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):  January 2, 2019 (December 31, 2018)

Arch Coal, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

CityPlace One
One CityPlace Drive, Suite 300
St. Louis, Missouri 63141

(Address, including zip code, of principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (314) 994-2700

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:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in 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 o

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. o

Item 5.02                                           Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

As part of his retirement plan, on December 31, 2018, Mr. Kenneth D. Cochran stepped down from his position as Senior Vice President — Operations of Arch Coal, Inc. (the “Company”).

Item 7.01                                           Regulation FD Disclosure.

On January 2, 2019, the Company issued a press release announcing the hiring of Mr. Paul T. Demzik as the Company’s Chief Commercial Officer.  A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and incorporated by reference.

Item 9.01                                           Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)                                 Exhibits

The following exhibits are attached hereto and filed herewith.

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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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Exhibit 99.1

News from

Arch Coal, Inc.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

External Affairs

314/994-2897

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Paul T. Demzik Joins Arch Coal Leadership Team

as Chief Commercial Officer

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 2, 2019 — Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ARCH) today announced that its board of directors has elected Paul T. Demzik as the company’s chief commercial officer, effective immediately.  Prior to joining Arch, Demzik was head of thermal coal trading at Anglo American for five years and president of Peabody COALTRADE for seven years.  Demzik will report to Paul A. Lang, Arch’s president and chief operating officer.

“We are excited to have Paul join the Arch team,” Lang said.  “He brings a wealth of experience, tremendous expertise in global coal markets and a proven track record of value creation to this important role.  We look forward to Paul’s leadership as we seek to expand our international reach and optimize the value of Arch’s high-quality products in the marketplace.”

In addition to his previous roles at Anglo American and Peabody, Demzik has held leadership positions in trading, marketing and procurement at EdF Trading Limited, Transcor Corporation, Phibro Inc., and Koch Carbon, Inc. during the course of his career.

Paul earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mining engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla and will be based in Arch’s Saint Louis headquarters.

U.S.-based Arch Coal, Inc. is a top coal producer for the global steel and power generation industries.  Arch operates a streamlined portfolio of large-scale, low-cost mining complexes that produce high-quality metallurgical coals in Appalachia and low-emitting thermal coals in the Powder River Basin and other strategic supply regions.  For more information, visit www.archcoal.com.

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