e424b2
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus dated May 12, 2005)
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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424b2 |
File No. 333-124535
40,000,000 Depositary Shares Each Representing a
1/1,000th Interest
in a Share of Series B Non-Cumulative Perpetual
Preferred Stock
U.S. Bancorp is offering 40,000,000 depositary shares each
representing a 1/1,000th ownership interest in a share of
Series B Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock,
$1.00 par value, with a liquidation preference of
$25,000 per share (equivalent to $25 per depositary share)
(the Series B Preferred Stock). As a holder of
depositary shares, you will be entitled to all proportional
rights and preferences of the Series B Preferred Stock
(including dividend, voting, redemption and liquidation rights).
You must exercise such rights through the depositary.
Dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock, when, as and if
declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized
committee of the board, will accrue and be payable from the
original issue date, on a non-cumulative basis, quarterly in
arrears on the 15th day of January, April, July and October
of each year, commencing on July 15, 2006, at a rate per
annum equal to the greater of (1) 0.60% above three-month
LIBOR on the related LIBOR determination date or (2) 3.50%.
If our board of directors or a duly authorized committee of the
board has not declared a dividend on the Series B Preferred
Stock before the dividend payment date for any dividend period,
such dividend shall not be cumulative and shall cease to accrue
and be payable, and we will have no obligation to pay dividends
accrued for such dividend period, whether or not dividends on
the Series B Preferred Stock are declared for any future
dividend period.
The Series B Preferred Stock is not redeemable prior to
April 15, 2011. On and after that date, the Series B
Preferred Stock will be redeemable at our option, in whole at
any time or in part from time to time, at a redemption price
equal to $25,000 per share (equivalent to $25 per
depositary share), plus any declared and unpaid dividends,
without accumulation of any undeclared dividends. The
Series B Preferred Stock will not have any voting rights,
except as set forth under Description of Series B
Preferred Stock Voting Rights on
page S-19.
Investing in our depositary shares involves risks. See
Risk Factors beginning on page S-8.
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Underwriting | |
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Proceeds, Before | |
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Discounts and | |
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Expenses, to | |
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Price to Public | |
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Commissions | |
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Company | |
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Per depositary share
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$ |
25.00 |
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$ |
0.25 |
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$ |
24.75 |
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Total
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$ |
1,000,000,000 |
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$ |
10,000,000 |
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$ |
990,000,000 |
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The Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities
regulators have not approved or disapproved these securities or
determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying
prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the
contrary is a criminal offense.
Our depositary shares are equity securities and will not be
savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any bank or
non-bank subsidiary of ours and are not insured by the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Bank Insurance Fund or any
other government agency. Application will be made to list the
depositary shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol USB PrH.
The underwriters are offering our depositary shares as set forth
under Underwriting. Delivery of the depositary
shares in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company
is expected to be made on or about March 27, 2006.
Joint Book-runners
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Merrill Lynch & Co.
Structuring Advisor |
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Morgan Stanley |
Prospectus Supplement dated March 22, 2006.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Prospectus Supplement |
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S-1 |
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S-8 |
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S-12 |
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S-13 |
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S-13 |
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S-13 |
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S-14 |
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S-15 |
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S-21 |
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S-23 |
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S-25 |
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S-26 |
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S-29 |
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S-31 |
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S-31 |
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Prospectus
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You should rely only on the information contained in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the
documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not, and the
underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with
different information. If anyone provides you with different or
inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are
offering to sell depositary shares, and seeking offers to buy
depositary shares, only in jurisdictions where offers and sales
are permitted. The information contained in this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate only as
of the date of this prospectus supplement, regardless of the
time of delivery of this prospectus supplement or any sale of
the depositary shares. In this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus, the Company,
we, us and our refer to
U.S. Bancorp.
We have not taken any action to permit a public offering of
the depositary shares outside the United States or to permit the
possession or distribution of this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus outside the United States. Persons
outside the United States who come into possession of this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus must
inform themselves about and observe any restrictions relating to
the offering of the depositary shares and the distribution of
this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
outside of the United States.
S-i
SUMMARY
The following information should be read together with the
information contained in other parts of this prospectus
supplement and in the accompanying prospectus. It may not
contain all the information that is important to you. You should
carefully read this entire prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus to understand fully the terms of the
depositary shares, as well as the tax and other considerations
that are important to you in making a decision about whether to
invest in the depositary shares. To the extent the following
information is inconsistent with the information in the
accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the following
information. You should pay special attention to the Risk
Factors section of this prospectus supplement to determine
whether an investment in the depositary shares is appropriate
for you.
About U.S. Bancorp
We are a multi-state financial holding company headquartered in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1929
and operate as a financial holding company and a bank holding
company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. We provide a
full range of financial services through our subsidiaries,
including lending and depository services, cash management,
foreign exchange and trust and investment management services.
Our subsidiaries also engage in credit card services, merchant
and automated teller machine processing, mortgage banking,
insurance, brokerage and leasing services. We are the parent
company of U.S. Bank National Association and
U.S. Bank National Association ND.
Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under
the ticker symbol USB. Our principal executive
offices are located at 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, 55402, and our telephone number is
(612) 303-0799.
S-1
THE OFFERING
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Issuer |
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U.S. Bancorp |
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Securities offered |
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40,000,000 depositary shares each representing a
1/1,000th ownership interest in a share of Series B
Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value,
with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share
(equivalent to $25 per depositary share) of
U.S. Bancorp (the Series B Preferred
Stock). Each holder of a depositary share will be
entitled, through the depositary, in proportion to the
applicable fraction of a share of Series B Preferred Stock
represented by such depositary share, to all the rights and
preferences of the Series B Preferred Stock represented
thereby (including dividend, voting, redemption and liquidation
rights). |
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We may from time to time elect to issue additional depositary
shares representing shares of the Series B Preferred Stock,
and all the additional shares would be deemed to form a single
series with the Series B Preferred Stock. |
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Dividends |
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Dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock, when, as and if
declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized
committee of the board, will accrue and be payable on the
liquidation preference amount from the original issue date, on a
non-cumulative basis, quarterly in arrears on each dividend
payment date, at a rate per annum equal to the greater of
(1) 0.60% above three-month LIBOR on the related LIBOR
determination date or (2) 3.50%. Any such dividends will be
distributed to holders of depositary shares in the manner
described under Description of Depositary
Shares Dividends and Other Distributions below. |
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Three-month LIBOR for each dividend period will be the offered
rate per annum for three-month deposits in U.S. dollars as
that rate appears on Moneyline Telerate page 3750 as of
11:00 A.M., London time, on the second London business day
immediately preceding the first day of the dividend period,
except as otherwise determined by the calculation agent in the
manner described under Description of Series B
Preferred Stock Dividends below. |
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A dividend period is the period from and including a dividend
payment date to but excluding the next dividend payment date,
except that the initial dividend period will commence on and
include the original issue date of the Series B Preferred
Stock. |
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If our board of directors or a duly authorized committee of the
board has not declared a dividend on the Series B Preferred
Stock before the dividend payment date for any dividend period,
such dividend shall not be cumulative and shall cease to accrue
and be payable, and we will have no obligation to pay dividends
accrued for such dividend period, whether or not dividends on |
S-2
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the Series B Preferred Stock are declared for any future
dividend period. |
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So long as any share of Series B Preferred Stock remains
outstanding, (1) no dividend shall be declared or paid or
set aside for payment and no distribution shall be declared or
made or set aside for payment on any junior stock (other than a
dividend payable solely in junior stock), (2) no shares of
junior stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise
acquired for consideration by us, directly or indirectly (other
than as a result of a reclassification of junior stock for or
into other junior stock, or the exchange or conversion of one
share of junior stock for or into another share of junior stock,
and other than through the use of the proceeds of a
substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of junior
stock) nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a
sinking fund for the redemption of any such securities by us and
(3) no shares of parity stock shall be repurchased,
redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by us otherwise
than pursuant to pro rata offers to purchase all, or a
pro rata portion, of the Series B Preferred Stock
and such parity stock except by conversion into or exchange for
junior stock, during a dividend period, unless, in each case,
the full dividends for the then-current dividend period on all
outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock have been
declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the
payment thereof has been set aside. |
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When dividends are not paid in full upon the shares of
Series B Preferred Stock and any parity stock, all
dividends declared upon shares of Series B Preferred Stock
and any parity stock will be declared on a proportional basis so
that the amount of dividends declared per share will bear to
each other the same ratio that accrued dividends for the
then-current dividend period per share on Series B
Preferred Stock, and accrued dividends, including any
accumulations on any parity stock, bear to each other. |
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Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends
(payable in cash, stock or otherwise), as may be determined by
the board of directors or a duly authorized committee of the
board, may be declared and paid on our common stock and any
other securities ranking equally with or junior to the
Series B Preferred Stock from time to time out of any
assets legally available for such payment, and the holders of
the Series B Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to
participate in any such dividends. |
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Dividend payment dates |
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The 15th day of January, April, July and October of each
year, commencing on July 15, 2006. If any date on which
dividends would otherwise be payable is not a business day, then
the dividend payment date will be the next succeeding business
day. |
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Redemption |
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The Series B Preferred Stock is not redeemable prior to
April 15, 2011. On and after that date, the Series B
Preferred Stock will be redeemable at our option, in whole at
any time or in part from time to time, at a redemption price
equal to |
S-3
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$25,000 per share (equivalent to $25 per depositary
share), plus any declared and unpaid dividends, without
accumulation of any undeclared dividends. Neither the holders of
Series B Preferred Stock nor holders of depositary shares
will have the right to require the redemption or repurchase of
the Series B Preferred Stock. |
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Under the Federal Reserves risk-based capital guidelines
applicable to bank holding companies, any redemption of the
Series B Preferred Stock is subject to prior approval of
the Federal Reserve. |
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Replacement Capital Covenant |
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On or about the time of the initial issuance of the
Series B Preferred Stock, we will enter into a Replacement
Capital Covenant (as defined under Certain Terms of the
Replacement Capital Covenant) relating to the
Series B Preferred Stock. The Replacement Capital
Covenant only benefits holders of Covered Debt, as defined below
in Certain Terms of the Replacement Capital
Covenant, and is not enforceable by holders of the
Series B Preferred Stock. However, the Replacement
Capital Covenant could preclude us from redeeming or
repurchasing shares of Series B Preferred Stock at a time
we might otherwise wish to redeem or repurchase shares of
Series B Preferred Stock. |
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In the Replacement Capital Covenant, we covenant to redeem or
repurchase shares of Series B Preferred Stock only if and
to the extent that (a) the total redemption or repurchase
price is equal to or less than the sum, as of the date of
redemption or repurchase, of (i) 133.33% of the aggregate
net cash proceeds we or our subsidiaries have received during
the 180 days prior to such date from the issuance and sale
of common stock of U.S. Bancorp plus (ii) 100%
of the aggregate net cash proceeds we or our subsidiaries have
received during the 180 days prior to such date from the
issuance of certain other specified securities that
(A) have equity-like characteristics that satisfy the
requirements of the Replacement Capital Covenant, which means
generally that such other securities have characteristics that
are the same as, or more equity-like than, the applicable
characteristics of the Series B Preferred Stock at that
time, and (B) qualify as tier 1 capital of
U.S. Bancorp under the risk-based capital guidelines of the
Federal Reserve; and (b) we have obtained the prior
approval of the Federal Reserve, if such approval is then
required by the Federal Reserve. |
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Liquidation rights |
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Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of U.S. Bancorp, holders of shares of
Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to receive out of
assets of U.S. Bancorp available for distribution to
stockholders, before any distribution of assets is made to
holders of our common stock or of any other shares of our stock
ranking junior as to such a distribution to the Series B
Preferred Stock, a liquidating distribution in the amount of the
liquidation preference of $25,000 per share (equivalent to
$25 per depositary share) plus any declared and unpaid
dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends.
Distributions will be made only to the |
S-4
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extent of U.S. Bancorps assets that are available
after satisfaction of all liabilities to creditors and subject
to the rights of holders of any securities ranking senior to the
Series B Preferred Stock (pro rata as to the
Series B Preferred Stock and any other shares of our stock
ranking equally as to such distribution). |
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Voting rights |
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None, except with respect to authorizing or increasing senior
stock, certain changes in the terms of the Series B
Preferred Stock and in the case of certain dividend
non-payments. See Description of Series B Preferred
Stock Voting Rights below. Holders of
depositary shares must act through the depositary to exercise
any voting rights, as described under Description of
Depositary Shares Voting the Series B Preferred
Stock below. |
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Ranking |
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Shares of the Series B Preferred Stock will rank senior to
our common stock, equally with the U.S. Bancorp
Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, if and
when issued, and at least equally with each other series of our
preferred stock we may issue (except for any senior series that
may be issued with the requisite consent of the holders of the
Series B Preferred Stock), with respect to the payment of
dividends and distributions upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up. See Description of Series B Preferred
Stock General for a discussion of the
Series A Preferred Stock. We will generally be able to pay
dividends and distributions upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up only out of lawfully available assets for such
payment (i.e., after taking account of all indebtedness and
other non-equity claims). |
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Maturity |
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The Series B Preferred Stock does not have any maturity
date, and we are not required to redeem the Series B
Preferred Stock. Accordingly, the Series B Preferred Stock
will remain outstanding indefinitely, unless and until we decide
to redeem it. |
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Preemptive and conversion rights |
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None. |
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Listing |
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We intend to apply for listing of the depositary shares on the
New York Stock Exchange under the symbol USB PrH. If
approved for listing, we expect trading of the depositary shares
on the New York Stock Exchange to commence within a
30-day period after the
initial delivery of the depositary shares. |
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Tax consequences |
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Distributions constituting dividend income received by an
individual U.S. holder in respect of the depositary shares
before January 1, 2009 will generally represent
qualified dividend income, which will be subject to
taxation at a maximum rate of 15% (or a lower rate for
individuals in certain tax brackets) subject to certain
exceptions for short-term and hedged positions. In addition,
subject to similar exceptions for short-term and hedged
positions, distributions on the depositary shares constituting
dividend income paid to holders that are U.S. corporations
will generally qualify for the 70% dividends-received deduction.
For further discussion of the tax consequences relating to the
Series B Preferred Stock, see Certain
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations in this
prospectus supplement. |
S-5
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Use of proceeds |
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We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the
depositary shares representing interests in the Series B
Preferred Stock for general corporate purposes. See Use of
Proceeds in this prospectus supplement. |
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Expected ratings |
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We expect that the depositary shares will be rated A1, A and A+
by Moodys Investor Services, Standard &
Poors and Fitch Ratings, respectively. None of these
securities ratings is a recommendation to buy, sell or hold
these securities. Each rating may be subject to revision or
withdrawal at any time, and should be evaluated independently of
any other rating. |
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Registrar |
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U.S. Bank National Association |
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Depositary |
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U.S. Bank National Association |
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Calculation agent |
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U.S. Bank National Association |
S-6
SELECTED CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL DATA
The following is selected unaudited consolidated condensed
financial information for U.S. Bancorp for the years ended
December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003. The summary below should
be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial
statements, and the related notes thereto, and the other
detailed information contained in our 2005 Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
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Year Ended | |
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Year Ended | |
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Year Ended | |
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December 31, 2005 | |
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December 31, 2004 | |
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December 31, 2003 | |
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(Dollars and shares in millions, except per share data) | |
Condensed Income Statement
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Net interest income (taxable-equivalent basis)
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$ |
7,088 |
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$ |
7,140 |
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$ |
7,217 |
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Noninterest income
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6,151 |
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5,624 |
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5,068 |
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Securities gains (losses), net
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(106 |
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(105 |
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245 |
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Total net revenue (taxable-equivalent basis)
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13,133 |
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12,659 |
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12,530 |
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Noninterest expense
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5,863 |
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5,785 |
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5,597 |
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Provision for credit losses
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666 |
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669 |
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1,254 |
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Income from continuing operations before taxes
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6,604 |
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6,205 |
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5,679 |
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Taxable-equivalent adjustment
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33 |
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29 |
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28 |
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Applicable income taxes
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2,082 |
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2,009 |
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1,941 |
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Income from continuing operations
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4,489 |
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4,167 |
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3,710 |
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Discontinued operations (after-tax)
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23 |
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Net income
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$ |
4,489 |
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$ |
4,167 |
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$ |
3,733 |
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Financial Ratios
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Return on average assets
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2.21 |
% |
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2.17 |
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1.99 |
% |
Return on average equity
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22.5 |
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21.4 |
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19.2 |
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Net interest margin (taxable-equivalent basis)
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3.97 |
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4.25 |
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4.49 |
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Efficiency ratio
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44.3 |
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45.3 |
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45.6 |
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Per Common Share
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Earnings per share from continuing operations
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$ |
2.45 |
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$ |
2.21 |
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$ |
1.93 |
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Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations
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2.42 |
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2.18 |
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1.92 |
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Earnings per share
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2.45 |
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2.21 |
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1.94 |
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Diluted earnings per share
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2.42 |
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2.18 |
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1.93 |
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Dividends declared per share
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1.23 |
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1.02 |
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0.855 |
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Average Balance Sheet Data
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Loans
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$ |
133,105 |
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$ |
122,141 |
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$ |
118,362 |
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Loans held for sale
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1,795 |
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1,608 |
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3,616 |
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Investment securities
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42,103 |
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43,009 |
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37,248 |
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Earning assets
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178,425 |
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168,123 |
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160,808 |
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Assets
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203,198 |
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191,593 |
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187,630 |
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Noninterest-bearing deposits
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29,229 |
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29,816 |
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31,715 |
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Deposits
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121,001 |
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116,222 |
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|
|
116,553 |
|
Short-term borrowings
|
|
|
19,382 |
|
|
|
14,534 |
|
|
|
10,503 |
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
36,141 |
|
|
|
35,115 |
|
|
|
33,663 |
|
Shareholders equity
|
|
|
19,953 |
|
|
|
19,459 |
|
|
|
19,393 |
|
Average common shares outstanding
|
|
|
1,831 |
|
|
|
1,887 |
|
|
|
1,924 |
|
Average diluted common shares outstanding
|
|
|
1,857 |
|
|
|
1,913 |
|
|
|
1,936 |
|
Period End Balances
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loans
|
|
$ |
137,806 |
|
|
$ |
126,315 |
|
|
$ |
118,235 |
|
Allowance for credit losses
|
|
|
2,251 |
|
|
|
2,269 |
|
|
|
2,369 |
|
Investment securities
|
|
|
39,768 |
|
|
|
41,481 |
|
|
|
43,334 |
|
Assets
|
|
|
209,465 |
|
|
|
195,104 |
|
|
|
189,471 |
|
Deposits
|
|
|
124,709 |
|
|
|
120,741 |
|
|
|
119,052 |
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
37,069 |
|
|
|
34,739 |
|
|
|
33,816 |
|
Shareholders equity
|
|
|
20,086 |
|
|
|
19,539 |
|
|
|
19,242 |
|
Regulatory capital ratios
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tangible common equity
|
|
|
5.9 |
% |
|
|
6.4 |
% |
|
|
6.5 |
% |
|
Tier 1 capital
|
|
|
8.2 |
|
|
|
8.6 |
|
|
|
9.1 |
|
|
Total risk-based capital
|
|
|
12.5 |
|
|
|
13.1 |
|
|
|
13.6 |
|
|
Leverage
|
|
|
7.6 |
|
|
|
7.9 |
|
|
|
8 |
|
S-7
RISK FACTORS
An investment in our depositary shares involves certain
risks. You should carefully consider the risks described below
and the risk factors included in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2005, as well as the other
information included or incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, before
making an investment decision. Our business, financial condition
or results of operations could be materially adversely affected
by any of these risks. The trading price of our depositary
shares could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose
all or part of your investment. This prospectus supplement also
contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from
those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a
results of certain factors, including the risks faced by us
described below and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus.
You Are Making an Investment Decision with Regard to the
Depositary Shares as well as the Series B Preferred
Stock
As described in this prospectus supplement, we are issuing
fractional interests in shares of Series B Preferred Stock
in the form of depositary shares. Accordingly, the depositary
will rely on the payments it receives on the Series B
Preferred Stock to fund all payments on the depositary shares.
You should carefully review the information in the accompanying
prospectus and in this prospectus supplement regarding both of
these securities.
The Series B Preferred Stock Is Equity and Is
Subordinate to Our Existing and Future Indebtedness
The shares of Series B Preferred Stock are equity interests
in U.S. Bancorp and do not constitute indebtedness. As
such, the shares of Series B Preferred Stock will rank
junior to all indebtedness and other non-equity claims on
U.S. Bancorp with respect to assets available to satisfy
claims on U.S. Bancorp, including in a liquidation of
U.S. Bancorp. Our existing and future indebtedness may
restrict payment of dividends on the Series B Preferred
Stock. As of December 31, 2005, our indebtedness and
obligations, on an unconsolidated basis, totaled approximately
$14 billion. Additionally, unlike indebtedness, where
principal and interest would customarily be payable on specified
due dates, in the case of preferred stock like the Series B
Preferred Stock (1) dividends are payable only if declared
by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee of the
board and (2) as a corporation, we are subject to
restrictions on payments of dividends and redemption price out
of lawfully available assets. Further, the Series B
Preferred Stock places no restrictions on our business or
operations or on our ability to incur indebtedness or engage in
any transactions, subject only to the limited voting rights
referred to below under Risk Factors Holders
of Series B Preferred Stock Will Have Limited Voting
Rights. Also, as a bank holding company, our ability to
declare and pay dividends is dependent on certain federal
regulatory considerations.
Dividends on Series B Preferred Stock Are
Non-Cumulative
Dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock are
non-cumulative. Consequently, if our board of directors or a
duly authorized committee of the board does not authorize and
declare a dividend for any dividend period, holders of the
Series B Preferred Stock would not be entitled to receive
any such dividend, and such unpaid dividend will cease to accrue
and be payable. We will have no obligation to pay dividends
accrued for a dividend period after the dividend payment date
for such period if our board of directors or a duly authorized
committee of the board has not declared such dividend before the
related dividend payment date, whether or not dividends are
declared for any subsequent dividend period with respect to the
Series B Preferred Stock or any other series of our
preferred stock.
S-8
Investors Should Not Expect Us to Redeem the Series B
Preferred Stock on the Date It Becomes Redeemable or on any
Particular Date After It Becomes Redeemable
The Series B Preferred Stock is a perpetual equity
security. The Series B Preferred Stock has no maturity or
mandatory redemption date and is not redeemable at the option of
investors. By its terms, the Series B Preferred Stock may
be redeemed by us at our option either in whole or in part at
any time on or after April 15, 2011. Any decision we may
make at any time to propose a redemption of the Series B
Preferred Stock will depend upon, among other things, our
evaluation of our capital position, the composition of our
shareholders equity and general market conditions at that
time. Our right to redeem the Series B Preferred Stock is
subject to two important limitations.
First, under the Federal Reserves risk-based capital
guidelines applicable to bank holding companies, any redemption
of the Series B Preferred Stock is subject to prior
approval of the Federal Reserve. Moreover, we have agreed with
the Federal Reserve that unless it authorizes us to do otherwise
in writing, we will redeem the Series B Preferred Stock
only if it is replaced with other tier 1 capital that is not a
restricted core capital element, for example, common stock or
another series of non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock.
There can be no assurance that the Federal Reserve will approve
any redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock that we may
propose. There also can be no assurance that, if we propose to
redeem the Series B Preferred Stock without replacing the
Series B Preferred Stock with tier 1 capital that is
not a restricted core capital element, the Federal Reserve will
authorize such redemption. We understand that the factors that
the Federal Reserve will consider in evaluating a proposed
redemption, or a request that we be permitted to redeem the
Series B Preferred Stock without replacing it with
tier 1 capital that is not a restricted core capital
element, include its evaluation of the overall level and quality
of our capital components, considered in light of our risk
exposures, earnings and growth strategy, and other supervisory
considerations.
Second, at or prior to initial issuance of the Series B
Preferred Stock, we are entering into the Replacement Capital
Covenant, which will limit our right to redeem or repurchase the
Series B Preferred Stock. In the Replacement Capital
Covenant, we covenant to redeem or repurchase shares of
Series B Preferred Stock only if and to the extent that
(a) the total redemption or repurchase price is equal to or
less than the sum, as of the date of redemption or repurchase,
of (i) 133.33% of the aggregate net cash proceeds we or our
subsidiaries have received during the 180 days prior to
such date from the issuance and sale of common stock of
U.S. Bancorp plus (ii) 100% of the aggregate
net cash proceeds we or our subsidiaries have received during
the 180 days prior to such date from the issuance of
certain other specified securities that (A) have
equity-like characteristics that satisfy the requirements of the
Replacement Capital Covenant, which means generally that such
other securities have characteristics that are the same as, or
more equity-like than, the applicable characteristics of the
Series B Preferred Stock at that time, and (B) qualify
as tier 1 capital of U.S. Bancorp under the risk-based
capital guidelines of the Federal Reserve; and (b) we have
obtained the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, if such
approval is then required by the Federal Reserve for redemptions
of the Series B Preferred Stock.
Our ability to raise proceeds from qualifying securities during
the 180 days prior to a proposed redemption or repurchase
will depend on, among other things, market conditions at such
time as well as the acceptability to prospective investors of
the terms of such qualifying securities. Accordingly, there
could be circumstances where we would wish to redeem or
repurchase some or all of the Series B Preferred Stock and
sufficient cash is available for that purpose, but we are
restricted from doing so because we have not been able to obtain
proceeds from qualifying securities sufficient for that purpose.
In addition, the Federal Reserve has not approved as a
tier 1 capital instrument, in connection with the issuance
of the Series B Preferred Stock, certain of the types of
securities that otherwise would be qualifying securities under
the Replacement Capital Covenant and, accordingly, these
securities would not constitute qualifying securities pursuant
to the Replacement Capital Covenant unless such approval is
obtained.
S-9
If We Are Deferring Payments on our Outstanding Junior
Subordinated Debt Securities or Are in Default Under the
Indentures Governing Those Securities, We Will be Prohibited
from Making Distributions on or Redeeming the Series B
Preferred Stock
The terms of our outstanding junior subordinated debt securities
prohibit us from declaring or paying any dividends or
distributions on the Series B Preferred Stock, or
redeeming, purchasing, acquiring or making a liquidation payment
with respect to our Series B Preferred Stock, if we are
aware of any event that would be an event of default under the
indenture governing those junior subordinated debt securities or
at any time when we have deferred interest thereunder.
The Series B Preferred Stock and the Related Depositary
Shares May Not Have an Active Trading Market
The Series B Preferred Stock and the related depositary
shares are new issues with no established trading market.
Although we plan to apply to have the depositary shares listed
on the New York Stock Exchange, there is no guarantee that we
will be able to list the depositary shares. Even if the
depositary shares are listed, there may be little or no
secondary market for the depositary shares. Even if a secondary
market for the depositary shares develops, it may not provide
significant liquidity and transaction costs in any secondary
market could be high. As a result, the difference between bid
and asked prices in any secondary market could be substantial.
Further, because the shares of Series B Preferred Stock do
not have a stated maturity date, investors seeking liquidity in
the depositary shares will be limited to selling their
depositary shares in the secondary market. We do not expect that
there will be any separate public trading market for the shares
of the Series B Preferred Stock except as represented by
the depositary shares.
Holders of Series B Preferred Stock Will Have Limited
Voting Rights
Holders of the Series B Preferred Stock have no voting
rights with respect to matters that generally require the
approval of voting shareholders. However, holders of the
Series B Preferred Stock will have the right to vote as a
class on certain fundamental matters that may affect the
preference or special rights of the Series B Preferred
Stock, as described under Description of Series B
Preferred Stock Voting Rights below. In
addition, if dividends on any shares of the Series B
Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock
that ranks on parity with the Series B Preferred Stock as
to payment of dividends with similar voting rights have not been
declared or paid for the equivalent of six dividend payments,
whether or not for consecutive dividend periods, holders of the
outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock, together
with holders of any other series of our preferred stock ranking
equal with the Series B Preferred Stock with similar voting
rights, will be entitled to vote for the election of two
additional directors to our board, subject to the terms and to
the limited extent described under Description of
Series B Preferred Stock Voting Rights
below. Holders of depositary shares must act through the
depositary to exercise any voting rights in respect of the
Series B Preferred Stock.
Our Results of Operations Depend Upon the Results of
Operations of Our Subsidiaries
We are a holding company that conducts substantially all of our
operations through our banks and other subsidiaries. As a
result, our ability to make dividend payments on the
Series B Preferred Stock will depend primarily upon the
receipt of dividends and other distributions from our
subsidiaries.
There are various regulatory restrictions on the ability of our
banking subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other payments to
us. At December 31, 2005, our banking subsidiaries could
pay a total of approximately $1 billion in dividends to us
in a calendar year without prior regulatory approval.
In addition, our right to participate in any distribution of
assets of any of our subsidiaries upon the subsidiarys
liquidation or otherwise, and thus your ability as a holder of
the depositary shares to benefit indirectly from such
distribution, will be subject to the prior claims of creditors
of that subsidiary, except to the extent that any of our claims
as a creditor of such subsidiary may be recognized. As a result,
the
S-10
depositary shares will effectively be subordinated to all
existing and future liabilities and obligations of our
subsidiaries.
At December 31, 2005, our subsidiaries direct
borrowings and deposit liabilities that would effectively rank
senior to the Series B Preferred Stock totaled
approximately $170 billion.
Holders of Depositary Shares May Be Unable To Use the
Dividends Received Deduction
Distributions paid to corporate U.S. holders of the
depositary shares out of dividends on the Series B
Preferred Stock may be eligible for the dividends received
deduction if we have current or accumulated earnings and
profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax
purposes. Although we presently have accumulated earnings and
profits, we may not have sufficient current or accumulated
earnings and profits during future fiscal years for the
distributions on the Series B Preferred Stock to qualify as
dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If any
distributions on the Series B Preferred Stock with respect
to any fiscal year are not eligible for the dividends received
deduction because of insufficient current or accumulated
earnings and profits, the market value of the depositary shares
may decline.
S-11
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
contain or incorporate by reference forward-looking statements
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act).
Statements that are not historical or current facts, including
statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking
statements. These statements often include the words
may, could, would,
should, believes, expects,
anticipates, estimates,
intends, plans, targets,
potentially, probably,
projects, outlook or similar expressions.
These forward-looking statements cover, among other things,
anticipated future revenue and expenses and the future prospects
of U.S. Bancorp. Forward-looking statements involve
inherent risks and uncertainties, and important factors could
cause actual results to differ materially from those
anticipated, including but not limited to the following, in
addition to those contained in U.S. Bancorps reports
on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
SEC):
|
|
|
|
|
general economic or industry conditions could be less favorable
than expected, resulting in a deterioration in credit quality, a
change in the allowance for credit losses, or a reduced demand
for credit or fee-based products and services; |
|
|
|
changes in the domestic interest rate environment could reduce
net interest income and could increase credit losses; |
|
|
|
inflation, changes in securities market conditions and monetary
fluctuations could adversely affect the value or credit quality
of our assets, or the availability and terms of funding
necessary to meet our liquidity needs; |
|
|
|
changes in the extensive laws, regulations and policies
governing financial services companies could alter our business
environment or affect operations; |
|
|
|
the potential need to adapt to industry changes in information
technology systems, on which we are highly dependent, could
present operational issues or require significant capital
spending; |
|
|
|
competitive pressures could intensify and affect our
profitability, including as a result of continued industry
consolidation, the increased availability of financial services
from non-banks, technological developments or bank regulatory
reform; |
|
|
|
changes in consumer spending and savings habits could adversely
affect our results of operations; |
|
|
|
changes in the financial performance and condition of our
borrowers could negatively affect repayment of such
borrowers loans; |
|
|
|
acquisitions may not produce revenue enhancements or cost
savings at levels or within time frames originally anticipated,
or may result in unforeseen integration difficulties; |
|
|
|
capital investments in our businesses may not produce expected
growth in earnings anticipated at the time of the
expenditure; and |
|
|
|
acts or threats of terrorism, and/or political and military
actions taken by the U.S. or other governments in response
to acts or threats of terrorism or otherwise could adversely
affect general economic or industry conditions. |
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.
S-12
U.S. BANCORP
We are a multi-state financial holding company headquartered in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1929
and operate as a financial holding company and a bank holding
company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. We provide a
full range of financial services through our subsidiaries,
including lending and depository services, cash management,
foreign exchange and trust and investment management services.
Our subsidiaries also engage in credit card services, merchant
and automated teller machine processing, mortgage banking,
insurance, brokerage and leasing services. We are the parent
company of U.S. Bank National Association and
U.S. Bank National Association ND. Our common stock is
traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol
USB.
Contact Information
Our principal executive offices are located at 800 Nicollet
Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, and our telephone number is
(612) 303-0799.
USE OF PROCEEDS
The net proceeds from the offering of the Series B
Preferred Stock by US Bancorp are estimated to be
$989,700,000. We intend to use the proceeds from the sale of the
Series B Preferred Stock for general corporate purposes.
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND COMBINED FIXED
CHARGES
AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
Our ratio of earnings to fixed charges and earnings to combined
fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for each of the
periods are indicated as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2002 | |
|
2001 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Excluding interest on deposits
|
|
|
4.27 |
|
|
|
5.98 |
|
|
|
6.40 |
|
|
|
4.88 |
|
|
|
2.26 |
|
|
Including interest on deposits
|
|
|
2.84 |
|
|
|
3.88 |
|
|
|
3.64 |
|
|
|
2.79 |
|
|
|
1.50 |
|
Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred
Stock Dividends:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Excluding interest on deposits
|
|
|
4.27 |
|
|
|
5.98 |
|
|
|
6.40 |
|
|
|
4.88 |
|
|
|
2.26 |
|
|
Including interest on deposits
|
|
|
2.84 |
|
|
|
3.88 |
|
|
|
3.64 |
|
|
|
2.79 |
|
|
|
1.50 |
|
For the purpose of computing the ratios of earnings to fixed
charges and combined fixed charges and preferred stock
dividends, earnings consist of consolidated income from
continuing operations before provision for income taxes,
minority interest and fixed charges, and fixed charges consist
of interest expense, amortization of debt issuance costs and the
portion of rental expense deemed to represent interest. For each
of the periods presented above, there was no preferred stock
outstanding, and accordingly, the ratio of earnings to fixed
charges and the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and
preferred stock dividends are the same.
S-13
REGULATORY MATTERS
As a financial holding company and a bank holding company under
the Bank Holding Company Act, the Federal Reserve regulates,
supervises and examines U.S. Bancorp. For a discussion of
the material elements of the regulatory framework applicable to
financial holding companies, bank holding companies and their
subsidiaries and specific information relevant to
U.S. Bancorp, please refer to our annual report on
Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, and any subsequent
reports we file with the SEC, which are incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement. This regulatory
framework is intended primarily for the protection of depositors
and the federal deposit insurance funds and not for the
protection of security holders. As a result of this regulatory
framework, our earnings are affected by actions of the Federal
Reserve and the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, which
regulates our banking subsidiaries, the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation, which insures the deposits of our banking
subsidiaries within certain limits, and the SEC, which regulates
the activities of certain subsidiaries engaged in the securities
business.
U.S. Bancorps earnings are also affected by general
economic conditions, our management policies and legislative
action.
In addition, there are numerous governmental requirements and
regulations that affect our business activities. A change in
applicable statutes, regulations or regulatory policy may have a
material effect on U.S. Bancorps business.
Depositary institutions, like U.S. Bancorps bank
subsidiaries, are also affected by various federal laws,
including those relating to consumer protection and similar
matters. U.S. Bancorp also has other financial services
subsidiaries regulated, supervised and examined by the Federal
Reserve, as well as other relevant state and federal regulatory
agencies and self-regulatory organizations. Our non-bank
subsidiaries may be subject to other laws and regulations of the
federal government or the various states in which they are
authorized to do business.
We are required by the Federal Reserve to maintain certain
levels of capital for bank regulatory purposes. We expect that
the Series B Preferred Stock will be treated as tier 1
capital of U.S. Bancorp.
S-14
DESCRIPTION OF SERIES B PREFERRED STOCK
The depositary will be the sole holder of the Series B
Preferred Stock, as described under Description of
Depositary Shares below, and all references in this
prospectus supplement to the holders of the Series B
Preferred Stock shall mean the depositary. However, the holders
of depositary shares will be entitled, through the depositary,
to exercise the rights and preferences of the holders of the
Series B Preferred Stock, as described under
Description of Depositary Shares.
This prospectus supplement summarizes specific terms and
provisions of the Series B Preferred Stock. Terms that
apply generally to our preferred stock are described in the
Description of Preferred Stock section of the
accompanying prospectus. The following summary of the terms and
provisions of the Series B Preferred Stock does not purport
to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to
the pertinent sections of our Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended, and the Certificate of Designations
creating the Series B Preferred Stock, which will be
included as an exhibit to documents filed with the SEC.
General
Our authorized capital stock includes 50,000,000 shares of
preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share. The board of
directors is authorized to issue preferred stock in one or more
series, to fix the number of shares in each series, and to
determine the designations and preferences, limitations and
relative rights of each series, including dividend rates, terms
of redemption, liquidation preferences, sinking fund
requirements, conversion rights, voting rights, and whether the
preferred stock can be issued as a share dividend with respect
to another class or series of shares, all without any vote or
other action on the part of shareholders. This power is limited
by applicable laws or regulations and may be delegated to a
committee of the board of directors.
The Series B Preferred Stock is a single series of
authorized preferred stock consisting of 40,000 shares, all of
which are being initially offered hereby. As described in the
accompanying prospectus, we may from time to time, without
notice to or the consent of holders of the Series B
Preferred Stock, issue additional shares of preferred stock.
Shares of the Series B Preferred Stock will rank senior to
our common stock, equally with the U.S. Bancorp
Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, if and
when issued, and at least equally with each other series of our
preferred stock we may issue (except for any senior series that
may be issued with the requisite consent of the holders of the
Series B Preferred Stock), with respect to the payment of
dividends and distributions of assets upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up. In addition, we will generally be
able to pay dividends and distributions upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up only out of lawfully available assets
for such payment (i.e., after taking account of all indebtedness
and other non-equity claims). The Series B Preferred Stock
will be fully paid and nonassessable when issued. Holders of
Series B Preferred Stock will not have preemptive or
subscription rights to acquire more capital stock of
U.S. Bancorp.
The Series B Preferred Stock will not be convertible into,
or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or series of
stock or other securities of U.S. Bancorp. The
Series B Preferred Stock has no stated maturity and will
not be subject to any sinking fund or other obligation of
U.S. Bancorp to redeem or repurchase the Series B
Preferred Stock.
As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we have authorized
the issuance of 20,010 shares of U.S. Bancorp
Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, with a
per share liquidation preference of $100,000, of which
12,510 shares are subject to issuance pursuant to the terms
of certain outstanding stock purchase contacts. These shares,
when issued, will rank equally with the Series B Preferred
Stock as to dividends and distributions on liquidation and
includes the same provisions with respect to restrictions on
declaration and payment of dividends as apply to the
Series B Preferred Stock. Holders of the U.S. Bancorp
Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock will be
entitled to receive quarterly
S-15
or, in certain circumstances, semi-annual dividends when, as and
if declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized
committee of the board.
Dividends
Dividends on shares of the Series B Preferred Stock will
not be mandatory. Holders of Series B Preferred Stock will
be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by our board of
directors or a duly authorized committee of the board, out of
assets legally available for the payment of dividends under
Delaware law, non-cumulative cash dividends from the original
issue date, quarterly in arrears on the 15th day of
January, April, July and October of each year (each, a dividend
payment date), commencing on July 15, 2006. These dividends
will accrue, with respect to each dividend period, on the
liquidation preference amount of $25,000 per share
(equivalent to $25 per depositary share) at a rate per
annum equal to the greater of (1) 0.60% above three-month
LIBOR (as described below) on the related LIBOR determination
date (as described below) or (2) 3.50%. In the event that
we issue additional shares of Series B Preferred Stock
after the original issue date, dividends on such shares will
accrue from the original issue date of such additional shares.
Dividends will be payable to holders of record of Series B
Preferred Stock as they appear on our books on the applicable
record date, which shall be the last business day of the
calendar month immediately preceding the month during which the
dividend payment date falls. The corresponding record dates for
the depositary shares will be the same as the record dates for
the Series B Preferred Stock.
A dividend period is the period from and including a dividend
payment date to but excluding the next dividend payment date,
except that the initial dividend period will commence on and
include the original issue date of the Series B Preferred
Stock. Dividends payable on the Series B Preferred Stock
will be computed on the basis of a
360-day year and the
actual number of days elapsed in the dividend period. If any
date on which dividends would otherwise be payable is not a
business day, then the dividend payment date will be the next
succeeding business day.
For any dividend period, three-month LIBOR shall be determined
by the calculation agent on the second London business day
immediately preceding the first day of such dividend period in
the following manner:
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three-month LIBOR will be the offered rate per annum for
three-month deposits in U.S. dollars, beginning on the
first day of such period, as that rate appears on Moneyline
Telerate Page 3750 as of 11:00 A.M., London time, on
the second London business day immediately preceding the first
day of such dividend period. |
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If the rate described above does not appear on Moneyline
Telerate page 3750, three-month LIBOR will be determined on
the basis of the rates, at approximately 11:00 A.M., London
time, on the second London business day immediately preceding
the first day of such dividend period, at which deposits of the
following kind are offered to prime banks in the London
interbank market by four major banks in that market selected by
us: three-month deposits in U.S. dollars, beginning on the
first day of such dividend period, and in a principal amount of
not less than $1,000,000. The calculation agent will request the
principal London office of each of these banks to provide a
quotation of its rate. If at least two quotations are provided,
three-month LIBOR for the second London business day immediately
preceding the first day of such dividend period will be the
arithmetic mean of the quotations. |
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If fewer than two quotations are provided as described above,
three-month LIBOR for the second London business day immediately
preceding the first day of such dividend period will be the
arithmetic mean of the rates for loans of the following kind to
leading European banks quoted, at approximately 11:00 A.M.
New York City time on the second London business day immediately
preceding the first day of such dividend period, by three major
banks in New York City selected by us: three-month loans of
U.S. dollars, beginning on the first day of such dividend
period, and in a principal amount of not less than $1,000,000. |
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If fewer than three banks selected by us are quoting as
described above, three-month LIBOR for the new dividend period
will be three-month LIBOR in effect for the prior dividend
period. |
The calculation agents determination of any dividend rate,
and its calculation of the amount of dividends for any dividend
period, will be on file at our principal offices, will be made
available to any holder of Series B Preferred Stock upon
request and will be final and binding in the absence of manifest
error.
In this subsection, we use several terms that have special
meanings relevant to calculating three-month LIBOR. We define
these terms as follows:
The term business day means each Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking institutions are
not authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive
order to close in New York, New York.
The term London business day means a day on which
commercial banks are open for general business (including
dealings in deposits in U.S. dollars) in London, England.
The term Moneyline Telerate Page means the display
on Moneyline Telerate, Inc., or any successor service, on the
page or pages specified in this prospectus supplement or any
replacement page or pages on that service.
Dividends on shares of Series B Preferred Stock will not be
cumulative. Accordingly, if the board of directors or a duly
authorized committee of the board, does not declare a dividend
on the Series B Preferred Stock payable in respect of any
dividend period before the related dividend payment date, such
dividend will not accrue and we will have no obligation to pay a
dividend for that dividend period on the dividend payment date
or at any future time, whether or not dividends on the
Series B Preferred Stock are declared for any future
dividend period.
So long as any share of Series B Preferred Stock remains
outstanding, (1) no dividend shall be declared or paid or
set aside for payment and no distribution shall be declared or
made or set aside for payment on any junior stock (other than a
dividend payable solely in junior stock), (2) no shares of
junior stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise
acquired for consideration by us, directly or indirectly (other
than as a result of a reclassification of junior stock for or
into other junior stock, or the exchange or conversion of one
share of junior stock for or into another share of junior stock,
and other than through the use of the proceeds of a
substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of junior
stock) nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a
sinking fund for the redemption of any such securities by us and
(3) no shares of parity stock shall be repurchased,
redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by us otherwise
than pursuant to pro rata offers to purchase all, or a
pro rata portion, of the Series B Preferred Stock
and such parity stock except by conversion into or exchange for
junior stock, during a dividend period, unless, in each case,
the full dividends for the then-current dividend period on all
outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock have been
declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the
payment thereof has been set aside.
As used in this prospectus supplement, junior stock
means our common stock and any other class or series of stock of
U.S. Bancorp hereafter authorized over which Series B
Preferred Stock has preference or priority in the payment of
dividends or in the distribution of assets on any liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of U.S. Bancorp.
When dividends are not paid in full upon the shares of
Series B Preferred Stock and any parity stock, all
dividends declared upon shares of Series B Preferred Stock
and any parity stock will be declared on a proportional basis so
that the amount of dividends declared per share will bear to
each other the same ratio that accrued dividends for the
then-current dividend period per share on Series B
Preferred Stock, and accrued dividends, including any
accumulations, on any parity stock, bear to each other.
As used in this prospectus supplement, parity stock
means any other class or series of stock of U.S. Bancorp
that ranks on a par with the Series B Preferred Stock in
the payment of dividends and in
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the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of U.S. Bancorp. Parity stock includes the
Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock.
Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends
(payable in cash, stock or otherwise), as may be determined by
our board of directors or a duly authorized committee of the
board, may be declared and paid on our common stock and any
other stock ranking equally with or junior to the Series B
Preferred Stock from time to time out of any assets legally
available for such payment, and the holders of Series B
Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such
dividend.
Liquidation Rights
Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of U.S. Bancorp, holders of the Series B
Preferred Stock are entitled to receive out of assets of
U.S. Bancorp available for distribution to stockholders,
after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors and subject to
the rights of holders of any securities ranking senior to the
Series B Preferred Stock, before any distribution of assets
is made to holders of common stock or of any of our other shares
of stock ranking junior as to such a distribution to the shares
of Series B Preferred Stock, a liquidating distribution in
the amount of the liquidation preference of $25,000 per
share (equivalent to $25 per depositary share) plus
declared and unpaid dividends, without accumulation of any
undeclared dividends. Holders of the Series B Preferred
Stock will not be entitled to any other amounts from us after
they have received their full liquidating distribution.
In any such distribution, if the assets of U.S. Bancorp are
not sufficient to pay the liquidation preferences plus declared
and unpaid dividends in full to all holders of the Series B
Preferred Stock and all holders of any other shares of our stock
ranking equally as to such distribution with the Series B
Preferred Stock, the amounts paid to the holders of
Series B Preferred Stock and to the holders of all such
other stock will be paid pro rata in accordance with the
respective aggregate liquidating distribution owed to those
holders. If the liquidation preference plus declared and unpaid
dividends has been paid in full to all holders of Series B
Preferred Stock and any other shares of our stock ranking
equally as to the liquidation distribution, the holders of our
junior stock shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets
of U.S. Bancorp according to their respective rights and
preferences.
For purposes of this section, the merger or consolidation of
U.S. Bancorp with any other entity, including a merger or
consolidation in which the holders of Series B Preferred
Stock receive cash, securities or property for their shares, or
the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the
assets of U.S. Bancorp for cash, securities or other
property, shall not constitute a liquidation, dissolution or
winding up of U.S. Bancorp.
Redemption
The Series B Preferred Stock is not subject to any
mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other similar provisions.
The Series B Preferred Stock is not redeemable prior to
April 15, 2011. On and after that date, the Series B
Preferred Stock will be redeemable at our option, in whole or in
part, at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share
(equivalent to $25 per depositary share), plus any declared
and unpaid dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared
dividends. Holders of Series B Preferred Stock will have no
right to require the redemption or repurchase of the
Series B Preferred Stock.
If shares of the Series B Preferred Stock are to be
redeemed, the notice of redemption shall be given by first class
mail to the holders of record of the Series B Preferred
Stock to be redeemed, mailed not less than 30 days nor more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption thereof
(provided that, if the depositary shares representing the
Series B Preferred Stock are held in book-entry form
through The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, we may
give such notice in any manner permitted by the DTC). Each
notice of redemption will include a statement setting forth:
(i) the redemption date, (ii) the number of shares of
the Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if less
than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the
number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder,
(iii) the redemption price, (iv) the place or places
where the certificates evidencing shares of Series B
Preferred Stock are to be surrendered for payment of the
redemption price and (v) that dividends on the shares to
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be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date. If
notice of redemption of any shares of Series B Preferred
Stock has been duly given and if the funds necessary for such
redemption have been set aside by us for the benefit of the
holders of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock so called
for redemption, then, on and after the redemption date,
dividends will cease to accrue on such shares of Series B
Preferred Stock, such shares of Series B Preferred Stock
shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the
holders of such shares will terminate, except the right to
receive the redemption price. See Description of
Depositary Shares below for information about redemption
of the depositary shares relating to our Series B Preferred
Stock.
In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of the
Series B Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the
shares to be redeemed shall be selected either pro rata
or in such other manner as we may determine to be fair and
equitable.
Under the Federal Reserves risk-based capital guidelines
applicable to bank holding companies, any redemption of the
Series B Preferred Stock is subject to prior approval of
the Federal Reserve. See Risk Factors
Investors Should Not Expect Us to Redeem the Series B
Preferred Stock on the Date It Becomes Redeemable or on any
Particular Date After It Becomes Redeemable in this
prospectus supplement. Additionally, the Replacement Capital
Covenant will limit our right to redeem the Series B
Preferred Stock. See Certain Terms of the Replacement
Capital Covenant in this prospectus supplement for a
discussion of these limitations.
Voting Rights
Except as provided below, the holders of the Series B
Preferred Stock will have no voting rights.
Whenever dividends on any shares of the Series B Preferred
Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks
on parity with the Series B Preferred Stock as to payment
of dividends, and upon which similar voting rights have been
conferred and are exercisable, shall have not been declared and
paid for an amount equal to six or more dividend payments,
whether or not for consecutive dividend periods (a
Nonpayment), the holders of the Series B
Preferred Stock (together with holders of any and all other
classes of our authorized preferred stock having equivalent
voting rights, whether or not the holders of such preferred
stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if
such default in dividends did not exist) will be entitled to
vote as a single class for the election of a total of two
additional members of our board of directors (the
Preferred Directors), provided that the election of
any such directors shall not cause us to violate the corporate
governance requirement of the New York Stock Exchange (or any
other exchange on which our securities may be listed) that
listed companies must have a majority of independent directors
and provided further that our board of directors shall at no
time include more than two Preferred Directors. In that event,
the number of directors on our board of directors shall
automatically increase by two and, at the request of any holder
of Series B Preferred Stock, a special meeting of the
holders of Series B Preferred Stock and any other class or
series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with
Series B Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and for
which dividends have not been paid, shall be called for the
election of the two directors (unless such request is received
less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual
or special meeting of the stockholders, in which event such
election shall be held at such next annual or special meeting of
stockholders), followed by such election at each subsequent
annual meeting. These voting rights will continue until full
dividends have been paid regularly on the shares of the
Series B Preferred Stock and any other class or series of
preferred stock that ranks on parity with the Series B
Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends for at least four
dividend periods following the Nonpayment.
If and when full dividends have been regularly paid for at least
four dividend periods following a Nonpayment on the
Series B Preferred Stock and any other class or series of
preferred stock that ranks on parity with the Series B
Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends, the holders of the
Series B Preferred Stock shall be divested of the foregoing
voting rights (subject to revesting in the event of each
subsequent Nonpayment) and the term of office of each Preferred
Director so elected shall terminate and the number of directors
on the board of directors shall automatically decrease by two.
Any Preferred Director may be
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removed at any time without cause by the holders of record of a
majority of the outstanding shares of the Series B
Preferred Stock (together with holders of any and all other
classes of our authorized preferred stock having equivalent
voting rights, whether or not the holders of such preferred
stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if
such default in dividends did not exist) when they have the
voting rights described above. So long as a Nonpayment shall
continue, any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director
(other than prior to the initial election of the Preferred
Directors) may be filled by the written consent of the Preferred
Director remaining in office, or if none remains in office, by a
vote of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding
shares of Series B Preferred Stock (together with holders
of any and all other class of our authorized preferred stock
having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of
such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election
of directors if such default in dividends did not exist) to
serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders. The
Preferred Directors shall each be entitled to one vote per
director on any matter.
If the holders of Series B Preferred Stock become entitled
to vote for the election of directors, the Series B
Preferred Stock may be considered a class of voting securities
under interpretations adopted by the Federal Reserve. As a
result, certain holders of Series B Preferred Stock may
become subject to regulations under the Bank Holding Company Act
and/or certain acquisitions of Series B Preferred Stock may
be subject to prior approval by the Federal Reserve. For further
discussion of the regulations of the Federal Reserve Board, see
Description of Preferred Stock General
of the accompanying prospectus.
So long as any shares of Series B Preferred Stock remain
outstanding:
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the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least
two-thirds of all of the shares of the Series B Preferred
Stock and all other parity stock, at the time outstanding,
voting as a single class without regard to series, shall be
required to issue, authorize or increase the authorized amount
of, or to issue or authorize any obligation or security
convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase, any class
or series of stock ranking senior to the Series B Preferred
Stock and all other parity stock with respect to payment of
dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of U.S. Bancorp; and |
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the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least
two-thirds of all of the shares of the Series B Preferred
Stock at the time outstanding, voting separately as a class,
shall be required to amend the provisions of
U.S. Bancorps Restated Certificate of Incorporation,
as amended, or the Certificate of Designations of the
Series B Preferred Stock or any other series of preferred
stock so as to materially and adversely affect the powers,
preferences, privileges or rights of the Series B Preferred
Stock, taken as a whole; provided, however, that any increase in
the amount of the authorized or issued Series B Preferred
Stock or authorized preferred stock or the creation and
issuance, or an increase in the authorized or issued amount, of
other series of preferred stock ranking equally with and/or
junior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to the
payment of dividends (whether such dividends are cumulative or
non-cumulative) and/or the distribution of assets upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of U.S. Bancorp will
not be deemed to adversely affect the powers, preferences,
privileges or rights of the Series B Preferred Stock. |
The foregoing voting provisions will not apply if, at or prior
to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would
otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding shares
of Series B Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed or
called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds
shall have been set aside by us for the benefit of the holders
of the Series B Preferred Stock to effect such redemption.
Registrar
U.S. Bank National Association will be the registrar,
dividend disbursing agent and redemption agent for the
Series B Preferred Stock.
Calculation Agent
U.S. Bank National Association will be the calculation
agent for the Series B Preferred Stock.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
In this prospectus supplement, references to holders
of depositary shares mean those who own depositary shares
registered in their own names, on the books that we or the
depositary maintain for this purpose, and not indirect holders
who own beneficial interests in depositary shares registered in
street name or issued in book-entry form through DTC. Please
review the special considerations that apply to indirect holders
described in the Book Entry Issuance section of this
prospectus supplement.
This prospectus supplement summarizes specific terms and
provisions of the depositary shares relating to our
Series B Preferred Stock; terms that apply generally to all
our preferred stock issued in the form of depositary shares
(including the depositary shares offered in this prospectus
supplement) are described in the Description of Depositary
Shares section of the accompanying prospectus.
General
As described in the accompanying prospectus in the
Description of Preferred Stock section, we are
issuing fractional interests in shares of preferred stock in the
form of depositary shares. Each depositary share will represent
a 1/1,000th ownership interest in a share of Series B
Preferred Stock, and will be evidenced by a depositary receipt.
The shares of Series B Preferred Stock represented by
depositary shares will be deposited under a deposit agreement
among U.S. Bancorp, U.S. Bank National Association, as
depositary, and the holders from time to time of the depositary
receipts evidencing the depositary shares. Subject to the terms
of the deposit agreement, each holder of a depositary share will
be entitled, through the depositary, in proportion to the
applicable fraction of a share of Series B Preferred Stock
represented by such depositary share, to all the rights and
preferences of the Series B Preferred Stock represented
thereby (including dividend, voting, redemption and liquidation
rights).
Immediately following the issuance of the Series B
Preferred Stock, we will deposit the Series B Preferred
Stock with the depositary, which will then issue the depositary
shares to the underwriters. Copies of the forms of deposit
agreement and the depositary receipt may be obtained from us
upon request and in the manner described in the Where You
Can Find More Information section of the accompanying
prospectus.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The depositary will distribute any cash dividends or other cash
distributions received in respect of the deposited Series B
Preferred Stock to the record holders of depositary shares
relating to the underlying Series B Preferred Stock in
proportion to the number of depositary shares held by the
holders. The depositary will distribute any property received by
it other than cash to the record holders of depositary shares
entitled to those distributions, unless it determines that the
distribution cannot be made proportionally among those holders
or that it is not feasible to make a distribution. In that
event, the depositary may, with our approval, sell the property
and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to the holders of
the depositary shares in proportion to the number of depositary
shares they hold.
Record dates for the payment of dividends and other matters
relating to the depositary shares will be the same as the
corresponding record dates for the Series B Preferred Stock.
The amounts distributed to holders of depositary shares will be
reduced by any amounts required to be withheld by the depositary
or by us on account of taxes or other governmental charges.
Redemption of Depositary Shares
If we redeem the Series B Preferred Stock represented by
the depositary shares, the depositary shares will be redeemed
from the proceeds received by the depositary resulting from the
redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock held by the
depositary. The redemption price per depositary share will be
equal to 1/1,000th of the redemption price per share
payable with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock (or
$25 per depositary share), plus any declared and unpaid
dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends.
Whenever we redeem shares of Series B Preferred Stock held
by the depositary,
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the depositary will redeem, as of the same redemption date, the
number of depositary shares representing shares of Series B
Preferred Stock so redeemed.
In case of any redemption of less than all of the outstanding
depositary shares, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be
selected by the depositary pro rata or in such other
manner determined by the depositary to be equitable. In any such
case, we will redeem depositary shares only in increments of
1,000 shares and any multiple thereof.
Voting the Series B Preferred Stock
When the depositary receives notice of any meeting at which the
holders of the Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to
vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in the
notice to the record holders of the depositary shares relating
to the Series B Preferred Stock. Each record holder of the
depositary shares on the record date, which will be the same
date as the record date for the Series B Preferred Stock,
may instruct the depositary to vote the amount of the
Series B Preferred Stock represented by the holders
depositary shares. To the extent possible, the depositary will
vote the amount of the Series B Preferred Stock represented
by depositary shares in accordance with the instructions it
receives. We will agree to take all reasonable actions that the
depositary determines are necessary to enable the depositary to
vote as instructed. If the depositary does not receive specific
instructions from the holders of any depositary shares
representing the Series B Preferred Stock, it will vote all
depositary shares of that series held by it proportionately with
instructions received.
Listing
We intend to apply to list the depositary shares on the New York
Stock Exchange. If the application is approved, we expect
trading to begin within 30 days of the initial delivery of
the depositary shares. We do not expect that there will be any
separate public trading market for the shares of the
Series B Preferred Stock except as represented by the
depositary shares.
Form of Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares
The depositary shares shall be issued in book-entry form through
DTC, as described in Book-Entry Issuance in this
prospectus supplement. The Series B Preferred Stock will be
issued in registered form to the depositary. See
Description of Preferred Stock and Description
of Depositary Shares in the accompanying prospectus.
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BOOK-ENTRY ISSUANCE
DTC will act as securities depositary for all of the depositary
shares. We will issue the depositary shares only as
fully-registered securities registered in the name of
Cede & Co. (DTCs nominee). We will issue and
deposit with DTC one or more fully-registered global
certificates for the depositary shares representing, in the
aggregate, the total number of the depositary shares to be sold
in this offering.
DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the New
York Banking Law, a banking organization under the meaning of
the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve
System, a clearing corporation under the meaning of the New York
Uniform Commercial Code, and a clearing agency registered under
the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC
holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC. DTC
also facilitates the settlement among participants of securities
transactions, like transfers and pledges, in deposited
securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in
the participants accounts, eliminating in this manner the
need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct
participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks,
trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations.
DTC is owned by a number of its direct participants and by the
New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the American Stock Exchange, Inc.
and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Others,
like securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies
that clear through or maintain custodial relationships with
direct participants, either directly or indirectly, are indirect
participants and also have access to the DTC system. The rules
applicable to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.
Purchases of depositary shares within the DTC system must be
made by or through direct participants, who will receive a
credit for the depositary shares on DTCs records. The
ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each depositary
share is in turn to be recorded on the direct and indirect
participants records. DTC will not send written
confirmation to beneficial owners of their purchases, but
beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations
providing details of the transactions, as well as periodic
statements of their holdings, from the direct or indirect
participants through which the beneficial owners purchased
depositary shares. Transfers of ownership interests in the
depositary shares are to be accomplished by entries made on the
books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners.
Beneficial owners will not receive certificates representing
their ownership interests in depositary shares, unless the
book-entry system for the depositary shares is discontinued.
DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the
depositary shares. DTCs records reflect only the identity
of the direct participants to whose accounts the depositary
shares are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial
owners. The participants will remain responsible for keeping
account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.
Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct
participants, by direct participants to indirect participants,
and by direct participants and indirect participants to
beneficial owners and the voting rights of direct participants,
indirect participants and beneficial owners, subject to any
statutory or regulatory requirements as is in effect from time
to time, will be governed by arrangements among them.
We will send redemption notices to Cede & Co. as the
registered holder of the depositary shares. If less than all of
these depositary shares are redeemed, DTCs current
practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of
each direct participant to be redeemed.
Although voting on the depositary shares is limited to the
holders of record of the depositary shares, in those instances
in which a vote is required, neither DTC nor Cede & Co.
will itself consent or vote on depositary shares. Under its
usual procedures, DTC would mail an omnibus proxy to us as soon
as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns
Cede & Co.s consenting or voting rights to direct
participants for whose accounts the depositary shares are
credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to
the omnibus proxy).
We will make distribution payments on the depositary shares to
DTC. DTCs practice is to credit direct participants
accounts on the relevant payment date in accordance with their
respective holdings
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shown on DTCs records unless DTC has reason to believe
that it will not receive payments on the payment date. Standing
instructions and customary practices will govern payments from
participants to beneficial owners. Subject to any statutory or
regulatory requirements, participants, and neither DTC nor we,
will be responsible for the payment. We and any paying agent
will be responsible for payment of distributions to DTC. Direct
and indirect participants are responsible for the disbursement
of the payments to the beneficial owners.
DTC may discontinue providing its services as securities
depositary on any of the depositary shares at any time by giving
reasonable notice to us. If a successor securities depositary is
not obtained, final depositary shares certificates must be
printed and delivered. We may at our option decide to
discontinue the use of the system of book-entry transfers
through DTC (or a successor depositary). After an event of
default, the holders of a majority in liquidation preference or
aggregate principal amount of depositary shares may discontinue
the system of book-entry transfers through DTC. In this case,
final certificates for the depositary shares will be printed and
delivered.
We have obtained the information in this section about DTC and
DTCs book-entry system from sources that we believe to be
accurate, but we assume no responsibility for the accuracy of
the information. We have no responsibility for the performance
by DTC or its participants of their respective obligations as
described in this prospectus or under the rules and procedures
governing their respective operations.
Beneficial owner refers to the ownership interest of
each actual purchaser of each depositary share.
Direct participants refers to securities brokers and
dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other
organizations who, with the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the
American Stock Exchange Inc., and the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., own DTC. Purchases of depositary
shares within the DTC system must be made by or through direct
participants who will receive a credit for the depositary shares
on DTCs records.
Indirect participants refers to others, like
securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that
clear through or maintain custodial relationships with direct
participants, either directly or indirectly, and who also have
access to the DTC system.
S-24
CERTAIN TERMS OF THE REPLACEMENT CAPITAL COVENANT
We have summarized below certain terms of the Replacement
Capital Covenant. This summary is not a complete description of
the Replacement Capital Covenant and is qualified in its
entirety by the terms and provisions of the full document, a
form of which is available from us upon request.
In the Replacement Capital Covenant, we covenant to redeem or
repurchase shares of Series B Preferred Stock only if and
to the extent that (a) the total redemption or repurchase
price is equal to or less than the sum, as of the date of
redemption or repurchase, of (i) 133.33% of the aggregate
net cash proceeds we or our subsidiaries have received during
the 180 days prior to such date from the issuance and sale
of common stock of U.S. Bancorp plus (ii) 100%
of the aggregate net cash proceeds we or our subsidiaries have
received during the 180 days prior to such date from the
issuance of certain other specified securities that
(A) have equity-like characteristics that satisfy the
requirements of the Replacement Capital Covenant, which means
generally that such other securities have characteristics that
are the same as, or more equity-like than, the applicable
characteristics of the Series B Preferred Stock at that
time, and (B) qualify as tier 1 capital of
U.S. Bancorp under the risk-based capital guidelines of the
Federal Reserve; and (b) we have obtained the prior
approval of the Federal Reserve, if such approval is then
required by the Federal Reserve.
Our ability to raise proceeds from qualifying securities during
the 180 days prior to a proposed redemption or repurchase
will depend on, among other things, market conditions at such
times as well as the acceptability to prospective investors of
the terms of such qualifying securities. In addition, the
Federal Reserve has not approved as a tier 1 capital instrument,
in connection with the issuance of the Series B Preferred
Stock, certain of the types of securities that otherwise would
be qualifying securities under the Replacement Capital Covenant
and, accordingly, these securities would not constitute
qualifying securities pursuant to the Replacement Capital
Covenant unless such approval is obtained.
Our covenants in the Replacement Capital Covenant run in favor
of persons that buy, hold or sell our indebtedness during the
period that such indebtedness is Covered
Debt, which is currently comprised of our 5.875%
junior subordinated debentures due 2035, underlying the 5.875%
trust preferred securities of USB Capital VII (CUSIP
No. 903301208). Other debt will replace our Covered Debt
under the Replacement Capital Covenant on the earlier to occur
of (i) the date two years prior to the maturity of the
existing Covered Debt or (ii) the date of a redemption or
repurchase of the existing Covered Debt in an amount such that
the outstanding principal amount of the existing Covered Debt is
or will become less than $100 million, after giving effect
to such redemption or repurchase.
The Replacement Capital Covenant is subject to various
additional terms and conditions and this description is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Replacement
Capital Covenant, a copy of the form of which is available upon
request from us. The Replacement Capital Covenant may be
terminated if the holders of at least 51% by principal amount of
the Covered Debt so agree, or if we no longer have outstanding
any long-term indebtedness that qualifies as Covered Debt,
without regard to whether such indebtedness is rated by a
nationally recognized statistical rating organization.
Subject to the limitations described above and the terms of any
preferred stock ranking senior to the Series B Preferred
Stock or of any outstanding debt instruments, we or our
affiliates may from time to time purchase any outstanding shares
of Series B Preferred Stock by tender, in the open market
or by private agreement.
S-25
CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of the principal U.S. federal
income tax consequences relevant to the purchase, ownership and
disposition of the depositary shares. The following summary is
based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the Code), Treasury regulations
and judicial or administrative authority, all of which are
subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. State,
local and foreign tax consequences are not summarized, nor are
tax consequences to special classes of investors including, but
not limited to, tax-exempt organizations, insurance companies,
banks or other financial institutions, partnerships or other
entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income
tax purposes, dealers in securities or currencies, regulated
investment companies, real estate investment trusts, persons
whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar,
U.S. expatriates, persons liable for the alternative
minimum tax, traders in securities that elect to use a
mark-to-market method
of accounting for their securities holdings, and persons that
will hold the depositary shares as a position in a hedging
transaction, straddle, conversion
transaction or other risk reduction transaction. Tax
consequences may vary depending upon the particular status of an
investor. The summary is limited to taxpayers who will hold the
depositary shares as capital assets and who purchase
the depositary shares in the initial offering at the initial
offering price. Each potential investor should consult with its
own tax adviser as to the U.S. federal, state, local,
foreign and any other tax consequences of the purchase,
ownership, conversion and disposition of the depositary shares.
General
Beneficial owners of depositary shares will be treated as owners
of the underlying Series B Preferred Stock for
U.S. federal income tax purposes.
U.S. Holders
The discussion in this section is addressed to a
U.S. holder, which for this purpose means a beneficial
owner of depositary shares that is, for U.S. federal income
tax purposes, (i) an individual citizen or resident of the
United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity treated
as a corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes) created or
organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any
political subdivision thereof, (iii) an estate the income
of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation
regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust if (a) a
court within the United States is able to exercise primary
supervision over its administration and one or more United
States persons have the authority to control all of its
substantial decisions or (b) it has a valid election in
effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a
United States person.
Dividends. Distributions with respect to the depositary
shares will be taxable as dividend income when paid to the
extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits as
determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To the
extent that the amount of a distribution with respect to the
depositary shares exceeds our current and accumulated earnings
and profits, such distribution will be treated first as a
tax-free return of capital to the extent of the
U.S. holders adjusted tax basis in such depositary
shares, and thereafter as capital gain.
Subject to certain exceptions for short-term and hedged
positions, distributions constituting dividend income received
by an individual U.S. holder in respect of the depositary
shares before January 1, 2009 will generally represent
qualified dividend income, which will be subject to
taxation at a maximum rate of 15% (or a lower rate for
individuals in certain tax brackets). In addition, subject to
similar exceptions for short-term and hedged positions,
distributions on the depositary shares constituting dividend
income paid to holders that are U.S. corporations will
generally qualify for the 70% dividends-received deduction. A
U.S. holder should consult its own tax advisers regarding
the availability of the reduced dividend tax rate and the
dividends-received deduction in the light of its particular
circumstances.
Dispositions. A U.S. holder will generally recognize
capital gain or loss on a sale or exchange of the depositary
shares equal to the difference between the amount realized upon
the sale or exchange and such U.S. holders adjusted
tax basis in the shares sold or exchanged. Such capital gain or
loss will be long-
S-26
term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holders holding
period for the shares sold or exchanged is more than one year.
Long-term capital gains of noncorporate taxpayers are generally
taxed at a lower maximum marginal tax rate than the maximum
marginal tax rate applicable to ordinary income. The
deductibility of net capital losses by individuals and
corporations is subject to limitations.
Information reporting and backup withholding on
U.S. holders. Certain U.S. holders may be subject
to backup withholding with respect to the payment of dividends
on the depositary shares and to certain payments of proceeds on
the sale or redemption of the depositary shares unless such
U.S. holders provide proof of an applicable exemption or a
correct taxpayer identification number, and otherwise comply
with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.
Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules from a
payment to a U.S. holder is allowable as a credit against
such holders U.S. federal income tax, which may
entitle the U.S. holder to a refund, provided that the
U.S. holder provides the required information to the
Internal Revenue Service (the IRS). Moreover,
certain penalties may be imposed by the IRS on a
U.S. holder who is required to furnish information but does
not do so in the proper manner.
Information returns will generally be filed with the IRS in
connection with the payment of dividends on the depositary
shares to non-corporate U.S. holders and certain payments
of proceeds to non-corporate U.S. holders on the sale or
redemption of the depositary shares.
Non-U.S. Holders
The discussion in this section is addressed to
non-U.S. holders
of the depositary shares. For this purpose, a
non-U.S. holder is
a beneficial owner of depositary shares other than a
U.S. holder or partnership.
Dividends. Generally, dividends paid to a
non-U.S. holder
with respect to the depositary shares will be subject to
U.S. federal income and withholding tax at a 30% rate, or
such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax
treaty (provided the
non-U.S. holder
furnishes the payor with a properly completed IRS
Form W-8BEN
certifying that such holder is eligible for treaty benefits),
unless the dividends are effectively connected with a trade or
business carried on by the
non-U.S. holder
within the United States (and the
non-U.S. holder
provides the payor with a properly completed
Form W-8ECI).
Dividends that are effectively connected with such trade or
business (and, if a tax treaty applies, are attributable to a
U.S. permanent establishment maintained by the
non-U.S. holder)
will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a
net basis at applicable individual or corporate rates and, in
the case of a
non-U.S. holder
which is a corporation, may be subject to a branch profits
tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified
by an applicable income tax treaty.
A non-U.S. holder
eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding tax
pursuant to an applicable income tax treaty may obtain a refund
of any excess amounts withheld by filing an appropriate claim
for refund with the IRS.
Dispositions. A
non-U.S. holder
generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or
withholding tax on gain realized on the sale, exchange or
redemption of the depositary shares so long as:
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the gain is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or
business of the holder (or if a tax treaty applies, the gain is
not attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment
maintained by such
non-U.S.
holder); and |
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in the case of a nonresident alien individual, such holder is
not present in the United States for 183 or more days in the
taxable year of the sale or disposition (in which case the gain
may be subject to tax if certain other conditions are met). |
Information reporting and backup withholding on
non-U.S. holders.
Payment of dividends and the tax withheld with respect thereto
are subject to information reporting requirements. These
information reporting requirements apply regardless of whether
withholding was reduced or eliminated by an applicable income
tax treaty, or withholding was not required because the
dividends were effectively connected with a
S-27
trade or business in the United States conducted by the
non-U.S. holder.
Copies of the information returns reporting such dividends and
withholding may also be made available by the IRS under the
provisions of an applicable income tax treaty or agreement to
the tax authorities in the country in which the
non-U.S. holder
resides. U.S. backup withholding will generally apply on
payment of dividends to
non-U.S. holders
unless such
non-U.S. holders
furnish to the payor a
Form W-8BEN (or
other applicable form) certifying as to their
non-U.S. status,
or such
non-U.S. holders
otherwise establish an exemption.
Payment by a U.S. office of a broker of the proceeds of a
sale of the depositary shares is subject to both backup
withholding and information reporting unless the
non-U.S. holder,
or beneficial owner thereof, as applicable, certifies that it is
a non-U.S. holder
on Form W-8BEN (or
other applicable form), or otherwise establishes an exemption.
Subject to certain limited exceptions, backup withholding and
information reporting generally will not apply to a payment of
proceeds from the sale of the depositary shares if such sale is
effected through a foreign office of a broker.
S-28
UNDERWRITING
Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an
underwriting agreement, dated the date of this prospectus
supplement, we have agreed to sell to Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Morgan
Stanley & Co. Incorporated, as the underwriters, and
each of the underwriters has severally agreed to purchase from
us, the number of depositary shares listed next to its name in
the following table:
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Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith Incorporated
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20,000,000 |
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Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
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20,000,000 |
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Total
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40,000,000 |
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The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the
underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the depositary
shares offered by this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus are subject to the approval of certain
legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions.
The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify
offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.
The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the
depositary shares offered by this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus if any shares are taken. If an
underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that
the purchase commitments of the non-defaulting underwriters may
be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.
The underwriters propose to offer some of the depositary shares
directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on
the cover page of this prospectus supplement and some of the
depositary shares to dealers at the public offering price
less a concession not to exceed $0.15 per depositary share.
After the initial offering of the depositary shares to the
public, the representatives may change the public offering
price, concession and discount.
The following table shows the underwriting discounts and
commissions that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection
with this offering.
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Per depositary share
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We estimate that the expenses of the offering to be paid by us,
not including underwriting discounts and commissions, will be
approximately $300,000.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the
depositary shares. We do not expect that there will be any
separate public trading market for the shares of the
Series B Preferred Stock except as represented by the
depositary shares. We intend to apply to list the depositary
shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
USB PrH. If approved, we expect trading of the
depositary shares on the New York Stock Exchange to begin
within the 30-day
period after the original issue date.
To facilitate the offering of the depositary shares, the
underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain
or otherwise affect the price of the depositary shares.
Specifically, the underwriters may sell more depositary shares
than they are obligated to purchase under the underwriting
agreement, creating a naked short position. The underwriters
must close out any naked short position by purchasing depositary
shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely
to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may
be downward pressure on the price of the depositary shares in
the open market after pricing that could adversely affect
investors who purchase in the offering. As an additional means
of facilitating the offering, the underwriters may bid for, and
purchase, depositary shares in the open market to stabilize the
price of the depositary shares. These activities may raise or
maintain the market price of the depositary shares above
independent market levels or prevent or retard a decline in the
market price of the depositary shares. The underwriters are not
required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these
activities at any time.
S-29
In general, purchases of a security for the purpose of
stabilizing or reducing a syndicate short position could cause
the price of the security to be higher than it might otherwise
be in the absence of such purchases.
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
depositary shares. In addition, neither we nor the underwriters
make any representation that the underwriters will engage in
such transactions or that such transactions will not be
discontinued without notice, once they are commenced.
In connection with this offering, either of the underwriters and
any selling group members who are a qualified market maker on
the New York Stock Exchange, may engage in passive market
making transactions in the depositary shares on the
New York Stock Exchange in accordance with Rule 103 of
Regulation M under the Securities Exchange of 1934, as
amended, during the business day before the pricing of this
offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the
depositary shares. Passive market makers must comply with
applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified
as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker
must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest
independent bid for the security; if all independent bids are
lowered below the passive market makers bid, however, the
bid must then be lowered when purchase limits are exceeded.
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. If
we are unable to provide this indemnification, we will
contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make
in respect of those liabilities.
Certain of the underwriters and certain of their respective
affiliates have performed banking, investment banking, custodial
and advisory services for us and our affiliates, from time to
time, for which they have received customary fees and expenses.
The underwriters may, from time to time, engage in transactions
with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their
business.
S-30
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the depositary shares and Series B
Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock and certain matters of
Delaware law relating to U.S. Bancorp will be passed upon
by Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P., Cincinnati, Ohio.
Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the underwriters
by Shearman & Sterling LLP, New York, New York.
EXPERTS
Our consolidated financial statements as of December 31,
2005 and 2004 and for each of the three years in the period
ended December 31, 2005 and managements assessment of
the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting
as of December 31, 2005 incorporated in this prospectus
supplement by reference from our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2005 have been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, as stated in their reports which are
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. Such
financial statements and managements assessment are
incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon the reports of
such firm given on its authority as experts in accounting and
auditing.
S-31
PROSPECTUS
U.S. Bancorp
800 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
(651) 466-3000
$10,000,000,000
U.S. Bancorp
Debt Securities
Preferred Stock
Depositary Shares
Common Stock
Debt Warrants
Equity Warrants
Units
We will provide the specific terms of these securities in
supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus
and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you
invest.
The securities will be our equity securities or our unsecured
obligations and will not be savings accounts, deposits or other
obligations of any bank or nonbank subsidiary of ours and are
not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the
Bank Insurance Fund or any other government agency.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless
accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.
The date of this prospectus is May 12, 2005.
You should rely only on the information incorporated by
reference or provided in this prospectus. We have not authorized
anyone else to provide you with different information. Neither
we nor the underwriters are making an offer of these securities
in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not
assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of
any date other than the date on the front of this document.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prospectus
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2
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we,
along with the trusts, USB Capital VII, USB
Capital VIII, USB Capital IX, USB Capital X, USB
Capital XI, USB Capital XII, USB Capital XIII,
USB Capital XIV, USB Capital XV and USB
Capital XVI, filed with the SEC using a shelf registration
process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell:
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debt securities; |
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preferred stock; |
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depositary shares; |
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common stock; |
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debt warrants; |
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equity warrants; and |
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units |
and the trusts may sell:
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capital securities (representing undivided beneficial interests
in the trusts) to the public; and |
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common securities to us |
in one or more offerings.
The trusts will use the proceeds from the sales of the
securities to buy a series of our junior subordinated debt
securities with terms that correspond to the capital securities.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the
debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares, common
stock, debt warrants, equity warrants and units. The description
of the capital securities, the junior subordinated debt
securities and the guarantee will be included in a separate
prospectus in this registration statement. Each time we sell
debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares, common
stock, debt warrants, equity warrants and units, we will provide
an applicable prospectus supplement that will contain specific
information about the terms of that offering. The applicable
prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information
in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the
applicable 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. That registration statement can be read at the
SEC website or at the SEC offices mentioned under the heading
Where You Can Find More Information.
The words USB, Company, we,
our, ours and us refer to
U.S. Bancorp and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated.
We have also defined terms in the glossary section at the back
of this prospectus.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements
and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any
document that we file at the SECs public reference rooms
in Washington, D.C., New York, New York and Chicago,
Illinois. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330 for
further information on the public reference rooms. Our SEC
filings are also available to the public from the SECs
website at http://www.sec.gov. Our SEC filings are also
available at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange. For
further information on obtaining copies of our public filings at
the New York Stock Exchange, you should call
(212) 656-5060.
3
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we
file with them, which means that we can disclose important
information to you by referring you to those documents. The
information incorporated by reference is considered to be part
of this prospectus, and later information that we file with the
SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We
incorporate by reference the following documents listed below
and any future filings made with the SEC under
Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act),
until we or any underwriters sell all of the securities:
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Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2004; and |
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Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended March 31, 2005; and |
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Current Reports on
Form 8-K filed on
January 18, March 9 (two reports, one of which was on
Form 8-K/A),
March 21 and April 19, 2005; and |
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the description of USBs common stock contained in
Item 1 of the registration statement on
Form 8-A dated
March 19, 1984, as amended in its entirety by that
Form 8 Amendment dated February 26, 1993 and that
Form 8-A/A-2 dated
October 6, 1994. |
You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing
or telephoning us at the following address:
U.S. Bancorp
800 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
Attn: Investor Relations Department
(612) 303-0799 or (866) 775-9668
Unless otherwise indicated, currency amounts in this prospectus
and in any applicable prospectus supplement are stated in
U.S. dollars.
ABOUT U.S. BANCORP
We are a multi-state financial holding company with
$198 billion in assets at March 31, 2005,
headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We were incorporated in
Delaware in 1929 and operate as a financial holding company and
a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of
1956. We provide a full range of financial services, including
lending and depository services, cash management, foreign
exchange and trust and investment management services. We also
engage in credit card services, merchant and automated teller
machine processing, mortgage banking, insurance, brokerage,
leasing and investment banking. We are the parent company of
U.S. Bank.
Our banking subsidiaries are engaged in the general banking
business, principally in domestic markets. Our subsidiaries
range in size from $25 million to $128 billion in
deposits at December 31, 2004, and provide a wide range of
products and services to individuals, businesses, institutional
organizations, governmental entities and other financial
institutions. Commercial and consumer lending services are
principally offered to customers within our domestic markets, to
domestic customers with foreign operations and within certain
niche national venues. Lending services include traditional
credit products as well as credit card services, financing and
import/export trade, asset-backed lending, agricultural finance
and other products. Leasing products are offered through bank
leasing subsidiaries. Depository services include checking
accounts, savings accounts and time certificate contracts.
Ancillary services such as foreign exchange, treasury management
and receivable lock-box collection are provided to corporate
customers. Our bank and trust subsidiaries provide a full range
of asset management and fiduciary services for individuals,
estates, foundations, businesses and charitable organizations.
Our nonbanking subsidiaries primarily offer investment and
insurance products to our customers principally within their
markets and mutual fund processing services to a broad range of
mutual funds. Banking and investment services are provided
through a network of 2,377 banking offices principally
operating in 24 states in the Midwest and West.
U.S. Bancorp operates a network of 4,654 branded ATMs
and provides 24-hour,
seven day a week telephone customer service. Mortgage banking
services are
4
provided through banking offices and loan production offices
throughout our markets. Consumer lending products may be
originated through banking offices, indirect correspondents,
brokers or other lending sources, and a consumer finance
division. We are also one of the largest providers of
Visa®
corporate and purchasing card services and corporate trust
services in the United States. A wholly-owned subsidiary, NOVA
Information Systems, Inc., provides merchant processing services
directly to merchants through a network of banking affiliations.
Affiliates of NOVA Information Systems, Inc. provide similar
merchant services in Canada and segments of Europe. These
foreign operations are not significant to us.
Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under
the ticker symbol USB. Our principal executive
offices are located at 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55402, and our telephone number is
(651) 466-3000.
If you would like to know more about us, see our documents
incorporated by reference in this prospectus as described under
the section Where You Can Find More Information.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise specified in an applicable prospectus
supplement, we will use the net proceeds we receive from the
sale of the securities offered by this prospectus and the
accompanying prospectus supplement for general corporate
purposes, including working capital, capital expenditures,
investments in or advances to existing or future indebtedness,
repayment of maturing obligations and replacement of outstanding
indebtedness. Pending such use, we may temporarily invest the
proceeds or use them to reduce short-term indebtedness.
The applicable prospectus supplement provides more details on
the use of proceeds of any specific offering.
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
The ratio of earnings to fixed charges of USB for each of the
periods indicated is as follows:
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Three Months | |
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Year Ended December 31 | |
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Ended March 31, | |
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2005 | |
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2004 | |
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2003 | |
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2002 | |
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2001 | |
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2000 | |
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Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges:
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Excluding interest on deposits
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5.06 |
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5.98 |
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6.40 |
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4.88 |
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2.26 |
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2.76 |
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Including interest on deposits
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3.29 |
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3.88 |
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3.64 |
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2.79 |
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1.50 |
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1.69 |
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The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is computed by dividing
income from continuing operations before income taxes and fixed
charges (excluding capitalized interest), as adjusted for some
equity method investments, by fixed charges. Fixed charges
consist of interest on debt (including capitalized interest),
amortization of debt discount and expense and a portion of
rentals determined to be representative of interest.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the
debt securities (other than the junior subordinated debt
securities) that are offered by this prospectus. The applicable
prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the
series of debt securities offered under that applicable
prospectus supplement and any general terms outlined in this
section that will not apply to those debt securities.
The senior debt securities will be issued under an indenture
dated October 1, 1991 between us and Citibank, N.A., as
trustee. The subordinated debt securities will be issued under
an indenture dated October 1, 1991, as amended by a first
supplemental indenture dated April 1, 1993, between us and
Citibank, N.A., as trustee. The indentures will be qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act. The forms of the indentures have
been filed as exhibits to the registration statement.
5
This section summarizes the material terms and provisions of the
indentures and the debt securities. Because this is only a
summary, it does not contain all the details found in the full
text of the indentures and the debt securities. If you would
like additional information, you should read the forms of
indentures and the forms of debt securities.
General
We can issue the debt securities from time to time in one or
more series. Our board of directors will determine by a
resolution the terms of each series of debt securities as
provided in an officers certificate or a supplemental
indenture. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe
the specific terms of the debt securities offered.
Because we are a holding company, our rights and the rights of
our creditors, including the holders of the debt securities
offered in this prospectus, to participate in the assets of any
subsidiary during its liquidation or reorganization, will be
subject to the prior claims of the subsidiarys creditors,
unless we are ourselves a creditor with recognized claims
against the subsidiary. Any capital loans that we make to any of
our banking subsidiaries would be subordinate in right of
payment to deposits and to other indebtedness of these banking
subsidiaries. Claims from creditors (other than us), on the
subsidiaries, may include long-term and medium-term debt and
substantial obligations related to deposit liabilities, federal
funds purchased, securities sold under repurchase agreements,
and other short-term borrowings.
The indentures do not limit the aggregate principal amount of
debt securities that we may issue under them, nor the amount of
other debt that we may issue.
We may from time to time, without your consent, create and issue
additional debt securities having the same terms and conditions
as the debt securities offered by this prospectus (or the same
except for the offering price, issue date and amount of the
first interest payment). We may consolidate the additional debt
securities to form a single series with the outstanding debt
securities.
The debt securities will be unsecured and those issued under the
senior indenture will rank equally with all of our other
unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The subordinated
notes will be subordinated as described under the section
Subordination of Subordinated Notes.
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise,
we will issue the debt securities of any series only in
denominations of $1,000 or multiples of $1,000. We may issue
these debt securities in the form of one or more global
securities, as described below under the section Global
Securities.
There will be no service charge for any transfer or exchange of
the debt securities but we may require you to pay a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge due in
connection with a transfer or exchange of the debt securities,
and we may require you to furnish appropriate endorsements and
transfer documents.
We may issue debt securities as original issue discount
securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their
principal amount. If a debt security is an original issue
discount security, that means that an amount less than the
principal amount of the debt security will be due and payable if
there is a declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the
debt security under the indentures. The applicable prospectus
supplement will describe the U.S. federal income tax
consequences and other special factors applicable to any debt
securities which should be considered before purchasing any
original issue discount securities.
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise,
we will pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the
debt securities, and you can register the transfer of the debt
securities at the principal corporate trust office of the
applicable trustee. In addition, unless the applicable
prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, we have the option to
pay interest by check mailed to registered holders of the debt
securities at their registered addresses.
6
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of
the offered debt securities, including some or all of the
following:
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the title of the offered debt securities; |
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whether the offered debt securities are senior or subordinated; |
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any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the offered debt
securities; |
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the price(s) (expressed as a percentage of the aggregate
principal amount) at which the offered debt securities will be
issued; |
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the date(s) on which the offered debt securities will mature and
any rights of extension; |
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the annual rate(s), if any (which may be fixed or variable), at
which the offered debt securities will bear interest, if any, or
the formula by which this rate(s) will be determined, and the
date from which this interest will accrue; |
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the dates on which the interest on the offered debt securities
will be payable and the regular related record dates; |
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any mandatory or optional sinking fund or analogous provisions; |
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the period(s), if any, within which and the price(s) at which
the offered debt securities may be redeemed, under any
redemption provisions, at our or your option, and other detailed
terms of the optional redemption provision; |
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the currency, including euro, for the payment of principal and
any premium and interest payable on the offered debt securities,
if other than in United States dollars; |
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the place(s) where the principal and any premium and interest on
the offered debt securities will be payable; |
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any other event(s) of default related to the offered debt
securities in addition to or in lieu of those described under
the section events of default; |
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the denominations in which any offered debt securities will be
issuable, if other than denominations of $1,000 or any amount in
excess of it which is an integral multiple of $1,000; |
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whether we may issue debt securities in whole or in part in the
form of one or more global securities and, if so, the identity
of the depositary for these global securities and the
circumstances under which you may exchange these global
securities for securities registered in the name of a person
other than the depositary or its nominee, and transferred to a
person other than the depositary or its nominee; and |
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any other terms of the offered debt securities consistent with
the provisions of the indentures. |
The terms on which any offered debt securities may be
convertible into or exchangeable for other securities of USB or
another party will be set forth in the prospectus supplement
relating to those offered debt securities. The terms will
include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is
mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. The
terms may include provisions under which the number of other
securities to be received by the holders of a series of debt
securities may be adjusted.
Global Securities
We can issue the debt securities of a series in whole or in part
in the form of one or more global securities that will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, a depositary identified in the
applicable prospectus supplement. Unless the applicable
prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, we will issue these
global securities in registered form. The applicable prospectus
supplement will describe the specific terms of the depositary
arrangements relating to a series of debt securities.
7
Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities
The payment of the principal and interest on the subordinated
debt securities will be subordinate in right of payment to the
prior payment in full of all of our senior indebtedness. In some
cases of insolvency, payment of principal of and interest on the
subordinated debt securities will also be subordinated in right
of payment to the prior payment in full of all general
obligations. A holder of subordinated debt securities cannot
demand or receive payment on the subordinated debt securities
unless all amounts of principal of, any premium, and interest
due on all of our senior indebtedness have been paid in full or
duly provided for and, at the time of this payment or
immediately after this payment, is effective:
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no event of default exists permitting the holders of the senior
indebtedness to accelerate the maturity of the senior
indebtedness; or |
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any event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would
become an event of default. |
If our assets are paid or distributed in connection with a
dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization, the
holders of our senior indebtedness will be entitled to receive
payment in full of principal, and any premium and interest under
the terms of the senior indebtedness before any payment is made
on the subordinated debt securities. If:
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after giving effect to the subordination provisions in favor of
the holders of the senior indebtedness, and |
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after paying or distributing assets to creditors, |
any amount of cash, property or securities remains, and if, at
that time, creditors of general obligations have not received
full payment on all amounts due or to become due on these
general obligations, this excess will first be applied to pay in
full all general obligations, before paying or distributing on
the subordinated debt securities.
The subordinated indenture defines senior indebtedness as the
principal of, premium, if any, and interest on:
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all of our indebtedness for money borrowed, whether outstanding
on the date of execution of the subordinated indenture, or
created, assumed or incurred after that date (including any
senior debt securities under the senior indenture). Indebtedness
does not include indebtedness that is expressly stated to rank
junior or equal in right of payment to the subordinated debt
securities; and |
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any deferrals, renewals or extensions of senior indebtedness. |
The subordinated indenture defines general obligations as all of
our obligations to pay claims of general creditors, other than:
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obligations on senior indebtedness; and |
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obligations on subordinated debt securities and our indebtedness
for money borrowed ranking equally or subordinate to the
subordinated debt securities. If, however, the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or other competent
regulatory agency or authority) promulgates any rule or issues
any interpretation that defines general creditor(s) the main
purpose of which is to establish a criteria for determining
whether the subordinated debt of a bank holding company is to be
included in its capital, then the term general obligations will
mean obligations to general creditors as described in that rule
or interpretation. |
The term claim when used in the previous definition has the
meaning stated in section 101(5) of the Bankruptcy Code.
The term indebtedness for money borrowed means any obligation of
ours or any obligation guaranteed by us to repay money borrowed,
whether or not evidenced by bonds, debt securities, notes or
other written instruments, and any deferred obligation to pay
the purchase price of property or assets.
8
Due to the subordination described above, if we experience
bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the holders of senior
indebtedness can receive more, ratably, and holders of the
subordinated debt securities can receive less, ratably, than our
creditors who are not holders of senior indebtedness or of the
subordinated debt securities. This subordination will not
prevent any event of default on the subordinated debt securities
from occurring. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement(s)
indicates otherwise, the subordinated indenture does not provide
any right to accelerate the payment of the principal of the
subordinated debt securities if payment of the principal or
interest, or performance of any agreement in the subordinated
debt securities or subordinated indenture is in default. See
Events of Default below.
The subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture
described in this prospectus are provided to holders of senior
indebtedness and are not intended for creditors of general
obligations. The trustee and we can amend the subordinated
indenture to reduce or eliminate the rights of creditors of
general obligations without their consent or the consent of the
holders of subordinated debt securities. The provisions of the
subordinated indenture stating that the subordinated debt
securities will be subordinated in favor of creditors of general
obligations will be immediately and automatically terminated if
the following arises:
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the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or other
competent regulatory agency or authority) promulgates any rule
or regulation, or issues any interpretation that: |
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permits us to include the subordinated debt securities in our
capital if the debt securities were subordinated in right of
payment to senior indebtedness without regard to any of our
other obligations; or |
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eliminates the requirement that subordinated debt of a bank
holding company must be subordinated in right of payment to its
general creditors to be included in capital; or |
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causes the subordinated debt securities to be excluded from
capital, without regard to the subordination provisions
described above; or |
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results in us no longer being subject to the capital
requirements of bank regulatory authorities. |
Restrictive Covenants
Subject to the provisions described under the section
Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets, the senior
indenture prohibits:
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the issue, sale or other disposition of shares of or securities
convertible into, or options, warrants or rights to subscribe
for or purchase shares of, voting stock of a principal
subsidiary bank; |
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the merger or consolidation of a principal subsidiary bank with
or into any other corporation; or |
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the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
assets of a principal subsidiary bank |
if, after giving effect to the transaction and issuing the
maximum number of shares of voting stock that can be issued
after the conversion or exercise of the convertible securities,
options, warrants or rights, we would own, directly or
indirectly, 80% or less of the shares of voting stock of the
principal subsidiary bank or of the successor bank which
acquires the assets.
In the senior indenture, we also agreed that we will not create,
assume, incur or cause to exist any pledge, encumbrance or lien,
as security for indebtedness for money borrowed on:
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any shares of or securities convertible into voting stock of a
principal subsidiary bank that we own directly or
indirectly; or |
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options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase shares
of, voting stock of a principal subsidiary bank that we own
directly or indirectly, |
without providing that the senior debt securities of all series
will be equally secured if, after treating the pledge,
encumbrance or lien as a transfer to the secured party, and
after giving effect to the issuance of
9
the maximum number of shares of voting stock issuable after
conversion or exercise of the convertible securities, options,
warrants or rights, we would own, directly or indirectly 80% or
less of the shares of voting stock of the principal subsidiary
bank.
The indentures define the term principal subsidiary bank as
U.S. Bank National Association.
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise,
the subordinated indenture does not contain either of the
restrictive covenants stated above, nor does it contain any
other provision which restricts us from:
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incurring or becoming liable on any secured or unsecured senior
indebtedness or general obligations; or |
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paying dividends or making other distributions on our capital
stock; or |
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purchasing or redeeming our capital stock; or |
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creating any liens on our property for any purpose. |
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise,
neither indenture contains covenants specifically designed to
protect holders from a highly leveraged transaction in which we
are involved.
Events of Default
Unless otherwise provided in any supplemental indenture or
officers certificate relating to a specific series of debt
securities, the only events defined in the senior indenture as
events of default for any series of senior debt securities, are:
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our failure to pay any interest on any senior debt securities of
a series when due, which failure continues for 30 days; |
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our failure to pay any principal of or premium on any senior
debt securities of a series when due; |
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our failure to make any sinking fund payment, when due, for any
senior debt securities of a series; |
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our failure to perform any other covenant in the senior
indenture (other than a covenant included in the senior
indenture solely for the benefit of a series of senior debt
securities other than that series), which failure continues for
60 days after written notice; |
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default in the payment of indebtedness for money borrowed under
any indenture or instrument under which we have or a principal
subsidiary bank has outstanding indebtedness in an amount in
excess of $5,000,000 which has become due and has not been paid,
or whose maturity has been accelerated and the default has not
been cured or acceleration annulled within 60 days after
written notice; |
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some events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization which
involve us or a principal subsidiary bank; and |
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any other event of default related to the senior debt securities
of that series. |
Unless otherwise provided, the only events defined in the
subordinated indenture as events of default for any series of
subordinated debt securities are:
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some events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization that
involve us; |
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some events involving the receivership, conservatorship or
liquidation of a principal subsidiary bank; and |
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any other event of default provided for the subordinated debt
securities of that series. |
If an event of default occurs and is continuing on any series of
debt securities outstanding under either indenture, then either
the applicable trustee or the holders of at least 25% in
aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of
that series may declare the principal amount (or, if any of the
10
debt securities of that series are original issue discount debt
securities, the lesser portion of the principal amount of those
debt securities) of all of the debt securities of that series to
be due and payable immediately, by notice as provided in the
applicable indenture. At any time after a declaration of
acceleration has been made on the debt securities of any series,
but before the applicable trustee has obtained a judgment for
payment, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, under
some circumstances, rescind and annul this acceleration.
Subject to provisions in each indenture relating to the duties
of the trustee during a default, no trustee will be under any
obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the
applicable indenture at the request or direction of any of the
holders of any series of debt securities then outstanding under
that indenture, unless the holders offer to the trustee
reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any
series will have the right to direct the time, method and place
of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
applicable trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred
on the trustee.
We must furnish to each trustee, annually, a statement regarding
our performance on some of our obligations under the applicable
indenture and any default in our performance.
Modification and Waiver
Except as otherwise specifically provided in the applicable
indenture, modifications and amendments of an indenture
generally will be permitted only with the consent of the holders
of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the
modification or amendment. However, none of the following
modifications are effective against any holder without the
consent of the holders of each outstanding debt security
affected by the modification or amendment:
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changing the stated maturity of the principal of or any
installment of principal or interest on any debt security; |
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reducing the principal amount of, or premium or interest on any
debt security; |
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changing any of our obligations to pay additional amounts; |
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reducing the amount of principal of an original issue discount
debt security that would be due and payable at declaration of
acceleration of its maturity; |
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changing the place for payment where, or coin or currency in
which, any principal of, or premium or interest on, any debt
security is payable; |
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impairing the right to take legal action to enforce any payment
of or related to any debt security; |
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reducing the percentage in principal amount of outstanding debt
securities of any series required to modify, amend, or waive
compliance with some provisions of the indenture or to waive
some defaults; |
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modifying the subordination provisions of the subordinated
indenture in a manner adverse to the holders; or |
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modifying any of the above provisions. |
The holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the outstanding debt securities of each series can waive, as
far as that series is concerned, our compliance with some
restrictive provisions of the applicable indenture.
11
The holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the outstanding debt securities of each series may waive any
past default under the applicable indenture, except:
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a default in the payment of principal of, or premium, or
interest on any senior debt security; or |
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a default in a covenant or provision of the applicable indenture
that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the
holder of each outstanding debt security of the series affected. |
Each indenture provides that, in determining whether holders of
the requisite principal amount of the outstanding debt
securities have given any request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent or waiver, or whether a quorum is
present at a meeting of holders of debt securities:
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the principal amount of an original issue discount debt security
considered to be outstanding will be the amount of the principal
of that original issue discount debt security that would be due
and payable as of the date that the principal is determined at
declaration of acceleration of the maturity of that original
issue discount debt security; and |
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the principal amount of a debt security denominated in a foreign
currency or currency unit that is deemed to be outstanding will
be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined on the date of
original issuance for that debt security, of the principal
amount (or, in the case of an original issue discount debt
security, the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined on the
date of original issuance for that debt security, of the amount
determined as provided in the bullet point above). |
Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets
Without the consent of the holders of any outstanding debt
securities, we cannot consolidate with or merge into another
corporation, partnership or trust, or convey, transfer or lease
substantially all of our properties and our assets, to a
corporation, partnership or trust organized or validly existing
under the laws of any domestic jurisdiction unless:
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the successor entity assumes our obligations on the debt
securities and under the indentures; |
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immediately after the transaction, we would not be in default
under the indentures and no event which, after notice or the
lapse of time, would become an event of default under the
indentures, shall have occurred and be continuing; and |
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other conditions are met. |
Regarding Citibank, N.A.
Some of our subsidiaries and us maintain deposits with and
conduct other banking transactions with Citibank, N.A. in the
ordinary course of business.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
This prospectus describes the general terms and provisions of
the preferred stock that are offered by this prospectus. The
applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific
terms of the series of the preferred stock offered under that
prospectus supplement and any general terms outlined in this
section that will not apply to that series of preferred stock.
We have filed a form of certificate of designation, preferences
and rights of preferred stock as an exhibit to the registration
statement.
This section summarizes the material terms and provisions of the
preferred stock. Because this is a summary, it does not contain
all of the details found in the full text of the certificate of
designation and our restated certificate of incorporation. If
you would like additional information, you should read the
certificate of designation and our restated certificate of
incorporation.
12
General
Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that our
board of directors can issue, without stockholder action, a
maximum of 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. This
amount includes shares issued or reserved for issuance, in one
or more series and with those terms, times and consideration as
the board of directors determines. Our board of directors can
determine the following:
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the number of shares and their designation or title; |
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rights as to dividends; |
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whether and on what terms the shares are redeemable; |
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whether and on what terms the shares shall have a purchase,
retirement or sinking fund; |
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whether and on what terms the shares are convertible; |
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the voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock being offered; |
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restrictions, if any, on the issuance or reissuance of any
additional preferred stock; |
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the rights of holders on our dissolution, or distribution of our
assets; and |
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any other preferences and relative, participating, optional or
other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or
restrictions of the series. |
As described under the section Description of Depositary
Shares, we may choose to offer depositary shares evidenced
by depositary receipts, each representing a fractional interest
in a share of the particular series of the preferred stock
issued and deposited with a depositary.
Under interpretations adopted by the Federal Reserve Board, if
the holders of any series of preferred stock become entitled to
vote for the election of directors because dividends on that
series are in arrears as described under the section
Voting Rights below, that series may then be
considered a class of voting securities. A holder of 25% or more
of a series, or a holder of 5% or more of a series may if it
otherwise exercises a controlling influence over us, may then be
subject to regulation as a bank holding company under the Bank
Holding Company Act. In addition, at the time that the series
are deemed a class of voting securities, any other bank holding
company may be required to obtain the prior approval of the
Federal Reserve Board in order to acquire 5% or more of that
series, and any person other than a bank holding company may be
required to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve
Board to acquire 10% or more of that series.
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:
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the title, stated value and liquidation preferences of the
preferred stock and the number of shares offered; |
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the initial public offering price at which the preferred stock
will be issued; |
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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; |
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any redemption or sinking fund provisions; |
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whether we have elected to offer depositary shares as described
under the section Description of Depositary
Shares; and |
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any additional dividend, liquidation, redemption, sinking fund
and other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and
restrictions. |
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When we issue shares of preferred stock, the series will be
fully paid and nonassessable, meaning, the full purchase price
of the outstanding shares of preferred stock will have been paid
and the 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, and will rank senior to our junior preferred stock
described below. 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.
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 of directors or
a duly authorized committee of the board of directors, 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 our board of directors or authorized
committee. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates
otherwise, dividends on any series of preferred stock will be
cumulative.
Our board of directors 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 and ranking equal with
the preferred stock as to dividends:
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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); |
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we will not redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire for any
consideration (or any monies be 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). |
We will not pay interest, or money in lieu of interest, for any
dividend payment(s) on any series of the preferred stock that
are in arrears.
Voting Rights
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise,
or unless required by law, holders of preferred stock will not
have any voting rights.
If, at the time of any annual meeting of shareholders for the
election of directors, the amount of accrued but unpaid
dividends on any of our preferred stock is equal to at least six
quarterly dividends on that series of preferred stock, we will
increase the number of directors by two and the holders of all
outstanding series of our preferred stock, voting as a single
class, without regard to series, will be entitled to elect two
additional directors until all dividends in default on all of
our preferred stock have been paid or declared and set aside for
payment.
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The affirmative vote or consent of holders of at least
two-thirds of the outstanding shares of any series of our
preferred stock, voting as a class, is required for any
amendment to our restated certificate of incorporation
(including any certificate of designation or similar document
relating to any series of preferred stock) which will adversely
affect the powers, preferences, privileges or rights of the
series of preferred stock. The affirmative vote or consent of
holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of any
series of preferred stock, voting as a single class without
regard to the series, is required to issue, authorize, or
increase the authorized amount of, or issue or authorize any
obligation or security convertible into or evidencing a right to
purchase the additional class or series of stock ranking prior
to the series of preferred stock as to dividends or upon
liquidation.
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, our board of directors will
determine the number of shares to be redeemed. We will redeem
those shares pro rata from the holders of record in proportion
to the number of shares held by holders (with adjustments to
avoid redemption of fractional shares).
Even though the terms of a series of preferred stock may permit
redemption of the preferred stock in whole or in part, if any
dividends, including accumulated dividends, on that series are
past due, we will not redeem any preferred stock of that series
unless we simultaneously redeem all outstanding preferred stock
of that series, and we do not purchase or otherwise acquire any
preferred stock of that series. This does not prohibit the
purchase or acquisition of preferred stock under a purchase or
exchange offer if this offer is made to all holders of the
series of the preferred stock on the same terms.
We will give notice of a redemption between 30 to 60 days
before the date fixed for redemption. We will mail the notice to
each record holder of the shares to be redeemed, at their
address as it appears on our stock books. Each notice will state:
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the redemption date; |
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the number of shares and series of the preferred stock to be
redeemed; |
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the redemption price; |
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the place(s) where a holder can surrender the certificates for
the preferred stock for payment of the redemption price; and |
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that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue
on the redemption date. |
If we redeem fewer than all shares of any series of the
preferred stock held by any holder, we will also specify in the
notice the number of shares to be redeemed from the holder.
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If we have provided notice of redemption, then, beginning on the
redemption date for the shares of the series of the preferred
stock called for redemption (unless we default in providing
money for payment of the redemption price):
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dividends on the shares of preferred stock called for redemption
will cease to accrue; |
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those shares will no longer be considered outstanding; and |
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the holders will no longer have any rights as stockholders
except to receive the redemption price. |
When the holders properly surrender the redeemed shares, we will
pay the redemption price mentioned above out of funds provided
by us. If we redeem fewer than all of the shares represented by
any certificate, we will issue a new certificate representing
the unredeemed shares without cost to the holder.
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 include the terms and conditions governing the conversions
and exchanges.
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:
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liquidation distributions in the amount stated in the applicable
prospectus supplement; and |
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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 DEPOSITARY SHARES
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the
depositary shares. The applicable prospectus supplement will
describe the specific terms of the series of the depositary
shares offered under that applicable prospectus supplement and
any general terms outlined in this section that will not apply
to those depositary shares.
We have filed a form of deposit agreement, including the form of
depositary receipt, as an exhibit to the registration statement.
This section summarizes the material terms and provisions of the
deposit agreement, the depositary shares and the depositary
receipts. Because this is a summary it does not contain all of
the details found in the full text of the deposit agreement, the
depositary shares and the depositary receipts. If you would like
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additional information, you should read the form of deposit
agreement, the form of the depositary shares and the form of
depositary receipts relating to the applicable series of
preferred stock.
General
We may offer fractional, rather than full shares of preferred
stock. If we exercise this option, we will provide for the
issuance by a depositary to the public of depositary receipts
evidencing depositary shares, each of which will represent a
fractional interest (to be stated in the applicable prospectus
supplement relating to a particular series of the preferred
stock) in a share of a particular series of the preferred stock.
We will deposit the shares of any series of the preferred stock
underlying the depositary shares under a separate deposit
agreement between us and a bank or trust company selected by us,
known as a Depositary, having its principal office in the United
States, and having a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50 million. The applicable prospectus supplement will
provide the name and address of the Depositary. Subject to the
terms of the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share
will have a fractional interest in all the rights and
preferences of the preferred stock underlying the depositary
share. These rights include any dividend, voting, redemption,
conversion and liquidation rights.
While the final depositary receipts are being prepared, we may
order the Depositary, in writing, to issue temporary depositary
receipts substantially identical to the final depositary
receipts although not in final form. This will entitle the
holders to all the rights relating to the final depositary
receipts. Final depositary receipts will be prepared without
unreasonable delay, and the holders of the temporary depositary
receipts can exchange them for the final depositary receipts at
our expense.
Withdrawal of Preferred Stock
If you surrender depositary receipts at the principal corporate
trust office of the Depositary (unless the related depositary
shares have previously been called for redemption), you are
entitled to receive at that office, should you so request, the
number of shares of preferred stock and any money or other
property represented by the depositary shares. We will not issue
partial shares of preferred stock. If you deliver a number of
depositary receipts evidencing a number of depositary shares
that represent more than a whole number of depositary shares of
preferred stock to be withdrawn, the Depositary will issue you a
new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of
depositary shares at the same time that the preferred stock is
withdrawn. Holders of preferred stock will no longer be entitled
to deposit these shares under the deposit agreement or to
receive depositary shares in exchange for those withdrawn shares
of preferred stock. We cannot assure you that a market will
exist for the withdrawn preferred stock.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The Depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash
distributions received for the preferred stock (less any taxes
required to be withheld) to the record holders of depositary
shares representing the preferred stock in proportion to the
number of depositary shares that the holders own on the relevant
record date. The Depositary will distribute only the amount that
can be distributed without attributing to any holder of
depositary shares a fraction of one cent. The balance not
distributed will be added to and treated as part of the next sum
that the Depositary receives for distribution to record holders
of depositary shares.
If there is a distribution other than in cash, the Depositary
will distribute property to the record holders of depositary
shares that are entitled to it, unless the Depositary determines
that it is not feasible to make this distribution. If this
occurs, the Depositary may, with our approval, sell the property
and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to the holders of
depositary shares.
The deposit agreement will also contain provisions relating to
the manner in which any subscription or similar rights that we
offer to holders of the preferred stock will be made available
to holders of depositary shares.
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Conversion and Exchange
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise,
the series of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares
will not be convertible or exchangeable into any other class or
series of our capital stock.
Redemption of Deposited Preferred Stock
If a series of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares
is subject to redemption, we will redeem the depositary shares
from the redemption proceeds received by the Depositary, in
whole or in part, on the series of preferred stock held by the
Depositary. The Depositary will mail notice of redemption
between 30 and 60 days before the date fixed for redemption
to the record holders of the depositary shares to be redeemed at
the address appearing in the Depositarys records. The
redemption price per depositary share will bear the same
relationship to the redemption price per share of preferred
stock that the depositary share bears to the underlying
preferred stock. When we redeem preferred stock held by the
Depositary, the Depositary will redeem as of the same redemption
date, the number of depositary shares representing the preferred
stock redeemed. If less than all the depositary shares are to be
redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected
by lot or pro rata as we may determine.
From and after the date fixed for redemption, the depositary
shares called for redemption will no longer be outstanding. When
the depositary shares are no longer outstanding, all rights of
the holders of depositary shares will cease, except the right to
receive money or property that the holders of the depositary
shares were entitled to receive on redemption. The payments will
be made when holders surrender their depositary receipts to the
Depositary.
Voting of Deposited Preferred Stock
Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of
the preferred stock are entitled to vote, the Depositary will
mail the information contained in the notice to the record
holders of the depositary shares relating to the preferred
stock. Each record holder of the depositary shares on the record
date (which will be the same date as the record date for the
preferred stock) will be entitled to instruct the Depositary on
how the preferred stock underlying the holders depositary
shares should be voted. The Depositary will try, if practicable,
to vote the number of shares of preferred stock underlying the
depositary shares according to the instructions received, and we
will take all action that the Depositary may consider necessary
to enable the Depositary to do so. The Depositary will not vote
any preferred stock if it does not receive specific instructions
from the holders of depositary shares relating to the preferred
stock.
Taxation
Owners of depositary shares will be treated for
U.S. federal income tax purposes as if they were owners of
the preferred stock represented by the depositary shares.
Accordingly, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, they
will have the income and deductions to which they would have
been entitled if they were holders of the preferred stock. In
addition:
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no gain or loss will be recognized for federal income tax
purposes when preferred stock is withdrawn in exchange for
depositary shares as provided in the deposit agreement; |
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the tax basis of each share of preferred stock to an exchanging
owner of depositary shares will, at the exchange, be the same as
the aggregate tax basis of the depositary shares
exchanged; and |
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the holding period for the preferred stock in the hands of an
exchanging owner of depositary shares who held the depositary
shares as a capital asset at the time of the exchange, will
include the period during which the person owned the depositary
shares. |
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Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement
The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares
and any provision of the deposit agreement may be amended at any
time by an agreement between us and the Depositary. However, any
amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of the
existing holders of depositary shares will not be effective
unless approved by the record holders of at least a majority of
the depositary shares then outstanding. A deposit agreement may
be terminated by either the Depositary or us only if:
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all outstanding depositary shares relating to the deposit
agreement have been redeemed; or |
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there has been a final distribution on the preferred stock of
the relevant series in connection with our liquidation,
dissolution or winding up and the distribution has been
distributed to the holders of the related depositary receipts
evidencing the depositary shares. |
Charges of Depositary
We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental
charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary
arrangements. We will pay charges of the Depositary associated
with the initial deposit and any redemption of the preferred
stock. Holders of depositary shares will pay transfer and other
taxes and governmental charges, and any other charges that are
stated to be their responsibility in the deposit agreement.
Resignation and Removal of Depositary
The Depositary may resign at any time by delivering notice to
us. We may also remove the Depositary at any time. Resignations
or removals will be effective when a successor Depositary is
appointed, and when the successor accepts the appointment. The
successor Depositary must be appointed within 60 days after
delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a
bank or trust company having its principal office in the United
States and a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50 million.
Miscellaneous
The Depositary will forward to the holders of depositary shares
all reports and communications that it receives from us, and
that we are required to furnish to the holders of the preferred
stock.
Neither the Depositary nor us will be liable if the Depositary
is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond its
control in performing its obligations under the deposit
agreement. Our obligations and that of the Depositary under the
deposit agreement will be limited to performance in good faith
of the duties described in the deposit agreement. Neither the
Depositary nor us will be obligated to prosecute or defend any
legal proceeding connected with any depositary shares or
preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished to
the Depositary and us. The Depositary and us may rely on written
advice of counsel or accountants, or information provided by
persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of
depositary shares or other persons believed to be competent and
on documents believed to be genuine.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK
General
USB is authorized to issue up to 4 billion shares of common
stock, par value $.01 per share. As of December 31,
2004, there were 1,857.6 million shares of USB common stock
issued and outstanding. Our common stock is listed on the New
York Stock Exchange under the symbol USB.
Voting and Other Rights
Each share of USB common stock is entitled to one vote per
share, and, in general, a majority of votes cast with respect to
a matter will be sufficient to authorize action upon routine
matters. Directors are to be elected by a majority of the votes
cast, and stockholders do not have the right to cumulate their
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votes in the election of directors. For that reason, holders of
a majority of the shares of common stock of USB entitled to vote
in any election of directors may elect all of the directors
standing for election. In general, however:
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amendments to the certificate of incorporation will be approved
if the votes cast within a voting group favoring the action
exceed the votes cast within the voting group opposing the
action; and |
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a merger or dissolution of USB, or the sale of all or
substantially all of its assets, must be approved by the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting
power of the outstanding voting shares and the affirmative vote
of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each
class entitled to vote on the matter as a class. |
No Preemptive or Conversion Rights
Our common stock will not entitle its holders to any preemptive
rights, redemption privileges, sinking fund privileges or
conversion rights.
Assets upon Dissolution
In the event of liquidation, holders of USB common stock would
be entitled to receive proportionately any assets legally
available for distribution to our shareholders with respect to
shares held by them, subject to any prior rights of any
preferred stock of USB then outstanding.
Distributions
Holders of USB common stock will be entitled to receive the
dividends or distributions that our board of directors may
declare out of funds legally available for these payments. The
payment of distributions by us is subject to the restrictions of
Delaware law applicable to the declaration of distributions by a
corporation. Under Delaware law, a corporation may not pay a
dividend out of net profits if the capital stock of the
corporation is less than the stated amount of capital
represented by the issued and outstanding stock of all classes
having a preference upon the distribution of the
corporations assets. In addition, the payment of
distributions to shareholders is subject to any prior rights of
outstanding preferred stock.
As a bank holding company, our ability to pay distributions will
be affected by the ability of our banking subsidiaries to pay
dividends. The ability of these banking subsidiaries, as well as
us, to pay dividends in the future currently is, and could be
further, influenced by bank regulatory requirements and capital
guidelines.
Restrictions on Ownership
The Bank Holding Company Act generally would prohibit any
company that is not engaged in banking activities and activities
that are permissible for a bank holding company or a financial
holding company from acquiring control of USB. Control is
generally defined as ownership of 25% or more of the voting
stock or other exercise of a controlling influence. In addition,
any existing bank holding company would require the prior
approval of the Federal Reserve Board before acquiring 5% or
more of the voting stock of USB. In addition, the Change in Bank
Control Act of 1978, as amended, prohibits a person or group of
persons from acquiring control of a bank holding
company unless the Federal Reserve Board has been notified and
has not objected to the transaction. Under a rebuttable
presumption established by the Federal Reserve Board, the
acquisition of 10% or more of a class of voting stock of a bank
holding company with a class of securities registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, such as USB, would, under
the circumstances set forth in the presumption, constitute
acquisition of control of the bank holding company.
Shareholder Rights Plan
We have a shareholder rights plan that could discourage unwanted
or hostile takeover attempts that are not approved by our board.
On February 27, 2001, our board declared a dividend of one
preferred
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share purchase right for each outstanding share of our common
stock as of March 9, 2001. The rights currently trade with,
and are inseparable from, the common stock.
Each right allows its holder to purchase from us one
one-thousandth of a share of our Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock for $100, once the rights become
exercisable. This portion of a preferred share will give the
shareholder approximately the same dividend and liquidation
rights as would one share of common stock. Prior to exercise, a
right does not give its holder any dividend, voting or
liquidation rights.
The rights will not be exercisable until the earlier of:
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10 days after a public announcement that a person or group
has obtained beneficial ownership of 10% or more of our
outstanding common stock; or |
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10 business days after a person or group begins a tender or
exchange offer that, if completed, would result in that person
or group becoming the beneficial owner of 10% or more of our
outstanding common stock. |
The date when the rights become exercisable is referred to in
the rights plan as the distribution date. After that
date, the rights will separate from the common stock and will be
evidenced by book-entry credits or by rights certificates that
we will mail to all eligible holders of common stock. A person
or member of a group that has obtained beneficial ownership of
10% or more of our outstanding common stock may not exercise any
rights even after the distribution date.
A person or group that acquires beneficial ownership of 10% or
more of our outstanding common stock is called an
acquiring person.
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Flip In. If a person or group becomes an acquiring
person, all holders of rights other than the acquiring person
may purchase shares of our common stock at half their market
value. |
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Flip Over. If, after a person or group becomes an
acquiring person, we are acquired by another entity in a merger
or similar transaction, all holders of rights other than the
acquiring person may purchase shares of the acquiring company at
half their market value. |
Our board may redeem the rights for $.01 per right at any
time before a person or group becomes an acquiring person. If
the board redeems any rights, it must redeem all of the rights.
Once the rights are redeemed, the only right of the holders of
rights will be to receive the redemption price of $.01 per
right.
Our board may adjust the purchase price of the preferred shares,
the number of preferred shares issuable and the number of
outstanding rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a
stock dividend, a stock split or a reclassification of the
preferred shares or common stock. No adjustments to the exercise
price of less than 1% will be made.
The terms of the rights plan may be amended by our board without
the consent of the holders of the rights. However, after a
person or group becomes an acquiring person, the board may not
amend the plan in a way that adversely affects the holders of
the rights.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT WARRANTS
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the
debt warrants. The applicable prospectus supplement will
describe the specific terms of the debt warrants offered under
that applicable prospectus supplement and any general terms
outlined in this section that will not apply to those debt
warrants.
We have filed a form of debt warrant agreement, including the
form of debt warrant certificate, as an exhibit to the
registration statement.
This section summarizes the material terms and provisions of the
debt warrants. Because this is a summary, it does not contain
all of the details found in the full text of the debt warrant
agreement and the debt warrant certificate. If you would like
additional information, you should read the form of debt warrant
agreement and the debt warrant certificate relating to the
applicable series of debt securities.
We may issue debt warrants independently or together with debt
securities. The debt warrants will be issued under debt warrant
agreements between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant
agent, all as stated in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection
with the debt warrants and will not assume any obligation or
relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or
beneficial owners of debt warrants.
General
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of
the debt warrants offered in this prospectus, including the
following, if applicable:
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the offering price; |
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the currencies in which the debt warrants are being offered; |
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the title of the debt warrants; |
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the designation, aggregate principal amount and terms of the
debt securities for which the debt warrants are exercisable and
the procedures and conditions relating to the exercise of those
debt warrants; |
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the designation and terms of any related debt securities with
which the debt warrants are to be issued and the number of the
debt warrants offered with each debt security; |
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the date, if any, on and after which the holder of the debt
warrants can transfer them separately from the related debt
securities; |
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the principal amount of debt securities that can be purchased if
a holder exercises each debt warrant and the price at which the
principal amount can be purchased upon exercise; |
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the date on which the right to exercise the debt warrants will
commence and the date on which this right will expire; |
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if the debt securities that can be purchased at the exercise of
a debt warrant are original issue discount debt securities, a
discussion of the applicable U.S. federal income tax
consequences; and |
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whether the debt warrant certificates representing the debt
warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form, and if
registered, where they are transferred and registered. |
The holder can exchange debt warrant certificates for new debt
warrant certificates of different authorized denominations, and
can exercise his or her debt warrants at the corporate trust
office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the
applicable prospectus supplement. Holders of debt warrants will
not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities
that can be purchased if a holder exercises the debt warrant and
will not be entitled to payments of principal of, and any
premium or interest on, the underlying debt securities before
they exercise their debt warrants.
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Exercise of Debt Warrants
Each debt warrant entitles the holder of that debt warrant to
purchase the principal amount of debt securities at the price
stated, or determinable in the applicable prospectus supplement.
A holder can exercise debt warrants during the period(s) stated
in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of
business on the expiration date, unexercised debt warrants will
become void. We will, as soon as practicable, forward to you the
debt securities purchased upon exercise. If less than all of the
debt warrants represented by the debt warrant certificates are
exercised, a new debt warrant certificate will be issued for the
remaining debt warrants.
DESCRIPTION OF EQUITY WARRANTS
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the
equity warrants. The applicable prospectus supplement will
describe the specific terms of the equity warrants offered under
that applicable prospectus supplement and any general terms
outlined in this section that will not apply to those equity
warrants.
We have filed a form of equity warrant agreement, including the
form of equity warrant certificate, as an exhibit to the
registration statement.
This section summarizes the material terms and provisions of the
equity warrants. Because this is a summary, it does not contain
all of the details found in the full text of the equity warrant
agreement and the equity warrant certificate. If you would like
additional information, you should read the form of equity
warrant agreement and the equity warrant certificate relating to
the applicable series of equity securities.
We may issue equity warrants independently or, together with
equity securities. The equity warrants will be issued under
equity warrant agreements between us and a bank or trust
company, as warrant agent, all as stated in the applicable
prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our
agent in connection with the equity warrants and will not assume
any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with
any holders or beneficial owners of equity warrants.
General
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of
the equity warrants offered in this prospectus, including the
following, if applicable:
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the offering price; |
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the currencies in which the equity warrants are being offered; |
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the title of the equity warrants; |
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the underlying equity securities for which the equity warrants
are exercisable and the procedures and conditions relating to
the exercise of those equity warrants; |
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the designation of any related equity securities with which the
equity warrants are to be issued and the number of the equity
warrants offered with each equity security; |
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the date, if any, on and after which the holder of the equity
warrants can transfer them separately from the related equity
securities; |
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the number of equity securities that can be purchased if a
holder exercises each equity warrant and the price at which the
equity securities can be purchased upon exercise; and |
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the date on which the right to exercise the equity warrants will
commence and the date on which this right will expire. |
The holder can exercise his or her equity warrants at the
corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office
indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Holders of
equity warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of
the equity securities that can be purchased if a holder
exercises the
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equity warrant and will not be entitled to vote, or receive
dividends or other distributions on, the underlying equity
securities before they exercise their equity warrants.
Exercise of Equity Warrants
Each equity warrant entitles the holder of that equity warrant
to purchase the number of equity securities at the price stated,
or determinable in the applicable prospectus supplement. A
holder can exercise equity warrants during the period(s) stated
in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of
business on the expiration date, unexercised equity warrants
will become void. We will, as soon as practicable, forward to
you the equity securities purchased upon exercise. If less than
all of the equity warrants represented by the equity warrant
certificates are exercised, a new equity warrant certificate
will be issued for the remaining equity warrants.
Common Stock Warrant Adjustments
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise,
the exercise price of, and the number of shares of common stock
covered by, a warrant for common stock will be adjusted in the
manner set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement if
certain events occur, including:
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if we issue capital stock as a dividend or distribution on the
common stock; |
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if we subdivide, reclassify or combine the common stock; or |
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if we distribute to all holders of common stock evidences of our
indebtedness or our assets, excluding certain cash dividends and
distributions, or if we distribute to all holders of common
stock certain rights or warrants. |
Except as stated above, the exercise price and number of shares
of common stock covered by a common stock warrant will not be
adjusted if we issue common stock or any securities convertible
into or exchangeable for common stock, or securities carrying
the right to purchase common stock or securities convertible
into or exchangeable for common stock.
Holders of common stock warrants may have additional rights
under the following circumstances:
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a reclassification or change of the common stock; |
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a consolidation or merger involving our company; or |
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a sale or conveyance to another corporation of all or
substantially all of our property and assets. |
If one of the above transactions occurs and holders of our
common stock are entitled to receive stock, securities, other
property or assets, including cash, with respect to or in
exchange for common stock, the holders of the common stock
warrants then outstanding will be entitled to receive upon
exercise of their common stock warrants the kind and amount of
shares of stock and other securities or property that they would
have received upon the reclassification, change, consolidation,
merger, sale or conveyance if they had exercised their common
stock warrants immediately before the transaction.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
General
We may issue units consisting of one or more securities. 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 unit agreement under which a unit is
issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may
not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any
time before a specified date.
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If units are offered, the prospectus supplement will describe
the terms of the units, including the following:
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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 or may not
be held or transferred separately; |
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the name of the unit agent; |
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a description of the terms of any unit agreement to be entered
into between us and a bank or trust company, as unit agent,
governing the units; |
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whether the units will be listed on any securities
exchange; and |
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a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement,
transfer, or exchange of the units. |
Modification
We and the unit agent may amend the terms of any unit agreement
and the units without the consent of the holders to cure any
ambiguity, to correct any inconsistent provision, or in any
other manner we deem necessary or desirable and which will not
affect adversely the interests of the holders. In addition, we
may amend the unit agreement and the terms of the units with the
consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
unexpired units affected. However, any modification to the units
that materially and adversely affects the rights of the holders
of the units, or reduces the percentage of outstanding units
required to modify or amend the unit agreement or the terms of
the units, requires the consent of the affected holders.
Enforceability of Rights of Unitholders; Governing Law
The unit agent will act solely as our agent and will not assume
any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with the
holders of the units. Except as described below, any record
holder of a unit, without anyone elses consent, may
enforce his or her rights as holder under any security included
in the unit, in accordance with the terms of the included
security and the Indenture, warrant agreement, or unit agreement
under which that security is issued. Those terms are described
in other sections of this prospectus relating to debt securities
and warrants.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a unit agreement may limit or
otherwise affect the ability of a holder of units issued under
that agreement to enforce his or her rights, including any right
to bring legal action, with respect to those units or any
included securities, other than debt securities. Limitations of
this kind will be described in the prospectus supplement.
No unit agreement will be qualified as an indenture, and no unit
agent will be required to qualify as a trustee under the Trust
Indenture Act. Therefore, holders of units issued under a unit
agreement will not have the protection of the Trust Indenture
Act with respect to their units.
Unsecured Obligations
The units are our unsecured contractual obligations. Claims of
holders of our units generally will have a junior position to
claims of creditors of our subsidiaries including, in the case
of our banking subsidiaries, their depositors.
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FOREIGN CURRENCY RISKS
General
We can denominate the securities of a series in, and the
principal of, and any interest or premium on, these securities
can be payable in, any foreign currencies that we may designate
at the time of offering. The applicable prospectus supplement
will describe the material risks relating to a particular series
of foreign currency securities.
Exchange Rates and Exchange Controls
An investment in foreign currency securities entails significant
risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a
security denominated in U.S. dollars. These risks include,
without limitation:
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the possibility of significant changes in the rate of exchange
between the United States dollar and the currency or currency
unit specified in the applicable prospectus supplement; and |
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the possibility of the imposition or modification of foreign
exchange controls by either the United States or foreign
governments. |
These risks generally depend on economic and political events
over which we have no control. In recent years, rates of
exchange between the U.S. dollar and some foreign
currencies have been highly volatile and this volatility can be
expected in the future. Fluctuations in any particular exchange
rate that have occurred in the past do not necessarily indicate
fluctuations in the rate that may occur during the term of any
foreign currency security.
Depreciation of the specified currency applicable to a foreign
currency security against the United States dollar would result
in a decrease in:
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the U.S. dollar-equivalent yield of the security (or the
debt security purchasable at the time of exercise of any debt
warrant); |
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the U.S. dollar-equivalent value of the principal repayable
at maturity of the security (or the debt security purchasable at
the time of exercise of a debt warrant); and |
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the U.S. dollar-equivalent market value of the security. |
Governments have imposed from time to time exchange controls and
may in the future impose or revise exchange controls at or
before the maturity of a foreign currency security (or the
maturity of the debt security issuable at the time of exercise
of a debt warrant). Even if there are no exchange controls, it
is possible that the specified currency for any particular
foreign currency security will not be available at the maturity
of the debt security (or the maturity of the debt security
issuable at the time of exercise of a debt warrant) due to
circumstances beyond our control.
Judgments
If an action based on foreign currency securities was commenced
in a court of the United States, it is likely that the court
would grant judgment relating to those securities only in
U.S. dollars. It is not clear, however, whether, in
granting this judgment, the rate of conversion into
U.S. dollars would be determined with reference to the date
of default, the date the judgment is rendered, or some other
date. Under current New York law, a state court in the
State of New York that gives a judgment on a foreign currency
security would be required to give the judgment in the specified
currency in which the foreign currency security is denominated,
and this judgment would be converted into U.S. dollars at
the exchange rate prevailing on the date of entry of the
judgment. Holders of foreign currency securities would bear the
risk of exchange rate fluctuations between the time the amount
of the judgment is calculated and the time that the applicable
trustee converts U.S. dollars to the specified currency for
payment of the judgment.
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Limited Facilities for Conversion
Currently, there are limited facilities in the United States for
conversion of U.S. dollars into foreign currencies, and
vice versa. In addition, banks generally do not offer
non-U.S. dollar
denominated checking or savings account facilities in the United
States. Accordingly, payments on foreign currency securities
will, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus
supplement, be made from an account with a bank located in the
country issuing the specified currency or, for foreign currency
securities, denominated in euro, Brussels.
BOOK-ENTRY ISSUANCE
DTC will act as securities depositary for all of the debt
securities, unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus
supplement. We will issue the debt securities only as
fully-registered securities registered in the name of
Cede & Co. (DTCs nominee). We will issue and
deposit with DTC one or more fully-registered global
certificates for the debt securities representing in the
aggregate, the total number of the debt securities.
DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the New
York Banking Law, a banking organization under the meaning of
the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve
System, a clearing corporation under the meaning of the New York
Uniform Commercial Code, and a clearing agency registered under
the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC
holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC. DTC
also facilitates the settlement among participants of securities
transactions, like transfers and pledges, in deposited
securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in
the participants accounts, eliminating in this manner the
need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct
Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks,
trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations.
DTC is owned by a number of its Direct Participants and by the
New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the American Stock Exchange, Inc.
and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Others
like securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies
that clear through or maintain custodial relationships with
Direct Participants, either directly or indirectly, also have
access to the DTC system. The rules applicable to DTC and its
participants are on file with the SEC.
Purchases of debt securities within the DTC system must be made
by or through Direct Participants, who will receive a credit for
the debt securities on DTCs records. The ownership
interest of each actual purchaser of each debt security is in
turn to be recorded on the Direct and Indirect
Participants records. DTC will not send written
confirmation to Beneficial Owners of their purchases, but
Beneficial Owners are expected to receive written confirmations
providing details of the transactions, as well as periodic
statements of their holdings, from the Direct or Indirect
Participants through which the Beneficial Owners purchased debt
securities. Transfers of ownership interests in the debt
securities are to be accomplished by entries made on the books
of participants acting on behalf of Beneficial Owners.
Beneficial Owners will not receive certificates representing
their ownership interests in debt securities, unless the
book-entry system for the debt securities is discontinued.
DTC has no knowledge of the actual Beneficial Owners of the debt
securities. DTCs records reflect only the identity of the
Direct Participants to whose accounts the debt securities are
credited, which may or may not be the Beneficial Owners. The
participants will remain responsible for keeping account of
their holdings on behalf of their customers.
Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to Direct
Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants,
and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to
Beneficial Owners and the voting rights of Direct Participants,
Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners, subject to any
statutory or regulatory requirements as is in effect from time
to time, will be governed by arrangements among them.
We will send redemption notices to Cede & Co. as the
registered holder of the debt securities. If less than all of
the debt securities are redeemed, DTCs current practice is
to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each Direct
Participant to be redeemed.
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Although voting on the debt securities is limited to the holders
of record of the debt securities, in those instances in which a
vote is required, neither DTC nor Cede & Co. will
itself consent or vote on debt securities. Under its usual
procedures, DTC would mail an Omnibus Proxy to the relevant
trustee as soon as possible after the record date. The Omnibus
Proxy assigns Cede & Co.s consenting or voting
rights to Direct Participants for whose accounts the debt
securities are credited on the record date (identified in a
listing attached to the Omnibus Proxy).
The relevant trustee will make distribution payments on the debt
securities to DTC. DTCs practice is to credit Direct
Participants accounts on the relevant payment date in
accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTCs
records unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not
receive payments on the payment date. Standing instructions and
customary practices will govern payments from participants to
Beneficial Owners. Subject to any statutory or regulatory
requirements, participants, and not DTC, the relevant trustee,
trust or us, will be responsible for the payment. The relevant
trustee is responsible for payment of distributions to DTC.
Direct and Indirect Participants are responsible for the
disbursement of the payments to the Beneficial Owners.
DTC may discontinue providing its services as securities
depositary on any of the debt securities at any time by giving
reasonable notice to the relevant trustee and to us. If a
successor securities depositary is not obtained, final debt
securities certificates must be printed and delivered. We may,
at our option, decide to discontinue the use of the system of
book-entry transfers through DTC (or a successor depositary).
After an event of default, the holders of an aggregate principal
amount of debt securities may discontinue the system of
book-entry transfers through DTC. In this case, final
certificates for the debt securities will be printed and
delivered.
We have obtained the information in this section about DTC and
DTCs book-entry system from sources that we believe to be
accurate, and we assume no responsibility for the accuracy of
the information. We have no responsibility for the performance
by DTC or its participants of their respective obligations as
described in this prospectus or under the rules and procedures
governing their respective operations.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities:
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through underwriters or dealers; |
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directly to one or more purchasers; or |
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through agents. |
The applicable prospectus supplement will include the names of
underwriters, dealers or agents retained. The applicable
prospectus supplement will also include the purchase price of
the securities, our proceeds from the sale, any underwriting
discounts or commissions and other items constituting
underwriters compensation, and any securities exchanges on
which the securities are listed.
The underwriters will acquire the securities for their own
account. They may resell the securities in one or more
transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed
public offering price or at varying prices determined at the
time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase
the securities will be subject to some conditions. The
underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities
offered if any of the securities are purchased. Any initial
public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed
or re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to
time.
Underwriters, dealers, and agents that participate in the
distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities
Act), and any discounts or commissions received by them
from us and any profit on the resale of the securities by them
may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under
the Securities Act.
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We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers, and
agents to indemnify them against some civil liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute
to payments which the underwriters, dealers or agents may be
required to make.
Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions
with, or perform services for, us or our subsidiaries in the
ordinary course of their businesses.
We may authorize underwriters, dealers and agents to solicit
offers by some specified institutions to purchase securities
from us at the public offering price stated in the applicable
prospectus supplement under delayed delivery contracts providing
for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future.
These contracts will be subject only to those conditions
included in the applicable prospectus supplement, and the
applicable prospectus supplement will state the commission
payable for solicitation of these contracts.
We may determine the price or other terms of the securities
offered under this prospectus by use of an electronic auction.
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement how any
auction will be conducted to determine the price or any other
terms of the securities, how potential investors may participate
in the auction and, where applicable, the nature of the
underwriters obligations with respect to the auction.
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise,
all securities, except for common stock, will be new issues of
securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters
who purchase securities from us for public offering and sale may
make a market in those securities, but these underwriters will
not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making
at any time without notice. We cannot assure you that the
liquidity of the trading market for any securities will be
liquid.
The maximum commission or discount to be received by any
dealer/underwriter will not exceed eight (8) percent.
VALIDITY OF SECURITIES
Validity of the securities will be passed upon for us by Squire,
Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P., Cincinnati, Ohio, and for any
underwriters or agents, by Shearman & Sterling LLP,
New York, New York.
EXPERTS
Our financial statements as of December 31, 2004 and 2003
and for each of the two years in the period ended
December 31, 2004 and managements assessment of the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2004 incorporated in this prospectus by
reference from our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2004 have been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, as stated in their reports which are
incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Our financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 2002
incorporated in this prospectus by reference from our Annual
Report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2004 have been audited by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, as stated in their report. Such financial
statements and managements assessment are incorporated
herein by reference in reliance upon the reports of such firms
given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
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GLOSSARY
Below are abbreviated definitions of capitalized terms used in
this prospectus and in the applicable prospectus supplement. The
applicable prospectus supplement may contain a more complete
definition of some of the terms defined here and reference
should be made to the applicable prospectus supplement for a
more complete definition of these terms.
Beneficial owner refers to the ownership interest of
each actual purchaser of each debt security.
Company refers to U.S. Bancorp and its
subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated.
Depositary refers to a bank or trust company
selected by us, having its principal office in the United
States, and having a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50 million, and where we will deposit the shares of any
series of the preferred stock underlying the depositary shares
under a separate deposit agreement between us and that bank or
trust company.
Direct Participants refers to securities brokers and
dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other
organizations who, with the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the
American Stock Exchange Inc., and the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., own DTC. Purchases of debt securities
within the DTC system must be made by or through Direct
Participants who will receive a credit for the debt securities
on DTCs records.
Indirect Participants refers to others, like
securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that
clear through or maintain custodial relationships with Direct
Participants, either directly or indirectly, and who also have
access to the DTC system.
Omnibus Proxy refers to the omnibus proxy that DTC
would mail under its usual procedures to the relevant trustee as
soon as possible after the record date. The Omnibus Proxy
assigns Cede & Co.s consenting or voting rights
to Direct Participants for whose accounts the debt securities
are credited on the record date.
30
40,000,000 Depositary Shares
Each Representing a 1/1,000th Interest in a Share of
Series B Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Morgan Stanley
March 22, 2006