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): January 15, 2014

HARBINGER GROUP INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

(212) 906-8555

(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:

On January 15, 2014, Harbinger Group Inc. (“HGI”) announced that it proposed to offer $200 million aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes due 2022 (the “Notes Offering”) to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and to certain persons in offshore transactions in accordance with Regulation S under the Act (such persons, the “Prospective Notes Purchasers”).

A copy of the press release announcing the Notes Offering is furnished with this report as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

In connection with the Notes Offering, HGI is providing the Prospective Notes Purchasers with certain unaudited pro forma financial statements of HGI, furnished with this report as Exhibit 99.2, which assumes the completion of the Notes Offering.

This report does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any security in any jurisdiction in which such offering, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

This information shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any of HGI’s filings under the Act or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date hereof and regardless of any general incorporation language in such filings, except to the extent expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Forward Looking Statements

“Safe Harbor” Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This report contains, and certain oral statements made by our representatives from time to time may contain, forward-looking statements, including those statements regarding the commencement or completion of the Notes Offering. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of HGI’s management and the management of HGI’s subsidiaries (including target businesses). Generally, forward-looking statements include information describing the Notes Offering and other actions, events, results, strategies and expectations and are generally identifiable by use of the words “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “projects,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “might,” or “continues” or similar expressions. Factors that could cause actual results, events and developments to differ include, without limitation, capital market conditions, the ability of HGI’s subsidiaries (including, target businesses following their acquisition) to generate sufficient net income and cash flows to make upstream cash distributions, HGI and its subsidiaries ability to identify any suitable future acquisition opportunities, efficiencies/cost avoidance, cost savings, income and margins, growth, economies of scale, combined operations, future economic performance, conditions to, and the timetable for, completing the integration of financial reporting of acquired or target businesses with HGI or HGI subsidiaries, completing future acquisitions and dispositions, litigation, potential and contingent liabilities, management’s plans, changes in regulations, taxes and the risks that may affect the performance of the operating subsidiaries of HGI and those factors listed under the caption “Risk Factors” in HGI’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements described herein are qualified by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results, events or developments referenced herein will occur or be realized. HGI does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operation results.

(d) Exhibits

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.

EXHIBIT INDEX