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TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)​
 Registration No. 333-280004​
Prospectus Supplement to Prospectus dated June 6, 2024
[MISSING IMAGE: lg_associatebanccorp-4c.jpg]
12,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
We are offering 12,000,000 shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share (our “common stock”).
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “ASB.” The last reported sale price of our common stock on the NYSE on November 13, 2024 was $27.26 per share.
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Per Share
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Total
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Public offering price
​ ​ ​ $ 25.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 300,000,000 ​ ​
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)
​ ​ ​ $ 1.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 12,000,000 ​ ​
Proceeds, before expenses, to us(2)
​ ​ ​ $ 24.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 288,000,000 ​ ​
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(1)
See “Underwriting” for additional information regarding the compensation payable to the underwriters.
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(2)
Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares described below.
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We have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to 1,800,000 additional shares of our common stock on the same terms and conditions set forth above for 30 days after the date of this prospectus supplement.
Investing in our common stock involves certain risks. Please read “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement, as well as the risks set forth in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, for a discussion of certain risks that should be considered in connection with an investment in our common stock.
These securities are not savings accounts, deposits or other obligations of any bank and are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other governmental agency.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares on or about November 18, 2024.
Joint Book-Running Managers
BofA Securities J.P. Morgan
Prospectus Supplement dated November 14, 2024.
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We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide any information other than the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in any free writing prospectuses we have prepared. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is an offer to sell only the common stock offered hereby, but
 
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only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is current only as of the respective dates of such documents.
Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus supplement to “Associated” or to “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references mean Associated Banc-Corp together with all of its subsidiaries and affiliates.
 
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This document consists of two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering and certain other matters relating to us, and adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, dated June 6, 2024, which provides more general information about the securities we may offer from time to time, some of which does not apply to this offering. You should read both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
If the information set forth in this prospectus supplement differs in any way from the information set forth in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information set forth in this prospectus supplement. If the information conflicts with any statement in a document that we have incorporated by reference, then you should consider only the statement in the more recent document.
It is important for you to read and consider all information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we refer to in this document as the “SEC,” related to this offering before investing in our common stock, including the information contained in the documents identified under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” below.
 
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet on the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov and on the investor relations page of our website at http://www.associatedbank.com. Except for those SEC filings incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, none of the other information on our website is part of this prospectus supplement.
The SEC’s rules allow us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus supplement. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus supplement. Any information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus supplement will automatically update and supersede information contained in this prospectus supplement.
We are incorporating by reference in this prospectus supplement the documents listed below and any future filings that we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), prior to the termination of this offering, except that we are not incorporating by reference any information furnished (but not filed) under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K, including the related exhibits under Item 9.01:
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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (including the portions of our Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed on March 18, 2024, incorporated by reference therein);
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our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024, filed on April 30, 2024, July 30, 2024 and October 29, 2024, respectively; and
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our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on May 2, 2024, July 1, 2024 and August 29, 2024.
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Upon written or oral request, we will provide — at no cost to the requester — a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement but not delivered with the prospectus supplement, excluding all exhibits unless we have specifically incorporated by reference an exhibit in this prospectus supplement. You may make a request by writing to us at the following address or calling the following telephone number:
Associated Banc-Corp
Attention: Corporate Secretary
433 Main Street
Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301
(920) 491-7500
 
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the documents that are incorporated by reference, contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “may,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “could,” “future” or the negative of those terms or other words of similar meaning. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss our future expectations or state other “forward-looking” information. We believe that it is important to communicate our future expectations to our investors. Such forward-looking statements may relate to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance or business and are based upon the beliefs and assumptions of our management and the information available to our management at the time these disclosures are prepared. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that we may not be able to accurately predict or control and our actual results may differ materially from the expectations we describe in our forward-looking statements.
Before you invest in our common stock, you should be aware that the occurrence of the events discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement and in the information incorporated by reference herein (including the risk factors contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in our subsequent filings with the SEC under the Exchange Act) could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. These factors, many of which are beyond our control, include the following:
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credit risks, including changes in economic conditions and risk relating to our allowance for credit losses on loans and leases;
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liquidity and interest rate risks, including the impact of capital market conditions and changes in monetary policy on our borrowings and net interest income;
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operational risks, including processing, information systems, cybersecurity, vendor problems, business interruption, and fraud risks;
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strategic and external risks, including economic, political, and competitive forces impacting our business;
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legal, compliance, and reputational risks, including regulatory and litigation risks; and
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the risk that our analyses of these risks and forces could be incorrect and / or that the strategies developed to address them could be unsuccessful.
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For a discussion of these and other risks that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, refer to the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus supplement and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in our subsequent filings with the SEC under the Exchange Act, which are incorporated by reference herein. The forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement relate only to circumstances as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
 
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SUMMARY
The following summary should be read together with the information contained in other parts of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This summary highlights selected information from this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to help you understand this offering of our common stock. You should read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the documents we incorporate by reference, carefully to understand fully the terms of our common stock as well as the other considerations that are important to you in making a decision about whether to invest in our common stock. You should pay special attention to the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus supplement and the “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, before you determine whether an investment in our common stock is appropriate for you.
Associated Banc-Corp
Associated Banc-Corp (together with all of its subsidiaries and affiliates, collectively referred to in this sub-section as “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a bank holding company registered pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and incorporated in Wisconsin. Through our banking subsidiary, Associated Bank, National Association (“Associated Bank”), and various nonbanking subsidiaries, we provide a broad array of banking and nonbanking products and services to individuals and businesses through nearly 200 banking branches serving more than 100 communities, primarily within our three-state footprint (Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota), at September 30, 2024. At September 30, 2024, we had $42.2 billion of consolidated assets, $33.6 billion of deposits, and $4.4 billion of stockholders’ equity.
Our business is primarily relationship-driven and is organized into three reportable segments: Corporate and Commercial Specialty; Community, Consumer, and Business; and Risk Management and Shared Services.
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The Corporate and Commercial Specialty segment serves a wide range of customers including private clients, larger businesses, developers, not-for-profits, municipalities, and financial institutions by providing lending and deposit solutions as well as the support to deliver, fund, and manage such banking solutions. In addition, this segment provides a variety of investment, fiduciary, and retirement planning products and services to individuals, private clients, and small to mid-sized businesses. In serving this segment, we compete based on an in-depth understanding of our customers’ financial needs, the ability to match market competitive solutions to those needs, and the highest standards of relationship and service excellence in the delivery of these services. Delivery of services is provided through our corporate and commercial units, our commercial real estate unit, as well as our specialized industries and commercial financial services units. Within this segment we provide the following products and services:
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lending solutions, such as commercial loans and lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction loans, letters of credit, leasing, asset-based lending & equipment finance, and, for our larger clients, loan syndications;
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deposit and cash management solutions such as commercial checking and interest-bearing deposit products, cash vault and night depository services, liquidity solutions, payables and receivables solutions, and information services;
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specialized financial services such as interest rate risk management, and foreign exchange solutions;
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fiduciary services such as administration of pension, profit-sharing and other employee benefit plans, fiduciary and corporate agency services, and institutional asset management; and
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investable funds solutions such as savings, money market deposit accounts, IRA accounts, CDs, fixed and variable annuities, full-service, discount and online investment brokerage; investment advisory services; and trust and investment management accounts.
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The Community, Consumer, and Business segment serves individuals, as well as small and mid-sized businesses, by providing lending and deposit solutions. In serving this segment, we compete based
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on providing a broad range of solutions to meet the needs of our customers in their entire financial lifecycle, convenient access to our services through multiple channels such as branches, phone based services, online and mobile banking, and a relationship based business model which assists our customers in navigating any changes and challenges in their financial circumstances. Delivery of services is provided through our various consumer banking and community banking units. Within this segment we provide the following products and services:
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lending solutions such as residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, personal and installment loans, auto finance loans, business loans, and business lines of credit, and
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deposit and transactional solutions such as checking, credit and debit cards, online banking and bill pay, and money transfer services.
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The Risk Management and Shared Services segment includes key shared operational functions and also includes residual revenue and expenses, representing the difference between actual amounts incurred and the amounts allocated to operating segments, including interest rate risk residuals (funds transfer pricing mismatches) and credit risk and provision residuals (long-term credit charge mismatches).
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Our primary sources of revenue, through Associated Bank, are net interest income (predominantly from loans and investment securities), and noninterest income (principally fees and other revenue from financial services provided to customers or ancillary services tied to loans and deposits). We are not dependent upon a single or a few customers.
Our business strategy includes significant growth plans, and we expect to continue to make strategic investments to strengthen our core businesses and position us for the future.
Our principal executive office is located at 433 Main Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301, and our telephone number at that address is (920) 491-7500.
Additional information about us and our subsidiaries is included in documents incorporated by reference.
 
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THE OFFERING
The following is a brief summary of certain terms of this offering. For a more complete description of the terms of the common stock offered hereby, see the “Description of Common Stock” section of the accompanying prospectus.
Issuer:
Associated Banc-Corp, a Wisconsin corporation.
Shares of Common Stock Offered by Us:
12,000,000 shares of our common stock (or 13,800,000 shares of our common stock if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full).
Shares of Common Stock to be Outstanding Immediately After this Offering:1
163,212,711 shares of our common stock (or 165,012,711 shares of our common stock if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full).
Public Offering Price:
$25.00 per share.
Lock-up Agreements:
Certain of our directors and executive officers have entered into lock-up agreements, which restrict such persons from engaging in certain transactions in our securities during the Lock-Up Period (as defined in this prospectus supplement) without the consent of the underwriters. See “Underwriting” in this prospectus supplement
Listing:
Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “ASB.”
Tax Consequences:
For discussion of the tax consequences related to this offering, see “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders of Common Stock” in this prospectus supplement.
Use of Proceeds:
We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $287.5 million, or approximately $330.7 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, in each case after deducting estimated expenses and underwriting discounts and commissions. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes to support continued organic growth and capital generation, which may include investments in Associated Bank, N.A. and potential balance sheet optimization strategies. See “Use of Proceeds.”
Risk Factors:
An investment in our common stock involves risks. You should carefully consider the information set forth in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement, as well as other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement before deciding whether to invest in our common stock.
Transfer Agent and Registrar:
EQ Shareowner Services
Unless we indicate otherwise, all information in this prospectus supplement regarding the number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.
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Based on the number of shares of our common stock issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2024, (i) excluding 18,218,248 shares reserved for issuance under our equity compensation plans, and (ii) including 2,338,000 shares of unvested restricted stock, in each case as of September 30, 2024.
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RISK FACTORS
Investing in our common stock involves risks, including the risks described below that are specific to this offering and those that could affect us, our business and our common stock. You should not purchase shares of our common stock in this offering unless you understand these investment risks. Please be aware that other risks may prove to be important in the future. New risks may emerge at any time, and we cannot predict such risks or estimate the extent to which they may affect our financial performance. Before purchasing our common stock, you should carefully consider the following discussion of risks and the other information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and carefully read the risks described in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, including those set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in our subsequent filings with the SEC under the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference herein.
Risks Relating to This Offering and Our Common Stock
We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may invest or spend the proceeds in ways that may not yield a return on your investment.
Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering. You will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used effectively. Our management may not apply the net proceeds or our existing cash in ways that ultimately increase the value of your investment. If we do not invest or apply the net proceeds from this offering or our existing cash in ways that enhance stockholder value, we may fail to achieve expected results, which could cause our stock price to decline. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in short-term investments that may not yield a favorable return to our shareholders.
The price of our common stock can be volatile.
Price volatility may make it more difficult for you to sell your securities when you want and at prices you find attractive. Our securities prices can fluctuate widely in response to a variety of factors including, among other things:
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actual or anticipated variations in quarterly results of operations or financial condition;
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operating results and stock price performance of other companies that investors deem comparable to us;
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news reports relating to trends, concerns, and other issues in the financial services industry;
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perceptions in the marketplace regarding us and/or our competitors;
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new technology used or services offered by competitors;
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significant acquisitions or business combinations, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or capital commitments by or involving us or our competitors;
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our capital management practices, including our approach to our dividend and share repurchases;
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failure to integrate acquisitions or realize anticipated benefits from acquisitions;
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changes in government regulations;
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changes in international trade policy and any resulting disputes or reprisals;
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changes in general economic conditions;
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geopolitical conditions, such as acts or threats of terrorism or military conflicts;
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broad market fluctuations and volatility in the stock market generally; and
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recommendations by securities analysts.
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There may be future sales or other dilution of our equity, which may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
We are not restricted from issuing additional securities, including preferred stock, common stock and securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, common stock.
 
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In the future, we may increase our capital resources or, if our actual or projected capital ratios fall below or near the current (Basel III) regulatory requirements, we could be forced to raise additional capital by making additional offerings of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or the issuance of convertible securities would dilute the ownership interest of our existing common shareholders. The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of an equity offering, as well as other sales of a large block of shares of our common stock or similar securities in the market after an equity offering, or the perception that such sales could occur. Both we and our regulators perform a variety of analyses of our assets, including the preparation of stress case scenarios, and as a result of those assessments we could determine, or our regulators could require us, to raise additional capital.
Certain of our directors and our executive officers have agreed not to sell any shares of our common stock for a period of 90 days from the date of this prospectus supplement, or the Lock-Up Period, subject to certain exceptions. See “Underwriting.” Following the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, all of these shares will be eligible for resale under Rule 144 of the Securities Act, subject to any applicable holding period requirements and volume limitations. In addition, the underwriters, at any time and without notice, may release all or any portion of the common stock subject to such lock-up restrictions. The remaining shares of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering are not subject to lock-up agreements and may be freely resold at any time. The shares of our common stock being offered and sold in this offering will also generally be available for resale into the public markets.
The market price for our common stock may decline significantly when the restrictions on resale by our existing shareholders lapse. Actual or anticipated issuances or sales of substantial additional amounts of our common stock as part of or following this offering could cause the market price of our common stock to decline significantly and make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future on favorable terms, or at all. We cannot predict the size of future issuances of our common stock or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of our common stock will have on the market price of our common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock, or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common stock.
Common stock is equity and is subordinate to our existing and future indebtedness and preferred stock and effectively subordinated to all the indebtedness and other non-common equity claims against our subsidiaries.
Shares of our common stock are equity interests in us and do not constitute indebtedness. As such, shares of our common stock will rank junior to all of our indebtedness and to other non-equity claims against us and our assets available to satisfy claims against us, including our liquidation. Additionally, holders of our common stock are subject to prior dividend and liquidation rights of holders of our outstanding preferred stock. Our board of directors is authorized to issue additional classes or series of preferred stock without any action on the part of the holders of our common stock, and we are permitted to incur additional debt. Upon liquidation, lenders and holders of our debt securities and preferred stock would receive distributions of our available assets prior to holders of our common stock. Furthermore, our right to participate in a distribution of assets upon any of our subsidiaries’ liquidation or reorganization is subject to the prior claims of that subsidiary’s creditors, including holders of any preferred stock of that subsidiary.
We may reduce or eliminate dividends on our common stock.
Although we have historically paid a quarterly cash dividend to the holders of our common stock, holders of our common stock are not entitled to receive dividends. Downturns in the domestic and global economies could cause our board of directors to consider, among other things, the reduction or elimination of dividends paid on our common stock. This could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Furthermore, as a bank holding company, our ability to pay dividends is subject to the guidelines of the Federal Reserve regarding capital adequacy and dividends. Dividends also may be limited as a result of safety and soundness considerations.
Our articles of incorporation, bylaws, and certain banking laws may have an anti-takeover effect.
Provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, as amended (referred to in this prospectus supplement as our “articles of incorporation”) and bylaws, state law and federal banking laws, including regulatory approval requirements, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even
 
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if doing so would be perceived to be beneficial to our shareholders. The combination of these provisions may prohibit a non-negotiated merger or other business combination, which, in turn, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
An investment in our common stock is not an insured deposit.
Our common stock is not a bank deposit and, therefore, is not insured against loss by the FDIC, any other deposit insurance fund, or by any other public or private entity. An investment in our common stock is inherently risky. As a result, if you acquire our common stock, you may lose some or all of your investment.
 
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USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $287.5 million, or approximately $330.7 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, in each case after deducting estimated expenses and underwriting discounts and commissions. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes to support continued organic growth and capital generation, which may include investments in Associated Bank, N.A. and potential balance sheet optimization strategies.
 
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CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth, on a consolidated basis, our capitalization as of September 30, 2024 on an actual basis and as adjusted to give effect to this offering. You should read the following table together with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
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As of September 30, 2024
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(dollars in thousands)
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Actual
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As Adjusted
for Share
Issuance
(unaudited)
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Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Noninterest-bearing demand deposits
​ ​ ​ $ 5,857,421 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 5,857,421 ​ ​
Interest-bearing deposits
​ ​ ​ ​ 27,696,877 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27,696,877 ​ ​
Total deposits
​ ​ ​ ​ 33,554,298 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 33,554,298 ​ ​
Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to
repurchase
​ ​ ​ ​ 417,028 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 417,028 ​ ​
Bank-term funding program
​ ​ ​ ​ 500,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 500,000 ​ ​
Total short-term funding
​ ​ ​ ​ 917,028 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 917,028 ​ ​
FHLB Advances
​ ​ ​ ​ 1,913,294 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,913,294 ​ ​
Subordinated notes
​ ​ ​ ​ 550,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 550,000 ​ ​
Senior notes
​ ​ ​ ​ 300,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 300,000 ​ ​
Other long-term funding and capitalized costs
​ ​ ​ ​ (5,658) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (5,658) ​ ​
Total long-term funding
​ ​ ​ ​ 844,342 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 844,342 ​ ​
Allowance for unfunded commitments
​ ​ ​ ​ 35,776 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 35,776 ​ ​
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
​ ​ ​ ​ 532,842 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 532,842 ​ ​
Total liabilities
​ ​ ​ $ 37,797,579 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 37,797,579 ​ ​
Stockholders’ equity ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Preferred Equity
​ ​ ​ $ 194,112 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 194,112 ​ ​
Common stock
​ ​ ​ ​ 1,752 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,872 ​ ​
Surplus
​ ​ ​ ​ 1,714,055 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,001,935 ​ ​
Retained earnings
​ ​ ​ ​ 3,122,307 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,122,307 ​ ​
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss)
​ ​ ​ ​ (111,748) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (111,748) ​ ​
Treasury stock, at cost
​ ​ ​ ​ (507,241) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (507,241) ​ ​
Total stockholders’ equity
​ ​ ​ $ 4,413,236 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 4,701,236 ​ ​
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
​ ​ ​ $ 42,210,815 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 42,498,815 ​ ​
Capital Adequacy Common equity tier 1 capital ratio
​ ​ ​ ​ 9.72% ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.58% ​ ​
Tier 1 capital ratio
​ ​ ​ ​ 10.30% ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.16% ​ ​
Total capital ratio
​ ​ ​ ​ 12.36% ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.22% ​ ​
 
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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK
The following description summarizes the terms of our common stock but does not purport to be complete, and it is qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable provisions of federal law governing bank holding companies, Wisconsin law and our articles of incorporation and bylaws. Our articles of incorporation and bylaws are incorporated by reference as exhibits to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
We have one class of common stock, the Associated Banc-Corp common stock. Of the 250,000,000 shares of our common stock with a par value of $0.01 per share authorized, 151,212,711 shares were outstanding as of September 30, 2024, exclusive of shares held in treasury.
Dividend Rights
Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as, and if declared by our board of directors out of our assets legally available for payment, subject to the rights of holders of our Series E and Series F Preferred Stock and any other series of preferred stock that may be designated, issued and outstanding from time to time, if and to the extent so provided under the terms of such series. No share of our common stock is entitled to any preferential treatment with respect to dividends. Furthermore, as a bank holding company, our ability to pay dividends is subject to the guidelines of the Federal Reserve regarding capital adequacy and dividends. Dividends also may be limited as a result of safety and soundness considerations.​
Voting Rights
Each holder of our common stock will be entitled at each shareholders’ meeting, with regard to each matter to be voted on, to cast one vote, in person or by proxy, for each share of our common stock registered in his or her name on our stock transfer books. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of preferred stock under their respective certificates of designations and applicable law, all voting rights are vested in the holders of shares of our common stock. Voting rights are not cumulative, which means that holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of directors can elect 100% of the directors, and the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any directors.
Rights Upon Liquidation
Subject to and to the extent of the rights of holders of any of our preferred stock which may be designated, issued and outstanding from time to time, in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive all of our assets remaining for distribution to our shareholders, on a pro rata basis.
Miscellaneous
Shares of our common stock are not convertible into shares of any other class of capital stock. Shares of our common stock are not and will not be entitled to any preemptive or subscription rights. The issued and outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and nonassessable. The transfer agent for our common stock is EQ Shareowner Services.
Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions
Provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws, state law and federal banking laws, including regulatory approval requirements, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if doing so would be perceived to be beneficial to our shareholders. The combination of these provisions may prohibit a non-negotiated merger or other business combination, which, in turn, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
Calling of Special Meetings by Shareholders.   A special meeting of our shareholders shall be called by our Chief Executive Officer at the request of holders of not less than 10% of all outstanding shares entitled to vote on any issue proposed to be considered at the special meeting. Any such request by our shareholders
 
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must comply with specified requirements. We will not be required to call a special meeting upon shareholder demand unless, in addition to other required documents, we receive a written agreement signed by each Soliciting Shareholder (as defined in our bylaws) pursuant to which each such shareholder jointly and severally agrees to pay our costs of holding the special meeting and mailing proxy materials for our own solicitation, provided that if each of the resolutions introduced by the Soliciting Shareholder at the special meeting is adopted, and each of the individuals nominated for election as director at such annual meeting is elected, then the Soliciting Shareholders shall not be required to pay such costs.
Advance Notice of Shareholder Proposed Business at Annual Meetings.   Our bylaws provide that, to be properly brought before an annual meeting, a proposal of business to be considered by the shareholders must be made (a) pursuant to the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of our board of directors; (b) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the board of directors; or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a shareholder who is a shareholder of record at the time of giving notice provided for in the bylaws and at the date of the meeting is entitled to vote at the meeting and complies with the notice procedures set forth in the bylaws, including, among other requirements, that such notice must be delivered not less than 75 nor more than 90 days prior to the anniversary of the date of our annual meeting of shareholders in the immediately preceding year.
Shareholder Nomination of Directors.   Shareholder nominations of directors may be made pursuant to timely notice in writing to our Secretary. To be timely, such notice must be delivered or mailed and received at our principal executive offices not less than 75 nor more than 90 days prior to the anniversary of the date of our annual meeting of shareholders in the immediately preceding fiscal year. A shareholder’s notice to the Secretary must contain specified information as to each person proposed to be nominated and as to the shareholder giving notice, including (without limitation) any beneficial ownership interests in the common stock and any other ownership interest in the common stock, whether economic or otherwise, including derivatives and hedges.
Election of Directors.   Under our bylaws, our directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the shares entitled to vote in an election at which a quorum is present.
Director Vacancies.   Vacancies on our board will be filled only by the remaining directors, whether or not such directors constitute a quorum. If the remaining directors of Associated do not constitute a quorum, a vacancy may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors.
Removal of Directors.   Our articles of incorporation and bylaws provide that directors may be removed only for cause by the shareholders when the number of votes cast to remove the director exceeds the number of votes cast not to remove at a special meeting of shareholders called for that purpose.
Requisite Vote for Certain Extraordinary Transactions.   Our articles of incorporation provide that an affirmative vote of 80% of our outstanding shares is required to approve a business combination and certain other extraordinary transactions involving any person who is, or at any time within the preceding 12 months has been, the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote in elections of directors, which we refer to as an “interested shareholder.” In addition, if the consideration offered in connection with such transaction does not satisfy certain “fair price” requirements, the affirmative vote of the holders of 80% of the “non-interested outstanding shares” ​(defined as voting shares not beneficially owned by an interested shareholder) will also be required to approve such a transaction. These requirements do not apply if (1) our board approves the transaction and a majority of the directors voting to approve the transaction are “continuing directors” ​(defined as a director who was either (a) a director at the time the interested shareholder became “interested” and who is not otherwise affiliated with such shareholder, or (b) a director designated (prior to his or her initial election as a director) as a continuing director by a majority of the then continuing directors or (2) the transaction is between us and our subsidiary and no interested shareholder (together with such shareholder’s affiliates and associates) owns any of the outstanding shares of the subsidiary). The foregoing provision may only be amended, modified or repealed by the affirmative vote of not less than 80% of the outstanding shares and the non-interested outstanding shares of Associated.
Preferred Stock
Under our articles of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized, without further shareholder action, to issue up to 750,000 shares of preferred stock, $1.00 par value per share, in one or more series, and
 
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to determine the preferences, limitations and relative rights of each series. As of September 30, 2024, there were authorized (i) 100,000 shares of our 5.875% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E, with a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share, all of which were outstanding and (ii) 100,000 shares of our 5.625% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series F, with a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share, all of which were outstanding. We may amend our articles of incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of preferred stock in a manner permitted by articles of incorporation and the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law (the “WBCL”). The rights of holders of our common stock may be affected by the future issuance of our preferred stock.
WBCL
Provisions of the WBCL could have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of Associated.
Restrictions on Business Combinations.   Sections 180.1130 to 180.1134 of the WBCL provide generally that in addition to the vote otherwise required by law or the articles of incorporation of a “resident domestic corporation,” such as us, business combinations not meeting fair price standards specified in the statute must be approved by the affirmative vote of at least (1) 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by the outstanding voting shares of the corporation, and (2) two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of voting shares other than voting shares beneficially owned by a “significant shareholder” or an affiliate or associate of a significant shareholder who is a party to the transaction. The term “business combination” means, subject to certain exceptions, a merger or share exchange of the resident domestic corporation (or any subsidiary of that corporation) with, or the sale or other disposition of substantially all of the property and assets of the resident domestic corporation to, any significant shareholder or affiliate of a significant shareholder. “Significant shareholder” means a person that is the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting shares of the resident domestic corporation. These statutory sections also restrict the repurchase of shares and the sale of corporate assets by a resident domestic corporation in response to a takeover offer.
Sections 180.1140 to 180.1144 of the WBCL prohibit certain “business combinations” between a “resident domestic corporation” and an “interested stockholder” within three years after the date such person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination or the acquisition of the interested stockholder’s stock has been approved before the stock acquisition date by the corporation’s board of directors. An “interested stockholder” is a person beneficially owning 10% or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting stock of such corporation. After the three-year period, a business combination with the interested stockholder may be consummated only with the approval of the holders of a majority of the voting stock not beneficially owned by the interested stockholder at a meeting called for that purpose, unless the business combination satisfies certain adequacy-of-price standards intended to provide a fair price for shares held by disinterested stockholders.
Control Share Voting Restrictions.   Under Section 180.1150(2) of the WBCL, the voting power of shares of a “resident domestic corporation” that are held by any person in excess of 20% of the voting power in the election of directors are limited (in voting on any matter) to 10% of the full voting power of those excess shares, unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation or otherwise specified by the board of directors or unless full voting rights have been restored at a special meeting of the shareholders called for that purpose. This statute is designed to protect corporations against uninvited takeover bids by reducing to one-tenth of their normal voting power all shares in excess of 20% owned by an acquiring person. Section 180.1150(3) excludes shares held or acquired under certain circumstances from the application of Section 180.1150(2), including (among others) shares acquired directly from us and shares acquired in a merger or share exchange to which we are a party.
Constituency Provision.   Under Section 180.0827 of the WBCL, in discharging his or her duties, a director or officer of Associated may, in addition to considering the effects of any action on shareholders, consider the effects of any action on employees, suppliers, customers, the communities in which we operate and any other factors that the director or officer considers pertinent.
 
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF COMMON STOCK
The following is a general discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations with respect to the ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock applicable to Non-U.S. Holders (defined below) who acquire such shares in this offering. This discussion is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and judicial decisions, each as in effect on the date hereof. These authorities are subject to change and differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect, and any such change or differing interpretation could result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below.
For purposes of this discussion, the term “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock that is not, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate, the income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income purposes regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust if (A) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more “United States persons” ​(as defined in the Code) have the authority to control all substantial decisions of such trust, or (B) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
This discussion is limited to Non-U.S. Holders that acquire shares of our common stock pursuant to this offering and hold such shares as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to a Non-U.S. Holder in light of that Non-U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances or that may be applicable to Non-U.S. Holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws, including, without limitation:
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banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions;
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tax-exempt entities or foreign governments or agencies;
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“controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies” and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax;
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entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes or other “flow-through” entities and investors therein;
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brokers or dealers in securities or currencies;
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traders in securities that elect mark-to-market treatment;
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persons subject to alternative minimum tax;
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certain former citizens or long-term residents of the United States; or
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holders who hold our common stock as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion transaction, constructive sale, or other integrated security transaction.
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In addition, this discussion does not address U.S. federal tax laws other than those pertaining to the U.S. federal income tax, nor does it address any aspects of the unearned income Medicare contribution tax pursuant to the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, any considerations in respect of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2010 (including the U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder and intergovernmental agreements entered into pursuant thereto) or U.S. state, local or non-U.S. taxes. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state, local, non-U.S. income and other tax considerations with respect to acquiring, holding and disposing of share of our common stock.
If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a person treated as a partner in such partnership generally will depend
 
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on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Persons that for U.S. federal income tax purposes are treated as partnerships and partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisors.
THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF ALL TAX CONSEQUENCES RELATING TO THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK. PROSPECTIVE HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP, AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK, INCLUDING THE APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF ANY U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. INCOME AND OTHER TAX LAWS.
Distributions
In general, subject to the discussion below regarding “effectively connected” dividends, the gross amount of any distribution we make to a Non-U.S. Holder with respect to its shares of our common stock will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% to the extent the distribution constitutes a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes, unless the Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for an exemption from, or a reduced rate of, such withholding tax under an applicable income tax treaty and the Non-U.S. Holder provides proper certification of its eligibility for such exemption or reduced rate. A distribution with respect to shares of our common stock will constitute a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To the extent any distribution does not constitute a dividend, it will be treated first as reducing the adjusted tax basis in the Non-U.S. Holder’s shares of our common stock and then, to the extent it exceeds the Non-U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its shares of our common stock, as gain from the sale or exchange of such stock. Any such gain will be subject to the tax treatment described below under “Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock.”
Dividends we pay with respect to our common stock to a Non-U.S. Holder that are effectively connected with the conduct by such Non-U.S. Holder of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or a fixed base of such Non-U.S. Holder in the United States) generally will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax, as described above, if the Non-U.S. Holder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements. Instead, such dividends generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to U.S. citizens, nonresident aliens or domestic corporations, as applicable. Dividends received by a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation and that are effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business within the United States may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty).
Gain on Sale or Other Taxable Disposition of Common Stock
Subject to the discussion below under “— Information Reporting and Backup Withholding,” in general, a Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other disposition of the Non-U.S. Holder’s shares of our common stock unless (i) the gain is effectively connected with a trade or business carried on by the Non-U.S. Holder within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or a fixed base of such Non-U.S. Holder in the United States), (ii) the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 or more days in the taxable year of the disposition and certain other conditions are met, or (iii) we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation” within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code (a “USRPHC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition or such Non-U.S. Holder’s holding period of such shares of our common stock.
Gain described in (i) above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income tax basis at the U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to U.S. citizens, nonresident aliens or domestic corporations, as applicable. A Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation and that recognizes gain described in
 
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(i) above may also be subject to the branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty) with respect to such effectively connected gain, as adjusted for certain items.
An individual Non-U.S. Holder described in (ii) above will be subject to a flat 30% tax (unless the Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on the gain from such sale or other disposition, which may be offset by U.S.-source capital losses, if any, of the Non-U.S. Holder, provided the Non-U.S. Holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.
We believe we are not, and do not anticipate becoming, a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, no assurance can be given that we are not or will not become a USRPHC. If we were or were to become a USRPHC, however, any gain recognized on a sale or other disposition of shares of our common stock by a Non-U.S. Holder that did not own (directly, indirectly or constructively) more than 5% of our common stock during the applicable period would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax, provided that our common stock is “regularly traded on an established securities market” ​(within the meaning of Section 897(c)(3) of the Code).
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
We must report annually to the IRS and to each Non-U.S. Holder the amount of distributions paid to such Non-U.S. Holder and the tax withheld with respect to such distributions. These reporting requirements apply regardless of whether withholding was reduced or eliminated by an applicable tax treaty.
A Non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to backup withholding (currently at a rate of 24%) on dividends paid with respect to such Non-U.S. Holder’s shares of our common stock unless such holder certifies under penalties of perjury that, among other things, it is a Non-U.S. Holder (and the payor does not have actual knowledge, or reason to know, that such holder is a United States person (as defined in the Code)) or otherwise establishes an exemption.
Information reporting and backup withholding generally are not required with respect to any proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our common stock by a Non-U.S. Holder outside of the United States through a foreign office of a foreign broker that does not have certain specified connections to the United States. However, if a Non-U.S. Holder sells or otherwise disposes of its shares of our common stock through a U.S. broker or the U.S. offices of a foreign broker, the broker will generally be required to report the amount of proceeds paid to the Non-U.S. Holder to the IRS and may also be required to backup withhold on such proceeds unless such Non-U.S. Holder certifies under penalties of perjury that, among other things, it is a Non-U.S. Holder (and the payor does not have actual knowledge, or reason to know, that such holder is a United States person (as defined in the Code)) or otherwise establishes an exemption. Information reporting will also apply if a Non-U.S. Holder sells its shares of our common stock through a foreign broker with certain specified connections to the United States, unless such broker has documentary evidence in its records that such Non-U.S. Holder is not a United States person and certain other conditions are met, or such Non-U.S. Holder otherwise establishes an exemption (and the payor does not have actual knowledge, or reason to know, that such holder is a United States person (as defined in the Code)).
Copies of any information returns may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides or is established under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty or agreement.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a Non-U.S. Holder may be credited against the Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, or refunded, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the information reporting and backup withholding rules to them.
 
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UNDERWRITING
We and the underwriters for the offering named below have entered into an underwriting agreement with respect to the common stock. BofA Securities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering. Subject to certain conditions, each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase the principal amount of the common stock indicated in the following table.
Underwriters
​ ​
Number of
Shares
​
BofA Securities, Inc.
​ ​ ​ ​ 6,600,000 ​ ​
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
​ ​ ​ ​ 5,400,000 ​ ​
Total
​ ​ ​ ​ 12,000,000 ​ ​
The underwriters are committed to purchase all the shares of common stock offered by us if they purchase any shares. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or the offering may be terminated.
The underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock directly to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $0.60 per share. After the initial offering of the shares to the public, if all of the shares of common stock are not sold at the initial public offering price, the underwriters may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Sales of any shares made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.
The underwriters have an option to buy up to 1,800,000 additional shares of common stock from us to cover sales of shares by the underwriters which exceed the number of shares specified in the table above. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement to exercise this option to purchase additional shares. If any shares are purchased with this option to purchase additional shares, the underwriters will purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as shown in the table above. If any additional shares of common stock are purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which the shares are being offered.
The underwriting fee is equal to the public offering price per share of common stock less the amount paid by the underwriters to us per share of common stock. The underwriting fee is $1.00 per share. The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.
​ ​ ​
Without exercise of
option to purchase
additional shares
​ ​
With full exercise of
option to purchase
additional shares
​
Per Share
​ ​ ​ $ 1.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 1.00 ​ ​
Total
​ ​ ​ $ 12,000,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 13,800,000 ​ ​
We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, including registration, filing and listing fees, printing fees and legal and accounting expenses, but excluding the underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $500,000.
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the web sites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in the offering. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares to underwriters and selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the underwriters and selling group members that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.
We have agreed that we will not, without the prior written consent of the underwriters, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by us or any of our affiliates) directly or indirectly, including
 
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the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the SEC in respect of, establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any other shares of common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, common stock, or effect a reverse stock split, recapitalization, share consolidation, reclassification or similar transaction affecting the outstanding shares of common stock; or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus supplement, provided, however, that we may (i) effect the transaction contemplated hereby, (ii) issue common stock, options to purchase common stock, restricted share units settled in common stock, or other awards, or issue common stock upon exercise of options, vesting of restricted share units or the settlement of other awards, pursuant to any share option, share bonus or other share plan or arrangement (“Share Plans”), provided such Share Plans are described in the registration statement or herein, (iii) issue shares of common stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding on the date hereof or the exercise of options or vesting of restricted share units issued pursuant to the Share Plans, (iv) file a registration statement on Form S-8 to register shares of common stock issuable pursuant to the terms of a Share Plan or arrangement described in the registration statement or herein, and (v) issue shares of common stock in connection with any joint venture, commercial or collaborative relationship or the acquisition or license by us of the securities, businesses, property or other assets of another person or entity or pursuant to any employee benefit plan as assumed by us in connection with any such acquisition; provided, however, that in the case of clause (v), (A) such shares of common stock shall not in the aggregate exceed 10% of our outstanding shares of common stock immediately following the consummation of the offering of the shares of common stock contemplated by this prospectus supplement and (B) the recipients thereof provide to the underwriters a signed lock-up agreement.
Certain of our directors and officers (such persons, the “lock-up parties”) have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters pursuant to which each lock-up party, with limited exceptions, for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus supplement (such period, the “Lock-Up Period”), may not without the prior written consent of the underwriters, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, hedge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise)), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the SEC in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder with respect to, any of our shares of common stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for such shares of common stock, which are owned by the undersigned or may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act (collectively, the “Locked-Up Securities”), or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction.
The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph and contained in the lock-up agreements between the underwriters and the lock-up parties do not apply to certain transactions. The lock-up parties may transfer the Locked-Up Securities, or publicly announce an intention to effect such transaction, subject to the terms and restrictions contained in the lock-up agreements, (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (ii) to any member of the immediate family of the lock-up party or any trust or other legal entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the lock-up party or the immediate family of the lock-up party, (iii) by will or intestacy, (iv) to us upon the vesting or exercise of an option, restricted share unit or other award granted under a share incentive plan or share purchase plan of Associated described in the registration statement or herein or the conversion or exercise of a warrant of Associated described in the registration statement or herein, (v) to us, or have shares of common stock withheld by us, solely in connection with the payment of taxes due with respect to the vesting of restricted shares granted under a share incentive plan or pursuant to a contractual employment arrangement described in the registration statement or herein, (vi) in connection with an exercise of an option or vesting of a restricted share unit granted under any share incentive plan or share purchase plan of Associated, provided that such plan is described in the registration statement or herein, (vii) acquired in the offering contemplated hereby or in open market transactions after the offering, provided that no public disclosure or filing under the Exchange Act shall be required, or made voluntarily, (viii) to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity, all of the beneficial ownership interests of which are held by the lock-up party or its affiliates, provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein and that any such transfer shall
 
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not involve a disposition for value, (ix) as part of a distribution, transfer or disposition by the lock-up party to its limited or general partners, members, stockholders or affiliates (as defined under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act), provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein and that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, provided that no public disclosures or filing under the Exchange Act shall be required, or made voluntarily, (x) by operation of law, including pursuant to orders of a court or regulatory agency, a domestic order or negotiated divorce settlement, (xi) pursuant to any contractual arrangement described in the Preliminary Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein in effect on the date of this prospectus supplement that provides for the repurchase of the lock-up party’s shares of common stock by us in connection with the termination of the lock-up party’s employment or other service relationship with us or the lock-up party’s failure to meet certain conditions set out upon receipt of such shares of common stock, (xii) pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer for all outstanding shares of Associated, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of our securities involving a change of control of Associated (including, without limitation, the entering into any lock-up, voting or similar agreement pursuant to which the lock-up party may agree to transfer, sell, tender or otherwise dispose of shares of common stock or other such securities in connection with such transaction, or vote any shares of common stock or other such securities in favor of any such transaction), provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, such securities held by the lock-up party shall remain subject to the provisions of the lock-up agreement, and (xiii) sales or transfers made pursuant to any contract, instruction or plan (a “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of common stock entered into by the lock-up party prior to the date of the lock-up agreement and such Plan has been provided to the underwriters prior to the date hereof; provided that, to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the lock-up party or us regarding any such sales or transfers, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that the sale or transfer was made pursuant to a trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1.
The underwriters, in their sole discretion, may release the shares of common stock subject to any of the lock-up agreements with the underwriters described above, in whole or in part at any time.
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, which involves making bids for, purchasing and selling shares of common stock in the open market for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock while this offering is in progress. These stabilizing transactions may include making short sales of common stock, which involves the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares of common stock than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing shares of common stock on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales may be “covered” shorts, which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares referred to above, or may be “naked” shorts, which are short positions in excess of that amount. The underwriters may close out any covered short position either by exercising their option to purchase additional shares, in whole or in part, or by purchasing shares in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market compared to the price at which the underwriters may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. To the extent that the underwriters create a naked short position, they will purchase shares in the open market to cover the position.
The underwriters have advised us that, pursuant to Regulation M of the Securities Act, they may also engage in other activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock, including the imposition of penalty bids.
These activities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock, and, as a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If the
 
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underwriters commence these activities, they may discontinue them at any time. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on the NYSE, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus supplement in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus supplement may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus supplement or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus supplement comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus supplement in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.
Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have provided in the past to us and our affiliates and may provide from time to time in the future certain commercial banking, financial advisory, investment banking and other services for us and such affiliates in the ordinary course of their business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions. In addition, from time to time, certain of the underwriters and their affiliates may effect transactions for their own account or the account of customers, and hold on behalf of themselves or their customers, long or short positions in our debt or equity securities or loans, and may do so in the future.
Selling Restrictions
Canada
Our common stock may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal, that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the common stock must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contain a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (“NI 33-105”), the Underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering. Upon receipt of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus, each Canadian investor hereby confirms that it has expressly requested that all documents evidencing or relating in any way to the sale of the securities described herein (including for greater certainty any purchase confirmation or any notice) be drawn up in the English language only.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area
In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area (each a “Relevant State”), no common stock has been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the common stock which has been approved by the competent authority in that relevant state, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that the common stock may be offered to the public in that Relevant State at any time:
(a)
to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation;
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(b)
to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the joint book-running managers for any such offer; or
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(c)
in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,
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provided that no such offer of the common stock shall require us to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation, and each person who initially acquires any common stock or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to with us and each of the underwriters that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. In the case of any common stock being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the common stock acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any common stock to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the underwriters have been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to the common stock in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any common stock, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as amended.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom
No common stock has been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in the United Kingdom prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the common stock which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority, except that the common stock may be offered to the public in the United Kingdom at any time:
(a)
to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation;
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(b)
to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of UK the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the joint book-running managers for any such offer; or
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(c)
in any other circumstances falling within Section 86 of the Financial Services and Markets Act (as amended, the “FSMA”),
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provided that no such offer of the common stock shall require us to publish a prospectus pursuant to Section 85 of the FSMA or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation .
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to the common stock in the United Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any common stock and the expression “UK Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended.
In addition, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are only being distributed to, and are only directed at, (a) persons outside the UK or (b) persons in the UK who (i) are investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the “Financial Promotion Order”) or (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Financial Promotion Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are directed only at
 
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relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.
Hong Kong
The common stock may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong, (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made thereunder or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong, and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the common stock may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere) which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to common stock which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made thereunder.
Japan
The common stock has not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (the “Financial Instruments and Exchange Law”), and accordingly, will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person residing in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.
Singapore
This prospectus supplement has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, each underwriter has not offered or sold any common stock or caused such common stock to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not offer or sell such common stock or cause such common stock to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and has not circulated or distributed, nor will it circulate or distribute, this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of such common stock, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than:
(a)
to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”);
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(b)
to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275, of the SFA; or
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(c)
otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
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Where the common stock is subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
(a)
a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or
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(b)
a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities (as defined
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in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the common stock pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA, except:
(i)
to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A), or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;
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(ii)
where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;
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(iii)
where the transfer is by operation of law;
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(iv)
as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or
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(v)
as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.
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Singapore SFA Product Classification — Solely for the purposes of its obligations pursuant to sections 309B(1)(a) and 309B(1)(c) of the SFA, we have determined, and hereby notify all relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A of the SFA), that the shares of common stock are “prescribed capital markets products” ​(as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04- N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).
Switzerland
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not intended to constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or invest in the common stock. The common stock may not be publicly offered, directly or indirectly, in Switzerland within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), and no application has or will be made to admit the common stock to trading on any trading venue (exchange or multilateral trading facility) in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the common stock constitutes a prospectus pursuant to the FinSA, and neither this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the common stock may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Dubai International Financial Centre
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate to an exempt offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). The prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. They must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with exempt offers. The DFSA has not approved the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set out in them, and has no responsibility for them. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of the offering materials you should consult an authorized financial adviser.
 
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VALIDITY OF THE COMMON STOCK
The validity of the common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and for the underwriters by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, New York, New York. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP will rely on the opinion of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as to matters of Wisconsin law.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Associated Banc-Corp as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, which are included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
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PROSPECTUS
Associated Banc-Corp
Debt Securities
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Depositary Shares
Warrants
Units
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Associated Banc-Corp or the selling security holders of Associated Banc-Corp may offer from time to time to sell, in one or more series, the securities described in this prospectus.
These securities may be offered or sold to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continued or delayed basis.
The principal executive offices of Associated Banc-Corp are located at 433 Main Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301, and the telephone number is (920) 491-7500.
We or our selling security holders will provide the specific terms of these securities, and the manner in which they are being offered, in supplements to this prospectus. These securities cannot be sold unless this prospectus is accompanied by a prospectus supplement. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.
The shares of the common stock of Associated Banc-Corp are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “ASB.” On June 3, 2024, the closing price of Associated Banc-Corp’s common stock was $20.71 per share.
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Purchasers of securities should read and consider the information set forth in “Risk Factors” on page 3 of this prospectus and in the accompanying prospectus supplement, if any.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission 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.
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THE SECURITIES WILL BE EQUITY SECURITIES IN OR UNSECURED OBLIGATIONS OF ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP AND WILL NOT BE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS OR DEPOSITS IN OUR SUBSIDIARY BANK, WILL NOT BE GUARANTEED BY OUR SUBSIDIARY BANK AND, UNLESS SPECIFIED IN A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT, WILL NOT BE INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
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This prospectus is dated June 6, 2024.
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we or a selling security holder may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we or a selling security holder may sell securities, we or such selling security holder will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. Such prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in the prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement together with the additional information provided under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. This prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement do not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making the offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make the offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of the document.
Any of the securities described in this prospectus and in a prospectus supplement may be convertible or exchangeable into other securities that are described in this prospectus or which will be described in a prospectus supplement or may be issued separately, together or as part of a unit consisting of two or more securities, which may or may not be separate from one another. These securities may include new or hybrid securities developed in the future that combine features of any of the securities described in this prospectus.
The registration statement that contains this prospectus, including the exhibits to the registration statement, contains additional information about us and the securities offered under this prospectus. You can find the registration statement at the SEC’s website or at the SEC office mentioned under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Unless the context otherwise indicates, the terms “us,” “we” and the “Company” refer to Associated Banc-Corp.
 
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC’s website: http://www.sec.gov. Our principal internet address is www.associatedbank.com. This reference to our Internet address is for informational purposes only, and the information contained on our website is not part of this prospectus.
This prospectus is a part of a registration statement on Form S-3. This prospectus does not contain all of the information you can find in the registration statement or the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information about us and the securities, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement.
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information that we incorporate by reference is deemed to be a part of this prospectus, except for any information that is superseded by information that is included directly in this prospectus. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents listed below that we have previously filed with the SEC. The documents contain important information about us and our financial condition.
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Our SEC Filings (File No. 001-31343)
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Period or Filing Date
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​ Annual Report on Form 10-K ​ ​ Year ended December 31, 2023 ​
​ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q ​ ​ Quarter ended March 31, 2024 ​
​ Current Report on Form 8-K ​ ​ Filed on May 2, 2024 ​
We also incorporate by reference additional documents that we will file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) after the date of this document. Those documents include periodic reports such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as proxy statements.
Documents which we incorporate by reference are available from us without charge, excluding all exhibits, unless we have specifically incorporated by reference an exhibit in this prospectus. You may obtain documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus by requesting them in writing or by telephone from us at:
Associated Banc-Corp
Attention: Corporate Secretary
433 Main Street
Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301
(920) 491-7500
 
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RISK FACTORS
Investing in the securities involves risk. Please see the “Risk Factors” section in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated by our filings with the SEC after the date of this prospectus. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider these risks as well as other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations, our financial results and the value of the securities. The prospectus supplement applicable to each type or series of securities we offer may contain a discussion of additional risks applicable to an investment in us and the particular type of securities we are offering under that prospectus supplement.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the documents that are incorporated by reference herein may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “may,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “could,” “future,” “outlook,” “guidance” or the negative of those terms or other words of similar meaning. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss our future expectations or state other “forward-looking” information. We believe that it is important to communicate our future expectations to our investors. Such forward-looking statements may relate to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance or business and are based upon the beliefs and assumptions of our management and the information available to our management at the time these disclosures are prepared. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that we may not be able to accurately predict or control and our actual results may differ materially from the expectations we describe in our forward-looking statements.
Before you invest in our securities, you should be aware that the occurrence of the events discussed under the captions “Risk Factors Summary” and “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and discussed elsewhere in this prospectus and in the information incorporated by reference herein, could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. These factors, many of which are beyond our control, include the following:
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Credit risks, including changes in economic conditions and risk relating to our allowance for credit losses on loans and investments.
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Liquidity and interest rate risks, including the impact of capital market conditions and changes in monetary policy on our borrowings and net interest income.
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Operational risks, including processing, information systems, cybersecurity, vendor problems, business interruption, and fraud risks.
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Strategic and external risks, including economic, political, and competitive forces impacting our business.
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Legal, compliance, and reputational risks, including regulatory and litigation risks.
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The risk that our analyses of these risks and forces could be incorrect and / or that the strategies developed to address them could be unsuccessful.
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The forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus relate only to circumstances as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
 
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ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP
General
We are a bank holding company registered pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. Our bank subsidiary, Associated Bank, traces its history back to the founding of the Bank of Neenah in 1861. We were incorporated in Wisconsin in 1964 and were inactive until 1969 when permission was received from the Federal Reserve System to acquire three banks. At March 31, 2024, we owned one nationally chartered commercial bank headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, which serves local communities across the upper Midwest, one nationally chartered trust company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and 12 limited purpose banking and nonbanking subsidiaries either located in or conducting business primarily in our three state branch footprint (Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota) that are closely related or incidental to the business of banking or financial in nature. Measured by total assets reported at March 31, 2024, we are the largest bank holding company headquartered in Wisconsin.
Services
Through Associated Bank and various nonbanking subsidiaries, we provide a broad array of banking and nonbanking products and services to individuals and businesses through 188 banking branches at March 31, 2024, serving more than 100 communities, primarily within our three-state branch footprint. Our business is primarily relationship-driven and is organized into three reportable segments: Corporate and Commercial Specialty; Community, Consumer, and Business; and Risk Management and Shared Services.
A description of each business segment is presented below.
Corporate and Commercial Specialty:   The Corporate and Commercial Specialty segment serves a wide range of customers including private clients, larger businesses, developers, not-for-profits, municipalities, and financial institutions by providing lending and deposit solutions as well as the support to deliver, fund, and manage such banking solutions. In addition, this segment provides a variety of investment, fiduciary, and retirement planning products and services to individuals, private clients, and small to mid-sized businesses. In serving this segment, we compete based on an in-depth understanding of our customers’ financial needs, the ability to match market competitive solutions to those needs, and the highest standards of relationship and service excellence in the delivery of these services. Delivery of services is provided through our corporate and commercial units, our commercial real estate unit, as well as our specialized industries and commercial financial services units. Within this segment we provide the following products and services: (1) lending solutions, such as commercial loans and lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction loans, letters of credit, leasing, asset based lending & equipment finance, and, for our larger clients, loan syndications; (2) deposit and cash management solutions such as commercial checking and interest-bearing deposit products, cash vault and night depository services, liquidity solutions, payables and receivables solutions, and information services; (3) specialized financial services such as interest rate risk management, and foreign exchange solutions; (4) fiduciary services such as administration of pension, profit-sharing and other employee benefit plans, fiduciary and corporate agency services, and institutional asset management; and (5) investable funds solutions such as savings, money market deposit accounts, IRA accounts, certificates of deposit, fixed and variable annuities, full-service, discount and online investment brokerage; investment advisory services; and trust and investment management accounts.
Community, Consumer, and Business:   The Community, Consumer, and Business segment serves individuals, as well as small and mid-sized businesses, by providing lending and deposit solutions. In serving this segment, we compete based on providing a broad range of solutions to meet the needs of our customers in their entire financial lifecycle, convenient access to our services through multiple channels such as branches, phone based services, online and mobile banking, and a relationship based business model which assists our customers in navigating any changes and challenges in their financial circumstances. Delivery of services is provided through our various consumer banking and community banking units. Within this segment we provide the following products and services: (1) lending solutions such as residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, personal and installment loans, auto finance loans, business loans, and business lines of credit, and (2) deposit and transactional solutions such as checking, credit and debit cards, online banking and bill pay, and money transfer services.
 
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Risk Management and Shared Services:   The Risk Management and Shared Services segment includes key shared operational functions and also includes residual revenue and expenses, representing the difference between actual amounts incurred and the amounts allocated to operating segments, including interest rate risk residuals (funds transfer pricing mismatches) and credit risk and provision residuals (long-term credit charge mismatches).
Effective during the third quarter of 2022, the product and marketing functions were moved to the Risk Management and Shared Services segment from the Community, Consumer, and Business and Corporate and Commercial Specialty segments in order to centralize these functions under common leadership.
We are not dependent upon a single or a few customers, the loss of which would have a material adverse effect on us.
Our principal executive office is located at 433 Main Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301, and our telephone number at that address is (920) 491-7500.
CERTAIN REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS
General
As a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act, we and our business activities are subject to the supervision, examination and regulation of the Federal Reserve Board.
For a discussion of the material elements of the regulatory framework applicable to bank holding companies and their subsidiaries, and specific information relevant to us, please refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and any subsequent reports we file with the SEC that are so incorporated. This regulatory framework is intended primarily for the protection of depositors and other clients of banking subsidiaries, the Deposit Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and the banking system as a whole, not for the protection of investors.
We are a member of the Federal Reserve System. Our subsidiary banks are subject to regulation by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”), and their deposits are insured by the FDIC.
Restrictions on Payment of Dividends
Banking Subsidiary Dividends
We are a legal entity separate and distinct from our banking and other nonbanking subsidiaries. A substantial portion of our cash flow comes from dividends paid to us by Associated Bank. The OCC’s prior approval of the payment of dividends by Associated Bank to us is required only if the total of all dividends declared by Associated Bank in any calendar year exceeds the sum of such subsidiary’s retained net income for that year and its retained net income for the preceding two calendar years, less any required transfers to surplus. Federal law also prohibits national banks from paying dividends that would be greater than the bank’s undivided profits after deducting statutory bad debt in excess of the bank’s allowance for loan losses. In addition, under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act (“FDICIA”), an insured depository institution, such as Associated Bank, is prohibited from making capital distributions, including the payment of dividends, if, after making such distribution, the institution would become “undercapitalized” (as such term is used in the FDICIA).
Holding Company Dividends
In addition, we and Associated Bank are subject to various general regulatory policies and requirements relating to the payment of dividends, including requirements to maintain adequate capital above regulatory minimums. The appropriate federal regulatory authority is authorized to determine under certain circumstances relating to the financial condition of a bank or bank holding company that the payment of dividends would be an unsafe or unsound practice and to prohibit payment thereof. Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the requirements of the Federal Reserve Board, we,
 
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as a bank holding company, are required to serve as a source of financial strength to, and to commit resources to support, Associated Bank. In addition, consistent with its “source of strength” policy, the Federal Reserve Board has stated that, as a matter of prudent banking, a bank holding company should not maintain a level of cash dividends to its shareholders that places undue pressure on the capital of its bank subsidiaries, or that can be funded only through additional borrowings or other arrangements that may undermine the bank holding company’s ability to serve as a source of strength. The appropriate federal regulatory authorities have indicated that paying dividends that deplete a bank’s capital base to an inadequate level would be an unsafe and unsound banking practice and that banking organizations should generally pay dividends only out of current operating earnings.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless we indicate a different use in an accompanying prospectus supplement, the net proceeds from our sale of the offered securities will be added to our general corporate funds and may be used for:
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debt reduction or debt refinancing;
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investments in or advances to subsidiaries;
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acquisitions of bank and nonbank subsidiaries;
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repurchase of shares of our common stock or other securities; and
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other general corporate purposes.
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Until the net proceeds have been used, they may be temporarily invested in securities or held in deposits of our subsidiary bank.
We will receive no proceeds from sales of securities by selling security holders pursuant to this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement.
The applicable prospectus supplement will provide more details on the use of proceeds of any specific offering.
DESCRIPTION OF SENIOR AND SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES
General
We have described below certain general terms that may apply to the debt securities issued pursuant to this prospectus. We will describe the particular terms of any such debt securities we offer to you in the prospectus supplement relating to those debt securities.
We will issue the senior debt securities under a senior indenture dated as of March 14, 2011, between us and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee, and we will issue the subordinated debt securities under a subordinated indenture dated as of November 13, 2014, between us and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. The following summary of certain provisions of the indentures for the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities is not complete. You should refer to the indentures, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Neither of the indentures limits the amount of senior and subordinated debt securities that we may issue. We also have the right to “reopen” a previous issue of a series of debt securities by issuing additional debt securities of such series. The senior debt securities will be unsecured and will have the same rank as all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be unsecured and will be subordinated and junior to all “senior indebtedness” ​(as defined below under “Subordinated Debt Securities — Subordination”). In addition, under certain circumstances relating to our dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization, the subordinated debt securities will be junior to all “other financial obligations” ​(as defined below under “Subordinated Debt Securities — Subordination”).
We are a bank holding company that conducts substantially all of our operations through subsidiaries. As a result, claims of the holders of the debt securities will be subordinated in right of payment to claims of
 
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creditors of our subsidiaries, except to the extent that Associated Banc-Corp may be recognized, and receive payment, as a creditor of those subsidiaries. Claims of our subsidiaries’ creditors, other than Associated Banc-Corp, include substantial amounts of long-term debt, deposit liabilities, federal funds purchased, securities sold under repurchase agreements, commercial paper and other short-term borrowings.
We may issue the debt securities in one or more separate series of senior debt securities and/or subordinated debt securities. We will specify in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of debt securities being offered the particular amounts, prices, and terms of those debt securities. These terms may include:
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the title and type of the senior and subordinated debt securities;
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any limit on the aggregate principal amount or aggregate initial offering price of the senior and subordinated debt securities;
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the purchase price of the senior and subordinated debt securities;
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the dates on which the principal of the senior and subordinated debt securities will be payable;
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the interest rates of the senior and subordinated debt securities, or the method for determining those rates, and the interest payment dates for the senior and subordinated debt securities;
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the places where payments may be made on the senior and subordinated debt securities;
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any mandatory or optional redemption provisions applicable to the senior and subordinated debt securities;
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any sinking fund or similar provisions applicable to the senior and subordinated debt securities;
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the authorized denominations of the senior and subordinated debt securities, if other than $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000;
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if denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies, including the euro or other composite currencies, in which payments on the senior and subordinated debt securities will be payable (which currencies may be different for principal, premium, and interest payments);
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any conversion or exchange provisions applicable to the senior and subordinated debt securities;
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any defaults and events of default applicable to the senior and subordinated debt securities (if not described in this prospectus);
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whether the senior and subordinated debt securities will be issuable only in global form, which is known as a global security, and, if so, the name of the depositary for the global security and the circumstances under which the global security may be registered for transfer or exchange in the name of the person other than the depositary; and
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any other specific terms of the senior and subordinated debt securities.
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Where appropriate, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to the debt securities.
Some of the debt securities may be issued as original issue discount securities. Original issue discount securities bear no interest or bear interest at below-market rates and will be sold at a discount below their stated principal amount. Any applicable prospectus supplement will also contain any special U.S. federal income tax or other information relating to original issue discount securities.
Persons considering the purchase, ownership, or disposition of original issue discount debt securities or other kinds of debt securities, including debt securities linked to an index or payable in currencies other than U.S. dollars, should consult their own tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them from the purchase, ownership, or disposition of those securities in light of their particular situations, as well as any consequences arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue the senior and subordinated debt securities only in fully registered form without coupons. You will not be required to pay a
 
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service charge for any transfer or exchange of senior and subordinated debt securities, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will pay principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the senior and subordinated debt securities at the corporate trust office of the trustee. You may also make transfers or exchanges of senior and subordinated debt securities at that location. We also have the right to pay interest on any senior and subordinated debt securities by check mailed to the registered holders of such debt securities at their registered addresses. In connection with any payment on debt securities, we may require the holder to certify information to Associated Banc-Corp. In the absence of that certification, we may rely on any legal presumption to enable us to determine our responsibilities, if any, to deduct or withhold taxes, assessments, or governmental charges from the payment.
Neither of the indentures limits our ability to enter into a highly leveraged transaction or provides you with any special protection in the event of such a transaction. In addition, neither of the indentures provides special protection in the event of a sudden and dramatic decline in our credit quality resulting from a takeover, recapitalization, or similar restructuring of Associated Banc-Corp.
The senior and subordinated debt securities may be offered together with warrants to purchase additional senior and subordinated debt securities, warrants to purchase shares of common stock or warrants to purchase shares of preferred stock. We may also issue debt securities exchangeable for or convertible into other series of our senior and subordinated debt securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of any of those warrants or exchangeable or convertible securities. It will also describe the specific terms of the debt securities issuable upon the exercise, exchange, or conversion of those securities. See “Description of Warrants” below.
Senior Debt Securities
The senior debt securities will be direct, unsecured general obligations of Associated Banc-Corp, will constitute senior indebtedness of Associated Banc-Corp, and will have the same rank as our other senior indebtedness. For a definition of “senior indebtedness,” see “Subordinated Debt Securities — Subordination” below.
Limitation on Disposition of Stock of Principal Subsidiary Bank.   The senior indenture contains a covenant by us that, so long as any of the senior debt securities are outstanding, neither we nor any of our wholly-owned subsidiaries will dispose of any shares of voting stock of our principal subsidiary bank, or any securities convertible into, or options, warrants, or rights to purchase, shares of voting stock of our principal subsidiary bank, except to Associated Banc-Corp or another of our wholly-owned subsidiaries. In addition, the covenant provides that neither we nor any of our wholly-owned subsidiaries will permit our principal subsidiary bank to issue any shares of its voting stock (other than directors’ qualifying shares), or securities convertible into, or options, warrants, or rights to purchase, shares of its voting stock.
The above covenant is subject to our rights in connection with a consolidation or merger of Associated Banc-Corp with or into another person or a sale of our assets. The covenant also will not apply if:
(1)   (a) the disposition in question is made for fair market value, as determined by the board of directors of Associated Banc-Corp; and (b) after giving effect to the disposition, we and any one or more of our wholly-owned subsidiaries will collectively own at least 80% of the issued and outstanding voting stock of the principal subsidiary bank in question or any successor to that principal subsidiary bank, free and clear of any security interest; or
(2)   the disposition in question is made in compliance with an order or direction of a court or regulatory authority of competent jurisdiction.
The above covenant also does not restrict our principal bank subsidiary from being consolidated with or merged into another domestic banking corporation, if after the merger or consolidation, (A) Associated Banc-Corp, or its successor, and any one or more of our wholly-owned subsidiaries own at least 80% of the voting stock of the resulting bank, and (B) no event of default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default under the senior indenture shall have happened and be continuing.
 
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The senior indenture defines the term “principal subsidiary bank” to mean any of our subsidiaries which is a commercial bank and which has total assets equal to 30 percent or more of the total consolidated assets of Associated Banc-Corp as of the date of our most recent audited consolidated financial statements. At present, Associated Bank, National Association is our sole subsidiary bank which constitutes a principal subsidiary bank under this definition. As used above, “voting stock” means a class of stock having general voting power under ordinary circumstances irrespective of the happening of a contingency. The above covenant would not prevent our principal subsidiary bank from engaging in a sale of assets to the extent otherwise permitted by the senior indenture.
Events of Default.   The senior indenture defines an event of default with respect to any series of senior debt securities as any one of the following events:
(1)   default in the payment of interest on any senior debt security of that series and the continuance of that default for 30 days;
(2)   default in the payment of principal of, or premium, if any, on, any senior debt security of that series at maturity;
(3)   default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment applicable to any senior debt security of that series and the continuance of that default for five days;
(4)   default in the performance, or breach, of any of the other covenants or warranties in the senior indenture, and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after notice has been given to us by the trustee or to us and the trustee by the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding securities of that series;
(5)   specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization of Associated Banc-Corp; and
(6)   any other event of default specified with respect to senior debt securities of that series.
If any event of default with respect to senior debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, either the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount (or, if the senior debt securities of that series are original issue discount senior debt securities, a specified portion of the principal amount) of all senior debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. No such declaration is required upon specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization. Subject to certain conditions, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding senior debt securities of that series may annul the declaration.
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement any particular provisions relating to the acceleration of the maturity of a portion of the principal amount of original issue discount senior debt securities upon an event of default.
Subject to the duty to act with the required standard of care during a default, the trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under the senior indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of senior debt securities, unless the holders have offered to the trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee. The senior indenture provides that the holders of a majority in principal amount of outstanding senior debt securities of any series may direct the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee for that series, or exercising any trust or other power conferred on the trustee. However, the trustee may decline to act if the direction is contrary to law or the senior indenture.
The senior indenture includes a covenant requiring us to file annually with the trustee a certificate of no default or specifying any default that exists.
Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.   The senior indenture contains a provision that, if made applicable to any series of senior debt securities, permits us to elect:
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defeasance, which would discharge us from all of our obligations (subject to limited exceptions) with respect to any senior debt securities of that series then outstanding, and/or
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covenant defeasance, which would release us from our obligations under specified covenants and the consequences of the occurrence of an event of default resulting from a breach of these covenants.
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To make either of the above elections, we must deposit in trust with the trustee money and/or U.S. government obligations (as defined below) or, with respect to senior debt securities denominated in a foreign currency, foreign government obligations (as defined below) which, through the payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms, will provide sufficient money, without reinvestment, to repay in full those senior debt securities.
As used in the senior indenture, “U.S. government obligations” are:
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direct obligations of the U.S. or of an agency or instrumentality of the U.S., in either case that is guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of the U.S. and that is not redeemable by the issuer; and
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certain depositary receipts with respect to an obligation referred to in clause immediately above.
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As used in the senior indenture, “foreign government obligations” are direct obligations of a foreign government or governments or of an agency or instrumentality of such foreign government or governments, in either case that is guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of such foreign government or governments and that is not callable or redeemable by the issuer.
As a condition to defeasance or covenant defeasance, we must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the holders of the senior debt securities will not recognize income, gain, or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance or covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if defeasance or covenant defeasance had not occurred. That opinion, in the case of defeasance, but not covenant defeasance, must refer to and be based upon a ruling received by us from the Internal Revenue Service or published as a revenue ruling or upon a change in applicable federal income tax law.
If we exercise our covenant defeasance option with respect to a particular series of senior debt securities, then even if there were a default under the related covenant, payment of those senior debt securities could not be accelerated. We may exercise our defeasance option with respect to a particular series of senior debt securities, even if we previously had exercised our covenant defeasance option. If we exercise our defeasance option, payment of those senior debt securities may not be accelerated because of any event of default. If we exercise our covenant defeasance option and acceleration were to occur, the realizable value at the acceleration date of the money and U.S. government obligations in the defeasance trust could be less than the principal and interest then due on those senior debt securities. This is because the required deposit of money and/or U.S. government obligations in the defeasance trust is based upon scheduled cash flows rather than market value, which will vary depending upon interest rates and other factors.
Modification and Waiver.   The senior indenture provides that we, together with the trustee, may enter into supplemental indentures without the consent of the holders of senior debt securities to:
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evidence the assumption by another person of our obligations;
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add covenants for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of senior debt securities;
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add any additional events of default;
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add to or change the senior indenture to permit or facilitate the issuance of debt securities in bearer form;
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add to, change or eliminate a provision of the senior indenture if such addition, change or elimination does not apply to a senior debt security created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture, or modify the rights of a holder of any senior debt security with such provision;
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secure any senior debt security;
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establish the form or terms of senior debt securities of any series;
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evidence the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee and to add to or change any of the provisions of the senior indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one trustee; or
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cure any ambiguity or correct any inconsistency in the senior indenture or make other changes, provided that any such action does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of senior debt securities of any affected series in any material respect.
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Other amendments and modifications of the senior indenture may be made with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of each series of the outstanding senior debt securities affected by the amendment or modification. No modification or amendment may, however, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding senior debt security affected:
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change the stated maturity of the principal of or any installment of principal or interest, if any, on any such senior debt security;
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reduce the principal amount of (or premium, if any) or the interest rate, if any, on any such senior debt security or the principal amount due upon acceleration of an original issue discount security;
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change the place or currency of payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or the interest, if any, on such senior debt security;
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impair the right to sue for the enforcement of any such payment on or with respect to any such senior debt security;
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reduce the percentage of holders of senior debt securities necessary to modify or amend the senior indenture; or
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modify the foregoing requirements or reduce the percentage of outstanding securities necessary to waive compliance with certain provisions of the senior indenture or for waiver of certain defaults.
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The holders of at least a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding securities of any series may, on behalf of all holders of that series, waive our required compliance with certain restrictive provisions of the senior indenture and may waive any past default under the senior indenture, except a default in the payment of principal, premium, or interest or in the performance of certain covenants.
Consolidation, Merger, and Sale of Assets.   We may, without the consent of the holders of any senior debt securities, consolidate or merge with any other person or transfer or lease all or substantially all of our assets to another person, or permit another corporation to merge into Associated Banc-Corp, as long as:
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the successor is a person organized under U.S. law;
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the successor, if not us, assumes our obligations on the senior debt securities and under the senior indenture;
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after giving effect to the transaction, no event of default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and
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we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease of our properties and assets complies with the senior indenture and that all conditions precedent to such transaction have been complied with.
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Subordinated Debt Securities
The subordinated debt securities will be direct, unsecured general obligations of Associated Banc-Corp. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to all senior indebtedness — and, in certain circumstances described below relating to our dissolution, winding-up, liquidation, or reorganization — to all other financial obligations. The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of debt, including senior indebtedness, or other financial obligations we may incur.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the maturity of the subordinated debt securities will be subject to acceleration only upon our bankruptcy or reorganization. See “— Events of Default” below.
 
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The holders of subordinated debt securities of a series that are specified to be convertible into our common stock or other securities will be entitled as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement to convert those convertible subordinated debt securities into common stock or such other securities, at the conversion price, at the times, and on the terms set forth in the prospectus supplement.
Subordination.   The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to all senior indebtedness and effectively subordinated to all existing and future debt and other liabilities of our subsidiaries and, upon the occurrence of certain events of insolvency, will be subordinated to the prior payment in full of our general obligations.
As used in this prospectus, “senior indebtedness” means (1) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest in respect of indebtedness of the Company for purchased or borrowed money, whether or not evidenced by securities, notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments issued by the Company; (2) all capital lease obligations of the Company; (3) all obligations of the Company issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations of the Company and all obligations of the Company under any conditional sale or title retention agreement, but excluding trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business; (4) all obligations of the Company in respect of any letters of credit, bankers’ acceptance, security purchase facilities and similar credit transactions; (5) all obligations of the Company in respect of interest rate swap, cap or other agreements, interest rate future or options contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contracts and other similar agreements; (6) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (5) of other persons for the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; (7) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (6) of other persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of the Company whether or not such obligation is assumed by the Company; and (8) any deferrals, renewals or extensions of any such senior indebtedness. Senior indebtedness does not include the subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated indenture, any indebtedness that by its terms is subordinated to, or ranks on an equal basis with, subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated indenture, and any indebtedness between or among the Company and its affiliates, including all other debt securities and guarantees in respect of debt securities issued to any trust, or a trustee of such trust, partnership or other entity affiliated with the Company that is a financing vehicle of the Company in connection with the issuance by such financing vehicle of capital securities or other securities guaranteed by the Company pursuant to an instrument that ranks on an equal basis with or junior in respect of payment to subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated indenture.
The subordinated indenture defines “general obligations” as all obligations of the Company to make payment on account of claims of general creditors, other than (A) obligations on account of senior indebtedness and (B) obligations on account of subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated indenture and indebtedness for money borrowed ranking pari passu with or subordinate to subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated indenture.
If the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or other Federal banking supervisor that is at the time of determination the Company’s primary Federal banking supervisor) shall promulgate any rule or issue any interpretation defining or describing the term “general creditor” or “general creditors” or “senior indebtedness” for purposes of its criteria for the inclusion of subordinated debt of a bank holding company (including a financial holding company, if applicable) in capital, or otherwise defining or describing the obligations to which subordinated debt of a bank holding company (including a financial holding company, if applicable) must be subordinated to be included in capital, to include any obligations not included in the definition of “senior indebtedness” under the subordinated indenture, the term “general obligations” will mean such obligations as defined or described in the first such rule or interpretation, other than obligations described in clauses (A) and (B) above.
If the maturity of any subordinated debt securities is accelerated, the holders of all senior indebtedness outstanding at the time of such acceleration will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due thereon before the holders of subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive any payment upon the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the subordinated debt securities.
 
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No payments on account of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, in respect of the subordinated debt securities may be made if there shall have occurred and be continuing:
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a default in the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on senior indebtedness;
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an event of default with respect to any senior indebtedness resulting in the acceleration of the maturity thereof; or
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if any judicial proceeding shall be pending with respect to any such default.
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In addition, upon our dissolution, winding-up, liquidation, or reorganization:
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we must pay to the holders of senior indebtedness the full amounts of principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the senior indebtedness before any payment or distribution is made on the subordinated debt securities, and
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if, after we have made those payments on the senior indebtedness, amounts are available for payment on the subordinated debt securities and creditors who hold other financial obligations have not received their full payments,
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then we will first use amounts available for payment on the subordinated debt securities to pay in full all other financial obligations before we may make any payment on the subordinated debt securities.
No Limitation on Disposition of Voting Stock of Principal Subsidiary Bank.   The subordinated indenture does not contain a covenant prohibiting us from selling or otherwise disposing of any shares of voting stock of our subsidiary bank, or securities convertible into, or options, warrants, or rights to purchase shares of, voting stock of our subsidiary bank. The subordinated indenture also does not prohibit our subsidiary bank from issuing any shares of their voting stock or securities convertible into, or options, warrants, or rights to purchase shares of, their voting stock.
Events of Default.   An event of default under the subordinated indenture with respect to subordinated debt securities of any series occurs upon certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization involving us and any other event of default regarding that series of debt securities. If an event of default in connection with any outstanding series of subordinated debt securities occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series (or, if any securities of that series are original issue discount securities, such portion of the principal amount of such securities as may be specified by the terms thereof) may declare the principal amount due and payable immediately. Subject to certain conditions, the declaration of acceleration may be rescinded and annulled by the holders of a majority of the principal amount of subordinated debt securities of that series.
In addition, the subordinated indenture also provides for defaults, which are not events of default and do not entitle the holders to accelerate the principal of the subordinated debt securities. The following are defaults under the subordinated indenture with respect to subordinated debt securities of a series:
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our failure to pay principal of, or any premium on, any debt security of that series when the payment is due;
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our failure to pay any interest on any debt security of that series when the interest payment is due, and continuance of this default for 30 days;
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our default in the performance, or breach, of any of our covenants or warranties in the indenture, other than a covenant or warranty included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a different series of subordinated debt securities, which has continued for 60 days after we have been given written notice of the default as provided in the indenture;
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any event of default under the subordinated indenture; and
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any other default regarding that series of debt securities.
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If there is a default in payment of principal or interest (not cured within 30 days) in connection with any outstanding series of subordinated debt securities and upon demand of the trustee, we will be required to pay the whole principal amount (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, then due and payable on the
 
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subordinated debt securities of that series to the trustee for the benefit of the holders of the outstanding subordinated debt securities of that series.
Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.   The subordinated indenture contains a provision that, if made applicable to any series of subordinated debt securities, permits us to elect defeasance and/or covenant defeasance under the same terms described above in “Senior Debt Securities — Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.”
Modification and Waiver.   The subordinated indenture contains provisions providing for the amendment or modification of the subordinated indenture and waiver of compliance with certain provisions or past defaults under the same terms described above in “Senior Debt Securities — Modification and Waiver”. Additionally, no modification or amendment to the subordinated indenture may, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding subordinated debt security affected:
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modify the subordination provisions of the subordinated debt securities of any series in a manner adverse to the holders of the subordinated debt securities; or
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adversely affect the right to convert any subordinated debt security.
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Consolidation, Merger, and Sale of Assets.   We may, without the consent of the holders of any subordinated debt securities, consolidate or merge with any other person or transfer or lease all or substantially all of our assets to another person or permit another corporation to merge into Associated Banc-Corp under the same terms described above in “Senior Debt Securities — Consolidation, Merger, and Sale of Assets.”
Conversion.   The subordinated indenture contains provisions providing for the designation of any series of subordinated debt securities as convertible into our common stock upon the exercise by the holder of the right to convert such series of subordinated debt securities into common stock in accordance with the terms of the subordinated indenture.
Information Concerning the Trustee
Associated Banc-Corp and some of our subsidiaries maintain deposits and conduct other banking transactions with the trustee under each of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture in the ordinary course of business.
Governing Law
The senior indenture, the subordinated indenture, the senior debt securities, and the subordinated debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK
We have one class of common stock, the Associated Banc-Corp common stock. Of the 250,000,000 shares of our common stock with a par value of $0.01 per share authorized, 150,803,064 shares were outstanding as of May 31, 2024, exclusive of shares held in treasury.
The following summary of the material terms and rights of our common stock is not complete. You should refer to the applicable provision of our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, for a complete statement of the terms and rights of our common stock.
Dividend Rights
Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as, and if declared by our board of directors out of our assets legally available for payment, subject to the rights of holders of our Series E and Series F Preferred Stock and any other series of preferred stock that may be designated, issued and outstanding from time to time, if and to the extent so provided under the terms of such series. No share of our common stock is entitled to any preferential treatment with respect to dividends.
 
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Voting Rights
Each holder of our common stock will be entitled at each shareholders’ meeting, with regard to each matter to be voted on, to cast one vote, in person or by proxy, for each share of our common stock registered in his or her name on our stock transfer books. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of preferred stock under their respective certificates of designations and applicable law, all voting rights are vested in the holders of shares of our common stock. Voting rights are not cumulative, which means that holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of directors can elect 100% of the directors, and the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any directors.
Rights Upon Liquidation
Subject to and to the extent of the rights of holders of any of our preferred stock which may be designated, issued and outstanding from time to time, in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive all of our assets remaining for distribution to our shareholders, on a pro rata basis.
Miscellaneous
Shares of our common stock are not convertible into shares of any other class of capital stock. Shares of our common stock are not and will not be entitled to any preemptive or subscription rights. The issued and outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and nonassessable. The transfer agent, registrar, and dividend disbursement agent for our common stock shall be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
Under our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, our board of directors is authorized, without further shareholder action, to issue up to 750,000 shares of preferred stock, $1.00 par value per share, in one or more series, and to determine the preferences, limitations and relative rights of each series. Except for the (i) 100,000 shares of our 5.875% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E, with a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share (the “Series E Preferred Stock” or the “Series E Shares”), all of which were outstanding as of May 31, 2024 and (ii) 100,000 shares of our 5.625% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series F, with a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share (the “Series F Preferred Stock” or the “Series F Shares”), all of which were outstanding as of May 31, 2024, no shares of our authorized preferred stock are currently designated or outstanding. We may amend our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, to increase the number of authorized shares of preferred stock in a manner permitted by our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law.
Under regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve Board, if the holders of any series of our preferred stock become entitled to vote for the election of directors because dividends on that series are in arrears, that series may then be deemed a “class of voting securities.” In such a case, a holder of 25% or more of the series, or a holder of 5% or more if that holder would also be considered to exercise a “controlling influence” over Associated Banc-Corp, may then be subject to regulation as a bank holding company in accordance with the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. In addition, (1) any other bank holding company may be required to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board to acquire or retain 5% or more of that series, and (2) any person other than a bank holding company may be required to obtain the approval of the Federal Reserve Board to acquire or retain 10% or more of that series.
We will describe the particular terms of any series of preferred stock being offered in the prospectus supplement relating to that series of preferred stock. Those terms may include, without limitation:
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the number of shares being offered;
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the title and liquidation preference per share;
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the purchase price;
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the dividend rate or method for determining that rate;
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the dates on which dividends will be paid;
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whether dividends will be cumulative or noncumulative and, if cumulative, the dates from which dividends will begin to accumulate;
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any applicable redemption or sinking fund provisions;
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any applicable conversion provisions;
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any applicable voting rights;
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whether we have elected to offer depositary shares with respect to that series of preferred stock; and
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any additional dividend, liquidation, redemption, sinking fund, and other rights and restrictions applicable to that series of preferred stock.
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We will disclose the terms of any series of preferred stock being offered in the prospectus supplement relating to that series of preferred stock. The following summary is not complete. You should also refer to our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, and to our Articles of Amendment relating to the series of the preferred stock being offered for the complete terms of that series of preferred stock. We will file amendments to our Articles of Incorporation designating and setting forth the terms of each series of preferred stock with the SEC promptly after the offering of any such series of preferred stock.
The preferred stock will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable. The preferred stock will have no preemptive or other subscription rights, nor will it be entitled, as of right, to purchase or subscribe for any part of our unissued stock or of any additional stock issued by reason of any increase in our authorized capital stock or other securities whether or not convertible into shares of our common stock.
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the depositary shares. The prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the depositary shares offered through that prospectus supplement. The specific terms may differ from the general description of terms described below.
The following summary of the deposit agreement, the depositary shares, and the depositary receipts is not complete. We will file the forms of the deposit agreement and depositary receipts with the SEC promptly after the offering of the depositary shares. You should read the forms of deposit agreement and depositary receipt relating to a series of preferred stock for additional information before you buy any depositary shares that represent preferred stock of that series.
General
We may offer fractional interests in preferred stock, rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we do, we will provide for the issuance by a depositary to the public of receipts for depositary shares, each of which will represent a fractional interest in a share of a particular series of preferred stock.
The shares of any series of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares will be deposited under a separate deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company having its principal office in the U.S. and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million, which we refer to in this prospectus as the depositary. We will name the depositary in the applicable prospectus supplement. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will have a fractional interest in all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock underlying the depositary share. Those rights include any dividend, voting, redemption, conversion, exchange, and liquidation rights.
The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued under the deposit agreement. If you purchase fractional interests in shares of the related series of preferred stock, you will receive depositary receipts as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. While the final depositary receipts are being prepared, we may order the depositary to issue temporary depositary receipts substantially identical to the final depositary receipts although not in final form. The holders of the temporary depositary receipts will be entitled to the same rights as if they held the depositary receipts in final form. Holders of the temporary depositary receipts can exchange them for the final depositary receipts at our expense.
 
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Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, you will not be entitled to receive the whole shares of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares.
When appropriate, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to the depositary shares.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions received with respect to the preferred stock to the record holders of depositary shares representing the shares of preferred stock. These distributions will be in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by the holders on the relevant record date. The depositary will not distribute amounts less than one cent. The depositary will distribute any balance with the next sum received for distribution to record holders of depositary shares.
If there is a distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property to the holders of depositary shares, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution. If this occurs, the depositary may, with our approval, sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to the holders of depositary shares.
The deposit agreement will also contain provisions relating to how any subscription or similar rights offered by us to holders of the preferred stock will be made available to the holders of depositary shares.
Conversion and Exchange
If any series of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares is subject to conversion or exchange, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the rights or obligations of each record holder of depositary receipts to convert or exchange the depositary shares.
Redemption of Depositary Shares
If the series of the preferred stock underlying the depositary shares is subject to redemption, all or a part of the depositary shares will be redeemed from the redemption proceeds of that series of the preferred stock held by the depositary. The depositary will mail notice of redemption between 30 to 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption to the record holders of the depositary shares to be redeemed at their addresses appearing in the depositary’s records. The redemption price per depositary share will bear the same relationship to the redemption price per share of preferred stock that the depositary share bears to the underlying preferred stock. Whenever we redeem preferred stock held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem, as of the same redemption date, the number of depositary shares representing the preferred stock redeemed. If less than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as determined by the depositary.
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 cease, except the right to receive money or other property that the holders of the depositary shares were entitled to receive upon the redemption. Payments will be made when holders surrender their depositary receipts to the depositary.
Voting Preferred Stock
When the depositary receives notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock may vote, the depositary will mail information about the meeting contained in the notice, and any accompanying proxy materials, to the record holders of the depositary shares relating to the preferred stock. Each record holder of such depositary shares on the record date, which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock, will be entitled to instruct the depositary with regard to how the preferred stock underlying the holder’s depositary shares should be voted.
The depositary will try, if practical, to vote the number of shares of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares according to the instructions received. We will agree to take all action requested by and deemed necessary by the depositary to enable the depositary to vote the preferred stock in that manner. The
 
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depositary will not vote any preferred stock for which it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of the depositary shares relating to such preferred stock, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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 us and the depositary at any time. Any amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of the existing holders of depositary shares, however, will be effective only if approved by the record holders of at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding. A deposit agreement may be terminated by us or the depositary only if:
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all outstanding depositary shares relating to the deposit agreement have been redeemed or reacquired by us;
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all preferred stock of the relevant series has been withdrawn; or
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there has been a final distribution on the preferred stock of the relevant series in connection with our liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of our business and the distribution has been distributed to the holders of the related depositary shares.
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Charges of Depositary
We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay associated charges of the depositary for the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary shares will pay transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and any other charges that are stated to be their responsibility under the deposit agreement.
Miscellaneous
We will forward to the depositary, for distribution to the holders of depositary shares, all reports and communications that we must furnish to the holders of the preferred stock.
If the depositary is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond its control in performing its obligations under the deposit agreement, neither the depositary nor we will be liable. Our obligations and the depositary’s obligations under the deposit agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of duties set forth in the deposit agreement. Neither the depositary nor we will be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding connected with any depositary shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished to us and/or the depositary. We and the depositary may rely upon documents believed to be genuine, written advice of counsel or accountants, or information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary shares or other persons believed to be competent.
Resignation and Removal of Depositary
The depositary may resign at any time by delivering notice to us. We may also remove the depositary at any time. Resignations or removals will take effect when a successor depositary is appointed and it accepts the appointment. The successor depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the U.S., and it must have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million.
Depositary Shares Representing the Series E Shares, and Series F Shares
As of May 31, 2024, there were 4,000,000 depositary shares outstanding, each representing a 1/40th ownership interest in a Series E Share, issued and outstanding and 4,000,000 depositary shares outstanding, each representing a 1/40th ownership interest in a Series F Share, issued and outstanding. We deposited the underlying Series E Shares and Series F Shares with a depositary, in each case pursuant to a deposit agreement among us, Equiniti Trust Company, acting as depositary, and the holders from time to time of the depositary receipts evidencing the respective depositary shares.
 
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Subject to the terms of the respective deposit agreements, each holder of a depositary share is entitled, through the depositary, in proportion to the applicable fraction of a Series E Share or Series F Share, as the case may be, represented by that depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of the Series E Share or Series F Share represented thereby (including dividend, voting, redemption and liquidation rights). This description is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, including our Articles of Amendment with respect to the Series E Preferred Stock and Series F Preferred Stock, which have been filed as exhibits to our SEC filings.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the warrants. The prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the warrants offered through that prospectus supplement, and any general terms outlined in this section that will not apply to those warrants.
We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares, or common stock. Warrants may be issued alone or together with securities offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from those securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, which will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not act as an agent or trustee for any holders of warrants.
In this section, we have summarized the material terms and provisions of the warrant agreements and warrants. We have also filed the forms of warrant agreements and the certificates representing the warrants as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the applicable forms of warrant agreement and warrant certificate for additional information before you buy any warrants.
General
If warrants for the purchase of debt securities are offered, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of those warrants, including the following, if applicable:
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the offering price;
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the currencies in which the warrants are being offered;
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the designation, aggregate principal amount, currencies, denominations, and terms of the series of the debt securities that can be purchased if a holder exercises the warrants;
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the designation and terms of any series of debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares, or other securities with which the warrants are being offered and the number of warrants offered with each debt security, share of preferred stock, depositary share, or other security;
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the date on and after which the holder of the warrants can transfer them separately from the related securities;
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the principal amount of the series of debt securities that can be purchased if a holder exercises the warrant and the price at which and currencies in which the principal amount may be purchased upon exercise;
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the date on which the right to exercise the warrants begins and the date on which the right expires;
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whether the warrants will be in registered or bearer form;
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U.S. federal income tax consequences; and
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any other terms of the warrants.
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If warrants for the purchase of preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock are offered, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of those warrants, including the following where applicable:
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the offering price;
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•
the total number of shares that can be purchased if a holder of the warrants exercises them and, in the case of warrants for preferred stock or depositary shares, the designation, total number, and terms of the series of preferred stock that can be purchased upon exercise or that are underlying the depositary shares that can be purchased upon exercise;
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the designation and terms of the series of debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares, or other securities with which the warrants are being offered and the number of warrants being offered with each debt security, share of preferred stock, depositary share, or other security;
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the date on and after which the holder of the warrants can transfer them separately from the related securities;
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the number of shares of preferred stock, depositary shares, or shares of common stock that can be purchased if a holder exercises the warrant and the price at which the preferred stock, depositary shares, or common stock may be purchased upon each exercise;
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the date on which the right to exercise the warrants begins and the date on which the right expires;
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U.S. federal income tax consequences; and
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any other terms of the warrants.
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Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the warrants will be in registered form only.
A holder of warrant certificates may exchange them for new certificates of different denominations, present them for registration of transfer, and exercise them at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Until any warrants to purchase debt securities are exercised, the holder of such warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities that can be purchased upon exercise, including any right to receive payments of principal, premium, or interest on the underlying debt securities or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture. Until any warrants to purchase preferred stock, depositary shares, common stock, or other securities are exercised, holders of such warrants will not have any rights of holders of the underlying preferred stock, depositary shares, common stock, or other securities, including any right to receive dividends or to exercise any voting rights.
Exercise of Warrants
Each holder of a warrant is entitled to purchase the principal amount of debt securities or number of shares of preferred stock, depositary shares, or shares of common stock, as the case may be, at the exercise price described in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the day when the right to exercise terminates, or a later date if we extend the time for exercise, unexercised warrants will become void.
A holder of warrants may exercise them by following the general procedure outlined below:
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delivering to the warrant agent the payment required by the applicable prospectus supplement to purchase the underlying security;
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properly completing and signing the reverse side of the warrant certificate representing the warrants; and
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delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to the warrant agent, or other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, within five business days of the warrant agent receiving payment of the exercise price.
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If you comply with the procedures described above, your warrants will be considered to have been exercised when the warrant agent receives payment of the exercise price. After you have completed those procedures, we will, as soon as practicable, issue and deliver to you the debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares, or common stock that you purchased upon exercise. If you exercise fewer than all of the warrants represented by a warrant certificate, the warrant agent will issue to you a new warrant certificate for
 
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the unexercised amount of warrants. Holders of warrants will be required to pay any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with transferring the underlying securities in connection with the exercise of the warrants.
Amendments and Supplements to Warrant Agreements
We may amend or supplement a warrant agreement without the consent of the holders of the applicable warrants if the changes are not inconsistent with the provisions of the warrants and do not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the warrants. We, along with the warrant agent, may also modify or amend a warrant agreement and the terms of the warrants if a majority of the then-outstanding unexercised warrants affected by the modification or amendment consent. No modification or amendment that accelerates the expiration date, however, or increases the exercise price, reduces the majority consent requirement for any such modification or amendment, or otherwise materially adversely affects the rights of the holders of the warrants may be made without the consent of each holder affected by the modification or amendment.
Common Stock Warrant Adjustments.   Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, the exercise price of, and the number of shares of common stock covered by, a warrant for common stock will be adjusted in the manner set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement if certain events occur, including:
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we issue capital stock as a dividend or distribution on the common stock;
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we subdivide, reclassify, or combine the common stock;
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we issue rights or warrants to all holders of common stock entitling them to purchase common stock at less than the current market price, as defined in the warrant agreement for such series of common stock warrants;
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we distribute to all holders of common stock evidence of our indebtedness or our assets, excluding certain cash dividends and distributions referred to above; or
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any other event described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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Except as stated above, the exercise price and number of shares of common stock covered by a common stock warrant will not be adjusted if we issue common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock, or securities carrying the right to purchase common stock, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock.
Holders of common stock warrants may have additional rights under the following circumstances:
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A reclassification or change of the common stock;
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A consolidation, merger or share exchange involving our Company; or
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A sale or conveyance to another corporation of all or substantially all of our property and assets.
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If one of the above transactions occurs and holders of our common stock are entitled to receive stock, securities, other property or assets, including cash, with respect to or in exchange for common stock, the holders of the common stock warrants then outstanding will be entitled to receive upon exercise of their common stock warrants the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities or property that they would have received upon the reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, share exchange, sale, or conveyance if they had exercised their common stock warrants immediately before the transaction.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue securities as part of a unit consisting of any combination of the debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares and warrants described in this prospectus. The terms of a series of units may be described in a unit agreement between us and a bank or trust corporation as unit agent. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of any units.
 
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CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The discussion herein of ERISA is general in nature and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Any fiduciary of an employee benefit plan considering an investment by the plan in the securities should consult with its legal advisors regarding the consequences of such investment.
General
A fiduciary of an employee benefit plan subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or ERISA, should consider fiduciary standards under ERISA in the context of the particular circumstances of such plan before authorizing an investment in the securities. Such fiduciary should consider whether the investment satisfies ERISA’s diversification and prudence requirements and whether the investment is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the plan. In addition, ERISA and the tax code prohibit a wide range of transactions involving the assets of a plan subject to ERISA, or the assets of an individual retirement account or plan subject to section 4975 of the tax code, or any entity in which such plan invests whose assets are deemed plan assets under ERISA, referred to as an ERISA plan, and persons who have certain specified relationships to the ERISA plan (“parties in interest,” within the meaning of ERISA, and “disqualified person,” within the meaning of the tax code). Such transactions may require “correction” and may cause (i) the ERISA plan fiduciary to incur certain liabilities, (ii) the parties in interest or disqualified persons to be subject to excise taxes, and (iii) the ERISA plan to experience adverse tax consequences.
Governmental plans and certain church plans (each as defined under ERISA) are not subject to ERISA’s fiduciary duty and prohibited transaction rules. Such plans may, however, be subject to federal, state, or local laws or regulations that may affect their investment in the securities. Any fiduciary of such a governmental or church plan considering an investment in the securities should determine the effect of such laws or regulations on a purchase of securities by such plan.
Prohibited Transactions
We may be a party in interest or disqualified person with respect to an ERISA plan investing in the securities. Therefore, such investment by an ERISA plan may give rise to a prohibited transaction in the form of either a sale of property by us to the investing ERISA plan or an extension of credit by the investing ERISA plan to us. Consequently, before investing in the securities, any person who is, or who is acquiring such securities for or on behalf of, an ERISA plan should determine either that we are not a party in interest or disqualified person with respect to the ERISA plan or that a statutory or an administrative exemption from the prohibited transaction rules discussed below or otherwise available is applicable to such investment in the securities or that such investment in, or acquisition of, such securities will not result in a prohibited transaction.
The statutory or administrative prohibited transaction class exemptions, each a “PTCE”, from the prohibited transaction rules under ERISA and the tax code that may be available to an ERISA plan that is investing in the securities, include the following ERISA investor exemptions:
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PTCE 90-1, regarding investments by insurance company pooled separate accounts;
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PTCE 91-38, regarding investments by bank collective investment funds;
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PTCE 84-14, regarding transactions effected by qualified professional asset managers;
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PTCE 96-23, regarding transactions effected by in-house managers;
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PTCE 95-60, regarding investments by insurance company general accounts; and
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ERISA Section 408(b)(17) and tax code section 4975(d)(20) regarding certain transactions between an ERISA plan and a party in interest or disqualified person which is a service provider to the ERISA plan or related to such service provider
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The acquisition of securities by any person or entity who is, or who in acquiring such securities is using the assets of, an ERISA plan will be deemed to constitute a representation by such person or entity to us either that we are not a disqualified person or party in interest with respect to the ERISA plan or that such
 
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person or entity is eligible for exemptive relief available pursuant to either the ERISA prohibited transaction exemptions or another applicable prohibited transaction exemption with respect to the acquisition and holding of such securities.
The foregoing discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing the securities on behalf of, or with the assets of, any plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, section 4975 of the tax code and any similar laws to such investment and whether an exemption would be applicable to the purchase and holding (and, to the extent applicable, disposition) of the securities. The acquisition, holding and, to the extent relevant, disposition of any of the securities by or to any ERISA plan or other plan is in no respect a representation by us or any of our affiliates or representatives that such an investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by such plans generally or any particular ERISA plan or other plan, or that such an investment is appropriate for plans generally or any particular ERISA plan or other plan.
GLOBAL SECURITIES
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, securities other than common stock will be issued in the form of one or more global certificates, or “global securities,” registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee, which will be identified in an accompanying prospectus supplement. We will describe in such prospectus supplement the terms of any depository arrangement and the rights and limitations of beneficial interest in any global security.
SELLING SECURITY HOLDERS
Information about selling security holders, where applicable, will be set forth in a prospectus supplement, in a post-effective amendment, or in filings we make with the SEC which are incorporated into this prospectus by reference.
 
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Sales by Us
We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus to or through underwriters or dealers, through agents, directly to one or more purchasers, or through a combination of methods. No commission will be payable and no discount will be allowed on any sales we or our affiliates make directly. We may also offer the securities in exchange for our other securities.
Underwriters, dealers, and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities offered under this prospectus may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act, and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the offered securities by them may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Any underwriters or agents will be identified and their compensation, including any underwriting discount or commission, will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will also describe other terms of the offering, including the initial public offering price, any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers and any securities exchanges on which the offered securities may be listed.
The distribution of the securities offered under this prospectus may occur 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 the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
In addition, we may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. In connection with such a transaction, the third parties may sell securities covered by and pursuant to this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement. If so, the third party may use securities borrowed from us or others to settle such sales and may use securities received from us to close out any related short positions. We may also loan or pledge securities covered by this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement to third parties, who may sell the loaned securities or, in an event of default in the case of a pledge, sell the pledged securities pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement.
In connection with an offering of securities, underwriters may purchase and sell these securities in the open market. These transactions may include over-allotment and stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover short positions created by underwriters with respect to the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases for preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities; short positions created by underwriters involve the sale by underwriters of a greater number of securities than they are required to purchase from us in the offering. Underwriters also may impose a penalty bid, by which selling concessions allowed to broker-dealers in respect of the securities sold in the offering may be reclaimed by underwriters if such securities are repurchased by underwriters in stabilizing or covering transactions. These activities may stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the market price of the securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market; these activities, if commenced, may be discontinued without notice at any time.
We may determine the price or other terms of the securities offered under this prospectus by use of an electronic auction. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement how any auction will be conducted to determine the price or any other terms of the securities, how potential investors may participate in the auction and, when applicable, the nature of the underwriters’ obligations with respect to the auction.
If the securities offered under this prospectus are issued in exchange for our outstanding securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the terms of the exchange, the identity of and the terms of sale of the securities offered under this prospectus by the selling security holders.
If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, we will authorize dealers or our agents to solicit offers by institutions to purchase offered securities from us under contracts that provide for payment and delivery on a future date. We must approve all institutions, but they may include, among others:
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commercial and savings banks;
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insurance companies;
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pension funds;
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investment companies; and
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educational and charitable institutions.
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The institutional purchaser’s obligations under the contract are only subject to the condition that the purchase of the offered securities at the time of delivery is allowed by the laws that govern the purchaser. The dealers and our agents will not be responsible for the validity or performance of the contracts.
We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers, and agents to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments which the underwriters, dealers, or agents may be required to make as a result of those certain civil liabilities.
If we offer bearer debt securities under this prospectus, each underwriter, dealer, and agent that participates in the distribution of any original issuance of bearer debt securities will agree not to offer, sell, or deliver bearer debt securities to a U.S. citizen or to any person within the U.S., unless federal law permits otherwise.
When we issue the securities offered by this prospectus, except for shares of common stock or debt securities issued upon a reopening of an existing series of debt securities, they may be new securities without an established trading market. The securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange or the New York Stock Exchange. If we sell a security offered by this prospectus to an underwriter for public offering and sale, the underwriter may make a market for that security, but the underwriter will not be obligated to do so and could discontinue any market making without notice at any time. Therefore, we cannot give any assurances to you concerning the liquidity of any security offered by this prospectus.
Underwriters, dealers, and agents and their affiliates may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us or our subsidiaries in the ordinary course of their businesses. In connection with the distribution of the securities offered under this prospectus, we may enter into swap or other hedging transactions with, or arranged by, underwriters or agents or their affiliates. These underwriters or agents or their affiliates may receive compensation, trading gain, or other benefits from these transactions.
Sales by Selling Security Holders
The selling security holders may resell or redistribute the securities from time to time on any stock exchange or automated interdealer quotation system on which the securities are listed, in the over-the-counter market, in privately negotiated transactions, or in any other legal manner, at fixed prices that may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. Persons who are pledgees, donees, transferees, or other successors in interest of any of the named selling security holders (including but not limited to persons who receive securities from a named selling security holder as a gift, partnership distribution or other non-sale-related transfer after the date of this prospectus) may also use this prospectus and are included when we refer to “selling security holders” in this prospectus. The selling security holders may sell the securities by one or more of the following methods, without limitation:
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block trades (which may include cross trades) in which the broker or dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
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purchases by a broker or dealer as principal and resale by the broker or dealer for its own account;
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an exchange distribution or secondary distribution in accordance with the rules of any stock exchange on which the securities may be listed;
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ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchases;
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an offering at other than a fixed price on or through the facilities of any stock exchange on which the securities are listed or to or through a market maker other than on that stock exchange;
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privately negotiated transactions, directly or through agents;
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short sales;
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through the writing of options on the securities, whether or not the options are listed on an options exchange;
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through the distribution of the securities by any security holders to its partners, members or shareholders;
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one or more underwritten offerings;
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agreements between a broker or dealer and any security holder to sell a specified number of the securities at a stipulated price per share; and
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any combination of any of these methods of sale or distribution, or any other method permitted by applicable law.
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The security holders may also transfer the securities by gift.
The selling security holders may engage brokers and dealers, and any brokers or dealers may arrange for other brokers or dealers to participate in effecting sales of the securities. These brokers, dealers or underwriters may act as principals, or as an agent of a selling security holder. Broker-dealers may agree with a selling security holder to sell a specified number of the securities at a stipulated price per share. If the broker-dealer is unable to sell securities acting as agent for a selling security holder, it may purchase as principal any unsold securities at the stipulated price. Broker-dealers who acquire securities as principals may thereafter resell the securities from time to time in transactions in any stock exchange or automated interdealer quotation system on which the securities are then listed, at prices and on terms then prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the then-current market price or in negotiated transactions. Broker-dealers may use block transactions and sales to and through broker-dealers, including transactions of the nature described above.
From time to time, one or more of the selling security holders may pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in some or all of the securities owned by them. The pledgees, secured parties or persons to whom the securities have been hypothecated will, upon foreclosure in the event of default, be deemed to be selling security holders. The number of a selling security holder’s securities offered under this prospectus will decrease as and when it takes such actions. The plan of distribution for that selling security holder’s securities will otherwise remain unchanged. In addition, a selling security holder may, from time to time, sell the securities short, and, in those instances, this prospectus may be delivered in connection with the short sales and the securities offered under this prospectus may be used to cover short sales.
The selling security holders and any underwriters, brokers, dealers or agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any discounts, concessions, commissions or fees received by them and any profit on the resale of the securities sold by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions.
A selling security holder may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers and the broker-dealers may engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume with that selling security holder, including, without limitation, in connection with distributions of the securities by those broker- dealers. A selling security holder may enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers that involve the delivery of the securities offered hereby to the broker-dealers, who may then resell or otherwise transfer those securities. A selling security holder may also loan or pledge the securities offered hereby to a broker-dealer and the broker-dealer may sell the securities offered hereby so loaned or upon a default may sell or otherwise transfer the pledged securities offered hereby.
The selling security holders and other persons participating in the sale or distribution of the securities will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by the SEC, including Regulation M. This regulation may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the securities by the selling security holders and any other person. The anti-manipulation rules under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of securities in the market and to the activities of the selling security holders and their affiliates. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the securities to engage in market-making activities with respect to the particular securities being distributed for a period of up to five business days before the distribution. These restrictions may affect
 
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the marketability of the securities and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the securities.
We may agree to indemnify the selling security holders and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, and any underwriter or other person who participates in the offering of the securities, against specified liabilities, including liabilities under the federal securities laws or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities. The selling security holders may agree to indemnify us, the other selling security holders and any underwriter or other person who participates in the offering of the securities, against specified liabilities arising from information provided by the selling security holders for use in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement, including liabilities under the federal securities laws. In each case, indemnification may include each person who is an affiliate of or controls one of these specified indemnified persons within the meaning of the federal securities laws or is required to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities. The selling security holders may agree to indemnify any brokers, dealers or agents who participate in transactions involving sales of the securities against specified liabilities arising under the federal securities laws in connection with the offering and sale of the securities.
We will not receive any proceeds from sales of any securities by the selling security holders.
We cannot assure you that the selling security holders will sell all or any portion of the securities offered hereby.
We will supply the selling security holders and any stock exchange upon which the securities are listed with reasonable quantities of copies of this prospectus. To the extent required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act in connection with any resale or redistribution by a selling security holder, we will file a prospectus supplement setting forth:
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the aggregate number of securities to be sold;
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the purchase price;
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the public offering price;
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if applicable, the names of any underwriter, agent or broker-dealer; and
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any applicable commissions, discounts, concessions, fees or other items constituting compensation to underwriters, agents or broker-dealers with respect to the particular transaction (which may exceed customary commissions or compensation).
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If a selling security holder notifies us that a material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of securities through a block trade, special offering, exchange, distribution or secondary distribution or a purchase by a broker or dealer, the prospectus supplement will include any other facts that are material to the transaction. If applicable, this may include a statement to the effect that the participating broker-dealers did not conduct any investigation to verify the information set out or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
 
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LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the securities offered by us pursuant to this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Associated Banc-Corp as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 have been incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
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