NORTHERN TRUST CORP
S-8, 1998-05-21
STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS
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<PAGE>
 
                                           Registration Statement No. 333-
                                                                      ----------
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                               __________________
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                        
                                     Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933
                           Northern Trust Corporation
               (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)

       Delaware                                           36-2723087
(State of Incorporation)                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)
                50 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60675

                The Northern Trust Company Thrift-Incentive Plan
                              (Full Title of Plan)

                  Peter L. Rossiter, Executive Vice President
                              and General Counsel
                            50 South LaSalle Street
                            Chicago, Illinois 60675
                    (Name and Address of Agent for Service)
                                (312) 630-6000
 ____________________________________________________________________________
        (Telephone number, including area codes, of agents for service)
          Approximate Date of Commencement of Proposed Sale to Public:
                    From time to time in accordance with the
                      terms of this Registration Statement

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                               CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

                                                  Proposed         Proposed
                                                  Maximum           Maximum
                                  Amount          Offering         Aggregate         Amount of
Title of Securities                To Be          Price Per         Offering        Registration
to be Registered                Registered          Share            Price              Fee
<S>                             <C>               <C>            <C>                <C>
 
Common Stock,
$1.66 2/3 par value            353,356.89(1)      $70.75(1)      $25,000,000(1)       $7,375(1)
(including associated 
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
 
Interests in the Plan                    (2)            (2)                 (2)             (2)
</TABLE> 
 
(1)   These shares of Common Stock represent the additional number of shares of
      Common Stock with respect to which benefits may be granted under the
      Thrift-Incentive Plan. The shares are to be offered at prices not
      presently determinable. Pursuant to Rule 457(g), the offering price is
      estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee and
      is based on the May 19, 1998 edition of The Wall Street Journal, which
      quoted Northern Trust Corporation Common Stock at $71.50 high and $70.00
      low.

(2)   In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, 
      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 Documents by Reference.

     The following documents are incorporated herein by reference:

     (a)  The Annual Report on Form 10-K of Northern Trust Corporation (the
          "Registrant") for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997;

     (b)  All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities
          Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act") since the end of the
          fiscal year referred to in (a) above;

     (c)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in a
          registration statement filed pursuant to Section 12 of the 1934 Act,
          and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such
          description, including Exhibit 99 to the Registrant's Annual Report on
          Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1993; and

     (d)  The description of the Registrant's Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
          contained in Registrant's registration statement on Form 8-A, filed
          with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on
          October 30, 1989, as amended by First Amendment dated as of September
          17, 1997 filed with the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
          ended September 30, 1997 and Second Amendment dated as of November 18,
          1997 filed with the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
          ended December 31, 1997.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the 1934 Act, prior to the filing of a post-
effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of
filing of such documents.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

     Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

     Peter L. Rossiter, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
of the Registrant, has furnished the opinion attached as Exhibit 5 to this
registration statement with respect to the validity of the securities being
registered hereunder.  As of May 1, 1998, Mr. Rossiter owned 130,183 shares of
Common Stock of the Registrant, which includes 114,870 shares issuable pursuant
to stock options.
<PAGE>
 
Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and Article Eighth of
the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation provide for
indemnification of the Corporation's directors and officers in a variety of
circumstances, which may include liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "1933 Act").  The general effect of these provisions is to
provide that the Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers against
all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the defense
or settlement of any judicial or administrative proceedings in which they become
involved by reason of their status as corporate directors or officers, if they
acted in good faith and in the reasonable belief that their conduct was neither
unlawful (in the case of criminal proceedings) nor inconsistent with the best
interests of the Corporation.  With respect to legal proceedings by or in the
right of the Corporation in which a director or officer is adjudged liable for
improper performance of his duty to the Corporation, indemnification is limited
by such provisions to that amount which is permitted by the court.  In addition,
the Corporation has purchased insurance as permitted by Delaware law on behalf
of directors, officers, employees or agents, which may cover liabilities under
the 1933 Act.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

     Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

     The Exhibits filed herewith are set forth on the Exhibit Index filed as
part of this registration statement.

Item 9.  Undertakings.

     (a) 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
          1933 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
          increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total
          value of securities offered would not exceed that

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
          which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high and of
          the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
          prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in
          the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than
          20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in
          the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective
          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 registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
     Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934
     Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the l933
     Act, each such post-effective amendment 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.

          (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) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each filing of the Registrant's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the 1934 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.

     (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 1933 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 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.

                                      -3-
<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 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 Chicago and State of Illinois on the 21st day of May,
1998.

                                      NORTHERN TRUST CORPORATION

                                      By   /s/ Peter L. Rossiter
                                         -------------------------------
                                      Peter L. Rossiter
                                      Executive Vice President
                                      and General Counsel

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on the 21st day of May, 1998.

<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 
Signature                         Title
<S>                               <C>  

WILLIAM A. OSBORN*                Chairman of the Board
- ----------------------------      President, Chief Executive
William A. Osborn                 Officer and Director

BARRY G. HASTINGS*                President, Chief Operating
- ----------------------------      Officer and Director                         
Barry G. Hastings          

PERRY R. PERO*                    Senior Executive Vice President
- ----------------------------      and Chief Financial Officer
Perry R. Pero            

HARRY W. SHORT*                   Senior Vice President
- ----------------------------      and Controller                              
Harry W. Short          

DUANE L. BURNHAM *                Director
- ----------------------------                         
Duane L. Burnham

DOLORES E. CROSS*                 Director
- ----------------------------                           
Dolores E. Cross

SUSAN CROWN*                      Director
- ----------------------------                            
Susan Crown
</TABLE> 

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 
Signature                         Title
<S>                               <C> 

ROBERT S. HAMADA*                 Director
- ----------------------------                           
Robert S. Hamada

ROBERT A. HELMAN*                 Director
- ----------------------------                          
Robert A. Helman

ARTHUR L. KELLY*                  Director
- ----------------------------                             
Arthur L. Kelly

WILLIAM G. MITCHELL*              Director
- ----------------------------                       
William G. Mitchell

EDWARD J. MOONEY*                 Director
- ----------------------------                          
Edward J. Mooney

HAROLD B. SMITH*                  Director
- ----------------------------                              
Harold B. Smith

BIDE L. THOMAS*                   Director
- ----------------------------                              
Bide L. Thomas
</TABLE> 


     *Peter L. Rossiter, pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by each of
the above Directors and Officers of Northern Trust Corporation and filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., hereby executes this
registration statement on behalf of each of the persons named above in the
capacity set forth opposite his name.


     /s/ Peter L. Rossiter                   May 21st, 1998
- --------------------------------                        
     Peter L. Rossiter
     (Attorney-in-fact)

                                      -5-
<PAGE>
 
                                    THE PLAN



     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Plan has
duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Chicago and State of
Illinois on the 21 st day of May, 1998.


                                    THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY
                                    THRIFT-INCENTIVE PLAN

                                    By   /s/ Joyce Cook
                                       ---------------------------------------
                                    Joyce Cook
                                    Chairperson, Employee Benefit
                                    Administrative Committee
                                    Senior Vice President,
                                    The Northern Trust Company

                                      -6-
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                        
<TABLE> 
<CAPTION>                                         
Exhibit
Number          Description                                             Page No.
- ------          -----------                                             --------
<S>             <C>                                                     <C> 

4.1             Restated Certificate of Incorporation
                (Incorporated by reference to Registrant's
                Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
                the quarter ended March 31, 1997)

4.2             By-laws, as amended
                (Incorporated by reference to Registrant's
                Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
                quarter ended March 31, 1996)

5.              Opinion of Counsel

23.1            Consent of Counsel
                (Contained in its opinion filed as Exhibit 5)

23.2            Consent of Independent Public Accountants

24.             Powers of Attorney
</TABLE> 

                                      -7-

<PAGE>
 
                                          May 21, 1998

                                                        EXHIBIT 5


Securities and Exchange Commission
Judiciary Plaza
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549-1004

     Re:  Northern Trust Corporation: Registration Statement on
          Form S-8 Regarding Registration of Additional Participations
          in The Northern Trust Company Thrift-Incentive Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Northern Trust
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), and have served in that
capacity in connection with the Corporation's filing of a Registration Statement
on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission covering the registration of an additional $25,000,000 of
participations in The Northern Trust Company Thrift-Incentive Plan (the "Plan")
consisting of shares of common stock of the Corporation, $1.66 2/3 par value per
share, including the associated Preferred Stock Purchase Rights (collectively,
the "Stock").  In that connection, I have examined such documents and have made
such factual and legal investigations as I have deemed necessary or appropriate
for the purpose of this opinion.

     Based on the foregoing, it is my opinion that those shares of Stock covered
by the Registration Statement that are issued in accordance with the terms of
the Plan will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

     In addition, Northern Trust Corporation has submitted the Plan to the
Internal Revenue Service and has made all changes required by the IRS in order
to qualify the Plan and undertakes that it will do so in the future with respect
to any amendments that could affect the Plan's qualification.

     I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the
Registration Statement.

                                           Very truly yours,


                                           /s/ Peter L. Rossiter
                                           ___________________________________
                                           Peter L. Rossiter
                                           Executive Vice President and
                                           General Counsel

<PAGE>
 
                                                                    Exhibit 23.2
                                                                                
                                        
                   CONSENTS OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

     As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation
by reference in this registration statement of our report dated January 20,
1998, included in the Northern Trust Corporation's Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1997 and to all references to our Firm included in this
registration statement.



                                          /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP
 
                                          ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP

Chicago, Illinois
May 21, 1998


     As independent public accountants, Hill, Taylor LLC hereby consent to the
incorporation by reference in this Form S-8 of our report dated April 7, 1997,
included in the Northern Trust Company's Thrift-Incentive Plan Annual Report on
Form 11-K for the year ended December 31, 1996 and to all references to our Firm
included in this registration statement.

 

 
                                          /s/ Hill, Taylor LLC
                                          HILL, TAYLOR LLC

Chicago, Illinois
May 21, 1998


                              CONSENT OF ATTORNEYS

     The consent of Peter Rossiter, Executive Vice President and General Counsel
of Northern Trust Corporation, to the filing of his opinion as an exhibit to
this registration statement is contained in his opinion filed as Exhibit 5
hereto.

<PAGE>
 
                                                                      Exhibit 24

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

     That the undersigned officers and directors of Northern Trust Corporation
hereby severally constitute and appoint William A. Osborn and Peter L. Rossiter,
and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys and agents with full
power to them and each of them singly, to sign for us in our names in the
capacities indicated below a Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to the
sale of interests in The Northern Trust Company Thrift-Incentive Plan and shares
of Common Stock of Northern Trust Corporation and any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to such a Registration Statement and to
file any of the foregoing, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby
granting to such attorneys and agents, and each of them, full power of
substitution and revocation in the premises, and generally to do all such things
in our name and behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable
Northern Trust Corporation to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, and all regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission thereunder, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they
may be signed by our said attorneys, or any one of them, to said Registration
Statement, and any and all amendments thereto, and all that said attorneys and
agents, or any of them, may do or cause to be done by virtue of these presents.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned here hereunto executed this Power of
Attorney this 19th day of May, 1998.


/s/ William A. Osborn
___________________________________
William A. Osborn
Chairman of the Board,
Chief Executive Officer and Director


/s/ Barry G. Hastings
___________________________________
Barry G. Hastings
President, Chief Operating
Officer and Director

/s/ Perry R. Pero
___________________________________
Perry R. Pero
Senior Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer


/s/ Harry W. Short
___________________________________
Harry W. Short
Senior Vice President and Controller
<PAGE>
 
/s/ Duane L. Burnham                      /s/ William G. Mitchell
___________________________________       ______________________________________
Duane L. Burnham                          William G. Mitchell
Director                                  Director

/s/ Dolores E. Cross                      /s/ Edward J. Mooney
___________________________________       ______________________________________
Dolores E. Cross                          Edward J. Mooney
Director                                  Director

/s/ Susan Crown                           /s/ Harold B. Smith
___________________________________       ______________________________________
Susan Crown                               Harold B. Smith
Director                                  Director

/s/ Robert S. Hamada                      /s/ Bide L. Thomas
___________________________________       ______________________________________
Robert S. Hamada                          Bide L. Thomas
Director                                  Director

/s/ Robert A. Helman
___________________________________
Robert A. Helman
Director

/s/ Arthur L. Kelly
___________________________________
Arthur L. Kelly
Director


STATE OF ILLINOIS    )
                     )  SS
COUNTY OF COOK       )

     I, Victoria Antoni, a Notary Public in and for said County, in the
aforesaid State, do hereby certify that the above-named directors and officers
of Northern Trust Corporation, personally known to me to be the same persons
whose names are subscribed to the foregoing instrument, appeared before me this
day in person, and severally acknowledged that they signed and delivered the
said instrument as their free and voluntary act, for the uses and purposes
therein set forth.

     GIVEN under my hand and notarial seal this 19th day of May, 1998.


                                   /s/ Victoria Antoni
                                   _________________________________
                                             NOTARY PUBLIC


My Commission Expires: 7-25-99


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