SunTrust Banks And BB&T To Merge

(RTTNews) - SunTrust Banks Inc. (STI) and BB&T Corp. (BBT) announced that their boards have unanimously approved a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock merger of equals valued at approximately $66 billion.

GAAP and Cash earnings per share accretion per BB&T share in 2021 is expected to be approximately 13% and 17%, respectively. GAAP and Cash earnings per share accretion per SunTrust share in 2021 is expected to be approximately 9% and 16%, respectively. SunTrust shareholders will receive a 5% increase in their dividend upon consummation of the transaction based upon each Company's current dividend per share.

As per the terms of the merger agreement, SunTrust shareholders will receive 1.295 shares of BB&T for each SunTrust share they own. BB&T shareholders will own approximately 57% and SunTrust shareholders will own approximately 43% of the combined company.

The deal is expected to deliver approximately $1.6 billion in annual net cost synergies by 2022.

Kelly S. King, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BB&T and its bank subsidiary, will serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the combined company and its bank subsidiary until September 12, 2021, after which time he will serve as Executive Chairman of both entities until March 12, 2022. King will continue to serve on the Board of Directors of the combined company until the end of 2023.

William H. Rogers, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SunTrust will serve as President and Chief Operating Officer of the combined company and its bank subsidiary until September 12, 2021, at which time he will become Chief Executive Officer of the combined company and its bank subsidiary. He will also hold a seat on the combined company's Board of Directors through his position as President and Chief Operating Officer and then Chief Executive Officer. On March 12, 2022, Rogers will also become Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the combined company and its bank subsidiary.

Upon the closing of the transaction, the Board of Directors of the combined company will consist of members equally split between BB&T and SunTrust's current Directors. David M. Ratcliffe, current Lead Director of SunTrust, will serve as Lead Director of the combined company until March 12, 2022 after which the Lead Director will be a legacy BB&T Director.

The merger is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of customary regulatory approvals and approval by the shareholders of each company.