0000723188 false COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM, INC. 0000723188 2023-05-17 2023-05-17 iso4217:USD xbrli:shares iso4217:USD xbrli:shares

 

 

  

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 17, 2023

 

 

 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware 001-13695 16-1213679
(State or other jurisdiction of (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification
incorporation)   No.)

 

5790 Widewaters Parkway, DeWitt, New York 13214
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

  

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (315) 445-2282

 

Not Applicable

 

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

  ¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
  ¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

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

 

Title of each class Trading
Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share CBU New York Stock Exchange

 

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

 

Emerging growth company ¨

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Item 5.07Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

On May 17, 2023, Community Bank System, Inc. (the “Company”) held its Annual Shareholders Meeting in Verona, New York. At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s Shareholders (i) elected 12 directors, each for a one-year term, (ii) approved on an advisory basis the Company’s executive compensation as set forth in the proxy statement, (iii) approved on an advisory basis that the frequency of the executive compensation vote should be annual, and (iv) ratified the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2023.

 

1.       The Company’s Shareholders elected 12 individuals to the Board to serve one-year terms, as set forth below:

 

Name of Director Number of Votes
For Against Abstain Broker Non-Votes
Brian R. Ace 38,745,326 2,419,330 212,499 4,687,533
Mark J. Bolus 40,162,462 803,530 411,163 4,687,533
Neil E. Fesette 39,415,090 1,748,212 213,853 4,687,533
Jeffery J. Knauss 39,451,658 1,641,221 284,276 4,687,533
Kerrie D. MacPherson 40,698,465 405,171 273,519 4,687,533
John Parente 40,576,604 366,864 433,687 4,687,533
Raymond C. Pecor, III 40,663,446 521,572 192,137 4,687,533
Susan E. Skerritt 40,554,120 610,811 212,224 4,687,533
Sally A. Steele 39,428,188 1,672,989 275,978 4,687,533
Eric E. Stickels 39,861,346 1,289,126 226,683 4,687,533
Mark E. Tryniski 40,632,526 354,163 390,466 4,687,533
John F. Whipple, Jr. 32,278,310 8,867,189 231,656 4,687,533

 

2.       The Company’s Shareholders approved, on a non-binding advisory basis, the Company’s executive compensation programs, as described in the proxy statement, as set forth below:

 

For Against Abstain Broker Non-Votes
33,889,152 7,353,391 134,612 4,687,533

 

3.       A majority of the votes cast by the Company's Shareholders at the Annual Meeting voted, on a non-binding advisory basis, to hold future say-on-pay votes every year, as set forth below:

 

One Year Two Years Three Years Abstain
39,722,376 114,528 1,305,618 234,633

 

Based on these results, and consistent with the recommendation of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), the Board has determined that the Company will hold an advisory vote on executive compensation every year.

 

4.       The Company’s Shareholders ratified the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2023, as set forth below:

 

For Against Abstain
45,353,575 580,384 130,729

 

1

 

Item 8.01Other Events

 

On May 17, 2023, the Company issued a press release announcing the results of its Annual Meeting and the approval by the Board of a regular quarterly dividend of $0.44 per share payable on July 10, 2023, to Shareholders of record as of June 15, 2023.

 

Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(a)Not applicable.
(b)Not applicable.
(c)Not applicable.
(d)Exhibits.

 

 

 Exhibit No.Description
   
99.1Press Release, dated May 17, 2023
104Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded in the cover page formatted in Inline XBRL)

 

2

 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

  Community Bank System, Inc.
   
  By: /s/ Michael N. Abdo
  Name: Michael N. Abdo
  Title: Executive Vice President and General Counsel

 

Dated: May 19, 2023

 

3

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

  Exhibit No.

Description 

     
  99.1 Press Release, dated May 17, 2023
     
  104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded in the cover page formatted in Inline XBRL)

 

4

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

  News Release  
     For further information, please contact:
5790 Widewaters Parkway, DeWitt, N.Y. 13214

Joseph E. Sutaris,

EVP & Chief Financial Officer

Office: (315) 445-7396  

 

Community Bank System, Inc. Announces Quarterly Common Stock Dividend

and Results of Annual Shareholders’ Meeting

 

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — May 17, 2023 — Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) (the “Company”) announced that it has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.44 per share on its common stock. The dividend will be payable on July 10, 2023 to Shareholders of record as of June 15, 2023. The $0.44 cash dividend represents an annualized yield of 3.85% based on the closing share price of $45.69 on May 16, 2023.

 

The Company also announced that its Shareholders voted in line with the Board of Directors’ recommendations on all proposals at its Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on May 17, 2023 and elected all twelve (12) of the directors standing for re-election for a one-year term. The Shareholders also (i) approved, on an advisory basis, the Company’s executive compensation programs, (ii) approved, on an advisory basis, to hold future say-on-pay votes every year, and (iii) ratified the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.

 

Community Bank System, Inc. operates more than 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Western Massachusetts through its banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A. With assets of over $15.2 billion, the DeWitt, N.Y. headquartered company is among the country’s 125 largest banking institutions. In addition to a full range of retail, business, and municipal banking services, the Company offers comprehensive financial planning, insurance and wealth management services through its Community Bank Wealth Management Group and OneGroup NY, Inc. operating units. The Company’s Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. Community Bank System, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Company’s stock trades under the symbol CBU. For more information about Community Bank visit www.cbna.com or https://ir.communitybanksystem.com.

 

 

###

 

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause the actual results of the Company’s operations to differ materially from its expectations: the macroeconomic and other challenges and uncertainties related to or resulting from recent bank failures; current and future economic and market conditions, including the effects on housing prices, unemployment rates, high inflation, U.S. fiscal debt, budget and tax matters, geopolitical matters, and global economic growth; fiscal and monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Board; the potential adverse effects of unusual and infrequently occurring events; management’s estimates and projections of interest rates and interest rate policies; the effect of changes in the level of checking or savings account deposits and net interest margin; future provisions for credit losses on loans and debt securities; changes in nonperforming assets; the effect on stock market prices on the Company’s fee income businesses, including its employee benefit services, wealth management, and insurance businesses; the successful integration of operations of its acquisitions; competition; changes in legislation or regulatory requirements; and the timing for receiving regulatory approvals and completing pending transactions. For more information about factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations, refer to its reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the discussion under “Risk Factors” as filed with the SEC and available on the Company’s website at https://ir.communitybanksystem.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.