Edgar Filing: RATCLIFF ROBERT T SR

Ownership Submission

FORM 4

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

RATCLIFF ROBERT T SR

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CLECO CORP [CNL]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

__X__ Director	_____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below)	_____ Other (specify below)

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

P.O. BOX 5000

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/15/2012

(Street)

PINEVILLE, LA 71361-5000

4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock, $1.00 par								42,459.241	D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Phantom Stock

⁽¹⁾

08/15/2012

174

⁽¹⁾

Common Stock, $1.00 par

174 ⁽¹⁾

$ 42.25

21,767.884 ⁽²⁾

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
RATCLIFF ROBERT T SR P.O. BOX 5000 PINEVILLE, LA 71361-5000	X

Signatures

Julia E. Callis, Atty-in-fact for Robert T. Ratcliff, Sr.		08/16/2012
^**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The shares of phantom stock relate to dividend reinvestment on shares of phantom stock pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Cleco Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan (the "Plan"). The reporting person has elected to defer receipt of these shares under the Plan. Each share of phantom stock is the economic equivalent of one share of Cleco Corporation common stock.
(2)	Includes 2,250 shares of phantom stock (not subject to restrictions) related to dividend reinvestment on shares of phantom stock pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Plan. Includes (a) 1,846 shares of phantom stock subject to restrictions that lapse on January 26, 2013; (b) 2,140 shares of phantom stock subject to restrictions that lapse on January 25, 2014; (c) 2,544 shares of phantom stock subject to restrictions that lapse on January 30, 2015; (d) 2,149 shares of phantom stock subject to restrictions that lapse on January 29, 2016; (e) 1,898 shares of phantom stock subject to restrictions that lapse on January 28, 2017 and (f) 1,717 shares of phantom stock subject to restrictions that lapse on January 27, 2018.

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