As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 24, 2023
Registration No. 333- .
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_____________________________________________
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
_____________________________________________
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Alabama Power Company (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) | | Alabama (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | 63-0004250 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
600 North 18th Street
Birmingham, Alabama 35291
(205) 257-1000
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of the registrant’s principal executive offices)
_____________________________________________
CEILA H. SHORTS
Corporate Secretary
Alabama Power Company
600 North 18th Street
Birmingham, Alabama 35291
(205) 257-1000
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
_____________________________________________
The Commission is requested to mail signed copies of all orders, notices and communications to:
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DANIEL S. TUCKER
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
THE SOUTHERN COMPANY
30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30308 | | MELISSA K. CAEN
Vice President and Assistant Secretary
SOUTHERN COMPANY SERVICES, INC.
30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30308 | | MONICA W. SARGENT
BALCH & BINGHAM LLP
1901 Sixth Avenue North
Suite 1500
Birmingham, Alabama 35203 |
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Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. x
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated filer o | | Accelerated filer o |
Non-accelerated filer x | | Smaller reporting company o |
| | Emerging growth company o |
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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. o
PROSPECTUS
Alabama Power Company
Class A Preferred Stock
Cumulative, Par Value $1 Per Share
Preference Stock
Senior Notes
Junior Subordinated Notes
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Alabama Power Company will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this Prospectus. You should read this Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement carefully before you invest.
See “Risk Factors” on page 2 for information on certain risks related to the purchase of securities offered by this Prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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This Prospectus is dated February 24, 2023.
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This Prospectus is part of a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) using a “shelf” registration process under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Under the shelf process, Alabama Power Company (the “Company”) may sell, in one or more transactions,
•shares of class A preferred stock (the “Class A Preferred Stock”),
•shares of preference stock (the “Preference Stock”),
•senior notes (the “Senior Notes”), or
•junior subordinated notes (the “Junior Subordinated Notes”).
This Prospectus provides a general description of those securities. Each time the Company sells securities, the Company will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering (“Prospectus Supplement”). The Prospectus Supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this Prospectus. You should read this Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement together with the additional information under the heading “Available Information.”
RISK FACTORS
Investing in the Company’s securities involves risk. Please see the risk factors described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, which is incorporated by reference in this Prospectus. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider these risks as well as other information contained or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus. AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement,” which term encompasses any amendments to the Registration Statement and exhibits to the Registration Statement) under the 1933 Act. As permitted by the rules and regulations of the Commission, this Prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement and the exhibits and schedules to the Registration Statement, to which reference is made.
The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and in accordance with the 1934 Act files reports and other information with the Commission. The Commission maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants including the Company that file electronically at http://www.sec.gov.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
All documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior to the termination of this offering shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and made a part of this Prospectus from the date of filing of such documents; provided, however, that the Company is not incorporating any information furnished under Item 2.02 or 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K unless specifically stated otherwise. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this Prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
The Company will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this Prospectus is delivered, on the written or oral request of any such person, a copy of any or all documents incorporated by reference in this Prospectus (other than the exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in this Prospectus). Such requests should be directed to Ceila H. Shorts, Corporate Secretary, Alabama Power Company, 600 North 18th Street, Birmingham, Alabama 35291, telephone: (205) 257-1000.
ALABAMA POWER COMPANY
The Company is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Alabama on November 10, 1927, by the consolidation of the predecessor Alabama Power Company, Gulf Electric Company and Houston Power Company. The predecessor Alabama Power Company had a continuous existence since its incorporation in 1906. The principal executive offices of the Company are located at 600 North 18th Street, Birmingham, Alabama 35291, and the telephone number is (205) 257-1000. The Company’s internet address is http://www.alabamapower.com. The information on the Company’s website is not incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and should not be considered to be a part of this Prospectus.
The Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Southern Company. The Company is engaged, within the State of Alabama, in the generation, transmission, distribution and purchase of electricity and the sale of electric service, at retail in approximately 400 cities and towns (including Anniston, Birmingham, Gadsden, Mobile, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa), as well as in rural areas, and at wholesale to 11 municipally-owned electric distribution systems, all of which are served indirectly through sales to the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (“AMEA”), and two rural distributing cooperative associations. The sales contract with AMEA will expire on December 31, 2025. The Company also sells, and cooperates with dealers in promoting the sale of, electric appliances and products and markets and sells outdoor lighting services.
The Company and one of its affiliates, Georgia Power Company, each own 50% of the outstanding common stock of Southern Electric Generating Company (“SEGCO”). SEGCO is an operating public utility company that owns electric generating units near Wilsonville, Alabama.
SELECTED INFORMATION
The following material, which is presented in this Prospectus solely to furnish limited introductory information regarding the Company, has been selected from, or is based upon, the detailed information and financial statements appearing in the documents incorporated in this Prospectus by reference or elsewhere in this Prospectus, is qualified in its entirety by reference to those documents and, therefore, should be read together with those documents.
Alabama Power Company
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| Business | Generation, transmission, distribution and purchase of electricity and the sale of electric service |
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| Customers at December 31, 2022 | 1,532,570 |
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| Plant Nameplate Capacity Ratings at December 31, 2022 (megawatts) | 12,306 |
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| Sources of Generation during 2022 (kilowatt hours) | Coal (46%), Nuclear (22%), Gas (24%), Hydro (8%) |
USE OF PROCEEDS
Except as may be otherwise described in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, the net proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Class A Preferred Stock, the Preference Stock, the Senior Notes or the Junior Subordinated Notes will be used in connection with its ongoing construction program, to pay scheduled maturities and/or refundings of its securities, to repay short-term indebtedness to the extent outstanding and for other general corporate purposes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CLASS A PREFERRED STOCK
Set forth below is a description of the general terms of the Class A Preferred Stock. The statements in this Prospectus concerning the Class A Preferred Stock are an outline and do not purport to be complete. Such statements make use of defined terms and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the charter of the Company, as amended (the “charter”), a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part. The general provisions which apply to all series of the Class A Preferred Stock, which are now or may at a later time be authorized or created, are set forth in the charter.
General
Each series of the Class A Preferred Stock is to be established by resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company, a copy of which is an exhibit to the Registration Statement (or incorporated by reference). In such resolutions, the Board of Directors will set the stated capital, among other terms, of such series of Class A Preferred Stock.
At December 31, 2022, the Company had 27,500,000 authorized shares of Class A Preferred Stock, of which none were outstanding. Additionally, at December 31, 2022, the Company had 3,850,000 authorized shares of preferred stock (the “Preferred Stock”), of which none were outstanding. The Class A Preferred Stock ranks on a parity as to dividends and assets with the Preferred Stock and has the same general rights and preferences as the Preferred Stock. On all matters submitted to a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock and the Class A Preferred Stock (other than a change in the rights and preferences of only one, but not the other, such kind of stock), both kinds of stock vote together as a single class, and each share of Preferred Stock and Class A Preferred Stock shall have the relative voting rights described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
The Class A Preferred Stock will not be subject to further calls or to assessment by the Company.
Any proposed listing of the Class A Preferred Stock on a securities exchange will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the transfer agent for the Class A Preferred Stock will be EQ Shareowner Services, 1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120-4100, which will also serve as the registrar.
Dividend Rights
The holders of the Preferred Stock and the Class A Preferred Stock of each class are entitled to receive cumulative dividends, payable when and as declared by the Board of Directors, at the rates determined for the respective classes. Before any dividends may be declared or paid on the Preference Stock or the Company’s Common Stock, dividends on the Preferred Stock and the Class A Preferred Stock must have been or be contemporaneously declared and set apart for payment, or paid, on the Preferred Stock and the Class A Preferred Stock of all classes for all dividend periods terminating on the same or an earlier date.
The applicable Prospectus Supplement will set forth the dividend rate provisions of the Class A Preferred Stock, including the payment dates and the rate or rates, or the method of determining the rate or rates (which may involve periodic dividend rate settings through remarketing or auction procedures or pursuant to one or more formulae, as described in the Prospectus Supplement). Dividends payable on the Class A Preferred Stock will be cumulative from the date of original issue.
Redemption Provisions
Any redemption provisions applicable to the Class A Preferred Stock will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
The charter provides that the Company shall not redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of Preferred Stock or Class A Preferred Stock if, at the time of such redemption, purchase or other acquisition, dividends payable on the Preferred Stock or the Class A Preferred Stock of any class shall be in default in whole or in part unless, prior to or concurrently with such redemption, purchase or other acquisition, all such defaults shall be cured or unless such action has been ordered, approved or permitted under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended, by the Commission or any successor commission or regulatory authority of the United States of America.
Voting Rights
The voting rights applicable to the Preferred Stock and the Class A Preferred Stock will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
Liquidation Rights
Upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, the holders of the Preferred Stock and the Class A Preferred Stock of each class, without preference between classes, will be entitled to receive the amounts specified to be payable on the shares of such class (which, in the case of the Class A Preferred Stock, is an amount equal to the stated capital per share on involuntary liquidation, or an amount equal to the then current regular redemption price per share on voluntary liquidation, plus accrued dividends in each case) before any distribution of assets may be made to the holders of the Preference Stock or the Company’s
Common Stock. Available assets, if insufficient to pay such amounts to the holders of the Preferred Stock and the Class A Preferred Stock, are to be distributed pro rata to the payment, first of the amount per share payable in the event of involuntary liquidation, second of accrued dividends, if any, and third of any premium.
Sinking Fund
The terms and conditions of a sinking fund or purchase fund, if any, for the benefit of the holders of the Class A Preferred Stock will be set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
Other Rights
The holders of the Class A Preferred Stock do not have any preemptive or conversion rights unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERENCE STOCK
Set forth below is a description of the general terms of the Preference Stock. The statements in this Prospectus concerning the Preference Stock are an outline and do not purport to be complete. Such statements make use of defined terms and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the charter, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part. The general provisions which apply to all series of the Preference Stock, which are now or may at a later time be authorized or created, are set forth in the charter.
General
Each series of Preference Stock is to be established by resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company, a copy of which is an exhibit to the Registration Statement (or incorporated by reference). In such resolutions, the Board of Directors will set the stated capital, among other terms, of such series of Preference Stock.
As of December 31, 2022, the Company had 40,000,000 authorized shares of Preference Stock, of which none were outstanding. The Preference Stock ranks junior to the Preferred Stock and the Class A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. The Preference Stock ranks senior to the Company’s Common Stock and to any other securities the Company may issue in the future that by their terms rank junior to the Preference Stock with respect to dividends and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. All shares of the Preference Stock will rank on a parity with respect to dividends and amounts payable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.
The Preference Stock will not be subject to further calls or assessment by the Company.
Any proposed listing of the Preference Stock on a securities exchange will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the transfer agent for the Preference Stock will be EQ Shareowner Services, 1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101, Mendota Heights, Minnesota 55120-4100, which will also serve as the registrar.
Dividend Rights
Dividends on the Preference Stock are payable, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors, at the rate per annum determined for each respective series. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, dividends will be payable to holders of record of the Preference Stock as they appear on the books of the Company on the record dates fixed by the Board of Directors.
The applicable Prospectus Supplement will set forth the dividend rate provisions of the Preference Stock, including the payment dates and the rate or rates, or the method of determining the rate or rates (which may involve periodic dividend rate settings through remarketing or auction procedures or pursuant to one or more formulae, as described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement), and whether dividends shall be cumulative and, if so, from which date or dates.
Redemption Provisions
Any redemption provisions applicable to the Preference Stock will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
Voting Rights
The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe the voting rights for each series of the Preference Stock.
Liquidation Rights
Upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, the holders of the Preference Stock of each series, without preference among series, are entitled to receive the amount specified to be payable on the shares of such series following the satisfaction of all claims ranking senior to the Preference Stock (including the claims of holders of any outstanding shares of Preferred Stock and Class A Preferred Stock) and before any distribution of assets may be made to the holders of the Company’s Common Stock. Available assets, if insufficient to pay such amounts to the holders of the Preference Stock, are to be distributed pro rata to the payment, first of the amount per share payable in the event of involuntary liquidation, second of accrued dividends, if any, and third of any premium.
Sinking Fund
The terms and conditions of a sinking or purchase fund, if any, for the benefit of the holders of the Preference Stock will be set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
Other Rights
The holders of the Preference Stock do not have any pre-emptive or conversion rights, except as otherwise described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SENIOR NOTES
Set forth below is a description of the general terms of the Senior Notes. The following description does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the Senior Note Indenture, dated as of December 1, 1997, between the Company and Regions Bank, as successor trustee (the “Senior Note Indenture Trustee”), as heretofore supplemented and amended and as to be supplemented by a supplemental indenture to the Senior Note Indenture establishing the Senior Notes of each series (the Senior Note Indenture, as so supplemented and amended, is referred to as the “Senior Note Indenture”). The terms of the Senior Notes will include those stated in the Senior Note Indenture and those made a part of the Senior Note Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “1939 Act”). Certain capitalized terms used and not defined in this section of the Prospectus are defined in the Senior Note Indenture.
General
The Senior Notes will be issued as unsecured senior debt securities under the Senior Note Indenture and will rank equally with all other unsecured and unsubordinated debt of the Company. The Senior Notes will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future secured debt of the Company. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $5 million of secured indebtedness, which represented outstanding finance lease obligations secured by the underlying lease right-of-use assets. The Senior Note Indenture does not limit the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes that may be issued under the Senior Note Indenture and provides that Senior Notes may be issued from time to time in one or more series pursuant to an indenture supplemental to the Senior Note Indenture. The Senior Note Indenture gives the Company the ability to reopen a previous issue of Senior Notes and issue additional Senior Notes of such series, unless otherwise provided.
Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement that will accompany this Prospectus for the following terms of the series of Senior Notes being offered by such Prospectus Supplement: (i) the title of such Senior Notes; (ii) any limit on the aggregate principal amount of such Senior Notes; (iii) the date or dates on which the principal of such Senior Notes is payable; (iv) the rate or rates at which such Senior Notes shall bear interest, if any, or any method by which such rate or rates will be determined, the date or dates from which such interest will accrue, the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable, and the regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date; (v) the place or places where the principal of, premium, if any, on and interest, if any, on such Senior Notes shall be payable; (vi) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions on which such Senior Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company or at the option of the holder prior to their maturity; (vii) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase such Senior Notes; (viii) the denominations in which such Senior Notes shall be issuable; (ix) if other than the principal amount of such Senior Notes, the portion of the principal amount of such Senior Notes which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of such Senior Notes; (x) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company as provided in the Senior Note Indenture pertaining to such Senior Notes; (xi) whether such Senior Notes shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of a Global Security; and (xii) any other terms of such Senior Notes.
The Senior Note Indenture does not contain provisions that afford holders of Senior Notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction involving the Company.
Events of Default
Unless provided otherwise in the supplemental indenture relating to any series of Senior Notes, the Senior Note Indenture provides that any one or more of the following described events with respect to the Senior Notes of any series, which has occurred and is continuing, constitutes an “Event of Default” with respect to the Senior Notes of such series:
(a) failure for 10 days to pay interest on the Senior Notes of such series when due on an interest payment date other than at maturity or upon earlier redemption; or
(b) failure to pay principal of, premium, if any, on or interest on the Senior Notes of such series when due at maturity or upon earlier redemption; or
(c) failure for three Business Days to deposit any sinking fund payment when due by the terms of a Senior Note of such series; or
(d) failure to observe or perform any other covenant or warranty of the Company in the Senior Note Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty which has expressly been included in the Senior Note Indenture solely for the benefit of one or more series of Senior Notes other than such series) for 90 days after written notice to the Company from the Senior Note Indenture Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Senior Notes of such series; or
(e) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company.
The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Senior Notes of any series have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Senior Note Indenture Trustee with respect to the Senior Notes of such series. If a Senior Note Indenture Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Senior Notes of any series, then the Senior Note Indenture Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Senior Notes of such series may declare the principal amount of the Senior Notes due and payable immediately by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Senior Note Indenture Trustee if given by the holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount shall become immediately due and payable. At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Senior Notes of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained as provided in Article Five of the Senior Note Indenture, the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Senior Notes of such series may, by written notice to the Company and the Senior Note Indenture Trustee, rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if the default has been cured or waived and the Company has paid or deposited with the Senior Note Indenture Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest and principal due otherwise than by acceleration and all sums paid or advanced by the Senior Note Indenture Trustee, including reasonable compensation and expenses of the Senior Note Indenture Trustee.
The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Senior Notes of any series may, on behalf of the holders of all the Senior Notes of such series, waive any past default with respect to such series, except (i) a default in the payment of principal or interest or (ii) a default in respect of a covenant or provision which under Article Nine of the Senior Note Indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Senior Note of such series affected.
Registration and Transfer
The Company shall not be required to (i) issue, register the transfer of or exchange Senior Notes of any series during a period of 15 days immediately preceding the date notice is given identifying the Senior Notes of such series called for redemption or (ii) issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Senior Notes so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Senior Note being redeemed in part.
Payment and Paying Agent
Unless otherwise indicated in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, payment of principal of any Senior Notes will be made only against surrender to the Paying Agent of such Senior Notes. Principal of and interest on Senior Notes will be payable, subject to any applicable laws and regulations, at the office of such Paying Agent or Paying Agents as the Company may designate from time to time, except that, at the option of the Company, payment of any interest may be made by wire transfer or other electronic transfer or by check mailed to the address of the person entitled to an interest payment as such address shall appear in the Security Register with respect to the Senior Notes. Payment of interest on Senior Notes on any
interest payment date will be made to the person in whose name the Senior Notes (or predecessor security) are registered at the close of business on the record date for such interest payment.
Unless otherwise indicated in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Senior Note Indenture Trustee will act as Paying Agent with respect to the Senior Notes. The Company may at any time designate additional Paying Agents or rescind the designation of any Paying Agents or approve a change in the office through which any Paying Agent acts.
All moneys paid by the Company to a Paying Agent for the payment of the principal of or interest on the Senior Notes of any series which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal or interest shall have become due and payable will be repaid to the Company, and the holder of such Senior Notes will from that time forward look only to the Company for payment of such principal and interest.
Modification
The Senior Note Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the Senior Note Indenture Trustee, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Senior Notes of each series affected, to modify the Senior Note Indenture or the rights of the holders of the Senior Notes of such series; provided that no such modification may, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Senior Note affected, (i) change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Senior Note, or reduce the principal amount of any Senior Note or the rate of interest on any Senior Note or any premium payable upon the redemption of any Senior Note, or change the method of calculating the rate of interest on any Senior Note, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the stated maturity of any Senior Note (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption date), or (ii) reduce the percentage of principal amount of the outstanding Senior Notes of any series, the consent of whose holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of the Senior Note Indenture or certain defaults under the Senior Note Indenture and their consequences) provided for in the Senior Note Indenture, or (iii) modify any of the provisions of the Senior Note Indenture relating to supplemental indentures, waiver of past defaults or waiver of certain covenants, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of the Senior Note Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Senior Note affected thereby.
In addition, the Company and the Senior Note Indenture Trustee may execute, without the consent of any holders of Senior Notes, any supplemental indenture for certain other usual purposes, including the creation of any new series of Senior Notes.
Consolidation, Merger and Sale
The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person, unless (1) such other corporation or person is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state in the United States or the District of Columbia and such other corporation or person expressly assumes, by supplemental indenture executed and delivered to the Senior Note Indenture Trustee, the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, on and interest on all the Senior Notes and the performance of every covenant of the Senior Note Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed; (2) immediately after giving effect to such transactions, no Senior Note Indenture Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become a Senior Note Indenture Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and (3) the Company has delivered to the Senior Note Indenture Trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such transaction complies with the provisions of the Senior Note Indenture governing consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and that all conditions precedent to the transaction have been complied with.
Information Concerning the Senior Note Indenture Trustee
The Senior Note Indenture Trustee, prior to a Senior Note Indenture Event of Default with respect to Senior Notes of any series, undertakes to perform, with respect to Senior Notes of such series, only such duties as are specifically set forth in the Senior Note Indenture and, in case a Senior Note Indenture Event of Default with respect to Senior Notes of any series has occurred and is continuing, shall exercise, with respect to Senior Notes of such series, the same degree of care as a prudent individual would exercise in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to such provision, the Senior Note Indenture Trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers vested in it by the Senior Note Indenture at the request of any holder of Senior Notes of any series, unless offered reasonable indemnity by such holder against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by the Senior Note Indenture Trustee. The Senior Note Indenture Trustee is not required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of its duties if the Senior Note Indenture Trustee reasonably believes that repayment or adequate indemnity is not reasonably assured to it.
The Senior Note Indenture Trustee also serves as Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee. The Company and certain of its affiliates maintain deposit accounts and banking relationships with the Senior Note Indenture Trustee. The Senior Note Indenture Trustee and certain of its affiliates may also serve as trustee under other indentures pursuant to which securities of the Company and certain affiliates of the Company are outstanding.
Governing Law
The Senior Note Indenture and the Senior Notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York.
Miscellaneous
The Company will have the right at all times to assign any of its rights or obligations under the Senior Note Indenture to a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company; provided, that, in the event of any such assignment, the Company will remain primarily liable for all such obligations. Subject to the foregoing, the Senior Note Indenture will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties to the Senior Note Indenture and their respective successors and assigns.
DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES
Set forth below is a description of the general terms of the Junior Subordinated Notes. The following description does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the Subordinated Note Indenture, dated as of January 1, 1997, between the Company and Regions Bank, as successor trustee (the “Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee”), as heretofore supplemented and as to be supplemented by a supplemental indenture to the Subordinated Note Indenture establishing the Junior Subordinated Notes of each series (the Subordinated Note Indenture, as so supplemented, is referred to as the “Subordinated Note Indenture”). The terms of the Junior Subordinated Notes will include those stated in the Subordinated Note Indenture and those made a part of the Subordinated Note Indenture by reference to the 1939 Act. Certain capitalized terms used and not defined in this section of the Prospectus are defined in the Subordinated Note Indenture.
General
The Junior Subordinated Notes will be issued as unsecured junior subordinated debt securities under the Subordinated Note Indenture. The Subordinated Note Indenture does not limit the aggregate principal amount of Junior Subordinated Notes that may be issued under the Subordinated Note Indenture and provides that Junior Subordinated Notes may be issued from time to time in one or more series pursuant to an indenture supplemental to the Subordinated Note Indenture. The Subordinated Note Indenture gives the Company the ability to reopen a previous issue of Junior Subordinated Notes and issue additional Junior Subordinated Notes of such series, unless otherwise provided.
Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement that will accompany this Prospectus for the following terms of the series of Junior Subordinated Notes being offered by such Prospectus Supplement: (i) the title of such Junior Subordinated Notes; (ii) any limit on the aggregate principal amount of such Junior Subordinated Notes; (iii) the date or dates on which the principal of such Junior Subordinated Notes is payable; (iv) the rate or rates at which such Junior Subordinated Notes shall bear interest, if any, or any method by which such rate or rates will be determined, the date or dates from which such interest will accrue, the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable, and the regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date; (v) the place or places where the principal of, premium, if any, on and interest, if any, on such Junior Subordinated Notes shall be payable; (vi) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions on which such Junior Subordinated Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company or at the option of the holder prior to their maturity; (vii) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase such Junior Subordinated Notes; (viii) the denominations in which such Junior Subordinated Notes shall be issuable; (ix) if other than the principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes, the portion of the principal amount of such Junior Subordinated Notes which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of such Junior Subordinated Notes; (x) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company as provided in the Subordinated Note Indenture pertaining to such Junior Subordinated Notes; (xi) whether such Junior Subordinated Notes shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of a Global Security; (xii) the right, if any, of the Company to extend the interest payment periods of such Junior Subordinated Notes; and (xiii) any other terms of such Junior Subordinated Notes.
The Subordinated Note Indenture does not contain provisions that afford holders of Junior Subordinated Notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction involving the Company.
Subordination
The Junior Subordinated Notes are subordinated and junior in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness (as defined below) of the Company. No payment of principal of (including redemption payments, if any), premium, if any, on or interest on
(including Additional Interest (as defined below)) the Junior Subordinated Notes may be made if (a) any Senior Indebtedness is not paid when due and any applicable grace period with respect to such default has ended with such default not being cured or waived or otherwise ceasing to exist, or (b) the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness has been accelerated because of a default, or (c) notice has been given of the exercise of an option to require repayment, mandatory payment or prepayment or otherwise of the Senior Indebtedness. Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors, marshalling of assets or liabilities, or any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceedings of the Company, the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of all Senior Indebtedness before the holders of the Junior Subordinated Notes are entitled to receive or retain any payment or distribution. Subject to the prior payment of all Senior Indebtedness, the rights of the holders of the Junior Subordinated Notes will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive payments and distributions applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until all amounts owing on the Junior Subordinated Notes are paid in full.
The term “Senior Indebtedness” means, with respect to the Company, (i) any payment due in respect of indebtedness of the Company, whether outstanding at the date of execution of the Subordinated Note Indenture or incurred, created or assumed after such date, (a) in respect of money borrowed (including any financial derivative, hedging or futures contract or similar instrument) and (b) evidenced by securities, debentures, bonds, notes or other similar instruments issued by the Company that, by their terms, are senior or senior subordinated debt securities including, without limitation, all such obligations under its indentures with various trustees; (ii) all capital lease obligations; (iii) all obligations issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations of the Company under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business and long-term purchase obligations); (iv) all obligations for the reimbursement of any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance, security purchase facility or similar credit transaction; (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) above of other persons the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above of other persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of the Company (whether or not such obligation is assumed by the Company), except for (1) any such indebtedness that is by its terms subordinated to or that ranks equally with the Junior Subordinated Notes and (2) any unsecured indebtedness between or among the Company or its affiliates. Such Senior Indebtedness shall continue to be Senior Indebtedness and be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions contained in the Subordinated Note Indenture irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such Senior Indebtedness.
The Subordinated Note Indenture does not limit the aggregate amount of Senior Indebtedness that may be issued by the Company. As of December 31, 2022, Senior Indebtedness of the Company aggregated approximately $10,720,000,000.
Additional Interest
“Additional Interest” is defined in the Subordinated Note Indenture as any interest due and not paid on an interest payment date, together with interest on such interest due from such interest payment date to the date of payment, compounded quarterly, on each interest payment date.
Certain Covenants
The Company covenants in the Subordinated Note Indenture, for the benefit of the holders of each series of Junior Subordinated Notes, that, (i) if at such time the Company shall have given notice of its election to extend an interest payment period for such series of Junior Subordinated Notes and such extension shall be continuing, or (ii) if at such time an Event of Default under the Subordinated Note Indenture with respect to such series of Junior Subordinated Notes shall have occurred and be continuing, (a) the Company shall not declare or pay any dividend or make any distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock and (b) the Company shall not make any payment of interest on, principal of or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities (including guarantees) issued by the Company which rank equally with or junior to the Junior Subordinated Notes. None of the foregoing, however, shall restrict (i) any of the actions described in the preceding sentence resulting from any reclassification of the Company’s capital stock or the exchange or conversion of one class or series of the Company’s capital stock for another class or series of the Company’s capital stock, or (ii) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Company’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged.
Events of Default
Unless provided otherwise in the supplemental indenture relating to any series of Junior Subordinated Notes, the Subordinated Note Indenture provides that any one or more of the following described events with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes of any series, which has occurred and is continuing, constitutes an “Event of Default” with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series:
(a) failure for 10 days to pay interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series, including any Additional Interest in respect of the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series, when due on an interest payment date other than at maturity or upon earlier redemption; provided, however, that a valid extension of the interest payment period by the Company shall not constitute a default in the payment of interest for this purpose; or
(b) failure to pay principal of, or premium, if any, on or interest, including Additional Interest, on the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series when due at maturity or upon earlier redemption; or
(c) failure for three Business Days to deposit any sinking fund payment when due by the terms of a Junior Subordinated Note of such series; or
(d) failure to observe or perform any other covenant or warranty of the Company in the Subordinated Note Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty which has expressly been included in the Subordinated Note Indenture solely for the benefit of one or more series of Junior Subordinated Notes other than such series) for 90 days after written notice to the Company from the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Junior Subordinated Notes of such series; or
(e) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company.
The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes of any series have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series. If a Subordinated Note Indenture Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes of any series, then the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series may declare the principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes due and payable immediately by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee if given by the holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount shall become immediately due and payable. At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained as provided in Article Five of the Subordinated Note Indenture, the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series may, by written notice to the Company and the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee, rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if the default has been cured or waived and the Company has paid or deposited with the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest (including any Additional Interest) and principal due otherwise than by acceleration and all sums paid or advanced by the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee, including reasonable compensation and expenses of the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee.
The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes of any series may, on behalf of the holders of all the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series, waive any past default with respect to such series, except (i) a default in the payment of principal or interest (including Additional Interest) or (ii) a default in respect of a covenant or provision which under Article Nine of the Subordinated Note Indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Junior Subordinated Note of such series affected.
Registration and Transfer
The Company shall not be required to (i) issue, register the transfer of or exchange Junior Subordinated Notes of any series during a period of 15 days immediately preceding the date notice is given identifying the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series called for redemption or (ii) issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Junior Subordinated Notes so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Junior Subordinated Note being redeemed in part.
Payment and Paying Agent
Unless otherwise indicated in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, payment of principal of any Junior Subordinated Notes will be made only against surrender to the Paying Agent of such Junior Subordinated Notes. Principal of and interest on Junior Subordinated Notes will be payable, subject to any applicable laws and regulations, at the office of such Paying Agent or Paying Agents as the Company may designate from time to time, except that, at the option of the Company, payment of any interest may be made by wire transfer or other electronic transfer or by check mailed to the address of the person entitled to an interest payment as such address shall appear in the Security Register with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes. Payment of interest on Junior Subordinated Notes on any interest payment date will be made to the person in whose name the Junior Subordinated Notes (or predecessor security) are registered at the close of business on the record date for such interest payment.
Unless otherwise indicated in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee will act as Paying Agent with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes. The Company may at any time designate additional Paying Agents or rescind the designation of any Paying Agents or approve a change in the office through which any Paying Agent acts.
All moneys paid by the Company to a Paying Agent for the payment of the principal of or interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes of any series which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal or interest shall have become due and payable will be repaid to the Company, and the holder of such Junior Subordinated Notes will from that time forward look only to the Company for payment of such principal and interest.
Modification
The Subordinated Note Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Junior Subordinated Notes of each series affected, to modify the Subordinated Note Indenture or the rights of the holders of the Junior Subordinated Notes of such series; provided, that no such modification may, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Junior Subordinated Note affected, (i) change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Junior Subordinated Note, or reduce the principal amount of any Junior Subordinated Note or the rate of interest (including Additional Interest) of any Junior Subordinated Note or any premium payable upon the redemption of any Junior Subordinated Note, or change the method of calculating the rate of interest on any Junior Subordinated Note, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the stated maturity of any Junior Subordinated Note (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption date), or (ii) reduce the percentage of principal amount of the outstanding Junior Subordinated Notes of any series, the consent of whose holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of the Subordinated Note Indenture or certain defaults under the Subordinated Note Indenture and their consequences) provided for in the Subordinated Note Indenture, or (iii) modify any of the provisions of the Subordinated Note Indenture relating to supplemental indentures, waiver of past defaults or waiver of certain covenants, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of the Subordinated Note Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Junior Subordinated Note affected thereby, or (iv) modify the provisions of the Subordinated Note Indenture with respect to the subordination of the Junior Subordinated Notes in a manner adverse to such holder.
In addition, the Company and the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee may execute, without the consent of any holders of Junior Subordinated Notes, any supplemental indenture for certain other usual purposes, including the creation of any new series of Junior Subordinated Notes.
Consolidation, Merger and Sale
The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person, unless (1) such other corporation or person is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia and such other corporation or person expressly assumes, by supplemental indenture executed and delivered to the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee, the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, on and interest (including Additional Interest) on all the Junior Subordinated Notes and the performance of every covenant of the Subordinated Note Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed; (2) immediately after giving effect to such transactions, no Subordinated Note Indenture Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become a Subordinated Note Indenture Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and (3) the Company has delivered to the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such transaction complies with the provisions of the Subordinated Note Indenture governing consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and that all conditions precedent to the transaction have been complied with.
Information Concerning the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee
The Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee, prior to a Subordinated Note Indenture Event of Default with respect to Junior Subordinated Notes of any series, undertakes to perform, with respect to Junior Subordinated Notes of such series, only such duties as are specifically set forth in the Subordinated Note Indenture and, in case a Subordinated Note Indenture Event of Default with respect to Junior Subordinated Notes of any series has occurred and is continuing, shall exercise, with respect to Junior Subordinated Notes of such series, the same degree of care as a prudent individual would exercise in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to such provision, the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers vested in it by the Subordinated Note Indenture at the request of any holder of Junior Subordinated Notes of any series, unless offered reasonable indemnity by such holder against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee. The Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee is not required to expend or risk its own
funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of its duties if the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee reasonably believes that repayment or adequate indemnity is not reasonably assured to it.
The Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee also serves as Senior Note Indenture Trustee. The Company and certain of its affiliates may maintain deposit accounts and banking relationships with the Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee. The Subordinated Note Indenture Trustee and certain of its affiliates may also serve as trustee under other indentures pursuant to which securities of the Company and certain affiliates of the Company are outstanding.
Governing Law
The Subordinated Note Indenture and the Junior Subordinated Notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York.
Miscellaneous
The Company will have the right at all times to assign any of its rights or obligations under the Subordinated Note Indenture to a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company; provided, that, in the event of any such assignment, the Company will remain primarily liable for all such obligations. Subject to the foregoing, the Subordinated Note Indenture will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties to the Subordinated Note Indenture and their respective successors and assigns.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
The Company may sell the Class A Preferred Stock, the Preference Stock, the Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Notes in one or more of the following ways from time to time: (i) to underwriters for resale to the public or to institutional investors; (ii) directly to institutional investors; or (iii) through agents to the public or to institutional investors. The Prospectus Supplement with respect to each series of Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes will set forth the terms of the offering of such Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes, including the name or names of any underwriters or agents, the purchase price of such Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes and the proceeds to the Company from such sale, any underwriting discounts or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation, any initial public offering price, any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers and any securities exchange on which such Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes may be listed.
If underwriters participate in the sale, such Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes will be acquired by the underwriters for their own accounts and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale.
Unless otherwise set forth in the Prospectus Supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase any series of Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes will be subject to certain conditions precedent and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of such series of Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes, if any are purchased.
Underwriters and agents may be entitled under agreements entered into with the Company to indemnification against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the 1933 Act. Underwriters and agents and their affiliates may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, the Company in the ordinary course of business, for which they may receive customary compensation.
Each series of Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes will be a new issue of securities and will have no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes are sold for public offering and sale may make a market in such Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes or Junior Subordinated Notes, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. The Class A Preferred Stock, the Preference Stock, the Senior Notes or the Junior Subordinated Notes may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the Class A Preferred Stock, the Preference Stock, the Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Notes and certain matters relating to such securities will be passed upon on behalf of the Company by Balch & Bingham LLP, Birmingham, Alabama, and by Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP, Atlanta, Georgia. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the underwriters by Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, New York, New York. From time to time Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP acts as counsel to the Company and its affiliates for some matters.
EXPERTS
The financial statements, and the related financial statement schedule, incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements and financial statement schedule have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The estimated expenses of issuance and distribution, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, to be borne by the Company are as follows:
| | | | | |
| Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee | * |
| Fees and expenses of trustees and/or Transfer Agent and Registrar | ** |
| Listing fees of New York Stock Exchange | ** |
| Rating Agency fees | ** |
| Services of Southern Company Services, Inc. | ** |
| Fees and expenses of counsel | ** |
| Blue sky fees and expenses | ** |
| Fees of accountants | ** |
| Miscellaneous expenses | ** |
| Total | ** |
_______________________________________
| | | | | | | | |
| * | | Under Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the 1933 Act, the Commission registration fee will be paid at the time of any particular offering of securities under this Registration Statement and is therefore not currently determinable. |
| | | |
| ** | | These fees are calculated based on the amount of securities offered and/or the number of offerings and accordingly are not presently known and cannot be estimated at this time. |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Code of Alabama, 1975, Sections 10A-2A-8.51 and 8.56 gives a corporation power to indemnify any individual who is a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative or investigative and whether formal or informal because the individual is a director or officer, against liability incurred in the proceeding if the individual conducted himself or herself in good faith and reasonably believed in the case of conduct in an official capacity, that his or her conduct was in the best interest of the corporation and in all other cases, that his or her conduct was at least not opposed to the best interest of the corporation and in the case of any criminal proceeding, the individual had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. Unless ordered by a court under Section 10A-2A-8.54(a)(3), a corporation may not indemnify a director in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation, except for expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding if it determines that the director met the relevant standards under Section 10-2A-8.51(a) and in connection with any proceeding with respect to conduct for which the director was adjudged liable on the basis of receiving a financial benefit to which he or she was not entitled, regardless of whether it involved action in the director’s official capacity. A corporation may not indemnify an officer for liability in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation other than for expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding, or liability arising out of conduct that constitutes receipt by the officer of a financial benefit to which he or she is not entitled, an intentional infliction of harm on the corporation or the stockholders or an intentional violation of law. Pursuant to Section 10A-2A-8.52, a corporation shall indemnify a director or an officer who was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which the director or officer was a party because he or she was a director or officer of the corporation against expenses incurred by the director or officer in connection with the proceeding.
Article XIII of the By-laws of the Company provides in pertinent part as follows:
Each person who is or was a director of the corporation, officer or employee of the corporation holding one or more positions of management and who was or is a party or was or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed claim, action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director of the corporation or officer or employee of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent or trustee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, shall be indemnified by the corporation as a matter of right against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him and against any and all claims, judgments, fines, penalties, liabilities and amounts paid in settlement actually incurred by him in defense of such claim, action, suit or proceeding,
including appeals, to the full extent permitted by applicable law. The indemnification provided by this Section shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person.
Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a director or officer of the corporation, or by an employee of the corporation holding one or more positions of management, with respect to the defense of any such claim, action, suit or proceeding may be advanced by the corporation prior to the final disposition of such claim, action, suit or proceeding, as authorized by the board of directors in the specific case, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person entitled to be indemnified by the corporation under this Section or otherwise; provided, however, that the advancement of such expenses shall not be deemed to be indemnification unless and until it shall ultimately be determined that such person is entitled to be indemnified by the corporation.
The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance at the expense of the corporation on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or any person who is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director (or the equivalent), officer, employee, agent or trustee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against any liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability or expense under this Section or otherwise.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing provisions of this Section, no present or future director or officer of the corporation, or his heirs, executors, or administrators, shall be liable for any act, omission, step, or conduct taken or had in good faith, which is required, authorized, or approved by any order or orders issued pursuant to the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, the Federal Power Act, or any federal or state statute or municipal ordinance regulating the corporation or its parent by reason of their being holding or investment companies, public utility companies, public utility holding companies, or subsidiaries of public utility holding companies. In any action, suit, or proceeding based on any act, omission, step, or conduct, as in this paragraph described, the provisions hereof shall be brought to the attention of the court. In the event that the foregoing provisions of this paragraph are found by the court not to constitute a valid defense on the grounds of not being applicable to the particular class of plaintiff, each such director and officer, and his heirs, executors, and administrators, shall be reimbursed for, or indemnified against, all expenses and liabilities incurred by him or imposed on him, in connection with, or arising out of, any such action, suit, or proceeding based on any act, omission, step, or conduct taken or had in good faith as in this paragraph described. Such expenses and liabilities shall include, but shall not be limited to, judgments, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.
The foregoing rights shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which any such director or officer may otherwise be entitled and shall be available whether or not the director or officer continues to be a director or officer at the time of incurring any such expenses and liabilities.
The Company has an insurance policy covering its liabilities and expenses which might arise in connection with its lawful indemnification of its directors and officers for certain of their liabilities and expenses and also covering its officers and directors against certain other liabilities and expenses.
Item 16. Exhibits.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Exhibit
Number | | | | |
| 1.1 | | — | | | Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to the Class A Preferred Stock.* |
| 1.2 | | — | | | Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to the Preference Stock.* |
| 1.3 | | — | | | Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to the Senior Notes.* |
| 1.4 | | — | | | Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to the Junior Subordinated Notes.* |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Exhibit
Number | | | | |
| 4.1 | | — | | | Charter of Alabama Power Company and amendments thereto through September 7, 2017. (Designated in Registration Nos. 2-59634 as Exhibit 2(b), 2-60209 as Exhibit 2(c), 2-60484 as Exhibit 2(b), 2-70838 as Exhibit 4(a)-2, 2-85987 as Exhibit 4(a)-2, 33-25539 as Exhibit 4(a)-2, 33-43917 as Exhibit 4(a)-2, in Form 8-K dated February 5, 1992, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4(b)-3, in Form 8-K dated July 8, 1992, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4(b)-3, in Form 8-K dated October 27, 1993, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibits 4(a) and 4(b), in Form 8-K dated November 16, 1993, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4(a), in Certificate of Notification, File No. 70-8191, as Exhibit A, in Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 3(b)2, in Form 8-K dated August 10, 1998, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.4, in Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 3(b)2, in Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 3(b)2, in Form 8-K dated February 5, 2003, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.4, in Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2003, File No 1-3164, as Exhibit 3(b)1, in Form 8-K dated February 5, 2004, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.4, in Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 3(b)(1), in Form 8-K dated December 5, 2006, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.2, in Form 8-K dated September 12, 2007, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.5, in Form 8-K dated October 17, 2007, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.5, in Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 3(b)1, and in Form 8-K dated September 5, 2017, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.1.) |
| 4.2 | | — | | | Form of Certificate of Resolutions of Board of Directors of Alabama Power Company establishing the Class A Preferred Stock.* |
| 4.3 | | — | | | Form of Certificate of Resolutions of Board of Directors of Alabama Power Company establishing the Preference Stock.* |
| 4.4 | | — | | | |
| 4.5 | | — | | | Senior Note Indenture dated as of December 1, 1997, between Alabama Power Company and Regions Bank, as Successor Trustee, and certain indentures supplemental thereto through August 12, 2022. (Designated in Form 8-K dated December 4, 1997, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.1, bit 4.2, in Form 8-K dated February 11, 2003, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.2(a), in Form 8-K dated March 12, 2003, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.2, in Form 8-K dated May 8, 2008, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.2, in Form 8-K dated February 26, 2009, File No. 1-3164 as Exhibit 4.2, in Form 8-K dated March 3, 2011, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.2, in Form 8-K dated May 18, 2011, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.2(b), in Form 8-K dated January 10, 2012, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.2, in Form 8-K dated November 27, 2012, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.2, in Form 8-K dated December 3, 2013, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.2, in Form 8-K dated August 20, 2014, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated March 5, 2015, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated April 9, 2015, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6(b), in Form 8-K dated January 8, 2016, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated November 2, 2017, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated June 21, 2018, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated September 12, 2019, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated August 24, 2020, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated June 7, 2021, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated November 15, 2021, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated March 2, 2022, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6, in Form 8-K dated August 9, 2022, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6(a), and in Form 8-K dated August 9, 2022, File No. 1-3164, as Exhibit 4.6(b).) |
| 4.6 | | — | | | Form of Supplemental Indenture to Senior Note Indenture to be used in connection with the issuance of Senior Notes.* |
| 4.7 | | — | | | |
| 4.8 | | — | | | Form of Supplemental Indenture to Subordinated Note Indenture to be used in connection with the issuance of Junior Subordinated Notes.* |
| 4.9 | | — | | | Form of Senior Note (included in Exhibit 4.6 above). |
| 4.10 | | — | | | Form of Junior Subordinated Note (included in Exhibit 4.8 above). |
| 5.1 | | — | | | |
| 23.1 | | — | | | Consent of Balch & Bingham LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 above). |
| 23.2 | | — | | | |
| 24.1 | | — | | | |
| 25.1 | | — | | | |
| 25.2 | | — | | | |
| 107.1 | | — | | | |
Exhibits listed above which have heretofore been filed with the Commission and which were designated as noted above are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof with the same effect as if filed herewith.
_______________________________________
* To be subsequently filed or incorporated by reference.
Item 17. Undertakings.
(a) Undertaking related to Rule 415 offering:
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-1, Form S-3, Form SF-3 or Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or, as to a registration statement on Form S-3, Form SF-3 or Form F-3, is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
(A) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:
The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) Undertaking related to filings incorporating subsequent Securities Exchange Act of 1934 documents by reference:
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Undertaking related to the registration statement becoming effective upon filing:
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Alabama Power Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Birmingham, State of Alabama, on the 24th day of February, 2023.
| | | | | | | | |
| ALABAMA POWER COMPANY |
| | |
| By: | J. Jeffrey Peoples |
| | Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer |
| | |
| | By: | /s/Melissa K. Caen |
| | Melissa K. Caen
Attorney-in-fact |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following directors and officers of Alabama Power Company in the capacities and on the date indicated.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Signature | | Title | Date |
| | | | | |
| J. Jeffrey Peoples | | Chairman, President, Chief Executive
Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer) | | |
| | | | | |
| Philip C. Raymond | | Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer and
Treasurer (Principal
Financial Officer) | | |
| | | | | |
| Anita Allcorn-Walker | | Vice President and
Comptroller (Principal
Accounting Officer) | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Angus R. Cooper, III
O. B. Grayson Hall, Jr.
Anthony A. Joseph
Catherine J. Randall
Kevin B. Savoy
R. Mitchell Shackleford III
Charisse D. Stokes
Phillip M. Webb | | Directors | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| By: | /s/Melissa K. Caen | | | |
| | Melissa K. Caen
Attorney-in-fact | | | February 24, 2023 |
Exhibit 5.1
| | | | | | | | |
1710 Sixth Avenue North . P.O. Box 306 (35201). Birmingham, AL 35203-2015 www.balch.com |
| |
February 24, 2023
Alabama Power Company
600 North 18th Street
Birmingham, AL 35291
RE: Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are acting as counsel to Alabama Power Company (the “Company”) in connection with the preparation of a Registration Statement on Form S-3, including a prospectus, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on February 24, 2023 (the “Registration Statement”) for the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), of (1) Class A Preferred Stock (the “Class A Preferred Stock”) to be issued by the Company, (2) Preference Stock (the “Preference Stock”) to be issued by the Company, (3) Senior Notes (the “Senior Notes”) to be issued by the Company, and (4) Junior Subordinated Notes (the “Junior Subordinated Notes”) to be issued by the Company. The Senior Notes will be issued pursuant to the Senior Note Indenture dated as of December 1, 1997, as amended and supplemented, between the Company and Regions Bank, as successor trustee (the “Senior Note Indenture”), and the Junior Subordinated Notes will be issued pursuant to the Subordinated Note Indenture, dated as of January 1, 1997, as supplemented, between the Company and Regions Bank, as successor trustee (the “Subordinated Note Indenture”), in each case in the respective forms filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement.
In rendering this opinion, we have examined the Registration Statement and copies of the Company’s Charter, as heretofore amended (the “Charter”) and By-Laws. We have also reviewed minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Senior Note Indenture, the Subordinated Note Indenture and such other documents as we have deemed necessary for purposes of this opinion. In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures on all original documents, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to the original documents of all copies submitted to us, the authenticity of the originals of documents submitted to us as copies and the due execution and delivery of all documents where due execution and delivery are prerequisite to the effectiveness thereof.
ALABAMA | FLORIDA | GEORGIA | MISSSISSIPPI | WASHINGTON, DC
Alabama Power Company
February 24, 2023
Page 2
We are of the opinion that:
1.The Company is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Alabama and has due corporate power and authority to create the obligations arising under the Class A Preferred Stock, the Preference Stock, the Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Notes (collectively, the “Securities”).
2.Upon compliance with the pertinent provisions of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, upon compliance with applicable securities or blue sky laws of various jurisdictions and upon the adoption of appropriate resolutions by the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, when the Class A Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Senior Notes and Junior Subordinated Notes each have been issued and sold upon the terms specified in the appropriate order of the Alabama Public Service Commission:
(a) Upon the filing in the Office of the Secretary of State of Alabama of an appropriate certificate of the resolutions of the Board of Directors authorizing the issuance of shares of a series of Class A Preferred Stock and establishing the rights and preferences of such series of Class A Preferred Stock, and when certificates for such Class A Preferred Stock have been executed, countersigned and registered in accordance with such resolutions of the Board of Directors and the By-Laws of the Company, such shares of Class A Preferred Stock will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Company and the holders thereof will be entitled to all the rights and preferences to be set forth in the Charter, as amended.
(b) Upon the filing in the Office of the Secretary of State of Alabama of an appropriate certificate of the resolutions of the Board of Directors authorizing the issuance of shares of a series of Preference Stock and establishing the rights and preferences of such series of Preference Stock, and when certificates for such Preference Stock have been executed, countersigned and registered in accordance with such resolutions of the Board of Directors and the By-Laws of the Company, such shares of Preference Stock will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Company and the holders thereof will be entitled to all the rights and preferences to be set forth in the Charter, as amended.
(c) When any supplemental indenture to the Senior Note Indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of the Senior Notes and any supplemental indenture to the Subordinated Note Indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of the Junior Subordinated Notes, as the case may be, have been duly executed and delivered by the proper officers of the Company and the trustees named therein, and when the Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Notes have been executed, authenticated and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Senior Note Indenture and the Subordinated Note Indenture, as the case may be, the Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Notes will be valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors'
Alabama Power Company
February 24, 2023
Page 3
rights generally and by general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity.
In rendering the foregoing opinions, with respect to matters of New York law, we have relied on the opinion of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP attached hereto as Annex I.
In connection with the opinions expressed above, we have assumed that, at or prior to the time of the delivery of any such Security, (i) the Registration Statement shall have become effective and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or rescinded, (ii) there shall not have occurred any change in law affecting the validity or enforceability of such Security and (iii) each of the Senior Note Indenture and Subordinated Note Indenture will be the valid, binding and legal obligation of the trustee named therein. We have also assumed that none of the terms of any Security to be established subsequent to the date hereof, nor the issuance and delivery of such Security, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms of such Security will violate any applicable law or will result in a violation of any provision of any instrument or agreement then binding upon the Company, or any restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company.
We are members of the State Bar of Alabama and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of Alabama and the federal law of the United States and, to the extent set forth herein, the law of the State of New York.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the statements with respect to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not hereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Without our prior written consent, this opinion letter may not be relied upon, furnished to any other person or quoted by you for any other purpose.
| | | | | |
| Very truly yours,
/s/Balch & Bingham LLP |
Annex 1
February 24, 2023
Balch & Bingham LLP
1901 Sixth Avenue North
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
RE: Registration Statement on Form S-3
To the Addresses:
We are acting as counsel to the prospective underwriters in connection with the preparation of a Registration Statement on Form S-3, including a prospectus, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on February 24, 2023 (the “Registration Statement”), for the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), of certain securities, including (1) Senior Notes (the “Senior Notes”) to be issued by Alabama Power Company (the “Company”) and (2) Junior Subordinated Notes (the “Junior Subordinated Notes”) to be issued by the Company. The Senior Notes will be issued pursuant to a Senior Note Indenture, dated as of December 1, 1997, as amended and supplemented, between the Company and Regions Bank, as successor trustee (the “Senior Note Indenture”), and the Junior Subordinated Notes will be issued pursuant to a Subordinated Note Indenture, dated as of January 1, 1997, as supplemented, between the Company and Regions Bank, as successor trustee (the “Subordinated Note Indenture”), in each case in the respective forms filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement.
In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have examined the Registration Statement and such other documents as we have deemed necessary for purposes of this opinion letter. In such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures on all original documents, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to the original documents of all copies submitted to us, the authenticity of the originals of documents submitted to us as copies and the due execution and delivery of all documents where due execution and delivery are prerequisite to the effectiveness thereof.
We are of the opinion that, upon compliance with the pertinent provisions of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, upon compliance with applicable securities or “blue sky” laws of various jurisdictions, and upon the adoption of appropriate resolutions by the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, when the Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Notes have been issued and sold upon the terms specified in an appropriate order of the Alabama Public Service Commission, when any supplemental indenture to the Senior Note Indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of the
ATLANTA AUSTIN BANGKOK BEIJING BOSTON BRUSSELS CHARLOTTE DALLAS DUBAI HOUSTON LONDON
LOS ANGELES MIAMI NEW YORK NORFOLK RICHMOND SAN FRANCISCO THE WOODLANDS TOKYO TYSONS WASHINGTON, D.C.
www.huntonAK.com
Balch & Bingham LLP
February 24, 2023
Page 2
Senior Notes and any supplemental indenture to the Subordinated Note Indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of the Junior Subordinated Notes, as applicable, have been duly executed and delivered by the proper officers of the Company and the trustee named therein, and when the Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Notes have been executed, authenticated and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Senior Note Indenture and the Subordinated Note Indenture, as applicable, the Senior Notes and the Junior Subordinated Notes will be valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity.
In connection with the opinions expressed above, we have assumed that, at or prior to the time of the delivery of any such security (i) the Registration Statement shall have become effective and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or rescinded, (ii) there shall not have occurred any change in law affecting the validity or enforceability of such security and (iii) each of the Senior Note Indenture and the Subordinated Note Indenture will be the valid and legally binding obligation of the trustee named therein. We have also assumed that none of the terms of any security to be established subsequent to the date hereof, nor the issuance and delivery of such security, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms of such security will violate any applicable law or will result in a violation of any provision of any instrument or agreement then binding upon the Company, or any restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company.
We are members of the State Bar of New York and we do not express any opinion concerning any law other than the law of the State of New York.
This opinion letter is furnished for your benefit in connection with your rendering an opinion to the Company to be filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and we hereby consent to your attaching this opinion letter as an annex to such opinion. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not hereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. This opinion letter may not be relied upon, furnished to any other person or quoted by you for any other purpose, without our prior written consent.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Exhibit 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February 15, 2023 relating to the financial statements and financial statement schedule of Alabama Power Company (the “Company”), appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.
/s/Deloitte & Touche LLP
Birmingham, Alabama
February 24, 2023
Exhibit 24.1
| | | | | | | | |
| | 600 North 18th Street
Post Office Box 2641
Birmingham, Alabama 35291-0001
Tel 205 257 1000 |
January 27, 2023
| | | | | |
| Daniel S. Tucker | Melissa K. Caen |
| 30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., N.W. | 30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., N.W. |
| Atlanta, Georgia 30308 | Atlanta, Georgia 30308 |
Dear Mr. Tucker and Ms. Caen:
Alabama Power Company (the “Company”) proposes to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement or statements under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to the issuance and sale of an indeterminate amount or number of any of the following securities: preference stock, preferred stock, and/or debt instruments or any combination of such securities, and any necessary or appropriate amendments (including post-effective amendments) to such registration statement or statements.
The Company and the undersigned directors and officers of the Company, individually as a director and/or as an officer of the Company, hereby make, constitute and appoint each of you our true and lawful Attorney (with full power of substitution) for each of us and in each of our names, places and steads to sign and cause to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission the aforementioned registration statement or statements and any appropriate amendment or amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments), to be accompanied in each case by a prospectus and any appropriately amended prospectus or supplement thereto and any necessary exhibits.
The Company hereby authorizes you or any one of you to execute said registration statement or statements and any amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments) on its behalf as attorney-in-fact for it and its authorized officers, and to file the same as aforesaid.
The undersigned directors and officers of the Company hereby authorize you or any one of you to sign said registration statement or statements on their behalf as attorney-in-fact and to amend, or remedy any deficiencies with respect to, said registration statement or statements by appropriate amendment or amendments (including post-effective amendments) and to file the same as aforesaid.
| | | | | | | | |
| Yours very truly,
|
| ALABAMA POWER COMPANY
|
| By | /s/J. Jeffrey Peoples |
| | J. Jeffrey Peoples Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer |
- 2 -
| | | | | | | | |
| /s/Angus R. Cooper, III | | /s/R. Mitchell Shackleford III |
Angus R. Cooper, III
| | R. Mitchell Shackleford III
|
| /s/O. B. Grayson Hall, Jr. | | /s/Charisse D. Stokes |
O. B. Grayson Hall, Jr.
| | Charisse D. Stokes
|
| /s/Anthony A. Joseph | | /s/Phillip M. Webb |
Anthony A. Joseph
| | Phillip M. Webb
|
| /s/J. Jeffrey Peoples | | /s/Philip C. Raymond |
J. Jeffrey Peoples
| | Philip C. Raymond
|
| /s/Catherine J. Randall | | /s/Anita Allcorn-Walker |
Catherine J. Randall
| | Anita Allcorn-Walker
|
| /s/Kevin B. Savoy | | |
Kevin B. Savoy | | |
-3-
Extract from minutes of meeting of the board of directors of Alabama Power Company.
- - - - - - - - - -
RESOLVED FURTHER: That for the purpose of signing and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement or Statements under the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to the issuance and sale of preference stock, preferred stock and/or debt instruments and of amending such Registration Statement or Statements or remedying any deficiencies with respect thereto by appropriate amendment or amendments (both before and after such Statement or Statements become effective), Alabama Power Company, the members of its Board of Directors and its officers are authorized to give their several powers of attorney to Daniel S. Tucker and Melissa K. Caen in substantially the form of power of attorney presented to this meeting;
- - - - - - - - - -
The undersigned officer of Alabama Power Company does hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the board of directors of Alabama Power Company, duly held on January 27, 2023, at which a quorum was in attendance and voting throughout, and that said resolution has not since been rescinded but is still in full force and effect.
| | | | | | | | |
| Dated: February 24, 2023 | ALABAMA POWER COMPANY
|
| By | /s/Melissa K. Caen |
| | Melissa K. Caen
Assistant Secretary |
Exhibit 25.1
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
____________________________________
FORM T-1
STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
____________________________________
| | CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(B)(2)
REGIONS BANK
(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)
| | | | | | | | |
| Alabama | | 63-0371391 |
(Jurisdiction of incorporation of organization
if not a U.S. national bank) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
Regions Bank
Corporate Trust Department
1900 Fifth Avenue North, 26th Floor
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
(Address of principal executive offices)
_______________
John H. Holcomb
Regions Bank, Corporate Trust
1900 Fifth Avenue North, 26th Floor
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
(205) 264-6768
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
____________________________
Alabama Power Company
(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)
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| Alabama | | 63-0004250 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
| | |
600 North 18th Street
Birmingham, Alabama | | 35291 |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | | (Zip code) |
____________________________
Senior Notes
(Title of the indenture securities)
Item 1. General information.
Furnish the following information as to the trustee -
(a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, 1000 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Alabama State Banking Department, 401 Adams Ave., Montgomery, Alabama 36104
(b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.
Yes.
Item 2. Affiliations with the obligor.
If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.
None.
Item 16. List of Exhibits.
1. Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation, including the Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Trustee.
2. Not applicable.
3. Authorization of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers (Exhibit 3 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-202769).
4. By-laws of the Trustee.
5. Not applicable.
6. Consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-216229).
7. Latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.
8. Not applicable.
9. Not applicable.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the trustee, Regions Bank, an Alabama banking corporation, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Birmingham, State of Alabama on the 15th day of February, 2023.
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| REGIONS BANK | |
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| By: | /s/ John H. Holcomb |
| | Name: John H. Holcomb |
| | Title: Assistant Vice President |
EXHIBIT 1
Exhibit 1
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO THE
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
REGIONS BANK
an Alabama banking corporation
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 10A-1-3.13 and Sections 10A-2-10.01 through 10A-2-10.09 of the Alabama Business and Nonprofit Entities Code, as amended, (the “Law”), the undersigned banking corporation adopts the following Articles of Amendment to its Articles of Incorporation:
FIRST: The name of the banking corporation is Regions Bank (the “Bank”).
SECOND: The Bank is an Alabama banking corporation.
THIRD: The Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Bank were filed with the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama on October 28, 2014. The Alabama Entity ID Number of the Bank is 006-854.
FOURTH: The Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference, is hereby adopted as the articles of incorporation of the Bank.
FIFTH: The Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was adopted and approved by the Board of Directors of the Bank at a meeting duly called and held on July 22, 2020 and by the sole shareholder of the Bank pursuant to an action by written consent dated as of July 22, 2020.
SIXTH: The designation, number of outstanding shares, and number of votes entitled to be cast by the sole shareholder on the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation were as follows:
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| Shares | | Outstanding | | Entitled to Vote |
Common Stock, par value $5.00 | | 21,546 | | 21,546 |
SEVENTH: The number of shares entitled to vote on the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that voted FOR the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the number of shares entitled to vote on the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that voted AGAINST the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation were as follows:
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| | | | |
| Shares | | Total Voted
FOR | | Total Voted
AGAINST |
| Common Stock | | 21,546 | | 0 |
EIGHTH: The number of shares that voted FOR the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was sufficient for approval thereof by the sole shareholder of the Bank, as required by the Law and the Articles of Incorporation.
NINTH: The original written approval issued by the Superintendent of the Alabama State Banking Department with respect to the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is attached hereto as Exhibit B and recorded herewith.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Bank has caused these Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Bank to be executed in its name and on its behalf as of August 6, 2020.
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| |
| BANK: |
| |
REGIONS BANK
an Alabama banking corporation |
| |
| By: | /s/ Hope D. Mehlman |
| Hope D. Mehlman |
| Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretary, Chief Governance Officer, and Deputy General Counsel |
This instrument prepared by:
Andrew S. Nix
Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C.
1901 Sixth Avenue North
2400 Regions/Harbert Plaza
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 254-1000
EXHIBIT A
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
(attached)
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
REGIONS BANK
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| 1. | The name of this corporation shall be Regions Bank. The corporation is a domestic banking corporation. |
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| 2. | The principal place of business of the corporation shall be 1900 Fifth Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203. The general business of Regions Bank (the “Bank”) shall be conducted at its main office and its branches and other facilities. |
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| 3. | The Bank shall have the following objects, purposes and powers: |
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| | a. | To be and serve as an Alabama banking corporation pursuant to the Alabama Banking Code, Section 5-1A-1 et seq. of the Code of Alabama 1975, as amended (together with any act amendatory thereof, supplementary thereto or substituted therefor, hereinafter referred to as the “Banking Code”), with all the power and authority that may be exercised by an Alabama banking corporation. |
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| | b. | To engage in any lawful business, act or activity for which a banking corporation may be organized under Alabama law, it being the purpose and intent of this section to invest the Bank with the broadest objects, purposes and powers lawfully permitted an Alabama banking corporation. |
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| | c. | To engage in any lawful business, act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the Alabama Business Corporation Law of 2019, Section 10A-2A1.01 et seq. of the Code of Alabama 1975, as amended (together with any act amendatory thereof, supplementary thereto or substituted therefor, hereinafter referred to as the “ABCL”), to the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of the Banking Code or any other regulation of a banking corporation in the State of Alabama. |
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| | d. | Without limiting the scope and generality of the foregoing, the Bank shall have the following specific objects, purposes and powers: |
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| | i. | To conduct a general banking business through such means and at such places as the Board of Directors may deem proper. |
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| | ii. | To sue and be sued, complain and defend, in its corporate name. |
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| | iii. | To have a corporate seal which may be altered at pleasure, and to use the same by causing it, or a facsimile thereof, to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced. |
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| | iv. | To purchase, take, receive, lease or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, use and otherwise deal in and with, real or personal property, or any interest therein, wherever situated. |
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| | v. | To sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, transfer and otherwise dispose of all or any part of its property and assets, subject to the limitations hereinafter prescribed. |
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| | vi. | To lend money and use its credit to assist its employees. |
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| | vii. | To purchase, take, receive, subscribe for or otherwise acquire, own, hold, vote, use, employ, sell, mortgage, lend, pledge or otherwise dispose of, and otherwise use and deal in and with, shares or other interests in, or obligations of, other domestic or foreign corporations, associations, partnerships or individuals, or direct or indirect obligations of the United States or of any other government, state, territory, governmental district or municipality or of any instrumentality thereof as may be permitted by law or appropriate regulations. |
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| | viii. | To make contracts, guarantees and indemnity agreements and incur liabilities, borrow money at such rates of interest as the corporation may determine, issue its notes, bonds and other obligations, and secure any of its obligations by mortgage, pledge of or creation of security interests in, all or any of its property, franchises or income, or any interest therein. |
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| | ix. | To lend money for its corporate purposes, invest and reinvest its funds and take and hold real and personal property as security for the payment of funds so loaned or invested. |
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| | x. | To conduct its business, carry on its operations and have offices and exercise the powers granted by this section, within or without the State of Alabama. |
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| | xi. | To elect or appoint and remove officers and agents of the Bank, define their duties and fix their compensation. |
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| | xii. | To make and alter by its board of directors by-laws not inconsistent with its certificate of incorporation or with the laws of the State of Alabama for the administration and regulation of the affairs of the Bank. |
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| | xiii. | To make donations for the public welfare or for charitable, scientific or educational purposes. |
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| | xiv. | To transact any lawful business which the board of directors shall find will be in aid of governmental policy. |
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| | xv. | To pay pensions and establish pension plans, pension trusts, profit sharing plans, stock bonus plans, stock option plans and other incentive plans for any or all of its directors, officers and employees. |
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| | xvi. | To be a promoter, incorporator, partner, member, trustee, associate or manager of any domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. |
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| | xvii. | To consolidate or merge, before or after the completion of its works, with any other foreign or domestic corporation or corporations engaged in the business of banking or trust companies doing a banking business. |
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| | xviii. | To discount bills, notes or other evidences of debt. |
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| | xix. | To receive and pay out deposits, with or without interest, pay checks and impose charges for any services. |
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| | xx. | To receive on special deposit money, bullion or foreign coins or bonds or other securities. |
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| | xxi. | To buy and sell foreign and domestic exchanges, gold and silver bullion or foreign coins, bonds, bills of exchange, notes and other negotiable paper. |
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| | xxii. | To lend money on personal security or upon pledges of bonds, stocks or other negotiable securities. |
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| | xxiii. | To take and receive security by mortgage, security or otherwise on property, real and personal. |
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| | xxiv. | To become trustee for any purpose and be appointed and act as executor, administrator, guardian, receiver or fiduciary. |
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| | xxv. | To lease real and personal property upon specific request of a customer, provided that it complies with any applicable laws of the State of Alabama regulating leasing real property or improvements thereon to others. |
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| | xxvi. | To perform computer, management and travel agency services for others. |
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| | xxvii. | To subscribe to the capital stock and become a member of the Federal Reserve System and comply with rules and regulations thereof. |
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| | xxviii. | To do business and exercise directly or through operating subsidiaries any powers incident to the business of banks. |
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| 4. | The duration of the corporation shall be perpetual. |
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| 5. | The Board of Directors is expressly authorized from time to time to fix the number of Directors which shall constitute the entire Board, subject to the following: |
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| | a. | The number of Directors constituting the entire Board shall be fixed from time to time by vote of a majority of the entire Board; provided, however, that the number of Directors shall not be reduced so as to shorten the term of any Director at the time in office; provided further, that the number of Directors shall not be less than five (5) nor more than twenty-five (25). Each Director shall be the record owner of the requisite number of shares of common stock of the Bank’s parent bank holding company fixed by the appropriate regulatory authorities. |
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| | b. | Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the by-laws of the Bank (and notwithstanding the fact that some lesser percentage may be specified by law, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the by-laws of the Bank), any Director or the entire Board of Directors of the Bank may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holder(s) of ninety percent (90%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Bank entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (considered for this purpose as one class) cast at a meeting of stockholders called for that purpose. |
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| 6. | The aggregate number of shares of capital stock which the Bank shall have authority to issue is thirty thousand five hundred forty-six (30,546) shares, which shall be common stock, par value five dollars ($5.00) per share (the “Common Stock”). The Bank shall not issue fractional shares of stock, but shall pay in cash the fair value of fractions of a share as of the time when those otherwise entitled to receive such fractions are determined. |
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| | a. | Stockholders shall not have pre-emptive rights to purchase shares of any class of capital stock of the Bank. The Bank, at any time and from time to time, may authorize and issue debt obligations, whether or not subordinated, without the approval of the stockholders. |
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| | b. | Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue any authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock for such consideration and on such terms as it may determine. Every share of Common Stock of the Bank shall have one vote at any meeting of stockholders and may be voted by the stockholders of record either in person or by proxy. |
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| | c. | In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Bank, or upon the distribution of the assets of the Bank, the assets of the Bank remaining after satisfaction of all obligations and liabilities shall be divided and distributed ratably among the holders of the Common Stock. Neither the merger nor the consolidation of the Bank with another corporation, nor the sale or lease of all or substantially all of the assets of the Bank, shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Bank or a distribution of its assets. |
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| 7. | The Chief Executive Officer, Secretary, Board of Directors or holder(s) of at least 90% of the issued and outstanding voting stock of the Bank may call a special meeting of stockholders at any time. The Bank shall notify stockholders of the place, if any, date and time of each annual and special meeting of stockholders no fewer than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the meeting date, such notice to be delivered to each stockholder of record at the address as shown upon the stock transfer book of the Bank. Notice of a special meeting of stockholders shall include a description of the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. |
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| 8. | The Bank reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter provided by law, at any regular or special meeting of stockholders, and all rights conferred upon officers, directors and stockholders of the Bank hereby are granted subject to this reservation. |
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| 9. | The Bank shall indemnify its officers, directors, employees and agents in accordance with the indemnification provisions set forth in the by-laws of the Bank, as may be amended from time to time, and in all cases in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. |
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| 10. | To the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of the Banking Code or the rules, regulations or orders of the Superintendent of the Alabama State Banking Department, and pursuant to Section 10A-2A-17.01 of the ABCL, the Bank hereby elects to be governed by the provisions of the ABCL, and all references in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to the ABCL shall mean the Alabama Business Corporation Law of 2019. |
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereby certifies that, in accordance with applicable law, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been adopted by the Bank as of the 6th day of August, 2020.
| | |
| /s/ Hope D. Mehlman |
| Hope D. Mehlman |
| Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretary, Chief Governance Officer, and Deputy General Counsel |
EXHIBIT B
Approval of Superintendent of the Alabama State Banking Department
(attached)
STATE OF ALABAMA
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
I, Mike Hill, as Superintendent of Banks for the State of Alabama, do hereby certify that I have fully and duly examined the foregoing Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation whereby the shareholder of Regions Bank, a banking corporation located at Birmingham, Alabama, proposes to Amend and Restate the Certificate of Incorporation.
See attached Articles of Amendment which Amend and Restate the Certificate of Incorporation of Regions Bank.
I do hereby certify that said Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation appear to be in substantial conformity with the requirements of law and they are hereby approved. Upon the filing of the same, together with this Certificate of Approval, with the proper agency as required by law, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of said bank shall be effective.
Given under my hand and seal of office this the 3rd day of August, 2020.
| | |
|
| /s/ Mike Hill |
| Mike Hill |
| Superintendent of Banks |
EXHIBIT 4
EXHIBIT 4
AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS OF
REGIONS BANK
Effective July 21, 2021
ARTICLE I. OFFICES
Section 1. Registered Office.
The registered office of Regions Bank (the “Bank”) shall be maintained at the office of the Corporation Service Company, Inc., in the City of Montgomery, in the County of Montgomery, in the State of Alabama, or such other location as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Corporation Service Company, Inc. shall be the registered agent of the Bank unless and until a successor registered agent is appointed by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Other Offices.
The Bank may have other offices at such places as the Board of Directors may from time to time appoint or the business of the Bank may require.
Section 3. Principal Place of Business.
The principal place of business of the Bank shall be in Birmingham, Alabama.
ARTICLE II. MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. Annual Meeting.
Annual meetings of stockholders for the election of members of the Board of Directors (“Directors”) and for such other business as the Board of Directors may determine, shall be held at such place, time and date as the Board of Directors, by resolution, shall determine.
Section 2. Special Meetings.
The Chief Executive Officer, Secretary, Board of Directors or holder(s) of at least ninety percent (90%) of the issued and outstanding voting stock of the Bank may call a special meeting of stockholders at any time. Special meetings of stockholders may be held at such place, time and date as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting.
Section 3. Voting.
The vote of a majority of the votes cast by the shares entitled to vote on any matter at a meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the stockholders on that matter, except as otherwise required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Bank.
Section 4. Quorum.
At each meeting of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Bank entitled to vote on a matter at the meeting, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a
quorum. If less than a majority of the outstanding shares are represented, a majority of the shares so represented may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, but until a quorum is secured no other business may be transacted. The stockholders present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until an adjournment notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.
Section 5. Notice of Meeting.
Written or printed notice stating the place, day and time of the meeting and, in case of a special meeting of stockholders, the purpose or purposes of the meeting, shall be delivered not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall also include the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if that date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting. Such notice may be communicated in person, by telephone, teletype, telecopier, facsimile transmission or other form of electronic communication, or by mail or private carrier. The notice shall be deemed to have been delivered (i) if mailed postage prepaid and correctly addressed to a stockholder, upon deposit in the United States mail; (ii) if mailed by United States mail postage prepaid and correctly addressed to a recipient other than a stockholder, the earliest of when it is actually received or (A) if sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, the date shown on the return receipt signed by or on behalf of the addressee or (B) five (5) days after it is deposited in the United States mail; or (iii) if an electronic transmission, when (A) it enters an information processing system that the recipient has designated or uses for the purposes of receiving electronic transmissions or information of the type sent, and from which the recipient is able to retrieve the electronic transmission and (B) it is in a form capable of being processed by that system. The attendance of a stockholder at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of lack of notice or defective notice of such meeting, unless the stockholder expresses such objection at the beginning of the meeting, and shall constitute a waiver of any objection to the consideration of a particular matter that is not within the purpose or purposes described in the notice, unless the stockholder objects to considering the matter before action is taken thereon.
Section 6. Informal Action by Stockholders.
Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, and without prior notice, if one or more consents in writing setting forth the action so taken are signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be required to authorize or take the action at a meeting at which all shares of stock entitled to vote on the action were present and voted. The action must be evidenced by one or more written consents describing the action taken, signed by the stockholders approving the action and delivered to the Bank for filing by the Bank with the minutes or corporate records. No written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest date on which a consent is delivered to the Bank as required by this section, written consents signed by sufficient stockholders to take the action have been delivered to the Bank. A written consent may be revoked by a writing to that effect delivered to the Bank before unrevoked written consents sufficient in number to take the corporate action have been delivered to the Bank.
A consent signed pursuant to the provisions of this section has the effect of a vote taken at a meeting and may be described as such in any document. The action taken by written consent shall be effective when written consents signed by sufficient stockholders to take the action have been delivered to the Bank.
If action is taken by less than unanimous written consent of the stockholders, the Bank shall give its nonconsenting stockholders written notice of the action not more than ten (10) days after written consents sufficient to take the action have been delivered to the Bank. The notice must reasonably describe the
action taken and contain or be accompanied by the same material that would have been required to be sent to stockholders in a notice of a meeting at which the action would have been submitted to the stockholders for action.
ARTICLE III. DIRECTORS
Section 1. Number and Term.
The number of Directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed, from time to time, by resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors, but shall not be less than five (5) persons or more than twenty-five (25) persons. The number of Directors shall not be reduced so as to shorten the term of any Director in office at the time.
Directors elected at each annual or special meeting or appointed pursuant to Article III, Section 4 of these By-Laws shall hold office until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor shall have been elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier retirement, death, resignation or removal. Directors need not be residents of Alabama.
Section 2. Chair of the Board and Lead Independent Director.
The Board of Directors shall by majority vote designate from time to time from among its members a Chair of the Board of Directors. The Chair of the Board of Directors shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors. He or she shall have and perform such duties as prescribed by these By-Laws and by the Board of Directors. The position of Chair of the Board of Directors is a Board position; provided, however, the position of Chair of the Board of Directors may be held by a person who is also an officer of the Bank.
In the absence of the Chair of the Board of Directors, or in the case he or she is unable to preside, the Lead Independent Director, if at the time a Director of the Bank has been designated by the Board of Directors as such, shall have and exercise all powers and duties of the Chair of the Board of Directors and shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. If at any Board of Directors meeting neither of such persons is present or able to act, the Board of Directors shall select one of its members as acting chair of the meeting or any portion thereof.
Section 3. Resignations.
Any Director may resign at any time. All resignations shall be made in writing, and shall take effect at the time of receipt by the Chair of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary or at such other time as may be specified therein. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 4. Vacancies.
If the office of any Director becomes vacant, including by reason of resignation or removal, or the size of the Board of Directors is increased, the remaining Directors in office, even if less than a quorum, by a majority vote, may appoint any qualified person to fill such vacancy or new position, and such person shall hold office for the unexpired term and until his or her successor shall be duly chosen.
Section 5. Removal.
Any Director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holders of ninety percent (90%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Bank entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (considered for this purpose as one class) cast at a meeting of stockholders called for that purpose.
Section 6. Powers.
The business and affairs of the Bank shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Bank or pursuant to these By-Laws.
Section 7. Meetings.
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such places and times as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that such regular meetings shall be held at intervals in compliance with the Alabama Banking Code, Section 5-1A-1 et seq. of the Code of Alabama 1975, as amended (together with any act amendatory thereof, supplementary thereto or substituted therefor, hereinafter referred to as the “Banking Code”).
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chair of the Board of Directors, Lead Independent Director, Chief Executive Officer or President, or Secretary on the request of any two members of the Board of Directors, on at least two (2) days’ notice to each Director and shall be held at such place or places as may be determined by the Board of Directors, or as shall be stated in the notice of such meeting.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee, by means of conference telephone, video or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting. Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Directors need not be given personally, and may be given by United States mail, postage prepaid or by any form of electronic communication, and shall be deemed to have been given on the date such notice is transmitted by the Bank (which, if notice is mailed, shall be the date when such notice is deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the applicable Director at such Director’s address as it appears on the records of the Bank).
Section 8. Quorum; Vote Required for Action.
A majority of the Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If at any meeting of the Board of Directors there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum is obtained, and no further notice thereof need be given other than by announcement at the meeting which shall be so adjourned. The vote of a majority of the Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors unless the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws shall require a vote of a greater number.
Section 9. Compensation.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be
construed to preclude any Director from serving the Bank in any other capacity as an officer, agent or otherwise, and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 10. Action Without Meeting.
Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting, if prior to such action a written consent thereto is signed by all members of the Board of Directors, or of such committee as the case may be, and such written consent is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee. Action taken under this section is the act of the Board of Directors when one or more consents signed by all of the Directors are delivered to the Bank. The consent may specify a later time as the time at which the action taken is to be effective. A Director’s consent may be withdrawn by a revocation signed by the Director and delivered to the Bank before delivery to the Bank of unrevoked written consents signed by all of the Directors. A consent signed under this section has the effect of action taken at a meeting of the Board of Directors and may be described as such in any document.
Section 11. Committees.
A majority of the Board of Directors shall have the authority to designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the Directors of the Bank. The Board of Directors may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any committee of the Board of Directors, to the extent provided in the resolutions of the Board of Directors or in these By-Laws, shall have and may exercise the powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Bank and may authorize the seal of the Bank to be affixed to all papers that may require it, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. In the absence or disqualification of any member of a committee from voting at any meeting of such committee, the remaining member or members thereof present at such meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not the remaining member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at such meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.
Section 12. Eligibility.
No person shall be eligible to serve as Director of the Bank unless such person shall be the owner of shares of stock of the parent holding company of the number and held in the manner sufficient to meet the requirements of any applicable law or regulation in effect requiring the ownership of Directors’ qualifying shares.
Section 13. Directors Protected.
In accordance with the Alabama Business Corporation Law, Chapter 2A of Title 10A of the Code of Alabama (1975), or any statute amendatory or supplemental thereof (the “Corporation Law”) and specifically Section 10A-2A-8.30, each Director shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon information, opinions, reports or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, made to the Directors by the officers or employees of the Bank; legal counsel, public accountants, certified public accountants or other persons as to matters the Director reasonably believes are within the person’s professional or expert competence; or a committee of the Board of Directors of which he or she is not a member if the Director reasonably believes the committee merits confidence, or in relying in good faith upon other records or books of account of the Bank.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers, Elections, Terms.
The officers of the Bank shall be a Chief Executive Officer; a President; one or more vice presidents or directors (referring in this context to service in an officer capacity), who may be designated Senior Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Managing Directors, Senior Vice Presidents, Managing Directors, Vice Presidents, Directors, and Assistant Vice Presidents; a Secretary; one or more Assistant Secretaries; a Chief Financial Officer; a Controller; an Auditor; and such other officers as may be deemed appropriate. All of such officers shall be appointed annually by the Board of Directors to serve for a term of one (1) year and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified or until such officer’s earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal, except that the Board of Directors may delegate the authority to appoint officers holding the position of Senior Executive Vice President and below in accordance with procedures established or modified by the Board from time to time. None of the officers of the Bank need be Directors. More than one office may be held by the same person. The conduct of the business and affairs of the Bank by the officers shall be subject to the oversight of the Board of Directors and of any committee of the Board of Directors having authority over the subject matter.
Section 2. Chief Executive Officer.
The Board of Directors shall appoint a Chief Executive Officer of the Bank. The Chief Executive Officer is the most senior executive officer of the Bank, and shall be vested with authority to act for the Bank in all matters and shall have general supervision of the Bank and of its business affairs, including authority over the detailed operations of the Bank and over its personnel, with full power and authority during intervals between sessions of the Board of Directors to do and perform in the name of the Bank all acts and deeds necessary or proper, in his or her opinion, to be done and performed and to execute for and in the name of the Bank all instruments, agreements and deeds that may be authorized to be executed on behalf of the Bank or may be required by law. The Chief Executive Officer may, but need not, also hold the office of President.
Section 3. President.
The President shall have, and may exercise, the authority to act for the Bank in all ordinary matters and perform other such duties as directed by the By-Laws, the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. Among the officers of the Bank, the President is subordinate to only the Chief Executive Officer and is senior to the other officers of the Bank. The authority of the President shall include authority over the detailed operations of the Bank and over its personnel with full power and authority during intervals between sessions of the Board of Directors to do and perform in the name of the Bank all acts and deeds necessary or proper, in his or her opinion, to be done and performed and to execute for and in the name of the Bank all instruments, agreements and deeds that may be authorized to be executed on behalf of the Bank or may be required by law.
Section 4. Vice Presidents.
The vice presidents or directors, who may be designated as Senior Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Managing Directors, Senior Vice Presidents, Managing Directors, Vice Presidents, Directors, and Assistant Vice Presidents, shall, subject to the control of the Chief Executive Officer or the President, have and may exercise the authority vested in them in all proper matters, including authority over the detailed operations of the Bank and over its personnel.
Section 5. Chief Financial Officer.
The Chief Financial Officer, or his or her designee, shall have and perform such duties as are incident to the office of Chief Financial Officer and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.
Section 6. Secretary and Assistant Secretary.
The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors unless otherwise directed by either of those bodies. The Secretary, or in his or her absence, any Assistant Secretary, shall attend to the giving and serving of all notices of the Bank. The Secretary shall perform all of the duties incident to the office of Secretary and shall do and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.
Section 7. Controller.
The Controller shall, under the direction of the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or other more senior officer, have general supervision and authority over all reports required of the Bank by law or by any public body or officer or regulatory authority pertaining to the condition of the Bank and its assets and liabilities. The Controller shall have general supervision of the books and accounts of the Bank and its methods and systems of recording and keeping accounts of its business transactions and of its assets and liabilities. The Controller shall be responsible for preparing statements showing the financial condition of the Bank and shall furnish such reports and financial records as may be required of him or her by the Board of Directors or by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or other more senior officer.
Section 8. Auditor.
The Auditor’s office may be filled by an employee of the Bank or his or her duties may be performed by an employee or committee of the parent company of the Bank. The Auditor shall have general supervision of the auditing of the books and accounts of the Bank, and shall continuously and from time to time check and verify the Bank’s transactions, its assets and liabilities, and the accounts and doings of the officers, agents and employees of the Bank with respect thereto. The Auditor, whether an employee of the Bank or of its parent, shall be directly accountable to and under the jurisdiction of the Board of Directors and, if applicable, its designated committee, acting independently of all officers, agents and employees of the Bank. The Auditor shall render reports covering matters in his or her charge regularly and upon request to the Board and, if applicable, its designated committee.
Section 9. Other Officers and Agents.
The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers and agents as it may deem advisable, such as General Counsel, who shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The functions of a cashier of the Bank may be performed by the Controller or any other officer of the Bank whose area of responsibility includes the function to be performed.
Section 10. Management Policymaking Committee.
Pursuant to the By-Laws of Regions Financial Corporation, the Chief Executive Officer shall establish and name (and may rename from time to time) an executive management committee to develop,
publish and implement policies and procedures for the operation of Regions Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including the Bank.
Section 11. Officer in Charge of Wealth Management.
The officer in charge of Wealth Management shall be designated as such by the Board of Directors and shall exercise general supervision and management over the affairs of Private Wealth Management, Institutional Services and Wealth Management Middle Office, which groups are responsible for exercise of the Bank’s trust powers. Such officer is hereby empowered to appoint all necessary agents or attorneys; also to make, execute and acknowledge all checks, bonds, certificates, deeds, mortgages, notes, releases, leases, agreements, contracts, bills of sale, assignments, transfers, powers of attorney or of substitution, proxies to vote stock, or any other instrument in writing that may be necessary in the purchase, sale, mortgage, lease, assignment, transfer, management or handling, in any way of any property of any description held or controlled by the Bank in any fiduciary capacity. Said officer shall have such other duties and powers as shall be designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 12. Other Officers in Private Wealth Management, Institutional Services and Wealth Management Middle Office.
The officer in charge of Wealth Management shall appoint officers responsible for the activities of Private Wealth Management, Institutional Services and Wealth Management Middle Office. Various other officers as designated by the officers responsible for the activities of Private Wealth Management, Institutional Services and Wealth Management Middle Office are empowered and authorized to make, execute and acknowledge all checks, bonds, certificates, deeds, mortgages, notes, releases, leases, agreements, contracts, bills of sale, assignments, transfers, powers of attorney or substitution, proxies to vote stock or any other instrument in writing that may be necessary to the purchase, sale, mortgage, lease, assignments, transfer, management or handling in any way, of any property of any description held or controlled by the Bank in any fiduciary capacity.
Section 13. Removal and Resignation of Officers.
At its pleasure, the Board of Directors may remove any officer from office at any time by a majority vote of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the terms of any employment or compensation contract shall be honored according to its terms. An individual’s status as an officer will terminate without the necessity of any other action or ratification immediately upon termination for any reason of the individual’s employment by the Bank. Any officer may resign at any time by delivering notice (whether written or verbal) to the Bank. Such resignation shall be effective immediately unless the notice of resignation specifies a later effective date.
ARTICLE V. MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. Certificates of Stock.
Certificates of stock of the Bank shall be signed by the President and the Secretary of the Bank, which signatures may be represented by a facsimile signature. The certificate may be sealed with the seal of the Bank or an engraved or printed facsimile thereof. The certificate represents the number of shares of stock registered in certificate form owned by such holder.
Section 2. Lost Certificates.
In case of the loss or destruction of any certificate of stock, the holder or owner of same shall give notice thereof to the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Senior Executive Vice President or the Secretary of the Bank and, if such holder or owner shall desire the issue of a new certificate in the place of the one lost or destroyed, he or she shall make an affidavit of such loss or destruction and deliver the same to any one of said officers and accompany the same with a bond with surety satisfactory to the Bank to indemnify the Bank and save it harmless against any loss, cost or damage in case such certificate should thereafter be presented to the Bank, which affidavit and bond shall be, at the discretion of the deciding party listed in this Section 2, unless so ordered by a court having jurisdiction over the matter, approved or rejected by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Senior Executive Vice President before the issue of any new certificate.
Section 3. Transfer of Shares.
Title to a certificate and to the shares represented thereby can be transferred only by delivery of the certificate endorsed either in blank or to a specified person by the person appearing by the certificate to be the owner of the shares represented thereby, or by delivery of the certificate and a separate document containing a written assignment of the certificate or a power of attorney to sell, assign or transfer the same or the shares represented thereby, signed by the person appearing by the certificate to be the owner of the shares represented thereby. Such assignment or power of attorney may be either in blank or to a specified person.
Section 4. Fractional Shares.
No fractional part of a share of stock shall be issued by the Bank.
Section 5. Stockholders Record Date.
In order that the Bank may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
Section 6. Dividends.
Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, at any regular or special meeting the Board of Directors may, out of funds legally available therefor, declare dividends upon the capital stock of the Bank as and when it deems expedient. Before declaring any dividend, there may be set apart out of any fund of the Bank available for dividends, such sum or sums as the Directors, from time to time in their discretion, deem proper for working capital; as a reserve fund to meet contingencies; for equalizing dividends; or for such other purposes as the Directors shall deem conducive to the interests of the Bank. No dividends shall be declared that exceed the amounts authorized by applicable laws and regulations or are otherwise contrary to law.
Section 7. Seal.
The Bank may have a corporate seal, which shall have the name of the Bank inscribed thereon and shall be in such form as prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time. The seal may also include appropriate descriptors, such as the words: “An Alabama Banking Corporation.” The Secretary of the Bank shall have custody of the seal and is authorized to affix the same to instruments, documents and papers as required by law or as customary or appropriate in the Secretary’s judgment and discretion. Without limiting the general authority of the Board of Directors of the Bank to name, appoint, remove and define the duties of officers of the Bank, the Secretary is further authorized to cause reproductions of the seal to be made, distributed to and used by officers and employees of the Bank whose duties and responsibilities involve the execution and delivery of instruments, documents and papers bearing the seal of the Bank. In this regard, the Secretary is further authorized to establish, implement, interpret and enforce policies and procedures governing the use of the seal and the authorization by the Secretary of officers and employees of the Bank to have custody of and to use the seal. Such policies and procedures may include (i) the right of the Secretary to appoint any Bank employee as an Assistant Secretary of the Bank, if such appointment would, in the Secretary’s judgment, be convenient with respect to such employee’s custody and use of a seal and/or (ii) the right of the Secretary to authorize Bank employees to have and use seals as delegates of the Secretary without appointing such employees as Assistant Secretaries of the Bank.
Section 8. Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the Bank shall be the calendar year.
Section 9. Checks, Drafts, Transfers, Services, etc.
The Chief Executive Officer, the President, any vice president or director, any Assistant Vice President, any Branch Manager, any Financial Relationship Specialist, any Financial Relationship Consultant or any other employee designated by the Board of Directors is authorized and empowered on behalf of the Bank and in its name to sign and endorse checks and warrants; to execute and deliver any and all documents that are necessary or desirable in connection with the opening of customer deposit accounts with the Bank, including, without limitation, documents associated with establishing treasury management services in connection with deposit accounts; documents requested or required by a third party in connection with the opening or rollover of individual retirement accounts to the Bank or otherwise; draw drafts; issue and sign cashier’s checks; guarantee signatures; give receipts for money due and payable to the Bank; and sign such other papers and do such other acts as are necessary in the performance of his or her duties. The authority conveyed to any employee designated by the Board of Directors may be limited by general or specific resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 10. Notice and Waiver of Notice.
Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given under the provisions of any law or under the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Bank or these By-Laws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of business at the meeting because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
Section 11. Right of Indemnity.
To the full extent provided for and in accordance with the Corporation Law, and specifically Section 10A-2A-8.50 et seq., the Bank shall indemnify and hold harmless each Director and each officer now or hereafter serving the Bank against any loss and reasonable expenses actually and necessarily incurred by him or her in connection with the defense of any claim, or any action, suit or proceeding against him or her or in which he or she is made a party, by reason of him or her being or having been a Director or officer of the Bank, or who, while a Director or officer of the Bank, is or was serving at the Bank’s request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. Such right of indemnity shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which such Director or officer may be entitled under any statute, article of incorporation, rule of law, other bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or directors, or otherwise. Nor shall anything herein contained restrict the right of the Bank to indemnify or reimburse any officer or Director in any proper case even though not specifically provided for herein.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Bank shall not make or agree to make any indemnification payment to a Director or officer or any other institution-affiliated party (as such term is defined in 12 CFR § 359.1) with respect to (i) any civil money penalty or judgment resulting from any administrative or civil action instituted by any federal banking agency, except in full compliance with 12 CFR Part 359, (ii) any assessment, order of restitution, penalty or similar liability imposed under authority of the Banking Code, or (iii) any liability for violation of Section 10A-2A-8.32 of the Corporation Law.
In advance of final disposition, the Bank may, but is not required to, pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by a person who may become eligible for indemnification under this Article V, Section 11, provided the conditions set forth in Section 10A-2A-8.53 of the Corporation Law (and, if applicable, 12 CFR § 359.5) shall have been satisfied.
The Bank may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of said Directors or officers against liability asserted against or incurred by a Director or officer acting in such capacity as described in these By-Laws. Such insurance coverage shall not be used to pay or reimburse a person for the cost of (i) any judgment or civil money penalty assessed against such person in an administrative proceeding or civil action commenced by any federal banking agency or (ii) any assessment or penalty imposed under authority of the Banking Code. Such insurance coverage may be used to pay any legal or professional expenses incurred in connection with such proceeding or action or the amount of any restitution to the Bank. Any insurance coverage of legal or professional expenses will be coordinated with the Bank’s determination whether to advance expenses in advance of final disposition, taking into account the terms and conditions of the coverage and the requirements of Section 10A-2A-8.53 of the Corporation Law.
Section 12. Execution of Instruments and Documents.
The Chief Executive Officer; the President; any Senior Executive Vice President, Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President; or any officer holding the title of Executive Managing Director, Managing Director or Director is authorized, in his or her discretion, to do and perform any and all corporate and official acts in carrying on the business of the Bank, including, but not limited to, the authority to make, execute, acknowledge, accept and deliver any and all deeds, mortgages, releases, bills of sale, assignments, transfers, leases (as lessor or lessee), powers of attorney or of substitution, servicing or sub-servicing agreements, vendor agreements, contracts, proxies to vote stock or any other instrument in writing that may be necessary in the purchase, sale, lease, assignment, transfer, discount, management or handling in any way of any property of any description held, controlled or used by Bank or to be held, controlled or used by Bank, either in its own or in its fiduciary capacity and including the authority from time to time to open bank accounts with the Bank or any other institution; to borrow money in such amounts for such lengths of time, at such rates of interest and upon such terms and conditions as any said officer may deem proper and to evidence the indebtedness thereby created by executing and delivering in the name
of the Bank promissory notes or other appropriate evidences of indebtedness; and to guarantee the obligations of any subsidiary or affiliate of the Bank. The enumeration herein of particular powers shall not restrict in any way the general powers and authority of said officers.
By way of example and not limitation, such officers of the Bank are authorized to execute, accept, deliver and issue, on behalf of the Bank and as binding obligations of the Bank, such agreements and instruments as may be within the officer’s area of responsibility, including, as applicable, agreements and related documents (such as schedules, confirmations, transfers, assignments, acknowledgments and other documents) relating to derivative transactions, loan or letter of credit transactions, syndications, participations, trades, purchase and sale or discount transactions, transfers and assignments, servicing and sub-servicing agreements, vendor agreements, contracts, securitizations and transactions of whatever kind or description arising in the conduct of the Bank’s business.
The authority to execute and deliver documents, instruments and agreements may be limited by resolution of the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors, by the Chief Executive Officer or by the President, by reference to subject matter, category, amount, geographical location or any other criteria and may be made subject to such policies, procedures and levels of approval as may be adopted or amended from time to time.
Section 13. Voting Bank’s Securities.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Executive Vice President or Executive Managing Director or above, the Controller, the Bank’s General Counsel and any other officer as may be designated by the Board of Directors shall have full power and authority on behalf of the Bank (i) to attend and to act and vote or (ii) to execute a proxy or proxies empowering others to attend and to act and vote, at any meetings of security holders of any of the corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies or other entities in which the Bank may hold securities and, at such meetings, such officer shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and powers incident to the ownership of such securities which, as the owner thereof, the Bank might have possessed and exercised, if present.
Section 14. Bonds of Officers and Employees.
The Board of Directors shall, pursuant to the Banking Code, designate the officers and employees who shall be required to give bond and fix the amounts thereof.
Section 15. Satisfaction of Loans.
On payment of sums lent, for which security shall have been taken either by way of mortgage or other lien on real or personal property or by the pledge of collateral, whether said loans have been made from funds of the Bank or from funds held in fiduciary capacity, any officer of the Bank shall have the power and authority to sign or execute any and all collateral release documents that may be necessary or desirable for the purpose of releasing property or property rights held by the Bank as collateral for obligations to the Bank that are paid in full or otherwise satisfied or settled and enter the fact of payment or satisfaction on the margin of the record of any such security or in any other legal manner to cancel such indebtedness and to release said security, and the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President or Director of the Bank shall have power and authority to execute a power of attorney authorizing the cancellation, release or satisfaction of any mortgage or other security given to the Bank in its corporate or fiduciary capacity, by such person as he or she may in his or her discretion appoint.
ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENTS
Except as otherwise provided herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Bank, these By-Laws may be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then holding office at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors, and the stockholders may make, alter or repeal any By-Laws, whether or not adopted by them.
ARTICLE VII. EMERGENCY BY-LAWS
Section 1. Emergency By-Laws.
This Article VII shall be operative if a quorum of the Bank’s Directors cannot readily be assembled because of some catastrophic event (an “emergency”), notwithstanding any different or conflicting provisions in these By-Laws, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Code of Alabama. To the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article VII, the By-Laws provided in the other Articles of these By-Laws and the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation shall remain in effect during such emergency, and upon termination of such emergency, the provisions of this Article VII shall cease to be operative.
Section 2. Meetings.
During any emergency, a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, may be called by any member of the Board of Directors, the President, a Senior Executive Vice President, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary. Notice of the time and place of the meeting shall be given by any available means of communication by the individual calling the meeting to such of the Directors and/or Designated Officers, as defined in Section 3 of this Article VII, as it may be feasible to reach. Such notice shall be given at such time in advance of the meeting as, in the judgment of the individual calling the meeting, circumstances permit. As a result of such emergency, the Board of Directors may determine that a meeting of stockholders not be held at any place, but instead be held solely by means of remote communication in accordance with the Corporation Law.
Section 3. Quorum.
At any meeting of the Board, or any committee thereof, called in accordance with Section 2 of this Article VII, the presence or participation of two Directors or one Director and a Designated Officer shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the event that no Directors are able to attend the meeting of the Board of Directors, then the Designated Officers in attendance shall serve as directors for the meeting, without any additional quorum requirement and will have full powers to act as directors of the Bank.
The Board of Directors or the committees thereof, as the case may be, shall, from time to time but in any event prior to such time or times as an emergency may have occurred, designate the officers of the Bank in a numbered list (the “Designated Officers”) who shall be deemed, in the order in which they appear on such list, directors of the Bank for purposes of obtaining a quorum during an emergency, if a quorum of Directors cannot otherwise be obtained.
Section 4. By-Laws.
At any meeting called in accordance with Section 2 of this Article VII, the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, as the case may be, may modify, amend or add to the provisions of this Article VII so as to make any provision that may be practical or necessary for the circumstances of the emergency.
Section 5. Liability.
No officer, Director or employee of the Bank acting in accordance with the provisions of this Article VII shall be liable except for willful misconduct.
Section 6. Repeal or Change.
The provisions of this Article VII shall be subject to repeal or change by further action of the Board of Directors or by action of the stockholders, but no such repeal or change shall modify the provisions of Section 5 of this Article VII with regard to action taken prior to the time of such repeal or change.
Section 7. Continued Operations.
In the event of an emergency declared by the President of the United States or the person performing his or her functions, the officers and employees of the Bank will continue to conduct the affairs of the Bank under such guidance from the Directors as may be available except as to matters which by statute require specific approval of the Board of Directors and subject to conformance with any governmental directives or directives of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation during the emergency.
EXHIBIT 7
Exhibit 25.2
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
____________________________________
FORM T-1
STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
____________________________________
| | CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(B)(2)
REGIONS BANK
(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)
| | | | | | | | |
| Alabama | | 63-0371391 |
(Jurisdiction of incorporation of organization
if not a U.S. national bank) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
Regions Bank
Corporate Trust Department
1900 Fifth Avenue North, 26th Floor
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
(Address of principal executive offices)
_______________
John H. Holcomb
Regions Bank, Corporate Trust
1900 Fifth Avenue North, 26th Floor
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
(205) 264-6768
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
____________________________
Alabama Power Company
(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)
| | | | | | | | |
| Alabama | | 63-0004250 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
| | |
600 North 18th Street
Birmingham, Alabama | | 35291 |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | | (Zip code) |
____________________________
Junior Subordinated Notes
(Title of the indenture securities)
Item 1. General information.
Furnish the following information as to the trustee -
(a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, 1000 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Alabama State Banking Department, 401 Adams Ave., Montgomery, Alabama 36104
(b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.
Yes.
Item 2. Affiliations with the obligor.
If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.
None.
Item 16. List of Exhibits.
1. Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation, including the Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Trustee.
2. Not applicable.
3. Authorization of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers (Exhibit 3 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-202769).
4. By-laws of the Trustee.
5. Not applicable.
6. Consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-216229).
7. Latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.
8. Not applicable.
9. Not applicable.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the trustee, Regions Bank, an Alabama banking corporation, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Birmingham, State of Alabama on the 15th day of February, 2023.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| REGIONS BANK | |
| | | |
| By: | /s/ John H. Holcomb |
| | Name: John H. Holcomb |
| | Title: Assistant Vice President |
EXHIBIT 1
Exhibit 1
ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO THE
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
REGIONS BANK
an Alabama banking corporation
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 10A-1-3.13 and Sections 10A-2-10.01 through 10A-2-10.09 of the Alabama Business and Nonprofit Entities Code, as amended, (the “Law”), the undersigned banking corporation adopts the following Articles of Amendment to its Articles of Incorporation:
FIRST: The name of the banking corporation is Regions Bank (the “Bank”).
SECOND: The Bank is an Alabama banking corporation.
THIRD: The Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Bank were filed with the Office of the Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama on October 28, 2014. The Alabama Entity ID Number of the Bank is 006-854.
FOURTH: The Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference, is hereby adopted as the articles of incorporation of the Bank.
FIFTH: The Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was adopted and approved by the Board of Directors of the Bank at a meeting duly called and held on July 22, 2020 and by the sole shareholder of the Bank pursuant to an action by written consent dated as of July 22, 2020.
SIXTH: The designation, number of outstanding shares, and number of votes entitled to be cast by the sole shareholder on the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
| Shares | | Outstanding | | Entitled to Vote |
Common Stock, par value $5.00 | | 21,546 | | 21,546 |
SEVENTH: The number of shares entitled to vote on the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that voted FOR the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the number of shares entitled to vote on the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that voted AGAINST the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | |
| Shares | | Total Voted
FOR | | Total Voted
AGAINST |
| Common Stock | | 21,546 | | 0 |
EIGHTH: The number of shares that voted FOR the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was sufficient for approval thereof by the sole shareholder of the Bank, as required by the Law and the Articles of Incorporation.
NINTH: The original written approval issued by the Superintendent of the Alabama State Banking Department with respect to the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is attached hereto as Exhibit B and recorded herewith.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Bank has caused these Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Bank to be executed in its name and on its behalf as of August 6, 2020.
| | | | | |
| |
| BANK: |
| |
REGIONS BANK
an Alabama banking corporation |
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| By: | /s/ Hope D. Mehlman |
| Hope D. Mehlman |
| Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretary, Chief Governance Officer, and Deputy General Counsel |
This instrument prepared by:
Andrew S. Nix
Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C.
1901 Sixth Avenue North
2400 Regions/Harbert Plaza
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 254-1000
EXHIBIT A
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
(attached)
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
REGIONS BANK
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| 1. | The name of this corporation shall be Regions Bank. The corporation is a domestic banking corporation. |
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| 2. | The principal place of business of the corporation shall be 1900 Fifth Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203. The general business of Regions Bank (the “Bank”) shall be conducted at its main office and its branches and other facilities. |
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| 3. | The Bank shall have the following objects, purposes and powers: |
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| | a. | To be and serve as an Alabama banking corporation pursuant to the Alabama Banking Code, Section 5-1A-1 et seq. of the Code of Alabama 1975, as amended (together with any act amendatory thereof, supplementary thereto or substituted therefor, hereinafter referred to as the “Banking Code”), with all the power and authority that may be exercised by an Alabama banking corporation. |
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| | b. | To engage in any lawful business, act or activity for which a banking corporation may be organized under Alabama law, it being the purpose and intent of this section to invest the Bank with the broadest objects, purposes and powers lawfully permitted an Alabama banking corporation. |
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| | c. | To engage in any lawful business, act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the Alabama Business Corporation Law of 2019, Section 10A-2A1.01 et seq. of the Code of Alabama 1975, as amended (together with any act amendatory thereof, supplementary thereto or substituted therefor, hereinafter referred to as the “ABCL”), to the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of the Banking Code or any other regulation of a banking corporation in the State of Alabama. |
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| | d. | Without limiting the scope and generality of the foregoing, the Bank shall have the following specific objects, purposes and powers: |
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| | i. | To conduct a general banking business through such means and at such places as the Board of Directors may deem proper. |
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| | ii. | To sue and be sued, complain and defend, in its corporate name. |
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| | iii. | To have a corporate seal which may be altered at pleasure, and to use the same by causing it, or a facsimile thereof, to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced. |
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| | iv. | To purchase, take, receive, lease or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, use and otherwise deal in and with, real or personal property, or any interest therein, wherever situated. |
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| | v. | To sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, transfer and otherwise dispose of all or any part of its property and assets, subject to the limitations hereinafter prescribed. |
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| | vi. | To lend money and use its credit to assist its employees. |
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| | vii. | To purchase, take, receive, subscribe for or otherwise acquire, own, hold, vote, use, employ, sell, mortgage, lend, pledge or otherwise dispose of, and otherwise use and deal in and with, shares or other interests in, or obligations of, other domestic or foreign corporations, associations, partnerships or individuals, or direct or indirect obligations of the United States or of any other government, state, territory, governmental district or municipality or of any instrumentality thereof as may be permitted by law or appropriate regulations. |
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| | viii. | To make contracts, guarantees and indemnity agreements and incur liabilities, borrow money at such rates of interest as the corporation may determine, issue its notes, bonds and other obligations, and secure any of its obligations by mortgage, pledge of or creation of security interests in, all or any of its property, franchises or income, or any interest therein. |
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| | ix. | To lend money for its corporate purposes, invest and reinvest its funds and take and hold real and personal property as security for the payment of funds so loaned or invested. |
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| | x. | To conduct its business, carry on its operations and have offices and exercise the powers granted by this section, within or without the State of Alabama. |
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| | xi. | To elect or appoint and remove officers and agents of the Bank, define their duties and fix their compensation. |
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| | xii. | To make and alter by its board of directors by-laws not inconsistent with its certificate of incorporation or with the laws of the State of Alabama for the administration and regulation of the affairs of the Bank. |
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| | xiii. | To make donations for the public welfare or for charitable, scientific or educational purposes. |
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| | xiv. | To transact any lawful business which the board of directors shall find will be in aid of governmental policy. |
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| | xv. | To pay pensions and establish pension plans, pension trusts, profit sharing plans, stock bonus plans, stock option plans and other incentive plans for any or all of its directors, officers and employees. |
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| | xvi. | To be a promoter, incorporator, partner, member, trustee, associate or manager of any domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. |
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| | xvii. | To consolidate or merge, before or after the completion of its works, with any other foreign or domestic corporation or corporations engaged in the business of banking or trust companies doing a banking business. |
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| | xviii. | To discount bills, notes or other evidences of debt. |
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| | xix. | To receive and pay out deposits, with or without interest, pay checks and impose charges for any services. |
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| | xx. | To receive on special deposit money, bullion or foreign coins or bonds or other securities. |
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| | xxi. | To buy and sell foreign and domestic exchanges, gold and silver bullion or foreign coins, bonds, bills of exchange, notes and other negotiable paper. |
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| | xxii. | To lend money on personal security or upon pledges of bonds, stocks or other negotiable securities. |
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| | xxiii. | To take and receive security by mortgage, security or otherwise on property, real and personal. |
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| | xxiv. | To become trustee for any purpose and be appointed and act as executor, administrator, guardian, receiver or fiduciary. |
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| | xxv. | To lease real and personal property upon specific request of a customer, provided that it complies with any applicable laws of the State of Alabama regulating leasing real property or improvements thereon to others. |
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| | xxvi. | To perform computer, management and travel agency services for others. |
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| | xxvii. | To subscribe to the capital stock and become a member of the Federal Reserve System and comply with rules and regulations thereof. |
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| | xxviii. | To do business and exercise directly or through operating subsidiaries any powers incident to the business of banks. |
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| 4. | The duration of the corporation shall be perpetual. |
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| 5. | The Board of Directors is expressly authorized from time to time to fix the number of Directors which shall constitute the entire Board, subject to the following: |
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| | a. | The number of Directors constituting the entire Board shall be fixed from time to time by vote of a majority of the entire Board; provided, however, that the number of Directors shall not be reduced so as to shorten the term of any Director at the time in office; provided further, that the number of Directors shall not be less than five (5) nor more than twenty-five (25). Each Director shall be the record owner of the requisite number of shares of common stock of the Bank’s parent bank holding company fixed by the appropriate regulatory authorities. |
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| | b. | Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the by-laws of the Bank (and notwithstanding the fact that some lesser percentage may be specified by law, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the by-laws of the Bank), any Director or the entire Board of Directors of the Bank may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holder(s) of ninety percent (90%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Bank entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (considered for this purpose as one class) cast at a meeting of stockholders called for that purpose. |
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| 6. | The aggregate number of shares of capital stock which the Bank shall have authority to issue is thirty thousand five hundred forty-six (30,546) shares, which shall be common stock, par value five dollars ($5.00) per share (the “Common Stock”). The Bank shall not issue fractional shares of stock, but shall pay in cash the fair value of fractions of a share as of the time when those otherwise entitled to receive such fractions are determined. |
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| | a. | Stockholders shall not have pre-emptive rights to purchase shares of any class of capital stock of the Bank. The Bank, at any time and from time to time, may authorize and issue debt obligations, whether or not subordinated, without the approval of the stockholders. |
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| | b. | Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue any authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock for such consideration and on such terms as it may determine. Every share of Common Stock of the Bank shall have one vote at any meeting of stockholders and may be voted by the stockholders of record either in person or by proxy. |
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| | c. | In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Bank, or upon the distribution of the assets of the Bank, the assets of the Bank remaining after satisfaction of all obligations and liabilities shall be divided and distributed ratably among the holders of the Common Stock. Neither the merger nor the consolidation of the Bank with another corporation, nor the sale or lease of all or substantially all of the assets of the Bank, shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Bank or a distribution of its assets. |
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| 7. | The Chief Executive Officer, Secretary, Board of Directors or holder(s) of at least 90% of the issued and outstanding voting stock of the Bank may call a special meeting of stockholders at any time. The Bank shall notify stockholders of the place, if any, date and time of each annual and special meeting of stockholders no fewer than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the meeting date, such notice to be delivered to each stockholder of record at the address as shown upon the stock transfer book of the Bank. Notice of a special meeting of stockholders shall include a description of the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. |
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| 8. | The Bank reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter provided by law, at any regular or special meeting of stockholders, and all rights conferred upon officers, directors and stockholders of the Bank hereby are granted subject to this reservation. |
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| 9. | The Bank shall indemnify its officers, directors, employees and agents in accordance with the indemnification provisions set forth in the by-laws of the Bank, as may be amended from time to time, and in all cases in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. |
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| 10. | To the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of the Banking Code or the rules, regulations or orders of the Superintendent of the Alabama State Banking Department, and pursuant to Section 10A-2A-17.01 of the ABCL, the Bank hereby elects to be governed by the provisions of the ABCL, and all references in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to the ABCL shall mean the Alabama Business Corporation Law of 2019. |
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereby certifies that, in accordance with applicable law, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been adopted by the Bank as of the 6th day of August, 2020.
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| /s/ Hope D. Mehlman |
| Hope D. Mehlman |
| Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretary, Chief Governance Officer, and Deputy General Counsel |
EXHIBIT B
Approval of Superintendent of the Alabama State Banking Department
(attached)
STATE OF ALABAMA
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
I, Mike Hill, as Superintendent of Banks for the State of Alabama, do hereby certify that I have fully and duly examined the foregoing Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation whereby the shareholder of Regions Bank, a banking corporation located at Birmingham, Alabama, proposes to Amend and Restate the Certificate of Incorporation.
See attached Articles of Amendment which Amend and Restate the Certificate of Incorporation of Regions Bank.
I do hereby certify that said Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation appear to be in substantial conformity with the requirements of law and they are hereby approved. Upon the filing of the same, together with this Certificate of Approval, with the proper agency as required by law, the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of said bank shall be effective.
Given under my hand and seal of office this the 3rd day of August, 2020.
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| /s/ Mike Hill |
| Mike Hill |
| Superintendent of Banks |
EXHIBIT 4
EXHIBIT 4
AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS OF
REGIONS BANK
Effective July 21, 2021
ARTICLE I. OFFICES
Section 1. Registered Office.
The registered office of Regions Bank (the “Bank”) shall be maintained at the office of the Corporation Service Company, Inc., in the City of Montgomery, in the County of Montgomery, in the State of Alabama, or such other location as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Corporation Service Company, Inc. shall be the registered agent of the Bank unless and until a successor registered agent is appointed by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Other Offices.
The Bank may have other offices at such places as the Board of Directors may from time to time appoint or the business of the Bank may require.
Section 3. Principal Place of Business.
The principal place of business of the Bank shall be in Birmingham, Alabama.
ARTICLE II. MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. Annual Meeting.
Annual meetings of stockholders for the election of members of the Board of Directors (“Directors”) and for such other business as the Board of Directors may determine, shall be held at such place, time and date as the Board of Directors, by resolution, shall determine.
Section 2. Special Meetings.
The Chief Executive Officer, Secretary, Board of Directors or holder(s) of at least ninety percent (90%) of the issued and outstanding voting stock of the Bank may call a special meeting of stockholders at any time. Special meetings of stockholders may be held at such place, time and date as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting.
Section 3. Voting.
The vote of a majority of the votes cast by the shares entitled to vote on any matter at a meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the stockholders on that matter, except as otherwise required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Bank.
Section 4. Quorum.
At each meeting of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Bank entitled to vote on a matter at the meeting, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a
quorum. If less than a majority of the outstanding shares are represented, a majority of the shares so represented may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, but until a quorum is secured no other business may be transacted. The stockholders present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until an adjournment notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.
Section 5. Notice of Meeting.
Written or printed notice stating the place, day and time of the meeting and, in case of a special meeting of stockholders, the purpose or purposes of the meeting, shall be delivered not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall also include the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if that date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting. Such notice may be communicated in person, by telephone, teletype, telecopier, facsimile transmission or other form of electronic communication, or by mail or private carrier. The notice shall be deemed to have been delivered (i) if mailed postage prepaid and correctly addressed to a stockholder, upon deposit in the United States mail; (ii) if mailed by United States mail postage prepaid and correctly addressed to a recipient other than a stockholder, the earliest of when it is actually received or (A) if sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, the date shown on the return receipt signed by or on behalf of the addressee or (B) five (5) days after it is deposited in the United States mail; or (iii) if an electronic transmission, when (A) it enters an information processing system that the recipient has designated or uses for the purposes of receiving electronic transmissions or information of the type sent, and from which the recipient is able to retrieve the electronic transmission and (B) it is in a form capable of being processed by that system. The attendance of a stockholder at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of lack of notice or defective notice of such meeting, unless the stockholder expresses such objection at the beginning of the meeting, and shall constitute a waiver of any objection to the consideration of a particular matter that is not within the purpose or purposes described in the notice, unless the stockholder objects to considering the matter before action is taken thereon.
Section 6. Informal Action by Stockholders.
Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, and without prior notice, if one or more consents in writing setting forth the action so taken are signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be required to authorize or take the action at a meeting at which all shares of stock entitled to vote on the action were present and voted. The action must be evidenced by one or more written consents describing the action taken, signed by the stockholders approving the action and delivered to the Bank for filing by the Bank with the minutes or corporate records. No written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest date on which a consent is delivered to the Bank as required by this section, written consents signed by sufficient stockholders to take the action have been delivered to the Bank. A written consent may be revoked by a writing to that effect delivered to the Bank before unrevoked written consents sufficient in number to take the corporate action have been delivered to the Bank.
A consent signed pursuant to the provisions of this section has the effect of a vote taken at a meeting and may be described as such in any document. The action taken by written consent shall be effective when written consents signed by sufficient stockholders to take the action have been delivered to the Bank.
If action is taken by less than unanimous written consent of the stockholders, the Bank shall give its nonconsenting stockholders written notice of the action not more than ten (10) days after written consents sufficient to take the action have been delivered to the Bank. The notice must reasonably describe the
action taken and contain or be accompanied by the same material that would have been required to be sent to stockholders in a notice of a meeting at which the action would have been submitted to the stockholders for action.
ARTICLE III. DIRECTORS
Section 1. Number and Term.
The number of Directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed, from time to time, by resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors, but shall not be less than five (5) persons or more than twenty-five (25) persons. The number of Directors shall not be reduced so as to shorten the term of any Director in office at the time.
Directors elected at each annual or special meeting or appointed pursuant to Article III, Section 4 of these By-Laws shall hold office until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor shall have been elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier retirement, death, resignation or removal. Directors need not be residents of Alabama.
Section 2. Chair of the Board and Lead Independent Director.
The Board of Directors shall by majority vote designate from time to time from among its members a Chair of the Board of Directors. The Chair of the Board of Directors shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors. He or she shall have and perform such duties as prescribed by these By-Laws and by the Board of Directors. The position of Chair of the Board of Directors is a Board position; provided, however, the position of Chair of the Board of Directors may be held by a person who is also an officer of the Bank.
In the absence of the Chair of the Board of Directors, or in the case he or she is unable to preside, the Lead Independent Director, if at the time a Director of the Bank has been designated by the Board of Directors as such, shall have and exercise all powers and duties of the Chair of the Board of Directors and shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. If at any Board of Directors meeting neither of such persons is present or able to act, the Board of Directors shall select one of its members as acting chair of the meeting or any portion thereof.
Section 3. Resignations.
Any Director may resign at any time. All resignations shall be made in writing, and shall take effect at the time of receipt by the Chair of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, President or Secretary or at such other time as may be specified therein. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 4. Vacancies.
If the office of any Director becomes vacant, including by reason of resignation or removal, or the size of the Board of Directors is increased, the remaining Directors in office, even if less than a quorum, by a majority vote, may appoint any qualified person to fill such vacancy or new position, and such person shall hold office for the unexpired term and until his or her successor shall be duly chosen.
Section 5. Removal.
Any Director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holders of ninety percent (90%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Bank entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (considered for this purpose as one class) cast at a meeting of stockholders called for that purpose.
Section 6. Powers.
The business and affairs of the Bank shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Bank or pursuant to these By-Laws.
Section 7. Meetings.
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such places and times as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that such regular meetings shall be held at intervals in compliance with the Alabama Banking Code, Section 5-1A-1 et seq. of the Code of Alabama 1975, as amended (together with any act amendatory thereof, supplementary thereto or substituted therefor, hereinafter referred to as the “Banking Code”).
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chair of the Board of Directors, Lead Independent Director, Chief Executive Officer or President, or Secretary on the request of any two members of the Board of Directors, on at least two (2) days’ notice to each Director and shall be held at such place or places as may be determined by the Board of Directors, or as shall be stated in the notice of such meeting.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee, by means of conference telephone, video or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting. Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Directors need not be given personally, and may be given by United States mail, postage prepaid or by any form of electronic communication, and shall be deemed to have been given on the date such notice is transmitted by the Bank (which, if notice is mailed, shall be the date when such notice is deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the applicable Director at such Director’s address as it appears on the records of the Bank).
Section 8. Quorum; Vote Required for Action.
A majority of the Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If at any meeting of the Board of Directors there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum is obtained, and no further notice thereof need be given other than by announcement at the meeting which shall be so adjourned. The vote of a majority of the Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors unless the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws shall require a vote of a greater number.
Section 9. Compensation.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be
construed to preclude any Director from serving the Bank in any other capacity as an officer, agent or otherwise, and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 10. Action Without Meeting.
Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting, if prior to such action a written consent thereto is signed by all members of the Board of Directors, or of such committee as the case may be, and such written consent is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee. Action taken under this section is the act of the Board of Directors when one or more consents signed by all of the Directors are delivered to the Bank. The consent may specify a later time as the time at which the action taken is to be effective. A Director’s consent may be withdrawn by a revocation signed by the Director and delivered to the Bank before delivery to the Bank of unrevoked written consents signed by all of the Directors. A consent signed under this section has the effect of action taken at a meeting of the Board of Directors and may be described as such in any document.
Section 11. Committees.
A majority of the Board of Directors shall have the authority to designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the Directors of the Bank. The Board of Directors may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any committee of the Board of Directors, to the extent provided in the resolutions of the Board of Directors or in these By-Laws, shall have and may exercise the powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Bank and may authorize the seal of the Bank to be affixed to all papers that may require it, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. In the absence or disqualification of any member of a committee from voting at any meeting of such committee, the remaining member or members thereof present at such meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not the remaining member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at such meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.
Section 12. Eligibility.
No person shall be eligible to serve as Director of the Bank unless such person shall be the owner of shares of stock of the parent holding company of the number and held in the manner sufficient to meet the requirements of any applicable law or regulation in effect requiring the ownership of Directors’ qualifying shares.
Section 13. Directors Protected.
In accordance with the Alabama Business Corporation Law, Chapter 2A of Title 10A of the Code of Alabama (1975), or any statute amendatory or supplemental thereof (the “Corporation Law”) and specifically Section 10A-2A-8.30, each Director shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon information, opinions, reports or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, made to the Directors by the officers or employees of the Bank; legal counsel, public accountants, certified public accountants or other persons as to matters the Director reasonably believes are within the person’s professional or expert competence; or a committee of the Board of Directors of which he or she is not a member if the Director reasonably believes the committee merits confidence, or in relying in good faith upon other records or books of account of the Bank.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers, Elections, Terms.
The officers of the Bank shall be a Chief Executive Officer; a President; one or more vice presidents or directors (referring in this context to service in an officer capacity), who may be designated Senior Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Managing Directors, Senior Vice Presidents, Managing Directors, Vice Presidents, Directors, and Assistant Vice Presidents; a Secretary; one or more Assistant Secretaries; a Chief Financial Officer; a Controller; an Auditor; and such other officers as may be deemed appropriate. All of such officers shall be appointed annually by the Board of Directors to serve for a term of one (1) year and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified or until such officer’s earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal, except that the Board of Directors may delegate the authority to appoint officers holding the position of Senior Executive Vice President and below in accordance with procedures established or modified by the Board from time to time. None of the officers of the Bank need be Directors. More than one office may be held by the same person. The conduct of the business and affairs of the Bank by the officers shall be subject to the oversight of the Board of Directors and of any committee of the Board of Directors having authority over the subject matter.
Section 2. Chief Executive Officer.
The Board of Directors shall appoint a Chief Executive Officer of the Bank. The Chief Executive Officer is the most senior executive officer of the Bank, and shall be vested with authority to act for the Bank in all matters and shall have general supervision of the Bank and of its business affairs, including authority over the detailed operations of the Bank and over its personnel, with full power and authority during intervals between sessions of the Board of Directors to do and perform in the name of the Bank all acts and deeds necessary or proper, in his or her opinion, to be done and performed and to execute for and in the name of the Bank all instruments, agreements and deeds that may be authorized to be executed on behalf of the Bank or may be required by law. The Chief Executive Officer may, but need not, also hold the office of President.
Section 3. President.
The President shall have, and may exercise, the authority to act for the Bank in all ordinary matters and perform other such duties as directed by the By-Laws, the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. Among the officers of the Bank, the President is subordinate to only the Chief Executive Officer and is senior to the other officers of the Bank. The authority of the President shall include authority over the detailed operations of the Bank and over its personnel with full power and authority during intervals between sessions of the Board of Directors to do and perform in the name of the Bank all acts and deeds necessary or proper, in his or her opinion, to be done and performed and to execute for and in the name of the Bank all instruments, agreements and deeds that may be authorized to be executed on behalf of the Bank or may be required by law.
Section 4. Vice Presidents.
The vice presidents or directors, who may be designated as Senior Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Managing Directors, Senior Vice Presidents, Managing Directors, Vice Presidents, Directors, and Assistant Vice Presidents, shall, subject to the control of the Chief Executive Officer or the President, have and may exercise the authority vested in them in all proper matters, including authority over the detailed operations of the Bank and over its personnel.
Section 5. Chief Financial Officer.
The Chief Financial Officer, or his or her designee, shall have and perform such duties as are incident to the office of Chief Financial Officer and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.
Section 6. Secretary and Assistant Secretary.
The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors unless otherwise directed by either of those bodies. The Secretary, or in his or her absence, any Assistant Secretary, shall attend to the giving and serving of all notices of the Bank. The Secretary shall perform all of the duties incident to the office of Secretary and shall do and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.
Section 7. Controller.
The Controller shall, under the direction of the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or other more senior officer, have general supervision and authority over all reports required of the Bank by law or by any public body or officer or regulatory authority pertaining to the condition of the Bank and its assets and liabilities. The Controller shall have general supervision of the books and accounts of the Bank and its methods and systems of recording and keeping accounts of its business transactions and of its assets and liabilities. The Controller shall be responsible for preparing statements showing the financial condition of the Bank and shall furnish such reports and financial records as may be required of him or her by the Board of Directors or by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or other more senior officer.
Section 8. Auditor.
The Auditor’s office may be filled by an employee of the Bank or his or her duties may be performed by an employee or committee of the parent company of the Bank. The Auditor shall have general supervision of the auditing of the books and accounts of the Bank, and shall continuously and from time to time check and verify the Bank’s transactions, its assets and liabilities, and the accounts and doings of the officers, agents and employees of the Bank with respect thereto. The Auditor, whether an employee of the Bank or of its parent, shall be directly accountable to and under the jurisdiction of the Board of Directors and, if applicable, its designated committee, acting independently of all officers, agents and employees of the Bank. The Auditor shall render reports covering matters in his or her charge regularly and upon request to the Board and, if applicable, its designated committee.
Section 9. Other Officers and Agents.
The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers and agents as it may deem advisable, such as General Counsel, who shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The functions of a cashier of the Bank may be performed by the Controller or any other officer of the Bank whose area of responsibility includes the function to be performed.
Section 10. Management Policymaking Committee.
Pursuant to the By-Laws of Regions Financial Corporation, the Chief Executive Officer shall establish and name (and may rename from time to time) an executive management committee to develop,
publish and implement policies and procedures for the operation of Regions Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including the Bank.
Section 11. Officer in Charge of Wealth Management.
The officer in charge of Wealth Management shall be designated as such by the Board of Directors and shall exercise general supervision and management over the affairs of Private Wealth Management, Institutional Services and Wealth Management Middle Office, which groups are responsible for exercise of the Bank’s trust powers. Such officer is hereby empowered to appoint all necessary agents or attorneys; also to make, execute and acknowledge all checks, bonds, certificates, deeds, mortgages, notes, releases, leases, agreements, contracts, bills of sale, assignments, transfers, powers of attorney or of substitution, proxies to vote stock, or any other instrument in writing that may be necessary in the purchase, sale, mortgage, lease, assignment, transfer, management or handling, in any way of any property of any description held or controlled by the Bank in any fiduciary capacity. Said officer shall have such other duties and powers as shall be designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 12. Other Officers in Private Wealth Management, Institutional Services and Wealth Management Middle Office.
The officer in charge of Wealth Management shall appoint officers responsible for the activities of Private Wealth Management, Institutional Services and Wealth Management Middle Office. Various other officers as designated by the officers responsible for the activities of Private Wealth Management, Institutional Services and Wealth Management Middle Office are empowered and authorized to make, execute and acknowledge all checks, bonds, certificates, deeds, mortgages, notes, releases, leases, agreements, contracts, bills of sale, assignments, transfers, powers of attorney or substitution, proxies to vote stock or any other instrument in writing that may be necessary to the purchase, sale, mortgage, lease, assignments, transfer, management or handling in any way, of any property of any description held or controlled by the Bank in any fiduciary capacity.
Section 13. Removal and Resignation of Officers.
At its pleasure, the Board of Directors may remove any officer from office at any time by a majority vote of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the terms of any employment or compensation contract shall be honored according to its terms. An individual’s status as an officer will terminate without the necessity of any other action or ratification immediately upon termination for any reason of the individual’s employment by the Bank. Any officer may resign at any time by delivering notice (whether written or verbal) to the Bank. Such resignation shall be effective immediately unless the notice of resignation specifies a later effective date.
ARTICLE V. MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. Certificates of Stock.
Certificates of stock of the Bank shall be signed by the President and the Secretary of the Bank, which signatures may be represented by a facsimile signature. The certificate may be sealed with the seal of the Bank or an engraved or printed facsimile thereof. The certificate represents the number of shares of stock registered in certificate form owned by such holder.
Section 2. Lost Certificates.
In case of the loss or destruction of any certificate of stock, the holder or owner of same shall give notice thereof to the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Senior Executive Vice President or the Secretary of the Bank and, if such holder or owner shall desire the issue of a new certificate in the place of the one lost or destroyed, he or she shall make an affidavit of such loss or destruction and deliver the same to any one of said officers and accompany the same with a bond with surety satisfactory to the Bank to indemnify the Bank and save it harmless against any loss, cost or damage in case such certificate should thereafter be presented to the Bank, which affidavit and bond shall be, at the discretion of the deciding party listed in this Section 2, unless so ordered by a court having jurisdiction over the matter, approved or rejected by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Senior Executive Vice President before the issue of any new certificate.
Section 3. Transfer of Shares.
Title to a certificate and to the shares represented thereby can be transferred only by delivery of the certificate endorsed either in blank or to a specified person by the person appearing by the certificate to be the owner of the shares represented thereby, or by delivery of the certificate and a separate document containing a written assignment of the certificate or a power of attorney to sell, assign or transfer the same or the shares represented thereby, signed by the person appearing by the certificate to be the owner of the shares represented thereby. Such assignment or power of attorney may be either in blank or to a specified person.
Section 4. Fractional Shares.
No fractional part of a share of stock shall be issued by the Bank.
Section 5. Stockholders Record Date.
In order that the Bank may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
Section 6. Dividends.
Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, at any regular or special meeting the Board of Directors may, out of funds legally available therefor, declare dividends upon the capital stock of the Bank as and when it deems expedient. Before declaring any dividend, there may be set apart out of any fund of the Bank available for dividends, such sum or sums as the Directors, from time to time in their discretion, deem proper for working capital; as a reserve fund to meet contingencies; for equalizing dividends; or for such other purposes as the Directors shall deem conducive to the interests of the Bank. No dividends shall be declared that exceed the amounts authorized by applicable laws and regulations or are otherwise contrary to law.
Section 7. Seal.
The Bank may have a corporate seal, which shall have the name of the Bank inscribed thereon and shall be in such form as prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time. The seal may also include appropriate descriptors, such as the words: “An Alabama Banking Corporation.” The Secretary of the Bank shall have custody of the seal and is authorized to affix the same to instruments, documents and papers as required by law or as customary or appropriate in the Secretary’s judgment and discretion. Without limiting the general authority of the Board of Directors of the Bank to name, appoint, remove and define the duties of officers of the Bank, the Secretary is further authorized to cause reproductions of the seal to be made, distributed to and used by officers and employees of the Bank whose duties and responsibilities involve the execution and delivery of instruments, documents and papers bearing the seal of the Bank. In this regard, the Secretary is further authorized to establish, implement, interpret and enforce policies and procedures governing the use of the seal and the authorization by the Secretary of officers and employees of the Bank to have custody of and to use the seal. Such policies and procedures may include (i) the right of the Secretary to appoint any Bank employee as an Assistant Secretary of the Bank, if such appointment would, in the Secretary’s judgment, be convenient with respect to such employee’s custody and use of a seal and/or (ii) the right of the Secretary to authorize Bank employees to have and use seals as delegates of the Secretary without appointing such employees as Assistant Secretaries of the Bank.
Section 8. Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the Bank shall be the calendar year.
Section 9. Checks, Drafts, Transfers, Services, etc.
The Chief Executive Officer, the President, any vice president or director, any Assistant Vice President, any Branch Manager, any Financial Relationship Specialist, any Financial Relationship Consultant or any other employee designated by the Board of Directors is authorized and empowered on behalf of the Bank and in its name to sign and endorse checks and warrants; to execute and deliver any and all documents that are necessary or desirable in connection with the opening of customer deposit accounts with the Bank, including, without limitation, documents associated with establishing treasury management services in connection with deposit accounts; documents requested or required by a third party in connection with the opening or rollover of individual retirement accounts to the Bank or otherwise; draw drafts; issue and sign cashier’s checks; guarantee signatures; give receipts for money due and payable to the Bank; and sign such other papers and do such other acts as are necessary in the performance of his or her duties. The authority conveyed to any employee designated by the Board of Directors may be limited by general or specific resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 10. Notice and Waiver of Notice.
Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given under the provisions of any law or under the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Bank or these By-Laws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of business at the meeting because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
Section 11. Right of Indemnity.
To the full extent provided for and in accordance with the Corporation Law, and specifically Section 10A-2A-8.50 et seq., the Bank shall indemnify and hold harmless each Director and each officer now or hereafter serving the Bank against any loss and reasonable expenses actually and necessarily incurred by him or her in connection with the defense of any claim, or any action, suit or proceeding against him or her or in which he or she is made a party, by reason of him or her being or having been a Director or officer of the Bank, or who, while a Director or officer of the Bank, is or was serving at the Bank’s request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. Such right of indemnity shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which such Director or officer may be entitled under any statute, article of incorporation, rule of law, other bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or directors, or otherwise. Nor shall anything herein contained restrict the right of the Bank to indemnify or reimburse any officer or Director in any proper case even though not specifically provided for herein.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Bank shall not make or agree to make any indemnification payment to a Director or officer or any other institution-affiliated party (as such term is defined in 12 CFR § 359.1) with respect to (i) any civil money penalty or judgment resulting from any administrative or civil action instituted by any federal banking agency, except in full compliance with 12 CFR Part 359, (ii) any assessment, order of restitution, penalty or similar liability imposed under authority of the Banking Code, or (iii) any liability for violation of Section 10A-2A-8.32 of the Corporation Law.
In advance of final disposition, the Bank may, but is not required to, pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by a person who may become eligible for indemnification under this Article V, Section 11, provided the conditions set forth in Section 10A-2A-8.53 of the Corporation Law (and, if applicable, 12 CFR § 359.5) shall have been satisfied.
The Bank may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of said Directors or officers against liability asserted against or incurred by a Director or officer acting in such capacity as described in these By-Laws. Such insurance coverage shall not be used to pay or reimburse a person for the cost of (i) any judgment or civil money penalty assessed against such person in an administrative proceeding or civil action commenced by any federal banking agency or (ii) any assessment or penalty imposed under authority of the Banking Code. Such insurance coverage may be used to pay any legal or professional expenses incurred in connection with such proceeding or action or the amount of any restitution to the Bank. Any insurance coverage of legal or professional expenses will be coordinated with the Bank’s determination whether to advance expenses in advance of final disposition, taking into account the terms and conditions of the coverage and the requirements of Section 10A-2A-8.53 of the Corporation Law.
Section 12. Execution of Instruments and Documents.
The Chief Executive Officer; the President; any Senior Executive Vice President, Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President; or any officer holding the title of Executive Managing Director, Managing Director or Director is authorized, in his or her discretion, to do and perform any and all corporate and official acts in carrying on the business of the Bank, including, but not limited to, the authority to make, execute, acknowledge, accept and deliver any and all deeds, mortgages, releases, bills of sale, assignments, transfers, leases (as lessor or lessee), powers of attorney or of substitution, servicing or sub-servicing agreements, vendor agreements, contracts, proxies to vote stock or any other instrument in writing that may be necessary in the purchase, sale, lease, assignment, transfer, discount, management or handling in any way of any property of any description held, controlled or used by Bank or to be held, controlled or used by Bank, either in its own or in its fiduciary capacity and including the authority from time to time to open bank accounts with the Bank or any other institution; to borrow money in such amounts for such lengths of time, at such rates of interest and upon such terms and conditions as any said officer may deem proper and to evidence the indebtedness thereby created by executing and delivering in the name
of the Bank promissory notes or other appropriate evidences of indebtedness; and to guarantee the obligations of any subsidiary or affiliate of the Bank. The enumeration herein of particular powers shall not restrict in any way the general powers and authority of said officers.
By way of example and not limitation, such officers of the Bank are authorized to execute, accept, deliver and issue, on behalf of the Bank and as binding obligations of the Bank, such agreements and instruments as may be within the officer’s area of responsibility, including, as applicable, agreements and related documents (such as schedules, confirmations, transfers, assignments, acknowledgments and other documents) relating to derivative transactions, loan or letter of credit transactions, syndications, participations, trades, purchase and sale or discount transactions, transfers and assignments, servicing and sub-servicing agreements, vendor agreements, contracts, securitizations and transactions of whatever kind or description arising in the conduct of the Bank’s business.
The authority to execute and deliver documents, instruments and agreements may be limited by resolution of the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors, by the Chief Executive Officer or by the President, by reference to subject matter, category, amount, geographical location or any other criteria and may be made subject to such policies, procedures and levels of approval as may be adopted or amended from time to time.
Section 13. Voting Bank’s Securities.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Executive Vice President or Executive Managing Director or above, the Controller, the Bank’s General Counsel and any other officer as may be designated by the Board of Directors shall have full power and authority on behalf of the Bank (i) to attend and to act and vote or (ii) to execute a proxy or proxies empowering others to attend and to act and vote, at any meetings of security holders of any of the corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies or other entities in which the Bank may hold securities and, at such meetings, such officer shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and powers incident to the ownership of such securities which, as the owner thereof, the Bank might have possessed and exercised, if present.
Section 14. Bonds of Officers and Employees.
The Board of Directors shall, pursuant to the Banking Code, designate the officers and employees who shall be required to give bond and fix the amounts thereof.
Section 15. Satisfaction of Loans.
On payment of sums lent, for which security shall have been taken either by way of mortgage or other lien on real or personal property or by the pledge of collateral, whether said loans have been made from funds of the Bank or from funds held in fiduciary capacity, any officer of the Bank shall have the power and authority to sign or execute any and all collateral release documents that may be necessary or desirable for the purpose of releasing property or property rights held by the Bank as collateral for obligations to the Bank that are paid in full or otherwise satisfied or settled and enter the fact of payment or satisfaction on the margin of the record of any such security or in any other legal manner to cancel such indebtedness and to release said security, and the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President or Director of the Bank shall have power and authority to execute a power of attorney authorizing the cancellation, release or satisfaction of any mortgage or other security given to the Bank in its corporate or fiduciary capacity, by such person as he or she may in his or her discretion appoint.
ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENTS
Except as otherwise provided herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Bank, these By-Laws may be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then holding office at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors, and the stockholders may make, alter or repeal any By-Laws, whether or not adopted by them.
ARTICLE VII. EMERGENCY BY-LAWS
Section 1. Emergency By-Laws.
This Article VII shall be operative if a quorum of the Bank’s Directors cannot readily be assembled because of some catastrophic event (an “emergency”), notwithstanding any different or conflicting provisions in these By-Laws, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Code of Alabama. To the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article VII, the By-Laws provided in the other Articles of these By-Laws and the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation shall remain in effect during such emergency, and upon termination of such emergency, the provisions of this Article VII shall cease to be operative.
Section 2. Meetings.
During any emergency, a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, may be called by any member of the Board of Directors, the President, a Senior Executive Vice President, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary. Notice of the time and place of the meeting shall be given by any available means of communication by the individual calling the meeting to such of the Directors and/or Designated Officers, as defined in Section 3 of this Article VII, as it may be feasible to reach. Such notice shall be given at such time in advance of the meeting as, in the judgment of the individual calling the meeting, circumstances permit. As a result of such emergency, the Board of Directors may determine that a meeting of stockholders not be held at any place, but instead be held solely by means of remote communication in accordance with the Corporation Law.
Section 3. Quorum.
At any meeting of the Board, or any committee thereof, called in accordance with Section 2 of this Article VII, the presence or participation of two Directors or one Director and a Designated Officer shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the event that no Directors are able to attend the meeting of the Board of Directors, then the Designated Officers in attendance shall serve as directors for the meeting, without any additional quorum requirement and will have full powers to act as directors of the Bank.
The Board of Directors or the committees thereof, as the case may be, shall, from time to time but in any event prior to such time or times as an emergency may have occurred, designate the officers of the Bank in a numbered list (the “Designated Officers”) who shall be deemed, in the order in which they appear on such list, directors of the Bank for purposes of obtaining a quorum during an emergency, if a quorum of Directors cannot otherwise be obtained.
Section 4. By-Laws.
At any meeting called in accordance with Section 2 of this Article VII, the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, as the case may be, may modify, amend or add to the provisions of this Article VII so as to make any provision that may be practical or necessary for the circumstances of the emergency.
Section 5. Liability.
No officer, Director or employee of the Bank acting in accordance with the provisions of this Article VII shall be liable except for willful misconduct.
Section 6. Repeal or Change.
The provisions of this Article VII shall be subject to repeal or change by further action of the Board of Directors or by action of the stockholders, but no such repeal or change shall modify the provisions of Section 5 of this Article VII with regard to action taken prior to the time of such repeal or change.
Section 7. Continued Operations.
In the event of an emergency declared by the President of the United States or the person performing his or her functions, the officers and employees of the Bank will continue to conduct the affairs of the Bank under such guidance from the Directors as may be available except as to matters which by statute require specific approval of the Board of Directors and subject to conformance with any governmental directives or directives of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation during the emergency.
EXHIBIT 7
Exhibit 107.1
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
Form S-3
(Form Type)
Alabama Power Company
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Security Type | Security Class Title | Fee Calculation or Carry Forward Rule | Amount Registered | Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit | Maximum Aggregate Offering Price | Fee Rate | Amount of Registration Fee | Carry Forward Form Type | Carry Forward File Number | Carry Forward Initial effective date | Filing Fee Previously Paid In Connection with Unsold Securities to be Carried Forward |
| Newly Registered Securities |
| Fees to Be Paid | Equity | Alabama Power Company Class A Preferred Stock | Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) (1) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (1) | (1) | | | | |
| Equity | Alabama Power Company Preference Stock | Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) (1) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (1) | (1) | | | | |
| Debt | Alabama Power Company Senior Notes | Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) (1) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (1) | (1) | | | | |
| Debt | Alabama Power Company Junior Subordinated Notes | Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) (1) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (1) | (1) | | | | |
| Fees Previously Paid | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | | N/A | | | | |
| Carry Forward Securities |
| Carry Forward Securities | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | | N/A | | | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total Offering Amounts | | N/A | | N/A | | | | |
| Total Fees Previously Paid | | | | N/A | | | | |
| Total Fee Offsets | | | | N/A | | | | |
| | Net Fee Due | | | | N/A | | | | |
(1)In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Alabama Power Company is deferring payment of all of the registration fee, which will be calculated based on the fee rate in effect at the time of such fee payment.
(2)There are being registered hereunder such presently indeterminate number of shares of Class A Preferred Stock and Preference Stock of Alabama Power Company and such presently indeterminate principal amount of Senior Notes and Junior Subordinated Notes of Alabama Power Company as may from time to time be issued at indeterminable prices.
