DEFA14A 1 ddefa14a.htm WACHOVIA WACHOVIA

SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant [X]  
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [_]  
     
Check the appropriate box:
[_] Preliminary proxy statement.
[_] Confidential, for use of the commission only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)).
[_] Definitive proxy statement.
[_] Definitive additional materials.
[X]

Soliciting material under Rule 14a-12.

Wachovia Corporation
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

N/A
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

Payment of filing fee (check the appropriate box):

[X] No fee required.

[_] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11
  (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
  (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
  (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
    pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which
    the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
  (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
  (5) Total fee paid:
     
[_] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
     
[_] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
  0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
  previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
  or the form or schedule and the date of its filing.
  (1)Amount Previously Paid:
  (2)Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
  (3)Filing Party:
  (4)Date Filed:

 

  Date: May 23, 2001

 

This filing contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, (i) statements about the benefits of the merger between Wachovia Corporation and First Union Corporation, including future financial and operating results, cost savings, enhanced revenues, and accretion to reported earnings that may be realized from the merger; (ii) statements with respect to Wachovia's and First Union's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts; and (iii) other statements identified by words such as "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans", "targets", "projects" and similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Wachovia's and First Union's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: (1) the risk that the businesses of First Union and Wachovia will not be integrated successfully or such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; (2) expected revenue synergies and cost savings from the merger may not be fully realized or realized within the expected time frame; (3) revenues following the merger may be lower than expected; (4) deposit attrition, operating costs, customer loss and business disruption following the merger, including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, may be greater than expected; (5) the ability to obtain governmental approvals of the merger on the proposed terms and schedule; (6) the failure of Wachovia's and First Union's stockholders to approve the merger; (7) competitive pressures among depository and other financial institutions may increase significantly and have an effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; (8) the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which the combined company will conduct operations may be different than expected resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality or a reduced demand for credit, including the resultant effect on the combined company's loan portfolio and allowance for loan losses; (9) changes in the U.S. and foreign legal and regulatory framework; and (10) adverse conditions in the stock market, the public debt market and other capital markets (including changes in interest rate conditions) and the impact of such conditions on the combined company's capital markets and asset management activities. Additional factors that could cause Wachovia's and First Union's results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Wachovia's and First Union's reports (such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the proposed transaction or other matters attributable to Wachovia or First Union or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Wachovia and First Union do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

The proposed transaction will be submitted to Wachovia's and First Union's stockholders for their consideration, and on April 26, 2001 First Union filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC containing a preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus of Wachovia and First Union and other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. Stockholders are urged to read the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus when it becomes available, and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they will contain important information. You will be able to obtain a free copy of the registration statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Wachovia and First Union, at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and the SEC filings that will be incorporated by reference in the joint proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Wachovia, Investor Relations, 100 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27150 (888-492-6397), or to First Union, Investor Relations, One First Union Center, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288-0206 (704-374-6782).

Wachovia and First Union, and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Wachovia and First Union in connection with the merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of Wachovia and their ownership of Wachovia common stock is set forth in Wachovia’s proxy statement on Schedule 14A, as filed with the SEC on March 19, 2001. Information about the directors and executive officers of First Union and their ownership of First Union common stock is set forth in First Union’s proxy statement on Schedule 14A, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2001. Additional

information regarding the interests of those participants may be obtained by reading the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available.

SLIDE PRESENTATION ADDRESSING SUNTRUST BANKS, INC.’S UNSOLICITED PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF WACHOVIA CORPORATION