<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>8-K</TITLE>
</HEAD>
 <BODY BGCOLOR="WHITE">

 <P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:4pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>UNITED STATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>FORM 8-K
</B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>CURRENT REPORT </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November&nbsp;15, 2013 </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:24pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>ESSA Bancorp, Inc. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt" ALIGN="center">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="34%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="32%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="32%"></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>Pennsylvania</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>001-33384</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>20-8023072</B></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(State or Other Jurisdiction)</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>of Incorporation)</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Commission</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>File No.)</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(I.R.S. Employer</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Identification No.)</B></P></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="3"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3" ALIGN="center"><B>200 Palmer Street, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>18360</B></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3" ALIGN="center"><B>(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>(Zip Code)</B></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code: (570) 421-0531 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Not Applicable </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Former
Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report) </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">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): </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Item&nbsp;1.01 <U>Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement</U></B> </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On November&nbsp;15, 2013, ESSA Bancorp, Inc. (&#147;ESSA Bancorp&#148;) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the &#147;Merger
Agreement&#148;) by and among ESSA Bancorp, ESSA Acquisition Corp. (a wholly owned subsidiary of ESSA Bancorp) and Franklin Security Bancorp, Inc. (&#147;FS Bancorp&#148;), pursuant to which (i)&nbsp;FS Bancorp will merge with and into ESSA Bancorp,
with ESSA Bancorp as the surviving entity, and (ii)&nbsp;immediately thereafter, Franklin Security Bank (&#147;Franklin Bank&#148;) will be merged with and into ESSA Bank&nbsp;&amp; Trust (&#147;ESSA Bank&#148;) with ESSA Bank as the surviving bank
(collectively, the &#147;Merger&#148;). </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, stockholders of FS Bancorp will receive a cash payment
equal to nine dollars and seventy five cents ($9.75) for each share of FS Bancorp common stock, or an aggregate of approximately $15.7 million. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of each company and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014. Completion
of the Merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the approval of FS Bancorp&#146;s stockholders. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The directors and executive officers of FS Bancorp have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the approval of the Merger Agreement at the
stockholders&#146; meeting to be held to vote on the proposed transaction. If the Merger is not consummated under certain circumstances, FS Bancorp has agreed to pay ESSA Bancorp a termination fee of $600,000. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Merger Agreement also contains usual and customary representations and warranties that ESSA Bancorp and FS Bancorp made to each other as
of specific dates. The assertions embodied in those representations and warranties were made solely for purposes of the contract between ESSA Bancorp and FS Bancorp, and may be subject to important qualifications and limitations agreed to by the
parties in connection with negotiating its terms. Moreover, the representations and warranties are subject to a contractual standard of materiality that may be different from what may be viewed as material to stockholders, and the representations
and warranties may have been used to allocate risk between ESSA Bancorp and FS Bancorp rather than establishing matters as facts. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The
foregoing summary of the Merger Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of such document, which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety. A copy of a news release dated November&nbsp;18, 2013, announcing the Merger is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K. </P>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Forward Looking Statements </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This current report on Form 8-K contains &#147;forward-looking statements&#148; within the meaning of Section&nbsp;27A of the Securities Act of
1933 and Section&nbsp;21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods, or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as &#147;may,&#148; &#147;will,&#148;
&#147;believe,&#148; &#147;expect,&#148; &#147;estimate,&#148; &#147;anticipate,&#148; &#147;continue,&#148; or similar terms or variations on those terms, or the negative of those terms. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and
uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those related to the economic environment, particularly in the market areas in which the companies operate, competitive products and pricing, fiscal and monetary policies of the U.S. Government, changes
in government regulations affecting financial institutions, including compliance costs and capital requirements, changes in prevailing interest rates, acquisitions and the integration of acquired businesses, credit risk management, asset-liability
management, the financial and securities markets and the availability of and costs associated with sources of liquidity. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Readers should
not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Readers are advised that the factors listed above could affect our financial performance and could cause our actual results for future periods to
differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements. We do not undertake and specifically decline any obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Item&nbsp;9.01 <U>Financial Statements and Exhibits</U></B> </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(a)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired. Not applicable. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(b)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pro Forma Financial Information. Not applicable. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(c)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Shell Company Transactions. Not applicable. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(d)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Exhibits. </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" ALIGN="center">


<TR>
<TD></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="88%"></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>Exhibit&nbsp;2.1</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November&nbsp;15, 2013, by and between ESSA Bancorp, Inc., ESSA Acquisition Corp. and Franklin Security Bancorp, Inc.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" NOWRAP>Exhibit&nbsp;99.1</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">News Release announcing the merger, dated November 18, 2013</TD></TR>
</TABLE>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SIGNATURES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">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. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="46%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="45%"></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3"><B>ESSA BANCORP, INC.</B></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">DATE: November&nbsp;19, 2013</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">By:</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">/s/ Gary S. Olson</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Gary S. Olson, President and</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Chief Executive Officer</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
</BODY></HTML>
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "d631460d8k.htm", "description": "8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19458}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ESSA Bancorp, Inc.", "cik": "0001382230", "assigned-sic": "6036", "irs-number": "000000000", "state-of-incorporation": "PA", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-33384", "film-number": "131229741"}, "business-address": {"street1": "200 PALMER STREET", "city": "STROUDSBURG", "state": "PA", "zip": "18360", "phone": "(570) 421-0531"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "200 PALMER STREET", "city": "STROUDSBURG", "state": "PA", "zip": "18360"}}
8-K
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): November 15, 2013
ESSA Bancorp, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Pennsylvania
001-33384
20-8023072
(State or Other Jurisdiction)
of Incorporation)
(Commission
File No.)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
200 Palmer Street, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
18360
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (570) 421-0531
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))
Item 1.01
Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
On November 15, 2013, ESSA Bancorp, Inc. ("ESSA Bancorp") entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger
Agreement") by and among ESSA Bancorp, ESSA Acquisition Corp. (a wholly owned subsidiary of ESSA Bancorp) and Franklin Security Bancorp, Inc. ("FS Bancorp"), pursuant to which (i) FS Bancorp will merge with and into ESSA Bancorp,
with ESSA Bancorp as the surviving entity, and (ii) immediately thereafter, Franklin Security Bank ("Franklin Bank") will be merged with and into ESSA Bank & Trust ("ESSA Bank") with ESSA Bank as the surviving bank
(collectively, the "Merger").
Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, stockholders of FS Bancorp will receive a cash payment
equal to nine dollars and seventy five cents ($9.75) for each share of FS Bancorp common stock, or an aggregate of approximately $15.7 million.
The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of each company and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014. Completion
of the Merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the approval of FS Bancorp's stockholders.
The directors and executive officers of FS Bancorp have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the approval of the Merger Agreement at the
stockholders' meeting to be held to vote on the proposed transaction. If the Merger is not consummated under certain circumstances, FS Bancorp has agreed to pay ESSA Bancorp a termination fee of $600,000.
The Merger Agreement also contains usual and customary representations and warranties that ESSA Bancorp and FS Bancorp made to each other as
of specific dates. The assertions embodied in those representations and warranties were made solely for purposes of the contract between ESSA Bancorp and FS Bancorp, and may be subject to important qualifications and limitations agreed to by the
parties in connection with negotiating its terms. Moreover, the representations and warranties are subject to a contractual standard of materiality that may be different from what may be viewed as material to stockholders, and the representations
and warranties may have been used to allocate risk between ESSA Bancorp and FS Bancorp rather than establishing matters as facts.
The
foregoing summary of the Merger Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of such document, which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety. A copy of a news release dated November 18, 2013, announcing the Merger is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
Forward Looking Statements
This current report on Form 8-K contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods, or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as "may," "will,"
"believe," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "continue," or similar terms or variations on those terms, or the negative of those terms. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and
uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those related to the economic environment, particularly in the market areas in which the companies operate, competitive products and pricing, fiscal and monetary policies of the U.S. Government, changes
in government regulations affecting financial institutions, including compliance costs and capital requirements, changes in prevailing interest rates, acquisitions and the integration of acquired businesses, credit risk management, asset-liability
management, the financial and securities markets and the availability of and costs associated with sources of liquidity.
Readers should
not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Readers are advised that the factors listed above could affect our financial performance and could cause our actual results for future periods to
differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements. We do not undertake and specifically decline any obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
(a)
Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired. Not applicable.
(b)
Pro Forma Financial Information. Not applicable.
(c)
Shell Company Transactions. Not applicable.
(d)
Exhibits.
Exhibit 2.1
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 15, 2013, by and between ESSA Bancorp, Inc., ESSA Acquisition Corp. and Franklin Security Bancorp, Inc.
Exhibit 99.1
News Release announcing the merger, dated November 18, 2013
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.
ESSA BANCORP, INC.
DATE: November 19, 2013
By:
/s/ Gary S. Olson
Gary S. Olson, President and
Chief Executive Officer