Wintrust Financial Corp. filed an automatic shelf registration statement for the sale of an unspecified amount of its securities from time to time.

The filing covers the potential sale of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, depositary shares, stock purchase contracts, stock purchase units and warrants.

Wintrust intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes, including investments at the holding company level; providing capital to support growth; acquisitions or other business combinations, including FDIC-assisted acquisitions; and reducing or refinancing existing debt. Net proceeds may also temporarily be invested in short-term securities, used to reduce short-term debt, or may be held in deposit accounts in subsidiary banks.

The Rosemont, Ill.-based company noted in the filing that it will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any common shares by any selling shareholder.