Item 5.03.
Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
On June 26, 2016, the board of directors of Suffolk determined that it was in the best interests of Suffolk and its shareholders to amend the by-laws of Suffolk (the "
Bylaws
") and by resolution approved and adopted an amendment to the Bylaws (the "
Bylaw Amendment
"). The Bylaw Amendment became effective June 26, 2016.
The Bylaw Amendment provides that unless Suffolk consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of Suffolk, (ii) any action asserting a claim for or based on a breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director or officer or other employee of Suffolk to Suffolk or to Suffolk's shareholders, including a claim alleging the aiding and abetting of such a breach of fiduciary duty, (iii) any action asserting a claim against Suffolk or any current or former director or officer or other employee of Suffolk arising pursuant to any provision of the New York Business Corporation Law or Suffolk's certificate of incorporation or by-laws (as either may be amended from time to time) or (iv) any action asserting a claim related to or involving Suffolk that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, shall be a state court located within Suffolk County in the State of New York (or, if no state court located within Suffolk County in the State of New York has jurisdiction, the federal court for the Eastern District of New York). A copy of the Bylaw Amendment is filed as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including, but not limited to, People's United's and Suffolk'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, are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of either company. 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 People's United's and Suffolk's reports filed with 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: ability to obtain regulatory approvals and meet other closing conditions to the merger, including approval by Suffolk shareholders on the expected terms and schedule, and 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 Suffolk business 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 People's United'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; the impact, extent and timing of technological changes; capital management activities; litigation; increased capital requirements, other regulatory requirements or enhanced regulatory supervision; and other actions of the Federal Reserve Board and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms.
Annualized, pro forma, projected and estimated numbers are used for illustrative purpose only, are not forecasts and may not reflect actual results.
Important Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication is being made in respect of the proposed merger transaction involving People's United and Suffolk. People's United intends to file a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC, which will include a proxy statement of Suffolk and a prospectus of People's United, and each party will file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC. A definitive proxy statement/prospectus will also be sent to the Suffolk shareholders seeking any required shareholder approval. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval.
Before making any voting or investment decision, investors and security holders of Suffolk are urged to carefully read the entire registration statement and proxy statement/prospectus, when they become available, and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to these documents, because they will contain important information about the proposed transaction.
The documents filed by People's United and Suffolk with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by People's United may be obtained free of charge from People's United at www.peoples.com under the tab "Investor Relations" and then under the heading "Financial Information", and the documents filed by Suffolk may be obtained free of charge from Suffolk at www.scnb.com under the tab "Investor Relations" and then under the tab "SEC Filings." Alternatively, these documents, when available, can be obtained free of charge from People's United upon written request to People's United Financial, Inc., 850 Main Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604, Attn: Investor Relations, or by calling (203) 338-4581, or from Suffolk upon written request to Suffolk Bancorp, 4 West Second Street, Riverhead, New York 11901, Attn: Investor Relations, or by calling (631) 208-2400.
People's United and Suffolk and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Suffolk in favor of the approval of the merger. Information regarding People's United's directors and executive officers is contained in People's United's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and its Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, dated March 11, 2016, which are filed with the SEC. Information regarding Suffolk's directors and executive officers is contained in Suffolk's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and its Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, dated April 6, 2016, which are filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction may be obtained by reading the registration statement and the proxy statement/prospectus when they become available. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.