UMB Financial Corporation

04/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/29/2024 05:48

A historic milestone: UMB announces agreement to acquire Heartland Financial

Alongside first quarter 2024 earnings, Mariner Kemper, chairman and chief executive officer of UMB Financial Corporation, shared historic company news.

I am extremely pleased to share that, in addition to another strong quarter at UMB, we are also announcing the execution of a definitive agreement for UMB to acquire Heartland Financial (HTLF), a $19.4 billion bank, serving businesses and individuals across the West, Southwest and Midwest.

This transaction, the largest in UMB's 111-year history, will result in UMB having $64.5 billion in assets, elevating it to the top 5% of the 616 publicly traded banks in the U.S. This is truly a historic and energizing milestone for our company.

I've been with UMB for nearly 30 years. Two decades ago, I became the sixth Kemper CEO, which to me, is noteworthy for a few reasons, particularly as it relates to this announcement.

Continuity and consistency among change

UMB has significantly evolved during the past century. We started as a hometown bank in Kansas City in 1913 and, since then, have exponentially grown in geography and in the types of business we conduct. During the same time, the financial services industry became increasingly complex, creating more competition, regulation and opportunity. The strength and stability of our model and who we are as an organization has allowed us to consistently perform well in all economic scenarios through these decades of change.

When I consider how we've accomplished so much, it's clear several constants have helped us thrive:

Looking ahead, these foundational tenets will continue to steer us as we expand our reach and join forces with HTLF, another growth-minded and service-oriented company that has an extremely similar set of values and culture.

New horizons: Business and geographic expansion

While we have maintained an outstanding pace of organic growth during the past decade, this compelling union with HTLF marks a momentous expansion of our core services in both existing and new markets. This collaboration is an ideal fit for our business model, our credit and risk profiles, and our associates, customers and communities.

The combination of companies will create a regional banking powerhouse with a 13-state branch presence. UMB's reach will expand into new regions like California, Minnesota, New Mexico, Iowa and Wisconsin, alongside our current locations in Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arizona and Texas.

Best of both worlds: National bank offerings, community bank service

HTLF also has a culture that is closely aligned with UMB's. They are driven by a history of strong leadership, passionate customer service, a diversified business model, visible involvement in their communities, and a deep commitment to associates. All these values further support our collective aim to provide products and services resourced through a national bank, paired with the outstanding and personalized service of a community bank.

With this announcement, UMB's focus remains-and will remain-on relationships. Our associates are long-tenured (more than eight years on average) and a significant portion of our client base has been with us for more than 10 years (some for more than 25 years). This longevity in relationships demonstrates some of the values we hold closest-genuine connection, strength of character, and open dialogue-and we will continue these practices as we grow and evolve our company.

Our commitment to you

My commitment to you is that UMB will continue working hard every day to make you proud of our organization. At UMB, you can Count on more®-from me, and from every one of our associates, as we meet the evolving needs of our clients and communities.

I look forward to sharing more information about this announcement and our continued growth and success.

*Until the transaction is approved and has closed, expected to be sometime in the first quarter of 2025, both companies will continue to operate separately. Within its 11-state footprint, HTLF does business as: Minnesota Bank & Trust, Wisconsin Bank & Trust, DB&T, Illinois Bank & Trust, Bank of Blue Valley, Citywide Banks, Premier Valley Bank, Arizona Bank & Trust, New Mexico Bank & Trust and First Bank & Trust Texas.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This post contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 175 promulgated thereunder, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 3b-6 promulgated thereunder, which statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Any statements about UMB Financial Corporation's ("UMB"), Heartland Financial USA, Inc.'s ("HTLF") or the combined company's plans, objectives, expectations, strategies, beliefs, or future performance or events constitute forward-looking statements. Such statements are generally identified as those that include words or phrases such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "trend," "objective," "continue," or similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," "might," "may," or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, estimates, and other important factors that change over time and could cause actual results to differ materially from any results, performance, or events expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements about the benefits of the business combination transaction between UMB and HTLF (the "Transaction"), including future financial and operating results, the combined company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements that are not historical facts.

These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. In addition to factors previously disclosed in UMB's and HTLF's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstance that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the definitive merger agreement between UMB and HTLF; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against UMB or HTLF; the possibility that the Transaction does not close when expected or at all because required regulatory, shareholder, or other approvals and other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the Transaction); the risk that the benefits from the Transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected, including as a result of changes in, or problems arising from, general economic and market conditions, interest and exchange rates, monetary policy, laws and regulations and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which UMB and HTLF operate; the ability to promptly and effectively integrate the businesses of UMB and HTLF; the possibility that the Transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; reputational risk and potential adverse reactions of UMB's or HTLF's customers, employees or other business partners, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the Transaction; the dilution caused by UMB's issuance of additional shares of its capital stock in connection with the Transaction; and the diversion of management's attention and time from ongoing business operations and opportunities on merger-related matters.

These factors are not necessarily all of the factors that could cause UMB's, HTLF's or the combined company's actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any of the forward-looking statements. Other factors, including unknown or unpredictable factors, also could harm UMB's, HTLF's or the combined company's results.

All forward-looking statements attributable to UMB, HTLF, or the combined company, or persons acting on UMB's or HTLF's behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and UMB and HTLF do not undertake or assume any obligation to update publicly any of these statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. If UMB or HTLF update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that UMB or HTLF will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Further information regarding UMB, HTLF and factors which could affect the forward-looking statements contained herein can be found in UMB's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000101382/000095017024018456/umbf-20231231.htm), and its other filings with the SEC, and in HTLF's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/920112/000092011224000026/htlf-20231231.htm), and its other filings with the SEC.

Additional Information about the Transaction and Where to Find It

This post does not constitute an offer to buy or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the Transaction, UMB will file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 to register the shares of UMB capital stock to be issued in connection with the Transaction. The Registration Statement will include a joint proxy statement of UMB and HTLF that also constitutes a prospectus of UMB. The definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to the shareholders of UMB and stockholders of HTLF seeking their approval of the Transaction and other related matters.

Investors and security holders are urged to read the Registration Statement on Form S-4 and the joint proxy statement/prospectus included within the Registration Statement on Form S-4 when they become available, as well as any other relevant documents filed with the SEC in connection with the transaction or incorporated by reference into the joint proxy statement/prospectus, because they will contain important information regarding UMB, HTLF, the transaction and related matters.

Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these documents and other documents filed with the SEC by UMB or HTLF through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov or from UMB at its website, www.UMB.com, or from HTLF at its website, www.htlf.com. Documents filed with the SEC by UMB will be available free of charge by accessing the "Investor Relations" page of UMB's website at www.https://investorrelations.umb.com/overview/default.aspx, or alternatively by directing a request by mail to UMB, Attention: Corporate Secretary, 1010 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri 64106, and documents filed with the SEC by HTLF will be available free of charge by accessing HTLF's website at www.htlf.com under the "Investor Relations" tab or, alternatively, by directing a request by mail to HTLF's Corporate Secretary, 1800 Larimer Street, Suite 1800, Denver, Colorado 80202.

Participants in the Solicitation

UMB, HTLF, and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of UMB and stockholders of HTLF in connection with the Transaction under the rules of the SEC. Information about the interests of the directors and executive officers of UMB and HTLF and other persons who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of shareholders of UMB and stockholders of HTLF in connection with the Transaction and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the joint proxy statement/prospectus related to the Transaction, which will be filed with the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of UMB and their ownership of UMB common stock is also set forth in the definitive proxy statement for UMB's 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A on March 3, 2024 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000101382/000119312524066457/d706079ddef14a.htm). Information about the directors and executive officers of UMB, their ownership of UMB common stock, and UMB's transactions with related persons is set forth in the sections entitled "Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance," "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters," and "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence" included in UMB's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, which was filed with the SEC on February 22, 2024 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000101382/000095017024018456/umbf-20231231.htm), and in the sections entitled "Our Board of Directors" and "Stock Owned by Directors, Nominees, and Executive Officers" included in UMB's definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, as filed with the SEC on March 3, 2024 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000101382/000119312524066457/d706079ddef14a.htm). To the extent holdings of UMB common stock by the directors and executive officers of UMB have changed from the amounts of UMB common stock held by such persons as reflected therein, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of HTLF and their ownership of HTLF common stock can also be found in HTLF's definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, as filed with the SEC on April 9, 2024 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/920112/000092011224000086/htlf-20240409.htm) and other documents subsequently filed by HTLF with the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of HTLF, their ownership of HTLF common stock, and HTLF's transactions with related persons is set forth in the sections entitled "Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance," "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters," and "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence" included in HTLF's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, which was filed with the SEC on February 23, 2024 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/920112/000092011224000026/htlf-20231231.htm), and in the sections entitled "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management" and "Related Person Transactions" included in HTLF's definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, as filed with the SEC on April 9, 2024 (and which is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/920112/000092011224000086/htlf-20240409.htm). To the extent holdings of HTLF common stock by the directors and executive officers of HTLF have changed from the amounts of HTLF common stock held by such persons as reflected therein, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described above.