UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): January 25, 2019

 

 

 

 

LOGO

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

OHIO

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

 

001-33653   31-0854434
(Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)

Fifth Third Center

38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio

  45263
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

(800) 972-3030

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions ( see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including, but not limited to, Fifth Third Bancorp’s and MB Financial, Inc.’s expectations or predictions of future financial or business performance or conditions. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “target,” “estimate,” “continue,” “positions,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “goal,” “objective,” “prospects,” “possible” or “potential,” by future conditional verbs such as “assume,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may”, or by variations of such words or by similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and we assume no duty to update forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from current projections.

In addition to factors previously disclosed in Fifth Third Bancorp’s and MB Financial, Inc.’s reports filed with or furnished to the SEC and those identified elsewhere in this communication, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: the ability to obtain regulatory approvals and meet other closing conditions to the merger, including the risk that regulatory approvals required for the merger are not obtained or are obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated; delay in closing the merger; difficulties and delays in integrating the businesses of MB Financial, Inc. or fully realizing cost savings and other benefits; business disruption following the merger; changes in asset quality and credit risk; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates and capital markets; inflation; customer acceptance of Fifth Third Bancorp’s products and services; customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices; customer disintermediation; the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives; competitive conditions; the inability to realize cost savings or revenues or to implement integration plans and other consequences associated with mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; economic conditions; and the impact, extent and timing of technological changes, capital management activities, and other actions of the Federal Reserve Board and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms.

You should refer to our periodic and current reports filed with the SEC for further information on other factors which could cause actual results to be significantly different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Copies of those filings are available at no cost on the SEC’s Web site at www.sec.gov or on our Web site at www.53.com. We undertake no obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report.

 

Item 8.01

Other Events

Offering of 3.650% Senior Notes Due 2024. On January 25, 2019, Fifth Third issued $1.50 billion in principal amount of its 3.650% Senior Notes due 2024 (the “Senior Notes Offering”) sold pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, and RBC Capital Markets, LLC. On January 25, 2019, Fifth Third entered into a Supplemental Indenture with Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee, which modifies the existing Indenture for Senior Debt Securities dated as of April 30, 2008 between Fifth Third and the Trustee.


The Supplemental Indenture and the Indenture define the rights of the 3.650% Senior Notes due 2024 (the “Senior Notes”), which Senior Notes are represented by Global Securities dated as of January 25, 2019. The net proceeds from the sale of the Senior Notes after underwriting discounts and estimated expenses to be paid by Fifth Third are approximately $1.4896 billion.

The Senior Notes Offering is described in Fifth Third’s prospectus supplement dated January 23, 2019, together with the related prospectus dated March 28, 2016, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Rule 424(b) on January 24, 2019.

The Underwriting Agreement, the Supplemental Indenture and the Global Securities representing the Senior Notes contain various representations, warranties and agreements by Fifth Third, conditions to closing, indemnification rights and obligations of the parties, and termination provisions. The descriptions of the Underwriting Agreement, the Supplemental Indenture and the Global Securities, and other documents relating to this transaction do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of such securities and documents, forms or copies of which are attached hereto as exhibits and incorporated herein by reference.

*****************

The Senior Notes sold in the Senior Notes Offering were registered by Fifth Third pursuant to an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (SEC File No. 333-210429) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2016.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

Exhibits below relate to Registration Number 333-210429 on Form S-3 of Fifth Third Bancorp and are filed herewith for incorporation by reference in such Registration Statement:

1.1 – Underwriting Agreement dated as of January  23, 2019 among Fifth Third Bancorp, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, and RBC Capital Markets, LLC.

4.1 – Eighth Supplemental Indenture dated as of January  25, 2019 between Fifth Third Bancorp and Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee, to the Indenture for Senior Debt Securities dated as of April 30, 2008 between Fifth Third Bancorp and the Trustee.

4.2 – Form of 3.650% Senior Notes due 2024.

5.1 – Opinion of Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP regarding legality of the Senior Notes due 2024.

23.1 – Consent of Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP (included in opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1).


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

      FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
      (Registrant)
January 25, 2019      

/s/ JAMES C. LEONARD

      James C. Leonard
      Executive Vice President and Treasurer

Exhibit 1.1

EXECUTION VERSION

FIFTH THIRD BANCORP

Underwriting Agreement

January 23, 2019

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

As Representatives of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway, 29th Floor

New York, New York 10036

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

38 Fountain Square Plaza

Cincinnati, Ohio 45263

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Brookfield Place

200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor

New York, New York 10281

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Fifth Third Bancorp, an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $1,500,000,000 principal amount of its 3.650% Senior Notes due 2024 having the terms set forth in Schedule 2 hereto (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of April 30, 2008, as such indenture may hereafter be supplemented (the “Indenture”) between the Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.464% of the principal amount of the Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from January 25, 2019 (the “Purchase Price”). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein. To the extent there are no additional Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires.


The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus. Schedule 3 hereto sets forth the Time of Sale Information made available at the Time of Sale. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

The Company further acknowledges that the only information furnished to the Company by the Representative for purposes of Sections 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 7(a) and 7(b) of the Underwriting Agreement Standard Provisions are set forth in Schedule 5 hereto.

Payment for and delivery of the Securities shall be made at the offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on January 25, 2019, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing (the “Closing Date”).

Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”) to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Note will be made available to the Representatives for inspection not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

All provisions contained in the document entitled Underwriting Agreement Standard Provisions attached as Exhibit A hereto are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this Underwriting Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein, except that if any term defined in such Underwriting Agreement Standard Provisions is otherwise defined herein, the definition set forth herein shall control. With respect to the Securities, the Time of Sale referred to in the Standard Provisions is 3:02 p.m. on January 23, 2019.

This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

2


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

Very truly yours,
FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
By  

/s/ JAMES C. LEONARD

Name:   James C. Leonard
Title:   Executive Vice President and Treasurer

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


Accepted: January 23, 2019
MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC
FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, INC.
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
For themselves and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC
By  

/s/HECTOR VAZQUEZ

  Authorized Signatory
FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, INC.
By  

/s/MARIA T. YAMAT

  Authorized Signatory
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC
By  

/s/ADAM GREENE

  Authorized Signatory
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
By  

/s/SAURABH MONGA

  Authorized Signatory

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

   Principal Amount of
Securities
 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

   $ 390,000,000  

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

     360,000,000  

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

     360,000,000  

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

     360,000,000  

Academy Securities, Inc.

     15,000,000  

R. Seelaus & Co., LLC

     15,000,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 1,500,000,000  
  

 

 

 


Schedule 2

Representatives and Address for Notices:

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway, 29th Floor

New York, New York 10036

Attn: Investment Banking Division

Phone: (212) 761-6691

Facsimile: (212) 507-8999

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

38 Fountain Square Plaza

Cincinnati, Ohio 45263

Attn: Corporate Bond Syndicate Desk

Facsimile: (312) 704-7365

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

Attn: Registration Department

Facsimile: (212) 902-9316

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Brookfield Place

200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor

New York, New York 10281

Attn: Scott Primrose/USDCM Transaction Management

Phone: (212) 618-7706

Facsimile: (212) 658-6137

Certain Terms of the Securities:

 

Title of Securities:    3.650% Senior Notes due 2024
Aggregate Principal Amount of Securities:    $1,500,000,000
Maturity Date:    January 25, 2024
Interest Rate:    3.650%
Interest Payment Dates:    January 25 and July 25 of each year, commencing July 25, 2019


Schedule 3

Time of Sale Information

Preliminary Prospectus dated January 23, 2019

Pricing Term Sheet dated January 23, 2019 relating to the Securities attached as Schedule 4 hereto


Schedule 4

 

LOGO

Term Sheet

$1,500,000,000

3.650% Senior Notes due 2024

This pricing term sheet supplements the preliminary prospectus supplement of Fifth Third Bancorp dated January 23, 2019 relating to the prospectus of Fifth Third Bancorp dated March 28, 2016.

 

Issuer:    Fifth Third Bancorp
Security:    3.650% Senior Notes due 2024
Expected Ratings*:    [Intentionally Omitted]
Currency:    USD
Size:    $1,500,000,000
Security Type:    SEC Registered Senior Notes
Trade Date:    January 23, 2019
Settlement Date:    January 25, 2019 (T+2)
Maturity Date:    January 25, 2024
Coupon:    3.650%
Payment Frequency:    Semi-Annually
Interest Payment Dates:    January 25 and July 25 of each year, commencing July 25, 2019
Day Count Convention:    30/360
Optional Redemption:    The notes are not subject to repayment at the option of the holders prior to the maturity date. The Issuer may redeem the Senior Notes, in whole or in part, on or after the date that is 30 days prior to the maturity date at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Senior Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the redemption date.
Benchmark Treasury:    2.625% US Treasury due December 31, 2023
Benchmark Treasury Spot and Yield:    100-05; 2.591%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:    +110 bps


Yield to Maturity:    3.691%
Price to Public:    99.814% of face amount
Proceeds (Before Expenses) to Issuer:    $1,491,960,000
Denominations:    $2,000 x $1,000
CUSIP/ISIN:    316773 CX6 / US316773CX61
Joint Book-Running Managers:    Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Fifth Third Securities, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Co-Managers:    Academy Securities, Inc.
R. Seelaus & Co., LLC

 

*

Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC toll free at 1-866-718-1649, Fifth Third Securities, Inc. toll free at 1-800-950-4623, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC toll free at 1-866-471-2526 or RBC Capital Markets, LLC toll free at 1-866-375-6829.

ANY DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES THAT MAY APPEAR BELOW ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES WERE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING SENT VIA BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER EMAIL SYSTEM.


Schedule 5

(a) The name of each Underwriter and its participation in the sale of the Securities;

(b) The second and third sentences of the fourth paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, concerning the terms of the offering by the Underwriters;

(c) The second sentence of the sixth paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, concerning market making by the Underwriters; and

(d) The seventh, eighth, and ninth paragraphs of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, concerning short sales, stabilizing transactions, purchases to cover positions created by short sales and penalty bids by the Underwriters.


Annex B

[Form of Opinion of Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP]

 

1.

The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Ohio, is duly registered as a bank holding company and qualified as a financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. The Company has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the current or future financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

2.

The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement will not contravene any provision of the articles of incorporation or code of regulations of the Company. To our knowledge, the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement will not contravene (a) any applicable law, (b) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or (c) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, except, in the case of clauses (a), (b) and (c) above, that would not have a material adverse effect on the current or future financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act or may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Notes.

 

3.

To our knowledge, there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus and that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

4.

The Notes conform as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information.

 

5.

The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

6.

The Notes have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, when duly authenticated as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

 

7.

The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information.

 

8.

The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

9.

The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Notes and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Time of Sale Information, the Company will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Annex B-1


As counsel for the Company we have participated in conferences (the “Conferences”) with representatives of the Company and with representatives of its independent accountants and counsel at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto and related matters were discussed. Based on such Conferences, the information we gained in the course of the performance of services to the Company in connection with the issuance of the Notes, and in light of our understanding of the applicable law (including the requirements of Form S-3 and the character of the prospectus contemplated thereby) and the experience we have gained through our practice under the Securities Act, we confirm to you that, in our opinion:

Although we assume no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, nothing has come to our attention to cause us to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time of its effective date (including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C to be part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, that the Time of Sale Information, as of the Time of Sale (which we assume to be the date of the Underwriting Agreement) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto as of its date and the Closing Date contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (other than the financial statements and other financial data contained therein, as to which we express no belief).

The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date of the Underwriting Agreement; each of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act on the date specified therein; and to our knowledge: (i) no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, (ii) no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company; and (iii) no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or in connection with the offering is pending or threatened by the Commission.

The Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which we express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act.

The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Closing Date (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which we express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and we have no reason to believe that any of such documents, when such documents were so filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such documents were so filed, not misleading.

The statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus under the headings “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders of Notes”, and “Description of the Notes”, to the extent that they constitute summaries of the terms of Notes, matters of law or regulation or legal conclusions, fairly summarize the matters described therein in all material respects.

To our knowledge there are no statutes, regulations or contracts and other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and that have not been so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

Annex B-2


EXHIBIT A

FIFTH THIRD BANCORP

Underwriting Agreement Standard Provisions

From time to time, Fifth Third Bancorp, an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), may enter into one or more underwriting agreements that incorporate by reference these Standard Provisions (collectively with these Standard Provisions, an “Underwriting Agreement”) that provide for the sale of the securities designated in such Underwriting Agreement (the “Securities”) to the several Underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”), for whom the Underwriter(s) named therein shall act as representative(s) (the “Representative(s)”). The Underwriting Agreement, including these Standard Provisions, is sometimes referred to herein as this “Agreement”. The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of April 30, 2008, as such indenture may hereafter be supplemented (the “Indenture”) between the Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

1.     Registration Statement . The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-210429), including a prospectus (the “Basic Prospectus”), relating to certain securities to be issued from time to time by the Company. The Company has also filed, or proposes to file, with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities (the “Prospectus Supplement”). The registration statement, as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Prospectus” means the Basic Prospectus as supplemented by the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities and the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities together with the Basic Prospectus. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. References herein to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein. The terms “supplement,” “amendment” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) subsequent to the date of the Underwriting Agreement which are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Effective Time” means the effective date of the Registration Statement with respect to the offering of Securities, as determined for the Company pursuant to Section 11 of the Securities Act and Item 512 of Regulation S-K, as applicable.

At or prior to the time when sales of the Securities will be first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company will prepare certain information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”) which information will be identified in Schedule 3 to the Underwriting Agreement for such offering of Securities as constituting part of the Time of Sale Information.

2.     Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters . (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement at the respective Purchase Price set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

(b)    Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the Closing Date provided for in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Exhibit A-1


(c)    The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to any offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, no such Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and such Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by such Underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement of the Company, the transactions contemplated thereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3.     Representations and Warranties of the Company . The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

(a)     Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the Effective Time, the Registration Statement conformed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not or will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of Wilmington Trust Company under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

(b)     Time of Sale Information . The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale and at the Closing Date did not and will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Time of Sale Information. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

(c)     Issuer Free Writing Prospectus . Each “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, or filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

Exhibit A-2


(d)     Incorporated Documents . The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, when filed with the Commission, conformed or will conform, as the case may be, in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(e)     Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby.

(f)     The Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”). The Indenture conforms in all material respects to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information.

(g)     The Securities . The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, and will conform as to legal matters in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information.

(h)     Underwriting Agreement . The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(i)     Organization and Good Standing . The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Ohio, is duly registered as a bank holding company and qualified as a financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “Bank Holding Company Act”). The Company has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the current or future financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(j)     Organization and Good Standing of Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third Bank has been duly formed, is validly existing as a bank, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation and, is validly chartered as an Ohio banking corporation. Fifth Third Bank has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification,

 

Exhibit A-3


except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the current or future financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Fifth Third Bank is the only “significant subsidiary ” (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act) of the Company.

(k)     Bank Regulatory Compliance . Each of the Company and Fifth Third Bank is in compliance in all respects with all applicable laws administered by, and all applicable rules and regulations of, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and any other federal or state bank regulatory authority with jurisdiction over the Company or its Significant Subsidiaries (collectively, “Bank Regulatory Authorities”), other than where the failure to be in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the current or future financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(l)     Capital Stock. The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each “Significant Subsidiary” have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors’ qualifying shares and except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

(m)     No Conflicts; No Consents. The issue and sale of the Securities, the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law, (ii) the Company’s articles of incorporation, as amended, or the code of regulations of the Company, as amended, (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of the Company’s subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except, in the case of clauses (i), (iii) and (iv) above, that would not have a material adverse effect on the current or future financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act or as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities.

(n)     No Material Adverse Change . There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise) or in the earnings, business, management or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Information.

(o)     Legal Proceedings . There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of the Company’s subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Information and proceedings that would not have a material adverse effect on the current or future financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Time of Sale Information or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described.

(p)     Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Time of Sale Information, the Company will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Exhibit A-4


(q)     No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries: (i) has used any funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, property, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) has made, taken or will take any action in furtherance of any direct or indirect unlawful payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any foreign or domestic government official or employee to improperly influence official action or secure an improper advantage for the Company or its subsidiaries; (iii) is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”) or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws; or (iv) has made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and any applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws or regulations and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(r)     Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are currently in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including without limitation those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”), the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(s)     Compliance with OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject of any sanctions administered or imposed by the U.S. Government, including the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State or any similar sanctions imposed by any other governmental body to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is currently the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) for the purpose of financing the activities of or business with any person or entity currently the subject of any Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as an underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

(t)     No Changes. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, respectively.

(u)     Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no material failure on the part of the Company and to the best of its knowledge any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 relating to loans and Sections 302 and 906 relating to certifications.

(v)     Accounting Controls. The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting.

 

Exhibit A-5


(w)     Internal Controls. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(x)     Disclosure Controls. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

4.     Further Agreements of the Company . The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a)     Filings with the Commission. The Company will (i) pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date and (ii) file the Prospectus in a form approved by the Underwriters with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act not later than the close of business on the second business day following the date of determination of the public offering price of the Securities or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act. The Company will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including the Term Sheet substantially in the form of Schedule 4 to the Underwriting Agreement) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(b)     Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, to each Underwriter during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (if applicable) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c)     Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus relating to the Securities, and before filing any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object unless, in the case of a filing, the Company is required by law to make such filing.

(d)     Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any

 

Exhibit A-6


Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e)     Time of Sale Information . If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.

(f)     Ongoing Compliance. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.

(g)     Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(h)     Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders (including holders of the Securities) and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement (which need not be audited) of the Company and its subsidiaries, satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including Rule 158).

(i)     Clear Market. During the period commencing on the date hereof through and including the Closing Date or such later date as is specified in the Underwriting Agreement, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities that are substantially similar to the Securities.

(j)     Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds”.

 

Exhibit A-7


(k)     Filing of Exchange Act Documents. The Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the Prospectus Delivery Period.

5.     Certain Agreements of the Underwriters . Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

(a)    It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely a result of use by such underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 and (other than any communications sent through the Bloomberg Message System or other similar systems) approved by the Company in advance in writing, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule 3 to the Underwriting Agreement or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

(b)    Notwithstanding the foregoing the Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Schedule 4 to the Underwriting Agreement without the consent of the Company.

(c)    It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

6.     Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a)     Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. If a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is required to be filed under the Securities Act, such post-effective amendment shall have become effective, and the Representatives shall have received notice thereof, not later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of the Underwriting Agreement; if applicable, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day following the date of the Underwriting Agreement; no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

(b)     Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.

(c)     No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act and (ii) no such organization (excluding Moody’s Investor Service) shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

 

Exhibit A-8


(d)     No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(n) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(e)     Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company who has specific knowledge of the Company’s financial matters and is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officer, the representations set forth in Sections 3(a) and 3(b) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.

(f)     Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, (i) Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the date of this Agreement shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the date of this Agreement and the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date; and (ii) the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, with respect to certain financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(g)     Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 Statement, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex B hereto.

(h)     Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(i)     No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

(j)     Good Standing . The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and Fifth Third Bank in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(k)     Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

Exhibit A-9


All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

7.     Indemnification and Contribution .

(a)     Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

(b)     Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information.

(c)     Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 7 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided , further , that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 7. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary, (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.

 

Exhibit A-10


Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d)     Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e)     Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

(f)     Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

Exhibit A-11


8.     Termination . This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

9.     Defaulting Underwriter . (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in the Underwriting Agreement that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b)    If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c)    If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 10 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d)    Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

10.     Payment of Expenses . (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus

 

Exhibit A-12


(including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (v) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (vii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of any offering by, FINRA; and (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors.

(b)    If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

11.     Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

12.     Survival . The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company, the Underwriters or any controlling persons of the Company or Underwriter and shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 10 hereof shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

13.     Certain Defined Terms . For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day that is not a Saturday or Sunday, and that is not a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

14.     Miscellaneous . (a)  Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

(b)     Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives at the address set forth in the Underwriting Agreement. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Fifth Third Bancorp, 38 Fountain Square Plaza, MD 10AT76, Cincinnati, OH 45263, (fax: (513) 534-6757); Attention: General Counsel, or if different, to the address set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

(c)     Compliance with USA Patriot Act . In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

(d)     Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

Exhibit A-13


(e)     Waiver of Jury Trial . The Company and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

(f)     Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

(g)     Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

15.     Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes . (a)  In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(b)    In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

For purposes of this Section 15:

“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

  (i)

a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

 

  (ii)

a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

  (iii)

a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Exhibit A-14

Exhibit 4.1

FIFTH THIRD BANCORP

TO

WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,

Trustee

Eighth Supplemental Indenture

Dated as of January 25, 2019

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE 1 S COPE OF E IGHTH S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURE

     2  

Section 1.1 Scope

     2  

ARTICLE 2 D EFINITIONS

     2  

Section 2.1 Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application

     2  

Section 2.2 Other Definitions

     3  

ARTICLE 3 F ORM AND T ERMS OF THE N OTES

     3  

Section 3.1 Form and Dating

     3  

Section 3.2 Terms of the Senior Notes

     3  

ARTICLE 4 S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

     8  

Section 4.1 Supplemental Indentures

     8  

ARTICLE 5 M ISCELLANEOUS

     8  

Section 5.1 Trust Indenture Act of 1939

     8  

Section 5.2 Governing Law

     8  

Section 5.3 Duplicate Originals

     8  

Section 5.4 Legal Holidays

     8  

Section 5.5 Separability

     8  

Section 5.6 Ratification

     9  

Section 5.7 Effectiveness

     9  

Section 5.8 Successors

     9  

Section 5.9 Trustee’s Disclaimer

     9  

EXHIBIT A

     A-1  

 

i


EIGHTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

EIGHTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “ Eighth Supplemental Indenture ”), dated as of January 25, 2019 between FIFTH THIRD BANCORP, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Ohio (the “ Company ”), having its principal office at Fifth Third Center, 38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio and Wilmington Trust Company, a trust company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

WHEREAS , the Company and the Trustee executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of April 30, 2008 (the “ Base Indenture ” and as supplemented by this Eighth Supplemental Indenture, the “ Indenture ”), to provide for the issuance by the Company from time to time of its unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (the “ Securities ”);

WHEREAS , Sections 201, 301 and 901 of the Base Indenture provide that the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental to the Indenture, without the consent of any Holders, to, among other things, establish the terms of Securities of any series as permitted by the Indenture;

WHEREAS , the issuance and sale of $1,500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of a new series of the Securities of the Company designated as its 3.650% Senior Notes due 2024 (the “Senior Notes” or the “Notes”) have been authorized by resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Company;

WHEREAS , the Company desires to issue and sell $1,500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes as of the date hereof;

WHEREAS , the Company desires to establish the terms of the Notes;

WHEREAS , all things necessary to make this Eighth Supplemental Indenture a legal and binding supplement to the Base Indenture in accordance with its terms and the terms of the Base Indenture have been done;

WHEREAS , the Company has complied with all conditions precedent provided for in the Base Indenture relating to this Eighth Supplemental Indenture; and

WHEREAS , the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this Eighth Supplemental Indenture.


NOW, THEREFORE :

For and in consideration of the premises stated herein and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, the Company and the Trustee covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of the Holders of the Notes, as follows:

ARTICLE 1

Scope of Eighth Supplemental Indenture

Section 1.1 Scope. This Eighth Supplemental Indenture constitutes a supplement to the Base Indenture and an integral part of the Indenture and shall be read together with the Base Indenture as though all the provisions thereof are contained in one instrument. Except as expressly amended by the Eighth Supplemental Indenture, the terms and provisions of the Base Indenture shall remain in full force and effect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Eighth Supplemental Indenture shall only apply to the Notes.

ARTICLE 2

Definitions

Section  2.1 Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application . For all purposes of this Eighth Supplemental Indenture unless otherwise specified herein:

 

  (a)

all terms used in this Eighth Supplemental Indenture which are not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings they are given in the Base Indenture;

 

  (b)

the provisions of general application stated in Sections 102 through 112 of the Base Indenture shall apply to this Eighth Supplemental Indenture, except that the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ,” “ hereto ” and “ hereunder ” and other words of similar import refer to this Eighth Supplemental Indenture as a whole and not to the Base Indenture or any particular Article, Section or other subdivision of the Base Indenture or this Eighth Supplemental Indenture;

 

  (c)

Section 101 of the Base Indenture is amended and supplemented, solely with respect to the Notes, by inserting the following additional defined terms in their appropriate alphabetical positions:

Issue Date ” means January 25, 2019.

 

  (d)

Section 101 of the Base Indenture is amended and supplemented, solely with respect to the Notes, by replacing the corresponding defined term in the Base Indenture with the following defined term:

Applicable Procedures ” means, with respect to any transfer, transaction or other action involving a Global Security or any beneficial interest therein, the rules and procedures of the Depositary for such Security, in each case to the extent applicable to such transfer, transaction or other action as in effect from time to time.

Business Day ” means any day that is not a Saturday or Sunday, and that is not a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

2


Business Day Convention ” means if any Interest Payment Date, redemption date or the maturity date of the Notes falls on a day which is not a Business Day, the related payment of principal of, or interest on, the Notes will be made on the next day which is a Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the date such payment was due, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, redemption date or maturity date, as the case may be.

Corporate Trust Office ” for administration of this Indenture means the corporate trust office of the Trustee located at Rodney Square North, 1100 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19890-0001, Attention: Fifth Third Bancorp Administrator, or such other office, designated by the Trustee by written notice to the Company, at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered.

Section  2.2 Other Definitions . Each of the following terms is defined in the section set forth opposite such term:

 

TERM

   SECTION  

“Dodd-Frank Act”

     Section 3.2(q)  

“SIPA”

     Section 3.2(q)  

ARTICLE 3

Form and Terms of the Notes

Section 3.1 Form and Dating.

 

  (a)

The Notes shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto. The Notes shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Vice Chairman of the Board, its President or one of its Vice Presidents, attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The Notes may have a legend or legends or endorsements as may be required to comply with any law or with any rules of any securities exchange or usage. The Notes shall be dated the date of their authentication.

 

  (b)

The terms contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of the Indenture as supplemented by this Eighth Supplemental Indenture and the Company and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Eighth Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

Section  3.2 Terms of the Senior Notes . The following terms relating to the Notes are hereby established:

 

  (a)

Title . The Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “Fifth Third Bancorp 3.650% Senior Notes due 2024” and the CUSIP number 316773 CX6.

 

3


  (b)

Principal Amount . The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under the Indenture, as amended hereby, shall be $1,500,000,000 on the Issue Date. Provided that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Notes, the Company may, without notice to or the consent of the Holders, create and issue additional Securities having the same terms as (except as described below), and ranking equally and ratably with, the Notes in all respects and so that such additional Securities will be consolidated and form a single series with, and have the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise as, the Notes initially issued, except for the issue date, the issue price and the initial Interest Payment Date, provided that if such additional Securities are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional Securities will be issued with a separate CUSIP number.

 

  (c)

Person to Whom Interest is Payable . Interest payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will be paid to the Person in whose name the Notes are registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be January 10 or July 10 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name the Note is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Notes of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, as provided for in the Base Indenture.

 

  (d)

Maturity Date . The entire outstanding principal of the Notes shall be payable on January 25, 2024.

 

  (e)

Interest. The rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be 3.650% per annum; the date from which interest shall accrue on the Notes shall be January 25, 2019 or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for; and the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes shall be January 25 and July 25 of each year, beginning July 25, 2019.

 

  (f)

Place of Payment of Principal and Interest . Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided , however , that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register. The Company shall make, or cause the Paying Agent to make, all payments of principal and interest on Global Securities in immediately available funds to the Depositary or its nominee, in accordance with Applicable Procedures.

 

4


  (g)

Redemption .

 

  (i)

At any time and from time to time on or after the date that is 30 days prior to January 25, 2024, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.

 

  (ii)

If the Company elects to redeem the Notes (in whole or in part), it must (A) notify the Trustee of the intended redemption date and provide a draft notice with respect to the potential redemption at least 5 Business Days prior to the date on which it intends to provide notice, or if requested, have the Trustee provide notice, of such redemption to Holders (unless a shorter period is satisfactory to the Trustee) and (B) deliver to the Trustee the final notice to be sent to Holders and an Officers’ Certificate with respect to the Company’s election to redeem the Notes (in whole or in part) on the date on which the Company provides notice. If fewer than all of the Notes are being redeemed, the Trustee will select the Notes to be redeemed by lot, pro rata or by any other method the Trustee in its sole discretion deems fair and appropriate, and in the case of any Global Security, in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, in minimum denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Trustee will notify the Company promptly of the Notes or portions of Notes to be called for redemption. Notice of redemption must be sent by the Company or at the Company’s request, by the Trustee by first class mail or, with respect to any Global Security, the Applicable Procedures, in the name and at the expense of the Company, to Holders whose Notes are to be redeemed at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date.

 

  (iii)

The notice of redemption will identify the Notes to be redeemed and will include or state the following:

 

  a.

the redemption date;

 

  b.

the redemption price, including the portion thereof representing any accrued interest;

 

  c.

the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for redemption;

 

  d.

Notes called for redemption must be so surrendered in order to collect the redemption price;

 

  e.

on the redemption date the redemption price will become due and payable on Notes called for redemption, and interest on Notes called for redemption will cease to accrue on and after the redemption date;

 

5


  f.

if any Note is redeemed in part, on and after the redemption date, upon surrender of such Note, new Notes equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion will be issued; and

 

  g.

if any Note contains a CUSIP, ISIN, or CINS number, no representation is being made as to the correctness of the CUSIP, ISIN, or CINS number either as printed on the Notes or as contained in the notice of redemption and that the Holder should rely only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes.

 

  (iv)

Once notice of redemption is sent to the Holders, Notes called for redemption become due and payable at the redemption price on the redemption date, and upon surrender of the Notes called for redemption, the Company shall redeem such Notes at the redemption price. Unless the Company defaults in the payment of the redemption price, commencing on the redemption date Notes redeemed will cease to accrue interest. Upon surrender of any Note redeemed in part, the Holder will receive a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the surrendered Note. The principal amount after redemption in part shall be in minimum denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

  (h)

Sinking Fund . There shall be no sinking fund for the Notes.

 

  (i)

Denomination . The Notes and any beneficial interest in the Notes shall be in minimum denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

  (j)

Index. Payment of interest on the Notes will not be determined with reference to any index or formula.

 

  (k)

Currency of the Notes . The Notes shall be denominated, and payment of principal and interest of the Notes shall be payable in, the currency of the United States of America.

 

  (l)

Currency of Payment . The principal of and interest on the Notes shall be payable in the currency of the United States of America.

 

  (m)

Acceleration . 100% of the principal amount of the Notes shall be payable upon acceleration (whether automatic or by declaration) of the maturity thereof.

 

  (n)

[Reserved.]

 

  (o)

Defeasance . Article 13 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes.

 

  (p)

Registered Form . The Notes shall be issuable as registered Global Securities, and the depositary for the Notes shall be the Depository Trust Company, a New York Corporation (“DTC”), or any successor depositary appointed by the Company within 90 days of the termination of services of DTC (or any successor to DTC). Sections 204 and 305 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes.

 

6


  (q)

Events of Default . The Events of Default provided for in Section 501 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes, provided that the text of clauses (6) and (7) of Section 501 shall be substituted with the following:

“(6) (A) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, (ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and, in the case of each of (A)(i) and (ii), the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days, (B) the appointment of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as receiver or conservator of any Principal Subsidiary Bank or any substantial part of the property of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank pursuant to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended, or (C) the appointment of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Securities Investment Protection Corporation, other Federal or State agency or other person as receiver or trustee of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank pursuant to Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act or SIPA; or

(7) the commencement by the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, conservator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank or of any substantial part of its property, including pursuant to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act or SIPA, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or any Principal Subsidiary Bank in furtherance of any such action; or”

 

7


  (r)

Covenants . The covenants set forth in Article 10 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes.

 

  (s)

Additional Terms . Other terms applicable to the Notes are as otherwise provided for in the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Eighth Supplemental Indenture.

 

  (t)

Day Count Convention . Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

ARTICLE 4

Supplemental Indentures

Section  4.1 Supplemental Indentures . The following paragraph shall be added to the end of Section 901 of the Base Indenture and shall only apply to the Notes:

Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any Holder of Securities, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Securities to conform the terms of the Indenture and the Securities to the description of the Securities in the prospectus supplement dated January 23, 2019 relating to the offering of the Securities.

ARTICLE 5

Miscellaneous

Section  5.1 Trust Indenture Act of 1939 . This Eighth Supplemental Indenture shall incorporate and be governed by the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of and to govern indentures qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.

Section  5.2 Governing Law . The laws of the State of New York shall govern this Eighth Supplemental Indenture and the Notes.

Section  5.3 Duplicate Originals . The parties may sign any number of copies of this Eighth Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.

Section  5.4 Legal Holidays . Section 113 of the Base Indenture shall be deleted and shall be of no effect with respect to the Notes. The Business Day Convention shall apply.

Section  5.5 Separability . In case any provision in this Eighth Supplemental Indenture or the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

8


Section  5.6 Ratification . The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Eighth Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed. The Base Indenture and this Eighth Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument. All provisions included in this Eighth Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Eighth Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Eighth Supplemental Indenture.

Section  5.7 Effectiveness . The provisions of this Eighth Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.

Section  5.8 Successors . All agreements of the Company in this Eighth Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Eighth Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors.

Section 5.9 Trustee’s Disclaimer. The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements of the Company and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Eighth Supplemental Indenture, the Notes, or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which recitals are made solely by the Company.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

9


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Eighth Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
as the Company
By:  

/s/ TAYFUN TUZUN

Name:   Tayfun Tuzun
Title:  

Executive Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer

Attest:

 

By:  

/s/ H. SAMUEL LIND

Name:   H. Samuel Lind
Title:   Senior Vice President,
  Associate General Counsel,
  and Assistant Secretary

[Signature Page to Eighth Supplemental Indenture]

 

10


WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
as the Trustee
By:  

/s/ MICHAEL WASS

Name:   Michaed Wass
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Eighth Supplemental Indenture]

 

11


EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF NOTE]

CUSIP No.  316773 CX6

ISIN: US316773CX61

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A SECURITY REGISTERED, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN WHOLE OR IN PART MAY BE REGISTERED, IN THE NAME OF ANY PERSON OTHER THAN SUCH DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

BY ITS ACQUISITION AND HOLDING OF THIS NOTE, THE HOLDER HEREOF (OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN) SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND WARRANTED THAT IT IS NOT, AND IS NOT ACTING ON BEHALF OF, AND NO PORTION OF THE ASSETS USED BY SUCH HOLDER TO ACQUIRE OR HOLD THIS NOTE CONSTITUTES THE ASSETS OF AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN THAT IS SUBJECT TO TITLE I OF THE U.S. EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED (“ERISA”), OF A PLAN, INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT OR OTHER ARRANGEMENT THAT IS SUBJECT TO SECTION 4975 OF THE U.S. INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE “CODE”) (EACH A “PLAN”) OR PROVISIONS UNDER ANY OTHER FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. OR OTHER LAWS OR REGULATIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE (“SIMILAR LAWS”), OR OF AN ENTITY WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS ARE CONSIDERED TO INCLUDE “PLAN ASSETS” OF ANY SUCH PLAN, ACCOUNT OR ARRANGEMENT (ALSO A “PLAN”), OR (2) THE ACQUISITION AND HOLDING OF THIS NOTE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A NON-EXEMPT PROHIBITED TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE OR A SIMILAR VIOLATION UNDER ANY APPLICABLE SIMILAR LAWS.

ADDITIONALLY, BY ITS ACQUISITION OF THIS NOTE IN THE INITIAL OFFERING, A HOLDER HEREOF THAT IS A PLAN (THE “PLAN FIDUCIARY”) SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND WARRANTED AT ALL TIMES NEITHER FIFTH THIRD BANCORP, THE UNDERWRITERS, NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES HAS PROVIDED OR WILL PROVIDE IMPARTIAL INVESTMENT ADVICE OR GIVE ADVICE IN A FIDUCIARY CAPACITY WITH RESPECT TO THE PURCHASER OR TRANSFEREE’S DECISION TO ACQUIRE, HOLD, SELL, EXCHANGE, VOTE OR PROVIDE ANY CONSENT WITH RESPECT TO THE NOTES BY THE ERISA PLAN’S FIDUCIARY (WITHIN THE MEANING OF ERISA OR THE CODE).

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO FIFTH THIRD BANCORP OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER,

 

A-1


EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

A-2


FIFTH THIRD BANCORP

3.650% Senior Notes due 2024

THIS SECURITY IS NOT A DEPOSIT AND IS NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE DEPOSIT INSURANCE FUND OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY, NOR IS IT AN OBLIGATION OF, OR GUARANTEED BY, A BANK.

 

No. 1    $500,000,000

Fifth Third Bancorp, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Ohio (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, the principal sum of Five Hundred Million Dollars ($500,000,000) on January 25, 2024, (the “Maturity Date”), and to pay interest thereon from January 25, 2019 (the “Original Issue Date”) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on January 25 and July 25 in each year, commencing July 25, 2019, at the rate of 3.650% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, provided that any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate of 3.650% per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be January 10 or July 10 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. “Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday or Sunday, and that is not a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided , however , that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register. The Company shall make, or cause the Paying Agent to make, all payments of principal and interest on Global Securities in immediately available funds to the Depositary or its nominee, in accordance with Applicable Procedures.

 

A-3


Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

A-4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

 

Dated: January 25, 2019     FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
    By:  

 

      Tayfun Tuzun
      Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Attest:

 

By:  

 

  Name:   H. Samuel Lind
  Title:  

Senior Vice President,

Associate General Counsel

and Assistant Secretary

[Signature Page to Note]

 

A-5


CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the Indenture referred to hereinafter.

 

Dated: January 25, 2019     WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee
    By:  

 

      Authorized Officer

 

A-6


[Reverse of Security]

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “ Securities ” or “Notes” ), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of April 30, 2008 (herein called the “ Base Indenture ”, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), between the Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture) as supplemented by an Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 25, 2019, between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “ Eighth Supplemental Indenture ” and together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof. The Company may, without notice to or the consent of any Holder, issue additional Securities having the same ranking, interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Securities of this series except for the issue date, the issue price and the initial Interest Payment Date, provided that if such additional Securities are not fungible with this Security for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional Securities will be issued with a separate CUSIP number. Any such additional Securities may be considered to be part of this series of Securities. The Company may, without notice to or the consent of any Holder, issue or incur Senior Indebtedness.

The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable (or will automatically become due and payable, without declaration or any other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder) in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

On or after the date that is 30 days prior to the Maturity Date, the Company may redeem this Security, at any time, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of this Security, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date established pursuant to the terms of the Eighth Supplemental Indenture. Installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date will be payable to the Holder of this Security, or one more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Date, all as provided in the Indenture.

Notice of redemption will be given by first class mail to Holders of Securities, not less than 10 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, all as provided in the Eighth Supplemental Indenture.

This Security may be redeemed in part only in minimum denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

 

A-7


The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security. Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any Holder of Securities, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Securities to conform to the terms of the Indenture and the Securities to the description of the Securities in the prospectus supplement dated January 23, 2019 relating to the offering of the Securities.

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

 

A-8


No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

A-9

Exhibit 4.2

CUSIP No.  316773 CX6

ISIN: US316773CX61

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A SECURITY REGISTERED, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN WHOLE OR IN PART MAY BE REGISTERED, IN THE NAME OF ANY PERSON OTHER THAN SUCH DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

BY ITS ACQUISITION AND HOLDING OF THIS NOTE, THE HOLDER HEREOF (OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN) SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND WARRANTED THAT IT IS NOT, AND IS NOT ACTING ON BEHALF OF, AND NO PORTION OF THE ASSETS USED BY SUCH HOLDER TO ACQUIRE OR HOLD THIS NOTE CONSTITUTES THE ASSETS OF AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN THAT IS SUBJECT TO TITLE I OF THE U.S. EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED (“ERISA”), OF A PLAN, INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT OR OTHER ARRANGEMENT THAT IS SUBJECT TO SECTION 4975 OF THE U.S. INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE “CODE”) (EACH A “PLAN”) OR PROVISIONS UNDER ANY OTHER FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. OR OTHER LAWS OR REGULATIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE (“SIMILAR LAWS”), OR OF AN ENTITY WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS ARE CONSIDERED TO INCLUDE “PLAN ASSETS” OF ANY SUCH PLAN, ACCOUNT OR ARRANGEMENT (ALSO A “PLAN”), OR (2) THE ACQUISITION AND HOLDING OF THIS NOTE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A NON-EXEMPT PROHIBITED TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE OR A SIMILAR VIOLATION UNDER ANY APPLICABLE SIMILAR LAWS.

ADDITIONALLY, BY ITS ACQUISITION OF THIS NOTE IN THE INITIAL OFFERING, A HOLDER HEREOF THAT IS A PLAN (THE “PLAN FIDUCIARY”) SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED AND WARRANTED AT ALL TIMES NEITHER FIFTH THIRD BANCORP, THE UNDERWRITERS, NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES HAS PROVIDED OR WILL PROVIDE IMPARTIAL INVESTMENT ADVICE OR GIVE ADVICE IN A FIDUCIARY CAPACITY WITH RESPECT TO THE PURCHASER OR TRANSFEREE’S DECISION TO ACQUIRE, HOLD, SELL, EXCHANGE, VOTE OR PROVIDE ANY CONSENT WITH RESPECT TO THE NOTES BY THE ERISA PLAN’S FIDUCIARY (WITHIN THE MEANING OF ERISA OR THE CODE).

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO FIFTH THIRD BANCORP OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN

 

1


AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

2


FIFTH THIRD BANCORP

3.650% Senior Notes due 2024

THIS SECURITY IS NOT A DEPOSIT AND IS NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE DEPOSIT INSURANCE FUND OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY, NOR IS IT AN OBLIGATION OF, OR GUARANTEED BY, A BANK.

 

No.             $500,000,000

Fifth Third Bancorp, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Ohio (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, the principal sum of Five Hundred Million Dollars ($500,000,000) on January 25, 2024, (the “Maturity Date”), and to pay interest thereon from January 25, 2019 (the “Original Issue Date”) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on January 25 and July 25 in each year, commencing July 25, 2019, at the rate of 3.650% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, provided that any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate of 3.650% per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be January 10 or July 10 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. “Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday or Sunday, and that is not a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided , however , that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register.

 

3


The Company shall make, or cause the Paying Agent to make, all payments of principal and interest on Global Securities in immediately available funds to the Depositary or its nominee, in accordance with Applicable Procedures.

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

 

Dated: January 25, 2019     FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
    By:  

 

      Tayfun Tuzun
      Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Attest:

 

By:  

 

  Name:   H. Samuel Lind
  Title:  

Senior Vice President,

Associate General Counsel

and Assistant Secretary

[Signature Page to Note]

 

5


CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the Indenture referred to hereinafter.

 

Dated: January 25, 2019     WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee
    By:  

 

      Authorized Officer

 

6


[Reverse of Security]

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “ Securities ” or “Notes” ), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of April 30, 2008 (herein called the “ Base Indenture ”, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), between the Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture) as supplemented by an Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 25, 2019, between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “ Eighth Supplemental Indenture ” and together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof. The Company may, without notice to or the consent of any Holder, issue additional Securities having the same ranking, interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Securities of this series except for the issue date, the issue price and the initial Interest Payment Date, provided that if such additional Securities are not fungible with this Security for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional Securities will be issued with a separate CUSIP number. Any such additional Securities may be considered to be part of this series of Securities. The Company may, without notice to or the consent of any Holder, issue or incur Senior Indebtedness.

The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable (or will automatically become due and payable, without declaration or any other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder) in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

On or after the date that is 30 days prior to the Maturity Date, the Company may redeem this Security, at any time, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of this Security, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date established pursuant to the terms of the Eighth Supplemental Indenture. Installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date will be payable to the Holder of this Security, or one more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Date, all as provided in the Indenture.

Notice of redemption will be given by first class mail to Holders of Securities, not less than 10 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, all as provided in the Eighth Supplemental Indenture.

This Security may be redeemed in part only in minimum denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

 

7


The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security. Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any Holder of Securities, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Securities to conform to the terms of the Indenture and the Securities to the description of the Securities in the prospectus supplement dated January 23, 2019 relating to the offering of the Securities.

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

 

8


No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

9

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

LOGO

     312 Walnut Street
     Suite 1800
Richard G. Schmalzl    Cincinnati, OH 45202

Direct: (513) 629-2828

    
rschmalzl@graydon.com    Main   513 621 6464
   Fax   513 651 3836

January 25, 2019

Fifth Third Bancorp

Fifth Third Center

38 Fountain Square Plaza

Cincinnati, Ohio 45263

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Fifth Third Bancorp, an Ohio corporation (the “Corporation”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and prospectus filed in connection with the registration of the Corporation’s 3.650% Senior Notes due 2024 in the aggregate principal amount of $1,500,000,000 (the “Senior Debt Securities”) being issued by the Corporation pursuant to the Indenture dated as of April 30, 2008 between the Corporation and Wilmington Trust Company, as trustee, as such Indenture has been supplemented by an Eighth Supplemental Indenture dated January 25, 2019 (together, the “Senior Debt Indenture”).

As counsel for the Corporation, we have examined such corporate records, certificates, documents and matters of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. In all such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of signatures on original documents and the conformity to such original documents of all copies submitted to us as certified, conformed or photographic copies, and, as to statements of the officers of the Corporation and certificates of public officials, we have assumed the same to have been properly given and accurate.

Based upon such examination and the assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Senior Debt Securities are valid and legally binding obligations of the Corporation, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

The foregoing opinion is limited to the federal laws of the United States, the laws of the State of Ohio and the laws of the State governing the Senior Debt Securities, and we are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction. We express no opinion as to whether, or the extent to which, the laws of any particular jurisdiction apply to the subject matter of the agreements and documents referred to herein, including without limitation the enforceability of the governing law provisions contained in such agreements and documents.


Fifth Third Bancorp

January 25, 2019

Page 2

   LOGO

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the heading “Validity of securities” in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.

 

Very truly yours,
Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP
By:  

/s/ Richard G. Schmalzl

  Richard G. Schmalzl, Partner