8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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):  September 1, 2017
Horizon Bancorp
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Indiana	000-10792	35-1562417
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
515 Franklin Square, Michigan City, Indiana		46360
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)
(219) 879-0211
(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)
☐	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 September 1, 2017, Horizon Bancorp (“Horizon”) completed its previously announced acquisition of Lafayette Community Bancorp, an Indiana corporation (“LCB”), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated May 23, 2017 (the “Merger Agreement”) between Horizon and LCB.  The shareholders of LCB approved the Merger at a special shareholder meeting on August 28, 2017. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, LCB merged with and into Horizon, with Horizon surviving the merger (the “Merger”), and Lafayette Community Bank, an Indiana state-chartered bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of LCB, merged with and into Horizon Bank, the wholly-owned state-chartered bank subsidiary of Horizon (“Horizon Bank”), with Horizon Bank as the surviving bank.

Shareholders of LCB received consideration for the Merger in the form of cash and shares of Horizon’s common stock in exchange for their shares of LCB’s common stock, as described more fully in the Merger Agreement, a copy of which appears as Appendix A to the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed by Horizon with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 2017.

On September 1, 2017, Horizon and LCB issued a joint press release announcing the closing of the Merger. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)  Exhibits
Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release issued September 1, 2017

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 hereto duly authorized.

Date: September 1, 2017	HORIZON BANCORP
	By:	/s/ Mark E. Secor
		Mark E. Secor, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description	Location
99.1	Press Release issued September 1, 2017	Attached

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Date: September 1, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Horizon Bancorp Announces Closingof Lafayette Community Bancorp Merger

Michigan City, IN (September 1, 2017) – Horizon Bancorp (NASDAQ GS: HBNC, “Horizon”), the parent of Horizon Bank, (“Horizon Bank”) announces the completion of the acquisition of Lafayette Community Bancorp and its wholly-owned subsidiary Lafayette Community Bank in Indiana, effective September 1, 2017. Lafayette Community Bancorp merged into Horizon and simultaneously Lafayette Community Bank merged into Horizon Bank. As previously announced, the bank will operate under the name Horizon Bank.

As part of this transaction, Horizon Bank added four new branches to expand its branch network to 60 offices throughout northern and central Indiana and southern Michigan and Ohio. “We’re confident customers will be pleased that many of the familiar faces they’ve come to know and trust will remain with Horizon at their local branch, and they will still be completely invested in the Lafayette community. Teaming up with the experienced banking professionals at Lafayette Community Bank has truly been a pleasure.  They are a cohesive group of professionals committed to their customers and the community,” said Craig M. Dwight, Horizon Bank’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Bradley Marley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lafayette Community Bank stated, “We are excited to team up with a company that covets the same values and culture ours has throughout the years. Horizon is a solid, growing company and we look forward to better serving the Lafayette community.”

Dwight further commented, “Horizon Bank will add value to the customers served by Lafayette Community Bank with an expanded branch network; a more robust product line-up including advanced treasury management services for businesses; a wide range of mortgage products; higher lending limits; and service guarantees on loan approvals.”

Marley also stated, “Local efforts will continue to be led by myself, Steve Hickman and Dick Murray, and we intend to establish a Greater Lafayette Advisory Board to maintain the pulse of the community.”

The companies are finalizing integration plans that include a systems integration and sign change expected to take place the weekend of September 23, 2017. As a result, customer accounts will automatically change to Horizon accounts with no action required on the part of the customer. Customer checks, direct deposits, payments, and account numbers will remain unchanged in order to make this transition as smooth as possible.

Horizon was advised by the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg LLP. Lafayette Community Bancorp was advised by Renninger & Associates, LLC and the law firm of SmithAmundsen LLC.

About Horizon Bancorp

Horizon Bancorp is an independent, commercial bank holding company serving northern and central Indiana, southwest and central Michigan, and central Ohio through its commercial banking subsidiary Horizon Bank. Horizon also offers mortgage-banking services throughout the Midwest. Horizon Bancorp may be reached online at www.horizonbank.com.  Its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol HBNC.

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Page 2: Cont. Horizon Bancorp Announces Closing of and Lafayette Community Bancorp Merger

About Lafayette Community Bancorp

Lafayette Community Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Lafayette Community Bank that provides commercial banking services in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Lafayette Community Bank was founded in 2000 and operates offices throughout Lafayette and West Lafayette, Indiana.  Lafayette Community Bank may be reached online at www.lafayettecommunitybank.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding the financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies of Horizon.  For these statements, Horizon claims the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Statements in this press release should be considered in conjunction with the other information available about Horizon, including the information in the filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance.  The forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.  We have tried, wherever possible, to identify such statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements.  Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include risk factors relating to the banking industry and the other factors detailed from time to time in Horizon’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described in its Form 10-K.  Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Horizon does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to update any forward-looking statement to reflect the events or circumstances after the date on which the forward-looking statement is made, or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.

Horizon Contact Information:	Lafayette Contact Information:
Craig M. Dwight	Bradley Marley
Chairman and	Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer	Phone: (765) 742-1523
Phone: (219) 873-2725
Fax: (219) 874-9280
Mark E. Secor
Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (219) 873-2611
Fax: (219) 874-9280

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