Prospectus excerpt: We are selling 6,000,000 of our 7.250% Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preference Shares, with a liquidation preference of $25 per share.
Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of the Preference Shares will be entitled to receive from our assets legally available for distribution to shareholders a liquidation preference of $25 per share, plus declared and unpaid dividends, if any, to, but excluding, the date fixed for distribution. Dividends on the Preference Shares will be payable on a non-cumulative basis only when, as and if declared by our board of directors, quarterly in arrears on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing on July 1, 2012, at a rate equal to 7.250% of the liquidation preference per annum (equivalent to $0.4531 per share for a full dividend period).
Dividends on the Preference Shares are not cumulative. Accordingly, in the event dividends are not declared on the Preference Shares for payment on any dividend payment date, then those dividends will not accumulate and will not be payable. If we have not declared a dividend before the dividend payment date for any dividend period, we will have no obligation to pay dividends for that dividend period, whether or not dividends on the Preference Shares are declared for any future dividend period.
On July 1, 2017 and any dividend payment date thereafter, we may redeem the Preference Shares, in whole or in part, at a redemption price of $25 per share, plus declared and unpaid dividends, if any, to, but excluding, the date of redemption. At any time prior to July 1, 2017, we may redeem the Preference Shares in whole at a redemption price of $26 per Preference Share, plus declared and unpaid dividends, if any, to, but excluding, the date of redemption, only if we submit to the holders of our ordinary shares a proposal for an amalgamation or merger or if we submit any proposal for any other matter that requires, as a result of a change in Bermuda law after the date of this prospectus supplement, for its validation or effectuation an affirmative vote of the holders of the Preference Shares at the time outstanding, whether voting as a separate series or together with any other series or class of preference shares as a single class. In addition, following the occurrence of a tax event, as described in this prospectus supplement, we may redeem the Preference Shares, in whole or in part, at a redemption price of $25 per share, plus declared and unpaid dividends, if any, to, but excluding, the date of redemption.
The Preference Shares will not have any voting rights, except as set forth under ÙDescription of the Preference Shares ? Voting, Director Appointing and Other Rightsˆ in this prospectus supplement.
The Preference Shares have no stated maturity and will not be subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption and will not be convertible into any of our other securities or property.