UNITED STATES | |||
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION | |||
Washington, D.C. 20549 | |||
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SCHEDULE 14A | |||
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Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of | |||
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Filed by the Registrant o | |||
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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ý | |||
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Check the appropriate box: | |||
o | Preliminary Proxy Statement | ||
o | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) | ||
o | Definitive Proxy Statement | ||
o | Definitive Additional Materials | ||
ý | Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 | ||
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SOVEREIGN BANCORP, INC. | |||
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) | |||
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RELATIONAL INVESTORS LLC | |||
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) | |||
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Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): | |||
ý | No fee required. | ||
o | Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. | ||
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o | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. | ||
o | Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. | ||
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| Persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. | |
Relational Investors has posted the news articles in the Exhibits hereto on its website. Relational has obtained permission from the publishers of the news articles to reprint and distribute them.
| Date |
| Article | |
99.1 |
| 02/06/06 |
| Investor group urges Pa. veto of Sovereign bill – Reuters |
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99.2 |
| 02/03/06 |
| Mr. Sidhu goes to Harrisburg – BreakingViews.com |
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99.3 |
| 02/03/06 |
| Pennsylvania Legislature Puts its Thumb on the Scale in the Sovereign-Relational Proxy Contest Board Analyst – The Corporate Library Board Analyst |
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99.4 |
| 01/13/06 |
| When this shareholder speaks, CEOs better listen – Associated Press |
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99.5 |
| 01/05/06 |
| Shareholders trampled by their Sovereign – BreakingViews.com |
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99.6 |
| 01/05/06 |
| Who's Too Busy for the Annual Meeting? – New York Times |
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99.7 |
| 12/23/05 |
| Sovereign Sues To Stop Bd Fight, Admits Filing Errors – Dow Jones News |
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99.8 |
| 12/13/05 |
| Shareholders' blood is up over Sovereign and Calpine – Financial Times |
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99.9 |
| 12/02/05 |
| Sovereign Scales Back Embattled Director's Duties – Dow Jones News |
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99.10 |
| 11/24/05 |
| Santander/Sovereign - LEX COLUMN – Financial Times |
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99.11 |
| 11/17/05 |
| Investors, Analyst Slam Sovereign Plan – American Banker |
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99.12 |
| 11/02/05 |
| Long & Short: Sovereign Bancorp's Takeover Deal, Looks Like a Dis to Shareholders – The Wall Street Journal |
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99.13 |
| 08/19/05 |
| Street Talk: Shareholder pas de deux – SNL Financial |
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99.14 |
| 08/05/05 |
| Sovereign bows to critics of bonus plan – Market Watch |
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99.15 |
| 07/12/05 |
| Pressure on Sovereign Wins Support on Street – American Banker |
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99.16 |
| 07/08/05 |
| Investor hits bank over directors' compensation – The Boston Globe |
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99.17 |
| 05/26/05 |
| Sovereign Is Facing a Proxy Battle – Wall Street Journal |