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): April 17, 2020

PACIFIC ETHANOL, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (916) 403-2123

(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 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §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. ☐

As previously disclosed by Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (the “Company”) in its Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 19, 2019, the Company received a letter (the “Initial Letter”) from the Listing Qualifications department of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) on July 17, 2019 indicating that the Company was not in compliance with the required minimum bid price of $1.00 per share (the “Minimum Bid Price Requirement”) as required under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). The Initial Letter provided the Company with 180 calendar days, or until January 13, 2020, to regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2).

As previously disclosed by the Company in its Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 22, 2020, the Company received a second letter (the “Second Letter”) from Nasdaq on January 15, 2020 granting the Company an additional 180 calendar days, or until July 13, 2020, to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). Nasdaq further stated in the Second Letter that its determination to grant an extension was based on the Company meeting the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other applicable requirements for initial listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market, with the exception of the Minimum Bid Price Requirement, and the Company’s written notice of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary.

On April 17, 2020, the Company received a third letter (the “Third Letter”) from Nasdaq indicating that Nasdaq filed an immediately effective rule change with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 16, 2020. Pursuant to the rule change, Nasdaq tolled the compliance periods for bid price and market value of publicly held shares requirements (collectively, the “Price-based Requirements”) through June 30, 2020. As a result, companies presently in compliance periods for any Price-based Requirements will remain at that same stage of the process and will not be subject to being delisted for these concerns. Starting on July 1, 2020, companies will receive the balance of any pending compliance period in effect at the start of the tolling period to regain compliance. Accordingly, since the Company had 88 calendar days remaining in its compliance period as of April 16, 2020, the Company will, upon reinstatement of the Price-based Requirements, still have 88 calendar days from July 1, 2020, or until September 28, 2020, to regain compliance. The Company can regain compliance, either during the suspension or during the compliance period resuming after the suspension, by evidencing compliance with the Price-based Requirements for a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days.

The Third Letter has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s common stock and the common stock will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “PEIX.”

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.