8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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): February 26, 2026

Alerus Financial Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

401 Demers Avenue

Grand Forks, North Dakota 58201

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (701) 795-3200

N/A

(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 (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 Act:

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 8.01.         Other Events.

On February 26, 2026, Alerus Financial Corporation (the “Company”) announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) declared a cash dividend of $0.21 per share of its common stock. The dividend is payable on April 10, 2026, to stockholders of record on March 27, 2026. A copy of the press release announcing the dividend is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01.         Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

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.

ex_914397.htm

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALERUS FINANCIAL CORPORATION DECLARES

CASH DIVIDEND ON COMMON SHARES

MINNEAPOLIS (February 26, 2026) – Alerus Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: ALRS) announced that its board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.21 per common share on February 25, 2026, a 5.00% increase over the dividend paid a year ago. The dividend is payable on April 10, 2026, to stockholders of record as of close of business on March 27, 2026. Current and historic dividend information, as well as quarterly financial statements, investor presentations, and earnings call transcripts are available online through Alerus’ investor relations website at investors.alerus.com.

About Alerus Financial Corporation

Alerus Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: ALRS) is a commercial wealth bank and national retirement services provider with corporate offices in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota metropolitan area. Through its subsidiary, Alerus Financial, National Association (the “Bank”), Alerus provides diversified and comprehensive financial solutions to business and consumer clients, including banking, wealth services, and retirement and benefit plans and services. Alerus provides clients with a primary point of contact to help fully understand their unique needs and delivery channel preferences. Clients are provided with competitive products, valuable insight, and sound advice supported by digital solutions designed to meet their needs. Alerus operates 26 banking and commercial wealth offices, with locations in Grand Forks and Fargo, North Dakota; the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota metropolitan area; Rochester, Minnesota; Southern Minnesota; Marshalltown, Iowa; Pewaukee, Wisconsin; and Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona. The Alerus Retirement and Benefit business serves advisors, brokers, employers, and plan participants across the United States.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements concerning plans, estimates, calculations, forecasts and projections with respect to the anticipated future performance of Alerus Financial Corporation. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in forward-looking statements include, among others, the risks described in the “Risk Factors” sections of reports filed by Alerus Financial Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.