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 19, 2018

NorthWest Indiana Bancorp
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Indiana
  
000-26128
  
35-1927981
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
(Commission File Number)
  
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

9204 Columbia Avenue
Munster, Indiana
  
46321
(Address of principal executive offices)
  
(Zip Code)

(219) 836-4400
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A
(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):

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

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

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

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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 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.          ☐

Item 8.01  Other Events.

On July 30, 2018, NorthWest Indiana Bancorp (“NWIN”) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with AJS Bancorp, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“AJSB”).  Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, AJSB will merge with and into NWIN, with NWIN as the surviving corporation (the “Merger”).  Simultaneous with the Merger, A.J. Smith Federal Savings Bank, the wholly-owned federally chartered savings bank subsidiary of AJSB (“AJS Bank”), will merge with and into Peoples Bank SB, the wholly-owned Indiana state chartered savings bank subsidiary of NWIN (“Peoples Bank”), with Peoples Bank as the surviving bank (the “Bank Merger”).  The Merger Agreement is described in greater detail in NWIN’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 31, 2018.

On December 19, 2018, the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions approved the proposed merger of AJS Bank with and into Peoples Bank.  NWIN previously received the approval of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for the merger of AJS Bank with and into Peoples Bank.  The Federal Reserve Board also previously granted NWIN’s requested waiver from its application filing requirements.  As a result, all regulatory approvals necessary for the consummation of the Merger and Bank Merger have now been received.

NWIN expects the Merger and Bank Merger to close on January 24, 2019, subject to the satisfaction of the remaining closing conditions.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Current Report on Form 8-K may contain forward-looking statements regarding the financial performance, business prospects, growth and operating strategies of NWIN and AJSB.  For these statements, NWIN claims the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Statements in this communication should be considered in conjunction with the other information available about NWIN, including the information in the filings NWIN makes with the SEC.  Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance.  The forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.  Forward-looking statements are typically identified by using words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “will” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance.

Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements.  Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include: ability to meet the closing conditions to the Merger; delay in closing the Merger; difficulties and delays in integrating NWIN’s and AJSB’s businesses or fully realizing cost savings and other benefits; business disruption following the Merger; changes in asset quality and credit risk; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates and capital markets; inflation; customer acceptance of NWIN’s and AJSB’s products and services; customer borrowing, repayment, investment, and deposit practices; customer disintermediation; the introduction, withdrawal, success, and timing of business initiatives; competitive conditions; the inability to realize cost savings or revenues or to implement integration plans and other consequences associated with mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; economic conditions; and the impact, extent, and timing of technological changes, capital management activities, and other actions of the Federal Reserve Board and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms.

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.

 
NorthWest Indiana Bancorp
Date:  December 19, 2018
    
     
 
By:
/s/ Robert T. Lowry
   
Printed Name: Robert T. Lowry
   
Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer