Company Update

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): May 19, 2026     Kennametal Inc. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)       Pennsylvania   1-5318   25-0900168 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)   525 William Penn Place   Suite 3300   Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania   15219 (Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code) Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (412) 248-8000   (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, 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)) 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. ☐ Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:   Title of each class   Trading Symbol   Name of each exchange on which registered Capital Stock, par value $1.25 per share   KMT   New York Stock Exchange Preferred Stock Purchase Rights     New York Stock Exchange       Item 8.01 Other Events. On May 19, 2026, Kennametal Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing that the Company has commenced a cash tender offer (the “Tender Offer”) to purchase any and all of the Company’s 4.625% Senior Notes due 2028. The Tender Offer is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an Offer to Purchase, dated May 19, 2026. The Company also announced that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of senior notes. A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and is incorporated by reference herein.   Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits. (d) Exhibits   99.1    Press Release of the Company issued May 19, 2026 104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)   2 Signatures Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.         KENNAMETAL INC. Date: May 19, 2026       By:   /s/ Michelle R. Keating       Michelle R. Keating       Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel   3