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EX-23.1 - EX-23.1 - PULASKI FINANCIAL CORPa12-14418_1ex23d1.htm

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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 21, 2012

Registration No. 333-182052

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC  20549

 

 

Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to

 

 

 

FORM S-1

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Pulaski Financial Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Missouri

 

6035

 

43-1816913

State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization

 

(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

12300 Olive Boulevard

St. Louis, Missouri 63141

(314) 878-2210

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Gary W. Douglass

President and Chief Executive Officer

Pulaski Financial Corp.

12300 Olive Boulevard

St. Louis, Missouri 63141

(314) 878-2210

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of agent for service)

 

Copy to:

Aaron M. Kaslow

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

607 14th Street, NW, Suite 900

Washington, DC  20005

(202) 508-5800

 

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

 

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, 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, 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 post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) 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

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer o

Accelerated filer o

Non-accelerated filer o (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

Smaller reporting company x

 

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

 

 

 



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The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is not complete and may be changed.  Neither we nor the selling shareholder may sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective.  This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying preliminary prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, Dated June 21, 2012

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus Dated June   , 2012)

 

32,538 Shares of Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A

Liquidation Preference Amount $1,000 Per Share

 

GRAPHIC

 

This prospectus supplement relates to the offer and sale of 32,538 shares of our Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, $0.01 par value per share (the “Preferred Shares”), liquidation preference amount $1,000 per share, by the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”). We issued the Preferred Shares to Treasury on January 16, 2009 as part of Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Capital Purchase Program (the “CPP”) in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

 

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any Preferred Shares sold by Treasury.

 

Dividends on the Preferred Shares are payable quarterly in arrears on each February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15.  The initial dividend rate is 5% per annum through February 14, 2014, and will increase to 9% per annum on and after February 15, 2014 if not otherwise redeemed earlier for cash by us.  As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we have paid in full all of our quarterly dividend obligations on the Preferred Shares.  We may redeem the Preferred Shares, at any time, in whole or in part, at our option, subject to prior approval by the appropriate federal banking agency, for cash, for a redemption price equal to 100% of the liquidation preference amount per Preferred Share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends to but excluding the date of redemption.

 

The Preferred Shares will not be listed for trading on any stock exchange or available for quotation on any national quotation system.

 

The public offering price and the allocation of the Preferred Shares in this offering will be determined by an auction process.  During the auction period, potential bidders will be able to place bids to purchase Preferred Shares at any price at or above the minimum bid price of $      per share (such bid price to be in increments of $0.01).  The minimum size for any bid will be one Preferred Share.  After the auction closes, if Treasury decides to sell any of the offered Preferred Shares, then the underwriters will agree to purchase such Preferred Shares in a firm commitment underwriting and the public offering price of such Preferred Shares will equal the clearing price plus accrued dividends thereon.  If bids are received for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares, the clearing price will be equal to the highest price at which all of the offered Preferred Shares can be sold in the auction.  If bids are received for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares, and Treasury elects to sell any Preferred Shares in the auction, Treasury must sell all of the offered Preferred Shares at the clearing price.  If bids are received for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares, then the clearing price will be equal to the minimum bid price of $      per share, and Treasury may (but is not required to) sell, at the public offering price, the number of Preferred Shares it chooses to sell up to the number of bids received in the auction, so long as at least half of the offered Preferred Shares are sold.  In certain cases, the bids of bidders may be pro-rated.  If bids are received for less than half of the offered Preferred Shares, Treasury will not sell any Preferred Shares in this offering.  Even if bids are received for at least half of the offered Preferred Shares, Treasury may decide not to sell any Preferred Shares or, in the case where bids are received for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares, may decide to sell a portion (but not less than half) of the offered Preferred Shares in the auction process. The method for submitting bids and a more detailed description of this auction process are described in “Auction Process” beginning on page S-30 of this prospectus supplement.

 

Investing in the Preferred Shares involves risks.  You should read the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page S-8 of this prospectus supplement and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011 before making a decision to invest in the Preferred Shares.

 

 

 

Per Share

 

Total

 

Public offering price(1)

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

Underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by Treasury(2)

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

Proceeds to Treasury(1)

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

 


(1)          Plus accrued dividends from and including May 15, 2012.

 

(2)  Treasury has agreed to pay all underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes.  We have agreed to pay all transaction fees, if any, applicable to the sale of the Preferred Shares and certain fees and disbursements of counsel for Treasury incurred in connection with this offering.

 

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”), any state or other securities commission or any other federal or state bank regulatory agency has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The Preferred Shares are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any bank, thrift or other depositary institution and are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other governmental agency or instrumentality.

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the Preferred Shares in book-entry form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company and its participants against payment on or about July   , 2012.

 


 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

BofA Merrill Lynch

Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P.

 

 


 

Co-Managers

 

Great Pacific Securities

Loop Capital Markets

Ramirez & Co., Inc.

 


 

The date of this prospectus supplement is June   , 2012.

 



Table of Contents

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Prospectus Supplement

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

S-i

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

S-i

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

S-ii

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

S-iii

SUMMARY

S-1

RISK FACTORS

S-8

USE OF PROCEEDS

S-24

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED SHARES

S-24

AUCTION PROCESS

S-30

SELLING SHAREHOLDER

S-37

U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

S-39

UNDERWRITING

S-43

REGULATION

S-46

LEGAL MATTERS

S-46

EXPERTS

S-46

 

 

Prospectus

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

2

PULASKI FINANCIAL CORP.

2

RISK FACTORS

2

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

3

USE OF PROCEEDS

4

SELLING SHAREHOLDER

4

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

5

SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED

7

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED SHARES

7

DESCRIPTION OF THE WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK

11

DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON STOCK

12

LEGAL MATTERS

13

EXPERTS

13

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

13

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

14

 



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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

You should read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” before you make a decision to invest in the Preferred Shares.  In particular, you should review the information under the heading “Risk Factors” set forth on page S-8 of this prospectus supplement and the information under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011, which is incorporated by reference herein.  You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus required to be filed with the SEC.  Neither we nor Treasury nor the underwriters are making an offer to sell the Preferred Shares in any manner in which, or in any jurisdiction where, the offer or sale thereof is not permitted.  We have not authorized any person to provide you with different or additional information.  If any person provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it.  You should assume that the information in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any such free writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein is accurate only as of its date or the date which is specified in those documents.  Our business, financial condition, capital levels, cash flows, liquidity, results of operations and prospects may have changed since any such date.

 

In this prospectus supplement, we frequently use the terms “we,” “our” and “us” to refer to Pulaski Financial Corp. (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries.

 

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as well as other written communications made from time to time by us and oral communications made from time to time by our authorized officers, may contain statements relating to our future results (including certain projections and business trends) that are considered “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “PSLRA”).  Such forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “estimated,” “intend” and “potential.” Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, possible or assumed estimates with respect to the financial condition, expected or anticipated revenue, and results of our operations and business, including earnings growth; revenue growth in retail banking, lending and other areas; origination volume in our consumer, commercial and other lending businesses; asset quality and levels of non-performing assets; impairment charges with respect to investment securities; current and future capital management programs; non-interest income levels, including fees from services and product sales; tangible capital generation; market share; expense levels; and other business operations and strategies.  For these statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the PSLRA.

 

We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated in any forward-looking statement.  Such factors include, but are not limited to:

 

·                  the factors identified in this document under the headings “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information” and “Risk Factors;”

 

·                  prevailing economic conditions, either nationally or locally in some or all areas in which we conduct business, or conditions in the banking industry;

 

·                  changes in interest rates, deposit flows, loan demand, real estate values and competition, which can materially affect, among other things, consumer banking revenues, revenues from sales on non-deposit investment products, origination levels in our lending businesses and the level of defaults, losses and prepayments on loans we have made and make, whether held in portfolio or sold in the secondary markets;

 

·                  changes in the quality or composition of the loan or investment portfolios;

 

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·                  factors driving impairment charges on investments;

 

·                  our ability to successfully integrate any assets, liabilities, customers, systems and management personnel we may acquire into our operations and our ability to realize related revenue synergies and cost savings within expected time frames;

 

·                  our timely development of new and competitive products or services in a changing environment, and the acceptance of such products or services by customers;

 

·                  operational issues and/or capital spending necessitated by the potential need to adapt to industry changes in information technology systems, on which we are highly dependent;

 

·                  changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines;

 

·                  changes in any applicable law, rule, regulation or practice with respect to tax or legal issues;

 

·                  risks and uncertainties related to mergers and related integration and restructuring activities;

 

·                  litigation liabilities, including related costs, expenses, settlements and judgments, or the outcome of other matters before regulatory agencies, whether pending or commencing in the future; and

 

·                  other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and technological factors affecting our operations, pricing, products and services.

 

Additionally, the timing and occurrence or non-occurrence of events may be subject to circumstances beyond our control.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which are made as of the date of this prospectus.  Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and file with the SEC proxy statements, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as required of a U.S. listed company. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference rooms. Our SEC filings are also available to the public from the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov or on our website at www.pulaskibank.com.  However, the information on, or that can be accessible through, our website does not constitute a part of, and is not incorporated by reference in, this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.  Written requests for copies of the documents we file with the SEC should be directed to Pulaski Financial Corp. Investor Relations, 12300 Olive Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, 63141.

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a registration statement on Form S-1 filed by us with the SEC under the Securities Act. As permitted by the SEC, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not contain all the information in the registration statement filed with the SEC. For a more complete understanding of this offering, you should refer to the complete registration statement, including exhibits, on Form S-1 that may be obtained as described above. Statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus about the contents of any contract or other document are not necessarily complete. If we have filed any contract or other document as an exhibit to the registration statement or any other document incorporated by reference in the registration statement, you should read the exhibit for a more complete understanding of the contract or other document or matter involved. Each statement regarding a contract or other document is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual contract or other document.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information that we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We incorporate by reference the following documents (other than information “furnished” rather than “filed” in accordance with SEC rules):

 

·                                          the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 3011;

 

·                                          the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended December 31, 2011 and March 31, 2012;

 

·                                          the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on November 14, 2011, December 19, 2011, February 3, 2012 and March 19, 2012; and

 

·                                          the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement related to its 2012 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on December 30, 2011.

 

We will provide without charge, upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and a copy of any or all other contracts or documents which are referred to in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Requests should be directed to: Pulaski Financial Corp., 12300 Olive Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri 63141, attention to Gary W. Douglass.

 

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SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and may not contain all the information that you need to consider in making your investment decision to purchase the Preferred Shares.  You should carefully read this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as well as the information incorporated by reference herein and therein, before deciding whether to invest in the Preferred Shares.  You should carefully consider the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein to determine whether an investment in the Preferred Shares is appropriate for you.

 

The Company

 

Pulaski Financial Corp. is the holding company for Pulaski Bank. We are registered as a savings and loan holding company. As such, we are subject to supervision and regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Pulaski Financial Corp. began operating in 2002 and Pulaski Bank was founded in 1922. Pulaski Bank provides an array of financial products and services for businesses and retail customers primarily through its thirteen full-service offices in the St. Louis metropolitan area and eight loan production offices in the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas, Joplin, Missouri and Wichita, Kansas. Pulaski Bank is primarily engaged in attracting deposits from individuals and businesses and using these deposits, together with borrowed funds, to originate primarily one-to four-family residential mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, commercial real estate and commercial and industrial loans principally within its St. Louis lending market. In addition, the Bank originates one-to four-family residential mortgage loans, primarily for resale in the secondary market, in its Kansas City, Joplin and Wichita markets. Pulaski Bank is a federally chartered savings bank subject to supervision and regulation by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Pulaski Bank’s deposit accounts are insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund administered by the FDIC to the maximum permitted by law.

 

As of March 31, 2012, Pulaski Financial Corp. had consolidated assets of $1,317 million, consolidated deposits of $1,111 million and consolidated stockholders’ equity of $123 million.  Shares of our common stock are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol “PULB.”

 

Our executive offices are located at 12300 Olive Boulevard, Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141, and our telephone number at these offices is (314) 878-2210.  Our Internet address is www.pulaskibank.com.  The information on our Web site is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

The Offering

 

The following summary contains basic information about the Preferred Shares and the auction process and is not intended to be complete and does not contain all the information that is important to you.  For a more complete understanding of the Preferred Shares and the auction process, you should read the sections of this prospectus supplement entitled “Description of Preferred Shares” and “Auction Process” and any similar sections in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Issuer

 

Pulaski Financial Corp.

 

 

 

Preferred Shares Offered by Treasury

 

32,538 shares of our Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, $0.01 par value per share.  The number of Preferred Shares to be sold will depend on the number of bids received in the auction described below and whether Treasury decides to sell any Preferred Shares in the auction process.  See the section entitled “Auction Process” in this prospectus supplement.

 

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Liquidation Preference

 

If we liquidate, dissolve or wind up (collectively, a “liquidation”), holders of the Preferred Shares will have the right to receive $1,000 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends (including dividends accrued on any unpaid dividends) to, but not including, the date of payment, before any payments are made to holders of our common stock or any other capital stock that ranks, by its terms, junior as to rights upon liquidation to the Preferred Shares.

 

Dividends

 

Dividends on the Preferred Shares are payable quarterly in arrears on each February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15.  The initial dividend rate is 5% per annum through February 14, 2014, and will increase to 9% per annum on and after February 15, 2014 if not otherwise redeemed earlier for cash by us.  As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we have paid in full all of our quarterly dividend obligations on the Preferred Shares.  Holders of Preferred Shares sold by Treasury in the auction, if any, that are record holders on the record date for the August 15, 2012 dividend payment date will be entitled to any declared dividends payable on such date.

 

Maturity

 

The Preferred Shares have no maturity date.

 

 

 

Rank

 

The Preferred Shares rank (i) senior to common stock or any other capital stock that ranks, by its terms, junior as to dividend rights and/or rights upon liquidation to the Preferred Shares (collectively, the “Junior Stock”), (ii) equally with any shares of our capital stock whose terms do not expressly provide that such class or series will rank senior or junior to the Preferred Shares as to dividend rights and/or rights upon liquidation (collectively, the “Parity Stock”) and (iii) junior to all of our existing and future indebtedness and any future senior securities, in each case as to dividend rights and/or rights upon liquidation.

 

 

 

Priority of Dividends

 

So long as any of the Preferred Shares remain outstanding, we may not declare or pay a dividend or other distribution on our common stock or any other shares of Junior Stock (other than dividends payable solely in common stock) or Parity Stock (other than dividends paid on a pro rata basis with the Preferred Shares), and we generally may not directly or indirectly purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of common stock, Junior Stock or Parity Stock unless all accrued and unpaid dividends on the Preferred Shares for all past dividend periods are paid in full.

 

 

 

Redemption

 

We may redeem the Preferred Shares, at any time, in whole or in part, at our option, subject to prior approval by the appropriate federal banking agency, for a redemption price equal to 100% of the liquidation preference amount per Preferred Share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends (including dividends accrued on any unpaid dividends) to but excluding the date of redemption.

 

 

 

 

 

We intend to redeem or repurchase Preferred Shares in such amounts and at such times as we deem prudent, although we have no present plans to redeem, in whole or in part, the Preferred Shares before February 15, 2014, when the dividend rate is scheduled to increase. Our ability to do so will depend on then-present facts and circumstances and the amount of capital we hold or can raise at the holding company level. In order for us to obtain approval from our applicable regulatory authorities to redeem the Preferred Shares, we would expect that such regulatory authorities would require us to satisfy our capital commitments to them, if any, after giving effect to the redemption of the Preferred Shares so approved.

 

 

 

Voting Rights

 

Holders of the Preferred Shares generally have no voting rights. However, if we do not pay dividends on the Preferred Shares for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive, the holders of the Preferred Shares, voting as a single class with the holders of any other Parity Stock upon which like voting rights have been

 

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conferred and are exercisable, will be entitled to vote for the election of two additional directors to serve on our board of directors until all accrued and unpaid dividends (including dividends accrued on any unpaid dividends) on the Preferred Shares for all past dividend periods are paid in full. There is no limit on the number of nominations and a plurality of eligible voters would determine the election of the two new directors.

 

In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding Preferred Shares is required for us to authorize, create or increase the authorized number of shares of our capital stock ranking, as to dividends or amounts payable upon liquidation, senior to the Preferred Shares, to amend, alter or repeal any provision of our charter or the Certificate of Designations for the Preferred Shares in a manner that adversely affects the rights of the holders of the Preferred Shares or to consummate a binding share exchange or reclassification of the Preferred Shares or a merger or consolidation of us with another entity unless (x) the Preferred Shares remain outstanding or are converted into or exchanged for preference shares of the surviving entity or its ultimate parent and (y) the Preferred Shares remain outstanding or such preference shares have such terms that are not materially less favorable, taken as a whole, than the rights of the Preferred Shares immediately prior to such transaction, taken as a whole.

 

Auction Process

 

The public offering price and the allocation of the Preferred Shares in this offering will be determined through an auction process conducted by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P., the joint book-running managers in this offering, in their capacity as the auction agents.  The auction process will entail a modified “Dutch auction” mechanic in which bids may be submitted through the auction agents or one of the other brokers that is a member of the broker network, which are collectively referred to in this prospectus supplement as the “network brokers,” established in connection with the auction process.  Each broker will make suitability determinations with respect to its own customers wishing to participate in the auction process.  The auction agents will not provide bidders with any information about the bids of other bidders or auction trends, or with advice regarding bidding strategies, in connection with the auction process.  We encourage you to discuss any questions regarding the bidding process and suitability determinations applicable to your bids with your broker.  We do not intend to submit any bids in the auction.

 

For more information about the auction process, see “Auction Process” in this prospectus supplement.

 

Minimum Bid Size and Price Increments

 

This offering is being conducted using an auction process in which prospective purchasers are required to bid for the Preferred Shares.  During the auction period, bids may be placed for Preferred Shares at any price at or above the minimum bid price of $      per share (such bid price to be in increments of $0.01) with a minimum bid

 

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size of one Preferred Share.  See “Auction Process” in this prospectus supplement.

 

Bid Submission Deadline

 

The auction will commence at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified by the auction agents in a press release issued prior to the opening of the equity markets on such day, and will close at 6:30 p.m., New York City time, on the second business day immediately thereafter, which is referred to as the “submission deadline.”

 

Irrevocability of Bids

 

Bids that have not been modified or withdrawn by the time of the submission deadline are final and irrevocable, and bidders who submit bids that are accepted by Treasury will be obligated to purchase the Preferred Shares allocated to them.  The auction agents are under no obligation to reconfirm bids for any reason, except as may be required by applicable securities laws; however, the auction agents, in their sole discretion, may require that bidders confirm their bids before the auction process closes.  See “Auction Process” in this prospectus supplement.

 

 

 

Clearing Price

 

The price at which the Preferred Shares will be sold to the public will be the clearing price plus accrued dividends thereon.  The clearing price will be determined as follows:

 

·              If valid, irrevocable bids are received for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares at the submission deadline, the clearing price will be equal to the highest price at which all of the offered Preferred Shares can be sold in the auction;

 

·              If valid, irrevocable bids are received for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares at the time of the submission deadline, the clearing price will be equal to the minimum bid price of $      per share.

 

 

 

 

 

Even if bids are received for at least half of the offered Preferred Shares, Treasury may decide not to sell any Preferred Shares in the auction process or, in the case where bids are received for at least half, but less than all, of the Preferred Shares, may decide only to sell a portion (but not less than half) of the offered Preferred Shares in the auction process.  If Treasury decides to sell Preferred Shares in the auction, after Treasury confirms its acceptance of the clearing price and the number of Preferred Shares to be sold, the auction agents and each network broker that has submitted a successful bid will notify successful bidders that the auction has closed and that their bids have been accepted by Treasury (subject, in some cases, to pro-ration, as described below).  The clearing price and number of Preferred Shares to be sold are also expected to be announced by press release on the business day following the end of the auction.  See “Auction Process” in this prospectus supplement.

 

 

 

Number of Preferred Shares to be Sold

 

If bids are received for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares, Treasury must sell all of the offered Preferred Shares if it chooses to sell any Preferred Shares.  If bids are received for at least

 

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half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares, then Treasury may, but is not required to, sell at the minimum bid price in the auction (which will be deemed to be the clearing price) the number of Preferred Shares it chooses to sell up to the number of bids received in the auction, so long as at least half of the offered Preferred Shares are sold.  If bids are received for less than half of the offered Preferred Shares, Treasury will not sell any Preferred Shares in this offering.  Even if bids are received for at least half of the offered Preferred Shares, Treasury may decide not to sell any Preferred Shares or, in the case where bids are received for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares, may decide only to sell a portion (but not less than half) of the offered Preferred Shares in the auction process.  If Treasury elects to sell any Preferred Shares in the auction, Treasury must sell those shares at the clearing price plus accrued dividends thereon.  In no event will Treasury sell more Preferred Shares than the number of Preferred Shares for which there are bids.  See “Auction Process” in this prospectus supplement.

 

 

 

Allocation; Pro-Ration

 

If bids for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares are received and Treasury elects to sell Preferred Shares in the offering, then any accepted bids submitted in the auction above the clearing price will receive allocations in full, while any accepted bids submitted at the clearing price may experience pro-rata allocation.  If bids for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares are received, and Treasury chooses to sell fewer Preferred Shares than the number of Preferred Shares for which bids were received, then all bids will experience equal pro-rata allocation.  See “Auction Process” in this prospectus supplement.

 

 

 

Use of Proceeds

 

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any Preferred Shares sold by Treasury.  See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

 

 

Listing

 

The Preferred Shares will not be listed for trading on any stock exchange nor will they be available for quotation on any national quotation system.

 

 

 

Risk Factors

 

See “Risk Factors” and other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for a discussion of factors you should consider carefully before making a decision to invest in the Preferred Shares.

 

Auction Agents

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.

 

Network Brokers

 

See page S-32 for a list of brokers participating as network brokers in the auction process.

 

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Summary Consolidated Financial Data

 

The following tables present our selected consolidated financial data as of or for the six months ended March 31, 2012 and each of the three years ended September 30, 2011. Financial data as of or for the six months ended March 31, 2012 is derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements, and financial data as of or for each of the three years ended September 30, 2011 is derived from our audited consolidated financial statements. You should read this table together with the historical consolidated financial information contained in our consolidated financial statements and related notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011, which have been filed with the SEC and are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

 

 

At or for the
Six Months
Ended
March 31,

 

At or for the Years Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2010

 

2009

 

 

 

 

 

(In thousands, except per-share amounts)

 

FINANCIAL CONDITION DATA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total assets

 

$

1,317,287

 

$

1,309,209

 

$

1,452,817

 

$

1,406,426

 

Loans receivable, net

 

998,390

 

1,021,273

 

1,046,273

 

1,132,095

 

Mortgage loans held for sale

 

149,978

 

100,719

 

253,578

 

109,130

 

Debt securities

 

10,932

 

14,457

 

8,001

 

1,997

 

Capital stock of Federal Home Loan Bank

 

3,940

 

3,100

 

9,774

 

11,650

 

Mortgage-backed securities

 

7,004

 

9,986

 

19,142

 

28,165

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

46,121

 

57,071

 

15,603

 

37,451

 

Deposits

 

1,110,824

 

1,122,525

 

1,115,203

 

1,191,629

 

Advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank

 

49,000

 

29,000

 

181,000

 

61,000

 

Subordinated debentures

 

19,589

 

19,589

 

19,589

 

19,589

 

Stockholders’ equity — preferred

 

31,749

 

31,527

 

31,088

 

30,655

 

Stockholders’ equity — common

 

90,900

 

88,643

 

85,265

 

86,306

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OPERATING DATA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest and dividend income

 

$

28,634

 

$

60,253

 

$

65,104

 

$

67,823

 

Interest expense

 

4,699

 

12,951

 

18,392

 

26,215

 

Net interest income

 

23,935

 

47,302

 

46,712

 

41,608

 

Provision for loan losses

 

8,500

 

14,800

 

26,064

 

23,031

 

Net interest income after provision for loan losses

 

15,435

 

32,502

 

20,648

 

18,577

 

Securities gains (losses)

 

 

 

 

303

 

Other non-interest income

 

6,970

 

12,998

 

14,840

 

19,264

 

Total non-interest expense

 

16,073

 

34,285

 

31,936

 

31,437

 

Income before income taxes

 

6,332

 

11,215

 

3,552

 

6,707

 

Income taxes

 

1,921

 

3,150

 

259

 

1,630

 

Net income

 

4,411

 

8,065

 

3,293

 

5,077

 

Preferred stock dividends declared and discount accretion

 

1,035

 

2,066

 

2,060

 

1,265

 

Income available to common shares

 

$

3,376

 

$

5,999

 

$

1,233

 

$

3,812

 

 

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At or for
the Six
Months
Ended
March 31,

 

At or for the Years Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2010

 

2009

 

COMMON SHARE DATA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic earnings per common share

 

$

0.32

 

$

0.57

 

$

0.12

 

$

0.37

 

Diluted earnings per common share

 

$

0.30

 

$

0.55

 

$

0.12

 

$

0.37

 

Dividends declared per common share

 

$

0.19

 

$

0.38

 

$

0.38

 

$

0.38

 

Book value per common share

 

$

8.05

 

$

8.07

 

$

7.87

 

$

8.31

 

Weighted average common shares — basic

 

10,632

 

10,543

 

10,381

 

10,179

 

Weighted average common shares — diluted

 

11,069

 

10,988

 

10,627

 

10,402

 

Common shares outstanding at end of period

 

11,287

 

10,987

 

10,838

 

10,389

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEY OPERATING RATIOS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return on average assets

 

0.68

%

0.58

%

0.24

%

0.36

%

Return on average total equity

 

7.13

 

6.73

 

2.80

 

4.64

 

Return on average common equity

 

7.33

 

6.77

 

1.42

 

4.36

 

Interest rate spread

 

3.76

 

3.51

 

3.34

 

2.85

 

Net interest margin

 

3.92

 

3.67

 

3.54

 

3.10

 

Efficiency ratio

 

51.96

 

56.87

 

52.12

 

51.24

 

Dividend payout ratio

 

63.33

 

69.09

 

316.67

 

102.70

 

Non-interest expense to average assets

 

2.46

 

2.49

 

2.30

 

2.21

 

Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities

 

120.32

 

115.75

 

114.41

 

112.77

 

Allowance for loan losses to total loans receivable at end of period

 

1.80

 

2.46

 

2.52

 

1.79

 

Allowance for loan losses to non-performing loans

 

37.10

 

48.17

 

45.29

 

34.68

 

Net charge-offs to average outstanding loans receivable during the period

 

3.08

 

1.51

 

1.76

 

1.31

 

Non-performing assets to total assets

 

5.03

 

5.51

 

5.13

 

4.82

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REGULATORY CAPITAL RATIOS (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tangible capital

 

10.22

%

10.18

%

9.02

%

9.19

%

Core capital

 

10.22

 

10.18

 

9.02

 

9.19

 

Total risk-based capital

 

13.96

 

13.59

 

12.39

 

12.33

 

 


(1)          Capital ratios are for Pulaski Bank.

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

An investment in our Preferred Shares is subject to risks inherent in our business, risks relating to the structure of the Preferred Shares and risks relating to the auction process being conducted as part of this offering. The material risks and uncertainties that management believes affect your investment in the Preferred Shares are described below and in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011 incorporated by reference herein. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below and in the accompanying prospectus and information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.  If any of these risks or uncertainties are realized, our business, financial condition, capital levels, cash flows, liquidity, results of operations and prospects, as well as our ability to pay dividends on the Preferred Shares, could be materially and adversely affected and the market price of the Preferred Shares could decline significantly and you could lose some or all of your investment. We refer to any effect contemplated in the preceding sentence, collectively, as a “material adverse effect on us” or comparable text.

 

Risk Factors Related to our Business

 

Our provision for loan losses has been elevated over the past three fiscal years and we may be required to make further increases in our provision for loan losses and to charge-off additional loans in the future, especially due to our level of non-performing assets.  Further, our allowance for loan losses may prove to be insufficient to absorb losses in our loan portfolio.

 

For the year ended September 30, 2011, we recorded a provision for loan losses of $14.8 million and net loan charge-offs of $16.1 million.  For the six months ended March 31, 2012, we recorded a provision for loan losses of $8.5 million and net loan charge-offs of $16.0 million.  While our non-performing assets decreased from $74.5 million, or 5.13% of total assets, at September 30, 2010 to $66.2 million, or 5.03% of total assets, at March 31, 2012, the amount at March 31, 2012 remained elevated compared to historical levels that we experienced prior to the economic downturn in 2007.  The elevated level of non-performing assets was primarily due to the weakened economy and the soft real estate market.  If the economy and/or the real estate market remains weak these assets may not perform according to their terms and the value of the collateral may be insufficient to pay any remaining loan balance.  If this occurs, we may experience losses, which could have a negative effect on our results of operations.  Like all financial institutions, we maintain an allowance for loan losses to provide for loans in our portfolio that may not be repaid in their entirety.  We believe that our allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level adequate to absorb probable losses inherent in our loan portfolio as of the corresponding balance sheet date.  However, our allowance for loan losses may not be sufficient to cover actual loan losses, and future provisions for loan losses could materially adversely affect us.

 

Federal regulators, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review our allowance for loan losses and could require us to increase our allowance for loan losses by recognizing additional provisions for loan losses charged to expense, or to decrease our allowance for loan losses by recognizing loan charge-offs.  Any such additional provisions for loan losses or charge-offs, as required by these regulatory agencies, could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

Our commercial lending exposes us to lending risks.

 

At March 31, 2012, $583.0 million, or 57.50%, of our loan portfolio consisted of loans to commercial borrowers including land acquisition and development loans, real estate construction and development loans, commercial and multi-family real estate loans and commercial and industrial loans.  We intend to continue to emphasize these types of lending.  Commercial loans generally expose a lender to greater risk of non-payment and loss than one- to four-family residential mortgage loans because repayment of the loans often depends on the successful operation of the business and the income stream of the borrowers.  Such loans typically involve

 

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larger loan balances to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers compared to one- to four-family residential mortgage loans.  Also, many of our commercial borrowers have more than one loan outstanding with us.  Consequently, an adverse development with respect to one loan or one credit relationship can expose us to a significantly greater risk of loss compared to an adverse development with respect to a one- to four-family residential mortgage loan.

 

Our emphasis on residential mortgage loans and home equity loans exposes us to lending risks.

 

At March 31, 2012, $224.5 million, or 22.14%, of our loan portfolio consisted of one- to four-family residential first mortgage loans, $45.4 million, or 4.48%, of our loan portfolio consisted of one- four-family residential second mortgage loans and $158.9 million, or 15.67%, of our loan portfolio consisted of home equity lines of credit.  Declines in the housing market have resulted in declines in real estate values in our market areas.  These declines in real estate values could cause some of our mortgage and home equity loans to be inadequately collateralized, which would expose us to a greater risk of loss if we seek to recover on defaulted loans by selling the real estate collateral.

 

High loan-to-value ratios on a significant portion of our residential mortgage and home equity line of credit portfolios expose us to greater risk of loss.

 

Many of our residential mortgage loans are secured by liens on properties in which the borrowers have little or no equity because we originated a first mortgage with an 80% loan-to-value ratio at the time of purchase and a concurrent second mortgage with a combined loan-to-value ratio of up to 100%.  At March 31, 2012, approximately $22.3 million of second mortgage loans, or 5.20% of our $428.7 million residential mortgage loan portfolio, had original combined loan-to-value ratios in excess of 90%, based on appraisals obtained at the time of origination.  In addition, our home equity lines of credit may have, when added to existing senior lien balances, a combined loan-to-value ratio at the date of origination based upon the fully-disbursed amount, of up to 100% of the value of the home securing the loan. At March 31, 2012, we held $26.2 million of uninsured home equity lines of credit with a combined loan-to-value ratio in excess of 90%.  Subsequent declines in real estate values have likely resulted in an increase in such loan-to-value ratios.  Residential loans with high combined loan-to-value ratios will be more sensitive to declining property values than would those with lower combined loan-to-value ratios and, therefore, may experience a higher incidence of default and severity of losses. In addition, if the borrowers sell their homes, such borrowers may be unable to repay their loans in full from the proceeds of the sale.

 

The unseasoned nature of many loans in our commercial loan portfolio may result in errors in judging their collectability, which may lead to additional provisions for loan losses and/or charge-offs, which would reduce our profits.

 

Our commercial loan portfolio, which includes land acquisition and development loans, real estate construction and development loans, commercial and multi-family real estate loans and commercial and industrial loan, has increased $21.9 million, or 3.9%, from $561.1 million at September 30, 2010 and $176.0 million, or 43.2%, from $407.0 million at September 30, 2007 to $583.0 million at March 31, 2012.  A large portion of our commercial loan portfolio is unseasoned and does not provide us with a significant payment history pattern from which to judge future collectability. As a result, it is difficult to predict the future performance of this part of our loan portfolio. These loans may have delinquency or charge-off levels above our historical experience, which could materially adversely affect us. Further, commercial loans generally have larger balances and involve a greater risk than one- to four-family residential mortgage loans. Accordingly, if we make any errors in judgment in the collectability of our commercial loans, any resulting charge-offs may be larger on a per-loan basis than those incurred with our residential mortgage loan portfolio.

 

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We could be negatively affected if the level of our non-performing assets increases further.

 

Due primarily to the economic environment, our non-performing assets increased from $24.4 million at September 30, 2008 to $66.2 million at March 31, 2012.  Our non-performing assets adversely affect our net income in various ways.  We do not record interest income on non-accrual loans or real estate acquired through or in lieu of foreclosure, which has a negative impact on our net interest margin.  An increase in non-performing assets might require additions to our allowance for loan losses through provisions for loan losses, which are recorded as charges to income. From time to time, we may record write downs of the value of properties that we previously acquired through foreclosure to reflect changing market values, which are also recorded as charges to income.  There are legal fees associated with the resolution of problem assets as well as carrying costs such as taxes, insurance and maintenance related to foreclosed properties.

 

A return of recessionary conditions could result in increases in our level of non-performing loans and/or reduce demand for our products and services, which could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

Following a national home price peak in mid-2006, falling home prices and sharply reduced sales volumes, along with the collapse of the United States’ subprime mortgage industry in early 2007, significantly contributed to a recession that officially lasted until June 2009, although the effects continued thereafter. Dramatic declines in real estate values and high levels of foreclosures resulted in significant asset write-downs by financial institutions, which have caused many financial institutions to seek additional capital, to merge with other institutions and, in some cases, to fail. Concerns over the United States’ credit rating (which was recently downgraded by Standard & Poor’s), the European sovereign debt crisis, and continued high unemployment in the United States, among other economic indicators, have contributed to increased volatility in the capital markets and diminished expectations for the economy.

 

A return of recessionary conditions and/or continued negative developments in the domestic and international credit markets may significantly affect the markets in which we do business, the value of our loans and investments, and our ongoing operations, costs and profitability. Further declines in real estate values and sales volumes and continued high unemployment levels may result in higher than expected loan delinquencies and a decline in demand for our products and services. These negative events may cause us to incur losses and may materially adversely affect us.

 

If the value of real estate in the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas were to continue to decline, a significant portion of our loan portfolio could become under-collateralized, which could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

Our real estate loan portfolio consists of loans served by real estate primarily in the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas. These two metropolitan areas have experienced declines in home prices over the past several years.  Continued weak local economic conditions could have an additional adverse affect on the value of the real estate collateral securing our loans. A continued decline in property values would diminish our ability to recover on defaulted loans by selling the real estate collateral, making it more likely that we would suffer losses on defaulted loans. Additionally, a decrease in asset quality could require additions to our allowance for loan losses through increased provisions for loan losses, which would reduce our profits. Also, a decline in local economic conditions may have a greater effect on our earnings and capital than on the earnings and capital of larger financial institutions whose real estate loan portfolios are more geographically diverse. Real estate values are affected by various factors in addition to local economic conditions, including, among other things, changes in general or regional economic conditions, governmental rules or policies and natural disasters.

 

Our business is subject to the success of the local economy in which we operate.

 

Since the latter half of 2007, depressed economic conditions have existed throughout the United States, including our market areas.  Our market areas have experienced home price declines, increased

 

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foreclosures and increased unemployment rates.  Continued weak economic conditions in our market areas could reduce or limit our growth rate, affect the ability of our customers to repay their loans and generally affect our financial condition and results of operations.  Conditions such as inflation, recession, unemployment, high interest rates, short money supply, scarce natural resources, international disorders, terrorism and other factors beyond our control may adversely affect our profitability.  We are less able than a larger institution to spread the risks of unfavorable local economic conditions across a large number of diversified economies.  Any sustained period of increased loan delinquencies, foreclosures or losses caused by adverse market or economic conditions in our market areas in Missouri and Kansas could materially adversely affect us. Moreover, we cannot give any assurance we will benefit from any market growth or favorable economic conditions in our primary market areas if they do occur.

 

Recently enacted regulatory reform may have a material impact on our operations.

 

On July 21, 2010, the President signed into law The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”).  The Dodd-Frank Act restructured the regulation of depository institutions.  Under the Dodd-Frank Act, the Office of Thrift Supervision was merged into the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which regulates national banks.  Savings and loan holding companies are now regulated by the Federal Reserve.  Also included is the creation of a new federal agency to administer consumer protection and fair lending laws, a function that is now performed by the depository institution regulators.  The federal preemption of state laws currently accorded federally chartered depository institutions will be changed as well and State Attorneys General now have greater authority to bring a suit against a federally chartered institution for violations of certain state and federal consumer protection laws.  The Dodd-Frank Act also will impose consolidated capital requirements on savings and loan holding companies, which will limit our ability to borrow at the holding company and invest the proceeds from such borrowings as capital in the Bank that could be leveraged to support additional growth. The Dodd-Frank Act contains various other provisions designed to enhance the regulation of depository institutions and prevent the recurrence of a financial crisis such as occurred in 2008-2009. The full impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on our business and operations will not be known for years until regulations implementing the statute are written and adopted.  The Dodd-Frank Act may have a material impact on our operations, particularly through increased regulatory burden and compliance costs.  The federal banking agencies proposed comprehensive revised capital requirements in June 2012, which would apply to savings and loan holding companies and their subsidiary savings associations, as well as banks and bank holding companies.

 

In addition to the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act, the federal regulatory agencies recently have begun to take stronger supervisory actions against financial institutions that have experienced increased loan losses and other weaknesses as a result of the current economic crisis. The actions include the entering into of written agreements and cease and desist orders that place certain limitations on their operations.  Federal bank regulators recently have also been using, with more frequency, their ability to impose individual minimal capital requirements on banks, which requirements may be higher than those imposed under the Dodd-Frank Act or which would otherwise qualify the bank as being “well capitalized” under the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s prompt corrective action regulations.  If we were to become subject to a formal supervisory agreement or higher individual capital requirements, such action may have a negative impact on our ability to execute our business plans, as well as our ability to grow, pay dividends or engage in mergers and acquisitions and may result in restrictions in our operations.

 

The Company’s ability to pay dividends and meet its interest obligations are subject to the ability of the Bank to make capital distributions to the Company.

 

The Company’s ongoing liquidity needs include funding its general operating expenses, paying dividends on its common and preferred stock and paying interest on its subordinated debentures.  The Company is dependent on the receipt of dividends from the Bank to satisfy these obligations. Under federal regulations as they currently apply to the Bank, the Bank is required to obtain prior approval from the OCC and non-objection from the Federal Reserve before it can make a capital distribution to the Company.  If the Bank cannot obtain such approvals and is unable to make a capital distribution to the Company, the Company would need to find other sources of liquidity or reduce its obligations, which could require it to reduce or

 

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eliminate its dividend to common shareholders and/or suspend its dividend payments on its preferred stock and its interest payments on its subordinated debentures.

 

An increase in interest rates may reduce our mortgage revenues, which would negatively impact our non-interest income.

 

Our mortgage banking operations provide a significant portion of our non-interest income. We generate mortgage revenues primarily from gains on the sale of mortgage loans to investors on a servicing-released basis. In a rising or higher interest rate environment, our originations of mortgage loans may decrease, resulting in fewer loans that are available to be sold to investors. This would result in a decrease in mortgage revenues and a corresponding decrease in non-interest income. In addition, our results of operations are affected by the amount of non-interest expenses associated with mortgage banking activities, such as salaries and employee benefits, occupancy, equipment and data processing expense and other operating costs. During periods of reduced loan demand, our results of operations may be adversely affected to the extent that we are unable to reduce expenses commensurate with the decline in mortgage loan origination activity.

 

Secondary mortgage market conditions could have a material adverse impact on us.

 

In addition to being affected by interest rates, the secondary mortgage markets are also subject to investor demand for residential mortgage loans and increased investor yield requirements for those loans.  These conditions may fluctuate or even worsen in the future.  In light of current conditions, there is a higher risk to retaining a larger portion of mortgage loans than we would in other environments until they are sold to investors.  We believe our ability to retain fixed-rate residential mortgage loans is limited.  As a result, a prolonged period of secondary market illiquidity may reduce our loan production volumes and could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

If we are required to repurchase mortgage loans that we have previously sold, it would materially adversely affect us.

 

One of our primary business operations is our mortgage banking operations, under which we sell residential mortgage loans in the secondary market under agreements that contain representations and warranties related to, among other things, the origination and characteristics of the mortgage loans.  We may be required to repurchase mortgage loans that we have sold in cases of breaches of these representations and warranties.  We have experienced increasing repurchase demands from and disputes with these buyers.  If we are required to repurchase mortgage loans or provide indemnification or other recourse, this could significantly increase our costs and thereby affect our future earnings.

 

Fluctuations in interest rates could reduce our profitability and affect the value of our assets.

 

Like other financial institutions, we are subject to interest rate risk.  Our primary source of income is net interest income, which is the difference between interest earned on loans and investments and the interest paid on deposits and borrowings.  We expect that we will periodically experience imbalances in the interest rate sensitivities of our assets and liabilities and the relationships of various interest rates to each other.  Over any defined period of time, our interest-earning assets may be more sensitive to changes in market interest rates than our interest-bearing liabilities, or vice versa.  In addition, the individual market interest rates underlying our loan and deposit products (e.g., the prime rate) may not change to the same degree over a given time period.  In any event, if market interest rates should move contrary to our position, our earnings may be negatively affected.  In addition, loan volume and quality and deposit volume and mix can be affected by market interest rates.  Changes in levels of market interest rates could materially adversely affect us.

 

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We principally manage interest-rate risk by managing our volume and mix of our earning assets and funding liabilities.  In a changing interest rate environment, we may not be able to manage this risk effectively.  If we are unable to manage interest rate risk effectively, we could be materially adversely affected.

 

If the goodwill that we recorded in connection with a business acquisition becomes impaired, it could have a negative impact on our profitability.

 

Goodwill represents the amount of acquisition cost over the fair value of net assets we acquired in the purchase of another financial institution.  We review goodwill for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of the asset might be impaired.  We determine impairment by comparing the implied fair value of the reporting unit goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill.  If the carrying amount of the reporting unit goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.  Any such adjustments are reflected in our results of operations in the periods in which they become known.  At March 31, 2012, our goodwill totaled $3.9 million.  While we have recorded no such impairment charges since we initially recorded the goodwill, there can be no assurance that our future evaluations of goodwill will not result in findings of impairment and related write-downs, which may have a material adverse effect on us.

 

Our business strategy includes moderate growth plans, and our financial condition and results of operations could be negatively affected if we fail to grow or fail to manage our growth effectively.

 

Our assets decreased $135.5 million, or 9.3%, from $1.45 billion at September 30, 2010 to $1.32 billion at March 31, 2012, primarily due to decreases in residential real estate loans held for sale and loans receivable.  Over the next several years, we expect to experience moderate growth in the amount of our assets, the level of our deposits and the scale of our operations.  Achieving our growth targets requires us to attract customers that currently bank at other financial institutions in our market, thereby increasing our share of the market.  Our ability to successfully grow will depend on a variety of factors, including our ability to attract and retain experienced bankers, the continued availability of desirable business opportunities, the competitive responses from other financial institutions in our market areas and our ability to manage our growth.  While we believe we have the management resources and internal systems in place to successfully manage our future growth, there can be no assurance growth opportunities will be available or that we will successfully manage our growth.  If we do not manage our growth effectively, we may not be able to achieve our business plan, and our business and prospects could be harmed.

 

Our growth plans may require us to raise additional capital in the future, but that capital may not be available when it is needed.

 

We are required by federal regulatory authorities to maintain adequate levels of capital to support our operations.  We anticipate that we have sufficient capital resources to satisfy our capital requirements for the foreseeable future.  We may at some point, however, need to raise additional capital to support our continued growth.  If we raise capital through the issuance of additional shares of our common stock or other securities, it would dilute the ownership interests of existing shareholders and may dilute the per share book value of our common stock.  New investors may also have rights, preferences and privileges senior to our current shareholders which may adversely impact our current shareholders.

 

Our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, will depend on conditions in the capital markets at that time, which are outside of our control, and on our financial performance.  Accordingly, we may not be able to raise additional capital, if needed, on terms acceptable to us.  If we cannot raise additional capital when needed, our ability to further expand our operations through internal growth and acquisitions could be materially impaired and we could otherwise be adversely affected.

 

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Our wholesale funding sources may prove insufficient to replace deposits at maturity and support our future growth.

 

We must maintain sufficient funds to respond to the needs of depositors and borrowers.  As a part of our liquidity management, we use a number of funding sources in addition to deposits and funds from the repayments and maturities of loans and investments.  As we continue to grow, we may become more dependent on these sources, which include FHLB advances, borrowings from the Federal Reserve Bank, proceeds from the sale of loans, and brokered certificates of deposit.  At March 31, 2012, we had $49.0 million of FHLB advances outstanding with an additional $187.8 million available borrowing capacity, no borrowings from the Federal Reserve Bank outstanding with $106.1 million of available borrowing capacity and no brokered certificates of deposit.  If we were to become less than “well capitalized,” as defined by applicable federal regulations, it would materially restrict our ability to acquire and retain brokered certificates of deposit and could reduce the maximum borrowing limits we currently have available through the FHLB and the Federal Reserve Bank.  Additionally, adverse operating results or changes in industry conditions could lead to difficulty or an inability to access these additional funding sources.  Our financial flexibility will be severely constrained if we are unable to maintain our access to funding or if adequate financing is not available to accommodate future growth at acceptable interest rates.  Finally, if we are required to rely more heavily on more expensive funding sources to support future growth, our revenues may not increase proportionately to cover our costs.  In this case, we would be materially adversely affected.

 

The building of market share through the creation of new branches could cause our expenses to increase faster than revenues.

 

We may continue to build market share in the St. Louis metropolitan area by opening new branches.  There are considerable costs involved in opening branches and new branches generally require a period of time to generate sufficient revenues to offset their costs, especially in areas in which we do not have an established presence.  Accordingly, any new branch can be expected to negatively impact our earnings for some period of time until the branch reaches certain economies of scale.  We have no assurance our new branches will be successful even after they have been established.

 

We are dependent upon the services of our management team.

 

Our future success and profitability is substantially dependent upon the management and banking abilities of our senior executives.  We believe that our future results will also depend, in part, upon our attracting and retaining highly skilled and qualified management.  We are especially dependent on a limited number of key management personnel, none of whom has an employment agreement with us, except for our chief executive officer.  The loss of the chief executive officer and other senior executive officers could have a material adverse impact on our operations because other officers may not have the experience and expertise to readily replace these individuals.  Competition for such personnel is intense, and we cannot assure you that we will be successful in attracting or retaining such personnel.  Changes in key personnel and their responsibilities may be disruptive to our business and could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

Our failure to continue to recruit and retain qualified loan originators could adversely affect our ability to compete successfully and affect our profitability.

 

Our continued success and future growth depend heavily on our ability to attract and retain highly skilled and motivated loan originators and other banking professionals.  We compete against many institutions with greater financial resources both within our industry and in other industries to attract these qualified individuals.  Our failure to recruit and retain adequate talent could reduce our ability to compete successfully and adversely affect our business and profitability.

 

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The limitations on executive compensation imposed through our participation in the Capital Purchase Program may restrict our ability to attract, retain and motivate key employees, which could materially adversely affect us.

 

As part of our participation in the Capital Purchase Program, we became subject to certain executive compensation restrictions, including limitations on severance payments and the clawback of any bonus and incentive compensation that were based on materially inaccurate financial statements or any other materially inaccurate performance metric criteria.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides more stringent limitations on severance pay and the payment of bonuses to certain officers and highly compensated employees.  To the extent that any of these compensation restrictions limit our ability to provide a comprehensive compensation package to our key employees that is competitive in our market area, we may have difficulty in attracting, retaining and motivating our key employees, which could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

If the U.S. Treasury Department chooses to exercise the warrant, existing stockowners’ ownership interests will be diluted and it could become more difficult for us to take certain actions that may be in the best interests of shareholders.

 

In addition to the issuance of preferred shares, we also granted the U.S. Treasury Department a warrant to purchase 778,421 common shares at a price of $6.27 per share.  If the U.S. Treasury Department exercises the entire warrant, it would result in a significant dilution to the ownership interest of our existing stockholders and dilute the earnings per share value of our common stock.  Further, if the U.S. Treasury Department exercises the entire warrant, it will become the second largest shareholder of the Company.  The U.S. Treasury Department has agreed that it will not exercise voting power with regard to the shares that it acquires by exercising the warrant.  However, U.S. Treasury Department’s abstention from voting may make it more difficult for us to obtain shareholder approval for those matters that require a majority of total shares outstanding, such as a business combination involving the Company.

 

The terms governing the issuance of the preferred stock to Treasury may be changed, the effect of which may have an adverse effect on our operations.

 

The Securities Purchase Agreement that we entered into with the U.S. Treasury Department provides that it may unilaterally amend any provision of the agreement to the extent required to comply with any changes in applicable federal statutes that may occur in the future.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 placed more stringent limits on executive compensation for participants in the TARP Capital Purchase Program and established a requirement that compensation paid to executives be presented to shareholders for a “non-binding” vote.  Further changes in the terms of the transaction may occur in the future.  Such changes may place further restrictions on our business or results of operations, which may adversely affect us.

 

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We operate in a highly regulated environment and we may be adversely affected by changes in laws and regulations.

 

Pulaski Bank is subject to extensive regulation, supervision and examination by the OCC, its chartering authority, and by the FDIC, as insurer of its deposits.  The Company is subject to regulation and supervision by the Federal Reserve.  Such regulation and supervision govern the activities in which an institution and its holding company may engage, and are intended primarily for the protection of the FDIC insurance fund and for the depositors and borrowers of Pulaski Bank.  The regulation and supervision by theses agencies are not intended to protect the interests of investors in our common stock.  Regulatory authorities have extensive discretion in their supervisory and enforcement activities, including the imposition of restrictions on our operations, the adverse classification of our assets and determination of the level of our allowance for loan losses.  Any change in such regulation and oversight, whether in the form of regulatory policy, regulations, legislation or supervisory action, may have a material impact on our operations.  In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the related rules and regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Nasdaq that are applicable to us, have, in recent years, increased the scope, complexity and cost of corporate governance, reporting and disclosure practices, including the costs of completing our audit and maintaining our internal controls.

 

We are subject to security and operational risks relating to our use of technology that could damage our reputation and our business.

 

Security breaches in our internet banking activities could expose us to possible liability and damage our reputation.  Any compromise of our security also could deter customers from using our internet banking services that involve the transmission of confidential information.  We rely on standard internet security systems to provide the security and authentication necessary to effect secure transmission of data.  These precautions may not protect our systems from compromises or breaches of our security measures that could result in damage to our reputation and our business.  Additionally, we outsource our data processing to a third party.  If our third party provider encounters difficulties or if we have difficulty in communicating with such third party, it will significantly affect our ability to adequately process and account for customer transactions, which would significantly affect our business operations.

 

Competition from financial institutions and other financial service providers may adversely affect our growth and profitability.

 

The banking business is highly competitive and we experience competition from many other financial institutions.  We compete with commercial banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, mortgage banking firms, consumer finance companies, securities brokerage firms, insurance companies, money market funds, and other mutual funds, as well as other super-regional, national and international financial institutions that operate offices in our primary market areas.

 

We compete with these institutions both in attracting deposits and in making loans.  This competition has made it more difficult for us to make new loans and has occasionally forced us to offer higher deposit rates.  Price competition for loans and deposits might result in us earning less on our loans and paying more on our deposits, which reduces net interest income.  Many of our competitors are larger financial institutions. While we believe we can and do successfully compete with these other financial institutions in our primary markets, we may face a competitive disadvantage as a result of our smaller size, smaller resources and smaller lending limits, lack of geographic diversification and inability to spread our marketing costs across a broader market.  Although we compete by concentrating our marketing efforts in our primary markets with local advertisements, personal contacts and greater flexibility and responsiveness in working with local customers, we can give no assurance this strategy will be successful.

 

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We may have fewer resources than many of our competitors to invest in technological improvements.

 

The financial services industry is undergoing rapid technological changes, with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services.  The effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to better serve customers and to reduce costs.  Our future success will depend, in part, upon our ability to address the needs of our customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands for convenience, as well as to create additional efficiencies in our operations.  Many of our competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements.  We may not be able to effectively implement new technology-driven products and services or be successful in marketing these products and services to our customers.

 

Our compensation expense may increase substantially after Treasury’s sale of the Preferred Shares.

 

As a result of our participation in the CPP, among other things, we are subject to Treasury’s current standards for executive compensation and corporate governance for the period during which Treasury holds any of our Preferred Shares.  These standards were most recently set forth in the Interim Final Rule on TARP Standards for Compensation and Corporate Governance, published June 15, 2009.  If the auction is successful and Treasury elects to sell all of the Preferred Shares, these executive compensation and corporate governance standards will no longer be applicable and our compensation expense for our executive officers and other senior employees may increase substantially.

 

Risk Factors Related to an Investment in the Preferred Shares

 

The Preferred Shares are equity and are subordinated to all of our existing and future indebtedness; we are highly dependent on dividends and other amounts from our subsidiaries in order to pay dividends on, and redeem at our option, the Preferred Shares, which are subject to various prohibitions and other restrictions; and the Preferred Shares place no limitations on the amount of indebtedness we and our subsidiaries may incur in the future.

 

The Preferred Shares are equity interests in the Company and do not constitute indebtedness. As such, the Preferred Shares, like our common stock, rank junior to all existing and future indebtedness and other non-equity claims on the Company with respect to assets available to satisfy claims on the Company, including in a liquidation of the Company. Additionally, unlike indebtedness, where principal and interest would customarily be payable on specified due dates, in the case of perpetual preferred stock like the Preferred Shares, there is no stated maturity date (although the Preferred Shares are subject to redemption at our option) and dividends are payable only if, when and as authorized and declared by our board of directors and depend on, among other matters, our historical and projected results of operations, liquidity, cash flows, capital levels, financial condition, debt service requirements and other cash needs, financing covenants, applicable state law, federal and state regulatory prohibitions and other restrictions and any other factors our board of directors deems relevant at the time.

 

If (i) there has occurred and is continuing an event of default under the indentures for its subordinated debentures or (ii) the Company has given notice of its election to defer payments of interest on its subordinated debentures or such a deferral has occurred and is continuing, then the Company may not declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock (including the Preferred Shares).

 

The Preferred Shares are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any depository institution and are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other governmental agency or instrumentality.  Furthermore, the Company is a legal entity that is separate and distinct from its subsidiaries, and its subsidiaries have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to make any payments in respect of the Preferred Shares or to make funds available therefor.  Because the Company is a holding company that maintains only limited cash at that level, its ability to pay dividends on, and redeem at its option, the Preferred Shares will be

 

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highly dependent upon the receipt of dividends, fees and other amounts from its subsidiaries, which, in turn, will be highly dependent upon the historical and projected results of operations, liquidity, cash flows and financial condition of its subsidiaries.  In addition, the right of the Company to participate in any distribution of assets of any of its subsidiaries upon their respective liquidation or reorganization will be subject to the prior claims of the creditors (including any depositors) and preferred equity holders of the applicable subsidiary, except to the extent that the Company is a creditor, and is recognized as a creditor, of such subsidiary.  Accordingly, the holders of the Preferred Shares will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future obligations and preferred equity of the Company’s subsidiaries.

 

There are also various legal and regulatory prohibitions and other restrictions on the ability of the Company’s depository institution subsidiaries to pay dividends, extend credit or otherwise transfer funds to the Company or affiliates.  Such dividend payments are subject to regulatory tests, generally based on current and retained earnings of such subsidiaries and other factors, and, may require regulatory approval in the future.  Under these regulations the Company’s depository institution subsidiary currently requires the prior approval of the OCC and the non-objection of the Federal Reserve prior to paying any dividends to the Company.  Dividend payments to the Company from its depository institution subsidiary may also be prohibited if such payments would impair the capital of the applicable subsidiary and in certain other cases.  In addition, regulatory rules limit the aggregate amount of a depository institution’s loans to, and investments in, any single affiliate in varying thresholds and may prevent the Company from borrowing from their depository institution subsidiaries and require any permitted borrowings to be collateralized.

 

The Company also is subject to various legal and regulatory policies and requirements impacting the Company’s ability to pay accrued or future dividends on, or redeem, the Preferred Shares.  As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we have paid in full all of our quarterly dividend obligations on the Preferred Shares.  Under the Federal Reserve’s capital regulations, in order to ensure Tier 1 capital treatment for the Preferred Shares, the Company’s redemption of any of the Preferred Shares is subject to prior regulatory approval.  The Federal Reserve also may require the Company to consult with it prior to increasing dividends.  In addition, as a matter of policy, the Federal Reserve may restrict or prohibit the payment of dividends if (i) the Company’s net income available to shareholders for the past four quarters, net of dividends previously paid during that period, is not sufficient to fully fund the dividends; (ii) the Company’s prospective rate of earnings retention is not consistent with its capital needs and overall current and prospective financial condition; (iii) the Company will not meet, or is in danger of not meeting, its minimum regulatory capital ratios; or (iv) the Federal Reserve otherwise determines that the payment of dividends would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice.  Recent and future regulatory developments may result in additional restrictions on the Company’s ability to pay dividends.

 

In addition, the terms of the Preferred Shares do not limit the amount of debt or other obligations we or our subsidiaries may incur in the future. Accordingly, we and our subsidiaries may incur substantial amounts of additional debt and other obligations that will rank senior to the Preferred Shares or to which the Preferred Shares will be structurally subordinated.

 

An active trading market for the Preferred Shares may not develop or be maintained.

 

The Preferred Shares are not currently listed on any securities exchange or available for quotation on any national quotation system, and we do not plan to list, or make available for quotation, the Preferred Shares in the future. There can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Preferred Shares will develop or, if developed, will be maintained. If an active market is not developed and maintained, the market value and liquidity of the Preferred Shares may be materially and adversely affected.

 

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The Preferred Shares may be junior in rights and preferences to our future preferred stock.

 

Subject to approval by the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the Preferred Shares then outstanding, voting as a separate class, we may issue preferred stock in the future the terms of which are expressly senior to the Preferred Shares. The terms of any such future preferred stock expressly senior to the Preferred Shares may prohibit or otherwise restrict dividend payments on the Preferred Shares. For example, the terms of any such senior preferred stock may provide that, unless full dividends for all of our outstanding preferred stock senior to the Preferred Shares have been paid for the relevant periods, no dividends will be paid on the Preferred Shares, and no Preferred Shares may be repurchased, redeemed, or otherwise acquired by us. In addition, in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the terms of any such senior preferred stock would likely prohibit us from making any payments on the Preferred Shares until all amounts due to holders of such senior preferred stock are paid in full.

 

Holders of the Preferred Shares have limited voting rights.

 

Unless and until we are in arrears on our dividend payments on the Preferred Shares for six quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive, the holders of the Preferred Shares will have no voting rights except with respect to certain fundamental changes in the terms of the Preferred Shares and certain other matters and except as may be required by applicable law. If dividends on the Preferred Shares are not paid in full for six quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive, the total number of positions on the Company’s board of directors will automatically increase by two and the holders of the Preferred Shares, acting as a class with any other shares of our preferred stock with parity voting rights to the Preferred Shares, will have the right to elect two individuals to serve in the new director positions. This right and the terms of such directors will end when we have paid in full all accrued and unpaid dividends for all past dividend periods. See “Description of Preferred Shares—Voting Rights” in this prospectus supplement.

 

We are subject to extensive regulation, and ownership of the Preferred Shares may have regulatory implications for holders thereof.

 

We are subject to extensive federal and state banking laws, including the Savings and Loan Holding Company Act (the “SLHCA”), and federal and state banking regulations, that impact the rights and obligations of owners of the Preferred Shares, including, for example, our ability to declare and pay dividends on, and to redeem, the Preferred Shares.   Although the Company does not believe the Preferred Shares are considered “voting securities” currently, if they were to become voting securities for the purposes of the SLHCA, whether because the Company has missed six dividend payments and holders of the Preferred Shares have the right to elect directors as a result, or for other reasons, a holder of more than 25% of the Preferred Shares, or a holder of a lesser percentage of our Preferred Shares that is deemed to exercise a “controlling influence” over us, may become subject to regulation under the SLHCA. In addition, if the Preferred Shares become “voting securities”, then (a) any savings and loan holding company may need approval to acquire or retain more than 5% of the then outstanding Preferred Shares, and (b) any holder (or group of holders acting in concert) may need regulatory approval to acquire or retain 10% or more of the Preferred Shares.  A holder or group of holders may also be deemed to control us if they own more than 25% of a class of non-voting shares or own one-third or more of our total equity, both voting and non-voting, aggregating all shares held by the investor across all classes of stock. Holders of the Preferred Shares should consult their own counsel with regard to regulatory implications.

 

If we redeem the Preferred Shares, you may be unable to reinvest the redemption proceeds in a comparable investment at the same or greater rate of return.

 

We have the right to redeem the Preferred Shares, in whole or in part, at our option at any time, subject to prior regulatory approval.  If we choose to redeem the Preferred Shares in part, we have been informed by DTC that it is their current practice to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each direct participant (through which beneficial owners hold their interest) to be redeemed.  If we choose to redeem the

 

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Preferred Shares, we are likely to do so if we are able to obtain a lower cost of capital.  If prevailing interest rates are relatively low if or when we choose to redeem the Preferred Shares, you generally will not be able to reinvest the redemption proceeds in a comparable investment at the same or greater rate of return. Furthermore, if we redeem the Preferred Shares in part, the liquidity of the outstanding Preferred Shares may be limited.

 

If we do not redeem the Preferred Shares prior to February 14, 2014 the cost of this capital to us will increase substantially and could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and cash flows.

 

We have the right to redeem the Preferred Shares, in whole or in part, at our option at any time.  If we do not redeem the Preferred Shares prior to February 14, 2014, the cost of this capital to us will increase substantially on and after that date, with the dividend rate increasing from 5.0% per annum to 9.0% per annum, which could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and cash flows. See “Description of Preferred Shares—Redemption and Repurchases” in this prospectus supplement.   Any redemption by us of the Preferred Shares would require prior regulatory approval from the Federal Reserve.  We intend to redeem or repurchase the Preferred Shares in such amounts and at such times as we deem prudent, although, we have no present plans to redeem, in whole or part, the Preferred Shares before February 15, 2014, when the dividend rate is scheduled to increase. Our ability to do so will depend on then-present facts and circumstances and the amount of capital we hold or can raise at the holding company level.

 

Treasury is a federal agency and your ability to bring a claim against Treasury under the federal securities laws in connection with a purchase of Preferred Shares may be limited.

 

The doctrine of sovereign immunity, as limited by the Federal Tort Claims Act (the “FTCA”), provides that claims may not be brought against the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof unless specifically permitted by act of Congress.  The FTCA bars claims for fraud or misrepresentation.  At least one federal court, in a case involving a federal agency, has held that the United States may assert its sovereign immunity to claims brought under the federal securities laws.  In addition, Treasury and its officers, agents, and employees are exempt from liability for any violation or alleged violation of the anti-fraud provisions of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act by virtue of Section 3(c) thereof.  The underwriters are not claiming to be agents of Treasury in this offering.  Accordingly, any attempt to assert such a claim against the officers, agents or employees of Treasury for a violation of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act resulting from an alleged material misstatement in or material omission from this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are a part or resulting from any other act or omission in connection with the offering of the Preferred Shares by Treasury would likely be barred.

 

Risk Factors Related to the Auction Process

 

The price of the Preferred Shares could decline rapidly and significantly following this offering.

 

The public offering price of the Preferred Shares, which will be the clearing price plus accrued dividends thereon, will be determined through an auction process conducted by Treasury and the auction agents.  Prior to this offering there has been no public market for the Preferred Shares, and the public offering price may bear no relation to market demand for the Preferred Shares once trading begins.  We have been informed by both Treasury and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P., as the auction agents, that they believe that the bidding process will reveal a clearing price for the Preferred Shares offered in the auction process, which will either be the highest price at which all of the Preferred Shares offered may be sold to bidders, if bids are received for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares, or the minimum bid price of $     , if bids are received for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares.  If there is little or no demand for the Preferred Shares at or above the public offering price once trading begins, the price of the Preferred Shares would likely decline following this offering.  Limited or less-than-expected liquidity in the Preferred Shares, including decreased liquidity due to a sale of less than all

 

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of the offered Preferred Shares, could also cause the trading price of the Preferred Shares to decline.  In addition, the auction process may lead to more volatility in, or a decline in, the trading price of the Preferred Shares after the initial sales of the Preferred Shares in this offering.  If your objective is to make a short-term profit by selling the Preferred Shares you purchase in the offering shortly after trading begins, you should not submit a bid in the auction.

 

The auction process for this offering may result in a phenomenon known as the “winner’s curse,” and, as a result, investors may experience significant losses.

 

The auction process for this offering may result in a phenomenon known as the “winner’s curse.”  At the conclusion of the auction process, successful bidders that receive allocations of Preferred Shares in this offering may infer that there is little incremental demand for the Preferred Shares above or equal to the public offering price.  As a result, successful bidders may conclude that they paid too much for the Preferred Shares and could seek to immediately sell their Preferred Shares to limit their losses should the price of the Preferred Shares decline in trading after the auction process is completed.  In this situation, other investors that did not submit bids that are accepted by Treasury may wait for this selling to be completed, resulting in reduced demand for the Preferred Shares in the public market and a significant decline in the trading price of the Preferred Shares.  Therefore, we caution investors that submitting successful bids and receiving allocations may be followed by a significant decline in the value of their investment in the Preferred Shares shortly after this offering.

 

The auction process for this offering may result in a situation in which less price sensitive investors play a larger role in the determination of the public offering price and constitute a larger portion of the investors in this offering, and, as a result, the public offering price may not be sustainable once trading of Preferred Shares begins.

 

In a typical public offering of securities, a majority of the securities sold to the public are purchased by professional investors that have significant experience in determining valuations for companies in connection with such offerings.  These professional investors typically have access to, or conduct their own, independent research and analysis regarding investments in such offerings.  Other investors typically have less access to this level of research and analysis, and as a result, may be less sensitive to price when participating in the auction.  Because of the auction process used in this auction, these less price sensitive investors may have a greater influence in setting the public offering price (because a larger number of higher bids may cause the clearing price in the auction to be higher than it would otherwise have been absent such bids) and may have a higher level of participation in this offering than is normal for other public offerings.  This, in turn, could cause the auction process to result in a public offering price that is higher than the price professional investors are willing to pay for the Preferred Shares.  As a result, the trading price of the Preferred Shares may decrease once trading of the Preferred Shares begins.  Also, because professional investors may have a substantial degree of influence on the trading price of the Preferred Shares over time, the trading price of the Preferred Shares may decline and not recover after this offering.  Furthermore, if the public offering price of the Preferred Shares is above the level that investors determine is reasonable for the Preferred Shares, some investors may attempt to short sell the Preferred Shares after trading begins, which would create additional downward pressure on the trading price of the Preferred Shares.

 

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The clearing price for the Preferred Shares may bear little or no relationship to the price for the Preferred Shares that would be established using traditional valuation methods, and, as a result, the trading price of the Preferred Shares may decline significantly following the issuance of the Preferred Shares.

 

The public offering price of the Preferred Shares will be equal to the clearing price plus accrued dividends thereon.  The clearing price of the Preferred Shares may have little or no relationship to, and may be significantly higher than, the price for the Preferred Shares that otherwise would be established using traditional indicators of value, such as our future prospects and those of our industry in general; our revenues, earnings, and other financial and operating information; multiples of revenue, earnings, capital levels, cash flows, and other operating metrics; market prices of securities and other financial and operating information of companies engaged in activities similar to us; and the views of research analysts.  The trading price of the Preferred Shares may vary significantly from the public offering price.  Potential investors should not submit a bid in the auction for this offering unless they are willing to take the risk that the price of the Preferred Shares could decline significantly.

 

Successful bidders may receive the full number of Preferred Shares subject to their bids, so potential investors should not make bids for more Preferred Shares than they are prepared to purchase.

 

Each bidder may submit multiple bids.  However, as bids are independent, each bid may result in an allocation of Preferred Shares.  Allocation of the Preferred Shares will be determined by, first, allocating Preferred Shares to any bids made above the clearing price, and second, allocating Preferred Shares (on a pro-rata basis, if appropriate) among bids made at the clearing price.  If Treasury elects to sell any Preferred Shares in this offering, the bids of successful bidders that are above the clearing price will be allocated all of the Preferred Shares represented by such bids, and only accepted bids submitted at the clearing price, in certain cases, will experience pro-rata allocation, if any.  Bids that have not been modified or withdrawn by the time of the submission deadline are final and irrevocable, and bidders who submit bids that are accepted by Treasury will be obligated to purchase the Preferred Shares allocated to them.  Accordingly, the sum of a bidder’s bid sizes as of the submission deadline should be no more than the total number of Preferred Shares the bidder is willing to purchase, and investors are cautioned against submitting a bid that does not accurately represent the number of Preferred Shares that they are willing and prepared to purchase.

 

Submitting a bid does not guarantee an allocation of Preferred Shares, even if a bidder submits a bid at or above the public offering price of the Preferred Shares.

 

The auction agents, in their sole discretion, may require that bidders confirm their bids before the auction closes (although the auction agents are under no obligation to reconfirm bids for any reason, except as may be required by applicable securities laws).  If a bidder is requested to confirm a bid and fails to do so within the permitted time period, that bid may be deemed to have been withdrawn and, accordingly, that bidder may not receive an allocation of Preferred Shares even if the bid is at or above the public offering price.  The auction agents may, however, choose to accept any such bid even if it has not been reconfirmed.  In addition, the auction agents may determine in some cases to impose size limits on the aggregate size of bids that they choose to accept from any bidder (including any network broker), and may reject any bid that they determine, in their discretion, has a potentially manipulative, disruptive or other adverse effect on the auction process or the offering.  Furthermore, if bids for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares are received, and Treasury elects to sell any Preferred Shares in the auction, then any accepted bids submitted in the auction above the clearing price will receive allocations in full, while each bid submitted at the clearing price will be allocated the number of Preferred Shares represented by such bids, in the case bids for 100% of the offered Preferred

 

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Shares are received, or a number of Preferred Shares approximately equal to the pro-rata allocation percentage multiplied by the number of Preferred Shares represented by such bid, rounded to the nearest whole number of Preferred Shares (subject to rounding to eliminate odd-lots), in the case bids for more than 100% of the offered Preferred Shares are received.  If bids for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares are received, and Treasury chooses to sell fewer Preferred Shares than the number of Preferred Shares for which bids were received (but not less than half), then all bids will experience equal pro-rata allocation.  Treasury could also decide, in its sole discretion, not to sell any Preferred Shares in this offering after the clearing price has been determined.  As a result of these factors, you may not receive an allocation for all the Preferred Shares for which you submit a bid.

 

We cannot assure you that the auction will be successful or that the full number of offered Preferred Shares will be sold.

 

If sufficient bids are received and accepted by the auction agents to enable Treasury to sell the offered Preferred Shares in this offering, the public offering price will be set at the clearing price plus accrued dividends thereon, unless Treasury decides, in its sole discretion, not to sell any Preferred Shares in this offering after the clearing price is determined.  The clearing price will be determined based on the number of valid, irrevocable bids at the time of the submission deadline that Treasury decides, in its sole discretion, to accept. If valid, irrevocable bids are received for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares at the submission deadline, the clearing price will be equal to the highest price of the offered Preferred Shares that can be sold in the auction.  If, however, bids are received for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares, then Treasury may (but is not required to) sell, at the minimum bid price in the auction (which will be deemed the clearing price) the number of Preferred Shares it chooses to sell up to the number of bids received in the auction, so long as at least half of the offered Preferred Shares are sold.  If bids are received for less than half of the offered Preferred Shares, Treasury will not sell any Preferred Shares in this offering.  The liquidity of the Preferred Shares may be limited if less than all of the offered Preferred Shares are sold by Treasury.  Possible future sales of Treasury’s remaining Preferred Shares, if any, that are held following this offering, could affect the trading price of the Preferred Shares sold in this offering.

 

Submitting bids through a network broker or any other broker that is not an auction agent may in some circumstances shorten deadlines for potential investors to submit, modify or withdraw their bids.

 

In order to participate in the auction, bidders must have an account with, and submit bids to purchase Preferred Shares through, either an auction agent or a network broker.  Brokers that are not network brokers will need to submit their bids, either for their own account or on behalf of their customers, through an auction agent or a network broker.  Potential investors and brokers that wish to submit bids in the auction and do not have an account with an auction agent or a network broker must either establish such an account prior to bidding in the auction or cause a broker that has such an account to submit a bid through that account.  Network brokers and other brokers will impose earlier submission deadlines than those imposed by the auction agents in order to have sufficient time to aggregate bids received from their respective customers and to transmit the aggregate bid to an auction agent (or, in the case of non-network brokers submitting bids through a network broker, to such network broker to transmit to the auction agents) before the auction closes.  As a result of such earlier submission deadlines, potential investors who submit bids through a network broker, or brokers that submit bids through an auction agent or a network broker, will need to submit or withdraw their bids earlier than other bidders, and it may in some circumstances be more difficult for such bids to be submitted, modified or withdrawn.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

The Preferred Shares offered by this prospectus supplement are being sold for the account of Treasury.  Any proceeds from the sale of these Preferred Shares will be received by Treasury for its own account, and we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any Preferred Shares offered by this prospectus supplement.

 

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED SHARES

 

This section summarizes specific terms and provisions of the Preferred Shares. The description of the Preferred Shares contained in this section is qualified in its entirety by the actual terms of the Preferred Shares, as are stated in the Certificate of Designations of the Preferred Shares to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, a copy of which was attached as Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 16, 2009 and incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” in this prospectus supplement.

 

General

 

The Preferred Shares constitutes a series of our perpetual, cumulative, preferred stock, consisting of 32,538 shares, par value $0.01 per share, having a liquidation preference amount of $1,000 per share. The Preferred Shares have no maturity date. We issued the Preferred Shares to Treasury on January 16, 2009 in connection with the CPP for an aggregate purchase price of $32,538,000 in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Preferred Shares qualify as Tier 1 capital for regulatory purposes.

 

Dividends

 

Rate.  Dividends on the Preferred Shares are payable quarterly in arrears, when, as and if authorized and declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds, on a cumulative basis on the $1,000 per share liquidation preference amount plus the amount of accrued and unpaid dividends for any prior dividend periods, at a rate of (i) 5% per annum, from the original issuance date to but excluding the first day of the first dividend period commencing on or after the fifth anniversary of the original issuance date (i.e., 5% per annum from January 16, 2009 to but excluding February 15, 2014), and (ii) 9% per annum, from and after the first day of the first dividend period commencing on or after the fifth anniversary of the original issuance date (i.e., 9% per annum on and after February 15, 2014). Dividends are payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year.  As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we have paid in full all of our quarterly dividend obligations on the Preferred Shares.  Each dividend will be payable to holders of record as they appear on our stock register on the applicable record date, which will be the 15th calendar day immediately preceding the related dividend payment date (whether or not a business day), or such other record date determined by our board of directors that is not more than 60 nor less than ten days prior to the related dividend payment date. Each period from and including a dividend payment date (or the date of the issuance of the Preferred Shares) to but excluding the following dividend payment date is referred to as a “dividend period.” Dividends payable for each dividend period are computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. If a scheduled dividend payment date falls on a day that is not a business day, the dividend will be paid on the next business day as if it were paid on the scheduled dividend payment date, and no interest or other additional amount will accrue on the dividend. The term “business day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York generally are authorized or required by law or other governmental actions to close.

 

Holders of Preferred Shares sold by Treasury in the auction, if any, that are record holders on the record date for the August 15, 2012 dividend payment date will be entitled to any declared dividends payable on such date.

 

Dividends on the Preferred Shares are cumulative. If for any reason our board of directors does not declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares for a particular dividend period, or if the board of directors declares less than a full dividend, we will remain obligated to pay the unpaid portion of the dividend for that period and

 

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the unpaid dividend will compound on each subsequent dividend date (meaning that dividends for future dividend periods will accrue on any unpaid dividend amounts for prior dividend periods).

 

We are not obligated to pay holders of the Preferred Shares any dividend in excess of the dividends on the Preferred Shares that are payable as described above. There is no sinking fund with respect to dividends on the Preferred Shares.

 

Priority of Dividends. So long as any of the Preferred Shares remain outstanding, we may not declare or pay a dividend or other distribution on our common stock or any other shares of Junior Stock (other than dividends payable solely in common stock) or Parity Stock (other than dividends paid on a pro rata basis with the Preferred Shares), and we generally may not directly or indirectly purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of common stock, Junior Stock or Parity Stock unless all accrued and unpaid dividends on the Preferred Shares for all past dividend periods are paid in full.

 

“Junior Stock” means our common stock and any other class or series of our stock the terms of which expressly provide that it ranks junior to the Preferred Shares as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. We currently have no outstanding class or series of stock constituting Junior Stock other than our common stock.

 

“Parity Stock” means any class or series of our stock, other than the Preferred Shares, the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series will rank senior or junior to the Preferred Shares as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, in each case without regard to whether dividends accrue cumulatively or non-cumulatively. We currently have no outstanding class or series of stock constituting Parity Stock.

 

Liquidation Rights

 

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company, holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive for each share of the Preferred Shares, out of the assets of the Company or proceeds available for distribution to our stockholders, subject to any rights of our creditors, before any distribution of assets or proceeds is made to or set aside for the holders of our common stock and any other class or series of our stock ranking junior to the Preferred Shares, payment of an amount equal to the sum of (i) the $1,000 liquidation preference amount per share and (ii) the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends on the Preferred Shares (including dividends accrued on any unpaid dividends). To the extent the assets or proceeds available for distribution to stockholders are not sufficient to fully pay the liquidation payments owing to the holders of the Preferred Shares and the holders of any other class or series of our stock ranking equally with the Preferred Shares, the holders of the Preferred Shares and such other stock will share ratably in the distribution.

 

For purposes of the liquidation rights of the Preferred Shares, neither a merger or consolidation of the Company with another entity, including a merger or consolidation in which the holders of Preferred Shares receive cash, securities or other property for their shares, nor a sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets will constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company.

 

Redemptions and Repurchases

 

We may redeem the Preferred Shares, at any time, in whole or in part, at our option, subject to prior approval by the appropriate federal banking agency, for a redemption price equal to 100% of the liquidation preference amount per Preferred Share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends to but excluding the date of redemption (including dividends accrued on any unpaid dividends), provided that any declared but unpaid dividend payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the record date for the dividend will be payable to the holder of record of the redeemed shares on the dividend record date.

 

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To exercise the redemption right described above, we must give notice of the redemption to the holders of record of the Preferred Shares by first class mail, not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date of redemption. Each notice of redemption given to a holder of Preferred Shares must state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of Preferred Shares to be redeemed and, if less than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; and (iv) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price. In the case of a partial redemption of the Preferred Shares, the shares to be redeemed will be selected either pro rata or in such other manner as our board of directors determines to be fair and equitable.

 

The Securities Purchase Agreement between us and Treasury provides that so long as Treasury continues to own any Preferred Shares, we may not repurchase any Preferred Shares from any other holder of such shares unless we offer to repurchase a ratable portion of the Preferred Shares then held by Treasury on the same terms and conditions.

 

Preferred Shares that we redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire will revert to authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock, which may then be reissued by us as any series of preferred stock other than the Preferred Shares.

 

We intend to redeem or repurchase the Preferred Shares in such amounts and at such times as we deem prudent, although we have no present plans to redeem, in whole or in part, the Preferred Shares before February 15, 2014, when the dividend rate is scheduled to increase. Our ability to do so will depend on then-present facts and circumstances and the amount of capital we hold or can raise at the holding company level.

 

In order for us to obtain approval from our applicable regulatory authorities to redeem the Preferred Shares, we would expect that such regulatory authorities would require us to satisfy our capital commitments to them, if any, after giving effect to the redemption of the Preferred Shares so approved.

 

No Conversion Rights

 

Holders of the Preferred Shares have no right to exchange or convert their shares into common stock or any other securities.

 

Voting Rights

 

The holders of the Preferred Shares do not have voting rights other than those described below, except to the extent specifically required by Missouri law.

 

If we do not pay dividends on the Preferred Shares for six or more quarterly dividend periods, whether or not consecutive, the authorized number of directors of the Company will automatically increase by two and the holders of the Preferred Shares will have the right, with the holders of shares of any other classes or series of Voting Parity Stock outstanding at the time, voting together as a single class, to elect two directors (the “Preferred Directors”) to fill such newly created directorships at our next annual meeting of stockholders (or at a special meeting called for that purpose prior to the next annual meeting) and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders until all accrued and unpaid dividends (including dividends accrued on any unpaid dividends) for all past dividend periods on all outstanding Preferred Shares have been paid in full, at which time this right will terminate with respect to the Preferred Shares, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent default by us in the payment of dividends on the Preferred Shares.

 

There is no limit on the number of nominations and a plurality of eligible voters would determine the election of the Preferred Directors. No person may be elected as a Preferred Director who would cause us to violate any corporate governance requirements of any securities exchange or other trading facility on which our securities may then be listed or traded that listed or traded companies must have a majority of independent directors. Upon any termination of the right of the holders of the Preferred Shares and Voting Parity Stock as a class to vote for directors as described above, the Preferred Directors will cease to be qualified as directors, the terms of office of all Preferred Directors then in office will terminate immediately and the authorized number of directors will be reduced by the number of Preferred Directors which had been elected by the holders of the Preferred Shares and the Voting Parity Stock. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, and any vacancy created by such a removal may be filled, only by the affirmative vote of the holders a majority of the outstanding Preferred Shares voting separately as a class together with the holders of shares of Voting Parity Stock, to the extent the voting rights of such holders described above are then exercisable. If the office of any Preferred Director becomes vacant for any reason other than removal from

 

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office, the remaining Preferred Director may choose a successor who will hold office for the unexpired term of the office in which the vacancy occurred.

 

The term “Voting Parity Stock” means with regard to any matter as to which the holders of the Preferred Shares are entitled to vote, any series of Parity Stock (as defined under “—Dividends-Priority of Dividends” above) upon which voting rights similar to those of the Preferred Shares have been conferred and are exercisable with respect to such matter.  We currently have no outstanding shares of Voting Parity Stock.

 

Although the Company does not believe the Preferred Shares are considered “voting securities” currently, if they were to become “voting securities” for the purposes of the SLHCA, whether because the Company has missed six dividend payments and holders of the Preferred Shares have the right to elect directors as a result, or for other reasons, a holder of more than 25% of the Preferred Shares, or a holder of a lesser percentage of our Preferred Shares that is deemed to exercise a “controlling influence” over us, may become subject to regulation under the SLHCA. In addition,  if the Preferred Shares become “voting securities”, then (a) any savings and loan holding company may need approval to acquire or retain more than 5% of the then outstanding Preferred Shares, and (b) any holder (or group of holders acting in concert) may need regulatory approval to acquire or retain 10% or more of the Preferred Shares.  A holder or group of holders may also be deemed to control us if they own more than 25% of a class of non-voting shares or own one-third or more of our total equity, both voting and non-voting, aggregating all shares held by the investor across all classes of stock. Holders of the Preferred Shares should consult their own counsel with regard to regulatory implications.

 

In addition to any other vote or consent required by Missouri law or by our Articles of Incorporation, the vote or consent of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class, is required in order to do the following:

 

·                  amend or alter our Articles of Incorporation or the Certificate of Designations for the Preferred Shares to authorize or create or increase the authorized amount of, or any issuance of, any shares of, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of, any class or series of our capital stock ranking senior to the Preferred Shares with respect to either or both the payment of dividends and/or the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company; or

 

·                  amend, alter or repeal any provision of our Articles of Incorporation or the Certificate of Designations for the Preferred Shares in a manner that adversely affects the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Preferred Shares; or

 

·                  consummate a binding share exchange or reclassification involving the Preferred Shares or a merger or consolidation of the Company with another entity, unless (i) the Preferred Shares remain outstanding or, in the case of a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving or resulting entity, are converted into or exchanged for preference securities of the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent, and (ii) the Preferred Shares remaining outstanding or such preference securities, have such rights, preferences, privileges, voting powers, limitations and restrictions, taken as a whole, as are not materially less favorable than the rights, preferences, privileges, voting powers, limitations and restrictions of the Preferred Shares immediately prior to consummation of the transaction, taken as a whole;

 

provided, however, that (1) any increase in the amount of our authorized shares of preferred stock, including authorized Preferred Shares necessary to satisfy preemptive or similar rights granted by us to other persons prior to January 16, 2009,  and (2) the creation and issuance, or an increase in the authorized or issued amount, of any other series of preferred stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any other series of preferred stock, ranking equally with and/or junior to the Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of dividends, whether such dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative and the distribution of assets

 

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upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, will not be deemed to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Preferred Shares and will not require the vote or consent of the holders of the Preferred Shares.

 

To the extent holders of the Preferred Shares are entitled to vote, holders of Preferred Shares will be entitled to one vote for each share then held.

 

The voting provisions described above will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the vote or consent of the holders of the Preferred Shares would otherwise be required, all outstanding Preferred Shares have been redeemed by us or called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds have been set aside by us for the benefit of the holders of Preferred Shares to effect the redemption.

 

Book-Entry Procedures

 

The Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”) will act as securities depositary for the Preferred Shares.  We will issue one or more fully registered global securities certificates in the name of DTC’s nominee, Cede & Co.  These certificates will represent the total aggregate number of Preferred Shares sold in the auction.  We will deposit these certificates with DTC or a custodian appointed by DTC.  We will not issue certificates to you for the Preferred Shares that you purchase, unless DTC’s services are discontinued as described below.

 

Title to book-entry interests in the Preferred Shares will pass by book-entry registration of the transfer within the records of DTC in accordance with its procedures.  Book-entry interests in the Preferred Shares may be transferred within DTC in accordance with procedures established for these purposes by DTC.  Each person owning a beneficial interest in the Preferred Shares must rely on the procedures of DTC and the participant through which such person owns its interest to exercise its rights as a holder of the Preferred Shares.

 

DTC has advised us that it is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act.  DTC holds securities that its participants (“Direct Participants”) deposit with DTC.  DTC also facilitates the settlement among Direct Participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in Direct Participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates.  Direct Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations.  Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as securities brokers and dealers, including the underwriters, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly (“Indirect Participants”).  The rules applicable to DTC and its Direct and Indirect Participants are on file with the SEC.

 

When you purchase Preferred Shares within the DTC system, the purchase must be by or through a Direct Participant.  The Direct Participant will receive a credit for the Preferred Shares on DTC’s records.  You, as the actual owner of the Preferred Shares, are the “beneficial owner.” Your beneficial ownership interest will be recorded on the Direct and Indirect Participants’ records, but DTC will have no knowledge of your individual ownership.  DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts Preferred Shares are credited.

 

You will not receive written confirmation from DTC of your purchase.  The Direct or Indirect Participants through whom you purchased Preferred Shares should send you written confirmations providing details of your transactions, as well as periodic statements of your holdings.  The Direct and Indirect Participants are responsible for keeping an accurate account of the holdings of their customers like you.

 

Transfers of ownership interests held through Direct and Indirect Participants will be accomplished by entries on the books of Direct and Indirect Participants acting on behalf of the beneficial owners.

 

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Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

 

We understand that, under DTC’s existing practices, in the event that we request any action of the holders, or an owner of a beneficial interest in a global security such as you desires to take any action which a holder is entitled to take under our charter, DTC would authorize the Direct Participants holding the relevant shares to take such action, and those Direct Participants and any Indirect Participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through those Direct and Indirect Participants to take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them.

 

Any redemption notices with respect to the Preferred Shares will be sent to Cede & Co.  If less than all of the Preferred Shares are being redeemed, DTC will reduce each Direct Participant’s holdings of Preferred Shares in accordance with its procedures.

 

In those instances where a vote is required, neither DTC nor Cede & Co. itself will consent or vote with respect to the Preferred Shares.  Under its usual procedures, DTC would mail an omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date.  The omnibus proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those Direct Participants whose accounts the Preferred Shares are credited to on the record date, which are identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy.

 

Dividends on the Preferred Shares will be made directly to DTC’s nominee (or its successor, if applicable).  DTC’s practice is to credit participants’ accounts on the relevant payment date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC’s records unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payment on that payment date.

 

Payments by Direct and Indirect Participants to beneficial owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name.” These payments will be the responsibility of the participant and not of DTC, us or any agent of ours.

 

DTC may discontinue providing its services as securities depositary with respect to the Preferred Shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to us.  Additionally, we may decide to discontinue the book-entry only system of transfers with respect to the Preferred Shares.  In that event, we will print and deliver certificates in fully registered form for Preferred Shares.  If DTC notifies us that it is unwilling to continue as securities depositary, or it is unable to continue or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days after receiving such notice or becoming aware that DTC is no longer so registered, we will issue Preferred Shares in definitive form, at our expense, upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, such global security.

 

According to DTC, the foregoing information with respect to DTC has been provided to the financial community for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a representation, warranty or contract modification of any kind.

 

Global Clearance and Settlement Procedures

 

Initial settlement for the Preferred Shares will be made in immediately available funds.  Secondary market trading among DTC’s Participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC’s rules and will be settled in immediately available funds using DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System.

 

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AUCTION PROCESS

 

The following describes the auction process used to determine the public offering price of the Preferred Shares.  That process differs from methods traditionally used in other underwritten public offerings.  Treasury and the underwriters will determine the public offering price and the allocation of the Preferred Shares in this offering by an auction process conducted by the joint book-running managers, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P., in their capacity as the “auction agents.”  This auction process will involve a modified “Dutch auction” mechanic in which the auction agents (working with a number of other brokers) will receive and accept bids from bidders for the Preferred Shares.  We do not intend to submit any bids in the auction. After the auction closes and bids become irrevocable (which will occur automatically at the submission deadline to the extent such bids have not been modified or withdrawn at that time), the auction agents will determine the clearing price for the sale of the Preferred Shares offered hereby and, if Treasury chooses to proceed with the offering, the underwriters will allocate Preferred Shares to the winning bidders.  The clearing price for the Preferred Shares may bear little or no relationship to the price that would be established using traditional valuation methods.  You should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to the Auction Process” beginning on page S-20 of this prospectus supplement.

 

Eligibility and Account Status

 

In order to participate in the auction process, bidders must have an account with, and submit bids to purchase Preferred Shares through, either an auction agent or one of the network brokers.  Brokers that are not network brokers will need to submit their bids, either for their own account or on behalf of their customers, through the auction agents or a network broker.  If you wish to bid in the auction and do not have an account with an auction agent or a network broker, you will either need to establish such an account prior to bidding in the auction (which may be difficult to do before the submission deadline) or contact your existing broker and request that it submit a bid through an auction agent or a network broker.  Network brokers and other brokers will have deadlines relating to the auction that are earlier than those imposed by the auction agents, as described below under “— The Auction Process — The Bidding Process.”

 

Because the Preferred Shares are complex financial instruments for which there is no established trading market, the auction agents, each network broker and any other broker that submits bids through the auction agents or any network broker will be required to establish and enforce client suitability standards, including eligibility, account status and size, to evaluate whether an investment in the Preferred Shares is appropriate for any particular investor.  Each of them will individually apply its own standards in making that determination, but in each case those standards will be implemented in accordance with the applicable requirements and guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).  If you do not meet the relevant suitability requirements of an auction agent or another broker, you will not be able to bid in the auction.  Accounts at an auction agent or any other broker, including broker accounts, are also subject to the customary rules of those institutions.  You should contact your brokerage firm to better understand how you may submit bids in the auction process.

 

An auction agent or network brokers may require bidders (including any brokers that may be bidding on behalf of their customers) to submit additional information, such as tax identification numbers, a valid e-mail address and other contact information, and other information that may be required to establish or maintain an account.

 

The auction agents and the network brokers, upon request, will provide certain information to you in connection with the offering, including this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and forms used by such brokers, if any, to submit bids.  Additionally, you should understand that:

 

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·                  before submitting a bid in the auction, you should read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference, including all the risk factors;

 

·                  the minimum bid price was agreed by the auction agents and Treasury, and we did not participate in that determination and therefore cannot provide any information regarding the factors that Treasury and the auction agents considered in determining the minimum bid price;

 

·                  if valid, irrevocable bids are received for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares at the submission deadline, the clearing price will be equal to the highest price at which all of the offered Preferred Shares can be sold in the auction.  In this case, the clearing price will be determined based on the number of valid, irrevocable bids at the time of the submission deadline that Treasury decides, in its sole discretion, to accept (it being understood that Treasury must accept bids for 100% of the offered Preferred Shares if it accepts any bid);

 

·                  if valid, irrevocable bids are received for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares at the submission deadline, then Treasury may (but is not required to) sell, at the minimum bid price per share in the auction (which will be deemed the clearing price), the number of Preferred Shares it chooses to sell up to the number of bids received in the auction, so long as at least half of the offered Preferred Shares are sold;

 

·                  if bids are received for less than half of the offered Preferred Shares, Treasury will not sell any Preferred Shares in this offering;

 

·                  if there is little or no demand for the Preferred Shares at or above the public offering price once trading begins, the trading price of the Preferred Shares will decline;

 

·                  the liquidity of any market for the Preferred Shares may be affected by the number of Preferred Shares that Treasury elects to sell in this offering, and the price of the Preferred Shares may decline if the Preferred Shares are illiquid;

 

·                  the auction agents, in their sole discretion, have the right to reconfirm any bid by contacting the purported bidder directly and to impose size limits on the aggregate size of bids that it chooses to accept from any bidder, including network brokers (although the auction agents are under no obligation to reconfirm bids for any reason, except as may be required by applicable securities laws).  If you are requested to reconfirm a bid and fail to do so in a timely manner, the auction agents may deem your bid to have been withdrawn, but alternatively may in their discretion choose to accept any such bid even if it has not been reconfirmed;

 

·                  the auction agents may reject any bid that they determine, in their discretion, has a potentially manipulative, disruptive or other adverse effect on the auction process or the offering; and

 

·                  the auction agents will not provide bidders with any information about the bids of other bidders or auction trends, or with advice regarding bidding strategies, in connection with the auction process.

 

None of the underwriters, Treasury or us have undertaken any efforts to qualify the Preferred Shares for sale in any jurisdiction outside the United States.  Except to the limited extent that this offering will be open to certain non-U.S. investors under private placement exemptions in certain countries other than the United States, investors located outside the United States should not expect to be eligible to participate in this offering.

 

Even if a bidder places a bid in the auction, it may not receive an allocation of the Preferred Shares in the offering for a number of reasons described below.  You should consider all the information in this

 

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prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in determining whether to submit a bid, the number of Preferred Shares you seek to purchase and the price per share you are willing to pay.

 

The following brokers have agreed to be network brokers for purposes of the auction process:  BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott & Stringfellow, LLC, Blaylock Robert Van, LLC, Boenning & Scattergood, Inc., Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC, Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., CastleOak Securities, L.P., Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC, D.A. Davidson & Co., Davenport & Co., FBR Capital Markets & Co., Guggenheim Securities, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Jefferies & Company, Inc., Joseph Gunnar & Co. LLC, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., Lebenthal & Co., LLC, M.R. Beal & Company, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Smith, Moore & Co., Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc., Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, TD Ameritrade, Inc., The Williams Capital Group, L.P., Toussaint Capital Partners, LLC, and Wedbush Morgan Securities Inc.. The network brokers will not share in any underwriting discounts or fees paid by us in connection with the offering of the Preferred Shares but may, subject to applicable FINRA and SEC rules and regulations, charge a separate commission to their own customers.

 

The Auction Process

 

The following describes how the auction agents will conduct the auction process:

 

General

 

·                  The auction will commence at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified by the auction agents in a press release issued prior to the opening of the equity markets on such day, and will end at 6:30 p.m., New York City time, on the second business day immediately thereafter (the “submission deadline”).  Unless you submit your bids through an auction agent, your broker will have an earlier deadline for accepting bids.  If a malfunction, technical or mechanical problem, calamity, crisis or other similar event occurs that the auction agents believe may interfere with the auction process, the auction agents may (in consultation with Treasury) decide to extend the auction or cancel and reschedule the auction.  The auction agents and the network brokers will advise bidders of any such decision to extend or cancel and reschedule the auction using e-mail, telephone or facsimile, and will attempt to make such notification prior to the time the auction is scheduled to close.  If the auction process is extended such that it closes at a later time on the same business day, any bids previously submitted will continue to be valid unless amended or cancelled by the bidder, but if the auction is extended such that it closes on the following business day or later, or is cancelled, all bids will be cancelled at the time of such extension or cancellation.

 

·                  The auction agents and the network brokers will contact potential investors with information about the auction process and how to participate and will solicit bids from prospective investors via electronic message, telephone and facsimile.  The minimum bid price is $      per Preferred Share with a minimum size for any bid of one Preferred Share.

 

The Bidding Process

 

·                  The auction agents and the network brokers will only accept bids in the auction process in increments of whole Preferred Shares; no fractional interests will be sold.

 

·                  No maximum price or auction price range has been established in connection with the auction process, which means that there is no ceiling on the price per share that you or any other bidder can bid in the auction.  Each bid must specify a price at or above the minimum bid price of $      (such bid price to be in increments of $0.01) with a minimum bid size of one Preferred Share or such bid will be rejected.

 

·                  Once the auction begins, you may submit your bids either directly through an auction agent or through any network broker.  Bids through the network brokers will be aggregated and submitted to the auction agents as single bids at each price increment by those brokers.  Bids will only be accepted if they are made on an unconditional basis (i.e., no “all-or-none” bids will be accepted).

 

·                  In connection with submitting a bid, you will be required to provide the following information:

 

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·                  the number of Preferred Shares that you are interested in purchasing (only in whole shares—no fractional interests);

·                  the price per share you are willing to pay (such bid price to be in increments of $0.01 at or above the minimum bid price of $      per Preferred Share with a minimum size for any bid of one Preferred Share); and

·                  any additional information that may be required to enable an auction agent and/or network broker to identify you, confirm your eligibility and suitability for participating in this offering, and, if you submit a successful bid, consummate a sale of Preferred Shares to you.

 

·                  You may submit multiple bids.  Canceling one bid does not cancel any other bid.  However, as bids are independent, each bid may result in an allocation of Preferred Shares.  Consequently, the sum of your bid sizes should be no more than the total number of Preferred Shares you are willing to purchase.  In addition, the auction agents may impose size limits on the aggregate size of bids that they choose to accept from any bidder (including any network broker), although the auction agents are under no obligation to do so or to reconfirm bids for any reason, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

 

·                  At any time prior to the submission deadline, you may modify your bids to increase or decrease the number of Preferred Shares bid for or the price bid per share and may withdraw your bid and reenter the auction.  Network brokers, however, will impose earlier submission deadlines than that imposed by the auction agents in order to have sufficient time to aggregate bids received from their respective customers and to transmit the aggregate bid to the auction agents before the auction closes.  If you are bidding through a network broker, or another broker that is submitting bids through an auction agent or a network broker, you should be aware of any earlier submission deadlines that may be imposed by your broker.

 

·                  Conditions for valid bids, including eligibility standards and account funding requirements, may vary from broker to broker.  Some brokers, for example, may require a prospective investor to maintain a minimum account balance or to ensure that its account balance is equal to or in excess of the amount of its bid.  No funds will be transferred to the underwriters until the acceptance of the bid and the allocation of Preferred Shares.

 

·                  A bid received by an auction agent or any network broker involves no obligation or commitment of any kind prior to the submission deadline.  Therefore, you will be able to withdraw a bid at any time prior to the submission deadline (or any deadline imposed by a network broker, if you are bidding through a network broker).  Following the submission deadline, however, all bids that have not been modified or withdrawn by you prior to the submission deadline will be considered final and irrevocable and may be accepted.  The auction agents and Treasury will rely on your bid in setting the public offering price and in sending notices of acceptance to successful bidders.

 

·                  If you are requested to reconfirm a bid and fail to do so in a timely manner, the auction agents may deem your bid to have been withdrawn.  The auction agents may, however, choose to accept your bid even if it has not been reconfirmed.

 

·                  The auction agents may reject any bid that they determine, in their discretion, has a potentially manipulative, disruptive or other adverse effect on the auction process or the offering.

 

·                  The auction agents will not provide bidders with any information about the bids of other bidders or auction trends, or with advice regarding bidding strategies, in connection with the auction process.

 

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·                  No funds will be transferred to the underwriters until the acceptance of the bid and the allocation of the Preferred Shares.  However, the auction agents or any network broker may require you to deposit funds or securities in your brokerage accounts with value sufficient to cover the aggregate dollar amount of your bids.  Bids may be rejected if you do not provide the required funds or securities within the required time.  The auction agents or any network broker may, however, decide to accept successful bids regardless of whether you have deposited funds or securities in your brokerage accounts.  In any case, if you are a successful bidder, you will be obligated to purchase the Preferred Shares allocated to you in the allocation process and will be required to deposit funds in your brokerage accounts prior to settlement, which is expected to occur three or four business days after the notices of acceptance are sent to you.

 

Pricing and Allocation

 

·                  The auction agents will manage the master order book that will aggregate all bids and will include the identity of the bidders (or their brokers, in the case of bids submitted through a network broker).  The master order book will not be available for viewing by bidders.  Bidders whose bids are accepted will be informed about the result of their bids.

 

·                  If valid, irrevocable bids are received for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares, the clearing price will be equal to the highest price at which all of the offered Preferred Shares can be sold in the auction.  In this case, the clearing price will be determined based on the number of valid, irrevocable bids at the time of the submission deadline that Treasury decides, in its sole discretion, to accept (it being understood that Treasury must accept bids for 100% of the offered Preferred Shares if it accepts any bid).  If valid, irrevocable bids for 100% or more of the offered Preferred Shares are received, any accepted bids submitted in the auction above the clearing price will receive allocations in full, while each bid submitted at the clearing price will be allocated the number of Preferred Shares represented by such bids, in the case bids for 100% of the offered Preferred Shares are received, or a number of Preferred Shares approximately equal to the pro-rata allocation percentage multiplied by the number of Preferred Shares represented by such bid, rounded to the nearest whole number of Preferred Shares (subject to rounding to eliminate odd-lots), in the case bids for more than 100% of the offered Preferred Shares are received.

 

·                  If valid, irrevocable bids are received for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares at the submission deadline, then Treasury may (but is not required to) sell, at the minimum bid price in the auction (which will be deemed the clearing price), the number of Preferred Shares it chooses to sell up to the number of bids received in the auction, so long as at least half of the offered Preferred Shares are sold, and in such a case if Treasury chooses to sell fewer Preferred Shares than the number of Preferred Shares for which bids were received, then all bids will experience equal pro-rata allocation.

 

·                  If bids are received for less than half of the offered Preferred Shares, Treasury will not sell any Preferred Shares in this offering.

 

·                  Unless Treasury decides not to sell any Preferred Shares or as otherwise described below, all Preferred Shares will be sold to bidders at the clearing price plus accrued dividends thereon.

 

·                  Promptly after the auction agents determine the clearing price, they will communicate that clearing price to Treasury.  Treasury may decide not to sell any Preferred Shares after the clearing price is determined or, in the case where bids are reserved for at least half, but less than all, of the offered Preferred Shares, may decide to sell only a portion (but not less than half) of the offered Preferred Shares.  Once Treasury confirms its acceptance of the clearing price and the number of Preferred Shares to be sold, the auction agents will confirm allocations of Preferred Shares to its clients and the network brokers.  The underwriters will sell all Preferred Shares at the same price per share plus accrued dividends.

 

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·                  If Treasury elects to sell Preferred Shares in the offering, allocation of the Preferred Shares will be determined by, first, allocating Preferred Shares to any bids made above the clearing price, and second, allocating Preferred Shares (on a pro-rata basis if appropriate) among bids made at the clearing price.  Any pro-rata allocation percentage for bids made at the clearing price will be determined by dividing the number of Preferred Shares to be allocated at the bidding increment equal to the clearing price by the number of Preferred Shares represented by bids at that bidding increment.  Each accepted bid submitted at the clearing price will be allocated a number of Preferred Shares approximately equal to the pro-rata allocation percentage multiplied by the number of Preferred Shares represented by its bid, rounded to the nearest whole number of Preferred Shares.  In no case, however, will any rounded amount exceed the original bid size.

 

·                  After Treasury confirms its acceptance of the clearing price and the number of Preferred Shares to be sold, the auction agents and each network broker that has submitted successful bids will notify you, in the event your bids have been accepted by Treasury, by electronic message, telephone, facsimile or otherwise that the auction has closed and that your bids have been accepted by Treasury (subject, in some cases, to pro-ration, as described in this prospectus supplement).  They may also provide you with a preliminary allocation estimate, which will be subsequently followed by a final allocation and confirmation of sale.  In the event your bids are not accepted, you may be notified that your bids have not been accepted.  As a result of the varying delivery times involved in sending e-mails over the Internet and other methods of delivery, you may receive notices of acceptance before or after other bidders.

 

·                  The clearing price and number of Preferred Shares to be sold are expected to be announced via press release on the business day following the end of the auction.  The price will also be included in the notice of acceptance and the confirmation of sale that will be sent to successful bidders, and will also be included in the final prospectus supplement for the offering.

 

·                  Sales to investors will be settled through your account with the broker through which your bid was submitted.

 

·                  If you submit bids that are accepted by Treasury, you will be obligated to purchase the Preferred Shares allocated to you regardless of whether you are aware that the notice of acceptance of your bid has been sent.  Once an underwriter has sent out a notice of acceptance and confirmation of sale, it will not cancel or reject your bid.  The auction agents and Treasury will rely on your bid in setting the public offering price and in sending notices of acceptance to successful bidders.  As a result, you will be responsible for paying for all of the Preferred Shares that are finally allocated to you at the public offering price.

 

You should carefully review the procedures of, and communications from, the institution through which you bid to purchase Preferred Shares.

 

Auction Process Developments

 

You should keep in contact with the institution through which your bid has been submitted and monitor your relevant e-mail accounts, telephone and facsimile for notifications related to this offering, which may include:

 

·                  Potential Request for Reconfirmation.  The auction agents, in their sole discretion, may ask you to reconfirm your bid by directly contacting you (or your broker, if you submitted your bid through a broker other than an auction agent), although the auction agents are under no obligation to reconfirm bids for any reason, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.  If you are requested to reconfirm a bid and fail to do so in a timely manner, the auction agents may deem your bid to have been withdrawn.  The auction agents may, however, choose to accept your bid even if it has not been reconfirmed.

 

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·                  Notice of Acceptance.  Notification as to whether any of your bids are successful and have been accepted by Treasury.  This notification will include the final clearing price.  If your bids have been accepted by Treasury, you will be informed about the results of the auction process.

 

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SELLING SHAREHOLDER

 

The table below sets forth information concerning the resale of the Preferred Shares by Treasury. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any Preferred Shares sold by Treasury. Our operations are regulated by various U.S. governmental authorities, including in certain respects by Treasury. Other than through its role as a regulator and the acquisition of the Preferred Shares, Treasury has not held any position or office or had any other material relationship with us or any of our predecessors or affiliates within the past three years.

 

Treasury acquired the Preferred Shares as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which was established pursuant to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (“EESA”). EESA was enacted into law on October 3, 2008 to restore confidence and stabilize the volatility in the U.S. banking system and to encourage financial institutions to increase their lending to customers and to each other.

 

The following description was provided by Treasury and is derived from the website of Treasury. Treasury is the executive agency of the United States government responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the financial security of the United States. Treasury is responsible for a wide range of activities, such as advising the President of the United States on economic and financial issues, encouraging sustainable economic growth and fostering improved governance in financial institutions. Treasury operates and maintains systems that are critical to the nation’s financial infrastructure, such as the production of coin and currency, the disbursement of payments to the American public, revenue collection and the borrowing of funds necessary to run the federal government. Treasury works with other federal agencies, foreign governments, and international financial institutions to encourage global economic growth, raise standards of living and, to the extent possible, predict and prevent economic and financial crises. Treasury also performs a critical and far-reaching role in enhancing national security by implementing economic sanctions against foreign threats to the United States, identifying and targeting the financial support networks of national security threats and improving the safeguards of our financial systems. In addition, under the EESA, Treasury was given certain authority and facilities to restore the liquidity and stability of the financial system.

 

The doctrine of sovereign immunity, as limited by the FTCA, provides that claims may not be brought against the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof unless specifically permitted by act of Congress. The FTCA bars claims for fraud or misrepresentation. The courts have held, in cases involving federal agencies and instrumentalities, that the United States may assert its sovereign immunity to claims brought under the federal securities laws. Thus, any attempt to assert a claim against Treasury alleging a violation of the federal securities laws, including the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, resulting from an alleged material misstatement in or material omission from this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are a part, or any other act or omission in connection with the offering to which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate, likely would be barred. In addition, Treasury and its members, officers, agents, and employees are exempt from liability for any violation or alleged violation of the anti-fraud provisions of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act by virtue of Section 3(c) thereof. The underwriters are not claiming to be agents of Treasury in this offering. Accordingly, any attempt to assert such a claim against the members, officers, agents or employees of Treasury for a violation of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act resulting from an alleged material misstatement in or material omission from this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are a part or resulting from any other act or omission in connection with the offering to which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relates likely would be barred.  See “Risk Factors — Treasury is a federal agency and your ability to bring a claim against Treasury under the federal securities laws in connection with a purchase of Preferred Shares may be limited.”

 

The table below sets forth information with respect to the number of Preferred Shares beneficially owned by Treasury as of June 21, 2012, the number of Preferred Shares being offered by Treasury in this offering, and the number of Preferred Shares to be beneficially owned by Treasury after this offering,

 

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assuming all the Preferred Shares offered by Treasury in this offering are sold. The percentages below are calculated based on 32,538 Preferred Shares issued and outstanding as of June 21, 2012.

 

 

 

Beneficial Ownership
Prior to the Offering(1)(2)

 

 

 

Beneficial Ownership
After the Offering

 

Name and Address of Beneficial
Owner

 

Number of
Preferred
Shares
Beneficially
Owned(1)

 

Percent

 

Preferred
Shares
Being
Offered

 

Number of
Preferred
Shares
Beneficially
Owned(1)(2)

 

Percent

 

United States Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20220

 

32,538

 

100

%

32,538

 

0

 

0

%

 


(1)                                  In accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, a person is deemed to be the beneficial owner, for purposes of this table, of any Preferred Shares over which such person has voting or investment power and of which such person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days.

(2)                                  Treasury also owns a warrant to purchase 778,421 of the shares of our common stock.

 

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U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

The following discussion summarizes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to “U.S. holders” and “non-U.S. holders” (each as defined below) with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Preferred Shares. This summary is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the “Code”), Treasury regulations and judicial and administrative authority, all of which are subject to differing interpretations or change, possibly with retroactive effect. This summary is limited to investors who will hold the Preferred Shares as capital assets and does not discuss all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to particular investors in light of their individual circumstances. This discussion does not address the tax consequences to investors who are subject to special tax rules, such as banks and other financial institutions, insurance companies, governments and governmental entities, broker-dealers, partnerships and their partners, tax-exempt organizations, investors that will hold the Preferred Shares as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion, constructive sale, or other integrated security transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes, U.S. expatriates, or U.S. holders that have a functional currency that is not the U.S. dollar, all of whom may be subject to tax rules that differ significantly from those summarized below. In addition, this summary does not address any alternative minimum tax consequences or any state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences. Each prospective investor is urged to consult its own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state, local, and non-U.S. income and other tax considerations of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of the Preferred Shares.

 

For purposes of this summary, you are a “U.S. holder” if you are a beneficial owner of the Preferred Shares and you are for U.S. federal income tax purposes (i) an individual citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust if it (A) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (B) has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person. You are a “non-U.S. holder” if you are a beneficial owner of the Preferred Shares that is an individual, corporation, estate or trust that is not a U.S. holder.

 

If a partnership (including any other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is a holder of the Preferred Shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partnership or a partner of a partnership holding Preferred Shares, you should consult your own tax advisors as to the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Preferred Shares.

 

U.S. Holders

 

Distributions on the Preferred Shares.  In general, if distributions are made with respect to the Preferred Shares, the distributions will be treated as dividends to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Any portion of a distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits is treated first as a nontaxable return of capital reducing your tax basis in the Preferred Shares. Any amount in excess of your tax basis is treated as capital gain, the tax treatment of which is discussed below under “Sale or Redemptions of the Preferred Shares.”

 

Dividends received by individual holders of the Preferred Shares will generally be subject to a reduced maximum tax rate of 15% if such dividends are treated as “qualified dividend income” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The rate reduction does not apply to dividends that are paid to individual stockholders with respect to Preferred Shares that are held for 60 days or less during the 121-day period beginning on the date which is 60 days before the date on which the Preferred Shares become ex-dividend. Furthermore, the rate reduction does not apply to dividends received to the extent that an individual holder elects to treat the dividends as “investment income” for purposes of determining the holder’s limit for the deduction of

 

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investment interest under Section 163(d) of the Code. The 15% dividend rate is scheduled to expire December 31, 2012, at which time the rate will revert back to ordinary income rates previously in effect and applicable to dividends unless the Code is amended to provide for a different rate. In addition, under the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, dividends received after December 31, 2012 by U.S. holders that are individuals could be subject to the 3.8% tax on net investment income. You should consult your own tax advisors regarding the implications of these rules in light of your particular circumstances.

 

Dividends received by corporate holders of the Preferred Shares may be eligible for a dividends received deduction equal to 70% of the amount of the distribution, subject to applicable limitations, including limitations related to “debt financed portfolio stock” under Section 246A of the Code and to the holding period requirements of Section 246 of the Code. In addition, any amount received by a corporate holder that is treated as a dividend may, depending on the circumstances, constitute an “extraordinary dividend” subject to the provisions of Section 1059 of the Code (except as may otherwise be provided in Treasury regulations yet to be promulgated). Under Section 1059, a corporate holder that has held shares for two years or less before the dividend announcement date generally must reduce the tax basis of all of the holder’s shares (but not below zero) by the “non-taxed portion” of any “extraordinary dividend” and, if the non-taxed portion exceeds the holder’s tax basis for the shares, must treat any excess as gain from the sale or exchange of the shares in the year the payment is received. Individual holders of Preferred Shares that receive any “extraordinary dividends” that are treated as “qualified dividend income” (as discussed above) will be required to treat any losses on the sale of such Preferred Shares as long-term capital losses to the extent of such dividends.  We strongly encourage you to consult your own tax advisor regarding the extent, if any, to which these provisions may apply to you in light of your particular facts and circumstances.

 

Sale or Redemption of the Preferred Shares.  On the sale or exchange of the Preferred Shares to a party other than us, you generally will realize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between (a) the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property you receive on the sale and (b) your tax basis in the Preferred Shares. We strongly encourage you to consult your own tax advisors regarding applicable rates, holding periods and netting rules for capital gains and losses in light of your particular facts and circumstances. Certain limitations exist on the deduction of capital losses by both corporate and non-corporate taxpayers.

 

On the redemption of Preferred Shares by us, your surrender of the Preferred Shares for the redemption proceeds will be treated either as a payment received upon sale or exchange of the Preferred Shares or as a distribution with respect to all of your equity interests in us. Resolution of this issue will turn on the application of Section 302 of the Code to your individual facts and circumstances.

 

The redemption will be treated as gain or loss from the sale or exchange of Preferred Shares (as discussed above) if:

 

·                  the redemption is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to you within the meaning of Section 302(b)(2) of the Code;

 

·                  your interest in the Preferred Shares and any other equity interest in us is completely terminated (within the meaning of Section 302(b)(3) of the Code) as a result of such redemption; or

 

·                  the redemption is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” (within the meaning of Section 302(b)(1) of the Code). In general, redemption proceeds are “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” if the redemption results in a “meaningful reduction” of your interest in the issuer.

 

In determining whether any of these tests has been met, you must take into account not only the Preferred Shares and other equity interests in us that you actually own, but also shares and other equity interests that you constructively own within the meaning of Section 318 of the Code.

 

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If none of the above tests giving rise to sale or exchange treatment is satisfied, then a payment made in redemption of the Preferred Shares will be treated as a distribution that is subject to the tax treatment described above under “Distributions on the Preferred Shares.” The amount of the distribution will be equal to the amount of cash and the fair market value of property you receive without any offset for your tax basis in the Preferred Shares. Your tax basis in the redeemed Preferred Shares should be transferred to your remaining Preferred Shares. If, however, you have no remaining Preferred Shares, your basis could be lost.

 

Any redemption proceeds that are attributable to any declared but unpaid dividends on the Preferred Shares will generally be subject to the rules described above under “U.S. Holders - Distributions on the Preferred Shares.”

 

We strongly encourage you to consult your own tax advisor regarding: (a) whether a redemption payment will qualify for sale or exchange treatment under Section 302 of the Code or, alternatively, will be characterized as a distribution; and (b) the resulting tax consequences to you in light of your individual facts and circumstances.

 

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding.  Information reporting will generally apply to noncorporate U.S. holders with respect to payments of dividends on the Preferred Shares and to certain payments of proceeds on the sale or other disposition of the Preferred Shares. Certain noncorporate U.S. holders may be subject to U.S. backup withholding (currently at a rate of 28%) on payments of dividends on the Preferred Shares and certain payments of proceeds on the sale or other disposition of the Preferred Shares unless the beneficial owner of the Preferred Shares furnishes the payor or its agent with a taxpayer identification number, certified under penalties of perjury, and certain other information, or otherwise establishes, in the manner prescribed by law, an exemption from backup withholding.

 

U.S. backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a credit against a U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, which may entitle the U.S. holder to a refund, provided the U.S. holder timely furnishes the required information to the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”).

 

Non-U.S. Holders

 

Distributions on the Preferred Shares.  Distributions treated as dividends as described above under “U.S. Holders — Distributions on the Preferred Shares” paid to a non-U.S. holder of the Preferred Shares will generally be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. However, distributions that are effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a trade or business within the United States are not subject to the withholding tax, provided certain certification and disclosure requirements are satisfied. Instead, such distributions are subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis in the same manner as if the non-U.S. holder were a United States person as defined under the Code, unless an applicable income tax treaty provides otherwise. Any such effectively connected dividends received by a foreign corporation may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.

 

For purposes of obtaining a reduced rate of withholding under an income tax treaty or an exemption from withholding for dividends effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business, a non-U.S. holder will generally be required to provide a U.S. taxpayer identification number as well as certain information concerning the holder’s country of residence and entitlement to tax benefits. A non-U.S. holder can generally meet the certification requirements by providing a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN (if the holder is claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty) or Form W-8ECI (if the dividends are effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States) or suitable substitute form.

 

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Sale or Redemption of the Preferred Shares.  A non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on gain realized on the sale, exchange, redemption (except as discussed below) or other disposition of the Preferred Shares except for (i) certain non-resident alien individuals that are present in the United States for 183 or more days in the taxable year of the sale or disposition, (ii) gain that is effectively connected with the conduct by the non-U.S. holder of a trade or business within the United States (and, if a tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States), (iii) non-U.S. holders that are subject to tax pursuant to certain provisions of U.S. federal income tax law applicable to certain expatriates, and (iv) gain if we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation” for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

We would not be treated as a “United States real property holding corporation” if less than 50% of our assets throughout a prescribed testing period consist of interests in real property located within the United States, excluding, for this purpose, interest in real property solely in a capacity as a creditor.  To the extent that we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation” for U.S. federal income tax purposes and a non-U.S. holder was not eligible for a treaty exemption, any gain on the sale of our Preferred Shares would be treated as effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States and the purchaser of the stock could be required to withhold 10% of the purchase price and remit such amount to the IRS.  Gain that is treated as effectively connected with a trade or business within the United States will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis in the same manner as if the non-U.S. holder was a United States person as defined under the Code, unless an applicable income tax treaty provides otherwise.  Any such effectively connected income received by a foreign corporation may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.

 

We believe that we are not currently and do not anticipate becoming a “United States real property holding corporation” for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

A payment made to a non-U.S. holder in redemption of the Preferred Shares may be treated as a dividend, rather than as a payment in exchange for such stock, in the circumstances discussed above under “U.S. Holders — Sale or Redemption of the Preferred Shares,” in which event such payment would be subject to tax as discussed above under “—Distributions on the Preferred Shares.” Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors to determine the proper tax treatment of any payment received in redemption of the Preferred Shares.

 

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding.  Information returns will be filed with the IRS reporting payments of dividends on the Preferred Shares and the amount of tax, if any, withheld with respect to those payments. Copies of information returns reporting such dividends and withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which a non-U.S. holder resides under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty. Unless the non-U.S. holder complies with certification procedures to establish that it is not a U.S. person, information returns may be filed with the IRS in connection with the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of the Preferred Shares and the non-U.S. holder may be subject to U.S. backup withholding on dividend payments on the Preferred Shares or on the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of the Preferred Shares. Satisfaction of the certification procedures required to claim a reduced rate of withholding under a treaty described above in the section titled “Distributions on the Preferred Shares” will satisfy the certification requirements necessary to avoid backup withholding as well. The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a non-U.S. holder will be allowed as a credit against such holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such holder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS. Non-U.S. holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of backup withholding in their particular circumstances and the availability of and procedure for obtaining an exemption from backup withholding under current Treasury regulations.

 

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New Legislation Relating to Foreign Accounts

 

Legislation enacted in 2010 may impose withholding taxes on certain types of payments made to “foreign financial institutions” and certain other non-U.S. entities after December 31, 2012. The legislation generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on dividends on or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of Preferred Shares paid to a foreign financial institution unless the foreign financial institution enters into an agreement with Treasury to among other things, undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to account holders whose actions prevent it from complying with these reporting and other requirements. In addition, the legislation generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on the same types of payments to a foreign non-financial entity unless the entity certifies that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner. Under recently issued IRS guidance, these rules generally would apply to payments of dividends on the Preferred Shares made after December 31, 2013, and payments of gross proceeds from a disposition of the Preferred Shares made after December 31, 2014. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding this legislation.

 

UNDERWRITING

 

Treasury is offering the Preferred Shares through Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P., as representatives of the several underwriters. The terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, dated June   , 2012, govern the sale and purchase of the Preferred Shares. Each underwriter named below has severally agreed to purchase from Treasury, and Treasury has agreed to sell to such underwriter, the number of Preferred Shares set forth opposite the name of each underwriter below at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement.

 

Underwriter

 

Number of
Preferred
Shares

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

 

 

 

Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.

 

 

 

Great Pacific Fixed Income Securities, Inc.

 

 

 

Loop Capital Markets LLC

 

 

 

Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to purchase the Preferred Shares offered hereby are subject to certain conditions precedent and that the underwriters will purchase all of the Preferred Shares that Treasury determines to sell, if any are purchased. The number of Preferred Shares that Treasury may determine to sell will depend, in part, upon the success of the auction process. See “Auction Process — The Auction Process — Pricing and Allocation.”

 

The underwriters plan to offer the Preferred Shares for sale pursuant to the auction process described above under “Auction Process.” Preferred Shares sold by the underwriters to the public will be sold at the clearing price determined through that auction process plus accrued dividends thereon. During the auction period, bids may be placed for Preferred Shares at any price in increments of $0.01. The offering of the Preferred Shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part. As described under “Auction Process,” Treasury may decide not to sell any Preferred Shares in the auction process, regardless of the clearing price set in the auction process.

 

The underwriters are committed to purchase and pay for all such Preferred Shares, if any are purchased. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase

 

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commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or this offering may be terminated.  The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters are conditional and may be terminated at their discretion based on their assessment of the state of the financial markets. The obligations of the underwriters may also be terminated upon the occurrence of the events specified in the underwriting agreement.

 

The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions that the underwriters will receive and the proceeds Treasury will receive.

 

Preferred Stock

 

Per Share

 

Total

 

Price to public(1)

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

Underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by Treasury(2)

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds to Treasury(1)

 

 

 

 

 

 


(1)          Plus accrued dividends from and including May 15, 2012.

(2)          Treasury has agreed to pay all underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes.  We have agreed to pay all transaction fees, if any, applicable to the sale of the Preferred Shares and certain fees and disbursements of counsel for Treasury incurred in connection with this offering.

 

We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, will be approximately $      and are payable by us.

 

Restriction on Sales of Securities

 

We and Treasury have agreed, for the period beginning on and including the date of this prospectus supplement through and including the date that is 30 days after the date of this prospectus supplement, that we will not, without the prior written consent of the representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of preferred stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable, for preferred stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of preferred stock.

 

The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph will not apply to sales by Treasury of any of our Preferred Shares back to us.  The underwriters may, in their sole discretion and at any time and from time to time, without notice, release all or any portion of the Preferred Shares and other securities from the foregoing restrictions.

 

Indemnity

 

We have agreed to indemnify Treasury and the underwriters and persons who control the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of these liabilities.

 

Stabilization

 

In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions.

 

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Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase Preferred Shares so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum, and are engaged in for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of Preferred Shares while this offering is in progress.

 

These stabilizing transactions may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our Preferred Shares or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our Preferred Shares. As a result, the price of our Preferred Shares in the open market may be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of these transactions. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our Preferred Shares. These transactions may be effected in the open market or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

 

Listing

 

The Preferred Shares will not be listed for trading on any stock exchange or available for quotation on any national quotation system.

 

Selling Restrictions

 

United Kingdom

 

Each underwriter shall be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed that:

 

·                  it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the ‘‘FSMA’’)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the Preferred Shares in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to our company; and

 

·                  it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Preferred Shares in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are only being distributed to, and is only directed at, (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the ‘‘Order’’) or (iii) high net worth companies, unincorporated associations and other persons, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order or (iv) other persons to whom it may be lawfully communicated in accordance with the Order (all such persons together being referred to as ‘‘relevant persons’’). The Preferred Shares are only available to, and investment activity will only be engaged in with, relevant persons. Any person that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or either of their respective contents.

 

European Economic Area

 

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (the ‘‘EEA’’) that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a ‘‘Relevant Member State’’), an offer to the public of any Preferred Shares that are the subject of the offering contemplated in this prospectus supplement may not be made in that Relevant Member State, except that an offer to the public in that Relevant Member State of any Preferred Shares may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive, if they have been implemented in that Relevant Member State:

 

(a) at any time to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

 

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(b) at any time to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provisions of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150 natural or legal persons (other than ‘‘qualified investors,’’ as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters; or

 

(c) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of the Preferred Shares shall result in a requirement for us or the underwriters to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

 

For the purposes of this provision, the expression “an offer to the public of any Preferred Shares’’ in relation to the Preferred Shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Preferred Shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase the Preferred Shares, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State, the expression ‘‘Prospectus Directive’’ means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State) and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State and the expression ‘‘2010 PD Amending Directive’’ means Directive 2010/73/EU.

 

Conflict of Interest; Other Relationships

 

From time to time, the underwriters and their affiliates have provided, and may continue to provide, investment banking and other financial advisory services to us in the ordinary course of their businesses, and have received, and may continue to receive, compensation for such services.

 

In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of the Company. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

REGULATION

 

Pulaski Bank is subject to extensive regulation, examination and supervision by the OCC, as its primary federal regulator, and the FDIC, as the deposit insurer.  The Company, as a savings and loan holding company, is subject to Federal Reserve regulations, examinations, supervision, reporting requirements and regulations regarding its activities.  Certain of the regulatory requirements applicable to Pulaski Bank and to the Company are referred to below.

 

Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering

 

The Bank Secrecy Act and USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 contain anti-money laundering and financial transparency provisions intended to detect, and prevent the use of the U.S. financial system for, money laundering and terrorist financing activities.  The Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act, requires depository institutions and their holding companies to undertake activities including maintaining an anti-money laundering program, verifying the identity of clients, monitoring for and reporting suspicious transactions, reporting on cash transactions exceeding specified thresholds, and responding to requests for information by regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies.  We have implemented internal practices, procedures, and controls designed to comply with these requirements.

 

For additional information about the laws and regulations applicable to us, see “Regulation” in Part I, Item 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011, which information is incorporated by reference herein.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the Preferred Shares offered by this prospectus supplement and certain other legal matters will be passed upon for us by Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton LLP, Washington, D.C.  The underwriters are represented by Sidley Austin LLP, New York, New York.

 

EXPERTS

 

Our consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2011 have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, registered independent public accountants, incorporated by reference herein and therein and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The selling shareholder named in this prospectus may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and neither we nor the selling shareholder are soliciting offers to buy the common stock in any jurisdiction where the offer, solicitation or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to completion, dated June 21, 2012

 

PROSPECTUS

 

PULASKI FINANCIAL CORP.

 

32,538 SHARES OF FIXED RATE CUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES A

WARRANT TO PURCHASE 778,421 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

778,421 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

 

This prospectus relates to the offer and sale by the selling securityholders identified in this prospectus of up to 32,538 shares of our Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, par value $0.01 (the “Preferred Shares”) liquidation preference $1,000 per share and a warrant to purchase 778,421 shares of our common stock (the “Warrant”), and any shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrant.  The warrant is exercisable at $6.27 per share at any time on or before January 16, 2019.  We issued the Preferred Shares and warrant to the United States Department of the Treasury  (the “Treasury”), which we refer to as the initial selling securityholder, on January 16, 2009 as part of Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program Capital Purchase Program (the “CPP”) in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).  Although we will incur expenses in connection with the registration of the Preferred Shares, we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any Preferred Shares by Treasury.  We will receive gross proceeds of up to $4.9 million from the exercise of the warrant, if and when it is exercised, if the exercise price is paid in cash instead of via “net exercise.”

 

Dividends on the Preferred Shares are payable quarterly in arrears on each February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15. The initial dividend rate is 5% per annum through February 14, 2014, and will increase to 9% per annum on and after February 15, 2014 if not otherwise redeemed earlier for cash by us. We may redeem the Preferred Shares, at any time, in whole or in part, at our option, subject to prior approval by the appropriate federal banking agency, for cash, for a redemption price equal to 100% of the liquidation preference amount per Preferred Share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends to but excluding the date of redemption.

 

The Preferred Shares are not listed on any exchange or quoted in any interdealer quotation system, and, unless requested by the initial selling securityholder, we do not intend to list the Preferred Shares on an exchange.

 

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “PULB.” On June 20,  2012, the closing sale price of the common stock on NASDAQ Global Select Market was $7.33 per share.  You are urged to obtain current market quotations for the common stock.

 

Investing in the securities offered under this prospectus involves risks.  You should read the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 2 of this prospectus and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011 before making a decision to invest in the securities.

 

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”), any state or other securities commission or any other federal or state bank regulatory agency has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.  Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

These securities are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any bank, thrift or other depositary institution and are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other governmental agency or instrumentality.

 

The date of this prospectus is June     , 2012

 




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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

You should read this prospectus and the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” before you make a decision to invest in the securities.  In particular, you should review the information under the heading “Risk Factors” set forth on page 2 of this prospectus and the information under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011, which is incorporated by reference herein.  You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any related free writing prospectus required to be filed with the SEC.  Neither we nor any selling security is making an offer to sell the securities in any manner in which, or in any jurisdiction where, the offer or sale thereof is not permitted.  We have not authorized any person to provide you with different or additional information.  If any person provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it.  You should assume that the information in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein is accurate only as of its date or the date which is specified in those documents.  Our business, financial condition, capital levels, cash flows, liquidity, results of operations and prospects may have changed since any such date.

 

We may provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of a particular offering by the selling securityholders. The prospectus supplement may add, update or change information in this prospectus. If the information in this prospectus is inconsistent with a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and, if applicable, any prospectus supplement. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for more information.

 

All references in this prospectus to “Pulaski Financial Corp.,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our,” refer to Pulaski Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, unless the context otherwise requires.

 

PULASKI FINANCIAL CORP.

 

Pulaski Financial Corp. is the holding company for Pulaski Bank.  We are registered as a savings and loan holding company.  As such, we are subject to supervision and regulation by the Federal Reserve.  Pulaski Financial Corp. began operating in 2002 and Pulaski Bank was founded in 1922.  Pulaski Bank provides an array of financial products and services for businesses and retail customers primarily through its thirteen full-service offices in the St. Louis metropolitan area and eight loan production offices in the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas, Joplin, Missouri and Wichita, Kansas.  Pulaski Bank is primarily engaged in attracting deposits from individuals and businesses and using these deposits, together with borrowed funds, to originate primarily one-to four-family residential mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, commercial real estate and commercial and industrial loans principally within its St. Louis lending market.  In addition, the Bank originates one-to four-family residential mortgage loans in its Kansas City, Joplin and Wichita markets.  Pulaski Bank is a federally chartered savings bank subject to supervision and regulation by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.  Pulaski Bank’s deposit accounts are insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund administered by the FDIC to the maximum permitted by law.

 

As of March 31, 2012, Pulaski Financial Corp. had consolidated assets of $1,317 million, total deposits of $1,111 million and consolidated stockholders’ equity of $122 million.  Shares of our common stock are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol “PULB.”

 

Our executive offices are located at 12300 Olive Boulevard, Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141, and our telephone number at these offices is (314) 878-2210.  Our Internet address is www.pulaskibank.com.  The information on our Web site is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

RISK FACTORS

 

An investment in our securities involves significant risks.  You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties and the risk factors set forth in the documents and reports filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as well as any risks described in any applicable prospectus supplement, before you make an investment decision regarding the securities.  Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

 

This prospectus, as well as other written communications made from time to time by us and oral communications made from time to time by our authorized officers, may contain statements relating to our future results (including certain projections and business trends) that are considered “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “PSLRA”).  Such forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “estimated,” “intend” and “potential.” Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, possible or assumed estimates with respect to the financial condition, expected or anticipated revenue, and results of our operations and business, including earnings growth; revenue growth in retail banking, lending and other areas; origination volume in our consumer, commercial and other lending businesses; asset quality and levels of non-performing assets; impairment charges with respect to investment securities; current and future capital management programs; non-interest income levels, including fees from services and product sales; tangible capital generation; market share; expense levels; and other business operations and strategies.  For these statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the PSLRA.

 

We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated in any forward-looking statement.  Such factors include, but are not limited to:

 

·                  the factors identified in this document under the headings “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information” and “Risk Factors;”

 

·                  prevailing economic conditions, either nationally or locally in some or all areas in which we conduct business, or conditions in the banking industry;

 

·                  changes in interest rates, deposit flows, loan demand, real estate values and competition, which can materially affect, among other things, consumer banking revenues, revenues from sales on non-deposit investment products, origination levels in our lending businesses and the level of defaults, losses and prepayments on loans we have made and make, whether held in portfolio or sold in the secondary markets;

 

·                  changes in the quality or composition of the loan or investment portfolios;

 

·                  factors driving impairment charges on investments;

 

·                  our ability to successfully integrate any assets, liabilities, customers, systems and management personnel we may acquire into our operations and our ability to realize related revenue synergies and cost savings within expected time frames;

 

·      our timely development of new and competitive products or services in a changing environment, and the acceptance of such products or services by customers;

 

·                  operational issues and/or capital spending necessitated by the potential need to adapt to industry changes in information technology systems, on which we are highly dependent;

 

·                  changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines;

 

·                  changes in any applicable law, rule, regulation or practice with respect to tax or legal issues;

 

·                  risks and uncertainties related to mergers and related integration and restructuring activities;

 

·                  litigation liabilities, including related costs, expenses, settlements and judgments, or the outcome of other matters before regulatory agencies, whether pending or commencing in the future; and

 

·                  other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and technological factors affecting our operations, pricing, products and services.

 

Additionally, the timing and occurrence or non-occurrence of events may be subject to circumstances beyond our control.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which are made as of the date of this prospectus.  Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, we assume no

 

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obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the securities by the selling securityholders.  We will receive gross proceeds of $4,880,699 from the exercise of the warrant, if and when it is exercised, assuming that the exercise price of the warrant is paid in cash and not via the “net exercise” method.  If received, we expect to use these proceeds for general corporate purposes.

 

The selling securityholders will pay any underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses incurred by the selling securityholders for brokerage, accounting, tax or legal services or any other expenses incurred by them in disposing of the securities. We will bear all other costs, fees and expenses incurred in effecting the registration of the shares covered by this prospectus, including, without limitation, all registration and filing fees, NASDAQ listing fees and fees and expenses of our counsel and our accountants.

 

SELLING SECURITYHOLDER

 

The initial selling securityholder is Treasury.  We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any securities sold by Treasury.  Our operations are regulated by various U.S. governmental authorities, including in certain respects, Treasury.  Other than through its role as a regulator and the acquisition of the Preferred Shares and the Warrant, Treasury has not held any position or office or had any other material relationship with us or any of our predecessors or affiliates within the past three years.

 

Treasury acquired the Preferred Shares and the Warrant as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which was established pursuant to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (“EESA”).  EESA was enacted into law on October 3, 2008 to restore confidence and stabilize the volatility in the U.S. banking system and to encourage financial institutions to increase their lending to customers and to each other.

 

The following description was provided by Treasury and is derived from the website of Treasury.  Treasury is the executive agency of the United States government responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the financial security of the United States.  Treasury is responsible for a wide range of activities, such as advising the President of the United States on economic and financial issues, encouraging sustainable economic growth and fostering improved governance in financial institutions.  Treasury operates and maintains systems that are critical to the nation’s financial infrastructure, such as the production of coin and currency, the disbursement of payments to the American public, revenue collection and the borrowing of funds necessary to run the federal government.  Treasury works with other federal agencies, foreign governments, and international financial institutions to encourage global economic growth, raise standards of living and, to the extent possible, predict and prevent economic and financial crises.  Treasury also performs a critical and far-reaching role in enhancing national security by implementing economic sanctions against foreign threats to the United States, identifying and targeting the financial support networks of national security threats and improving the safeguards of our financial systems.  In addition, under the EESA, Treasury was given certain authority and facilities to restore the liquidity and stability of the financial system.

 

The doctrine of sovereign immunity, as limited by the Federal Torts Claim Act (“FTCA”), provides that claims may not be brought against the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof unless specifically permitted by act of Congress.  The FTCA bars claims for fraud or misrepresentation.  The courts have held, in cases involving federal agencies and instrumentalities, that the United States may assert its sovereign immunity to claims brought under the federal securities laws.  Thus, any attempt to assert a claim against Treasury alleging a violation of the federal securities laws, including the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), resulting from an alleged material misstatement in or material omission from this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or any other act or omission in connection with the offering to which this prospectus relates, likely would be barred.  In addition, Treasury and its members, officers, agents, and employees are exempt from liability for any violation or alleged violation of the anti-fraud provisions of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act by virtue of Section 3(c) thereof.  The underwriters are not claiming to be agents of Treasury in this offering.  Accordingly, any attempt to assert such a claim against the

 

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members, officers, agents or employees of Treasury for a violation of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act resulting from an alleged material misstatement in or material omission from this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or resulting from any other act or omission in connection with the offering to which this prospectus relates likely would be barred.

 

The following table presents information regarding the beneficial ownership of our outstanding securities by the initial selling securityholder, including shares of common stock that the initial selling securityholder has the right to acquire within 60 days of the date of this prospectus upon exercise of the warrant.  The information in the table assumes that the initial selling securityholder sells all of the securities covered by this prospectus.  However, we do not know when or in what amounts the selling securityholders may offer the securities for sale. The selling securityholders might not sell any or all of the securities offered by this prospectus.  Information about the selling securityholders may change over time and changed information will be set forth in supplements to this prospectus if and when necessary.

 

 

 

Shares
Beneficially Owned(1)

 

Number of Shares
That May Be Sold in

 

Shares Beneficially Owned
Following this Offering

 

Class of Security

 

Number

 

Percent

 

this Offering

 

Number

 

Percent

 

Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A

 

32,538

 

100

%

32,538

 

0

 

0

%

Common stock

 

778,421

 

6.0

%

778,421

 

778,421

 

6.0

%

 


(1)       In accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, a person is deemed to be the beneficial owner, for purposes of this table, of any Preferred Shares over which such person has voting or investment power and of which such person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days of the exercise of any warrant.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

The securities covered by this prospectus may be offered and sold from time to time by the initial selling securityholder and its transferees and assignees who hold Preferred Shares with a liquidation preference, or the warrant or common stock with a market value, of no less than $651,000.  The selling securityholders will act independently of us in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each sale.  Such sales may be made on one or more exchanges or in the over-the-counter market or otherwise, at prices and under terms then prevailing or at prices related to the then current market price or in negotiated transactions.  The selling securityholders may sell their securities by one or more of, or a combination of, the following methods:

 

·                                          in modified dutch auctions or other auctions;

 

·                                          purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by such broker-dealer for its own account pursuant to this prospectus;

 

·                                          ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchasers;

 

·                                          block trades in which the broker-dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

·                                          an over-the-counter distribution in accordance with the rules of the NASDAQ Global Select Market;

 

·                                          in privately negotiated transactions; and

 

·                                          in options transactions.

 

In addition, any shares that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this prospectus.

 

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The selling securityholders may transfer or assign their Preferred Shares, the warrant or common stock, in which case the transferees or assignees will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.

 

In connection with distributions of the securities or otherwise, the selling securityholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions.  In connection with such transactions, broker-dealers or other financial institutions may engage in short sales of our common stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume with selling securityholders.  The selling securityholders may also sell the common stock short and redeliver the shares to close out such short positions.  The selling securityholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).  The selling securityholders may also pledge securities to a broker-dealer or other financial institution, and, upon a default, such broker-dealer or other financial institution may effect sales of the pledged securities pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).

 

In effecting sales, broker-dealers or agents engaged by the selling securityholders may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate.  Broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions, discounts or concessions from the selling securityholders in amounts to be negotiated immediately prior to the sale.

 

The aggregate proceeds to the selling securityholders from the sale of the securities will be the purchase price of the securities less discounts and commissions, if any.

 

In offering the securities covered by this prospectus, the selling securityholders and any broker-dealers who execute sales for the selling securityholders may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales.  Any profits realized by the selling securityholders and the compensation of any broker-dealer may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions.  If a selling securityholder is considered an “underwriter” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act, it will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act and may be subject to certain statutory and regulatory liabilities, including liabilities imposed pursuant to Sections 11, 12 and 17 of the Securities Act and Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange Act.

 

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

 

The anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of shares in the market and to the activities of the selling securityholders.  In addition, we will make copies of this prospectus available to the selling securityholders for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.  The selling securityholders may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of the shares against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

 

At the time a particular offer of shares is made, if required, a prospectus supplement will be distributed that will set forth the number of shares being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name of any underwriter, dealer or agent, the purchase price paid by any underwriter, any discount, commission and other item constituting compensation, any discount, commission or concession allowed or reallowed or paid to any dealer, and the proposed selling price to the public.

 

We do not intend to apply for listing of the Preferred Shares on any securities exchange or for inclusion of the Preferred Shares in any automated quotation system unless requested by Treasury.  No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market, if any, for the Preferred Shares.

 

We have agreed to indemnify the selling securityholders against certain liabilities, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act.  We have also agreed, among other things, to bear substantially all expenses (other than underwriting discounts and selling commissions) in connection with the registration and sale of the securities covered by this prospectus.

 

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SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED

 

This prospectus covers 32,538 Preferred Shares, a warrant to purchase 778,421 shares of our common stock, and 778,421 shares of our common stock.  Our authorized capital stock consists of 18,000,000 shares of capital stock, par value $0.01 per share.  As of May 9, 2012, we had 11,259,923 shares of common stock and 32,538 Preferred Shares of stock issued and outstanding.  The following is a summary of the securities included in this prospectus.  For more detailed information, see our articles of incorporation, Certificate of Designations establishing the Preferred Shares, bylaws and warrant to purchase common stock, copies of which have been filed with the SEC and are also available upon request from us.

 

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED SHARES

 

This section summarizes specific terms and provisions of the Preferred Shares.  The description of the Preferred Shares contained in this section is qualified in its entirety by the actual terms of the Preferred Shares, as are stated in the certificate of designation of the Preferred Shares to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, a copy of which was attached as Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 16, 2009 and incorporated by reference into this prospectus.  See “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” in this prospectus supplement.

 

General

 

The Preferred Shares constitutes a series of our perpetual, cumulative, preferred stock, consisting of 32,538 shares, par value $0.01 per share, having a liquidation preference amount of $1,000 per share.  The Preferred Shares have no maturity date.  We issued the Preferred Shares to Treasury on January 16, 2009 in connection with the CPP for an aggregate purchase price of $32,538,000 in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.  The Preferred Shares qualify as Tier 1 capital for regulatory purposes.

 

Dividends

 

Rate.  Dividends on the Preferred Shares are payable quarterly in arrears, when, as and if authorized and declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds, on a cumulative basis on the $1,000 per share liquidation preference amount plus the amount of accrued and unpaid dividends for any prior dividend periods, at a rate of (i) 5% per annum, from the original issuance date to but excluding the first day of the first dividend period commencing on or after the fifth anniversary of the original issuance date (i.e., 5% per annum from January 16, 2009 to but excluding February 15, 2014), and (ii) 9% per annum, from and after the first day of the first dividend period commencing on or after the fifth anniversary of the original issuance date (i.e., 9% per annum on and after February 15, 2014).  Dividends are payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year.  Each dividend will be payable to holders of record as they appear on our stock register on the applicable record date, which will be the 15th calendar day immediately preceding the related dividend payment date (whether or not a business day), or such other record date determined by our board of directors that is not more than 60 nor less than ten days prior to the related dividend payment date.  Each period from and including a dividend payment date (or the date of the issuance of the Preferred Shares) to but excluding the following dividend payment date is referred to as a “dividend period.” Dividends payable for each dividend period are computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.  If a scheduled dividend payment date falls on a day that is not a business day, the dividend will be paid on the next business day as if it were paid on the scheduled dividend payment date, and no interest or other additional amount will accrue on the dividend.  The term “business day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York generally are authorized or required by law or other governmental actions to close.

 

Dividends on the Preferred Shares are cumulative.  If for any reason our board of directors does not declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares for a particular dividend period, or if the board of directors declares less than a full dividend, we will remain obligated to pay the unpaid portion of the dividend for that period and the unpaid dividend will compound on each subsequent dividend date (meaning that dividends for future dividend periods will accrue on any unpaid dividend amounts for prior dividend periods).

 

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We are not obligated to pay holders of the Preferred Shares any dividend in excess of the dividends on the Preferred Shares that are payable as described above.  There is no sinking fund with respect to dividends on the Preferred Shares.

 

Priority of Dividends.  So long as the Preferred Shares remain outstanding, we may not declare or pay a dividend or other distribution on our common stock or any other shares of Junior Stock (other than dividends payable solely in common stock) or Parity Stock (other than dividends paid on a pro rata basis with the Preferred Shares), and we generally may not directly or indirectly purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of common stock, Junior Stock or Parity Stock unless all accrued and unpaid dividends on the Preferred Shares for all past dividend periods are paid in full.

 

“Junior Stock” means our common stock and any other class or series of our stock the terms of which expressly provide that it ranks junior to the Preferred Shares as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.  We currently have no outstanding class or series of stock constituting Junior Stock other than our common stock.

 

“Parity Stock” means any class or series of our stock, other than the Preferred Shares, the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series will rank senior or junior to the Preferred Shares as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, in each case without regard to whether dividends accrue cumulatively or non-cumulatively.  We currently have no outstanding class or series of stock constituting Parity Stock.

 

Liquidation Rights

 

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company, holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive for each Preferred Share, out of the assets of the Company or proceeds available for distribution to our shareholders, subject to any rights of our creditors, before any distribution of assets or proceeds is made to or set aside for the holders of our common stock and any other class or series of our stock ranking junior to the Preferred Shares, payment of an amount equal to the sum of (i) the $1,000 liquidation preference amount per Preferred Share and (ii) the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends on the Preferred Shares (including dividends accrued on any unpaid dividends).  To the extent the assets or proceeds available for distribution to shareholders are not sufficient to fully pay the liquidation payments owing to the holders of the Preferred Shares and the holders of any other class or series of our stock ranking equally with the Preferred Shares, the holders of the Preferred Shares and such other stock will share ratably in the distribution.

 

For purposes of the liquidation rights of the Preferred Shares, neither a merger or consolidation of the Company with another entity, including a merger or consolidation in which the holders of the Preferred Shares receive cash, securities or other property for their shares, nor a sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets will constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company.

 

Redemptions and Repurchases

 

We may redeem the Preferred Shares, at any time, in whole or in part, at our option, subject to prior approval by the appropriate federal banking agency, for a redemption price equal to 100% of the liquidation preference amount per Preferred Share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends to but excluding the date of redemption (including dividends accrued on any unpaid dividends), provided that any declared but unpaid dividend payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the record date for the dividend will be payable to the holder of record of the redeemed Preferred Shares on the dividend record date.

 

To exercise the redemption right described above, we must give notice of the redemption to the holders of record of the Preferred Shares by first class mail, not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date of redemption.  Each notice of redemption given to a holder of the Preferred Shares must state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of Preferred Shares to be redeemed and, if less than all the Preferred Shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such Preferred Shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; and (iv) the place or places where certificates for such Preferred Shares are to be surrendered for payment of the

 

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redemption price.  In the case of a partial redemption of the Preferred Shares, the Preferred Shares to be redeemed will be selected either pro rata or in such other manner as our board of directors determines to be fair and equitable.

 

The Securities Purchase Agreement between us and Treasury provides that so long as Treasury continues to own any Preferred Shares, we may not repurchase any Preferred Shares from any other holder of such Preferred Shares unless we offer to repurchase a ratable portion of the Preferred Shares then held by Treasury on the same terms and conditions.

 

Preferred Shares that we redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire will revert to authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock, which may then be reissued by us as any series of preferred stock other than the Preferred Shares.

 

No Conversion Rights

 

Holders of the Preferred Shares have no right to exchange or convert their shares into common stock or any other securities.

 

Voting Rights

 

The holders of the Preferred Shares do not have voting rights other than those described below, except to the extent specifically required by Missouri law.

 

Whenever dividends have not been paid on the Preferred Shares for six or more quarterly dividend periods, whether or not consecutive, the authorized number of directors of the Company will automatically increase by two and the holders of the Preferred Shares will have the right, with the holders of shares of any other classes or series of Voting Parity Stock (as defined below) outstanding at the time, voting together as a class, to elect two directors (the “Preferred Directors”) to fill such newly created directorships at our next annual meeting of shareholders (or at a special meeting called for that purpose prior to the next annual meeting) and at each subsequent annual meeting of shareholders until all accrued and unpaid dividends (including dividends accumulated on any unpaid dividends) for all past dividend periods on all outstanding Preferred Shares have been paid in full at which time this right will terminate with respect to the Preferred Shares, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent default by the Company in the payment of dividends on the Preferred Shares.

 

No person may be elected as a Preferred Director who would cause the Company to violate any corporate governance requirements of any securities exchange or other trading facility on which its securities may then be listed or traded.  Upon any termination of the right of the holders of the Preferred Shares and Voting Parity Stock as a class to vote for directors as described above, the Preferred Directors will cease to be qualified as directors, the terms of office of all Preferred Directors then in office will terminate immediately and the authorized number of directors will be reduced by the number of Preferred Directors which had been elected by the holders of the Preferred Shares and the Voting Parity Stock.  Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, and any vacancy created by such a removal may be filled, only by the affirmative vote of the holders a majority of the outstanding Preferred Shares voting separately as a class, together with the holders of shares of Voting Parity Stock, to the extent the voting rights of such holders described above are then exercisable.  If the office of any Preferred Director becomes vacant for any reason other than removal from office, the remaining Preferred Director may choose a successor who will hold office for the unexpired term of the office in which the vacancy occurred.

 

The term “Voting Parity Stock” means with regard to any matter as to which the holders of the Preferred Shares are entitled to vote, any series of Parity Stock (as defined under “—Dividends-Priority of Dividends” above) upon which voting rights similar to those of the Preferred Shares have been conferred and are exercisable with respect to such matter.  We currently have no outstanding shares of Voting Parity Stock.

 

Although the Company does not believe the Preferred Shares are considered “voting securities” currently, if they were to become voting securities for the purposes of the Savings and Loan Holding Company Act (“SLHCA”), whether because the Company has missed six dividend payments and holders of the Preferred Shares have the right to elect directors as a result, or for other reasons, a holder of 25% of more of the Preferred Shares, or a

 

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holder of a lesser percentage of our Preferred Shares that is deemed to exercise a “controlling influence” over us, may become subject to regulation under the SLHCA.  In addition, if the Preferred Shares become “voting securities”, then (a) any bank holding company, savings and loan holding company or foreign bank that is subject to the SLHCA may need approval to acquire or retain more than 5% of the then outstanding Preferred Shares, and (b) any holder (or group of holders acting in concert) may need regulatory approval to acquire or retain 10% or more of the Preferred Shares.  A holder or group of holders may also be deemed to control us if they own one-third or more of our total equity, both voting and non-voting, aggregating all shares held by the investor across all classes of stock.  Holders of the Preferred Shares should consult their own counsel with regard to regulatory implications.

 

In addition, the SLHCA and federal banking regulations require prior Federal Reserve approval before an investor acquires control of a savings and loan holding company.  A holder or group of holders will be deemed to control the Company if it owns or controls 25% or more of a class of outstanding shares of our “voting stock,” controls in any manner the election of a majority of our board of directors, or otherwise exercises a “controlling influence” over us.  A holder or group of holders may also be deemed to control the Company if they own one-third or more of its total equity, both voting and non-voting, aggregating all shares held by the investor across all classes of stock.  Any holder that controls the Company and is a “company” under the SLHCA may be subject to ongoing regulation and supervision as a savings and loan holding company in accordance with the SLHCA.

 

In addition to any other vote or consent required by Missouri law or by our Articles of Incorporation, the vote or consent of the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class, is required in order to do the following:

 

·                   amend or alter our Articles of Incorporation or the Certificate of Designations for the Preferred Shares to authorize or create or increase the authorized amount of, or any issuance of, any shares of, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of, any class or series of our capital stock ranking senior to the Preferred Shares with respect to either or both the payment of dividends and/or the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company; or

 

·                   amend, alter or repeal any provision of our Articles of Incorporation or the Certificate of Designations for the Preferred Shares in a manner that adversely affects the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Preferred Shares; or

 

·                   consummate a binding share exchange or reclassification involving the Preferred Shares or a merger or consolidation of the Company with another entity, unless (i) the Preferred Shares remain outstanding or, in the case of a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving or resulting entity, are converted into or exchanged for preference securities of the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent, and (ii) the Preferred Shares remaining outstanding or such preference securities, have such rights, preferences, privileges, voting powers, limitations and restrictions, taken as a whole, as are not materially less favorable than the rights, preferences, privileges, voting powers, limitations and restrictions of the Preferred Shares immediately prior to consummation of the transaction, taken as a whole;

 

provided, however, that (1) any increase in the amount of our authorized shares of preferred stock, including authorized Preferred Shares necessary to satisfy preemptive or similar rights granted by us to other persons prior to January 16, 2009, and (2) the creation and issuance, or an increase in the authorized or issued amount, of any other series of preferred stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any other series of preferred stock, ranking equally with and/or junior to the Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of dividends, whether such dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative and the distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, will not be deemed to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Preferred Shares and will not require the vote or consent of the holders of the Preferred Shares.

 

To the extent holders of the Preferred Shares are entitled to vote, holders of Preferred Shares will be entitled to one vote for each Preferred Share then held.

 

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The voting provisions described above will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the vote or consent of the holders of the Preferred Shares would otherwise be required, all outstanding Preferred Shares have been redeemed by the Company or called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds have been set aside by the Company for the benefit of the holders of Preferred Shares to effect the redemption.

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK

 

This section summarizes specific terms and provisions of the Warrant we issued to Treasury on January 16, 2009 concurrent with our sale to Treasury of 32,538 shares of Preferred Shares pursuant to the CPP.  The description of the Warrant contained in this section is qualified in its entirety by the actual terms of the Warrant, a copy of which was attached as Exhibit 4.3 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 16, 2009 and incorporated by reference into this prospectus.  See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

General

 

The Warrant gives the holder the right to initially purchase up to 778,421 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $6.27 per share.  Subject to the limitations on exercise to which Treasury is subject described under “—Transferability,” the Warrant is immediately exercisable and expires on January 16, 2019.  The exercise price may be paid (i) by having us withhold from the shares of common stock that would otherwise be issued to the warrant holder upon exercise, a number of shares of common stock having a market value equal to the aggregate exercise price or (ii) if both we and the warrant holder consent, in cash.

 

Transferability

 

The Warrant is not subject to any restrictions on transfer.

 

Voting of Warrant Shares

 

Treasury has agreed that it will not vote any of the shares of common stock that it acquires upon exercise of the Warrant.  This does not apply to any other person who acquires any portion of the Warrant, or the shares of common stock underlying the Warrant, from Treasury.

 

Other Adjustments

 

The exercise price of the Warrant and the number of shares underlying the Warrant automatically adjust upon the following events:

 

·                   any stock split, stock dividend, subdivision, reclassification or combination of our common stock;

 

·                   any stock split, stock dividend, subdivision, reclassification or combination of our common stock;

 

·                   a pro rata repurchase by us of our common stock; or

 

·                   a determination by our board of directors to make an adjustment to the anti-dilution provisions as are reasonably necessary, in the good faith opinion of the board, to protect the purchase rights of the warrant holders.

 

In addition, if we declare any dividends or distributions on our common stock other than our historical, ordinary cash dividends, dividends paid in our common stock and other dividends or distributions covered by the first bullet point above, the exercise price of the Warrant will be adjusted to reflect such distribution.

 

In the event of any merger, consolidation, or other business combination to which we are a party, the Warrant holder’s right to receive shares of our common stock upon exercise of the Warrant will be converted into the right to exercise the Warrant to acquire the number of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) which the common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrant immediately prior to such business combination would have been entitled to receive upon consummation of the business combination.  For purposes of

 

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the provision described in the preceding sentence, if the holders of our common stock have the right to elect the amount or type of consideration to be received by them in the business combination, then the consideration that the Warrant holder will be entitled to receive upon exercise will be the amount and type of consideration received by a majority of the holders of the common stock who affirmatively make an election.

 

No Rights as Stockholders

 

The Warrant does not entitle its holder to any of the rights of a stockholder of Pulaski Financial Corp.

 

DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON STOCK

 

Our authorized capital stock consists of 18,000,000 shares of capital stock, par value $0.01 per share and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.  Each share of our common stock has the same relative rights as, and is identical in all respects with, each other share of common stock.

 

Voting Rights

 

The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters presented to stockholders. Holders of common stock are not entitled to cumulate their votes in the election of directors.

 

Dividends

 

The holders of our common stock are entitled to receive and share equally in any dividends as may be declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends.

 

The terms of our Preferred Shares also impose certain restrictions on our ability to declare and pay dividends on our common stock and to repurchase our common stock.  We may pay dividends on or repurchase our common stock only if we have paid or provided for all dividends on our Preferred Shares for the then current period and all prior periods.

 

Liquidation

 

Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive their pro rata portion of our remaining assets after payment, or provision for payment, of all our debts and liabilities and the holders our preferred stock, if any, have been paid in full any sums to which they may be entitled.

 

No Preemptive or Redemption Rights

 

Holders of our common stock are not entitled to preemptive rights with respect to any shares that may be issued.  The common stock is not subject to redemption.

 

Certain Charter and Bylaw Provisions Affecting Stock

 

Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws contain several provisions that may make us less attractive target for an acquisition of control by anyone who does not have the support of our board of directors.  Such provisions include, among other things, the requirement of a supermajority vote of shareholders to approve certain business combinations and other corporate actions, a staggered board of directors, authorization of the issuance of “blank check” preferred stock by our board of directors without shareholder approval, advance notice requirements for nominations for election to the board or for proposing matters that can be acted on by shareholders at shareholder meetings, limiting the removal of directors by the board of directors and shareholders to removal for cause and limiting the persons who may call special meetings of shareholders.  The foregoing is qualified in its entirety by reference to our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, both of which are on file with the SEC.

 

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Restrictions on Ownership

 

The acquisition of 10% or more of our outstanding common stock may trigger the provisions of the Change in Bank Control Act.  The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”), formerly the Office of Thrift Supervision, has also adopted a regulation under the Change in Bank Control Act which generally requires persons who at any time intend to acquire control of a federally chartered savings association or its holding company to provide 60 days prior written notice and certain financial and other information to the OCC.

 

The 60-day notice period does not commence until the information is deemed to be substantially complete. Control for these purposes exists in situations in which the acquiring party has voting control of at least 25% of any class of our voting stock or the power to direct our management or policies.  However, under OCC regulations, control is presumed to exist where the acquiring party has voting control of at least 10% of any class of our voting securities if specified “control factors” are present.  The statute and underlying regulations authorize the OCC to disapprove a proposed acquisition on certain specified grounds.

 

Missouri law contains a “five year freeze” statute that generally prohibits us from engaging in a business combination with an interested shareholder for a period of five years from the date the person became an interested shareholder unless certain conditions are met.  Missouri law also contains a “control shares acquisition” statute that provides that “acquiring persons” who hold more than a specified percentage of the stock of a public company will not possess voting rights for the stock unless voting rights are approved by both (1) a majority of the voting stock and (2) a majority of the voting stock excluding the shares held by the acquiring person or any officer or director of the public company.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Registrar and Transfer Company.

 

Listing

 

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol PULB.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the shares offered by this prospectus has been passed upon by Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements of Pulaski Financial Corp. as of September 30, 2011 and 2010, and for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2011, and the effectiveness of Pulaski Financial Corp.’s internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2011, appearing in Pulaski Financial Corp.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011, have been audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports that are incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and Registration Statement in reliance upon such reports given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and file with the SEC proxy statements, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as required of a United States listed company.  You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549.  Please call the SEC at 1-888-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference rooms.  Our SEC filings are also available to the public from the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov or on our website at www.pulaskibank.com under the “Shareholder Relations”, then “SEC Filings” tabs.  However, the information on, or that can be accessible through, our website does not constitute a part of, and is not incorporated by reference in, this prospectus.  Written requests for copies of the documents we

 

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file with the SEC should be directed to Pulaski Financial Corp., Investor Relations, 12300 Olive Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri  63141.

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-1 filed by us with the SEC under the Securities Act.  As permitted by the SEC, this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement do not contain all the information in the registration statement filed with the SEC.  For a more complete understanding of this offering, you should refer to the complete registration statement, including exhibits, that may be obtained as described above. Statements contained in this prospectus about the contents of any contract or other document are not necessarily complete.  If we have filed any contract or other document as an exhibit to the registration statement or any other document incorporated by reference in the registration statement, you should read the exhibit for a more complete understanding of the contract or other document or matter involved.  Each statement regarding a contract or other document is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual contract or other document.

 

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents filed separately with the SEC.  The information we incorporate by reference is an important part of this prospectus.  We incorporate by reference the documents listed below, except to the extent that any information contained in those documents is deemed “furnished” in accordance with SEC rules.  The documents we incorporate by reference, all of which we have previously filed with the SEC, include:

 

SEC Filings

 

Period or Date Filed (as applicable)

Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A

 

December 30, 2011

Annual Report on Form 10-K

 

Year ended September 30, 2011

Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q

 

Quarter ended December 31, 2011

 

 

Quarter ended March 31, 2012

Current Reports on Form 8-K

 

March 19, 2012

 

 

February 3, 2012

 

 

December 19, 2011

 

 

November 14, 2011

 

The information incorporated by reference contains information about us and our financial condition and is an important part of this prospectus.

 

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into 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 that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference into 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.

 

You may request a copy of these documents, which will be provided to you at no cost, by writing or telephoning us using the following contact information:

 

Pulaski Financial Corp.

12300 Olive Boulevard

St. Louis, Missouri 63141

Attention:  Gary W. Douglass

Telephone:  (314) 878-2210

 

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32,538 Shares of Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A

 

 


 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 


 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

BofA Merrill Lynch

 

Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P.

 


 

Co-Managers

 

Great Pacific Securities

Loop Capital Markets

Ramirez & Co., Inc.

 

June    , 2012

 

 

 



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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 13.  Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

 

The following table sets forth the various expenses to be incurred in connection with the sale and distribution of the securities being registered hereby, all of which will be borne by Pulaski Financial Corp. (except any underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses incurred by the selling shareholders for brokerage, accounting, tax or legal services or any other expenses incurred by the selling shareholders in disposing of the shares).  All amounts shown are estimates except the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee.

 

Filing Fee — Securities and Exchange Commission

 

$

4,289

 

Legal fees and expenses

 

10,000

 

Accounting fees and expenses

 

150,000

 

Miscellaneous expenses

 

2,500

 

Total Expenses

 

$

166,789

 

 

Item 14.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

The Articles of Incorporation of Pulaski Financial Corp. provide as follows:

 

9.1          The Corporation shall and does hereby indemnify any person who is or was a director or executive officer of the Corporation or any subsidiary against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit, proceeding or claim (including any action by or in the right of the Corporation or a subsidiary) by reason of the fact that such person is or was serving in such capacity to the fullest extent permitted by the General and Business Corporation Law of Missouri.

 

9.2          The Corporation may, to the extent that the board of directors deems appropriate and as set forth in a Bylaw or authorizing resolution, indemnify any person who is or was a non-executive officer, or employee or agent of the Corporation or any subsidiary or who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including an employee benefit plan) against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit, proceeding or claim (including an action by or in the right of the Corporation or a subsidiary) by reason of the fact that such person is or was serving in such capacity to the fullest extent permitted by the General and Business Corporation Law of Missouri.

 

9.3          The Corporation may, to the extent that the board of directors deems appropriate, make advances of expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred prior to the final disposition of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit, proceeding or claim (including an action by or in the right of the Corporation or a subsidiary) to any person to whom indemnification is or may be available under this Article IX; provided, however, that prior to making any advances, the Corporation shall receive a written undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay such amounts advanced in the event that it shall be ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to such indemnification.

 

9.4          The indemnification and other rights provided by this Article IX shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights  to which a person to whom indemnification is or otherwise may be available (under these Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws or any agreement or vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise), may be entitled.  The Corporation is authorized to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of the Corporation or any person to whom indemnification is or may be available against any liability asserted against such person in, or arising out of, such person’s status as director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, any of its subsidiaries or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including an employee benefit plan) which such person is serving at the request of the Corporation.

 

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9.5          Each person to whom indemnification is granted under this Article IX is entitled to rely upon the indemnification and other rights granted hereby as a contract with the Corporation and such person and such person’s heirs, executors, administrators and estate shall be entitled to enforce against the Corporation all indemnification and other rights granted to such person by Sections 9.1 and 9.3 and this Article IX.  The indemnification and other rights granted by Sections 9.1 and 9.3 and this Section 9.5 shall survive amendment, modification or repeal of this Article IX, and no such amendment, modification or repeal shall act to reduce, terminate or otherwise adversely affect the rights to indemnification granted hereby, with respect to any expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement incurred by a person to whom indemnification is granted under this Article IX with respect to an action, suit, proceeding or claim that arises out of acts or omissions of such person that occurred prior to the effective date of such amendment, modification or repeal.

 

Any indemnification granted by the board of directors pursuant this Article IX shall inure to the person to whom the indemnification is granted and such person’s heirs, executors, administrators and estate; provided, however, that such indemnification may be changed, modified or repealed, at any time or from time to time, at the discretion of the board of directors, and the survival of such indemnification shall be in accordance with terms determined by the board of directors.

 

9.6          For the purposes of this Article IX, “subsidiary” shall mean any corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise of which a majority of the voting power, equity or ownership interest is directly or indirectly owned by the Corporation.

 

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

 

None.

 

Item 16. Exhibits

 

The exhibits listed below are filed as part of this report or are incorporated by reference herein.

 

Exhibit
No.

 

Description

 

Incorporated by
Reference to

1.1

 

Draft Underwriting Agreement

 

Previously filed

3.1

 

Articles of Incorporation of Pulaski Financial Corp.

 

Exhibit B to Definitive Proxy Statement as filed on December 27, 2002

3.2

 

Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of Pulaski Financial Corp.

 

Exhibit 3.2 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 31, 2003, as filed on February 17, 2004

3.3

 

Certificate of Designations establishing Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A

 

Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K, as filed on January 16, 2009

3.4

 

Bylaws of Pulaski Financial Corp.

 

Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K, as filed on December 21, 2007

4.1

 

Form of Certificate for Common Stock

 

Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-56465), as amended, as filed on June 9, 1998

4.2

 

Form of stock certificate for Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A

 

Exhibit 4.2 to Form 8-K, as filed on January 16, 2009

4.3

 

Warrant to Purchase 778,421 shares of common stock of Pulaski Financial Corp.

 

Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K, as filed on January 16, 2009

4.4

 

No long-term debt instrument issued by the Registrant exceeds 10% of consolidated assets or is registered. In accordance with paragraph 4(iii) of Item 601(b) of Regulation S-K, the Registrant will furnish the Securities and Exchange Commission copies of long-term debt

 

 

 

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instruments and related agreements upon request.

 

 

5.1

 

Opinion of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

 

Previously filed

10.1*

 

Employment Agreement by and among Pulaski Bank, Pulaski Financial Corp. and Gary W. Douglass

 

Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2008, as filed on May 12, 2008

10.2*

 

Pulaski Financial Corp. 2002 Stock Option Plan.

 

Appendix A to Definitive Proxy Statement as filed on December 27, 2001

10.3*

 

Pulaski Financial Corp. 2000 Stock-Based Incentive Plan

 

Appendix A to Definitive Proxy Statement as filed on December 16, 1999

10.4*

 

Amendment to Pulaski Financial Corp. 2002 Stock Option Plan

 

Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2004, as filed on May 14, 2004

10.5*

 

Pulaski Financial Corp. Deferred Compensation Plan (“Equity Trust Plan”)

 

Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2003, as filed on December 29, 2003

10.6*

 

Separation and Release Agreement between Pulaski Financial Corp. and William A. Donius

 

Exhibit 10.2 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2008, as filed on May 12, 2008

10.7*

 

Form of Stock Option Agreement

 

Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-Q for the year period ended March 31, 2005, as filed on May 10, 2005

10.8*

 

Pulaski Financial Corp. Cash-Based Deferred Compensation Plan, as amended and restated

 

Exhibit 10.2 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2009, as filed on May 8, 2009

10.9*

 

Pulaski Financial Corp. Stock-Based Deferred Compensation Plan, as amended and restated

 

Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2009, as filed on May 8, 2009

10.10*

 

Form of Pulaski Financial Corp. Cash-Based Deferred Compensation Plan Election Form

 

Exhibit 10.10 to Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2005, as filed on December 13, 2005

10.11*

 

Form of Pulaski Financial Corp. Stock-Based Deferred Compensation Plan Election Form

 

Exhibit 10.11 to Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2005, as filed on December 13, 2005

10.12*

 

Pulaski Financial Corp. 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan

 

Appendix A to the Definitive Proxy Statement as filed on December 30, 2005

10.13*

 

Form of Non-Solicitation and Confidentiality Agreement between Pulaski Financial Corp. and each of Paul J. Milano, W. Thomas Reeves, Matthew A. Locke and Brian J. Bjorkman

 

Exhibit 10.13 to Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2008, as filed on December 12, 2008

10.14

 

Letter Agreement, and related Securities Purchase Agreement — Standard Terms, dated as of January 16, 2009, between the Pulaski Financial Corp. and the United States Department of the Treasury

 

Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K, as filed on January 16, 2009

 

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10.15*

 

Compensation arrangement with Brian C. Boyles

 

Exhibit 10.14 to Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011, as filed on December 16, 2011

10.16*

 

Compensation arrangement with Brian J. Bjorkman

 

Exhibit 10.2 to Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2009, as filed on August 7, 2009

21.1

 

Subsidiaries of Pulaski Financial Corp.

 

Exhibit 21.1 to Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011, as filed on December 16, 2011

23.1

 

Consent of KPMG LLP

 

 

23.2

 

Consent of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

 

 

24.1

 

Powers of Attorney

 

Previously filed

 


* Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement filed pursuant to Item 15(a) of this Report.

 

Item 17. Undertakings.

 

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 forgoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

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

 

(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:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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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.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

(1)                                 For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

(2)                                 For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus 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.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, on June 21, 2012.

 

 

PULASKI FINANCIAL CORP.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Gary W. Douglass

 

 

Gary W. Douglass

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Gary W. Douglass

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

June 21, 2012

Gary W. Douglass

 

(principal executive officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Paul J. Milano

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

June 21, 2012

Paul J. Milano

 

(principal financial and accounting officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Stanley J. Bradshaw*

 

Chairman of the Board

 

 

Stanley J. Bradshaw

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Lee S. Wielansky*

 

Director

 

 

Lee S. Wielansky

 

 

 

 

 

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/s/ William M. Corrigan, Jr.*

 

Director

 

 

William M. Corrigan, Jr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Leon A. Felman*

 

Director

 

 

Leon A. Felman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Michael R. Hogan*

 

Director

 

 

Michael R. Hogan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Timothy K. Reeves*

 

Director

 

 

Timothy K. Reeves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Sharon A. Tucker*

 

Director

 

 

Sharon A. Tucker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* By

/s/ Paul J. Milano

 

 

June 21, 2012

 

Paul J. Milano

 

 

 

 

Attorney-in-Fact

 

 

 

 

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