---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001104659-26-026781"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "ESQ"
cik: "0001531031"
company_name: "Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc."
filed_at: "2026-03-12T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-15T13:17:06.848280+00:00"
event_type: "m_and_a"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.85
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.85
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Esquire Financial to acquire Signature Bancorporation in all-stock merger

## Summary
- Each Signature share will convert into 2.630 shares of ESQ common stock, adjustable between 2.50 and 2.80.
- Signature termination fee of $15.0 million under certain circumstances.
- Two Signature directors (Michael O’Rourke and Leonard Caronia) to join Esquire's board post-closing.
- Signature executives enter 3-year lock-up agreements restricting share sales; voting agreements with directors and officers.
- Transaction approved by both boards; subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, expected Nasdaq listing of ESQ shares.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001104659-26-026781
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: ESQ
- cik: 0001531031
- company_name: Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc.
- filed_at: 2026-03-12T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: m_and_a
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.85
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.85
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 1.01, 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1531031/000110465926026781/0001104659-26-026781-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1531031/000110465926026781/tm268605d1_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-26-026781
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-26-026781.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-26-026781.txt

## Key facts
- Material Agreements
  Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. entered into Agreement and Plan of Merger with Signature Bancorporation, Inc. (effective 2026-03-11).
  - Action: entry
  - Agreement: merger
  - Counterparty: Signature Bancorporation, Inc.
  - Effective: 2026-03-11
  source text: On March 11, 2026, Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Esquire”), Esquire Merger Sub, Inc., a Maryland corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Esquire (“Merger Sub”), and Signature Bancorporation, Inc., an Illinois corporation (“Signature”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”).
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1531031/000110465926026781/0001104659-26-026781-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.