WICHITA, Kan., September 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – The board of directors of Equity Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: EQBK) (the “Board”) has announced that it has launched a quarterly cash dividend at its shareholders.

The quarterly dividend of $ 0.08 per common share of Class A shares of Equity Bancshares, Inc. (“Shares” or “Company”) is payable on October 14, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 30, 2021. Future dividends will be subject to the approval of the Board.

“We are delighted to declare a dividend to our shareholders for the first time in the history of our company. We evaluated this as our company and our earnings each continued to grow, ”said Brad Elliott, President and CEO of Equity. “We appreciate the support of our shareholders and the continued efforts of our Equity Bank teams in our four states to continue to provide expertise, innovation and local service to our customers. “

The Board has also authorized the repurchase of up to 1,000,000 outstanding common shares of Equity, with a par value of $ 0.01 per share, from time to time, effective October 29, 2021 and until October 28, 2022. The buyback program does not require Equity to acquire any dollar amount or number of specific shares, and it may be extended, modified or discontinued at any time without notice. The buyback program is subject to non-objection by the Federal Reserve Bank.

About Equity Bancshares, Inc.

Equity Bancshares, Inc. is the parent company of Equity Bank and provides a full range of financial solutions, including business loans, consumer banking, mortgages, and cash management services. As of June 30, 2021, Equity had total consolidated assets of approximately $ 4.2 billion, with full-service sites in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma, including offices in Wichita.

Equity announced its merger with American State Bancshares, Inc. (“ASBT”), a banking holding company with $ 780 million in assets, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, and the sites of American State Bank and Trust Company in its Kansas imprint. Equity will complete its merger with ASBT in October 2021, which will constitute the Company’s 18th banking consolidation, including 10 since the Company’s initial public offering in 2015.

Equity provides an enhanced banking experience for clients through a suite of sophisticated banking products and services tailored to their needs, while delivering the high quality, relationship-based customer service of a community bank. Equity’s common shares trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “EQBK”. Learn more about www.equitybank.com.

Special Note Regarding 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 the management of Equity with respect to, among other things, future events and the financial performance of Equity. These statements are often, but not always, made using words or phrases such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “predict”, “potential”, “believe”, “probably will result” “,” “Expect”, “continue”, “want”, “anticipate”, “seek”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “plan”, “foresee”, “Objective”, “target”, “want” and “outlook” or negative variations of these or other comparable words of a future or prospective nature. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections regarding Equity’s industry, the beliefs of management and certain assumptions made by management, many of which by their nature. , are inherently uncertain and beyond the control of Equity. Accordingly, Equity cautions you that these 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 of their publication, actual results may differ materially 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 impacts related to COVID-19; competition from other financial institutions and bank holding companies; effects and changes in business, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board; changes in demand for loans; fluctuations in the value of collateral and credit reserves; inflation, interest rates, market and currency fluctuations; changes in consumption, borrowing and saving habits; and acquisitions and integrations of acquired businesses; and similar variables. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

For a discussion of these and other risks that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, please see “Caution 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, 2021, and any updates to those risk factors set out in Equity’s subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K. If one or more events relating 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. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Equity assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. . New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, such as COVID-19, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they might affect us. Further, 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 forward-looking statements. . All forward-looking statements, express 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 behalf of Equity may make.

Media contact:

John J. Hanley
SVP, Marketing Director
Equity Bancshares, Inc.
(913) 583-8004
[email protected]

Investor contact:

Chris Navratil
Senior Vice President, Finance
Equity Bancshares, Inc.
(316) 612-6014
[email protected]