Bank of New York Mellon Corp 8-K, filed Oct 28, 2026
Bank of New York Mellon Corp (BNY)
About this 8-K
Bank of New York Mellon Corp filed this 8-K on October 28, 2026, reporting on events of October 27, 2026.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation issued 1,250,000 depositary shares for Series O preferred stock, each representing a 1/100th interest; missed preferred dividends restrict common-stock dividends and junior-stock repurchases. AI summary
Items reported
- Item 3.03: Change to shareholders' rights
- Item 5.03: Charter or bylaw amendment, or fiscal year change
- Item 8.01: Other events
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Emerging growth company
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| Item 3.03. | Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders. |
Upon issuance of the Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, liquidation preference $100,000 per share, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series O Preferred Stock”) by The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (the “Registrant”) on October 28, 2026, the ability of the Registrant to declare or pay dividends on, or purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, shares of its common stock or any shares of the Registrant that rank junior to the Series O Preferred Stock will be subject to certain restrictions in the event that the Registrant does not declare and pay (or set aside) dividends on the Series O Preferred Stock for the last preceding dividend period. The terms of the Series O Preferred Stock, including such restrictions, are more fully described in the Certificate of Designations (as defined in Item 5.03 below), a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 5.03. | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
On October 27, 2026, the Registrant filed a Certificate of Designations (the “Certificate of Designations”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to establish the preferences, limitations and relative rights of the Series O Preferred Stock. The Certificate of Designations became effective upon filing, and a copy is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 8.01. | Other Events. |
On October 19, 2026, the Registrant entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC, as underwriters (the “Underwriters”), relating to the public offering (the “Offering”) of 1,250,000 depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each representing a 1/100th interest in a share of the Series O Preferred Stock. The Underwriting Agreement contains various representations, warranties and agreements by the Registrant, conditions to closing, indemnification rights and obligations of the parties and termination provisions. The description of the Underwriting Agreement set forth above is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed for the purpose of filing Exhibit 1.1 as an exhibit to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-282710) (the “Registration Statement”), and such exhibit is hereby incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement.
A copy of the opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Registrant, relating to the legality of the issuance and sale of the Depositary Shares is attached as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K. Exhibits 5.1 and 23.1 (included in Exhibit 5.1) of this Current Report on Form 8-K are hereby incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement.
The Depositary Shares were issued pursuant to a Deposit Agreement, dated as of October 28, 2026 (the “Deposit Agreement”), by and among the Registrant, Computershare Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., acting jointly as depositary, and the holders from time to time of the depositary receipts described therein, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 4.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference. The form of certificate representing the Series O Preferred Stock and the form of depositary receipt representing the Depositary Shares are filed and included as Exhibit A and Exhibit B, respectively, to the Deposit Agreement and are incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (Registrant) | ||||||
| Date: October 28, 2026 | By: | /s/ Jean Weng | ||||
| Name: Jean Weng | ||||||
| Title: Secretary | ||||||
Exhibit 1.1
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation
1,250,000 Depositary Shares
Each representing a 1/100th Interest in a Share of
Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock
Underwriting Agreement
October 19, 2026
Barclays Capital Inc.
BofA Securities, Inc.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, NY 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, a Delaware corporation registered as a financial holding company and a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell 1,250,000 depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each representing a 1/100th interest in a share of Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) of the Company (such number of Depositary Shares, the “Securities”), to you, the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”). The Preferred Stock shall have the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the certificate of designations to be dated on or about October 28, 2026 relating thereto (the “Certificate of Designations”). The shares of Preferred Stock represented by the Securities are to be deposited by the Company against delivery of depositary receipts evidencing the Securities (the “Depositary Receipts”) that are to be issued by Computershare Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., acting jointly as depositary (the “Depositary”) under a Deposit Agreement, to be dated on or about October 28, 2026 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Company, the Depositary and the holders from time to time of the Depositary Receipts issued thereunder.
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-282710) in respect of the Securities not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, have been declared effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or any part thereof has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission, any request on the part of the Commission for additional information with respect to such registration statement has been complied with, (the base prospectus related to the Securities, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) on or prior to the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Basic Prospectus”; any preliminary prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus supplement) relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto but excluding any Form T-1 and including any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; the Securities, since their registration by the Company on the Registration Statement, have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on a registration statement on Form S-3 pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act; the Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) hereof), is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus”; the Pricing Prospectus, together with the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof, is hereinafter called the “Pricing Disclosure Package”; the form of the final prospectus relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of such prospectus; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and any documents filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated therein, in each case after the date of the Basic Prospectus, such Preliminary Prospectus, or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Securities is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”);
(b) No order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been received by the Company, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter expressly for use therein;
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(c) For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” is 2:20 p.m. (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement. The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule II hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter expressly for use therein;
(d) The documents incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter expressly for use therein;
(e) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, in the case of the Registration Statement, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and in the case of the Prospectus, as of the applicable filing date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter expressly for use therein;
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(f) Except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any transactions, not in the ordinary course of business, that are material to the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis and (ii) there has not been any material adverse effect on, or any development involving a prospective material adverse effect on, the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholder’s equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or adversely affect the compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder, other than, with respect to clause (ii), any such effect resulting from changes in the general economic or equity or debt market conditions in the United States or changes in the financial services industry in general and not specifically relating to the Company or its subsidiaries (a “Material Adverse Effect”);
(g) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, and has the corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification except where failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(h) The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Bank”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a banking corporation under the laws of the State of New York; Pershing LLC (“Pershing” and, together with the Bank, the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware; and each of the Significant Subsidiaries has the corporate power and authority to own its properties and to conduct its business as and to the extent described in the Pricing Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except where any failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the only “significant subsidiaries” of the Company that are operating companies, within the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission, are the Bank and Pershing;
(i) The Company has an authorized equity capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company (including the Preferred Stock) has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and conforms to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of the Significant Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, and, in the case of any Significant Subsidiary that is organized as a corporation, fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of each of its national bank subsidiaries, as provided in 12 U.S.C. Section 55, as amended, and in the case of each of its New York state chartered banks, as provided in New York Banking Law Section 114) and, in the case of any Significant Subsidiary that is organized as a limited liability company, the Company is not
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liable to such Significant Subsidiary to make any additional capital contributions with respect to its equity interests in such Significant Subsidiary (except as provided in Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act); except for directors’ qualifying shares, all issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of the Significant Subsidiaries are owned by the Company free and clear of any mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; and except as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interest in the Company are outstanding and the issuance of the shares of Preferred Stock relating to the Securities will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights;
(j) The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”), and to perform its respective obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents; the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken; and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company;
(k) The Certificate of Designations has been duly and validly authorized by the Company;
(l) The Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized and, prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4(b) hereof), will have been executed and delivered by the Company; assuming the Deposit Agreement is duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Depositary, at the Time of Delivery, the Deposit Agreement will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability, and except as to the indemnity and contribution provisions therein to the extent any such provision is, in the opinion of the Commission, against public policy as expressed in the Act;
(m) Twelve thousand five hundred (12,500) shares of the Preferred Stock have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when the Securities are issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, the shares of Preferred Stock deposited with the Depositary under the Deposit Agreement with respect to the Securities will be fully paid and nonassessable; assuming due execution and delivery of the Depositary Receipts and the Deposit Agreement by the Depositary, each Depositary Share will be duly and validly issued and will entitle the holder thereof to the benefits provided therein and in the Deposit Agreement;
(n) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the Company with the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or either Significant Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or either Significant Subsidiary is bound or to
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which any of the property or assets of the Company or either Significant Subsidiary is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) or the Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Company, as amended (the “By-Laws”) or (iii) result in any violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or either Significant Subsidiary or any of their properties (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) for conflicts, defaults or violations which, individually or in aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such Governmental Entity is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except (x) such as have been obtained under the Act and (y) such as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws and by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;
(o) The statements set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Preferred Stock”, “Description of Depositary Shares”, “Description of the Series O Preferred Stock” and “Description of the Depositary Shares”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Preferred Stock or the Depositary Shares, as applicable, of the Company, and under the captions “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Certain ERISA Considerations”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, constitute a fair and accurate summary of such terms or provisions, as applicable, in all material respects;
(p) Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(q) Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or either Significant Subsidiary is a party or of which any property of the Company or either Significant Subsidiary is the subject, which, taking into account the likelihood of the outcome, the damages or other relief sought and other relevant factors, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(r) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds as described in the Prospectus will not be an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);
(s) Rule 164(e)(2) applies to each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus with respect to the Securities;
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(t) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;
(u) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;
(v) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; such disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2025; and since December 31, 2025, the Company has not become aware of any significant change in factors that would materially and adversely affect the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures;
(w) The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in all material respects in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto;
(x) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly (except through any Underwriter or any affiliate thereof, as to which no representation is made), any action designed to or that would constitute or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities;
(y) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate, in each case acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation of any provision of the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, the OECD Convention on Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (the “OECD Convention”), or the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA), including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, in contravention of the FCPA or any applicable anti-bribery and anticorruption laws or regulations to which the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate, in each case acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is subject, except where any such action and contravention would not,
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individually or in the aggregate, be material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, their affiliates have instituted and maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws in all material respects;
(z) To the knowledge of the Company, the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of Title 18 U.S. Code section 1956 and 1957, the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”), the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries conduct their businesses, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened; and
(aa) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, representative, affiliate or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the target of any sanctions administered or imposed by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the U.S. Department of Commerce, or the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union and its member states, His Majesty’s Treasury or any similar sanctions imposed by any other governmental body to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and the Crimea, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine); and the Company will not directly or knowingly indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, (i) to fund or finance any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding or financing, is the subject of Sanctions (except as may be authorized, or not prohibited, by the applicable economic sanctions authority) or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as an underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.
(bb) Reference is made to the items that are set forth in Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the Commission on October 15, 2026, which are incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, and circled and marked by an “X” on the copy of such exhibits attached hereto as Annex A (the items so circled and marked, the “Financial Numbers”); the Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters that, as of the date such report was filed with the Commission, as of the date hereof and as of any other date on which this representation and warranty is deemed to be made, the officers of the Company
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responsible for and familiar with the accounting, operations and records systems of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have supervised the compilation of and reviewed the Financial Numbers, the Financial Numbers were derived from the Company’s accounting records and have been reconciled to information contained in such accounting records and the Financial Numbers are accurate and correct in all material respects.
2. Purchase and Sale of Securities by the Underwriters. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein set forth, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per Security of $990.00 (the “Purchase Price”), the number of Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto under the heading “Number of Securities to Be Purchased” (or such number of Securities increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof).
3. The Offering. The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Underwriters is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Settlement.
(a) The Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in book-entry only form represented by one or more Depositary Receipts deposited with The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Underwriters may request upon at least forty-eight (48) hours’ prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by the Company to the Underwriters, through the facilities of DTC, for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the Purchase Price therefor by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Underwriters at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance. The Depositary Receipts will be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the Time of Delivery with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the “Designated Office”).
(b) The time and date of delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on October 28, 2026 or such other time and date as the Underwriters and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Securities is herein called the “Time of Delivery”.
(c) The documents to be delivered at the Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross-receipt for the Securities and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(l) hereof, will be delivered electronically or at the offices of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, One Liberty Plaza, New York, New York 10006 (the “Closing Location”), and the Securities will be delivered electronically or at the Designated Office, at the Time of Delivery. The final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be made available for review by the parties hereto electronically no later than 4:00 p.m. New York City time, on the New York Business Day immediately preceding the Time of Delivery. For the purposes of Section 2 and of this Section 4, “New York Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
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5. Covenants. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Underwriters and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus prior to the Time of Delivery which shall be reasonably disapproved by the Underwriters promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Underwriters, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed; to file promptly all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; to advise the Underwriters, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or other prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order at its own expense, as may be necessary to permit offers and sales of the Securities by the Underwriters(references herein to the Registration Statement shall include any such amendment or new registration statement);
(b) If required by Rule 430B(h) under the Act, to prepare a form of prospectus in a form approved by the Underwriters and to file such form of prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than may be required by Rule 424(b) under the Act; and to make no further amendment or supplement to such form of prospectus which shall be reasonably disapproved by the Underwriters promptly after reasonable notice thereof;
(c) If by the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new shelf registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Underwriters and will use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within one hundred and eighty (180) days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Securities. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new shelf registration statement;
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(d) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Underwriters may reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities, provided that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(e) On the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with electronic copies of the Prospectus in such quantities as the Underwriters may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine (9) months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities and if at any such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Underwriters and to file such document and to prepare and furnish to each Underwriter and to any dealer in the Securities as many written and electronic copies as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (i) if such untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter expressly for use therein, at the expense of such Underwriter and (ii) in other cases, without charge to any such Underwriter or dealer; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Securities at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon the request of the Underwriters but at the expense of such Underwriter to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as the Underwriters may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;
(f) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than sixteen (16) months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158 under the Act);
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(g) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date thirty (30) days after the date of the Prospectus, not to, without the prior written consent of the Underwriters, directly or indirectly offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, sell or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose of any securities of the Company that in the judgment of the Underwriters are substantially similar to the Securities or any securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, such securities, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, owned directly by the Company (including holding as a custodian) or with respect to which the Company has beneficial ownership within the rules and regulations of the Commission, except that (i) the Company may engage in any activity described in this Section 5(g) if and to the extent required by applicable law or by any notice, order or regulation of any regulatory authority which is binding upon the Company and (ii) the Company may issue or grant any securities (including restricted stock, restricted stock units and phantom stock), and options to acquire securities, of the Company to its employees and directors (including on a cashless exercise basis) pursuant to an employee benefit plan or director plan that exists as of the date hereof (including, without limitation, The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan);
(h) Reserved;
(i) To prepare a final term sheet in a form approved by the Underwriters and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(ii) under the Act within the time required by such Rule. Any such final term sheet shall be an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
(j) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, if any, in the manner specified in the Pricing Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”; and
(k) Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Securities (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.
6. Free Writing Prospectuses.
(a) The Company represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Underwriters, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Underwriters, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus, other than any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company or the Underwriters, as applicable, that is listed on Schedule II hereto or a preliminary term sheet transmitted through the Bloomberg system;
(b) The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending; and
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(c) The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Underwriters and, if requested by the Underwriters, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Underwriters expressly for use therein.
7. Expenses. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses (excluding the fees incurred by the counsel for the Underwriters) in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, the Transaction Documents, the Blue Sky memorandum, if any, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(d) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsels for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey, if any, up to a maximum of $10,000 in the aggregate; (iv) the cost of preparing the Securities; (v) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (vi) the fees and expenses of the Depositary in connection with the deposit of the Preferred Stock and the offering of the Securities; and (vii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 9 and 12 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their respective counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
8. Conditions. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Securities to be delivered at the Time of Delivery shall be subject, in the discretion of the Underwriters, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein are, at and as of the Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
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(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated by the Commission; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with, or is being complied with, to the reasonable satisfaction of Underwriters; FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of this Agreement;
(b) Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to the Underwriters such written opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to each of the Underwriters, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Underwriters such counsel’s written opinion and letter, dated the Time of Delivery, in the forms attached hereto as Exhibit A-1 and A-2, respectively;
(d) The deputy general counsel, Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters such counsel’s written opinion, dated the Time of Delivery, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-3;
(e) On the date of the Prospectus, at 9:30 a.m. New York City time on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at the Time of Delivery, the independent accounting firm of the Company who has certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus shall have furnished to the Underwriters a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;
(f) (i) Neither the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package; and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package, there shall not have been any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the effect of which is in the judgment of the Underwriters after consultation with the Company (to the extent practicable) so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Securities being delivered at the Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
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(g) On or after the Applicable Time (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities or preferred stock by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as that term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities or preferred stock;
(h) On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war; or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in the judgment of the Underwriters after consultation with the Company (to the extent practicable) makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Securities being delivered at the Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(i) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(e) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement;
(j) The Certificate of Designations shall have been duly filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;
(k) The Underwriters shall have received from the Depositary a copy of the certificate evidencing the deposit of the shares of Preferred Stock underlying the Securities delivered at the Time of Delivery; and
(l) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Underwriters at the Time of Delivery a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer or the Treasurer of the Company satisfactory to the Underwriters (i) to the effect that (A) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Time of Delivery with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of the Time of Delivery and (B) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Time of Delivery, and (ii) as to such other matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
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9. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and any affiliate of such Underwriter that is acting as a selling agent of such Underwriter in connection with the distribution of the Securities against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter or such affiliate, as the case may be, may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse such Underwriter or such affiliate, as the case may be, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such affiliate, as the case may be, in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter expressly for use therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability except to the extent that it has been
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prejudiced in any material respect by such failure or from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party, on the one hand, and the indemnified party, on the other, from the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above and such indemnifying party was prejudiced in a material respect by such failure, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party, on the one hand, and the indemnified party, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Underwriters, in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportion as the total net proceeds from such offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total commissions or discounts received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company or the Underwriters shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as a
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single entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total public offering price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters, under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability that the Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
10. Underwriter Defaults.
(a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Securities which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at the Time of Delivery, the Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for them or another party or other parties to purchase such Securities on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six (36) hours after such default by any Underwriter the Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six (36) hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, the Underwriters notify the Company that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, or the Company notifies the Underwriters that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, the Underwriters or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven (7) days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the opinion of the Underwriters may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section 10 with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities.
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(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Underwriters and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Securities which remains unpurchased does not exceed one eleventh (1/11th) of the aggregate number of all the Securities to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at the Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Underwriters and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Securities which remains unpurchased exceeds one eleventh (1/11th) of the aggregate number of all the Securities to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for its default.
11. Survival. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
12. Liabilities Upon Termination. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Underwriters, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Transaction Documents and the offering of Securities contemplated hereby, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof.
13. Notices, etc. In all dealings hereunder, the Underwriters shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by the Underwriters.
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All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the Underwriters; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the Underwriters upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
In accordance with the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
14. Parties to Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters and the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 9 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company or any Underwriter and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
15. Time Is of the Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.
16. Underwriters Not Fiduciaries. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are arm’s-length commercial transactions among the Company and the several Underwriters, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each of the Underwriters is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) none of the Underwriters has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Underwriters may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from the Company and (v) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
17. Supersedes Prior Agreements. The Transaction Documents supersede all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) among the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
18. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
20
19. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE UNDERWRITERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
21. Disclosures. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company is authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters’ imposing any limitation of any kind. However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.
22. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) Transfer and Default Rights.
(i) In the event that any party that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such party of this Agreement and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(ii) In the event that any party that is a Covered Entity or any BHC Act Affiliate of such party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. The requirements of this Section 22(a) apply notwithstanding the following Section 22(b).
(b) BHC Act Affiliate Insolvency.
(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other agreement, but subject to the requirements of Section 22(a), no party to this Agreement shall be permitted to exercise any Default Right against a party that is a Covered Entity with respect to this Agreement that is related, directly or indirectly, to a BHC Act Affiliate of such party becoming subject to an Insolvency Proceeding, except to the extent the exercise of such Default Right would be permitted under the creditor protection provisions of 12 C.F.R. § 252.84, 12 C.F.R. § 47.5, or 12 C.F.R. § 382.4, as applicable.
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(ii) After a BHC Act Affiliate of a party that is a Covered Entity has become subject to an Insolvency Proceeding, if any party to this Agreement seeks to exercise any Default Right against such Covered Entity with respect to this Agreement, the party seeking to exercise a Default Right shall have the burden of proof, by clear and convincing evidence, that the exercise of such Default Right is permitted hereunder.
(c) Definitions. For purposes of this Section 22:
“BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party;
“Covered Entity” means any of the following: (x) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b), (y) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b) or (z) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b);
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable;
“Insolvency Proceeding” means a receivership, insolvency, liquidation, resolution or similar proceeding; and
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (y) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (z) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.”
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign (manually or electronically) and return to us counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters and the Company.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Tiffany Eng | |
| Name: Tiffany Eng | ||
| Title: Managing Director and Treasurer | ||
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
| Accepted as of the date hereof: | ||
| BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Tom Burgess | |
| Name: Tom Burgess | ||
| Title: Managing Director, FIG DCM, AM | ||
| BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Anthony Aceto | |
| Name: Anthony Aceto | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Josh Warren | |
| Name: Josh Warren | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| By: | /s/ Mac Reddick | |
| Name: Mac Reddick | ||
| Title: Director | ||
| GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Guy Thompson | |
| Name: Guy Thompson | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Hector Vazquez | |
| Name: Hector Vazquez | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| BNY MELLON CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Rob Lynch | |
| Name: Rob Lynch | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| By: | /s/ Sindy Aprigliano | |
| Name: Sindy Aprigliano | ||
| Title: Director | ||
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
| Underwriter |
Number of Securities to be Purchased |
|||
| Barclays Capital Inc. |
225,000 | |||
| BofA Securities, Inc. |
225,000 | |||
| Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
225,000 | |||
| Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
225,000 | |||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
225,000 | |||
| BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC |
125,000 | |||
|
|
|
|||
| Total |
1,250,000 | |||
|
|
|
|||
SCHEDULE II
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus: Final term sheet, dated October 19, 2026 relating to the Securities.
EXHIBIT 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
SERIES O NONCUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK
$0.01 PAR VALUE
OF
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), in accordance with the provisions of Sections 103, 141 and 151 thereof, does hereby certify that:
In accordance with the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation and applicable law, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”), at a meeting duly called and held on October 13, 2026, adopted the following resolution creating a series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation designated as “Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock”.
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby establishes a series of Preferred Stock, with a liquidation preference of $100,000 per share, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation (the “Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock”) and fixes and determines the designation, voting rights, preferences, redemption rights, qualifications, privileges, limitations, restrictions and special or relative rights thereof as follows:
Section 1. Designation and Number, Issue Date. The series will be designated the “Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock” (hereinafter called the “Series O”) and will initially consist of 12,500 shares. The number of shares constituting this Series O may be increased from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors), without the vote or consent of the holders of the Series O in accordance with law up to the maximum number of shares of Preferred Stock authorized to be issued under the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, less all shares at the time authorized of any other series of Preferred Stock. Shares of this Series O will be dated the date of issue. Shares of Series O that are redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation, or converted into another series of Preferred Stock, shall, after such redemption, purchase or acquisition, have the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, without designation as to series until such shares are once more designated as part of a particular series by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Definitions. As used herein with respect to the Series O:
“Adjustments” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Five-Year Treasury Rate.
“Appropriate Federal Banking Agency” means the “appropriate federal banking agency” with respect to the Corporation as defined in Section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. § 1813(q)), or any successor provision.
“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
“Bylaws” means the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation, as may be amended from time to time.
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“Business Day” means each weekday on which banking institutions in New York, New York are not authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.
“Calculation Agent” means, at any time, the person or entity appointed by the Corporation and serving as such agent with respect to the Series O at such time.
“Certificate of Designations” means this Certificate of Designations relating to the Series O, as it may be amended from time to time.
“Certificate of Incorporation” means the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as it may be amended from time to time, and shall include this Certificate of Designations.
“Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.
“Designee” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Five-Year Treasury Rate.
“Dividend Parity Stock” has the meaning specified in Section 3(b).
“Dividend Payment Date” means March 20, June 20, September 20 and December 20 of each year, commencing March 20, 2027; provided, however, that if any such date is not a Business Day, then such date shall nevertheless be a Dividend Payment Date but dividends on the Series O, when, as and if declared, shall be paid on the next succeeding Business Day (without adjustment in the amount of the dividend per share of Series O). Each Dividend Payment Date “relates” to the Dividend Period most recently ending before such Dividend Payment Date, and vice versa (with the words “related” and “relating” having correlative meanings).
“Dividend Period” means each period from and including a Dividend Payment Date (except that the initial Dividend Period shall commence on the Original Issue Date) and continuing to, but excluding, the next succeeding Dividend Payment Date.
“Dividend Record Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3(a).
“Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
“First Reset Date” means December 20, 2031
“Five-Year Treasury Rate” means (i) the average of the yields on actively traded U.S. treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity, for five-year maturities, for the five Business Days immediately preceding such date of determination (or, if fewer than five Business Days appear, such number of Business Days) appearing under the caption “U.S. Government Securities – Treasury Constant Maturities – Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) in the most recently published H.15 Daily Update as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) as of any date of determination (the “Initial Base Rate”); or (ii) if there are no such published yields on actively traded U.S. treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity, for five-year maturities, then the rate will be determined by interpolation between the average of the yields on actively traded U.S. treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity for two series of actively traded U.S. treasury securities, (A) one maturing as close as possible to, but earlier than, the Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Dividend Determination Date and (B) the other maturing as close as possible to, but later than, the Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Dividend Determination Date, in each case for the five Business Days immediately preceding such date of determination (or, if fewer than five Business Days appear, such number of Business Days) appearing under the caption “U.S. Government Securities – Treasury Constant Maturities – Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) in the H.15 Daily Update as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) as of any date of determination.
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If the Corporation, in its sole discretion, determines that the Five-Year Treasury Rate cannot be determined in the manner applicable for such rate (which, as of the Original Issue Date, is pursuant to the methods described in clauses (i) or (ii) above) (a “Rate Substitution Event”), the Corporation may, in its sole discretion, designate an unaffiliated agent or advisor, which may include an unaffiliated underwriter for the offering of the depositary shares representing interests in the Series O or any affiliate of any such underwriter (the “Designee”), to determine whether there is an industry-accepted successor rate to the then-applicable base rate (which, as of the Original Issue Date, is the Initial Base Rate). If the Designee determines that there is such an industry-accepted successor rate, then the Five-Year Treasury Rate shall be deemed to be such successor rate and, in that case, the Designee may then determine and adjust the Business Day convention, the definition of Business Day and the Reset Dividend Determination Date to be used and any other relevant methodology for determining or otherwise calculating such successor rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such successor rate comparable to the then-applicable base rate (which, as of the Original Issue Date, is the Initial Base Rate) in each case, in a manner that is consistent with industry-accepted practices for the use of such successor rate (the “Adjustments”). If the Corporation, in its sole discretion, does not designate a Designee or if the Designee determines that there is no industry-accepted successor rate to then-applicable base rate, then the Five-Year Treasury Rate will be the same rate determined for the prior Reset Dividend Determination Date or, if this sentence is applicable with respect to the first Reset Dividend Determination Date, a rate equal to the Initial Fixed Rate minus the Spread.
The Five-Year Treasury Rate will be determined by the Calculation Agent on the Reset Dividend Determination Date.
“H.15 Daily Update” means the daily statistical release designated as such, or any successor publication, published by the Federal Reserve Board or any successor.
“Initial Base Rate” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Five-Year Treasury Rate.
“Initial Fixed Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 3(a).
“Junior Stock” means the Common Stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation (other than the Series O) that ranks junior to the Series O either or both as to the payment of dividends and/or as to the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Liquidation Preference” has the meaning specified in Section 4(b).
“Nonpayment Event” has the meaning specified in Section 6(b).
“Original Issue Date” means the first date on which any share of Series O is issued and outstanding.
“Preferred Stock” means any and all series of Preferred Stock, having a par value of $0.01 per share, of the Corporation, including the Series O.
“Preferred Stock Director” has the meaning specified in Section 6(b).
“Rate Substitution Event” has the meaning set forth in the definition of Five-Year Treasury Rate.
“Regulatory Capital Treatment Event” means the good faith determination by the Corporation that, as a result of (i) any amendment to, or change in, the laws, rules or regulations of the United States (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including the Federal Reserve Board and other federal bank regulatory agencies) or any political subdivision of or in the United States that is enacted or becomes effective after the initial issuance of any share of Series O, (ii) any proposed change in those laws, rules or regulations that is announced or becomes effective after the initial issuance of any share of Series O, or (iii) any official administrative decision or judicial decision or administrative action or other official pronouncement interpreting or applying those laws, rules or regulations or policies with respect thereto that is announced after the initial issuance of any share of Series O, there is more than an insubstantial risk that the Corporation will not be entitled to treat the full liquidation preference amount of $100,000 per share of Series O then outstanding as “tier 1 capital” (or its equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy rules of the Federal Reserve Board (or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules or regulations of any successor Appropriate Federal Banking Agency) as then in effect and applicable, for so long as any share of Series O is outstanding.
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“Reset Date” means December 20, 2031 and each date falling on the fifth anniversary of the preceding Reset Date, in each case, regardless of whether such day is a Business Day.
“Reset Dividend Determination Date” means, in respect of any Reset Period, the day falling three Business Days prior to the beginning of such Reset Period.
“Reset Period” means the period from and including the First Reset Date to, but excluding, the next following Reset Date and thereafter each period from and including each Reset Date to, but excluding, the next following Reset Date.
“Series O Liquidation Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 4(a).
“Spread” has the meaning specified in Section 3(a).
“Voting Preferred Stock” means, with regard to any election or removal of a Preferred Stock Director or any other matter as to which the holders of Series O are entitled to vote as specified in Section 6 of this Certificate of Designations, any and all series of Preferred Stock (other than the Series O) that rank equally with the Series O as to the payment of dividends, whether bearing dividends on a non-cumulative or cumulative basis, and having voting rights equivalent to those described in Section 6(b).
Section 3. Dividends.
(a) Rate. Holders of the Series O shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors), on each Dividend Payment Date, out of funds legally available therefor, non-cumulative cash dividends on the Series O Liquidation Amount of $100,000 per share of Series O at a rate per annum equal to (i) 7.125% (the “Initial Fixed Rate”) from the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the First Reset Date and (ii) during each Reset Period, the Five-Year Treasury Rate as of the most recent Reset Dividend Determination Date plus 2.192% (the “Spread”) from, and including, the First Reset Date. Such dividends shall be payable in arrears (as provided below in this Section 3(a)), but only when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors). Dividends on the Series O shall not be cumulative; holders of Series O shall not be entitled to receive any dividends not declared by the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors) and no interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend not so declared.
Dividends on the Series O shall not be declared or set aside for payment if and to the extent such dividends would cause the Corporation to fail to comply with the capital adequacy rules of the Federal Reserve Board (or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules or regulations of any successor Appropriate Federal Banking Agency) applicable to the Corporation.
Dividends that are payable on the Series O on any Dividend Payment Date will be payable to holders of record of the Series O as they appear on the stock register of the Corporation on the applicable record date, which shall be the 15th calendar day before such Dividend Payment Date or such other record date fixed by the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors) that is not more than 60 nor less than 10 days prior to such Dividend Payment Date (each, a “Dividend Record Date”). Any such day that is a Dividend Record Date shall be a Dividend Record Date whether or not such day is a Business Day.
Dividends payable on the Series O shall be computed by the Calculation Agent on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
All percentages resulting from any calculation of the dividend rate will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100,000 of 1% (0.0000001), with five one-millionths of a percentage point rounded upward. All currency amounts used in, or resulting from, the calculation on the Series O will be rounded to the nearest one-hundredth of a unit. For purposes of rounding, 0.005 of a unit shall be rounded upward.
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The Calculation Agent’s determination of any dividend rate and its calculation of the amount of dividends for any Dividend Period, and a record maintained by the Corporation of any Rate Substitution Event and Adjustments, will be maintained on file at the Corporation’s principal offices and will be available to any stockholder upon request and will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error. For the avoidance of doubt, any determination by the Corporation or a Designee pursuant to the second paragraph of the definition of Five-Year Treasury Rate (including, without limitation, with respect to any Rate Substitution Event or any Adjustments) shall not be subject to the vote or consent of the holders of the Series O.
The Corporation may terminate the appointment of the Calculation Agent and may appoint a successor agent at any time and from time to time, provided that the Corporation shall use its best efforts to ensure that there is, at all relevant times when the Series O is outstanding, a person or entity appointed and serving as such agent. The Calculation Agent may be a person or entity affiliated with the Corporation.
Holders of the Series O shall not be entitled to any dividends, whether payable in cash, securities or other property, other than dividends (if any) declared and payable on the Series O as specified in this Section 3 (subject to the other provisions of this Certificate of Designations).
(b) Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Series O remains outstanding, no dividend shall be declared or paid on the Common Stock or any other shares of Junior Stock (other than (1) a dividend payable solely in Junior Stock or (2) any dividend in connection with the implementation of a shareholders’ rights plan or the redemption or repurchase of any rights under any such plan), unless (i) full dividends for the last preceding Dividend Period on all outstanding shares of Series O have been declared and paid (or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been set aside) and (ii) the Corporation is not in default on its obligation to redeem any shares of Series O that have been called for redemption. The Corporation and its subsidiaries shall not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, for consideration any shares of Common Stock or other Junior Stock (other than (1) as a result of a reclassification of such Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock, (2) the exchange or conversion of one share of such Junior Stock for or into another share of such Junior Stock, (3) through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Junior Stock, (4) purchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of Junior Stock in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of employees, officers, directors or consultants, (5) purchases of shares of Junior Stock pursuant to a contractually binding requirement to buy Junior Stock existing prior to the preceding Dividend Period, including under a contractually binding stock repurchase plan, or (6) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of Junior Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such securities or the security being converted or exchanged) nor shall the Corporation pay or make available any monies for a sinking fund for the redemption of any shares of Common Stock or any other shares of Junior Stock during a Dividend Period, unless the full dividends for the most recently completed Dividend Period on all outstanding shares of Series O have been declared and paid (or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been set aside). The foregoing provision shall not restrict the ability of the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation to engage in any market-making transactions in Junior Stock in the ordinary course of business.
When dividends are not paid in full upon the shares of Series O and other equity securities ranking on a parity with the Series O as to payment of dividends (“Dividend Parity Stock”), all dividends paid or declared for payment on a dividend payment date with respect to the Series O and the Dividend Parity Stock shall be shared (i) first ratably by the holders of any Dividend Parity Stock who have the right to receive dividends with respect to past dividend periods for which such dividends were not declared and paid, in proportion to the respective amounts of the undeclared and unpaid dividends relating to past dividend periods, and (ii) thereafter ratably by the holders of Series O and any Dividend Parity Stock, in proportion to the respective amounts of the undeclared and unpaid dividends relating to the current dividend period. To the extent a dividend period with respect to any Dividend Parity Stock coincides with more than one Dividend Period with respect to the Series O, for purposes of the immediately preceding sentence the Board of Directors shall treat such dividend period as two or more consecutive dividend periods, none of which coincides with more than one Dividend Period with respect to the Series O, or shall treat such dividend period(s) with respect to any Dividend Parity Stock and Dividend Period(s) with respect to the Series O for purposes of the immediately preceding sentence in any other manner that it deems to be fair and equitable in order to achieve ratable payments of dividends on such Dividend Parity Stock and the Series O. To the extent a Dividend Period with respect to the Series O coincides with more than one dividend period with respect to any
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Dividend Parity Stock, for purposes of the first sentence of this paragraph the Board of Directors shall treat such Dividend Period as two or more consecutive Dividend Periods, none of which coincides with more than one dividend period with respect to such Dividend Parity Stock, or shall treat such Dividend Period(s) with respect to the Series O and dividend period(s) with respect to any Dividend Parity Stock for purposes of the first sentence of this paragraph in any other manner that it deems to be fair and equitable in order to achieve ratable payments of dividends on the Series O and such Dividend Parity Stock. The term “dividend period” as used in this paragraph means such dividend periods as are provided for in the terms of any Dividend Parity Stock and, in the case of shares of Series O, Dividend Periods applicable to shares of Series O; and the term “dividend payment dates” as used in this paragraph means such dividend payment dates as are provided for in the terms of any Dividend Parity Stock and, in the case of shares of Series O, Dividend Payment Dates applicable to shares of Series O.
Subject to the foregoing, such dividends (payable in cash, securities or other property) as may be determined by the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors) may be declared and paid on any securities, including Common Stock, any other Junior Stock and any Dividend Parity Stock, from time to time out of any funds legally available for such payment, and the Series O shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividends.
Section 4. Liquidation Rights.
(a) Voluntary or Involuntary Liquidation. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of Series O shall be entitled to receive, out of the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof (whether capital or surplus) available for distribution to stockholders of the Corporation, and after satisfaction of all liabilities and obligations to creditors of the Corporation, before any distribution of such assets or proceeds is made to or set aside for the holders of Common Stock and any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series O as to such distribution, in full an amount equal to $100,000 per share (the “Series O Liquidation Amount”), together with an amount equal to all dividends (if any) that have been declared but not paid prior to the date of payment of such distribution (but without any amount in respect of dividends that have not been declared prior to such payment date). After payment of the full amount of such liquidation distribution, the holders of Series O shall not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets of the Corporation.
(b) Partial Payment. If in any distribution described in Section 4(a) above the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof are not sufficient to pay the Liquidation Preferences (as defined below) in full to all holders of Series O and all holders of any stock of the Corporation ranking equally with the Series O as to such distribution, the amounts paid to the holders of Series O and to the holders of all such other stock shall be paid pro rata in accordance with the respective aggregate Liquidation Preferences of the holders of Series O and the holders of all such other stock. In any such distribution, the “Liquidation Preference” of any holder of stock of the Corporation shall mean the amount otherwise payable to such holder in such distribution (assuming no limitation on the assets of the Corporation available for such distribution), including an amount equal to any declared but unpaid dividends (and, in the case of any holder of stock other than the Series O and on which dividends accrue on a cumulative basis, an amount equal to any unpaid, accrued, cumulative dividends, whether or not declared, as applicable).
(c) Residual Distributions. If the Liquidation Preference has been paid in full to all holders of Series O and any other stock of the Corporation ranking equally with the Series O as to distribution described in Section 4(a) above, the holders of other stock of the Corporation shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation (or proceeds thereof) according to their respective rights and preferences.
(d) Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 4, the merger or consolidation of the Corporation with any other corporation or other entity, including a merger or consolidation in which the holders of Series O receive cash, securities or other property for their shares, or the sale, lease or exchange (for cash, securities or other property) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, shall not constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
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Section 5. Redemption.
(a) Optional Redemption. The Series O is perpetual and has no maturity date. The Corporation may, at its option, redeem the shares of Series O (i) in whole or in part, from time to time, on any Dividend Payment Date on or after the Dividend Payment Date on December 20, 2031, or (ii) in whole but not in part at any time within 90 days following a Regulatory Capital Treatment Event, in each case, at a cash redemption price equal to $100,000 per share, together (except as otherwise provided herein) with an amount equal to any dividends that have been declared but not paid prior to the redemption date (but with no amount in respect of any dividends that have not been declared prior to such date). The redemption price for any shares of Series O shall be payable on the redemption date to the holder of such shares against surrender of the certificate(s) evidencing such shares to the Corporation or its agent, if the shares of Series O are issued in certificated form. Any declared but unpaid dividends payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the Dividend Record Date for a Dividend Period shall not be paid to the holder entitled to receive the redemption price on the redemption date, but rather shall be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed shares on such Dividend Record Date relating to the Dividend Payment Date as provided in Section 3 above. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation may not redeem shares of Series O without having received the prior approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency if then required under capital rules applicable to the Corporation.
(b) No Sinking Fund. The Series O will not be subject to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other similar provisions. Holders of Series O will have no right to require redemption of any shares of Series O.
(c) Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Series O shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of the shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the books of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 5 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Subsection shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Series O designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Series O. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series O or any depositary shares representing interests in the Series O are issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company or any other similar facility, notice of redemption may be given to the holders of Series O at such time and in any manner permitted by such facility. Each such notice given to a holder shall state: (1) the redemption date; (2) the number of shares of Series O to be redeemed and, if less than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (3) the redemption price or the manner of its calculation; and (4) if the shares of Series O are issued in certificated form, the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price.
(d) Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of Series O at the time outstanding, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected by the Corporation either pro rata in proportion to the number of shares held by each holder of the shares of Series O or by lot or in such other manner as the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors) may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Corporation shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Series O shall be redeemed from time to time. If fewer than all the shares represented by any certificate (if the shares of Series O are issued in certificated form) are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without charge to the holder thereof.
(e) Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been set aside by the Corporation, separate and apart from its other funds, in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, so as to be and continue to be available therefor, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation in the case that the shares of Series O are issued in certificated form, on and after the redemption date dividends shall cease to accrue on all shares so called for redemption, all shares so called for redemption shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such redemption, without interest. Any funds unclaimed at the end of two years from the redemption date, to the extent permitted by law, shall be released to the Corporation, after which time the holders of the shares so called for redemption shall look only to the Corporation for payment of the redemption price of such shares.
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Section 6. Voting Rights.
(a) General. The holders of Series O shall not have any voting rights except as set forth below or as otherwise from time to time required by applicable law.
(b) Right To Elect Two Directors Upon Nonpayment Events. If and whenever the dividends on the Series O and any other class or series of Voting Preferred Stock have not been declared and paid in an aggregate amount (i) in the case of the Series O and any other class or series of Voting Preferred Stock bearing non-cumulative dividends, in full for at least three semi-annual or six quarterly dividend periods or their equivalent (whether or not consecutive) or (ii) in the case of any class or series of Voting Preferred Stock bearing cumulative dividends, in an aggregate amount equal to full dividends for at least three semi-annual or six quarterly dividend periods or their equivalent (whether or not consecutive) (a “Nonpayment Event”), the number of directors then constituting the Board of Directors shall automatically be increased by two and the holders of Series O, together with the holders of any outstanding shares of Voting Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be entitled to elect the two additional directors (the “Preferred Stock Directors”), provided that it shall be a qualification for election for any such Preferred Stock Director that the election of such director shall not cause the Corporation to violate the corporate governance requirement of the New York Stock Exchange (or any other securities exchange or other trading facility on which securities of the Corporation may then be listed or traded) that listed or traded companies must have a majority of independent directors and provided, further, that the Board of Directors shall at no time include more than two Preferred Stock Directors (including, for purposes of this limitation, all directors that the holders of any series of Voting Preferred Stock are entitled to elect pursuant to like voting rights).
In the event that the holders of Series O and such other holders of Voting Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote for the election of the Preferred Stock Directors following a Nonpayment Event, such directors shall be initially elected following such Nonpayment Event only at a special meeting called at the request of the holders of record of at least 20% of the Series O and each other series of Voting Preferred Stock then outstanding (unless such request for a special meeting is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, in which event such election shall be held only at such next annual or special meeting of stockholders), and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation. Such request to call a special meeting for the initial election of the Preferred Stock Directors after a Nonpayment Event shall be made by written notice, signed by the requisite holders of Series O or Voting Preferred Stock, and delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation in such manner as provided for in Section 8 below, or as may otherwise be required by applicable law. If the Secretary of the Corporation fails to call a special meeting for the election of the Preferred Stock Directors within 20 days of receiving proper notice, any holder of Series O may call such a meeting at the Corporation’s expense solely for the election of the Preferred Stock Directors, and for this purpose only such Series O holder shall have access to the Corporation’s stock ledger.
When dividends have been paid in full on the Series O and any and all series of non-cumulative Voting Preferred Stock (other than the Series O) for Dividend Periods, whether or not consecutive, equivalent to at least one year after a Nonpayment Event and all dividends on any cumulative Voting Preferred Stock have been paid in full, then the right of the holders of Series O to elect the Preferred Stock Directors shall cease (but subject always to revesting of such voting rights in the case of any future Nonpayment Event), and, if and when any rights of holders of Series O and Voting Preferred Stock to elect the Preferred Stock Directors shall have ceased, the terms of office of all the Preferred Stock Directors shall forthwith terminate and the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall automatically be reduced accordingly.
Any Preferred Stock Director may be removed at any time without cause by the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series O and Voting Preferred Stock, when they have the voting rights described above (voting together as a single class). The Preferred Stock Directors elected at any such special meeting shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the stockholders if such office shall not have previously terminated as set forth in the preceding paragraph. In case any vacancy shall occur among the Preferred Stock
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Directors, a successor shall be elected by the Board of Directors to serve until the next annual meeting of the stockholders upon the nomination of the then remaining Preferred Stock Director or, if no Preferred Stock Director remains in office, by the vote of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series O and such Voting Preferred Stock for which dividends have not been paid, voting as a single class. The Preferred Stock Directors shall each be entitled to one vote per director on any matter that shall come before the Board of Directors for a vote.
(c) Other Voting Rights. So long as any shares of Series O are outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent of stockholders required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares of Series O at the time outstanding and entitled to vote thereon, voting separately as a single class, given in person or by proxy, either in writing without a meeting or by vote at any meeting called for the purpose, shall be necessary for effecting or validating:
(i) Authorization of Senior Stock. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws to authorize or create, or increase the authorized amount of, any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking senior to the Series O with respect to either the payment of dividends or the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation;
(ii) Amendment of Series O. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws so as to adversely affect the special rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series O; provided, however, that any amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation to authorize or create or to increase the authorized amount of any Junior Stock or any class or series or any securities convertible into shares of any class or series of Dividend Parity Stock or other series of Preferred Stock ranking equally with the Series O with respect to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation will not be deemed to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series O; or
(iii) Share Exchanges, Reclassifications, Mergers and Consolidations. Any consummation of a binding share exchange or reclassification involving the Series O, or of a merger or consolidation of the Corporation with another corporation, or any merger or consolidation of the Corporation with or into any entity other than a corporation unless in each case (x) the shares of Series O remain outstanding or, in the case of any such merger or consolidation with respect to which the Corporation is not the surviving or resulting corporation, are converted into or exchanged for preference securities of the surviving or resulting corporation or a corporation controlling such corporation, and (y) such shares remaining outstanding or such preference securities, as the case may be, have such rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof, as would not require a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock pursuant to clauses (i) or (ii) above if such change were effected by an amendment of the Certificate of Incorporation.
If any amendment, alteration, repeal, share exchange, reclassification, merger or consolidation specified in this Section 6(c) would adversely affect the Series O and one or more but not all other series of Preferred Stock, then only the Series O and such series of Preferred Stock as are adversely affected by and entitled to vote on the matter shall vote on the matter together as a single class in proportion to their respective stated liquidation amounts (in lieu of all other series of Preferred Stock).
(d) Changes for Clarification. Without the consent of the holders of Series O, so long as such action does not adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof, of the Series O, the Corporation may amend, alter, supplement or repeal any terms of the Series O:
(i) to cure any ambiguity, or to cure, correct or supplement any provision contained in this Certificate of Designations that may be defective or inconsistent; or
(ii) to make any provision with respect to matters or questions arising with respect to the Series O that is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Certificate of Designations, including, without limitation, to reflect any Adjustments if a Rate Substitution Event occurs.
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(e) Changes after Provision for Redemption. No vote or consent of the holders of Series O shall be required pursuant to Section 6(b) or (c) above if, at or prior to the time when any such vote or consent would otherwise be required pursuant to such Section, all outstanding shares of Series O shall have been redeemed, or shall have been called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been set aside for such redemption, in each case pursuant to Section 5 above.
(f) Procedures for Voting and Consents. The rules and procedures for calling and conducting any meeting of the holders of Series O (including, without limitation, the fixing of a record date in connection therewith), the solicitation and use of proxies at such a meeting, the obtaining of written consents and any other aspect or matter with regard to such a meeting or such consents shall be governed by any rules the Board of Directors, in its discretion, may adopt from time to time, which rules and procedures shall conform to the requirements of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, applicable law and any national securities exchange or other trading facility on which the Series O is listed or traded at the time. Whether the vote or consent of the holders of a plurality, majority or other portion of the shares of Series O and any Voting Preferred Stock has been cast or given on any matter on which the holders of shares of Series O are entitled to vote shall be determined by the Corporation by reference to the specified liquidation amounts of the shares voted or covered by the consent.
For purposes of determining the voting rights of the holders of shares of Series O under this Section 6, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each $100,000 of Series O Liquidation Amount to which his or her shares are entitled. Holders of shares of Series O will be entitled to one vote for each such share of Series O held by them.
Section 7. Record Holders. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation and the transfer agent for the Series O may deem and treat the record holder of any share of Series O as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Corporation nor such transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 8. Notices. All notices or communications in respect of the Series O shall be sufficiently given if given in writing and delivered in person or by first class mail, postage prepaid, or if given in such other manner as may be permitted in this Certificate of Designations, in the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or by applicable law.
Section 9. No Preemptive Rights. No share of Series O shall have any rights of preemption whatsoever as to any securities of the Corporation, or any warrants, rights or options issued or granted with respect thereto, regardless of how such securities, or such warrants, rights or options, may be designated, issued or granted.
Section 10. Other Rights. The shares of Series O shall not have any voting powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other special rights, or qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, other than as set forth herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation or as provided by applicable law.
Section 11. Certificates. The Corporation may at its option issue shares of Series O without certificates.
Section 12. Restatement of Certificate. On any restatement of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, Section 1 through Section 11 of this Certificate of Designations shall be included in the Certificate of Incorporation under the heading “Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock” and this Section 12 may be omitted. If the Board of Directors so determines, the numbering of Section 1 through Section 11 may be changed for convenience of reference or for any other proper purpose.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Corporation has caused this Certificate to be signed by a duly authorized officer this 27th day of October, 2026.
| THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Tiffany Eng | |
| Name: | Tiffany Eng | |
| Title: | Managing Director and Treasurer | |
[Signature Page to Certificate of Designations]
Exhibit 4.2
DEPOSIT AGREEMENT
among
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION,
as Issuer
and
COMPUTERSHARE INC. AND COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
acting jointly as Depositary
and
THE HOLDERS FROM TIME TO TIME OF THE DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS DESCRIBED HEREIN
Dated as of October 28, 2026
| ARTICLE I DEFINED TERMS | 3 | |||||
| Section 1.1. | Definitions | 3 | ||||
| ARTICLE II FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF THE SERIES O PREFERRED STOCK, EXECUTION AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER, SURRENDER AND REDEMPTION OF RECEIPTS | 6 | |||||
| Section 2.1. | Form and Transfer of Receipts | 6 | ||||
| Section 2.2. | Deposit of the Series O Preferred Stock; Execution and Delivery of Receipts in Respect Thereof | 7 | ||||
| Section 2.3. | Registration of Transfer of Receipts | 8 | ||||
| Section 2.4. | Split-ups and Combinations of Receipts; Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of the Series O Preferred Stock | 9 | ||||
| Section 2.5. | Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer, Surrender and Exchange of Receipts | 10 | ||||
| Section 2.6. | Lost Receipts, etc. | 10 | ||||
| Section 2.7. | Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts | 11 | ||||
| Section 2.8. | Redemption of the Series O Preferred Stock | 11 | ||||
| Section 2.9. | Receipts Issuable in Global Registered Form | 12 | ||||
| Section 2.10. | No Pre-Release | 14 | ||||
| ARTICLE III CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF HOLDERS OF RECEIPTS AND THE CORPORATION | 14 | |||||
| Section 3.1. | Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information | 14 | ||||
| Section 3.2. | Payment of Taxes or Other Governmental Charges | 14 | ||||
| Section 3.3. | Warranty as to the Series O Preferred Stock | 14 | ||||
| Section 3.4. | Warranty as to Receipts | 14 | ||||
| ARTICLE IV THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES; NOTICES | 15 | |||||
| Section 4.1. | Cash Distributions | 15 | ||||
| Section 4.2. | Distributions Other than Cash, Rights, Preferences or Privileges | 16 | ||||
| Section 4.3. | Subscription Rights, Preferences or Privileges | 16 | ||||
| Section 4.4. | Notice of Dividends, etc.; Fixing Record Date for Holders of Receipts | 17 | ||||
| Section 4.5. | Voting Rights | 18 | ||||
| Section 4.6. | Changes Affecting Deposited Securities and Reclassifications, Recapitalizations, etc. | 18 | ||||
| Section 4.7. | Delivery of Reports | 19 | ||||
| Section 4.8. | Lists of Receipt Holders | 19 | ||||
| Section 4.9. | Withholding | 19 | ||||
| ARTICLE V THE DEPOSITARY, THE DEPOSITARY’S AGENTS, THE REGISTRAR AND THE CORPORATION | 20 | |||||
| Section 5.1. | Maintenance of Offices, Agencies and Transfer Books by the Depositary; Registrar | 20 | ||||
| Section 5.2. | Prevention of or Delay in Performance by the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar or the Corporation | 20 | ||||
| Section 5.3. | Obligations of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar, Transfer Agent and the Corporation | 21 | ||||
| Section 5.4. | Resignation and Removal of the Depositary; Appointment of Successor Depositary | 25 | ||||
| Section 5.5. | Corporate Notices and Reports | 26 | ||||
| Section 5.6. | Indemnification by the Corporation | 26 | ||||
| Section 5.7. | Fees, Charges and Expenses | 27 | ||||
| ARTICLE VI AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION | 27 | |||||
| Section 6.1. | Amendment | 27 | ||||
| Section 6.2. | Termination | 28 | ||||
| ARTICLE VII MISCELLANEOUS | 29 | |||||
| Section 7.1. | Counterparts | 29 | ||||
| Section 7.2. | Exclusive Benefit of Parties | 29 | ||||
| Section 7.3. | Invalidity of Provisions | 29 | ||||
| Section 7.4. | Notices | 29 | ||||
| Section 7.5. | Depositary’s Agents | 30 | ||||
| Section 7.6. | Appointment of Registrar, Dividend Disbursing Agent and Redemption Agent in Respect of the Series O Preferred Stock | 31 | ||||
| Section 7.7. | Holders of Receipts are Parties | 31 | ||||
| Section 7.8. | Governing Law | 31 | ||||
| Section 7.9. | Inspection of Deposit Agreement | 31 | ||||
| Section 7.10. | Headings | 31 | ||||
| Section 7.11. | Confidentiality | 31 | ||||
| Section 7.12. | Protection of Personal Information | 32 | ||||
| Section 7.13. | Further Assurances | 36 | ||||
| Exhibit A | Form of Series O Preferred Stock Certificate | A-1 | ||||
| Exhibit B | Form of Receipt | B-1 | ||||
| Exhibit C | List of Supplemental Services | C-1 | ||||
| Exhibit D | Fee Schedule | D-1 | ||||
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DEPOSIT AGREEMENT
DEPOSIT AGREEMENT, dated as of October 28, 2026, among (i) THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation; (ii) COMPUTERSHARE INC., a Delaware corporation (“Computershare”), and its wholly owned subsidiary, COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., a federally chartered trust company (the “Trust Company”), acting jointly as Depositary (as hereinafter defined); and (iii) the holders from time to time of the Receipts (as hereinafter defined) described herein.
WHEREAS, it is desired to provide, as hereinafter set forth in this Deposit Agreement, for the deposit of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined) from time to time with the Depositary for the purposes set forth in this Deposit Agreement and for the issuance hereunder of Receipts evidencing Depositary Shares (as hereinafter defined) in respect of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock so deposited; and
WHEREAS, the Receipts are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided in this Deposit Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINED TERMS
Section 1.1. Definitions.
The following definitions shall for all purposes, unless otherwise indicated, apply to the respective terms used in this Deposit Agreement:
“Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any person or entity, any person or entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, such other person or entity. For the purpose of this definition, “controlling,” “controlled by” or “under common control with” mean the ownership, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the operation or management and policies of a person or entity, whether through the ownership or control of voting interests, by contract or otherwise.
“Board of Directors” shall mean the board of directors of the Corporation.
“Certificate of Designations” shall mean the relevant Certificate of Designations filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware establishing the Series O Preferred Stock as a series of preferred stock of the Corporation.
“Computershare” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“Confidential Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.12(a).
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“Corporation” shall mean The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, a Delaware corporation, and its successors.
“Deposit Agreement” shall mean this Deposit Agreement, as amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.
“Depositary” shall mean Computershare and the Trust Company, acting jointly, and any successor as Depositary hereunder.
“Depositary Shares” shall mean the depositary shares, each representing one-hundredth (1/100th) of one share of the Series O Preferred Stock, and evidenced by a Receipt.
“Depositary’s Agent” shall mean an agent appointed by the Depositary pursuant to Section 7.5.
“Depositary’s Office” shall mean the office of the Depositary at which at any particular time its depositary receipt business shall be administered, which at the date of this Deposit Agreement is located at 150 Royall St., Canton, MA 02021.
“DTC” shall mean The Depository Trust Company.
“Exchange Event” shall mean with respect to any Global Registered Receipt:
(1) (A) the Global Receipt Depository which is the Holder of such Global Registered Receipt notifies the Corporation that it is no longer willing or able to properly discharge its responsibilities under any Letter of Representations or that it is no longer eligible or in good standing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and (B) the Corporation has not appointed a qualified successor Global Receipt Depository within ninety (90) calendar days after the Corporation received such notice, or
(2) the Corporation in its sole discretion notifies the Depositary in writing that the Receipts or portion thereof issued or issuable in the form of one or more Global Registered Receipts shall no longer be represented by such Global Registered Receipt.
“Funds” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.
“Global Receipt Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Receipt issued hereunder, DTC or such other entity designated as Global Receipt Depository by the Corporation in or pursuant to this Deposit Agreement, which entity must be, to the extent required by any applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Global Registered Receipt” shall mean a global registered Receipt registered in the name of a nominee of DTC.
“Information Security Program” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.12(d).
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“Letter of Representations” shall mean any applicable agreement among the Corporation, the Depositary and a Global Receipt Depository with respect to such Global Receipt Depository’s rights and obligations with respect to any Global Registered Receipt, as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time and any successor agreement thereto.
“Person” shall mean any natural person, partnership, joint venture, firm, corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, unincorporated association, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of the foregoing.
“Personal Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.12(b).
“Receipt” shall mean one of the depositary receipts issued hereunder, substantially in the form set forth as Exhibit B hereto, whether in definitive or temporary form, and evidencing the number of Depositary Shares with respect to shares of the Series O Preferred Stock held of record by the holder of record of such Depositary Shares.
“Record Holder” or “Holder” as applied to a Receipt shall mean the Person in whose name such Receipt is registered on the books of the Depositary maintained for such purpose.
“Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.8.
“Registrar” shall mean the Trust Company or such other successor bank or trust company which shall be appointed by the Corporation to register ownership and transfers of Receipts as herein provided and if a successor Registrar shall be so appointed, references herein to “the books” of or maintained by the Depositary shall be deemed, as applicable, to refer as well to the register maintained by such Registrar for such purpose.
“Representatives” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.12(a).
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Security Breach” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.12(f).
“Series O Preferred Stock” shall mean the shares of the Corporation’s Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, $100,000 liquidation preference per share, designated in the Certificate of Designations.
“Services” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.12(b).
“Signature Guarantee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.
“Transfer Agent” shall mean the Trust Company or such other successor bank or trust company which shall be appointed by the Corporation to transfer the Receipts or the deposited shares of Series O Preferred Stock, as the case may be, as herein provided.
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“Transfer Agent Services Agreement” shall mean the Transfer Agency Services Agreement, effective as of October 16, 2023, as amended, supplemented and in effect from time to time, between the Corporation, Computershare and the Trust Company, or any successor agreement, addressing the provision of transfer agency services by the Transfer Agent to the Corporation.
“Trust Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
ARTICLE II
FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF THE SERIES O PREFERRED STOCK, EXECUTION AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER, SURRENDER AND REDEMPTION OF RECEIPTS
Section 2.1. Form and Transfer of Receipts.
The definitive Receipts shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B attached to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided (but which do not affect the rights, duties, obligations or immunities of the Depositary as set forth in this Deposit Agreement without the Depositary’s consent). Pending the preparation of definitive Receipts, the Depositary, upon the written order of the Corporation, delivered in compliance with Section 2.2, shall be authorized and instructed to, and shall execute and deliver temporary Receipts which may be printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise substantially of the tenor of the definitive Receipts in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the Persons executing such Receipts may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Receipts. If temporary Receipts are issued, the Corporation and the Depositary will cause definitive Receipts to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Receipts, the temporary Receipts shall be exchangeable for definitive Receipts upon surrender of the temporary Receipts at the Depositary’s Office or at such other place or places as the Depositary shall determine, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Receipts, the Depositary is hereby authorized and instructed to, and shall execute and deliver in exchange therefor definitive Receipts representing the same number of Depositary Shares as represented by the surrendered temporary Receipt or Receipts registered in the name (and only in the name) of the holder of the temporary Receipt(s); provided that the Depositary has been provided with all necessary information that it may request in order to execute and deliver such definitive Receipts. Such exchange shall be made at the Corporation’s expense and without any charge therefor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Receipts shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Deposit Agreement, and with respect to the Series O Preferred Stock, as definitive Receipts.
Any Receipt to be executed by the Depositary pursuant to this Deposit Agreement shall be executed by the Depositary by the manual, facsimile or, solely in the case of a Receipt in global form, electronic, signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary. No Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless it shall have been executed manually or by the facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary and, if a Registrar for the Receipts (other than the Depositary) shall have been appointed, by manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer of such Registrar. The Depositary shall record on its books each Receipt so signed and delivered as hereinafter provided.
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Receipts shall be in denominations of any number of whole Depositary Shares. All Receipts shall be dated the date of their issuance.
Receipts may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or recitals or changes not inconsistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, all as may be required by the Depositary and approved by the Corporation or required to comply with any applicable law or any regulation thereunder or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange upon which the Series O Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts may be listed or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Receipt is subject (but which do not affect the rights, duties, obligations or immunities of the Depositary as set forth in this Deposit Agreement without the Depositary’s consent).
Title to Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt which is properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer, shall be transferable by delivery of such Receipt with the same effect as if such Receipt were a negotiable instrument; provided, however, that until transfer of any particular Receipt shall be registered on the books of the Depositary as provided in Section 2.3, the Depositary may, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, treat the Record Holder thereof at such time as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the Person entitled to distributions of dividends or other distributions or to any notice provided for in this Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes.
Section 2.2. Deposit of the Series O Preferred Stock; Execution and Delivery of Receipts in Respect Thereof.
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Corporation may from time to time deposit shares of the Series O Preferred Stock under this Deposit Agreement by delivery to the Depositary of a certificate or certificates for such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock to be deposited, properly endorsed or accompanied, if required by the Depositary, by a duly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary (provided that a certificate substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A attached to this Deposit Agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary), together with (i) all such certifications as may be required by the Depositary pursuant to this Deposit Agreement, (ii) an instruction letter from the Corporation authorizing the Depositary to register such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock in book-entry form, each in form satisfactory to the Depositary, together with all such certifications as may be required by the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, and together with a written order of the Corporation directing the Depositary to execute and deliver to, or upon the written order of, the Person or Persons stated in such order a Receipt or Receipts evidencing in the aggregate the number of Depositary Shares representing such deposited shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and (iii) an opinion of counsel to the Corporation (which may be an opinion of internal counsel) stating that (1) such Depositary Shares have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered in connection with the distribution thereof and (2) when the Series O Preferred Stock is issued and delivered against payment therefor, such Series O Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
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The shares of the Series O Preferred Stock that are deposited shall be held by the Depositary at the Depositary’s Office or at such other place or places as the Depositary shall determine. The Depositary shall not lend any shares of the Series O Preferred Stock deposited hereunder.
Upon receipt by the Depositary of a certificate or certificates for shares of the Series O Preferred Stock deposited in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.2, together with the other documents required as above specified, and upon recordation of the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock on the books of the Corporation (or its duly appointed transfer agent) in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, the Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall at the direction of the Corporation execute and deliver to or upon the order of the Person or Persons named in the written order delivered to the Depositary referred to in the first paragraph of this Section 2.2, a Receipt or Receipts evidencing in the aggregate the number of Depositary Shares representing the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock so deposited and registered in such name or names as may be requested by such Person or Persons. The Depositary shall execute and deliver such Receipt or Receipts at the Depositary’s Office or such other offices, if any, as the Depositary may designate. Delivery at other offices shall be at the risk and expense of the Person requesting such delivery.
Section 2.3. Registration of Transfer of Receipts.
The Corporation hereby appoints Computershare and the Trust Company, acting jointly, as the Depositary and appoints the Trust Company as the Registrar and Transfer Agent for the Receipts, and Computershare and the Trust Company hereby accept such appointments, subject to the express terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement (and no implied terms or conditions) and, as such, shall register on its books from time to time transfers of Receipts upon any surrender thereof by the Holder in person or by duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement, including a guarantee of the signature thereon by a participant in a Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level acceptable to the Transfer Agent (a “Signature Guarantee”), together with evidence of the payment of any taxes or charges as may be required by law. Thereupon, the Depositary shall execute a new Receipt or Receipts evidencing the same aggregate number of Depositary Shares as those evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered and deliver such new Receipt or Receipts to or upon the order of the Person entitled thereto. With respect to the appointment of the Depositary as Registrar and Transfer Agent in respect of the Receipts, the Depositary, in its respective capacities under such appointments, shall be entitled to the same rights, indemnities, immunities and benefits as the Depositary hereunder as if explicitly named in each such provision, and shall provide the applicable services in accordance with the Transfer Agent Services Agreement and Exhibit C hereto, in the performance of its duties in such respective capacities. Any references to the Depositary herein shall, to the extent applicable, mean the Depositary as the Transfer Agent and Registrar.
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Section 2.4. Split-ups and Combinations of Receipts; Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of the Series O Preferred Stock.
Upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts at the Depositary’s Office or at such other offices as it may designate for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of such Receipt or Receipts, and the receipt by the Depositary of all other necessary information and documents, and subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall execute a new Receipt or Receipts in the authorized denomination or denominations requested, evidencing the aggregate number of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered, and shall deliver such new Receipt or Receipts to or upon the order of the Holder of the Receipt or Receipts so surrendered.
Any Holder of a Receipt or Receipts may withdraw the number of whole shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and all money and other property, if any, represented thereby by surrendering such Receipt or Receipts at the Depositary’s Office or at such other offices as the Depositary may designate for such withdrawals; provided, however, that a Holder of a Receipt or Receipts may not withdraw such whole shares of Series O Preferred Stock (or money and other property, if any, represented thereby) which has previously been called for redemption. After such surrender and upon the receipt of written instructions from the Holder of such Receipt or Receipts, without unreasonable delay (provided the Corporation has provided the Depositary with all necessary documentation), the Depositary shall deliver to such Holder, or to the Person or Persons designated by such Holder as hereinafter provided, the number of whole shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and all money and other property, if any, represented by the Receipt or Receipts so surrendered for withdrawal, but Holders of such whole shares of the Series O Preferred Stock will not thereafter be entitled to deposit such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock hereunder or to receive a Receipt evidencing Depositary Shares therefor. Delivery of such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and such money and other property being withdrawn may be made by the delivery of such certificates, documents of title and other instruments as the Depositary may deem appropriate, which, if required by the Depositary, shall be properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer. If a Receipt delivered by the Holder to the Depositary in connection with such withdrawal shall evidence a number of Depositary Shares in excess of the number of Depositary Shares representing the number of whole shares of the Series O Preferred Stock to be withdrawn, the Depositary shall at the same time, in addition to such number of whole shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and such money and other property, if any, to be so withdrawn, deliver to such Holder, or subject to Section 2.3 upon such Holder’s order, a new Receipt evidencing such excess number of Depositary Shares.
In no event will fractional shares of the Series O Preferred Stock (or any cash payment in lieu thereof) be delivered by the Depositary. Delivery of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and money and other property, if any, being withdrawn may be made by the delivery of such certificates, documents of title and other instruments as the Depositary may deem appropriate.
If shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and the money and other property, if any, being withdrawn are to be delivered to a Person or Persons other than the Record Holder of the related Receipt or Receipts being surrendered for withdrawal of such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock, such Holder shall execute and deliver to the Depositary a written order so directing the Depositary and the Depositary may require that the Receipt or Receipts surrendered by such Holder for withdrawal of such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock be properly endorsed in blank or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer in blank.
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Delivery of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and the money and other property, if any, represented by Receipts surrendered for withdrawal shall be made by the Depositary at the Depositary’s Office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of the Holder, and consent of the Depositary, surrendering such Receipt or Receipts and for the account of the Holder thereof, such delivery may be made at such other place as may be designated by such Holder.
Section 2.5. Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer, Surrender and Exchange of Receipts.
As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery, registration of transfer, split-up, combination, surrender or exchange of any Receipt, the Depositary, any of the Depositary’s Agents or the Corporation may require (i) payment to it of a sum sufficient for the payment (or, in the event that the Depositary or the Corporation shall have made such payment, the reimbursement to it) of any charges, taxes or expenses payable by the Holder of a Receipt pursuant to Section 5.7 (including any such tax or charge with respect to the shares of Series O Preferred Stock being deposited or withdrawn or any charges or expense pursuant to Section 3.2), (ii) the production of evidence satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature (which evidence may include a Signature Guarantee), and (iii) any other reasonable evidence of authority that may be required by the Depositary, and may also require compliance with such regulations, if any, as the Depositary or the Corporation may establish consistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement and/or applicable law.
The deposit of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock may be refused, the delivery of Receipts against shares of the Series O Preferred Stock may be suspended, the registration of transfer of Receipts may be refused and the registration of transfer, surrender or exchange of outstanding Receipts may be suspended (i) during any period when the register of stockholders of the Corporation is closed or (ii) if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the Depositary, any of the Depositary’s Agents or the Corporation at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body or commission or under any provision of this Deposit Agreement.
Section 2.6. Lost Receipts, etc.
In case any Receipt shall be mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen, the Depositary in its discretion may, absent notice to the Depositary that such Receipt has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, execute and deliver a Receipt of like form and tenor in exchange and substitution for such mutilated Receipt, or in lieu of and in substitution for such destroyed, lost or stolen Receipt, only upon (i) the filing by the Holder thereof with the Depositary of evidence satisfactory to the Depositary of such destruction or loss or theft of such Receipt, of the authenticity thereof and of his or her ownership thereof; and (ii) the Holder thereof furnishing the Depositary with indemnification satisfactory to the Depositary. Such Holder shall also comply with such other reasonable regulations and pay such other reasonable charges as the Depositary may prescribe and as required by Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York.
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Section 2.7. Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts.
All Receipts surrendered to the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent shall be cancelled by the Depositary. Except as prohibited by applicable law or regulation, the Depositary is authorized and directed to destroy all Receipts so cancelled.
Section 2.8. Redemption of the Series O Preferred Stock.
Whenever the Corporation shall be permitted and shall elect to redeem shares of the Series O Preferred Stock in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Designations, it shall (unless otherwise agreed to in writing with the Depositary) give or cause to be given to the Depositary, not less than five (5) days and not more than sixty (60) days prior to the Redemption Date (as defined below), notice of the date of such proposed redemption of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and of the number of such shares held by the Depositary to be so redeemed and the applicable redemption price, which notice shall be accompanied by a certificate from the Corporation stating that such redemption of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock is in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Designations. In addition, the Corporation shall inform the Depositary not less than five (5) days (or such shorter period as the Corporation and the Depositary may agree to from time to time) prior to the date on which the Corporation intends to have the Depositary provide notice to the Record Holders of Receipts, as described below, in connection with any redemption of the Series O Preferred Stock.
On the date of such redemption, provided that the Corporation shall then have paid or caused to be paid in full to Computershare the redemption price of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per share of the Series O Preferred Stock to be redeemed, plus an amount equal to any declared and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for redemption to be redeemed, in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Designations, Computershare shall redeem the number of Depositary Shares representing such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock. Computershare shall, if requested in writing and provided with all necessary information, mail the notice of the Corporation’s redemption of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and the proposed simultaneous redemption of the number of Depositary Shares representing such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock to be redeemed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, at the respective last addresses as they appear on the records of Computershare, or transmit by such other method approved by Computershare (including, without limitation, in any manner permitted by DTC if the Depositary Shares are issued in book-entry form through DTC), in its reasonable discretion, in either case not less than five (5) days and not more than sixty (60) days prior to the date fixed for redemption of such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares (the “Redemption Date”), to the Record Holders of the Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares to be so redeemed at the addresses of such Holders as they appear on the records of Computershare; but neither failure to mail or transmit any such notice of redemption of Depositary Shares to one or more such Holders nor any defect in any notice of redemption of Depositary Shares to one or more such Holders shall affect the sufficiency of the proceedings for redemption as to the other Holders. Each such notice shall be prepared by the Corporation and shall state: (i) the Redemption Date; (ii) the number of Depositary Shares to be redeemed and, if less than all the Depositary Shares held by any such Holder are to be redeemed, the number of such Depositary Shares held by such Holder to be so redeemed; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends in respect of the Series O Preferred Stock represented by such Depositary Shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such
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Redemption Date. In case less than all the outstanding Depositary Shares are to be redeemed, the Depositary Shares to be so redeemed shall be selected either pro rata or by lot or in such other manner as the Corporation may determine to be fair and equitable (which determination the Corporation will promptly notify Computershare in writing). In any such case, the Depositary Shares shall only be redeemed in increments of one hundred (100) shares and any integral multiple thereof.
Notice having been mailed or transmitted by Computershare as aforesaid, from and after the Redemption Date (unless the Corporation shall have failed to provide the funds necessary to redeem shares of the Series O Preferred Stock evidenced by the Depositary Shares called for redemption) (i) all dividends on the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock so called for redemption shall cease to accrue from and after such date; (ii) the Depositary Shares being redeemed from such proceeds shall be deemed no longer to be outstanding; (iii) all rights of the Holders of Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares (except the right to receive the redemption price) shall, to the extent of such Depositary Shares, cease and terminate; and (iv) upon surrender in accordance with such redemption notice of the Receipts evidencing any such Depositary Shares called for redemption (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if Computershare or applicable law shall so require), such Depositary Shares shall be redeemed by Computershare at a redemption price per Depositary Share equal to one-hundredth (1/100th) of the redemption price per share of the Series O Preferred Stock so redeemed plus all money and other property, if any, represented by such Depositary Shares, including all amounts paid by the Corporation in respect of dividends which on the Redemption Date have been declared on the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock to be so redeemed and have not theretofore been paid (it being understood that, in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Designations, any declared but unpaid dividends payable on a Redemption Date that occurs subsequent to the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4 for a dividend period shall not be paid to the Holder of a Receipt entitled to receive the redemption price on the Redemption Date, but rather shall be paid to the Holder of such Receipt on such record date).
If fewer than all of the Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt are called for redemption, Computershare will deliver to the Holder of such Receipt upon its surrender to Computershare, together with the redemption payment, a new Receipt evidencing the Depositary Shares evidenced by such prior Receipt and not called for redemption.
Section 2.9. Receipts Issuable in Global Registered Form.
If the Corporation shall determine in a writing delivered to the Depositary that the Receipts are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Registered Receipts, then the Depositary shall, if instructed and provided with all necessary information, in accordance with the other provisions of this Deposit Agreement, execute and deliver one or more Global Registered Receipts evidencing the Receipts of such series, which (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate number of Depositary Shares evidenced by, the Receipts to be represented by such Global Registered Receipt or Receipts and (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Global Receipt Depository therefor or its nominee.
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this Deposit Agreement to the contrary, unless otherwise provided in the Global Registered Receipt, a Global Registered Receipt may only be transferred in whole and only by the applicable Global Receipt Depository for such Global Registered Receipt to a nominee of such Global Receipt Depository, or by a nominee of such Global Receipt Depository to such Global Receipt Depository or another nominee of such Global Receipt Depository, or by such Global Receipt Depository or any such nominee to a successor Global Receipt Depository for such Global Registered Receipt selected or approved by the Corporation or to a nominee of such successor Global Receipt Depository. Except as provided below, owners solely of beneficial interests in a Global Registered Receipt shall not be entitled to receive physical delivery of the Receipts represented by such Global Registered Receipt. Neither any such beneficial owner nor any direct or indirect participant of a Global Receipt Depository shall have any rights under this Deposit Agreement with respect to any Global Registered Receipt held on their behalf by a Global Receipt Depository and such Global Receipt Depository may be treated by the Corporation, the Depositary and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or the Depositary as the Holder of such Global Registered Receipt for all purposes whatsoever. Unless and until definitive Receipts are delivered to the owners of the beneficial interests in a Global Registered Receipt, (1) the applicable Global Receipt Depository will make book-entry transfers among its participants and receive and transmit all payments and distributions in respect of the Global Registered Receipts to such participants, in each case, in accordance with its applicable procedures and arrangements, and (2) whenever any notice, payment or other communication to the holders of Global Registered Receipts is required under this Deposit Agreement, the Corporation and the Depositary shall give all such notices, payments and communications specified herein to be given to such holders to the applicable Global Receipt Depository.
If an Exchange Event has occurred with respect to any Global Registered Receipt, then, in any such event, the Depositary shall, upon receipt of a written order from the Corporation authorizing and directing the Depositary to execute and deliver the individual definitive registered Receipts in exchange for such Global Registered Receipt, execute and deliver, individual definitive registered Receipts, in authorized denominations and of like terms in an aggregate number of Depositary Shares equal to the aggregate number of Depositary Shares represented by the Global Registered Receipt in exchange for such Global Registered Receipt. The Depositary shall have no duties, obligations or liability under this paragraph unless and until such written order have been received by the Depositary.
Definitive registered Receipts issued in exchange for a Global Registered Receipt pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Global Receipt Depository for such Global Registered Receipt, pursuant to instructions from its participants, shall instruct the Depositary in writing. The Depositary shall deliver such Receipts to the Persons in whose names such Receipts are so registered.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Deposit Agreement, should the Corporation determine that the Receipts should be issued as a Global Registered Receipt, the parties hereto shall comply with the terms of each Letter of Representations.
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Section 2.10. No Pre-Release.
The Depositary shall not deliver any deposited Series O Preferred Stock evidenced by Receipts prior to the receipt and cancellation of such Receipts or other similar method used with respect to Receipts held by DTC. The Depositary shall not issue any Receipts prior to the receipt by the Depositary of the corresponding Series O Preferred Stock evidenced by such Receipts. At no time will any Receipts be outstanding if such Receipts do not represent Series O Preferred Stock deposited with the Depositary.
ARTICLE III
CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF HOLDERS OF
RECEIPTS AND THE CORPORATION
Section 3.1. Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information.
Any Holder of a Receipt may be required from time to time to file such proof of residence, or other matters or other information, to execute such certificates and to make such representations and warranties as the Depositary or the Corporation may reasonably deem necessary or proper. The Depositary or the Corporation may withhold the delivery, or delay the registration of transfer or redemption, of any Receipt or the withdrawal of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares and evidenced by a Receipt or the distribution of any dividend or other distribution or the sale of any rights or of the proceeds thereof until such proof or other information is filed or such certificates are executed or such representations and warranties are made.
Section 3.2. Payment of Taxes or Other Governmental Charges.
Holders of Receipts shall be obligated to make payments to the Depositary of certain charges and expenses, as provided in Section 5.7. Registration of transfer of any Receipt or any withdrawal of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and all money or other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt may be refused until any such payment due is made, and any dividends, interest payments or other distributions may be withheld or any part of or all shares of the Series O Preferred Stock or other property represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt and not theretofore sold may be sold for the account of the Holder thereof (after attempting by reasonable means to notify such Holder prior to such sale), and such dividends, interest payments or other distributions or the proceeds of any such sale may be applied to any payment of such charges or expenses, the Holder of such Receipt remaining liable for any deficiency.
Section 3.3. Warranty as to the Series O Preferred Stock.
The Corporation hereby represents and warrants that shares of the Series O Preferred Stock, when issued, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Such representation and warranty shall survive the deposit of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and the issuance of the related Receipts.
Section 3.4. Warranty as to Receipts.
The Corporation hereby represents and warrants that the Receipts, when issued, will represent legal and valid interests in shares of the Series O Preferred Stock. Such representation and warranty shall survive the deposit of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and the issuance of the Receipts.
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ARTICLE IV
THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES; NOTICES
Section 4.1. Cash Distributions.
Whenever Computershare shall receive any cash dividend or other cash distribution on the Series O Preferred Stock, Computershare shall, subject to Sections 3.1 and 3.2 and, if received, in accordance with written instructions from the Corporation, distribute to Record Holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4 such amounts of such dividend or distribution as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts held by such Holders; provided, however, that in case the Corporation or Computershare shall be required to withhold and shall withhold from any cash dividend or other cash distribution in respect of the Series O Preferred Stock an amount on account of taxes, the amount made available for distribution or distributed in respect of Depositary Shares shall be reduced accordingly. Computershare shall distribute or make available for distribution, as the case may be and, if received, in accordance with the Corporation’s written instructions, only such amount, however, as can be distributed without attributing to any Holder of Receipts a fraction of one cent, and any balance not so distributable shall be held by Computershare (without liability for interest thereon) and shall be added to and be treated as part of the next sum received by Computershare for distribution to Record Holders of Receipts then outstanding. Each Holder of a Receipt shall provide Computershare with its certified tax identification number on a properly completed Form W-8 or W-9 or other appropriate form, as may be applicable. Each Holder of a Receipt acknowledges that, in the event of non-compliance with the preceding sentence, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, may require withholding by Computershare of a portion of any of the distributions to be made to such Holder hereunder.
All funds received by Computershare under this Deposit Agreement that are to be distributed or applied by Computershare in the performance of Services (the “Funds”) shall be held by Computershare as agent for the Corporation and deposited in one or more bank accounts to be maintained by Computershare in its name as agent for the Corporation. Until paid pursuant to this Agreement, Computershare may hold or invest the Funds through such accounts in: (a) funds backed by obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America; (b) debt or commercial paper obligations rated A-1 or P-1 or better by S&P Global Inc. (“S&P”) or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), respectively; (c) Government and Treasury backed AAA-rated Fixed NAV money market funds that comply with Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940; or (d) short term certificates of deposit, bank repurchase agreements, and bank accounts with commercial banks with Tier 1 capital exceeding $1 billion, or with an investment grade rating by S&P (LT Local Issuer Credit Rating), Moody’s (Long Term Rating) and Fitch Ratings, Inc. (LT Issuer Default Rating) (each as reported by Bloomberg Finance L.P.). Further, and in accordance with this paragraph, the Corporation reserves the right to provide Computershare with alternative investment options and the Depositary agrees to discuss and abide by, if agreed to in writing by both the Corporation and the Depositary and incorporated herein, such direction to place the Funds in other alternative investments as explicitly provided by the Corporation. The Corporation shall have no responsibility or liability for any diminution of the Funds that may result from any deposit or investment made by Computershare in accordance with this paragraph, except for losses resulting from a default by any bank, financial institution or other third party. Computershare may from time to time receive interest or other earnings in connection with such deposits. Computershare shall not be obligated to pay such interest or earnings to the Corporation, any Holder or any other party.
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Section 4.2. Distributions Other than Cash, Rights, Preferences or Privileges.
Whenever the Depositary shall receive any distribution other than cash, rights, preferences or privileges upon the Series O Preferred Stock, the Depositary shall, subject to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, distribute to Record Holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4 such amounts of the securities or property received by it as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipts held by such Holders, in any manner that the Depositary may deem equitable and practicable for accomplishing such distribution. If in the opinion of the Depositary such distribution cannot be made proportionately among such Record Holders, or if for any other reason (including any requirement that the Corporation or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of taxes or charges) the Depositary deems, after consultation with the Corporation, such distribution not to be feasible, the Depositary may, with the approval of the Corporation, adopt such method as it deems equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such distribution, including the sale (at public or private sale) of the securities or property thus received, or any part thereof, in a commercially reasonable manner. The net proceeds of any such sale shall, subject to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, be distributed or made available for distribution, as the case may be, by Computershare to Record Holders of Receipts as provided by Section 4.1 in the case of a distribution received in cash. The Corporation shall not make any distribution of such securities or property to Computershare and Computershare shall not make any distribution of such securities or property to the Holders of Receipts unless the Corporation shall have provided an opinion of counsel stating that such securities or property have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered in connection with such distributions.
Section 4.3. Subscription Rights, Preferences or Privileges.
If the Corporation shall at any time offer or cause to be offered to the Persons in whose names shares of the Series O Preferred Stock is recorded on the books of the Corporation any rights, preferences or privileges to subscribe for or to purchase any securities or any rights, preferences or privileges of any other nature, such rights, preferences or privileges shall in each such instance be communicated to the Depositary and made available by the Depositary to the Record Holders of Receipts in such manner as the Corporation shall direct and the Depositary shall agree, either by the issue to such Record Holders of warrants representing such rights, preferences or privileges or by such other method as may be approved by the Corporation in its discretion with the acknowledgement of the Depositary; provided, however, that (i) if at the time of issue or offer of any such rights, preferences or privileges the Corporation determines that it is not lawful or (after consultation with the Depositary) not feasible to make such rights, preferences or privileges available to Holders of Receipts by the issue of warrants or otherwise, or (ii) if and to the extent so instructed by Holders of Receipts who do not desire to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges, then the Corporation, in its discretion (with acknowledgement of the Depositary, in any case where the Corporation has determined that it is not feasible to make such rights, preferences or privileges available), may, if applicable laws or the terms of such rights, preferences or privileges permit such transfer, sell such rights, preferences or
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privileges at public or private sale, at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem proper. The net proceeds of any such sale shall be delivered to Computershare and, if received, in accordance with the written instructions of the Corporation and, subject to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, be distributed by Computershare to the Record Holders of Receipts entitled thereto as provided by Section 4.1 in the case of a distribution received in cash.
The Corporation shall notify the Depositary whether registration under the Securities Act of the securities to which any rights, preferences or privileges relate is required in order for Holders of Receipts to be offered or sold the securities to which such rights, preferences or privileges relate, and the Corporation agrees with the Depositary that it will file promptly a registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act with respect to such rights, preferences or privileges and securities and use its best efforts and take all steps available to it to cause such registration statement to become effective sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such Holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges. In no event shall the Depositary make available to the Holders of Receipts any right, preference or privilege to subscribe for or to purchase any securities unless and until such registration statement shall have become effective, or the Corporation shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel to the effect that (i) the offering and sale of such securities to the Holders are exempt from registration under the provisions of the Securities Act, and (ii) such securities are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
The Corporation shall notify the Depositary whether any other action under the laws of any jurisdiction or any governmental or administrative authorization, consent or permit is required in order for such rights, preferences or privileges to be made available to Holders of Receipts, and the Corporation agrees with the Depositary that the Corporation will use its reasonable best efforts to take such action or obtain such authorization, consent or permit sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such Holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges.
Section 4.4. Notice of Dividends, etc.; Fixing Record Date for Holders of Receipts.
Whenever any cash dividend or other cash distribution shall become payable or any distribution other than cash shall be made, or if rights, preferences or privileges shall at any time be offered, with respect to the Series O Preferred Stock, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of any meeting at which holders of the Series O Preferred Stock are entitled to vote or of which holders of the Series O Preferred Stock are entitled to notice, or whenever the Corporation shall decide it is appropriate, the Depositary shall in each such instance fix a record date (which shall be the same date as the record date fixed by the Corporation with respect to or otherwise in accordance with the terms of the Series O Preferred Stock) for the determination of the Holders of Receipts who shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution, rights, preferences or privileges or the net proceeds of the sale thereof, or to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any such meeting, or who shall be entitled to notice of such meeting or for any other appropriate reasons.
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Section 4.5. Voting Rights.
Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Designations, upon receipt of notice from the Corporation of any meeting at which the holders of the Series O Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, the Depositary shall, if requested in writing and provided with all necessary information and documents, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail or transmit by such other method approved by the Depositary, in its reasonable discretion, to the Record Holders of Receipts, as determined on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4, a notice prepared by the Corporation which shall contain (i) such information as is contained in such notice of meeting, (ii) a statement that the Holders of Receipts at the close of business on a specified record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4 may, subject to any applicable restrictions, instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock represented by their respective Depositary Shares (including an express indication that instructions may be given to the Depositary to give a discretionary proxy to a Person designated by the Corporation), and (iii) a brief statement as to the manner in which such instructions may be given. Upon the written request of the Holders of Receipts on the relevant record date, the Depositary shall endeavor insofar as practicable to vote or cause to be voted, in accordance with the instructions set forth in such requests, the maximum number of whole shares of the Series O Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by all Receipts as to which any particular voting instructions are received. The Corporation hereby agrees to take all reasonable action which may be deemed necessary by the Depositary in order to enable the Depositary to vote such shares of the Series O Preferred Stock or cause such shares to be voted. In the absence of specific instructions from Holders of Receipts, the Depositary will not vote (but, at its discretion, may appear at any meeting with respect to the Series O Preferred Stock unless directed to the contrary by the Holders of all the Receipts) to the extent of the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipts. The Depositary shall not be required to exercise discretion in voting any Series O Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt.
Section 4.6. Changes Affecting Deposited Securities and Reclassifications, Recapitalizations, etc.
Upon any change in liquidation preference, split-up, combination or any other reclassification of the Series O Preferred Stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Designations, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation affecting the Corporation or to which it is a party, the Depositary shall, upon the written instructions of the Corporation setting forth any adjustment, (i) make such adjustments as are certified by the Corporation in (a) the fraction of an interest represented by one Depositary Share in one share of the Series O Preferred Stock and (b) the ratio of the redemption price per Depositary Share to the redemption price per share of the Series O Preferred Stock, in each case as stated in such instructions and (ii) treat any securities or property (including cash) which shall be received by the Depositary in exchange for or upon conversion of or in respect of the Series O Preferred Stock as new deposited property so received in exchange for or upon conversion or in respect of such Series O Preferred Stock. In any such case, the Depositary shall, upon receipt of written instructions of the Corporation, execute and deliver additional Receipts or may call for the surrender of all outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing such new deposited property. Anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, Holders of Receipts shall have the right from and after the effective date of any such change in liquidation preference, split-up, combination or other reclassification of the Series O Preferred Stock or any
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such recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation to surrender such Receipts to the Depositary with instructions to convert, exchange or surrender the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock represented thereby only into or for, as the case may be, the kind and amount of shares and other securities and property and cash into which the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock represented by such Receipts might have been converted or for which such shares might have been exchanged or surrendered immediately prior to the effective date of such transaction; provided, that the Depositary shall not have any obligations under this sentence unless and until it has received written instructions from the Corporation.
Section 4.7. Delivery of Reports.
The Depositary shall make available for inspection by Holders of Receipts at the Depositary’s Office and at such other places as it may from time to time deem advisable during normal business hours any reports and communications received from the Corporation that are both received by the Depositary as the holder of the deposited shares and which the Corporation is required to furnish to the holders of the Series O Preferred Stock. In addition, the Depositary shall transmit, upon written request by the Corporation, certain notices and reports to the Holders of Receipts as provided in Section 5.5.
Section 4.8. Lists of Receipt Holders.
Promptly upon request from time to time by the Corporation, the Registrar shall furnish to it a list, as of the most recent practicable date, of the names, addresses and holdings of Depositary Shares of all registered Holders of Receipts.
Section 4.9. Withholding.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Deposit Agreement, in the event that Computershare determines that any distribution in property is subject to any tax or other charge that Computershare is obligated by law to withhold, the Depositary may dispose of, by public or private sale, all or a portion of such property in such amounts and in such manner as the Depositary deems necessary and practicable to pay such taxes or charges, and Computershare shall distribute the net proceeds of any such sale or the balance of any such property after deduction of such taxes or charges to the Holders of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to the number of Depositary Shares held by them, respectively; provided, however, that in the event Computershare determines that such distribution of property is subject to withholding tax only with respect to some but not all Holders of Receipts, Computershare will use its best efforts (i) to sell only that portion of such property distributable to such holders that is required to generate sufficient proceeds to pay such withholding tax and (ii) to effect any such sale in such a manner so as to avoid affecting the rights of any other Holders of Receipts to receive such distribution in property.
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ARTICLE V
THE DEPOSITARY, THE DEPOSITARY’S
AGENTS, THE REGISTRAR AND THE CORPORATION
Section 5.1. Maintenance of Offices, Agencies and Transfer Books by the Depositary; Registrar.
Upon execution of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall maintain at the Depositary’s Office, facilities for the execution and delivery, registration and registration of transfer, surrender and exchange of Receipts, and at the offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, facilities for the delivery, registration of transfer, surrender and exchange of Receipts, all in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.
The Depositary shall keep books at the Depositary’s Office for the registration and registration of transfer of Receipts. Upon direction by the Corporation and with reasonable notice to the Depositary, the Registrar shall open its books for inspection by the Record Holders of Receipts as directed by the Corporation; provided that any Record Holder shall be granted such right by the Corporation only after certifying that such inspection shall be for a proper purpose reasonably related to such Person’s interest as an owner of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts.
The Depositary or Registrar may close such books, at any time or from time to time, when deemed necessary or advisable by the Depositary, the Registrar, any Depositary’s Agent or the Corporation because of any requirement of law or of any government, governmental body or commission, stock exchange or any applicable self-regulatory body.
If the Receipts or the Depositary Shares evidenced thereby or the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock represented by such Depositary Shares shall be listed on one or more national securities exchanges, the Depositary may, with the written approval of the Corporation, appoint a Registrar (reasonably acceptable to the Corporation) for registration of the Receipts or Depositary Shares in accordance with any requirements of such exchange. Such Registrar (which may be the Depositary if so permitted by the requirements of any such exchange) may be removed and a substitute Registrar appointed by the Depositary upon the written request or with the written approval of the Corporation. If the Receipts, such Depositary Shares or the Series O Preferred Stock are listed on one or more other securities exchanges, the Depositary will, at the written request and expense of the Corporation, arrange such facilities for the delivery, registration, registration of transfer, surrender and exchange of such Receipts, such Depositary Shares or the Series O Preferred Stock as may be required by law or applicable securities exchange regulation.
Section 5.2. Prevention of or Delay in Performance by the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar or the Corporation.
Neither the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar nor the Corporation, as the case may be, shall incur any liability to any Holder of Receipt if by reason of any provision of any present or future law, or regulation thereunder, of the United States of America or of any other governmental authority or, in the case of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar, as the case may be, by reason of any provision, present or future, of the Corporation’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including the Certificate of Designations) or by reason of any act of God or war or other circumstance beyond the control of the relevant party, the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent, the Registrar or the Corporation, as
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the case may be, shall be prevented or forbidden from, or subjected to any penalty on account of, doing or performing any act or thing which the terms of this Deposit Agreement provide shall be done or performed; nor shall the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Corporation, as the case may be, incur liability to any Holder of a Receipt (i) by reason of any nonperformance or delay, caused as aforesaid, in the performance of any act or thing which the terms of this Deposit Agreement shall provide shall or may be done or performed, or (ii) by reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this Deposit Agreement except as otherwise explicitly set forth in this Deposit Agreement.
Section 5.3. Obligations of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar, Transfer Agent and the Corporation.
Neither the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar, any Transfer Agent nor the Corporation, as the case may be, assumes any obligation or shall be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to Holders of Receipts or to any other Person other than for its gross negligence, willful misconduct, or actual fraud (each as finally determined by a non-appealable judgment, order, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction, an arbitral award or an agreement with the Corporation). Notwithstanding anything in this Deposit Agreement to the contrary, neither the Depositary, nor the Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar nor any Transfer Agent nor the Corporation, as the case may be, shall be liable in any event for special, punitive, incidental, indirect or consequential losses or damages of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if they have been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action. Any liability of the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent under this Deposit Agreement will be limited in the aggregate to the fees paid to the Depositary for services rendered by it in such capacity under this Deposit Agreement and any liability of the Registrar or Transfer Agent under this Deposit Agreement will be limited in the aggregate to an amount equal to the annual fees paid by the Corporation to such Registrar or Transfer Agent, but, in each case, not including reimbursable expenses; provided, however, that in the event that such liability arises as a result of misappropriation of funds by the Depositary, any of the Depositary’s Agents (except for such Depositary’s Agents which are not employees of the Depositary), any Registrar or any Transfer Agent, as the case may be, through actual fraud or willful misconduct on the part of such Person (as determined by a non-appealable judgment, order, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction, an arbitral award or an agreement with the Corporation), such limits shall not apply and such liability hereunder shall be instead limited to the amount of such misappropriated funds or the liability resulting from such actual fraud or willful misconduct. Solely with respect to those matters covered by Section 7.12(l), Section 7.12(l) shall prevail over anything to the contrary stated in this paragraph.
Neither the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar nor any Transfer Agent nor the Corporation, as the case may be, shall be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of the Series O Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts which in its opinion may involve it in expense or liability unless indemnity satisfactory to it against all expense and liability be furnished as often as may be required.
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Neither the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar nor any Transfer Agent nor the Corporation, as the case may be, shall be liable for any action or any failure to act by it in reliance upon the written advice of legal counsel or accountants, or information from any Person presenting the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock for deposit, any Holder of a Receipt or any other Person believed by it to be competent to give such information. The Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar, any Transfer Agent and the Corporation, as the case may be, may each rely and shall each be protected in acting upon or omitting to act upon any written notice, request, direction or other document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
The Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar, as the case may be, shall not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instruction to vote any of the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock or for the manner or effect of any such vote made, as long as any such action or non-action is not taken with actual fraud, willful misconduct or gross negligence (each as finally determined by a non-appealable judgment, order, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction, an arbitral award or an agreement with the Corporation). The Depositary undertakes, and any Depositary’s Agent, Registrar and any Transfer Agent, as the case may be, shall be required to undertake, to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Deposit Agreement against the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, Registrar or any Transfer Agent.
The Depositary, its parent, Affiliates, or subsidiaries, any Depositary’s Agents, and any Transfer Agent and any Registrar, as the case may be, may own and deal in any class of securities of the Corporation and its Affiliates and in Receipts or Depositary Shares or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Corporation or its Affiliates may be interested or contract with or lend money to or otherwise act as fully or as freely as if it were not the Depositary, the parent, Affiliate or subsidiary of the Depositary or the Depositary’s Agent or Transfer Agent or Registrar hereunder. The Depositary may also act as transfer agent, trustee or registrar of any of the securities of the Corporation and its Affiliates or act in any other capacity for the Corporation or its Affiliates.
The Depositary shall not be under any liability for interest on any monies at any time received by it pursuant to any of the provisions of this Deposit Agreement or of the Receipts, the Depositary Shares or the Series O Preferred Stock nor shall it be obligated to segregate such monies from other monies held by it, except as required by law. The Depositary shall not be responsible for advancing funds on behalf of the Corporation and shall have no duty or obligation to make any payments if it has not timely received sufficient funds to make timely payments.
In the event the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar, as the case may be, believes any ambiguity or uncertainty exists hereunder or in any notice, instruction, direction, request or other communication, paper or document received by the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar hereunder, or in the administration of any of the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, omitting or suffering to take any action hereunder,
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the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar may, in its sole discretion upon providing written notice to the Corporation, refrain from taking any action and the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar shall be fully protected and shall not be liable in any way to the Corporation, any Holders of Receipts or any other Person or entity for refraining from taking such action, unless the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar receives written instructions or a certificate of the Corporation which eliminates such ambiguity or uncertainty to the satisfaction of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar or which proves or establishes the applicable matter to the satisfaction of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar. Such written instructions shall be full and complete authorization to the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar, as the case may be, and the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, any Transfer Agent or Registrar shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Deposit Agreement in reliance upon such written instructions.
In the event the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent, the Registrar or the Transfer Agent, as the case may be, shall receive conflicting claims, requests or instructions from any Holders of Receipts, on the one hand, and the Corporation, on the other hand, the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent, the Registrar or the Transfer Agent, as the case may be, shall be entitled to act on such claims, requests or instructions received from the Corporation, and shall incur no liability and shall be entitled to the full indemnification set forth in Section 5.6 hereof in connection with any action so taken.
It is intended that the Depositary shall not be deemed to be an “issuer” of the securities under the federal securities laws or applicable state securities laws, it being expressly understood and agreed that the Depositary is acting only in a ministerial capacity as Depositary for the deposited Series O Preferred Stock. The Depositary will not be under any duty or responsibility to ensure compliance with any applicable federal or state securities laws in connection with the issuance, transfer or exchange of the Receipts, the shares of Series O Preferred Stock or Depositary Shares.
Neither the Depositary (or its officers, directors, employees or agents), any Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar or any Transfer Agent makes any representation or has any responsibility as to the validity of any registration statement pursuant to which the Depositary Shares may be registered under the Securities Act, the deposited Series O Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares, the Receipts (except its countersignature thereon) or any instruments referred to therein or herein, or as to the correctness of any statement made in any such registration statement or herein.
The Depositary assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the description that appears in the Receipts. Notwithstanding any other provision herein or in the Receipts, the Depositary makes no warranties or representations as to the validity or genuineness of any shares of Series O Preferred Stock at any time deposited with the Depositary hereunder or of the Depositary Shares, as to the validity or sufficiency of this Deposit Agreement, as to the value of the Depositary Shares or as to any right, title or interest of the Record Holders of Receipts in and to the Depositary Shares. The Depositary shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Corporation of the Depositary Shares or the Receipts or the proceeds thereof.
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The Depositary, Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar, and any Transfer Agent hereunder:
(i) shall have no duties or obligations other than those specifically set forth herein (and no implied duties or obligations), or as may subsequently be agreed to in writing by the parties;
(ii) shall have no obligation to make payment hereunder unless the Corporation shall have provided the necessary federal or other immediately available funds or securities or property, as the case may be, to pay in full amounts due and payable with respect thereto;
(iii) shall not be obligated to prosecute or defend any litigation or other proceeding hereunder; if, however, the Depositary determines to prosecute or defend any litigation or other proceeding hereunder, and, where the taking of such action might in the Depositary’s judgment subject or expose it to any expense or liability, the Depositary shall not be required to act unless it shall have been furnished with an indemnity satisfactory to it;
(iv) may rely on and shall be authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or other document or security delivered to the Depositary and believed by the Depositary to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper party or parties, and shall have no responsibility for determining the accuracy thereof;
(v) may rely on and shall be authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon the written, telephonic, electronic and oral instructions, with respect to any matter relating to the Depositary’s actions as Depositary covered by this Deposit Agreement (or supplementing or qualifying any such actions) of officers of the Corporation;
(vi) may consult counsel satisfactory to it, and the written advice of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Depositary hereunder in accordance with the advice of such counsel;
(vii) except as specifically set forth herein, shall not be called upon at any time to advise any Person with respect to the shares of Series O Preferred Stock or Receipts;
(viii) shall not be liable in any respect on account of the identity, authority or rights of the parties (other than with respect to the Depositary) executing or delivering or purporting to execute or deliver this Deposit Agreement or any documents or papers deposited or called for under this Deposit Agreement; and
(ix) shall not be liable for any failures, delays or losses, arising directly or indirectly out of conditions beyond their reasonable control, including, but not limited to, (i) work stoppages or labor disputes, electrical or mechanical failure or computer hardware or software failure, in each case other than of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent, the Registrar or the Transfer Agent, as the case may be, or (ii) acts of government, exchange or market ruling, suspension of trading, civil disobedience, riots, rebellions, communications facilities failures including telephone failure, war, terrorism, insurrection, fires, earthquakes, storms, floods, acts of God or similar occurrences.
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The obligations of the Corporation set forth in this Section 5.3 shall survive the replacement, removal or resignation of the Depositary, Registrar, Transfer Agent or Depositary’s Agent or termination of this Deposit Agreement.
Section 5.4. Resignation and Removal of the Depositary; Appointment of Successor Depositary.
The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary hereunder by delivering notice of its election to do so to the Corporation, such resignation to take effect upon the appointment of a successor Depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.
The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Corporation by notice of such removal delivered to the Depositary, such removal to take effect upon the appointment of a successor Depositary hereunder and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.
In case at any time the Depositary acting hereunder shall resign or be removed, the Corporation shall, within sixty (60) days after the delivery of the notice of resignation or removal, as the case may be, appoint a successor Depositary, which shall be (i) a Person having its principal office in the United States of America and having a combined capital and surplus, along with its Affiliates, of at least fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) or (ii) an Affiliate of any such Person. In the event of such removal or resignation, the Corporation will appoint a successor depositary and inform the Depositary of the name and address of any successor depositary so appointed; provided that the Corporation shall use its best efforts to ensure that there is at all relevant times when the Series O Preferred Stock is outstanding, a person or entity appointed and serving as the Depositary; provided, further, that no failure by the Corporation to appoint such a successor depositary shall affect the termination of this Deposit Agreement or the discharge of the Corporation and the Depositary as depositary hereunder. Upon payment of all outstanding fees and expenses hereunder, the Depositary shall promptly forward to the successor depositary or its designee any shares of stock held by it and any certificates, letters, notices and other document that the Depositary may receive after its appointment has so terminated.
If no successor Depositary shall have been so appointed and have accepted appointment within sixty (60) days after delivery of such notice, the resigning or removed Depositary may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Depositary. Every successor Depositary shall execute and deliver to its predecessor and to the Corporation an instrument in writing accepting its appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor Depositary, without any further act or deed, shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor and for all purposes shall be the Depositary under this Deposit Agreement, and such predecessor, upon payment of all sums due it and on the written request of the Corporation, shall promptly execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor all rights and powers of such predecessor hereunder, shall duly
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assign, transfer and deliver all right, title and interest in the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and any moneys or property held hereunder to such successor, and shall deliver to such successor a list of the Record Holders of all outstanding Receipts and such records, books and other information in its possession relating thereto. Any successor Depositary shall promptly mail or transmit by such other method approved by such successor Depositary, in its reasonable discretion, notice of its appointment to the Record Holders of Receipts.
Any Person into or with which the Depositary may be merged, consolidated or converted, or any Person to which all or a substantial part of the assets of the Depositary may be transferred or which succeeds to the shareholder services business of the Depositary shall be the successor of the Depositary without the execution or filing of any document or any further act, and notice thereof shall not be required hereunder. Such successor Depositary may authenticate the Receipts in the name of the predecessor Depositary or its own name as successor Depositary.
The removal or resignation of the Depositary shall automatically be deemed to be a removal of the Depositary as Registrar and Transfer Agent herein without any further act or deed.
Section 5.5. Corporate Notices and Reports.
The Corporation agrees that it will deliver to the Depositary, and the Depositary will, promptly after receipt of all necessary information and documents, transmit to the Record Holders of Receipts, in each case at the addresses recorded in the Depositary’s or Registrar’s books, copies of all notices and reports (including without limitation financial statements) required by law, by the rules of any national securities exchange upon which the Series O Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts are listed or by the Corporation’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including the Certificate of Designations), to be furnished to the Record Holders of Receipts or the holder of record of the Series O Preferred Stock. Such transmission will be at the Corporation’s expense and the Corporation will provide the Depositary with such number of copies of such documents as the Depositary may reasonably request. In addition, the Depositary will transmit to the Record Holders of Receipts at the Corporation’s expense such other documents as may be requested in writing by the Corporation.
Section 5.6. Indemnification by the Corporation.
Notwithstanding Section 5.3 to the contrary, the Corporation shall indemnify the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar and any Transfer Agent (including each of their officers, directors, agents and employees) against, and hold each of them harmless from and against, any fee, loss, damage, cost, penalty, fine, judgment, liability or expense (including the reasonable costs and expenses of its legal counsel) which may arise out of acts performed, taken or omitted to be taken in connection with the execution, acceptance, administration, exercise and performance of its respective duties under this Deposit Agreement (including, without limitation, the enforcement by the Depositary, Depositary’s Agent, Registrar or Transfer Agent, as the case may be, of this Deposit Agreement) and the Receipts and any transactions or documents contemplated hereby by the Depositary, any Registrar or any of their respective agents (including any Depositary’s Agent) and any transactions or documents contemplated hereby, except for any liability arising out of gross negligence, willful misconduct, or actual fraud (each as finally
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determined by a non-appealable judgment, order, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction, an arbitral award or an agreement with the Corporation) on the respective parts of any such Person or Persons. The obligations of the Corporation set forth in this Section 5.6 shall survive any succession of any Depositary, Registrar, Transfer Agent or Depositary’s Agent or termination of this Deposit Agreement.
Section 5.7. Fees, Charges and Expenses.
The Corporation agrees promptly to pay the Depositary in accordance with Exhibit D and the applicable provisions of the Transfer Agent Services Agreement for all services rendered by the Depositary, Depositary’s Agent, Transfer Agent and Registrar hereunder and to reimburse the Depositary for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses) incurred by the Depositary, Depositary’s Agent, Transfer Agent and Registrar without gross negligence, willful misconduct, or actual fraud on its part (each as finally determined by a non-appealable judgment, order, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction, an arbitral award or an agreement with the Corporation) in connection with the services rendered by it (or any agent of the Depositary) hereunder. The Corporation shall pay all charges of the Depositary in connection with the initial deposit of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and the initial issuance of the Depositary Shares as set forth in Exhibit D, all withdrawals of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock by owners of Depositary Shares, and any redemption or exchange of shares of the Series O Preferred Stock at the option of the Corporation. The Corporation shall pay all transfer and other taxes and charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. All other transfer and other taxes and charges shall be at the expense of Holders of Depositary Shares evidenced by Receipts. If, at the request of a Holder of Receipts, the Depositary incurs charges or expenses for which the Corporation is not otherwise liable hereunder, such Holder will be liable for such charges and expenses; provided, however, that the Depositary may, at its sole option, require a Holder of a Receipt to prepay the Depositary any charge or expense the Depositary has been asked to incur at the request of such Holder of Receipts. The Depositary shall present its statement for charges and expenses to the Corporation at such intervals as the Corporation and the Depositary may agree.
ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
Section 6.1. Amendment.
The form of the Receipts and any provisions of this Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be amended by agreement between the Corporation and the Depositary in any respect which they may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that no such amendment (other than any change in the fees of any Depositary, Registrar or Transfer Agent) which shall materially and adversely alter the rights of the Holders of Receipts shall be effective against the Holders of Receipts unless such amendment shall have been approved by the Holders of Receipts representing in the aggregate at least two-thirds of the Depositary Shares then outstanding. Every Holder of an outstanding Receipt at the time any such amendment becomes effective shall be deemed, by continuing to hold such Receipt, to consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by the Deposit Agreement as amended thereby. In no event shall any amendment impair the right, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.5 and 2.6 and
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Article III, of any owner of Depositary Shares to surrender any Receipt evidencing such Depositary Shares to the Depositary with instructions to deliver to the Holder the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock and all money and other property, if any, represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law or the rules and regulations of any governmental body, agency or commission, or applicable securities exchange. As a condition precedent to the Depositary’s execution of any amendment, the Corporation shall deliver to the Depositary a certificate that states that the proposed amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 6.1. No supplement or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective unless duly executed by the Depositary and the Corporation.
Section 6.2. Termination.
This Deposit Agreement may be terminated by the Corporation at any time upon not less than sixty (60) days prior written notice to the Depositary, in which case, at least thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed in such notice for such termination, the Depositary will mail notice of such termination to the Record Holders of all Receipts then outstanding. If any Receipts shall remain outstanding after the date of termination of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary thereafter shall discontinue the transfer of Receipts, shall suspend the distribution of dividends to the Holders of the Receipts thereof and shall not give any further notices (other than notice of such termination) or perform any further acts under this Deposit Agreement, except that the Depositary shall continue to collect dividends and other distributions pertaining to the Series O Preferred Stock, and shall continue to deliver the Series O Preferred Stock and any money and other property, if any, represented by Receipts upon surrender thereof by the Holders of Receipts thereof. At any time after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of termination of this Deposit Agreement, as may be instructed by the Corporation in writing, the Depositary shall (i) sell the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock then held hereunder at public or private sale, at such places and upon such terms as it deems proper and may thereafter hold the net proceeds of any such sale, together with any money and other property held by it hereunder, without liability for interest, for the benefit, pro rata in accordance with their holdings, of the Holders of Receipts that have not theretofore been surrendered, or (ii) return such shares of Series O Preferred Stock to the Corporation. After making such sale, the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except to account for such net proceeds and money and other property. The Depositary shall continue to receive its fees and expenses after termination of this Deposit Agreement so long as the Depositary continues to provide services in connection with this Deposit Agreement.
Subject to the first paragraph of this Section 6.2, this Deposit Agreement may be terminated by the Corporation or the Depositary only if (i) all outstanding Depositary Shares have been redeemed pursuant to Section 2.8; (ii) there shall have been made a final distribution in respect of the Series O Preferred Stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation and such distribution shall have been distributed to the Holders of Receipts representing Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 4.1 or 4.2, as applicable; (iii) upon the consent of Holders of Receipts representing in the aggregate not less than two-thirds of the Depositary Shares outstanding; or (iv) the circumstances set forth in Section 7.12(i) have occurred.
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Upon the termination of this Deposit Agreement, the Corporation shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar under Sections 5.6 and 5.7; provided further that Section 5.3 and 5.6 shall survive the termination of this Deposit Agreement.
The provisions relating to termination and survival in Section 7.12 shall prevail over anything to the contrary stated in this Section 6.2.
ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 7.1. Counterparts.
This Deposit Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and by each of the parties hereto on separate counterparts, each of which counterparts, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Deposit Agreement by facsimile or pdf shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Deposit Agreement.
Section 7.2. Exclusive Benefit of Parties.
This Deposit Agreement is for the exclusive benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective successors hereunder, and shall not be deemed to give any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim to any other Person whatsoever.
Section 7.3. Invalidity of Provisions.
In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Deposit Agreement or in the Receipts should be or become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein or therein shall in no way be affected, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.
Section 7.4. Notices.
Any and all notices to be given to the Corporation hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, or by electronic mail, confirmed by letter, addressed to the Corporation at:
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation
240 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10286
Attention: Investor Relations
Email: ir.team@bny.com
with a copy to:
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation
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240 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10286
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Email: CorporateSecretary@bny.com
or at any other addresses of which the Corporation shall have notified the Depositary in writing.
Any and all notices to be given to the Depositary hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, or by electronic mail, confirmed by letter, addressed to the Depositary at the Depositary’s Office at:
Computershare Inc.
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
150 Royall St.
Canton, MA 02021
Attention: Legal Department
Email: #USCISLegalContractNotices@computershare.com
or at any other address of which the Depositary shall have notified the Corporation in writing.
Any and all notices to be given to any Record Holder of a Receipt hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, recognized next day courier services, facsimile transmission or electronic mail, confirmed by letter, addressed to such Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder as it appears on the books of the Depositary; or if such Holder shall have timely filed with the Depositary a written request that notices intended for such Holder be mailed to some other address, at the address designated in such request; or in the case of any Global Receipt Depository, in accordance with its applicable procedures and arrangements for notices.
Delivery of a notice sent by mail or as provided in this Section 7.4 shall be deemed to be effected at the time when a duly addressed letter containing the same (or a confirmation thereof in the case of a facsimile transmission or electronic mail) is deposited, postage prepaid, in a post office letter box; provided, that notice to a Global Receipt Depository shall be deemed to be effected at the time such notice is delivered or made as provided in this Section 7.4; provided, further, that the Depositary or the Corporation may, however, act upon any facsimile transmission or electronic mail received by it from the other or from any Holder of a Receipt, notwithstanding that such facsimile transmission or electronic mail shall not subsequently be confirmed by letter or as aforesaid.
Section 7.5. Depositary’s Agents.
The Depositary may from time to time appoint Depositary’s Agents to act in any respect for the Depositary for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement and may at any time appoint additional Depositary’s Agents and vary or terminate the appointment of such Depositary’s Agents. The Depositary will promptly notify the Corporation of any such action.
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Section 7.6. Appointment of Registrar, Dividend Disbursing Agent and Redemption Agent in Respect of the Series O Preferred Stock.
The Corporation hereby appoints the Trust Company as Registrar, Transfer Agent, dividend disbursing agent and redemption agent in respect of the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock deposited with the Depositary hereunder, and the Trust Company hereby accepts such appointments, subject to the express terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement (and no implied terms or conditions) and, as such, will reflect changes in the number of shares of deposited Series O Preferred Stock held by it by notation, book-entry or other appropriate method. With respect to the appointment of the Trust Company as Registrar, Transfer Agent, dividend disbursing agent and redemption agent in respect of the shares of the Series O Preferred Stock, the Trust Company, in its respective capacities under such appointments, shall be entitled to the same rights, indemnities, immunities and benefits as the Depositary hereunder as if explicitly named in each such provision, and shall provide the applicable services in accordance with the Transfer Agent Services Agreement and Exhibit C attached hereto, in the performance of its duties in such respective capacities.
Section 7.7. Holders of Receipts are Parties.
The Holders of Receipts from time to time shall be parties to this Deposit Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions hereof and of the Receipts by acceptance of delivery thereof.
Section 7.8. Governing Law.
This Deposit Agreement and the Receipts and all rights hereunder and thereunder and provisions hereof and thereof shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any provision of law or rule that would cause the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
Section 7.9. Inspection of Deposit Agreement.
Copies of this Deposit Agreement shall be filed with the Depositary and the Depositary’s Agents and shall be made available for inspection during business hours upon reasonable notice to the Depositary by any Holder of a Receipt.
Section 7.10. Headings.
The headings of articles and sections in this Deposit Agreement and in the form of the Receipt set forth in Exhibit B hereto have been inserted for convenience only and are not to be regarded as a part of this Deposit Agreement or the Receipts or to have any bearing upon the meaning or interpretation of any provision contained herein or in the Receipts.
Section 7.11. Confidentiality.
The Depositary and the Corporation agree that all books, records, information and data pertaining to the business of the other party, including, inter alia, personal, non-public Holder information, which are exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Deposit Agreement, shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any other Person, except as may be required by law or legal process.
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Section 7.12. Protection of Personal Information.
(a) In connection with the performance of the Depositary’s duties on behalf of the Corporation under this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary is expected to obtain confidential information related to the Corporation or the Holders of Depositary Shares that is not available to the general public (“Confidential Information”). The Depositary agrees that the Confidential Information shall be held and treated by the Depositary, its directors, officers, employees, Affiliates, agents and subcontractors (collectively, “Representatives”) in confidence and, except as hereinafter provided, shall not be disclosed in any manner whatsoever except as otherwise required by law, regulation, subpoena or governmental authority. Confidential Information shall be used by the Depositary and its Representatives only for the purposes for which provided and shall be disclosed by the Depositary only to those Representatives who have a need to know in order to accomplish the business purpose in connection with which the Confidential Information has been provided. Information shall no longer be considered Confidential Information at such time as such information becomes publicly available other than by action of the Depositary or its Representatives.
(b) “Personal Information” means all information about individuals, including but not limited to, names, signatures, addresses, telephone numbers, account numbers, social security numbers, credit reports, demographic information, financial and other personal data, transaction information, and lists of customers, employees, or investors, received from or created or received on behalf of the Corporation by the Depositary or to which the Depositary has access in the course of performing its duties on behalf of the Corporation under this Deposit Agreement (the “Services”).
(c) The Depositary agrees that all Personal Information is, and shall be considered, confidential and proprietary to the Corporation. The Depositary shall not disclose Personal Information to any third party or permit any third party to have access to any Personal Information, for any purpose except as otherwise provided below. The Depositary shall not use Personal Information, nor shall the Depositary duplicate Personal Information or retain records thereof, except as necessary to perform the Services. The Depositary shall comply with all laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the Depositary relating to the Personal Information and shall comply with the Corporation’s reasonable instructions concerning Personal Information that the Corporation reasonably believes are necessary for the Corporation to be in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations relating to the Personal Information in the Depositary’s possession or control.
(d) The Depositary shall implement and maintain a comprehensive written information security program (the “Information Security Program”) which shall include all necessary measures, including the establishment and maintenance of policies and procedures, and technical, physical and administrative safeguards, designed to (i) ensure the security and confidentiality of the Personal Information, (ii) protect against any foreseeable threats or hazards to the security or integrity of Personal Information, (iii) protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information, and (iv) ensure secure and appropriate disposal of the Personal
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Information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Information Security Program shall provide for (i) assessment and re-assessment of the risks to the security of Personal Information acquired or maintained by the Depositary and its agents and contractors in connection with the Services, including, but not limited to, (X) identification of internal and external threats that could result in unauthorized disclosure, alteration or destruction of Personal Information and systems used by the Depositary and its agents and contractors, (Y) assessment of the likelihood and potential damage of such threats, taking into account the sensitivity of such Personal Information, and (Z) assessment of the sufficiency of policies, procedures, information systems of the Depositary and its agents and contractors, and other arrangements in place, to control risks; and (ii) appropriate protection against such risks. The Information Security Program shall provide for the encryption of Personal Information in electronic form while in transit and appropriate firewall and other protections for unencrypted Personal Information in storage. The Depositary shall regularly test key controls, systems and procedures relating to the Information Security Program. The frequency and nature of such tests shall be determined by the Depositary’s risk assessment. The Depositary shall provide the Corporation with the summaries of penetration tests and SOC reports upon the Corporation’s reasonable request. The Depositary shall comply with its Information Security Program. The Depositary certifies that its Information Security Program is and shall be in compliance with Title 201 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations, Section 17.01 et seq., and other applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders. The Depositary shall deliver separate certifications of such compliance upon the Corporation’s reasonable request.
(e) The Corporation or its designee (which may include regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over the Corporation or any of its affiliates, or outside auditing firms retained by the Corporation) shall have the right, at the Corporation’s sole expense, with prior written notice during normal business hours and not more than once annually, to enter any Depositary premises at which the Services, or any part thereof, are performed, for the purpose of inspecting and auditing the provision of such Services and to determine, among other things, whether the Services are being provided in accordance with applicable law and the terms of this Deposit Agreement, and whether the Depositary and its subcontractors have adequate policies, procedures, safeguards, and controls in place to protect the security of Personal Information acquired or maintained by them in connection with the Services. Any inspection and audit performed by or on behalf of the Corporation pursuant to this Section 7.12(e) shall be upon at least sixty (60) days written notice to the Depositary by the Corporation. The foregoing 60-day notice provision and one annual audit or inspection limitation shall not apply to inspections or audits outside the control of the Corporation and performed or requested by regulatory authorities. During any such inspection or audit, or at any other reasonable time mutually agreed by the parties, the Depositary shall make its relevant officers and employees available to the Corporation to discuss the Depositary’s measures related to its Information Security Program, including measures relating to oversight of the Depositary’s subcontractors and agents who have access to Personal Information, and give the Corporation or its designee reasonable access to records, in whatever form maintained, relating to the provision of the Services; provided, however, that the Depositary may, in its sole discretion, prohibit the Corporation from entering certain areas of its facilities for security reasons or from viewing certain records that are confidential to third parties, in which case the Depositary will provide the Corporation with alternative access to the records, documents, other information or personnel in such restricted area, to the extent reasonably possible. The Corporation may periodically submit to the
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Depositary for itself and its subcontractors questionnaires concerning the Depositary’s Information Security Program, and concerning the Depositary’s and its subcontractors’ security measures, business recovery plans, financial condition, ethics and compliance programs, and related measures. The Depositary agrees to promptly respond to any such questionnaires and to any further inquiry by the Corporation its responses may entail. The Depositary shall cooperate with the Corporation to agree upon prompt reasonable measures to mitigate any risks the Corporation may identify. The Depositary shall maintain an ethics and compliance program substantially similar to the description in its questionnaire responses.
(f) The Depositary shall notify the Corporation promptly, unless prohibited by law enforcement or court order, upon discovery of any unauthorized use, disclosure, acquisition, modification, or destruction of Personal Information, unauthorized access to Personal Information, or loss of Personal Information (each, a “Security Breach”). The Depositary shall investigate each Security Breach, provide the Corporation with a detailed written statement describing the circumstances surrounding each Security Breach, and provide and promptly implement a remediation plan to address the Security Breach and prevent any further incidents. The Depositary will at its expense (subject to paragraph (l) below) take all necessary or customary measures to mitigate any harmful effect of any such Security Breach, including without limitation notifications to affected individuals, if requested by the Corporation or required by law or regulation. The Depositary shall also promptly notify the Corporation of any known attempts to commit a Security Breach.
(g) If there is a reasonable likelihood that, in the course of performing the Services, the Depositary may become aware of activities, patterns of activity, or practices that indicate the possible existence of identity theft (as defined by regulations of the Federal Trade Commission), the Depositary will implement appropriate measures, including the establishment and maintenance of policies and procedures, to detect such activities, patterns or practices, notify the Corporation upon such detection, and respond to such activities, patterns or practices. In addition, if the Depositary does become aware of activities, patterns of activity, or practices indicating the possible existence of identity theft, the Depositary will promptly notify the Corporation, and will take reasonable measures to assist the Corporation in implementing an appropriate response.
(h) Unless prohibited by law, the Depositary shall (i) immediately notify the Corporation of any subpoena, court order, or other similar process for the purpose of obtaining Personal Information or other confidential information of the Corporation other than those received in the ordinary course of business and pertaining to a specifically identified individual, (ii) provide the Corporation with documentation thereof, and (iii) permit the Corporation adequate time to exercise its legal options to prohibit or limit disclosure.
(i) In the event that the Corporation determines that there has been a material breach by the Depositary of any of the Depositary’s obligations with regard to Personal Information under this Section 7.12, the Corporation may terminate this Deposit Agreement without complying with the notice requirements set forth in Section 6.2. The Depositary’s obligations with regard to Personal Information shall survive the termination of the agreements with respect to any Personal Information so long as it remains in the possession of the Depositary.
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(j) The Depositary shall return to the Corporation or, with the Corporation’s permission, destroy all Personal Information and other confidential information of the Corporation in any form in the Depositary’s possession or in the possession of the Depositary’s agents or subcontractors, except copies thereof which may be retained in accordance with the Depositary’s records retention and destruction policies. The Depositary will certify in writing any destruction of Personal Information and other confidential information of the Corporation. The Depositary will upon request review its records retention and destruction policies with the Corporation.
(k) The Depositary shall upon request from time to time provide the Corporation with a list of applicable subcontractors who have access to Personal Information. The Depositary shall use appropriate diligence and care in selecting its subcontractors. The Depositary agrees to include in written agreements with any agent or subcontractor to whom it provides access to Personal Information, confidentiality and security obligations with respect to such Information. The Depositary shall enforce its agreements with its agents and subcontractors. The Depositary shall be responsible for the acts and omissions of its agents and subcontractors to the same extent as if such acts and omissions were those of the Depositary.
(l) Without regard to any limitation of liability in this or any other agreement, the Depositary shall indemnify and hold the Corporation harmless for all costs, losses, fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), claims, investigations, damages and expenses, including but not limited to monetary penalties, incurred by the Corporation or any of its affiliates as a result of a breach of the Depositary’s obligations under this Section 7.12; provided, however, that such obligation to indemnify and hold the Corporation harmless is subject to a monetary limit of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per calendar year, except that there shall be no monetary limit in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct (each as finally determined by a non-appealable judgment, order, decree or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction, an arbitral award or an agreement with the Corporation). For the avoidance of doubt, such monetary limit shall apply only in respect of the costs, losses, fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), claims, investigations, damages and expenses, including but not limited to monetary penalties, incurred by the Corporation or any of its affiliates in connection with the services rendered by the Depositary in its capacity as such under this Deposit Agreement, and shall not apply in respect of the costs, losses, fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), claims, investigations, damages and expenses, including but not limited to monetary penalties, incurred by the Corporation or any of its affiliates in connection with the services rendered by the Transfer Agent or Registrar, as the case may be, under any other agreement, including but not limited to the Transfer Agent Services Agreement. In addition to any other rights the Corporation may have under this Deposit Agreement or at law, since unauthorized use or disclosure of Personal Information or other confidential information may result in immediate and irreparable injury to the Corporation for which monetary damages may not be adequate, in the event that the Depositary or any officer, director, employee, agent, or subcontractor of the Depositary uses or discloses Personal Information or other confidential information in breach of the Depositary’s obligations hereunder, the Corporation shall be entitled to equitable relief, including temporary and permanent injunctive relief and specific performance. The Corporation shall also be entitled to the recovery of any pecuniary gain realized by the Depositary from the unauthorized use or disclosure of Personal Information or confidential information. In no event will any payments paid or payable under this Section 7.12(l) be included in the amount of damages or losses that are subject to any limitation of liability in any other provision of this Deposit Agreement or in any other agreement.
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(m) The provisions of this Section 7.12 shall survive expiration or termination of this Deposit Agreement for any reason.
Section 7.13. Further Assurances.
The Corporation shall perform, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, documents, instruments and assurances as may be reasonably required by the Depositary for the carrying out or performing by the Depositary of the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation and the Depositary have duly executed this Deposit Agreement as of the day and year first above set forth, and all Holders of Receipts shall become parties hereto by and upon acceptance by them of delivery of Receipts issued in accordance with the terms hereof.
| THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Tiffany Eng | |
| Name: Tiffany Eng | ||
| Title: Managing Director and Treasurer | ||
| COMPUTERSHARE INC. and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (on behalf of both entities) | ||
| By: | /s/ Rachel Fisher | |
| Name: Rachel Fisher | ||
| Title: Senior Contract Negotiation Specialist | ||
[Signature Page to Deposit Agreement]
EXHIBIT A:
FORM OF STOCK CERTIFICATE
Certificate O-
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT ARE NOT SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, DEPOSITS OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS OF A BANK AND ARE NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY.
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION
Incorporated Under the Laws of the State of Delaware
| SHARES |
SERIES O NONCUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK |
This is to certify that is the registered owner of fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, having a liquidation preference of $100,000 per share, of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), the terms of which are provided for in the Corporation’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation including the Certificate of Designations of the Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person or by its duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate and the shares represented hereby are issued and shall be held subject to all of the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Corporation and any amendments thereto. This Certificate is not valid unless countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be executed on its behalf by its duly authorized officers.
Dated: , 2026
| By: | By: | |||||||
| Name: | Name: | |||||||
| Title: | Title: |
(SEAL)
| Countersigned and Registered: | ||
| Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Transfer Agent and Registrar | ||
| By: | ||
A-2
(REVERSE OF CERTIFICATE)
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION
The Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests, a full statement of the powers, designations and any preferences, conversion and other rights, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemption of the stock of each class which the Corporation has authority to issue and, if the Corporation is authorized to issue any preferred or special class in series, (i) the differences in the relative rights and preferences between the shares of each series to the extent set, and (ii) the authority of the Board of Directors to set such rights and preferences of subsequent series. The foregoing summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended from time to time, a copy of which will be sent without charge to each shareholder who so requests. Such request must be made to the Secretary of the Corporation at its principal office or to the Transfer Agent.
KEEP THIS CERTIFICATE IN A SAFE PLACE. IF IT IS LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED, THE CORPORATION WILL REQUIRE A BOND OF INDEMNITY AS A CONDITION TO THE ISSUANCE OF A REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE.
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
| TEN COM – as tenants in common |
| TEN ENT – as tenants by the entireties |
| JT TEN – as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common |
|
UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - ________________ Custodian ___________________ (Custodian) (Minor) under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act ________________ (State) |
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _________________ hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto
A-3
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)
(PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE)
_________________________ (_______________) shares represented by this Certificate and do(es) hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________, Attorney to transfer the said shares on the books of the Corporation, with full power of substitution in the premises.
| Dated: ____________________, _________ | ||
| NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever |
Signature(s) Guaranteed:
The signature(s) should be guaranteed by a participant in a Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level acceptable to the Corporation’s transfer agent. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.
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EXHIBIT B:
FORM OF RECEIPT
[FORM OF FACE OF RECEIPT]
Unless this receipt is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation (“DTC”), to The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange, or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or in such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.
DEPOSITARY SHARES
DR
DEPOSITARY RECEIPT FOR DEPOSITARY SHARES, EACH
REPRESENTING A 1/100TH INTEREST IN ONE SHARE OF
SERIES O NONCUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK
OF
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION
INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
CUSIP 064058AZ3
SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Computershare Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., acting jointly, as Depositary (the “Depositary”), hereby certify that Cede & Co. is the registered owner of DEPOSITARY SHARES (“Depositary Shares”), each Depositary Share representing a 1/100th interest in one share of Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, liquidation preference $100,000 per share (the “Series O Preferred Stock”), of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), on deposit with the Depositary, subject to the terms and entitled to the benefits of the Deposit Agreement dated as of October 28, 2026 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Corporation, the Depositary and the holders from time to time of the Depositary Receipts described therein. By accepting this Depositary Receipt, the holder hereof becomes a party to and agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement. This Depositary Receipt shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose or entitled to any benefits under the Deposit Agreement unless it shall
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have been executed by the Depositary by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary and, if a Registrar for the Depositary Receipts (other than the Depositary) shall have been appointed, by manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer of such Registrar.
Dated: ___________________, 2026
| COMPUTERSHARE INC., as Depositary | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Depositary and Registrar | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
B-2
[FORM OF REVERSE OF RECEIPT]
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH RECEIPTHOLDER WHO SO REQUESTS A COPY OF THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT AND A COPY OR SUMMARY OF THE CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS OF SERIES O NONCUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK OF THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION. ANY SUCH REQUEST IS TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE DEPOSITARY NAMED ON THE FACE OF THIS RECEIPT.
The Corporation will furnish without charge to each receiptholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof of the Corporation, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Such request may be made to the Corporation or to the Transfer Agent.
EXPLANATION OF ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations when used in the form of ownership on the face of this certificate shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations. Abbreviations in addition to those appearing below may be used.
| Abbreviation |
Equivalent Phrase |
Abbreviation |
Equivalent Phrase | |||
| JT TEN | As joint tenants, with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common | TEN BY ENT | As tenants by the entireties | |||
| TEN IN COM | As tenants in common | UNIF GIFT MIN ACT | Uniform Gifts to Minors Act | |||
| Abbreviation |
Equivalent Word |
Abbreviation |
Equivalent Word |
Abbreviation |
Equivalent Word | |||||
| ADM | Administrator(s), Administratrix | EX | Executor(s), Executrix | PAR | Paragraph | |||||
| AGMT | Agreement | FBO | For the benefit of | PL | Public Law | |||||
| ART | Article | FDN | Foundation | TR | (As) trustee(s), for, of | |||||
| CH | Chapter | GDN | Guardian(s) | U | Under | |||||
| CUST | Custodian for | GDNSHP | Guardianship | UA | Under agreement | |||||
| DEC | Declaration | MIN | Minor(s) | UW | Under will of, Of will of, Under last will & testament | |||||
| EST | Estate, of Estate of | |||||||||
B-3
For value received, _______________________ hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto
| PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE |
PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE
Depositary Shares represented by the within Receipt, and do(es) hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________________________________________________ Attorney to transfer the said Depositary Shares on the books of the within named Depositary with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated: _____________________________
NOTICE: The signature to the assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Receipt in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
SIGNATURE GUARANTEED
NOTICE: The signature(s) should be guaranteed by a participant in a Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level acceptable to the Corporation’s transfer agent. Guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable.
B-4
EXHIBIT C:
SERVICES SCHEDULE
* The following services are to be provided by Trust Company in its capacities as Transfer Agent and Registrar for Series O Preferred Stock and Transfer Agent and Registrar for Depositary Shares, to the extent not provided by DTC under its Operating Procedures or as otherwise set forth under the Transfer Agent Services Agreement. The following services supplement and are in addition to the services to be provided by Trust Company in its capacities as Transfer Agent and Registrar pursuant to the Transfer Agent Services Agreement.
Preferred Issue Services
| • | Securing appointment documentation |
| • | Setting up the new issue details in the Trust Company and Computershare’s system, including information to process dividends, if necessary |
| • | Notifying the Transfer Agent and Registrar’s operating departments regarding the new issue |
| • | Letter to DTC within SEC notification standards announcing Trust Company’s appointment as transfer agent |
| • | Acting on the instructions of the lead underwriter regarding issuance of the securities |
| • | Closing via telephone to release the securities to the underwriters after the transaction has been agreed to by all parties. If attendance is required there will be a fee of $500.00 plus travel expenses. |
| • | Gather and maintain updated shareholder banking and tax information |
C-1
Exhibit 5.1
[Letterhead of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP]
October 28, 2026
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation,
240 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10286
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with the registration by The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”) of 1,250,000 depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each representing a 1/100th interest in one share of the Company’s Series O Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, with a liquidation preference of $100,000 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), evidenced by depositary receipts (the “Depositary Receipts”) issued pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, dated October 28, 2026 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Company, Computershare Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., jointly as depositary (the “Depositary”), and the holders from time to time of the Depositary Receipts, we, as your counsel, have examined such corporate records, certificates and other documents, and such questions of law, as we have considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. Upon the basis of such examination, it is our opinion that the Preferred Stock has been validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable, and the Depositary Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares have been validly issued and entitle the holders thereof to the rights specified in the Depositary Receipts and the Deposit Agreement, in each case subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
In rendering the foregoing opinion, we are not passing upon, and assume no responsibility for, any disclosure in any registration statement or any related prospectus or other offering material relating to the offer and sale of the Depositary Shares.
| The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation | -2- |
The foregoing opinion is limited to the Federal laws of the United States, the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and we are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
We have relied as to certain matters on factual information obtained from public officials, officers of the Company and other sources believed by us to be responsible, and we have assumed that the certificate evidencing the Preferred Stock has been deposited with the Depositary in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, that the Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Depositary, that the certificate for the Preferred Stock conforms to the specimen thereof examined by us and has been duly countersigned by a transfer agent and duly registered by a registrar for the Preferred Stock, that the certificate evidencing the Depositary Receipts conforms to the specimen thereof examined by us and has been duly registered by the Depositary, that the Depositary Receipts have been duly executed and delivered by one of the Depositary’s authorized officers and, if necessary, have been duly countersigned by the registrar for the Depositary Shares, and that the signatures on all documents examined by us are genuine, assumptions which we have not independently verified.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company on the date hereof and its incorporation by reference into the Registration Statement relating to the Depositary Shares (File No. 333-282710) and to the reference to us under the caption “Validity of the Securities” in the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Depositary Shares and the Preferred Stock, dated October 19, 2026, which is part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ Sullivan & Cromwell LLP |