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):  November 7, 2019

PACIFIC ETHANOL, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

(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):

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 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

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 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On November 7, 2019, Pacific Ethanol, Inc. issued a press release announcing certain results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019. A copy of the press release is furnished (not filed) as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information furnished in this Item 2.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K and Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. The information in this Item 2.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is not incorporated by reference into any filings of Pacific Ethanol, Inc. made under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K, regardless of any general incorporation language in the filing unless specifically stated so therein.

Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

The 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (“Annual Meeting”) of Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (the “Company”) was held on November 7, 2019. The following proposals were approved at the Annual Meeting by the votes indicated:

Proposal One: To elect nine directors to serve on the Company’s board of directors until the next annual meeting of stockholders and/or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The nominees for election were William L. Jones, Neil M. Koehler, Michael D. Kandris, Terry L. Stone, John L. Prince, Douglas L. Kieta, Larry D. Layne, Gilbert E. Nathan and Dianne S. Nury.

The following nominees were elected by the votes indicated to serve as directors until the next annual meeting of stockholders and/or until their successors are duly elected and qualified:

Proposal Two: To approve the 2018 compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed in the proxy statement pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“say-on-pay”).

Proposal Three: To recommend conducting an advisory vote on executive compensation every one, two or three years.

Proposal Four: To approve an amendment to the Company’s 2016 Stock Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the plan from 3,650,000 shares to 5,650,000shares.

Proposal Five: To ratify the appointment of RSM US LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and 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.

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