EQBK Equity Bancshares Inc

 

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): February 12, 2024

 

 

EQUITY BANCSHARES, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Kansas			001-37624	72-1532188
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)			(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
7701 East Kellogg Drive Suite 300
Wichita, Kansas				67207
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)				(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: 316 612-6000

 

(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:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class		Trading Symbol(s)		Name of each exchange on which registered
Class A, Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share		EQBK		New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company 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 ☐

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. ☐

 

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Item 8.01 Other Events.

On February 12, 2024, Equity Bancshares, Inc. ("the Company") issued a press release announcing that it has completed its merger with Rockhold BanCorp ("Rockhold"), the holding company of Bank of Kirksville, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated December 6, 2023, by and among the Company, Truman Merger Sub, Inc., Rockhold, and Rennetta Rockhold, in her capacity as trustee of, and on behalf of, The Rockhold BanCorp Stock Trust.

A copy of the press release issued by the Company on February 12, 2024, reporting the closing of the acquisition is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference, including the cautionary language regarding forward-looking statements.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press release dated February 12, 2024
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File

 

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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.

			Equity Bancshares, Inc.
Date:	February 12, 2024	By:	/s/ Chris M. Navratil
			Chris M. Navratil Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

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Equity Bancshares, Inc. Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE 2/12/2024

 

Equity Bancshares, Inc. Completes Merger with Rockhold BanCorp

Equity Bank franchise adds eight locations in Missouri, expanding within four-state footprint

 

WICHITA, Kan., February 12, 2024 -- Equity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: EQBK) (“Equity” or the “Company”), the Wichita-based holding company of Equity Bank, announced it completed its merger with Rockhold BanCorp (“Rockhold”), the parent company of the Bank of Kirksville in Kirksville, Missouri.

 

“I’m grateful for the efforts of our Equity Bank team, including our new team members from Bank of Kirksville,” said Brad Elliott, Equity Chairman & CEO. “Our customers have grown to expect first-class service, and we’re pleased to offer a brand that emphasizes our communities and continues to deliver on expectations. We are eager to serve our new Missouri communities, customers, and team members.”

Bank of Kirksville’s locations opened as Equity Bank locations on February 10. The Company will consolidate the core banking system and digital banking platform in May 2024.

 

Equity announced the merger with Rockhold on December 6, 2023. Equity has approximately $5.3 billion in consolidated total assets and operates 74 locations in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Equity’s Missouri franchise now includes 24 locations. The merger added three full-service locations in Kirksville, Missouri, as well as locations in La Plata, Downing, Memphis, Macon, and Moberly, Missouri. Norman Belitz will continue to lead each location as the Kirksville regional president of Equity Bank.

 

The combination with Rockhold brings Equity’s total strategic transactions to 22 since the Company’s founding in 2002, including 10 whole-bank acquisitions since the Company’s initial public offering in 2015.

 

“Our Equity team takes great pride in moving efficiently to welcome new teams, new locations, and delivering value for our new communities,” Mr. Elliott said. “Our Company will continue to pursue and evaluate strategic growth opportunities in 2024 and will seek to add franchise value to our teams, customers, and Equity shareholders.”

 

About Equity Bancshares, Inc.

Equity Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for Equity Bank, offering a full range of financial solutions, including commercial loans, consumer banking, mortgage loans, trust and wealth management services and treasury management services, while delivering the high-quality, relationship-based customer service of a community bank. Equity’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “EQBK.” Learn more at www.equitybank.com.

 

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,” “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; and acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses; and similar variables. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. In addition, the following factors, among others, related to the transaction between Equity and Rockhold, could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transaction will not be realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two

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Equity Bancshares, Inc. Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE 2/12/2024

 

companies or as a result of the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas where companies do business; the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the completion of the transaction; the business, economic and political conditions in the markets in which the parties operate; the risk that the combination could have an adverse effect the parties’ ability to retain customers and retain or hire key personnel and maintain relationships with customers; the risk that the combination may be more difficult, time-consuming or expensive than anticipated; and other factors that may affect future results of Equity.

 

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 9, 2023, 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. 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.

Media Contact:

 

John J. Hanley
Chief Marketing Officer
Equity Bancshares, Inc.
(913) 583-8004
jhanley@equitybank.com

 

Investor Contact:

 

Brian Katzfey
VP, Director of Corporate Development and Investor Relations
Equity Bancshares, Inc.
(316) 858-3128
bkatzfey@equitybank.com

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v3.24.0.1

Document And Entity Information	Feb. 12, 2024
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Feb. 12, 2024
Entity Registrant Name	EQUITY BANCSHARES, INC.
Entity Central Index Key	0001227500
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity File Number	001-37624
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	KS
Entity Tax Identification Number	72-1532188
Entity Address, Address Line One	7701 East Kellogg Drive
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 300
Entity Address, City or Town	Wichita
Entity Address, State or Province	KS
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	67207
City Area Code	316
Local Phone Number	612-6000
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Class A, Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Trading Symbol	EQBK
Security Exchange Name	NYSE

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