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):              May 6, 2019                

Ameris Bancorp    
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Georgia
001-13901
58-1456434
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
 (IRS Employer Identification No.)

    
310 First Street, S.E., Moultrie, Georgia                  31768                
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:             (229) 890-1111            

(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):
x
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
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. ¨
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share
ABCB
Nasdaq Global Select Market



Item 8.01    Other Events.
On May 6, 2019, Ameris Bancorp, a Georgia corporation (“Ameris”), and Fidelity Southern Corporation, a Georgia corporation (“Fidelity”), issued a joint press release announcing that, at their respective special meetings of shareholders held on May 6, 2019, shareholders of both companies have voted to approve all proposals necessary to complete the merger of Fidelity with and into Ameris (the “Merger”). The Merger is expected to close in the second quarter of 2019 and remains subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
A copy of the joint press release is attached to this Report as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated into this Report by reference.
* * *
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This Report contains forward-looking statements, as defined by federal securities laws, including the expected timing of the proposed Merger between Ameris and Fidelity. The forward-looking statements in this Report are based on current expectations and involve numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any such statements, including the parties’ ability to consummate the proposed Merger or satisfy the conditions to the completion of the proposed Merger, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals, on the terms expected or on the anticipated schedule. For a discussion of some of the other risks and other factors that may cause such forward-looking statements to differ materially from actual results, please refer to Ameris’s and Fidelity’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including their respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and neither Ameris nor Fidelity undertakes any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.
Additional Information
On February 12, 2019, Ameris filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (Registration Statement No. 333-229626), as amended on March 22, 2019, with the SEC to register the shares of Ameris common stock that will be issued to Fidelity’s shareholders in connection with the Merger. The registration statement included a joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials in connection with the transaction. The registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on March 25, 2019, and Ameris and Fidelity commenced mailing the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus to shareholders of Ameris and Fidelity on or about March 28, 2019. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE MERGER AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERGER. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these documents and other documents filed with the SEC on its website at http://www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders may also obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Ameris on its website at http://www.AmerisBank.com and by Fidelity on its website at www.FidelitySouthern.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. Investors and security holders of Ameris and Fidelity are urged to read carefully the entire registration statement and definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, including any amendments thereto, because they contain or will contain important information about the Merger. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described above.


Item 9.01    Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)    Exhibits.
Joint press release of Ameris Bancorp and Fidelity Southern Corporation, dated May 6, 2019.




SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
AMERIS BANCORP


By:     /s/ Nicole S. Stokes                
Nicole S. Stokes
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Date: May 6, 2019





AMERISLOGO050619.JPG      FIDELITYSOUTHERN.JPG

For Immediate Release


Ameris Bancorp and Fidelity Southern Corporation Shareholders Approve Merger

Moultrie, GA and Atlanta, GA, May 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameris Bancorp (Nasdaq: ABCB) (“Ameris”), the parent company of Ameris Bank, and Fidelity Southern Corporation (Nasdaq: LION) (“Fidelity”), the parent company of Fidelity Bank, jointly announced that, at their respective special meetings of shareholders held today, shareholders of both companies have voted to approve all proposals necessary to complete the merger of Fidelity with and into Ameris. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2019 and remains subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
The final voting results on all proposals for each company’s special meeting will be filed with the SEC in separate Form 8-Ks and will also be made available by Ameris on its website at http://www.AmerisBank.com and by Fidelity on its website at www.FidelitySouthern.com , respectively, after certification by each company’s inspector of elections.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking statements, as defined by federal securities laws, including the expected timing of the proposed merger between Ameris and Fidelity. The forward-looking statements in this news release are based on current expectations and involve numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any such statements, including the parties’ ability to consummate the proposed merger or satisfy the conditions to the completion of the proposed merger, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals, on the terms expected or on the anticipated schedule. For a discussion of some of the other risks and other factors that may cause such forward-looking statements to differ materially from actual results, please refer to Ameris’s and Fidelity’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including their respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and neither Ameris nor Fidelity undertakes any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.




Ameris Bancorp
Ameris Bancorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Moultrie, Georgia and the parent of Ameris Bank, a Georgia state-chartered bank. Ameris Bank currently has 114 branches in Georgia, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina.
Fidelity Southern Corporation
Fidelity Southern Corporation, through its operating subsidiaries, Fidelity Bank and LionMark Insurance Company, provides banking services and Wealth Management services and credit-related insurance products through branches in Georgia and Florida, and an insurance office in Atlanta, Georgia. Indirect auto loans are provided in Georgia and Florida and mortgage loans are provided throughout the South, while SBA loans are originated nationwide. For additional information about Fidelity's products and services, please visit the website at www.FidelitySouthern.com .