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): April 12, 2023
National Instruments Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
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| 000-25426
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| 74-1871327
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| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
| (Commission File Number) |
| (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
11500 North MoPac Expressway
Austin, Texas 78759
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(512) 683-0100
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
N/A
(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):
☐
| 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)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered |
Common Stock, $0.01 par value
| NATI
| The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
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Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
| N/A | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
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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. ☐
On April 12, 2023, National Instruments Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Emerson Electric Co., a Missouri corporation (“Parent”), issued a joint press release (the “Press Release”) announcing the execution of an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 12, 2023, pursuant to which, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent will merge with and into the Company, with the Company surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. A copy of the Press Release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| Exhibit No. |
| Description |
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| Press Release, dated as of April 12, 2023. |
| 104 |
| Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
Additional Information and Where to Find It
This Current Report on Form 8-K relates to the proposed transaction involving the Company. In connection with the proposed transaction, the Company will file relevant materials with the SEC, including the Company’s proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”). This Current Report on Form 8-K is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or for any other document that the Company may file with the SEC and send to its stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. The proposed transaction will be submitted to the Company’s stockholders for their consideration. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, THE COMPANY’S STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING THE PROXY STATEMENT, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.
The Company’s stockholders will be able to obtain a free copy of the Proxy Statement, as well as other filings containing information about the Company, without charge, at the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). Copies of the Proxy Statement and the filings with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference therein can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to National Instruments Corporation, 11500 North Mopac Expressway, Austin, Texas 78759, Attention: Investor Relations; telephone (512) 683-5215, or from the Company’s website www.ni.com.
Participants in the Solicitation
The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding the Company’s directors and executive officers is available in the Company’s proxy statement for the 2023 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 27, 2023. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the Proxy Statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction when they become available. Free copies of the Proxy Statement and such other materials may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements include those set forth above relating to the proposed transaction as well as those that may be identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “will,” “intend to,” “project,” “predict,” “anticipate,” “continue,” “seek to,” “strive to,” “endeavor to,” “are committed to,” “remain committed to,” “focus on,” “are encouraged by,” “remain cautious,” “remain optimistic” or “estimate”; statements of “goals,” “initiatives,” “commitments,” “strategy”, “focus” or “visions”; or other variations thereof or comparable terminology or the negative thereof. All forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections of future events. We claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for all forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of important factors which could affect our future results and could cause those results or other outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation: the global shortage of key components; effect of the global economic and geopolitical conditions; our international operations and foreign economies; adverse public health matters, including epidemics and pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic; our ability to effectively manage our partners and distribution channels; interruptions in our technology systems or cyber-attacks on our systems; the dependency of our product revenue on certain industries and the risk of contractions in such industries; concentration of credit risk and uncertain conditions in the global financial markets; our ability to compete in markets that are highly competitive; our ability to release successful new products or achieve expected returns; the risk that our manufacturing capacity and a substantial majority of our warehousing and distribution capacity are located outside of the U.S.; our dependence on key suppliers and distributors; longer delivery lead times from our suppliers; risk of product liability claims; dependence on our proprietary rights and risks of intellectual property litigation; the continued service of key management, technical personnel and operational employees; our ability to comply with environmental laws and associated costs; our ability to maintain our website; the risks of bugs, vulnerabilities, errors or design flaws in our products; our restructuring activities; our exposure to large orders; our shift to more system orders; our ability to effectively manage our operating expenses and meet budget; fluctuations in our financial results due to factors outside of our control; our outstanding debt; the interest rate risk associated with our variable rate indebtedness; seasonal variation in our revenues; our ability to comply with laws and regulations; changes in tax rates and exposure to additional tax liabilities; our ability to make certain acquisitions or dispositions, integrate the companies we acquire or separate the companies we sold and/or enter into strategic relationships; risks related to currency fluctuations; provisions in charter documents and Delaware law that delay or prevent our acquisition; the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the proposed transaction that could cause the parties to terminate the Merger Agreement; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement; the possibility that our stockholders may not approve the proposed transaction; the risk that the parties to the Merger Agreement may not be able to satisfy the conditions to the proposed transaction in a timely manner or at all; risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of our common stock; the risk of any unexpected costs or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; the risk of any litigation relating to the proposed transaction; the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of the Company to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, stockholders and other business relationships and on its operating results and business generally; and the risk the pending proposed transaction could distract management of the Company. The Company directs readers to its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the other documents it files with the SEC for other risks associated with the Company’s future performance. These documents contain and identify important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in our forward-looking statements. All information in this Current Report on Form 8-K is as of the date above. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company’s expectations.
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 hereunto duly authorized.
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| NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION |
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| By: | /s/ R. Eddie Dixon, Jr. |
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| Name: | R. Eddie Dixon, Jr. |
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| Title: | Chief Legal Officer, Senior Vice President & Secretary |
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| Date: April 12, 2023 |
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