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): December 6, 2023

EngageSmart, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-40835	83-2785225
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

30 Braintree Hill Office Park
Suite 101
Braintree, Massachusetts	02184
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

(781) 848-3733

(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:

☐ 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))

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, $0.001 par value per share	ESMT	The New York Stock Exchange

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. ☐

Item 8.01 Other Events.

As previously announced, on October 23, 2023, EngageSmart, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Icefall Parent, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and an affiliate of Vista Equity Partners (“Parent”), and Icefall Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), providing for the merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company surviving the Merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. The consummation of the Merger is conditioned upon, among other things, the expiration or termination of any waiting periods applicable to the consummation of the Merger under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (the “HSR Act”). The Company and Parent made the necessary filings under the HSR Act with the FTC and the DOJ on November 6, 2023. The required waiting period under the HSR Act with respect to the Merger expired at 11:59 p.m., Eastern time on December 6, 2023.

The consummation of the Merger remains subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders and the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Form 8-K includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements related to the proposed merger of the Company with Vista (the “Transaction”), including financial estimates and statements as to the expected timing, completion and effects of the Transaction. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations, estimates and projections regarding, among other things, the expected date of closing of the Transaction and the potential benefits thereof, its business and industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by the Company, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements often contain words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “aims,” “plan,” “believe,” “could,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “may,” “would,” “might,” “considered,” “potential,” “estimate,” “continue,” “likely,” “expect,” “target” or similar expressions or the negatives of these words or other comparable terminology that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. By their nature, forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend upon future circumstances that may or may not occur, such as the consummation of the Transaction and the anticipated benefits thereof. These and other forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (i) the completion of the Transaction on anticipated terms and timing, including obtaining required stockholder and regulatory approvals, and the satisfaction of other conditions to the completion of the Transaction; (ii) the ability of affiliates of Vista to obtain the necessary financing arrangements set forth in the commitment letters received in connection with the Transaction; (iii) litigation relating to the Transaction that has been or could be instituted against Vista, General Atlantic, the Company or their respective directors, managers or officers, including the effects of any outcomes related thereto; (iv) the risk that disruptions from the Transaction will harm the Company’s business, including current plans and operations; (v) the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel; (vi) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the Transaction; (vii) continued availability of capital and financing and rating agency actions;

(viii) legislative, regulatory and economic developments affecting the Company’s business; (ix) general economic and market developments and conditions; (x) potential business uncertainty, including changes to existing business relationships, during the pendency of the Transaction that could affect the Company’s financial performance; (xi) certain restrictions during the pendency of the Transaction that may impact the Company’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; (xii) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including but not limited to acts of terrorism, pandemics, outbreaks of war or hostilities, as well as the Company’s response to any of the aforementioned factors; (xiii) significant transaction costs associated with the Transaction; (xiv) the possibility that the Transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; (xv) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Transaction, including in circumstances requiring the Company to pay a termination fee or other expenses; (xvi) competitive responses to the Transaction; (xvii) the risks and uncertainties pertaining to the Company’s business, including those set forth in Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Part II, Item 1A of the Company’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as such risk factors may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports filed by the Company with the SEC; and (xviii) the risks and uncertainties that will be described in the proxy statement available from the sources indicated below. These risks, as well as other risks associated with the Transaction, will be more fully discussed in the proxy statement. While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of factors to be presented in the proxy statement will be, considered representative, no such list should be considered a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Consequences of material differences in results as compared with those anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include, among other things, business disruption, operational problems, financial loss, legal liability to third parties and similar risks, any of which could have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, credit rating or liquidity. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company does not undertake to and specifically disclaims any obligation to publicly release the results of any updates or revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect future events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Important Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the Transaction, the Company has filed with the SEC a preliminary proxy statement. The Company will file with the SEC a definitive proxy statement, which will be sent or provided to Company stockholders prior to the special meeting of stockholders. The Company and affiliates of the Company have jointly filed a transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3 (the “Schedule 13E-3”). The Company may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the Transaction. This Form 8-K is not a substitute for the proxy statement, the Schedule 13E-3 or any other document which the Company may file with the SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT, THE SCHEDULE 13E-3 AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the proxy statement, Schedule 13E-3 and other documents that are filed or will be filed with the SEC by the Company through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, the Company’s website at www.investors.EngageSmart.com or by contacting the Company’s Investor Relations Team at IR@engagesmart.com.

The Transaction will be implemented solely pursuant to the Merger Agreement dated as of October 23, 2023, among the Company, Icefall Parent, LLC and Icefall Merger Sub, Inc., which contains the full terms and conditions of the Transaction.

Participants in the Solicitation

The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and other employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders in connection with the Transaction. Additional information regarding the identity of the participants, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is set forth in the preliminary proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on November 20, 2023, in the section captioned “Special Factors—Interests of EngageSmart’s Directors and Executive Officers in the Merger” and will be set forth in the definitive proxy statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with the Transaction (if and when they become available). You may obtain free copies of these documents using the sources indicated above.

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 thereunto duly authorized.

	EngageSmart, Inc.
Date: December 7, 2023	By:	/s/ Cassandra Hudson
	Name:	Cassandra Hudson
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer

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Document and Entity Information	Dec. 06, 2023
Cover [Abstract]
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Central Index Key	0001863105
Document Type	8-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 06, 2023
Entity Registrant Name	EngageSmart, Inc.
Entity Incorporation State Country Code	DE
Entity File Number	001-40835
Entity Tax Identification Number	83-2785225
Entity Address, Address Line One	30 Braintree Hill Office Park
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 101
Entity Address, City or Town	Braintree
Entity Address, State or Province	MA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	02184
City Area Code	(781)
Local Phone Number	848-3733
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	true
Pre Commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre Commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Security 12b Title	Common stock, $0.001 par value per share
Trading Symbol	ESMT
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Emerging Growth Company	true
Entity Ex Transition Period	false