FIRST UNION CORP
S-8, 1995-12-29
NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS
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   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 29, 1995.
                                                    Registration No. 33-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                   ----------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                   ----------
                             FIRST UNION CORPORATION
North Carolina                                    56-0898180
(State or other jurisdiction of                   (I.R.S Employer
 incorporation or organization)                   Identification No.)

One First Union Center
Charlotte, North Carolina                           28288-0013
(Address of principal executive offices)             (Zip Code)
                                  ----------
                      First Union Corporation Savings Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)
                                   ----------
                           Marion A. Cowell, Jr., Esq.
             Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel
                             First Union Corporation
                             One First Union Center
                      Charlotte, North Carolina 28288-0013
                                 (704) 374-6828
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
                                   ----------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Title of                                    Proposed maximum   Proposed maximum         Amount of
securities to                Amount to be    offering price         aggregate          registration
be registered                registered      per share (1)      offering price (1)        fee (1)
<S>                         <C>             <C>               <C>                    <C>   

Common Stock (including      1,000,000 shs.   $54.4375             $54,437,500             $18,772
rights to purchase shares
of Common Stock or junior
participating Class A
Preferred Stock)
</TABLE>

(1)  Pursuant  to Rule  457(c)  and  (h)(1) of the  Securities  Act of 1933 (the
"Securities  Act"),  the registration fee is being computed based upon $54.4375,
the average of the high and low prices  reported on the New York Stock  Exchange
Composite Transations tape on December 27, 1995.

In addition,  pursuant to Rule 416(c) of the Securities  Act, this  registration
statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold
pursuant to the employee benefit plan described herein.

<PAGE>



           PART II. INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.           Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.

         The  following   documents  are   incorporated  by  reference  in  this
Registration Statement:

         (a)      the Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
                  year ended December 31, 1994;

         (b)      the  Corporation's  Quarterly  Reports  on Form  10-Q  for the
                  periods  ended  March 31,  1995 (as  amended by Form  10-Q/A-1
                  dated May 16, 1995), June 30, 1995 and September 30, 1995; and

         (c)      the Corporation's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated January 2,
                  1995,  June 19, 1995,  June 20, 1995,  June 21, 1995, June 30,
                  1995, and August 30, 1995.

         In addition, all documents subsequently filed by the Corporation or the
First Union  Corporation  Savings Plan (the "Plan")  pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including
the rules and regulations thereunder, the "Exchange Act") prior to the filing of
a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold,  shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in this Registration  Statement and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 5.           Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         The validity of the shares of Common Stock issuable under
the Plan have been passed upon for the Corporation by Marion A.
Cowell, Jr., Esq., Executive Vice President, Secretary and
General Counsel of the Corporation.  Mr. Cowell owns shares of
Common Stock and holds options to purchase additional shares of
Common Stock.

Item 6.           Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Sections  55-8-50  through  55-8-58  of  the  North  Carolina  Business
Corporation Act contain specific provisions relating to


                                                         2

<PAGE>



indemnification  of directors and officers of North  Carolina  corporations.  In
general,  the statute  provides that (i) a corporation must indemnify a director
or officer who is wholly  successful  in his defense of a proceeding to which he
is a party  because of his status as such,  unless  limited by the  articles  of
incorporation,  and (ii) a corporation may indemnify a director or officer if he
is not wholly successful in such defense, if it is determined as provided in the
statute  that the  director  or officer  meets a certain  standard  of  conduct,
provided  when  a  director  or  officer  is  liable  to  the  corporation,  the
corporation  may not  indemnify  him.  The  statute  also  permits a director or
officer of a  corporation  who is a party to a proceeding to apply to the courts
for indemnification, unless the articles of incorporation provide otherwise, and
the court may order indemnification under certain circumstances set forth in the
statute.

         The statute further  provides that a corporation may in its articles of
incorporation or bylaws or by contract or resolution provide  indemnification in
addition to that  provided by the  statute,  subject to certain  conditions  set
forth in the statute.

         The  Corporation's  By-laws  provide  for  the  indemnification  of the
Corporation's  directors  and  executive  officers  by the  Corporation  against
liabilities arising out of his status as such,  excluding any liability relating
to  activities  which were at the time taken known or believed by such person to
be clearly in conflict with the best interests of the Corporation.

         The Corporation's Articles of Incorporation provide for the elimination
of the personal  liability of each  director of the  Corporation  to the fullest
extend  permitted by the provisions of the North Carolina  Business  Corporation
Act, as the same may from time to time be in effect.

         The Corporation  maintains directors and officers liability  insurance,
which  provides  coverage of up to  $80,000,000,  subject to certain  deductible
amounts.  In general,  the policy  insures (i) the  Corporation's  directors and
officers  against loss by reason of any of their wrongful acts,  and/or (ii) the
Corporation  against loss arising from claims against the directors and officers
by  reason of their  wrongful  acts,  all  subject  to the terms and  conditions
contained in the policy.


                                                         3

<PAGE>



Item 8.  Exhibits.


Exhibit No.                         Description


(3)(i)                     Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, as
                           amended.  (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           (4) to the Corporation's 1990 First Quarter Report
                           on Form 10-Q and to Exhibit (99)(a) to the
                           Corporation's 1993 First Quarter Report on Form
                           10-Q.)

(3)(ii)                    By-laws of the Corporation, as amended.
                           (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (3)(b) to
                           Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 on Form S-8 to
                           Registration Statement No. 33-62399.)

(4)(a)                     Shareholder Protection Rights Agreement, as
                           amended.  (Incorporated by reference to Exhibits
                           (4)(b) to the Corporation's Current Reports on
                           Form 8-K dated December 18, 1990 and October 20,
                           1992, and to Exhibit (99) to the Corporation's
                           Current Reports on Form 8-K dated June 20, 1995
                           and June 21, 1995.)

(4)(b)                     All instruments defining the rights of holders of
                           long-term debt of the Corporation and its
                           subsidiaries.  (Not filed pursuant to (4)(iii) of
                           Item 601(b) of Regulation S-K; to be furnished
                           upon request of the Commission.)

(5)                        Opinion of Marion A. Cowell, Jr., Esq.

(23)(a)                    Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP.

(23)(b)                    Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP.

(23)(c)                    Consent of Marion A. Cowell, Jr., Esq. (Included
                           in Exhibit (5).)

(24)                       Power of Attorney.



                                                         4

<PAGE>



Item 9.   Undertakings.

         (a)  Rule 415 offering.

                  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1)      To file,  during any period in which  offers or sales
                           are being made,  a  post-effective  amendment to this
                           registration statement:

                       (i)         To include any prospectus required by Section
                                   10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 (as
                                   amended, the "Securities Act");

                      (ii)          To reflect in the prospectus any facts or
                                    events arising after the effective date of
                                    the registration statement (or the most
                                    recent post-effective amendment thereof)
                                    which, individually or in the aggregate,
                                    represent a fundamental change in the
                                    information set forth in the registration
                                    statement; and

                     (iii)          To include  any  material  information  with
                                    respect  to the  plan  of  distribution  not
                                    previously  disclosed  in  the  registration
                                    statement  or any  material  change  to such
                                    information in the registration statement;

                           provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (a)(1)(i)  and
                           (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the  information  required
                           to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
                           paragraphs is contained in periodic  reports filed by
                           the  registrant  pursuant  to  Section  13 or Section
                           15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (the
                           "Exchange Act") that are incorporated by reference in
                           the registration statement.

                  (2)      That,  for the purpose of  determining  any liability
                           under the  Securities  Act, each such  post-effective
                           amendment  shall be deemed  to be a new  registration
                           statement relating to the securities offered


                                                         5

<PAGE>



                           therein,  and the offering of such securities at that
                           time  shall be  deemed  to be the  initial  bona fide
                           offering thereof.

                  (3)      To   remove   from   registration   by   means  of  a
                           post-effective  amendment any of the securities being
                           registered  which remain unsold at the termination of
                           the offering.

         (b)      Filings incorporating subsequent Exchange Act documents by 
                  reference.

         The  undersigned  registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining  any  liability  under  the  Securities  Act,  each  filing  of  the
registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where  applicable,  each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual  report   pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act)  that  is
incorporated by reference in the registration  statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (h)      Request for acceleration of effective date or filing of 
                  registration statement on Form S-8.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be  permitted to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,  the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities  and Exchange  Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final 
adjudication of such issue.





                                                         6

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES


The Registrant.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of Charlotte,  State of North Carolina, on December 29,
1995.


                             FIRST UNION CORPORATION

                             By: /s/Kent S. Hathaway
                                    Kent S. Hathaway
                                    Senior Vice President


Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,  this  registration
statement has been signed by the following  persons in the capacities and on the
date indicated.

   Edward E. Crutchfield*                   Chairman and Chief
   Edward E. Crutchfield                    Executive Officer and
                                              Director

   Robert T. Atwood *                       Executive Vice President
   Robert T. Atwood                           and Chief Financial
                                              Officer

   James H. Hatch *                         Senior Vice President and
   James H. Hatch                             Corporate Controller
                                              (Principal Accounting
                                               Officer)

   G. Alex Bernhardt*                       Director
   G. Alex Bernhardt


   W. Waldo Bradley *                       Director
   W. Waldo Bradley


                                                       7

<PAGE>




   Robert J. Brown *                         Director
   Robert J. Brown


   Robert D. Davis *                         Director
   Robert D. Davis

   R. Stuart Dickson *                       Director
   R. Stuart Dickson


   B. F. Dolan*                              Director
   B. F. Dolan


   Roddey Dowd, Sr.*                         Director
   Roddey Dowd, Sr.


   John R. Georgius *                        Director
   John R. Georgius


   William N. Goodwin, Jr. *                 Director
   William N. Goodwin, Jr.


   Brenton S. Halsey *                       Director
   Brenton S. Halsey


   Howard H. Haworth *                       Director
   Howard H. Haworth


   Torrence E. Hemby, Jr. *                  Director
   Torrence E. Hemby, Jr.


   Leonard G. Herring *                      Director
   Leonard G. Herring



                                                         8

<PAGE>



   Jack A. Laughery *                        Director
   Jack A. Laughery


   Max Lennon *                              Director
   Max Lennon


   Radford D. Lovett *                       Director
   Radford D. Lovett


   Henry D. Perry, Jr. *                     Director
   Henry D. Perry, Jr.


   Randolph N. Reynolds *                    Director
   Randolph N. Reynolds


   Ruth G. Shaw *                            Director
   Ruth G. Shaw


   Lanty L. Smith *                          Director
   Lanty L. Smith


   Dewey L. Trogdon *                        Director
   Dewey L. Trogdon


   John D. Uible *                           Director
   John D. Uible


   B.J. Walker *                             Director
   B.J. Walker


   Kenneth G. Younger *                      Director
   Kenneth G. Younger



                                                       9

<PAGE>




*By Kent S. Hathaway, Attorney-in-Fact

/s/ Kent S. Hathaway
    Kent S. Hathaway


Date: December 29, 1995


         The Plan.  Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the undersigned has duly caused this registration  statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Charlotte,
North Carolina, on December 29, 1995.

FIRST UNION CORPORATION SAVINGS PLAN

By: /s/ Benjamin Jolley
Name: Benjamin Jolley
Title: Vice President




                                                      10

<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Number             Description                        Location

(3)(i)    -Articles of Incorporation              Incorporated by
          of the Corporation, as amended.         reference to Exhibit (4)
                                                  to the Corporation's
                                                  1990 First  Quarter
                                                  Report on Form 10-Q
                                                  and to Exhibit (99)(a)
                                                  to the Corporation's
                                                  1993 First Quarter
                                                  Report on Form 10-Q.

(3)(ii)    -By-laws of the Corporation,           Incorporated by
           as amended.                            reference to Exhibit
                                                  (3)(b) to Post-Effective
                                                  Amendment No. 1 on Form S-
                                                  8 to Registration
                                                  Statement No. 33-62399.

(4)(a)     -Shareholder Protection Rights         Incorporated by
           Agreement, as amended.                 reference to Exhibits
                                                  (4)(b) to the Corporation's
                                                  Current Reports on Form
                                                  8-K dated December 18, 1990
                                                  and October 20, 1992, and
                                                  to Exhibit (99) to the
                                                  Corporation's Current
                                                  Reports on Form 8-K
                                                  dated June 20, 1995
                                                  and June 21, 1995.

(4)(b)    -All instruments defining the           Not filed pursuant to
          rights of holders of long-term          (4)(iii) of Item 601(b)
          debt of the Corporation and its         of Regulation S-K; to be
          subsidiaries.                           furnished upon request of
                                                  the Commission.

(5)       -Opinion of Marion A. Cowell,           Filed herewith.
          Jr., Esq.

(23)(a)   -Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick           Filed herewith.
                   LLP.
(23)(b)   -Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick           Filed herewith.
                   LLP.
(23)(c)   -Consent of Marion A. Cowell,           Included in Exhibit (5).
          Jr., Esq.

(24)      -Power of Attorney.                     Filed herewith.





                                                        11



                                                                    Exhibit (5)


                                December 29, 1995


Board of Directors
First Union Corporation
Charlotte, North Carolina 28288

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         I have acted as counsel for First Union Corporation (the "Corporation")
in  connection  with the  registration  on Form S-8 of  1,000,000  shares of the
Corporation's  Common Stock under the Securities Act of 1933 (the  "Registration
Statement"),  including  rights  attached  thereto to purchase  shares of Common
Stock  or  junior   participating  Class  A  Preferred  Stock  pursuant  to  the
Corporation's  Shareholder Protection Rights Plan (collectively,  the "Shares"),
that are issuable under the First Union Corporation Savings Plan (the "Plan").

         On the basis of such  investigation as I deemed necessary,  I am of the
opinion that:

         1.       the Corporation has been duly incorporated and is
                  validly existing under the laws of the State of North
                  Carolina; and

         2.       the  Shares   have  been  duly   authorized   and,   when  the
                  Registration   Statement  has  become   effective   under  the
                  Securities  Act of 1933 and the Shares  have been duly  issued
                  under the  Plan,  the  Shares  will be  validly  issued by the
                  Corporation, fully paid and nonassessable.

         I hereby  consent  to the use of my name under Item 5 in Part II of the
Registration  Statement  and to the filing of this  opinion as an Exhibit to the
Registration  Statement.  In giving this consent,  I do not thereby admit that I
come within the category of persons whose consent is required by the  Securities
Act of 1933 and the rules promulgated thereunder.

                                Very truly yours,



                               Marion A. Cowell, Jr.





                                                                 Exhibit (23)(a)


                        CONSENT OF KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP


Board of Directors
First Union Corporation

         We consent  to the  incorporation  by  reference  in this  Registration
Statement  on  Form  S-8  of  First  Union  Corporation  of  our  report  on the
consolidated  financial  statements  included  in  the  1994  Annual  Report  to
Stockholders  which is  incorporated by reference in the 1994 Form 10-K of First
Union Corporation. Our report refers to a change in the method of accounting for
investments in 1994.



                              KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP


Charlotte, North Carolina
December 29, 1995








                                                                 Exhibit (23)(b)


                        CONSENT OF KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP


Board of Directors
First Fidelity Bancorporation:

         We consent  to the  incorporation  by  reference  in this  Registration
Statement  on  Form  S-8  of  First  Union  Corporation  of  our  report  on the
consolidated  financial  statements  included in the 1994 Annual  Report on Form
10-K of First Fidelity Bancorporation. Our report dated January 18, 1995, refers
to  changes in the  methods  of  accounting  for  income  taxes,  postretirement
benefits other than pensions, postemployment benefits, and investments in 1993.



                              KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP


New York, New York
December 29, 1995





                                                                    Exhibit (24)


                             FIRST UNION CORPORATION

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW  ALL MEN BY THESE  PRESENTS  that the  undersigned  directors  and
officers of FIRST UNION  CORPORATION (the  "Corporation")  hereby constitute and
appoint Marion A. Cowell, Jr. and Kent S. Hathaway,  and each of them severally,
the true and lawful agents and  attorneys-in-fact  of the undersigned  with full
power and  authority  in said  agents and  attorneys-in-fact,  and in any one of
them, to sign for the undersigned and in their respective names as directors and
officers of the  Corporation,  a Registration  Statement on Form S-8 to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended,  relating  to the  registration  of the  shares of Common  Stock of the
Corporation that are issuable under the Corporation's  Savings Plan, and to sign
any and all amendments to such Registration Statement.


       Signature                                           Capacity

/s/ Edward E. Crutchfield                         Chairman and Chief
Edward E. Crutchfield                               Executive Officer and
                                                    Director

/s/ Robert T. Atwood                              Executive Vice President
Robert T. Atwood                                    and Chief Financial
                                                    Officer

/s/ James H. Hatch                                Senior Vice President and
James H. Hatch                                      Corporate Controller
                                                    (Principal Accounting
                                                     Officer)

/s/ G. Alex Bernhardt                             Director
G. Alex Bernhardt

<PAGE>

/s/ W. Waldo Bradley                               Director
W. Waldo Bradley


/s/ Robert J. Brown                                Director
Robert J. Brown


/s/ Robert D. Davis                                Director
Robert D. Davis


/s/ R. Stuart Dickson                              Director
R. Stuart Dickson


/s/ B.F. Dolan                                     Director
B. F. Dolan


/s/ Roddey Dowd, Sr.                               Director
Roddey Dowd, Sr.


                                                   Director
John R. Georgius


/s/ William H. Goodwin, Jr.                        Director
William H. Goodwin, Jr.


/s/ Brenton S. Halsey                              Director
Brenton S. Halsey


/s/ Howard H. Haworth                              Director
Howard H. Haworth


/s/ Torrence E. Hemby, Jr.                         Director
Torrence E. Hemby, Jr.

<PAGE>



/s/ Leonard G. Herring                             Director
Leonard G. Herring


/s/ Jack A. Laughery                               Director
Jack A. Laughery


/s/ Max Lennon                                     Director
Max Lennon


/s/ Radford D. Lovett                              Director
Radford D. Lovett


/s/ Henry D. Perry, Jr.                            Director
Henry D. Perry, Jr.


/s/ Randolph N. Reynolds                           Director
Randolph N. Reynolds


/s/ Ruth G. Shaw                                   Director
Ruth G. Shaw


/s/ Lanty L. Smith                                 Director
Lanty L. Smith


                                                   Director
Dewey L. Trogdon


/s/ John D. Uible                                  Director
John D. Uible


/s/ B.J. Walker                                    Director
B.J. Walker


/s/ Kenneth G. Younger                             Director
Kenneth G. Younger


December 19, 1995
Charlotte, North Carolina





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