This list of important factors is not all inclusive. See "Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors" for a discussion of risks and uncertainties related to our business that could adversely impact our operations and/or financial results. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company or the Bank.

As used in this Form 10-K, unless we specify otherwise, "the Company," "we," "us," and "our" refer to Capitol Federal Financial, Inc. a Maryland corporation. "Capitol Federal Savings," and "the Bank," refer to Capitol Federal Savings Bank, a federal savings bank and the wholly-owned subsidiary of Capitol Federal Financial, Inc.

The Company is a Maryland corporation that was incorporated in April 2010. The Company's common stock is traded on the Global Select tier of the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol "CFFN."

We have been, and intend to continue to be, a community-oriented financial institution offering a variety of financial services to meet the needs of the communities we serve. We attract retail deposits from the general public and invest those funds primarily in permanent loans secured by first mortgages on owner-occupied, one- to four-family residences. We also originate consumer loans primarily secured by mortgages on one- to four-family residences, originate and participate in loans with other lenders that are secured by commercial real estate, and invest in certain investment securities and mortgage-backed securities ("MBS") using funding from retail deposits, brokered and public unit deposits, repurchase agreements, and Federal Home Loan Bank Topeka ("FHLB") borrowings, and repurchase agreements.borrowings. We offer a variety of deposit accounts having a wide range of interest rates and terms, which generally include savings accounts, money market accounts, interest-bearing and non-interest-bearing checking accounts, and certificates of deposit with terms ranging from 91 days to 96 months. Our primary revenues are derived principally from interest on loans, MBS, investment securities, and dividends on FHLB stock.

The Company is significantly affected by prevailing economic conditions, including federal monetary and fiscal policies and federal regulation of financial institutions. Retail deposit balances are influenced by a number of factors, including interest rates paid on competing investment products, the level of personal income, and the personal rate of savings within our market areas. Lending activities are influenced by the demand for housing and other loans, our loan underwriting guidelines compared to those of our competitors, as well as interest rate pricing competition from other lending institutions.

Our executive offices are located at 700 South Kansas Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66603, and our telephone number at that address is (785) 235-1341.

Our Internet website address is www.capfed.com. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports can be obtained free of charge from our website. These reports are available on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. These reports are also available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.

The Bank ranked thirdsecond in deposit market share, at 6.23%7.29%, in the state of Kansas as reported in the June 30, 20162017 FDIC "Summary of Deposits - Market Share Report." The first and second ranked institutions had a 15.06% and a 7.00% deposit market share, respectively. The institution with 15.06% of deposit market share is primarily an Internet-based institution with only one physical location in Kansas. Deposit market share is measured by total deposits, without consideration for type of deposit. We do not offer commercial deposit accounts, while many of our competitors have both commercial and retail deposits in their total deposit base. Some of our competitors also offer products and services that we do not, such as trust services and private banking, which may add to their total deposits. Consumers also have the ability to utilize online financial institutions and investment brokerages that are not confined to any specific market area.  Management considers our well-established retail banking network together with our reputation for financial strength and customer service to be major factors in our success at attracting and retaining customers in our market areas.

The Bank consistently has been one of the top one- to four-family lenders with regard to mortgage loan origination volume in the state of Kansas. Through our strong relationships with real estate agents and marketing efforts, which reflect our reputation and pricing, we attract mortgage loan business from walk-in customers, customers that apply online, and existing customers. Competition in originating one- to four-family loans primarily comes from other savings institutions, commercial banks, credit unions, and mortgage bankers. Other savings institutions, commercial banks, credit unions, and finance companies provide vigorous competition in consumer lending.

 

While the Bank originates both fixed- and adjustable-rate loans, our origination volume is dependent upon customer demand for loans in our market areas. Demand is affected by the local housing market, competition, and the interest rate environment. During fiscal years 20162017 and 2015,2016, the Bank originated and refinanced $663.3$619.0 million and $697.1$663.3 million of one- to four-family loans, respectively.

The Bank has an agreement with a third-party mortgage sub-servicer to provide loan servicing for loans originated by the Bank's correspondent lenders in certain states. The sub-servicer has experience servicing loans in the market areas in which the Bank purchases loans and services the loans according to the Bank's servicing standards, which is intended to allow the Bank greater control over servicing and reporting and help maintain a standard of loan performance. 

TheIn the past, the Bank has also purchased one- to four-family loans from correspondent and nationwide lenders in bulk loan packages. The last bulk loan package purchased by the Bank was in August 2012. The Bank no longer purchases bulk loan packages. See "Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors" for additional information regarding why the Bank no longer purchases bulk loan packages.

At September 30, 2016, $239.12017, $214.5 million, or 57%61% of the Bank's bulk purchased loan portfolio, are loans guaranteed by one seller. Based on the seller. Thehistorical performance of these loans and the seller, the Bank believes the seller has the financial ability to repurchase or replace loans if any loans were to become delinquent. The Bank has not experienced any losses with this group of loans since the loan package was purchased in August 2012.

Full documentation to support an applicant's credit and income, and sufficient funds to cover all applicable fees and reserves at closing, are required on all loans. Generally, loans are currently underwritten according to the "ability to repay" and "qualified mortgage" standards, as issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB"), with total debt-to-income ratios not exceeding 43% of a borrower's verified income. Information pertaining to the creditworthiness of the borrower generally consists of a summary of the borrower's credit history, employment stability, sources of income, assets, net worth, and debt ratios. The value of the subject property must be supported by an appraisal report prepared in accordance with our appraisal policy by either a staff appraiser or a fee appraiser, both of which are independent of the loan origination function and who are approved by our Board of Directors.

Loans over $500 thousand must be underwritten by two senior underwriters. Loans over $750 thousand must be approved by our Asset and Liability Management Committee ("ALCO"), while loans over $1.5$3.0 million must be approved by our Board of Directors. For loans requiring ALCO and/or Board of Directors' approval, lending management is responsible for presenting to ALCO and/or the Board of Directors information about the creditworthiness of the borrower and the market value of the subject property.

The underwriting standards for loans purchased from correspondent and nationwide lenders are generally similar to the Bank's internal underwriting standards. The underwriting of correspondent loans is performed by the Bank's underwriters. Our standard contractual agreement with the lender/seller includes recourse options for any breach of representation or warranty with respect to the loans purchased. The Bank did not request any lenders/sellers to repurchase loans for breach of representation during fiscal year 2016.2017.

ARM loans are offered with a three-year, five-year, or seven-year term to the initial repricing date. After the initial period, the interest rate for each ARM loan adjusts annually for the remainder of the term of the loan. Currently, the repricing index for loan originations and correspondent purchases is tied to London Interbank Offered Rates ("LIBOR"); however, other indices have been used in the past. Current adjustable-rate one- to four-family loans originated by the Bank generally provide for a specified rate limit or cap on the periodic adjustment to the interest rate, as well as a specified maximum lifetime cap and minimum rate, or floor. As a consequence of using caps, the interest rates on these loans may not be as rate sensitive as our cost of funds. Negative amortization of principal is not allowed. For three- and five-year ARM loans, borrowers are qualified based on the principal, interest, tax, and insurance payments at the initial interest rate plus the life of loan cap and the initial interest rate plus the first period cap, respectively. For seven-year ARM loans, borrowers are qualified based on the principal, interest, tax, and insurance payments at the initial rate. After the initial three-, five-, or seven-year period, the interest rate resets annually and the new principal and interest payment is based on the new interest rate, remaining unpaid principal balance, and remaining term of the ARM loan. Our ARM loans are not automatically convertible into fixed-rate loans; however, we do allow borrowers to pay an endorsement fee to convert an ARM loan to a fixed-rate loan. ARM loans can pose greater credit risks than fixed-rate loans, primarily because as interest rates rise, the borrower's payment also rises, increasing the potential for default. This specific type of risk is known as repricing risk.

Our pricing strategy for one- to four-family loan products includes setting interest rates based on secondary market prices and local competitor pricing for our local lending markets, and secondary market prices and national competitor pricing for our correspondent markets.

The Bank's one- to four-family loans are primarily fully amortizing fixed-rate or ARM loans. The contractual maturities for fixed-rate loans and ARM loans can be up to 30 years; however, there are certain bulk purchased ARM loans that had original contractual maturities of 40 years. Our one- to four-family loans are generally not assumable and do not contain prepayment penalties. A "due on sale" clause, allowing the Bank to declare the unpaid principal balance due and payable upon the sale of the secured property, is generally included in the security instrument.

The Bank originates and purchases, from correspondent lenders, construction-to-permanent loans secured by one- to four-family residential real estate. At September 30, 2016, we had $39.4 million in construction-to-permanent one- to four-family loans outstanding representing approximately 1% of our total loan portfolio.

Construction loans are obtained by homeowners who will occupy the property when construction is complete. ConstructionThe Bank does not originate construction loans to builders for speculative purposes are not permitted.purposes. The application process includes submission of complete plans, specifications, and costs of the project to be constructed. All construction loans are manually underwritten using the Bank's internal underwriting standards. The Bank's one- to four-family construction-to-permanent loan program combines the construction loan and the permanent loan into one loan allowing the borrower to secure the same interest rate throughout the construction period and the permanent loan.

Construction draw requests and the supporting documentation are reviewed and approved by authorized management or experienced construction loan personnel. The Bank also performs regular documented inspections of the construction project to ensure the funds are being used for the intended purpose and the project is being completed according to the plans and specifications provided.purpose. The Bank charges a 1% fee at closing, based on the loan amount, for these administrative requirements. Interest is not capitalized during the construction period; it is billed and collected monthly based on the amount of funds disbursed. Once the construction period is complete, the payment method is changed from interest-only to an amortized principal and interest payment for the remaining term of the loan.

In an effort to offset the impact of repayments and to retain our customers, existing loan customers, including customers whose loans were purchased from a correspondent lender, have the opportunity, for a cash fee, to endorse their original loan terms to current loan terms being offered. Customers whose loans have been sold to third parties, or have been delinquent on their contractual loan payments during the previous 12 months, or are currently in bankruptcy, are not eligible to participate in this program. The Bank does not solicit customers for this program, but considers it a valuable opportunity to retain customers who, based on our initial underwriting criteria, could likely obtain similar financing elsewhere. During fiscal years 20162017 and 2015,2016, the Bank endorsed $160.0$53.1 million and $121.6$160.0 million of one- to four-family loans, respectively.

One- to four-family loans may be sold on a bulk basis for portfolio restructuring or on a flow basis as loans are originated to reduce interest rate risk and/or maintain a certain liquidity position.originated. Loans originated by the Bank and purchased from correspondent lenders are generally eligible for sale in the secondary market. Loans are generally sold for portfolio restructuring purposes, to reduce interest rate risk and/or to maintain a certain liquidity position. The Bank generally retains the servicing on these loans. ALCO determines the criteria upon which one- to four-family loans are to be classified as held-for-sale or held-for-investment. One- to four-family loans classified as held-for-sale are to be sold in accordance with policies set forth by ALCO. One-The Bank sold $6.7 million of one- to four-family loans classified as held-for-investment are generally not sold unless a specific segment of the portfolio is identified for asset restructuring purposes. The Bankduring fiscal year 2017 and did not sell any one- to four-family loans during fiscal years 2016 or 2015.year 2016.

The majority of our consumer loan portfolio is comprised of home equity lines of credit which have interest rates that can adjust monthly based upon changes in the Prime rate, up to a maximum of 18%. For a majority of the home equity lines of credit, the Bank has the first mortgage or the Bank is in the first lien position. Home equity lines of credit may be originated up to 90% of the value of the property securing the loan if no first mortgage exists, or up to 90% of the value of the property securing the loans if taking into consideration an existing first mortgage. Approximately 46%40%, or $48.8$42.9 million, of our home equity lines at September 30, 20162017 require a payment of 1.5% of the outstanding loan balance per month, but have no stated term-to-maturity and no repayment period. Repaid principal may be re-advanced at any time, not to exceed the original credit limit of the loan. Approximately 53%59%, or $56.3$62.2 million, of our home equity lines at September 30, 20162017 have a 7-year draw period, a 10-year repayment term, and typically a payment requirement of 1.5% of the outstanding loan balance per month during the draw period, with an amortizing payment during the repayment period.  Repaid principal may be re-advanced at any time during the draw period, not to exceed the original credit limit of the loan.

We also offer interest-only home equity lines of credit. These loans have a maximum term of 12 months and require monthly payments of accrued interest, and a balloon payment of unpaid principal at maturity. At September 30, 2016,2017, approximately 1%, or $1.0$1.2 million, of our home equity lines were interest-only. Closed-end home equity loans, which totaled $17.2$15.7 million at September 30, 2016,2017, may be originated up to 95% of the value of the property securing the loans if taking into consideration an existing first mortgage, or the lesser of up to $40 thousand or 25% of the value of the property securing the loan if no first mortgage exists. The term-to-maturity for closed-end home equity loans in the first lien position may be up to 10 years, or may be up to 20 years for loans in the second lien position. Other consumerGenerally, loan terms vary according toare more limiting and rates are higher for a loan in the type of collateral and the length of the contract.second lien position. Home equity loans, including lines of credit and closed-end loans, comprised approximately 97% of our consumer loan portfolio, or $123.3$122.1 million, at September 30, 2016;2017; of that amount, 86%87% were adjustable-rate.

The underwriting standards for consumer loans include a determination of the applicant's payment history on other debts and an assessment of the applicant's ability to meet existing obligations and payments on the proposed loan. Although creditworthiness of the applicant is a primary consideration, the underwriting process also includes a comparison of the value of the security in relation to the proposed loan amount.

Consumer loans generally have shorter terms-to-maturity or reprice more frequently, usually without periodic caps, which reduces our exposure to credit risk and changes in interest rates, and usually carry higher rates of interest than do one- to four-family loans. However, consumer loans may entail greater credit risk than do one- to four-family loans, particularly in the case of consumer loans that are secured by rapidly depreciable assets, such as automobiles. Management believes that offering consumer loan products helps to expand and create stronger ties to our existing customer base by increasing the number of customer relationships and providing cross-marketing opportunities.

Our commercial real estate loans are generally large dollar loans and involve a greater degree of credit risk than one- to four-family loans. Because payments on these loans are often dependent on the successful operation or management of the properties, repayment of such loans may be subject to adverse conditions in the economy or the real estate market. If the cash flow from the project is reduced, or if leases are not obtained or renewed, the borrower's ability to repay the loan may become impaired. The Bank regularly monitors the level of risk in the portfolio, including concentrations in such factors as geographic locations, property types, tenant brand name, borrowing relationships, and lending relationships in the case of participation loans, among other factors.

The Bank's traditional underwriting guidelines have provided the Bank with generally low delinquencies and low levels of non-performing assets compared to national levels. Of particular importance is the complete and full documentation required for each loan the Bank originates, participates in or purchases. Generally, one- to four-family owner occupied loans are currently underwritten according to the "ability to repay" and "qualified mortgage" standards, as issued by the CFPB, with total debt-to-income ratios not exceeding 43% of the borrower's verified income. This allows the Bank to make an informed credit decision based upon a thorough assessment of the borrower's ability to repay the loan.

For purchased loans serviced by a third party, we monitor delinquencies using reports received from the servicers. We monitor these servicer reports to ensure that the servicer is upholding the terms of the servicing agreement. The reports generally provide total principal and interest due and length of delinquency, and are used to prepare monthly management reports and perform delinquent loan trend analysis. The information from the sub-servicer of our correspondent loans is generally received during the first week of the month while the information from the servicers of our bulk loans is received later in the month. Management also utilizes information from the servicers to monitor property valuations and identify the need to charge-off loan balances. The servicers handle collection efforts per the terms of the servicing agreement.

The following table presents the states where the properties securing one percent or more of the total amount of our one- to four-family loans are located and the corresponding balance of loans 30 to 89 days delinquent, 90 or more days delinquent or in foreclosure, and weighted average LTV ratios for loans 90 or more days delinquent or in foreclosure at September 30, 2016.2017. The LTV ratios were based on the current loan balance and either the lesser of the purchase price or original appraisal, or the most recent Bank appraisal, if available. At September 30, 2016,2017, potential losses, after taking into consideration anticipated PMI proceeds and estimated selling costs, have been charged-off.