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): January 13, 2017

Pegasystems Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Commission File Number: 1-11859

1 Rogers Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

617-374-9600

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(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:

(e)    On January 13, 2017, the Board of Directors of Pegasystems Inc. (the “Company”) approved the 2017 Section 16 Officer/FLT Member Corporate Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Incentive Plan”) for the executive officers of the Company (the “Executive Officers”).

The Incentive Plan covers the period from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017 (the “Incentive Period”). The Incentive Plan is designed to establish a pool of funds to be available for making bonus payments to the Executive Officers if the Company achieves certain performance goals during the Incentive Period. For purposes of the Incentive Plan, these goals are divided into two categories. The first category is comprised of the corporate financial goals approved by the Board of Directors in connection with establishing the Company’s 2017 annual budget. The second category is comprised of the qualitative strategic goals approved by the Board of Directors as part of the Company’s 2017 annual strategic planning. Together, these two categories make up a single performance goal under the Incentive Plan (the “Corporate Performance Target”), with the financial goals being weighted 70% toward achievement of the Corporate Performance Target and the strategic goals being weighted 30% toward achievement of the Corporate Performance Target. The percentage achievement of the Corporate Performance Target (the “Funding Percentage”) determines the extent to which the Incentive Plan is funded, except that if the Funding Percentage is less than 70% then the Incentive Plan will not be funded at all. If the Corporate Performance Target is exceeded, the percentage achievement of the Corporate Performance Target for purposes of funding the Incentive Plan is deemed equal to 100% plus an enhanced incentive as determined by the Board in its discretion.

Once the Funding Percentage has been determined, the actual incentive payment for each Executive Officer will be adjusted to reflect the individual’s level of contribution to the Company’s strategic goals, as determined by the Chief Executive Officer, in his discretion. The Chief Executive Officer and/or the Board reserves the right in his or its sole discretion to either increase or decrease the Funding Percentage and/or individual payout amounts.

For 2017, the Company will permit each Executive Officer to elect to receive a portion of his or her 2017 bonus equal to 50% of his or her target Incentive Plan payment in the form of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) instead of in cash. For this purpose, RSUs will be calculated based upon 85% of their fair market value on the grant date. If elected, the equity grant will occur during the open trading period following the public release of the Company’s 2016 financial results and is subject to vest 100% on or about the Incentive Plan payout date in 2018 for all participants. Vesting is conditioned upon threshold funding of the Incentive Plan and, with respect to each Executive Officer, on his or her continued active employment with the Company. If these conditions are not met, the equity grant cannot be exercised by the Executive Officer and will expire.

The foregoing summary description of the Incentive Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Signature(s)

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