Current Report Filing (8-k)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 7, 2021

NICOLET BANKSHARES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Wisconsin

001-37700

47-0871001

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

(Commission
File Number)

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

111 North Washington Street

Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301

(Address of principal executive offices)

(920) 430-1400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

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:


			☒			Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)


			☐			Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)


			☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))


			☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share	NCBS	The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter.)

Emerging Growth Company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐


Item 1.01			Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On July 7, 2021, Nicolet Bankshares, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with certain qualified institutional buyers and institutional accredited investors (collectively, the “Purchasers”) pursuant to which the Company issued and sold $100 million in aggregate principal amount of its 3.125% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”). The Notes were offered and sold by the Company to the Purchasers in a private offering in reliance on the Section 4(a)(2) exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the provisions of Regulation D thereunder. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, which may include funding additional loan growth, common stock share repurchases and acquisitions.

The Notes mature on July 15, 2031 and bear interest at a fixed annual rate of 3.125%, payable semi-annually in arrears, to but excluding July 15, 2026. From and including July 15, 2026 to but excluding the maturity date or early redemption date, the interest rate will reset quarterly to an interest rate per annum initially equal to the then-current three-month Secured Overnight Financing Rate provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York plus 237.5 basis points, payable quarterly in arrears. The Company is entitled to redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after July 15, 2026, and to redeem the Notes at any time in whole upon certain other events. Any redemption of the Notes will be subject to prior regulatory approval to the extent required.

On July 7, 2021, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with the Purchasers. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has agreed to take certain actions to provide for the exchange of the Notes for subordinated notes that are registered under the Securities Act and have substantially the same terms as the Notes (the “Exchange Notes”). Under certain circumstances, if the Company fails to meet its obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, it would be required to pay additional interest to the holders of the Notes.

The Notes were issued under an Indenture, dated July 7, 2021 (the “Indenture”), by and between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. The Notes are not subject to any sinking fund and are not convertible into or, other than with respect to the Exchange Notes, exchangeable for any other securities or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The Notes are not subject to redemption at the option of the holders. The Notes are unsecured, subordinated obligations of the Company only and are not obligations of, and are not guaranteed by, any subsidiary of the Company. The Notes rank junior in right to payment to the Company’s current and future senior indebtedness. The Notes are intended to qualify as Tier 2 capital for regulatory capital purposes for the Company if applicable.

The form of Purchase Agreement, the form of Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture and the form of Note are attached as Exhibits 10.1, 10.2, 4.1, and 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing descriptions of the Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the complete text of the relevant exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K.


Item 2.03			Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The information set forth under Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K and the full text of the Indenture and form of Note, which are attached hereto as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, are incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.


Item 7.01			Regulation FD Disclosure.

On July 7, 2021, the Company issued a press release announcing the completion of the offering of the Notes, a copy of which is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.

In connection with the offering of the Notes, the Company delivered an investor presentation to potential investors on a confidential basis, a copy of which is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.2.

As provided in General Instruction B.2 to Form 8-K, the information furnished in Item 7.01, Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 of this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, and such information shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing or as set forth in Item 8.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K.


Item 8.01			Other Events.

The portions of the investor presentation that relate solely to the proposed mergers between the Company and Mackinac Financial Corporation and between the Company and County Bancorp, Inc. are being filed herewith as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K in compliance with Rule 425 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


Item 9.01			Financial Statements and Exhibits.


Exhibit No.						Description of Exhibit
4.1						Indenture, dated as of July 7, 2021, by and between Nicolet Bankshares, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee
4.2						Form of 3.125% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Note due 2031 of Nicolet Bankshares, Inc.
10.1						Form of Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 7, 2021, by and between Nicolet Bankshares, Inc. and the several Purchasers.
10.2						Form of Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of July 7, 2021, by and between Nicolet Bankshares, Inc. and the several Purchasers.
99.1						Press Release, dated July 7, 2021
99.2						Investor Presentation, dated as of June 2021
104						Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.

Signatures

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 hereunto duly authorized.