Form 8-K

 

 

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): September 30, 2015

 

 

 

LOGO

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Ohio

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

001-33653   31-0854434

(Commission

File Number)

  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

Fifth Third Center  
38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio   45263
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

(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):

 

  ¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

  ¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 

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 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,” “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 amended from time to time by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. 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.

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) general economic conditions and weakening in the economy, specifically the real estate market, either nationally or in the states in which Fifth Third, one or more acquired entities and/or the combined company do business, are less favorable than expected; (2) deteriorating credit quality; (3) political developments, wars or other hostilities may disrupt or increase volatility in securities markets or other economic conditions; (4) changes in the interest rate environment reduce interest margins; (5) prepayment speeds, loan origination and sale volumes, charge-offs and loan loss provisions; (6) Fifth Third’s ability to maintain required capital levels and adequate sources of funding and liquidity; (7) maintaining capital requirements and adequate sources of funding and liquidity may limit Fifth Third’s operations and potential growth; (8) changes and trends in capital markets; (9) problems encountered by larger or similar financial institutions may adversely affect the banking industry and/or Fifth Third; (10) competitive pressures among depository institutions increase significantly; (11) effects of critical accounting policies and judgments; (12) changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) or other regulatory agencies; (13) legislative or regulatory changes or actions, or significant litigation, adversely affect Fifth Third, one or more acquired entities and/or the combined company or the businesses in which Fifth Third, one or more acquired entities and/or the combined company are engaged, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; (14) ability to maintain favorable ratings from rating agencies; (15) fluctuation of Fifth Third’s stock price; (16) ability to attract and retain key personnel; (17) ability to receive dividends from its subsidiaries; (18) potentially dilutive effect of future acquisitions on current shareholders’ ownership of Fifth Third; (19) effects of accounting or financial results of one or more acquired entities; (20) difficulties from Fifth Third’s investment in, relationship with, and nature of the operations of Vantiv, LLC; (21) loss of income from any sale or potential sale of businesses that could have an adverse effect on Fifth Third’s earnings

and future growth; (22) difficulties in separating the operations of any branches or other assets divested; (23) inability to achieve expected benefits from branch consolidations and planned sales within desired timeframes, if at all; (24) ability to secure confidential information and deliver products and services through the use of computer systems and telecommunications networks; and (25) the impact of reputational risk created by these developments on such matters as business generation and retention, funding and liquidity.

You should refer to our periodic and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or “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. Copies of those filings are available at no cost on the SEC’s Web site at www.sec.gov or on our Web site at www.53.com. We undertake no obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report.

 

Item 8.01 Other Events.

As we have previously disclosed, Fifth Third Bancorp (we or the “Company”) has been cooperating with the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD” and together with the DOJ, the “Government”) in civil investigations in which Fifth Third made a voluntary disclosure of approximately 1,400 mortgages that it had previously certified as eligible for Federal Housing Administration insurance which were later determined to be ineligible for such insurance. As a result of the Company’s cooperation, on September 30, 2015, we entered into a Stipulation and Order of Settlement and Dismissal with the Government (the “Dismissal”) and a Settlement Agreement with HUD (the “HUD Settlement”) which was approved by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on October 5, 2015. As part of the Dismissal and HUD Settlement, we have agreed to pay approximately $85 million to the Government to cover losses on approximately 500 of the loans for which HUD had paid insurance claims and an additional $2 million to HUD, which together are within the amount that the Company had included in its reserves for this matter. The Company has also agreed to indemnify HUD for any losses related to approximately 900 loans which have not been the subject of mortgage insurance claims. The Company also reformed its business practices and terminated the employment of responsible employees. Copies of the HUD Settlement and the Dismissal are attached as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference. The description of the settlement set forth above does not purport to be complete and is qualified by reference to the full text of the HUD Settlement and the Dismissal.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

Exhibit 99.1    Settlement Agreement entered into on September 30, 2015, between the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and Fifth Third Bancorp and its subsidiaries
Exhibit 99.2    Stipulation and Order of Settlement and Dismissal entered into on September 30, 2015, by and among plaintiff the United States of America and on behalf of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration and Fifth Third Bancorp and its subsidiaries (excluding exhibits)

Fifth Third will furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted exhibits to the Commission upon request.

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.

 

    FIFTH THIRD BANCORP
    (Registrant)
October 6, 2015    

/s/ HEATHER RUSSELL KOENIG

    Heather Russell Koenig
    Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Board Secretary