SBCF 8-K
Seacoast Banking Corp Of Florida (SBCF)
8-K
2025-10-06
For: 2025-10-01
View Original
Added on
April 08, 2026
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): October 1, 2025
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||||||
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||||||||
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (772 ) 287-4000
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:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
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. ☐
SEACOAST BANKING CORPORATION OF FLORIDA
Item 2.01 Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
Effective October 1, 2025, Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (“Seacoast” or the “Company”), and Seacoast's wholly-owned subsidiary Seacoast National Bank, completed the previously announced merger (the "Merger") with Villages Bancorporation, Inc. (“VBI”), parent company of Citizens First Bank. At the effective time of the Merger, (the "Effective Time"), VBI merged with and into Seacoast, and Citizens First Bank merged with and into Seacoast National Bank, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among Seacoast, Seacoast National Bank, VBI, and Citizens First Bank, dated as of May 29, 2025 (the "Merger Agreement").
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each share of VBI common stock was converted into the right to receive, at the shareholders' election, (i) $1,000.00 in cash, (ii) 38.5000 shares of Seacoast common stock or (iii) a 25%-75% combination of cash and common stock, with the final election subject to a proration mechanism such that 25% of VBI shares received the cash consideration and 75% of VBI shares received the stock consideration. In the event any shareholder or shareholder group would have received more than 9.75% of cumulative outstanding Seacoast common stock, non-voting convertible preferred stock was issued in lieu of the excess amount of common shares. The final consideration was approximately $829 million.
The foregoing description of the Merger and the Merger Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Merger Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 3.03 Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.
The information set forth in Item 5.03 hereof is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.
Item 5.03 Amendment to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
In connection with the issuance of the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock of Seacoast (the “Preferred Stock”), the Company filed the Certificate of Designations with the Articles of Amendment filed with the Secretary of State of Florida to amend the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation on October 1, 2025, which became effective upon filing. The Certificate of Designations creates the Preferred Stock out of the authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock of the Company, and establishes the terms of the Preferred Stock, fixes the authorized number of such shares at 11,250 and provides for certain other powers, rights and preferences.
The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Certificate of Designations, which is included as Exhibit 3.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On October 1, 2025, the Company issued a press release announcing the completion of the Merger. A copy of the press release is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.
On October 1, 2025, SNB, The Villages Operating Company and The Villages Development Operating Company, LLC (collectively with The Villages Operating Company, “The Villages”) entered into an amended and restated Developer Support Agreement which clarified that The Villages and its Affiliates shall not enter into any new lease, nor sell, nor, in any new lease otherwise make available space that is intended to be primarily operated as a Bank branch in any existing town center or new town center, other than by Citizens First bank or SNB, and amended and restated the Developer Support Agreement entered into on May 29, 2025. The foregoing description of the Developer Support Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Developer Support Agreement, which is included as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(a) Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired.
Audited financial statements of VBI and its consolidated subsidiaries as of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the notes related thereto, as well as the related Independent Auditor’s Reports, which are included in Exhibits 99.2 hereto and are incorporated herein by reference. Unaudited financial statements of VBI and its consolidated subsidiaries as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, and the notes related thereto, which are included in Exhibit 99.3 hereto and are incorporated herein by reference.
(b) Pro Forma Financial Information.
Unaudited pro forma combined financial information of Seacoast and VBI as of and for the year ended December 31, 2024 and as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2025, and the notes related thereto, which are included in Exhibit 99.4 hereto and are incorporated herein by reference.
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit No. | Description | ||||
| 2.1 | |||||
| 3.1 | |||||
| 10.1 | |||||
| 23.1 | |||||
| 99.1 | |||||
| 99.2 | |||||
| 99.3 | |||||
| 99.4 | |||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | ||||
SIGNATURE
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.
SEACOAST BANKING CORPORATION OF FLORIDA
| Dated: October 6, 2025 | /s/ Tracey L. Dexter | ||||
| Tracey L. Dexter | |||||
| Chief Financial Officer | |||||
Exhibit 3.1 | ||
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
SERIES A NON-VOTING
PREFERRED STOCK
OF
SEACOAST BANKING CORPORATION OF FLORIDA
OF
SERIES A NON-VOTING
PREFERRED STOCK
OF
SEACOAST BANKING CORPORATION OF FLORIDA
Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Florida Business Corporation Act (the “FBCA”), hereby certifies as follows:
FIRST: The Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation (as amended, supplemented and/or restated, the “Articles”) authorizes the issuance of up to 4,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.10 per share (the “Authorized Preferred Stock”), and further authorizes the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) by resolution or resolutions to provide for the issuance of Authorized Preferred Stock in series and to establish the number of shares to be included in each such series and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of each such series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof; and
SECOND: On May 28, 2025, the Board adopted the following resolution authorizing the creation and issuance of a series of said Authorized Preferred Stock to be known as “Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock”:
RESOLVED: that, pursuant to authority conferred upon the Board by Article FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board hereby designates a new series of preferred stock and the number of shares constituting such series and fixes the powers, preferences, rights and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions relating to such series as set forth in Attachment A.
[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank. Signature page follows.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Designations to be executed by Charles M. Shaffer, its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, this 1st day of October, 2025.
SEACOAST BANKING CORPORATION OF FLORIDA
/s/ Charles M. Shaffer
Charles M. Shaffer
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Charles M. Shaffer
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
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ATTACHMENT A
Certificate of Designations of
the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock of
Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida
the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock of
Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida
1.Designation, Number and Rank. A series of preferred stock is hereby created out of the authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock of the Corporation. The shares of such series shall be designated as the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock, par value $0.10 per share (the “Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock”). The number of shares initially constituting the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock shall be 11,250. The Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock shall be subordinate and junior to all indebtedness of the Corporation and to all other series of preferred stock of the Corporation, other than any series of preferred stock the terms of which provide that such series is on parity with or subordinate or junior to the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock in any respect, and shall rank on parity with the Common Stock of the Corporation (the “Common Stock”) with respect to the declaration and payment of dividends, except as provided in Section 2, and with respect to distributions upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
2.Dividends. The holders of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive ratable dividends as provided herein only if and when dividends are concurrently declared and payable on the shares of Common Stock, out of any assets legally available therefor, which dividends shall be payable when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors of the Corporation; provided, that no dividend may be declared or paid on the Common Stock unless a dividend is also concurrently declared or paid, as applicable, with respect to each share of the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock then issued and outstanding, in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the amount declared or paid per the number of shares of Common Stock into which such share of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock is then convertible.
3.Liquidation.
(a)Upon the occurrence of a Liquidation Event (as defined below), the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof (whether capital or surplus) remaining available for distribution to shareholders of the Corporation after payment, or provision for payment, in full of all claims of creditors of the Corporation and all amounts due on any preferred stock or other securities of the Corporation that are superior and prior in rank to the Common Stock and the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock shall be distributed to the holders of the Common Stock and the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock pro rata based, respectively, on the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at such time and the number of shares of Common Stock into which the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock outstanding at such time is then convertible.
(b)For purposes of this Section 3, a “Liquidation Event” means a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
4.Voting. Except as required by the FBCA, the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any matter. As to all matters as to which the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock is required by the FBCA to vote on any matter, each one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of each outstanding share of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock shall be entitled to one (1) vote and shall vote together with the Common Stock outstanding as a single class unless otherwise required by the FBCA, and as to any matter for which voting by class is specifically required by the FBCA, each one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of a share of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock shall be entitled to one (1) vote.
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5.Conversion and Transfer Rights.
(a)Conversion. Each one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of a share of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock will become convertible into one (1) share of Common Stock, without any further action on the part of any holder, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 below, on the date a holder of Non-Voting Preferred Stock transfers such share of Non-Voting Preferred Stock to a non-Affiliate of the holder in a Permissible Transfer and under the Conversion Procedures set forth on Section 5(d).
(b)Shareholder Conversion Limitations.
(i)Further, each one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of a share of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock may convert, at the discretion of the member of an Acting in Concert Group holding such share and under the Conversion Procedures set forth on Section 5(e), into one (1) fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock provided that (i) such Acting in Concert Group’s beneficial ownership in the Corporation, after giving effect to such conversion, would constitute no more than 9.75% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding and no more than 9.75% of the shares of any class of voting securities of the Corporation, each as determined in accordance with the Regulatory Control Standards; and (ii) no such conversion would be permitted by any member of the Acting in Concert Group to the extent that it would allow the shareholder to acquire a higher percentage of the Common Stock than the shareholder controlled immediately prior to the conversion.
(ii)Notwithstanding the foregoing Section 5, subsections (a) and (b), the Corporation may restrict such conversion to the extent it would be inconsistent with, or in violation of, the requirements of the Regulatory Control Standards with respect to the restrictions on the transfer of the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock that are required in order to preserve the “non-voting” classification of the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock for regulatory purposes. Any such restriction shall be imposed and deemed effective immediately upon the transmittal by the Corporation of written notice to such holder specifying in reasonable detail the reason for such restriction; and in the event such notice is transmitted after the event giving rise to such automatic conversion, the restriction shall be deemed to have been imposed and effective retroactively to the time of such event, and such conversion shall be deemed not to have occurred, so long as such notice is transmitted within ninety (90) days after the event giving rise to such conversion; provided, however, that the Corporation must act in good faith, reasonably and on advice of its outside counsel in connection with any such restriction. Such notice may be dispatched by first class mail, by electronic transmission, or by any other means reasonably designed and in good faith intended to provide prompt delivery to an executive officer, trustee, individual (or equivalent) of, or legal counsel to, such holder.
(c)Issuance Limitations. Further to the conversion limitations set forth above, if Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (“Company”) has not obtained shareholder approval in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d) (“Shareholder Approval”), then the Company may not issue, upon conversion of the Series A Non-voting Preferred Stock or payments in kind of dividends on the Series A Non-voting Preferred Stock, a number of shares of Common Stock which, when aggregated with any shares of Common Stock issued on or after the original issue date and prior to such conversion date or dividend issuance date in connection with any conversion of or dividend payment in Common Stock on Series A Non-voting Preferred Stock that such Holder(s) would exceed the 20% limitation of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d) (subject to adjustment for forward and reverse stock splits, recapitalizations and the like) (such number of shares, the “Issuable Maximum”). If the Holders of such shares which would otherwise have been issued Common Stock but for the Issuable Maximum request in writing that the Company hold the requisite vote of Seacoast common stock in order to obtain the Shareholder Vote, the
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Company will promptly call a meeting of the holders of the Company Common Stock (the “Company Shareholders Meeting”) to be held as soon as reasonably practicable for the purpose of obtaining the Shareholder Approval and the Company will recommend that the Company shareholders vote for the approval of the matters required by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d) or any successor provision.
(d)Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Certificate of Designations and the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation as amended hereby:
(i)The term “Acting in Concert Group” shall mean the Initial Holders, the Initial Holders’ Affiliates, and the Initial Holders’ Immediate Family.
(ii)the term “Affiliate” means, with respect to any person, a person or entity that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with such other person and includes any “affiliate” as such term is defined under the Regulatory Control Standards. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a person is an Affiliate of another person if the first person (A) is an executive officer (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the second person; (B) is a director of the second person where such second person is a corporation; (C) is a manager (or an executive officer, director, general partner or manager of an entity that is a manager) of the second person where such second person is a limited liability company; (D) is a general partner (or an executive officer, director, general partner or manager of an entity that is a general partner) of the second person where such second person is a partnership; or (E) directly or indirectly has or shares the power to vote, or direct the voting of, or to dispose of, or direct the disposition of, securities representing more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power of the securities of the second person.
(iii)the term “Immediate Family” includes a person's father, mother, stepfather, stepmother, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, grandparent, grandson, granddaughter, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, the spouse of any of the foregoing, and the person's spouse.
(iv)the term “Initial Holders” shall mean the individuals set forth on Exhibit A, in each of it or their capacity as a shareholder of the Corporation as of the Effective Time.
(v)the term “Permissible Transfer” means a transfer by the holder of Non-Voting Common Stock (i) to the Corporation; (ii) to an Affiliate of the holder; (iii) in a widespread public distribution; (iv) to a transferee that controls more than fifty percent (50%) of every class of the Voting Securities of the Corporation without giving effect to such transfer; or (v) in which no transferee (or group of associated transferees) would receive two percent (2%) or more of the outstanding securities of any class of Voting Securities of the Corporation.
(vi)the term “Regulatory Control Standards” shall mean the applicable provisions of Regulation Y of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, set forth at 12 C.F.R. Part 225, including any interpretations thereof published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
(vii)the term “Voting Security” has the meaning set forth in 12 C.F.R. Section 225.2(q) or any successor provision.
(e)Conversion Procedure.
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(i)Conversion Right. To exercise any right of optional conversion under this Section 5, the holder must surrender the certificate or certificates, or evidence of book-entry shares, representing the shares of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock to be converted, duly endorsed, at the registered office of the Corporation, together with a written notice to the Corporation stating that the holder elects to convert all or a specified whole number of such shares (“Conversion Notice”) in accordance with this Section 5, along with any appropriate documentation that may be reasonably required by the Corporation. Effective upon the Corporation’s receipt of a Conversion Notice and accompanying documentation as required above, the shares of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock will be deemed converted into shares of Common Stock as provided for in this Section 5 and, as soon as practicable thereafter, the Corporation will issue and deliver to the holder of such Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock a certificate or certificates, or evidence of book-entry shares, representing the number of shares of Common Stock into which the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock was converted.
(ii)Conversion Upon Transfer. The automatic conversion of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock upon the transfer of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock to a person other than a member of the Acting in Concert Group shall take effect simultaneously with the applicable transfer, unless such transfer occurs after the close of business on a business day or on a day other than a business day, in which case such conversion shall not take effect until after the open of business on the next business day. As soon as practicable thereafter, the Corporation will issue and deliver to the transferee of such Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock a certificate or certificates, or evidence of book-entry shares, representing the number of shares of Common Stock into which the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock was automatically converted.
(iii)General. Upon the conversion of any Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock, such shares will cease to be outstanding for any purpose, subject to the rights of the holders to receive any unpaid dividends which were declared on such shares as of a record date preceding the date of conversion (but without any amount in respect of dividends that have not been declared prior to such conversion date). Unless and until converted, shares of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock will not entitle holders thereof to any rights with respect to Common Stock or other securities issuable upon conversion.
6.Adjustments for Certain Events.
(a)Changes in Capitalization. In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, recombination or other similar event affecting the Common Stock, each one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of a share of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such share by a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after the effective time of such event (excluding for such purpose shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock but including any other securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock), and (ii) the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of such event (excluding for such purpose shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock but including any other securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock).
(b)Certain Corporate Transactions. In the event of (i) the acquisition by any person (including a group of related persons within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, whether or not such regulation shall then be applicable to the Corporation or its securities) of (A) more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding capital stock of the Corporation, or (B) all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation; or (ii) a merger of the Corporation with or into any person, or of any person with or into the Corporation,
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immediately after which the shareholders of the Corporation (as measured immediately prior to completion of the transaction) own less than a majority of the combined capital stock or membership interests of the surviving entity, then, in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that the holders of the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive in exchange for or in respect of their shares of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock the same form and amount of consideration, if any, as the holders of the Common Stock receive in exchange for or in respect of their shares of Common Stock, with the amount of such consideration, if any, to be received for or in respect of each share of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock to be equal to the amount that would be received by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock into which one (1) share of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock would then be convertible if an event specified in Section 5 had occurred simultaneously therewith.
7.Amendment. This Certificate of Designations constitutes an agreement between the Corporation and the holders of the Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock and may be amended only by the affirmative vote of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and, in addition to any other vote of shareholders then required by the FBCA, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock.
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EXECUTION | Exhibit 10.1 | ||||
DEVELOPER SUPPORT AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
THE VILLAGES OPERATING COMPANY,
BY AND AMONG
THE VILLAGES OPERATING COMPANY,
THE VILLAGES DEVELOPMENT OPERATING COMPANY, LLC,
SEACOAST NATIONAL BANK
SEACOAST NATIONAL BANK
AND,
solely for the limited purposes expressly set forth in Section 5 of this Agreement,
THE VILLAGES LAND HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
HOLDING COMPANY OF THE VILLAGES, INC.
THE VILLAGES DEVELOPMENT HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
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DEVELOPER SUPPORT AGREEMENT
This DEVELOPER SUPPORT AGREEMENT is entered into on October 1, 2025 (the “Signing Date”), by and among The Villages Operating Company, a Florida corporation (“VOC”), and The Villages Development Operating Company, LLC, a Florida limited liability company (“VDOC”) (VOC and VDOC are referred to herein collectively as “The Villages”), Seacoast National Bank, a national banking association (“SNB”) and, solely for the limited purposes expressly set forth in Sections 5 and 9 of this Agreement, The Villages Land Holding Company, LLC, a Florida limited liability company (“VLH”), The Holding Company of the Villages, Inc., a Florida corporation (“HCV”), and The Villages Development Holding Company, LLC, a Florida limited liability company (“VDH”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, on May 29, 2025, Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida, a Florida corporation (“SBC”), SNB, Villages Bancorporation, Inc., a Florida corporation and an Affiliate of The Villages (“VBI”), and Citizens First Bank, a Florida state-chartered bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of VBI (the “Bank”), entered into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) (capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Merger Agreement);
WHEREAS, on the Closing Date, VBI will be acquired by SBC pursuant to the merger of VBI with and into SBC and the merger of the Bank with and into SNB, in each case pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement; and
WHEREAS, in connection with the Merger Agreement, and concurrently with the execution thereof, the Parties desire to enter into this Agreement, to be effective as of the Closing.
NOW, THEREFORE, subject to the occurrence of the Closing, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
1.Definitions. The following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
1.1“Affected Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.2.
1.2“Affiliate” or “Affiliates” means, with respect to any Person, any Person directly or indirectly Controlling, Controlled by or under common Control with such Person.
1.3“Agreement” means this Developer Support Agreement, as may be amended from time to time.
1.4“Bank” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
1.5“Bank Branch” means an “insured depository institution” as defined in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and applicable regulations thereunder, but excluding any establishment intended to primarily offer wealth management and/or brokerage services.
1.6“Bankruptcy Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(d).
1.7“Business Day” means a day, other than a Saturday or a Sunday, on which commercial banks are not required or authorized to close in New York, New York or in the Covered Geography.
1.8“SNB Change of Control” means, (a) any merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving SNB in which SNB is not the surviving entity or becomes a subsidiary of another entity, (b) a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of SNB or (c) or any transaction or series of related transactions in which any Person becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than fifty percent (50%) of the equity interests of SNB.
1.9“Closing” has the meaning set forth in the Merger Agreement.
1.10“Confidential Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.
1.11“Control,” “Controlling” or “Controlled by” means, with respect to any Person, the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person through the ownership of voting securities or ownership interests, by contract or otherwise.
1.12“Covered Geography” means the tracts and parcels in the counties of Lake, Sumter, and Marion in the State of Florida comprising the community generally known as “The Villages,” as it may be expanded in a contiguous manner (and, for the avoidance of doubt, within Central Florida) from time-to-time.
1.13“CPI Index” means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average, All Items published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor (base year 1982-1984=100), or any successor index thereto. If publication of the Consumer Price Index is discontinued, or if the basis of calculating the Consumer Price Index is materially changed, then the Parties shall reasonably agree upon a substitute for the Consumer Price Index comparable statistics as computed by an agency of the United States Government or, if none, by a substantial and responsible periodical or publication of recognized authority most closely approximating the result which would have been achieved by the Consumer Price Index.
1.14“Development Plan” means a map and accompanying descriptive text setting forth the commercial developments (including the number and proposed locations thereof) to be constructed as part of a New Town Center or New Shopping Center, as applicable, which shall comply with all applicable local land regulations in all material respects and which shall include the roads (and location thereof) to be constructed in such New Town Center or New Shopping Center and any preliminary design plans then prepared by The Villages or its Affiliates. The Development Plan shall set forth the location at which a Bank Branch is proposed to be located, which shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be an outparcel site with road frontage.
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1.15“Development Plan Delivery Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
1.16“Disclosing Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.2.
1.17“Effect” means any change, effect, event, occurrence or development.
1.18“Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.
1.19“Existing Town Centers” means, collectively, the town centers within the Covered Geography known as Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing, Brownwood, Middleton, and Eastport.
1.20“Form Ground Lease” means the form of ground lease as agreed between The Villages and VBI (or its subsidiaries) attached hereto as Exhibit A.
1.21“Future Bank Branch” means an SNB Bank Branch that is located within the Covered Geography and has not been acting as a Bank Branch prior to Closing.
1.22“Future Bank Branch Ground Lease” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
1.23“Future Development” means the New Town Center or New Shopping Center, as applicable, that is the subject of a Development Plan.
1.24“Governmental Entity” means any federal, national, state, foreign, provincial, territorial, local or other government or any governmental, regulatory, administrative or self-regulatory authority, agency, bureau, board, commission, court, judicial or arbitral body, department, political subdivision, tribunal or other instrumentality thereof, in each case, that is not formed by and Controlled by The Villages or its Affiliates.
1.25“HCV” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
1.26“Laws” means any common law, treaty, law, rule, statute, code, regulation, treatise, directive, judgment, injunction, order, ordinance, decree, resolution, promulgation, guidance or other restriction of or any license, franchise, permit or similar right granted under any of the foregoing, or any similar provision having the force or effect of law, in each case, enacted, promulgated, issued or put into effect by any Governmental Entity.
1.27“Lease” means, with respect to any real property, all legally binding written agreements in the nature of space leases, subleases, lettings, licenses, franchises, concessions or occupancy agreements, all other instruments or agreements with or given by tenants, subtenants, licensees, franchisees, concessionaires or occupants and all amendments, modifications, supplements, guaranties, additions, extensions, renewals and side letters of or to any of the foregoing, affecting such real property. For the avoidance of doubt, Leases include Ground Leases.
1.28“Lease Negotiation Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
1.29“Merger Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
1.30“New Shopping Center” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
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1.31“New Town Center” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
1.32“Original Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.10.
1.33“Parties” means The Villages, SBC and, solely for the limited purposes expressly set forth in Section 5 of this Agreement, VLH, HCV and VDH.
1.34“Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, an unincorporated organization or a Governmental Entity or any department, agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.
1.35“Priority Period” means the period from the Effective Date until the ten (10)-year anniversary of the Closing.
1.36“SBC” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
1.37“Semi-Annual Certification” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.
1.38“Service Level Decline” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(f).
1.39“Shopping Center Development Plan” means a Development Plan for a New Shopping Center.
1.40“Signing Date” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
1.41“SNB” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
1.42“SNB Bank Branch” means any Bank Branch which is or was at any time after the Effective Date owned or operated by SNB or its Affiliates within the Covered Geography, excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any SNB Existing Bank Branch.
1.43“SNB Existing Bank Branch” means any Bank Branch operated, owned or leased by SNB or its Affiliates within the Covered Geography prior to the Closing.
1.44“SNB Material Adverse Effect” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.2(b)(2).
1.45“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation of which a majority of the total voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or Controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one (1) or more of the other Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, or any partnership, association or other business entity of which a majority of the partnership or other similar ownership interest is at the time owned or Controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one (1) or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof. For purposes of this definition, a Person is deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a partnership, association or other business entity if such Person is allocated a majority of the gains or losses of such partnership, association or other business entity or is or controls the managing director or general partner of such partnership, association or other business entity. For the avoidance of doubt, VBI is a Subsidiary of SBC as of the Closing.
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1.46“Successor” means any Person who acquires by purchase, divestiture, merger or otherwise all or substantially all of the stock, assets or business of another Person.
1.47“Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.
1.48“The Villages” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
1.49“The Villages Material Adverse Effect” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.1(b)(2).
1.50“Town Center Development Plan” means a Development Plan for a New Town Center.
1.51“Town Center Restricted Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.
1.52“VDH” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
1.53“VDOC” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
1.54“VLH” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
1.55“VOC” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
2.Future Development Zones.
2.1During the Priority Period, (a) prior to or promptly following the finalization by The Villages of a development plan for any proposed newly constructed commercial center within the Covered Geography that is generally consistent in size and design to the Existing Town Centers (a “New Town Center”), The Villages will deliver to SNB a copy of the applicable Town Center Development Plan and (b) prior to or promptly following The Villages’ entry into a lease with the anchor tenant for a proposed newly constructed grocery-anchored shopping center with outparcels within the Covered Geography (a “New Shopping Center”), The Villages will deliver to SNB a copy of the applicable Shopping Center Development Plan. In each case, the date of delivery of the applicable Development Plan is referred to as the “Development Plan Delivery Date.”
2.2During the ninety (90)-day period beginning on a Development Plan Delivery Date (the “Lease Negotiation Period”), SNB and The Villages shall negotiate in good faith a ground lease for a Future Bank Branch (a “Future Bank Branch Ground Lease”) for an outparcel site with road frontage at a location designated by The Villages in the applicable Development Plan.
2.3Each Future Bank Branch Ground Lease shall have the terms substantially similar to the Form Ground Lease and all other terms of each Future Bank Branch Ground Lease shall be subject to the mutual agreement of The Villages and SNB; provided that, notwithstanding anything in the Form Ground Lease, the terms of each Future Bank Branch Ground Lease shall include triple net, base rent of $100,000 per acre as of the Effective Date (which shall be increased proportionately with any change in the CPI Index since the Effective Date, provided such increases shall not exceed four percent (4%) per annum).
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2.4Subject to Section 3.2, if SNB fails to enter into a Future Bank Branch Ground Lease with The Villages within the applicable Lease Negotiation Period, then notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, The Villages shall not be bound to any prohibitions or restrictions in favor of SNB as they pertain specifically to the applicable New Town Center or New Shopping Center. In addition, notwithstanding to the contrary herein, including Section 3.2, if SNB ceases operations with the public from any Bank Branch (including any SNB Existing Bank Branch) in an existing commercial center within the Covered Geography and such cessation of operations is not permitted under the terms of the Lease of the applicable Bank Branch, then The Villages shall not be bound to any prohibitions or restrictions in favor of SNB as they pertain specifically to such commercial center.
3.Restricted Activities.
3.1The Villages and its Affiliates shall be prohibited from entering into a Lease, selling or otherwise making available space that is intended to be primarily operated as a Bank Branch in a New Shopping Center to any Person other than SNB or its Affiliates: (i) during the Lease Negotiation Period with respect to such New Shopping Center and (ii) with respect to the New Shopping Centers in which SNB has entered into a Future Bank Branch Ground Lease, for one (1) year following the date of the execution of such Future Bank Branch Ground Lease. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in the foregoing shall prohibit SNB and The Villages from negotiating additional Leases in a Future Development in addition to the applicable Future Bank Branch Ground Lease.
3.2During the Term of this Agreement, as same may be extended pursuant to Section 7.3 (the “Town Center Restricted Period”), The Villages and its Affiliates shall not enter into any New Lease, nor sell, nor, in any New Lease otherwise make available space that is intended to be primarily operated as a Bank Branch in any Existing Town Center or New Town Center, other than by the Bank or SNB. For the purposes of this Section 3.2, “New Lease” shall mean a Lease entered into after the Effective Date.
4.Recordation.
4.1The obligations of The Villages set forth herein shall not be recorded in any public real estate records (including by or at the direction of SNB or its Affiliates); provided, however, that in all events SNB shall have the right to make any filings or other disclosures regarding this Agreement and/or the terms hereof that are required under applicable Laws.
5.Operating Depository Accounts.
5.1From the Effective Date until the three (3)-year anniversary of the Effective Date, unless otherwise consented to in writing by SNB in its sole discretion: (i) HCV, VLH and VDH shall each maintain with SNB or its Affiliates their respective primary depositary accounts and banking relationships consistent with past practice; and (ii) VDOC and SNB each agree that certain sweep repurchase agreements having a value of approximately Ninety-Five Million Dollars ($95,000,000) as of the date of this Agreement will reprice to a market rate of the effective Federal Funds Rate, less 200 basis points.
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6.Regulatory Compliance.
6.1Semiannually, beginning on the date that is six (6) months following the Closing Date (and on each six (6)-month anniversary thereafter), SNB shall deliver to The Villages a certificate signed on behalf of SNB by a duly authorized officer of SNB certifying that SNB has been and remains (i) in compliance with all applicable banking regulations in all material respects and (ii) “well capitalized” (in accordance with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s applicable rules and regulations as promulgated from time to time) (each, a “Semi-Annual Certification”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6.1 or any other provision of this Agreement, neither SNB nor its Affiliates shall make (or be obligated to make) any disclosure, representation or warranty (or take any other action) pursuant to this Agreement that would involve the disclosure of confidential supervisory information (including confidential supervisory information as defined in 12 C.F.R. § 261.2(b) and as identified in 12 C.F.R. § 309.5(g)(8) and 12 C.F.R. § 4.32(b)) of a Governmental Entity to the extent prohibited by applicable law.
7.Term and Termination.
7.1The term of this Agreement (the “Term”) shall commence as of the Closing Date (the “Effective Date”) and shall terminate and expire on the tenth (10th) anniversary of Effective Date (the “Expiration Date”), as such Expiration Date may be extended pursuant to the terms of Section 7.3, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the terms of Section 7.2. If the Closing does not occur and the Merger Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, this Agreement shall be void and of no effect.
7.2Subject to Section 7.3, this Agreement may be terminated only as follows:
(a)by mutual written agreement of The Villages and SNB;
(b)by The Villages, if SNB shall have breached or failed to perform any of its covenants or other agreements contained in this Agreement which breach, inaccuracy or failure to perform is either (i) not curable on or prior to the date set forth in Section 7.3, or (ii) is not cured by the date that is thirty (30) days following written notice from The Villages to SNB of such breach; provided that if such breach, inaccuracy or failure cannot reasonably be cured within such thirty (30) day period, SNB shall have a reasonable period of time, not to exceed an additional ninety (90) days, to effect such cure so long as SNB commences such cure with the initial thirty (30) day period and diligently pursues same to completion;
(c)by SNB, if The Villages shall have breached or failed to perform any of its covenants or other agreements contained in this Agreement, which breach, inaccuracy or failure to perform is either (i) not curable on or prior to the date set forth in Section 7.3, or is (ii) not cured by the date that is thirty (30) days following written notice from SNB to The Villages of such breach; provided that if such breach, inaccuracy or failure cannot reasonably be cured within such thirty (30) day period, The Villages shall have a reasonable period of time, not to exceed an additional ninety (90) days, to effect such cure so long as The Villages commences such cure with the initial thirty (30) day period and diligently pursues same to completion;
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(d)subject to applicable Law, by either Party upon the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event of the other Party. “Bankruptcy Event” shall mean, each as provided for under any provisions of federal or state bankruptcy Law: with respect to either Party, if such Party (i) makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, (ii) files a voluntary petition in bankruptcy, (iii) is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent, or has entered against it an order for relief, in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, (iv) files a petition or answer seeking for itself any reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation or similar relief under any statute, law or regulation, (v) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any proceeding of this nature, (vi) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver or liquidator of the Party or of all or any substantial part of its properties or assets, or (vii) if one hundred twenty (120) days after the commencement of any proceeding against the Party seeking reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation or similar relief under any statute, law or regulation, the proceeding has not been dismissed, or if within one hundred twenty (120) days after the appointment without such Party’s consent or acquiescence of a trustee, receiver or liquidator of such Party or of all or any substantial part of its properties or assets, the appointment is not vacated or stayed, or within one hundred twenty (120) days after the expiration of any such stay, the appointment is not vacated;
(e)by The Villages, if the BauerFinancial star rating for SNB, or any successor of SNB (by merger or otherwise), falls below three-and-a-half (3.5) stars; provided (i) that, if BauerFinancial ceases to publish ratings for U.S. banking institutions in substantially similar form as on the date hereof, The Villages and SNB shall mutually agree on a replacement rating and termination threshold in good faith (the foregoing BauerFinancial star rating or applicable replacement rating system and termination threshold are referred to herein as the “Financial Rating Threshold”; and (ii) any failure by SNB or any successor of SNB to satisfy the Financial Rating Threshold shall in no event be deemed a default or breach by SNB under this Agreement, and the foregoing right of termination and right to cause the then existing Term of this Agreement to expire pursuant to the express terms of Section 7.3 shall be The Villages’ sole and exclusive remedies in connection with any such failure.
(f)from the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Date through the termination of the Agreement, by The Villages, if The Villages determines, in good faith, that there has been a significant decline in the satisfaction of SNB’s customers or in the quality of retail banking services provided by SNB, in each case, within the Covered Geography, or there has been any material reputational harm to The Villages or any of its properties as a result of such declines (a “Service-Level Decline”), and the circumstances that gave rise to the Service Level Decline are either not curable on or prior to the date set forth in Section 7.3 or is not cured by the date that is ninety (90) days following written notice from The Villages to SNB of such Service Level Decline; provided that in no event shall a Service-Level Decline be deemed a default or breach by SNB under this Agreement, and the foregoing right of termination and right to cause the then existing Term of this Agreement to expire pursuant to the express terms of Section 7.3 shall be The Villages’ sole and exclusive remedies in connection therewith; and
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(g)from the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Date through the remaining term of the Agreement, by The Villages, in the event of an SNB Change of Control; provided that (i) in no event shall an SNB Change in Control be deemed a default or breach by SNB under this Agreement, and the foregoing right of termination shall be The Villages’ sole and exclusive remedy in connection therewith, and (ii) this clause (g) shall be of no force or effect with regard to any SNB Change in Control that occurs prior to the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Date.
7.3 Extension of Term. Subject to the terms of Section 7.2, the Expiration Date of the Term shall be automatically extended for two (2) consecutive five (5) year periods (each an “Extension Period”); provided, however, that (i) if The Villages notifies SNB no earlier than one (1) year and no later than six (6) months prior to the then current Expiration Date that, as of the date of such notice (A) SNB is not in compliance with the Semi-Annual Certification requirements set forth in Section 6.1, (B) SNB does not satisfy the Financial Rating Threshold, and/or (C) there is an uncured Service Level Decline; and (ii) SNB fails to cure all deficiencies contained in The Villages’ notice within ninety (90) days of receipt thereof; then (iii) then extension of the Expiration Date by the applicable Extension Period shall be void and no force and effect and this Agreement shall terminate on the then current Expiration Date. If the Expiration Date is extended by an Extension Period in accordance with this Section 7.3, all references in this Agreement to the “Expiration Date“ and the “Term” shall mean the Expiration Date and Term as extended by such Extension Period.
8.Effect of Termination and Surrender.
8.1Effect of Termination. Subject to Section 9, upon valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 7, each Party shall (i) cease the use of the other Party’s non-public, Confidential Information to which it has no rights following termination under this Agreement or any other agreement, (ii) promptly return to the other Party, or, if such other Party gives written permission, promptly destroy, all such Confidential Information of the other Party, and (iii) promptly return to the other Party, or, if such other Party gives written permission, promptly destroy such portions of any documents, notes, summaries, analysis, memoranda and other writings whatsoever (including copies, extracts or other reproductions) prepared by a Party that contain the Confidential Information. Each Party shall complete such return or destruction as promptly as commercially possible, but in no event later than fifteen (15) days from the date of the termination of this Agreement. Promptly after the date that a Party returns or destroys all such information, such Party shall provide written confirmation to the other Party that the return or destruction of the information has been completed and that neither such Party nor any subcontractor or agent thereof retains any such information in any form. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Party may retain Confidential Information (i) to the extent required by applicable Law and (ii) to the extent that it is automatically “backed-up” on its or their (as the case may be) systems or servers in the ordinary course of operation, is not available to or accessed by an end user (other than IT or compliance employees) and cannot be expunged without considerable effort; provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, and notwithstanding the termination or expiration of this Agreement, such Confidential Information shall remain subject to the terms of this Agreement applicable to Confidential Information for the earlier of (A) three (3) years from the valid termination of this
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Agreement or (B) the date such information no longer constitutes Confidential Information.
8.2Cooperation. Each Party shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to, use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the other Party in connection with the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.
8.3Survival. The rights and obligations of the Parties set forth in Sections 8, 9 and 11 and any right, obligation or required performance of the Parties which, by its express terms or nature and context is intended to survive termination of this Agreement, shall survive any such termination.
8.4No Further Rights and Obligations. Other than the rights and obligations of the Parties set forth in this Section 8, Section 9 and such obligations as may survive pursuant to the express provisions of this Agreement, upon termination of this Agreement, each of SNB and The Villages shall have no further rights, duties or obligations under this Agreement.
9.Confidentiality, Press Releases and Media Relations.
9.1Each Party agrees not to disclose or permit the disclosure of any of the terms of this Agreement or of any other confidential, non-public or proprietary information relating to the other Party, its direct or indirect equityholders or any of its businesses in connection with this Agreement or any Future Bank Branch Ground Lease (collectively, “Confidential Information”); provided that such disclosure may be made (a) to any Person who is an officer, director or employee of such Party or its Affiliates, or counsel to, accountants of, or a consultant to such Party or its Affiliates solely for their use in representing such Party in connection herewith and on a need-to-know basis; provided that such Persons are notified of the Party’s confidentiality obligations hereunder, (b) with the prior consent of the other Party, (c) subject to Section 9.2, pursuant to a subpoena or order issued by a Governmental Entity, (d) to any Governmental Entity pursuant to Laws as reasonably determined by such Party or (e) in connection with any legal action or claim filed by either Party to enforce the terms and conditions of this Agreement in accordance with the terms of Section 11.3. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, in no event shall any filings or disclosure required to be made by SNB or its Affiliates with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other banking regulatory agency pursuant to applicable Laws be deemed Confidential Information under this Agreement or otherwise subject to the terms of this Section 9.
9.2If any Party (the “Disclosing Party”) is requested or required in accordance with Law (by oral questions, interrogatories, requests for information or documents, subpoenas, civil investigative demands, or similar processes of any Governmental Entity, court, regulatory body or stock exchange) to disclose or produce any Confidential Information furnished in the course of this Agreement or any Future Bank Branch Ground Lease, the Disclosing Party will provide the other Party (the “Affected Party”) with prompt written notice thereof and copies, if possible, and, if not, a description, of the Confidential Information requested or required to be produced so that the Affected Party may seek an appropriate protective order or order or waive compliance with the provisions of this Section 9.2. Each Party further agrees that, if in the absence of a protective order or the receipt of a waiver hereunder a Disclosing Party is nonetheless, in the written opinion of its legal counsel: (a) compelled to disclose or produce Confidential Information to any
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tribunal in accordance with Law; and (b) at risk of liability for any actions relating to contempt or for any censure or penalty, such Disclosing Party may disclose or produce only such portion of that Confidential Information as is required to such tribunal legally authorized to request and entitled to receive such Confidential Information without liability hereunder; provided, however, that the Disclosing Party shall give the Affected Party written notice of the Confidential Information to be so disclosed or produced as far in advance of its disclosure or production as is practicable and shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain, to the greatest extent practicable, an order or other reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded to such Confidential Information so required to be disclosed or produced.
9.3Except as otherwise required by applicable Law or the rules or regulations of any stock exchange, the right to make, timing and content of any public announcements and press releases relating to this Agreement or the relationship contemplated herein (including any response to any inquiry from the press or media soliciting information about the Parties’ relationship) by or on behalf of any Party shall be subject to the mutual approval of The Villages and SNB (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed in either case).
10.Representations and Warranties.
10.1Representations and Warranties of The Villages. The Villages represents and warrants to SNB that as of the Signing Date and as of the Effective Date:
(a)Organization; Authority. The Villages Operating Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Florida, with requisite corporate power and authority and all authorizations, licenses and permits necessary to own, lease and operate its properties and assets as they are now being owned, leased and operated and to conduct its business in all material respects as currently conducted. The Villages Development Operating Company LLC is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the State of Florida, with requisite corporate power and authority and all authorizations, licenses and permits necessary to own, lease and operate its properties and assets as they are now being owned, leased and operated and to conduct its business in all material respects as currently conducted.
(b)Authorization; Enforceability.
(1)The Villages has the corporate or analogous power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and any Future Bank Branch Ground Lease to which it is a party, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution, delivery and performance by The Villages of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate or analogous action on its part and no further approval or authorization is required on its part. This Agreement, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties hereto, is (or when executed will be) valid and binding obligations of The Villages, enforceable against The Villages in accordance with its terms.
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(2)This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by The Villages. The execution, delivery and performance by The Villages of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and compliance by it with any of the provisions hereof, will not (A) violate, conflict with, or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a default (or an event which, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default) under, or result in the termination of, or require consent or approval under, or result in the acceleration of any right or obligation under, or the loss of any benefit under, or accelerate the performance required by, or result in a right of termination, acceleration, modification or cancellation of, or result in the creation of, any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance upon any of its properties or assets under any of the terms, conditions or provisions of (x) its organizational documents or (y) any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, license, lease, permit, contract, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it may be bound, or to which it or any of its properties or assets is subject, or (B) subject to compliance with the statutes and regulations referred to in the next paragraph, violate any Law applicable to it or any of its properties or assets except, in the case of clauses (A)(y) and (B), for those occurrences that have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a The Villages Material Adverse Effect. “The Villages Material Adverse Effect” means any Effect that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of The Villages to carry out timely, or that has or would prevent, impair or materially delay The Villages from consummating the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(3)Other than such notices, filings, exemptions, reviews, authorizations, consents or approvals as have been made or obtained as of the date hereof, no notice to, filing with, exemption or review by, or authorization, consent or approval of, or clearance or authorization of, any Governmental Entity is required to be made or obtained by The Villages in connection with the consummation by The Villages of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for any such notices, filings, exemptions, reviews, authorizations, consents and approvals the failure of which to make or obtain would not reasonably be expected to be material to The Villages.
10.2Representations and Warranties of SNB. SNB represents and warrants to The Villages that as of the Signing Date and as of the Effective Date:
(a)Organization; Authority. SNB has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Florida, with requisite limited liability company power and authority and all authorizations, licenses and permits necessary to own, lease and operate its properties and assets as they are now being owned, leased and operated and to conduct its business in all material respects as currently conducted.
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(b)Authorization; Enforceability.
(1)SNB and each of its Affiliates that is or will be a party to any Future Bank Branch Ground Lease, has the corporate or analogous power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and any Future Bank Branch Ground Lease to which it is a party, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution, delivery and performance by SNB of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate or analogous action on its part and no further approval or authorization is required on its part. This Agreement, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties hereto, is (or when executed will be) valid and binding obligations of SNB enforceable against SNB in accordance with its terms.
(2)This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by SNB. The execution, delivery and performance by SNB of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and compliance by it with any of the provisions hereof, will not (A) violate, conflict with, or result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a default (or an event which, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default) under, or result in the termination of, or require consent or approval under, or result in the acceleration of any right or obligation under, or the loss of any benefit under, or accelerate the performance required by, or result in a right of termination, acceleration, modification or cancellation of, or result in the creation of, any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance upon any of its properties or assets under any of the terms, conditions or provisions of (x) its organizational documents or (y) any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, license, lease, permit, contract, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it may be bound, or to which it or any of its properties or assets is subject, or (B) subject to compliance with the statutes and regulations referred to in the next paragraph, violate any Law applicable to it or any of its properties or assets except, in the case of clauses (A)(y) and (B), for those occurrences that have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, an SNB Material Adverse Effect. “SNB Material Adverse Effect” means any Effect that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of SNB to carry out timely, or that has or would prevent, impair or materially delay SNB from consummating the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(3)Other than such notices, filings, exemptions, reviews, authorizations, consents or approvals as have been made or obtained as of the date hereof, no notice to, filing with, exemption or review by, or authorization, consent or approval of, or clearance or authorization of, any Governmental Entity is required to be made or obtained by SNB in connection with the consummation by SNB of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for any such notices, filings, exemptions, reviews, authorizations, consents and approvals the failure of which to make or obtain would not reasonably be expected to be material to SNB.
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11.General Provisions.
11.1Assignment. Except as otherwise set forth herein, neither this Agreement nor any of the rights and obligations of the Parties hereunder or thereunder may be assigned by any party, without the prior written consent of each other party.
11.2Governing Law. This Agreement and all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of this Agreement will be governed and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of Florida, without reference to its conflicts of law principles.
11.3Jurisdiction. Each Party irrevocably agrees that all matters arising out of or related to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or disputes relating hereto or thereto (whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise) will be brought exclusively in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, or, if such court does not have jurisdiction, the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida, and, in each case, the appellate courts having jurisdiction thereover, and irrevocably accepts and submits to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the aforesaid courts in personam with respect to any proceeding. Each Party irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or disputes relating hereto or thereto (whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise) in (i) the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida or (ii) the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida, and, in each case, the appellate courts having jurisdiction thereover, and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
11.4Service of Process. Each Party agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to such Party’s respective address set forth in Section 11.6 will be effective service of process for any proceeding in Florida with respect to any matters for which it has submitted to jurisdiction pursuant to Section 11.3.
11.5Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES AND EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR DISPUTES RELATING HERETO (WHETHER FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORTIOUS CONDUCT OR OTHERWISE). EACH PARTY (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF THE OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY PROCEEDING, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER, (B) CERTIFIES THAT SUCH PARTY HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER AND (C) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTY HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 11.5.
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11.6Notices. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all notices, requests, permissions, waivers and other communications hereunder must be in writing and will be deemed to have been given only (a) on the third (3rd) Business Day following the day on which the same is sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, (b) when sent by electronic email transmission (including via .pdf files); provided that confirmation of the email transmission is received from the recipient (which may be automatically generated), (c) when delivered, if delivered personally to the intended recipient, or (d) one (1) Business Day following the day on which the same is sent by overnight delivery via a reputable national overnight air courier service (receipt requested) and, in each case, addressed to a Party at the following address for such Party:
(i) if to The Villages:
Villages Bancorporation, Inc.
1050 Lake Sumter Landing
The Villages, Florida 32162
Email: [email protected]
Attention: Jay Bartholomew; Chief Executive Officer
with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to:
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
51 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Igor Kirman, Esq.; John L. Robinson, Esq.
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
51 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Igor Kirman, Esq.; John L. Robinson, Esq.
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
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(ii) if to SNB:
Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida
815 Colorado Avenue
Stuart, Florida 34994
Email: [email protected]
Attention: Charles M. Shaffer Seacoast National Bank
with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to:
Alston & Bird LLP
1201 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Email: [email protected]
Attention: Randolph A. Moore III
or to such other address, facsimile or email as is furnished in writing by any such Party to the other Party in accordance with the provisions of this Section 11.6.
11.7Amendments. This Agreement may be amended, modified, supplemented, superseded or canceled and any of the provisions hereof may be waived only by an instrument in writing signed by each of the Parties or, in the case of a waiver, by or on behalf of the Party waiving compliance. No waiver by any Party shall operate or be construed as a waiver in respect of any failure, breach or default not expressly identified by such written waiver, whether of a similar or different character, and whether occurring before or after that waiver. Except where a specific time period is specified, no failure to exercise, or delay in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege arising from this Agreement shall operate or be construed as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.
11.8Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, all of which will be considered one and the same agreement, and will become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered, in person or by electronic mail in “portable document format” form or by any other electronic means intended to preserve the original graphic and pictorial appearance of a document, to the other Party.
11.9Severability; Enforcement. The invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any portion hereof will not affect the validity, force or effect of the remaining portions hereof. If it is ever held that any restriction hereunder is too broad to permit enforcement of such restriction to its fullest extent, each Party agrees that a court of competent jurisdiction may enforce such restriction to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, and each Party hereby consents and agrees that such
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scope may be judicially modified accordingly in any proceeding brought to enforce such restriction.
11.10Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes any previous agreements and understandings between the Parties with respect to such matters. There are no restrictions, promises, representations, warranties, agreements or undertakings of either Party with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement other than those set forth herein or therein or in any other document required to be executed and delivered hereunder or thereunder. The Parties agree that this Agreement supersedes and replaces in its entirety that certain Developer Support Agreement, dated as of May 29, 2025, by and among The Villages, SNB and, solely for the limited purposes expressly set forth in Section 5 and 9 therein, VLH, HCV and VDH (the “Original Agreement”) and that certain Developer Support Agreement, dated as of July 23, 2025, by and among The Villages, SNB and, solely for the limited purposes expressly set forth in Section 5 and 9 therein, VLH, HCV and VDH (the “Restated Agreement”). As of the Signing Date, both the Original Agreement and the Restated Agreement shall have no further force or effect, and the rights and obligations of the Parties shall be governed exclusively by this Agreement.
11.11Interpretation. (a) When a reference is made in this Agreement to a Section, such reference shall be to a Section of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated; (b) whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; (c) the words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires; (d) the word “or” shall not be deemed to be exclusive; (e) the word “extent” and the phrase “to the extent” when used in this Agreement shall mean the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and such word or phrase shall not mean simply “if”; (f) all references herein to “$” or “dollars” shall be to U.S. dollars; (g) references to “written” or “in writing” include in electronic form; (h) all terms defined in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant thereto unless otherwise defined therein; (i) the definitions contained in this Agreement are applicable to the singular as well as the plural forms of such terms and to the masculine as well as to the feminine and neuter genders of such terms; (j) a reference to any Person includes such Person’s Successors and permitted assigns; (k) any reference to “days” means calendar days unless Business Days are expressly specified; (l) when calculating the period of time before which, within which or following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Agreement, the date that is the reference date in calculating such period shall be excluded and if the last day of such period is not a Business Day, the period shall end on the next succeeding Business Day; and (m) any Law defined or referred to in this Agreement or in any agreement or instrument that is referred to herein means such Law as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented, including (in the case of statutes) by succession of comparable successor Laws and the related rules and regulations thereunder and published interpretations thereof, and references to any contract or instrument are to that contract or instrument as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented. Each of the parties hereto has participated in the drafting and negotiation of this Agreement and if an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if it is drafted by all the parties hereto, and no
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presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement.
11.12No Partnership. Nothing contained in or done pursuant to this Agreement will be construed as creating a partnership, agency or joint venture; and neither Party will be bound by any representation, act or omission of the other Party with respect to third parties.
11.13No Third-Party Beneficiaries. The execution and delivery of this Agreement will not be deemed to confer any rights upon or obligate either Party to any other person or entity.
11.14Other Activities. Subject to the provisions of Section 2 and Section 3, the Parties: (a) recognize that the other Party, its Affiliates and their respective members, partners, shareholders, officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives, have or may in the future have other business interests, activities and investments, independently or with others, some of which may be in conflict or competition with the business of the other Party; (b) agree that the other Party, its Affiliates and their respective members, partners, shareholders, officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives, are entitled to carry on such other business interests, activities and investments; (c) agree that neither the other Party, its Affiliates nor any of their respective members, partners, shareholders, officers, directors, employees, agents or representatives, shall have any right, by virtue of this Agreement or otherwise, in or to such business interests, activities and investments; and (d) agree that the pursuit of such business interests, activities and investments, even if competitive with the business of the other Party, shall not be deemed wrongful or improper.
11.15 Remedies. In the event any Party fails to cure any default or breach of this Agreement within any applicable notice, cure or grace period set forth herein, the other Party shall be entitled, except as may be otherwise expressly set forth herein, to pursue any remedies available at law or in equity on account of such breach or default, including seeking injunctive relief or specific performance of any covenant or agreement of the defaulting Party.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement to be effective as of the date first shown above.
THE VILLAGES OPERATING COMPANY,
a Florida corporation
By: /s/ Robert L. Chandler IV
Print Name: Robert L. Chandler IV
Title: Vice President
THE VILLAGES DEVELOPMENT OPERATING COMPANY, LLC,
a Florida limited liability company
BY: VDC Manager, LLC,
a Florida limited liability company,
its Manager
By: /s/ Brandon Matulka
Print Name: Brandon Matulka
Title: Manager
THE VILLAGES LAND HOLDING COMPANY, LLC,
a Florida limited liability company
BY: VDC Manager, LLC,
a Florida limited liability company,
its Manager
By: /s/ Brandon Matulka
Print Name: Brandon Matulka
Title: Manager
HOLDING COMPANY OF THE VILLAGES, INC.,
a Florida corporation
By: /s/ Robert L. Chandler IV
Print Name: Robert L. Chandler IV
Title: Vice President
[Signature Page to Developer Support Agreement]
THE VILLAGES DEVELOPMENT HOLDING COMPANY, LLC,
a Florida limited liability company
BY: VDC Manager, LLC,
a Florida limited liability company,
its Manager
By: /s/ Brandon Matulka
Print Name: Brandon Matulka
Title: Manager
SEACOAST NATIONAL BANK
By: /s/ Chuck Shaffer
Print Name: Chuck Shaffer
Title: Chief Executive Officer
[Signature Page to Developer Support Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
Form of Ground Lease
[see attached]
[Exhibit A – Form of Ground Lease]
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITOR
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Current Report on Form 8-K of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida of our report dated March 12, 2025, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Villages Bancorporation, Inc. and Subsidiaries' consolidated financial statement as of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, appearing in the Registration Statement on Form S-4/A, filed on August 15, 2025, of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida.
Bradenton, Florida
October 6, 2025
Seacoast Completes Acquisition of Villages Bancorporation, Inc.
Expands Seacoast’s Presence into Attractive Market Known as The Villages®
STUART, Fla., October 1, 2025 -- Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (“Seacoast” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SBCF), the holding company for Seacoast National Bank, announced today the completion of its acquisition of Villages Bancorporation, Inc. (“VBI”), parent company of Citizens First Bank, effective October 1, 2025. The merger of Citizens First Bank with and into Seacoast National Bank was also effective on the same date, with Seacoast National Bank being the surviving financial institution.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each share of VBI common stock was converted into the right to receive, at the shareholders’ election, (i) $1,000.00 in cash, (ii) 38.5000 shares of Seacoast common stock or (iii) a 25%-75% combination of cash and common stock, with the final election subject to a proration mechanism such that 25% of VBI shares received the cash consideration and 75% of VBI shares received the stock consideration. In the event any shareholder or shareholder group would have received more than 9.75% of cumulative outstanding Seacoast common stock, non-voting convertible preferred stock was issued in lieu of the excess amount of common shares. The final consideration was approximately $829 million.
The Villages is a unique planned community in Central Florida, with one of the highest population growth rates in the United States. The Villages community is home to approximately 150,000 residents in over 77,000 homes spanning 60,000 acres, with more than 6 million square feet of commercial space and a 97% average occupancy rate. Citizens First Bank has had the leading deposit market share of over 50% in the Wildwood-The Villages MSA, operating 19 branches with deposits of approximately $3.5 billion and total consolidated net loans of approximately $1.3 billion as of June 30, 2025.
“VBI’s deep local relationships and commitment to personalized service align perfectly with Seacoast’s values,” said Charles M. Shaffer, Chairman and CEO of Seacoast. “Together, we will create even greater value for our customers and shareholders, while building on a solid foundation to support continued growth and success across the communities we serve.”
Transaction Details
Piper Sandler & Co. served as financial advisor and Alston & Bird LLP served as legal counsel to Seacoast. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. rendered a fairness opinion to Seacoast’s Board of Directors. Hovde Group, LLC served as financial advisor and Smith Mackinnon, PA served as legal counsel to VBI.
About Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (NASDAQ: SBCF)
Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (NASDAQ: SBCF) is one of the largest community banks headquartered in Florida with approximately $15.9 billion in assets and $12.5 billion in deposits as of June 30, 2025. Seacoast and its subsidiaries provide integrated financial services including commercial and consumer banking, wealth management and mortgage services to customers at 103 full-service branches across Florida, and through advanced mobile and online banking solutions. Seacoast National Bank is the wholly-owned subsidiary bank of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida.
Additional information about Seacoast can be found at www.seacoastbanking.com.
Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning, and protections, of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, without limitation, statements about future financial and operating results, cost savings, enhanced revenues, economic and seasonal conditions in the Company’s markets, and improvements to reported earnings that may be realized from cost controls, tax law changes, new initiatives and for integration of banks that the Company has acquired, or expects to acquire, as well as statements with respect to Seacoast's objectives, strategic plans,
expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to the Company’s beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates and intentions about future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond the Company’s control, and which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (“Seacoast” or the “Company”) or its wholly-owned banking subsidiary, Seacoast National Bank (“Seacoast Bank”), to be materially different from results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You should not expect the Company to update any forward-looking statements.
All statements other than statements of historical fact could be forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements through the use of words such as "may", "will", "anticipate", "assume", "should", "support", "indicate", "would", "believe", "contemplate", "expect", "estimate", "continue", "further", "plan", "point to", "project", "could", "intend", "target" or other similar words and expressions of the future. These forward-looking statements may not be realized due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: the impact of current and future economic and market conditions generally (including seasonality) and in the financial services industry, nationally and within Seacoast’s primary market areas, including the effects of inflationary pressures, changes in interest rates, tariffs or trade wars (including reduced consumer spending), slowdowns in economic growth, and the potential for high unemployment rates, as well as the financial stress on borrowers and changes to customer and client behavior and credit risk as a result of the foregoing; potential impacts of adverse developments in the banking industry, including those highlighted by high-profile bank failures, and including impacts on customer confidence, deposit outflows, liquidity and the regulatory response thereto (including increases in the cost of our deposit insurance assessments), the Company's ability to effectively manage its liquidity risk and any growth plans, and the availability of capital and funding; governmental monetary and fiscal policies, including interest rate policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, as well as legislative, tax and regulatory changes including overdraft and late fee caps (if implemented), including those that impact the money supply and inflation; the risks of changes in interest rates on the level and composition of deposits (as well as the cost of, and competition for, deposits), loan demand, liquidity and the values of loan collateral, securities, and interest rate sensitive assets and liabilities; interest rate risks (including the impacts of interest rates on macroeconomic conditions, customer and client behavior, and on our net interest income), sensitivities and the shape of the yield curve; changes in accounting policies, rules and practices; changes in retail distribution strategies, customer preferences and behavior generally and as a result of economic factors, including heightened or persistent inflation; changes in the availability and cost of credit and capital in the financial markets; changes in the prices, values and sales volumes of residential and commercial real estate, especially as they relate to the value of collateral supporting the Company’s loans; the Company’s concentration in commercial real estate loans and in real estate collateral in Florida; Seacoast’s ability to comply with any regulatory requirements and the risk that the regulatory environment may not be conducive to or may prohibit or delay the consummation of future mergers and/or business combinations, may increase the length of time and amount of resources required to consummate such transactions, and may reduce the anticipated benefit; inaccuracies or other failures from the use of models, including the failure of assumptions and estimates, as well as differences in, and changes to, economic, market and credit conditions; the impact on the valuation of Seacoast’s investments due to market volatility or counterparty payment risk, as well as the effect of a decline in stock market prices on our fee income from our wealth management business; statutory and regulatory dividend restrictions; increases in regulatory capital requirements for banking organizations generally; the risks of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, including Seacoast’s ability to continue to identify acquisition targets, successfully acquire and integrate desirable financial institutions and realize expected revenues and revenue synergies; changes in technology or products that may be more difficult, costly, or less effective than anticipated; the Company’s ability to identify and address increased cybersecurity risks, including those impacting vendors and other third parties which may be exacerbated by developments in generative artificial intelligence; fraud or misconduct by internal or external parties, which Seacoast may not be able to prevent, detect or mitigate; inability of Seacoast’s risk management framework to manage risks associated with the Company’s business; dependence on key suppliers or vendors to obtain equipment or services for the business on acceptable terms;
reduction in or the termination of Seacoast’s ability to use the online- or mobile-based platform that is critical to the Company’s business growth strategy; the effects of war or other conflicts, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, including hurricanes in the Company’s footprint, health emergencies, epidemics or pandemics, or other catastrophic events that may affect general economic conditions and/or increase costs, including, but not limited to, property and casualty and other insurance costs; Seacoast’s ability to maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting; potential claims, damages, penalties, fines, costs and reputational damage resulting from pending or future litigation, regulatory proceedings and enforcement actions; the risks that deferred tax assets could be reduced if estimates of future taxable income from the Company’s operations and tax planning strategies are less than currently estimated, the results of tax audit findings, challenges to our tax positions, or adverse changes or interpretations of tax laws; the effects of competition from other commercial banks, thrifts, mortgage banking firms, consumer finance companies, credit unions, non-bank financial technology providers, securities brokerage firms, insurance companies, money market and other mutual funds and other financial institutions; the failure of assumptions underlying the establishment of reserves for expected credit losses; risks related to, and the costs associated with, environmental, social and governance matters, including the scope and pace of related rulemaking activity and disclosure requirements; a deterioration of the credit rating for U.S. long-term sovereign debt, actions that the U.S. government may take to avoid exceeding the debt ceiling, and uncertainties surrounding the federal budget and economic policy, including the impact of tariffs and trade policies; the risk that balance sheet, revenue growth, and loan growth expectations may differ from actual results; and other factors and risks described herein and under “Risk Factors” in any of the Company's subsequent reports filed with the SEC and available on its website at www.sec.gov.
The risks relating to the Villages Bancorporation, Inc. merger include, without limitation, the parties' ability to achieve the synergies and value creation contemplated by the merger; the parties' ability to promptly and effectively integrate the businesses of Seacoast and Villages Bancorporation, Inc., including unexpected transaction costs, the costs of integrating operations, severance, professional fees and other expenses; the diversion of management time on issues related to the merger; changes in laws or regulations; the risks of customer and employee loss and business disruption, including, without limitation, as the result of difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees; increased competitive pressures and solicitations of customers and employees by competitors; and the difficulties and risks inherent with entering new markets.
All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice, including, without limitation, those risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in other periodic reports that the Company files with the SEC. Such reports are available upon request from the Company, or from the Securities and Exchange Commission, including through the SEC's Internet website at www.sec.gov.