Edgar Filing: RENASANT CORP

RENASANT CORPORATION

Date: March 28, 2018

/s/ E. Robinson McGraw

E. Robinson McGraw

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

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

March 28, 2018

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)

RENASANT CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Mississippi

001-13253

64-0676974

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

209 Troy Street, Tupelo, Mississippi 38804-4827

(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (662) 680-1001

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))

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.

On March 28, 2018, Renasant Corporation, a Mississippi corporation (“Renasant”), and Brand Group Holdings, Inc., a Georgia corporation (“Brand”), jointly announced the execution of an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated March 28, 2018 by and among Renasant and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Renasant Bank, a Mississippi banking corporation, on the one hand, and Brand and its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Brand Banking Company, a Georgia banking corporation (“Brand Bank”), on the other hand (the “Merger Agreement”), providing for, among other things, the merger of Brand with and into Renasant, with Renasant the surviving corporation in the merger, and the subsequent merger of Brand Bank with and into Renasant Bank, with Renasant Bank the surviving banking corporation in the merger. A copy of the joint press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

In addition, Renasant provided supplemental information regarding the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement in connection with a presentation to analysts and investors. A copy of the investor presentation is attached as Exhibit 99.2 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference. This investor presentation is also accessible online at www.renasant.com by accessing the News and Market Data/Presentation link under the Investor Relations tab.

Additional Information about the Renasant/Brand Transaction

This report is being made in respect of the proposed merger transaction involving Renasant and Brand. In connection with the proposed merger, Renasant intends to file a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement for Brand and a prospectus of Renasant, and Renasant will file other relevant documents concerning the proposed merger, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). This report does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. BEFORE MAKING ANY INVESTMENT DECISION, BRAND INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED MERGER OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT RENASANT, BRAND AND THE PROPOSED MERGER. When available, the proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to shareholders of Brand. Investors will also be able to obtain copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed by Renasant (when they become available) free of charge at the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). In addition, documents filed with the SEC by Renasant will be available free of charge from Kevin Chapman, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Renasant Corporation, 209 Troy Street, Tupelo, Mississippi 38804-4827, telephone: (662) 680-1450.

“Safe Harbor” Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This report contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 about Renasant, Brand or the combined company that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Congress passed the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 in an effort to encourage companies to provide information about their anticipated future financial performance. This act provides a safe harbor for such disclosure, which protects a company from unwarranted litigation if actual results are different from management expectations. Forward-looking statements include information concerning the future financial performance, business strategy, projected plans and objectives of Renasant, Brand and the combined company. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Renasant’s and Brand’s management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Renasant’s or Brand’s management. Renasant’s, Brand’s or the combined company’s actual results may differ from those indicated or implied in the forward-looking statements, and such differences may be material. Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” “may increase,” “may fluctuate,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” and “could,” are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts. Investors should understand that, in addition to factors previously disclosed in Renasant’s reports filed with the SEC and those identified elsewhere in this report, forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about (1) the expected benefits of the transaction between Renasant and Brand, including future financial and operating results, cost savings, enhanced revenues and the expected market position of the combined company that may be realized from the transaction, and (2) Renasant’s and Brand’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this report that are not historical facts.

The following risks, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: (1) the businesses of Renasant and Brand may not be integrated successfully or the integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; (2) the expected growth opportunities or costs savings from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; (3) revenues following the transaction may be lower than expected as a result of losses of customers or other reasons; (4) deposit attrition, operating costs, customer loss and business disruption following the transaction, including difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, may be greater than expected; (5) governmental approvals of the transaction may not be obtained on the proposed terms or expected timeframe; (6) Brand’s shareholders may fail to approve the transaction; (7) the terms of the proposed transaction may need to be modified to satisfy such approvals or conditions; (8) reputational risks and the reaction of the companies’ customers to the transaction; (9) diversion of management time on merger related issues; (10) changes in asset quality and credit risk; (11) inflation; (12) the cost and availability of capital; (13) customer acceptance of the combined company’s products and services; (14) customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices; (15) the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives; (16) the impact, extent, and timing of technological changes; (17) severe catastrophic events in the companies’ respective geographic area; (18) a weakening of the economies in which the combined company will conduct operations may adversely affect its operating results; (19) the U.S. legal and regulatory framework, including those associated with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, could adversely affect the operating results of the combined company; (20) the interest rate environment may compress margins and adversely affect net interest income; and (21) competition from other financial services companies in the companies’ markets could adversely affect operations.

Additional factors that could cause Renasant’s results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Renasant’s reports (such as annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K) filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Renasant, Brand or the proposed merger or other matters and attributable to Renasant, Brand or any person acting on either of their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Renasant and Brand expressly disclaim any duty to update or revise any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section.

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)	Exhibits.


Exhibit Number		Description of Exhibit

99.1		Joint press release dated March 28, 2018 issued by Renasant Corporation and Brand Group Holdings, Inc.

99.2		Presentation materials, dated March 28, 2018.

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.