<PAGE>
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 18, 1997
REGISTRATION NO. 333-29409
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- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
------------------------
AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
FORM S-4
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
------------------------
FIRST BANK SYSTEM, INC.
(to be renamed "U.S. Bancorp" upon consummation of the merger described herein)
(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
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DELAWARE 6712 41-0255900
(State or other jurisdiction (Primary standard industrial (IRS Employer
of classification code number) Identification
incorporation or organization) No.)
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FIRST BANK PLACE
601 SECOND AVENUE SOUTH
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402-4302
(612) 973-1111
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)
------------------------------
LEE R. MITAU, ESQ.
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
FIRST BANK SYSTEM, INC.
FIRST BANK PLACE
601 SECOND AVENUE SOUTH
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402-4302
(612) 973-1111
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
of agent for service)
------------------------------
COPIES TO:
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VICTOR I. LEWKOW, ESQ. H. RODGIN COHEN, ESQ. EDWARD D. HERLIHY, ESQ.
Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton Sullivan & Cromwell Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
One Liberty Plaza 125 Broad Street 51 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10006 New York, New York 10004 New York, New York 10019
(212) 225-2000 (212) 558-4000 (212) 403-1000
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------------------------
APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: As soon as
practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
------------------------
If the securities being registered on this form are being offered in
connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with
General Instruction G, check the following box./ /
------------------------
THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL
FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ACTING
PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(A), MAY DETERMINE.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 21. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE
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EXHIBIT
NO. PAGE
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23.4 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (relating to financial statements of First Bank System, Inc.).
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II-1
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the
requirements for filing on Form S-4 and has duly caused this amendment no. 1 to
the registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Minneapolis, State of Minnesota, on
the 18th of June, 1997.
FIRST BANK SYSTEM, INC.
By: /s/ JOHN F. GRUNDHOFER
-----------------------------------------
John F. Grundhofer
CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this amendment
no. 1 to the registration statement has been signed by the following persons in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.
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SIGNATURE DATE
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/s/ JOHN F. GRUNDHOFER Chairman, President, Chief
------------------------------------------- Executive Officer and Director June 18, 1997
John F. Grundhofer (principal executive officer)
/s/ SUSAN E. LESTER Executive Vice President and
------------------------------------------- Chief Financial Officer June 18, 1997
Susan E. Lester (principal financial officer)
/s/ DAVID J. PARRIN Senior Vice President and
------------------------------------------- Controller (principal June 18, 1997
David J. Parrin accounting officer)
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Linda L. Ahlers
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Arthur D. Collins, Jr.
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Peter H. Coors
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Roger L. Hale
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Delbert W. Johnson
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Norman M. Jones
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II-2
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SIGNATURE DATE
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*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Richard L. Knowlton
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Jerry W. Levin
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Kenneth A. Macke
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Edward J. Phillips
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
S. Walter Richey
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Richard L. Robinson
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Richard L. Schall
*
------------------------------------------- Director June 18, 1997
Walter Scott, Jr.
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*By /s/ DAVID J. PARRIN June 18, 1997
--------------------------------------
David J. Parrin
PRO SE AND AS ATTORNEY-IN-FACT
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II-3
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
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EXHIBIT
NO. PAGE
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23.4 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (relating to financial statements of First Bank System, Inc.).
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II-4
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EXHIBIT 23.4
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the
Registration Statement (Form S-4) and related Prospectus of First Bank System,
Inc. (the Company) for the registration of 115,000,000 shares of its common
stock and 6,000,000 shares of its 8 1/8% cumulative preferred stock and to the
incorporation by reference therein of our report dated January 9, 1997, with
respect to the consolidated financial statements of the Company included in its
Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 1996, filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
ERNST & YOUNG LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
June 16, 1997