Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to
which this Schedule is filed:
The information required in the remainder of this cover page
shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act")
or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however,
see the Notes).
SCHEDULE 13G
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CUSIP No.
29448T105
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Page 2 of 10 Pages
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1.
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Name of Reporting Person
Maltese Capital Management LLC
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2.
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Check the Appropriate Box if a Member
of a Group*
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(a)
¨
(b)
¨
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3.
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SEC Use Only
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4.
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Citizen or Place of Organization
New York
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NUMBER OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH
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5. Sole Voting Power
6. Shared Voting Power
315,721
7. Sole Dispositive Power
8. Shared Dispositive Power
315,721
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9.
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Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
315,721
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10.
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Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares*
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¨
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11.
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Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
9.37%
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12.
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Type of Reporting Person*
IA, 00
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SCHEDULE 13G
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CUSIP No.
29448T105
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Page 3 of 10 Pages
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1.
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Name of Reporting Person
Maltese Capital Holdings, LLC
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2.
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Check the Appropriate Box if a Member
of a Group*
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(a)
¨
(b)
¨
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3.
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SEC Use Only
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4.
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Citizen or Place of Organization
Delaware
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NUMBER OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH
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5. Sole Voting Power
6. Shared Voting Power
229,129
7. Sole Dispositive Power
8. Shared Dispositive Power
229,129
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9.
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Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
229,129
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10.
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Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares*
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¨
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11.
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Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
6.80%
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12.
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Type of Reporting Person*
00
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SCHEDULE 13G
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CUSIP No.
29448T105
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Page 4 of 10 Pages
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1.
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Name of Reporting Person
Malta Hedge Fund II, L.P.
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2.
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Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group*
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(a)
¨
(b)
¨
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3.
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SEC Use Only
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4.
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Citizen or Place of Organization
Delaware
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NUMBER OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH
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5. Sole Voting Power
6. Shared Voting Power
173,829
7. Sole Dispositive Power
8. Shared Dispositive Power
173,829
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9.
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Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
173,829
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10.
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Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares*
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¨
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11.
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Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
5.16%
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12.
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Type of Reporting Person*
PN
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SCHEDULE 13G
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CUSIP No.
29448T105
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Page 5 of 10 Pages
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1.
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Name of Reporting Person
Terry Maltese
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2.
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Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group*
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(a)
¨
(b)
¨
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3.
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SEC Use Only
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4.
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Citizen or Place of Organization
USA
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NUMBER OF
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY
EACH
REPORTING
PERSON
WITH
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5. Sole Voting Power
6. Shared Voting Power
315,721
7. Sole Dispositive Power
8. Shared Dispositive Power
315,721
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9.
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Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
315,721
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10.
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Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares*
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¨
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11.
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Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
9.37%
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12.
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Type of Reporting Person*
IN, HC
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SCHEDULE 13G
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CUSIP No.
29448T105
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Page 6 of 10 Pages
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Item 1(a). Name of Issuer:
Equitable Financial Corp.
Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
113 N.
Locust Street, Grand Island, NE 68801
Item 2(a). Name of Person
Filing:
This statement is being filed by (i) Maltese
Capital Management LLC, a New York limited liability company ("MCM"), (ii) Maltese Capital Holdings, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company ("Holdings"), and (iii) Malta Hedge Fund II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ("MHFII"),
and (iv) Terry Maltese, Managing Member of MCM and Holdings, with respect to shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
("Common Stock") that each of the foregoing may be deemed to have a beneficial ownership. The foregoing persons are hereinafter
sometimes referred to collectively as the "Reporting Persons".
Item 2(b). Address of Principal
Business Office:
The address of the principal offices of each of
MCM, Holdings and MHFII, and the business address of Mr. Maltese is Maltese Capital Management LLC, 150 East 52
nd
Street,
30
th
Floor, New York, New York 10022.
Item 2(c). Citizenship:
MCM is a New York limited liability company.
Holdings is a Delaware limited liability company.
MHFII is a Delaware limited partnership.
Mr. Maltese is a U.S.
Citizen.
Item 2(d). Title of Class
of Securities:
Common
Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Item 2(e). CUSIP Number:
29448T105
Item 3.
If
this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b)
, or 13d-2(b)
or
(c), check whether the person filing is a:
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(a)
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[ ]
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Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o).
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(b)
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[ ]
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Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).
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(c)
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[ ]
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Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).
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(d)
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[ ]
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Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8).
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(e)
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[ ]
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An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);
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(f)
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[ ]
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An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);
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(g)
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[ ]
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A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);
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(h)
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[ ]
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A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);
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(i)
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[ ]
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A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);
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(j)
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[ ]
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Group, in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).
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SCHEDULE 13G
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CUSIP No.
29448T105
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Page 7 of 10 Pages
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Item 4. Ownership.
(a) and (b)
Based upon an aggregate of 3,368,932 shares of
Common Stock outstanding, as determined by the Issuer's most recently available 10Q filing, as of the close of business on November
13, 2017:
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(i)
(ii)
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MHFII beneficially owned 173,829 shares of Common Stock, constituting
approximately 5.16% of the shares outstanding.
Holdings owned directly no shares of Common Stock. By reason of
its position as general partner of certain partnerships, including MHFII, Holdings may be deemed to beneficially own 229,129 shares
of Common Stock which are held by such partnerships, constituting approximately 6.80% of the shares outstanding.
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(ii)
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MCM owned directly no shares of Common Stock. By reason of its position as investment advisor, MCM may be deemed to beneficially own 315,721 shares of Common Stock which are held of record by clients of MCM, constituting approximately 9.37% of the shares outstanding.
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(iii)
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Mr. Maltese directly owned no shares of Common Stock. By reason of his position as Managing Member of MCM and Holdings, Mr. Maltese may be deemed to beneficially own 315,721 shares of Common Stock, constituting approximately 9.37% of the shares outstanding.
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(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
No Reporting Person has sole power to vote or to direct
the vote over the shares held by such Reporting Person.
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
MHFII: 173,829 HOLDINGS: 229,129 MCM: 315,721 MR. MALTESE:
315,721
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(iii)
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Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
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No Reporting Person has sole power to dispose or to direct
the disposition over the shares held by such Reporting Person.
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
of:
MHFII: 173,829 HOLDINGS: 229,129 MCM: 315,721
MR. MALTESE: 315,721
Each of the Reporting Persons hereby disclaims any beneficial ownership
of any Shares in excess of their actual beneficial ownership thereof.
Item 5. Ownership of Five
Percent or Less of a Class:
If this statement is being filed to report the
fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class
of securities, check the following: [ ]
.
I
tem 6. Ownership of More
than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
Not applicable.
SCHEDULE 13G
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CUSIP No.
29448T105
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Page 8 of 10 Pages
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Item 7. Identification and
Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.
Not applicable.
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Item 8.
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Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
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Not applicable.
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Item 9.
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Notice of Dissolution of Group.
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Not applicable.
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or
influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant
in any transaction having that purpose or effect.
Exhibits: [Exhibit I: Joint Acquisition Statement, dated as of February
12, 2018.]
SIGNATURES
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of
my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
Dated: February 12, 2018
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Maltese Capital Management LLC
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Terry Maltese
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By:
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/s/ Terry Maltese
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By:
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/s/ Terry Maltese
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Terry Maltese
Managing Member
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Terry Maltese
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Maltese Capital Holdings, LLC
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Malta Hedge Fund II, L.P.
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By: Maltese Capital Holdings, LLC,
the sole General Partner
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By:
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/s/ Terry Maltese
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By:
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/s/ Terry Maltese
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Terry Maltese
Managing Member
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Terry Maltese
Managing Member
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EXHIBIT 1
JOINT ACQUISITION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(k)
The undersigned acknowledge and agree that the
foregoing statement on Schedule 13G is filed on behalf of each of the undersigned and that all subsequent amendments to this statement
on Schedule 13G shall be filed on behalf of each of the undersigned without the necessity of filing additional joint acquisition
statements. The undersigned acknowledge that each shall be responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning
the others, except to the extent that he or it knows or has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate.
Dated: February 12, 2018
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Maltese Capital Management LLC
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Terry Maltese
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By:
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/s/ Terry Maltese
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By:
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/s/ Terry Maltese
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Terry Maltese
Managing Member
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Terry Maltese
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Maltese Capital Holdings, LLC
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Malta Hedge Fund II, L.P.
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By: Maltese Capital Holdings, LLC,
the sole General Partner
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By:
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/s/ Terry Maltese
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By:
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/s/ Terry Maltese
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Terry Maltese
Managing Member
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Terry Maltese
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SK
27061 0003 7818471