Edgar Filing: OCEANFIRST FINANCIAL CORP

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

Smaller Reporting Company

Form S-3

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 2, 2016

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

OceanFirst Financial Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

22-3412577

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

975 Hooper Avenue

Toms River, NJ 08753

(732) 240-4500

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Christopher D. Maher

President and Chief Executive Officer

OceanFirst Financial Corp.

975 Hooper Avenue

Toms River, NJ 08753

(732) 240-4500

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number including area code, of agent for service)

Please send copies of all notices, orders and communications to:

Steven J. Tsimbinos, Esq.

OceanFirst Financial Corp.

975 Hooper Avenue

Toms River, New Jersey 08753

Phone: (732) 240-4500

and

Robert A. Schwartz, Esq.

Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP

120 Albany Street Plaza, FL 6

New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ¨

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: x

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be Registered (1)(2)	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit (1)(2)	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price (1)(2)(3)	Amount of Registration Fee (4)
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (5)(6)
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share(5)
Warrants
Debt Securities(5)(7)
Depositary Shares(5)(8)
Units(9)
Total:			$150,000,000	$15,105.00

(1)

The amount to be registered and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price per unit are not specified as to each class of securities to be registered pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The securities covered by this Registration Statement may be sold or otherwise distributed separately or together with any other securities covered by this Registration Statement.

(2)

Such indeterminate principal amount, liquidation amount or number of each identified class of securities may from time to time be issued at indeterminate prices. The aggregate maximum offering price of all securities issued by OceanFirst Financial Corp. pursuant to this Registration Statement shall not exceed $150,000,000 in U.S. dollars or the equivalent at the time of offering in any other currency. Also includes such indeterminate principal amount, liquidation amount or number of identified classes of securities as may be issued upon conversion or exchange of any debt securities, preferred stock or warrants that provide for conversion or exchange into other securities. No separate consideration will be received for such securities that are issued upon exchange or conversion of debt securities, preferred stock or warrants.

(3)	Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee under Rule 457 under the Securities Act.

(4)	Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act.

(5)	Shares of preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock may be issuable upon conversion of debt securities registered hereunder. No separate consideration will be received for such preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock.

(6)	Shares of common stock may be issuable upon conversion of shares of preferred stock registered hereunder. No separate consideration will be received for such shares of common stock

(7)	If any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount, then such greater amount as may be sold for an initial aggregate offering price up to the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.

(8)

In the event that OceanFirst Financial Corp. elects to offer to the public fractional interests in shares of preferred stock registered hereunder, depositary shares, evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to a deposit agreement, will be distributed to those persons purchasing such fractional interests, and the shares of preferred stock will be issued to the depositary under any such agreement.

(9)	Each unit will be issued under a unit agreement or indenture and will represent an interest in two or more securities, which may or may not be separable from one another.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

PROSPECTUS

OCEANFIRST FINANCIAL CORP.

$150,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Debt Securities

Depositary Shares

Units

OceanFirst Financial Corp. may offer, issue and sell from time to time, together or separately, in one or more offerings, any combination of (i) our common stock, (ii) our preferred stock, which we may issue in one or more series, (iii) warrants, (iv) senior or subordinated debt securities, (v) depositary shares and (vi) units, up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $150,000,000. The debt securities may consist of debentures, notes, or other types of debt. The debt securities, preferred stock and warrants may be convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, common or preferred stock or other securities of ours. The preferred stock may be represented by depositary shares. The units may consist of any combination of the securities listed above.

We may offer and sell these securities in amounts, at prices and on terms determined at the time of the offering. We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement, as well as the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus, carefully before you make your investment decision. Our common stock is quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol “OCFC.” On September 1, 2016, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System was $19.72 per share. You are urged to obtain current market quotations of the common stock. Each prospectus supplement will indicate if the securities offered thereby will be listed on any securities exchange.

This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

We may offer to sell these securities on a continuous or delayed basis, through agents, dealers or underwriters, or directly to purchasers. The prospectus supplement for each offering of securities will describe in detail the plan of distribution for that offering. If our agents or any dealers or underwriters are involved in the sale of the securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the names of the agents, dealers or underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts. Our net proceeds from the sale of securities will also be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. For general information about the distribution of securities offered, please see “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus.

Investing in these securities involves substantial risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 6 herein and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference herein, updated and supplemented by our periodic reports and other information filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission and incorporated by reference herein. The prospectus supplement applicable to each type or series of securities we offer may contain a discussion of additional risks applicable to an investment in us and the particular type of securities we are offering under that prospectus supplement.

NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR REGULATORY BODY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

THE SECURITIES ARE NOT SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF OUR BANK AND NON-BANK SUBSIDIARIES AND ARE NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY.

The date of this prospectus is , 2016.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			3

THE COMPANY			4

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			6

RISK FACTORS			6

RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS			7

USE OF PROCEEDS			7

DESCRIPTIONS OF SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER			8

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK			8

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK			11

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS			13

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			15

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES			26

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS			29

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			30

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE			33

LEGAL MATTERS			34

EXPERTS			34

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			35

We have not authorized any person to give any information or make any statement that differs from what is in this prospectus. If any person does make a statement that differs from what is in this prospectus, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell, nor is it a solicitation of an offer to buy, these securities in any state in which the offer or sale is not permitted. The information in this prospectus is complete and accurate as of its date, but the information may change after that date. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any date after its date.

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell any combination of common stock, preferred stock, warrants, debt securities, depositary shares and units in one or more offerings.

The registration statement containing this prospectus, including the exhibits to the registration statement, provides additional information about us and the securities offered under this prospectus. You should read the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits for further information. The registration statement, including the exhibits and the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated herein by reference, can be read and are available to the public on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov or at the SEC offices as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 37.

Each time we sell securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of a particular offering by us. That prospectus supplement may include a discussion of any risk factors or other special considerations that apply to those securities. The prospectus supplement may add, update or change information in this prospectus. If the information in the prospectus is inconsistent with a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and, if applicable, any prospectus supplement. See “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 37 for more information.

Neither we nor any underwriters or agents have authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. This prospectus and any prospectus supplement do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus and any prospectus supplement constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of such document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any prospectus supplement is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.

Unless this prospectus indicates otherwise or the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “our,” “us,” “OceanFirst,” “OceanFirst Financial” or the “Company” as used in this prospectus refer to OceanFirst Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries, including OceanFirst Bank, which we sometimes refer to as the “Bank,” except that such terms refer to only OceanFirst Financial Corp and not its subsidiaries in the sections entitled “Description of Common Stock,” “Description of Preferred Stock,” “Description of Warrants,” “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Depositary Shares” and “Description of Units.”

THE COMPANY

General

OceanFirst Financial Corp. (the “Company”) is incorporated under Delaware law and serves as the holding company for OceanFirst Bank (the “Bank”). At June 30, 2016, the Company had consolidated total assets of $4.05 billion and total stockholders’ equity of $409 million. The Company is a savings and loan holding company subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “FRB”) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Bank is subject to regulation and supervision by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). Currently, the Company does not transact any material business other than through its subsidiary, the Bank.

The Company has been the holding company for the Bank since it acquired the stock of the Bank upon the Bank’s conversion from a federally-chartered mutual savings bank to a federally-chartered capital stock savings bank in 1996 (the “Conversion”). The Bank’s principal business has been and continues to be attracting retail and business deposits in the communities surrounding its branch offices and investing those deposits primarily in loans, consisting of commercial real estate and other commercial loans which have become a key focus of the Bank and single-family, owner-occupied residential mortgage loans. The Bank also invests in other types of loans, including residential construction and consumer loans. In addition, the Bank invests in mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”), securities issued by the U.S. Government and agencies thereof, corporate securities and other investments permitted by applicable law and regulations. The Bank’s revenues are derived principally from interest on its loans, and to a lesser extent, interest on its investment and mortgage-backed securities. The Bank also receives income from fees and service charges on loan and deposit products and wealth management services, Bankcard services and the sale of alternative investment products, e.g., mutual funds, annuities and life insurance. The Bank’s primary sources of funds are deposits, principal and interest payments on loans, investments and mortgage-backed securities, investment maturities, proceeds from the sale of loans, Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) advances and other borrowings.

Our principal executive offices are located at 975 Hooper Avenue, Toms River, New Jersey 08753 and our telephone number is (732) 240-4500. Our website address is www.oceanfirst.com. Information on our website shall not be deemed part of this prospectus. Additional information about us and our subsidiaries Is included in the documents incorporate by reference in this prospectus under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Market Area and Competition

The Bank is a community-oriented financial institution, offering a wide variety of financial services to meet the needs of the communities it serves. The Bank conducts its business through its headquarters located in Toms River, New Jersey, and, with the consummation of our acquisition of Cape Bancorp, Inc. (“Cape”), fifty branch offices located throughout central and southern New Jersey. The Bank also operates a wealth management office in Manchester, New Jersey and two deposit production offices, one in Freehold, New Jersey and one that opened in the fourth quarter of 2015 in Lakewood, New Jersey. A commercial loan production office was opened in Mercer County in the first quarter of 2015 to better serve the broader central New Jersey market area. The Bank’s deposit gathering and lending activities are concentrated in the markets surrounding its branch office network.

The Bank is the largest and oldest community-based financial institution headquartered in Ocean County, New Jersey, which is located along the central New Jersey shore. The economy in the Bank’s primary market area, which represents the broader central New Jersey market, is based upon a mixture of service and retail trade. Other employment is provided by a variety of wholesale trade, manufacturing, Federal, state and local government, hospitals and utilities. The area is also home to commuters working in areas in and around New York City and Philadelphia.

The Bank’s future growth opportunities will be partly influenced by the growth and stability of the local economy and the competitive environment. The Bank faces significant competition both in making loans and in attracting deposits. The state of New Jersey is an attractive market to many financial institutions. Many of the Bank’s competitors are branches of significantly larger institutions headquartered out-of-market which have greater financial resources than the Bank. The Bank’s competition for loans comes principally from commercial banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, mortgage banking companies, internet-based providers and insurance companies. Its most direct competition for deposits has historically come from commercial banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations and credit unions although the Bank also faces competition for deposits from short-term money market funds, other corporate and government securities funds, internet-only providers and from other financial service institutions such as brokerage firms and insurance companies. The Bank distinguishes itself from large banking competitors through its local presence and ability to deliver personalized service.

Acquisitions

On July 31, 2015, the Bank executed an agreement to purchase an existing retail branch with total deposits of $24.6 million and core deposits (all deposits except time deposits) of $20.2 million located in the Toms River market. The purchase closed and the branch was successfully integrated into the Bank on March 11, 2016.

On May 2, 2016, the Company completed its acquisition of Cape, which after purchase accounting adjustments added $1.5 billion to assets, $1.2 billion to loans, and $1.2 billion to deposits. Total consideration paid for Cape was $196.4 million, including cash consideration of $30.5 million. Cape was merged with and into the Company’s subsidiary, OceanFirst Bank, as of the date of acquisition.

Cape was a New Jersey chartered savings bank originally founded in 1923. Cape had full-service banking offices located in southern New Jersey and three loan offices serving Burlington, Cape May and Atlantic counties New Jersey and two loan offices servicing the eastern Pennsylvania marketplace.

On July 12, 2016, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Ocean Shore Holding Co. (“Ocean Shore”), the parent company of Ocean City Home Bank, and Masters Merger Sub Corp. (“Merger Sub”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will merge (the “First-Step Merger”) with and into Ocean Shore, with Ocean Shore as the surviving entity, and immediately following the effective time of the First-Step Merger, Ocean Shore will merge with and into the Company, with the Company as the surviving entity (together with the First-Step Merger, the “Integrated Mergers”). It is anticipated that immediately following the consummation of the Integrated Mergers, Ocean City Home Bank, a federal savings bank, will merge with and into the Bank, with the Bank as the surviving entity. Ocean City Home Bank is one of Southern New Jersey’s oldest and largest community banks with approximately $1.1 billion in total assets, $818 million in total deposits and $796 million in gross loans. Ocean Shore operates 11 full-service banking centers in Atlantic and Cape May Counties.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Any statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plans,” “projects,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expects,” “management believes,” “we believe,” “we intend” and similar words or phrases. Accordingly, these statements involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in them. Any forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the risk factors discussed in this prospectus or discussed in documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which change over time, and are based on management’s expectations and assumptions at the time the statements are made, and are not guarantees of future results. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or anticipated in the forward-looking statements for many reasons, including the factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, in any risk factors described in a supplement to this or in other filings.

You should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this prospectus or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should, however, review the factors and risks we describe in the reports we file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this prospectus. We undertake no obligation to revise or update the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus at any time.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves risks. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and in our updates to those Risk Factors in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q following the most recent Form 10-K, and in all other information appearing in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. The material risks and uncertainties that management believes affect us will be described in those documents. In addition to those risk factors, there may be additional risks and uncertainties of which management is not aware or focused on or that management deems immaterial. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. The trading price of our securities could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment. This prospectus is qualified in its entirety by these risk factors.

RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS

The following table sets forth our consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the years in the five-year period ended December 31, 2015 and for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2016 and 2015. No shares of our preferred stock were outstanding, and we did not pay dividends on preferred stock, during these periods. No shares of our preferred stock are currently outstanding. As a result, the ratios of earnings to fixed charges and preferred stock dividends are the same as the ratios of earnings to fixed charges for these periods.

Statement of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges


		Six Months ended June 30,				Year ended December 31,
		2016		2015		2015		2014		2013		2012		2011
						(dollars in thousands)
	Earnings:
1)	Income before income taxes	$	12,246	$	15,918	$	31,205	$	30,531	$	24,943	$	30,947	$	32,214
2)	Plus: Interest expense		5,641		4,179		9,034		7,505		9,628		14,103		18,060

3)	Earnings including interest on deposits		17,887		20,097		40,239		38,036		34,571		45,050		50,274
4)	Less: interest on deposits		3,042		1,922		4,301		4,103		4,709		7,547		10,401

5)	Earnings excluding interest on deposits	$	14,845	$	18,175	$	35,938	$	33,933	$	29,862	$	37,503	$	39,873
	Fixed charges:
6)	Interest expense (line 2)		5,641		4,179		9,034		7,505		9,628		14,103		18,060
7)	Less: interest expense on deposits (line 4)		3,042		1,922		4,301		4,103		4,709		7,547		10,401

8)	Excluding interest on deposits	$	2,599	$	2,257	$	4,733	$	3,402	$	4,919	$	6,556	$	7,659
	Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges:
	Including interest on deposits (item 3/item 6)		3.17		4.81		4.45		5.07		3.59		3.19		2.78
	Excluding interest on deposits (item 5/item 8)		5.71		8.05		7.59		9.97		6.07		5.72		5.21

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus used to offer specific securities, we expect to use the net proceeds from any offering of securities by us for general corporate purposes, which may include acquisitions, capital expenditures, investments, (investments in subsidiaries) and the repayment, redemption or refinancing of all or a portion of any indebtedness or other securities outstanding at a particular time. Pending the application of the net proceeds, we expect to invest the proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing instruments or other investment-grade securities.

DESCRIPTIONS OF SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

This prospectus contains summary descriptions of the common stock, preferred stock, warrants, debt securities, depositary shares and units that we may offer and sell from time to time. We may issue the debt securities as exchangeable and/or convertible debt securities exchangeable for or convertible into shares of common stock or preferred stock. The preferred stock may also be exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of common stock or another series of preferred stock. When one or more of these securities are offered in the future, a prospectus supplement will explain the particular terms of the securities and the extent to which these general provisions may apply. These summary descriptions and any summary descriptions in the applicable prospectus supplement do not purport to be complete descriptions of the terms and conditions of each security and are qualified in their entirety by reference to our certificate of incorporation, our by-laws and by applicable Delaware law and any other documents referenced in such summary descriptions and from which such summary descriptions are derived. If any particular terms of a security described in the applicable prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described herein, then the terms described herein will be deemed superseded by the terms set forth in that prospectus supplement.

We may issue securities in book-entry form through one or more depositaries, such as The Depository Trust Company, Euroclear or Clearstream, named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each sale of a security in book-entry form will settle in immediately available funds through the applicable depositary, unless otherwise stated. We will issue the securities only in registered form, without coupons, although we may issue the securities in bearer form if so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. If any securities are to be listed or quoted on a securities exchange or quotation system, the applicable prospectus supplement will say so.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

General

Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that we may issue up to 60,000,000 shares of capital stock, of which 55,000,000 shares are designated as common stock, par value $0.01, and 5,000,000 shares are designated as preferred stock, par value $0.01. The rights and privileges of holders of our common stock our subject to any preferences that our board of directors may set from time to time in one or more classes or series of preferred stock, with such designations, preferences, rights and limitations as the board shall determine. We may increase our authorized shares of capital stock subsequent to the date of this prospectus. As of June 30, 2016, there were 25,748,898 shares of our common stock outstanding and no shares of our preferred stock issued and outstanding. All outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “OCFC.”

The following is a summary of the terms of our common stock. This summary does not purport to be complete in all respects. This description is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our Certificate of Incorporation, our bylaws, and the Delaware General Corporation Law and other applicable provisions of Delaware law.

Dividend Rights

The Company is a legal entity separate and distinct from the Bank. Virtually all of the revenue of the Company available for payment of dividends on its capital stock will result from amounts paid to the Company by the Bank. All such dividends are subject to the requirements of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (“FDIA”) and the regulations of the OCC.

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Company is permitted to pay cash dividends provided that the payment does not leave us insolvent. However, as a savings and loan holding company, the Company is

subject to regulation and limitations on capital distributions imposed by the FRB. The FRB has issued a policy statement regarding the payment of dividends and the repurchase of shares of common stock by bank holding companies and savings and loan holding companies. In general, the policy provides that dividends should be paid only out of current earnings and only if the prospective rate of earnings retention by the holding company appears consistent with the organization’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. Regulatory guidance provides for prior regulatory review of capital distributions in certain circumstances such as where the company’s net income for the past four quarters, net of dividends previously paid over that period is insufficient to fully fund the dividend or the company’s overall rate of earnings retention is inconsistent with the company’s capital needs and overall financial condition. The ability of a holding company to pay dividends may be restricted if a subsidiary bank becomes undercapitalized. The policy statement also states that a holding company should inform the FRB supervisory staff prior to redeeming or repurchasing common stock or perpetual preferred stock if the holding company is experiencing financial weaknesses or if the repurchase or redemption would result in a net reduction, as of the end of the quarter, in the amount of such instruments outstanding compared with the beginning of the quarter in which the redemption or repurchase occurred. These regulatory policies may affect the ability of the Company to pay dividends, repurchase shares of common stock or otherwise engage in capital distributions.

The Bank’s ability to make capital distributions to the Company is limited by OCC regulation. OCC regulations impose limitations upon all capital distributions by a savings institution, including cash dividends, payments to repurchase its shares and payments to stockholders of another institution in a cash-out merger. Under the regulations, an application to and the approval of the OCC, is required prior to any capital distribution if the institution does not meet the criteria for “expedited treatment” of applications under the regulations (i.e., generally, examination ratings in the two top categories), the total capital distributions for the calendar year exceed net income for that year plus the amount of retained net income for the preceding two years, the institution would be undercapitalized following the distribution or the distribution would otherwise be contrary to a statute, regulation or agreement with the OCC. If an application is not required, the institution must still provide prior notice to the FRB of the capital distribution if, like the Bank, it is a subsidiary of a holding company. In the event the Bank’s capital fell below its regulatory requirements or the FRB or OCC notified it that it was in need of more than normal supervision, the Bank’s ability to make capital distributions could be restricted. In addition, the FRB or OCC could prohibit a proposed capital distribution by any institution, which would otherwise be permitted by the regulation, if the FRB or OCC determine that such distribution would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice

Voting Rights

Each outstanding share of our common stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders, except as otherwise required by law. The quorum for shareholders’ meetings is a majority of the outstanding shares. Generally, actions and authorizations to be taken or given by shareholders require the approval of a majority of the votes cast by holders of our common stock at a meeting at which a quorum is present. There is no cumulative voting.

Classified Board of Directors

Our board of directors is divided into three classes of directors serving staggered three-year terms. Each class of directors consists, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of directors. Under our Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the total outstanding shares of our common stock entitled to vote in the election of directors is required to remove a director, and in any event, only for cause. The board may fill a vacancy on the board of directors, including a vacancy created by an increase in the number of directors. Any director elected to the board of directors to fill a vacancy on the board will hold office until the until the expiration of the class to which he or she has been assigned.

Liquidation Rights

In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of OceanFirst Financial, holders of our common stock are entitled to share equally and ratably in assets available for distribution after payment of debts and liabilities, subject to the rights of the holders of our preferred stock described below.

Assessment and Redemption

Holders of shares of our common stock have no preference, conversion or exchange rights and have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any of our securities. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. All outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. Our common stock is not redeemable at the option of the issuer or the holders thereof.

Restrictions on Ownership

The Home Owners Loan Act of 1933, as amended (“HOLA”) requires any “savings and loan holding company,” as defined in HOLA, to obtain the approval of the FRB before acquiring 5% or more of OceanFirst common stock. Any person, other than a savings and loan holding company, is required to obtain the approval of the FRB before acquiring 10% or more of OceanFirst common stock under the Change in Bank Control Act. Any person who (a) owns, controls or has the power to vote 25% or more of any class of OceanFirst’s voting securities; (b) has the ability to elect or appoint a majority of the OceanFirst board; or (c) otherwise exercises a “controlling influence” over OceanFirst, is subject to regulation as a savings and loan holding company under HOLA.

Other Matters

Certain provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation, applicable Delaware corporate law and applicable federal banking law may have the effect of discouraging a change of control of OceanFirst Financial, even if such a transaction is favored by some of our shareholders and could result in shareholders receiving a substantial premium over the current market price of our shares. The primary purpose of these provisions is to encourage negotiations with our management by persons interested in acquiring control of our corporation. These provisions may also tend to perpetuate present management and make it difficult for shareholders owning less than a majority of the shares to be able to elect even a single director.

Anti-takeover Provisions

We have not opted out of the requirements of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), which provides that we are prohibited from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder (a person or group of affiliates owning at least fifteen percent of the voting power of the Company) for a period of three years after such interested stockholder became an interested stockholder unless (a) before the stockholder became an interested stockholder, the our board approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, (b) upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least eighty-five percent of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned (i) by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer, or (c) at or subsequent to the time the stockholder became an interested stockholder the business combination is approved by our board and authorized by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders.

In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that a business combination with an interested stockholder requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of our voting stock. The super-majority vote is not required for a business combination with an interested stockholder that is approved by a majority of disinterested directors or meets certain consideration value requirements. An interested stockholder is defined as any person who beneficially owns ten percent or more of the voting power of our voting stock; an affiliate or associate who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock; or an assignee of shares of voting stock which were at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question beneficially owned by any interested stockholder.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

American Stock Transfer and Trust Company is presently the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

“Blank Check” Preferred Stock

The 5,000,000 unissued shares of preferred stock are typically referred to as “blank check” preferred stock. This term refers to stock for which the rights and restrictions are determined by the board of directors of a corporation. In general, our certificate of incorporation, authorizes our board of directors to issue new shares of our common stock or preferred stock without further shareholder action; provided that there are sufficient authorized shares.

The issuance of additional common or preferred stock may be viewed as having adverse effects upon the holders of common stock. Holders of our common stock do not have preemptive rights with respect to any newly issued stock. Our board could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock by issuing shares of preferred stock with certain voting, conversion and/or redemption rights. In the event of a proposed merger, tender offer or other attempt to gain control of OceanFirst Financial that the board of directors does not believe to be in the best interests of its shareholders, the board could issue additional preferred stock which could make any such takeover attempt more difficult to complete. Our board of directors does not intend to issue any preferred stock except on terms that the board deems to be in the best interests of our company and our shareholders.

Terms of the Preferred Stock That We May Offer and Sell to You

We summarize below some of the provisions that will apply to the preferred stock that we may offer to you unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the preferred stock will be contained in the prospectus supplement. You should read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the shareholders, to issue preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the number of shares, dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights, liquidation preferences, sinking funds, and any other rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions applicable to each such series of preferred stock.

Prior to the issuance of a new series of preferred stock, we will further amend our certificate of incorporation, designating the stock of that series and the terms of that series. The issuance of any preferred stock could adversely affect the rights of the holders of common stock and, therefore, reduce the value of the common stock. The ability of our board of directors to issue preferred stock could discourage, delay or prevent a takeover or other corporate action.

The terms of any particular series of preferred stock will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to that particular series of preferred stock, including, where applicable:

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the designation, stated value and liquidation preference of such preferred stock and the amount of stock offered;

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the offering price;

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the dividend rate or rates (or method of calculation), the date or dates from which dividends shall accrue, and whether such dividends shall be cumulative or noncumulative and, if cumulative, the dates from which dividends shall commence to cumulate;

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any redemption or sinking fund provisions;

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the amount that shares of such series shall be entitled to receive in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up;

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the terms and conditions, if any, on which shares of such series shall be convertible or exchangeable for shares of our stock of any other class or classes, or other series of the same class;

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the voting rights, if any, of shares of such series;

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the status as to reissuance or sale of shares of such series redeemed, purchased or otherwise reacquired, or surrendered to us on conversion or exchange;

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the conditions and restrictions, if any, on the payment of dividends or on the making of other distributions on, or the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by us or any subsidiary, of the common stock or of any other class of our shares ranking junior to the shares of such series as to dividends or upon liquidation;

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the conditions and restrictions, if any, on the creation of indebtedness by us or by any subsidiary, or on the issuance of any additional stock ranking on a parity with or prior to the shares of such series as to dividends or upon liquidation; and

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any additional dividend, liquidation, redemption, repurchase, sinking or retirement fund and other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions of such preferred stock.

The description of the terms of a particular series of preferred stock in the applicable prospectus supplement will not be complete. You should refer to the applicable amendment to our certificate of incorporation for complete information regarding a series of preferred stock.

The preferred stock will, when issued against payment of the consideration payable therefore, be fully paid and nonassessable. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each series of preferred stock will, upon issuance, rank senior to the common stock and on a parity in all respects with each other outstanding series of preferred stock. The rights of the holders of our preferred stock will be subordinate to that of our general creditors.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We summarize below some of the provisions that will apply to the warrants unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the warrants will be contained in the applicable warrant certificate and warrant agreement. These documents have been or will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the warrant certificate and the warrant agreement. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

General

We may issue, together with other securities or separately, warrants to purchase debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or other securities. We may issue the warrants under warrant agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent would act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of the series being offered and would not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following terms, where applicable, of warrants in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

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the title of the warrants;

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the designation, amount and terms of the securities for which the warrants are exercisable and the procedures and conditions relating to the exercise of such warrants;

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the designation and terms of the other securities, if any, with which the warrants are to be issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security;

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the price or prices at which the warrants will be issued;

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the aggregate number of warrants;

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any provisions for adjustment of the number or amount of securities receivable upon exercise of the warrants or the exercise price of the warrants;

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the price or prices at which the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants may be purchased;

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if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants will be separately transferable;

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if applicable, a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the warrants;

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any other terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants;

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the date on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and the date on which the right shall expire;

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if applicable, the maximum or minimum number of warrants which may be exercised at any time;

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the identity of the warrant agent;

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any mandatory or optional redemption provision;

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whether the warrants are to be issued in registered or bearer form;

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whether the warrants are extendible and the period or periods of such extendibility;

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information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; and

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any other terms of the warrants.

Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up or to exercise voting rights, if any.

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase the amount of such principal amounts of debt securities or such number of shares of common stock or preferred stock or other securities at the exercise price as will in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void. Warrants may be exercised as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the warrants offered thereby. Upon receipt of payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the purchased securities. If less than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the remaining warrants.

Enforceability of Rights of Holders of Warrants

Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, that holder’s warrant(s).

Modification of the Warrant Agreement

The warrant agreement will permit us and the warrant agent, without the consent of the warrant holders, to supplement or amend the agreement in the following circumstances:

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to cure any ambiguity;

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to correct or supplement any provision which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions; or

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to add new provisions regarding matters or questions that we and the warrant agent may deem necessary or desirable and which do not adversely affect the interests of the warrant holders.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

We summarize below some of the provisions that will apply to the debt securities unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the debt securities will be contained in the applicable notes. The notes will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the provisions of the notes. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

General

This prospectus describes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities. The debt securities will be issued under one or more separate indentures between us and a trustee to be designated prior to the issuance of the debt securities. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of the securities in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also indicate whether the general terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to a particular series of debt securities.

We may issue, from time to time, debt securities, in one or more series, that will consist of either our senior debt (“senior debt securities”), our senior subordinated debt (“senior subordinated debt securities”), our subordinated debt (“subordinated debt securities”) or our junior subordinated debt (“junior subordinated debt securities” and, together with the senior subordinated debt securities and the subordinated debt securities, the “subordinated securities”). Debt securities, whether senior, senior subordinated, subordinated or junior subordinated, may be issued as convertible debt securities or exchangeable debt securities.

We have summarized herein certain terms and provisions of the form of indenture (the “indenture”). The summary is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual text of the indenture. The indenture is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the indenture for the provisions which may be important to you. The indenture is subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities which we may issue. We may issue debt securities up to an aggregate principal amount as we may authorize from time to time, which securities may be in any currency or currency unit designated by us. The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to (a) a supplemental indenture, (b) a resolution of our board of directors, or (c) an officers’ certificate pursuant to authority granted under a resolution of our board of directors. The prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any debt securities being offered, including:

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the title of the debt securities;

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the limit, if any, upon the aggregate principal amount or issue price of the debt securities of a series;

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ranking of the specific series of debt securities relative to other outstanding indebtedness, including any debt of any of our subsidiaries;

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the price or prices, expressed as a percentage of the principal amount, at which the debt securities will be issued;

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the designation, aggregate principal amount and authorized denominations of the series of debt securities;

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the issue date or dates of the series and the maturity date of the series;

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whether the securities will be issued at par or at a premium over or a discount from their face amount;

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the interest rate, if any, on the debt securities, which may be fixed or variable, per annum or otherwise, and the method for calculating the interest rate and basis upon which interest shall be calculated;

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the right, if any, to extend interest payment periods and the duration of the extension;

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the interest payment dates, the date on which interest will begin to accrue and be payable, and the record dates for the interest payments;

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any mandatory or optional redemption terms or prepayment, conversion, sinking fund or exchangeability or convertibility provisions;

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the currency of denomination of the securities;

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the place where we will pay principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, and the place where the debt securities may be presented for transfer;

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if payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to these payments will be determined;

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the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 or multiples of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

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whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of global securities or certificates;

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the applicability of and additional provisions, if any, relating to the defeasance of the debt securities;

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the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the entire principal amount;

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the currency or currencies, if other than the currency of the United States, in which principal and interest will be paid;

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the dates on which premium, if any, will be paid;

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any addition to or change in the “Events of Default” described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities and any change in the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

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any addition to or change in the covenants described in the prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

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any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to the debt securities;

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our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of this deferral period; and

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other specific terms, including any additional events of default or covenants.

We may issue debt securities at a discount below their stated principal amount. Even if we do not issue the debt securities below their stated principal amount, for United States federal income tax purposes the debt securities may be deemed to have been issued with a discount because of certain interest payment characteristics. We will describe in any applicable prospectus supplement the United States federal income tax considerations applicable to debt securities issued at a discount or deemed to be issued at a discount, and will describe any special United States federal income tax considerations that may be applicable to the particular debt securities.

We may structure one or more series of subordinated securities so that they qualify as capital under federal regulations applicable to bank holding companies. We may adopt this structure whether or not those regulations may be applicable to us at the time of issuance.

The debt securities will represent our general unsecured obligations. We are a holding company and OceanFirst Financial’s operating assets are owned by our subsidiaries. We rely primarily on dividends from such

subsidiaries to meet our obligations. We are a legal entity separate and distinct from our subsidiaries. The principal sources of our income are dividends and interest from the Bank. The Bank is subject to restrictions imposed by federal law on any extensions of credit to, and certain other transactions with, us and certain other affiliates, and on investments in stock or other securities thereof. In addition, payment of dividends to us by the Bank is subject to ongoing review by banking regulators. Because we are a holding company, our right to participate in any distribution of assets of any subsidiary upon the subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization or otherwise is subject to the prior claims of creditors of the subsidiary, except to the extent we may ourselves be recognized as a creditor of that subsidiary. Accordingly, the debt securities will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future liabilities, including deposits, of our subsidiaries, and holders of the debt securities should look only to our assets for payments on the debt securities. The indenture does not limit the incurrence or issuance of our secured or unsecured debt including senior indebtedness.

Senior Debt

Senior debt securities will rank equally and pari passu with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt from time to time outstanding.

Subordinated Debt

The indenture does not limit our ability to issue subordinated debt securities. Any subordination provisions of a particular series of debt securities will be set forth in the supplemental indenture, board resolution or officers’ certificate related to that series of debt securities and will be described in the relevant prospectus supplement.

If this prospectus is being delivered in connection with a series of subordinated debt securities, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus will set forth the approximate amount of senior indebtedness outstanding as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter.

The indenture will govern the extent to which payment on any subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the prior payment in full of all of our senior indebtedness. The subordinated debt securities also are effectively subordinated to all debt and other liabilities, including trade payables and lease obligations, if any, of our subsidiaries.

Upon any distribution of our assets upon any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of principal and interest on subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the prior payment in full of all senior indebtedness in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such senior indebtedness. If subordinated debt securities are accelerated because of an event of default, the holders of any senior indebtedness would be entitled to payment in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to such holders of all senior indebtedness obligations before the holders of the subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive any payment or distribution. The indenture requires us or the trustee to promptly notify holders of designated senior indebtedness of any acceleration of payment of the subordinated debt securities.

We may not make any payment on the subordinated debt securities, including upon redemption (whether at the holder’s or our option) if:

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a default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, interest, rent or other obligations in respect of designated senior indebtedness occurs and is continuing beyond any applicable grace period (called a “payment default”); or

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a default (other than a payment default) that permits holders of designated senior indebtedness to accelerate its maturity occurs and is continuing, and the trustee receives a notice of such default (called a “payment blockage notice”) from us or any other person permitted to give such notice under the indenture (called a “non-payment default”).

We may resume payments and distributions on the subordinated debt securities, in the case of a payment default, upon the date on which such default is cured or waived or ceases to exist; and, in the case of a non-payment default, the earlier of the date on which such nonpayment default is cured or waived and 179 days after the date on which the payment blockage notice is received, if the maturity of the designated senior indebtedness has not been accelerated.

No new payment blockage period may be commenced pursuant to a payment blockage notice unless 365 days have elapsed since the initial effectiveness of the immediately prior payment blockage notice and all scheduled payments, including any liquidated damages, on the debt securities that have come due have been paid in full in cash. Generally, a non-payment default existing or continuing on the date of delivery of any payment blockage notice cannot be the basis for any later payment blockage notice.

If the trustee or any holder of the notes receives any payment or distribution of our assets in contravention of the foregoing subordination provisions, then such payment or distribution will be held in trust for the benefit of holders of senior indebtedness or their representatives to the extent necessary to make payment in full in cash or payment satisfactory to the holders of senior indebtedness of all unpaid senior indebtedness.

In the event of our bankruptcy, dissolution or reorganization, holders of senior indebtedness may receive more, ratably, and holders of the subordinated debt securities may receive less, ratably, than our other creditors (including our trade creditors). This subordination will not prevent the occurrence of any event of default under the indenture.

The indenture does not prohibit us from incurring debt, including senior indebtedness. We may from time to time incur additional debt, including senior indebtedness.

We are obligated to pay reasonable compensation to the trustee and to indemnify it against certain losses, liabilities or expenses it incurs in connection with its duties relating to the subordinated debt securities. The trustee’s claims for these payments will generally be senior to those of noteholders in respect of all funds collected or held by the trustee.

Conversion or Exchange Rights

Debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our other securities or property. The terms and conditions of conversion or exchange will be set forth in the supplemental indenture, board resolution or officers’ certificate related to that series of debt securities and will be described in the relevant prospectus supplement. The terms will include, among others, the following:

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the conversion or exchange price;

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the conversion or exchange period;

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provisions regarding our ability or the ability of the holder to convert or exchange the debt securities;

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events requiring adjustment to the conversion or exchange price; and

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provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of our redemption of the debt securities.

Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets

The indenture prohibits us from merging into or consolidating with any other person or selling, leasing or conveying substantially all of our assets and the assets of our subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any person, and we may not permit any other person to merge or consolidate with us or to sell, lease, or convey substantially all of its assets to us, in either case, unless:

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either we are the continuing corporation or the successor corporation or the person which acquires by sale, lease or conveyance substantially all our or our subsidiaries’ assets is a corporation organized

under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia, and expressly assumes the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the debt securities and the due performance of every covenant of the indenture to be performed or observed by us, by supplemental indenture satisfactory to the trustee, executed and delivered to the trustee by such corporation;

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immediately after giving effect to such transactions, no Event of Default described under the caption “Events of Default and Remedies” below or event which, after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default, has happened and is continuing; and

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we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel each stating that such transaction and such supplemental indenture comply with the indenture provisions relating to merger, consolidation and sale of assets.

Upon any consolidation or merger with or into any other person or any sale, conveyance, lease, or other transfer of all or substantially all of our or our subsidiaries’ assets to any person, the successor person shall succeed, and be substituted for, us under the indenture and each series of outstanding debt securities, and we shall be relieved of all obligations under the indenture and each series of outstanding debt securities to the extent we were the predecessor person.

Events of Default and Remedies

When we use the term “Event of Default” in the indenture with respect to the debt securities of any series, we mean:

(1) default in paying interest on the debt securities when it becomes due or any additional amounts with respect thereto and the default continues for a period of 30 days or more (unless we deposit the entire amount of such payment with the trustee or with a paying agent prior to the expiration of this 30-day period);

(2) default in paying principal, or premium, if any, on the debt securities when due;

(3) default in the deposit when due of any sinking fund payment in respect of any debt security of that series;

(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty in the indenture (other than a covenant or warranty included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than that series) and the default or breach continues for a period of 90 days or more after we receive written notice of such default from the trustee or we and the trustee receive notice from the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series;

(5) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, administration or similar proceedings with respect to us have occurred; and

(6) any other Event of Default provided with respect to debt securities of that series that is set forth in a board resolution, officer’s certificate, or applicable prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus.

No Event of Default with respect to a particular series of debt securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any other series of debt securities. The occurrence of certain Events of Default or an acceleration under the indenture may constitute an event of default under certain of our other indebtedness that we may have outstanding from time to time. Unless otherwise provided by the terms of an applicable series of debt securities, if an Event of Default under the indenture occurs with respect to the debt securities of any series and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that

series may by written notice require us to repay immediately the entire principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series (or such lesser amount as may be provided in the terms of the securities), together with all accrued and unpaid interest and premium, if any. In the case of an Event of Default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding debt securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities. We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of such discount securities upon the occurrence of an Event of Default.

After a declaration of acceleration, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind this accelerated payment requirement if all existing Events of Default, except for nonpayment of the principal on the debt securities of that series that has become due solely as a result of the accelerated payment requirement, have been cured or waived and if the rescission of acceleration would not conflict with any judgment or decree. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series also have the right to waive past defaults, except a default in paying principal or interest on any outstanding debt security, or in respect of a covenant or a provision that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of all holders of the debt securities of that series.

No holder of any debt security may seek to institute a proceeding with respect to the indenture unless such holder has previously given written notice to the trustee of a continuing Event of Default, the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series have made a written request to the trustee to institute proceedings in respect of the Event of Default, the holder or holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee and the trustee has failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days after it received this notice. In addition, within this 60-day period the trustee must not have received directions inconsistent with this written request by holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series. These limitations do not apply, however, to a suit instituted by a holder of a debt security for the enforcement of the payment of principal, interest or any premium on or after the due dates for such payment.

During the existence of an Event of Default actually known to a responsible officer of the trustee, the trustee is required to exercise the rights and powers vested in it under the indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise as a prudent person would under the circumstances in the conduct of that person’s own affairs. If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the trustee is not under any obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers at the request or direction of any of the holders unless the holders have offered to the trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee. Subject to certain provisions, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust, or power conferred on the trustee.

The trustee will, within 90 days after receiving notice of any default, give notice of the default to the holders of the debt securities of that series, unless the default was already cured or waived. Unless there is a default in paying principal, interest or any premium when due, the trustee can withhold giving notice to the holders if it determines in good faith that the withholding of notice is in the interest of the holders. In the case of a default specified in clause (4) above describing Events of Default, no notice of default to the holders of the debt securities of that series will be given until 90 days after the occurrence of the event of default.

The indenture requires us, within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement as to compliance with the indenture. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any series of any Event of Default (except in payment on any debt securities of that series) with respect to debt securities of that series if it in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of those debt securities.

Modification and Waiver

The indenture may be amended or modified without the consent of any holder of debt securities in order to:

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evidence a successor to the trustee and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one trustee;

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cure ambiguities, defects or inconsistencies;

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provide for the assumption of our obligations by a successor in the case of a merger or consolidation or transfer of all or substantially all of our assets that complies with the covenant described under “— Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets”;

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to add such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as our Board of Directors shall consider to be for the protection of the holders thereof, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any of such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies therein provided, subject to such conditions as such supplemental indenture may provide;

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to add to or change certain provisions of the indenture related to any debt security that does not provide for the identification of the holder thereof;

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to change or eliminate any provisions of the indenture, if the change or elimination (i) becomes effective only when there are no debt securities outstanding of any series created prior to the change or elimination that are entitled to the benefit of the changed or eliminated provision, or (ii) will not apply to any outstanding debt security;

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provide for the issuance of and establish the form or forms and terms and conditions of debt securities of any series;

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comply with the requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and add to the indenture such other provisions as may be expressly permitted by the TIA, excluding provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2); or

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make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder.

Other amendments and modifications of the indenture or the debt securities issued may be made with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the amendment or modification. However, no modification or amendment may, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security affected:

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change the maturity date or the stated payment date of any payment of premium or interest payable on the debt securities;

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reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation with respect to any series of debt securities;

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reduce the principal amount of the debt securities;

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reduce the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity;

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change or waive the redemption or repayment provisions of the debt securities;

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change the currency in which principal, any premium or interest is paid or the place of payment;

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reduce the percentage in principal amount outstanding of debt securities of any series which must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver or consent to take any action;

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impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on the debt securities;

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waive a payment default with respect to the debt securities (except a rescission of acceleration by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

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reduce the interest rate or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on the debt securities;

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make any change to certain provisions of the indenture relating to, among other things, holders’ rights to receive payment of the principal of, premium and interest on those debt securities; or

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adversely affect the right to convert any debt security.

Satisfaction, Discharge and Covenant Defeasance

We may terminate our obligations under the indenture with respect to the outstanding debt securities of any series, when:

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either:

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all debt securities of any series issued that have been authenticated and delivered have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or

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all the debt securities of any series issued that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation (i) have become due and payable, (ii) will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year, (iii) are to be called for redemption within one year and we have made arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by such trustee in our name and at our expense, and in each case, or (iv) are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to legal defeasance (described below), and in the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), we have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee sufficient funds to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the series of debt securities; and

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we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums then due and payable under the indenture; and

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we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent under the indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture have been complied with.

We may elect to have our obligations under the indenture discharged with respect to the outstanding debt securities of any series (“legal defeasance”). Legal defeasance means that we will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the outstanding debt securities of such series under the indenture, except for:

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the rights of holders of the debt securities to receive principal, interest and any premium when due;

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our obligations with respect to the debt securities concerning issuing temporary debt securities, registration of transfer of debt securities, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment for security payments held in trust;

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the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee; provided that certain conditions have been satisfied; and

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the defeasance provisions of the indenture.

In addition, we may elect to have our obligations released with respect to certain covenants in the indenture (“covenant defeasance”). If we so elect, any failure to comply with these obligations will not constitute a default or an event of default with respect to the debt securities of any series. In the event covenant defeasance occurs, certain events, not including non-payment, bankruptcy and insolvency events, described under “Events of Default and Remedies,” will no longer constitute an event of default for that series.

In order to exercise either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to outstanding debt securities of any series, we must irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to the benefits of the holders of the debt securities of a series:

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money in an amount;

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U.S. government obligations (or equivalent government obligations in the case of debt securities denominated in other than U.S. dollars or a specified currency) that will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount; or

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a combination of money and U.S. government obligations (or equivalent government obligations, as applicable),

in each case sufficient, in the written opinion (with respect to U.S. or equivalent government obligations or a combination of money and U.S. or equivalent government obligations, as applicable) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the trustee to pay and discharge, all of the principal (including mandatory sinking fund payments), interest and any premium at due date or maturity;

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in the case of legal defeasance, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable U.S. federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and, based thereon confirming that, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance and discharge to be effected and will be subject to the same federal income tax as would be the case if the deposit, defeasance and discharge did not occur;

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in the case of covenant defeasance, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and covenant defeasance to be effected and will be subject to the same federal income tax as would be the case if the deposit and covenant defeasance did not occur;

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no event of default or default with respect to the outstanding debt securities of that series has occurred and is continuing at the time of such deposit after giving effect to the deposit or, is continuing at any time on or before the 120th day after the date of such deposit;

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in the case of legal defeasance, we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the us with the intent of preferring the holders of the debt securities over any of our other creditors or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any of our other creditors;

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the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which we are a party; and

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we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that all conditions precedent with respect to the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance have been complied with.

Covenants

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement any restrictive covenants applicable to any issue of debt securities.

Paying Agent and Registrar

The trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar for all debt securities. We may change the paying agent or registrar for any series of debt securities without prior notice, and we or any of our subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

Forms of Securities

Each debt security will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of the series of debt securities. Certificated securities will be issued in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we explain more fully below.

Certificated Debt Securities

You can transfer certificated debt securities (and the right to receive the principal of, premium and interest thereon) only by surrendering the certificate representing those certificated debt securities. Either we or the trustee will reissue the existing certificate, or issue a new certificate, to the new holder.

You may transfer or exchange certificated debt securities at any office we maintain for this purpose in accordance with the terms of the indenture. There is no service charge, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any taxes or other governmental charges payable in connection with a transfer or exchange.

Global Securities

We may issue the registered debt securities in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its custodian identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or its nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.

If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.

So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the indenture. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the indenture. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the indenture, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.

Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. Neither we nor the trustee or any other agent of ours or the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.

We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

If the depositary for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. In addition, we may at any time and in our sole discretion decide not to have the book-entry debt securities represented by global debt securities; in that event, we will issue certificated debt securities in exchange for the global debt securities of that series. If an event of default with respect to the book-entry debt securities represented by those global debt securities has occurred and is continuing, holders may exchange global debt securities for certificated debt securities. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the trustee or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.

Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) will act as depositary for each series of debt securities issued as global securities. DTC has advised us that DTC is a “banking organization” organized under New York law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within in the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to Section 17A of the Exchange Act and limited-purpose trust company created to hold securities for its participating organizations (collectively, the “Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions in those securities between Participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its Participants. The Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Access to DTC’s system is also available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or indirectly (collectively, the “Indirect Participants”). Persons who are not Participants may beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only through the Participants or the Indirect Participants. The ownership interests in, and transfers of ownership interests in, each security held by or on behalf of DTC are recorded on the records of the Participants and the Indirect Participants.

We have obtained the foregoing information concerning DTC and its book-entry system from sources we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy of this information.

Governing Law

The indenture and each series of debt securities are governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

We summarize below some of the provisions that will apply to depositary shares unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the depositary shares will be contained in the depositary agreement and depositary receipt applicable to any depositary shares. These documents have been or will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the depositary agreement and the depositary receipt. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

General

We may offer fractional shares of preferred stock, rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we do so, we may issue receipts for depositary shares that each represent a fraction of a share of a particular series of preferred stock. The prospectus supplement will indicate that fraction. The shares of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a depositary agreement between us and a bank or trust company that meets certain requirements and is selected by us, which we refer to as the “bank depositary.” Each owner of a depositary share will be entitled to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by the depositary share. The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the depositary agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to those persons purchasing the fractional shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms of the offering.

The following summary description of certain common provisions of a depositary agreement and the related depositary receipts and any summary description of the depositary agreement and depositary receipts in the applicable prospectus supplement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to all of the provisions of such depositary agreement and depositary receipts. The forms of the depositary agreement and the depositary receipts relating to any particular issue of depositary shares will be filed with the SEC each time we issue depositary shares, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you.

Dividends and Other Distributions

If we pay a cash distribution or dividend on a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will distribute such dividends to the record holders of such depositary shares. If the distributions are in property other than cash, the bank depositary will distribute the property to the record holders of the depositary shares. However, if the bank depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution of property, the bank depositary may, with our approval, sell such property and distribute the net proceeds from such sale to the record holders of the depositary shares.

Redemption of Depositary Shares

If we redeem a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will redeem the depositary shares from the proceeds received by the bank depositary in connection with the redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will equal the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share of the preferred stock. If fewer than all the depositary shares are redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as the bank depositary may determine.

Voting the Preferred Stock

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock represented by depositary shares are entitled to vote, the bank depositary will mail the notice to the record holder of the depositary shares relating to such preferred stock. Each record holder of these depositary shares on the record date, which will be

the same date as the record date for the preferred stock, may instruct the bank depositary as to how to vote the preferred stock represented by such holder’s depositary shares. The bank depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the amount of the preferred stock represented by such depositary shares in accordance with such instructions, and we will take all action that the bank depositary deems necessary in order to enable the bank depositary to do so. The bank depositary will abstain from voting shares of the preferred stock to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing such preferred stock.

Amendment and Termination of the Depositary Agreement

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement or required by law, the form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the depositary agreement may be amended by agreement between the bank depositary and us. The depositary agreement may be terminated by the bank depositary or us only if:

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all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed, or

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there has been a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock in connection with the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our company, and such distribution has been distributed to the holders of depositary receipts.

Charges of Bank 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 bank depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary receipts will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and any other charges, including a fee for the withdrawal of shares of preferred stock upon surrender of depositary receipts, as are expressly provided in the depositary agreement for their accounts.

Withdrawal of Preferred Stock

Except as may be provided otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, upon surrender of depositary receipts at the principal office of the bank depositary, subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, the owner of the depositary shares may demand delivery of the number of whole shares of preferred stock and all money and other property, if any, represented by those depositary shares. Partial or fractional shares of preferred stock will not be issued. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holders evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the bank depositary will deliver to such holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. Holders of preferred stock thus withdrawn may not thereafter deposit those shares under the depositary agreement or receive depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares therefor.

Miscellaneous

The bank depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts all reports and communications from us that are delivered to the bank depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the preferred stock.

Neither the bank depositary nor we will be liable if we are prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in performing our obligations under the depositary agreement. The obligations of the bank depositary and us under the depositary agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of our duties thereunder, and we will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.

Resignation and Removal of Bank Depositary

The bank depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the bank depositary. Any such resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor bank depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. The successor bank depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company meeting the requirements of the depositary agreement.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. 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. The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:

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the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

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any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units;

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the terms of the unit agreement governing the units;

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United States federal income tax considerations relevant to the units; and

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whether the units will be issued in fully registered global form.

This summary of certain general terms of units and any summary description of units in the applicable prospectus supplement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to all provisions of the applicable unit agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such units. The forms of the unit agreements and other documents relating to a particular issue of units will be filed with the SEC each time we issue units, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

Initial Offering and Sale of Securities

Unless otherwise set forth in a prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus, we, and certain holders of our securities, may sell the securities being offered hereby, from time to time, by one or more of the following methods:

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to or through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters;

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through one or more underwriters without a syndicate for them to offer and sell to the public;

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through dealers or agents; and

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to investors directly in negotiated sales or in competitively bid transactions.

Offerings of securities covered by this prospectus also may be made into an existing trading market for those securities in transactions at other than a fixed price, either:

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on or through the facilities of the NASDAQ or any other securities exchange or quotation or trading service on which those securities may be listed, quoted, or traded at the time of sale; and/or

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to or through a market maker otherwise than on the securities exchanges or quotation or trading services set forth above.

Those at-the-market offerings, if any, will be conducted by underwriters acting as principal or agent of the Company, who may also be third-party sellers of securities as described above. The prospectus supplement with respect to the offered securities will set forth the terms of the offering of the offered securities, including:

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the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;

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the purchase price of the offered securities and the proceeds to us from such sale;

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any underwriting discounts and commissions or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation, provided that such compensation shall not exceed 8% of any offering proceeds as calculated pursuant to applicable rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA;

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any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

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any securities exchange on which such offered securities may be listed.

Any underwriter, agent or dealer involved in the offer and sale of any series of the securities will be named in the prospectus supplement.

The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions:

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at fixed prices, which may be changed;

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at market prices prevailing at the time of the sale;

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at varying prices determined at the time of sale; or

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at negotiated prices.

Each prospectus supplement will set forth the manner and terms of an offering of securities including:

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whether that offering is being made by us, or certain holders of our securities;

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whether that offering is being made to underwriters or through agents or directly;

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the rules and procedures for any auction or bidding process, if used;

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the securities’ purchase price or initial public offering price; and

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the proceeds we anticipate from the sale of the securities, if any.

In addition, we may enter into derivative or hedging transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with such a transaction, the third parties may sell securities covered by and pursuant to this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle such sales and may use securities received from us to close out any related short positions. We may also loan or pledge securities covered by this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement to third parties, who may sell the loaned securities or, in an event of default in the case of a pledge, sell the pledged securities pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement.

Sales Through Underwriters

If underwriters are used in the sale of some or all of the securities covered by this prospectus, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities, either directly to the public or to securities dealers, at various times 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 certain conditions. Unless indicated otherwise in a prospectus supplement, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities of the series offered if any of the securities are purchased.

Any initial public offering price and any concessions allowed or reallowed to dealers may be changed intermittently.

Sales Through Agents

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, when securities are sold through an agent, the designated agent will agree, for the period of its appointment as agent, to use its best efforts to sell the securities for our account and will receive commissions from us as will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Securities bought in accordance with a redemption or repayment under their terms also may be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing by one or more firms acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the prospectus supplement. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with the securities remarketed by them.

If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers by certain specified institutions to purchase securities at a price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date specified in the prospectus supplement. These contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commissions payable for solicitation of these contracts.

Direct Sales

We may also sell offered securities directly to institutional investors or others. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. The terms of such sales will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

General Information

Broker-dealers, agents or underwriters may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from us and/or the purchasers of securities for whom such broker-dealers, agents or underwriters may act as agents or to whom they sell as principal, or both (this compensation to a particular broker-dealer might be in excess of customary commissions).

Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in any distribution of the offered securities may be deemed “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, so any discounts or commissions they receive in connection with the distribution may be deemed to be underwriting compensation. Those underwriters and agents may be entitled, under their agreements with us, to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution by us to payments that they may be required to make in respect of those civil liabilities. Certain of those underwriters or agents may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business. We will identify any underwriters or agents, and describe their compensation, in a prospectus supplement. Any institutional investors or others that purchase offered securities directly from us, and then resell the securities, may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the securities by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.

We will file a supplement to this prospectus, if required, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, if we enter into any material arrangement with a broker, dealer, agent or underwriter for the sale of securities through a block trade, special offering, exchange distribution or secondary distribution or a purchase by a broker or dealer. Such prospectus supplement will disclose:

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the name of any participating broker, dealer, agent or underwriter;

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the number and type of securities involved;

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the price at which such securities were sold;

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any securities exchanges on which such securities may be listed;

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the commissions paid or discounts or concessions allowed to any such broker, dealer, agent or underwriter where applicable; and

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other facts material to the transaction.

In order to facilitate the offering of certain securities under this prospectus or an applicable prospectus supplement, certain persons participating in the offering of those securities may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of those securities during and after the offering of those securities. Specifically, if the applicable prospectus supplement permits, the underwriters of those securities may over-allot or otherwise create a short position in those securities for their own account by selling more of those securities than have been sold to them by us and may elect to cover any such short position by purchasing those securities in the open market.

In addition, the underwriters may stabilize or maintain the price of those securities by bidding for or purchasing those securities in the open market and may impose penalty bids, under which selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other broker-dealers participating in the offering are reclaimed if securities previously distributed in the offering are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions or otherwise. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. The imposition of a penalty bid may also affect the price of securities to the extent that it discourages resales of the securities. No representation is made as to the magnitude or effect of any such stabilization or other transactions. Such transactions, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the securities must be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states the securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.

Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 generally requires that trades in the secondary market settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Your prospectus supplement may provide that the original issue date for your securities may be more than three scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities. Accordingly, in such a case, if you wish to trade securities on any date prior to the third business day before the original issue date for your securities, you will be required, by virtue of the fact that your securities initially are expected to settle in more than three scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities, to make alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

This prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement in electronic format may be made available on the Internet sites of, or through other online services maintained by, us and/or one or more of the agents and/or dealers participating in an offering of securities, or by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may be able to view offering terms online and, depending upon the particular agent or dealer, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online.

Other than this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement in electronic format, the information on our or any agent’s or dealer’s website and any information contained in any other website maintained by any agent or dealer:

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is not part of this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement or the registration statement of which they form a part;

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has not been approved or endorsed by us or by any agent or dealer in its capacity as an agent or dealer, except, in each case, with respect to the respective website maintained by such entity; and

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should not be relied upon by investors.

There can be no assurance that we will sell all or any of the securities offered by this prospectus.

This prospectus may also be used in connection with any issuance of common stock or preferred stock upon exercise of a warrant if such issuance is not exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders. In some cases, we or dealers acting with us or on our behalf may also purchase securities and reoffer them to the public by one or more of the methods described above. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of our securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we have filed with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Any information that we file subsequently with the SEC will automatically update this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the information contained in the documents listed below, which is considered to be a part of this prospectus:

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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015;

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our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016;

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our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 6, 2016, January 6, 2016, January 8, 2016, January 22, 2016, March 28, 2016, April 22, 2016, April 26, 2016, May 2, 2016, May 20, 2016, June 3, 2016, June 21, 2016, June 23, 2016 July 13, 2016, July 14, 2016, July 15, 2016, July 29, 2016, August 1, 2016 and August 2, 2016 (except for the disclosures made under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any such Current Report on Form 8-K, including the related exhibits, which are deemed furnished, and not filed, in accordance with the SEC’s regulations); and

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the description of our common stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on May 8, 1996 pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and any further amendment or report filed thereafter for the purpose of updating such description.

We also incorporate by reference all documents we file under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (a) after the initial filing date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and before the effectiveness of the registration statement and (b) after the effectiveness of the registration statement and before the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that the securities offered by this prospectus have been sold or that deregisters the securities covered by this prospectus then remaining unsold. The most recent information that we file with the SEC automatically updates and supersedes older information. The information contained in any such filing will be deemed to be a part of this prospectus, commencing on the date on which the document is filed.

You may request a copy of the information incorporated by reference, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

OceanFirst Financial, Inc.

Attention: Investor Relations

975 Hooper Avenue

Toms River, NJ 08753

(732) 240-4500

LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP, New Brunswick, New Jersey. If the validity of the securities offered hereby in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel for the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, such counsel will be named in the prospectus supplement relating to such offering.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of OceanFirst as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The consolidated financial statements of Cape Bancorp, Inc. as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015, and the effectiveness of Cape’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, have been audited by Crowe Horwath LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in its report thereon and incorporated herein by reference into this Registration Statement by our Amended Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed on July 15, 2016, in reliance upon such report given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing. Such consolidated financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3, including exhibits, under the Securities Act with respect to the securities being offered under this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement. This prospectus contains descriptions of certain agreements or documents that are exhibits to the registration statement. The statements as to the contents of such exhibits, however, are brief descriptions and are not necessarily complete, and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to such agreement or document. For further information about us, please refer to the registration statement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The SEC’s website contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding issuers, such as OceanFirst Financial, Inc., that file electronically with the SEC. You may also read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room, located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of its Public Reference Room. We make available free of charge through our web site our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, Proxy Statements on Schedule 14A and all amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our website address is http://www.oceanfirstonline.com. Please note that our website address is provided as an inactive textual reference only. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus or the prospectus supplement, and is therefore not incorporated by reference unless such information is otherwise specifically referenced elsewhere in this prospectus or the prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. No one has been authorized to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, as well as information we filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the date of those documents only. Our business, financial condition and results of operations described in those documents may have changed since those dates.

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

Item 14.

Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

Expenses payable in connection with the registration and distribution of the securities being registered hereunder, all of which will be borne by the Registrant, are as follows. All amounts are estimates, except the Commission registration fee.


Registration Statement filing fee	$	15,105.00
Printing fees		*
Legal fees and expenses		*
Accounting fees and expenses		*
Miscellaneous		*
Total	$	15,105.00

*	These fees and expenses depend on the securities offered and the number of securities issuances and cannot be estimated at this time.

The amounts set forth above do not include expenses of preparing and printing any accompanying prospectus supplements, listing fees, trustee fees and expenses, warrant or unit agent fees and expenses, transfer agent fees and other expenses related to offerings of particular securities from time to time. Estimated fees and expenses associated with future offerings will be provided in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Item 15.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Directors and officers of the Registrant are indemnified and held harmless against liability to the fullest extent permissible by the general corporation law of Delaware as it currently exists or as it may be amended provided any such amendment provides broader indemnification provisions than currently exist.

In accordance with General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (being Chapter 1 of Title 8 of the Delaware Code), Articles 10 and 11 of the Registrant’s Certificate of Incorporation provide as follows:

ARTICLE TENTH:

A. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a Director or an Officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, Officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a Director, Officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a Director, Officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section C hereof with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify any such indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

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B. The right to indemnification conferred in Section A of this Article TENTH shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if the Delaware General Corporation Law requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a Director or Officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, services to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Section or otherwise. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in Sections A and B of this Article TENTH shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a Director, Officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.

C. If a claim under Section A or B of this Article TENTH is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be twenty days, the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid also the expenses of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (i) any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (ii) in any suit by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Directors who are not party to such action, a committee of such Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Directors who are not party to such action, a committee of such Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article TENTH or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

D. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in this Article TENTH shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or Directors or otherwise.

E. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any Director, Officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or subsidiary or Affiliate or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

F. The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article TENTH with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of Directors and Officers of the Corporation.

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ARTICLE ELEVENTH:

A Director of this Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a Director, except for liability: (i) for any breach of the Director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or (iv) for any transaction from which the Director derived an improper personal benefit. If the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of Directors, then the liability of a Director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as so amended.

Any repeal or modification of the foregoing paragraph by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a Director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

Item 16.

List of Exhibits


Exhibit Number		Description

1.1		Form of Underwriting Agreement for common stock*

1.2		Form of Underwriting Agreement for preferred stock*

1.3		Form of Underwriting Agreement for debt securities*

4.1		Registrant’s Certificate of Incorporation is incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to Form S-1, Registration Statement, effective May 13, 1996 as amended, Registration No. 33-80123

4.2		Registrant’s Bylaws are Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to Form 8-K filed on January 23, 2015.

4.3		Form of Warrant Agreement*

4.4		Form of Warrant Certificate (to be included in Exhibit 4.3)*

4.5		Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.0 of the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1, Registration No. 33-80123, effective May 13, 1996, as amended)

4.6		Specimen of Preferred Stock Certificate*

4.7		Specimen of Debt Security*

4.8		Form of Trust Indenture**

4.9		Form of Depositary Agreement*

4.10		Form of Depositary Receipt (to be included in Exhibit 4.9)*

4.11		Form of Unit Agreement*

4.12		Form of Unit Certificate (to be included in Exhibit 4.11)*

5.1		Opinion of Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP**

12.1		Statement of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges**

23.1		Consent of KPMG LLP**

23.2		Consent of Crowe Horwath LLP**

23.3		Consent of Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)**

24.1		Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this registration statement)**

25.1		Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of the Trustee under the Indenture (for Debt Securities)***

25.2		Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of the Trustee under the Indenture (for Subordinated Debt Securities)***

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*	To be filed subsequently by an amendment to the Registration Statement or by a Current Report on Form 8-K of the Registrant that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or any such amendment.

**	Filed herewith.

***	Where applicable, to be incorporated by reference to a subsequent filing in accordance with Section 305 (b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

Item 17.

Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or event arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for purposes of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering

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described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

(iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act, and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (“Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under section 305(b)2 of the Act.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Toms River, State of New Jersey, on the 2nd day of September, 2016.


OCEANFIRST FINANCIAL CORP.

By:		/s/ Christopher D. Maher
		Christopher D. Maher
		President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 2nd day of September, 2016.


/s/ Christopher D. Maher		President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (principal executive
Christopher D. Maher		officer

/s/ Michael J. Fitzpatrick		Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer (principal financial
Michael J. Fitzpatrick		and accounting officer)

/s/ John R. Garbarino *		Chairman of the Board and Director
John R. Garbarino

/s/ Joseph J. Burke *		Director
Joseph J. Burke

/s/ Angelo Catania *		Director
Angelo Catania

/s/ Michael D. Devlin *		Director
Michael D. Devlin

/s/ Jack M. Farris *		Director
Jack M. Farris

/s/ Donald E. McLaughlin *		Director
Donald E. McLaughlin

/s/ Diane F. Rhine *		Director
Diane F. Rhine

/s/ Mark G. Solow *		Director
Mark G. Solow

/s/ John E. Walsh *		Director
John E. Walsh


*By:		/s/ Christopher D. Maher
Christopher D. Maher
Attorney-in-fact

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POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose signature appears below hereby makes, constitutes and appoints Christopher D. Maher, and Michael J. Fitzpatrick, each of them with full power to act without the other, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments to this Registration Statement, including post-effective amendments and registration statements filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act of 1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or any substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed on September 2, 2016, by the following persons in the capacities indicated.


/s/ John R. Garbarino		Chairman of the Board and Director
John R. Garbarino

/s/ Joseph J. Burke		Director
Joseph J. Burke

/s/ Angelo Catania		Director
Angelo Catania

/s/ Michael D. Devlin		Director
Michael D. Devlin

/s/ Jack M. Farris		Director
Jack M. Farris

/s/ Donald E. McLaughlin		Director
Donald E. McLaughlin

/s/ Diane F. Rhine		Director
Diane F. Rhine

/s/ Mark G. Solow		Director
Mark G. Solow

/s/ John E. Walsh		Director
John E. Walsh

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EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number		Description

1.1		Form of Underwriting Agreement for common stock*

1.2		Form of Underwriting Agreement for preferred stock*

1.3		Form of Underwriting Agreement for debt securities*

4.1		Registrant’s Certificate of Incorporation is incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to Form S-1, Registration Statement, effective May 13, 1996 as amended, Registration No. 33-80123

4.2		Registrant’s Bylaws are Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to Form 8-K filed on January 23, 2015.

4.3		Form of Warrant Agreement*

4.4		Form of Warrant Certificate (to be included in Exhibit 4.3)*

4.5		Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.0 of the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1, Registration No. 33-80123, effective May 13, 1996, as amended)

4.6		Specimen of Preferred Stock Certificate*

4.7		Specimen of Debt Security*

4.8		Form of Trust Indenture**

4.9		Form of Depositary Agreement*

4.10		Form of Depositary Receipt (to be included in Exhibit 4.9)*

4.11		Form of Unit Agreement*

4.12		Form of Unit Certificate (to be included in Exhibit 4.11)*

5.1		Opinion of Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP**

12.1		Statement of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges**

23.1		Consent of KMPG LLP**

23.2		Consent of Crowe Horwath LLP**

23.3		Consent of Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)**

24.1		Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this registration statement)**

25.1		Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of the Trustee under the Indenture (for Debt Securities)***

25.2		Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of the Trustee under the Indenture (for Subordinated Debt Securities)***

*	To be filed subsequently by an amendment to the Registration Statement or by a Current Report on Form 8-K of the Registrant that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or any such amendment.

**	Filed herewith.

***	Where applicable, to be incorporated by reference to a subsequent filing in accordance with Section 305 (b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

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