# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0000759944
**File Stem:** 0001193125-26-029534
**Filing Date:** 2026-1
**Character Count:** 197324
**Document Hash:** fc7c23364e46888223de7927e76ba3f9
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-26-029534.hdr.sgml**: 20260129

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-26-029534

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 16

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20260129

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Other Events

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260129

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260129

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP INC/RI
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0000759944
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 02 Finance
- **EIN:** 050412693
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-36636
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26578823

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 1 CITIZENS PLAZA
- **CITY:** PROVIDENCE
- **STATE:** RI
- **ZIP:** 02903
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 2039006715

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 1 CITIZENS PLAZA
- **CITY:** PROVIDENCE
- **STATE:** RI
- **ZIP:** 02903

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? 8-K

### 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): January 29, 2026

## CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

#### (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Delaware** | **001-36636** | **05-0412693** |
| **(State or other jurisdiction**<br> **of incorporation)** | **(Commission**<br> **File No.)** | **(IRS Employer**<br> **Identification No.)** |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **One Citizens Plaza**<br> **Providence, RI** | **02903** |
| **(Address of principal executive offices)** | **(Zip code)** |

---

#### Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (203) 900-6715

#### 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:

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

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

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

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

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Title of each class** | **Trading**<br> **symbol(s)** | **Name of each exchange**<br> **on which registered** |
| Common stock, $0.01 par value per share | CFG | New York Stock Exchange |
| Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/40<sup>th</sup> interest in a share of 5.000% Fixed-Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E | CFG PrE | New York Stock Exchange |
| Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of 7.375% Fixed-Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series H | CFG PrH | New York Stock Exchange |
| Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of 6.500% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series I | CFG PrI | New York Stock Exchange |

---

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

------

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 8.01** | **Other Events.**  |

---

On January 29, 2026, Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (the "Company") completed the issuance and sale (the "Offering") of $400 million aggregate principal amount of 5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036 (the "Notes"). The Offering was completed pursuant to the Prospectus, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File Number: 333-282511) (the "Registration Statement"), dated October 4, 2024, as supplemented by a Prospectus Supplement dated January 22, 2026 and a free writing prospectus filed on January 22, 2026. In connection with the Offering, the Company entered into an Underwriting Agreement, dated January 22, 2026, with Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, TD Securities (USA) LLC and Citizens JMP Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters listed on Schedule I thereto.

The Notes were issued under the Indenture, dated as of September 28, 2012 (the "Base Indenture"), as amended by the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 29, 2026 (the "Supplemental Indenture" and together with the Base Indenture, the "Indenture"), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee. The Notes will bear interest, payable semi-annually, (i) from and including the date of original issuance to, but excluding, January 29, 2031 (the "Reset Date"), at a rate of 5.299% per annum and (ii) from and including the Reset Date to, but excluding, the Maturity Date at a rate per annum equal to the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate plus 1.450%.

The foregoing summary of the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Notes does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the full text of (i) the Underwriting Agreement, (ii) the Indenture, and (iii) the form of Notes, which are exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for general corporate purposes, which may include securities repurchase programs, dividend payments, capital expenditures, working capital, repayment or reduction of long-term and short-term debt, redemption of outstanding long-term debt, short-term debt and preferred equity securities, investing in, or extending credit to, our subsidiaries, and the financing of acquisitions. The Company has not identified the amounts it will spend on any specific purpose.

This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed, in part, for the purpose of filing the documents attached as exhibits hereto as exhibits to the Registration Statement in connection with the issuance of the Notes in the Offering, and such exhibits are hereby incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 9.01** | **Financial Statements and Exhibits.**  |

---

(d) Exhibits

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Exhibit Number** | **Description** |
| 1.1 | [Underwriting Agreement, dated as of January 22, 2026, between the Company, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, TD Securities (USA) LLC and Citizens JMP Securities, LLC](d66853dex11.htm) |
| 4.1 | [Base Indenture, dated as of September 28, 2012, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed July 28, 2015)](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/759944/000119312515265187/d64155dex42.htm) |

---

------

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 4.2 | [Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 29, 2026, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon](d66853dex42.htm) |
| 4.3 | [Form of 5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Note due January 29, 2036 (included in Exhibit 4.2)](d66853dex42.htm) |
| 5.1 | [Opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP](d66853dex51.htm) |
| 23.1 | [Consent of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)](d66853dex51.htm) |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |

---

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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.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. | CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. |
| By: | /s/ Robin S. Elkowitz |
| Name: | Robin S. Elkowitz |
| Title: | Executive Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary |

---

Date: January 29, 2026

## Exhibit 1.1

**EXHIBIT 1.1** 

**NOTICE REGARDING UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT** 

The attached Underwriting Agreement is a contractual document that establishes and governs the legal relations among the parties with respect to the transactions described therein. The Underwriting Agreement is not intended to be a source for investors of factual, business, or operational information about the Company. The representations and warranties, covenants and agreements contained in the Underwriting Agreement were made only for purposes of the Underwriting Agreement, were solely for the benefit of the parties to the Underwriting Agreement, and in some cases are subject to limitations agreed among those parties. Accordingly, investors and security holders should not rely on representations or warranties, covenants and agreements as characterizations of the actual state of facts or condition of the Company.

**$400,000,000** 

**CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.** 

**5.299% FIXED-RESET SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2036** 

**UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT** 

January 22, 2026

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January 22, 2026

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, New York 10017

Citizens JMP Securities, LLC

101 California Street, Suite 1700

San Francisco, California 94111

as Representatives of the several Underwriters

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (the "**Company**"), proposes to issue and sell to Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, TD Securities (USA) LLC and Citizens JMP Securities, LLC, as representatives (the "**Representatives**") of the several underwriters listed on Schedule I hereto (the "**Underwriters**"), an aggregate of $400,000,000 principal amount of its 5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036 (the "**Securities**"), to be issued under a subordinated indenture (the "**Base Indenture**"), dated as of September 28, 2012, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the "**Trustee**"), as supplemented by a sixteenth supplemental indenture thereto to be dated as of January 29, 2026 (the "**Supplemental Indenture**" and, together with the Base Indenture, the "**Indenture**"), between the Company and the Trustee. To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires.

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The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "**Commission**") an "automatic shelf registration statement" as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "**Securities Act**"), including a prospectus, on Form S-3 (File No. 333-282511), relating to securities (the "**Shelf Securities**"), including the Securities, to be issued, offered and sold from time to time by the Company or any selling securityholder. The registration statement as amended to the date of this Agreement, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, is hereinafter referred to as the "**Registration Statement**," and the related prospectus covering the Shelf Securities dated October 4, 2024 in the form first used to confirm sales of the Securities (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the "**Base Prospectus**." The Base Prospectus, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities in the form first used to confirm sales of the Securities (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act), is hereinafter referred to as the "**Prospectus**," and the term "**preliminary prospectus**" means any preliminary form of the Prospectus. For purposes of this Agreement, "**free writing prospectus**" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, "**Time of Sale Prospectus**" means the preliminary prospectus dated January 22, 2026 together with the documents and pricing information set forth in Section A of Schedule II hereto, and "**broadly available road show**" means a "bona fide electronic road show" as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms "Registration Statement," "Base Prospectus," "preliminary prospectus," "Time of Sale Prospectus" and "Prospectus" shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein. The terms "**supplement**," "**amendment**," and "**amend**" as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or free writing prospectus shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "**Exchange Act**"), that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. *Representations and Warranties of the Company*. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The Registration Statement is an "automatic shelf registration statement" as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and initially became effective within three years prior to the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) (i) At the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), and (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) under the Securities Act made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the Securities Act, the Company was a "well known seasoned issuer" as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) (i) Each document filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) the Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iv) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Securities in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (v) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vi) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The Company is not an "ineligible issuer" in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) The Company and each of its significant subsidiaries as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act (each a "**Significant Subsidiary**") (i) has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing (to the extent that such concept is applicable) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and (ii) is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing (to the extent that such concept is applicable) in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, and has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable) or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business, properties, management, stockholders' equity, prospects or results of operations, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a "**Material Adverse Effect**").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) The Company has no Significant Subsidiaries other than those listed on Schedule III hereto.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) (i) The Company is duly registered as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the "**Bank Holding Company Act**") and the regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the "**Federal Reserve Board**") and has made an effective election to become a financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act and the Federal Reserve Board's Regulation Y; and (ii) Citizens Bank, N.A. is validly existing as a national banking association under the laws of the United States of America.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) The Base Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and to general principles of equity. The Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, at the Closing Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due execution and delivery by the Trustee, will constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and to general principles of equity. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) The Indenture and the Securities conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, on the Closing Date, will have been duly executed by the Company and when issued and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, the Securities will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and to general principles of equity.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; the shares of common stock outstanding have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (subject, in the case of Citizens Bank, N.A., to 12 U.S.C §55) and, in the case of Citizens Bank, N.A., are owned directly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(m) The statements relating to legal matters, documents or proceedings, as applicable, included in (A) the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption "Description of the Notes," (B) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the captions "Part I, Item 1—Business—Regulation and Supervision" and "Part I, Item 3—Legal Proceedings" and (C) the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2025, June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2025, each under the caption "Part II. Item I—Legal Proceedings" (except as disclosed elsewhere in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Registration Statement, as applicable), in each case insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or proceedings, as applicable, referred to therein, fairly summarize in all material respects such matters, documents or proceedings, and the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus under the heading "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences", insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain federal income tax laws of the United States, constitute a fair summary of the principal U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(n) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities will not contravene any provision of (i) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, (ii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) any applicable law or judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or a material adverse effect on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(o) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities, except for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders or qualifications as have been obtained or may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("**FINRA**") and applicable state securities laws and foreign securities laws in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(p) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, management or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(q) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings ("**Actions**") pending or threatened or, to the best knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or by others, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or a material adverse effect on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities; and (ii) there are no current or pending Actions or statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be described in or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or filed with the Registration Statement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(r) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(s) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an "investment company" as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(t) The Company and its subsidiaries are not subject to any claim in connection with their respective businesses, operations or properties, alleging liability or responsibility for violation of any Federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, regulation, ordinance, rule, judgment, order, decree, permit, concession, grant, franchise, license, agreement or governmental restriction relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems, except for claims which, if adversely determined, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(u) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates under the control of the Company ("**controlled affiliates**"), nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates, has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity, (ii) taken any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any foreign or domestic "government official" (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage, (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulations implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law, or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and have instituted policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(w) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, commonly known as the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the "**Anti-Money Laundering Laws**"), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(x) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the Company's knowledge, any director, officer, employee, agent, controlled affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity ("**Person**") that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(A) the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control ("**OFAC**"), the U.S. Department of State (including, without limitation, through designation as a "specially designated national" or "blocked person"), the United Nations Security Council ("**UNSC**"), the European Union ("**EU**"), or His Majesty's Treasury ("**HMT**") (collectively, "**Sanctions**"), or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (currently, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, the so-called Luhansk People's Republic, the nongovernment-controlled regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, except to the extent authorized by OFAC or otherwise authorized under applicable law).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions (currently, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, the so-called Luhansk People's Republic, the nongovernment-controlled regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, except to the extent authorized by OFAC or otherwise authorized under U.S. law); or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) For the past 10 years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(y) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than purchases of its capital stock in accordance with its publicly disclosed share purchase program and ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(z) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(aa) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, all material patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement, misappropriation or violation of the asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(bb) No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the best knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of the Company's or any of the Company's subsidiaries' principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(cc) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable laws administrated by the Federal Reserve Board, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the "**OCC**"), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "**FDIC**"), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the "**CFPB**") and any other federal, non-U.S. or state bank regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over the Company and its subsidiaries (together with the Federal Reserve Board, the OCC, the FDIC and the CFPB, "**Bank Regulatory Authorities**") and securities, commodities and other financial regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except to the extent that noncompliance would not have, and would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The deposit accounts that are eligible for FDIC insurance of Citizens Bank, N.A. are insured to the fullest extent permitted by law and the rules and regulations of the FDIC and there

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are no proceedings for the termination or revocation of such insurance pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to or otherwise subject to any consent decree, memorandum of understanding, cease and desist order, order of prohibition or suspension, written commitment, supervisory agreement, or written agreement or other written statement as described under 12 U.S.C. 1818(u) (a "**Regulatory Order**") with any of the Bank Regulatory Authorities nor have the Company or any of its subsidiaries (i) been advised in writing by any of the Bank Regulatory Authorities or (ii) to the knowledge of the Company been advised other than in writing by any of the Bank Regulatory Authorities that it is contemplating issuing or requesting any of the foregoing, in each case except as described in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus (provided that in the case of any Regulatory Order that the Company is prohibited from disclosing, such description in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus may be limited to the material effects of such Regulatory Order).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(dd) The Company and Citizens Bank, N.A. are "well capitalized," as defined under the applicable Federal Reserve Board, OCC and FDIC regulations. Citizens Bank, N.A. has a Community Reinvestment Act rating of at least "Satisfactory."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ee) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ff) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(gg) The Company and its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal controls over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific

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authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, since the end of the Company's most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company's internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company's internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(hh) The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby. Non-GAAP financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Prospectus, if any, complies with the requirements of Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Prospectus under the Securities Act or the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who has audited the Company's consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, is an independent auditor with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Securities Act (and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(jj) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect) and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not have a material adverse effect, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by U.S. GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which would reasonably be expected to have) a Material Adverse Effect.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(kk) The Company has filed all reports and other materials required to be filed by Sections 13(a), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the period that it has been required to do so.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ll) The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(mm) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 of the Exchange Act Regulations) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission's rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(nn) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in any of the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(oo) (A) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material security breach or other compromise relating to the Company's or its subsidiaries' information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data and databases (including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of them), equipment or technology (collectively, "**IT Systems and Data**"); (B) neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have been notified of, and are not aware of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any material security breach or other material compromise to their IT Systems and Data; and (C) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented reasonable controls, policies, procedures and technological safeguards designed to maintain and protect the integrity, availability, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices, or as required by applicable regulatory standards. The Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority and internal policies relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the reasonable protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. [Reserved.]

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. *Agreements to Sell and Purchase*. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company at a price equal to 99.550% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from January 29, 2026 to the Closing Date (the "**Purchase Price**") the principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter.

The Company hereby agrees that it will not, for the period from the date of the Prospectus through and including the Closing Date, without first obtaining the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer to contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or otherwise dispose of, any debt securities or securities exchangeable for or convertible into debt securities, except for the Securities sold to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and the concurrent offering by Citizens Bank, N.A. disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. *Terms of Public Offering*. The Representatives hereby advise the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Securities as soon after the execution of this Agreement as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have determined is advisable and practicable.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. *Payment and Delivery*. Payment for the Securities shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company ("**DTC**"), for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the "Global Note"), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company, at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on January 29, 2026, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as may be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the "**Closing Date**."

The Securities shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date. The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date. The Securities shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters. The Purchase Price payable by the Underwriters shall be reduced by any withholding required by law.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. *Conditions to Obligations*. The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, and the Company shall have complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change (other than a notice of a possible upgrading), in the rating accorded any of the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization," as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, management or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 6(c)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date. The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and letter of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters and in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives. The opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP described in this Section 6(e) shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of the General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer of the Company or the Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Company, with respect to such matters and in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters and in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; *provided* that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a "cut-off date" not earlier than the date hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) The Supplemental Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by each of the Company and the Trustee, the Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Securities shall have been duly authenticated by the Trustee.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a certificate, dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, and signed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company with respect to such matters and in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) The Underwriters shall have received such other documents as you may reasonably request with respect to other matters related to the sale of the Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. *Covenants of the Company*. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) To furnish to you, at your request, without charge, 4 signed copies of the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) To furnish to you a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to (i) make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus or (ii) use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus, in each case without your prior consent, provided that the prior consent of the Underwriters shall have been deemed to have been given in respect of any free writing prospectuses listed in Schedule II to this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Securities at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if during such time any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which the Securities may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) To endeavor to qualify the Securities for offer and sale under state or foreign securities laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request, *provided* that in connection therewith, the Company shall not be required to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) To make generally available to the Company's security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earnings statement (which need not be audited) satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the Company's option, Rule 158 under the Securities Act).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) To prepare a final term sheet containing only a description of the Securities, in a form approved by the Underwriters and attached as Annex A hereto, and file such final term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such rule (such term sheet, the "**Final Term Sheet**").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) If the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement occurs before all the Securities have been sold by the Underwriters, prior to the third anniversary to file a new shelf registration statement and to take any other action necessary to permit the public offering of the Securities to continue without interruption; references herein to the Registration Statement shall include the new registration statement declared effective by the Commission;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) If, before all the Securities have been sold by the Underwriters , the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Underwriters, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Securities in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective as soon as practicable, and (iv) promptly notify the Underwriters of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) Not to take any action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act in connection with the distribution of the Securities contemplated hereby.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. [Reserved.]

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. *Expenses*. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Securities under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including the filing fees payable to the Commission relating to the Securities (within the time required by Rule 456(b) under the Securities Act, if applicable), all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or World Sky memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under state or foreign jurisdictions' securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in an amount not to exceed $15,000, in the aggregate, in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or World Sky memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in an amount (in the case of reimbursable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) not to exceed $35,000 in the aggregate, incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Securities by FINRA, (v) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and its counsel, (vi) the fees and expenses of any rating agency rating the Securities, (vii) the cost of printing certificates representing the Securities, (viii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any "road show" undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, provided, however, that 50% of the cost of any aircraft chartered or used in connection with the road show shall be paid by the Underwriters, (x) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 11 entitled "Indemnity and Contribution" and the last paragraph of Section 13 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make. The Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10. *Covenants of the Underwriters*. Each Underwriter severally covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use the Final Term Sheet without further consent of the Company.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11. *Indemnity and Contribution*. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and directors, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any "road show" as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a "road show"), or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 11(a) or 11(b), such person (the "**indemnified party**") shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "**indemnifying party**") in writing and the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in such proceeding and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and, except as provided in the following sentence, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, (iii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iv) the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act and (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representatives. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such

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settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 11(a) or 11(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 11(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 11(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate principal amount of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Securities they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11 were determined by *pro rata* allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 11(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 11(d) shall be

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deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 11 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 11 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12. *Termination*. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Global Market, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any national exchange, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets, or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in the Representatives' judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13. *Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters*. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase the Securities that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate principal amount of Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate

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principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; *provided* that in no event shall the principal amount of Securities that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 13 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such principal amount of Securities without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase the Securities and the aggregate principal amount of Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Securities are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case, either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement which, for the purposes of this Section 13, shall not include termination by the Underwriters under clauses (i), (iii), (iv) or (v) of Section 12, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special
Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if
this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes
subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under
the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

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For the purposes of this Section 14:

"**BHC Act Affiliate**" has the meaning assigned to the term "affiliate" in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

"**Covered Entity**" means any of the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) a "covered entity" as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §
252.82(b);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) a "covered bank" as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §
47.3(b); or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) a "covered FSI" as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §
382.2(b).

"**Default Right**" has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

"**U.S. Special Resolution Regime**" means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15. *Entire Agreement*. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Securities, represents the entire agreement between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Securities: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm's length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Securities.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16. *Counterparts*. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Delivery of this Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law) or other transmission method, and the parties hereto agree that any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17. *Applicable Law*. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18. *Submission to Jurisdiction*. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York (each, a "**New York Court**") in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the offering of the Securities or any transactions contemplated hereby. The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the offering of the Securities or any transactions contemplated hereby in a New York Court, and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company and each Underwriter irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all rights to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19. *USA PATRIOT Act.* In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20. *Headings*. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;21. *Notices.* All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to you in care of (a) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, Attention: General Counsel, fax: (646) 291-1469; (b) Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, Attention: Registration Department , Phone No.: (866) 471-2526, Email: registratioan-syndops@ny.email.gs.com; (c) Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, 29<sup>th</sup> Floor, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Investment Banking Division (Phone: 212-761-6691) (Fax: 212-507-8999); (d) TD Securities (USA) LLC, 1 Vanderbilt Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10017, Attention: DCM – Transaction Advisory and (e): Citizens JMP Securities, LLC, 101 California Street, Suite 1700, San Francisco, California 94111, and if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Law Department, 28 State Street, 28th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, Attention: General Counsel.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  Very truly yours, | Very truly yours, | Very truly yours, |
|  Citizens Financial Group, Inc. | Citizens Financial Group, Inc. | Citizens Financial Group, Inc. |
| By: | /s/ Michael Soccio | /s/ Michael Soccio |
|  | Name: | Michael Soccio |
|  | Title: | Executive Vice President and Treasurer |

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*[Signature Page – CFG Underwriting Agreement]* 

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Accepted as of the date hereof

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  By: | Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
| By: | /s/ Adam D. Bordner |
|  | Name: Adam D. Bordner |
|  | Title: Managing Director |
|  By: | Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
| By: | /s/ Rishi Mathur |
|  | Name: Rishi Mathur |
|  | Title: Managing Director |
|  By: | Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
| By: | /s/ Hector Vasquez |
|  | Name: Hector Vasquez |
|  | Title: Managing Director |
|  By: | TD Securities (USA) LLC |
| By: | /s/ Luiz Lanfredi |
|  | Name: Luiz Lanfredi |
|  | Title: Managing Director |
|  By: | Citizens JMP Securities, LLC |
| By: | /s/ Michele Goodenough |
|  | Name: Michele Goodenough |
|  | Title: Managing Director |

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*[Signature Page – CFG Underwriting Agreement]* 

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**SCHEDULE I** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Underwriter** | **Principal Amount of<br>Securities To Be<br>Purchased** |
|  Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | $76000000 |
|  Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC | $76000000 |
|  Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | $76000000 |
|  TD Securities (USA) LLC | $76000000 |
|  Citizens JMP Securities, LLC | $76000000 |
|  BofA Securities, Inc. | $5000000 |
|  J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | $5000000 |
|  UBS Securities LLC | $5000000 |
|  Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | $5000000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Total: | $400000000 |

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**SCHEDULE II** 

**A. Time of Sale Prospectus** 

1. Preliminary Prospectus issued January 22, 2026

2. Final Term Sheet

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**SCHEDULE III** 

**Significant Subsidiaries** 

Citizens Bank, N.A.

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**ANNEX A** 

**CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.** 

**$400,000,000 5.299% FIXED-RESET SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2036** 

**PRICING TERM SHEET DATED JANUARY 22, 2026** 

*The following information relates to Citizens Financial Group, Inc.'s offering of its 5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036 and should be read together with the preliminary prospectus supplement dated January 22, 2026 and the accompanying prospectus dated October 4, 2024 (collectively, the "Preliminary Prospectus"), including the documents incorporated by reference therein. This information supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus to the extent it is inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus.* 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Issuer:** | Citizens Financial Group, Inc. |
| **Securities:** | 5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036 (the "Notes") |
| **Expected Ratings / Outlook\*:** | [RESERVED] |
| **Ranking:** | Subordinated |
| **Format:** | SEC Registered |
| **Aggregate Principal Amount:** | $400000000 |
| **Authorized Denominations:** | $2,000 x $1,000 |
| **Trade Date:** | January 22, 2026 |
| **Settlement Date\*\*:** | January 29, 2026 (T+5) |
| **Maturity Date:** | January 29, 2036 |
| **Benchmark:** | 3.625% Treasury due December 31, 2030 |
| **Benchmark Price & Yield:** | 99-00; 3.849% |
| **Spread to Benchmark:** | + 145 bps |
| **Re-Offer Yield:** | 5.299% |
| **Public Offering Price:** | 100.000% |
| **Underwriters' Commission:** | 0.450% |
| **All-in Price:** | 99.550% |
| **Net Proceeds to Issuer (after commissions, before expenses):** | $398200000 |
| **Interest Payment Dates:** | Interest on the Notes will be payable semi-annually in arrears on January 29 and July 29 of each year, commencing on July 29, 2026. If any Interest Payment Date or the scheduled Maturity Date or a redemption date, as applicable, falls on a day that is not a Business Day, as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus, then payment of any principal and interest payable on such date will be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day, with the same force and effect as if made on the date such payment was due, and no interest or other payment will accrue as a result of such delay. |

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Ex A-1

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Interest Rate:** | The Notes will bear interest (i) from and including the Settlement Date to, but excluding, January 29, 2031 (the "Reset Date") at a fixed rate of 5.299% per annum and (ii) from, and including, the Reset Date to, but excluding, the Maturity Date at a rate per annum equal to the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus) as of the Reset Determination Date (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus) plus 1.450%. The interest rate on the Notes will in no event be higher than the maximum rate permitted by New York law as the same may be modified by United States law of general application and will in no event be lower than zero. |
| **Optional Redemption:** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Notes are not subject to repayment at the option of the holders prior to the Maturity Date. The Notes are redeemable by the Issuer, solely at its option, (i) on the Reset Date, in whole but not in part, (ii) on or after October 30, 2035 (91 days prior to the Maturity Date), in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, or (iii) at any time within 90 days following the occurrence of a Regulatory Capital Treatment Event (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus), in whole but not in part, in each case at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, in accordance with the redemption provisions described under the caption "Description of the Notes – Optional Redemption" of the Preliminary Prospectus. |
| **Concurrent Unregistered Offering:** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In concurrent unregistered offerings, Citizens Bank, N.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., is offering $750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 4.192% Fixed Rate / Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2029 (the "Bank Notes"). The Bank Notes are being offered pursuant to Section 16.6 of the regulations of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and an exemption provided in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and are not being offered hereby. |
| **Day Count Convention:** | 30/360 |
| **CUSIP:** | 174610 BK0 |
| **ISIN:** | US174610BK00 |
| **Listing:** |  |
| **Joint Book-Running Managers:** | Citigroup Global Markets Inc.<br> Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC<br> Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC<br> TD Securities (USA) LLC<br> Citizens JMP Securities, LLC |
| **Co-Managers:** | BofA Securities, Inc.<br> J.P. Morgan Securities LLC<br> UBS Securities LLC<br> Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |

---

Ex A-2

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\* Note: A rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold the Notes and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

\*\* Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the Notes prior to one business day before the Settlement Date will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Notes initially will not settle in T+1, to specify an alternative settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement and should consult their own advisor. 

The Issuer has filed a registration statement (including the Preliminary Prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the Preliminary Prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and the offering. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the Preliminary Prospectus if you request it by contacting Citigroup Global Markets Inc. toll-free at 1-800-831-9146, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC toll-free at 1-866-471-2526, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC toll-free at 1-866-718-1649, TD Securities (USA) LLC toll-free at 1-855-495-9846 or Citizens JMP Securities, LLC at 1-203-900-6763.

Ex A-3

## Exhibit 4.2

**EXHIBIT 4.2** 

CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

Issuer

and

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

Trustee

SIXTEENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Dated as of January 29, 2026

to

SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

Dated as of September 28, 2012

$400,000,000 Principal Amount 5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036

------

**TABLE OF CONTENTS** 

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | PAGE |
|  ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION | ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION | 1 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 101 | *Relation to Base Indenture* | 1 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 102 | *Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act* | 2 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 103 | *Trust Indenture Act to Control* | 2 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 104 | *Definitions* | 2 |
|  ARTICLE II TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SUBORDINATED NOTES | ARTICLE II TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SUBORDINATED NOTES | 5 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 201 | *Form of Subordinated Notes* | 5 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 202 | *Title and General Terms* | 6 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 203 | *Redemption* | 8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 204 | *Reports and Other Information* | 9 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 205 | *Transfer and Exchange* | 9 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 206 | *Acceleration of Maturity* | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 207 | *Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms* | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 208 | *Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders* | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 209 | *Corporate Trust Office* | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 210 | *Notice of Defaults* | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 211 | *Defaults* | 15 |
|  ARTICLE III MISCELLANEOUS | ARTICLE III MISCELLANEOUS | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 301 | *Effect of Headings* | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 302 | *Successors and Assigns* | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 303 | *Separability Clause* | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 304 | *Governing Law* | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 305 | *U.S.A. PATRIOT Act* | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 306 | *FATCA* | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 307 | *Electronic Communications* | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Section 308 | *Funds Held by the Trustee* | 17 |
|  EXHIBIT A | EXHIBIT A | A-1 |

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i

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**CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE** 

Reconciliation and tie showing the location in the Base Indenture, dated as of September 28, 2012, of the provisions inserted pursuant to Sections 310 to 318(a), inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, unless otherwise indicated. This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Subordinated Indenture.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Trust Indenture Act of 1939 Section | Indenture Section |
|  310 (a)(1) | 609 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (a)(2) | 609 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (a)(5) | 609 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (b) | 608 and 610 |
|  312 (a) | 701 |
|  313 (a) | 703 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (c) | 703 |
|  314 (a) | 1206 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (c)(1) | 102 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (c)(2) | 102 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (e) | 102 |
|  315 (a) | 601 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (b) | 602 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (c) | 601 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (d) | 601 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (e) | 514 |
|  316 (a)(1) | 512 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (b) | 507 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (c) | 802 |
|  317 (a) | 503 |
|  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (b) | 1203 |
|  318 (a) | 103 \* |

---

\* Refers to Section 103 of the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture.

ii

------

SIXTEENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of January 29, 2026 (the "*Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture*"), between Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "*Company*"), and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as Trustee hereunder (the "*Trustee*").

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, a Subordinated Indenture, dated as of September 28, 2012 (the "*Base Indenture*," as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time, including by this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, the "*Subordinated Indenture*"), providing for the issuance from time to time of the Company's subordinated debt securities (herein and therein called the "*Subordinated Debt Securities*"), to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Base Indenture;

WHEREAS, Sections 201, 301 and 1101 of the Base Indenture permit the Company and the Trustee to enter into an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture to provide for the issuance of, and establish the form and terms of, additional series of Subordinated Debt Securities;

WHEREAS, the Company has authorized the issuance of $400,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of its 5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036 (the "*Subordinated Notes*");

WHEREAS, the Subordinated Notes will be established as a series of Subordinated Debt Securities under the Subordinated Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture to establish the form and terms of the Subordinated Notes; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary have been done to make this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms;

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Subordinated Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Subordinated Notes, as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section 101 *Relation to Base Indenture.*

This Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture constitutes a part of the Base Indenture (the provisions of which, as modified by this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, shall apply to the Subordinated Notes) in respect of the Subordinated Notes but shall not modify, amend or otherwise affect the Base Indenture insofar as it relates to any other series of Subordinated Debt Securities or affect in any manner the terms and conditions of the Subordinated Debt Securities of any other series. For the avoidance of doubt, the First through Fifteenth Supplemental Indentures to the Base Indenture shall not apply to the Subordinated Notes.

------

Section 102 *Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.*

The Subordinated Indenture is subject to the mandatory provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, which are incorporated by reference in and made a part of the Subordinated Indenture. The following Trust Indenture Act terms have the following meanings:

"*Indenture Securities*" shall mean the Subordinated Debt Securities.

"*Indenture to Be Qualified*" shall mean the Subordinated Indenture.

"*Indenture Trustee or Institutional Trustee*" shall mean the Trustee.

"*Obligor*" with reference to Indenture Securities shall mean the Company.

All other terms in the Subordinated Indenture that are defined by the Trust Indenture Act, defined by it by reference to another statute or defined by Commission rule have the meanings assigned to them by such definitions.

Section 103 *Trust Indenture Act to Control.*

If any provision included in the Subordinated Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision included in the Subordinated Indenture that is required to be included in the Subordinated Indenture by the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control. If any provision of the Subordinated Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, that provision of the Trust Indenture Act shall be deemed to apply to the Subordinated Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be.

Section 104 *Definitions.*

For all purposes of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, the capitalized terms used herein that are defined in this Section 104 have the respective meanings assigned thereto in this Section 104, and the capitalized terms used herein that are defined in the Base Indenture and not defined in this Section 104 have the respective meanings assigned thereto in the Base Indenture. For all purposes of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) the terms defined in this Article I have the meanings assigned to them in this Article I, and include the plural as well as the singular;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) all other terms used herein that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term "*U.S. GAAP*" with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean U.S. GAAP at the date of such computation;

------

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) the words "*herein*," "*hereof*" and "*hereunder*" and other words of similar import refer to this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5) for the avoidance of doubt, any reference to a facsimile signature shall include an image of a signature produced electronically.

"*Additional Notes*" shall have the meaning set forth in <u>Section</u> <u>202(j)</u>.

"*Applicable Procedures*" means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream that apply to such transfer or exchange, and, with respect to any payments on or notices in respect of any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary that apply to such payment or notice.

"*Appropriate Federal Banking Agency*" means the "appropriate federal banking agency" with respect to the Company as defined in Section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. § 1813(q)), or any successor provision.

"*Base Indenture*" has the meaning set forth in the recitals of the Company of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture.

"*Clearstream*" means Clearstream Banking, *Société Anonyme* and its successors.

"*Code*" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as in effect on the date hereof.

"*Company*" means the Person named as the "*Company*" in the first paragraph of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Subordinated Indenture, and thereafter "*Company*" shall mean such successor corporation.

"*Definitive Note*" means a certificated Subordinated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with <u>Section</u> <u>205</u> hereof, substantially in the form of <u>EXHIBIT</u> <u>A</u>, except that such Subordinated Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the "Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note" attached thereto.

"*DTC*" means The Depository Trust Company.

"*Exchange Act*" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

"*Euroclear*" means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system, and its successors.

"*FATCA*" has the meaning set forth in <u>Section</u> <u>306</u>.

------

"*Federal Reserve*" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

"*Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture*" has the meaning set forth in the first paragraph of this instrument.

"*Global Note Legend*" means the legend set forth in <u>Section</u> <u>205(f)</u> hereof, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under the Subordinated Indenture.

"*Global Notes*" shall have the meaning set forth in <u>Section</u> <u>201(b)</u>.

"*Indirect Participant*" means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.

"*Issue Date*" means January 29, 2026.

"*Participant*" means, with respect to the Depositary, a Person who has an account with the Depositary (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear and Clearstream).

"*Person*" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, estate, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

"*Redemption Price*" has the meaning set forth in <u>Section</u> <u>203(b)</u> of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture.

"*Regulatory Capital Treatment Event*" means the good faith determination by the Company that, as a result of (i) any amendment to, or change in, the laws, rules or regulations of the United States (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including the Federal Reserve and other Federal bank regulatory agencies) or any political subdivision of or in the United States that is enacted or becomes effective after the Issue Date, (ii) any proposed change in those laws, rules or regulations that is announced or becomes effective after the Issue Date, or (iii) any official administrative decision or judicial decision or administrative action or other official pronouncement interpreting or applying those laws, rules or regulations or policies with respect thereto that is announced after the Issue Date, there is more than an insubstantial risk that the Company will not be entitled to treat the Subordinated Notes then Outstanding as "Tier 2 capital" (or its equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy rules of the Federal Reserve (or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules or regulations of any successor Appropriate Federal Banking Agency) as then in effect and applicable, for so long as the Subordinated Notes are Outstanding, to at least the same extent as on the Issue Date.

"*Reset Date*" shall have the meaning set forth in <u>Section</u> <u>203(a)</u>.

"*Securities Act*" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and unless context requires otherwise, the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

"*Subordinated Debt Securities*" has the meaning set forth in the recitals of the Company of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture.

------

"*Subordinated Indenture*" has the meaning set forth in the recitals of the Company of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture.

"*Subordinated Notes*" has the meaning set forth in the recitals of the Company of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture.

"*Trustee*" means the Person named as the "*Trustee*" in the first paragraph hereof until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Subordinated Indenture, and thereafter "*Trustee*" shall mean such successor Person.

ARTICLE II

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SUBORDINATED NOTES

Section 201 *Form of Subordinated Notes.*

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *General*. The Subordinated Notes and the Trustee's certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form set forth in <u>EXHIBIT</u> <u>A</u>, which is incorporated in and forms a part of the Subordinated Indenture, with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by the Subordinated Indenture and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be determined, consistent with the Subordinated Indenture, by the officers of the Company executing such Subordinated Notes, as evidenced by their execution of such Subordinated Notes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Global Notes*. The Subordinated Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more permanent Global Securities (each, a "*Global Note*"). Global Notes shall be substantially in the form of <u>EXHIBIT</u> <u>A</u>, including the Global Note Legend thereon and the "Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note" attached thereto. Subordinated Notes issued in definitive form shall be substantially in the form of <u>EXHIBIT</u> <u>A</u>, but without the Global Note Legend thereon and without the "Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note" attached thereto. Each Global Note shall represent such of the Outstanding Subordinated Notes as shall be specified in the "Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note" attached thereto and each shall provide that it shall represent up to the aggregate principal amount of Subordinated Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Subordinated Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as applicable, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Subordinated Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by <u>Section</u> <u>205</u> hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Authentication*. With respect to the Subordinated Notes, the first sentence of Section 303(g) of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the words "(or, solely in the case of a Global Note, by manual, facsimile or other electronic signature of one of its authorized officers)" immediately after the words "by manual signature of one of its authorized officers" and before the comma that follows such words.

------

Section 202 *Title and General Terms*.

Pursuant to Sections 201 and 301 of the Base Indenture, there is hereby established a series of Subordinated Debt Securities, the terms of which shall be as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Designation*. The Subordinated Notes shall be known and designated as the "5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Aggregate Principal Amount*. The aggregate principal amount of the Subordinated Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture is limited to $400,000,000, as increased by the amount of any Additional Notes issued pursuant to <u>Section</u> <u>202(j)</u> of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, except for Subordinated Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Subordinated Notes issued pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 1106 or 1307 of the Base Indenture or Article II of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Maturity, Interest and Place of Payment*. The Stated Maturity of the Subordinated Notes shall be January 29, 2036, and the Subordinated Notes shall bear interest and have such other terms as are set forth in the form of Note attached as <u>EXHIBIT</u> <u>A</u> hereto. The Place of Payment with respect to the Subordinated Notes shall be The City of New York.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *No Additional Amounts*. In the event that any payment on the Subordinated Notes by the Company or any Paying Agent is subject to withholding of United States Federal income tax or other tax or assessment (as a result of a change in law or otherwise), neither the Company nor any Paying Agent shall pay additional amounts to the Holders of the Subordinated Notes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) *No Sinking Fund or Redemption at Option of Holders*. The Company shall have no obligation to redeem or purchase the Subordinated Notes pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision, or at the option of a Holder thereof. The Subordinated Notes shall be redeemable at the election of the Company from time to time at the times and at the prices specified in <u>Section</u> <u>203</u> of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) *Defeasance*.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) The Subordinated Notes shall be subject to the defeasance provisions of Article XIV of the Base Indenture beginning no earlier than on the fifth anniversary of the Issue Date; *provided* that, with respect to the Subordinated Notes, Section 1402(b)(4) of the Base Indenture shall be replaced in its entirety with the following:

"(4) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that beneficial owners of the Subordinated Debt Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the Company's exercise of its option under this Section and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such option had not been exercised (which opinion, if the Company shall have exercised its option under Section 1402(b)(x) of the Base Indenture, shall be (A) accompanied by and based upon a ruling to that effect received from or published by the Internal Revenue Service or (B) based upon a change in law after the date of this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture); and"

------

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) Any defeasance of the Subordinated Notes pursuant to Article XIV of the Base Indenture shall be subject to the Company obtaining the prior approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency and any additional requirements that the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency may impose with respect to defeasance of the Subordinated Notes, if then required under capital rules applicable to the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) *Repurchases*. The Company may from time to time repurchase the Subordinated Notes in open market purchases or negotiated transactions without prior notice to Holders or beneficial owners of Subordinated Notes. Any such repurchases of the Subordinated Notes shall be subject to the Company obtaining the prior approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency and any additional requirements that the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency may impose with respect to the repurchase of the Subordinated Notes, if then required under capital rules applicable to the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) *Denominations*. The Subordinated Notes shall be issuable only in fully registered form and only in a minimum denomination of $2,000 and authorized denominations of any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) *Authentication and Delivery*. The Subordinated Notes shall be executed, authenticated, delivered and dated in accordance with Section 303 of the Base Indenture and <u>Section</u> <u>201(c)</u> hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) *Additional Notes*. The Company may, from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Subordinated Notes, reopen the series constituting the Subordinated Notes and issue additional Subordinated Notes (the "*Additional Notes*") having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Subordinated Notes, except for the public offering price, the issue date and, if applicable, the initial interest payment date and initial interest accrual date. Any such Additional Notes, together with the initial Subordinated Notes, shall constitute a single series of Subordinated Debt Securities under the Base Indenture; *provided* that if the Additional Notes are not fungible for U.S. federal income tax and U.S. federal securities law purposes with the initial Subordinated Notes, the Additional Notes shall be issued under separate CUSIP and ISIN numbers.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) *Events of Default and Default*. The only Events of Default and the only Defaults applicable to the Subordinated Notes are as set forth in Article V of the Base Indenture, as modified by <u>Section</u> <u>211</u> hereof.

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Section 203 *Redemption*.

The Subordinated Notes shall not be redeemable at the Company's option except as set forth in this <u>Section</u> <u>203</u>:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Optional Redemption*. The Company may, at its option, redeem the Subordinated Notes, (i) in whole, but not in part, on January 29, 2031 (the "*Reset Date*"), (ii) in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, on or after October 30, 2035 or (iii) in whole, but not in part, at any time within 90 days following a Regulatory Capital Treatment Event. Any such redemption of the Subordinated Notes shall be subject to the Company obtaining the prior approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, if then required under capital rules applicable to the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Redemption Price*. In the case of any redemption of the Subordinated Notes, the "*Redemption Price*" shall be equal to 100% of the Outstanding principal amount of the Subordinated Notes to be redeemed, plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date. If the Redemption Price in respect of the Subordinated Notes is not paid on the Redemption Date, interest on the Outstanding principal amount of the Subordinated Notes will continue to accrue until the Redemption Price is actually paid or set aside for payment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Redemption Procedures*. Except as modified by this <u>Section</u> <u>203</u>, any redemption of the Subordinated Notes under this <u>Section</u> <u>203</u> is subject to the terms and conditions of Article XIII of the Base Indenture.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) Notice of any redemption shall be sent at least 10 days but no more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to (w) each Holder of Subordinated Notes to be redeemed in accordance with Section 105 of the Base Indenture, (x) to the Trustee, (y) to the Security Registrar to forward to each Holder of Subordinated Notes to be redeemed at such Holder's registered address, or (z) otherwise in accordance with the Applicable Procedures. If less than all of the Subordinated Notes are to be redeemed, and the Subordinated Notes are Global Notes, the Subordinated Notes to be redeemed will be selected by the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures. If the Subordinated Notes to be redeemed are not Global Notes held by the Depositary, the Trustee will select the Subordinated Notes (or portions thereof) to be redeemed by lot. The Trustee shall have no duty to calculate or verify the calculation of the Redemption Price.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) At least 5 Business Days or such shorter period as the Trustee and Security Registrar may agree to (and not more than 10 Business Days) prior to the date on which it intends to have the Security Registrar notify the Holders of the Subordinated Notes of the Company's exercise of its option to redeem the Subordinated Notes, the Company will provide to the Trustee and the Security Registrar a draft notice of a potential exercise of such option with respect to the Subordinated Notes on such date. After receipt of final notice that the Company is exercising its option to redeem the Subordinated Notes, the Security Registrar will deliver notice to each Holder of Subordinated Notes in accordance with Article XIII of the Base Indenture, as modified by this <u>Section</u> <u>203</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) The election of the Company to redeem any Subordinated Notes shall be evidenced by either a Board Resolution or an Officer's Certificate.

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Section 204 *Reports and Other Information.*

Section 1206 of the Base Indenture shall be replaced in its entirety with the following:

"So long as Subordinated Notes remain Outstanding, the Company shall file with, or make available to, the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports that the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act or pursuant to Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; *provided* that any document publicly available on the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system shall satisfy the requirements hereof if the Company provides the Trustee with written notice when any such document is filed with the Commission"

Section 205 *Transfer and Exchange.*

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes*. Except as otherwise set forth in this <u>Section</u> <u>205</u>, a Global Note may be transferred, in whole and not in part, only to another nominee of the Depositary or to a successor thereto or a nominee of such successor thereto. A beneficial interest in a Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note of the same series unless (i) the Depositary (1) notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Note or (2) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice or becoming aware that the Depositary is no longer so registered, (ii) the Company, at its option, notifies the Trustee in writing that it elects to cause the issuance of Definitive Notes or (iii) upon the request of the Depositary if there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Subordinated Notes. Upon the occurrence of any of the preceding events in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, Definitive Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note of the same series or beneficial interests therein will be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of the Depositary (in accordance with the Applicable Procedures). Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Article III of the Base Indenture. Every Subordinated Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note of the same series or any portion thereof, pursuant to this <u>Section</u> <u>205</u> or Article III of the Base Indenture, as modified by <u>Section</u> <u>201(c)</u> hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note, except for Definitive Notes issued subsequent to any of the preceding events in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above and pursuant to <u>Section</u> <u>205(c)</u> hereof. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Subordinated Note other than as provided in this <u>Section</u> <u>205(a)</u>; *provided* that beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in <u>Section</u> <u>205(b)</u> or <u>(c)</u> hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes*. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be effected through the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Security Registrar either (1) (A) a written order from a

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Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (B) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase, or (2) (A) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note of the same series in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (B) instructions given by the Depositary to the Security Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in this subclause (2)(A); *provided* that in no event shall Definitive Notes be issued other than upon the occurrence of any of the events in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of <u>Section</u> <u>205(a)</u>. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in the Subordinated Indenture and the Subordinated Notes, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to <u>Section</u> <u>205(g)</u> hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Transfer or Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.* If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon the occurrence of any of the events in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of <u>Section</u> <u>205(a)</u> hereof and satisfaction of the conditions set forth in <u>Section</u> <u>205(b)</u> hereof, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to <u>Section</u> <u>205(g)</u> hereof, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the applicable principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this <u>Section</u> <u>205(c)</u> shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Security Registrar through instructions from or through the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall mail such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Subordinated Notes are so registered.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests*. A Holder of a Definitive Note may exchange such Subordinated Note for a beneficial interest in a Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee shall cancel the applicable Definitive Note and authenticate or, if already issued, increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note. If any such exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a beneficial interest is effected at a time when the applicable Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication of one or more Global Notes in accordance with Section 303 of the Base Indenture, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive Notes so exchanged or transferred.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) *Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes*. Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder's compliance with the provisions of this <u>Section</u> <u>205(e)</u> the Security Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Security Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Security Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) *Global Note Legend*. Each Global Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (with appropriate changes in the last sentence if DTC is not the Depositary):

"THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE SUBORDINATED INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS SUBORDINATED NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 205(g) OF THE SIXTEENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 205(a) OF THE SIXTEENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 308 OF THE BASE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMPANY. UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR SUBORDINATED NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS SUBORDINATED NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) ("DTC") TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) *Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes*. At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or cancelled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note shall be returned to or retained and cancelled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 308 of the Base Indenture. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced accordingly and an

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endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) *General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.*

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon receipt of a Company Order for authentication thereof in accordance with Section 303 of the Base Indenture and <u>Section</u> <u>201(c)</u> hereof or at the Security Registrar's request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) No service charge shall be made to a holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 304, 305, 306, 1106 and 1307 of the Base Indenture).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) The Company shall not be required (1) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Subordinated Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of any selection of Subordinated Notes for redemption under <u>Section</u> <u>203</u> hereof and ending at the close of business on the day of selection or (2) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Subordinated Note between a Record Date (as defined in the Subordinated Notes) with respect to such Subordinated Note and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date with respect to such Subordinated Note.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) Neither the Security Registrar nor the Company shall be required to register the transfer of or exchange any Subordinated Note selected for redemption in whole or in part.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under the Subordinated Indenture, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vi) Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Subordinated Note, the Trustee, any Paying Agent and the Company may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Subordinated Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Subordinated Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Subordinated Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Company shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vii) Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Subordinated Note at the office or agency of the Company designated pursuant to Section 1202 of the Base Indenture, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more replacement Subordinated Notes of any authorized denomination or denominations of a like aggregate principal amount.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(viii) At the option of the Holder, Subordinated Notes may be exchanged for other Subordinated Notes of any authorized denomination or denominations of a like aggregate principal amount upon surrender of the Subordinated Notes to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Global Notes or Definitive Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the replacement Global Notes and Definitive Notes which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to in accordance with the provisions of Section 303 of the Base Indenture and <u>Section</u> <u>201(c)</u> hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ix) All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Security Registrar pursuant to this <u>Section</u> <u>205</u> to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile or e-mail.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(x) Neither the Trustee nor any Paying Agent shall have any responsibility or liability for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(xi) The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under the Subordinated Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Subordinated Note other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, the Subordinated Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(xii) To the extent the Trustee reasonably requests such information, a Holder of Subordinated Notes proposing to exchange or transfer such Subordinated Notes shall provide or cause to be provided to the Trustee sufficient information (but only to the extent that such Holder has knowledge of such information) to allow the Trustee to comply with any applicable tax reporting obligations, including, without limitation, any cost basis reporting obligations under Section 6045 of the Code. The Trustee may rely on the information provided to it and shall have no responsibility to verify or ensure the accuracy of such information.

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Section 206 *Acceleration of Maturity*.

The first paragraph of Section 502 of the Base Indenture shall be replaced in its entirety with the following:

"If an Event of Default with respect to Subordinated Debt Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs, the principal of all Outstanding Subordinated Debt Securities of such series, premium, if any, and any interest accrued thereon shall become due and payable immediately without any further action on the part of the Trustee or the Holders of such series of Subordinated Debt Securities. Upon payment of such amounts, all obligations of the Company in respect of the payment of principal of and interest on the Subordinated Debt Securities of such series shall terminate."

Section 207 *Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms*.

Section 1001 of the Base Indenture is amended by adding the following sentence to the end of such Section:

"The foregoing provisions and requirements set forth in clauses (1)-(3) of this Section 1001 shall not apply with respect to any conveyance, transfer or lease of the Company's properties and assets substantially as an entirety to one or more of the Company's Subsidiaries."

Section 208 *Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.*

Section 1101 of the Base Indenture is amended to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) Replace Section 1101(2) in its entirety with the following:

"(2) to add to the covenants of the Company, for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Subordinated Debt Securities (and, if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all such series, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series), to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company, or to provide for guarantees of the Subordinated Notes; or"

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) Replace the period following "in any material respect" in Section 1101(10) with "; or"; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) Add the following immediately after Section 1101(10):

"(11) , to reflect the occurrence of a Benchmark Substitution Event (as defined in the form of Note attached as <u>EXHIBIT</u> <u>A</u> to the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture) or the implementation of any Adjustments (as defined in the form of Note attached as <u>EXHIBIT</u> <u>A</u> to the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture) following a Benchmark Substitution Event; or

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(12) to make any change that does not materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Subordinated Debt Securities of any series; *provided* that solely with respect to this Section 1101(12), the Trustee shall be entitled to receive and may conclusively rely on an Officer's Certificate from the Company that any such modification, amendment or supplement does not materially adversely affect the interests of any Holder of Outstanding Subordinated Debt Securities of any series; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(13) to conform the terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities or this Subordinated Indenture with the description set forth in any prospectus supplement or other similar document relating to such Subordinated Debt Securities."

Section 209 *Corporate Trust Office*.

With respect to the Subordinated Notes, the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee named in the preamble of the Base Indenture as of the date of executed hereof is located at 311 South Wacker Street, Suite 6200B, Floor 62, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

Section 210 *Notice of Defaults*.

Section 602 of the Base Indenture is amended to delete the following:

"either (A) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee assigned to the Trustee's Corporate Trust Administration Department shall have actual knowledge of such default or (B)"

Section 211 *Defaults*.

Section 503(2) of the Base Indenture shall be replaced in its entirety with the following:

"(2) the Company fails to pay the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Subordinated Debt Security of such series at the Maturity thereof, whether or not such payment is prohibited by Article XV;"

ARTICLE III

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 301 *Effect of Headings.*

The Article and Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 302 *Successors and Assigns.*

All covenants and agreements in this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture by the parties hereto shall bind their respective successors and assigns and inure to the benefit of their permitted successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

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Section 303 *Separability Clause.*

In case any provision in this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture or in the Subordinated Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 304 *Governing Law.*

This Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture and the Subordinated Notes shall be deemed to be contracts made and to be performed entirely in the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of said State without regard to the conflicts of law rules of said State.

Section 305 *U.S.A. PATRIOT Act*.

The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act, the Trustee is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as the Trustee may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act.

Section 306 *FATCA*.

The Paying Agent and the Trustee shall be entitled to deduct or withhold from payments under this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture to the extent necessary to comply with an agreement described in Section 1471(b) of the Code or otherwise imposed pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and any regulations or agreements thereunder or official interpretations thereof ("*FATCA*"). The Company hereby covenants that it will provide the Trustee and Paying Agent with sufficient information (but only to the extent that the Company has knowledge of such information) so as to enable the Trustee and Paying Agent to determine whether or not each of the Trustee and Paying Agent, respectively, is obliged, in respect of any payments to be made by it pursuant to this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, to make any withholding or deduction pursuant to an agreement described in Section 1471(b) of the Code, or otherwise imposed pursuant to Section 1471 through 1474 of the Code and any regulations, or agreements thereunder or official interpretations thereof or any intergovernmental agreement between the United States and another jurisdiction facilitating the implementation thereof (or any law implementing such an intergovernmental agreement).

Section 307 *Electronic Communications*.

The Trustee shall have the right to accept and act upon instructions, including funds transfer instructions ("*Instructions*") given pursuant to this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture and delivered using Electronic Means; *provided*, *however*, that the Company shall provide to the Trustee an incumbency certificate listing officers with the authority to provide such Instructions ("*Authorized Officers*") and containing specimen signatures of such Authorized Officers, which incumbency certificate shall be amended by the Company whenever a person is to be added or deleted from the listing. If the Company elects to

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give the Trustee Instructions using Electronic Means and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such Instructions, the Trustee's understanding of such Instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Company understands and agrees that the Trustee cannot determine the identity of the actual sender of such Instructions and, if the Trustee believes in good faith that such Instructions are genuine and from the person purporting to be the sender of such Instructions, that the Trustee shall have the right to conclusively presume that directions that purport to have been sent by an Authorized Officer listed on the incumbency certificate provided to the Trustee have been sent by such Authorized Officer. The Company shall be responsible for ensuring that only Authorized Officers transmit such Instructions to the Trustee and that the Company and all Authorized Officers are solely responsible to safeguard the use and confidentiality of applicable user and authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys upon receipt by the Company. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee's reliance upon and compliance with such Instructions notwithstanding such directions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction, unless such losses, costs or expenses were caused by the Trustee's gross negligence, bad faith, fraud or willful misconduct. The Company agrees: (i) subject to the immediately preceding sentence, to assume all risks arising out of the use of Electronic Means to submit Instructions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized Instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties; (ii) that it is fully informed of the protections and risks associated with the various methods of transmitting Instructions to the Trustee and that there may be more secure methods of transmitting Instructions than the method(s) selected by the Company; (iii) that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection with its transmission of Instructions provide to it a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and circumstances; and (iv) to notify the Trustee immediately upon learning of any material compromise or unauthorized use of the security procedures to be followed in connection with its transmission of Instructions.

"*Electronic Means*" shall mean the following communications methods: e-mail, secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys issued by the Trustee, or another method or system specified by the Trustee as available for use in connection with its services hereunder.

Section 308 *Funds Held by the Trustee*.

Funds held by the Trustee are to be held uninvested unless otherwise agreed in writing; *provided* that no such written agreement shall be required with respect to U.S. Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee in accordance with <u>Article XIV</u> of the Base Indenture.

\* \* \* \* \*

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. As provided in the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), this instrument may be executed by facsimile signature or other electronic signature complying with such Act.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. | CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. |
| By: | /s/ Michael Soccio |
| Name: | Michael Soccio |
| Title: | Executive Vice President and Treasurer |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,<br> as Trustee | THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,<br> as Trustee |
| By: | /s/ Melissa Matthews |
| Name: | Melissa Matthews |
| Title: | Vice President |

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*[Signature Page to the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture]* 

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EXHIBIT A

[THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE SUBORDINATED INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS SUBORDINATED NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 205(g) OF THE SIXTEENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 205(a) OF THE SIXTEENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 308 OF THE BASE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMPANY. UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR SUBORDINATED NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS SUBORDINATED NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) ("DTC") TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]

EACH PURCHASER OR HOLDER OF THIS SUBORDINATED NOTE OR ANY INTEREST HEREIN WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED BY ITS PURCHASE OR HOLDING OF THE NOTES THAT (A) IT IS NOT A PLAN (INCLUDING A PENSION, PROFIT-SHARING OR OTHER EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN SUBJECT TO THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED ("ERISA"), AND AN ENTITY SUCH AS A COLLECTIVE INVESTMENT FUND, A PARTNERSHIP, A SEPARATE ACCOUNT WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS INCLUDE THE ASSETS OF SUCH PLANS, AN INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT, A KEOGH PLAN FOR SELF-EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS AND ANY OTHER PLAN THAT IS SUBJECT TO SECTION 4975 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE "CODE")) AND ITS PURCHASE, HOLDING AND SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES IS NOT MADE ON BEHALF OF OR WITH "PLAN ASSETS" OF ANY PLAN WITHIN THE MEANING OF U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REGULATION SECTION 2510.3-101 AS MODIFIED BY ERISA SECTION 3(42), OR (B)

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ITS PURCHASE, HOLDING AND SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES WILL NOT RESULT IN A NONEXEMPT PROHIBITED TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE. IN ADDITION, EACH PURCHASER OR HOLDER OF THE NOTES OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED BY ITS PURCHASE OR HOLDING OF THE NOTES THAT SUCH PURCHASE, HOLDING AND SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION IS NOT AND WILL NOT BE PROHIBITED UNDER SIMILAR RULES TO THE "PROHIBITED TRANSACTION" RULES OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE UNDER OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS OR REGULATIONS.

**[CUSIP]** 

**[ISIN]** 

**[GLOBAL] NOTE** 

**representing up to** 

**$[ ]** 

**5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; No. | $[ ] |

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Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation, promises to pay to ________or registered assigns, the principal sum [set forth on the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note attached hereto] [of _______ United States Dollars] on January 29, 2036.

Interest Payment Dates: Beginning on July 29, 2026, January 29 and July 29 of each year

Record Dates: [The Business Day prior to the Interest Payment Date]\*[January 14 and July 14]

Additional provisions of this Subordinated Note are set forth on the other side of this Subordinated Note.

\* Applicable if the Subordinated Note is issued in global form.

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IN WITNESS HEREOF, the Company has caused this Subordinated Note to be duly executed.

Dated:

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| |
|:---|
|  CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. |
| By: |
|  Name: |
|  Title: |

---

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TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Subordinated Notes referred to in the within-mentioned Subordinated Indenture:

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| |
|:---|
|  THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,<br> as Trustee |
| By: |
|  Name: |
|  Title: |

---

Dated:

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REVERSE SIDE OF SUBORDINATED NOTE

5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Subordinated Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.

1. INTEREST. Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Subordinated Note at a rate per annum equal to (a) from January 29, 2026 to, but excluding, January 29, 2031 (the "Reset Date"), 5.299% and (b) from and including the Reset Date, to, but excluding, January 29, 2036 (the "Maturity Date"), the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate as of the day falling two Business Days prior to the Reset Date (the "Reset Determination Date") *plus* 1.450%, in each case, computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months; *provided*, *however*, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the interest rate on this Subordinated Note will in no event be higher than the maximum rate permitted by New York law as the same may be modified by United States law of general application and will in no event be lower than zero. The Company will pay interest on this Subordinated Note (i) semi-annually in arrears on January 29 and July 29 of each year (each, an "Interest Payment Date") to the Holder of record of this Subordinated Note on the [Business Day]\*[15th day] preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date with respect to such Interest Payment Date (each, a "Record Date"). If any scheduled Interest Payment Date or the scheduled Maturity Date or, if this Subordinated Note is redeemed, the Redemption Date (as defined below), as applicable, falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment of any principal and interest payable on such date will be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day, with the same force and effect as if made on the date such payment was due, and no interest or other payment will accrue as a result of such delay. Interest on this Subordinated Note will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from and including January 29, 2026; *provided* that the first Interest Payment Date shall be July 29, 2026.

The "Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate" means, as of the Reset Determination Date, (i) the average of the yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury Securities adjusted to constant maturity, for five-year maturities, for the five Business Days appearing (or, if fewer than five Business Days appear, such number of Business Days appearing) under the caption "Treasury Constant Maturities" (or any successor caption or heading) in the most recently published H.15 as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the Reset Determination Date (the "Initial Base Rate"), as determined by the Calculation Agent in its sole discretion, or (ii) if there are no such published yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury Securities adjusted to constant maturity, for five-year maturities, then the rate will be determined by interpolation between the average of the yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury Securities adjusted to constant maturity for two series of actively traded U.S. Treasury Securities, (A) one maturing as close as possible to, but earlier than, the Maturity Date, and (B) the other maturing as close as possible to, but later than, the Maturity Date, in each case for the five Business Days appearing (or, if fewer than five Business Days appear, such number of Business Days appearing) under the caption "Treasury Constant Maturities" (or any successor caption or heading) in the H.15 as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the Reset Determination Date.

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company, in its sole discretion, determines on or prior to the Reset Determination Date that the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate cannot be determined in the manner described in the immediately preceding paragraph (a "Benchmark Substitution Event"), the Company may, in its sole discretion, designate an unaffiliated agent or advisor, which may include an unaffiliated underwriter for the offering of this Subordinated Note or any affiliate of any such underwriter (the "Designee"), to determine whether there is an industry-accepted successor rate to the Initial Base Rate. If the Designee determines that there is such an industry-accepted successor rate, then the "Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate" shall be such successor rate and, in that case, the Designee may then determine and adjust the business day convention, the definition of business day and the Reset Determination Date to be used and any other relevant methodology for determining or otherwise calculating such successor rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such successor rate comparable to the Initial Base Rate in each case, in a manner that is consistent with industry-accepted practices for the use of such successor rate (the "Adjustments"). If the Company, in its sole discretion, does not designate a Designee or if the Designee determines that there is no industry-accepted successor rate to the Initial Base Rate, then the Five-Year U.S. Treasury Rate on the Reset Determination Date will be 3.849%.

For the avoidance of doubt, any determination by the Company or a Designee pursuant to the preceding paragraph (including, without limitation, with respect to any Benchmark Substitution Event or any Adjustments) will not be subject to, and will become effective without, the consent of the Holder of this Subordinated Note or any other party. For purposes of this Section 1, "Business Day" means any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday, a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in the City of New York are authorized or obligated by law to close.

"H.15" means the daily statistical release designated as such, or any successor publication, published by the Federal Reserve or any successor.

The "Reset Determination Date" means the day falling two Business Days prior to the Reset Date.

The interest rate for this Subordinated Note following the Reset Date will be determined by the Calculation Agent (as defined below), as of the Reset Determination Date. All percentages resulting from any calculation of the interest rate for this Subordinated Note following the Reset Date will be rounded to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point (0.0000001), with five one millionths of a percentage point (0.00000005) being rounded upwards. The Calculation Agent's determination of any interest rate for this Subordinated Note will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.

Unless this Subordinated Note is redeemed in whole on the Reset Date, the Company will appoint a calculation agent (the "Calculation Agent") for this Subordinated Note prior to the Reset Determination Date. The Calculation Agent may be the Company or an affiliate thereof.

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2. METHOD OF PAYMENT. The Company will pay interest on this Subordinated Note to the Person that is the registered Holder of this Subordinated Note at the close of business on the Record Date (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if this Subordinated Note is cancelled after such Record Date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 307 of the Base Indenture with respect to Defaulted Interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the interest payment at Maturity will be payable to the person to whom principal is payable. Payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the Security Register of Holders; *provided* that (a) all payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on, Subordinated Notes represented by Global Notes registered in the name of or held by DTC or its nominee will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holder or Holders thereof or as may otherwise be in accordance with the Applicable Procedures of DTC and (b) all payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest with respect to certificated Subordinated Notes will be made by wire transfer to a U.S. dollar account maintained by the payee with a bank in the United States if such Holder elects payment by wire transfer by giving written notice to the Trustee or the Paying Agent to such effect designating such account no later than 30 days immediately preceding the relevant due date for payment (or such other date as the Trustee may accept in its discretion). Such payment shall be in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

3. PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR. Initially, The Bank of New York Mellon, the Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and Security Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Security Registrar without notice to the Holders. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity.

4. SUBORDINATED INDENTURE. The Company issued the Subordinated Notes under a Subordinated Indenture, dated as of September 28, 2012 (the "Base Indenture"), as amended and supplemented by a Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 29, 2026 (the "Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture," and the Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented, including by the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, the "Subordinated Indenture"), each between the Company and the Trustee. This Subordinated Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Subordinated Debt Securities of the Company designated as its "5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036," and reference is hereby made to the Subordinated Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Subordinated Notes and of the terms upon which the Subordinated Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. To the extent any provision of this Subordinated Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Subordinated Indenture, the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

5. REDEMPTION. Except as described below, the Subordinated Notes shall not be redeemable at the Company's option:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Optional Redemption*. The Company may, at its option, redeem the Subordinated Notes, (i) in whole, but not in part, on the Reset Date, (ii) in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, on or after October 30, 2035 or (iii) in whole, but not in part, at any time within 90 days following the occurrence of a Regulatory Capital Treatment Event. Any such redemption of the Subordinated Notes shall be subject to the Company obtaining the prior approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, if then required under capital rules applicable to the Company.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Redemption Price*. In the case of any redemption of the Subordinated Notes, the redemption price shall be equal to 100% of the Outstanding principal amount of the Subordinated Notes to be redeemed, plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date (the "Redemption Price"). If the Redemption Price in respect of the Subordinated Notes is not paid on the Redemption Date, interest on the Outstanding principal amount of the Subordinated Notes will continue to accrue until the Redemption Price is actually paid or set aside for payment, except that if the Redemption Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment of any principal and interest payable on such date will be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day, with the same force and effect as if made on the date such payment was due, and no interest or other payment will accrue as a result of such delay.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Redemption Procedures*. Except as modified by Section 203 of the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, any redemption of the Subordinated Notes under Section 203 of the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture is subject to the terms and conditions of Article XIII of the Base Indenture.

6. MANDATORY REDEMPTION, SINKING FUND. The Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Subordinated Notes.

7. DEFEASANCE. The Subordinated Notes will be subject to defeasance and covenant defeasance pursuant to Article XIV of the Base Indenture.

8. DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE. The Subordinated Notes are in registered form without coupons in a minimum denomination of $2,000 and authorized denominations of any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The transfer of Subordinated Notes may be registered and Subordinated Notes may be exchanged as provided in the Subordinated Indenture. The Security Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the Company may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Subordinated Indenture. The Company need not exchange or register the transfer of any Subordinated Note or portion of a Subordinated Note selected for redemption. Also, the Company need not exchange of register the transfer of any Subordinated Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Subordinated Notes to be redeemed.

9. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. The registered Holder of a Subordinated Note may be treated as its owner for all purposes.

10. AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER. The Subordinated Indenture or the Subordinated Notes may be amended or supplemented as provided in the Subordinated Indenture.

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11. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES. Except as modified by Section 211 of the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, the only Events of Default with respect to the Subordinated Notes are set forth in Article V of the Base Indenture. If an Event of Default with respect to the Subordinated Notes occurs, the principal of all Outstanding Subordinated Notes and any accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall become due and payable immediately without any further action on the part of the Trustee or the Holders. Holders may not enforce the Subordinated Indenture or the Subordinated Notes except as provided in the Subordinated Indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Subordinated Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Holders of the Subordinated Notes notice of any default under the Subordinated Indenture (except a default relating to the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Subordinated Notes) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Subordinated Notes may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Subordinated Notes waive any past default or its consequences under the Subordinated Indenture, except a default in payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any of the Subordinated Notes. The Company is required to deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the Subordinated Indenture, and the Company is required to give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, conservatorship, reorganization, readjustment of debt, marshaling of assets and liabilities or similar proceedings or any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up or relating to the Company as a whole, whether voluntary or involuntary, or of any default with respect to any Senior Indebtedness that would prevent the Trustee from making any payment in respect of the Subordinated Notes under Section 1501 of the Base Indenture.

12. SUBORDINATION. The indebtedness evidenced by this Subordinated Note is, to the extent provided in the Subordinated Indenture, subordinate and junior in right of payment to the Company's obligations to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and this Subordinated Note is issued subject to the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture with respect thereto. Each Holder of this Subordinated Note, by accepting the same, (i) agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions, (ii) authorizes and directs the Trustee on his or her behalf to take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided and (iii) appoints the Trustee his or her attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. Each Holder of this Subordinated Note, by his or her acceptance hereof, waives all notice of the acceptance of the subordination provisions contained herein and in the Subordinated Indenture by each holder of Senior Indebtedness, whether now outstanding or hereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, and waives reliance by each such holder upon said provisions.

13. AUTHENTICATION. This Subordinated Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Subordinated Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose until authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Subordinated Indenture.

14. GOVERNING LAW. THE SUBORDINATED INDENTURE AND THIS SUBORDINATED NOTE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE CONTRACTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SAID STATE WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES OF SAID STATE.

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15. CUSIP NUMBERS AND ISIN. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused CUSIP numbers and ISINs to be printed on the Subordinated Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers and ISINs in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Subordinated Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

\* Applicable if the Subordinated Note is issued in global form.

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The Company will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Subordinated Indenture. Requests may be made to the Company at the following address:

Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

600 Washington Boulevard

Stamford, CT 06901

Fax No.: 203-900-6758

Attention: Corporate Secretary

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ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Subordinated Note, fill in the form below:

(Insert assignee's legal name)

(Insert assignee's social security or tax I.D. no.)

(Print or type assignee's name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint __________________________________________________________ to transfer this Subordinated Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

Date: ______________________

Your Signature:     <br> (Please sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Subordinated Note)

Signature Guarantee\*: _____________________________________________

\* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

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SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE\*

The initial Outstanding principal amount of this Global Note is $[ ]. The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| Date of<br> Exchange | Amount of<br> decrease in<br> Principal<br> Amount of this<br> Global Note | Amount of<br> increase in<br> Principal<br> Amount of this<br> Global Note | Principal<br> Amount of this<br> Global Note<br> following such<br> decrease or<br> increase | Signature of<br> authorized<br> officer of Trustee<br> or Custodian |

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\* This schedule should be included only if the Subordinated Note is issued in global form.

## Exhibit 5.1

**EXHIBIT 5.1** 

[Letterhead of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP]

January 29, 2026

Citizens Financial Group, Inc.,

One Citizens Plaza,

Providence, Rhode Island 02903.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

In connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") of $400,000,000 principal amount of 5.299% Fixed-Reset Subordinated Notes due 2036 (the "Securities") of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), we, as your counsel, have examined such corporate records, certificates and other documents, and such questions of law, as we have considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion.

Upon the basis of such examination, it is our opinion that the Securities constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles.

In rendering the foregoing opinion, we are expressing no opinion as to Federal or state laws relating to fraudulent transfers and we are not passing upon, and assume no responsibility for, any disclosure in any registration statement or any related prospectus or other offering material relating to the offer and sale of the Securities.

The foregoing opinion is limited to the Federal laws of the United States and the laws of the State of New York, and we are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction.

We have relied as to certain factual matters on information obtained from public officials, officers of the Company and other sources believed by us to be responsible, and we have assumed that the Indenture and Supplemental Indenture under which the Securities were issued have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee thereunder, that the Securities conform to the specimen thereof examined by us, that the Trustee's certificate of authentication of the Securities has been signed by one of the Trustee's authorized officers and that the signatures on all documents examined by us are genuine, assumptions which we have not independently verified.

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We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company on the date hereof and its incorporation by reference into the Registration Statement relating to the Securities (File No. 333-282511) and to the reference to us under the caption "Validity of Securities" in the prospectus supplement, which is part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.

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| |
|:---|
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ Sullivan & Cromwell LLP |

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