Business Description

The Company is a Maryland corporation with its common stock traded on the Global Select tier of the NASDAQ Stock Market. The Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and is a federally chartered and insured savings bank headquartered in Topeka, Kansas. The Bank continues to transition from a retail oriented financial institution to one with an expanded focus on commercial customers by strategically growing all aspects of commercial banking through investment in technology, people, products, and services. We attract deposits primarily from the general public and from businesses, and invest those funds primarily in commercial loans, either secured by real estate or for commercial and industrial purposes, and in permanent loans secured by first mortgages on owner-occupied, one- to four-family residences. The Bank is active in commercial lending markets even when the lending opportunity is outside of the Bank's local footprint. We also participate with other lenders in commercial loans, and have previously purchased loans from correspondent lenders secured by mortgages on one- to four-family residences but we suspended that line of business in June 2024. The Bank invests in certain investment securities and mortgage-backed securities ("MBS"). The Bank funds our lending and investing activities from deposits and Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka ("FHLB") 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 120 months. We also offer a broad range of banking services, including a full suite of treasury management services designed to support commercial customers in managing their financial operations efficiently and securely. By leveraging treasury management services, we help businesses streamline their operations, reduce financial risk, and maximize liquidity while growing the Bank's non-interest-bearing deposit base and diversifying fee-based income. We also offer tailored banking services for our small business customers and are actively expanding our suite of private banking and trust and wealth management products and services. The Company's results of operations are primarily dependent on net interest income, which is the difference between the interest earned on loans, securities, and cash, and the interest paid on deposits and borrowings. On a weekly basis, management reviews deposit flows, loan demand, cash levels, and changes in several market interest rates to assess all pricing strategies. The Bank's pricing strategy for commercial loans is generally based on competitor pricing and the credit risk of the borrower, with consideration given to the overall relationship of the borrower. Pricing for first mortgage loan products includes setting interest rates based on secondary market prices and competitor pricing for our local lending 2 markets. Generally, deposit pricing is based upon a survey of competitors in the Bank's market areas, and the need to attract funding and retain maturing deposits. The Company is significantly affected by prevailing economic conditions, including federal monetary and fiscal policies and federal regulation of financial institutions. 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 business and housing activity levels, our loan underwriting guidelines compared to those of our competitors, as well as the interest rate environment and interest rate pricing