| Item 7.01 | Regulation FD Disclosure. |
On November 7, 2022, Columbia Banking System, Inc. (“Columbia”) and FS Bancorp, Inc. announced that on November 5, 2022, Columbia State Bank (“Columbia Bank”), a Washington state-chartered bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia, and 1st Security Bank of Washington (“1st Security”), a Washington state-chartered stock savings bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of FS Bancorp, Inc., entered into an agreement pursuant to which 1st Security will acquire from Columbia Bank seven branches located in Oregon and Washington (the “PNW Divesture”). Also on November 7, 2022, Columbia and First Northern Community Bancorp announced that on November 5, 2022, Columbia Bank and First Northern Bank of Dixon (“First Northern”), a California state-chartered commercial bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of First Northern Community Bancorp, entered into an agreement pursuant to which First Northern will acquire from Columbia Bank three branches located in northern California (the “California Divestiture” and, together with the PNW Divestiture, the “Divestiture Transactions”). The branches are being divested to satisfy regulatory requirements in connection with the previously announced merger between Columbia and Umpqua Holdings Corporation (“Umpqua” and, such merger, the “Merger”).
The Divestiture Transactions are subject to the closing of the Merger and other customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Each of the agreements with 1st Security and First Northern will terminate if the merger agreement governing the Merger is terminated.
Copies of the press releases related to the announcement of the PNW Divestiture and the California Divestiture are attached hereto as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.
The information provided pursuant to this Item 7.01, including the attached exhibits, shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into Columbia’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This communication may contain certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, certain plans, expectations, goals, projections, and statements about the benefits of the Merger, the plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of Columbia and Umpqua, the expected timing of completion of the Merger, and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “estimate,” “plan,” “target,” “goal,” or similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “may,” “might,” “should,” “would,” “could,” or similar variations. The forward-looking statements are intended to be subject to the safe harbor provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Exchange Act, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
While there is no assurance that any list of risks and uncertainties or risk factors is complete, below are certain factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained or implied in the forward-looking statements: changes in general economic, political, or industry conditions; the magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the global economy and financial market conditions and Columbia’s and Umpqua’s respective businesses, results of operations, and financial condition; uncertainty in U.S. fiscal and monetary policy, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board or the effects of any declines in housing and commercial real estate prices, high or increasing unemployment rates, or any slowdown in economic growth particularly in the western United States; volatility and disruptions in global capital and credit markets; movements in interest rates; reform of LIBOR; competitive pressures, including on product pricing and services; success, impact, and timing of Columbia’s and Umpqua’s respective business strategies, including market acceptance of any new products or services and Columbia’s and Umpqua’s ability to successfully implement efficiency and operational excellence initiatives; the nature, extent, timing, and results of governmental actions, examinations, reviews, reforms, regulations, and interpretations; changes in laws or regulations; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the merger agreement to which Columbia and Umpqua are parties; the outcome of any legal proceedings that have been or may be instituted against Columbia or Umpqua; delays in completing the Merger; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company
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