fitb-20240709

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): July 9, 2024

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Ohio

001-33653

31-0854434

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

(Commission
File Number)

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

Fifth Third Center

38 Fountain Square Plaza

Cincinnati

Ohio

45263

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below)

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

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

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

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

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

Title of each class

Trading
Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange
on which registered

Common Stock, Without Par Value

FITB

The

NASDAQ

Stock Market LLC

Depositary Shares Representing a 1/1000th Ownership Interest in a Share of 6.625% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series I

FITBI

The

NASDAQ

Stock Market LLC

Depositary Shares Representing a 1/40th Ownership Interest in a Share of 6.00% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Class B Preferred Stock, Series A

FITBP

The

NASDAQ

Stock Market LLC

Depositary Shares Representing a 1/1000th Ownership Interest in a Share of 4.95% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series K

FITBO

The

NASDAQ

Stock Market LLC

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

Emerging growth company ☐

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

This report contains statements that we believe are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 175 promulgated thereunder, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 3b-6 promulgated thereunder. These statements relate to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance, capital actions or business. They usually can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as “will likely result,” “may,” “are expected to,” “is anticipated,” “potential,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “projected,” “intends to,” or may include other similar words or phrases such as “believes,” “plans,” “trend,” “objective,” “continue,” “remain,” or similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “can,” or similar verbs. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, as they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the risk factors set forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as updated by our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind these risks and uncertainties, as well as any cautionary statements we may make. Moreover, you should treat these statements as speaking only as of the date they are made and based only on information then actually known to us. We undertake no obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document.

There are a number of important factors that could cause future results to differ materially from historical performance and these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (1) deteriorating credit quality; (2) loan concentration by location or industry of borrowers or collateral; (3) problems encountered by other financial institutions; (4) inadequate sources of funding or liquidity; (5) unfavorable actions of rating agencies; (6) inability to maintain or grow deposits; (7) limitations on the ability to receive dividends from subsidiaries; (8) cyber-security risks; (9) Fifth Third’s ability to secure confidential information and deliver products and services

through the use of computer systems and telecommunications networks; (10) failures by third-party service providers; (11) inability to manage strategic initiatives and/or organizational changes; (12) inability to implement technology system enhancements; (13) failure of internal controls and other risk management programs; (14) losses related to fraud, theft, misappropriation or violence; (15) inability to attract and retain skilled personnel; (16) adverse impacts of government regulation; (17) governmental or regulatory changes or other actions; (18) failures to meet applicable capital requirements; (19) regulatory objections to Fifth Third’s capital plan; (20) regulation of Fifth Third’s derivatives activities; (21) deposit insurance premiums; (22) assessments for the orderly liquidation fund; (23) weakness in the national or local economies; (24) global political and economic uncertainty or negative actions; (25) changes in interest rates and the effects of inflation; (26) changes and trends in capital markets; (27) fluctuation of Fifth Third’s stock price; (28) volatility in mortgage banking revenue; (29) litigation, investigations, and enforcement proceedings by governmental authorities; (30) breaches of contractual covenants, representations and warranties; (31) competition and changes in the financial services industry; (32) potential impacts of the adoption of real-time payment networks; (33) changing retail distribution strategies, customer preferences and behavior; (34) difficulties in identifying, acquiring or integrating suitable strategic partnerships, investments or acquisitions; (35) potential dilution from future acquisitions; (36) loss of income and/or difficulties encountered in the sale and separation of businesses, investments or other assets; (37) results of investments or acquired entities; (38) changes in accounting standards or interpretation or declines in the value of Fifth Third’s goodwill or other intangible assets; (39) inaccuracies or other failures from the use of models; (40) effects of critical accounting policies and judgments or the use of inaccurate estimates; (41) weather-related events, other natural disasters, or health emergencies (including pandemics); (42) the impact of reputational risk created by these or other developments on such matters as business generation and retention, funding and liquidity; (43) changes in law or requirements imposed by Fifth Third’s regulators impacting our capital actions, including dividend payments and stock repurchases; and (44) Fifth Third's ability to meet its environmental and/or social targets, goals and commitments.

You should refer to our periodic and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or “SEC,” for further information on other factors, which could cause actual results to be significantly different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

On July 9, 2024, the Company issued a press release regarding the matters set forth below in Item 8.01. A copy of that press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.3 hereto.

The information in this Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.3 attached hereto shall not be deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or the Securities Act of 1933, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference.

Item 8.01 Other Events.

As previously disclosed, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) filed a lawsuit against Fifth Third on March 9, 2020, alleging violations of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, the Truth in Lending Act, and Truth in Savings Act. The parties agreed to the entry of a Stipulated Final Judgment and Order on July 9, 2024 to resolve this matter, pursuant to which Fifth Third, without admitting or denying any of the allegations in the suit except as specified in the order, agreed to pay a civil monetary penalty of $15 million, agreed to maintain existing policies around its consumer sales incentives, agreed to create a compliance plan to ensure its account opening practices comply with law and the order

and agreed to provide a redress plan to remediate certain customers with checking, savings, or credit card accounts opened beginning January 1, 2010 and ending December 31, 2016.

A copy of the Stipulated Final Judgment and Order is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The description of the Stipulated Final Judgment and Order set forth above does not purport to be complete and is qualified by reference to its full text.

Concurrently with the Stipulated Final Judgment and Order, Fifth Third, without admitting or denying any of the findings of fact or conclusions of law (except to establish jurisdiction), has also agreed to entry of a Consent Order related to a since-discontinued program in its auto lending business that placed collateral protection insurance (CPI) on certain auto loans. Under the Consent Order, Fifth Third has agreed to pay a $5 million civil monetary penalty related to those issues, maintain existing policy changes related to its auto servicing practices, agreed to create a compliance plan to ensure its compliance with the order and provide a redress plan to remediate certain customers within a redress period beginning July 21, 2011 and ending December 31, 2020.

A copy of the Consent Order is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and is incorporated herein by reference. The description of the Consent Order set forth above does not purport to be complete and is qualified by reference to its full text.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

Exhibit 99.2 Consent Order dated July 9 , 2024, issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,

including the Stipulation and Consent to the Issuance of a Consent Order, dated July 5,

2024, by Fifth Third Bank, N.A.

Exhibit 104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

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

July 9, 2024 By: /s/ SUSAN B. ZAUNBRECHER

Susan B. Zaunbrecher

Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer