S-3 1 d818204ds3.htm S-3 S-3
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 22, 2024

Registration No. 333-      

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

NORWOOD FINANCIAL CORP

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Pennsylvania   23-2828306

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification Number)

717 Main Street

Honesdale, Pennsylvania 18431

(570) 253-1455

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

James O. Donnelly

President and Chief Executive Officer

Norwood Financial Corp

717 Main Street

Honesdale, Pennsylvania 18431

(570) 253-1455

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

 

 

With copies to:

John J. Spidi, Esquire

Jones Walker LLP

499 South Capitol Street S.W.

Suite 600

Washington, DC 20003

(202) 434-4670

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

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. ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

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

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

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 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We 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 it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities, in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

PROSPECTUS

Subject to Completion, Dated May 22, 2024

NORWOOD FINANCIAL CORP

$100,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Depositary Shares

Debt Securities

Warrants

Units

 

 

We may offer and sell from time to time, together or separately, in one or more offerings, any combination of the securities listed above. The securities we may offer may be convertible into or exchangeable for other securities. The maximum aggregate initial public offering price of the securities offered through this prospectus is $100,000,000.

This prospectus provides a general description of these securities. We will provide the specific terms of the securities offered in supplements to this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Please read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, carefully before you invest in any of our securities.

Our common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq Global Market, under the symbol “NWFL.” On May 21, 2024, the closing price of our common stock was $25.26 per share. Our principal executive offices are located at 717 Main Street, Honesdale, Pennsylvania 18431. Our telephone number is (570) 253-1455.

We may offer and sell the securities on a continuous or delayed basis, through agents, dealers or underwriters, or directly to purchasers. The prospectus supplement for each offering of securities will describe in detail the plan of distribution for that offering. If agents or any dealers or underwriters are involved in the sale of the securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the names of the agents, dealers or underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts. Net proceeds from the sale of securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. For general information about the distribution of securities offered, please see “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors referred to on page 5 of this prospectus and set forth in the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into this prospectus and in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus before making any decision to invest in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission or regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The securities are not savings accounts, deposits or obligations of any bank and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.

 

 

The date of this Prospectus is [•], 2024


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1  

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     1  

THE COMPANY

     4  

RISK FACTORS

     5  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     5  

SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

     5  

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

     6  

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

     10  

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

     12  

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     14  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     30  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     31  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     32  

LEGAL MATTERS

     34  

EXPERTS

     34  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     34  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     34  

No dealer, salesperson or other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations in connection with the offer made by this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus other than those contained in, or incorporated by reference in, this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or related free writing prospectus, and if given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized by us or any agent, underwriter or dealer. This prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. The delivery of this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus or any sale of a security at any time does not imply that the information contained herein or therein is correct as of any time subsequent to their respective dates.


Table of Contents

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus as being offered, from time to time in one or more offerings, up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about all of the terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to that offering. The applicable prospectus supplement (and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you) may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in the documents that we have incorporated by reference. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus together with additional information from the sources described in “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” in this prospectus. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, the prospectus supplements, any free writing prospectus or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the applicable document.

You should rely only on the information provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any free writing prospectus and any prospectus supplement, if applicable. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information.

References to “we,” “us,” “our,” “Norwood” or the “Company” refer to Norwood Financial Corp and its directly or indirectly owned subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires. The term “you” refers to a prospective investor.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain of the statements made in this prospectus, including information incorporated herein by reference to other documents, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning and protections of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to our beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates, intentions, and future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control, and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements through our use of words such as “may”, “will”, “anticipate”, “assume”, “should”, “indicate”, “would”, “believe”, “contemplate”, “expect”, “estimate”, “continue”, “plan”, “point to”, “project”, “could”, “intend”, “target”, and other similar words and expressions of the future. These forward-looking statements may not be realized due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation:

 

   

general economic conditions, either nationally or in our market areas, that are worse than expected;

 

   

business or economic disruption from national or global epidemic or pandemic events;


Table of Contents
   

changes in the level and direction of loan delinquencies and write-offs and changes in estimates of the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses;

 

   

our ability to access cost-effective funding;

 

   

fluctuations in real estate values and both residential and commercial real estate market conditions;

 

   

demand for loans and deposits in our market area;

 

   

our ability to implement changes in our business strategies;

 

   

the effects of competition from other commercial banks, thrifts, mortgage banking firms, consumer finance companies, credit unions, securities brokerage firms, insurance companies, money market and other mutual funds and other financial institutions operating in our market area and elsewhere, including institutions operating locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, together with such competitors offering banking products and services by mail, telephone, computer and the internet;

 

   

inflation and changes in the interest rate environment that reduce our margins and yields, or reduce the fair value of financial instruments or reduce the origination levels in our lending business, or increase the level of defaults, losses and prepayments on loans we have made and make whether held in portfolio or sold in the secondary markets;

 

   

adverse changes in the securities markets;

 

   

changes in laws or government regulations or policies affecting financial institutions, including changes in regulatory fees and capital requirements;

 

   

changes in monetary or fiscal policies of the U.S. Government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board;

 

   

the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies, as well as the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC, and other accounting and reporting standard setters;

 

   

our ability to manage market risk, credit risk and operational risk in the current economic conditions;

 

   

our ability to enter new markets successfully and capitalize on growth opportunities;

 

   

our ability to successfully expand our franchise, including acquisitions or establishing new offices at favorable prices;

 

   

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

 

   

an increase in the Pennsylvania Bank Shares Tax to which our bank subsidiary’s capital stock is currently subject, or imposition of any additional taxes on the capital stock of us or our bank subsidiary;

 

   

changes in consumer demand, borrowing and savings habits;

 

2


Table of Contents
   

the ability of third-party providers to perform their obligations to us;

 

   

the ability of the U.S. Government to manage federal debt limits;

 

   

cyber-attacks, computer viruses and other technological risks that may breach the security of our websites or other systems to obtain unauthorized access to confidential information and destroy data or disable our systems;

 

   

technological changes that may be more difficult or expensive than expected;

 

   

changes in the financial condition, results of operations or future prospects of issuers of securities that we own;

 

   

other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and operational factors affecting our operations, pricing products and services;

 

   

volatility in the securities markets;

 

   

disruptions due to flooding, severe weather, or other natural disasters or Acts of God; and

 

   

acts of war, terrorism, or global military conflict.

Because such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this document or, in the case of documents incorporated by reference, the dates of those documents. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of us.

 

3


Table of Contents

THE COMPANY

Norwood Financial Corp, a Pennsylvania corporation, was incorporated in 1995 to become the holding company for Wayne Bank (the “Bank”). The Company is a registered bank holding company subject to regulation and supervision by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve”).

Wayne Bank is a Pennsylvania chartered bank and trust company headquartered in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The Bank was originally chartered on February 17, 1870, as Wayne County Savings Bank and changed its name to Wayne County Bank and Trust in December 1943. In September 1993, the Bank adopted the name Wayne Bank. The Bank’s deposits are currently insured to applicable limits by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and the Bank is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) of Pittsburgh. The Bank is regulated and examined by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (“Department”) and the FDIC. The Bank is an independent community bank with fourteen offices in Northeastern Pennsylvania and fifteen offices in Delaware, Sullivan, Ontario, Otsego and Yates Counties, New York.

The Bank offers a wide variety of personal and business credit services and trust and investment products and real estate settlement services to the consumers, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and municipalities in each of the communities that the Bank serves. The Bank primarily serves the northeastern Pennsylvania counties of Wayne, Pike, Monroe, Lackawanna and Luzerne and, to a much lesser extent, Susquehanna County in addition to the New York counties of Delaware, Sullivan, Ontario, Otsego and Yates. In addition, the Bank operates automated teller machines at twenty-nine branch facilities plus one machine at an off-site location.

Since 2011, we have consummated three whole-bank acquisitions. On July 7, 2020, the Company completed the acquisition of UpState New York Bancorp, Inc. (“UpState”), and its wholly owned subsidiary, USNY Bank (“USNY Bank”). The acquisition was completed when UpState was merged with and into the Company, with the Company as the surviving corporation of the merger and USNY Bank was merged with and into Wayne Bank, with Wayne Bank as the surviving entity. At the time of completion of the acquisition, USNY Bank conducted its business from two Bank of the Finger Lakes offices in Geneva and Penn Yan, New York, and two Bank of Cooperstown offices in Cooperstown and Oneonta, New York. On July 31, 2016, the Company completed the acquisition of Delaware Bancshares, Inc. (“Delaware”) and its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Bank of Delaware County (“NBDC”). At the time of acquisition, Delaware had approximately $375.6 million in assets and 12 banking offices in Delaware and Sullivan Counties, New York. Delaware was merged with and into the Company, with the Company as the surviving corporation of the merger and NBDC was merged with and into Wayne Bank immediately thereafter. On May 31, 2011, the Company completed its acquisition of North Penn Bancorp, Inc. (“North Penn”) and its wholly owned subsidiary, North Penn Bank. At the time of acquisition, North Penn had approximately $158.9 million in assets and five banking offices in Lackawanna and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania.

The Company’s main office is located at 717 Main Street, Honesdale, Pennsylvania and its main telephone number is (570) 253-1455. The Company maintains a website at waynebank.com. The Company makes copies of its Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings available free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed, through a link on its website to the SEC’s website.

Additional information about us is included in documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” on page 34 of this prospectus.

 

4


Table of Contents

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves risk. You should carefully consider the specific risks set forth in “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus and under the caption “Risk Factors” in any of our filings with the SEC and in all other information appearing in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. For additional information, please see the sources described in “Where You Can Find More Information.” These risks are not the only risks we face. Additional risks not presently known to us, or that we currently view as immaterial, may also impair our business. If any of the risks described in our SEC filings or any prospectus supplement or any additional risks actually occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. In that case, the value of our securities could decline substantially, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We will retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered hereby. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, we currently expect to use the net proceeds of our sale of securities for general corporate purposes.

General corporate purposes may include, among other purposes, contribution to the capital of our bank subsidiary to support its lending and investing activities; repayment of our debt; redemption of our capital stock; to support or fund acquisitions of other institutions or branches if opportunities for such transactions become available; and other permitted activities. We may temporarily invest funds that we do not immediately need for these purposes in investment securities or use them to make payments on our borrowings.

SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

The securities that may be offered from time to time through this prospectus are:

common stock;

 

   

preferred stock, which we may issue in one or more series;

 

   

depositary shares representing a fraction of a share of the applicable series of our preferred stock;

 

   

debt securities, which we may issue in one or more series;

 

   

warrants entitling the holders to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities; and

 

   

units.

We will describe in a prospectus supplement that we will deliver with this prospectus, the terms of particular securities that we may offer in the future. This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell any securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement. In each prospectus supplement we will include, if relevant and material, the following information:

 

   

type and amount of securities which we propose to sell;

 

   

initial public offering price of the securities;

 

   

maturity;

 

   

original issue discount, if any;

 

   

rates and times of payment of interest, dividends or other payments, if any;

 

   

redemption, conversion, exercise, exchange, settlement or sinking fund terms, if any;

 

5


Table of Contents
   

ranking;

 

   

voting or other rights, if any;

 

   

conversion, exchange or settlement prices or rates, if any, and, if applicable, any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the conversion, exchange or settlement prices or rates and in the securities or other property receivable upon conversion, exchange or settlement;

 

   

names of the underwriters, agents or dealers, if any, through or to which we or any selling securityholder will sell the securities;

 

   

compensation, if any, of those underwriters, agents or dealers;

 

   

details regarding over-allotment options, if any;

 

   

net proceeds to us;

 

   

information about any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the securities will be listed or traded;

 

   

material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the securities;

 

   

any material risk factors associated with the securities; and

 

   

any other material information about the offer and sale of the securities.

In addition, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may add, update or change the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents we have incorporated by reference.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

The following is a description of our common stock, certain provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended by-laws and certain provisions of applicable law. The following is qualified by applicable law and by the provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and by-laws, copies of which have been filed with the SEC and are also available upon request from us. You should read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

Authorized Shares

Norwood is authorized to issue 20,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.10 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value. Each share of Norwood common stock has the same relative rights as, and is identical in all respects with, each other share of common stock. The common stock of Norwood represents non-withdrawable capital, is not an account of an insurable type, and is not insured by the FDIC or any other government agency.

Common Stock

Dividends. Norwood may pay dividends out of statutory surplus or from net earnings if, as and when declared by its board of directors. The payment of dividends by Norwood is subject to limitations that are imposed by law and applicable regulation. The holders of common stock of Norwood will be entitled to receive and share equally in dividends as may be declared by the board of directors of Norwood out of funds legally available therefor. If Norwood issues shares of preferred stock, the holders thereof may have a priority over the holders of the common stock with respect to dividends.

Voting Rights. The holders of common stock of Norwood have exclusive voting rights in Norwood. They elect Norwood’s board of directors and act on other matters as are required to be presented to them under Pennsylvania law, or as are otherwise presented to them by the board of directors. Generally, each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote per share and will not have any right to cumulate votes in the election of directors. If Norwood issues shares of preferred stock, holders of the preferred stock may also possess voting rights. Certain matters require an 80% shareholder vote.

 

6


Table of Contents

Liquidation. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up of Norwood, the holders of its common stock would be entitled to receive, after payment or provision for payment of all its debts and liabilities, all of the assets of Norwood available for distribution. If preferred stock is issued, the holders thereof may have a priority over the holders of the common stock in the event of liquidation or dissolution.

Preemptive Rights. Holders of the common stock of Norwood will not be entitled to preemptive rights with respect to any shares that may be issued. The common stock is not subject to redemption.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

The following discussion is a general summary of the material provisions of Norwood’s amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws and certain other provisions under the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law and regulatory provisions that may be deemed to have an “anti-takeover” effect. The following description of certain of these provisions is necessarily general and, with respect to provisions contained in Norwood’s amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws, reference should be made in each case to the document in question.

Norwood’s amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws contain a number of provisions relating to corporate governance and rights of shareholders that might discourage future takeover attempts. As a result, shareholders who might desire to participate in such transactions may not have an opportunity to do so. In addition, these provisions will also render the removal of the board of directors or management of Norwood more difficult.

The following description is a summary of the provisions of the amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws. See “Where You Can Find More Information” as to how to obtain a copy of these documents.

Directors. The board of directors is divided into three classes. The members of each class will be elected for a term of three years and only one class of directors will be elected annually. Thus, it would take at least two annual elections to replace a majority of Norwood’s board of directors. Further, the bylaws impose notice and information requirements in connection with the nomination by shareholders of candidates for election to the board of directors or the proposal by shareholders of business to be acted upon at an annual meeting of shareholders.

Prohibition of Cumulative Voting. The amended and restated articles of incorporation prohibit cumulative voting for the election of directors.

Restrictions on Removing Directors from Office. The amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that directors may only be removed for cause. “Cause” is defined in the amended and restated articles of incorporation as being declared of unsound mind by an order of a court, convicted of a felony or of an offense punishable by imprisonment for a term of more than one year, or being deemed liable by a court for gross negligence or misconduct in the director’s duties to Norwood. At least 30 days’ prior notice to the director must be given.

Authorized but Unissued Shares. Norwood has authorized but unissued shares of common and preferred stock. The amended and restated articles of incorporation authorize 5,000,000 shares of serial preferred stock. Norwood is authorized to issue preferred stock from time to time in one or more series subject to applicable provisions of law, and the board of directors is authorized to fix the designations, and relative preferences, limitations, voting rights, if any, including, without limitation, offering rights of such shares (which could be multiple or as a separate class). In the event of a proposed merger, tender offer or other attempt to gain control of Norwood that the board of directors does not approve, it might be possible for the board of directors to authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock with rights and preferences that would impede the completion of the transaction. An effect of the possible issuance of preferred stock, therefore, may be to deter a future attempt to gain control of Norwood. Norwood’s board of directors has no present plan or understanding to issue any preferred stock.

 

7


Table of Contents

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Amendments to the amended and restated articles of incorporation must be approved by Norwood’s board of directors and also by a majority of the outstanding shares of Norwood’s voting stock; provided, however, that approval by at least 80% of the outstanding voting stock is generally required to amend the following provisions:

 

   

the provision establishing the board of directors, the classified terms, procedures for removal and procedures for nomination of directors;

 

   

preemptive rights;

 

   

elimination of director liability;

 

   

indemnification;

 

   

meetings of shareholders and shareholder proposals;

 

   

approval of business combinations;

 

   

disgorgement of profits by certain controlling persons following a takeover attempt; and

 

   

the requisite shareholder vote to approve amendments to the amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws.

Anti-takeover Provisions Under the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law

Under the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law, certain anti-takeover provisions apply to Pennsylvania registered corporations (e.g., publicly traded companies) including those relating to (1) control share acquisitions, (2) disgorgement of profits by certain controlling persons, (3) business combination transactions with interested shareholders, and (4) the rights of shareholders to demand fair value for their stock following a control transaction. Pennsylvania law allows corporations to opt-out of these anti-takeover sections. Norwood is a registered corporation and has opted out only of the control share acquisition provisions. A general summary of the applicable anti-takeover provisions is set forth below.

Disgorgement of Profits by Certain Controlling Persons. Pennsylvania law regarding disgorgement of profits by certain controlling persons applies in the event that (1) any person or group publicly discloses that the person or group may acquire control of the corporation, or (2) a person or group acquires (or publicly discloses an intent to acquire) 20% or more of the voting power of the corporation and, in either case, sells shares within 18 months thereafter. Any profits from sales of equity securities of the corporation received by the person or group during such 18-month period will belong to the corporation if the securities that were sold were acquired during the 18-month period or within 24 months prior thereto.

Business Combination Transactions with Interested Shareholders. Pennsylvania law regarding business combination transactions with interested shareholders provides that a person who acquires the direct or indirect beneficial ownership of shares entitled to cast at least 20% of the votes entitled to be cast for the election of directors or who is an affiliate or associate of such corporation and was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of shares entitling that person to cast at least 20% of the votes at any time within the five year period immediately prior to the date in question becomes an “interested shareholder.” A corporation subject to this provision may not effect mergers or certain other business combinations with the interested shareholder for a period of five years, unless:

 

   

the business combination or the acquisition of stock by means of which the interested shareholder became an interested shareholder is approved by the corporation’s board of directors prior to such stock acquisition;

 

   

the business combination is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of all the outstanding common shares of the corporation; or

 

8


Table of Contents
   

the business combination is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of all shares entitled to vote, excluding votes of shares held by the interested shareholders, and at the time of such vote, the interested shareholder is the beneficial owner of at least 80% of the voting shares of the corporation. This exception applies only if the value of the consideration to be paid by the interested shareholder in connection with the business combination satisfies certain fair price requirements.

After the five-year restricted period, an interested shareholder of the corporation may engage in a business combination with the corporation if (1) the business combination is approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares other than those beneficially owned by the interested shareholder and its affiliates, or (2) the merger is approved at a shareholders meeting and certain fair price requirements are met.

Change in Control Regulations

The Change In Bank Control Act provides that no person, acting directly or indirectly or through or in concert with one or more other persons, may acquire control of a bank holding company unless the FRB has been given 60 days’ prior written notice. For this purpose, the term “control” means the acquisition of the ownership, control or holding of the power to vote 25% or more of any class of a bank holding company’s voting stock, and the term “person” includes an individual, corporation, partnership, and various other entities. In addition, an acquiring person is presumed to acquire control if the person acquires the ownership, control or holding of the power to vote of 10% or more of any class of the holding company’s voting stock if (a) the bank holding company’s shares are registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or (b) no other person will own, control or hold the power to vote a greater percentage of that class of voting securities. Accordingly, the prior approval of the FRB would be required before any person could acquire 10% or more of the common stock of Norwood.

The Bank Holding Company Act provides that no company may acquire control of a bank directly or indirectly without the prior approval of the FRB. Any company that acquires control of a bank becomes a “bank holding company” subject to registration, examination and regulation by the FRB. Pursuant to federal regulations, the term “company” is defined to include banks, corporations, partnerships, associations, and certain trusts and other entities, and “control” of a bank is deemed to exist if a company has voting control, directly or indirectly of at least 25% of any class of a bank’s voting stock, and may be found to exist if a company controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of the bank or has the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of the bank. In addition, a bank holding company must obtain FRB approval prior to acquiring voting control of more than 5% of any class of voting stock of a bank or another bank holding company.

An acquisition of control of a bank that requires the prior approval of the FRB under the Bank Holding Company Act is not subject to the notice requirements of the Change In Bank Control Act. Accordingly, the prior approval of the FRB under the Bank Holding Company Act would be required (a) before any bank holding company could acquire 5% or more of the common stock of Norwood and (b) before any other company could acquire 25% or more of the common stock of Norwood.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for shares of our common stock is Computershare.

Securities Exchange

Shares of our common stock are currently listed and traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “NWFL”.

 

9


Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

The complete terms of the preferred stock will be contained in the prospectus supplement and in the applicable certificate of designation for the preferred shares that may be adopted by our board of directors in the future. You should read the certificate of designation and the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

General

None of the shares of Norwood’s authorized preferred stock are outstanding. Preferred stock may be issued with preferences and designations as the board of directors may from time to time determine. Norwood’s board of directors may, without shareholder approval, issue shares of preferred stock with voting, dividend, liquidation and conversion rights that could dilute the voting strength of the holders of the common stock and may assist management in impeding an unfriendly takeover or attempted change in control.

Our board of directors is authorized to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value, in one or more series, without shareholder approval. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine the designations, rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges, liquidation preferences and sinking fund terms, of each series of preferred stock, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of the common stock. The terms of any series of preferred stock designated by our board of directors will be set forth in a certificate of designation which we will include as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus, or as an exhibit to a filing with the SEC that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The description of preferred stock in any prospectus supplement will not necessarily describe all of the terms of the preferred stock in detail. You should read the applicable certificate of designation for a complete description of all of the terms.

Terms

You should refer to the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of any series of preferred stock for specific terms of the shares, including the following terms:

 

   

title and stated or liquidation value;

 

   

number of shares offered and initial offering price;

 

   

voting rights and other protective provisions;

 

   

any dividend rate(s), payment period(s) and/or payment date(s) or method(s) of calculation of any of those terms that apply to those shares;

 

   

date from which dividends will accumulate, if applicable;

 

   

terms and amount of a sinking fund, if any, for purchase or redemption;

 

   

redemption rights, including conditions and the redemption price(s), if applicable;

 

   

listing on any securities exchange;

 

   

terms and conditions, upon which shares will be convertible into common stock or any other securities, including the conversion price, rate or other manner of calculation, conversion period and anti-dilution provisions, if applicable;

 

   

terms and conditions upon which shares will be exchangeable into debt securities or any other securities, including the exchange price, rate or other manner of calculation, exchange period and any anti-dilution provisions, if applicable;

 

   

the relative ranking and preference as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or the winding up of our affairs, including liquidation preference amount;

 

10


Table of Contents
   

any limitation on issuance of any series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with that series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or the winding up of our affairs;

 

   

any other specific terms, preferences, rights, privileges, limitations or restrictions; and

 

   

a discussion of applicable material U.S. federal income tax consequences.

Ranking

Unless we provide otherwise in a prospectus supplement, the preferred stock offered through that supplement will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, rank:

 

   

senior to all classes or series of our common stock, and to all other equity securities ranking junior to the offered shares of preferred stock;

 

   

on a parity with all of our equity securities ranking on a parity with the offered shares of preferred stock; and

 

   

junior to all of our equity securities ranking senior to the offered shares of preferred stock.

The term “equity securities” does not include convertible debt securities.

Voting Rights

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of our preferred stock will not have any voting rights, except as may be required by applicable law.

Dividends

Subject to any preferential rights of any outstanding stock or series of stock, our preferred shareholders are entitled to receive dividends, when and as authorized by our board of directors, out of legally available funds, as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Redemption

If we provide for a redemption right in a prospectus supplement, the preferred stock offered through that supplement will be subject to mandatory redemption or redemption at our option, in whole or in part, in each case upon the terms, at the times and at the redemption prices set forth in that prospectus supplement.

Liquidation Preference

In the event of our voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation, or winding up, the holders of any series of our preferred stock will be entitled to receive, after distributions to holders of any series or class of our capital stock ranking senior, an amount equal to the stated or liquidation value of the shares of the series plus, if applicable, an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends. If the assets and funds to be distributed among the holders of our preferred stock will be insufficient to permit full payment to the holders, then the holders of our preferred stock will share ratably in any distribution of our assets in proportion to the amounts that they otherwise would receive on their shares of our preferred stock if the shares were paid in full.

Conversion Rights

The terms and conditions, if any, upon which any series of preferred stock is convertible into common stock or other securities will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of those shares of preferred stock. These terms typically will include the number of shares of common stock or other securities into which the preferred stock is convertible; conversion price (or manner of calculation); conversion period; provisions as to whether conversion will be at the option of the holders of the preferred stock or at our option; events, if any, requiring an adjustment of the conversion price; and provisions affecting conversion in the event of the redemption of that series of preferred stock.

 

11


Table of Contents

Transfer Agent and Registrar

We will identify the transfer agent and registrar for any series of preferred stock offered by this prospectus in a prospectus supplement.

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

The complete terms of the depositary shares will be contained in the deposit agreement and any related document applicable to any depositary shares. These documents have been or will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the deposit agreement and any related document. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

We may elect to offer fractional interests in shares of our preferred stock, in which case we will issue receipts for depositary shares and each of these depositary shares will represent a fraction of a share of the applicable series of our preferred stock, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The following summary of the terms of the depositary shares does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the terms of the depositary shares and our preferred stock, as well as the form of the deposit agreement and the certificate of designation relating to the applicable series of our preferred stock that are, or will be, filed with the SEC. Therefore, you should carefully consider the actual provisions of these documents.

General

Each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fractional interest in shares of our preferred stock underlying that depositary share, to all rights and preferences of our preferred stock underlying that depositary share. These rights may include dividend, voting, redemption and liquidation rights.

The shares of our preferred stock underlying the depositary shares will be deposited with a bank or trust company selected by us to act as depositary, under a deposit agreement between us, the depositary and the holders of the depositary receipts. The depositary will be the transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent for the depositary shares. The name and address of the principal executive office of the depositary will be included in the prospectus supplement relating to the issue.

The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the deposit agreement. Holders of depositary receipts agree to be bound by the deposit agreement, which requires holders to take certain actions such as filing proof of residence and paying certain charges.

Dividends and Other Distributions

The depositary will distribute cash dividends or other cash distributions, if any, received in respect of the series of our preferred stock underlying the depositary shares to the record holders of depositary receipts in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by those holders on the relevant record date. The relevant record date for depositary shares will be the same date as the record date for our preferred stock.

In the event of a distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary receipts that are entitled to receive the distribution, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution. If this occurs, the depositary, with our approval, may adopt another method for the distribution, including selling the property and distributing the net proceeds to the holders.

 

12


Table of Contents

Liquidation Preference

If a series of our preferred stock underlying the depositary shares has a liquidation preference, in the event of our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of depositary shares will be entitled to receive the fraction of the liquidation preference accorded each share of the applicable series of our preferred stock, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Redemption

If a series of our preferred stock underlying the depositary shares is subject to redemption, the depositary shares will be redeemed from the proceeds received by the depositary resulting from the redemption, in whole or in part, of our preferred stock held by the depositary. Whenever we redeem any of our preferred stock held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem, as of the same redemption date, the number of depositary shares representing our preferred stock so redeemed. The depositary will mail the notice of redemption to the record holders of the depositary receipts promptly upon receiving the notice from us.

After the date fixed for redemption, the depositary shares called for redemption will no longer be outstanding. When the depositary shares are no longer outstanding, all rights of the holders will end, except the right to receive money, securities or other property payable upon redemption.

Voting

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of our preferred stock are entitled to vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in the notice of meeting to the record holders of the depositary receipts underlying our preferred stock. Each record holder of those depositary receipts on the record date will be entitled to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of our preferred stock underlying that holder’s depositary shares. The record date for the depositary will be the same date as the record date for our preferred stock. The depositary will try, as far as practicable, to vote our preferred stock underlying the depositary shares in accordance with these instructions. We will agree to take all action that may be deemed necessary by the depositary in order to enable the depositary to vote our preferred stock in accordance with these instructions. The depositary will not vote our preferred stock to the extent that it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary receipts.

Withdrawal of Preferred Stock

Owners of depositary shares will be entitled to receive upon surrender of depositary receipts at the principal office of the depositary and payment of any unpaid amount due to the depositary, the number of whole shares of our preferred stock underlying their depositary shares.

Partial shares of our preferred stock will not be issued. Holders of our preferred stock will not be entitled to deposit the shares under the deposit agreement or to receive depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares for our preferred stock.

Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement

The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement may be amended by agreement between the depositary and us as set forth in the deposit agreement. In certain instances described in the deposit agreement, holders of the outstanding depositary shares will be required to approve an amendment to the deposit agreement. The deposit agreement may be terminated by the depositary or us only if certain specific conditions set forth in the deposit agreement are met.

 

13


Table of Contents

Charges of Depositary

We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangement. We will also pay charges of the depositary in connection with:

 

   

the initial deposit of our preferred stock;

 

   

the initial issuance of the depositary shares;

 

   

any redemption of our preferred stock; and

 

   

all withdrawals of our preferred stock by owners of depositary shares.

Holders of depositary receipts will pay transfer, income and other taxes and governmental charges and other specified charges as provided in the deposit agreement for their accounts. If these charges have not been paid, the depositary may:

 

   

refuse to transfer depositary shares;

 

   

withhold dividends and distributions; and

 

   

sell the depositary shares evidenced by the depositary receipt.

Miscellaneous

The depositary will forward to the holders of depositary receipts all reports and communications we deliver to the depositary that we are required to furnish to the holders of our preferred stock. In addition, the depositary will make available for inspection by holders of depositary receipts at the principal office of the depositary, and at such other places as it may from time to time deem advisable, any reports and communications we deliver to the depositary as the holder of our preferred stock.

Neither we nor the depositary will be liable if either we or the depositary are prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond the control of either the depositary or us in performing our respective obligations under the deposit agreement. Our obligations and the depositary’s obligations will be limited to the performance in good faith of our or the depositary’s respective duties under the deposit agreement. Neither we nor the depositary will be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or our preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. The depositary and we may rely on:

 

   

written advice of counsel or accountants;

 

   

information provided by holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed in good faith to be competent to give such information; and

 

   

documents believed to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

Resignation and Removal of Depositary

The depositary may resign at any time by delivering a notice to us. We may remove the depositary at any time. Any such resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. As set forth in the deposit agreement, the successor depositary must be appointed within a certain time frame after delivery of the notice for resignation or removal and must meet certain organizational and asset tests.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer from time to time. The description below does not contain all of the information that you might find useful or that might be important to you. The particular terms of any of the debt securities that we may offer will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those debt securities. You should review the provisions of the applicable indenture and debt securities because they, and not the summaries, define your rights as holders of the debt securities. For more information, you should refer to the relevant form of indenture and the relevant form of debt security, if any, which are or will be filed with the SEC.

 

14


Table of Contents

We have summarized below general terms and conditions of the debt securities that we will offer and sell pursuant to this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms and conditions of the series in a prospectus supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement whether the general terms and conditions described in this prospectus apply to the series of debt securities. The terms and conditions of the debt securities of a series may be different in one or more respects from the terms and conditions described below. If so, those differences will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We will issue senior or subordinated debt, which we refer together as the debt securities, in one or more series under one of two separate indentures between us and one or more trustees that we will designate in a prospectus supplement. Senior debt will be issued under a senior note indenture and subordinated debt will be issued under a subordinated note indenture, forms of which are filed as exhibits hereto. The senior note indenture and the subordinate note indenture are sometimes referred to in this prospectus individually as an “indenture” and collectively as “indentures.” The following summary of provisions of the indentures does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indentures, including, but not limited to, definitions therein of certain terms. This summary may not contain all of the information that you may find useful. The terms and conditions of the debt securities of each series will be set forth in those debt securities and in the applicable indenture and in the applicable prospectus supplement. For a comprehensive description of any series of debt securities being offered to you pursuant to this prospectus, you should read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement.

The forms of the indentures have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. A form of each debt security, reflecting the specific terms and provisions of that series of debt securities, will be filed with the SEC in connection with each offering and will be incorporated by reference in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You may obtain a copy of each indenture and any form of debt security that has been filed in the manner described under “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Capitalized terms used and not defined in this summary have the meanings specified in the indentures. For purposes of this section of this prospectus, references to “we,” “us” and “our” are to Norwood Financial Corp and its subsidiaries and their predecessors. References to the “applicable prospectus supplement” are to the prospectus supplement to this prospectus that describes the specific terms and conditions of a series of debt securities.

General

We may offer the debt securities from time to time in as many distinct series as we may determine. Neither of the indentures limits the amount of debt securities that we may issue. We may, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of any series, issue additional debt securities ranking equally with, and otherwise similar in all respects to, the debt securities of the series (except for the public offering price and the issue date) so that those additional debt securities will be consolidated and form a single series with the debt securities of the series previously offered and sold.

The debt securities of each series will be issued in fully registered form without interest coupons. We currently anticipate that the debt securities of each series offered and sold pursuant to this prospectus will be issued as global debt securities as described under “—Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities” and will trade in book-entry form only.

Debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars will be issued in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. If the debt securities of a series are denominated in a foreign or composite currency, the applicable prospectus supplement will specify the denomination or denominations in which those debt securities will be issued.

 

15


Table of Contents

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will repay the debt securities of each series at 100% of their principal amount, together with any premium and accrued and unpaid interest thereon at maturity, except if those debt securities have been previously redeemed or purchased and cancelled.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities of each series will not be listed on any securities exchange.

Provisions of Indentures

Each indenture provides that debt securities may be issued under it from time to time in one or more series. For each series of debt securities, this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following terms and conditions of that series of debt securities:

 

   

the title of the series;

 

   

the maximum aggregate principal amount, if any, established for debt securities of the series, provided, however, that such amount may from time to time be increased by a board resolution;

 

   

the price or prices at which the debt securities will be sold;

 

   

whether the debt securities will be senior or subordinated debt;

 

   

the person to whom any interest on a debt security of the series will be payable, if other than the person in whose name that debt security (or one or more predecessor debt securities) is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such interest;

 

   

the date or dates on which the principal and premium, if any, of any debt securities of the series will be payable or the method used to determine or extend those dates;

 

   

the rate or rates at which any debt securities of the series will bear interest, if any, or the method by which such rate or rates shall be determined, the date or dates from which any such interest will accrue, or the method by which such date or dates shall be determined, the interest payment dates on which any such interest will be payable and the regular record date, if any, for any such interest payable on any interest payment date, or the method by which such date or dates shall be determined, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months, the right, if any, to extend or defer interest payments and the duration of such extension or deferral;

 

   

the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on any debt securities of the series will be payable, the place or places where the debt securities of such series may be presented for registration of transfer or exchange, the place or places where notices and demands to or upon us in respect of the debt securities of such series may be made and the manner in which any payment may be made;

 

   

the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which, the currency or currency units in which, and the terms and conditions upon which any debt securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at our option and, if other than by a board resolution, the manner in which any election by us to redeem the debt securities will be evidenced;

 

   

our obligation or right, if any, to redeem or purchase any debt securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund, amortization or analogous provisions or at the option of the holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, the currency or currency units in which, and the terms and conditions upon which any debt securities of the series will be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

   

if other than denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, the denominations in which any debt securities of the series will be issuable;

 

   

if other than the trustee, the identity of each security registrar and/or paying agent;

 

16


Table of Contents
   

if the amount of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any debt securities of the series may be determined with reference to a financial or economic measure or index or pursuant to a formula, the manner in which such amounts will be determined;

 

   

if other than U.S. dollars, the currency, currencies or currency units in which the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any debt securities of the series will be payable and the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in U.S. dollars for any purpose;

 

   

if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any debt securities of the series is to be payable, at our election or the election of the holder thereof, in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such debt securities are stated to be payable, the currency, currencies or currency units in which the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on such debt securities as to which such election is made will be payable, the periods within which or the dates on which and the terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made and the amount so payable (or the manner in which such amount will be determined);

 

   

if the provisions of the indenture relating to satisfaction and discharge thereof shall apply to the debt securities of that series as set forth therein, or if provisions for the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture other than as set forth therein shall apply to the debt securities of that series;

 

   

if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of any debt securities of the series which will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to the indenture or the method by which such portion shall be determined;

 

   

if the principal amount payable at the stated maturity of any debt securities of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior to the stated maturity, the amount which will be deemed to be the principal amount of such debt securities as of any such date for any purpose thereunder or hereunder, including the principal amount thereof which will be due and payable upon any maturity other than the stated maturity or which will be deemed to be outstanding as of any date prior to the stated maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed to be the principal amount will be determined);

 

   

if other than by a board resolution, the manner in which any election by us to defease any debt securities of the series pursuant to the indenture will be evidenced; whether any debt securities of the series other than debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars and bearing interest at a fixed rate are to be subject to the defeasance provisions of the indenture; or, in the case of debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars and bearing interest at a fixed rate, if applicable, that the debt securities of the series, in whole or any specified part, will not be defeasible pursuant to the indenture;

 

   

if applicable, that any debt securities of the series shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities and, in such case, the respective depositaries for such global securities, the form of any legend or legends which shall be borne by any such global security in addition to or in lieu of that set forth in the indenture and any circumstances in which any such global security may be exchanged in whole or in part for debt securities registered, and any transfer of such global security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name or names of persons other than the depositary for such global security or a nominee thereof;

 

   

any addition to, deletion from or change in the events of default applicable to any debt securities of the series and any change in the right of the trustee or the requisite holders of such debt securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable;

 

   

any addition to, deletion from or change in the covenants applicable to debt securities of the series;

 

   

the terms of any right to convert or exchange debt securities of such series into any other securities or property of ours or of any other corporation or person, and the additions or changes, if any, to the indenture with respect to the debt securities of such series to permit or facilitate such conversion or exchange;

 

   

whether the debt securities of the series will be guaranteed by any persons and, if so, the identity of such persons, the terms and conditions upon which such debt securities will be guaranteed and, if applicable, the terms and conditions upon which such guarantees may be subordinated to other indebtedness of the respective guarantors;

 

17


Table of Contents
   

whether the debt securities of the series will be secured by any collateral and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such debt securities will be secured and, if applicable, upon which such liens may be subordinated to other liens securing other indebtedness of us or of any guarantor;

 

   

whether the debt securities will be issued in a transaction registered under the Securities Act and any restriction or condition on the transferability of the debt securities of such series;

 

   

the exchanges, if any, on which the debt securities may be listed; and

 

   

any other terms of the debt securities of the series (which terms will not be inconsistent with the provisions of the indenture, except as permitted thereunder).

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the senior debt securities will rank equally with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of Norwood Financial Corp. The subordinated debt securities will rank subordinated and junior in right of payment, to the extent set forth in the subordinated note indenture, to all Senior Debt, as defined herein, of Norwood Financial Corp. See “—Subordination” below.

Some of the debt securities may be issued as discounted debt securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. The prospectus supplement will contain any United States federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable to discounted debt securities.

Interest and Interest Rates

General

In the applicable prospectus supplement, we will designate the debt securities of a series as being either debt securities bearing interest at a fixed rate of interest or debt securities bearing interest at a floating rate of interest. Each debt security will begin to accrue interest from the date on which it is originally issued. Interest on each such debt security will be payable in arrears on the interest payment dates set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement and as otherwise described below and at maturity or, if earlier, the redemption date described below. Interest will be payable to the holder of record of the debt securities at the close of business on the record date for each interest payment date, which record dates will be specified in such prospectus supplement.

As used in the indentures, the term “business day” means, with respect to debt securities of a series, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close in the place where the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities are payable.

If any interest payment date, redemption date, repayment date or stated maturity of a debt security, or any date on which a holder has the right to convert such debt security, falls on a date that is not a business day, then payment of principal and premium, if any, or interest, or the redemption price or conversion of such debt security, will be made on the next succeeding business day at such place of payment with the same force and effect as if made on the interest payment date, redemption date or repayment date, or at the stated maturity, or on such conversion date. In the case, however, of debt securities bearing interest at a floating rate based on the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), if the interest payment date (other than the redemption date, repayment date or stated maturity) falls on a date that is not a business day and the following business day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, then the interest payment date for such debt securities shall be the business day immediately preceding the scheduled interest payment date. No interest shall accrue for the period from and after any such interest payment date, redemption date, repayment date, stated maturity or conversion date, as the case may be, to the date of such payment.

 

18


Table of Contents

Optional Redemption

Redemption at Our Option

If specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may elect to redeem all or part of the outstanding debt securities of a series from time to time before the maturity date of the debt securities of that series. Upon such election, we will notify the trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of debt securities of the series to be redeemed. If less than all the debt securities of the series are to be redeemed, the particular debt securities of that series to be redeemed will be selected by the trustee by such method as the trustee deems fair and appropriate. If we shall so direct, debt securities registered in our name or the name of any of our affiliates or subsidiaries shall not be included in the debt securities for redemption. The applicable prospectus supplement will specify the redemption price for the debt securities to be redeemed (or the method of calculating such price), in each case in accordance with the terms and conditions of those debt securities.

Notice of redemption will be given to each holder of the debt securities to be redeemed not less than 10 nor more than 60 days prior to the date set for such redemption (or within such period as otherwise specified as contemplated by the indenture for debt securities of a series). This notice will identify the debt securities to be redeemed and will include the following information: the redemption date; the redemption price (or the method of calculating such price); if less than all of the outstanding debt securities of such series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the respective principal amounts) of the particular debt securities to be redeemed; the place or places where such debt securities are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and, if applicable, the CUSIP number of the debt securities to be redeemed.

By no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the redemption date, we will deposit or cause to be deposited with the trustee or with a paying agent (or, if we are acting as our own paying agent with respect to the debt securities being redeemed, we will segregate and hold in trust as provided in the indenture) an amount of money sufficient to pay the aggregate redemption price of, and (except if the redemption date shall be an interest payment date or the debt securities of such series provide otherwise) accrued interest on, all of the debt securities or the part thereof to be redeemed on that date. On the redemption date, the redemption price will become due and payable upon all of the debt securities to be redeemed, and interest, if any, on the debt securities to be redeemed will cease to accrue from and after that date. Upon surrender of any such debt securities for redemption, we will pay those debt securities surrendered at the redemption price together, if applicable, with accrued interest to the redemption date. If the redemption date is after a regular record date and on or prior to the applicable interest payment date, the accrued and unpaid interest shall be payable to the holder of the redeemed securities registered on the relevant regular record date.

Any debt securities to be redeemed only in part must be surrendered at the office or agency established by us for such purpose, and we will execute, and the trustee will authenticate and deliver to a holder without service charge, new debt securities of the same series and of like tenor, of any authorized denominations as requested by that holder, in a principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the debt securities that holder surrenders.

Repayment at Holder’s Option

If specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holders of the debt securities of a series will have the option to elect repayment of those debt securities by us prior to the stated maturity of the debt securities of that series at time or times and subject to the conditions specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. If the holders of those debt securities have that option, the applicable prospectus supplement will specify the optional repayment date or dates on which the debt security may be repaid and the optional repayment price, or the method by which such price will be determined. The optional repayment price is the price at which, together with accrued interest to the optional repayment date, the debt security may be repaid at the holder’s option on each such optional repayment date.

 

19


Table of Contents

Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of the debt securities, any tender of a debt security by the holder for repayment will be irrevocable unless waived by us. Any repayment option of a holder may be exercised by the holder of debt securities for less than the entire principal amount of the debt security; provided that the principal amount of the debt security remaining outstanding after repayment will be an authorized denomination. Upon such partial repayment, the debt securities will be canceled and new debt securities for the remaining principal amount will be issued in the name of the holder of the repaid debt securities.

If debt securities are represented by a global security as described under “—Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities,” the securities depository for the global security or its nominee will be the holder of the debt security and, therefore, will be the only person that can exercise a right to repayment. In order to ensure that the depository or its nominee will timely exercise a right to repayment relating to a particular debt security, the beneficial owner of the debt security must instruct the broker or other direct or indirect participant in the depository through which it holds an interest in the debt security to notify the depository of its desire to exercise a right to repayment by the appropriate cut-off time for notifying the participant. Different firms have different cut-off times for accepting instructions from their customers. Accordingly, you should consult the broker or other direct or indirect participant through which you hold an interest in a debt security in order to ascertain the cut-off time by which such an instruction must be given for timely notice to be delivered to the appropriate depository.

Payment and Transfer or Exchange

Principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of each series will be payable, and the debt securities may be exchanged or transferred, at the office or agency maintained by us for such purpose (which initially will be the trustee’s office). Payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest on a global security registered in the name of or held by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, or its nominee will be made in immediately available funds to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of such global security. If any of the debt securities is no longer represented by a global security, payment of interest on certificated debt securities in definitive form may, at our option, be made by check mailed directly to holders at their registered addresses. See “—Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities.”

A holder may transfer or exchange any certificated debt securities in definitive form at the same location given in the preceding paragraph. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or other similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

We are not required to transfer or exchange any debt security selected for redemption for a period of 15 days before mailing of a notice of redemption of the debt security to be redeemed.

The registered holder of a debt security will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

All amounts of principal of and premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities paid by us that remain unclaimed two years after such payment was due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holders of such debt securities will thereafter look solely to us for payment.

Covenants

The indentures set forth limited covenants that will apply to each series of debt securities issued under the indentures, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. However, these covenants do not, among other things:

 

   

limit the amount of indebtedness or lease obligations that may be incurred by us and our subsidiaries;

 

20


Table of Contents
   

limit our ability or that of our subsidiaries to issue, assume or guarantee debt secured by liens; or

 

   

restrict us from paying dividends or making distributions on our capital stock or purchasing or redeeming our capital stock.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

Each indenture provides that we may consolidate with or merge with or into any other person, and may sell, transfer, or lease or convey all or substantially all of our properties and assets to another person; provided that the following conditions are satisfied:

 

   

we are the continuing entity, or the resulting, surviving or transferee person (the “Successor”) is a person (if such person is not a corporation, then the Successor will include a corporate co-issuer of the debt securities) organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and the Successor (if not us) will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, all of our obligations under the debt securities and the indenture and, for each security that by its terms provides for conversion, provide for the right to convert such security in accordance with its terms;

 

   

immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no default or event of default under the indenture has occurred and is continuing; and

 

   

the trustee receives from us an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel that the transaction and such supplemental indenture, as the case may be, complies with the applicable provisions of the indenture.

If we consolidate or merge with or into any other person or sell, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of our properties and assets in accordance with the indenture, the Successor will be substituted for us in the indenture, with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture. As a result, the Successor may exercise our rights and powers under the indenture, and we will be released from all our liabilities and obligations under the indenture and under the debt securities.

Any substitution of the Successor for us might be deemed for federal income tax purposes to be an exchange of the debt securities for “new” debt securities, resulting in recognition of gain or loss for such purposes and possibly certain other adverse tax consequences to beneficial owners of the debt securities. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of any such substitution.

For purposes of this covenant, “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.

Subordination

Any subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated note indenture will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our Senior Debt (including all debt securities issued under the senior note indenture) whether existing at the date of the subordinated note indenture or subsequently incurred. Upon any payment or distribution of our assets to creditors upon any:

 

   

liquidation;

 

   

dissolution;

 

   

winding-up;

 

   

receivership;

 

   

reorganization;

 

   

assignment for the benefit of creditors;

 

   

marshaling of assets and liabilities;

 

21


Table of Contents
   

bankruptcy;

 

   

insolvency; or

 

   

debt restructuring or similar proceedings in connection with any insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding,

The holders of Senior Debt will first be entitled to receive payment in full of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Senior Debt before the holders of the subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive or retain any payment in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the subordinated debt securities.

Upon the acceleration of the maturity of any subordinated debt securities, the holders of all Senior Debt outstanding at the time of the acceleration will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due thereon, including any amounts due upon acceleration, before the holders of subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive or retain any payment in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the subordinated debt securities.

No payments on account of principal, or any premium or interest, in respect of the subordinated debt securities may be made if:

 

   

there has occurred and is continuing a default in any payment with respect to Senior Debt; or

 

   

there has occurred and is continuing an event of default with respect to any Senior Debt resulting in the acceleration of, or permitting the holder or holders thereof to accelerate, the maturity thereof.

“Senior Debt” means the principal of, premium, if any and interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to us, whether or not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding) on our Debt, whether incurred on, before or after the date of the subordinated note indenture, unless the instrument creating or evidencing the Debt or under which the Debt is outstanding provides that obligations created by it are not superior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities.

“Debt” means, with respect to any person, whether recourse is to all or a portion of the assets of that person and whether or not contingent:

 

   

every obligation of that person for money borrowed;

 

   

every obligation of that person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses;

 

   

every reimbursement obligation of that person with respect to letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar facilities issued for the account of that person;

 

   

every obligation of that person incurred in connection with the acquisition of property or services, but excluding trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

   

every capital lease obligation of that person; and

 

   

every obligation of the type referred to above of another person and all dividends of another person the payment of which, in either case, such person has guaranteed or for which such person is responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, as obligor or otherwise.

The indentures will place no limitation on the amount of additional Senior Debt that we may incur.

 

22


Table of Contents

Events of Default

Each of the following events are defined in the indentures as an “event of default” (whatever the reason for such event of default and whether or not it will be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body) with respect to the debt securities of any series:

(1) default in the payment of any installment of interest on any debt securities of such series for 30 days after becoming due;

(2) default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on any debt securities of such series when it becomes due and payable at its stated maturity, upon optional redemption, upon declaration or otherwise;

(3) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of ours in the indenture with respect to the debt securities of such series (other than a covenant or agreement, a default in the performance of which or a breach of which is elsewhere in the indenture specifically dealt with or that has expressly been included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than such series), which continues for a period of 90 days after written notice to us by the trustee or to us and the trustee by the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series;

(4) we pursuant to or within the meaning of the Bankruptcy Law:

 

   

commence a voluntary case or proceeding;

 

   

consent to the entry of an order for relief against us in an involuntary case or proceeding;

 

   

consent to the appointment of a custodian of us or for all or substantially all of our property;

 

   

make a general assignment for the benefit of our creditors;

 

   

file a petition in bankruptcy or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief;

 

   

consent to the filing of such petition or the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian; or

 

   

take any comparable action under any foreign laws relating to insolvency;

(5) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 

   

is for relief against us in an involuntary case, or adjudicates us insolvent or bankrupt;

 

   

appoints a custodian of us or for all or substantially all of our property; or

 

   

orders the winding-up or liquidation of us (or any similar relief is granted under any foreign laws);

 

   

and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 days; or

(6) any other event of default provided with respect to debt securities of such series occurs.

“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, United States Code or any similar federal or state or foreign law for the relief of debtors. “Custodian” means any custodian, receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or other similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series (other than an event of default relating to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization of us) occurs and is continuing, the trustee by notice to us, or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series by notice to us and the trustee, may, and the trustee at the request of these holders will, declare the principal of and premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all the debt securities of such series to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such principal, premium and accrued and unpaid interest will be due and payable immediately. If an event of default relating to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization of us occurs and is continuing, the principal of and premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on the debt securities of such series will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holders.

The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind a declaration of acceleration and its consequences, if we have deposited certain sums with the trustee and all events of default with respect to the debt securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal or interest which have become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived, as provided in the indentures.

 

23


Table of Contents

An event of default for a particular series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an event of default for any other series of debt securities issued under the indenture.

We are required to furnish the trustee annually within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year a statement by one of our officers to the effect that, to the best knowledge of such officer, we are not in default in the fulfillment of any of our obligations under the indenture or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such obligation, specifying each such default and the nature and status thereof.

No holder of any debt securities of any series will have any right to institute any judicial or other proceeding with respect to the applicable indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy unless:

(1) an event of default has occurred and is continuing and such holder has given the trustee prior written notice of such continuing event of default with respect to the debt securities of such series;

(2) the holders of not less than 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series have requested the trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such event of default;

(3) the trustee has been offered indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against its costs, expenses and liabilities in complying with such request;

(4) the trustee has failed to institute proceedings 60 days after the receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity; and

(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given for 60 days by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series.

The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of a series will have the right, subject to certain limitations, to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series or exercising any trust or power conferred to the trustee, and to waive certain defaults. The indentures provide that if an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will exercise such of its rights and powers under the respective indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs. Subject to such provisions, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any of the holders of the debt securities of a series unless they will have offered to the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the holder of any debt security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on that debt security on or after the due dates expressed in that debt security and to institute suit for the enforcement of payment.

Modification and Waivers

Modification and amendments of the indentures and the debt securities of any series may be made by us and the trustee with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series affected thereby; provided, however, that no such modification or amendment may, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of that series affected thereby:

 

   

change the stated maturity of the principal of, or installment of interest on, any debt security;

 

24


Table of Contents
   

reduce the principal amount of any debt security or reduce the amount of the principal of any debt security which would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof or reduce the rate of interest on any debt security;

 

   

reduce any premium payable on the redemption of any debt security or change the date on which any debt security may or must be redeemed;

 

   

change the coin or currency in which the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any debt security is payable;

 

   

impair the right of any holder to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the stated maturity of any debt security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption date);

 

   

reduce the percentage in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities, the consent of whose holders is required in order to take certain actions;

 

   

reduce the requirements for quorum or voting by holders of debt securities in the indenture or the debt security;

 

   

modify any of the provisions in the indenture regarding the waiver of past defaults and the waiver of certain covenants by the holders of debt securities except to increase any percentage vote required or to provide that certain other provisions of the indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected thereby;

 

   

make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any debt security or decreases the conversion or exchange rate or increases the conversion price of any convertible or exchangeable debt security, unless such decrease or increase is permitted by the terms of the debt securities; or

 

   

modify any of the above provisions.

We and the trustee may, without the consent of any holders, modify or amend the terms of the indentures and the debt securities of any series with respect to the following:

 

   

to add to our covenants for the benefit of holders of the debt securities of all or any series or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us;

 

   

to evidence the succession of another person to, and the assumption by the successor of our covenants, agreements and obligations under, the indenture pursuant to the covenant described under “—Covenants—Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets”;

 

   

to add any additional events of default for the benefit of holders of the debt securities of all or any series;

 

   

to add one or more guarantees for the benefit of holders of the debt securities;

 

   

to secure the debt securities pursuant to the covenants of the indentures;

 

   

to add or appoint a successor or separate trustee or other agent;

 

   

to provide for the issuance of additional debt securities of any series;

 

   

to establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indentures;

 

   

to comply with the rules of any applicable securities depository;

 

   

to provide for uncertificated debt securities in addition to or in place of certificated debt securities;

 

   

to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of the indentures in respect of one or more series of debt securities; provided that any such addition, change or elimination (a) shall neither (1) apply to any debt security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (2) modify the rights of the holder of any such debt security with respect to such provision or (b) shall become effective only when there is no debt security described in clause (a)(1) outstanding;

 

25


Table of Contents
   

to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;

 

   

to change any other provision; provided that the change does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of debt securities of any series in any material respect;

 

   

to supplement any of the provisions of the indentures to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of debt securities pursuant to the indentures; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of debt securities of such series or any other series of debt securities in any material respect;

 

   

to comply with the rules or regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the debt securities may be listed or traded; and

 

   

to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of the indentures as shall be necessary or desirable in accordance with any amendments to the Trust Indenture Act, provided that such action does not adversely affect the rights or interests of any holder of debt securities in any material respect.

The holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive compliance by us with certain restrictive provisions of the indentures.

The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive any past default and its consequences under the indentures with respect to the debt securities of that series, except a default (1) in the payment of principal or premium, if any, or interest on debt securities of that series or (2) in respect of a covenant or provision of the indentures that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each debt security of that series. Upon any such waiver, such default will cease to exist, and any event of default arising therefrom will be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of the indentures; however, no such waiver will extend to any subsequent or other default or event of default or impair any rights consequent thereon.

Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

We may discharge certain obligations to holders of the debt securities of a series that have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation and that either have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year (or scheduled for redemption within one year) by depositing with the trustee, in trust, funds in U.S. dollars in an amount sufficient to pay the entire indebtedness including, but not limited to, the principal and premium, if any, and interest to the date of such deposit (if the debt securities have become due and payable) or to the maturity thereof or the redemption date of the debt securities of that series, as the case may be. We may direct the trustee to invest such funds in U.S. Treasury securities with a maturity of one year or less or in a money market fund that invests solely in short-term U.S. Treasury securities.

The indentures provide that we may elect either (1) to defease and be discharged from any and all obligations with respect to the debt securities of a series (except for, among other things, obligations to register the transfer or exchange of the debt securities, to replace temporary or mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities, to maintain an office or agency with respect to the debt securities and to hold moneys for payment in trust) (“legal defeasance”) or (2) to be released from our obligations to comply with the restrictive covenants under the indenture, and any omission to comply with such obligations will not constitute a default or an event of default with respect to the debt securities of a series and clauses (3) and (6) under “—Events of Default” will no longer be applied (“covenant defeasance”). Legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, as the case may be, will be conditioned upon, among other things, the irrevocable deposit by us with the trustee, in trust, of an amount in U.S. dollars, or U.S. government obligations, or both, applicable to the debt securities of that series which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal or premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities on the scheduled due dates therefor.

 

26


Table of Contents

If we effect covenant defeasance with respect to the debt securities of any series, the amount in U.S. dollars, or U.S. government obligations, or both, on deposit with the trustee will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants, to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of the stated maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of the acceleration resulting from such event of default. However, we would remain liable to make payment of such amounts due at the time of acceleration.

We will be required to deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the deposit and related defeasance will not cause the holders and beneficial owners of the debt securities of that series to recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. If we elect legal defeasance, that opinion of counsel must be based upon a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or a change in law to that effect.

We may exercise our legal defeasance option notwithstanding our prior exercise of our covenant defeasance option.

Same-Day Settlement and Payment

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will trade in the same-day funds settlement system of DTC until maturity or until we issue the debt securities in certificated form. DTC will therefore require secondary market trading activity in the debt securities to settle in immediately available funds. We can give no assurance as to the effect, if any, of settlement in immediately available funds on trading activity in the debt securities.

Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities of each series will be issued in the form of one or more global debt securities, in definitive, fully registered form without interest coupons, each of which we refer to as a “global security.” Each such global security will be deposited with the trustee as custodian for DTC and registered in the name of a nominee of DTC in New York, New York for the accounts of participants in DTC.

Investors may hold their interests in a global security directly through DTC if they are DTC participants, or indirectly through organizations that are DTC participants. Except in the limited circumstances described below, holders of debt securities represented by interests in a global security will not be entitled to receive their debt securities in fully registered certificated form.

DTC is a limited-purpose trust company created to hold securities of institutions that have accounts with DTC (“participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among its participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC’s participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Access to DTC’s book-entry system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, whether directly or indirectly.

Ownership of Beneficial Interests

Upon the issuance of each global security, DTC will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amount of the individual beneficial interests represented by the global security to the accounts of participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in each global security will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in each global security will be shown on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to participants’ interests) and such participants (with respect to the owners of beneficial interests in the global security other than participants).

 

27


Table of Contents

So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered holder and owner of a global security, DTC or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole legal owner of the debt security represented by the global security for all purposes under the indentures, the debt securities and applicable law. Except as set forth below, owners of beneficial interests in a global security will not be entitled to receive certificated debt securities and will not be considered to be the owners or holders of any debt securities represented by the global security. We understand that under existing industry practice, in the event an owner of a beneficial interest in a global security desires to take any actions that DTC, as the holder of the global security, is entitled to take, DTC would authorize the participants to take such action, and that participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through such participants to take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. No beneficial owner of an interest in a global security will be able to transfer such interest except in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures, in addition to those provided for under the indentures. Because DTC can only act on behalf of participants, who in turn act on behalf of others, the ability of a person having a beneficial interest in a global security to pledge that interest to persons that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of that interest, may be impaired by the lack of a physical certificate representing that interest.

All payments on the debt securities represented by a global security registered in the name of and held by DTC or its nominee will be made to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner and holder of the global security.

We expect that DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest in respect of a global security, will credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of the global security as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global security held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices as is now the case with securities held for accounts for customers registered in the names of nominees for such customers. These payments, however, will be the responsibility of such participants and indirect participants, and neither we, the trustee nor any paying agent will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial ownership interests in any global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and its participants or the relationship between such participants and the owners of beneficial interests in the global security.

Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for certificated debt securities, each global security may not be transferred except as a whole by DTC to a nominee of DTC or by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC. Transfers between participants in DTC will be effected in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC rules and will be settled in same-day funds.

We expect that DTC will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of debt securities only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account the DTC interests in a global security are credited and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities as to which such participant or participants has or have given such direction. However, if there is an event of default under the debt securities, DTC will exchange each global security for certificated debt securities, which it will distribute to its participants.

Although we expect that DTC will agree to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of interests in each global security among participants of DTC, DTC is under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures, and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. None of we, the underwriters or the trustee will have any responsibility for the performance or nonperformance by DTC or its participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

 

28


Table of Contents

The indentures provide that the global securities will be exchanged for debt securities in certificated form of like tenor and of an equal principal amount, in authorized denominations in the following limited circumstances:

(1) DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depository or if DTC ceases to be eligible under the indentures and we do not appoint a successor depository within 90 days;

(2) we determine that the debt securities will no longer be represented by global securities and execute and deliver to the trustee an order to such effect; or

(3) an event of default with respect to the debt securities will have occurred and be continuing.

These certificated debt securities will be registered in such name or names as DTC will instruct the trustee. It is expected that such instructions may be based upon directions received by DTC from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in global securities.

The information in this section of this prospectus concerning DTC and DTC’s book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we do not take responsibility for this information.

Euroclear and Clearstream

If the depositary for a global security is DTC, you may hold interests in the global security through Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (“Clearstream”), or Euroclear Bank SA/NV, as operator of the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”), in each case, as a participant in DTC. Euroclear and Clearstream will hold interests, in each case, on behalf of their participants through customers’ securities accounts in the names of Euroclear and Clearstream on the books of their respective depositaries, which in turn will hold such interests in customers’ securities in the depositaries’ names on DTC’s books.

Payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other matters relating to the debt securities made through Euroclear or Clearstream must comply with the rules and procedures of those systems. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time. We have no control over those systems or their participants, and we take no responsibility for their activities. Transactions between participants in Euroclear or Clearstream, on one hand, and other participants in DTC, on the other hand, would also be subject to DTC’s rules and procedures.

Investors will be able to make and receive through Euroclear and Clearstream payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other transactions involving any securities held through those systems only on days when those systems are open for business. Those systems may not be open for business on days when banks, brokers and other institutions are open for business in the United States.

In addition, because of time-zone differences, U.S. investors who hold their interests in the debt securities through these systems and wish on a particular day, to transfer their interests, or to receive or make a payment or delivery or exercise any other right with respect to their interests, may find that the transaction will not be effected until the next business day in Luxembourg or Brussels, as applicable. Thus, investors who wish to exercise rights that expire on a particular day may need to act before the expiration date. In addition, investors who hold their interests through both DTC and Euroclear or Clearstream may need to make special arrangements to finance any purchase or sales of their interests between the U.S. and European clearing systems, and those transactions may settle later than transactions within one clearing system.

 

29


Table of Contents

Governing Law

The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

Regarding the Trustees

We will designate the trustee under the senior and subordinated indentures in a prospectus supplement.

There may be more than one trustee under each indenture, each with respect to one or more series of debt securities. Any trustee may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of debt securities, and a successor trustee may be appointed to act with respect to such series.

If two or more persons are acting as trustee with respect to different series of debt securities, each trustee will be a trustee of a trust under the indentures separate from the trust administered by any other such trustee. Except as otherwise indicated in this prospectus, any action to be taken by the trustee may be taken by each such trustee with respect to, and only with respect to, the one or more series of debt securities for which it is trustee under the indentures.

The trustee is permitted to engage in transactions, including commercial banking and other transactions, with us and our subsidiaries from time to time; provided that if the trustee acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate such conflict upon the occurrence of an event of default, or else resign.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

The complete terms of the warrants will be contained in the applicable warrant agreement and warrant. These documents have been or will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration. statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the warrant and warrant agreement. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in one or more series. If we offer warrants, we will describe the terms in a prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus). Warrants may be offered independently, together with other securities offered by any prospectus supplement, or through a dividend or other distribution to shareholders and may be attached to or separate from other securities. Warrants may be issued under a written warrant agreement to be entered into between us and the holder or beneficial owner, or under a written warrant agreement with a warrant agent specified in a prospectus supplement. A warrant agent would act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of a particular series and would not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of those warrants.

The following are some of the terms relating to a series of warrants that could be described in a prospectus supplement:

 

   

title of the warrants;

 

   

aggregate number of warrants;

 

   

price or prices at which the warrants will be issued;

 

   

designation, number, aggregate principal amount, denominations and terms of the securities that may be purchased on exercise of the warrants;

 

   

date, if any, on and after which the warrants and the debt securities offered with the warrants, if any, will be separately transferable;

 

   

purchase price for each security purchasable on exercise of the warrants;

 

30


Table of Contents
   

dates on which the right to purchase certain securities upon exercise of the warrants will begin and end;

 

   

minimum or maximum number of securities that may be purchased at any one time upon exercise of the warrants;

 

   

anti-dilution provisions or other adjustments to the exercise price of the warrants;

 

   

terms of any right that we may have to redeem the warrants;

 

   

effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other transfer of our business on the warrants and the applicable warrant agreement;

 

   

name and address of the warrant agent, if any;

 

   

information with respect to book-entry procedures;

 

   

a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

   

other material terms, including terms relating to transferability, exchange, exercise or amendments of the warrants.

Until any warrants to purchase our securities are exercised, holders of the warrants will not have any rights of holders of the underlying securities.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

The complete terms of the units will be contained in the unit agreement and any related document applicable to any units. These documents have been or will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the unit agreement and any related document. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

We may issue units, in one or more series, consisting of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and/or warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in any combination. If we offer units, we will describe the terms in a prospectus supplement (and any free writing prospectus). Units may be issued under a written unit agreement to be entered into between us and the holder or beneficial owner, or we could issue units under a written unit agreement with a unit agent specified in a prospectus supplement. A unit agent would act solely as our agent in connection with the units of a particular series and would not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of those units.

Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security.

The following are some of the unit terms that could be described in a prospectus supplement:

 

   

title of the units;

 

   

aggregate number of units;

 

   

price or prices at which the units will be issued;

 

   

designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

 

   

effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other transfer of our business on the units and the applicable unit agreement;

 

   

name and address of the unit agent;

 

   

information with respect to book-entry procedures;

 

31


Table of Contents
   

a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

   

other material terms, including terms relating to transferability, exchange, exercise or amendments of the units.

The provisions described in this section, as well as those described under “Description of Common Stock,” “Description of Preferred Stock,” “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of Warrants” will apply to each unit and to any common stock, preferred stock, debt security or warrant included in each unit, respectively.

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, the unit agreements will be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date. We will file as an exhibit to a filing with the SEC that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus the forms of the unit agreements containing the terms of the units being offered. The description of units in any prospectus supplement will not necessarily describe all of the terms of the units in detail. You should read the applicable unit agreements for a complete description of all of the terms.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities from time to time pursuant to public offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. We may sell the securities to or through an underwriter or group of underwriters managed or co-managed by one or more underwriters, or to or through dealers, through agents, directly to one or more investors or through a combination of such methods of sale.

 

   

We may distribute securities from time to time in one or more transactions:

 

   

at a fixed price or prices which may be changed;

 

   

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

   

at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or

 

   

at negotiated prices.

Each time we sell securities a prospectus supplement will describe the method of distribution of the securities and any applicable restrictions.

 

   

The prospectus supplement or supplements will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including:

 

   

the name or names of the underwriters, placement agents or dealers, if any;

 

   

the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale;

 

   

any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

 

   

any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation;

 

   

any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed to be paid to dealers (which may be changed at any time); and

 

   

any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed or quoted.

Unless stated otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of any underwriters to purchase securities will be subject to certain conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement, and generally the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities if they purchase any of the securities. If underwriters are used in the sale of any securities, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions described above. The securities may be either offered to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters, or directly by underwriters. Generally, the underwriters’ obligations to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent. If a dealer is used in a sale, we may sell the securities to the dealer as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.

 

32


Table of Contents

We or our agents may solicit offers to purchase securities from time to time. Unless stated otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

In connection with the sale of securities, underwriters or agents may receive compensation (in the form of fees, discounts, concessions or commissions) from us or from purchasers of securities for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters may sell securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of securities may be deemed to be “underwriters,” as that term is defined in the Securities Act, and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profits on the resale of the securities by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will identify any such underwriter or agent, and we will describe any compensation paid to them, in the related prospectus supplement.

Underwriters, dealers and agents may be entitled under agreements with us to indemnification against and contribution toward certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the underwriters, dealers or agents may make with respect to these liabilities.

If stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain investors to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement under delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. These contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement and the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable for solicitation of these contracts.

The securities we may offer, other than common stock, will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of our securities. Any underwriter may make a market in these securities; however, no underwriter will be obligated to do so, and any underwriter may discontinue any market making at any time, without prior notice.

Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Syndicate-covering or other short-covering transactions involve purchases of the securities, either through exercise of the over-allotment option or in the open market after the distribution is completed, to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.

Any underwriters who are qualified market makers on Nasdaq (or any exchange or quotation system on which our securities are listed) may engage in passive market making transactions in our common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, debt securities and warrants, as applicable, on Nasdaq in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the securities. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

 

33


Table of Contents

Certain of the underwriters or agents and their associates may engage in transactions with and perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of their respective businesses.

LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Jones Walker LLP, Washington, D.C. If the validity of the securities offered hereby in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel for underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, such counsel will be named in the prospectus supplement related to such offering.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Norwood as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2023, incorporated in this prospectus and in the related registration statement by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 have been audited by S.R. Snodgrass P.C. an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports thereon, and have been incorporated in this prospectus and registration statement in reliance upon such reports and upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements, information statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933 for the securities being offered under this prospectus. This prospectus, which is part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and accompanying exhibits. This prospectus contains descriptions of certain agreements or documents that are exhibits to the registration statement. The statements as to the contents of such exhibits, however, are brief descriptions and are not necessarily complete, and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to such agreement or document.

We make available free of charge through our website our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A and all amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information about us can be found on the internet at www.waynebank.com. Please note that our website address is provided as inactive textual references only. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus or the prospectus supplement, and is therefore not incorporated by reference unless such information is otherwise specifically referenced elsewhere in this prospectus or the prospectus supplement.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” certain information that we file with the SEC into this prospectus. By incorporating by reference, we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document we have filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for information incorporated by reference that is superseded by information contained in this prospectus or any document we subsequently file with the SEC that is

 

34


Table of Contents

incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Likewise, any statement in this prospectus or any document which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein will be deemed to have been modified or superseded to the extent that any statement contained in any document that we subsequently file with the SEC that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes that statement. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, after the filing of this prospectus and prior to the sale of all the securities covered by this prospectus.

 

   

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 (including the portions of our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on March 15, 2024, incorporated by reference therein);

 

   

Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024;

 

   

Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on March 1, 2024, March 8, 2024, March 19, 2024, March 22, 2024 and April 26, 2024; and

 

   

The description of our capital stock set forth in Exhibit 4.2 to our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the SEC on March 13, 2020.

We are also incorporating by reference additional documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act from the date of the initial registration statement that contains this prospectus and prior to effectiveness of the registration statement. Any statement contained in a document that is incorporated by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for all purposes to the extent that a statement contained in this document (or in any other document that is subsequently filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference) modifies or is contrary to that previous statement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any document or portion of a document that is “furnished” to, but not “filed” with, the SEC is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

These documents may be obtained as explained above (see “Where You Can Find More Information”), or you may request a free copy of any or all of these documents, including exhibits that are specifically incorporated by reference into these documents, by writing to or calling us at the following address or telephone number:

Norwood Financial Corp

717 Main Street

Honesdale, Pennsylvania 18431

Attention: Shareholder Services

Telephone: (570) 253-1455

You should rely only on the information in our prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and the documents that are incorporated by reference. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. We are not offering these securities in any state where the offer is prohibited by law. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus or any incorporated document is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document.

 

35


Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table itemizes the expenses incurred, or expected to be incurred, by the Registrant in connection with the registration and issuance of the securities being registered hereunder. As indicated below, all amounts shown are estimates except for the SEC registration fee.

 

SEC Registration Fee

   $ 14,760  

Printing Expenses

   $ *  

Accounting Fees and Expenses

   $ *  

Legal Fees and Expenses

   $ *  

Blue Sky Fees and Expenses

   $ *  

Transfer Agent Fees and Expenses

   $ *  

Trustee Fees and Expenses

   $ *  

Miscellaneous

   $ *  
  

 

 

 

Total

     *  

 

*

Fees will depend on the securities offered, the number of issuances and the nature of offerings, and cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The following is only a general summary of certain aspects of Pennsylvania law and the Company’s amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws related to the indemnification of directors and officers, and does not purport to be complete. It is qualified in its entirety by reference to the detailed provisions of Sections 1741-1750 of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended, or PBCL.

Sections 1741-1743 of the PBCL provide that a business corporation may indemnify directors and officers against liabilities they may incur in such capacities provided certain standards are met, including good faith and the belief that the particular action is in the best interests of the corporation. In general, this power to indemnify does not exist in the case of actions against a director or officer by or in the right of the corporation if the person entitled to indemnification shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent a court determines that the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification. A corporation is required to indemnify directors and officers against expenses they may incur in defending actions against them in such capacities if they are successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of such actions. Section 1746 of the PBCL provides that the foregoing provisions shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which a person seeking indemnification may be entitled under, among other things, any by-law provision, provided that no indemnification may be made in any case where the act or failure or act giving rise to the claim for indemnification is determined by a court to have constituted willful misconduct or recklessness. Section 1747 of the PBCL authorizes a corporation to purchase insurance for directors and other representatives. The foregoing statement is subject to the detailed provisions of Section 1741-1750 of the PBCL.

The Company has authority under the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law to indemnify its directors and officers to the extent provided in such statute. The Company’s amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that the Company shall indemnify its executive officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law either now or hereafter. In general, Pennsylvania law permits a Pennsylvania corporation to indemnify its directors, officers, employees and agents, and persons serving at the corporation’s request in such capacities for another enterprise against liabilities arising from conduct that such persons reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful.

 

II-1


Table of Contents

The provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law that authorize indemnification do not eliminate the duty of care of a director and, in appropriate circumstances, equitable remedies such as injunctive or other forms of nonmonetary relief will remain available under Pennsylvania law. In addition, each director will continue to be subject to liability for (a) violations of the criminal law, unless the director had reasonable cause to believe his conduct was lawful or had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, (b) deriving an improper personal benefit from a transaction, (c) voting for or assenting to an unlawful distribution, and (d) willful misconduct or a conscious disregard for the best interests of the Company in a proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor or in a proceeding by or in the right of a shareholder. The statute does not affect a director’s responsibilities under any other law, such as the federal securities laws or state or federal environmental laws.

At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a director or officer of the Company as to which indemnification is being sought from the Company, nor is the Company aware of any threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification from the Company by any officer or director.

Further, the Company may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of the Articles.

Any underwriting agreement that the Company might enter into (Exhibit 1.1) will provide for indemnification by any underwriters of the Company, the Company’s directors, the Company’s officers who sign the registration statement and the Company’s controlling persons for some liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

 

II-2


Table of Contents

Item 16. Exhibits.

 

Number

  

Description

1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement*
3.1    Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(i) to Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 13, 2020)
3.2    Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(ii) to Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 14, 2024)
4.1    Form of Certificate of Designation for Preferred Stock*
4.2    Form of Specimen Certificate for Preferred Stock*
4.3    Specimen of Debt Security*
4.4    Form of Indenture for Senior Debt Securities
4.5    Form of Indenture for Subordinated Debt Securities
4.6    Form of Warrant Agreement*
4.7    Form of Warrant*
4.8    Form of Unit Agreement*
4.9    Form of Deposit Agreement*
4.10    Form of Depositary Receipt*
5.1    Opinion of Jones Walker LLP as to the validity of the securities registered hereunder
23.1    Consent of S.R. Snodgrass, P.C.
23.2    Consent of Jones Walker LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page hereto)
25.1    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee to act as Trustee under the Indenture for Senior Debt Securities**
25.2    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee to act as Trustee under the Indenture for Subordinated Debt Securities**
107    Filing Fee Table

 

*

If applicable, to be filed by an amendment to this registration statement or by a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

**

If applicable, to be filed electronically under electronic form type “305-B2” pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

 

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-3


Table of Contents

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 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;

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(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:

 

 

II-4


Table of Contents

(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.

(6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(7) To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the SEC under section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

(8) That, for the 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.

(9) That, 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.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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 SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

II-5


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Borough of Honesdale, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on May 22, 2024.

 

NORWOOD FINANCIAL CORP
By:  

/s/ James O. Donnelly

  James O. Donnelly
  President and Chief Executive Officer
  (Duly Authorized Representative)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints James O. Donnelly and William S. Lance, with full power of each of them to act alone, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Registration Statement (including pre- and post-effective amendments or any abbreviated registration statement and any amendments filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) increasing the number of securities for which registration is sought), and to sign any and all additional registration statements relating to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on May 22, 2024.

 

/s/ James O. Donnelly

        

/s/ Lewis J. Critelli

James O. Donnelly

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

     

Lewis J. Critelli

Chairman of the Board and Director

/s/ Dr. Andrew A. Forte

     

/s/ Susan Campfield

Dr. Andrew A. Forte

Director

     

Susan Campfield

Director

/s/ Ralph A. Matergia

     

/s/ Meg L. Hungerford

Ralph A. Matergia

Director

     

Meg L. Hungerford

Director

/s/ Alexandra K. Nolan

     

/s/ Dr. Kenneth A. Phillips

Alexandra K. Nolan

Director

     

Dr. Kenneth A. Phillips

Director

/s/ Kevin M. Lamont

     

/s/ Jeffrey S. Gifford

Kevin M. Lamont

Director

     

Jeffrey S. Gifford

Director

     

/s/ William S. Lance

     

William S. Lance

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

II-6