Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) 8-KOther Events

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): January 29, 2024

Fifth Third Bancorp

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

OHIO

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

(800) 972-3030

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains statements that we believe are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 175 promulgated thereunder, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 3b-6 promulgated thereunder. These statements relate to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance, capital actions or business. They usually can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as “will likely result,” “may,” “are expected to,” “is anticipated,” “potential,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “projected,” “intends to,” or may include other similar words or phrases such as “believes,” “plans,” “trend,” “objective,” “continue,” “remain,” or similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “can,” or similar verbs. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, as they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the risk factors set forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as updated by our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind these risks and uncertainties, as well as any cautionary statements we may make. Moreover, you should treat these statements as speaking only as of the date they are made and based only on information then actually known to us. We undertake no obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document.

There are a number of important factors that could cause future results to differ materially from historical performance and these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (1) deteriorating credit quality; (2) loan concentration by location or industry of borrowers or collateral; (3) problems encountered by other financial institutions; (4) inadequate sources of funding or liquidity; (5) unfavorable actions of rating agencies; (6) inability to maintain or grow deposits; (7) limitations on the ability to receive dividends from subsidiaries; (8) effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic; (9) cyber-security risks; (10) Fifth Third’s ability to secure confidential information and deliver products and services through the use of computer systems and telecommunications networks; (11) failures by third-party service providers; (12) inability to manage strategic initiatives and/or organizational changes; (13) inability to implement technology system enhancements; (14) failure of internal controls and other risk management systems; (15) losses related to fraud, theft, misappropriation or violence; (16) inability to attract and retain skilled personnel; (17) adverse impacts of government regulation; (18) governmental or regulatory changes or other actions; (19) failures to meet applicable capital requirements; (20) regulatory objections to Fifth Third’s capital plan; (21) regulation of Fifth Third’s derivatives activities; (22) deposit insurance premiums; (23) assessments for the orderly liquidation fund; (24) replacement of LIBOR; (25) weakness in the national or local economies; (26) global political and economic uncertainty or negative actions; (27) changes in interest rates and the effects of inflation; (28) changes and trends in capital markets; (29) fluctuation of Fifth Third’s stock price; (30) volatility in mortgage banking revenue; (31) litigation, investigations, and enforcement proceedings by governmental authorities; (32) breaches of contractual covenants, representations and warranties; (33) competition and changes in the financial services industry; (34) changing retail distribution strategies, customer preferences and behavior; (35) difficulties in identifying, acquiring or integrating suitable strategic partnerships, investments or acquisitions; (36) potential dilution

from future acquisitions; (37) loss of income and/or difficulties encountered in the sale and separation of businesses, investments or other assets; (38) results of investments or acquired entities; (39) changes in accounting standards or interpretation or declines in the value of Fifth Third’s goodwill or other intangible assets; (40) inaccuracies or other failures from the use of models; (41) effects of critical accounting policies and judgments or the use of inaccurate estimates; (42) weather-related events, other natural disasters, or health emergencies (including pandemics); (43) the impact of reputational risk created by these or other developments on such matters as business generation and retention, funding and liquidity; (44) changes in law or requirements imposed by Fifth Third’s regulators impacting our capital actions, including dividend payments and stock repurchases; and (45) Fifth Third’s ability to meet its environmental and/or social targets, goals and commitments.

You should refer to our periodic and current reports filed with the SEC for further information on other factors, which could cause actual results to be significantly different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references to “Fifth Third,” “we,” “us,” “our” or similar references mean Fifth Third Bancorp and its subsidiaries.

Offering of 5.631% Fixed Rate/Floating Rate Senior Notes Due 2032. On January 29, 2024, Fifth Third issued $1,000,000,000 in principal amount of its 5.631% Fixed Rate/Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2032 (the “Senior Notes Offering”) sold pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., and RBC Capital Markets, LLC. On January 29, 2024, Fifth Third entered into a Supplemental Indenture with Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee, which modifies the existing Indenture for Senior Debt Securities dated as of April 30, 2008, as amended by Article 4 of the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture dated as of April 25, 2022 between Fifth Third and the Trustee. The Supplemental Indenture and the Indenture define the rights of the 5.631% Fixed Rate/Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2032 (the “Senior Notes”), which Senior Notes are represented by Global Securities dated as of January 29, 2024. The net proceeds from the sale of the Senior Notes after the underwriting discount and estimated expenses to be paid by Fifth Third are approximately $994,016,400.

The Senior Notes Offering is described in Fifth Third’s prospectus supplement dated January 22, 2024, together with the related prospectus dated March 28, 2022, filed with the SEC under Rule 424(b) on January 24, 2024.

The Underwriting Agreement, the Supplemental Indenture and the Global Securities representing the Senior Notes contain various representations, warranties and agreements by Fifth Third, conditions to closing, indemnification rights and obligations of the parties, and termination provisions. The descriptions of the Underwriting Agreement, the Supplemental Indenture and the Global Securities, and other documents relating to this transaction do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of such securities and documents, forms or copies of which are attached hereto as exhibits and incorporated herein by reference.

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The Senior Notes sold in the Senior Notes Offering were registered by Fifth Third pursuant to an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (SEC File No. 333-263894) filed with the SEC on March 28, 2022.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibits below relate to Registration Number 333-263894 on Form S-3 of Fifth Third Bancorp and are filed herewith for incorporation by reference in such Registration Statement:

1.1 – Underwriting Agreement dated as of January 22, 2024 among Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., and RBC Capital Markets, LLC.

4.1 – Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture dated as of January 29, 2024 between Fifth Third Bancorp and Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee, to the Indenture for Senior Debt Securities dated as of April 30, 2008 between Fifth Third Bancorp and the Trustee, as amended by Article 4 of the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture dated April 25, 2022 between Fifth Third Bancorp and the Trustee.

4.2 – Form of 5.631% Fixed Rate/Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2032.

5.1 – Opinion of Bricker Graydon LLP regarding legality of the 5.631% Fixed Rate/Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2032.

23.1 – Consent of Bricker Graydon LLP (included in opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1).

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.