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 ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): November 17, 2014

Kennametal Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (724) 539-5000

(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 fling obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On November 17, 2014, Kennametal Inc. (“Kennametal” or the “Company”) announced the appointment of Donald (Don) A. Nolan to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Nolan has also been appointed to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the Third Class to hold office until the Annual Meeting of Shareowners in 2016 and until a successor shall have been elected and shall qualify or until his earlier death, resignation or removal. At the same time, the Board of Directors also appointed Mr. William R. Newlin, an independent member of the Board of Directors, to serve as the Chairman of the Board effective November 17, 2014. Mr. Newlin previously served as the Lead Director of the Board. The Company issued a press release reporting these appointments on November 17, 2014, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Mr. Nolan will succeed Carlos Cardoso, the Company’s current Chairman, President and CEO, as President and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Newlin will succeed Mr. Cardoso as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Cardoso had previously announced his intention to retire from the Company by December 31, 2014. As part of the clear-cut, transparent transition of immediate effect, Mr. Cardoso resigned as Chairman, President and CEO effective November 17, 2014, and he will continue to serve the Company as an employee until his retirement on December 31, 2014.

Mr. Nolan, age 53, previously served Avery Dennison Corporation since 2008, becoming president of its $4.5 billion Materials Group in 2012, where he increased innovation, growth and profitability. Prior to that, he advanced in leadership roles at several industrial peers, including Valspar Corporation; Loctite Corporation; and Ashland Chemical Company. Earlier in his career, Mr. Nolan held sales positions at General Electric Company and at Latrobe Steel, then a subsidiary of The Timken Company. Mr. Nolan holds a Bachelor of Science in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Michigan, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.

In connection with his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nolan will be entitled to the following:

In connection with his employment, Mr. Nolan has entered into an employment agreement with Kennametal, effective as of November 17, 2014. Among other things, the employment agreement provides that if Mr. Nolan’s employment with Kennametal is terminated without cause during the term of the agreement, he will receive the continuance of base salary (at the rate in effect at the date of termination) for 12 months following the termination. In addition, the employment agreement provides that if Mr. Nolan resigns for good reason or if terminated by the Company without cause within six months prior to a change in control of the Company, or within 24 months following a change in control of the Company, he will receive a payment equal to two times his base salary and two times his target bonus. A copy of the employment agreement is being filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference into this Item.

Similarly, the award agreements for the special long-term incentive grant to be made on December 1, 2014 provide that the vesting of any unvested equity will be accelerated only on an involuntary termination of Mr. Nolan following a change in control. Copies of the forms of the award agreements are being filed as Exhibits 10.2 and 10.3, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference into this Item.

The descriptions of the employment agreement and the award agreements for the special long-term incentive grant are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the agreements filed as exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

On November 17, 2014, the Company issued a press release announcing Mr. Nolan’s appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a director of the Company and Mr. Newlin as the Chairman of the Board. A copy of this press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

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.