UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) December 4, 2006 (December 3, 2006)
MELLON FINANCIAL CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Pennsylvania | 1-7410 | 25-1233834 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
| One Mellon Center 500 Grant Street Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
15258 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (412) 234-5000
N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
x Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On December 4, 2006, The Bank of New York Company, Inc., a New York corporation (“BNY”), and Mellon Financial Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation (“Mellon”), announced they had entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) and reciprocal Stock Option Agreements, each dated December 3, 2006. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, BNY and Mellon will merge into a newly organized corporation to be named “The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.”
A copy of the joint press release of BNY and Mellon announcing the execution of the Merger Agreement is included herein as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information presented above may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation: (i) statements about the benefits of the transaction between The Bank of New York Company, Inc. and Mellon Financial Corporation, including future financial and operating results, cost savings, enhanced revenues, expected market position of the combined company, and the accretion or dilution to reported earnings and to cash earnings that may be realized from the transaction; (ii) statements with respect to The Bank of New York Company, Inc.’s and Mellon Financial Corporation’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts; and (iii) other statements identified by words such as “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “intends”, “plans”, “targets”, “projects” and similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of The Bank of New York Company, Inc.’s and Mellon Financial Corporation’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. We will not update these statements as a result of changes in circumstances or new facts, or for any other reason.
The following risks, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: (1) the businesses of The Bank of New York Company, Inc. and Mellon Financial Corporation may not be integrated successfully or the integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; (2) the combined company may not realize, to the extent or at the time we expect, revenue synergies and cost savings from the transaction; (3) revenues following the transaction may be lower than expected as a result of losses of customers or other reasons; (4) deposit attrition, operating costs, customer loss and business disruption following the transaction, including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, may be greater than expected; (5) governmental approvals of the transaction may not be obtained on the proposed terms or expected timeframe; (6) The Bank of New York Company, Inc.’s and Mellon Financial Corporation’s shareholders may fail to approve the transaction; (7) a weakening of the economies in which the combined company will conduct operations may adversely affect our operating results; (8) the U.S. and foreign legal and regulatory framework could adversely affect the operating results of the combined company; and (9) fluctuations in interests rates, currency exchange rates and securities prices may adversely affect the operating results of the combined company. Additional factors that could cause The Bank of New York Company, Inc.’s and Mellon Financial Corporation’s results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in The Bank of New York Company, Inc.’s and Mellon Financial Corporation’s reports (such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at the SEC’s Internet site (http://www.sec.gov).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The proposed transaction between The Bank of New York Company, Inc. and Mellon Financial Corporation will be submitted to The Bank of New York Company, Inc.’s and Mellon Financial Corporation’s shareholders for their consideration. Shareholders are urged to read the joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction between The Bank of New York Company, Inc. and Mellon Financial Corporation because it will contain important information. Shareholders will be able to obtain a free copy of the joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about The Bank of New York Company, Inc. and Mellon Financial Corporation, without charge, at the SEC’s Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other SEC filings that will be incorporated by reference in the joint proxy statement/prospectus will also be available, without charge, from Mellon Financial Corporation, Secretary of Mellon Financial Corporation, One Mellon Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258-0001 (800-205-7699), or from The Bank of New York Company, Inc., Investor Relations, One Wall Street, 31st Floor, New York, New York 10286 (212-635-1578).
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The respective directors and executive officers of The Bank of New York Company, Inc. and Mellon Financial Corporation and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Mellon Financial Corporation and/or The Bank of New York Company, Inc. in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Mellon Financial Corporation is set forth in the proxy statement for Mellon Financial Corporation’s 2006 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on March 15, 2006. Information about the directors and executive officers of The Bank of New York Company, Inc. is set forth in the proxy statement for The Bank of New York Company, Inc.’s annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on March 24, 2006. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the joint proxy statement/prospectus when it becomes available.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed herewith:
| 99.1 | Press Release issued jointly by The Bank of New York Company, Inc. and Mellon Financial Corporation, dated December 4, 2006. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| MELLON FINANCIAL CORPORATION | ||||
| Date: December 4, 2006 | By: | /s/ Steven G. Elliott | ||
| Steven G. Elliott | ||||
| Senior Vice Chairman | ||||
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EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit No. | Description of Exhibit | |
| 99.1 | Press Release issued jointly by The Bank of New York Company, Inc. and Mellon Financial Corporation, dated December 4, 2006. |
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