Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-223434
Prospectus Supplement
(To Prospectus dated March 2, 2018)
$175,000,000
4.875% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2030
We are offering $175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.875%% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2030 (the “subordinated notes”). The subordinated notes will mature on October 1, 2030. From and including the date of original issuance to, but excluding, October 1, 2025 or the date of early redemption, the subordinated notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.875% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing on April 1, 2021. From and including October 1, 2025, to, but excluding, October 1, 2030 or the date of early redemption, the subordinated notes will bear interest at a floating rate per annum equal to a benchmark rate (which is expected to be Three-Month Term SOFR (as defined herein)) plus a spread of 476 basis points, payable quarterly in arrears on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing on January 1, 2026.
We may, at our option, redeem the subordinated notes (i) in whole or in part beginning with the interest payment date of October 1, 2025, and on any interest payment date thereafter or (ii) in whole but not in part upon the occurrence of a “Tax Event,” a “Tier 2 Capital Event,” or our becoming required to register as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The redemption price for any redemption is 100% of the principal amount of the subordinated notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the date of redemption. Any early redemption of the subordinated notes will be subject to the receipt of the approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to the extent then required under applicable laws or regulations, including capital regulations.
The subordinated notes will rank junior to all of our existing and future senior indebtedness. In addition, the subordinated notes will be effectively subordinated to all of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. The subordinated notes will be structurally subordinated to all of the existing and future liabilities and obligations of our subsidiaries, including the deposit liabilities and claims of other creditors of our bank subsidiary, Axos Bank. The subordinated notes will be obligations of Axos Financial, Inc. only, and will not be obligations of, and will not be guaranteed by, any of our subsidiaries.
The subordinated notes will not be listed on any securities exchange or included in any automated dealer quotation system.
PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE (1) | UNDERWRITING DISCOUNTS AND COMMISSIONS (2) | PROCEEDS, BEFORE EXPENSES, TO US (1) | ||||
| Per subordinated note | 100% | 1.25% | 98.75% | |||
| Total | $175,000,000 | $2,187,500 | $172,812,500 | |||
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(1) Plus accrued interest from September 18, 2020 if settlement occurs after that date.
(2) We have agreed to reimburse the underwriter for certain expenses in connection with this offering. See “Underwriting.”
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The underwriter expects to deliver the subordinated notes in book-entry only form on or about September 18, 2020.
Investing in the subordinated notes involves certain risks. Please read "Risk Factors" beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement, on page 4 of the accompanying prospectus, and beginning on page 26 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2020.
The subordinated notes are not savings accounts or deposits and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), or any other government agency. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), any state securities commission, the FDIC, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
| Joint Book-Running Managers | ||||
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. A Stifel Company | Raymond James | |||
The date of this prospectus supplement is September 15, 2020.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
We include cross-references in this prospectus supplement to captions elsewhere in these materials where you can find further related discussions. The following table of contents tells you where to find these captions
| Prospectus Supplement | ||
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
On March 2, 2018, we filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-223434) using a shelf registration process relating to the securities described in this prospectus supplement, which registration statement was automatically effective upon filing. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell up to $300,000,000 in the aggregate of debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, warrants, subscription rights and units.
This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, including the documents incorporated by reference, which describes the specific terms of this offering. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference, provides more general information, some of which applies directly to the securities offered by this prospectus supplement, and some of which may not. We urge you to carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated herein and therein, before buying any of the securities being offered under this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement may add or update information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein. To the extent that any statement that we make in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, is inconsistent with statements made in the accompanying prospectus or any documents incorporated by reference therein that was filed before the date of this prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement, and the statements made in this prospectus supplement will be deemed to modify or supersede those made in the accompanying prospectus and such documents incorporated by reference therein. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date (for example, a document incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus), the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement, or incorporated herein by reference, and contained or incorporated by reference, in the accompanying prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. No dealer, salesperson, or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. You should not rely on any unauthorized information or representation. This prospectus supplement is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, and only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. You should assume that the information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of the applicable document and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, or any sale of a security.
We further note that the representations, warranties, and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or in the accompanying prospectus were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty, or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties, or covenants were accurate only as of the dates when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties, and covenants should not be relied upon as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.
Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to “Axos,” “the Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Axos Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries.
INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document that we have filed separately with the SEC. We hereby incorporate by reference the following information or documents into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus:
| • | our Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, filed with the SEC on August 26, 2020; |
| • | our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the SEC on September 9, 2020; |
| • | our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 6, 2020 (with respect to Item 1.02); and |
| • | the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 000-51201) filed with the SEC on March 14, 2005. |
Any information in any of the foregoing documents will automatically be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that information in this prospectus supplement or accompanying prospectus or in a later filed document that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference modifies or replaces such information.
We also incorporate by reference any future filings (other than current reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits filed on such form that are related to such items) made with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
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14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), until we file a post-effective amendment that indicates the termination of the offering of the securities made by this prospectus. Information in such future filings updates and supplements the information provided in this prospectus. Any statements in any such future filings will automatically be deemed to modify and supersede any information in any document we previously filed with the SEC that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference to the extent that statements in the later filed document modify or replace such earlier statements.
Upon written or oral request, we will provide you without charge a copy of any or all of the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus but not delivered with the prospectus, including exhibits which are specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Requests should be directed to: Axos Financial, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 9205 West Russell Road, Suite 400, Las Vegas, Nevada 89148, telephone (858) 649-2218.
EXTENDED SETTLEMENT
We expect that delivery of the subordinated notes will be made against payment therefor on or about September 18, 2020, which will be the third business day following the date of pricing of the subordinated notes, or “T+3”. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the subordinated notes on the date of pricing or the next two succeeding business days will be required, by virtue of the fact that the subordinated notes initially settle in T+3, to specify an alternate settlement arrangement at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the subordinated notes who wish to trade the subordinated notes prior to their date of delivery hereunder should consult their advisors.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this prospectus, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein, that are not statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), Section 21E of the Exchange Act, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, notwithstanding that such statements are not specifically identified as such. In addition, certain statements may be contained in our future filings with the SEC, in press releases, and in oral and written statements made by us or with our approval that are not statements of historical fact and constitute forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) projections of revenues, expenses, income or loss, earnings or loss per share, the payment or nonpayment of dividends, capital structure and other financial items; (ii) statements of our plans, goals, objectives and expectations of our management or board of directors for future operations, including those relating to products or services; (iii) statements of future economic performance; and (iv) statements of assumptions underlying such statements. Words such as “believes,” “expects,” “feels,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “projects,” “potential,” “outlook,” “seeks,” “should,” “could,” “will,” “may” and variations of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements also include the assumptions underlying or relating to any of the foregoing statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following, as well as those discussed elsewhere in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference herein:
| • | timing and occurrence or non-occurrence of events may be subject to circumstances beyond our control; |
| • | direct and indirect impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including governmental, social and general economic effects of COVID-19, increased defaults as a result of economic disruptions caused by COVID-19, and the impact of governmental orders issued in response to COVID-19; |
| • | increases in competitive pressure among financial institutions or from non-financial institutions; |
| • | changes in the interest rate environment may reduce interest margins; |
| • | changes in deposit flows, loan demand or real estate values may adversely affect the business of our subsidiary, Axos Bank, through which substantially all of our operations are carried out; |
| • | changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines may cause our financial condition to be perceived differently; |
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| • | changes in corporate and/or individual income tax laws may adversely affect our business or financial condition; |
| • | general economic conditions, either nationally or locally in some or all areas in which we conduct business, or conditions in the securities markets or banking industry, may be less favorable than what we currently anticipate; |
| • | legislation or regulatory changes may adversely affect our business; |
| • | technological changes may be more difficult or expensive than what we anticipate; |
| • | success or consummation of new business initiatives may be more difficult or expensive than what we anticipate; |
| • | litigation or other matters before regulatory agencies, whether currently existing or commencing in the future, may delay the occurrence or non-occurrence of events longer than what we anticipate; and |
| • | the additional risks referred to in the section entitled “Risk Factors.” |
You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events except to the extent required by Federal securities laws.
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SUMMARY INFORMATION This summary highlights selected information about us, this offering and information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and in the accompanying prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in the securities offered by this prospectus. You should read this summary together with the entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including our financial statements, the notes to those financial statements and the other documents that we include in and/or have incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, before making an investment decision. See the Risk Factors section of this prospectus supplement beginning on page S-4, the section of the accompanying prospectus under the heading “Risk Factors” and risk factors discussed in documents that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement, for a discussion of the risks involved in investing in our securities. Axos Financial, Inc. and Axos Bank Axos Financial, Inc. is a financial holding company, a diversified financial services company with over $13.9 billion in assets that provides banking and securities products and services to its customers through its online and low-cost distribution channels and affinity partners. Axos Bank has deposit and loan customers nationwide including consumer and business checking, savings and time deposit accounts and financing for single family and multifamily residential properties, small-to-medium size businesses in target sectors, and selected specialty finance receivables. The Bank generates fee income from consumer and business products including fees from loans originated for sale and transaction fees earned from processing payment activity. Our securities products and services are offered through Axos Clearing LLC (“Axos Clearing”), acquired on January 28, 2019 and Axos Invest, Inc. (“Axos Invest”), acquired on February 26, 2019, which generate interest and fee income by providing comprehensive securities clearing services to introducing broker-dealers and registered investment advisor correspondents and digital investment advisory services to retail investors, respectively. Axos Clearing is a clearing broker-dealer registered with the SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Axos Invest is a Registered Investment Advisor under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, that is registered with the SEC. Axos Invest LLC, an introducing broker-dealer that is registered with the SEC and FINRA was acquired together with Axos Invest on February 26, 2019. Axos Financial, Inc.’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and is a component of the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index. At June 30, 2020, we had total assets of $13,851.9 million, loans of $10,727.9 million, investment securities of $187.7 million, total deposits of $11,336.7 million and borrowings of $478.3 million. Because we do not incur the significantly higher fixed operating costs inherent in a branch-based distribution system, we are able to rapidly grow our deposits and assets by providing a better value to our customers and by expanding our low-cost distribution channels. Our business strategy is to grow our loan and lease originations and our deposits to achieve increased economies of scale and reduce the cost of products and services to our customers by leveraging our distribution channels and technology. We have designed our online banking platform and our workflow processes to handle traditional banking functions with elimination of duplicate and unnecessary paperwork and human intervention. Our charter allows us to operate in all fifty states, and our online presence allows us increased flexibility to target a large number of loan and deposit customers based on demographics, geography and service needs. Our low-cost distribution channels provide opportunities to increase our core deposits and increase our loan originations by attracting new customers and developing new and innovative products and services. Our securities clearing and custody and digital wealth management platforms provide a comprehensive set of technology, clearing, cash management and lending services targeted at independent registered investment advisors and introducing broker-dealers, principals and clients of advisory firms and individuals not affiliated with an investment advisor. Our plan to integrate our clearing and wealth management platforms with our banking platform, will create an easy to use platform for customers banking and investing needs. Over time we expect our Securities Business to generate additional low-cost deposits, which would be available to fund the Banking Business. Corporate Information Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “AX” and is a component of the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index. Axos Financial, Inc., or the Company, is a Delaware corporation and financial holding company regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Axos Bank is a federal savings bank regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Our principal offices are located at 9205 West Russell Road, Suite 400, Las Vegas, Nevada 89148, and our telephone number is (858) 649-2218. We maintain an Internet website at www.axosfinancial.com. Information contained in or accessible through our website does not constitute part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. |
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| THE OFFERING | ||
| Issuer | Axos Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation. | |
| Notes Offered | $175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.875% fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due 2030. | |
| Maturity Date | The subordinated notes will mature on October 1, 2030 (the “Maturity Date”). | |
| Issue Date | September 15, 2020 | |
| Interest | From and including the date of original issuance to, but excluding, October 1, 2025 or the date of earlier redemption (the “fixed rate period”), the subordinated notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.875% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 of each year (each, a “fixed rate interest payment date”), commencing on April 1, 2021. The last fixed rate interest payment date for the fixed rate period will be October 1, 2025. From and including October 1, 2025 to, but excluding, the Maturity Date or the date of earlier redemption (the “floating rate period”), the subordinated notes will bear interest at a floating rate per annum equal to the Benchmark rate (which is expected to be Three-Month Term SOFR) plus a spread of 476 basis points. For each quarterly interest period during the floating rate period, interest will be payable quarterly in arrears on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year (each, a “floating rate interest payment date” and, together with the fixed rate interest payment dates, the “interest payment dates”), commencing on January 1, 2026. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Benchmark rate is less than zero, the Benchmark rate shall be deemed to be zero. For each interest period during the floating rate period, “Three-Month Term SOFR” means the rate for Term SOFR for a tenor of three months that is published by the Term SOFR Administrator at the Reference Time for any interest period, as determined by the calculation agent after giving effect to the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions (each as defined under “Description of Subordinated Notes-Interest”). If the calculation agent determines on or prior to the relevant Reference Time that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date (each as defined under “Description of Subordinated Notes”) have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR, then the provisions under “Description of Subordinated Notes-Effect of Benchmark Transition Event,” which are referred to herein as the “benchmark transition provisions,” will thereafter apply to all determinations of the interest rate on the subordinated notes for each interest period during the floating rate period. In accordance with the benchmark transition provisions, after a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred, the interest rate on the subordinated notes for each interest period during the floating rate period will be an annual rate equal to the Benchmark Replacement (as defined under “Description of Subordinated Notes”) plus 476 basis points. | |
| Ranking | The subordinated notes will be our general unsecured subordinated obligations and will be: | |
• junior in right of payment to any of our existing and future Senior Indebtedness (as defined under "Description of Subordinated Notes"); | ||
| • equal in right of payment with any of our existing and future subordinated indebtedness, including our 6.25% subordinated notes due 2026; | ||
| • senior in right of payment and upon our liquidation to (i) our existing junior subordinated debentures underlying outstanding trust preferred securities, and (ii) any indebtedness the terms of which provide that such indebtedness ranks junior to the subordinated notes; | ||
| • effectively subordinated to all of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and | ||
| • structurally subordinated to any existing and future liabilities and obligations of our subsidiaries, including the deposit liabilities and claims of other creditors of our bank subsidiary, Axos Bank. | ||
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The subordinated notes are not savings accounts or deposits and they are not insured by the United States, the FDIC or any other agency of fund of the United States. As of June 30, 2020, Axos Clearing had $21.5 million of borrowings from other banks and Axos Bank had $11.3 billion of deposits, $152.0 million of paycheck protection program liquidity facility advances, and $242.5 million of Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) advances, including advances with an original maturity term of less than one year, to which the subordinated notes will be structurally subordinated. The FHLB advances are secured by mortgage loan related collateral. | ||
| Redemption | We may, at our option, beginning with the interest payment date of October 1, 2025, and on any interest payment date thereafter, redeem the subordinated notes, in whole or in part, from time to time, subject to obtaining the prior approval of the Federal Reserve to the extent such approval is then required under the rules of the Federal Reserve, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the subordinated notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption. We may also redeem the subordinated notes at any time prior to their maturity, including prior to October 1, 2025, in whole, but not in part, subject to obtaining the prior approval of the Federal Reserve to the extent such approval is then required under the rules of the Federal Reserve, upon the occurrence of a “Tax Event,” a “Tier 2 Capital Event” or our becoming required to register as an investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act. See “Description of Subordinated Notes - Redemption.” | |
| Listing | The subordinated notes will not be listed on any securities exchange or included in any automated dealer quotation system. There is no assurance that an active trading market in the subordinated notes will develop or exist after the issuance of the subordinated notes. | |
| Use of Proceeds | We expect to receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $172,252,500 after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We intend to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes, to provide new capital to Axos Bank to support its future growth and for common stock share repurchases. See “Use of Proceeds.” | |
| Tax Considerations | You should carefully review the section “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences” in this prospectus supplement and discuss the tax consequences of your particular situation with your tax advisor. | |
| ERISA Considerations | For a discussion of certain prohibited transactions and fiduciary duty issues pertaining to purchases by or on behalf of an employee benefit plan, you should read “ERISA Considerations.” | |
Global Note; Book-Entry System | The subordinated notes offered hereby will be issued only in fully registered form without interest coupons and in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The subordinated notes offered hereby will be evidenced by a global note deposited with the trustee for the subordinated notes, as custodian for DTC. Beneficial interests in the global note will be shown on, and transfers of those beneficial interest can only be made through, records maintained by DTC and its participants. See “Description of Notes - Form, Denomination, Transfer, Exchange and Book-Entry Procedures.” | |
| Risk Factors | See “Risk Factors” and other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for a discussion of factors you should consider carefully before deciding to invest in the subordinated notes. | |
| Trustee | U.S. Bank National Association. | |
| Calculation Agent | We will appoint a calculation agent for the Notes prior to the commencement of the floating rate period. We will act as the initial calculation agent. | |
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RISK FACTORS
An investment in the subordinated notes is subject to various risks that may adversely affect their value. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described below together with the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2020, in particular under the caption “Risk Factors”, and in other documents that we subsequently file with the SEC, all of which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem insignificant or remote also may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, perhaps materially.
Risks Relating to the Subordinated Notes
You should not rely on indicative or historical data concerning SOFR.
The interest rate during the floating rate period will be determined using Three-Month Term SOFR (unless a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date occur with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR, in which case the rate of interest will be based on the next-available Benchmark Replacement). In the following discussion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), when we refer to SOFR-linked subordinated notes, we mean the subordinated notes at any time when the interest rate on the subordinated notes is or will be determined based on SOFR, including Three-Month Term SOFR.
SOFR is published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (“FRBNY”) and is intended to be a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities. FRBNY reports that SOFR includes all trades in the Broad General Collateral Rate, plus bilateral U.S. Treasury repurchase agreement (“repo”) transactions cleared through the delivery-versus-payment service offered by the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (the “FICC”), a subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (“DTCC”). SOFR is filtered by FRBNY to remove a portion of the foregoing transactions considered to be “specials.” According to FRBNY, “specials” are repos for specific-issue collateral which take place at cash-lending rates below those for general collateral repos because cash providers are willing to accept a lesser return on their cash to obtain a particular security.
FRBNY reports that SOFR is calculated as a volume-weighted median of transaction-level tri-party repo data collected from The Bank of New York Mellon, which currently acts as the clearing bank for the tri-party repo market, as well as general collateral finance repo transaction data and data on bilateral U.S. Treasury repo transactions cleared through the FICC’s delivery-versus-payment service.
FRBNY states that it obtains information from DTCC Solutions LLC, an affiliate of DTCC. FRBNY currently publishes SOFR daily on its website at https://apps.newyorkfed.org/markets/autorates/sofr. FRBNY states on its publication page for SOFR that use of SOFR is subject to important disclaimers, limitations and indemnification obligations, including that FRBNY may alter the methods of calculation, publication schedule, rate revision practices or availability of SOFR at any time without notice. The foregoing Internet website is an inactive textual reference only, meaning that the information contained on the website is not part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or incorporated by reference herein or therein.
FRBNY started publishing SOFR in April 2018. FRBNY has also started publishing historical indicative SOFRs dating back to 2014, although this historical indicative data inherently involves assumptions, estimates, and approximations. You should not rely on this historical indicative data or on any historical changes or trends in SOFR as an indicator of the future performance of SOFR.
SOFR may be more volatile than other benchmark or market rates.
Since the initial publication of SOFR, daily changes in the rate have, on occasion, been more volatile than daily changes in comparable benchmark or market rates, and SOFR over time may bear little or no relation to the historical actual or historical indicative data. In addition, the return on and value of the SOFR-linked subordinated notes may fluctuate more than floating rate securities that are linked to less volatile rates.
Changes in SOFR could adversely affect the amount of interest that accrues on the SOFR-linked subordinated notes and the trading prices for the SOFR-linked subordinated notes.
Because SOFR is published by FRBNY based on data received from other sources, we have no control over its determination, calculation or publication. There can be no assurance that SOFR will not be discontinued or fundamentally altered in a manner that is materially adverse to the interests of investors in the SOFR-linked subordinated notes. If the manner in which SOFR is calculated is changed, that change may result in a reduction in the amount of interest that accrues on the SOFR-linked subordinated notes, which may adversely affect the trading prices of the SOFR-linked subordinated notes. In addition, the interest rate on the SOFR-linked subordinated notes for any day will not be adjusted for any modification or
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amendment to SOFR for that day that FRBNY may publish if the interest rate for that day has already been determined prior to such publication. Further, if the Benchmark rate on the SOFR-linked subordinated notes during the floating rate period for any interest period declines to zero or becomes negative, interest will only accrue on the SOFR-linked subordinated notes at a rate equal to the spread of 4.875% per annum with respect to that interest period. There is no assurance that changes in SOFR could not have a material adverse effect on the yield on, value of and market for the SOFR-linked subordinated notes.
SOFR differs fundamentally from, and may not be a comparable substitute for, U.S. dollar LIBOR.
In June 2017, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (the “ARRC”) convened by the Federal Reserve and FRBNY announced SOFR as its recommended alternative to the London interbank offered rate for U.S. dollar obligations (“U.S. dollar LIBOR”). However, because SOFR is a broad U.S. Treasury repo financing rate that represents overnight secured funding transactions, it differs fundamentally from U.S. dollar LIBOR. For example, SOFR is a secured overnight rate, while U.S. dollar LIBOR is an unsecured rate that represents interbank funding over different maturities. In addition, because SOFR is a transaction-based rate, it is backward-looking, whereas U.S. dollar LIBOR is forward-looking. Because of these and other differences, there can be no assurance that SOFR will perform in the same way as U.S. dollar LIBOR would have done at any time, and there is no guarantee that it is a comparable substitute for U.S. dollar LIBOR.
Any failure of SOFR to gain market acceptance could adversely affect the trading prices of the SOFR-linked subordinated notes.
SOFR may fail to gain market acceptance. SOFR was developed for use in certain U.S. dollar derivatives and other financial contracts as an alternative to U.S. dollar LIBOR in part because it is considered to be a good representation of general funding conditions in the overnight U.S. Treasury repo market. However, as a rate based on transactions secured by U.S. Treasury securities, it does not measure bank-specific credit risk and, as a result, is less likely to correlate with the unsecured short-term funding costs of banks. This may mean that market participants would not consider SOFR to be a suitable substitute or successor for all of the purposes for which U.S. dollar LIBOR historically has been used (including, without limitation, as a representation of the unsecured short-term funding costs of banks), which may, in turn, lessen its market acceptance. Any failure of SOFR to gain market acceptance could adversely affect the return on, value of and market for the SOFR-linked subordinated notes.
Any market for the SOFR-linked subordinated notes may be illiquid or unpredictable.
Since SOFR is a relatively new market index, SOFR-linked debt securities likely will have no established trading market when issued, and an established trading market for the SOFR-linked subordinated notes may never develop or may not be very liquid. Market terms for securities that are linked to SOFR, such as the spread over the base rate reflected in the interest rate provisions, may evolve over time, and as a result, trading prices of the SOFR-linked subordinated notes may be lower than those of later-issued securities that are linked to SOFR. Similarly, if SOFR does not prove to be widely used in securities that are similar or comparable to the SOFR-linked subordinated notes, the trading price of the SOFR-linked subordinated notes may be lower than those of securities that are linked to rates that are more widely used. You may not be able to sell the SOFR-linked subordinated notes at all or may not be able to sell the SOFR-linked subordinated notes at prices that will provide you with a yield comparable to similar investments that have a developed secondary market, and you may consequently suffer from increased pricing volatility and market risk. The manner of adoption or application of reference rates based on SOFR in the bond and equity markets may differ materially compared with the application and adoption of SOFR in other markets, such as the derivatives and loan markets. You should carefully consider how any potential inconsistencies between the adoption of reference rates based on SOFR across these markets may impact any hedging or other financial arrangements which you may put in place in connection with any acquisition, holding or disposal of the SOFR-linked subordinated notes.
The interest rate for the subordinated notes during the floating rate period may be determined based on a rate other than Three-Month Term SOFR.
Under the terms of the subordinated notes, the interest rate on the subordinated notes for each interest period during the floating rate period will be based on Three-Month Term SOFR, a forward-looking term rate for a tenor of three months that will be based on SOFR (“Three-Month Term SOFR”). Three-Month Term SOFR does not currently exist and is currently being developed under the sponsorship of the ARRC. There is no assurance that the development of Three-Month Term SOFR, or any other forward-looking term rate based on SOFR, will be completed. Uncertainty surrounding the development of forward-looking term rates based on SOFR could have a material adverse effect on the return on, value of, and market for the subordinated notes. If, at the commencement of the floating rate period for the subordinated notes, the Federal Reserve and/or the FRBNY, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve and/or the FRBNY or any successor thereto (“Relevant Governmental Body”) has not selected or recommended a forward-looking term rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR, the development of a forward-looking term rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR that has been recommended or selected by the Relevant Governmental Body is not complete or the calculation agent determines that the use of a forward-looking rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR is not administratively feasible, then the next-available Benchmark Replacement under the benchmark transition provisions will be used to determine the interest rate on the
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subordinated notes during the floating rate period (unless a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date occur with respect to that next-available Benchmark Replacement).
Under the terms of the subordinated notes, the calculation agent is expressly authorized to make determinations, decisions, or elections with respect to technical, administrative, or operational matters that it decides are appropriate to reflect the use of Three-Month Term SOFR as the interest rate basis for the subordinated notes, which are defined in the terms of the subordinated notes as “Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions.” For example, assuming that a form of Three-Month Term SOFR is developed, it is not currently known how or by whom rates for Three-Month Term SOFR will be published. Accordingly, the calculation agent will need to determine the applicable Three-Month Term SOFR during the floating rate period. The calculation agent’s determination and implementation of any Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions could result in adverse consequences to the amount of interest that accrues on the subordinated notes during the floating rate period, which could adversely affect the return on, value of and market for the subordinated notes.
Any Benchmark Replacement may not be the economic equivalent of Three-Month Term SOFR.
Under the benchmark transition provisions of the subordinated notes, if the calculation agent determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR, then the interest rate on the subordinated notes during the floating rate period will be determined using the next-available Benchmark Replacement (which may include a related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment). However, the Benchmark Replacement may not be the economic equivalent of Three-Month Term SOFR. For example, Compounded SOFR, the first available Benchmark Replacement, is the compounded average of the daily Secured Overnight Financing Rates calculated in arrears, while Three-Month Term SOFR is intended to be a forward-looking rate with a tenor of three months. In addition, very limited market precedent exists for securities that use Compounded SOFR as the rate basis, and the method for calculating Compounded SOFR in those precedents varies. Further, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (“ISDA”) Fallback Rate, which is another Benchmark Replacement, has not yet been established and may change over time.
The implementation of Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes could adversely affect the amount of interest that accrues on the subordinated notes and the trading prices for the subordinated notes.
Under the benchmark transition provisions of the subordinated notes, if a particular Benchmark Replacement or Benchmark Replacement Adjustment cannot be determined, then the next-available Benchmark Replacement or Benchmark Replacement Adjustment will apply. These replacement rates and adjustments may be selected or formulated by (i) the Relevant Governmental Body (such as the ARRC), (ii) the ISDA or (iii) in certain circumstances, the calculation agent. In addition, the benchmark transition provisions expressly authorize the calculation agent to make certain changes, which are defined in the terms of the subordinated notes as “Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes,” with respect to, among other things, the determination of interest periods, and the timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest. The application of a Benchmark Replacement and Benchmark Replacement Adjustment, and any implementation of Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes, could result in adverse consequences to the amount of interest that accrues on the subordinated notes during the floating rate period, which could adversely affect the return on, value of, and market for the subordinated notes. Further, there is no assurance that the characteristics of any Benchmark Replacement will be similar to the then-current Benchmark that it is replacing, or that any Benchmark Replacement will produce the economic equivalent of the then-current Benchmark that it is replacing.
Because the subordinated notes may be redeemed at our option under certain circumstances prior to their maturity, you may be subject to reinvestment risk.
Subject to the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, to the extent that such approval is then required, we may redeem the subordinated notes at our option (i) in whole but not in part beginning with the interest payment date of October 1, 2025, and on any interest payment date thereafter. In addition, at any time at which any subordinated notes remain outstanding, subject to the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, to the extent that such approval is then required, we may redeem the subordinated notes in whole but not in part upon the occurrence of (i) a “Tier 2 Capital Event,” (ii) a “Tax Event” or (iii) if we are required to register as an investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act. In the event that we redeem the subordinated notes, holders of the subordinated notes will receive only the principal amount of the subordinated notes plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, such earlier redemption date. If any redemption occurs, holders of the subordinated notes will not have the opportunity to continue to accrue and be paid interest to the stated maturity date. Any such redemption may have the effect of reducing the income or return that you may receive on an investment in the subordinated notes by reducing the term of the investment. If this occurs, you may not be able to reinvest the proceeds at an interest rate comparable to the rate paid on the subordinated notes. See “Description of Notes Redemption.”
Investors should not expect us to redeem the subordinated notes on or after the date on which they become redeemable at our option. Under Federal Reserve regulations, unless the Federal Reserve authorizes us in writing to do otherwise, we may not redeem the subordinated notes unless they are replaced with other Tier 2 capital instruments, or unless we can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Federal Reserve that, following redemption, we will continue to hold capital commensurate with our risk.
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If we are in default on our obligations to pay our Senior Indebtedness, we will not be able to make payments on the subordinated notes.
Our obligations under the subordinated notes will be unsecured and will rank junior to the following, unless, by their terms, the obligation ranks equal with, or junior to, the subordinated notes:
| • | any of our indebtedness for purchased or borrowed money, whether or not evidenced by securities, notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments issued by us, including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses; |
| • | any of our capital lease obligations; |
| • | any of our obligations issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, our conditional sale obligations, and our obligations under any conditional sale or title retention agreement, but excluding trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business; |
| • | any of our obligations arising from off-balance sheet guarantees and direct credit substitutes, including obligations in respect of any letters of credit, bankers’ acceptance, security purchase facilities and similar credit transactions; |
| • | any of our obligations associated with derivative products, including obligations in respect of interest rate swap, cap or other agreements, interest rate future or options contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contracts and other similar agreements; |
| • | any of the above listed types of obligations of other persons for the payment for which we are responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; |
| • | any of the above listed types of obligations of other persons secured by any lien on any of our property or assets whether or not we assume that obligation; and |
| • | any deferrals, renewals or extensions of any of the above listed obligations. |
If we default on payments under any of these obligations that are senior to the subordinated notes, or if any of these senior obligations are accelerated or any judicial proceeding with respect to a default is pending, we will not be able to make payments on the subordinated notes, unless we cure the default. If we liquidate, go bankrupt or dissolve, we would be able to pay under the subordinated notes only after we have paid in full all of our liabilities that are senior to the subordinated notes. The Subordinated Indenture (as defined below) does not limit the amount of Senior Indebtedness that we may incur. For more information on the subordination of payments under the subordinated notes, see “Description of Subordinated Notes-Subordination.”
The subordinated notes are structurally subordinated to all indebtedness of our subsidiaries, and creditors of our subsidiaries will have priority as to our subsidiaries' assets.
The subordinated notes are not obligations of, or guaranteed by, any of our subsidiaries or any third party. As a result, our right and the rights of our creditors, including holders of the subordinated notes, to participate in any distribution of assets of any of our subsidiaries upon its liquidation, reorganization or otherwise would be subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary. In the event of any such distribution of assets of our bank subsidiary, the claims of depositors and other general or subordinated creditors of such subsidiary would be entitled to priority over the claims of ours or holders of the subordinated notes. Accordingly, the subordinated notes are structurally subordinated to all of the existing and future liabilities and obligations of our subsidiaries. Claims on our bank subsidiary by creditors other than us include those by holders of our long-term debt and there are substantial obligations with respect to deposit liabilities and federal funds purchased, other short-term borrowings and various other financial obligations. As of June 30, 2020, Axos Clearing had $21.5 million of borrowings from other banks and Axos Bank had $11.3 billion of deposits, $152.0 million of paycheck protection program liquidity facility advances, and $242.5 million of FHLB advances, including advances with an original maturity term of less than one year, to which the subordinated notes will be structurally subordinated.
We are a holding company, and banking laws and regulations could limit our access to funds from our bank subsidiary with the result that we may not have access to sufficient cash to make payments on the subordinated notes.
As a holding company, our principal source of funds to service our debt, including the subordinated notes, is dividends from our subsidiaries. Interest expense on our debt obligations for the year ended June 30, 2020 was $4.3 million (holding company only).
Federal and state banking regulations limit dividends from our bank subsidiary to us. Generally, banks are prohibited from paying dividends when doing so would cause them to fall below regulatory minimum capital levels. Additionally, limits exist on banks paying dividends in excess of net income for specified periods. Furthermore, banks must separately maintain a capital conservation buffer of 2.5% above the minimum risk-based capital requirements in order to avoid certain limitations on capital distributions, stock repurchases and discretionary bonus payments to executive officers. Accordingly, if our bank subsidiary fails to maintain the applicable minimum capital ratios and the capital conservation buffer, dividends to us may be
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prohibited or limited, and we may not have funds to make principal and interest payments on the subordinated notes. The total amount available for payment of dividends by our bank subsidiary was approximately $194 million at June 30, 2020, based on our bank subsidiary’s maintaining enough capital to be considered well capitalized and meet the capital conservation buffer. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, our bank subsidiary paid dividends of $60 million to us. In addition, federal bank regulatory agencies have the authority to prohibit our bank subsidiary from engaging in unsafe or unsound practices in conducting their business. The payment of dividends or other transfers of funds to us, depending on the financial condition of the bank, could be deemed an unsafe or unsound practice.
Dividend payments from our bank subsidiary would also be prohibited under the “prompt corrective action” regulations of federal bank regulators if the bank subsidiary is, or after payment of such dividends would be, undercapitalized under such regulations. In addition, our bank subsidiary is subject to restrictions under federal law that limit their ability to transfer funds or other items of value to us and our non-bank subsidiaries, including affiliates, whether in the form of loans and other extensions of credit, investments and asset purchases, or as other transactions involving the transfer of value.
Accordingly, we can provide no assurance that we will receive dividends or other distributions from our bank subsidiary and our other subsidiaries in an amount sufficient to pay interest on or principal of the subordinated notes.
Holders of the subordinated notes will have limited rights, including limited rights of acceleration, if there is an event of default.
Payment of principal on the subordinated notes may be accelerated only in the case of certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency involving us or our bank subsidiary. There is no automatic acceleration, or right of acceleration, in the case of default in the payment of principal of or interest on the subordinated notes, or in the performance of any of our other obligations under the subordinated notes or the Subordinated Indenture governing the subordinated notes. Our regulators can, in the event we or our bank subsidiary become subject to an enforcement action, prohibit our bank subsidiary from paying dividends to us, and prevent our payment of interest or principal on the subordinated notes and any dividends on our capital stock, but such limits will not permit acceleration of the subordinated notes. See “Description of the Subordinated Notes-Events of Default.”
Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial results and prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under the subordinated notes.
In addition to our currently outstanding indebtedness and any additional indebtedness we may incur pursuant to this offering, we may be able to borrow substantial additional indebtedness, including senior debt, in the future. If new indebtedness is incurred in addition to our current debt levels, the related risks that we now face could increase.
Our indebtedness, including the indebtedness we may incur in the future, could have important consequences for the holders of the subordinated notes, including:
| • | limiting our ability to satisfy our obligations with respect to the subordinated notes; |
| • | increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions; |
| • | limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, and other general corporate requirements; |
| • | requiring a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations for the payment of principal of, and interest on, our indebtedness and thereby reducing our ability to use our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, and general corporate requirements; |
| • | limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry; and |
| • | putting us at a disadvantage compared to competitors with less indebtedness. |
The subordinated indenture does not limit the incurrence of additional indebtedness by us, including secured indebtedness, which would be effectively senior to the subordinated notes to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness.
Our business operations and the business operations of our subsidiaries may not generate the cash needed to service our indebtedness.
Our ability to make payments on our indebtedness, including the subordinated notes, and to fund planned capital expenditures will depend on our ability to generate cash in the future. We cannot assure you that our business or the business of our subsidiaries will generate sufficient cash flow from operations or that future borrowings will be available to us in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay interest on and principal of our indebtedness, including the subordinated notes, or to fund our other liquidity needs.
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The limited covenants relating to the subordinated notes do not protect you.
The covenants in the subordinated indenture governing the subordinated notes are limited. In addition, the subordinated notes and the subordinated indenture do not limit our or our subsidiaries' ability to further issue additional subordinated notes, including additional notes of the same series as the subordinated notes, or to incur additional debt. As a result, the terms of the subordinated indenture do not protect you in the event of an adverse change in our financial condition or results of operations, and you should not consider the terms of the subordinated indenture to be a significant factor in evaluating whether we will be able to comply with our obligations under the subordinated notes.
There is no established trading market for the subordinated notes, which could make it more difficult for you to sell your subordinated notes and could adversely affect the price of the subordinated notes in any trading market that develops in the notes following the offering.
The subordinated notes constitute a new issue of securities for which no established trading market exists. Consequently, it may be difficult for you to sell your subordinated notes. We do not intend to list the subordinated notes on any securities exchange or to apply to have the subordinated notes quoted on any automated dealer quotation system. A market for the subordinated notes may not develop, and if such a market does develop, such market may not continue to exist or provide liquidity for the subordinated notes following the offering or provide a market at prices for the subordinated notes acceptable to investors.
If a trading market for the subordinated notes develops, changes in the debt markets, among others, could adversely affect the market price of the subordinated notes and your ability to liquidate your investment in the subordinated notes.
Many factors could affect the trading market for, and the trading value of, the subordinated notes. These factors include: the method of calculating the principal, premium, if any, interest or other amounts payable, if any, on the subordinated notes; the time remaining to the maturity of the subordinated notes; the ranking of the subordinated notes; the redemption features of the subordinated notes; the outstanding amount of subordinated notes with terms identical to the subordinated notes offered hereby; the prevailing interest rates being paid by other companies similar to us; changes in U.S. interest rates; whether the ratings on the subordinated notes or us provided by any rating agency have changed; our financial condition, financial performance and future prospects; the level, direction and volatility of market interest rates generally; general economic conditions of the capital markets in the United States; and geopolitical conditions and other financial, political, regulatory, and judicial events that affect the capital markets generally. Economic or market turmoil could occur in the near or long term, which could adversely affect the trading market (if any) for, and the market price of, the subordinated notes. Recently, the coronavirus infection has caused volatility in the global financial markets and caused a slowdown in the global economy.
The subordinated notes are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC.
The subordinated notes are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of our bank subsidiary and are not insured by the FDIC or any other governmental agency or instrumentality.
A downgrade in our credit ratings or the ratings of Axos Bank could have a material adverse impact on us.
Rating agencies continuously evaluate us and our subsidiaries, and their ratings of our and Axos Bank’s long-term and short-term debt are based on a number of factors, including financial strength, as well as factors not entirely within our and Axos Bank’s control, such as conditions affecting the financial services industry generally. In light of these reviews and the continued focus on the financial services industry generally, we and Axos Bank may not be able to maintain our current credit ratings. Ratings downgrades by a rating agency could have a significant and immediate impact on our funding and liquidity through cash obligations, reduced funding capacity, and collateral triggers. A reduction in our or Axos Bank’s credit ratings could also increase our and Axos Bank’s borrowing costs and limit access to the capital markets.
Downgrades in the credit or financial strength ratings assigned to the counterparties with whom we transact could create the perception that our financial condition will be adversely impacted as a result of potential future defaults by such counterparties. Additionally, we could be adversely affected by a general, negative perception of financial institutions caused by the downgrade of other financial institutions. Accordingly, ratings downgrades for other financial institutions could affect the market price of our stock and could limit our access to or increase our cost of capital.
We will act as the initial calculation agent and may have economic interests adverse to the interests of the holders of the subordinated notes.
The calculation agent will determine the interest rate during the floating rate period. We will act as the initial calculation agent for the subordinated notes. Any exercise of discretion by us under the terms of the subordinated notes, including, without limitation, any discretion exercised by us acting as calculation agent, could present a conflict of interest. In making the required determinations, decisions and elections, we may have economic interests that are adverse to the interests of the holders of the subordinated notes, and those determinations, decisions or elections could have a material adverse effect on the yield on, value
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of and market for the subordinated notes. Any determination by us, as the calculation agent, will be final and binding absent manifest error.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Our estimated net proceeds from this offering are approximately $172,252,500 assuming an aggregate offering price of $175,000,000 and after deducting commissions and estimated expenses of the offering. We intend to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes, to provide new capital to Axos Bank to support its future growth and for common stock share repurchases.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our consolidated capitalization as of June 30, 2020:
| • | On an actual basis; and |
| • | As adjusted to give effect to the sale of approximately $175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes pursuant to this offering and the application of the net proceeds therefrom. |
This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and other financial information set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2020, and incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
| As of June 30, 2020 | ||||||||
| (unaudited, $ in thousands) | Actual | As Adjusted | ||||||
| Cash and due from banks | $ | 1,756,477 | $ | 1,928,729 | ||||
| Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank | 242,500 | 242,500 | ||||||
| Paycheck protection program liquidity facility advances | 151,952 | 151,952 | ||||||
| Borrowings from other banks | 21,500 | 21,500 | ||||||
| Junior subordinated debentures | 5,155 | 5,155 | ||||||
| Subordinated notes | 58,400 | $ | 233,400 | |||||
| Stockholders’ Equity: | ||||||||
| Common stock | 673 | 673 | ||||||
| Preferred stock | 5,063 | 5,063 | ||||||
| Capital surplus | 411,873 | 411,873 | ||||||
| Retained earnings | 1,009,299 | 1,009,299 | ||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | (937 | ) | (937 | ) | ||||
| Treasury stock | (195,125 | ) | (195,125 | ) | ||||
| Total Stockholders’ Equity | 1,230,846 | 1,230,846 | ||||||
| Total Debt and Stockholders’ Equity | 1,710,353 | 1,885,353 | ||||||
CONSOLIDATED CAPITAL RATIOS
The following table sets forth our consolidated regulatory capital ratios at June 30, 2020 (i) on an actual basis and (ii) on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the sale of $175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of subordinated notes offered hereby.
| As of June 30, 2020 | |||
| Actual | As Adjusted for this Offering | ||
| Tier 1 leverage ratio | 8.97% | 8.85% | |
| Common equity Tier 1 ratio | 11.22% | 11.22% | |
| Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio | 11.27% | 11.27% | |
| Total risk-based capital ratio | 12.64% | 14.42% | |
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DESCRIPTION OF SUBORDINATED NOTES
The following summary of the subordinated notes does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the Subordinated Indenture (as defined below), including the definitions therein of certain terms. Unless otherwise specified, capitalized terms used in this summary have the meanings specified in the Subordinated Indenture. For purposes of this “Description of Subordinated Notes,” references to the “Company,” “Axos Financial,” “we,” and “us” include only Axos Financial, Inc. and not its consolidated subsidiaries. Information contained in this summary supersedes any information included in any free writing prospectus filed by the Company.
General
The subordinated notes offered hereby will be issued under a subordinated debt indenture, dated as of March 3, 2016, as amended and supplemented by a second supplemental indenture, to be dated as of September 18, 2020, between Axos Financial and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, which together we refer to in this summary as the “Subordinated Indenture.”
The subordinated notes will be our general unsecured, subordinated obligations and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured, subordinated obligations from time to time outstanding. The subordinated notes will rank junior to all of our existing and future Senior Indebtedness (as defined below), to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Subordinated Indenture. In addition, the subordinated notes will be effectively subordinated to all of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. The subordinated notes will be structurally subordinated to all of the existing and future liabilities and obligations of our subsidiaries, including the deposit liabilities and claims of other creditors of our subsidiary bank, Axos Bank. See “-Subordination.” The subordinated notes will be obligations of Axos Financial, only, and will not be obligations of, and will not be guaranteed by, any of our subsidiaries.
The subordinated notes will mature on October 1, 2030 (the “Maturity Date”), unless previously redeemed or otherwise accelerated. There is no sinking fund for the subordinated notes. We intend for the subordinated notes to qualify (subject to applicable limitations) as Tier 2 capital under applicable capital regulations, guidance, and interpretations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”).
Beginning with the interest payment date of October 1, 2025, and on any interest payment date thereafter, we may, at our option, subject to obtaining the prior approval of the Federal Reserve to the extent such approval is then required under the rules of the Federal Reserve (or, as and if applicable, the rules of any successor appropriate bank regulatory agency) (“Federal Reserve Approval”), redeem the subordinated notes, in whole or in part, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the subordinated notes to be redeemed plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. The subordinated notes may not be redeemed by us prior to October 1, 2025, except that we may, at our option, subject to Federal Reserve Approval, redeem the subordinated notes in whole, but not in part, prior to maturity, including prior to October 1, 2025, upon the occurrence of a “Tax Event” or a “Tier 2 Capital Event” (as such terms are defined in the Subordinated Indenture) or if we are required to register as an investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act, in each case, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the subordinated notes to be redeemed plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. Any partial redemption will be made in accordance with the applicable procedures of The Depository Trust Company (with its successors, “DTC”). See “-Redemption.”
Further Issues
The Subordinated Indenture does not limit the amount of subordinated notes that we may issue from time to time in one or more series. The Subordinated Indenture permits us to reopen this series of subordinated notes in the future and issue additional notes of the same series with the same terms as the subordinated notes (except for the issue date, public offering price and the first interest payment date) without your consent and without notifying you, including prior to the settlement of the subordinated notes offered hereby, provided that the reopened notes are fungible with the subordinated notes for United States federal income tax purposes.
Interest
From and including the date of original issuance to, but excluding, October 1, 2025, or the date of earlier redemption (the “fixed rate period”), the subordinated notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.875% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 of each year (each, a “fixed rate interest payment date”), commencing on April 1, 2021. The last fixed rate interest payment date for the fixed rate period will be October 1, 2025.
From and including October 1, 2025, to, but excluding, the Maturity Date or the date of earlier redemption (the “floating rate period”), the subordinated notes will bear interest at a floating rate per annum equal to the Benchmark rate (which is expected to be Three-Month Term SOFR) plus a spread of 476 basis points. For each quarterly interest period during the floating rate period, interest will be payable quarterly in arrears on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year (each, a “floating rate interest payment date” and, together with the fixed rate interest payment dates, the “interest payment dates”), commencing on January 1, 2026. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Benchmark rate is less than zero, the Benchmark rate
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shall be deemed to be zero. In each case, payments will be made to the holder of record on the 15th calendar day immediately preceding the applicable interest payment date.
For the purpose of calculating the interest on the subordinated notes for each interest period during the floating rate period when the Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, “Three-Month Term SOFR” means the rate for Term SOFR for a tenor of three months that is published by the Term SOFR Administrator at the Reference Time for any interest period, as determined by the calculation agent after giving effect to the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions. We will act as the initial calculation agent.
The following definitions apply to the foregoing definition of Three-Month Term SOFR:
“Benchmark” means, initially, Three-Month Term SOFR; provided that if the calculation agent determines on or prior to the Reference Time that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement.
“Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Website“ means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source. The foregoing Internet website is an inactive textual reference only, meaning that the information contained on the website is not part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or incorporated by reference herein or therein.
“Reference Time” with respect to any determination of the Benchmark means (1) if the Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, the time determined by the calculation agent after giving effect to the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions, and (2) if the Benchmark is not Three-Month Term SOFR, the time determined by the calculation agent after giving effect to the Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes.
“Relevant Governmental Body” means the Federal Reserve and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or any successor thereto.
“SOFR” means the secured overnight financing rate published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the administrator of the Benchmark (or a successor administrator), on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s website.
“Term SOFR” means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body.
“Term SOFR Administrator” means any entity designated by the Relevant Governmental Body as the administrator of Term SOFR (or a successor administrator).
“Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions” means any determination, decision or election with respect to any technical, administrative or operational matter (including with respect to the manner and timing of the publication of Three-Month Term SOFR, or changes to the definition of “interest period,” timing and frequency of determining Three-Month Term SOFR with respect to each interest period and making payments of interest, rounding of amounts or tenors, and other administrative matters) that the calculation agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the use of Three-Month Term SOFR as the Benchmark in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the calculation agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible, or if the calculation agent determines that no market practice for the use of Three-Month Term SOFR exists, in such other manner as the calculation agent determines is reasonably necessary).
The terms “Benchmark Replacement,” “Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes,” “Benchmark Replacement Date,” “Benchmark Transition Event” and “Corresponding Tenor” have the meanings set forth below under the heading “-Effect of Benchmark Transition Event.”
Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraphs related to the determination of interest, if the calculation agent determines on or prior to the relevant Reference Time that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date (each as defined below) have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR, then the provisions set forth below under the heading “-Effect of Benchmark Transition Event,” which we refer to as the “benchmark transition provisions,” will thereafter apply to all determinations of the interest rate on the subordinated notes for each interest period during the floating rate period. In accordance with the benchmark transition provisions, after a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred, the interest rate on the subordinated notes for each interest period during the floating rate period will be an annual rate equal to the Benchmark Replacement plus 476 basis points.
Absent manifest error, the calculation agent’s determination of the interest rate for an interest period for the subordinated notes will be binding and conclusive on you, the trustee and us. The calculation agent’s determination of any interest rate, and its calculation of interest payments for any period, will be maintained on file at the calculation agent’s principal offices, will be made available to any holder of the subordinated notes upon request and will be provided to the trustee.
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Interest shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months during the fixed rate period and on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed during the floating rate period. Dollar amounts resulting from that calculation will be rounded to the nearest cent, with one-half cent being rounded upward.
Interest on the subordinated notes, subject to certain exceptions, will accrue during the applicable interest period. When we use the term “interest period,” we mean the period from and including the immediately preceding interest payment date in respect of which interest has been paid or duly provided for or, if no interest has been paid or duly provided for, from and including the date of issuance of the subordinated notes to, but excluding, the applicable interest payment date or the Maturity Date or date of earlier redemption, if applicable. If a fixed rate interest payment date or the Maturity Date falls on a day that is not a business day, then the interest payment or the payment of principal and interest at maturity will be paid on the next succeeding business day, but the payments made on such dates will be treated as being made on the date that the payment was first due, and the holders of the subordinated notes will not be entitled to any further interest or other payments. If a floating rate interest payment date falls on a day that is not a business day, then such floating rate interest payment date will be postponed to the next succeeding business day unless such day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, in which case such floating rate interest payment date will be accelerated to the immediately preceding business day, and, in each such case, the amounts payable on such business day will include interest accrued to, but excluding, such business day.
Interest on each subordinated note will be payable to the person in whose name such subordinated note is registered on the fifteenth day immediately preceding the applicable interest payment date, whether or not such day is a business day. Any interest which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any interest payment date shall cease to be payable to the holder on the relevant record date by virtue of having been a holder on such date, and such defaulted interest may be paid by us to the person in whose name the subordinated notes are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of defaulted interest, or in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the subordinated notes may be listed. However, interest that is paid on the Maturity Date will be paid to the person to whom the principal will be payable. Interest will be payable by wire transfer in immediately available funds in U.S. dollars at the office of the principal paying agent or, at our option in the event the subordinated notes are not represented by global notes, by check mailed to the address of the person specified for payment in the preceding sentences.
If the then-current Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, the calculation agent will have the right to establish the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions, and if any of the foregoing provisions concerning the calculation of the interest rate and interest payments during the floating rate period are inconsistent with any of the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions determined by the calculation agent, then the relevant Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions will apply. Furthermore, if the calculation agent determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR at any time when any of the subordinated notes are outstanding, then the foregoing provisions concerning the calculation of the interest rate and interest payments during the floating rate period will be modified in accordance with the benchmark transition provisions.
“Business day” means (i) each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close or (ii) a day on which the corporate trust office of the trustee is not closed for business.
Ranking
The subordinated notes are our general unsecured, subordinated obligations and are:
| • | junior in right of payment to any of our existing and future Senior Indebtedness; |
| • | equal in right of payment with any of our existing and future subordinated indebtedness, including our 6.25% subordinated notes due 2026; |
| • | senior in right of payment and upon liquidation to (i) our existing junior subordinated debentures underlying outstanding trust preferred securities, and (ii) any indebtedness the terms of which provide that such indebtedness ranks junior to the Notes; |
| • | effectively subordinated to all of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and |
| • | structurally subordinated to any existing and future liabilities and obligations of our subsidiaries, including the deposit liabilities and claims of other creditors of our subsidiary bank, Axos Bank. |
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Subordination
The subordinated notes are junior in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all our Senior Indebtedness. This means that, under certain circumstances where we may not be making payments on all of our debt obligations as they become due, the holders of all of our Senior Indebtedness will be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts that are due or will become due on their debt securities before the holders of the subordinated notes will be entitled to receive any amounts under the subordinated notes. These circumstances include when we make a payment or distribute assets to creditors upon our liquidation, dissolution, winding up or reorganization.
These subordination provisions mean that if we are insolvent, a direct holder of a specific amount of our Senior Indebtedness may ultimately receive more of our assets than a direct holder of the same amount of subordinated notes, and our creditor that is owed a specific amount may ultimately receive more of our assets than a direct holder of the same amount of subordinated notes. The Subordinated Indenture does not limit our ability to incur Senior Indebtedness or general obligations, including indebtedness ranking equally with the subordinated notes or secured debt.
Holders of the subordinated notes may not accelerate the maturity of the subordinated notes, except upon an event of default. See “-Events of Default” below.
The Subordinated Indenture provides that, unless all principal of and any premium or interest on Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full, no payment or other distribution may be made in respect of any subordinated notes under the following circumstances:
| • | in the event of any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding up, assignment for the benefit of creditors or other similar proceedings or events involving us or our assets; |
| • | in the event and during the continuation of any default in the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Senior Indebtedness beyond any applicable grace period with respect thereto, or, in the event any judicial proceeding shall be pending with respect to any such default; or |
| • | in the event that any subordinated notes have been declared due and payable before their stated maturity. |
If the trustee or any holders of subordinated notes receives any payment or distribution that is prohibited under the subordination provisions, and if this fact is made known to the trustee or holders at or prior to the time of such payment or distribution, then the trustee or the holders will have to pay over that money to us.
Further, in the event of any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or other similar proceedings or events involving us or our assets, any creditors in respect of general obligations will be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of such general obligations, before any amount is made available for payment or distribution to the holders of the subordinated notes.
Even if the subordination provisions prevent us from making any payment when due on the subordinated notes, we will be in default on our obligations under the subordinated notes if we do not make the payment when due. This means that the trustee and the holders of subordinated notes can take action against us, but they will not receive any money until the claims of the holders of Senior Indebtedness have been fully satisfied.
The Subordinated Indenture allows the holders of Senior Indebtedness to obtain a court order requiring us and any holder of subordinated notes to comply with the subordination provisions.
The Subordinated Indenture defines “Senior Indebtedness” as:
| • | the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest in respect of our indebtedness for purchased or borrowed money, whether or not evidenced by securities, notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments issued by us, including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses; |
| • | our capital lease obligations; |
| • | our obligations issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, our conditional sale obligations and our obligations under any conditional sale or title retention agreement, but excluding trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business; |
| • | our obligations arising from off-balance sheet guarantees and direct credit substitutes, including obligations in respect of any letters of credit, bankers’ acceptance, security purchase facilities and similar credit transactions; |
| • | our obligations associated with derivative products, including obligations in respect of interest rate swap, cap or other agreements, interest rate future or options contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contracts and other similar agreements; |
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| • | any of the above listed obligations of other persons the payment of which we are responsible or liable for, either directly or indirectly, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; |
| • | any of the above listed obligations of other persons secured by any lien on any of our property or assets whether or not we assume that obligation; and |
| • | any deferrals, renewals or extensions of any of the above listed obligations. |
However, Senior Indebtedness does not include:
| • | the subordinated notes; |
| • | trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business; and |
| • | any indebtedness that by its terms is subordinated to, or ranks on an equal basis with, the subordinated notes, including: (A) our $51 million principal amount 6.25% subordinated notes due 2026, (B) our $7.4 million principal amount 6.25% subordinated loans, and (C) any indebtedness issued to any statutory trust created by us for the purpose of issuing trust securities in connection with such issuance of indebtedness, which shall in all cases be junior to the subordinated notes. |
We are a financial holding company, and substantially all of our assets are held by our direct and indirect subsidiaries. We rely on dividends and other payments or distributions from our subsidiaries to pay the interest on our debt obligations (such as the subordinated notes offered hereby). Interest expense on our debt obligations for the year ended June 30, 2020 was $4.3 million (holding company only). Federal and state bank regulations impose certain restrictions on the ability of our bank subsidiaries to pay dividends directly or indirectly to us, to make any extensions of credit to us or certain of our affiliates and to invest in our stock or securities. These regulations also prevent us from borrowing from our bank subsidiaries unless the loans are secured by collateral. Accordingly, we may not have access to sufficient cash to make payments on the subordinated notes. See “Risk Factors.”
Because we are a holding company, our right and the rights of our creditors, including holders of the subordinated notes, to participate in any distribution of assets of any of our subsidiaries upon their liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding up or otherwise would be subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary (except to the extent that we are a creditor with a recognized claim). In the event of any such distribution of assets of our bank subsidiaries due in part to their status as insured depository institutions, the claims of depositors and other general or subordinated creditors of such bank subsidiaries would be entitled to priority over claims of shareholders of such bank subsidiary, including us as its parent holding company and any creditor of ours, such as holders of the subordinated notes. As of June 30, 2020, Axos Clearing had $21.5 million of borrowings from other banks and Axos Bank had $11.3 billion of deposits, $152.0 million of paycheck protection program liquidity facility advances, and $242.5 million of FHLB advances, including advances with an original maturity term of less than one year, to which the subordinated notes will be structurally subordinated.
No Additional Amounts
In the event that any payment on the subordinated notes is subject to withholding of any U.S. federal income tax or other tax or assessment (as a result of a change in law or otherwise), we will not pay additional amounts with respect to such tax or assessment. For a discussion relating to certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the subordinated notes, see “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences.”
Redemption
We may, at our option, beginning with the interest payment date of October 1, 2025, but not prior thereto (except upon the occurrence of certain events specified below), and on any interest payment date thereafter, redeem the subordinated notes, in whole or in part, from time to time, subject to obtaining the Federal Reserve Approval, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the subordinated notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption.
The subordinated notes may not otherwise be redeemed prior to the Maturity Date, except that we may also, at our option, redeem the subordinated notes, in whole, but not in part, subject to obtaining the Federal Reserve Approval, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the subordinated notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption, at any time, including before October 1, 2025, upon the occurrence of:
| • | a “Tax Event,” defined in the Subordinated Indenture to mean the receipt by us of an opinion of independent tax counsel to the effect that as a result of (a) an amendment to or change (including any announced prospective amendment or change) in any law or treaty, or any regulation thereunder, of the United States or any of its political subdivisions or taxing authorities; (b) a judicial decision, administrative action, official administrative pronouncement, |
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ruling, regulatory procedure, regulation, notice or announcement, including any notice or announcement of intent to adopt or promulgate any ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation (any of the foregoing, an “administrative or judicial action”); or (c) an amendment to or change in any official position with respect to, or any interpretation of, an administrative or judicial action or a law or regulation of the United States that differs from the previously generally accepted position or interpretation, in each case, which change or amendment or challenge becomes effective or which pronouncement, or decision or challenge is announced on or after the original issue date of the subordinated notes, there is more than an insubstantial risk that interest payable by us on the subordinated notes is not, or, within 90 days of the date of such opinion, will not be, deductible by us, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax purposes;
| • | a “Tier 2 Capital Event,” defined in the Subordinated Indenture to mean our good faith determination that, as a result of (a) any amendment to, or change in, the laws, rules or regulations of the United States (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including the Federal Reserve and other federal bank regulatory agencies) or any political subdivision of or in the United States that is enacted or becomes effective after the original issue date of the subordinated notes; (b) any proposed change in those laws, rules or regulations that is announced or becomes effective after the original issue date of the subordinated notes; or (c) any official administrative decision or judicial decision or administrative action or other official pronouncement interpreting or applying those laws, rules, regulations, policies or guidelines with respect thereto that is announced after the original issue date of the subordinated notes, there is more than an insubstantial risk that we will not be entitled to treat the subordinated notes then outstanding as “Tier 2 Capital” (or its equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy rules or regulations of the Federal Reserve (or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules or regulations of any successor appropriate federal banking agency) as then in effect and applicable to us, for so long as any subordinated notes are outstanding; or |
| • | the Company’s becoming required to register as an investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act. |
In the event of any redemption of the subordinated notes, we will deliver or cause to be delivered a notice of redemption (which notice may be conditional in our discretion on one or more conditions precedent, and the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all of such conditions have been satisfied or revoked by us if we determine that such conditions will not be satisfied) to each holder of subordinated notes not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date.
Any partial redemption will be made in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures among all of the holders of the subordinated notes. If any subordinated note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption relating to such subordinated note shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A replacement subordinated note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in the name of the holder thereof upon cancellation of the original note. The subordinated notes are not subject to redemption or prepayment at the option of the holders.
Events of Default
The only “events of default” with respect to the subordinated notes under the Subordinated Indenture are certain events related to our bankruptcy or insolvency, whether voluntary or involuntary, or certain events related to the insolvency of our subsidiary depository institution, Axos Bank. If an event of default with respect to the subordinated notes occurs and is continuing, the principal amount of all of the subordinated notes shall become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other action on the part of the trustee or any holder of the subordinated notes. If an event of default with respect to subordinated notes occurs and is continuing, the trustee may enforce its rights and the rights of the holders of the subordinated notes by any judicial proceedings that the trustee or the holders of a majority of aggregate principal amount of subordinated notes deems to be most effectual to do so.
The maturity of the subordinated notes may only be accelerated upon the occurrence of an event of default described above. There is no right of acceleration of the payment of principal of the subordinated notes upon a “default” in the payment of principal of or interest on the subordinated notes or in the performance of any of our covenants or agreements contained in the subordinated notes, in the Subordinated Indenture or any of our other obligations or liabilities. For purposes of the subordinated notes, “default” means (i) a default in the payment of principal of the subordinated notes when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration of maturity or otherwise; and (ii) a default in the payment of interest on the subordinated notes when due, which continues for 30 days. If a default in the payment of principal of or interest on the subordinated notes occurs and is continuing under the Subordinated Indenture, the trustee and holders of subordinated notes will have a right to institute suit directly against us for the collection of such overdue payment. Other than upon a default in the payment of principal of or interest on the subordinated notes, the holders of the subordinated notes will have limited rights to institute proceedings to enforce the terms of the Subordinated Indenture.
Modification
From time to time, we, together with the trustee, may, without the consent of the holders of subordinated notes, amend the Subordinated Indenture for one or more of the following purposes:
| • | to provide for the assumption by a successor corporation of our obligations under the Subordinated Indenture; |
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| • | to add to our covenants and the default provisions for the benefit of the holders of subordinated notes or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us by the Subordinated Indenture; |
| • | to permit or facilitate the issuance of subordinated notes in bearer form or in uncertificated form; |
| • | to cure ambiguities, defects or inconsistencies, so long as the amendment does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of subordinated notes as determined in good faith by us; |
| • | to appoint a successor trustee with respect to the subordinated notes; |
| • | to establish the form or terms of a series of subordinated notes |
| • | to make any change to the Subordinated Indenture that neither applies to any subordinated note of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor modifies the rights of any subordinated note holder with respect to such provision; or |
| • | to secure the subordinated notes. |
The Subordinated Indenture permits us and the trustee, with the consent of the holders of a sixty-six and two-thirds percent in aggregate principal amount of each series of the outstanding subordinated notes affected thereby, to modify the Subordinated Indenture in a manner affecting the rights of the holders of the subordinated notes of such series; provided that no modification may, without the consent of the holders of each outstanding note affected:
| • | change the maturity of the principal of any subordinated note or the timing of an interest payment on a subordinated note; |
| • | reduce the principal amount or the rate of interest of any subordinated note; |
| • | reduce the amount of the principal of any subordinated note which would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration; |
| • | change the place of payment where, or the coin or currency in which, any subordinated note principal or interest is payable; |
| • | impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such due and payable obligation; |
| • | modify the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture with respect to the subordination of the subordinated notes in a manner adverse to the subordinated note holders; |
| • | reduce the percentage of any series, the consent of whose holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose holders is required for any waiver provided for in the Subordinated Indenture; or |
| • | modify such provisions with respect to modification or waiver. |
The trustee may, but will not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture that affects the trustee’s own rights, duties, immunities or liabilities under the Subordinated Indenture or otherwise (including, without limitation, in connection with the adoption of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes). The trustee will not be bound to follow or agree to any amendment or supplement to the Subordinated Indenture (including, without limitation, any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes) that would materially change or affect the rights, privileges, duties, obligations or liabilities of the trustee (including without limitation the imposition or expansion of discretionary authority), or would otherwise materially and adversely affect the trustee, in each case, in its reasonable judgment, without the trustee’s express written consent.
Consolidation, Merger, Sale of Assets and Other Transactions
We will not consolidate with or merge into any other person or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of our properties and assets to any person, unless:
| • | if we are the surviving person or if we consolidate with or merge into another person or sell, convey, transfer or lease substantially all of our properties and assets to any person, the successor is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or trust organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state or the District of Columbia, and the successor, if not Axos Financial, Inc., expressly assumes by supplemental indenture our obligations relating to the subordinated notes and the Subordinated Indenture; |
| • | immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no “event of default” and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an “event of default” shall have occurred and be continuing; and |
| • | certain other conditions described in the Subordinated Indenture are met. |
The general provisions of the Subordinated Indenture do not limit the rights of Axos Financial to enter into transactions, such as a highly-leveraged transaction, that may adversely affect the holders of the subordinated notes.
Satisfaction and Discharge
The Subordinated Indenture provides that when, among other things, all subordinated notes not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation:
| • | have become due and payable, or |
| • | will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year, or |
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| • | are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the trustee, |
and we irrevocably deposit or cause to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose money in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the subordinated notes not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation, for the principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of subordinated notes which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity Date or the date of redemption, as the case may be;
then, upon our request, the Subordinated Indenture will cease to be of further effect, and we will be deemed to have satisfied and discharged the Subordinated Indenture with respect to the subordinated notes. However, we will continue to be obligated to pay all other sums due under the Subordinated Indenture and to provide the officers’ certificates and opinions of counsel described in the Subordinated Indenture, and certain rights, privileges and immunities of the trustee will survive.
Defeasance
We may at any time terminate all of our obligations under the subordinated notes, except for certain obligations, including those respecting the defeasance trust. Our obligations will be deemed to have been discharged if the following applicable conditions have been satisfied:
| • | we have irrevocably deposited in trust with the trustee or the defeasance agent, if any, money or U.S. government obligations for the payment of principal and interest on the subordinated notes to maturity; |
| • | if the subordinated notes are then listed on any securities exchange, we have delivered to the trustee or defeasance agent an officers’ certificate to the effect that our defeasance will not cause the subordinated notes to be delisted from such exchange; |
| • | such defeasance will not result in a breach or violation, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which we are a party; |
| • | we have delivered to the trustee and the defeasance agent, if any, an opinion of counsel to the effect that holders of the subordinated notes will not recognize gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred; |
| • | no event or condition exists that would prevent us from making payments of the principal of or interest on the subordinated notes on the date we deposit funds or any time during the 90 days thereafter; and |
| • | certain other conditions set forth in the Subordinated Indenture. |
Any defeasance of the subordinated notes pursuant to the Subordinated Indenture shall be subject to our obtaining the prior approval of the Federal Reserve and any additional requirements that the Federal Reserve may impose with respect to defeasance of the subordinated notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if, due to a change in law, regulation or policy subsequent to the issue date of the subordinated notes the Federal Reserve does not require that defeasance of instruments be subject to Federal Reserve approval in order for the instrument to be accorded Tier 2 capital treatment, then no such approval of the Federal Reserve will be required for such defeasance.
Effect of Benchmark Transition Event
Benchmark Replacement. If the calculation agent determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred on or prior to the Reference Time in respect of any determination of the Benchmark on any date, then the Benchmark Replacement will replace the then-current Benchmark for all purposes relating to the subordinated notes during the floating rate period in respect of such determination on such date and all determinations on all subsequent dates.
Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the calculation agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time.
Certain Defined Terms. As used herein:
“Benchmark Replacement” means the Interpolated Benchmark with respect to the then-current Benchmark, plus the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment for such Benchmark; provided that if (a) the calculation agent cannot determine the Interpolated Benchmark as of the Benchmark Replacement Date or (b) the then-current Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR and a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-
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Month Term SOFR (in which event no Interpolated Benchmark with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR shall be determined), then
“Benchmark Replacement” means the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the calculation agent as of the Benchmark Replacement Date:
(1) Compounded SOFR;
(2) the sum of: (a) the alternate rate that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;
(3) the sum of: (a) the ISDA Fallback Rate, and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;
(4) the sum of: (a) the alternate rate that has been selected by the calculation agent as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor, giving due consideration to any industry-accepted rate as a replacement for the then-current Benchmark for U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate securities at such time, and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
In the event the calculation agent at the Reference Time is required, but is unable, to determine the Benchmark in accordance with at least one of the procedures described above, the Benchmark will be the Benchmark as determined on the previous Reference Time.
“Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the calculation agent as of the Benchmark Replacement Date:
(1) the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero), that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement;
(2) if the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement is equivalent to the ISDA Fallback Rate, then the ISDA Fallback Adjustment; and
(3) the spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the calculation agent giving due consideration to any industry-accepted spread adjustment or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of the then-current Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate securities at such time.
“Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “interest period,” timing and frequency of determining rates with respect to each interest period and making payments of interest, rounding of amounts or tenors, and other administrative matters) that the calculation agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption of such Benchmark Replacement in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the calculation agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the calculation agent determines that no market practice for use of the Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner as the calculation agent determines is reasonably necessary).
“Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(1) in the case of clause (1) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the relevant Reference Time in respect of any determination;
(2) in the case of clause (2) or (3) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of the Benchmark permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide the Benchmark; or
(3) in the case of clause (4) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein.
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For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of the definitions of Benchmark Replacement Date and Benchmark Transition Event, references to the Benchmark also include any reference rate underlying the Benchmark (for example, if the Benchmark becomes Compounded SOFR, references to the Benchmark would include SOFR).
For the avoidance of doubt, if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination.
“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(1) if the Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, (a) the Relevant Governmental Body has not selected or recommended a forward-looking term rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR, (b) the development of a forward-looking term rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR that has been recommended or selected by the Relevant Governmental Body is not complete, or (c) we determine that the use of a forward-looking rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR is not administratively feasible;
(2) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of the Benchmark announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide the Benchmark, permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide the Benchmark;
(3) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of the Benchmark, the central bank for the currency of the Benchmark, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for the Benchmark, a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for the Benchmark or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for the Benchmark, stating that the administrator of the Benchmark has ceased or will cease to provide the Benchmark permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide the Benchmark; or
(4) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of the Benchmark announcing that the Benchmark is no longer representative.
“Compounded SOFR” means the compounded average of SOFRs for the applicable Corresponding Tenor, with the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate being established by the calculation agent in accordance with:
(1) the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining compounded SOFR; provided that:
(2) if, and to the extent that, the calculation agent determines that Compounded SOFR cannot be determined in accordance with clause (1) above, then the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate that have been selected by the calculation agent giving due consideration to any industry-accepted market practice for U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate securities at such time.
For the avoidance of doubt, the calculation of Compounded SOFR shall exclude the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment (if applicable) and the spread of 476 basis points per annum.
“Corresponding Tenor” with respect to a Benchmark Replacement means a tenor (including overnight) having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as the applicable tenor for the then-current Benchmark.
“Interpolated Benchmark” with respect to the Benchmark means the rate determined for the Corresponding Tenor by interpolating on a linear basis between: (1) the Benchmark for the longest period (for which the Benchmark is available) that is shorter than the Corresponding Tenor, and (2) the Benchmark for the shortest period (for which the Benchmark is available) that is longer than the Corresponding Tenor.
“ISDA Definitions” means the 2006 ISDA Definitions published by ISDA or any successor thereto, as amended or supplemented from time to time, or any successor definitional booklet for interest rate derivatives published from time to time.
“ISDA Fallback Adjustment” means the spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that would apply for derivatives transactions referencing the ISDA Definitions to be determined upon the occurrence of an index cessation event with respect to the Benchmark for the applicable tenor.
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“ISDA Fallback Rate” means the rate that would apply for derivatives transactions referencing the ISDA Definitions to be effective upon the occurrence of an index cessation date with respect to the Benchmark for the applicable tenor excluding the applicable ISDA Fallback Adjustment.
“Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the Benchmark Replacement excluding the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
The terms “Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Website,” “Reference Time,” “Relevant Governmental Body,” “SOFR” and “Term SOFR” have the meanings set forth above under the heading “-Interest.”
Determinations and Decisions
The calculation agent is expressly authorized to make certain determinations, decisions and elections under the terms of the subordinated notes, including with respect to the use of Three-Month Term SOFR as the Benchmark for the floating rate period and under the benchmark transition provisions. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the calculation agent under the terms of the subordinated notes, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection:
| • | will be conclusive and binding on the holders of the subordinated notes and the trustee absent manifest error; |
| • | if made by us as calculation agent, will be made in our sole discretion; |
| • | if made by a calculation agent other than us, will be made after consultation with us, and the calculation agent will not make any such determination, decision or election to which we reasonably object; and |
| • | notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the subordinated indenture, shall become effective without consent from the holders of the subordinated notes, the trustee or any other party. |
Form, Denomination, Transfer, Exchange and Book-Entry Procedures
The subordinated notes offered hereby will be issued only in fully registered form, without interest coupons, and in minimal denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
The subordinated notes offered hereby will be evidenced by a global note which will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC, or any successor thereto, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., or Cede, as nominee of DTC. Except as set forth below, record ownership of the global note may be transferred, in whole or in part, only to another nominee of DTC or to a successor of DTC or its nominee.
The global note will not be registered in the name of any person, or exchanged for subordinated notes that are registered in the name of any person, other than DTC or its nominee, unless one of the following occurs:
| • | DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue acting as the depositary for the global note, or DTC has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and in either case we fail to appoint a successor depositary; or |
| • | an event of default with respect to the subordinated notes represented by the global note has occurred and is continuing. |
In those circumstances, DTC will determine in whose names any securities issued in exchange for the global note will be registered. Any such subordinated notes in certificated form will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof and may be transferred or exchanged only in such minimum denominations.
DTC or its nominee will be considered the sole owner and holder of the global note for all purposes, and as a result:
| • | you cannot get subordinated notes registered in your name if they are represented by the global note; |
| • | you cannot receive certificated (physical) notes in exchange for your beneficial interest in the global note; |
| • | you will not be considered to be the owner or holder of the global note or any note it represents for any purpose; and |
| • | all payments on the global note will be made to DTC or its nominee. |
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The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain kinds of purchasers (for example, certain insurance companies) can only own securities in definitive (certificated) form. These laws may limit your ability to transfer your beneficial interests in the global note to these types of purchasers.
Only institutions (such as a securities broker or dealer) that have accounts with the DTC or its nominee (called “participants”) and persons that may hold beneficial interests through participants (including through Euroclear Bank SA/NV or Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, as DTC participants) can own a beneficial interest in the global note. The only place where the ownership of beneficial interests in the global note will appear and the only way the transfer of those interests can be made will be on the records kept by DTC (for their participants’ interests) and the records kept by those participants (for interests of persons held by participants on their behalf).
Secondary trading in bonds and notes of corporate issuers is generally settled in clearing-house (that is, next-day) funds. In contrast, beneficial interests in a global note usually trade in DTC’s same-day funds settlement system, and settle in immediately available funds. We make no representations as to the effect that settlement in immediately available funds will have on trading activity in those beneficial interests.
We will make cash payments of interest on and principal of the global note to Cede, the nominee for DTC, as the registered owner of the global note. We will make these payments by wire transfer of immediately available funds on each payment date.
You may exchange or transfer the subordinated notes at the corporate trust office of the trustee for the series of subordinated notes or at any other office or agency maintained by us for those purposes. We will not require payment of a service charge for any transfer or exchange of the subordinated notes, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any applicable tax or other governmental charge.
We have been informed that, with respect to any cash payment of interest on or principal of the global note, DTC’s practice is to credit participants’ accounts on the payment date with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the subordinated notes represented by the global note as shown on DTC’s records, unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payment on that payment date. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in subordinated notes represented by the global note held through participants will be the responsibility of those participants, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in “street name.”
We also understand that neither DTC nor Cede will consent or vote with respect to the subordinated notes. We have been advised that under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an “omnibus proxy” to us as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns Cede’s consenting or voting rights to those participants to whose accounts the subordinated notes are credited on the record date identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy.
Because DTC can only act on behalf of participants, who in turn act on behalf of indirect participants, the ability of a person having a beneficial interest in the principal amount represented by the global note to pledge the interest to persons or entities that do not participate in the DTC book-entry system, or otherwise take actions in respect of that interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical certificate evidencing its interest.
DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of notes (including the presentation of notes for exchange) only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account with DTC interests in the global note are credited and only in respect of such portion of the principal amount of the subordinated notes represented by the global note as to which such participant has, or participants have, given such direction.
DTC has also advised us as follows: DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code, as amended, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities for its participants and facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its participants. Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations and may include certain other organizations. Certain of such participants (or their representatives), together with other entities, own DTC. Indirect access to the DTC system is available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly. The rules applicable to DTC and its direct and indirect participants are on file with the SEC.
The policies and procedures of DTC, which may change periodically, will apply to payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to beneficial interests in the global note. We and the trustee have no responsibility or liability for any aspect of
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DTC’s or any participants’ records relating to beneficial interests in the global note, including for payments made on the global note, and we and the trustee are not responsible for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of those records.
Calculation Agent
We will appoint a calculation agent for the subordinated notes prior to the commencement of the floating rate period and will keep a record of such appointment at our principal offices, which will be available to any holder of the subordinated notes upon request. In addition, we or an affiliate of ours may assume the duties of the calculation agent. We will act as the initial calculation agent.
The Trustee
U.S. Bank National Association is the trustee under the indenture and will be the principal paying agent and registrar for the Notes.
If an event of default with respect to the subordinated notes occurs, and is not cured, the trustee will be required to use the degree of care of a prudent person in the conduct of his or her own affairs in the exercise of its powers. Subject to the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Subordinated Indenture at the request of any holders of the subordinated notes, unless they have offered, and, if requested, provide to the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the trustee.
We have entered, and from time to time may continue to enter, into banking, lending or other relationships with U.S. Bank or its affiliates. Pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, if a default occurs with respect to the securities of any series, the trustee will be required to eliminate any conflicting interest as defined in the Trust Indenture Act or resign as trustee with respect to the securities of that series within 90 days of such default, unless such default were cured, duly waived or otherwise eliminated.
Payment and Paying Agents
We will pay principal and interest on the subordinated notes at the corporate trust office of the trustee or at the office of any paying agent that we may designate.
We will pay any interest on the subordinated notes to the registered owner of the subordinated notes at the close of business on the record date for the interest, except in the case of defaulted interest. Interest payable at maturity of the subordinated notes will be paid to the registered holder to whom principal is payable. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent.
Subject to applicable abandoned property laws, any moneys deposited with the trustee or any paying agent, or then held by us in trust, for the payment of the principal of and interest on any subordinated note that remains unclaimed for two years after the principal or interest has become due and payable will, at our request, be repaid to us, or (if then held by us) be discharged from such trust. After repayment to us, you are entitled to seek payment only from us as a unsecured general creditor.
Governing Law
The Subordinated Indenture and the subordinated notes are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following discussion is a summary of the U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to the ownership and disposition of the subordinated notes we are offering. It applies to you only if you acquire subordinated notes in this offering of subordinated notes and you hold your subordinated notes as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:
| • | a dealer in securities, |
| • | a trader in securities that elects to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for your securities holdings, |
| • | a bank, |
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| • | a life insurance company, |
| • | a tax-exempt organization, |
| • | a person that owns subordinated notes that are a hedge or that are hedged against interest rate risks, |
| • | a person that owns subordinated notes as part of a straddle or conversion transaction for tax purposes, |
| • | a person that purchases or sells subordinated notes as part of a wash sale for tax purposes, or |
| • | a U.S. Holder (as defined below) whose functional currency for tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar. |
Furthermore, this summary does not address other U.S. federal tax consequences (e.g., estate or gift tax or the Medicare tax on net investment income) or tax consequences arising under the tax laws of any state, locality or non-U.S. jurisdiction.
This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations under the Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.
If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds the subordinated notes, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A partner in a partnership holding the subordinated notes should consult its tax advisor with regard to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of an investment in the subordinated notes.
Please consult your own tax advisor concerning the consequences of the ownership and disposition of these subordinated notes in your particular circumstances under the Code and the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.
U.S. Holders
This subsection describes the tax consequences to a U.S. Holder. You are a U.S. Holder if you are a beneficial owner of a subordinated note and you are, for United States federal income tax purposes:
| • | a citizen or resident of the United States, |
| • | a domestic corporation, |
| • | an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source, or |
| • | a trust if a United States court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more United States persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust. |
If you are not a U.S. Holder, this subsection does not apply to you and you should refer to “Non-U.S. Holders” below.
Payments of Interest. You will be taxed on interest on your subordinated note as ordinary income in the taxable year in which you receive the interest or in the taxable year in which the interest accrues, depending on your method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Purchase, Sale and Retirement of the Subordinated Notes. You will generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale or other disposition or retirement of your subordinated note equal to the difference between the amount you realize on the sale or other disposition or retirement, excluding any amounts attributable to accrued but unpaid interest (which will be treated as interest payments and taxed subject to the rules regarding payments of interest as discussed above), and your tax basis in your subordinated note. Your tax basis in your subordinated note will generally be its cost. Capital gain of a noncorporate U.S. Holder generally taxed at preferential rates where the property is held for more than one year.
Non-U.S. Holders
Payments of Interests
If you are a Non-U.S. Holder of a subordinated note, you generally will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax on interest received on the subordinated notes, provided that:
| • | you do not actually or constructively own 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote, |
| • | you are not a “controlled foreign corporation” directly or indirectly related to us through stock ownership (actually or constructively), |
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| • | you are not engaged in the conduct of a trade or business in the United States and interest on the subordinated notes is not effectively connected with such conduct of a trade or business, and |
| • | you satisfy certain certification requirements under penalty of perjury as to your status as a Non-U.S. Holder (generally through the provision of a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or other applicable IRS form). |
If you are engaged in the conduct of a trade or business in the United States and interest on the subordinated notes is effectively connected with such trade or business (or, if an applicable treaty so requires, is attributable to the conduct of a trade or business through a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by you in the United States) then, generally, you will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such interest on a net income basis (generally in the same manner as if you were a United States person). If you are subject to U.S. federal income tax on interest under the rules described in the preceding sentence, you will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax on any such interest if you satisfy certain certification requirements under penalty of perjury (generally through the provision of a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-8ECI or other applicable form). In addition, if you are a foreign corporation, you may also be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate, if applicable) on effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, subject to certain adjustments.
A Non-U.S. Holder that does not qualify for an exemption from U.S. federal withholding tax under the rules described above will generally be subject to withholding at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate, if applicable) on interest received on a subordinated note.
Sale, Exchange, Retirement or Other Disposition of Subordinated Notes
If you are a Non-U.S. Holder of a subordinated note, any gain realized by you upon a sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition of a subordinated note (other than gain that represents accrued but unpaid interest, which will be subject to the rules regarding payments of interest as discussed above) generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax, unless:
| • | such gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (or, if an applicable treaty so requires, is attributable to the conduct of a trade or business through a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by you in the United States), in which case you will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such gain on a net income basis (generally in the same manner as if you were a United States person). In addition, if you are a foreign corporation, you may also be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate, if applicable) on effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, subject to certain adjustments, or |
| • | if you are an individual Non-U.S. Holder, you are present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of such disposition and certain other conditions are met. |
FATCA Withholding
Pursuant to sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, commonly known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax (“FATCA withholding”) may be imposed on certain payments to you or to certain foreign financial institutions, investment funds and other non-U.S. persons receiving payments on your behalf if you or such persons fail to comply with certain information reporting requirements. Payments of interest that you receive in respect of the subordinated notes could be affected by this withholding if you are subject to the FATCA information reporting requirements provided by the Code, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, official guidance or any applicable intergovernmental agreement with respect thereto, and fail to comply with them or if you hold subordinated notes through a non-U.S. person (e.g., a foreign bank or broker) that fails to comply with these requirements (even if payments to you would not otherwise have been subject to FATCA withholding). You should consult your own tax advisors regarding the relevant U.S. law and other official guidance on FATCA withholding.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
In general, if you are a noncorporate U.S. holder, we and other payors are required to report to the IRS all payments of principal and any interest on your subordinated note. In addition, we and other payors are required to report to the IRS any payment of proceeds of the sale of your subordinated note before maturity within the United States. Additionally, backup withholding would apply to any payments if you fail to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number, or (in the case of interest payments) you are notified by the IRS that you have failed to report all interest and dividends required to be shown on your federal income tax returns.
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In general, if you are a Non-U.S. Holder, we are required to report payments of interest on your subordinated notes on IRS Form 1042-S. Payments of principal or interest made by us to you with respect to your subordinated notes would otherwise not be subject to information reporting and backup withholding, provided that you have satisfied certain certification requirements as to your status as a Non-U.S. Holder or you otherwise establish an exemption. In addition, payment of the proceeds from the sale of subordinated notes effected at a United States office of a broker will not be subject to backup withholding and information reporting if (i) the payor or broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person and (ii) you have furnished to the payor or broker an appropriate IRS Form W-8, an acceptable substitute form or other documentation upon which it may rely to treat the payment as made to a non-United States person.
In general, payment of the proceeds from the sale of a subordinated note effected at a foreign office of a broker will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, a sale effected at a foreign office of a broker could be subject to information reporting in the same manner as a sale within the United States (and in certain cases may be subject to backup withholding as well) if (i) the broker has certain connections to the United States, (ii) the proceeds or confirmation are sent to the United States or (iii) the sale has certain other specified connections with the United States. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. You generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules that exceed your U.S. federal income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the IRS.
CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
A fiduciary of a pension, profit-sharing or other employee benefit plan subject to the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) (each, a “Plan”), should consider the fiduciary standards of ERISA in the context of the Plan’s particular circumstances before authorizing an investment in the subordinated notes. Among other factors, the fiduciary should consider whether the investment would satisfy the prudence and diversification requirements of ERISA and would be consistent with the documents and instruments governing the Plan, and whether the investment would involve a prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Code.
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Plans, as well as individual retirement accounts, Keogh plans and any other plans that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code (also, “Plans”) from engaging in certain transactions involving “plan assets” with persons who are “parties in interest” under ERISA or “disqualified persons” under the Code with respect to the Plan. A violation of these prohibited transaction rules may result in excise tax or other liabilities under ERISA or the Code for those persons, unless exemptive relief is available under an applicable statutory, regulatory or administrative exemption. Employee benefit plans that are governmental plans (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain church plans (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA) and non-U.S. plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) (“Non-ERISA Arrangements”) are not subject to the requirements of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code but may be subject to similar provisions under applicable federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws (“Similar Laws”).
The acquisition and holding of the subordinated notes or any interest therein by a Plan or any entity whose underlying assets include “plan assets” by reason of any Plan’s investment in the entity (a “Plan Asset Entity”) with respect to which we or any paying agent or any of our or its respective affiliates is or becomes a party in interest or disqualified person may result in a prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the subordinated notes are acquired and held pursuant to an applicable exemption. The U.S. Department of Labor has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions, or “PTCEs,” that may provide exemptive relief if required for direct or indirect prohibited transactions that may arise from the purchase or holding of the subordinated notes, or any interest therein. These exemptions include PTCE 84-14 (for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTCE 90-1 (for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTCE 91-38 (for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds), PTCE 95-60 (for transactions involving certain insurance company general accounts), and PTCE 96-23 (for transactions managed by in-house asset managers). In addition, ERISA Section 408(b)(17) and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code (the “service provider exemption”) may provide an exemption for the purchase and sale of the subordinated notes, provided that (i) the issuer of the subordinated notes is not a party in interest or disqualified person with respect to an investing Plan other than by reason of providing services to the Plan or a relationship to a service provider, (ii) neither the issuer of the subordinated notes nor any of its affiliates has or exercises any discretionary authority or control or renders any investment advice with respect to the assets of the Plan involved in the transaction, and provided further that the Plan pays no more and receives no less than “adequate consideration” in connection with the transaction. There can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any such exemptions will be satisfied.
Any purchaser or holder of the subordinated notes or any interest therein will be deemed to have represented by its purchase and holding of the subordinated notes or any interest therein that it either (1) is not a Plan, a Plan Asset Entity or a Non-ERISA Arrangement and is not purchasing or holding the subordinated notes or any interest therein on behalf of or with
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the assets of any Plan, a Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement or (2) the purchase and holding of the subordinated notes will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Code or a similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws.
Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing the subordinated notes or any interest therein on behalf of or with the assets of any Plan, a Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement consult with their counsel regarding the potential consequences under ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code, and, if applicable, the availability of exemptive relief under any of the PTCEs listed above, the service provider exemption or the potential consequences of any purchase or holding under Similar Laws, as applicable. Purchasers of the subordinated notes have exclusive responsibility for ensuring that their purchase and holding of the subordinated notes or any interest therein do not violate the fiduciary or prohibited transaction rules of ERISA or the Code or any similar provisions of Similar Laws. The sale of any subordinated notes to a Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement is in no respect a recommendation to make such a purchase or a representation by us or any of our affiliates or representatives that such an investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by any such Plans, Plan Asset Entities or Non-ERISA Arrangements generally or any particular Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement or that such investment is appropriate for such Plans, Plan Asset Entities or Non-ERISA Arrangements generally or any particular Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement.
UNDERWRITING
We have entered into an underwriting agreement, dated September 15, 2020 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), with Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., as representative of the underwriters named therein, with respect to the subordinated notes. Subject to certain conditions, the underwriters have agreed to purchase, severally, the aggregate principal amount of subordinated notes set forth next to their names in the following table.
| Underwriter | Principal Amount of Subordinated Notes | |||
| Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. | $ | 105,000,000 | ||
| Raymond James & Associates, Inc. | 70,000,000 | |||
| Total | $ | 175,000,000 | ||
The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the subordinated notes offered hereby are subject to certain conditions precedent and that the underwriters will purchase all of the subordinated notes if any of the subordinated notes are purchased.
The subordinated notes sold by the underwriters to the public will be offered at the public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus supplement. The underwriters may offer the subordinated notes to selected dealers at the public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus supplement less a concession not in excess of 0.50% of the principal amount per subordinated note. After the initial offering, the underwriters may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The offering of the subordinated notes by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.
Discounts, Commissions and Expenses
The following table shows the public offering price, the underwriting discounts and commissions that we are to pay the underwriters and the proceeds, before expenses, to us in connection with this offering (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount of the subordinated notes offered hereby).
Per Subordinated Note | Total | ||||||||
Public offering price(I) | 100.00 | % | $ | 175,000,000 | |||||
| Underwriting discounts and commissions paid by us | 1.25 | % | $ | 2,187,500 | |||||
| Proceeds to us, before expenses | 98.75 | % | $ | 172,812,500 | |||||
(I) | Plus accrued interest from September 18, 2020 to the date of delivery. |
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We estimate that our total expenses for this offering, not including underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $560,000. We also have agreed to reimburse the underwriters for certain of their fees and expenses related to this offering. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110, the underwriters' reimbursed expenses are deemed underwriting compensation for this offering.
No Public Trading Markets
There is currently no public trading market for the subordinated notes. In addition, we have not applied and do not intend to apply to list the subordinated notes on any securities exchange or to have the subordinated notes quoted on an automated dealer quotation system. The underwriters have advised us that they intend to make a market in the subordinated notes. However, the underwriters are not obligated to do so and may discontinue any market-making in the subordinated notes at any time in their sole discretion and without prior notice. Therefore, we cannot assure you that a liquid trading market for the subordinated notes will develop or continue, that you will be able to sell your subordinated notes at a particular time, or that the price that you receive when you sell will be favorable.
Stabilization
In connection with this offering of the subordinated notes, the underwriters may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions and syndicate covering transactions. Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position for the underwriters. Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase the subordinated notes in the open market for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the subordinated notes. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the subordinated notes in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions. Stabilizing transactions and syndicate covering transactions may cause the price of the subordinated notes to be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of those transactions. If the underwriters engage in stabilizing or syndicate covering transactions, they may discontinue such activities at any time without notice.
Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the subordinated notes. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the underwriters will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
Electronic Distribution
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made available in electronic format on websites or through other online services maintained by the underwriters or their respective affiliates.
Other than the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in electronic format, information on such websites and any information contained in any other website maintained by any of the underwriters or its respective affiliates is not part of this prospectus supplement or our registration statement of which the related prospectus forms a part, has not been approved or endorsed by us or the underwriters in their capacity as underwriters and should not be relied on by investors.
Our Relationships with the Underwriters
The underwriters and their affiliates have engaged, or may in the future engage, in investment banking transactions and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. The underwriters have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions.
In addition, in the ordinary course of its business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade indebtedness and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own accounts and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
Other Matters
Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the subordinated notes offered by this prospectus supplement in any jurisdiction in which action for that purpose is required. The subordinated notes offered by this prospectus supplement may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this
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prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. We and the underwriters require that the persons into whose possession this prospectus supplement comes inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering and the distribution of this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus supplement in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.
We expect that delivery of the subordinated notes will be made against payment therefore on or about September 18, 2020, which will be the third business day following the date of pricing of the subordinated notes, or “T+3”. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the subordinated notes on the date of pricing or the next two succeeding business days will be required, by virtue of the fact that the subordinated notes initially settle in T+3, to specify an alternate settlement arrangement at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the subordinated notes who wish to trade the subordinated notes prior to their date of delivery hereunder should consult their advisors.
Selling Restrictions
European Economic Area
In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area (the “EEA”), each a Member State, no offer of the subordinated notes to the public has been or will be made in that Member State, except that offers of the subordinated notes to the public may be made in that Member State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:
| • | to any legal entity which is a “qualified investor” as defined in the Prospectus Regulation; |
| • | to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors, as defined in the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters for any such offer; or |
| • | in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation. |
provided that no such offer of subordinated notes shall require us or the underwriters to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.
For the purposes of the above provisions, the expression “an offer of subordinated notes to the public” in relation to any subordinated notes in any Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any subordinated notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any subordinated notes, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.
United Kingdom
This document is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation that are also (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, referred to herein as the Order, and/or (ii) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated. Each such person is referred to herein as a Relevant Person.
In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus supplement relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will only be engaged with Relevant Persons. This prospectus supplement and its contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other persons in the United Kingdom. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
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LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the securities being offered by this prospectus will be passed upon by our legal counsel, Loeb & Loeb LLP, Los Angeles, California. Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Shapiro Bieging Barber Otteson LLP, Denver, Colorado.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2020 and 2019 and for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2020 and management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2020 incorporated by reference in this prospectus have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC and filed a registration statement on Form S‑3 under the Securities Act, relating to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which forms part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information, you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits.
You may read and copy the registration statement and any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. You can also review our filings by accessing the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. The site contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. In addition, to the foregoing, we maintain a website at www.axosfinancial.com. Our website content is made available for informational purposes only. It should neither be relied upon for investment purposes nor is it incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We make available on our website copies of our Annual Reports on Form 10‑K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10‑Q, Current Reports on Form 8‑K and any amendments to such document as soon as practicable after we electronically file such material with or furnish such documents to the SEC.
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PROSPECTUS
AXOS FINANCIAL, INC.
(formerly BOFI Holding, Inc.)
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Subscription Rights
Units
____________________________
From time to time, we may offer and sell our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, subscription rights and units (collectively referred as “securities”) in amounts, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The aggregate amount of the securities offered by us under this prospectus will not exceed $300,000,000 In addition, the selling stockholders named in this prospectus may offer, from time to time and in one or more offerings, up to $50,000,000 of our common stock.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered in one or more offerings. Each time we or the selling stockholders offer securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that will contain more specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also add, update or change in the prospectus supplement any of the information contained in this prospectus.
You should read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, as well as any documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and/or the applicable prospectus supplement, before you make your investment decision.
Investing in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors beginning on page 4 of this prospectus and set forth in the documents incorporated by reference herein before making any decision to invest in our securities.
The securities may be sold by us or the selling stockholders through underwriters or dealers, directly to purchasers or through agents designated from time to time. For additional information on the methods of sale, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus. If any underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters and any applicable discounts or commissions and over-allotment options will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.
Our common stock is quoted on the NYSE under the symbol “AX.”
____________________________
None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve Board”) or any state securities commission or any other federal or state bank regulatory agency has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The securities offered by this prospectus are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any bank and are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.
The date of this prospectus is March 2, 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROSPECTUS
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You should rely only on the information set forth or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any supplement. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to provide you with information different from that which is set forth or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representations. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities it describes, and only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or prospectus supplement or any sale of a security.
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration statement, we or the selling stockholders may sell:
| • | common stock; |
| • | preferred stock; |
| • | debt securities; |
| • | warrants to purchase common stock; |
| • | subscription rights; and |
| • | units |
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, subscription rights and units. Each time we sell such instruments, we will provide a prospectus supplement (and, if applicable, a pricing supplement) that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement (and any pricing supplement) may also add, update or change information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus (including the information incorporated by reference herein) and any prospectus supplement (or pricing supplement), you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement (or pricing supplement). You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
The registration statement that contains this prospectus (including the exhibits to the registration statement) has additional information about us and the securities offered under this prospectus. The registration statement can be read at the SEC web site or at the SEC offices mentioned under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Unless otherwise stated, the words “Axos,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to Axos Financial, Inc. and its subsidiaries, except that such terms refer to Axos Financial, Inc. only and not to its subsidiaries in the sections entitled “Description of Common Stock,” “Description of Preferred Stock”, “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Warrants,” “Description of Subscription Rights,” and “Description of Units.”
Unless otherwise indicated, currency amounts in this prospectus and in any applicable prospectus supplement are stated in U.S. dollars.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the information requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Accordingly, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC and filed a registration statement on Form S‑3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) relating to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which forms part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement. For further information, you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits.
You may read and copy the registration statement and any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. You can also review our filings by accessing the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. The site contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. In addition, to the foregoing, we maintain a website at www.axosfinancial.com. Our website content is made available for informational purposes only. It should neither be relied upon for investment purposes nor is it incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We make available on our website copies of our Annual Reports on Form 10‑K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10‑Q, Current Reports on Form 8‑K and any amendments to such document as soon as practicable after we electronically file such material with or furnish such documents to the SEC.
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with the SEC into this prospectus, which means we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus from the date on which we file that document. Any reports filed by us with the SEC (i) on or after the date of filing of the registration statement and (ii) on or after the date of this prospectus and before the termination of the offering of the securities by means of this prospectus will automatically update and, where applicable,
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supersede information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the following documents:
| • | Our Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017, filed with the SEC on August 24, 2017; |
| • | Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2017, filed with the SEC on October 25, 2017 and January 30, 2018, respectively; |
| • | Our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the SEC on September 13, 2017; |
| • | Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 7, 2017 (with respect to Items 5.02 and 9.01), October 27, 2017 (with respect to Item 5.07), October 30, 2017 (with respect to Item 5.02), and January 9, 2018 (with respect to Items 8.01 and 9.01); |
| • | The description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; and |
| • | Any documents we file with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 after the date of this prospectus and before the termination of the offering of the securities offered hereby |
You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing or calling us at the following address:
Axos Financial, Inc.
9205 West Russell Road, Suite 400
9205 West Russell Road, Suite 400
Las Vegas, Nevada 89148
Attn: Investor Relations
(858) 649-2218
(858) 649-2218
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this prospectus that are not statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”), notwithstanding that such statements are not specifically identified as such. In addition, certain statements may be contained in our future filings with the SEC, in press releases, and in oral and written statements made by us or with our approval that are not statements of historical fact and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) projections of revenues, expenses, income or loss, earnings or loss per share, the payment or nonpayment of dividends, capital structure and other financial items; (ii) statements of our plans, objectives and expectations or those of our management or board of directors, including those relating to products or services; (iii) statements of future economic performance; and (iv) statements of assumptions underlying such statements. Forward-looking statements include information concerning our possible or assumed future results of operations and statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “believes,” “expects,” “feels,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “projects,” “potential,” “outlook,” “could,” “will,” “may” or similar expressions.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following, as well as those discussed elsewhere in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference herein:
| • | the timing and occurrence or non-occurrence of events may be subject to circumstances beyond our control; |
| • | there may be increases in competitive pressure among financial institutions or from non-financial institutions; |
| • | changes in the interest rate environment may reduce interest margins; |
| • | changes in deposit flows, loan demand or real estate values may adversely affect the business of our subsidiary, Axos Bank (the “Bank”), through which substantially all of our operations are carried out; |
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| • | changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines may cause our financial condition to be perceived differently; |
| • | changes in corporate and/or individual income tax laws may adversely affect our business or financial condition; |
| • | general economic conditions, either nationally or locally in some or all areas in which we conduct business, or conditions in the securities markets or banking industry, may be less favorable than what we currently anticipate; |
| • | legislation or regulatory changes may adversely affect our business; |
| • | technological changes may be more difficult or expensive than what we anticipate; |
| • | success or consummation of new business initiatives may be more difficult or expensive than what we anticipate; |
| • | litigation or other matters before regulatory agencies, whether currently existing or commencing in the future, may delay the occurrence or non-occurrence of events longer than what we anticipate; and |
| • | the additional risks referred to in the section entitled “Risk Factors.” |
You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events except to the extent required by Federal securities laws.
DESCRIPTION OF AXOS FINANCIAL, INC.
Axos Financial, Inc. (formerly known as BofI Holding, Inc.), is the holding company for Axos Bank (formerly known as BofI Federal Bank), a diversified financial services company that provides consumer and business banking products through its branchless, low-cost distribution channels and affinity partners. The Bank has deposit and loan customers nationwide including consumer and business checking, savings and time deposit accounts and financing for single family and multifamily residential properties, small-to-medium size businesses in target sectors, and selected specialty finance receivables. The Bank generates fee income from consumer and business products including fees from loans originated for sale and transaction fees earned from processing payment activity. Axos Financial, Inc.'s common stock is listed on the NYSE and is a component of the Russell 2000® Index and the S&P SmallCap 600® Index.
At December 31, 2017, we had total assets of $8.9 billion, loans of $7.9 billion (including loans held for sale), mortgage-backed and other securities totaling $191.7 million, total deposits of $7.4 billion and borrowings totaling $597.5 million. Because we do not incur the significantly higher fixed operating costs inherent in a branch-based distribution system, we are able to rapidly grow our deposits and assets by providing a better value to our customers and by expanding our low-cost distribution channels.
We distribute our deposit products through a wide range of retail distribution channels, and our deposits consist of demand, savings and time deposits accounts. We distribute our loan products through our retail, correspondent and wholesale channels, and the loans we retain are primarily first mortgages secured by single family real property and by multifamily real property. Our mortgage-backed securities consist primarily of mortgage pass-through securities issued by government-sponsored entities and non-agency collateralized mortgage obligations and pass-through mortgage-backed securities issued by private sponsors. We believe our flexibility to adjust our asset generation channels has been a competitive advantage allowing us to avoid markets and products where credit fundamentals are poor or risks and rewards are not sufficient to support our required return on equity.
Our business strategy is to grow our loan originations and our deposits to achieve increased economies of scale and reduce the cost of products and services to our customers by leveraging our distribution channels and technology. We have designed our branchless banking platform and our workflow processes to handle traditional banking functions with reduced paperwork and human intervention. Our charter allows us to operate in all 50 states, and our online presence allows us increased flexibility to target a large number of loan and deposit customers based on demographics, geography and price. Our low-cost distribution channels provide opportunities to increase our core deposits and increase our loan originations by attracting new customers and developing new and innovative products and services.
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Axos Financial, Inc. is regulated as a savings and loan holding company by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). The Company is required to file reports with, and otherwise comply with the rules and regulations of, the Federal Reserve. The Bank, as a federal savings bank, is subject to regulation, examination and supervision by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") as its primary regulator, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) as its deposit insurer. The Bank must file reports with the OCC and the FDIC concerning its activities and financial condition. Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), enacted on July 21, 2010, the Office of Thrift Supervision (“OTS”) was abolished as of July 21, 2011, and its rights and duties transferred to the Federal Reserve as to savings and loan holding companies, and to the OCC as to savings banks. Therefore, as of that date (the “Transfer Date”), the Company became subject to regulation by the Federal Reserve rather than the OTS, and the Bank became subject to regulation by the OCC rather than the OTS. The Dodd-Frank Act also created a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) as an independent bureau of the Federal Reserve, to begin operations on the Transfer Date. The CFPB has broad authority to issue regulations implementing numerous consumer laws, and we will be subject to those regulations.
The regulation of savings and loan holding companies and savings associations is intended primarily for the protection of depositors and not for the benefit of our stockholders. The following information describes aspects of the material laws and regulations applicable to the Company and the Bank. The information below does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to all applicable laws and regulations. In addition, new and amended legislation, rules and regulations governing the Company and the Bank are introduced from time to time by the U.S. government and its various agencies. Any such legislation, regulatory changes or amendments could adversely affect the Company or the Bank, and no assurance can be given as to whether, or in what form, any such changes may occur.
Our executive offices are located at 9205 West Russell Road, Suite 400, Las Vegas, Nevada 89148, and our telephone number is (858) 649-2218.
Additional information about us and our subsidiaries can be obtained from the documents incorporated by reference herein. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves risk. You should carefully consider the specific risks discussed or incorporated by reference in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all the other information contained in the prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement. You should also consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” in Part 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Such discussion may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless indicated otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities by us for general corporate purposes. Pending such use, we may temporarily invest the proceeds or use them to reduce short-term indebtedness.
Additional information on the use of proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus may be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We will not receive any proceeds from the resale of shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders.
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RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
The following table sets forth our consolidated ratios of earnings to fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for the periods shown. For purposes of computing the ratios, earnings represent income before taxes, extraordinary items and the cumulative effect of accounting changes, plus fixed charges.
| For the Three Months Ended December 31, | For the Six Months Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2017 | 2016 | ||||||
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1) And preferred stock dividends: | |||||||||
| Including interest on deposits(2) | 3.34 | 4.01 | 3.34 | 3.87 | |||||
| Excluding interest on deposits(2) | 12.08 | 13.45 | 10.85 | 12.48 | |||||
| Preferred stock dividends only(3) | 415.46 | 409.27 | 412.49 | 390.35 | |||||
| For the Year Ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | ||||||||||
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1) And preferred stock dividends: | ||||||||||||||
| Including interest on deposits(2) | 4.05 | 4.50 | 4.00 | 3.55 | 2.89 | |||||||||
| Excluding interest on deposits(2) | 12.75 | 13.91 | 12.59 | 8.72 | 6.18 | |||||||||
| Preferred stock dividends only(3) | 433.32 | 381.55 | 262.3 | 175.55 | 46.97 | |||||||||
| (1) | The term “fixed charges” means the sum of the following: (a) interest expensed and capitalized, (b) amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness, (c) an estimate of the interest within rental expense, and (d) preferred stock dividend requirements. |
| (2) | Interest expense on deposits is included in or excluded from the calculation of fixed charges used in the ratio of earnings to fixed charges as described on each line in the above table. |
| (3) | Equals the ratio of earnings to preferred-stock dividend charges and excludes all other fixed charges (items (a)—(c) described in footnote 1 above). |
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK
General
We are authorized to issue up to 150,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share. As of February 14, 2017, there were 64,460,905 shares of common stock issued and 62,499,476 shares of common stock outstanding. Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “AX.”
Dividends
Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding shares of our preferred stock, and subject to compliance with limitations imposed by law, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of legally available funds.
Voting Rights
Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors. Under our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, our stockholders will not have cumulative voting rights. Because of this, the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they should so choose.
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Liquidation
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preferences granted to the holders of any outstanding shares of our preferred stock, including our Series A preferred stock and any other series of preferred stock which we may designate in the future.
Rights and Preferences
Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion or subscription rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of our preferred stock, including our Series A preferred stock and any series of preferred stock which we may designate in the future.
Fully Paid and Nonassessable
All outstanding shares of our common stock are, and the shares of our common stock to be issued in the offering will be, fully paid and nonassessable.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
Our certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. As of the date of this prospectus, there are outstanding 515 shares of Series A 6% Cumulative Nonparticipating Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series A preferred stock”).
General
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the preferred stock offered by this prospectus, other than pricing and related terms disclosed for a particular issuance in an applicable prospectus supplement. You should read the particular terms of any series of preferred stock we offer in any prospectus supplement relating to such series, together with the more detailed provisions of our amended certificate of incorporation and the certificate of designations with respect to each particular series of preferred stock, which will be filed as an exhibit to a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The prospectus supplement also will state whether any of the terms summarized below do not apply to the series of preferred stock being offered.
Shares of preferred stock may be issued in one or more series from time to time as determined by our board of directors (the "Board"). The Board is expressly authorized, without stockholder approval, to fix by resolution the designations, the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of the shares of each series of preferred stock. The Board’s ability to authorize, without stockholder approval, the issuance of preferred stock with conversion and other rights may adversely affect the rights of holders of our common stock or other series of preferred stock that may be outstanding.
In authorizing any series of preferred stock, the Board may determine the following:
| • | the voting powers, if any, of the holders of stock of such series in addition to any voting rights affirmatively required by law; |
| • | the rights of shareholders in respect of dividends, including, without limitation, the rate or rates per annum and the time or times at which (or the formula or other method pursuant to which such rate or rates and such time or times may be determined) and conditions upon which the holders of stock of such series will be entitled to receive dividends and other distributions, and whether any such dividends will be cumulative or noncumulative and, if cumulative, the terms upon which such dividends will be cumulative; |
| • | whether the stock of each such series shall be redeemable by us at our option or the holder of the stock, and, if redeemable, the terms and conditions upon which the stock of such series may be redeemed; |
| • | the amount payable and the rights or preferences to which the holders of the stock of such series will be entitled upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up; |
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| • | the terms, if any, upon which shares of stock of such series will be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of stock of any other class or classes or of any other series of the same or any other class or classes, including the price or prices or the rate or rates of conversion or exchange and the terms of adjustment, if any; and |
| • | any other designations, preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, so far as they are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and to the full extent now or hereafter permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware. |
Prior to the issuance of any series of preferred stock, the Board will adopt resolutions creating and designating the series as a series of preferred stock and a certificate of designations setting forth the preferences, rights, limitations and other terms of such series will be filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware.
The preferred stock will have the dividend, liquidation, redemption and voting rights stated in this section unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise. You should read the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of the preferred stock being offered for specific terms, including:
| • | the title, stated value and liquidation preferences of the preferred stock and the number of shares offered; |
| • | the initial public offering price at which the preferred stock will be issued; |
| • | the dividend rate(s) (or method of calculation), the dividend periods, the dates on which dividends shall be payable and whether these dividends will be cumulative or noncumulative and, if cumulative, the dates at which the dividends shall begin to cumulate; |
| • | any redemption or sinking fund provisions; and |
| • | any additional dividend, liquidation, redemption, sinking fund and other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions. |
When we issue shares of preferred stock, the shares will be fully paid and nonassessable, which means the full purchase price of the shares will have been paid and holders of the shares will not be assessed any additional monies for the shares. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, each series of the preferred stock will rank equally with any outstanding shares of our preferred stock and each other series of the preferred stock. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, the preferred stock will have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any additional securities which are issued by us, meaning, the holders of shares of preferred stock will have no right to buy any portion of the issued securities.
In addition, unless the applicable prospectus indicates otherwise, we will have the right to “reopen” a previous issue of a series of preferred stock by issuing additional preferred stock of such series.
The transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursing agent and redemption agent for shares of each series of preferred stock will be named in the prospectus supplement relating to such series.
Dividends
The holders of the preferred stock of each series will be entitled to receive cash dividends out of funds legally available, when, as and if, declared by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board, at the rates and on the dates stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. These rates may be fixed, or variable, or both. If the dividend rate is variable, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the formula used to determine the dividend rate for each dividend period. We will pay dividends to the holders of record as they appear on our stock books on the record dates determined by the Board or authorized committee. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, dividends on any series of preferred stock will be cumulative.
The Board will not declare and pay a dividend on any of our stock ranking as to dividends, equal with or junior to the preferred stock unless full dividends on the preferred stock have been declared and paid (or declared and sufficient money was set aside for payment).
Until dividends are paid in full or declared and set aside for payment on any series of preferred stock ranking equal with the preferred stock as to dividends:
| • | we will declare all dividends pro rata among the preferred stock of each series, so that the amount of dividends declared per share on each series will have the same relationship to each other that accrued dividends per share on each series of preferred stock and other preferred stock bear to each other; |
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| • | other than the pro rata dividends, we will not declare or pay or set aside for payment dividends, or declare or make any other distribution on any security ranking junior to or equal with the preferred stock offered under this prospectus as to dividends or at liquidation (except dividends or distributions paid for in shares of, or options, warrants or rights to subscribe or purchase shares of securities ranking junior to or equal with the preferred stock as to dividends and at liquidation); |
| • | we will not redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire for any consideration (or have any monies paid to or set aside in a sinking fund) any securities ranking junior to or equal with the preferred stock as to dividends or at liquidation (except by conversion into or exchange for our stock which ranks junior to the preferred stock as to dividends and at liquidation); and |
| • | We will not pay interest, or money in lieu of interest, for any dividend payments on any series of the preferred stock that are in arrears. |
Voting Rights
The holders of shares of preferred stock will have no voting rights, except:
| • | as otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement; |
| • | as otherwise stated in the certificate of designations with respect to shares establishing such series; or |
| • | as required by applicable law. |
Under regulations and policies of the Federal Reserve, if the holders of any series of preferred stock become entitled to vote for the election of directors, that series may then be considered a class of voting securities. A holder of 25% or more of a series may then be subject to regulation as a savings and loan holding company under the Home Owners Loan Act or a bank holding company under the Axos Financial Company Act depending on the nature of the acquiror. In addition, at the time that the series are deemed a class of voting securities, any bank holding company may be required to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve in order to acquire 5% or more of that series, any savings and loan holding company may be required to obtain the prior approval of the OCC in order to acquire 5% or more of that series and any person other than a savings and loan or a bank holding company may be required to obtain the prior approval of the OCC to acquire 10% or more of that series.
Redemption
A series of the preferred stock may be redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option, and may be subject to mandatory redemption under a sinking fund or otherwise as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The preferred stock that we redeem will be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock which we may issue in the future.
If a series of preferred stock is subject to mandatory redemption, the applicable prospectus supplement will specify the number of shares that we will redeem in each year and the redemption price per share together with an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid dividends on those shares to the redemption date. The applicable prospectus supplement will state whether the redemption price can be paid in cash or other property. If the redemption price is to be paid only from the net proceeds of issuing our capital stock, the terms of the series of preferred stock may provide that, if the capital stock has not been issued or if the net proceeds are not sufficient to pay the full redemption price then due, the shares relating to series of the preferred stock shall automatically and mandatorily be converted into shares of our capital stock under the conversion provisions of the applicable prospectus supplement.
If fewer than all of the outstanding shares of any series of the preferred stock are to be redeemed, the redemption will be made in a manner that the Board decides is equitable.
Unless we default in the payment of the redemption price, dividends will cease to accrue after the redemption date on shares of preferred stock called for redemption and all rights of holders of such shares will terminate except for the right to receive the redemption price.
Conversion and Exchange
If any series of offered preferred stock is convertible into or exchangeable for any other class or series of our capital stock, the applicable prospectus supplement relating to that series will describe the terms and conditions governing the conversions and exchanges.
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Rights at Liquidation
If we voluntarily or involuntarily liquidate, dissolve or wind up our business, the holders of shares of each series of preferred stock and any other securities that have rights equal to that series of preferred stock under these circumstances, will be entitled to receive out of our assets that are available for distribution to stockholders:
| • | liquidation distributions in the amount stated in the applicable prospectus supplement; and |
| • | all accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not earned or declared), before any distribution to holders of common stock or of any securities ranking junior to the series of preferred stock. |
Neither the sale of all or any part of our property and business, nor our merger into or consolidation with any other corporation, nor the merger or consolidation of any other corporation with or into us, will be deemed to be a dissolution, liquidation or winding up.
If our assets are insufficient to pay all amounts to which holders of preferred stock are entitled, we will make no distribution on the preferred stock or on any other securities ranking equal to the preferred stock unless we make a pro rata distribution to those holders. After we pay the full amount of the liquidation distribution to which the holders are entitled, the holders will have no right or claim to any of our remaining assets.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
We may issue debt securities under an indenture between us and a U.S. banking institution, as the indenture trustee. Each indenture will be subject to, and governed by, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and we may supplement the indenture from time to time after we execute them.
This prospectus summarizes the material provisions of the indenture and the debt securities that we may issue under an indenture. This summary may not describe all of the provisions of the indenture or of any of the debt securities that might be important to you. For additional information, you should carefully read the forms of indenture that are incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of those debt securities in a supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the supplement whether the general terms in this prospectus apply to a particular series of debt securities. Accordingly, for a description of the terms of a particular issue of debt securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and the applicable supplement.
Terms
The prospectus supplement will describe the debt securities and the price or prices at which we will offer the debt securities. The description will include:
| • | the title and form of the debt securities; |
| • | any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities or the series of which they are a part; |
| • | the person to whom any interest on a debt security of the series will be paid; |
| • | the date or dates on which we must repay the principal; |
| • | the rate or rates at which the debt securities will bear interest; |
| • | the date or dates from which interest will accrue, and the dates on which we must pay interest; |
| • | the place or places where we must pay the principal and any premium or interest on the debt securities; |
| • | the terms and conditions on which we may redeem any debt security, if at all; |
| • | any obligation to redeem or purchase any debt securities, and the terms and conditions on which we must do so; |
| • | the denominations in which we may issue the debt securities; |
| • | the manner in which we will determine the amount of principal of or any premium or interest on the debt securities; |
| • | the currency in which we will pay the principal of and any premium or interest on the debt securities; |
| • | the principal amount of the debt securities that we will pay upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity; |
| • | the amount that will be deemed to be the principal amount for any purpose, including the principal amount that will be due and payable upon any maturity or that will be deemed to be outstanding as of any date; |
| • | if applicable, that the debt securities are defeasible and the terms of such defeasance; |
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| • | if applicable, the terms of any right to convert debt securities into, or exchange debt securities for, shares of our debt securities, common stock, or other securities or property; |
| • | whether we will issue the debt securities in the form of one or more global securities and, if so, the respective depositaries for the global securities and the terms of the global securities; |
| • | the subordination provisions that will apply to any subordinated debt securities; |
| • | any addition to or change in the events of default applicable to the debt securities and any change in the right of the trustee or the holders to declare the principal amount of any of the debt securities due and payable; |
| • | any addition to or change in the covenants in the indentures; and |
| • | any other terms of the debt securities not inconsistent with the applicable indentures. |
We may sell the debt securities at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. We will describe U.S. federal income tax considerations, if any, applicable to debt securities sold at an original issue discount in the prospectus supplement. An “original issue discount security” is any debt security sold for less than its face value, and which provides that the holder cannot receive the full face value if maturity is accelerated. The prospectus supplement relating to any original issue discount securities will describe the particular provisions relating to acceleration of the maturity upon the occurrence of an event of default. In addition, we will describe U.S. federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any debt securities that are denominated in a currency or unit other than U.S. dollars in the prospectus supplement.
Conversion and Exchange Rights
The prospectus supplement will describe, if applicable, the terms on which you may convert debt securities into or exchange them for debt securities, common stock, or other securities or property. The conversion or exchange may be mandatory or may be at your option. The prospectus supplement will describe how the amount of debt securities, number of shares of common stock, or other securities or property to be received upon conversion or exchange would be calculated.
Senior Debt Securities
Payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest on senior debt securities will rank with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt securities.
Subordinated Debt Securities
Payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest on subordinated debt securities will be junior in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our unsubordinated debt. We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any subordinated debt securities the subordination terms of such securities as well as the aggregate amount of outstanding debt, as of the most recent practicable date, that by its terms would be senior to the subordinated debt securities. We will also set forth in such prospectus supplement limitations, if any, on issuance of additional senior debt.
Subordinated Debt Securities Intended to Qualify as Tier 2 Capital
Unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, it is currently intended that the subordinated debt securities will qualify as Tier 2 Capital under the guidelines established (or to be established) by the Federal Reserve for savings and loan holding companies. We expect that the guidelines will set forth specific criteria for subordinated debt to qualify as Tier 2 Capital, including requirements that the subordinated debt must:
| • | be unsecured; |
| • | have a minimum average maturity of five years; |
| • | be subordinated in right of payment; |
| • | not contain provisions permitting the holders of the debt to accelerate payment of principal prior to maturity except in the event of bankruptcy of the issuer; and |
| • | not contain provisions that would adversely affect liquidity or unduly restrict management’s flexibility to operate the organization, particularly in times of financial difficulty, such as limitations on additional secured or senior borrowings, sales or dispositions of assets or changes in control. |
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Form, Exchange, and Transfer
We will issue debt securities only in fully registered form, without coupons, and only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof, unless the prospectus supplement provides otherwise. The holder of a debt security may elect, subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities, to exchange them for other debt securities of the same series of any authorized denomination and of similar terms and aggregate principal amount.
Holders of debt securities may present them for exchange as provided above or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer duly executed, at the office of the transfer agent we designate for that purpose. We will not impose a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of debt securities, but we may require a payment sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with the transfer or exchange. We will name the transfer agent in the prospectus supplement. We may designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, but we must maintain a transfer agent in each place where we will make payment on debt securities.
If we redeem the debt securities, we will not be required to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any debt security during a specified period prior to mailing a notice of redemption. We are not required to register the transfer of or exchange of any debt security selected for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of the debt security being redeemed.
Global Securities
The debt securities may be represented, in whole or in part, by one or more global securities that will have an aggregate principal amount equal to that of all debt securities of that series. Each global security will be registered in the name of a depositary identified in the prospectus supplement. We will deposit the global security with the depositary or a custodian, and the global security will bear a legend regarding the restrictions on exchanges and registration of transfer.
No global security may be exchanged in whole or in part for debt securities registered, and no transfer of a global security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any person other than the depositary or any nominee or successor of the depositary unless:
| • | the depositary is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary; or |
| • | the depositary is no longer in good standing under the Exchange Act or other applicable statute or regulation. |
The depositary will determine how all securities issued in exchange for a global security will be registered.
As long as the depositary or its nominee is the registered holder of a global security, we will consider the depositary or the nominee to be the sole owner and holder of the global security and the underlying debt securities. Except as stated above, owners of beneficial interests in a global security will not be entitled to have the global security or any debt security registered in their names, will not receive physical delivery of certificated debt securities and will not be considered to be the owners or holders of the global security or underlying debt securities. We will make all payments of principal, premium and interest on a global security to the depositary or its nominee. The laws of some jurisdictions require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. These laws may prevent you from transferring your beneficial interests in a global security.
Only institutions that have accounts with the depositary or its nominee and persons that hold beneficial interests through the depositary or its nominee may own beneficial interests in a global security. The depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of debt securities represented by the global security to the accounts of its participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be shown only on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary or any such participant.
The policies and procedures of the depositary may govern payments, transfers, exchanges and others matters relating to beneficial interests in a global security. We and the trustee will assume no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the depositary’s or any participant’s records relating to, or for payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a global security.
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Payment and Paying Agents
We will pay principal and any premium or interest on a debt security to the person in whose name the debt security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such interest.
We will pay principal and any premium or interest on the debt securities at the office of our designated paying agent. Unless the prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, the corporate trust office of the trustee will be the paying agent for the debt securities.
Any other paying agents we designate for the debt securities of a particular series will be named in the prospectus supplement. We may designate additional paying agents, rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts, but we must maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities.
The paying agent will return to us all money we pay to it for the payment of the principal, premium or interest on any debt security that remains unclaimed for a specified period. Thereafter, the holder may look only to us for payment, as an unsecured general creditor.
Consolidation, Merger, and Sale of Assets
Under the terms of the indentures, so long as any securities remain outstanding, we may not consolidate or enter into a share exchange with or merge into any other person, in a transaction in which we are not the surviving corporation, or sell, convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person, unless:
| • | the successor assumes our obligations under the debt securities and the indentures; and |
| • | we meet the other conditions described in the indentures. |
Events of Default
Each of the following will constitute an event of default under each indenture:
| • | failure to pay the principal of or any premium on any debt security when due; |
| • | failure to pay any interest on any debt security when due, for more than a specified number of days past the due date; |
| • | failure to deposit any sinking fund payment when due; |
| • | failure to perform any covenant or agreement in the indenture that continues for a specified number of days after written notice has been given by the trustee or the holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series; |
| • | events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; and |
| • | any other event of default specified in the prospectus supplement. |
Additional or different events of default applicable to a series of debt securities may be described in a prospectus supplement. An event of default of one series of debt securities is not necessarily an event of default for any other series of debt securities.
If an event of default occurs and continues, both the trustee and holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series may declare the principal amount of the debt securities of that series to be immediately due and payable. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series may rescind and annul the acceleration if all events of default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal, have been cured or waived.
Except for its duties in case of an event of default, the trustee will not be obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers at the request or direction of any of the holders, unless the holders have offered the trustee reasonable indemnity. If they provide this indemnification and subject to conditions specified in the applicable indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series.
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No holder of a debt security of any series may institute any proceeding with respect to the indentures, or for the appointment of a receiver or a trustee, or for any other remedy, unless:
| • | the holder has previously given the trustee written notice of a continuing event of default; |
| • | the holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series have made a written request upon the trustee, and have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee, to institute the proceeding; |
| • | the trustee has failed to institute the proceeding for a specified period of time after its receipt of the notification; and |
| • | the trustee has not received a direction inconsistent with the request within a specified number of days from the holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series. |
Modification and Waiver
We and the trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters, including:
| • | to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture; and |
| • | to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series. |
In addition, under the indentures, the rights of holders of a series of notes may be changed by us and the trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, we and the trustee may only make the following changes with the consent of the holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:
| • | extending the fixed maturity of the series of notes; |
| • | reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or any premium payable upon the redemption, of any debt securities; or |
| • | reducing the percentage of debt securities the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment. |
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive any past default under the indenture with respect to debt securities of that series, except a default in the payment of principal, premium or interest on any debt security of that series or in respect of a covenant or provision of the indenture that cannot be amended without each holder’s consent.
Except in limited circumstances, we may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding debt securities of any series entitled to give or take any direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action under the indentures. In limited circumstances, the trustee may set a record date. To be effective, the action must be taken by holders of the requisite principal amount of such debt securities within a specified period following the record date.
Defeasance
To the extent stated in the prospectus supplement, we may elect to apply the provisions in the indentures relating to defeasance and discharge of indebtedness, or to defeasance of restrictive covenants, to the debt securities of any series. The indentures provide that, upon satisfaction of the requirements described below, we may terminate all of our obligations under the debt securities of any series and the applicable indenture, known as legal defeasance, other than our obligation:
| • | to maintain a registrar and paying agents and hold monies for payment in trust; |
| • | to register the transfer or exchange of the notes; and |
| • | to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes. |
In addition, we may terminate our obligation to comply with any restrictive covenants under the debt securities of any series or the applicable indenture, known as covenant defeasance.
We may exercise our legal defeasance option even if we have previously exercised our covenant defeasance option. If we exercise either defeasance option, payment of the notes may not be accelerated because of the occurrence of events of default.
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To exercise either defeasance option as to debt securities of any series, we must irrevocably deposit in trust with the trustee money and/or obligations backed by the full faith and credit of the United States that will provide money in an amount sufficient in the written opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and each installment of interest on the debt securities. We may only establish this trust if, among other things:
| • | no event of default shall have occurred or be continuing; |
| • | in the case of legal defeasance, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that we have received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or there has been a change in law, which in the opinion of our counsel, provides that holders of the debt securities will not recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred; |
| • | in the case of covenant defeasance, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the debt securities will not recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred; and |
| • | we satisfy other customary conditions precedent described in the applicable indenture. |
Notices
We will mail notices to holders of debt securities as indicated in the prospectus supplement.
Title
We may treat the person in whose name a debt security is registered as the absolute owner, whether or not such debt security may be overdue, for the purpose of making payment and for all other purposes.
Governing Law
The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Regarding the Trustee
The trustee will have all the duties and responsibilities of an indenture trustee specified in the Trust Indenture Act. The trustee is not required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur financial liability in performing its duties or exercising its rights and powers if it reasonably believes that it is not reasonably assured of repayment or adequate indemnity.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock. Warrants may be issued separately or together with common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and may be attached to or separate from such common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust corporation, as warrant agent, all as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of offered warrants. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants. Copies of the forms of warrant agreements, including the forms of warrant certificates representing the warrants, will be filed as exhibits to a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the warrants offered hereby. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of any issuance of warrants. You should read the particular terms of any warrants we offer in any prospectus supplement, together with the more detailed form of warrant agreement and the form of warrant certificate. The prospectus supplement also will state whether any of the terms summarized below do not apply to the warrants being offered.
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General
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the warrants, including the following where applicable:
| • | the title of the warrants; |
| • | the offering price of the warrants, if any; |
| • | the aggregate number of warrants; |
| • | the designation and terms of the common stock that is purchasable upon exercise of the warrants; |
| • | the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security; |
| • | the date after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable; |
| • | the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant and the purchase price; |
| • | the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants begins and expires; |
| • | the minimum or maximum number of warrants that may be exercised at any one time; |
| • | the currency, currencies or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable; |
| • | a discussion of certain United States federal income tax considerations; |
| • | any antidilution provisions of the warrants; |
| • | any redemption or call provisions applicable to the warrants; and |
| • | any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants. |
Warrant certificates may be exchanged for new warrant certificates of different denominations, may be presented for registration of transfer, and may be exercised at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Prior to the exercise of any warrants to purchase common stock, holders of such warrants will not have any rights of holders of the common stock purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive payments of dividends, if any, on the common stock purchasable upon such exercise or to exercise any applicable right to vote.
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase such number of shares of common stock at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or calculable from, the prospectus supplement relating to the offered warrants. After the close of business on the expiration date of the warrants (or such later date to which such expiration date may be extended by us), unexercised warrants will become void.
Warrants may be exercised by delivering to the warrant agent payment as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement of the amount required to purchase the common stock purchasable upon such exercise together with certain information set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate. Warrants will be deemed to have been exercised upon receipt of payment of the exercise price, subject to the receipt, within five business days, of the warrant certificate evidencing such warrants. Upon receipt of such payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, issue and deliver the common stock purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the remaining number of warrants.
Amendments and Supplements to Warrant Agreements
We and the relevant warrant agent may, with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in number of the outstanding unexercised warrants affected, modify or amend the warrant agreement and the terms of the warrants. However, the warrant agreements may be amended or supplemented without the consent of the holders of the warrants issued thereunder to effect changes that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the warrants and that do not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the warrants. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such modification or amendment may, without the consent of the holders of each warrant affected:
| • | reduce the amount receivable upon exercise, cancellation or expiration; |
| • | shorten the period of time during which the warrants may be exercised; |
| • | otherwise materially and adversely affect the exercise rights of the beneficial owners of the warrants; or |
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| • | reduce the percentage of outstanding warrants whose holders must consent to modification or amendment of the applicable warrant agreement or the terms of the warrants. |
Antidilution and Other Adjustments
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the exercise price of, and the number of shares of common stock covered by a warrant, are subject to adjustment in certain events, including:
| • | the issuance of common stock as a dividend or distribution on the common stock; |
| • | subdivisions and combinations of the common stock; |
| • | the issuance to all holders of common stock of capital stock rights entitling them to subscribe for or purchase common stock within 45 days after the date fixed for the determination of the stockholders entitled to receive such capital stock rights, at less than the current market price; and |
| • | the distribution to all holders of common stock of evidences of our indebtedness or assets (excluding certain cash dividends and distributions described below) or rights or warrants (excluding those referred to above). |
We may, in lieu of making any adjustment in the exercise price of, and the number of shares of common stock covered by, a warrant, make proper provision so that each holder of such warrant who exercises such warrant (or any portion thereof):
| • | before the record date for such distribution of separate certificates, shall be entitled to receive upon such exercise shares of common stock issued with capital stock rights; and |
| • | after such record date and prior to the expiration, redemption or termination of such capital stock rights, shall be entitled to receive upon such exercise, in addition to the shares of common stock issuable upon such exercise, the same number of such capital stock rights as would a holder of the number of shares of common stock that such warrants so exercised would have entitled the holder thereof to acquire in accordance with the terms and provisions applicable to the capital stock rights if such warrant was exercised immediately prior to the record date for such distribution. |
Common stock owned by or held for our account or for the account of any of our majority owned subsidiaries will not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any adjustment.
No adjustment in the exercise price of, and the number of shares of common stock covered by, a warrant will be made for regular quarterly or other periodic or recurring cash dividends or distributions of cash dividends or distributions to the extent paid from retained earnings. Except as stated above, the exercise price of, and the number of shares of common stock covered by, a warrant will not be adjusted for the issuance of common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock, or securities carrying the right to purchase any of the foregoing.
In the case of a reclassification or change of the common stock, a consolidation or merger involving us or sale or conveyance to another corporation of our property and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, in each case as a result of which holders of our common stock shall be entitled to receive stock, securities, other property or assets (including cash) with respect to or in exchange for such common stock, the holders of the warrants then outstanding will be entitled thereafter to convert such warrants into the kind and number of shares of stock and amount of other securities or property which they would have received upon such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance had such warrants been exercised immediately prior to such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance.
DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS
The following summary describes the general terms and provisions of the subscription rights to purchase our Common Stock or other securities that we may offer to our shareholders. Subscription rights may be issued independently or together with any other offered security and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the subscription rights. Unless we are prohibited from doing so by the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (including the General Instructions to Form S-3) based on the aggregate market value of our outstanding common equity held by non-affiliates, in connection with any subscription rights offering to our shareholders, we may enter into a standby underwriting or other arrangement with one or more underwriters or other persons pursuant to which such underwriters or other persons would purchase any offered securities remaining unsubscribed for after such subscription rights offering. Each series of subscription rights will be issued under a separate subscription rights agent agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as subscription rights agent, that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement. The subscription rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the subscription rights and will not assume any
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obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of subscription rights certificates or beneficial owners of subscription rights.
The prospectus supplement relating to any subscription rights we offer will include specific terms relating to the offering, including, among others:
| • | the securities for which the subscription rights are exercisable; |
| • | the exercise price for such subscription rights; |
| • | the number of such subscription rights issued to each shareholder; |
| • | the number of shares of Common Stock or amount of any other securities purchasable upon exercise of such subscription rights; |
| • | the extent, if any, to which such subscription rights are transferable; |
| • | a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the issuance or exercise of such subscription rights; |
| • | the date on which the right to exercise such subscription rights shall commence, and the date on which such rights shall expire (subject to any extension); |
| • | the extent to which such subscription rights include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities; |
| • | if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting or other purchase arrangement that we may enter into in connection with the subscription rights offering; and |
| • | any other terms of such subscription rights, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exercise of such subscription rights. |
Each subscription right will entitle the holder of the subscription right to purchase for cash the number of shares of our Common Stock or other securities at an exercise price set forth in, or determinable as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Subscription rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for the subscription rights provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, all unexercised subscription rights will become void and of no further force or effect.
Holders may exercise subscription rights as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Upon receipt of payment and the subscription rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the subscription rights agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, issue the shares of Common Stock or other security purchasable upon exercise of the subscription rights. Unless we are prohibited from doing so by the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (including the General Instructions to Form S-3) based on the aggregate market value of our outstanding common equity held by non-affiliates, if less than all of the subscription rights issued in any subscription rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons other than shareholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby arrangements, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The description in the applicable prospectus supplement and other offering material of any subscription rights we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable subscription rights certificate, the form of which will be filed with the SEC if we offer subscription rights. We urge you to read the form of subscription rights certificate, prospectus supplement and other offering material in their entirety.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue units comprised of one or more of the other classes of securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The units may be issued under unit agreements to be entered into between us and a unit agent, as detailed in the prospectus supplement relating to the units being offered. The prospectus supplement will describe:
| • | the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances the securities comprising the units may be held or transferred separately; |
| • | a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the units; |
| • | a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units; |
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| • | a discussion of material federal income tax considerations, if applicable; and |
| • | whether the units if issued as a separate security will be issued in fully registered or global form. |
The descriptions of the units in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement are summaries of the material provisions of the applicable agreements. These descriptions do not restate those agreements in their entirety and may not contain all the information that you may find useful. We urge you to read the applicable agreements because they, and not the summaries, define your rights as holders of the units. For more information, please review the forms of the relevant agreements, which will be filed with the SEC and will be available as described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information."
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
Information about selling stockholders, if any, including their identities and the common stock to be registered on their behalf, will be set forth in a prospectus supplement, in a post-effective amendment or in filings we make with the SEC under the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Such selling stockholders may include existing stockholders, our executive officers and our directors.
All of the common stock currently held by the selling stockholders is issued and outstanding as of the date (or securities convertible into or exercisable for such common stock) of the filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Such shares were acquired (i) in our initial formation transaction which occurred in 2000, (ii) several private placements of common stock in 2001 and 2002, (iii) in our initial public offering in 2005, (iv) conversions of Series A preferred stock (v) pursuant to restricted stock awards and exercise of stock options issued under our 2004 Stock Incentive Plan and 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, and (vi) in purchases of our common stock on the open market. Selling stockholders may not sell any of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus until we have identified such selling stockholders in a subsequent prospectus supplement. However, the selling stockholders may sell or transfer all or a portion of their common stock pursuant to any available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We or the selling stockholders may offer and sell the securities in any one or more of the following ways:
| • | to or through underwriters, brokers or dealers; |
| • | directly to one or more other purchasers; |
| • | upon the exercise of rights distributed or issued to our security holders; |
| • | through a block trade in which the broker or dealer engaged to handle the block trade will attempt to sell the securities as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
| • | through agents on a best-efforts basis; or |
| • | otherwise through a combination of any of the above methods of sale. |
We may sell the securities being offered by this prospectus by any other method permitted by law, including sales deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act, including without limitation sales made directly on the NYSE, on any other existing trading market for our securities or to or through a market maker.
In addition, we or the selling stockholders may enter into option, share lending or other types of transactions that require us or such selling stockholders, as applicable, to deliver shares of common stock to an underwriter, broker or dealer, who will then resell or transfer the shares of common stock under this prospectus. We or the selling stockholders may also enter into hedging transactions with respect to our securities or the securities of such selling stockholders, as applicable. For example, we or the selling stockholders may:
| • | enter into transactions involving short sales of the shares of common stock by underwriters, brokers or dealers; |
| • | sell shares of common stock short and deliver the shares to close out short positions; |
| • | enter into option or other types of transactions that require us or the selling stockholders, as applicable, to deliver shares of common stock to an underwriter, broker or dealer, who will then resell or transfer the shares of common stock under this prospectus; or |
| • | loan or pledge the shares of common stock to an underwriter, broker or dealer, who may sell the loaned shares or, in the event of default, sell the pledged shares. |
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Any selling stockholder will act independently of us in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each sale of shares of common stock covered by this prospectus.
We or the selling stockholders may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or such selling stockholders, as applicable, or borrowed from us, such selling stockholders or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us or selling stockholders in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment). In addition, we or the selling stockholders may otherwise loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities short using this prospectus. Such financial institution or other third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our securities or the securities of such selling stockholders, as applicable, or in connection with a concurrent offering of other securities.
Shares of common stock may also be exchanged for satisfaction of the selling stockholders’ obligations or other liabilities to their creditors. Such transactions may or may not involve brokers or dealers.
Each time we or the selling stockholders sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will name any underwriter, dealer or agent involved in the offer and sale of the securities. The prospectus supplement will also set forth the terms of the offering, including:
| • | the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we and/or such selling stockholders, as applicable, will receive from the sale of the securities; |
| • | any underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation; |
| • | any public offering or purchase price and any discounts or commissions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers; |
| • | any commissions allowed or paid to agents; |
| • | any other offering expenses; |
| • | any securities exchanges on which the securities may be listed; |
| • | the method of distribution of the securities; |
| • | the terms of any agreement, arrangement or understanding entered into with the underwriters, brokers or dealers; and |
| • | any other information we think is important. |
If underwriters or dealers are used in the sale, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters or dealers for their own account. The securities may be sold from time to time by us or the selling stockholders in one or more transactions:
| • | at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed; |
| • | at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
| • | at prices related to such prevailing market prices; |
| • | at varying prices determined at the time of sale; or |
| • | at negotiated prices. |
Such sales may be effected:
| • | in transactions on any national securities exchange or quotation service on which the securities may be listed or quoted at the time of sale; |
| • | in transactions in the over-the-counter market; |
| • | in block transactions in which the broker or dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction, or in crosses, in which the same broker acts as an agent on both sides of the trade; |
| • | through the writing of options; or |
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| • | through other types of transactions. |
The securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more of such firms. Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of underwriters or dealers to purchase the securities offered will be subject to certain conditions precedent and the underwriters or dealers will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if any are purchased. Any public offering price and any discount or concession allowed or reallowed or paid by underwriters or dealers to other dealers may be changed from time to time.
The selling stockholders might not sell any shares of common stock under this prospectus. In addition, any shares of common stock covered by this prospectus that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this prospectus.
The securities may be sold directly by us or the selling stockholders or through agents designated by us or such selling stockholders, as applicable, from time to time. Any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by us or such selling stockholders, as applicable, to such agent will be set forth in, the prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
Offers to purchase the securities offered by this prospectus may be solicited, and sales of the securities may be made by us or by selling stockholders directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale of the securities. The terms of any offer made in this manner will be included in the prospectus supplement relating to the offer.
If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, underwriters, dealers or agents will be authorized to solicit offers by certain institutional investors to purchase securities from us pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery at a future date. Institutional investors with which these contracts may be made include, among others:
| • | commercial and savings banks; |
| • | insurance companies; |
| • | pension funds; |
| • | investment companies; and |
| • | educational and charitable institutions. |
In all cases, these purchasers must be approved by us or the selling stockholders, as applicable. Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of any purchaser under any of these contracts will not be subject to any conditions except that (a) the purchase of the securities must not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction to which that purchaser is subject, and (b) if the securities are also being sold to underwriters, we or the selling stockholders, as applicable, must have sold to these underwriters the securities not subject to delayed delivery. Underwriters and other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of these contracts.
Some of the underwriters, dealers or agents used by us or the selling stockholders in any offering of securities under this prospectus may be customers of, engage in transactions with, and perform services for us and/or such selling stockholders, as applicable, or affiliates of ours and/or theirs, as applicable, in the ordinary course of business. Underwriters, dealers, agents and other persons may be entitled under agreements which may be entered into with us and/or the selling stockholders to indemnification against and contribution toward certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to be reimbursed by us and/or such selling stockholders for certain expenses.
Subject to any restrictions relating to debt securities in bearer form, any securities initially sold outside the United States may be resold in the United States through underwriters, dealers or otherwise.
Any underwriters to which offered securities are sold by us or the selling stockholders for public offering and sale may make a market in such securities, but those underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time.
The anticipated date of delivery of the securities offered by this prospectus will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the offering.
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In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), the aggregate maximum discount, commission, agency fees or other items constituting underwriting compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer will not exceed 8% of the offering proceeds from any offering pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.
No FINRA member may participate in any offering of securities made under this prospectus if such member has a conflict of interest under FINRA Rule 5121, including if 5% or more of the net proceeds, not including underwriting compensation, of any offering of securities made under this prospectus will be received by a FINRA member participating in the offering or affiliates or associated persons of such FINRA members, unless a qualified independent underwriter has participated in the offering or the offering otherwise complies with FINRA Rule 5121.
To comply with the securities laws of some states, if applicable, the securities may be sold in these jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.
VALIDITY OF SECURITIES
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities offered by us pursuant to this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Loeb & Loeb LLP, Los Angeles, California. If the validity of the securities will be passed upon by counsel for any underwriters, dealers or agents, such counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2017 and 2016 and for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2017 and management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2017
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
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