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): March 13, 2012
FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
(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)) |
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure
On March 13, 2012 Fifth Third Bancorp issued a press release relating to the information set forth in Item 8.01 below. A copy of this press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1. The information in this Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto shall not be deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Act of 1934, nor shall it or they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference.
Item 8.01 Other Events
On March 13, 2012 Fifth Third Bancorp announced the Federal Reserve’s response to the capital plan it submitted as part of the 2012 Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (“CCAR”).
The Federal Reserve indicated to Fifth Third that it does not object to the following capital actions: a continuation of its quarterly common dividend of $0.08 per share; the redemption of up to $1.4 billion in certain trust preferred securities; and the repurchase of common shares in an amount equal to any after-tax gains realized by Fifth Third from the sale of Vantiv, Inc. (“Vantiv”) common shares by either Fifth Third or Vantiv. Vantiv has made preliminary filings related to a potential initial public offering. Fifth Third makes no representations as to whether, when or in what amounts any such gains may occur from any such sale.
The Federal Reserve indicated to Fifth Third that it did object to other elements of its capital plan, including increases in its quarterly common dividend and the initiation of common share repurchases other than those described in the paragraph above. Fifth Third intends to resubmit its capital plan to the Federal Reserve as soon as practicable in order to address the reasons for the Federal Reserve’s objections.
Bank Holding Companies are not permitted to disclose confidential supervisory information, and Fifth Third has been informed that this includes any reason for an objection to capital plans submitted under CCAR, as well as the ongoing status of any resubmitted capital plan.
This report contains statements about Fifth Third Bancorp (“Fifth Third”) that we believe are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Sections 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 175 promulgated thereunder, and 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 3b-6 promulgated thereunder, that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements relate to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance or business. They usually can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as “will likely result,” “may,” “are expected to,” “is anticipated,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “projected,” “intends to,” or may include other similar words or phrases such as “believes,” “plans,” “trend,” “objective,” “continue,” “remain,” or similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “can,” or similar verbs. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, as they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those described in this
report, including the risk factors set forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind these risks and uncertainties, as well as any cautionary statements we may make. Moreover, you should treat these statements as speaking only as of the date they are made and based only on information then actually known to us.
There are a number of important factors that could cause future results to differ materially from historical performance and these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (1) general economic conditions and weakening in the economy, specifically the real estate market, either nationally or in the states in which Fifth Third, one or more acquired entities and/or the combined company do business, are less favorable than expected; (2) deteriorating credit quality; (3) political developments, wars or other hostilities may disrupt or increase volatility in securities markets or other economic conditions; (4) changes in the interest rate environment reduce interest margins; (5) prepayment speeds, loan origination and sale volumes, charge-offs and loan loss provisions; (6) Fifth Third’s ability to maintain required capital levels and adequate sources of funding and liquidity; (7) maintaining capital requirements may limit Fifth Third’s operations and potential growth; (8) changes and trends in capital markets; (9) problems encountered by larger or similar financial institutions may adversely affect the banking industry and/or Fifth Third; (10) competitive pressures among depository institutions increase significantly; (11) effects of critical accounting policies and judgments; (12) changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) or other regulatory agencies; (13) legislative or regulatory changes or actions, or significant litigation, adversely affect Fifth Third, one or more acquired entities and/or the combined company or the businesses in which Fifth Third, one or more acquired entities and/or the combined company are engaged, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”); (14) ability to maintain favorable ratings from rating agencies; (15) fluctuation of Fifth Third’s stock price; (16) ability to attract and retain key personnel; (17) ability to receive dividends from its subsidiaries; (18) potentially dilutive effect of future acquisitions on current shareholders’ ownership of Fifth Third; (19) effects of accounting or financial results of one or more acquired entities; (20) difficulties from the separation of Vantiv Holding, LLC, formerly Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC, from Fifth Third; (21) loss of income from any sale or potential sale of businesses that could have an adverse effect on Fifth Third’s earnings and future growth; (22) ability to secure confidential information through the use of computer systems and telecommunications networks; and (23) the impact of reputational risk created by these developments on such matters as business generation and retention, funding and liquidity.
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 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
| (d) | Exhibits |
| 99.1 | Fifth Third Bancorp Press Release dated March 13, 2012 (solely “furnished” and not “filed” for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). |
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) | ||
| March 13, 2012 | /s/ DANIEL T. POSTON | |
| Daniel T. Poston | ||
| Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | ||