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): June 30, 2023

FIRST GUARANTY BANCSHARES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Louisiana	001-37621	26-0513559
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)		Identification Number)
400 East Thomas Street
Hammond, Louisiana		70401
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)
(985) 345-7685
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box 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 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 (§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. ☐

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, $1 par value	FGBI	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Depositary Shares (each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of 6.75% Series A Fixed-Rate Non-Cumulative perpetual preferred stock)	FGBIP	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Item 8.01 Other Events

On June 30, 2023, First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. released a letter to Shareholders.

The letter is enclosed as Exhibit 99.1 to this report. The information in Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit 99.1 Letter to Shareholders dated June 30, 2023.

Forward Looking Statements

This letter contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are any statements other than statements of historical fact which represent our current judgement about possible future events. We believe these judgements are reasonable, but these statements are not guarantees of any future events or financial results, and our actual results may differ materially due to a variety of factors, many of which are described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements.

Important Information and Where to Find It

This Report does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval with respect to the proposed acquisition by First Guaranty of Lone Star Bank (“Lone Star”). No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy shall be made in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

In connection with the proposed Transaction, First Guaranty has filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of Lone Star and a prospectus of First Guaranty (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”), and First Guaranty may file with the SEC other relevant documents concerning the proposed Transaction. The definitive Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be mailed to shareholders of Lone Star. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISIONS, SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC BY FIRST GUARANTY, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FIRST GUARANTY, FGB, LONE STAR AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

Free copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about First Guaranty, may be obtained at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) when they are filed by First Guaranty. You will also be able to obtain these documents, when they are filed, free of charge, from First Guaranty at www.fgb.net under the heading “SEC Filings.” Copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus can also be obtained, when it becomes available, free of charge, by directing a request to First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc., 400 East Thomas Street, Hammond, Louisiana 70401, Attn: Investor Relations, (985) 375-0343.

Participants in the Solicitation

This Report is not a solicitation of a proxy from any security holder of Lone Star. However, Lone Star and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Lone Star in respect of the proposed Transaction. Information about Lone Star’s directors and executive officers will be contained in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed 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/Prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.

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. 

	FIRST GUARANTY BANCSHARES, INC.
	(Registrant)
Date: July 5, 2023
	By:	/s/Eric J. Dosch
		Eric J. Dosch
		Chief Financial Officer

 INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit Number	Description
Exhibit 99.1	First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. Letter to Shareholders dated June 30, 2023

 

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

June 30, 2023

First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc. Letter to Shareholders

Dear Shareholders,

120 consecutive quarterly dividends. That is 30 years of consecutive quarterly dividends. How is that for an investment?

It continues. Our loan demand continues to be strong, up slightly from the end of the first quarter 2023. In response to the pressure we are feeling in interest expense, our loan income interest continues to increase. New and renewed loans in June 2023 averaged a rate of 7.87% compared to 5.17% for the same period of 2022. Loan interest income on a daily rate for June 2023 was approximately $443,000 whereas interest expense was only approximately $241,000 per day. We are definitely along the right track.

The only negative for the month of June 2023 was that the FDIC has increased our premium, however this was partially offset by payroll tax credits.

No problem. We have handled this. We continue to be profitable. We continue to make quarterly dividends. We continue to build a stronger and safer balance sheet for our shareholders.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

Alton B. Lewis

President/CEO

Forward Looking Statements

This letter contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are any statements other than statements of historical fact which represent our current judgement about possible future events. We believe these judgements are reasonable, but these statements are not guarantees of any future events or financial results, and our actual results may differ materially due to a variety of factors, many of which are described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements.

Important Information and Where to Find It

This Report does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval with respect to the proposed acquisition by First Guaranty of Lone Star Bank (“Lone Star”). No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy shall be made in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

In connection with the proposed Transaction, First Guaranty has filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of Lone Star and a prospectus of First Guaranty (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Proxy Statement/Prospectus”), and First Guaranty may file with the SEC other relevant documents concerning the proposed Transaction. The definitive Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be mailed to shareholders of Lone Star. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISIONS, SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC BY FIRST GUARANTY, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FIRST GUARANTY, FGB, LONE STAR AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

Free copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about First Guaranty, may be obtained at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) when they are filed by First Guaranty. You will also be able to obtain these documents, when they are filed, free of charge, from First Guaranty at www.fgb.net under the heading “SEC Filings.” Copies of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus can also be obtained, when it becomes available, free of charge, by directing a request to First Guaranty Bancshares, Inc., 400 East Thomas Street, Hammond, Louisiana 70401, Attn: Investor Relations, (985) 375-0343.

Participants in the Solicitation

This Report is not a solicitation of a proxy from any security holder of Lone Star. However, Lone Star and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Lone Star in respect of the proposed Transaction. Information about Lone Star’s directors and executive officers will be contained in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed 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/Prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.

XML

Cover	Jun. 30, 2023
Document Information [Line Items]
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Central Index Key	0001408534
Document Type	8-K
Document Period End Date	Jun. 30, 2023
Entity Registrant Name	FIRST GUARANTY BANCSHARES, INC.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	LA
Entity File Number	001-37621
Entity Tax Identification Number	26-0513559
Entity Address, Address Line One	400 East Thomas Street
Entity Address, City or Town	Hammond
Entity Address, State or Province	LA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	70401
City Area Code	345-7685
City Area Code	(985)
Written Communications	true
Soliciting Material	false
Amendment Flag	false
Common Stock
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $1 par value
Trading Symbol	FGBI
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Noncumulative Preferred Stock
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Depositary Shares (each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of 6.75% Series A Fixed-Rate Non-Cumulative perpetual preferred stock)
Trading Symbol	FGBIP
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ