lincoln8k.htm
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

November 15, 2010
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

Lincoln National Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Indiana
1-6028
35-1140070
(State or other jurisdiction
(Commission
(IRS Employer
Of Incorporation)
File Number)
Identification No.)

150 N. Radnor Chester Road, Radnor, PA 19087
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

(484) 583-1400
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)


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))


 
 

 

Item 2.02.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On November 18, 2010, we posted slides to be used in connection with our 2010 Conference for Investors and Bankers, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Conference for Investors and Bankers is being held on Thursday, November 18, 2010, beginning at approximately 8:30 a.m. (ET).  Interested persons are invited to listen through the internet, either live or through on-demand replay.  Please visit www.lincolnfinancial.com/webcast at least fifteen minutes prior to the event to register, download and install any necessary streaming media software.  The replay will be available at www.lincolnfinancial.com/webcast for approximately one year beginning November 19, 2010.

Item 2.04.  Triggering Events that Accelerate or Increase a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement.
 
On November 15, 2010, Lincoln National Corporation (the “Company”) called for redemption on December 15, 2010 of all of its outstanding 6.75% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures, Series F due 2052 (the “Junior Subordinated Debentures”), which are held by Lincoln National Capital VI.  As a result, all of the outstanding 6.75% Trust Preferred Securities, Series F and 6.75% Common Securities of Lincoln National Capital VI will be redeemed on December 15, 2010.  The redemption price for the Trust Preferred Securities, Series F will be $25.00 per security, for a total principal amount of $150,000,000, plus any accrued distributions up to the redemption date.

The aggregate principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Debentures to be redeemed is $154,640,000, plus accrued interest thereon up to the redemption date.  The Junior Subordinated Debentures were originally issued on September 11, 2003, and in accordance with their terms, are subject to optional redemption by the Company on or after September 11, 2008.  Pursuant to the terms of its Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, Lincoln National Capital VI is required to use the proceeds it receives from the redemption of the Junior Subordinated Debentures to redeem its Trust Preferred Securities, Series F and 6.75% Common Securities on the same day.

As a result of these transactions, the Company will incur a non-cash charge of approximately $3.1 million, net of taxes, in the fourth quarter of 2010.  The non-cash charge reflects the acceleration of the unamortized issuance costs.

For additional information, see the press release announcing the redemption attached as Exhibit 99.2 hereto.

Item 7.01.  Regulation FD Disclosure.

The response to Item 2.02 is hereby incorporated by reference in answer to this Item 7.01.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTSCAUTIONARY LANGUAGE

Certain statements made in this report, and in other written or oral statements made by us or on our behalf, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”).  A forward-looking statement is a statement that is not a historical fact and, without limitation, includes any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain words like:  “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “will,” “shall” and other words or phrases with similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance.  In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, trends in our businesses, prospective services or products, future performance or financial results and the outcome of contingencies, such as legal proceedings.  We claim the protection afforded by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the PSLRA.
 
 
 

 
 
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results contained in the forward-looking statements.  Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary materially, some of which are described within the forward-looking statements, include, among others:

Deterioration in general economic and business conditions that may affect account values, investment results, guaranteed benefit liabilities, premium levels, claims experience and the level of pension benefit costs, funding and investment results;
Economic declines and credit market illiquidity could cause us to realize additional impairments on investments and certain intangible assets, including goodwill and a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets, which may reduce future earnings and/or affect our financial condition and ability to raise additional capital or refinance existing debt as it matures;
Uncertainty about the effect of rules and regulations to be promulgated under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act on us and the economy and the financial services sector in particular;
The restrictions, oversight, cost and other consequences of being a savings and loan holding company, including from the supervision, regulation and examination by the Office of Thrift Supervision or its functional successors;
Legislative, regulatory or tax changes, both domestic and foreign, that affect the cost of, or demand for, our subsidiaries’ products, the required amount of reserves and/or surplus, or otherwise affect our ability to conduct business, including changes to statutory reserves and/or risk-based capital, or “RBC,” requirements related to secondary guarantees under universal life and variable annuity products such as Actuarial Guideline 43, or “AG43,” (also known as Commissioners Annuity Reserve Valuation Method for Variable Annuities or “VACARVM”); restrictions on revenue sharing and 12b-1 payments; and the potential for U.S. Federal tax reform;
The initiation of legal or regulatory proceedings against us, and the outcome of any legal or regulatory proceedings, such as:  adverse actions related to present or past business practices common in businesses in which we compete; adverse decisions in significant actions including, but not limited to, actions brought by federal and state authorities and extra-contractual and class action damage cases; new decisions that result in changes in law; and unexpected trial court rulings;
Changes in or sustained low interest rates causing reductions of investment income, estimated gross profits relating to our variable annuity and universal life products, margins of our subsidiaries’ fixed annuity and life insurance businesses and demand for their products;
A decline in the equity markets causing a reduction in the sales of our subsidiaries’ products, a reduction of asset-based fees that our subsidiaries charge on various investment and insurance products, an acceleration of amortization of deferred acquisition costs, or “DAC,” value of business acquired, or “VOBA,” deferred sales inducements, or “DSI,” and deferred front end sales loads, or “DFEL,” and an increase in liabilities related to guaranteed benefit features of our subsidiaries’ variable annuity products;
Ineffectiveness of our various hedging strategies used to offset the impact of changes in the value of liabilities due to changes in the level and volatility of the equity markets and interest rates;
A deviation in actual experience regarding future persistency, mortality, morbidity, interest rates or equity market returns from the assumptions used in pricing our subsidiaries’ products, in establishing related insurance reserves and in elevated impairments on investments and amortization of intangible assets that may cause an increase in reserves and/or a reduction in assets, resulting in a corresponding decrease in net income;
Changes in accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or “GAAP,”, including moving to International Financial Reporting Standards, that may result in unanticipated changes to our net income;
 
 
 
 

 
 
Lowering of one or more of our debt ratings issued by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations and the adverse effect such action may have on our ability to raise capital and on our liquidity and financial condition;
Lowering of one or more of the insurer financial strength ratings of our insurance subsidiaries and the adverse effect such action may have on the premium writings, policy retention, profitability of our insurance subsidiaries and liquidity;
Significant credit, accounting, fraud or corporate governance issues that may adversely affect the value of certain investments in our portfolios requiring that we realize losses on such investments;
The effect of acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, product withdrawals and other unusual items, including our ability to integrate acquisitions and to obtain the anticipated results and synergies from acquisitions;
The adequacy and collectibility of reinsurance that we have purchased;
Acts of terrorism, a pandemic, war or other man-made and natural catastrophes that may adversely affect our businesses and the cost and availability of reinsurance;
Competitive conditions, including pricing pressures, new product offerings and the emergence of new competitors, that may affect the level of premiums and fees that our subsidiaries can charge for their products;
The unknown effect on our subsidiaries’ businesses resulting from changes in the demographics of their client base, as aging baby-boomers move from the asset-accumulation stage to the asset-distribution stage of life; and
Loss of key management, financial planners or wholesalers.

The risks included here are not exhaustive.  Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission include additional factors that could affect our businesses and financial performance.  Moreover, we operate in a rapidly changing and competitive environment.  New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors.

Further, it is not possible to assess the effect of all risk factors on our businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.  Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results.  In addition, we disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date of this report.

The reporting of RBC measures is not intended for the purpose of ranking any insurance company or for use in connection with any marketing, advertising or promotional activities.

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit
Number
 
Description
99.1
99.2


 
 

 


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.
 

 
 
LINCOLN NATIONAL CORPORATION
   
   
 
By
/s/ Frederick J. Crawford
 
Name:
Frederick J. Crawford
 
Title:
Executive Vice President and
   
Chief Financial Officer

 
Date:  November 18, 2010

 
 

 

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 
 
 
Exhibit
Number
 
Description
99.1
99.2