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 12, 2017

B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (818) 884-3737

(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:

 Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in 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.

This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed in connection with the proposed merger (the “Merger”) of FBR & Co. (“FBR”) with and into BRC Merger Sub, LLC (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 15, 2017, and effective as of February 2017, by and among FBR, B. Riley Financial, Inc. (“B. Riley”) and Merger Sub. Set forth below are supplemental disclosures relating to the Merger.

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES

The following information supplements the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus dated May 2, 2017 (the “Proxy Statement”) and should be read in conjunction with the Proxy Statement, which should be read in its entirety.  All page references are to pages in the Proxy Statement, and terms used below have the meanings set forth in the Proxy Statement. Without admitting in any way that the disclosures below are material or otherwise required by law, B. Riley and FBR make the following supplemental disclosures:

Under the heading “Background of the Merger,” the third paragraph on page 56 is modified by adding the following after the second sentence of that paragraph:

The confidentiality agreements did not contain any standstill provisions.

Under the heading “Background of the Merger,” the third paragraph on page 56 is modified by adding the following as the last sentence of that paragraph:

Accordingly, none of the industry participants submitted indications of interest to FBR at that time or later (other than B. Riley).

Under the heading “Background of the Merger,” the fourth paragraph on page 57 is modified by adding the following as the last two sentences of that paragraph:

Also at this time, on February 12, Mr. Riley informed Mr. Hendrix that his continued service would be important to the combination, and inquired as to whether Mr. Hendrix would be willing to continue with the combined company following closing. Mr. Hendrix noted his general willingness, but no specific role or compensation terms were discussed.

Under the heading “Background of the Merger,” the first paragraph on page 58 is modified by adding the following as the last two sentences of that paragraph:

During this same time period, Mr. Hendrix and Mr. Riley discussed for the first time Mr. Hendrix’s future role at the combined company and his compensation.  Beginning on February 16, 2017, and continuing into the next day, the parties commenced negotiating an employment agreement for Mr. Hendrix, which included his future role as chief executive officer of the combined broker-dealer business.

Under the heading “Background of the Merger,” the third full paragraph on page 59 is modified by adding the following after the second sentence of that paragraph:

In addition, the terms of Mr. Hendrix’s employment arrangements were finalized and B. Riley and Mr. Hendrix executed the employment agreement.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication may contain forward-looking statements by B. Riley Financial, Inc. that are not based on historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," “projects,” "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions and statements. Such forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding future financial performance and future dividends, the effects of our business model, the effects of our balance sheet and credit facility on our ability to pursue business opportunities, the effects of the United Online, Inc. acquisition, the effects of our acquisition of rights to manage certain hedge funds managed by Dialectic Capital Management, the anticipated benefits of our pending acquisition of FBR & Co. and related actions, expectations regarding future transactions and the financial impact, size and consistency of returns and timing thereof, as well as statements regarding the effect of investments in our business segments. Because these forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results, events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such factors include risks associated with large engagements in our Auction and Liquidation segment; the possibility that the pending acquisition of FBR & Co. does not close when expected or at all because required regulatory, stockholder or other approvals and other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all; lower FBR & Co. earnings and/or higher FBR & Co. transaction and other expenses; our ability to achieve expected cost savings or other benefits with respect to the acquisition of United Online, Inc., our acquisition of rights to manage certain hedge funds managed by Dialectic Capital Management or the pending acquisition of FBR & Co., in each case within expected time frames or at all; our ability to consummate anticipated transactions and the expected financial impact thereof, in each case within the expected timeframes or at all; our ability to successfully integrate recent and pending acquisitions; loss of key personnel; our ability to manage growth; the potential loss of financial institution clients; the timing of completion of significant engagements; and those risks described from time to time in B. Riley Financial, Inc.'s filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, the risks described in B. Riley Financial, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." Additional information will also be set forth in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. All information is current as of the date this communication, and B. Riley Financial, Inc. undertakes no duty to update this information.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication 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, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Additional Information about the Pending Acquisition of FBR & Co. and Where to Find It

Stockholders are urged to carefully review and consider each of B. Riley Financial, Inc.’s and FBR & Co.’s public filings with the SEC, including but not limited to their Annual Reports on Form 10-K, their proxy statements, their Current Reports on Form 8-K and their Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. In connection with B. Riley Financial, Inc.’s pending acquisition of FBR & Co., B. Riley Financial, Inc. has filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) that includes a Joint Proxy Statement of B. Riley Financial, Inc. and FBR & Co. and a Prospectus of B. Riley Financial, Inc. (the “Joint Proxy/Prospectus”), as well as other relevant documents concerning the transaction. Stockholders of B. Riley Financial, Inc. and FBR & Co. are urged to carefully read the Registration Statement and the Joint Proxy/Prospectus regarding the pending acquisition of FBR & Co. in their entirety and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they contain important information. The Joint Proxy/Prospectus has been sent to the stockholders of B. Riley Financial, Inc. and FBR & Co. The Joint Proxy/Prospectus and other relevant materials filed with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s Website at http://www.sec.gov. FBR & Co. AND B. RILEY FINANCIAL, Inc. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY/PROSPECTUS AND THE OTHER RELEVANT MATERIALS BEFORE VOTING ON THE TRANSACTION.

Investors will also be able to obtain these documents, free of charge, from FBR & Co. by accessing FBR & Co.’s website at www.fbr.com under the tab “Investor Relations” or from B. Riley Financial, Inc. at www.brileyfin.com under the tab “Investor Relations.” Copies can also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a written request to B. Riley Financial, Inc., Attention: Corporate Secretary, 21255 Burbank Boulevard, Suite 400, Woodland Hills, California 91367 or to FBR & Co., Attention: Corporate Secretary, 1300 North Seventeenth Street, Arlington, Virginia 22209.

Participants in Solicitation

B. Riley Financial, Inc. and FBR & Co. and their directors and executive officers and certain other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of FBR & Co. or B. Riley Financial, Inc. in connection with B. Riley Financial, Inc.’s pending acquisition of FBR & Co.. Information about the directors and executive officers of B. Riley Financial, Inc. and their ownership of B. Riley Financial, Inc. common stock is set forth in the proxy statement for B. Riley Financial, Inc.’s 2017 annual meeting of stockholders, which is included in the Joint Proxy/Prospectus. Information about the directors and executive officers of FBR & Co. and their ownership of FBR & Co. common stock is set forth in the Joint Proxy/Prospectus and in FBR & Co.’s Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 21, 2017. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the pending acquisition of FBR & Co. may be obtained by reading the Joint Proxy/Prospectus. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.

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.