Company: WTFCN
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001015328-25-000093
Chunk: 232

Company: WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORP
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 232
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 to such loans. We have been able to reach settlements with a number of purchasers, and believe that we have established appropriate reserves with respect to indemnification requests. It is possible that the number of such requests will increase or that we will not be able to reach settlements with respect to such requests in the future. Accordingly, it is possible that losses incurred in connection with loan repurchases and indemnification payments may be in excess of our financial statement reserves, and we may be required to increase such reserves and may sustain additional losses associated with such loan repurchases and indemnification payments in the future. Increases to our reserves and losses incurred by us in connection with actual loan repurchases and indemnification payments in excess of our reserves could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Our business could be adversely affected by the occurrence of extraordinary events, such as acts of war, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and public health threats.

An act of war, terrorist activity, including acts of domestic terrorism or violence, a major epidemic or pandemic, natural disaster, or the threat of such an event or other public health threat, could adversely affect our customers and our business. Such events could significantly impact the demand for our products and services as well as the ability of our customers to repay loans, affect the stability of our deposit base, impair the value of the collateral securing loans, adversely impact our employee base, cause significant property damage, result in loss of revenue, and cause us to incur additional expenses. Additionally, financial markets may be adversely affected by the current or anticipated impact of military conflict, including the war in Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, terrorism or other geopolitical events. The occurrence or threat of any such extraordinary event could result in a material negative effect on our business and results of operations.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock

Anti-takeover provisions could negatively impact our shareholders.

Certain provisions of our articles of incorporation, by-laws and Illinois law may have the effect of impeding the acquisition of control of Wintrust by means of a tender offer, a proxy fight, open-market purchases or otherwise in a transaction not approved by our board of directors. For example, our board of directors may issue additional authorized shares of our capital stock to deter future attempts to gain control of Wintrust, including the authority to determine the terms of any one or more series of preferred stock, such as voting rights, conversion rates and liquidation preferences. As a result of the ability to fix voting rights for a series of