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) April 24, 2018

CENTERSTATE BANK CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:   (863) 293-4710

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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☒ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in 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 April 24, 2018, CenterState Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: CSFL) (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing certain financial results and additional information.  A copy of the press release is furnished with this Form 8-K. CenterState will host a conference call on  Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at 10:00am (EST) to discuss its first quarter 2018 results. Investors may call in (toll free) by dialing (866) 393-0571 (passcode 2867279).

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1 hereto, 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 liability of that section, and shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

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,” “will,” “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 CenterState’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 customer, supplier, employee or other business partner relationships, (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 Charter’s businesses into CenterState, (5) the failure to obtain the necessary approvals by the stockholders of Charter, with respect to the Merger, (6) the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the Merger, (7) the ability by CenterState 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 the Merger, (10) the risk that the integration of Charter’s operations into the operations of CenterState 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 CenterState’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in the Merger, and (13) general competitive, economic, political and market conditions. Additional factors which could affect the forward looking statements can be found in the cautionary language included under the headings “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” in CenterState’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, Charter’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2017, and other documents subsequently filed by CenterState and Charter with the SEC. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. CenterState and Charter do not undertake 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, CenterState and Charter claim protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Additional Information

CenterState intends to file a registration statement on Form S-4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission to register the shares of CenterState's common stock that will be issued to Charter's shareholders in connection with the transaction. The registration statement will include a proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials in connection with the proposed merger transaction involving CenterState and Charter. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROXY/PROSPECTUS WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE (AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THE PROXY/PROSPECTUS) BECAUSE SUCH DOCUMENTS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROPOSED MERGER TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these documents and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on its website at www.sec.gov.

2

Investors and security holders may also obtain free copies of the documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by CenterState on its website at www.centerstatebanks.com and by Charter on its website at www.charterbk.com.

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. Before making any voting or investment decision, investors and security holders of CenterState and Charter are urged to read carefully the entire registration statement and proxy statement/prospectus when they become available, including any amendments thereto, because they will contain important information about the proposed transaction. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described above.

CenterState, Charter and certain of their directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Charter stockholders in connection with the Merger. Information regarding the directors and executive officers of CenterState and Charter and other persons who may be deemed participants in the solicitation of the stockholders of Charter in connection with the Merger will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus for Charter’s special meeting of stockholders, which will be filed by CenterState with the SEC. Information about the directors and officers of CenterState and their ownership of CenterState common stock can also be found in CenterState’s definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2018 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on March 12, 2018, and other documents subsequently filed by CenterState with the SEC. Information about the directors and officers of Charter and their ownership of Charter common stock can also be found in Charter’s definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2018 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on January 5, 2018, and other documents subsequently filed by Charter with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of such participants will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents regarding the Merger filed with the SEC when they become available.

3

SIGNATURE

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.  

Date:  April 24, 2018

4