Document

425 1 ocfcmergerfedapproval2026.htm 425 Document

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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 27, 2026

OCEANFIRST FINANCIAL CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

001-11713

22-3412577

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

(Commission
File No.)

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

110 West Front Street, Red Bank, New Jersey 07701

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(732)240-4500

(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:


x			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))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading symbol

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common stock, $0.01 par value per share

OCFC

NASDAQ

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR 240.12b-2).

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. ☐

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On April 27, 2026, OceanFirst Financial Corp., a Delaware corporation (“OceanFirst”), and Flushing Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Flushing”), announced that the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System granted its approval, on April 24, 2026, of the previously announced combination of OceanFirst and Flushing as well as OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s respective bank subsidiaries, OceanFirst Bank, N.A. and Flushing Bank, pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 29, 2025 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among OceanFirst, Apollo Merger Sub Corp., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of OceanFirst (“Merger Sub”), and Flushing. In addition, the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted their requisite approval of the proposed transaction on March 23, 2026 and April 6, 2026, respectively.

With the foregoing approvals, no further regulatory approvals are required to complete the proposed transaction. The parties anticipate that the proposed transaction will close no later than June 1, 2026, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining closing conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.

OceanFirst also announced that its 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) will be held virtually on Wednesday May 27, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The record date for stockholders to vote at the Annual Meeting is Thursday, April 2, 2026. Voting before the meeting is encouraged, even for stockholders planning to participate in the virtual webcast. Votes may be submitted by telephone or online according to the instructions on the proxy card or by mail. A link to the live webcast is available by visiting oceanfirst.com - Investor Relations. Access will begin at 7:45 a.m. Eastern Time to allow time for stockholders to log-in with the control number provided on the proxy card prior to 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time scheduled start. Eligible stockholders may also vote during the live meeting online at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/OCFC2026 by entering the 16-digit control number included on the proxy card or notice. As a reminder, participants of the meeting are not required to vote. Additional information regarding virtual access to the meeting will be distributed prior to the meeting.

A copy of the joint press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.


Exhibit No.	Description of Exhibit


99.1	Joint Press Release, dated	April 27, 2026
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to the proposed transaction between OceanFirst and Flushing and the proposed investment by affiliates of funds managed by Warburg Pincus LLC (“Warburg”) in equity securities of OceanFirst. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of the words such as “ estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “may,” “could,” “target,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” or similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed transaction between OceanFirst and Flushing and the proposed investment by Warburg, including statements as to the expected timing, completion and effects of the proposed transaction. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this Current Report on Form 8-K, and on the current expectations of OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s management and are not predictions of actual performance, and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict, may differ from assumptions and many are beyond the control of OceanFirst and Flushing. The forward-looking statements are intended to be subject to the safe harbor provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: (i) the risk that the proposed transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all; (ii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the proposed transaction, including obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such regulatory approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the transaction); (iii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement between OceanFirst and Flushing; (iv) the inability to obtain alternative capital in the event it becomes necessary to complete the proposed transaction; (v) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the proposed transaction on OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s business relationships, operating results and business generally; (vi) risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations of OceanFirst and Flushing; (vii) potential difficulties in retaining OceanFirst and Flushing customers and employees as a result of the proposed transaction; (viii) OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s estimates of its financial performance; (ix) changes in general economic, political, or industry conditions, including persistent inflation, supply chain issues or labor shortages, instability in global economic conditions and geopolitical matters, as well as volatility in financial markets; (x) uncertainty in U.S. fiscal and monetary policy, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve; (xi) the credit risks of lending activities, which may be affected by deterioration in real estate markets and the financial condition of borrowers, and the operational risk of lending activities, including the effectiveness of OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s underwriting practices and the risk of fraud; (xii) fluctuations in the demand for loans; (xiii) the ability to develop and maintain a strong core deposit base or other low cost funding sources necessary to fund OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s activities particularly in a rising or high interest rate environment; (xiv) the rapid withdrawal of a significant amount of deposits over a short period of time; (xv) results of examinations by regulatory authorities of OceanFirst or Flushing and the possibility that any such regulatory authority may, among other things, limit OceanFirst’s or Flushing’s business activities, restrict OceanFirst’s or Flushing’s ability to invest in certain assets, refrain from issuing an approval or non-objection to certain capital or other actions, increase OceanFirst’s or Flushing’s allowance for credit losses, result in write-downs of asset values, restrict OceanFirst’s or Flushing’s ability or that of OceanFirst’s or Flushing’s bank subsidiary to pay dividends, or impose fines, penalties or sanctions; (xvi) the impact of bank failures or other adverse developments at other banks on general investor sentiment regarding the stability and liquidity of banks; (xvii) changes in the markets in which OceanFirst and Flushing compete, including with respect to the competitive landscape, technology evolution or regulatory changes; (xviii) changes in consumer spending, borrowing and saving habits; (xix) slowdowns in securities trading or shifting demand for security trading products; (xx) the impact of pandemics and other catastrophic events or disasters on the global economy and financial market conditions and our business, results of operations, and financial condition; (xxi) legislative or regulatory changes; (xxii) changes in U.S. trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs, (xxiii) impact of operating in a highly competitive industry; (xxiv) reliance on third party service providers; (xxv) competition in retaining key employees; (xxvi) risks related to data security and privacy, including the impact of any data security breaches, cyberattacks, employee or other internal misconduct, malware, phishing or ransomware, physical security breaches, natural disasters, or similar disruptions; (xxvii) changes to accounting principles and guidelines; (xxviii) potential litigation relating to the proposed transaction that could be instituted against OceanFirst, Flushing or their respective directors and officers, including the effects of any outcomes related thereto; (xxix) volatility in the trading price of OceanFirst’s or Flushing’s securities; (xxx) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the proposed transaction, and identify and realize additional opportunities; (xxxi) the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected expenses, factors or events; (xxxii) the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transaction are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies or as a result of the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas where OceanFirst and Flushing do business; and (xxxiii) the dilution caused by OceanFirst’s issuance of additional shares of its capital stock in connection with

the transaction. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above.

You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of OceanFirst’s registration statement on Form S-4 that contains a joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed by OceanFirst or Flushing from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These filings do and will identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual events and results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither OceanFirst nor Flushing presently knows or that OceanFirst or Flushing currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual events and results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K. OceanFirst and Flushing anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s assessments to change. While OceanFirst and Flushing may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, OceanFirst and Flushing specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, unless required by applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Neither OceanFirst nor Flushing gives any assurance that either OceanFirst or Flushing, or the combined company, will achieve the results or other matters set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This Current Report on Form 8-K relates to the proposed transaction between OceanFirst and Flushing and the proposed investment in OceanFirst by Warburg. On February 6, 2026, OceanFirst filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC (as amended on February 23, 2026), which includes a preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus that was distributed to holders of OceanFirst’s common stock and Flushing’s common stock in connection with OceanFirst’s and Flushing’s solicitation of proxies for the vote by OceanFirst’s stockholders and Flushing’s stockholders with respect to the proposed transaction. After the registration statement was declared effective, OceanFirst and Flushing mailed a definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus to their respective stockholders that, as of the applicable record date, were entitled to vote on the matters considered at the OceanFirst stockholder meeting and at the Flushing stockholder meeting, as applicable.

BEFORE MAKING ANY INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE ENTIRE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AND THE DEFINITIVE VERSIONS THEREOF, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO SUCH DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement, the joint proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by OceanFirst or Flushing through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.

The documents filed by OceanFirst or Flushing with the SEC also may be obtained free of charge at OceanFirst’s or Flushing’s website at https://ir.oceanfirst.com/, under the heading “Financials” or https://investor.flushingbank.com/, under the heading “Financials”, respectively, or upon written request to OceanFirst, Attention: Investor Relations, 110 West Front Street, Red Bank, New Jersey 07701 or Flushing, Attention: Investor Relations, 220 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, New York 11556, respectively.

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.


		OCEANFIRST FINANCIAL CORP.

Dated:	April 27, 2026	/s/ Patrick S. Barrett
		Patrick S. Barrett
		Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

SEC Form 425 filed by OceanFirst Financial Corp.