Equity Bancshares, Inc. Third Quarter Results Highlighted by Organic Loan Growth and Announced Merger with Lincoln Bancorp

Equity Bancshares, Inc. Third Quarter Results Highlighted by Organic Loan Growth and Announced Merger with Lincoln Bancorp WICHITA, Kan.--( BUSINESS WIRE)--Equity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: EQBK) (“Equity”, “the Company,” “we,” “us,” “our”), the Wichita-based holding company of Equity Bank, reported net income of $26.8 million or $1.29 per diluted share for the quarter ended September 30, 2026. Core earnings per diluted share for the quarter was $1.40.

“This quarter our company continued to execute at an exciting level. Earnings were strong, production reached all-time highs and loans grew organically. We are putting teams in place with an aligned mission to deepen and expand customer relationships while providing exceptional service to the communities we serve. The results for the quarter reflect that mission,” said Brad S. Elliott, Chairman and CEO of Equity Bancshares.

“As our teams realized positive operating results in our current footprint, we announced our merger with Lincoln Bancorp, which will add the incredible team members, growing communities and exceptional customers it has been cultivating for 124 years. The approval process is progressing as planned and we look forward to all our teams will accomplish together in 2027 and beyond,” Mr. Elliott continued.

Notable Items:

Financial Results for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2026

Net income was $26.8 million, or $1.29 per diluted share, as compared to $26.4 million, or $1.27 per diluted share in the prior quarter. Core net income was $29.1 million or $1.40 per diluted share, demonstrating the underlying earnings power of the franchise.

The drivers of the current period results are discussed in detail in the following sections.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income was $72.8 million for the period, as compared to $73.9 million in the previous quarter. Net interest margin was 4.20%. The decline in net interest income is primarily attributable to an expanding cost of funds and declining yield on earning assets. During the quarter, average earning assets increased $78.0 million driven by investment balances funded by borrowings further driving decline in margin.

Period-end loan balances are $50.4 million higher than average balances during the period. This compositional shift in average earning assets coupled with the full period impact of the FOMC’s decision to raise interest rates in September, is expected to offset deposit pricing competition and yield a return to previous margin expectations of 4.25-4.35% for the fourth quarter, absent the impact of Lincoln.

Provision for Credit Losses

During the quarter, the Company recognized a provision for credit losses of $1.7 million, up $353 thousand from the previous quarter. Net charge-offs were $2.1 million, or an annualized 15 basis points of average loans. At quarter end, ACL to gross loans held for investment was 1.18% and ACL plus purchase discounts was 1.65%. ACL levels were sufficient to cover 7.7 years of current period annualized charge-offs as of the end of the period.

The Company continues to estimate the allowance with assumptions reflecting slower prepayment rates and continued disruption from trade policy, elevated inflation, and monetary policy pressures.

Non-Interest Income

Total non-interest income was $10.9 million, up $2.8 million from the prior quarter. Following adjustment for one-time items in the previous quarter, non-interest income increased by $0.6 million during the period. Period results were driven by growth in service charges and fees, treasury services and debit and credit card income along with expansion in trust and wealth management revenue. Year-over-year non-interest income, exclusive of gains or loss on security sales has increased $2.0 million, or 22.8%. For the fourth quarter, exclusive of the impact of Lincoln, we expect non-interest income to be between $10.0 and $11.0 million.

Non-Interest Expense

Total non-interest expense was $48.1 million as compared to $46.9 million for the prior quarter. Excluding merger expenses in both periods, non-interest expense was $47.2 million versus $46.8 million. GAAP non-interest expense to average assets was effectively flat during the period at 2.58%, down from 3.20% in the same period of the prior year. The efficiency ratio for the period was 54.0%. Non-interest expense for the fourth quarter, exclusive of the impact of Lincoln, is expected in the range of $47.0 to $48.0 million.

Income Tax Expense

At September 30, 2026, the effective tax rate for the quarter was 21.2% as compared to 21.6% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. The decrease in the effective tax rate was primarily attributable to tax benefits from an investment in a new tax credit structure, non-taxable life insurance proceeds, and share-based compensation activity, partially offset by federal provision-to-return adjustments and non-deductible transaction costs. The year-to-date tax rate is 22.0%.

Loans, Total Assets and Funding

Loans held for investment were $5.4 billion at period end, increasing $39.2 million during the quarter, an annualized increase of 2.9%. Annualized loan growth within non-acquired markets for the period was 11.9% outpacing the moderating declines in the acquired markets. Total assets closed the quarter at $7.6 billion, a decrease of $134.5 million which is primarily attributable to cash and cash equivalents.

Total deposit balances closed the quarter at $6.2 billion, down $136.4 million as compared to the previous period. The decline is attributable to rate sensitive time and municipal deposit accounts, as well as seasonal outflows for a few large customers.

Asset Quality

Nonperforming assets were $75.4 million, or 0.99% of total assets, compared to $66.3 million or 0.86% at prior quarter end. Classified assets to regulatory capital improved 140 basis points in the period, closing the quarter at 10.42%. The Company continues to actively manage credit quality across all markets.

Capital

Book capital decreased $11.3 million quarter over quarter to $816.0 million. Tangible book value per share closed at $32.93, down from $33.45 at prior quarter end. Positive earnings performance net of dividends was offset by an increasing AOCI position as market interest rates moved against our investment portfolio. Exclusive of AOCI, book value and tangible book value per share closed the quarter at $41.49 and $34.83, respectively. Tangible common equity to tangible assets inclusive and exclusive of AOCI closed the quarter at 9.10% and 9.58%, respectively. CET1 capital was 12.15%, total risk-based capital was 14.94%, and the leverage ratio was 10.18%. The Company has repurchased 711,369 shares year to date at a weighted average price of $44.84 per share. The dividend payout ratio year to date was 17.3%, within the Company's 10 to 20% target range.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to evaluating the Company’s results of operations in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), management periodically supplements this evaluation with an analysis of certain non-GAAP financial measures that are intended to provide the reader with additional perspectives on operating results, financial condition and performance trends, while facilitating comparisons with the performance of other financial institutions. Non-GAAP financial measures are not a substitute for GAAP measures, rather, they should be read and used in conjunction with the Company’s GAAP financial information.

The efficiency ratio is a common comparable metric used by banks to understand the expense structure relative to total revenue. In other words, for every dollar of total revenue recognized, how much of that dollar is expended. To improve the comparability of the ratio to our peers, non-core items are excluded. To improve transparency and acknowledging that banks are not consistent in their definition of the efficiency ratio, we include our calculation of this non-GAAP measure.

Core net income is a non-GAAP financial measure that management uses to evaluate the Company’s operating performance across periods. We calculate it by adjusting net income allocable to common stockholders, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to exclude, net of tax, gains and losses on securities transactions, merger-related costs and provisions, and amortization of intangible assets. Management believes core net income, and the per share and return measures derived from it, give investors a clearer view of results from ongoing operations and make comparisons with other financial institutions easier. The aggregate income tax effect of the adjustments is calculated using the statutory federal rate of 21% and shown in the reconciliation in Table 8.

Core return on average assets and core return on average equity are non-GAAP financial measures. We calculate core return on average assets by dividing annualized core net income by average total assets. We calculate core return on average equity by dividing annualized core net income by average stockholders’ equity, adjusted for the average effect of the core adjustments on equity. The most directly comparable GAAP measures are return on average assets and return on average equity, respectively. Management uses these measures to evaluate how effectively the Company generates earnings from its asset base and equity capital, excluding the items described above, and believes they help investors assess performance across periods and relative to other financial institutions. Reconciliations are included in Table 8.

Core earnings per share is a non-GAAP financial measure we calculate by taking core income divided by the applicable share count. This financial measure is used by financial statement users to evaluate the core financial performance of the Company.

Tangible common equity and related measures are non-GAAP financial measures that exclude the impact of intangible assets, net of deferred taxes, and their related amortization. These financial measures are useful for evaluating the performance of a business consistently, whether acquired or developed internally. Return on average tangible common equity is used by management and readers of our financial statements to understand how efficiently the Company is deploying its common equity. Companies that are able to demonstrate more efficient use of common equity are more likely to be viewed favorably by current and prospective investors.

The Company believes that disclosing these non-GAAP financial measures is both useful internally and is expected by our investors and analysts in order to understand the overall performance of the Company. Other companies may calculate and define their non-GAAP financial measures and supplemental data differently. A reconciliation of GAAP financial measures to non-GAAP measures and other performance ratios, as adjusted, are included in Table 8 in the following press release tables.

Conference Call and Webcast

Equity's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brad Elliott, Chief Executive Officer of Equity Bank, Rick Sems, and Chief Financial Officer, Chris Navratil, will hold a conference call and webcast on October 15, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time to discuss the Company's financial results.

Those wishing to participate in the conference call should call the applicable number below and reference the Access Code below.

United States (Toll-Free): +1 833-461-5787

Global Dial-In Numbers

Access Code: 216 780 149

To eliminate wait times, conference call participants may pre-register using this registration link. After registering, a confirmation with access details will be sent via email.

A replay of the call and webcast will be available two hours following the close of the call until October 31, 2026, accessible at investor.equitybank.com. Webcast URL: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/216780149

About Equity Bancshares, Inc.

Equity Bancshares, Inc. is a Wichita-based bank holding company. Equity Bank serves customers in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, with total assets of $7.6 billion as of September 30, 2026. More information is available at equitybank.com.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction with Lincoln, Equity filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 to register the shares of Equity’s Class A common stock to be issued to the shareholders of Lincoln. The registration statement includes a proxy statement/prospectus, which will be sent to the shareholders of Lincoln seeking their approval of the proposed transaction. WE URGE INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4, THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS INCLUDED WITHIN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT EQUITY, LINCOLN AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The documents filed by Equity with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at Equity’s investor relations website at investor.equitybank.com or at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, these documents, when available, can be obtained free of charge from Equity upon written request to Equity Bancshares, Inc., Attn: Investor Relations, 7701 East Kellogg Drive, Suite 300, Wichita, Kansas 67207 or by calling (316) 612-6000.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for, buy or sell, or an invitation to subscribe for, buy or sell any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, invitation, sale or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law.

Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Equity’s management with respect to, among other things, future events and Equity’s financial performance. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “predict,” “potential,” “believe,” “will likely result,” “expect,” “continue,” “will,” “anticipate,” “seek,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “positioned,” “forecast,” “goal,” “target,” “would” and “outlook,” or the negative variations of those words or other comparable words of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Equity’s industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond Equity’s control. Accordingly, Equity cautions you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Although Equity believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Equity’s expectations include competition from other financial institutions and bank holding companies; the effects of and changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board; changes in the demand for loans; fluctuations in value of collateral and loan reserves; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; the possibility that the forecasted benefits related to the competed transaction with Frontier Bank (“Frontier”) may not materialize as expected; the possibility that the expected benefits related to the proposed transaction with Lincoln Bancorp (“Lincoln”) may not materialize as expected; and the ability to successfully implement integration strategies or to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies within the expected time-frames or at all; and similar variables. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

For discussion of these and other risks that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in Equity’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 6, 2026, as amended, and any updates to those risk factors set forth in Equity’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Equity’s underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what Equity anticipates. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Equity does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict those events or how they may affect us. In addition, Equity cannot assess the impact of each factor on Equity’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that Equity or persons acting on Equity’s behalf may issue.

Unaudited Financial Tables

TABLE 1. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

Three Months Ended

September 30,

Nine Months ended

September 30,

2026

2025

2026

2025

Interest and dividend income

Loans, including fees

91,277

76,911

273,316

202,776

Securities, taxable

15,575

9,416

44,112

27,351

Securities, nontaxable

190

307

619

1,042

Federal funds sold and other

1,924

4,464

6,767

8,800

Total interest and dividend income

108,966

91,098

324,814

239,969

Interest expense

Deposits

31,514

24,990

92,135

64,457

Federal funds purchased and retail repurchase agreements

231

263

631

730

Federal Home Loan Bank advances

2,556

1,741

6,228

6,881

Bank stock loan

—

Subordinated debt

1,824

1,619

5,439

5,322

Total interest expense

36,125

28,613

104,437

77,390

Net interest income

72,841

62,485

220,377

162,579

Provision (reversal) for credit losses

1,657

6,228

8,916

8,969

Net interest income after provision (reversal) for credit losses

71,184

56,257

211,461

153,610

Non-interest income

Service charges and fees

2,517

2,522

7,424

6,763

Debit card income

3,442

2,953

9,950

8,509

Mortgage banking

544

1,481

380

Increase in value of bank-owned life insurance

1,370

1,393

4,391

6,307

Net gains (losses) from securities transactions

(53,352

)

(1,311

)

(53,328

)

Other

3,021

1,943

6,514

5,809

Total non-interest income

10,904

(44,479

)

28,449

(25,560

)

Non-interest expense

Salaries and employee benefits

24,034

22,773

74,883

62,462

Net occupancy and equipment

4,979

4,317

14,392

11,474

Data processing

5,466

4,887

16,044

15,028

Professional fees

1,712

1,670

4,880

4,558

Advertising and business development

1,470

1,305

4,683

3,857

Telecommunications

646

630

1,940

1,805

FDIC insurance

675

653

2,605

1,747

Courier and postage

530

744

1,693

2,377

Free nationwide ATM cost

604

582

1,765

1,642

Amortization of core deposit intangibles

1,812

1,182

5,980

3,243

Loan expense

165

330

1,209

740

Other real estate owned and repossessed assets, net

374

797

500

1,001

Loss on debt extinguishment

—

1,361

Merger expenses

967

6,163

6,825

6,584

Other

4,680

3,049

12,569

10,254

Total non-interest expense

48,114

49,082

149,968

128,133

Income (loss) before income tax

33,974

(37,304

)

89,942

(83

)

Provision for income taxes (benefit)

7,200

(7,641

)

19,763

(725

)

Net income (loss) and net income (loss) allocable to common stockholders

26,774

(29,663

)

70,179

642

Basic earnings (loss) per share

1.30

(1.55

)

3.38

0.04

Diluted earnings (loss) per share

1.29

(1.55

)

3.35

0.04

Weighted average common shares

20,593,162

19,129,726

20,750,044

18,051,688

Weighted average diluted common shares

20,802,722

19,129,726

20,935,760

18,201,716

TABLE 2. QUARTERLY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

As of and for the Three Months Ended

September 30,

2026

June 30,

2026

March 31,

2026

December 31,

2025

September 30,

2025

Interest and dividend income

Loans, including fees

91,277

90,577

91,462

74,362

76,911

Securities, taxable

15,575

14,878

13,659

11,450

9,416

Securities, nontaxable

190

207

222

179

307

Federal funds sold and other

1,924

2,162

2,681

4,875

4,464

Total interest and dividend income

108,966

107,824

108,024

90,866

91,098

Interest expense

Deposits

31,514

30,143

30,478

23,998

24,990

Federal funds purchased and retail repurchase agreements

231

208

192

206

263

Federal Home Loan Bank advances

2,556

1,786

1,886

1,327

1,741

Bank stock loan

—

Subordinated debt

1,824

1,815

1,800

1,833

1,619

Total interest expense

36,125

33,952

34,360

27,364

28,613

Net interest income

72,841

73,872

73,664

63,502

62,485

Provision (reversal) for credit losses

1,657

1,304

5,955

(16

)

6,228

Net interest income after provision (reversal) for credit losses

71,184

72,568

67,709

63,518

56,257

Non-interest income

Service charges and fees

2,517

2,414

2,493

2,558

2,522

Debit card income

3,442

3,391

3,117

2,905

2,953

Mortgage banking

544

589

348

187

Increase in value of bank-owned life insurance

1,370

1,623

1,398

1,410

1,393

Net gains (losses) from securities transactions

(1,213

)

(108

)

154

(53,352

)

Other

3,021

1,254

2,239

2,318

1,943

Total non-interest income

10,904

8,058

9,487

9,532

(44,479

)

Non-interest expense

Salaries and employee benefits

24,034

24,594

26,255

22,324

22,773

Net occupancy and equipment

4,979

4,624

4,789

4,327

4,317

Data processing

5,466

5,190

5,388

5,251

4,887

Professional fees

1,712

1,400

1,768

1,909

1,670

Advertising and business development

1,470

1,547

1,666

1,371

1,305

Telecommunications

646

604

690

657

630

FDIC insurance

675

1,165

765

832

653

Courier and postage

530

518

645

858

744

Free nationwide ATM cost

604

595

566

562

582

Amortization of core deposit intangibles

1,812

2,240

1,928

1,260

1,182

Loan expense

165

546

498

150

330

Other real estate owned and repossessed assets, net

374

797

Loss on debt extinguishment

—

Merger expenses

967

133

5,725

1,481

6,163

Other

4,680

3,694

4,195

5,577

3,049

Total non-interest expense

48,114

46,885

54,969

46,587

49,082

Income (loss) before income tax

33,974

33,741

22,227

26,463

(37,304

)

Provision for income taxes (benefit)

7,200

7,302

5,261

4,379

(7,641

)

Net income (loss) and net income (loss) allocable to common stockholders

26,774

26,439

16,966

22,084

(29,663

)

Basic earnings (loss) per share

1.30

1.28

0.81

1.16

(1.55

)

Diluted earnings (loss) per share

1.29

1.27

0.80

1.15

(1.55

)

Weighted average common shares

20,593,162

20,624,793

21,037,054

19,021,327

19,129,726

Weighted average diluted common shares

20,802,722

20,825,444

21,263,164

19,235,412

19,129,726

TABLE 3. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

September 30,

2026

June 30,

2026

March 31,

2026

December 31,

2025

September 30,

2025

ASSETS

Cash and due from banks

337,863

546,129

563,766

607,562

699,165

Federal funds sold

405

402

399

255

245

Cash and cash equivalents

338,268

546,531

564,165

607,817

699,410

Interest-bearing time deposits in other banks

579

932

575

574

Available-for-sale securities

1,240,394

1,229,692

1,125,162

1,030,568

903,858

Held-to-maturity securities

5,167

5,168

5,254

5,248

5,243

Loans held for sale

2,425

2,723

7,631

1,392

617

Loans, net of allowance for credit losses (1)

5,380,904

5,341,305

5,364,030

4,145,424

4,215,118

Other real estate owned, net

5,239

3,793

5,026

5,388

3,147

Premises and equipment, net

145,534

141,098

140,648

136,720

132,857

Bank-owned life insurance

151,351

150,514

149,699

148,301

146,891

Federal Reserve Bank and Federal Home Loan Bank stock

42,883

42,719

38,806

34,053

33,713

Interest receivable

42,596

37,730

39,966

33,322

34,751

Goodwill

105,356

104,958

82,101

77,573

Core deposit intangibles, net

26,485

28,296

30,536

21,634

22,895

Other

103,956

90,117

90,557

120,629

88,984

Total assets

7,591,137

7,725,621

7,667,370

6,373,172

6,365,631

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Deposits

Demand

1,150,775

1,174,903

1,274,533

1,148,409

1,147,201

Total non-interest-bearing deposits

1,150,775

1,174,903

1,274,533

1,148,409

1,147,201

Demand, savings and money market

3,388,748

3,445,538

3,504,698

3,004,987

2,882,625

Time

1,627,905

1,683,376

1,521,679

984,868

1,064,943

Total interest-bearing deposits

5,016,653

5,128,914

5,026,377

3,989,855

3,947,568

Total deposits

6,167,428

6,303,817

6,300,910

5,138,264

5,094,769

Federal funds purchased and retail repurchase agreements

44,413

42,826

39,009

39,864

42,220

Federal Home Loan Bank advances and Federal Reserve Bank borrowings

389,128

385,408

347,660

300,000

341,378

Subordinated debt

98,492

98,377

98,263

98,145

98,174

Contractual obligations

15,111

8,520

9,678

10,208

16,664

Interest payable and other liabilities

60,611

59,415

54,240

54,637

60,534

Total liabilities

6,775,183

6,898,363

6,849,760

5,641,118

5,653,739

Commitments and contingent liabilities

Stockholders’ equity

Common stock

273

249

Additional paid-in capital

769,497

767,608

766,016

664,906

658,481

Retained earnings

263,398

241,225

218,534

205,328

186,718

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

(39,186

)

(3,820

)

930

7,032

4,720

Treasury stock

(178,028

)

(178,028

)

(168,143

)

(145,461

)

(138,276

)

Total stockholders’ equity

815,954

827,258

817,610

732,054

711,892

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

7,591,137

7,725,621

7,667,370

6,373,172

6,365,631

(1) Allowance for credit losses

63,978

64,413

64,245

52,756

53,469

TABLE 4. SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

As of and for the Three Months Ended

September 30,

June 30,

March 31,

December 31,

September 30,

2026

2025

Loans Held For Investment by Type

Commercial real estate

2,997,362

2,968,281

2,958,263

2,226,348

2,216,180

Commercial and industrial

953,875

955,380

967,049

816,885

907,439

Residential real estate

695,861

710,948

720,441

582,145

590,598

Agricultural real estate

443,966

419,830

431,308

278,927

272,087

Agricultural

249,233

247,327

249,053

188,475

174,517

Consumer

104,585

103,952

102,161

105,400

107,766

Total loans held-for-investment

5,444,882

5,405,718

5,428,275

4,198,180

4,268,587

Allowance for credit losses

(63,978

)

(64,413

)

(64,245

)

(52,756

)

(53,469

)

Net loans held for investment

5,380,904

5,341,305

5,364,030

4,145,424

4,215,118

Asset Quality Indicators

Nonaccrual loans

68,970

60,474

52,440

40,275

48,574

Past due loans

29,066

23,666

48,750

23,786

17,682

Nonperforming assets

75,393

66,315

58,341

46,710

52,629

Net charge-offs

2,092

1,660

1,380

697

1,104

Purchase accounting discount

6,227

7,256

8,083

3,543

4,658

Allowance for credit losses

63,978

64,413

64,245

52,756

53,469

Non-purchase credit deteriorated and purchased seasoned loans discount

19,664

22,090

23,929

13,982

14,998

Asset Quality Ratios

Allowance for credit losses on loans to total loans

1.18

1.19

1.18

1.26

1.25

Allowance for credit losses and discounts on loans to total loans

1.65

1.73

1.77

1.67

1.71

Past due or nonaccrual loans to total loans

1.80

1.56

1.86

1.53

1.55

Nonperforming assets to total assets

0.99

0.86

0.76

0.73

0.83

Nonperforming assets to total loans plus other real estate owned

1.38

1.23

1.07

1.11

1.23

Classified assets to bank total regulatory capital

10.42

11.82

12.00

12.06

12.37

Selected Average Balance Sheet Data (QTD Average)

Investment securities

1,268,127

1,158,422

1,126,252

937,277

915,988

Total gross loans receivable

5,394,462

5,389,418

5,454,281

4,209,562

4,247,338

Interest-earning assets

6,873,429

6,795,426

6,896,216

5,642,066

5,574,875

Total assets

7,408,928

7,330,174

7,451,709

6,141,284

6,085,064

Interest-bearing deposits

4,948,658

4,916,741

4,921,946

3,918,343

3,838,731

Borrowings

408,898

333,556

348,714

276,531

300,402

Total interest-bearing liabilities

5,357,556

5,250,297

5,270,660

4,194,874

4,139,133

Total deposits

6,104,328

6,110,974

6,193,296

5,073,696

5,004,830

Total liabilities

6,573,377

6,505,540

6,609,629

5,415,628

5,369,642

Total stockholders' equity

835,551

824,633

841,838

725,651

715,319

Tangible common equity *

697,458

684,552

700,096

616,872

620,273

Performance ratios

Return on average assets (ROAA) annualized

1.43

1.45

0.92

1.43

(1.93

Return on average equity (ROAE) annualized

12.71

12.86

8.17

12.07

(16.45

Return on average tangible common equity (ROATCE) annualized *

16.10

16.59

10.77

14.91

(18.31

Yield on loans annualized

6.71

6.74

6.80

7.01

7.18

Cost of interest-bearing deposits annualized

2.53

2.46

2.51

2.43

2.58

Cost of total deposits annualized

2.05

1.98

2.00

1.88

1.98

Net interest margin annualized

4.20

4.36

4.33

4.47

4.45

Efficiency ratio *

53.99

53.38

56.68

59.98

58.31

Non-interest income / average assets

0.58

0.44

0.52

0.62

(2.90

Non-interest expense / average assets

2.58

2.57

2.99

3.01

3.20

Dividend payout ratio

17.18

14.18

22.31

15.73

(11.78

Performance ratios - Core

Core earnings per diluted share *

1.40

1.41

1.32

1.26

1.21

Core return on average assets *

1.56

1.61

1.52

1.57

1.51

Core return on average equity *

13.78

14.26

13.41

13.23

12.47

Core return on average tangible common equity *

16.51

17.17

16.10

15.56

14.30

Core non-interest expense / average assets *

2.42

2.43

2.57

2.82

2.71

Capital Ratios

Tier 1 Leverage Ratio

10.18

9.97

9.59

10.64

10.41

Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio

12.15

11.84

11.54

13.08

12.84

Tier 1 Risk Based Capital Ratio

12.56

12.26

11.96

13.59

13.35

Total Risk Based Capital Ratio

14.94

14.66

14.36

16.31

16.09

Total stockholders' equity to total assets

10.75

10.71

10.66

11.49

11.18

Tangible common equity to tangible assets *

9.10

9.07

8.99

9.94

9.68

Book value per common share

39.59

40.22

39.37

38.64

37.25

Tangible book value per common share *

32.93

33.45

32.58

32.86

31.69

Tangible book value per diluted common share *

32.62

33.06

32.30

32.43

31.41

* The value noted is considered a Non-GAAP financial measure. For a reconciliation of Non-GAAP financial measures, see Table 8. Non-GAAP Financial Measures.

TABLE 5. YEAR-TO-DATE NET INTEREST INCOME ANALYSIS (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

For the Nine Months Ended

September 30, 2026

September 30, 2025

Average Outstanding Balance

Interest Income/ Expense

Average

Yield/Rate (3)(4)

Average Outstanding Balance

Interest Income/ Expense

Average

Yield/Rate (3)(4)

Interest-earning assets

Loans (1)

Commercial and industrial

986,701

51,000

6.91

790,372

46,479

7.86

Commercial real estate

2,385,690

114,031

6.39

1,528,190

81,363

7.12

Real estate construction

736,026

38,738

7.04

475,225

28,028

7.89

Residential real estate

738,615

27,822

5.04

569,279

20,437

4.80

Agricultural real estate

460,196

23,179

6.73

255,618

15,153

7.93

Agricultural

267,933

13,378

6.68

103,685

6,379

8.23

Consumer

111,056

5,168

6.22

97,943

4,937

6.74

Total loans

5,686,217

273,316

6.43

3,820,312

202,776

7.10

Securities

Taxable securities

1,162,719

44,112

5.07

906,804

27,351

4.03

Nontaxable securities

22,068

619

3.75

50,171

1,042

2.78

Total securities

1,184,787

44,731

5.05

956,975

28,393

3.97

Federal funds sold and other

265,733

6,767

3.40

271,854

8,800

4.33

Total interest-earning assets

7,136,737

324,814

6.09

5,049,141

239,969

6.35

Interest-bearing liabilities

Demand, savings and money market deposits

3,523,442

54,090

2.05

2,627,001

43,152

2.20

Time deposits

1,618,032

38,045

3.14

816,748

21,305

3.49

Total interest-bearing deposits

5,141,474

92,135

2.40

3,443,749

64,457

2.50

FHLB advances

218,402

6,228

3.81

217,150

6,881

4.24

Other borrowings

147,011

6,074

5.52

138,847

6,052

5.83

Total interest-bearing liabilities

5,506,887

104,437

2.54

3,799,746

77,390

2.72

Net interest income

220,377

162,579

Interest rate spread

3.55

3.63

Net interest margin (2)

4.13

4.31

(1)

Average loan balances include nonaccrual loans.

(2)

Net interest margin is calculated by dividing annualized net interest income by average interest-earning assets for the period.

(3)

Tax exempt income is not included in the above table on a tax-equivalent basis.

(4)

Actual unrounded values are used to calculate the reported yield or rate disclosed. Accordingly, recalculations using the amounts in thousands as disclosed in this report may not produce the same amounts.

TABLE 6. QUARTER-TO-DATE NET INTEREST INCOME ANALYSIS (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

For the Three Months Ended

September 30, 2026

September 30, 2025

Average Outstanding Balance

Interest Income/ Expense

Average

Yield/Rate (3)(4)

Average Outstanding Balance

Interest Income/ Expense

Average

Yield/Rate (3)(4)

Interest-earning assets

Loans (1)

Commercial and industrial

902,095

16,542

7.28

934,768

18,234

7.74

Commercial real estate

2,256,516

38,800

6.82

1,745,714

31,729

7.21

Real estate construction

748,956

12,967

6.87

505,345

10,109

7.94

Residential real estate

702,123

9,146

5.17

575,341

6,849

4.72

Agricultural real estate

439,616

7,818

7.06

245,017

5,165

8.36

Agricultural

239,629

4,235

7.01

132,095

2,981

8.95

Consumer

105,527

1,769

6.65

109,058

1,844

6.71

Total loans

5,394,462

91,277

6.71

4,247,338

76,911

7.18

Securities

Taxable securities

1,247,436

15,575

4.95

875,646

9,416

4.27

Nontaxable securities

20,691

190

3.63

40,342

307

3.02

Total securities

1,268,127

15,765

4.93

915,988

9,723

4.21

Federal funds sold and other

210,840

1,924

3.62

411,549

4,464

4.30

Total interest-earning assets

6,873,429

108,966

6.29

5,574,875

91,098

6.48

Interest-bearing liabilities

Demand, savings and money market deposits

3,425,796

18,651

2.16

2,876,118

16,394

2.26

Time deposits

1,522,862

12,863

3.35

962,613

8,596

3.54

Total interest-bearing deposits

4,948,658

31,514

2.53

3,838,731

24,990

2.58

FHLB advances

262,769

2,556

3.86

168,011

1,741

4.11

Other borrowings

146,129

2,055

5.58

132,391

1,882

5.64

Total interest-bearing liabilities

5,357,556

36,125

2.68

4,139,133

28,613

2.74

Net interest income

72,841

62,485

Interest rate spread

3.61

3.74

Net interest margin (2)

4.20

4.45

(1)

Average loan balances include nonaccrual loans.

(2)

Net interest margin is calculated by dividing annualized net interest income by average interest-earning assets for the period.

(3)

Tax exempt income is not included in the above table on a tax-equivalent basis.

(4)

TABLE 7. QUARTER-OVER-QUARTER NET INTEREST INCOME ANALYSIS (Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

For the Three Months Ended

September 30, 2026

June 30, 2026

Average Outstanding Balance

Interest Income/ Expense

Average

Yield/Rate (3)(4)

Average Outstanding Balance

Interest Income/ Expense

Average

Yield/Rate (3)(4)

Interest-earning assets

Loans (1)

Commercial and industrial

902,095

16,542

7.28

930,538

16,759

7.22

Commercial real estate

2,256,516

38,800

6.82

2,202,740

37,254

6.78

Real estate construction

748,956

12,967

6.87

785,932

13,840

7.06

Residential real estate

702,123

9,146

5.17

695,937

9,024

5.20

Agricultural real estate

439,616

7,818

7.06

434,041

7,647

7.07

Agricultural

239,629

4,235

7.01

236,758

4,363

7.39

Consumer

105,527

1,769

6.65

103,472

1,690

6.55

Total loans

5,394,462

91,277

6.71

5,389,418

90,577

6.74

Securities

Taxable securities

1,247,436

15,575

4.95

1,136,862

14,878

5.25

Nontaxable securities

20,691

190

3.63

21,560

207

3.85

Total securities

1,268,127

15,765

4.93

1,158,422

15,085

5.22

Federal funds sold and other

210,840

1,924

3.62

247,586

2,162

3.50

Total interest-earning assets

6,873,429

108,966

6.29

6,795,426

107,824

6.36

Interest-bearing liabilities

Demand savings and money market deposits

3,425,796

18,651

2.16

3,422,011

17,995

2.11

Time deposits

1,522,862

12,863

3.35

1,494,730

12,148

3.26

Total interest-bearing deposits

4,948,658

31,514

2.53

4,916,741

30,143

2.46

FHLB advances

262,769

2,556

3.86

189,336

1,786

3.78

Other borrowings

146,129

2,055

5.58

144,220

2,023

5.63

Total interest-bearing liabilities

5,357,556

36,125

2.68

5,250,297

33,952

2.59

Net interest income

72,841

73,872

Interest rate spread

3.61

3.77

Net interest margin (2)

4.20

4.36

(1)

Average loan balances include nonaccrual loans.

(2)

Net interest margin is calculated by dividing annualized net interest income by average interest-earning assets for the period.

(3)

Tax exempt income is not included in the above table on a tax-equivalent basis.

(4)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

As of and for the Three Months Ended

September 30,

June 30,

March 31,

December 31,

September 30,

2026

2025

Core Net Income Reconciliation

Net income (loss) allocable to common stockholders

26,774

26,439

16,966

22,084

(29,663

)

Amortization of intangible assets

1,942

2,369

2,056

1,390

1,312

Tax effect of adjustments

(408

)

(497

)

(432

)

(292

)

(276

)

Adjusted net income (loss) allocable to common stockholders*

28,308

28,311

18,590

23,182

(28,627

)

Net (gain) loss on securities transactions

(10

)

1,213

108

(154

)

53,352

Merger expenses

967

133

5,725

1,481

6,163

Day 2 Merger provision

—

6,099

—

6,228

Tax effect of adjustments

(201

)

(283

)

(2,506

)

(279

)

(13,806

)

Core net income (loss) allocable to common stockholders*

29,064

29,374

28,016

24,230

23,310

Average Balances and Share Data

Total average assets

7,408,928

7,330,174

7,451,709

6,141,284

6,085,064

Total average stockholders' equity

835,551

824,633

841,838

725,651

715,319

Average intangible assets

(138,093

)

(140,081

)

(141,742

)

(108,779

)

(95,046

)

Average tangible common equity*

697,458

684,552

700,096

616,872

620,273

Average impact from core earnings adjustments

378

532

4,713

524

25,969

Core average tangible common equity*

697,836

685,084

704,809

617,396

646,242

Weighted average diluted common shares

20,802,722

20,825,444

21,263,164

19,235,412

19,129,726

Per Share Data and Return Measures

Diluted earnings (loss) per share

1.29

1.27

0.80

1.15

(1.55

)

Core earnings per diluted share*

1.40

1.41

1.32

1.26

1.22

Return on average assets (ROAA) annualized

1.43

1.45

0.92

1.43

(1.93

Core return on average assets (Core ROAA) annualized

1.56

1.61

1.52

1.57

1.51

Return on average equity (ROAE) annualized

12.71

12.86

8.17

12.07

(16.45

Core return on average equity (ROAE) annualized

13.78

14.26

13.41

13.23

12.47

Return on average tangible common equity* (2) (ROATCE) annualized (1)

16.10

16.59

10.77

14.91

(18.31

Core return on average tangible common equity (CROATCE) annualized (2)

16.52

17.20

16.12

15.57

14.31

Efficiency and Expense Measures

Non-interest expense

48,114

46,885

54,969

46,587

49,082

Merger expenses

(967

)

(133

)

(5,725

)

(1,481

)

(6,163

)

Amortization of intangible assets

(1,942

)

(2,369

)

(2,056

)

(1,390

)

(1,312

)

Adjusted non-interest expense* (3)

45,205

44,383

47,188

43,716

41,607

Net interest income

72,841

73,872

73,664

63,502

62,485

Non-interest income

10,904

8,058

9,487

9,532

(44,479

)

Net (gain) loss on securities transactions

(10

)

1,213

108

(154

)

53,352

Adjusted non-interest income*

10,894

9,271

9,595

9,378

8,873

Net interest income plus adjusted non-interest income*

83,735

83,143

83,259

72,880

71,358

Non-interest expense to net interest income plus non-interest income

57.45

57.23

66.11

63.79

272.59

Efficiency ratio*

53.99

53.38

56.68

59.98

58.31

Core non-interest expense to average assets* (3)

2.42

2.43

2.57

2.82

2.71

As of and for the Three Months Ended

September 30,

June 30,

March 31,

December 31,

September 30,

2026

2025

Tangible Capital and Book Value (Period-End)

Total stockholders' equity

815,954

827,258

817,610

732,054

711,892

Goodwill

(105,356

)

(105,356

)

(104,958

)

(82,101

)

(77,573

)

Core deposit intangibles, net

(26,485

)

(28,296

)

(30,536

)

(21,634

)

(22,895

)

Naming rights, net

(5,476

)

(5,553

)

(5,629

)

(5,703

)

(5,778

)

Tangible common equity*

678,637

688,053

676,487

622,616

605,646

Common shares outstanding at period end

20,610,134

20,567,009

20,767,023

18,944,987

19,111,084

Diluted common shares outstanding at period end

20,805,774

20,811,448

20,946,924

19,196,160

19,279,741

Book value per common share

39.59

40.22

39.37

38.64

37.25

Tangible book value per common share*

32.93

33.45

32.58

32.86

31.69

Tangible book value per diluted common share*

32.62

33.06

32.30

32.43

31.41

Total assets

7,591,137

7,725,621

7,667,370

6,373,172

6,365,631

Goodwill

(105,356

)

(105,356

)

(104,958

)

(82,101

)

(77,573

)

Core deposit intangibles, net

(26,485

)

(28,296

)

(30,536

)

(21,634

)

(22,895

)

Naming rights, net

(5,476

)

(5,553

)

(5,629

)

(5,703

)

(5,778

)

Tangible assets*

7,453,820

7,586,416

7,526,247

6,263,734

6,259,385

Total stockholders' equity total assets

10.75

10.71

10.66

11.49

11.18

Tangible common equity to tangible assets*

9.10

9.07

8.99

9.94

9.68

(1)

ROATCE is calculated using adjusted net income allocable to common stockholders (net income plus amortization of intangible assets, net of tax) divided by average tangible common equity.

(2)

Core ROAE and CROATCE are calculated using average stockholders’ equity and average tangible common equity, respectively, adjusted for the average effect of the core earnings adjustments.

(3)

Core non-interest expense is adjusted non-interest expense.