<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001171843-17-000607.txt : 20170201
<SEC-HEADER>0001171843-17-000607.hdr.sgml : 20170201
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20170201080037
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001171843-17-000607
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20170201
ITEM INFORMATION:		Other Events
ITEM INFORMATION:		Financial Statements and Exhibits
FILED AS OF DATE:		20170201
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20170201

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Clearfield, Inc.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000796505
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH APPARATUS [3661]
		IRS NUMBER:				411347235
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-16106
		FILM NUMBER:		17563115

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7050 WINNETKA AVE. N.
		STREET 2:		SUITE 100
		CITY:			BROOKLYN PARK
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55428
		BUSINESS PHONE:		763-476-6866

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7050 WINNETKA AVE. N.
		STREET 2:		SUITE 100
		CITY:			BROOKLYN PARK
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55428

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	APA Enterprises, Inc.
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20041116

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	APA OPTICS INC /MN/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>f8k_020117.htm
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 8-K
<TEXT>
<html><head><title></title></head><body><div style="margin-top: 3pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><div style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: Black 2.5pt solid; border-bottom: Black 1.1pt solid; width: 100%;"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><font style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>UNITED STATES</strong><br><strong>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</strong><br><strong>Washington, D.C. 20549</strong><br>_____________________</font></p><p style="text-transform: uppercase; text-align: center;"><font style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Form 8-K</strong><br>_____________________</font></p><p style="text-align: center;"><font style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>CURRENT REPORT</strong></font></p><p style="text-align: center;"><font style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934</strong></font></p><p align="center"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">Date of Report (Date of earliest event Reported): <!--February 1, 2017-->February 1, 2017 &#160;</font></p><p align="center"><font style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>CLEARFIELD, INC.</strong></font><br><font style="font-size: 10pt;">(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)</font></p><table style="width: 100%;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr valign="top"><td align="center" width="33%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Minnesota</strong></font></td><td align="center" width="34%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>000-16106</strong></font></td><td align="center" width="33%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>41-1347235</strong></font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="center" width="33%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)</font></td><td align="center" width="34%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">(Commission File Number)</font></td><td align="center" width="33%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)</font></td></tr></table><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></p><table style="width: 100%;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="center" width="50%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>7050 Winnetka Avenue North, Suite 100, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota 55428</strong><!--UNITED STATES --></font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="center" width="50%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)</font></td></tr></table><p align="center"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>(763) 476-6866</strong><br>(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)</font></p><p align="center"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Not Applicable</strong><br>(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)</font></p><table style="width: 100%;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr valign="top"><td colspan="3"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">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:<br><br></font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="21"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="40"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">[ &#160; ]</font></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;&#160;Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="21"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="40"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">[ &#160; ]</font></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;&#160;Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)</font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="21"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="40"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">[ &#160; ]</font></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;&#160;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))</font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="21"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="40"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">[ &#160; ]</font></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;&#160;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))</font></td></tr></table><div style="margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 3pt;"><div style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: Black 1.1pt solid; border-bottom: Black 2.5pt solid; width: 100%;"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></div>&#160;</div><hr style="page-break-after: always;" noshade="noshade"><p style="font-size: 10pt;">Items under Sections 1 and 3&#160;through 7 are not applicable and therefore omitted.</p><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;">  <strong>  </strong></font></p><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Item 8.01. Other Events.</strong></font></p><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><p>On February 1, 2017, Clearfield, Inc. (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) issued a press release relating to the Company&#8217;s defense of a patent infringement suit, which press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.</p></font></p><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>  </strong></font></p><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.</strong></font></p><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><table style="font-size: 10pt;" class="mce-item-table"><tr><td style="text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;"><u>Exhibit No.</u></td><td style="vertical-align: bottom;">&#160;</td><td style="vertical-align: bottom;"><u>Description</u></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom;">99.1</td><td style="vertical-align: bottom;">&#160;</td><td style="vertical-align: bottom;">Press Release Issued by Clearfield, Inc. on February 1, 2017</td></tr></table><div id="mceResizeHandlen" class="mce-resizehandle" style="cursor: n-resize; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; left: 216px; top: 4.5px;"></div><div id="mceResizeHandlee" class="mce-resizehandle" style="cursor: e-resize; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; left: 427.5px; top: 25px;"></div><div id="mceResizeHandles" class="mce-resizehandle" style="cursor: s-resize; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; left: 216px; top: 45.5px;"></div><div id="mceResizeHandlew" class="mce-resizehandle" style="cursor: w-resize; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; left: 4.5px; top: 25px;"></div><div id="mceResizeHandlenw" class="mce-resizehandle" style="cursor: nw-resize; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; left: 4.5px; top: 4.5px;"></div><div id="mceResizeHandlene" class="mce-resizehandle" style="cursor: ne-resize; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; left: 427.5px; top: 4.5px;"></div><div id="mceResizeHandlese" class="mce-resizehandle" style="cursor: se-resize; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; left: 427.5px; top: 45.5px;"></div><div id="mceResizeHandlesw" class="mce-resizehandle" style="cursor: sw-resize; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; left: 4.5px; top: 45.5px;"></div></font></p><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;"></font></p><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;"></font></p><hr style="page-break-after: always;" noshade="noshade"><p align="center"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>SIGNATURE</strong></font></p><p><font style="font-size: 10pt;">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.</font></p><table style="width: 100%;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr valign="top"><td valign="top" width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td style="font-size: 12pt;" colspan="2" valign="top"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>CLEARFIELD, INC.</strong></font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="2%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="2%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"></font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">Date: February 1, 2017</font></td><td width="2%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">By:&#160;</font></td><td style="text-decoration: underline;" width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">/s/ Cheryl Beranek&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="2%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">Cheryl Beranek</font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="2%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">Chief Executive Officer</font></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="2%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;">&#160;</font></td><td width="49%"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"></font></td></tr></table><p></body></html>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>exh_991.htm
<DESCRIPTION>PRESS RELEASE
<TEXT>
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"><html lang="en-US"><head><title>EdgarFiling</title><meta content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"><meta name="GENERATOR" content="MSHTML 8.00.7601.18094"></head><body bgcolor="#ffffff"><p style="text-align: right;"><strong>EXHIBIT 99.1</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Clearfield Responds to CommScope Claims of Patent Infringement</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><p> <p align="left">MINNEAPOLIS, Feb.  01, 2017  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- <strong>Clearfield, Inc. </strong>(NASDAQ:CLFD)<strong>, </strong>the specialist in fiber management, optical pathway and connectivity platforms for communication service providers, reported today that it intends to vigorously defend against the patent infringement suit recently brought by CommScope in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.&#160;Clearfield invested significant resources in bringing to market the Clearfield&#8217;s FieldSmart&#174; PON Cabinets, WaveSmart&#174; Ruggedized Splitters, FieldShield&#174; Deployment Reel System, SmartRoute&#174; Panel, FieldShield&#174; Multiport SmarTerminal and FieldShield&#174; Hardened Connectors named in the suit and does not believe that these innovative products violate any valid intellectual property of CommScope.&#160;<br></p>  <p>Cheri Beranek, Chief Executive Officer of Clearfield, said in response to the lawsuit: &#8220;It seems that Clearfield&#8217;s successful penetration and growth in the fiber broadband market has attracted the notice of its competitors. Clearfield remains committed to pursuing its market development initiatives and to winning business with an expansive product offering to a broad customer base that recognizes Clearfield&#8217;s strong value proposition.&#8221;</p>  <p><strong>About Clearfield, Inc. </strong><br>Clearfield, Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes fiber optic management, protection and delivery products for communications networks. Our &#8220;fiber to the anywhere&#8221; platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center and military markets.</p>  <p>Clearfield offers the industry&#8217;s only fiber management and delivery platform that simplifies the fiber to the &#8216;x&#8217; (FTTx) equation with the promise of a design methodology that addresses each network&#8217;s unique requirements, while building simplicity into the design and delivering the lowest total cost of ownership.</p>  <p>Based on the patented Clearview&#153; Cassette, Clearfield&#8217;s unique single-architected, modular fiber management platform is designed to further lower the cost of broadband deployment and maintenance by consolidating, protecting and distributing incoming and outgoing fiber circuits, enabling customers to scale their operations as their subscriber revenues increase. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.</p>  <p><strong><em>Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements</em></strong><br>This press release includes forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Words such as &#8220;may,&#8221; &#8220;will,&#8221; &#8220;expect,&#8221; &#8220;believe,&#8221; &#8220;anticipate,&#8221; or &#8220;continue&#8221; or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements.&#160; The Company's forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations regarding future events, circumstances and results. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future events or results and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements including those factors set forth in Clearfield&#8217;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2016 as well as other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements to reflect actual events.</p></p><p>Investor Relations Contact:<br><br>Matt Glover and Najim Mostamand<br>Liolios Group, Inc.<br>949-574-3860<br>CLFD@liolios.com</p></body></html>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
