UNITED STATES
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
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):July 31, 2017
SANDY SPRING BANCORP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Maryland | 000-19065 | 52-1532952 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
17801 Georgia Avenue, Olney, Maryland 20832
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:(301) 774-6400
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:
| x | 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)) |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).
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 8.01 | Other Events. |
The management of Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) will participate in the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods 2017 Community Bank Investor Conference in New York, NY on August 1 - 2, 2017. Daniel J. Schrider, President and CEO of the Company will meet with analysts and institutional investors, and will provide the attached investor presentation on August 1 and 2, 2017. A copy of the presentation will be made available on the Company’s website (http://www.sandyspringbank.com) and is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits. | ||
| Exhibit No. | Description | ||
| 99.1 | Presentation for the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods 2017 Community Bank Investor Conference |
Forward-looking Statements
This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc. (“Sandy Spring”) and WashingtonFirst Bankshares, Inc. (“WashingtonFirst”). Forward-looking statements, which may be based upon beliefs, expectations and assumptions of Sandy Spring’s and WashingtonFirst’s management and on information currently available to management, are generally identifiable by the use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “intend,” “outlook,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should” or other similar words and 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 neither Sandy Spring nor WashingtonFirst undertakes any obligation to update any statement in light of new information or future events. Annualized, pro forma, projected and estimated numbers are used for illustrative purpose only, are not forecasts and may not reflect actual results.
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In addition to factors previously disclosed in Sandy Spring’s and WashingtonFirst’s reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the following factors among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in its forward-looking statements: (i) the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction between Sandy Spring and WashingtonFirst will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; (ii) the risk that integration of operations of WashingtonFirst with those of Sandy Spring will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected; (iii) the inability to complete the proposed transaction due to the failure of required shareholder approvals; (iv) the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the proposed transaction, including receipt of required regulatory and other approvals; (v) the failure of the proposed transaction to close for any other reason; (vi) the effect of the announcement of the transaction on customer relationships and operating results; (vii) the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; (viii) general economic conditions and trends, either nationally or locally; (ix) conditions in the securities markets; (x) changes in interest rates; (xi) changes in deposit flows, and in the demand for deposit, loan, and investment products and other financial services; (xii) changes in real estate values; (xiii) changes in the quality or composition of Sandy Spring’s or WashingtonFirst’s loan or investment portfolios; (xiv) changes in competitive pressures among financial institutions or from non-financial institutions; (xv) the ability to retain key members of management; and (xvi) changes in legislation, regulations, and policies.
Additional Information About the Acquisition and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed merger transaction, Sandy Spring has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a Joint Proxy Statement of Sandy Spring and WashingtonFirst, and a Prospectus of Sandy Spring, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. Shareholders are urged to read the Registration Statement and the Joint 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 about Sandy Spring, WashingtonFirst and the proposed merger.
A free copy of the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Sandy Spring and WashingtonFirst, may be obtained at the SEC’s Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). You will also be able to obtain these documents, free of charge, from Sandy Spring at www.sandyspringbank.com under the tab “Investor Relations,” and then under the heading “SEC Filings” or from WashingtonFirst by accessing WashingtonFirst’s website at www.wfbi.com under the tab “Investor Relations,” and then selecting “SEC Filings” under the heading “Documents and Filings.” Alternatively, these documents, when available, can be obtained free of charge from Sandy Spring upon written request to Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc., Corporate Secretary, 17801 Georgia Avenue, Olney, Maryland 20832 or by calling (800) 399-5919, or from WashingtonFirst, upon written request to WashingtonFirst Bankshares, Inc., Corporate Secretary, 11921 Freedom Drive, Suite 250, Reston, Virginia 20190 or by calling (703) 840-2410.
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Participants in the Solicitation
Sandy Spring and WashingtonFirst and certain of their directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Sandy Spring and WashingtonFirst in connection with the proposed merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of Sandy Spring is set forth in the proxy statement for Sandy Spring’s 2017 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on a Schedule 14A on March 22, 2017. Information about the directors and executive officers of WashingtonFirst is set forth in the proxy statement for WashingtonFirst’s 2017 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on a Schedule 14A on March 14, 2017. Additional information regarding the interests of those 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 when it becomes available. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.
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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.
| SANDY SPRING BANCORP, INC. | |||
| (Registrant) | |||
| Date: July 31, 2017 | By: | /s/ Philip J. Mantua | |
| Philip J. Mantua | |||
| Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |||
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