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): August 5, 2014

 

PEOPLES FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (617) 254-0707

 

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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

Item 8.01 Other Events

 

On August 5, 2014, Peoples Federal Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”), the parent of Peoples Federal Savings Bank (“Peoples Federal Savings”), and Independent Bank Corp. (“Independent”), the parent of Rockland Trust Company (“Rockland Trust”), announced via a joint press release on August 5, 2014 the signing of a definitive agreement and plan of merger under which Independent will acquire the Company, and Rockland Trust will acquire Peoples Federal Savings.

 

A copy of the joint press release issued by the Company and Independent announcing the transaction is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

 

Forward Looking Statements:

 

Certain statements contained in this filing that are not statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”), notwithstanding that such statements are not specifically identified.  In addition, certain statements may be contained in the future filings of Independent and the Company with the Securities Exchange Commission, in press releases and in oral and written statements made by or with the approval of Independent and the Company that are not statements of historical fact and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) statements about the benefits of the merger, including future financial and operating results, cost savings, enhanced revenues and accretion to reported earnings that may be realized from the merger; (ii) statements of plans, objectives and management expectations; (iii) statements of future economic performance; and (iv) statements of assumptions underlying such statements. Words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “targeted,” “continue,” “remain,” “will,” “should,” “may” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.

 

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to: (i) the risk that the businesses involved in the merger will not be integrated successfully or such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming, or costly than expected; (ii) expected revenue synergies and cost savings from the merger may not be fully realized or realized within the expected time frame; (iii) revenues following the merger may be lower than expected; (iv) deposit attrition, operating costs, customer loss, and business disruption following the merger, including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, may be greater than expected; (v) the ability to obtain governmental approvals of the merger on the proposed terms and schedule; (vi)  local, regional, national and international economic conditions and the impact they may have on the parties to the merger and their customers; (vii) changes in interest rates, spreads on earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, and interest rate sensitivity; (viii) prepayment speeds, loan originations and credit losses; (ix) sources of liquidity; (x) shares of common stock outstanding and common stock price volatility; (xi) fair value of and number of stock-based compensation awards to be issued in future periods; (xii) legislation affecting the financial services industry as a whole, and/or the parties and

 

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their subsidiaries individually or collectively; (xiii) regulatory supervision and oversight, including required capital levels; (xiv) increasing price and product/service competition by competitors, including new entrants; (xv) rapid technological developments and changes; (xvi) the parties’ ability to continue to introduce competitive new products and services on a timely, cost-effective basis; (xvii) the mix of products/services; (xviii) containing costs and expenses; (xix) governmental and public policy changes; (xx) protection and validity of intellectual property rights; (xxi) reliance on large customers; (xxii) technological, implementation and cost/financial risks in large, multi-year contracts; (xxiii) the outcome of pending and future litigation and governmental proceedings; (xxiv) continued availability of financing; (xxv) financial resources in the amounts, at the times and on the terms required to support the parties’ future businesses; and (xxvi) material differences in the actual financial results of merger and acquisition activities compared with expectations, including the full realization of anticipated cost savings and revenue enhancements. Additional factors that could cause Independent’s and the Company’s results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Independent’s and the Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the proposed transaction or other matters and attributable to the parties or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements referenced above. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made. The parties undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

 

Additional Information and Where to Find it:

 

In connection with the Merger, Independent will file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that will include a Proxy Statement of the Company and a Prospectus of Independent, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction.  Shareholders are urged to read the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement/Prospectus regarding the Merger when it becomes available and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they will contain important information. You will be able to obtain a free copy of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Independent and the Company at the SEC’s Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). You will also be able to obtain these documents free of charge for Independent, at www.rocklandtrust.com under the tab “Investor Relations” and then under the heading “SEC Filings” and for the Company at http://investors.pfsb.com under the tab “Financial Information”. Copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and the SEC filings that will be incorporated by reference in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus can also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a request to Investor Relations, Independent Bank Corp., 288 Union Street, Rockland, Massachusetts 02370, (781) 982-6737 or to Investor Relations, Peoples Federal Bancshares, Inc., 435 Market Street, Brighton, Massachusetts 02135, (617) 254-0707.

 

Participants in the Solicitation:

 

The Company, Independent, and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company shareholders in connection with the proposed Merger.  Information about the Company’s directors and executive officers is set forth in

 

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the proxy statement for its 2014 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on January 14, 2014.  Information about Independent’s directors and executive officers is set forth in the proxy statement for its 2014 annual meeting of shareholders as filed with the SEC on March 25, 2014.  Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the proxy solicitation may be obtained by reading the Proxy Statement/Prospectus regarding the Merger when it becomes available.  You may obtain free copies of this document as described in the preceding paragraph.

 

Item 9.01.                                        Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(a)                               Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired.	Not Applicable.
(b)                               Pro Forma Financial Information.	Not Applicable.
(c)                                Shell Company Transactions.	Not Applicable.

 

(d)                                 Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press Release, dated August 5, 2014

 

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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.

 

		PEOPLES FEDERAL BANCSHARES, INC.
DATE: August 5, 2014	By:	/s/ Maurice H. Sullivan, Jr.
		Maurice H. Sullivan, Jr.
		Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

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