DEFA14A

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): August 29, 2019

Farmers National Banc Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Ohio	001-35296	34-1371693
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
20 South Broad Street, P.O. Box 555, Canfield, Ohio		44406-0555
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

(330) 533-3341

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(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 communication 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 communication pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communication 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	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, No Par Value	FMNB	The NASDAQ Stock Market

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 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

On August 30, 2019, Farmers National Banc Corp. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing that it had entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Maple Leaf Financial, Inc. (“Maple Leaf”) providing for, among other things, the merger of Maple Leaf with and into FMNB Merger Subsidiary III, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger”). Maple Leaf is the parent holding company of Geauga Savings Bank, an Ohio savings bank. Also on August 30, 2019, Farmers first utilized an investor presentation relating to the Merger Agreement.

The press release and investor presentation are furnished herein, as part of this Item 7.01, as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively. Pursuant to General Instruction B.2 of Current Report on Form 8-K, the information in this Item 7.01 and Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 is being furnished under Item 7.01 and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act or otherwise subject to the liability of that section. Furthermore, the information in this Item 7.01 and Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the filings of the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as may be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On August 30, 2019, the Company issued a press release announcing the signing of the Merger Agreement.

Important Additional Information About the Merger.

In connection with the proposed merger, Farmers will file with the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement and a prospectus, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction.

SHAREHOLDERS OF MAPLE LEAF AND OTHER INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4, BECAUSE IT WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FARMERS, MAPLE LEAF, THE PROPOSED MERGER, THE PERSONS SOLICITING PROXIES WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED MERGER AND THEIR INTERESTS IN THE PROPOSED MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS.

The respective directors and executive officers of Farmers and Maple Leaf and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Maple Leaf shareholders with respect to the proposed Merger. Information regarding the directors and executive officers of Farmers is available in its proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 18, 2019. Information regarding directors and executive officers of Maple Leaf is available on its website at http://www.geaugasavings.com/. Other information regarding the participants in the 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.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by Farmers through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Farmers will be available free of charge on Farmers’ website at https://www.farmersbankgroup.com.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report and the exhibits hereto contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are not historical facts, but rather statements based on the Company’s current expectations regarding its business strategies and its intended results and future performance. Forward-looking statements are preceded by terms such as “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends” and similar expressions, as well as any statements related to future expectations of performance or conditional verbs, such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may.”

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Numerous risks and uncertainties could cause or contribute to the Company’s actual results, performance, and achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause or contribute to these differences include, without limitation, the Company’s failure to integrate Maple Leaf and Geauga in accordance with expectations; deviations from performance expectations related to Maple Leaf and Geauga; general economic conditions, including changes in market interest rates and changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government; legislative and regulatory changes; competitive conditions in the banking markets served by the Company’s subsidiaries; the adequacy of the allowance for losses on loans and the level of future provisions for losses on loans; and other factors disclosed periodically in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

Because of the risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them, whether included in this report or made elsewhere from time to time by the Company or on the Company’s behalf. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)     Exhibits.

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press Release dated August 30, 2019
99.2	Investor Presentation

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.

Farmers National Banc Corp.
By:	/s/ Kevin J. Helmick
	Kevin J. Helmick
	President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: August 30, 2019

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Farmers National Banc Corp. to Acquire Maple Leaf Financial, Inc.,

and its subsidiary, Geauga Savings Bank

CANFIELD, Ohio — (BUSINESS WIRE) — August 30, 2019 — Farmers National Banc Corp. (“Farmers” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: FMNB), the holding company for The Farmers National Bank of Canfield (“Farmers National Bank”), and Maple Leaf Financial, Inc. (“Maple Leaf”), the holding company for Geauga Savings Bank (“Geauga”), announced today they have entered into an agreement and plan of merger (the “Agreement”).

Kevin J. Helmick, President and CEO of Farmers, stated, “We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Geauga Savings Bank and welcome their customers and employees to Farmers. The transaction increases Farmers’ market share in Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties and enables Farmers to continue building local scale throughout Northeast Ohio.”

“By combining with Farmers, we are able to offer our shareholders liquidity and our customers a home in a strong and growing community bank,” said James Kleinfelter, President and CEO of Maple Leaf.

Pursuant to the Agreement, each shareholder of Maple Leaf may elect to receive either $640.00 per share in cash or 45.5948 of Farmers’ common shares, subject to an overall limitation of 50% of the shares being exchanged for Farmers shares and 50% for cash. Based on Farmers’ closing share price of $13.73 on August 29, 2019, the transaction is valued at approximately $39.6 million. The merger is expected to qualify as a tax-free reorganization for those shareholders electing to receive Farmers’ shares. The transaction is subject to receipt of Maple Leaf shareholder approval and customary regulatory approvals. The Company expects the transaction to close in the fourth quarter of 2019 or first quarter of 2020.

Upon consummation of the transaction, Geauga will be merged with and into Farmers National Bank and Geauga branches will become branches of Farmers National Bank. Upon closing, Farmers estimates it will have approximately $2.7 billion in assets and 42 locations throughout Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Farmers expects the transaction to be accretive to earnings per share for the first full year of operation, excluding one-time merger costs, and expects any tangible book value dilution created in the transaction to be earned back in under two years (using the cross over method). Following consummation of the transaction, it is expected that Farmers National Bank will exceed “well-capitalized” thresholds under all regulatory definitions.

As of June 30, 2019, Maple Leaf had total assets of $277.8 million, which included gross loans of $186.4 million, deposits of $191.0 million and equity of $32.9 million.

Raymond James & Associates, Inc. is serving as financial advisor to Farmers and Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP is serving as legal counsel to Farmers on the transaction. Boenning & Scattergood, Inc. is serving as financial advisor to Maple Leaf and Ulmer & Berne LLP is serving as legal counsel to Maple Leaf on the transaction.

ABOUT FARMERS NATIONAL BANC CORP.

Founded in 1887, Farmers National Banc Corp. is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Canfield, Ohio, with $2.4 billion in banking assets. Farmers National Banc Corp.’s wholly-owned subsidiaries are comprised of The Farmers National Bank of Canfield, a full-service national bank engaged in commercial and retail banking with 41 banking locations in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Stark, Wayne, Medina and Cuyahoga Counties in Ohio and Beaver County in Pennsylvania; Farmers Trust Company, which operates four trust offices and offers services in the same geographic markets; and National Associates, Inc. Total wealth management assets under care at June 30, 2019 were $2.5 billion. Farmers National Insurance, LLC and Bowers Insurance Agency, Inc., wholly-owned subsidiaries of The Farmers National Bank of Canfield, offer a variety of insurance products.

ABOUT MAPLE LEAF FINANCIAL, INC.

Maple Leaf Financial is the holding company for Geauga Savings Bank, headquartered in Newbury, Ohio, in affluent Geauga County. Geauga operates a second branch, in Beachwood, Ohio, in the heart of Cleveland’s east side financial district. Geauga’s comprehensive product offering and level of personal attention reflect the diverse cultures and customer needs of the communities it serves. The complementary nature of its markets gives Geauga a “best-of-both worlds” opportunity to build upon its core retail base while developing further its commercial relationships in an area where recent consolidation has left few true community banking alternatives.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are not historical facts, but rather statements based on the Company’s current expectations regarding its business strategies and its intended results and future performance. Forward-looking statements are preceded by terms such as “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends” and similar expressions, as well as any statements related to future expectations of performance or conditional verbs, such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may.”

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Numerous risks and uncertainties could cause or contribute to the Company’s actual results, performance, and achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause or contribute to these differences include, without limitation, the Company’s failure to integrate Maple Leaf and Geauga in accordance with expectations; deviations from performance expectations related to Maple Leaf and Geauga; general economic conditions, including changes in market interest rates and changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government; legislative and regulatory changes; competitive conditions in the banking markets served by the Company’s subsidiaries; the adequacy of the allowance for losses on loans and the level of future provisions for losses on loans; and other factors disclosed periodically in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

Because of the risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them, whether included in this report or made elsewhere from time to time by the Company or on the Company’s behalf. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

OTHER INFORMATION

In connection with the proposed merger, Farmers will file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement and a prospectus, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction.

SHAREHOLDERS OF MAPLE LEAF AND OTHER INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4, BECAUSE IT WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FARMERS, MAPLE LEAF, THE PROPOSED MERGER, THE PERSONS SOLICITING PROXIES WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED MERGER AND THEIR INTERESTS IN THE PROPOSED MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS.

The respective directors and executive officers of Farmers and Maple Leaf and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Maple Leaf shareholders with respect to the proposed Merger. Information regarding the directors and executive officers of Farmers is available in its proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 18, 2019. Information regarding directors and executive officers of Maple Leaf is available on its website at http://www.geaugasavings.com. Other information regarding the participants in the 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.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by Farmers through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Farmers will be available free of charge on Farmers’ website at https://www.farmersbankgroup.com.

EX-99.2

Pro Forma Overview Transaction Highlights (Dollars in thousands) (1) Assumes one location closure (2) Based on FMNB’s closing stock price of $13.73 on August 29, 2019 Source: SNL Financial; company documents; loan data excludes deferred loan fees and loans held for sale Pro Forma Loans & Deposits (GAAP) Strengthens FMNB’s presence in the desirable Cleveland suburbs Adds established team of commercial lenders located in metro Cleveland Entry into Geauga County Significant cost saving opportunities Immediately accretive to EPS with minimal tangible book value dilution  Pro Forma Highlights (6/30/19) Locations 421 Assets $2.7 Billion Loans $2.0 Billion Deposits $2.2 Billion Market Cap $399 Million2 Exhibit 99.2

Maple Leaf Financial, Inc. Branch Map Deposit Mix (GAAP) Loan Mix1 (GAAP) Financial Highlights (GAAP) (1) Loan data excludes deferred loan fees and loans held for sale Source: SNL Financial; company documents; data as of 6/30/2019; bank-level NPAs used in asset quality calculation Maple Leaf Locations (2)

Transaction Impact Consideration Consideration: 50% stock and 50% cash Deal Value: $39.6 million1 Price / Tangible Book Value: 120% Core Deposit Premium: 7.4%2 Impact & Assumptions Regulatory / Timing Incremental net income of approximately $2.5 million in 2020 Estimated gross credit mark of $6.0 million Estimated EPS accretion ~3% on a fully-phased in basis TBV dilution earned back in under 2 years (cross over method) Projected IRR in excess of 20% Assumes no revenue synergies Customary regulatory approvals and Maple Leaf shareholder approval Estimated close Q4 2019 / Q1 2020 Based on FMNB’s closing stock price of $13.73 August 29, 2019 Core deposit premium defined as aggregate deal value less Maple Leaf’s tangible common equity divided by Maple Leaf’s deposits less time deposit accounts with balances over $100,000