SEC Form 425 filed by Bank First Corporation

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

Bank First Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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.  ¨

On July 17, 2025, Bank First Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (“BFC”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Centre 1 Bancorp, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation (“Centre”), whereby Centre will be merged with and into BFC (the “Merger”). Pursuant to entering into the Merger Agreement, BFC’s wholly-owned subsidiary bank, Bank First, N.A. (“Bank First”), and Centre’s wholly-owned subsidiary bank, The First National Bank and Trust Company (“First National Bank”), will enter into a Bank Plan of Merger and Merger Agreement whereby First National Bank will be merged with and into Bank First following the merger of Centre with and into BFC (the “Bank Merger”).

The Merger Agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of BFC and Centre. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions discussed below.

Merger Consideration. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each outstanding share of Centre common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger will be converted into the right to receive 0.9200 shares of common stock of BFC. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the aggregate merger consideration is subject to a downward adjustment if Centre’s tangible book value (as calculated per the Merger Agreement) is less than $83,587,000 at the time of the closing of the Merger. Each outstanding share of BFC’s common stock shall remain outstanding and unaffected by the Merger.

Representations and Warranties. The Merger Agreement contains usual and customary representations and warranties that BFC and Centre made to each other as of specific dates. The assertions embodied in those representations and warranties were made solely for purposes of the contract between BFC and Centre and may be subject to important qualifications and limitations agreed to by the parties in connection with negotiating certain terms. Moreover, certain of the representations and warranties are subject to a contractual standard of materiality that may be different from what may be viewed as material to shareholders, and the representations and warranties may have been used to allocate risk between BFC and Centre rather than establishing matters of fact. For the foregoing reasons, no one should rely on such representations, warranties, covenants or other terms, provisions or conditions as statements of factual information regarding BFC or Centre at the time they were made or otherwise. The representations and warranties of the parties will not survive the closing.

Covenants; No Solicitation. Each party also has agreed to customary covenants, including, among others, covenants relating to the conduct of its business during the interim period between the execution of the Merger Agreement and the consummation of the Merger. Additionally, Centre has agreed (i) not to initiate, solicit, induce or knowingly encourage, or take any action or facilitate any alternative acquisition transaction or, subject to certain exceptions, participate in discussions or negotiations regarding, or furnish any non-public information relating to, any alternative acquisition transaction and (ii) subject to certain exceptions, not to withdraw or modify, in a manner adverse to BFC, the recommendation of the Centre board of directors that Centre’s shareholders approve the Merger Agreement and the Merger. In the event that Centre receives a proposal with respect to an alternative acquisition transaction that the Centre board of directors determines is superior to the Merger, BFC will have an opportunity to match the terms of such proposal, subject to certain requirements.

Conditions to Closing. Consummation of the Merger is subject to various customary conditions, including (i) approval of the Merger Agreement and the Merger by shareholders of Centre; (ii) the receipt of certain regulatory approvals; (iii) no injunctions or other legal restraints preventing the consummation of the Merger; (iv) the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) having declared effective BFC’s registration statement covering the issuance of shares of BFC’s common stock in the Merger; (v) the shares of BFC common stock to be issued in connection with the Merger being approved for listing on the National Market System of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“NASDAQ”); (vi) the receipt by each party of a tax opinion to the effect that the Merger will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (vii) the accuracy of representations and warranties of the parties and compliance by the parties with their respective covenants and obligations under the Merger Agreement (subject to customary materiality qualifiers); and (viii) the absence of a material adverse effect with respect to either BFC or Centre.

Termination. The Merger Agreement may be terminated in certain circumstances, including: (i) by mutual written agreement of the parties, (ii) by either party if any regulatory approval required for consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement has been denied by final non-appealable action by the relevant governmental authority or an application for such approval has been permanently withdrawn at the request of a governmental authority, (iii) by either party if the approval of the shareholders of Centre is not obtained, (iv) by either party in the event of a material breach by the other party of any representation, warranty or covenant contained in the Merger Agreement and such breach is not cured within the earlier of thirty days or two days prior to the expiration of the Merger Agreement, (v) by either party if the Merger is not consummated on or before April 30, 2026, subject to automatic extension to May 31, 2026 if the only outstanding closing condition is the receipt of regulatory approvals, (vi) by BFC if Centre’s board of directors breaches its obligation not to solicit any alternative acquisition transaction, changes its recommendation with respect to the Merger in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, or breaches its obligation to call a special Centre shareholder meeting to vote on the Merger, or (vii) by Centre in order to enter into an agreement to a superior proposal.

Centre also has the right to terminate the Merger Agreement in the event that (A) the price of BFC’s common stock declines by more than 12.5% from July 17, 2025, and (B) the decline of the price of BFC’s common stock is 12.5% greater than the change in the price of the NASDAQ Bank Index over the same period of time. In the event that such a decline in the price of BFC’s common stock occurs, BFC shall have the right, but not the obligation, to “fill” the decline by adjusting the Merger Consideration as further described in the Merger Agreement.

Termination Fee. Centre will pay BFC a termination fee equal to $5,300,000 million in the event (i) the Merger Agreement is terminated by BFC because Centre’s board of directors breaches its obligation not to solicit any alternative acquisition transaction, changes its recommendation with respect to the Merger in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, or breaches its obligation to call a special Centre shareholder meeting to vote on the Merger, (ii) Centre terminates this agreement in order to accept a superior proposal, or (iii) the Merger Agreement is terminated (A) by either BFC or Centre because the required Centre shareholder approval is not obtained or (B) the Merger Agreement is terminated by BFC because of Centre’s material breach of representations, warranties or covenants, Centre receives an acquisition proposal after the date of the Merger Agreement but before it is terminated, and Centre enters into an agreement for or completes an acquisition transaction within 12 months of the termination of the Merger Agreement.

Corporate Governance. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, BFC will expand its board of directors by one seat to appoint Steven M. Eldred as a director. Additionally, BFC may consider appointing an additional member from Centre’s board, subject to consultation with Centre. If selected, this individual must meet BFC’s director standards, comply with its governance policies, and qualify as an independent director under NASDAQ rules.

The foregoing summary of the Merger Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Merger Agreement and certain exhibits attached thereto, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein. The Merger Agreement should not be read alone, but should instead be read in conjunction with the other information regarding BFC, its affiliates and their respective businesses, and the information regarding the Merger Agreement and the Merger that will be contained in, or incorporated by reference into, the registration statement on Form S-4 of BFC that will include a proxy statement of Centre and a prospectus of BFC and that will be filed with the SEC.

Voting Agreements

In connection with entering into the Merger Agreement, the directors and executive officers of Centre and First National Bank have entered into voting agreements (the “Centre Voting Agreements”), pursuant to which each such director and executive officer agreed to vote his, her or its shares of Centre common stock in favor of approval of the Merger Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated therein and against certain other actions, proposals, transactions or agreements that would be detrimental to the consummation of the Merger. The Centre Voting Agreements generally prohibit the sale or transfer of the shares held by each such shareholder until the earlier of (i) termination of the Merger Agreement or (ii) receipt of the approval of the shareholders of Centre. The Centre Voting Agreements terminate upon the earlier of (i) the consummation of the Merger, (ii) the amendment of the Merger Agreement in any manner that materially and adversely affects any rights of the shareholder, (iii) the termination of the Merger Agreement or (iv) three years from the date of the Centre Voting Agreements.

The foregoing summary of the Centre Voting Agreements is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of such documents, a form of which is included as Exhibit A to the Merger Agreement, filed as Exhibit 2.1 attached hereto and which is incorporated herein by reference.

Director Non-Compete Agreements

In connection with entering into the Merger Agreement, each of the directors of Centre and First National Bank will enter into a Non-Competition and Non-Disclosure Agreement with Centre, which contains provisions related to the non-disclosure of confidential information and trade secrets, non-solicitation of customers with whom such directors had material contact, non-competition within a restricted territory and non-recruitment of employees.

The foregoing summary of the Non-Competition and Non-Disclosure Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of such document, a form of which is included as Exhibit C to the Merger Agreement, filed as Exhibit 2.1 attached hereto and which is incorporated herein by reference.

On July 18, 2025, BFC and Centre issued a joint press release announcing the entry into the Merger Agreement. A copy of the joint press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

In connection with the announcement of the Merger Agreement, BFC intends to provide supplemental information regarding the proposed transaction in connection with presentations to analysts and investors. The slides that will be made available in connection with the presentations are attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and are incorporated by reference herein.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information.

This Current Report contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In general, forward-looking statements usually use words such as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” “predict,” “continue” and “potential” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, including statements related to the expected timing of the closing of the Merger, the expected returns and other benefits of the Merger to shareholders, expected improvement in operating efficiency resulting from the Merger, estimated expense reductions resulting from the transactions and the timing of achievement of such reductions, the impact on and timing of the recovery of the impact on tangible book value, and the effect of the Merger on BFC’s capital ratios. Forward-looking statements represent management’s beliefs, based upon information available at the time the statements are made, with regard to the matters addressed; they are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that change over time and could cause actual results or financial condition to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements.

Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to (1) the risk that the cost savings and any revenue synergies from the Merger may not be realized or take longer than anticipated to be realized, (2) disruption from the Merger with customers, suppliers, employee or other business partners, (3) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement, (4) the risk of successful integration of Centre’s business into BFC, (5) the failure to obtain the necessary approval by the shareholders of Centre, (6) the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the Merger, (7) the ability of the parties to obtain required governmental approvals of the Merger, (8) reputational risk and the reaction of each of the companies’ customers, suppliers, employees or other business partners to the Merger, (9) the failure of the closing conditions in the Merger Agreement to be satisfied, or any unexpected delay in closing of the Merger, (10) the risk that the integration of Centre’s operations into the operations of BFC will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected, (11) the possibility that the Merger may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events, (12) the dilution caused by BFC’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in the Merger transaction, and (13) general competitive, economic, political and market conditions. Other relevant risk factors may be detailed from time to time in BFC’s reports and filings with the SEC. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Neither BFC nor Centre undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For any forward-looking statements made in this Current Report on Form 8-K, the exhibits hereto or any related documents, BFC and Centre claim protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Additional Information about the Merger 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 transaction. 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 or solicitation would be unlawful.

In connection with the proposed Merger, BFC will file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement of Centre and a prospectus of BFC, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. WE URGE INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4, THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS INCLUDED WITHIN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED MERGER BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BFC, CENTRE AND THE PROPOSED MERGER. The proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to the shareholders of Centre seeking the required shareholder approval. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement on Form S-4 and the related proxy statement/prospectus, when filed, as well as other documents filed with the SEC by BFC through the web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Documents filed with the SEC by BFC will also be available free of charge on the Investor Relations page of BFC’s website at https://ir.bankfirst.com/financial-information/regulatory-filings/default.aspx, or by directing a written request to Bank First Corporation, P.O. Box 10, Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54221-0010, Attn: Kelly Dvorak. BFC’s telephone number is (920) 652-3100.

Participants in the Transaction

BFC, Centre and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Centre in connection with the proposed transaction. Certain information regarding the interests of these participants and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available. Additional information about BFC and its directors and officers may be found on BFC’s Shareholder Services page at www.bankfirst.com and in BFC’s proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 25, 2025.

(d) Exhibits

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.