) | The principal occupation of each proposed nominee; |
| (3) | The total number of shares of capital stock of the association that will be voted for each proposed nominee; |
| (4) | The name and residence of the notifying shareholder; and |
| (5) | The number of shares of capital stock of the association owned by the notifying shareholder |
Nominations not made in accordance herewith may, in his/her discretion, be disregarded by the chair of the meeting, and upon his/her instructions, all votes cast for each such nominee may be disregarded.
Section 5. Proxies. Shareholders may vote at any meeting of the shareholders by proxies duly authorized in writing, but no officer or employee of this association shall act as proxy. A director or an attorney of the association may act as proxy for shareholders voting if they are not also employed as an officer of the association. Proxies shall be valid only for one meeting, to be specified therein, and any adjournments of such meeting. Proxies shall be dated and filed with the records of the meeting. Proxies with facsimile signatures may be used and unexecuted proxies may be counted upon receipt of a written confirmation from the shareholder. Proxies meeting the above requirements submitted at any time during a meeting shall be accepted.
Section 6. Quorum. A majority of the outstanding capital stock, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of shareholders, unless otherwise provided by law, but less than a quorum may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held, as adjourned, without further notice. A majority of the votes cast shall decide every question or matter submitted to the shareholders at any meeting, unless otherwise provided by law or by the articles of association. If a meeting for the election of directors is not held on the fixed date, at least 10 days’ notice must be given by first-class mail to the shareholders.
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ARTICLE II
Directors
Section 1. Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall have the power to manage and administer the business and affairs of the association. Except as expressly limited by law, all corporate powers of the association shall be vested in and may be exercised by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Number. The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than five nor more than twenty-five members, unless the OCC has exempted the association from the 25-member limit. The exact number within such minimum and maximum limits is to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of a majority of the full Board of Directors or by resolution of a majority of the shareholders at any meeting thereof. The Board of Directors may not increase the number of directors between meetings of shareholders to a number which: (a) exceeds by more than 2 the number of directors last elected by shareholders where the number was 15 or less; or (b) exceeds by more than 4 the number of directors last elected by shareholders where the number was 16 or more, but in no event shall the number of directors exceed 25, unless the OCC has exempted the association from the 25-member limit.
Section 3. Qualifications. Each director must be a citizen of the United States and must own in his or her own right either shares of the capital stock of the association or a company that controls the association that has not less than an aggregate par value of $1,000, an aggregate shareholders’ equity of $1,000, or an aggregate fair market value of $1,000. The value of the common or preferred stock held by a director is valued as of the date purchased or the date on which the individual became a director, whichever is greater.
Section 4. Organization Meeting. After each annual meeting of shareholders at which directors shall have been elected, the Board of Directors shall meet as soon as practicable for the purpose of organization and the transaction of other business. Such first regular meeting shall be held at any place as may be designated by the chair, the president or the Board of Directors for such first regular meeting or, in default of such designation, where the immediately preceding meeting of shareholders was held.
Section 5. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held on such dates and at such places as may be designated from time to time by the chair. No notice of regular meetings shall be necessary.
Section 6. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any time by the chair, the chief executive officer, the president or by a majority of the then- acting directors by vote at a meeting or in writing, or by a majority of the members of the executive committee, if one is constituted, by vote at a meeting or in writing. A special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held on such date and at any place as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. In the absence of such designation, such meeting shall be held at such place as may be designated in the call. Each member of the Board of Directors shall be given notice stating the date, time and place, by letter, electronic delivery or in person, of each special meeting not less than one day before the meeting. Such notice need not specify the purpose for which the meeting is called, unless required by the Articles of Association or the bylaws.
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Section 7. Quorum. A majority of the entire Board then in office shall constitute a quorum at any meeting, except when otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, but a lesser number may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held, as adjourned, without further notice. If the number of directors present at the meeting is reduced below the number that would constitute a quorum, no business may be transacted, except selecting directors to fill vacancies in conformance with Article II, Section 11. If a quorum is present, the board of directors may take action through the vote of a majority of the directors who are in attendance. No director may vote by proxy.
Section 8. Attendance by Electronic, Telephonic or Similar Means. Any one or more members of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may participate in a regular or special meeting of such board or committee by, or conduct the meeting through the use of, conference telephone or other communications equipment by which all directors or committee members participating may simultaneously hear each other during the meeting. Participation in a meeting by these means constitutes presence in person at a meeting.
Section 9. Procedures. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at every meeting of the Board of Directors may be determined by the person presiding at the meeting.
Section 10. Removal of Directors. Any director may be removed for cause at any meeting of shareholders, notice of which shall have referred to the proposed action, by vote of the shareholders. Any director may be removed without cause at any meeting of shareholders, notice of which shall have referred to the proposed action, by the vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the association entitled to vote. Any director may be removed for cause at any meeting of the directors, notice of which shall have referred to the proposed action, by vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors.
Section 11. Vacancies. When any vacancy occurs among the directors, a majority of the remaining members of the Board of Directors may appoint a director to fill such vacancy until the next election at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors, or at a special meeting called for that purpose at which a quorum is present, or if the directors remaining in office constitute fewer than a quorum of the Board of Directors, by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the directors remaining in office, or by shareholders at a special meeting called for that purpose in conformance with Section 2 of Article I. A vacancy that will occur at a specific later date (by reason of a resignation effective at a later date) may be filled before the vacancy occurs but the new director may not take office until the vacancy occurs.
Section 12. Consent of Directors without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting if the action is taken by all members of the Board. The action may be evidenced by one or more written consents signed by each director before or after such action, describing the action taken, and included in the minutes or filed with the corporate records. A director’s consent to action taken without a meeting may be in electronic form and delivered by electronic means.
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Section 13. Ratification. The board of directors may ratify and make binding on the association any action or inaction by the association or its officers to the extent that the Board of Directors or the shareholders could have originally authorized the matter and as permitted by law. Moreover, any action or inaction questioned in any shareholders’ derivative proceeding or any other proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a director, officer or shareholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Directors or by the shareholders, and if so ratified, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned action or inaction had been originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the shareholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.
ARTICLE III
Committees
Section 1. Executive Committee. The Board of Directors may appoint an Executive Committee, which shall have and may exercise, during the intervals between meetings of the Board of Directors, all the powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business, properties and affairs of the association except as prohibited by law, the Articles of Association or these Bylaws. All acts done and powers conferred by the Executive Committee shall be deemed to be and may be certified as being, done or conferred under authority of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Trust Audit Committee. Unless delegated pursuant to Section 5 of this Article III, there shall be a Trust Audit Committee composed of not less than 2 directors, appointed by the Board of Directors, which shall, at least once during each calendar year make suitable audits of the association’s fiduciary activities or cause suitable audits to be made by auditors responsible only to the Board, and at such time shall ascertain whether fiduciary powers have been administered according to law, Part 9 of the Regulations of the Comptroller of the Currency, and sound fiduciary principles. Such committee: (1) must not include any officers of the association or an affiliate who participate significantly in the administration of the association’s fiduciary activities; and (2) must consist of a majority of members who are not also members of any committee to which the Board of Directors has delegated power to manage and control the fiduciary activities of the bank.
Section 3. Examining Committee. Unless delegated pursuant to Section 5 of this Article III, there shall be an examining committee composed of not less than 2 directors, exclusive of any active officers, appointed by the board of directors annually or more often. The duty of that committee shall be to examine at least once during each calendar year and within 15 months of the last examination the affairs of the association or cause suitable examinations to be made by auditors responsible only to the board of directors and to report the result of such examination in writing to the board of directors at the next regular meeting thereafter. Such report shall state whether the association is in a sound condition, and whether adequate internal controls and procedures are being maintained and shall recommend to the board of directors such changes in the manner of conducting the affairs of the association as shall be deemed advisable.
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Section 4. Other Committees. The Board of Directors may from time to time by resolution adopted by affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors, appoint other committees of the Board of Directors which shall have such powers and duties as the Board of Directors may properly determine. No such other committee of the Board of Directors shall be composed of fewer than three (3) directors. The Board of Directors may also appoint one or more directors as alternative members of a committee. All acts done and powers conferred by the Board of Directors on committees of the Board of Directors shall be deemed to be and may be certified as being, done or conferred under that authority of the Board of Directors.
Section 5. Delegation of Responsibility and Authority. The responsibility, authority and constitution of any committee under this Article III may, if authorized by law, be given over to a duly constituted committee of the association’s parent corporation by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IV
Officers and Employees
Section 1 Officers. The Board of Directors shall annually, at the Annual Reorganization Meeting of the Board of Directors following the annual meeting of shareholders, appoint or elect a chair of the Board, a chief executive officer, a president, one (1) or more senior executive vice presidents, a corporate secretary, a treasurer, a chief auditor, and such other officers as it may determine, each to hold office until the next Annual Reorganization meeting.
The officers below the level of senior executive vice president may be elected as follows: the head of the Human Resources Department of M&T Bank, or his or her designee, may appoint officers up to and including (without limitation as to title or number) one (1) or more executive vice presidents, senior vice presidents, vice presidents, assistant vice presidents, assistant secretaries, assistant treasurers, and assistant auditors, and any other officer positions as they deem necessary and appropriate, except the chair of the board, chief executive officer, president, any “Executive Officer” of the association for the purposes of Regulation O (codified at 12 C.F.R. §215.2(e)(1)), and any “Senior Executive Officer” within the meaning of 12 C.F.R. §5.51(c)(4) may only be appointed by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Chair of the Board. The Board of Directors shall appoint one of its members to be the chair of the Board to serve at its pleasure. Such person shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. The chair of the Board shall supervise the carrying out of the policies adopted or approved by the Board of Directors; shall have general executive powers, as well as the specific powers conferred by these Bylaws; and shall also have and may exercise such further powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred upon or assigned by the Board of Directors.
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Section 3. President. The Board of Directors shall appoint one of its members to be the president of the association. The president shall be a member of the Board of Directors. In the absence of the chair, the president shall preside at any meeting of the Board of Directors. The president shall have general executive powers and shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation, or practice to the office of president, or imposed by these Bylaws. The president shall also have and may exercise such further powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred or assigned by the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Vice President. The Board of Directors may appoint one or more vice presidents. Each vice president shall have such powers and duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors. One vice president shall be designated by the Board of Directors, in the absence of the president, to perform all the duties of the president.
Section 5. Secretary. The Board of Directors shall appoint a secretary or other designated officer who shall be secretary of the Board of Directors and of the association and who shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings. The secretary shall attend to the giving of all notices required by these Bylaws; shall be custodian of the corporate seal, records, documents and papers of the association; shall provide for the keeping of proper records of all transactions of the association; shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation or practice, or imposed by these bylaws; and shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time, by the Board of Directors.
Section 6. Other Officers. The Board of Directors may appoint one or more assistant vice presidents, one or more trust officers, one or more officers, one or more assistant secretaries, one or more assistant treasurers, one or more managers and assistant managers of branches and such other officers and attorneys in fact as from time to time may appear to the Board of Directors to be required or desirable to transact the business of the association. Such officers shall respectively exercise such powers and perform such duties as pertain to their several offices, or as may be conferred upon or assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the chair of the Board, or the president. The Board of Directors may authorize an officer to appoint one or more officers or assistant officers.
Section 7. Resignation. An officer may resign at any time by delivering notice to the association. A resignation is effective when the notice is given unless the notice specifies a later effective date.
ARTICLE V
Stock and Stock Certificates
Section 1. Transfers. Shares of stock shall be transferable on the books of the association, and a transfer book shall be kept in which all transfers of stock shall be recorded. Every person becoming a shareholder by such transfer shall in proportion to such shareholder’s shares, succeed to all rights of the prior holder of such shares. The Board of Directors may impose conditions upon the transfer of the stock reasonably calculated to simplify the work of the association with respect to stock transfers, voting at shareholder meetings and related matters and to protect it against fraudulent transfers.
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Section 2. Stock Certificates. Certificates of stock shall bear the signature of the president (which may be engraved, printed or impressed) and shall be signed manually, by facsimile process, or electronic means by the secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer, assistant treasurer, or any other officer appointed by the Board of Directors for that purpose, to be known as an authorized officer, and the seal of the association shall be engraved thereon. Each certificate shall recite on its face that the stock represented thereby is transferable only upon the books of the association properly endorsed and otherwise comply with the requirements of 12
U.S.C. 52 and 12 C.F.R. §7.2016(b).
Section 3. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. In case any certificate representing shares shall be lost, stolen or destroyed, the Board of Directors, in its discretion, or any officer or officers thereunder duly authorized by the Board of Directors, may authorize the issue of a substitute certificate or substitute shares in uncertificated form in the place of the certificate so lost, stolen or destroyed.
Section 4. Fixing of Record Date. The Board of Directors may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or determining shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall be the close of business on the day before the first notice is mailed or otherwise sent to the shareholders, provided that in no event may a record date be more than 10 days before the meeting.
ARTICLE VII
Corporate Seal
Section 1. Seal. The seal of the association shall be in such form as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The president, the treasurer, the secretary or any assistant treasurer or assistant secretary, or other officer thereunto designated by the Board of Directors shall have authority to affix the corporate seal to any document requiring such seal and to attest the same. The seal on any corporate obligation for the payment of money may be facsimile.
ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the association shall be the calendar year.
Section 2. Execution of Instruments. All agreements, indentures, mortgages, deeds, conveyances, transfers, certificates, declarations, receipts, discharges, releases, satisfactions, settlements, petitions, schedules, accounts, affidavits, bonds, undertakings, proxies and other instruments or documents may be signed, executed, acknowledged, verified, delivered or accepted on behalf of the association by any officer elected or appointed pursuant to Article IV of these Bylaws. Any such instruments may also be executed, acknowledged, verified, delivered or accepted on behalf of the association in such other manner and by such other officers as the Board of Directors may from time to time direct. The provisions of this Section 2 are supplementary to any other provision of these Bylaws.
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Section 3. Records. The Articles of Association, the Bylaws and the proceedings of all meetings of the shareholders, the Board of Directors, and standing committees of the Board of Directors shall be recorded in appropriate minute books provided for that purpose. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the secretary, treasurer or other officer appointed to act as secretary of the meeting.
Section 4. Corporate Governance Procedures. To the extent not inconsistent with federal banking statutes and regulations, or safe and sound banking practices, the association may follow the Delaware General Corporation Law, Del. Code Ann. tit. 8 (1991, as amended 1994, and as amended thereafter) with respect to matters of corporate governance procedures.
Section 5. Indemnification. For purposes of this Section 5 of Article VIII, the term “institution-affiliated party” shall mean any institution-affiliated party of the association as such term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813(u).
Any institution-affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) may be indemnified or reimbursed by the association for reasonable expenses actually incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed actions or proceedings and appeals therein, whether civil, criminal, governmental, administrative or investigative, in accordance with and to the fullest extent permitted by law, as such law now or hereafter exists; provided, however, that when an administrative proceeding or action instituted by a federal banking agency results in a final order or settlement pursuant to which such person: (i) is assessed a civil money penalty, (ii) is removed from office or prohibited from participating in the conduct of the affairs of the association, or (iii) is required to cease and desist from or to take any affirmative action described in 12 U.S.C. 1818(b) with respect to the association, then the association shall require the repayment of all legal fees and expenses advanced pursuant to the next succeeding paragraph and may not indemnify such institution-affiliated parties (or their heirs, executors or administrators) for expenses, including expenses for legal fees, penalties or other payments incurred. The association shall provide indemnification in connection with an action or proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by an institution-affiliated party (or by his or her heirs, executors or administrators) only if such action or proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors.
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Expenses incurred by an institution-affiliated party (or by his or her heirs, executors or administrators) in connection with any action or proceeding under 12 U.S.C. 164 or 1818 may be paid by the association in advance of the final disposition of such action or proceeding upon (a) a determination by the Board of Directors acting by a quorum consisting of directors who are not parties to such action or proceeding that the institution-affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) has a reasonable basis for prevailing on the merits, (b) a determination that the indemnified individual (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) will have the financial capacity to reimburse the association in the event he or she does not prevail, (c) a determination that the payment of expenses and fees by the association will not adversely affect the safety and soundness of the association, and (d) receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such institution-affiliated party (or by his or her heirs, executors or administrators) to repay such advancement in the event of a final order or settlement pursuant to which such person: (i) is assessed a civil money penalty, (ii) is removed from office or prohibited from participating in the conduct of the affairs of the association, or (iii) is required to cease and desist from or to take any affirmative action described in 12 U.S.C. 1818(b) with respect to the association. In all other instances, expenses incurred by an institution-affiliated party (or by his or her heirs, executors or administrators) in connection with any action or proceeding as to which indemnification may be given under the Articles of Association may be paid by the association in advance of the final disposition of such action or proceeding upon (a) receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such institution-affiliated party (or by or on behalf of his or her heirs, executors or administrators) to repay such advancement in the event that such institution- affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) is ultimately found not to be entitled to indemnification as authorized by these Bylaws and (b) approval by the Board of Directors acting by a quorum consisting of directors who are not parties to such action or proceeding or, if such a quorum is not obtainable, then approval by shareholders. To the extent permitted by law, the Board of Directors or, if applicable, the shareholders, shall not be required to find that the institution-affiliated party has met the applicable standard of conduct provided by law for indemnification in connection with such action or proceeding.
In the event that a majority of the members of the Board of Directors are named as respondents in an administrative proceeding or civil action and request indemnification, the remaining members of the Board may authorize independent legal counsel to review the indemnification request and provide the remaining members of the Board with a written opinion of counsel as to whether the conditions delineated in the first four paragraphs of this Section 5 of Article VIII have been met. If independent legal counsel opines that said conditions have been met, the remaining members of the Board of Directors may rely on such opinion in authorizing the requested indemnification.
In the event that all of the members of the Board of Directors are named as respondents in an administrative proceeding or civil action and request indemnification, the Board shall authorize independent legal counsel to review the indemnification request and provide the Board with a written opinion of counsel as to whether the conditions delineated in the first four paragraphs of this Section 5 of Article VIII have been met. If legal counsel opines that said conditions have been met, the Board of Directors may rely on such opinion in authorizing the requested indemnification.
To the extent permitted under applicable law, the rights of indemnification and to the advancement of expenses provided in the Articles of Association (a) shall be available with respect to events occurring prior to the adoption of these Bylaws, (b) shall continue to exist after any restrictive amendment of these Bylaws with respect to events occurring prior to such amendment, (c) may be interpreted on the basis of applicable law in effect at the time of the occurrence of the event or events giving rise to the action or proceeding, or on the basis of applicable law in effect at the time such rights are claimed, and (d) are in the nature of contract rights which may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction as if the association and the institution-affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) for whom such rights are sought were parties to a separate written agreement.
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The rights of indemnification and to the advancement of expenses provided in these Bylaws shall not, to the extent permitted under applicable law, be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which any such institution-affiliated party (or his or her heirs, executors or administrators) may now or hereafter be otherwise entitled whether contained in the association’s Articles of Association, these Bylaws, a resolution of shareholders, a resolution of the Board of Directors, or an agreement providing such indemnification, the creation of such other rights being hereby expressly authorized. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the rights of indemnification and to the advancement of expenses provided in these Bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights, pursuant to statute or otherwise, of any such institution-affiliated party (or of his or her heirs, executors or administrators) in any such action or proceeding to have assessed or allowed in his or her favor, against the association or otherwise, his or her costs and expenses incurred therein or in connection therewith or any part thereof.
If this Section 5 of Article VIII or any part hereof shall be held unenforceable in any respect by a court of competent jurisdiction, it shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remainder of this Section 5 of Article VIII shall remain fully enforceable.
The association may, upon affirmative vote of a majority of its Board of Directors, purchase insurance to indemnify its institution-affiliated parties to the extent that such indemnification is allowed in these Bylaws; provided, however, that no such insurance shall include coverage for a final order assessing civil money penalties against such persons by a bank regulatory agency. Such insurance may, but need not, be for the benefit of all institution- affiliated parties.
ARTICLE IX
Inspection and Amendments
Section 1. Inspection. A copy of the bylaws of the association, with all amendments, shall at all times be kept in a convenient place at the main office of the association, and shall be open for inspection to all shareholders during banking hours.
Section 2. Amendments. The Board of Directors shall have the power, at any regular or special meeting thereof, to amend, alter or repeal the bylaws of the association, or to make and adopt new bylaws. These Bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by the shareholders of the association to the extent and as permitted in the Articles of Association or applicable law.
EXHIBIT 6
Section 321(b) Consent
Pursuant to Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, Wilmington Trust, National Association hereby consents that reports of examinations by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon requests therefor.
| WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ||||||
| Dated: November 7, 2025 | By: | /s/ Latoya S. Elvin | ||||
| Name: Latoya S. Elvin | ||||||
| Title: Vice President | ||||||
EXHIBIT 7
REPORT OF CONDITION
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
As of the close of business on September 30, 2025
| ASSETS |
Thousands of Dollars | |||
| Cash and balances due from depository institutions: |
656,466 | |||
| Securities: |
1,107 | |||
| Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreement to resell: |
0 | |||
| Loans and leases held for sale: |
0 | |||
| Loans and leases net of unearned income, allowance: |
27,737 | |||
| Premises and fixed asset |
26,515 | |||
| Other real estate owned: |
0 | |||
| Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies: |
0 | |||
| Direct and indirect investments in real estate ventures: |
0 | |||
| Intangible assets: |
0 | |||
| Other assets: |
69,238 | |||
| Total Assets: |
781,153 | |||
| LIABILITIES |
Thousands of Dollars | |||
| Deposits |
5,219 | |||
| Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase |
0 | |||
| Other borrowed money: |
0 | |||
| Other Liabilities: |
110,863 | |||
| Total Liabilities |
116,082 | |||
| EQUITY CAPITAL |
Thousands of Dollars | |||
| Common Stock |
1,000 | |||
| Surplus |
357,898 | |||
| Retained Earnings |
306,169 | |||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income |
4 | |||
| Total Equity Capital |
665,071 | |||
| Total Liabilities and Equity Capital |
781,153 | |||
Exhibit 99.1
USCB FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
To Tender for Exchange
7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 CUSIP# 90355N AA9 / ISIN# US90355NAA90 and CUISP #90355N AB7 / ISIN# US90355NAB73 ( (the “Old Notes”)
for
7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) CUSIP# 90355N AC5 / ISIN# US90355NAC56 (the “New Notes”)
PURSUANT TO THE PROSPECTUS
DATED , 2025
| THE EXCHANGE OFFER DESCRIBED HEREIN (THE “EXCHANGE OFFER”) WILL EXPIRE AT 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON , 202 , UNLESS EXTENDED (THE “EXPIRATION DATE”). TENDERS MAY BE WITHDRAWN PRIOR TO 11:59 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON THE EXPIRATION DATE. |
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE ATTACHED INSTRUCTIONS.
The “Exchange Agent” is:
Wilmington Trust, National Association
By Registered or Certified Mail, Overnight Courier, or Hand Delivery:
Wilmington Trust, National Association
Attn: Workflow Management – 5th Floor
Rodney Square North
1100 North Market Street
Wilmington, Delaware 19890
Email: DTC@Wilmingtontrust.com
Confirm by Telephone or for Information:
(302) 636-6470
Delivery of this Letter of Transmittal to an address other than as set forth above or transmission via facsimile will not constitute a valid delivery. Only hard copies of this Letter of Transmittal or presentations via ATOP through the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) will be accepted.
For procedural questions regarding this Letter of Transmittal or for any additional information, you may contact the Exchange Agent by email at DTC@Wilmingtontrust.com. All other requests for information relating to the Exchange Offer shall be directed to the Company, at USCB Financial Holdings, Inc., 2301 N.W. 87th Avenue, Doral, Florida 33172, Attention: Robert Anderson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
The Exchange Offer is not being mailed to, nor will tenders be accepted from or on behalf of, beneficial owners of outstanding Old Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance of the Exchange Offer would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction.
Preliminary Instructions
The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the prospectus dated , 2025 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Prospectus”) of USCB Financial Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) and this Letter of Transmittal (this “Letter of Transmittal”), which together constitute the Exchange Offer whereby the Company is offering to exchange its 7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 (in global or definitive form) (the “Old Notes”) for a like principal amount of its 7.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (in global form) (the “New Notes”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Prospectus.
1
The terms of the New Notes are identical in all material respects to the terms of the Old Notes, except that the New Notes are registered under the Securities Act and are generally not subject to transfer restrictions, are not entitled to registration rights under the registration rights agreement that the Company entered into with the initial purchasers of the Old Notes and do not have the right to additional interest under the circumstances described in that registration rights agreement relating to the Company’s fulfillment of its registration obligations. Interest on each New Note will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was paid on the Old Note surrendered in exchange thereof, or, if no interest has been paid on such Old Notes, from the date of its original issue.
This Letter of Transmittal is to be completed by all beneficial owners of Old Notes wishing to participate in the Exchange Offer.
The Company reserves the right, at any time and from time to time, to extend the Exchange Offer, in which case the term “Expiration Date” means the latest date and time to which the Exchange Offer is extended by the Company. In order to extend the Exchange Offer, the Company will notify the Exchange Agent, each registered holder and each beneficial owner of Old Notes by oral (confirmed in writing) or written notice or will issue a press release or other public announcement of such extension, each prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled Expiration Date. The Exchange Offer is not conditioned upon the tender of any minimum aggregate principal amount of Old Notes.
The Company has not provided guaranteed delivery procedures in conjunction with this Exchange Offer or under any of the Prospectus or other materials provided herewith.
BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF OUTSTANDING OLD NOTES SHOULD COMPLETE THE APPROPRIATE BOXES BELOW AND SIGN THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL TO INDICATE THE ACTION SUCH BENEFICIAL OWNERS ELECT TO TAKE WITH RESPECT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Exchange Offer, the undersigned hereby tenders to the Company the Old Notes described in Box I (Description of Tendered Notes) (the “Tendered Notes”). The undersigned is the beneficial owner of all the Tendered Notes. Subject to, and effective upon, the acceptance for exchange of the Tendered Notes, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers to, or upon the order of, the Company all right, title and interest in and to the Tendered Notes.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Exchange Agent its agent and attorney-in-fact (with full knowledge that the Exchange Agent also acts as the agent of the Company) with respect to the Tendered Notes with the full power of substitution to (i) deliver certificates for the Tendered Notes to the Company and deliver all accompanying evidences of transfer and authenticity to, or upon the order of, the Company, (ii) present the Tendered Notes for transfer on the books of the Company and (iii) receive for the account of the Company all benefits and otherwise exercise all rights of beneficial ownership of the Tendered Notes, all in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer. The power of attorney granted in this paragraph shall be an irrevocable power coupled with an interest.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to tender, exchange, assign and transfer the Tendered Notes and that when such Tendered Notes are accepted for exchange, the Company will acquire good and unencumbered title thereto, free and clear of all security interests, liens, restrictions, charges, encumbrances, conditional sale agreements or other obligations relating to their sale and transfer and not subject to any adverse claim when the same are accepted by the Company and that the information set forth herein is correct.
If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is not an “affiliate”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, of the Company, is not participating, does not intend to participate and has no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate, in a “distribution”, as defined in the Securities Act, of New Notes, is acquiring the New Notes in its ordinary course of business, and is not acting on behalf of any person who could not truthfully make the foregoing representations.
If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive New Notes for its own account in exchange for Old Notes, it represents that the Old Notes to be exchanged for New Notes were acquired by it as a result of market-making or other trading activities and that it has not entered into any arrangement or understanding with the Company or any of its affiliates to distribute the New Notes and acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such New Notes; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering such a prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act (other than in connection with a resale of an unsold allotment from the original sale of the Old Notes).
2
For purposes of the Exchange Offer, the Company shall be deemed to have accepted validly Tendered Notes when, as and if the Company has given written notice thereof to the Exchange Agent.
The undersigned will, upon request, execute and deliver any additional documents to the Company deemed by the Company or the Exchange Agent to be necessary or desirable to complete the exchange, assignment and transfer of the Tendered Notes. All authority conferred or agreed to be conferred in this Letter of Transmittal and every obligation of the undersigned hereunder shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs, executors, administrators, trustees in bankruptcy and legal representatives of the undersigned, and shall not be affected by, and shall survive the death or incapacity of, the undersigned. The undersigned understands that tenders of the Tendered Notes pursuant to the procedures described in the Prospectus and the instructions herein will constitute a binding agreement between the undersigned and the Company in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Prospectus.
3
PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL CAREFULLY
BEFORE COMPLETING ANY BOX BELOW.
List below the Old Notes to which this Letter of Transmittal relates. If the space provided is inadequate, the Certificate number(s) and principal amount of the Old Note(s) should be listed on a separate signed schedule attached hereto.
| BOX I DESCRIPTION OF TENDERED NOTES |
||||||||||||
| Name(s) and Address(es) of Registered Holder(s) | Certificate Number(s)* |
Aggregate Principal Amount Represented by Certificate(s)* |
Aggregate Principal Amount Tendered** |
|||||||||
| Total: | ||||||||||||
| * | Need not be completed by book-entry holders. |
| ** | Tenders of the Old Note(s) must be in a minimum principal amount of US$100,000 or an integral multiple of US$1,000 in excess thereof. Unless otherwise indicated in this column, a beneficial owner will be deemed to have tendered the full aggregate principal amount represented by such Old Notes. See Instruction 2. |
4
| BOX II SIGNATURE |
| |||||||||||||||
| - |
, 202[ ] | |||||||||||||||
| - |
, 202[ ] | |||||||||||||||
| - |
, 202[ ] | |||||||||||||||
|
Signatures by Tendering Beneficial Owners |
Date | |||||||||||||||
| Telephone Number(s) |
||||||||||||||||
For any Tendered Notes, this Letter of Transmittal must be signed by the beneficial owner(s) as the name(s) appear(s) on the certificate(s) / book-entry(ies) for the Tendered Notes or by any person(s) authorized to become beneficial owner(s) by endorsements and documents submitted herewith. If signature is by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, please set forth full title and the other information indicated below and, unless waived by the Company, submit herewith evidence satisfactory to the Company of authority to so act. See Instruction 3.
| Name(s) |
| |
| (Please Type or Print) | ||
| Capacity(ies) |
| |
| Address(es) |
| |
|
| ||
| (Including Zip Code) | ||
| Telephone Number(s) |
| |
5
USCB FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC.
INSTRUCTIONS TO LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
FORMING PART OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS
OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER
Instruction 1: Delivery of this Letter of Transmittal and Tendered Notes. A beneficial owner of Old Notes may tender the same by (i) properly completing and signing this Letter of Transmittal and delivering the same, together with the certificate or certificates, if applicable, representing the Old Notes being tendered and any required signature guarantees and any other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal, to the Exchange Agent at its address set forth above on or prior to the Expiration Date, or (ii) complying with the procedure for book-entry transfer described below.
Beneficial owners of Old Notes may tender Old Notes by book-entry transfer by crediting the Old Notes to the Exchange Agent’s account at DTC in accordance with DTC’s Automated Tender Offer Program (“ATOP”) and by complying with applicable ATOP procedures with respect to the Exchange Offer. To the extent any procedural terms herein conflict with the ATOP procedures, the ATOP procedures will govern. DTC participants that are accepting the Exchange Offer should transmit their acceptance to DTC, which will edit and verify the acceptance and execute a book-entry delivery to the Exchange Agent’s account at DTC. DTC will then send a computer-generated message (an “Agent’s Message”) to the Exchange Agent for its acceptance in which the beneficial owner of the Old Notes acknowledges and agrees to be bound by the terms of, and makes the representations and warranties contained in, this Letter of Transmittal or the DTC participant confirms on behalf of itself and the beneficial owners of such Old Notes all provisions of this Letter of Transmittal (including any representations and warranties) applicable to it and such beneficial owners as fully as if it had completed the information required herein and executed and transmitted this Letter of Transmittal to the Exchange Agent. Delivery of the Agent’s Message by DTC will satisfy the terms of the Exchange Offer as to execution and delivery of a Letter of Transmittal by the participants identified in the Agent’s Message.
The method of delivery of this Letter of Transmittal, the Old Notes and any other required documents is at the election and risk of the holder, and except as otherwise provided below, the delivery will be deemed made only when actually received or confirmed by the Exchange Agent. If such delivery is by mail, it is suggested that registered mail with return receipt requested, properly insured, be used. In all cases, sufficient time should be allowed to permit timely delivery. No Old Notes or Letters of Transmittal should be sent to the Company.
Instruction 2: Partial Tenders. Tendered Notes must be in a minimum principal amount of US$100,000 or an integral multiple of US$1,000 in excess thereof. If less than the entire principal amount of the Old Notes evidenced by materials provided in accordance with the ATOP procedures, the tendering beneficial owner(s) should indicate the aggregate principal amount of Old Notes to be tendered to DTC in accordance with ATOP procedures. The entire principal amount of Old Notes delivered to the Exchange Agent will be deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise indicated. If the entire principal amount of Old Notes held by the tendering beneficial owner is not tendered for exchange, then untendered Old Notes will be issued in accordance with ATOP procedures for Old Notes issued in global form and will be issued in global form for Old Notes issued in definitive form.
Instruction 3: Signatures on this Letter of Transmittal; Bond Powers and Endorsements. If this Letter of Transmittal or any certificates or bond powers are signed by trustees, executors, administrators, guardians, attorneys in fact, officers of corporations or others acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, such persons should so indicate when signing, and, unless waived by the Company, evidence satisfactory to the Company of their authority to so act must be submitted with this Letter of Transmittal.
Instruction 4: Transfer Taxes. The Company will pay all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the exchange of Tendered Notes under the Exchange Offer. The tendering beneficial owner, however, will be required to pay any transfer taxes, whether imposed on the beneficial owner or any other person, if:
| | Tendered Notes are to be issued in the name of any person other than the registered or beneficial holder of the Tendered Notes so exchanged; |
| | Tendered Notes are registered in the name of any person other than DTC (for Old Notes held in global form) or the undersigned (for Old Notes held in definitive form); or |
| | a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of Tendered Notes under the Exchange Offer. |
If satisfactory evidence of payment of transfer taxes, if applicable per the above, is not submitted with this Letter of Transmittal, the amount of any transfer taxes will be billed to the tendering beneficial owner.
6
Instructions 5: Waiver of Conditions. The Company reserves the absolute right to waive any or all conditions relating to the Exchange Offer set forth in the Prospectus.
Instruction 6: No Conditional Tenders. No alternative, conditional, irregular or contingent tenders will be accepted. All beneficial owners of Tendered Notes, by execution of this Letter of Transmittal, shall waive any right to receive notice of the acceptance of their Tendered Notes for exchange.
Instruction 7: Mutilated, Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Old Notes. Any beneficial owner whose Old Notes have been mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed should contact the Exchange Agent at the address set forth on the front cover hereof for further instructions.
Instruction 8: Validity of Tenders. All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt), acceptance and withdrawal of Tendered Notes will be determined by the Company in its sole discretion, which determination will, subject to applicable law, be final and binding. The Company reserves the absolute right to reject any and all Tendered Notes not properly tendered or any Tendered Notes, the Company’s acceptance of which would, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be unlawful. The Company also reserves the right in its sole discretion to waive any defects, irregularities or conditions of tender as to any Tendered Notes. The Company’s interpretation of the terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer (including the Instructions in this Letter of Transmittal) will, subject to applicable law, be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with Tendered Notes must be cured within such time as the Company shall determine. Although the Company (or the Exchange Agent on behalf of the Company) intends to notify registered holders and beneficial owners of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of Tendered Notes, neither the Company, the Exchange Agent nor any other person shall incur any liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of Tendered Notes will not be deemed to have been made until such defects or irregularities have been cured by the applicable registered holder(s) or beneficial owner(s) or waived by the Company. Any Tendered Notes received by the Exchange Agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned by the Exchange Agent to the tendering beneficial owners, unless otherwise provided in this Letter of Transmittal, as promptly as practicable following the Expiration Date.
Instruction 9: Acceptance of Tendered Notes and Issuance of Notes; Return of Notes. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer, the Company will accept for exchange all validly tendered Old Notes as promptly as practicable after the Expiration Date and will issue New Notes therefor as promptly as practicable thereafter. For purposes of the Exchange Offer, the Company shall be deemed to have accepted validly tendered Old Notes when the Company has given written notice thereof to the Exchange Agent. If any Tendered Notes are not exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer for any reason, such unexchanged Tendered Notes, if in definitive form, will be returned in accordance with the Exchange Agent’s procedures, or if in global form, will be returned in accordance with ATOP procedures. Unexchanged Tendered Notes represented by book-entry(ies) will remain on the books of the Company in their initial form.
Instruction 10: Requests for Assistance or Additional Copies. Questions relating to the procedures for tendering, as well as requests for additional copies of the Prospectus and this Letter of Transmittal, may be directed to the Exchange Agent at the address and email set forth on the front cover hereof.
7
| Calculation of Filing Fee Tables | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities |
|---|
| Security Type |
Security Class Title |
Fee Calculation or Carry Forward Rule |
Amount Registered |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit |
Maximum Aggregate Offering Price |
Fee Rate |
Amount of Registration Fee |
Carry Forward Form Type |
Carry Forward File Number |
Carry Forward Initial Effective Date |
Filing Fee Previously Paid in Connection with Unsold Securities to be Carried Forward | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newly Registered Securities | |||||||||||||
| |
1 | |
|
|
|
$ |
|
$ |
|||||
| Fees Previously Paid | |||||||||||||
| Carry Forward Securities | |||||||||||||
| Carry Forward Securities | |||||||||||||
| Total Offering Amounts: |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||||
| Total Fees Previously Paid: |
$ |
||||||||||||
| Total Fee Offsets: |
$ |
||||||||||||
| Net Fee Due: |
$ |
||||||||||||
| Offering Note |
| 1 |
| ||||||
| Amount of Securities to be Received or Cancelled | Value per Share of Securities to be Received or Cancelled | Total Value of Securities to be Received or Cancelled | Cash Consideration Received by the registrant | Cash Consideration (Paid) by the registrant | Maximum Aggregate Offering Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
$ |
$ |
$ | ||||
| | |||||||
| Table 2: Fee Offset Claims and Sources |
|---|
| Registrant or Filer Name | Form or Filing Type | File Number | Initial Filing Date | Filing Date | Fee Offset Claimed | Security Type Associated with Fee Offset Claimed | Security Title Associated with Fee Offset Claimed | Unsold Securities Associated with Fee Offset Claimed | Unsold Aggregate Offering Amount Associated with Fee Offset Claimed | Fee Paid with Fee Offset Source | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rules 457(b) and 0-11(a)(2) | |||||||||||||
| Fee Offset Claims | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Fee Offset Sources | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Rule 457(p) | |||||||||||||
| Fee Offset Claims | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Fee Offset Sources | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Table 3: Combined Prospectuses |
|---|
| Security Type |
Security Class Title |
Amount of Securities Previously Registered |
Maximum Aggregate Offering Price of Securities Previously Registered |
Form Type |
File Number |
Initial Effective Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |