ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., June 30, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNOB) (the "Company" or "ConnectOne"), parent company of ConnectOne Bank (the "Bank"), today announced that it has completed a private placement of $50.0 million in aggregate principal amount of fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes (the "Notes") to certain institutional investors. The Notes are non-callable for five years, have a stated maturity of July 1, 2025, and bear interest at a fixed rate of 5.75% per year, from and including June 30, 2015 to, but excluding July 1, 2020. From and including July 1, 2020 to the maturity date or early redemption date, the interest rate will reset quarterly to a level equal to the then current three-month LIBOR rate plus 393 basis points. The Company has agreed to take steps to exchange the privately placed notes for registered notes having substantially the same terms.
The Notes have been structured to qualify for the Company as Tier 2 capital under regulatory guidelines. The Company plans to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes to redeem the $11.25 million outstanding of its Senior Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock issued in 2011 to the U.S. Treasury under the Small Business Lending Fund Program, and for general corporate purposes including, but not limited to, contributing capital to the Bank and to fund future growth. The Notes were assigned an investment grade rating of BBB-by Kroll Bond Rating Agency.
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company, served as the joint-placement agents for the private offering.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any security and will not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offering would be unlawful.
About ConnectOne Bancorp, Inc.
ConnectOne is a New Jersey corporation and a registered bank holding company pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and serves as the holding company for ConnectOne Bank ("the Bank"). The Bank is a community-based, full-service New Jersey-chartered commercial bank that was founded in 2005. The Bank operates from its headquarters located at 301 Sylvan Avenue in the Borough of Englewood Cliffs, Bergen County, New Jersey, and through its 23 other banking offices.
For more information visit https://www.connectonebank.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements which are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies and expectations of the Company. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by use of the words "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," or similar expressions. The Company's ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Factors which could have a material adverse effect on the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries include, but are not limited to, those factors set forth in Item 1A – Risk Factors of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities Exchange Commission, and changes in interest rates, general economic conditions, legislative/regulatory changes, monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board, the quality or composition of the loan or investment portfolios, demand for loan products, deposit flows, competition, demand for financial services in the Company's market area and accounting principles and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.