Hills, Kimberling City, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Marshfield, Cape Girardeau (2), Jackson, Gideon, Chaffee, Benton, Advance, Bloomfield, Essex, Rolla, Arnold, Oakville, Kansas City (2), Kearney, Lee’s Summit, Macon, Maryville, Boonville, Brookfield, Chillicothe (2), Smithville, St. Joseph (2), and Trenton, Missouri; Jonesboro (2), Paragould, Batesville, Searcy, Bald Knob, Bradford, and Cabot, Arkansas; Anna, Cairo, and Tamms, Illinois; and Leawood, Kansas. In January 2023, the Company completed a merger with Citizens adding fourteen branches in markets in Missouri and Kansas, including the Kansas City and St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). In fiscal 2024, the bank relocated two loan production offices in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and Overland Park, Kansas.
For purposes of management and oversight of its operations, the Bank has organized its facilities into five regional markets. The Bank’s east region includes 24 of its facilities, one of which is limited service, which are situated in Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, New Madrid, Ripley, Scott, and Stoddard counties in Missouri, and Alexander and Union counties in Illinois. These counties have a total population of approximately 244,000, and included within this market area is the Cape Girardeau MSA, which has a population of approximately 98,000. At June 30, 2024 the Bank’s south region includes 13 of its facilities, one of which is limited service, which are situated in Dunklin, Howell, and Oregon counties in Missouri, and Craighead, Greene, Independence, Lonoke, and White counties in Arkansas. These counties have a total population of approximately 430,000, and included within this market area is the Jonesboro MSA, which has a population of approximately 136,000. The Cabot, Arkansas, branch in Lonoke County, is located in the northeast corner of the Little Rock MSA, which has a population of approximately 764,000. The Bank’s west region includes 12 of its facilities, which are situated in Christian, Greene, Phelps, Stone, Taney, and Webster counties in Missouri. These counties have a total population of approximately 575,000, and included within this market area is the Springfield MSA, which has a population of approximately 491,000. The Bank’s north region includes two of its facilities, which are situated in Jefferson and St. Louis counties. The market area also includes the City of St. Louis. The two counties and the City of St. Louis have a total population of approximately 1.5 million. The north region market area is within the St. Louis MSA, which has a population of approximately 2.8 million. The Bank’s northwest region includes 15 of its facilities, one of which is limited service, which are situated in Buchanan, Clay, Cooper, Grundy, Jackson, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Nodaway, and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson county in Kansas. These counties have a total population of approximately 1.3 million, and some counties in this market area are located within the Kansas City MSA, or the St. Joseph MSA, which has a combined population of approximately 2.3 million. Each of these markets may also serve other communities just outside the area described, but without a notable impact on the demographics of the market area.
The Bank’s east and south regions, and part of the northwest region. are generally rural in nature with economies supported by manufacturing activity, agriculture (livestock, dairy, poultry, rice, timber, soybeans, wheat, melons, corn, and cotton), healthcare, and education. Large employers include hospitals, manufacturers, school districts, and colleges. In the west region, the Bank’s operations are generally more concentrated in the Springfield, Missouri, MSA, and major employers include healthcare providers, educational institutions, federal, local, and state government, retailers, transportation and distribution firms, and leisure, entertainment, and hospitality interests. In the north region, major employers include aviation and transportation, healthcare providers, medical research, educational institutions, retailers, manufacturers, energy/utilities, and hospitality. In the portion of the northwest region within the Kansas City MSA, major employers include healthcare providers, manufacturers, medical research, educational institutions, retailers, and hospitality. For purposes of the Bank’s lending policy, the Bank’s primary lending area is considered to be the counties where the Bank has a branch facility, and any contiguous county.
Competition
The Bank faces strong competition in attracting deposits (its primary source of lendable funds) and originating loans. The most recent market share data by the FDIC reflected that the Bank was one of 265 bank or saving association groups located in Missouri competing for approximately $250.0 billion in deposits at FDIC-insured institutions. The Bank’s market share was approximately 1.29% in the state of Missouri, where the majority of our deposits reside amongst the 55 locations in the state.
Competitors for deposits include commercial banks, credit unions, digital payment applications, money market funds, and other investment alternatives, such as mutual funds, full service and discount broker-dealers, equity markets, brokerage accounts and government securities. The Bank’s competition for loans comes principally from other financial