Bendigo and Adelaide Bank (ASX: BEN) – BEN Redeems Subordinated Notes 1

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank will redeem all A$125 million of its Subordinated Floating Rate Notes on 14 October 2026, exercising an optional early redemption date that arrives four and a half years ahead of the notes’ scheduled maturity of 14 October 2031. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has approved the redemption, a requirement that underscores the regulatory capital status of these instruments within the bank’s balance sheet.

Subordinated notes occupy a middle position in the debt hierarchy, sitting between equity and senior debt. They absorb losses only after all senior liabilities are settled, which means they carry greater risk than conventional debt but junior status to it. The redemption decision signals that Bendigo Adelaide believes its capital position is sufficiently robust to retire this liability ahead of schedule rather than carry it to maturity. The bank has been explicit that this step does not indicate a broader strategy to redeem other regulatory capital instruments, noting that any future early redemption would require fresh APRA approval and individual consideration.

Each noteholder will receive face value of A$10,000 per note plus accrued interest on the record date of 6 October 2026. Payments will flow through the same channels used for previous interest distributions. The redemption follows the terms outlined in the original information memorandum from October 2020 and pricing supplement from October 2021, meaning the process unfolds within established contractual frameworks with no operational surprises expected.

For noteholders, the redemption eliminates extension risk and provides certainty around the timing and amount of final cash flows. The redemption also removes exposure to floating rate interest coupons beyond October, which may prove advantageous if rate expectations have shifted since the notes were issued. Settlement in October occurs against a backdrop of maturing bank balance sheets across the sector as Australian lenders manage evolving regulatory capital requirements.

The move sits comfortably within industry norms. Australian banks have progressively redeemed subordinated notes as their capital positions strengthened and they have rebalanced debt maturity profiles. This particular redemption suggests Bendigo Adelaide’s management is confident in earnings sustainability and capital generation. It reflects neither financial stress nor capital urgency, but rather active capital management from a position of reasonable strength.

Investors should track settlement execution in October and remain alert for any follow-up announcements regarding capital management or debt issuance. The bank’s language around future redemption possibilities warrants close attention for holders of other regulatory instruments. This announcement is price sensitive and has been flagged as material by the ASX.

View the full ASX announcement (PDF)

About Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited (ASX: BEN)

An Australian financial institution formed by the merger of Bendigo Bank and Adelaide Bank in 2007, headquartered in Bendigo. The bank provides retail banking, business banking, and financial services including personal loans, mortgages, investment products, insurance, and superannuation through more than 400 branches. It serves retail customers and small to medium-sized businesses across Australia.

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