[S-4] SMARTFINANCIAL INC. Business Combination Registration
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
SmartFinancial, Inc. is offering to exchange up to
Positive
- Registered securities remove transfer legend and broaden resale opportunities for holders
- Exchange does not increase consolidated indebtedness; New Notes replace Old Notes on a like-for-like basis and exchanged Old Notes will be cancelled
- Offer satisfies registration-rights agreement, thereby removing the contractual obligation tied to the private placement
Negative
- New Notes are unsecured and subordinated, ranking junior to senior debt and structurally junior to subsidiary liabilities including deposits
- Indenture contains limited covenants and does not restrict additional senior indebtedness or liens, reducing creditor protections
- Post-
September 1, 2030 coupon exposure to Three-Month Term SOFR plus385 bps creates interest-rate and benchmark-transition risk - No assurance of an active secondary market; the New Notes are a new issue without planned exchange listing or quotation
Insights
Registered notes improve transferability but do not alter credit structure.
The exchange converts privately placed subordinated notes into registered notes of the same economic terms, enabling broader resale potential and satisfying a registration rights agreement. There is no incremental leverage because exchanged Old Notes are cancelled and New Notes replace them on a like-for-like basis.
The notes remain unsecured and subordinated and will be structurally junior to subsidiary liabilities, including deposit liabilities of the Bank, which keeps recovery prospects in default lower than for senior debt. Monitor regulatory approvals for any redemption and the company’s Tier 2 capital treatment around
Floating-rate reset and SOFR linkage introduce interest-rate and benchmark-transition risk.
Interest converts from a fixed
Investors should note the absence of rating-linked covenants, limited indenture protections, and optional redemption features subject to Federal Reserve approval; these structural features are material to valuation and liquidity over the medium term.
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Tennessee
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization) |
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6022
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number) |
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62-1173944
(IRS Employer Identification
Number) |
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Knoxville, Tennessee
(865) 437-5700
Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive
Offices)
President & Chief Executive Officer
SmartFinancial, Inc.
5401 Kingston Pike, Suite 600
Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
Tel: (865) 437-5700
Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of
Agent for Service)
William W. Hooper
Alston & Bird LLP
One Atlantic Center
1201 W Peachtree St NE #4900
Atlanta, GA 30309
Tel: (404) 881-7000
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Large accelerated filer
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Accelerated filer
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Non-accelerated filer
☐ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
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Smaller reporting company
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Emerging growth company
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Up to $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
7.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035
that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933
for any and all outstanding unregistered
7.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
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INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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SUMMARY
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RISK FACTORS
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USE OF PROCEEDS
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THE EXCHANGE OFFER
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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES
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MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
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LEGAL MATTERS
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EXPERTS
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5401 Kingston Pike, Suite 600
Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
Attention: Ron Gorczynski, Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: (865) 467-5724
5401 Kingston Pike, Suite 600
Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
Attention: Ron Gorczynski, Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: (865) 467-5724
Indebtedness
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By Registered or Certified Mail,
Overnight Courier, or Hand Delivery: |
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U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association
Attn: Global Corporate Trust Services 111 Fillmore Avenue E St. Paul, Minnesota 55107 |
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Telephone:
Email: |
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(800) 934-6802
cts.specfinance@usbank.com |
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INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
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Exhibit
Number |
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Description
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| 3.1 | | | Second Amended and Restated Charter of SmartFinancial, Inc., incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of SmartFinancial, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 2, 2015. | |
| 3.2 | | | Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of SmartFinancial, Inc., incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of SmartFinancial, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 26, 2015. | |
| 4.1 | | | Indenture, dated as of August 20, 2025, by and between SmartFinancial, Inc. and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of SmartFinancial, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 20, 2025. | |
| 4.2 | | | Forms of 7.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 (included as Exhibit A-1 and Exhibit A-2 to the Indenture incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit 4.1 hereto). | |
| 4.3 | | | Form of Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 20, 2025, by and among SmartFinancial, Inc. and the Purchasers signatory thereto, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of SmartFinancial, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 20, 2025. | |
| 4.4 | | | Form of Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of August 20, 2025, by and among SmartFinancial, Inc. and the Purchasers signatory thereto, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of SmartFinancial, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 20, 2025. | |
| 5.1 | | | Opinion of Alston & Bird LLP (filed herewith). | |
| 21.1 | | | Subsidiaries of SmartFinancial, Inc., incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 21.1 of SmartFinancial, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 17, 2025. | |
| 23.1 | | | Consent of Forvis Mazars, LLP (filed herewith). | |
| 23.2 | | | Consent of Alston & Bird LLP (included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1). | |
| 24.1 | | | Power of Attorney (included in Part II as a part of the signature page of this Registration Statement). | |
| 25.1 | | | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, with respect to the Indenture, dated as of August 20, 2025, by and between SmartFinancial, Inc. and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee, regarding the 7.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2023 (filed herewith). | |
| 99.1 | | | Form of Letter of Transmittal relating to the 7.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 (filed herewith). | |
| 107 | | | Filing Fee Table (filed herewith). | |
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Signature
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Capacity
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/s/ William Y. Carroll, Jr.
William Y. Carroll, Jr.
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| | President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | |
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/s/ Ronald J. Gorczynski
Ronald J. Gorczynski
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| | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Accounting Officer) | |
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/s/ Cathy G. Ackermann
Cathy G. Ackermann
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| | Director | |
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/s/ Victor L. Barrett
Victor L. Barrett
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| | Director | |
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/s/ William Y. Carroll, Sr.
William Y. Carroll, Sr.
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| | Director | |
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Signature
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Capacity
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/s/ David A. Ogle
David A. Ogle
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| | Director | |
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/s/ Kelli D. Shomaker
Kelli D. Shomaker
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| | Director | |
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/s/ Steven B. Tucker
Steven B. Tucker
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| | Director | |
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/s/ Welsey M. Welborn
Welsey M. Welborn
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| | Director | |
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/s/ Keith E. Whaley
Keith E. Whaley
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| | Director | |
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/s/ Geoffrey A. Wolpert
Geoffrey A. Wolpert
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| | Director | |