PRK

prk-20260121false000080567600008056762026-01-212026-01-21

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)January 21, 2026

PARK NATIONAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Ohio1-1300631-1179518 (State or other jurisdiction(Commission(IRS Employer of incorporation)File Number)Identification No.)

50 North Third Street, P.O. Box 3500,Newark,Ohio43058-3500 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(740) 349-8451 (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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: ☐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 classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered Common shares, without par valuePRKNYSE American

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. ☐ 1

Item 2.02 - Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On January 26, 2026, Park National Corporation (“Park”) issued a news release (the “Financial Results News Release”) announcing financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2025. A copy of the Financial Results News Release is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures

Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K as well as the Financial Results News Release contain non-U.S. GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles in the United States or "U.S. GAAP") financial measures where management believes them to be helpful in understanding Park’s results of operations or financial position. Where non-U.S. GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable U.S. GAAP financial measures, as well as the reconciliation from the comparable U.S. GAAP financial measures, can be found in the Financial Results News Release.

Items Impacting Comparability of Period Results From time to time, revenue, expenses and/or taxes are impacted by items judged by management of Park to be outside of ordinary banking activities and/or by items that, while they may be associated with ordinary banking activities, are so unusually large that their impact is believed by management of Park at that time to be infrequent or short-term in nature. Most often, these items impacting comparability of period results are due to merger and acquisition activities and revenue and expenses related to former Vision Bank loan relationships. In other cases, they may result from management's decisions associated with significant corporate actions outside of the ordinary course of business.

Even though certain revenue and expense items are naturally subject to more volatility than others due to changes in market and economic environment conditions, as a general rule, volatility alone does not result in the inclusion of an item as one impacting comparability of period results. For example, changes in the provision for credit losses (aside from those related to former Vision Bank loan relationships), gains (losses) on equity securities, net, and asset valuation adjustments, reflect ordinary banking activities and are, therefore, typically excluded from consideration as items impacting comparability of period results.

Management believes the disclosure of items impacting comparability of period results provides a better understanding of Park's performance and trends and allows management to ascertain which of such items, if any, to include or exclude from an analysis of Park's performance; i.e., within the context of determining how that performance differed from expectations, as well as how, if at all, to adjust estimates of future performance taking such items into account.

Items impacting comparability of the results of particular periods are not intended to be a complete list of items that

prk-20251027false000080567600008056762025-10-272025-10-27

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)October 27, 2025

PARK NATIONAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Ohio1-1300631-1179518 (State or other jurisdiction(Commission(IRS Employer of incorporation)File Number)Identification No.)

50 North Third Street, P.O. Box 3500,Newark,Ohio43058-3500 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(740) 349-8451 (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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: ☑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 classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered Common shares, without par valuePRKNYSE American

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. ☐ 1

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

Agreement and Plan of Merger

Overview

On October 27, 2025, Park National Corporation, an Ohio corporation ("Park"), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with First Citizens Bancshares, Inc., a Tennessee corporation (“First Citizens”). The Merger Agreement provides that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, First Citizens would merge with and into Park (the “Merger”), with Park continuing as the surviving corporation in the Merger. Immediately following the Merger, Park will cause First Citizens' wholly owned banking subsidiary, First Citizens National Bank, a national banking association (“First Citizens National Bank”), to merge with and into Park's wholly owned banking subsidiary, The Park National Bank, a national banking association (“Park National Bank”) (the “Bank Merger”), with Park National Bank continuing as the surviving bank in the Bank Merger.

The Merger Agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of Park and First Citizens. The Merger is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, certain of which are described below, regulatory approvals and approval of First Citizens' shareholders.

Merger Consideration

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), each share of common stock, no par value per share, of First Citizens, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, will be converted into the right to receive 0.52 of a share of common stock, no par value, of Park (the “Park Common Stock”) (the “Merger Consideration”).

Representations and Warranties; Covenants; Indemnification

The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties from Park and First Citizens, and each party has agreed to customary covenants, including, among others, relating to (a) the conduct of its business during the interim period between the execution of the Merger Agreement and the Effective Time, (b) maintenance of its business organization, relationships with its employees and its advantageous business relationships and (c) taking no actions that would reasonably be expected to adversely affect or materially delay the ability to obtain any necessary regulatory or other approvals required to consummate the Merger. First Citizens has also agreed to call a meeting of its shareholders to approve the Merger.

Under the Merger Agreement, each of Park and First Citizens has agreed to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain, as promptly as practicable, all consents required to be obtained from any governmental authority or other third party that are necessary or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (including the Merger and the Bank Merger). Notwithstanding such gene

prk-20250725false000080567600008056762025-07-252025-07-25

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)July 25, 2025

PARK NATIONAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Ohio1-1300631-1179518 (State or other jurisdiction(Commission(IRS Employer of incorporation)File Number)Identification No.)

50 North Third Street, P.O. Box 3500,Newark,Ohio43058-3500 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(740) 349-8451 (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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: ☐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 classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered Common shares, without par valuePRKNYSE American

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. ☐ 1

Item 2.02 - Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On July 28, 2025, Park National Corporation (“Park”) issued a news release (the “Financial Results News Release”) announcing financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025. A copy of the Financial Results News Release is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures

Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K as well as the Financial Results News Release contain non-U.S. GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles in the United States or "U.S. GAAP") financial measures where management believes them to be helpful in understanding Park’s results of operations or financial position. Where non-U.S. GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable U.S. GAAP financial measures, as well as the reconciliation from the comparable U.S. GAAP financial measures, can be found in the Financial Results News Release.

Items Impacting Comparability of Period Results From time to time, revenue, expenses and/or taxes are impacted by items judged by management of Park to be outside of ordinary banking activities and/or by items that, while they may be associated with ordinary banking activities, are so unusually large that their impact is believed by management of Park at that time to be infrequent or short-term in nature. Most often, these items impacting comparability of period results are due to merger and acquisition activities and revenue and expenses related to former Vision Bank loan relationships. In other cases, they may result from management's decisions associated with significant corporate actions outside of the ordinary course of business.

Even though certain revenue and expense items are naturally subject to more volatility than others due to changes in market and economic environment conditions, as a general rule, volatility alone does not result in the inclusion of an item as one impacting comparability of period results. For example, changes in the provision for credit losses (aside from those related to former Vision Bank loan relationships), gains (losses) on equity securities, net, and asset valuation adjustments, reflect ordinary banking activities and are, therefore, typically excluded from consideration as items impacting comparability of period results.

Management believes the disclosure of items impacting comparability of period results provides a better understanding of Park's performance and trends and allows management to ascertain which of such items, if any, to include or exclude from an analysis of Park's performance; i.e., within the context of determining how that performance differed from expectations, as well as how, if at all, to adjust estimates of future performance taking such items into account.

Items impacting comparability of the results of particular periods are not intended to be a complete list of items that may material