SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): June 30, 2015
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Horizon Bancorp
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(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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Indiana
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000-10792
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35-1562417
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(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
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(Commission File Number)
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(IRS Employer Identification No.)
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515 Franklin Square, Michigan City, Indiana
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46360
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
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(Zip Code)
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(219) 879-0211
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(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
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(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
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☒
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
Horizon Bancorp (the “Company”) intends to present financial and other information to the Company’s shareholders at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on June 30, 2015. The slides for the presentation are attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report and are incorporated by reference into this Item 7.01.
This information is furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. The filing of this Current Report shall not been deemed an admission as to the materiality of any information in the Current Report that is required to be disclosed solely by reason of Regulation FD.
A cautionary note about forward-looking statements: This Current Report and the presentation materials may contain forward-looking statements regarding the financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies of Horizon. For these statements, Horizon claims the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in the presentation materials should be considered in conjunction with the other information available about Horizon, including the information in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. We have tried, wherever possible, to identify such statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance.
Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include risk factors relating to the banking industry and the other factors detailed from time to time in Horizon’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described in Horizon’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Horizon does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to update any forward-looking statement to reflect the events or circumstances after the date on which the forward-looking statement is made, or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.
Item 8.01 Other Events.
The Company is filing the slide presentation for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders with the SEC pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with the proposed merger transaction between the Company and Peoples Bancorp.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
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Exhibit No.
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Description
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99.1
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Slide Presentation for Annual Meeting of Shareholders on June 30, 2015
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereto duly authorized.
Date: June 30, 2015
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Horizon Bancorp
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By:
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/s/ Mark E. Secor |
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Mark E. Secor
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.
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Description
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Location
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99.1
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Slide Presentation for Annual Meeting of Shareholders on June 30, 2015
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Attached
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Filed by Horizon Bancorp
Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933 and
deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Subject Company: Horizon Bancorp
Commission File No. 000-10792
This filing relates to the proposed merger transaction between Horizon Bancorp (“Horizon”) and Peoples Bancorp (“Peoples”) pursuant to the terms of an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of February 18, 2015 (the “Merger Agreement”) between Horizon and Peoples. The Merger Agreement is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Horizon on February 19, 2015.
Forward-Looking Statements
This filing contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act giving Horizon’s expectations or predictions of future financial or business performance or conditions. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “target,” “estimate,” “continue,” “positions,” “prospects” or “potential,” by future conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may”, or by variations of such words or by similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and we assume no duty to update forward-looking statements. In addition to factors previously disclosed in Horizon’s reports filed with the SEC, the following factors among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: ability to obtain regulatory approvals and meet other closing conditions to the merger, including approval by Horizon’s and Peoples’ shareholders, on the expected terms and schedule; delay in closing the merger; difficulties and delays in integrating Horizon’s and Peoples’ businesses or fully realizing cost savings and other benefits; business disruption following the merger; changes in asset quality and credit risk; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates and capital markets; inflation; customer acceptance of Horizon’s products and services; customer borrowing, repayment, investment, and deposit practices; customer disintermediation; the introduction, withdrawal, success, and timing of business initiatives; competitive conditions; the inability to realize cost savings or revenues or to implement integration plans and other consequences associated with mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; economic conditions; and the impact, extent, and timing of technological changes, capital management activities, and other actions of the Federal Reserve Board and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms, including those associated with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Additional Information for Shareholders
In connection with the proposed merger, Horizon has filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a Joint Proxy Statement of Peoples and Horizon as well as a Prospectus of Horizon, and other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. SHAREHOLDERS AND INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE MERGER AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. The joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials, and any other documents Horizon has filed with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents Horizon has filed with the SEC by contacting Dona Lucker, Shareholder Relations Officer, 515 Franklin Square, Michigan City, Indiana 46360, telephone: (219) 874-9272, or on Horizon’s website at www.horizonbank.com, under the tab “About Us” and then under the heading “Investor Relations” and then “SEC Filings”. The information available through Horizon’s website is not and shall not be deemed part of this filing or incorporated by reference into other filings Horizon makes with the SEC. This report does not constitute an offer of any securities for sale.
Participants in the Transaction
Horizon, Peoples and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Horizon’s and Peoples’ shareholders in connection with the proposed merger under the rules of the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of Horizon is set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2015. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph. Additional information regarding the interests of these participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction may be obtained by reading the joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed merger.
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