National Bank of Canada ("National Bank”) (TSX: NA) announced today that it does not intend to exercise its right to redeem all or part of the currently outstanding 14,000,000 Non-Cumulative 5-Year Rate Reset First Preferred Shares, Series 30 (the "Series 30 Preferred Shares") on May 15, 2019. As a result, subject to certain conditions, the holders of the Series 30 Preferred Shares have the right to convert all or part of their Series 30 Preferred Shares on a one-for-one basis into Non-cumulative Floating Rate First Preferred Shares Series 31 (the "Series 31 Preferred Shares") on May 15, 2019 in accordance with the terms of the Series 30 Preferred Shares described in the prospectus supplement dated January 31, 2014 to the short form base shelf prospectus dated October 5, 2012.
Holders of Series 30 Preferred Shares who do not exercise their right to convert their Series 30 Preferred Shares into Series 31 Preferred Shares on May 15, 2019 will retain their Series 30 Preferred Shares.
The foregoing conversions are subject to the conditions that: (i) if National Bank determines that there would remain outstanding on May 15, 2019 less than 1,000,000 Series 31 Preferred Shares, after having taken into account all Series 30 Preferred Shares tendered for conversion into Series 31 Preferred Shares, then holders of Series 30 Preferred Shares will not be entitled to convert their shares into Series 31 Preferred Shares, and (ii) alternatively, if National Bank determines that there would remain outstanding on May 15, 2019 less than 1,000,000 Series 30 Preferred Shares, after having taken into account all Series 30 Preferred Shares tendered for conversion into Series 31 Preferred Shares, then all remaining Series 30 Preferred Shares will automatically be converted into Series 31 Preferred Shares without the consent of the holders on May 15, 2019.
In either case, National Bank shall give a notice to that effect to all registered holders of Series 30 Preferred Shares no later than May 8, 2019.
On April 15, 2019, National Bank will give notice of:
i. the annual fixed dividend rate applicable to the Series 30 Preferred Shares to which a holder of Series 30 Preferred Shares will be entitled for the 5-year period from May 16, 2019 up to and including May 15, 2024; and
ii. the floating quarterly dividend rate applicable to the Series 31 Preferred Shares to which a holder of Series 31 Preferred Shares will be entitled for the 3-month period from May 16, 2019 up to and including August 15, 2019.
Beneficial owners of Series 30 shares who wish to exercise their conversion right should communicate with their broker or other nominee to obtain instructions for exercising such right during the conversion period, which will run from April 15, 2019 until April 30, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. (EST).