The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion, dated November 3, 2016

Customers Bancorp, Inc.

2,600,000 Shares

Common Stock

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We are offering to sell 2,600,000 shares of our common stock, par value $1.00 per share.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CUBI." On November 2, 2016, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $26.25 per share.

The common stock is not a savings account, deposit or other obligation of our bank or non-bank subsidiaries and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or the FDIC, or any other government agency.

Investing in our common stock involves risks. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page S-8 of this prospectus supplement, as well as those risk factors contained in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, to read about other risk factors you should consider before buying shares of our common stock.

None of the SEC, any state securities commission, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

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We have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 390,000 shares of our common stock within 30 days after the date of this prospectus supplement at the public offering price less the underwriting discount.

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of common stock to purchasers against payment therefor, in New York, New York on or about            , 2016.

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The date of this prospectus supplement is                    , 2016.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Supplement

Prospectus

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering and also supplements and, in certain cases, updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, provides more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. You should read both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as well as the information in the documents to which we have referred you in the sections entitled "Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference" and  "Where You Can Find More Information" in this prospectus supplement.

If the information set forth in this prospectus supplement differs from the information set forth in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information set forth in this prospectus supplement.  Similarly, if the information set forth in this prospectus supplement differs from the information contained in any document incorporated by reference that was filed prior to the date of this prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information set forth in this prospectus supplement.

You should not consider any information in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus to be investment, legal or tax advice. You should consult your own counsel, accountant and other advisors for legal, tax, business, financial and related advice regarding the purchase of shares of our common stock. We are not making any representation to you regarding the legality of an investment in the shares of our common stock by you under applicable investment or similar laws.

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any free writing prospectus filed by us with the SEC. This prospectus supplement may be used only for the purpose for which it has been prepared.  No one is authorized to give information other than that contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus filed by us with the SEC and the documents referred to in this prospectus supplement and which are made available to the public. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.

We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus filed by us with the SEC or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the applicable document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date. Neither this prospectus supplement nor the accompanying prospectus constitutes an offer, or an invitation on our behalf or on behalf of the underwriters, to subscribe for and purchase, any of the securities and may not be used for or in connection with an offer or solicitation by anyone, in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation.

All references in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to "Customers Bancorp," "Customers," the "company," "we," "us," "our," or similar references refer to Customers Bancorp, Inc., and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, except where the context otherwise requires or as otherwise indicated.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein contain forward-looking information within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or future predictions, including events or predictions relating to future financial performance, and are generally identifiable by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "plan," "intend," or "anticipate" or the negative thereof or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statement in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein include, among other matters, guidance for our financial performance, our two-year financial performance targets, the future financial performance, prospects and goals for our BankMobile division, and the timing for when BankMobile is expected to achieve profitability.  Forward-looking statements reflect numerous assumptions, estimates and forecasts as to future events. No assurance can be given that the assumptions, estimates and forecasts underlying such forward-looking statements will accurately reflect future conditions, or that any guidance, goals, targets or projected results will be realized. The assumptions, estimates and forecasts underlying such forward-looking statements involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive, regulatory and financial market conditions and future business decisions, which may not be realized and which are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and known and unknown risks, including the risks described under "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our filings with the SEC.  Our actual results may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.

In addition to the risks described under "Risk Factors" in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the reports we file with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, important factors to consider and evaluate with respect to such forward-looking statements include:

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, or, in the case of other documents referred to herein, the dates of those documents. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly or otherwise provide any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable law.

 

 

 

RISK FACTORS

An investment in common stock involves substantial risks. In consultation with your own advisers, you should carefully consider, among other matters, the factors set forth below and in the accompanying prospectus as well as the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus before deciding whether an investment in our common stock is suitable for you. In particular, you should carefully consider, among other things, the factors described under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, which are incorporated herein by reference, and any reports we file with the SEC in the future, which may amend, supplement or supersede those factors. If any of the risks contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus develop into actual events, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected, the market price of the common stock could decline and you may lose all or part of your investment. Some statements in this prospectus supplement, including statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. See the "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" sections in this prospectus supplement and in the accompanying prospectus.

Risks Related to Our Business

We face a number of risks relating to our future plans with respect to BankMobile.

We have indicated that we intend to sell the BankMobile business, including the Disbursement business.  Our ability to complete the sale of BankMobile will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions, the terms and conditions of any proposals we receive, the securing of any required regulatory or other approvals in connection with the transaction, and other factors.  Some of these factors are not within our control.  We cannot assure you that we will succeed in the sale of BankMobile on terms that are favorable to Customers and our shareholders or at all.  In addition, developments with respect to the factors described above, factors that may impact the value of BankMobile, or the unwillingness of potential acquirors to pay what the board of directors believes to be an acceptable price may result in the board of directors consideration of other strategic alternatives for maximizing the value of BankMobile to Customers' shareholders.

Our announcement of our plan to sell BankMobile and steps we take to implement a sale may adversely affect our business and the value of Customers and/or BankMobile.  In addition, uncertainty as to the timing, form and terms of any disposition transaction may adversely affect analyst and shareholder views as to the value of the BankMobile business, which could adversely affect our share price. These uncertainties also may adversely impact our relationships with our current and potential higher education institutions customers and our BankMobile employees, and could result in the loss of customers and key employees. Further, our pursuit of the sale of BankMobile may result in the diversion of management's attention from the integration of the Disbursement business into BankMobile, the operation of the BankMobile segment and Customers' day-to-day operations generally.  We may incur significant expenses in connection with our pursuit of the sale of BankMobile, and these expenses may not yield a discernible benefit if we do not complete a transaction on favorable terms or at all.

As we have previously disclosed, our business and future success may suffer if we are unable to remain under $10 billion in total assets as of December 31 of each year before we sell or otherwise dispose of the BankMobile business, including the Disbursement business.  If we are unable to complete the sale of BankMobile before exceeding the $10 billion total asset threshold, we would experience a significant reduction in BankMobile interchange fee income and BankMobile would operate unprofitably unless we were able to generate additional fees to replace the lost interchange fee revenue. As a result, our inability to complete the sale of BankMobile in a timely manner could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

For a discussion of additional risks applicable to our business and operations, please refer to the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and Part II, Item IA of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, and the other reports we have filed or may in the future file with the SEC, which may amend, supplement or supersede the information contained in those "Risk Factors" sections, each of which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

Risks Related to this Offering and our Common Stock

We have broad discretion in using the net proceeds from this offering and may use the proceeds in ways with which you may not agree and in ways that may not enhance our operating results or the value of our common stock.

 

Our management will retain broad discretion over the net proceeds we receive from this offering, and we may ultimately use the proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our common stock or otherwise in ways with which you do not agree. If we do not invest or apply the proceeds of this offering effectively and on a timely basis, it could have a material adverse effect on our business and could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

We may issue additional shares of common stock, preferred stock or other equity, debt or derivative securities in the future, which could adversely affect the value or voting power of your shares of common stock.

We are generally able to offer shares of our common stock or preferred stock by action of our board of directors without further shareholder approval.  In addition, our board of directors has authority to issue senior and subordinated debt without further shareholder approval. These securities may be issued in a variety of circumstances and for a variety of purposes, for cash, services or as full or partial consideration in connection with acquisitions of assets or businesses.  Future issuances may result in the dilution of the value and/or voting power of the shares of our common stock you purchase in this offering, and could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

General market conditions and unpredictable factors could adversely affect market prices for the common stock.

There can be no assurance about the market prices for the common stock. A variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control, could influence the market price of the common stock, including:

Accordingly, the shares of our common stock that an investor purchases, whether in this offering or in the secondary market, may trade at prices less than the investor paid for such shares, and their value may fluctuate significantly.

We are a holding company and depend on our subsidiaries for dividends, distributions and other payments.

Customers Bancorp, Inc. is a legal entity separate and distinct from our banking and other subsidiaries. Our principal source of cash flow, including cash flow to pay dividends to our shareholders and to pay principal of and interest on our outstanding debt, is dividends from our banking subsidiary, Customers Bank. Various federal and state statutes, regulations and rules limit, directly or indirectly, the amount of dividends that our banking and other subsidiaries may pay to us without regulatory approval. In particular, dividend and other distributions from Customers Bank to us would require notice to or approval of the applicable regulatory authority. There can be no assurances that we would receive such approval.

In addition, the Federal Reserve and the FDIC have the authority to prohibit or to limit the payment of dividends by a banking organization under its jurisdiction if, in the regulator's opinion, the organization is engaged in or is about to engage in an unsafe or unsound practice.  Depending on the financial condition of Customers Bank, we may be deemed to be engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice if Customers Bank were to pay dividends. Federal Reserve policy generally requires insured banks only to pay dividends out of current operating earnings.

Payment of dividends could also be subject to regulatory limitations if Customers Bank became "under-capitalized" for purposes of the "prompt corrective action" regulations of the federal bank regulatory agencies.  See "Item 1, Business—Supervision and Regulation" in Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 for more information relating to federal and state regulations and rules that may limit the payment of dividends.

No assurances can be given that Customers Bank will, in any circumstances, pay dividends to us. If Customers Bank fails to make dividend payments to us, and sufficient cash or liquidity is not otherwise available, we may not be able to make dividend payments to our common and preferred shareholders or principal and interest payments on our outstanding debt.

 

In addition, our right to participate in any distribution of assets of any of our subsidiaries upon the subsidiary's liquidation or otherwise, and thus your ability as a holder of shares of common stock to benefit indirectly from such distribution, will be subject to the prior claims of preferred equity holders and 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, shares of common stock are effectively subordinated to all existing and future liabilities and any preferred equity of our subsidiaries. As of September 30, 2016, Customers Bank's total deposits and borrowings were approximately $7.5 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively. Our subsidiaries may incur additional debt and other liabilities and issue preferred stock in the future.

Holders of our outstanding shares of preferred stock have, and holders of any future outstanding shares of preferred stock will have, liquidation, dividend and other rights that are senior to the rights of the holders of our common stock, including the common stock.

We have issued shares of Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C, Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D, Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E and Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series F, which we refer to collectively as the Series Preferred Stock.  The Series Preferred Stock has priority over shares of our common stock in the payment of dividends and, upon our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, would be entitled to receive payment before any liquidation payment is made to holders of our common stock.  Our board of directors also has the ability to designate and issue additional shares of preferred stock with liquidation, dividend and other rights that are senior to those of our common stock.  Any payments owed and paid to holders of Series Preferred Stock and other preferred stock that we may issue would reduce the remaining amount of our assets, if any, available for distribution to holders of our common stock.

Our ability to declare and pay dividends is subject to statutory and regulatory prohibitions and other restrictions.

We are subject to statutory and regulatory prohibitions and other limitations on our ability to declare and pay dividends on stock, including our common stock. In particular, under the Federal Reserve's capital rules, dividends on our common stock may only be paid out of our net income, retained earnings or surplus related to other additional Tier 1 capital instruments. The Federal Reserve's capital rules also include a capital conservation buffer, which is currently being phased in from January 1, 2016 through January 1, 2019. The buffer can only be satisfied with common equity Tier 1 capital. If our risk-based capital ratios do not satisfy minimum requirements plus the buffer amount, we will face graduated constraints on, among other things, capital distributions (including paying dividends on the common stock) based on the amount of the shortfall. In addition, current and future regulatory capital initiatives could require us to hold greater amounts of capital, which could adversely affect our ability to pay dividends or may result in additional prohibitions and other limitations on our ability to pay dividends on the common stock.

An investment in our common stock is not an FDIC insured deposit.

The shares of our common stock are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any of our bank or non-bank subsidiaries and are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other governmental agency or instrumentality. Your investment will be subject to investment risk and you may experience loss with respect to your investment

USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that net proceeds to us from the sale of the common stock in this offering will be approximately $          , or approximately $           if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock from us in full, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We expect to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include working capital and the funding of organic growth at Customers Bank. We have not identified the amounts we will spend on any specific purpose. Accordingly, we will retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds.

DIVIDEND POLICY

We have not historically declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock, and we do not expect to do so in the near future. We have followed and presently intend to continue following a policy of retaining earnings, if any, to fund our growth and the growth of our subsidiaries and to maintain our capital adequacy. Any future determination relating to our dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on a number of factors, including our earnings and financial condition, liquidity and capital requirements, the general economic and regulatory climate, our ability to service any equity or debt obligations senior to our common stock, and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors.  In addition, shares of our Series Preferred Stock have priority over our common stock, among other preferences, in the payment of cash dividends.  Other factors that affect our ability to declare and pay dividends on our common stock are discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of this prospectus supplement.

CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of June 30, 2016 (i) on an actual basis, (ii) on a pro forma basis to reflect (a) the issuance of 3,400,000 shares of our Series F Preferred Stock in September 2016 and (b) the issuance of 219,386 shares of our common stock subsequent to June 30, 2016 in an "at-the-market offering" and (iii) on a pro forma as adjusted basis to give effect to the issuance of the common stock in this offering at a public offering price of $     per share and the application of the net proceeds as described in "Use of Proceeds." You should read this table in conjunction with "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and our consolidated financial statements and related notes to those statements, incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

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(1) Net proceeds to Customers Bancorp, after underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-UNITED STATES HOLDERS

The following summary describes the material United States federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our common stock acquired in this offering by non-United States holders (as defined below).

It is not a complete analysis of all the potential tax considerations relating to the common stock. This summary is based upon the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations under the Code, and administrative and judicial interpretations, all as currently in effect. These authorities are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. We have not sought, and will not seek, any ruling from the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), or any opinion of counsel with respect to the tax considerations discussed herein, and there can be no assurance that the IRS will not take a position contrary to the tax considerations discussed below or that any position taken by the IRS would not be sustained.

This summary is limited to beneficial owners of common stock that will hold shares of common stock as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code for United States federal income tax purposes. This summary does not address the tax considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state or local jurisdiction. In addition, this discussion does not address all United States federal income tax considerations that may be applicable to holders' particular circumstances or to holders that may be subject to special tax rules, such as, for example:

If an entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes holds common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are an entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes that will hold common stock or a partner of such a partnership, you are urged to consult your own tax advisor regarding the tax consequences to you of holding common stock.

  

This summary of certain United States federal income tax considerations is for general information only and is not tax advice. You are urged to consult your own tax advisor with respect to the application of United States federal income tax laws to your particular situation as well as any tax considerations arising under other United States federal tax laws (such as the estate or gift tax laws) or under the laws of any state, local, foreign or other taxing jurisdiction or under any applicable tax treaty.

 

You are a "non-United States holder" if you are the beneficial owner of common stock that is an individual, corporation, estate or trust and that is not a United States Holder. A "United States Holder" means a beneficial owner of our common stock that is for United States federal income tax purposes (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if it (a) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the U.S. and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) has a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.

Dividends

Distributions to a non-United States holder with respect to common stock will be treated as dividends to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under United States federal income tax principles, as of the end of the taxable year of the distribution. To the extent that the amount of a distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, it will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital that will be applied against and reduce (but not below zero) the non-United States holder's adjusted tax basis in the common stock. Any remaining excess will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of the common stock and will be treated as described under "Taxation of Capital Gain on Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock" below.

 

Dividends that are effectively connected with a non-United States holder's conduct of a trade or business in the United States, and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by the non-United States holder in the United States, are subject to United States federal income tax on a net income basis at the U.S. federal income tax rates generally applicable to a United States person, and are not subject to withholding of United States federal income tax, provided that the non-United States holder establishes an exemption from such withholding by complying with certain certification and disclosure requirements. Any such effectively connected dividends (and, if required, dividends attributable to a United States permanent establishment or fixed base) received by a non-United States holder that is treated as a foreign corporation for United States federal income tax purposes may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate, or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.

Taxation of Capital Gain on Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock

Any gain recognized by a non-United States holder on a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of common stock generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax, unless: (i) the gain is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business of the non-United States holder in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base in the United States of the non-United States holder), (ii) the non-United States holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of that disposition, and certain other conditions are met, or (iii) we are or have been a "United States real property holding corporation," or USRPHC, for United States federal income tax purposes and the non-United States holder is not eligible for an exemption under an applicable income tax treaty. However, even if we are a USRPHC, the non-United States holder generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax, if (x) our common stock are regularly traded on an established securities market and (y) the non-United States holder did not hold, directly or constructively, at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of disposition and the period that the non-United States holder held the common stock, more than 5% of the common stock. We believe that we have not been, are not currently, and, although there can be no assurance, do not anticipate becoming a USRPHC for United States federal income tax purposes.

 

 

  

Any gain recognized by a non-United States holder that is described in clause (i) of the preceding paragraph generally will be subject to tax at the United States federal income tax rates generally applicable to a United States person, and such non-United States holder will be required to file a United States tax return. Such non-United States holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of these rules. Any gain of a non-United States holder classified as a foreign corporation for United States federal income tax purposes that is described in clause (i) above may also be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate, or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. An individual non-United States holder that is described in clause (ii) of the preceding paragraph generally will be subject to a flat 30% tax (or a lower applicable tax treaty rate) on the United States-source capital gain derived from the disposition, which may be offset by United States source capital losses during the taxable year of the disposition.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

We generally must report annually to the IRS and to each non-United States holder of our common stock the amount of dividends paid to such non-United States holder and the tax, if any, withheld with respect to those dividends. Copies of the information returns reporting those dividends and withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-United States holder is a resident under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty or agreement. Information reporting is also generally required with respect to the proceeds from sales and other dispositions of the common stock to or through the United States office (and in certain cases, the foreign office) of a broker.

Under some circumstances, Treasury Regulations require backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax, currently at a rate of 28%, on reportable payments with respect to our common stock. A non-United States holder generally may eliminate the requirement for information reporting (other than in respect to dividends, as described above) and backup withholding by providing certification of its foreign status, under penalties of perjury, on a duly executed applicable IRS Form W-8 or by otherwise establishing an exemption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding and information reporting may apply if either we or our paying agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that a non-United States holder is a United States person. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the amount of any backup withholding will be allowed as a credit against a non-United States holder's United States federal income tax liability, if any, and may entitle such non-United States holder to a refund, provided that certain required information is timely furnished to the IRS. Non-United States holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of backup withholding and the availability of and procedure for obtaining an exemption from backup withholding in their particular circumstances.

Federal Estate Tax

The common stock owned by an individual who is not a citizen or resident of the United States (as specially defined for United States federal estate tax purposes) at the time of death generally will be included in such person's gross estate for United States federal estate tax purposes, unless an applicable estate tax treaty provides otherwise.

Additional FATCA Withholding

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act provisions of the Code, generally referred to as FATCA, impose a United States federal withholding tax of 30% on certain payments to "foreign financial institutions" (which are broadly defined for this purpose and generally include investment vehicles) and certain non-financial foreign entities unless various United States information reporting and due diligence requirements (generally relating to ownership by U.S. persons of certain interests in or accounts with those entities) have been satisfied. In general, no such withholding will be required with respect to a United States person or non-United States individual that timely provides a tax certification on a valid IRS Form W-9 or W-8, respectively. Under final Treasury Regulations and other IRS guidance, these rules generally apply to dividends paid on the common stock and to gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the common stock, but only in the case of sales or dispositions occurring on or after January 1, 2019. Prospective non-United States holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the implications of FATCA on their investment in our common stock.

The discussion of United States federal income tax considerations set forth above is included for general information only and may not be applicable depending upon a holder's particular situation. Prospective purchasers of common stock are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences to them of the purchase, ownership and disposition of common stock, including the tax consequences under state, local, estate, foreign and other tax laws and the possible effects of changes in United States or other tax laws.

UNDERWRITING

Commissions and Expenses

The following table provides information regarding the amount of the underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters.

Stabilization

Lock Up Agreements

We and our current directors and executive officers have agreed, subject to specified exceptions, that, without the prior written consent of FBR, we will not, during the period ending 60 days after the date of this prospectus supplement:

These restrictions terminate after the close of trading of the common stock on and including the 60th day after the date of this prospectus supplement. However, subject to certain exceptions, in the event that either:

in which case the restrictions described in the preceding paragraph will continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.

This prospectus supplement may be made available in electronic format on Internet sites or through other online services maintained by the underwriters or their respective affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and may be allowed to place orders online. Other than this prospectus supplement in electronic format, any information on the underwriters or their respective affiliates' websites and any information contained in any other website maintained by the underwriters or any of their respective affiliates is not part of this prospectus supplement or the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters and should not be relied upon by investors.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the EEA

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a "Relevant Member State"), from and including the date on which the European Union Prospectus Directive (the "EU Prospectus Directive") was implemented in that Relevant Member State (the "Relevant Implementation Date") an offer of securities described in this prospectus supplement may not be made to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the EU Prospectus Directive, except that, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, an offer of securities described in this prospectus supplement may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

Notice to Prospective Investors in Germany

Any offer or solicitation of securities within Germany must be in full compliance with the German Securities Prospectus Act (Wertpapierprospektgesetz—WpPG). The offer and solicitation of securities to the public in Germany requires the publication of a prospectus that has to be filed with and approved by the German Federal Financial Services Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht—BaFin). This prospectus supplement has not been and will not be submitted for filing and approval to the BaFin and, consequently, will not be published. Therefore, this prospectus supplement does not constitute a public offer under the German Securities Prospectus Act (Wertpapierprospektgesetz). This prospectus supplement and any other document relating to our common stock, as well as any information contained therein, must therefore not be supplied to the public in Germany or used in connection with any offer for subscription of our common stock to the public in Germany, any public marketing of our common stock or any public solicitation for offers to subscribe for or otherwise acquire our common stock. This prospectus supplement and other offering materials relating to the offer of our common stock are strictly confidential and may not be distributed to any person or entity other than the designated recipients hereof.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

Relationships

VALIDITY OF SECURITIES

The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Duane Morris LLP, Newark, New Jersey.

EXPERTS

Our audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and for each of the three  years in the period ended December 31, 2015,  and management's assessment of effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015 incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement have been so  incorporated in reliance upon the reports of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The abbreviated Statement of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed as of June 15, 2016 and the abbreviated Statements of Revenues and Direct Expenses for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 relating to the Disbursement business of Higher One, Inc. and Higher One Holdings, Inc., appearing in our amended Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated August 5, 2016 and incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated herein by reference, given on the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information that we file with the SEC, 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 supplement and the accompanying prospectus. These documents may include periodic reports, such as our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and definitive Proxy Statements. Any documents that we subsequently file with the SEC will automatically update and replace the information we previously filed with the SEC. Therefore, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information set forth in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later.

This prospectus supplement incorporates by reference the documents listed below that we previously have filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules):

We are also incorporating by reference all other documents that we subsequently file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (other than, in each case, information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules), prior to the termination of this offering.

 

You may obtain a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus (other than an exhibit to a document unless that exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference into that document) from the SEC on its web site at http://www.sec.gov. You also may obtain these documents from us without charge by visiting our web site at http://www.customersbank.com or by requesting them from Robert E. Wahlman, Corporate Secretary, Customers Bancorp, Inc., 1015 Penn Avenue, Suite 103, Wyomissing, PA 19610; telephone (610) 933-2000.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy these reports, proxy statements and other information that we file with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. You can request copies of these documents by writing to the SEC and paying a fee for the copying costs. Our SEC filings are also available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, which contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. In addition, we maintain a website that contains information about us at http://www.customersbank.com. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC.

We have also filed a registration statement (No. 333-209760) with the SEC relating to the securities offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are parts of the registration statement. You may obtain from the SEC a copy of the registration statement and exhibits that we filed with the SEC when we registered our common stock. The registration statement may contain additional information that may be important to you.

 

 

2,600,000 Shares

Common Stock

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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

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These securities are not savings accounts or deposits and are not federally insured or guaranteed.

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            , 2016