HBT Financial, Inc. filed a Form 8-K on November 2, 2026, disclosing that Tri-County Financial Group, Inc. stockholders approved the proposed merger with HBT at a special meeting held on October 29, 2026.

Key Highlights

  • Stockholder approval obtained: TYFG stockholders voted in favor of the proposed transaction at a special meeting on October 29, 2026.
  • Original merger agreement: HBT Financial and Tri-County Financial Group, Inc. entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger on August 10, 2026.
  • Target acquisition: The proposed transaction covers TYFG and its wholly owned bank subsidiary, First State Bank.
  • Expected closing timeline: The company currently expects the transaction to close early in the first quarter of 2027, subject to remaining conditions.
  • Remaining conditions: Closing remains subject to regulatory approval and certain other customary closing conditions.
  • Exchange listing: HBT Financial common stock trades on NASDAQ:HBT with a par value of $0.01 per share.

HBT Financial Merger With TYFG Clears Stockholder Hurdle

According to the filing, HBT Financial, Inc. and Tri-County Financial Group, Inc. entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger on August 10, 2026, covering the proposed acquisition of TYFG and its wholly owned bank subsidiary, First State Bank. The 8-K, signed by Chief Financial Officer Peter R. Chapman, reports that the next major milestone in that process was reached when TYFG's stockholders approved the proposed transaction at a special meeting on October 29, 2026.

The filing notes that the closing of the proposed merger "remains subject to regulatory approval and certain other customary closing conditions." Subject to the satisfaction of those conditions, the company disclosed it "currently expects the transaction to close early in the first quarter of 2027." No specific regulatory bodies or additional closing conditions were enumerated in the filing beyond that general description.

The filing contains forward-looking statements regarding the expected timetable for completion of the merger and related matters. The company stated that these forward-looking statements "are intended to be subject to the safe harbor provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act, Section 21E of the Exchange Act and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995," and that actual results could differ materially due to risks including the possibility that a closing condition may not be satisfied, that the merger agreement could be terminated, or that closing could be delayed or not occur at all.

What Was Disclosed

HBT Financial filed an 8-K reporting that TYFG stockholders approved the planned merger at an October 29, 2026 special meeting. The deal, first announced August 10, 2026, still requires regulatory approval before an expected early first-quarter 2027 close.