WEBSTER FINANCIAL CORP false 0000801337 --12-31 0000801337 2023-04-26 2023-04-26 0000801337 us-gaap:CommonStockMember 2023-04-26 2023-04-26 0000801337 us-gaap:SeriesFPreferredStockMember 2023-04-26 2023-04-26 0000801337 us-gaap:SeriesGPreferredStockMember 2023-04-26 2023-04-26

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 26, 2023

 

 

WEBSTER FINANCIAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-31486   06-1187536
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
  (Commission
File Number)
  (IRS Employer
Identification No.)

200 Elm Street, Stamford, Connecticut 06902

(Address and zip code of principal executive offices)

203-578-2202

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

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

 

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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

 

Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbols

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share   WBS   New York Stock Exchange
Depositary Shares, each representing 1/1000th interest in a share of 5.25% Series F Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock   WBS-PrF   New York Stock Exchange
Depositary Shares, each representing 1/40th interest in a share of 6.50% Series G Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock   WBS-PrG   New York Stock Exchange

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

Emerging growth company  

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

 

 

 


Item 5.03

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On April 28, 2023, Webster Financial Corporation (the “Company”) filed an amendment to the Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amendment”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, which became effective upon filing. As further described in the Definitive Proxy Statement, filed by the Company on March 15, 2023 (the “Proxy Statement”), the Amendment limits the liability of certain officers of the Company as permitted pursuant to recent Delaware General Corporation Law amendments.

A copy of the Certificate of Amendment is filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1 and incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the changes contained in the Amendment does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Amendment, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.07

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

On April 26, 2023, the Company held its 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). A total of 157,003,330 shares were present or represented by proxy at the meeting, representing 89.9% of all shares entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s stockholders voted on six proposals, each of which is described in the Proxy Statement. The following is a brief description of each matter voted upon and the results of such voting, including the number of votes cast for or against each matter and the number of abstentions and, if applicable, broker non-votes with respect to each matter:

Proposal 1 — Election of Directors

The Company’s stockholders elected fifteen individuals to the Board of Directors to serve one-year terms, as set forth below:

 

NOMINEES

   FOR      AGAINST      ABSTAIN      BROKER
NON-VOTES
 

John R. Ciulla

     144,543,496        1,169,446        119,053        11,171,335  

Jack L. Kopnisky

     140,776,946        4,913,875        141,174        11,171,335  

William L. Atwell

     139,425,407        6,277,174        129,414        11,171,335  

John P. Cahill

     134,589,665        11,110,302        132,028        11,171,335  

E. Carol Hayles

     143,985,898        1,719,819        126,278        11,171,335  

Linda H. Ianieri

     143,652,507        2,053,594        125,894        11,171,335  

Mona Aboelnaga Kanaan

     144,566,000        1,140,846        125,149        11,171,335  

James J. Landy

     144,595,696        1,100,917        135,382        11,171,335  

Maureen B. Mitchell

     144,591,229        1,112,103        128,663        11,171,335  

Laurence C. Morse

     135,545,005        10,156,250        130,740        11,171,335  

Karen R. Osar

     137,965,439        7,740,189        126,367        11,171,335  

Richard O’Toole

     137,273,007        8,417,118        141,870        11,171,335  

Mark Pettie

     144,655,532        1,044,911        131,552        11,171,335  

Lauren C. States

     144,819,423        876,025        136,547        11,171,335  

William E. Whiston

     144,574,606        1,110,438        146,951        11,171,335  


Proposal 2 — Say-on-Pay

The Company’s stockholders approved, on a non-binding, advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers as set forth below:

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER NON-VOTES

137,324,963   8,200,914   306,118   11,171,335

Proposal 3 — Frequency of Say-on-Pay

The Company’s stockholders recommended, on a non-binding, advisory basis, that future advisory votes on the compensation of the named executive officers of the Company be held annually. The voting results are set forth below:

 

ONE YEAR

 

TWO YEARS

 

THREE YEARS

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER NON-VOTES

140,362,967   201,241   4,812,660   455,127   11,171,335

In light of these results and in accordance with its previous recommendation in the Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting, the Company’s Board of Directors determined that the Company will hold future advisory Say-on-Pay votes on an annual basis until the occurrence of the next advisory vote on the frequency of Say-on-Pay votes. The next advisory vote regarding the frequency of Say-on-Pay votes is required to occur no later than the Company’s 2029 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Proposal 4 — Amendment to the Webster Financial Corporation 2021 Stock Incentive Plan

The Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the Webster Financial Corporation 2021 Stock Incentive Plan to, among other things, increase the total number of shares authorized for issuance under such plan, as set forth below:

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER NON-VOTES

139,784,094   5,753,499   294,402   11,171,335

Proposal 5 — Amendment to the Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

The Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to limit the liability of certain officers of the Company, as set forth below:

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

 

BROKER NON-VOTES

128,295,134   17,280,514   256,347   11,171,335

Proposal 6 — Auditor Ratification

The Company’s stockholders ratified the appointment by the Board of Directors of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, as set forth below:

 

FOR

 

AGAINST

 

ABSTAIN

154,997,047   1,847,534   158,749


Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

  (d)

Exhibits.

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

3.1    Certificate of Amendment to Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).


SIGNATURE

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

 

      WEBSTER FINANCIAL CORPORATION
      (Registrant)
Date: April 28, 2023      

/s/ Albert J. Wang

 

      Albert J. Wang

 

      Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer