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): September 26, 2013

 


 

STERLING BANCORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

New York

 

No. 1-5273-1

 

No. 13-256216

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

 

(Commission
File Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

650 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York

 

10019-6108

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (212) 757-3300

 

Not Applicable

(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:

 

o                 Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o                 Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o                 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o                 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

Item 5.07.                                        Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

On September 26, 2013, Sterling Bancorp (the “Company”) held its Annual Shareholders Meeting (the “Meeting”). 28,947,896 shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share of the Company, were represented at the Meeting,  which constituted a quorum to conduct business at the Meeting. There were seven proposals presented and voted on and preliminary results were reported at the Meeting. The shareholders approved the adoption of the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of April 3, 2013, by and between the Company and Provident New York Bancorp (“Provident”), pursuant to which Sterling will merge with and into Provident (the “Merger”), approved the adjournment of the Meeting, if necessary and appropriate, to solicit additional proxies in favor of the Merger, approved the advisory resolution to approve the compensation the Company’s executive officers may receive in connection with the Merger, elected all of the Company’s board of director’s nominees as directors, ratified the appointment of Crowe Horwath LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year 2013, approved the advisory resolution to approve the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, and approved the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

 

Set forth below, with respect to each matter are the number of votes cast for or against, the number of abstentions and the number of non-votes (in each case, rounded to the nearest whole share).

 

Proposal 1 — Adoption of the Merger Agreement.

 

Votes For

 

Votes
Against

 

Votes
Abstained

 

Broker
Non-Votes

 

26,201,438

 

173,888

 

337,940

 

2,234,631

 

 

Proposal 2 — Approval of the adjournment of the Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies in favor of the Merger.

 

Votes For

 

Votes
Against

 

Votes
Abstained

 

Broker
Non-Votes

 

26,903,249

 

1,715,095

 

329,552

 

 

 

Proposal 3 — Advisory approval of the compensation that certain executive officers of the Company may receive in connection with the Merger pursuant to existing agreements or arrangements with the Company.

 

Votes For

 

Votes
Against

 

Votes
Abstained

 

Broker
Non-Votes

 

22,504,049

 

3,708,454

 

500,762

 

2,234,631

 

 

Proposal 4 — Election of Directors.

 

 

 

Votes For

 

Votes
Withheld

 

Broker
Non-Votes

 

Uncast

Abrams, Robert

 

26,282,871

 

430,331

 

2,234,631

 

63

Adamko, Joseph M.

 

26,323,782

 

389,421

 

2,234,631

 

63

Cappelli, Louis J.

 

25,880,497

 

832,706

 

2,234,631

 

63

Ferrer, Fernando

 

25,583,836

 

1,129,366

 

2,234,631

 

63

Hershfield, Allan F.

 

25,882,809

 

830,394

 

2,234,631

 

63

Humphreys, Henry J.

 

25,889,348

 

823,855

 

2,234,631

 

63

Klein, James B.

 

26,415,606

 

297,596

 

2,234,631

 

63

Lazar, Robert W.

 

26,419,914

 

293,289

 

2,234,631

 

63

Lee, Carolyn Joy

 

26,412,044

 

301,159

 

2,234,631

 

63

Millman, John C.

 

26,328,440

 

384,763

 

2,234,631

 

63

Rossides, Eugene

 

26,238,386

 

474,817

 

2,234,631

 

63

 

Proposal 5 — Advisory approval of the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers.

 

Votes For

 

Votes
Against

 

Votes
Abstained

 

Broker
Non-Votes

 

20,845,135

 

5,606,777

 

261,354

 

2,234,631

 

 

Proposal 6 — Ratification of the appointment of Crowe Horwath LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2013.

 

Votes For

 

Votes
Against

 

Votes
Abstained

 

Uncast

 

28,683,793

 

181,783

 

81,151

 

1,169

 

 

Proposal 7 — Approval of the proposed 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

 

Votes For

 

Votes
Against

 

Votes
Abstained

 

Broker
Non-Votes

 

26,053,999

 

530,420

 

128,846

 

2,234,631

 

 

Completion of the Merger remains subject to the satisfaction of the remaining customary closing conditions contained in the Merger Agreement.

 

2



 

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.

 

 

STERLING BANCORP

 

 

Date: September  27, 2013

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

/s/ JOHN W. TIETJEN

 

 

JOHN W. TIETJEN

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

3