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):
March 26, 2026


JEFFERIES FINANCIAL GROUP INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



New York
001-05721
13-2615557
(State of other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS. Employer Identification No.)

520 Madison Ave., New York, New York
 
10022
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 212-284-2300



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):

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 Exchange Act:

Title of each class
 
Trading
Symbol(s)
 
Name of each exchange
on which registered
         
Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share
 
JEF
 
New York Stock Exchange
4.850% Senior Notes Due 2027
 
JEF 27A
  New York Stock Exchange
5.875% Senior Notes Due 2028
 
JEF 28
 
New York Stock Exchange
2.750% Senior Notes Due 2032
 
JEF 32A
 
New York Stock Exchange
6.200% Senior Notes Due 2034
 
JEF 34
 
New York Stock Exchange
5.500% Senior Notes Due 2036
 
JEF 36
 
New York Stock Exchange

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 5.03
Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year
On March 26, 2026, Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (the “Company”, “we” or “our”) held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”), at which the Company’s shareholders approved an amendment and restatement of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (the “Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) to increase the number of authorized shares of the existing class of non-voting common stock, par value $1.00 per share.  On March 27, 2026, the Company delivered the Restated Certificate of Incorporation to the Department of State of the State of New York for filing.  The description of the amendment and restatement effected by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation is incorporated herein by reference to the text of the section titled “Proposal 4: Amendment and Restatement of the Certificate of Incorporation” of the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 23, 2026.  Such description is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which has been filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.
The Restated Certificate of Incorporation was effective as of the filing with the Department of State of the State of New York on March 27, 2026.
Item 5.07
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
Set forth below are the final voting results for each of the matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders at the Annual Meeting.

Our director nominees were elected to our Board of Directors and received the following votes:

 
 
Number of Shares
 
 
 
 
 
For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Votes
 
Linda L. Adamany
 
 
149,862,077
 
 
12,148,486
 
 
476,831
 
 
19,736,294
 
Robert D. Beyer
 
 
154,115,324
 
 
7,878,466
 
 
493,604
 
 
19,736,294
 
Matrice Ellis Kirk
 
 
158,388,284
 
 
3,586,069
 
 
513,041
 
 
19,736,294
 
Brian P. Friedman
 
 
160,822,258
 
 
1,406,374
 
 
258,762
 
 
19,736,294
 
MaryAnne Gilmartin
 
 
155,034,068
 
 
6,939,810
 
 
513,516
 
 
19,736,294
 
Richard B. Handler
 
 
160,877,951
 
 
1,348,999
 
 
260,444
 
 
19,736,294
 
Yoshihiro Hyakutome     160,943,629     1,162,789     380,976     19,736,294  
Thomas W. Jones
 
 
159,661,357
 
 
2,299,873
 
 
526,164
 
 
19,736,294
 
Jacob M. Katz
 
 
159,628,315
 
 
2,369,202
 
 
489,877
 
 
19,736,294
 
Michael T. O’Kane
 
 
153,460,758
 
 
8,533,751
 
 
492,885
 
 
19,736,294
 
Joseph S. Steinberg
 
 
158,549,326
 
 
3,626,220
 
 
311,848
 
 
19,736,294
 
Melissa V. Weiler
 
 
154,333,178
 
 
7,676,007
 
 
478,209
 
 
19,736,294
 

Our shareholders approved, on a non-binding advisory basis, our executive-compensation program.  Voting results were as follows:
   
Number of Shares
 
For
   
142,257,066
 
Against
   
19,633,316
 
Abstain
   
597,012
 
Broker Non-Votes
   
19,736,294
 

Our shareholders ratified the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2026.  Voting results were as follows:
   
Number of Shares
 
For
   
181,007,063
 
Against
   
844,926
 
Abstain
   
371,699
 

Our shareholders approved the Restated Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of the existing class of non-voting common stock, par value $1.00 per share.  Voting results were as follows:


   
Number of Shares
For
 
181,470,620
Against
 
471,274
Abstain
 
281,794

In connection with the Annual Meeting, we also solicited proxies with respect to the adjournment of the Annual Meeting for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies if there were insufficient votes at the Annual Meeting to approve the Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Adjournment Proposal”).  As there were sufficient votes at the time of the Annual Meeting to approve the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Adjournment Proposal was unnecessary and such proposal was not submitted to the shareholders for approval at the Annual Meeting.

Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

 
Exhibit
Number
Description
     
 
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Jefferies Financial Group Inc.
     
 
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)


SIGNATURE

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.

Date: March 31, 2026
JEFFERIES FINANCIAL GROUP INC.
   
 
/s/ Michael J. Sharp
 
Michael J. Sharp
 
Executive Vice President and General Counsel