Southern Missouri Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Southern Bank (the bank) that provides banking and financial services to individuals and corporate customers in the United States.
The principal business of the company consists of attracting retail deposits from the general public and using such deposits along with wholesale funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB), and brokered deposits, to invest in one- to four-family residential mortgage loans, mor...
Southern Missouri Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Southern Bank (the bank) that provides banking and financial services to individuals and corporate customers in the United States.
The principal business of the company consists of attracting retail deposits from the general public and using such deposits along with wholesale funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB), and brokered deposits, to invest in one- to four-family residential mortgage loans, mortgage loans secured by commercial real estate, commercial non-mortgage business loans, construction loans, and consumer loans. These funds are also used to purchase mortgage-backed and related securities (MBS), municipal bonds, and other permissible investments.
Market Area
The company provides its customers with a full array of community banking services and conducts its business from its headquarters in Poplar Bluff, as well as full service branch offices and limited service branch offices. The branch offices are located in Poplar Bluff, Van Buren, Dexter, Kennett, Doniphan, Sikeston, Qulin, Springfield, Thayer, West Plains, Alton, Clever, Forsyth, Fremont Hills, Kimberling City, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Marshfield, Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Gideon, Chaffee, Benton, Advance, Bloomfield, Essex, Rolla, Arnold, Oakville, Kansas City, Kearney, Lee’s Summit, Macon, Maryville, Boonville, Brookfield, Chillicothe, Smithville, St. Joseph, and Trenton, Missouri; Jonesboro, Paragould, Batesville, Searcy, Bald Knob, Bradford, and Cabot, Arkansas; Anna, Cairo, and Tamms, Illinois; and Leawood, Kansas. The company’s east and south regions, and part of the northwest region.
Lending Activities
The company’s lending activities consist of originating loans secured by mortgages on one- to four-family and multi-family residential real estate, commercial and agricultural real estate, construction loans on residential and commercial properties, commercial and agricultural business loans, and consumer loans. The bank has also occasionally purchased loan participation interests originated by other lenders.
Residential Mortgage Lending: The company actively originates loans for the acquisition or refinance of one- to four-family residences. These loans are originated as a result of customer and real estate agent referrals, existing and walk-in customers, and from responses to its marketing campaigns.
The company offers both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loans. The company generally originates one- to four-family residential mortgage loans for retention in its portfolio in amounts up to 90% of the lower of the purchase price or appraised value of residential property. Fixed-rate loans secured by one- to four-family residences have contractual maturities up to 30 years, and are generally fully amortizing with payments due monthly. These loans normally remain outstanding for a substantially shorter period of time because of refinancing and other prepayments.
The company also originates one- to four-family ARM loans, which adjust annually, after an initial period of one to seven years. The company generally requires borrowers to obtain title insurance and fire, property and flood insurance (if indicated) in an amount not less than the amount of the loan.
The company also originates loans secured by multi-family residential properties that are often located outside its primary market area, but made to borrowers who operate within the primary market area. The majority of the multi-family residential loans that are originated by the company are amortized over periods generally up to 25 years, with balloon maturities up to ten years. Both fixed and adjustable interest rates are offered and it is typical for the company to include an interest rate floor and ceiling in variable-rate loan agreements. The company generally requires a Board-approved independent certified fee appraiser to be engaged in determining the collateral value. As a general rule, the company requires the unlimited guaranty of all individuals (or entities) owning (directly or indirectly) 20% or more of the borrowing entity.
Commercial Real Estate Lending: The company actively originates loans secured by commercial real estate, including farmland, single- and multi-tenant retail properties, restaurants, hotels, nursing homes and other healthcare related facilities, land (improved and unimproved), convenience stores, automobile dealerships, and other automotive-related services, warehouses and distribution centers, and other businesses generally located in its market area.
Commercial real estate loans originated by the company are generally based on amortization schedules of up to 25 years with monthly principal and interest payments. The company typically includes an interest rate floor in the loan agreement. Agricultural real estate terms offered differ slightly, with amortization schedules of up to 25 years with an 80% loan-to-value ratio, or 30 years with a 75% loan-to-value ratio. Agricultural real estate loans generally require annual, instead of monthly, payments. Before credit is extended, the company analyzes the financial condition of the borrower, the borrower’s credit history, and the reliability and predictability of the cash flow generated by the property and the value of the property itself. The company also generally requires appraisals on properties securing commercial real estate to be performed by a Board-approved independent certified fee appraiser.
Construction Lending: The company originates real estate loans secured by property or land that is under construction or development.
Construction loans originated by the company are generally secured by mortgage loans for the construction of owner occupied residential real estate or to finance speculative construction secured by residential real estate, land development, or owner-occupied or non-owner occupied commercial real estate.
Consumer Lending: The company offers a variety of secured consumer loans, including home equity, automobile, second mortgage, mobile home and deposit-secured loans. The company originates substantially all of its consumer loans in its primary market area. Generally, consumer loans are originated with fixed rates for terms of up to approximately 66 months, with the exception of home equity lines of credit, which are variable, tied to the prime rate of interest, and are for a period of ten years.
Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are secured with a deed of trust or mortgage and are generally issued for up to 90% of the appraised or assessed value of the property securing the line of credit, less the outstanding balance on the first mortgage. Interest rates on HELOCs are adjustable and are tied to the prime interest rate, generally with an interest rate floor in the loan agreement.
Commercial Business Lending: The company’s commercial business lending activities encompass loans with a variety of purposes and security, including loans to finance accounts receivable, inventory, equipment and operating lines of credit.
The company offers both fixed and adjustable rate commercial business loans. The company typically includes an interest rate floor in the loan agreement. The company’s commercial business loans are evaluated based on the loan application, a determination of the applicant’s payment history on other debts, business stability and an assessment of ability to meet existing obligations and payments on the proposed loan.
Small Business Administration (SBA) Lending: The company’s commercial and construction business lending activity includes some loans guaranteed by the SBA.
Investment Activities
As of June 30, 2024, the company’s investment portfolio included obligations of state and political subdivisions; corporate obligations; asset backed securities; other securities; and MBS and CMOs.
Deposits
The bank’s depositors are generally residents and entities located in the states of Missouri, Arkansas, or Illinois. Deposits are attracted from within the bank’s market area through the offering of a broad selection of deposit instruments, including interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing transaction accounts, money market deposit accounts, saving accounts, certificates of deposit and retirement savings plans. For larger depositors, such as public units, the company often utilizes a reciprocal deposit program to provide additional FDIC coverage to its customer through other financial institutions while conveniently allowing management of the deposit relationship through its institution.
Deposit products have been promoted through various mediums, which include digital and social media, television, radio and newspaper advertisements, as well as grassroots marketing techniques, such as sponsorship of – or activity at – community events.
Subsidiary Activities
The bank has six active subsidiaries, SB Corning, LLC, SB Real Estate Investments, LLC, Southern Insurance Services, LLC, Fortune Investment Group, LLC, Fortune Insurance Group, LLC, and Fortune SBA, LLC. SB Corning, LLC represents investment in a limited partnership formed for the purpose of generating low income housing tax credits.
SB Real Estate Investments, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the bank formed to hold Southern Bank Real Estate Investments, LLC. Southern Bank Real Estate Investments, LLC is a REIT which is majority-owned by the investment subsidiary, but has other preferred shareholders in order to meet the requirements to be a REIT. Southern Insurance Services, LLC is an entity acquired in the Gideon acquisition, and is engaged in the brokerage of commercial and consumer insurance products. Assets held by this subsidiary are immaterial. Fortune SBA, LLC is an entity acquired in the Fortune acquisition, and engages in the origination of SBA guaranteed loans, sale of the guaranteed portion of the loan, and servicing of loans.
Government Supervision and Regulation
The primary regulator of the bank is the Missouri Division of Finance. The bank is a member of the Federal Reserve, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board or FRB) is the bank’s primary federal regulator. The bank’s deposits continue to be insured up to applicable limits by the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). With the bank’s conversion to a trust company with banking powers, the company became a bank holding company regulated by the FRB.
As a state-chartered trust company with banking powers, the bank is subject to applicable provisions of Missouri law and the regulations of the Missouri Division of Finance.
The bank is a member of the FHLB of Des Moines. The bank’s deposits are insured up to applicable limits by the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) of the FDIC.
The bank received a ‘satisfactory’ rating during its most recent CRA (the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977) examination.
The bank is subject to the Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.
The bank is subject to federal regulations implementing the privacy protection provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999.
The stock of the company is registered with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the ‘Exchange Act’). As such, the company is subject to the information, proxy solicitation, insider trading restrictions and other requirements of the SEC under the Exchange Act.
As a bank holding company, the company is required to file reports with the FRB and such additional information as the FRB may require, and the company and its non-banking affiliates are subject to examination by the FRB.
History
Southern Missouri Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1887. The company was incorporated in Delaware in 1993 and changed its state of incorporation to Missouri in 1999.