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): February 27, 2013

       ESSA Bancorp, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Pennsylvania	001-33384	20-8023072
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File No.)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

200 Palmer Street, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania	18360
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (570) 421-0531

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):

[  ]  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))

Item 8.01.                      Other Events

On February 27, 2013, the Board of Directors of ESSA Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) announced that the Company would make a payment of a cash dividend of $0.05 per share of common stock.  This dividend shall be paid to stockholders of record as of March 16, 2013, payable on March 30, 2013.

A copy of the press releases announcing this item is attached as Exhibit 99.1.

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 issued by the Company on
February 27, 2013 announcing the issuance
of a cash dividend.

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.

 ESSA BANCORP, INC.

DATE:  February 28, 2013                                                                           By:           /s/ Gary S. Olson                                                      

                     Gary S. Olson, President and

                                       Chief Executive Officer

EX-99.1

ESSA BANCORP, INC.

Date:                                February 27, 2013

Contact:                          Gary S. Olson, President & CEO

Corporate Office:            200 Palmer Street
                                          Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 18360

Telephone:                      (570) 421-0531

ESSA BANCORP, INC.

DECLARES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, February 27, 2013 — ESSA Bancorp, Inc. announced that the Board of Directors declared a dividend of five cents ($0.05) per share to shareholders of record as of March 16, 2013, payable on March 30, 2013.  This will be the twentieth consecutive quarter ESSA Bancorp, Inc. has paid a dividend.  ESSA Bancorp, Inc. became a public company in April 2007.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods, or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “may,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “continue,” or similar terms or variations on those terms, or the negative of those terms. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those related to the economic environment, particularly in the market areas in which the Company operates, competitive products and pricing, fiscal and monetary policies of the U.S. Government, changes in government regulations affecting financial institutions, including regulatory fees and capital requirements, changes in prevailing interest rates, acquisitions and the integration of acquired businesses, credit risk management, asset-liability management, the financial and securities markets and the availability of and costs associated with sources of liquidity.

Corporate Center:  200 Palmer Street  PO Box L  Stroudsburg, PA 18360-0160  570-421-0531   Fax: 570-421-7158

The Company wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company wishes to advise readers that the factors listed above could affect the Company's financial performance and could cause the Company's actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements. The Company does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions, which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

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