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

May 9, 2017

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

Commission File No. 0-14225

EXAR CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

48720 Kato Road, Fremont, CA 94538

(Address of principal executive offices, zip code)

(510) 668-7000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

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 May 9, 2017, Exar Corporation (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing its financial results for the fourth fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended April 2, 2017. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K and the Exhibits attached hereto shall not be deemed “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, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

Neither this communication nor the information incorporated herein by reference is an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any shares or any other securities of Exar. On April 13, 2017, MaxLinear and its subsidiary commenced the tender offer and filed a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO with the SEC, which was subsequently amended on April 24, 2017 and May 5, 2017, and Exar filed a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the SEC, which was subsequently amended on April 24, 2017 and May 3, 2017. EXAR STOCKHOLDERS AND OTHER INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE OFFER MATERIALS (INCLUDING THE OFFER TO PURCHASE, RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, AND CERTAIN OTHER OFFER DOCUMENTS) AND THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT, INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS TO THOSE MATERIALS. SUCH DOCUMENTS CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, WHICH SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE ANY DECISION IS MADE WITH RESPECT TO THE TENDER OFFER. The Tender Offer Statement and the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement are available without charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Free copies of these materials and certain other offering documents were sent to Exar’s stockholders by the information agent for the Tender Offer. These documents may also be obtained for free by contacting MaxLinear Investor Relations at http://investors.maxlinear.com/, at IR@MaxLinear.com or by telephone at (760) 517-1112 or by contacting Exar Investor Relations at investorrelations@exar.com or by telephone at (510) 668-7201. The contents of the websites referenced above are not deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Offer documents.

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