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): December 7, 2018

Cadence Bancorporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(713) 871-4000

(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 (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 (§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 December 7, 2018, Cadence Bancorporation issued a press release announcing that it had received regulatory approval from the Federal Reserve required to complete the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger between Cadence Bancorporation and State Bank Financial Corporation dated May 11, 2018 (the “Merger Agreement”). Consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions described in the Merger Agreement. The text of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

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.