HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for HomeTrust Bank (‘HomeTrust’ or ‘Bank’) that provides a wide range of retail and commercial banking products.
The company’s primary market areas are concentrated in North Carolina (the Asheville metropolitan area, the ‘Piedmont’ region, Charlotte and Raleigh/Cary), South Carolina (Greenville and Charleston), East Tennessee (Kingsport/Johnson City, Knoxville and Morristown), Southwest Virginia (the Roanoke Valley) and Georgia (Gr...
HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for HomeTrust Bank (‘HomeTrust’ or ‘Bank’) that provides a wide range of retail and commercial banking products.
The company’s primary market areas are concentrated in North Carolina (the Asheville metropolitan area, the ‘Piedmont’ region, Charlotte and Raleigh/Cary), South Carolina (Greenville and Charleston), East Tennessee (Kingsport/Johnson City, Knoxville and Morristown), Southwest Virginia (the Roanoke Valley) and Georgia (Greater Atlanta). The company’s headquarters is located in Asheville, North Carolina.
The company’s principal business consists of attracting deposits from the general public and investing those funds, along with borrowed funds, in commercial real estate loans, construction and development loans, commercial and industrial loans, equipment finance leases, municipal leases, loans secured by first and second mortgages on one-to-four family residences including home equity loans and other consumer loans. The company also originates one-to-four family loans, SBA loans and HELOCs to sell to third-parties. In addition, the company invests in debt securities issued by the United States Government agencies and GSEs, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, commercial paper and certificates of deposit insured by the FDIC. The company offers a variety of deposit accounts for individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Market Areas
The bank has various locations across Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, many of which are located in markets experiencing growth rates above the national average. Historically, the company’s branches and facilities have primarily been located in small- to medium-sized communities, but in recent years the company has implemented a strategy of expanding into larger, higher growth markets via business banking centers rather than retail-focused branches.
The company also has a highly competitive suite of cash management services, online/mobile banking and internal support expertise specific to the needs of small to mid-sized commercial business customers.
Investment
The bank invests in various securities, such as the United States Treasury obligations, securities of various federal agencies, including mortgage-backed securities, callable agency securities, certain certificates of deposit of insured banks and savings institutions, municipal bonds, investment grade corporate bonds and commercial paper and federal funds.
Loans
The principal categories of the company’s loan portfolio are discussed below.
Commercial Real Estate – Construction and Land Development
The company originates residential construction and development loans for the construction of single-family residences, condominiums, townhouses and residential developments. The company’s commercial construction development loans are for the development of business properties, including multifamily, retail, office/warehouse and office buildings. The company’s land, lots and development loans are predominately for the purchase or refinance of unimproved land held for future residential development, improved residential lots held for speculative investment purposes and for the future construction of one-to-four family (speculative and pre-sold) or commercial real estate.
Land acquisition and development loans are included in the construction and land development loan portfolio and include completed residential lots where the borrower was not the developer, commercial improved and raw land for future development and residential development loans. Residential development loans are made to developers for the purpose of acquiring raw land for the subsequent development and sale of residential lots. Such loans typically finance land purchase and infrastructure development of properties (i.e., roads, utilities, etc.) into residential lots for sale. The end buyer for the majority of these lots are local, regional and national builders for the ultimate construction of residential units. These loans are generally secured by property in the company’s primary market areas.
The bank provides funding to a number of builders for the construction of both speculative and pre-sold 1-4 family homes. Speculative construction loans are made to home builders and are termed ‘speculative’ because the home builder does not have, at the time of loan origination, a signed contract with a home buyer who has a commitment for permanent financing with either the company or another lender for the finished home.
Commercial Real Estate Lending, including Multifamily
The company originates commercial real estate loans, including loans secured by retail/wholesale facilities, hotels, industrial facilities, medical and professional buildings, office buildings, churches and multifamily residential properties located primarily in the company’s market areas.
The company offers both fixed- and adjustable-rate commercial real estate loans. The company’s commercial real estate mortgage loans generally include a balloon maturity of five years or less. Amortization terms are generally limited to 20 years.
Commercial – Commercial and Industrial Loans
Over the last year, the company has intentionally focused on the growth of commercial and industrial loans to businesses located in the company’s primary market areas. These loans are primarily originated as conventional loans to business borrowers, which include lines of credit, term loans and letters of credit. These loans are typically secured by collateral and are used for general business purposes, including working capital financing, equipment financing, capital investment and general investments. Loan terms typically vary from one to five years.
The company originates commercial business loans made under the SBA 7(a) and USDA B&I programs to small businesses located throughout the country. Loans made by the bank under the SBA 7(a) and USDA B&I programs generally are made to small businesses to provide working capital needs, to refinance existing debt or to provide funding for the purchase of businesses, real estate, machinery and equipment. These loans generally are secured by a combination of assets that may include receivables, inventory, furniture, fixtures, equipment, business real property, commercial real estate and sometimes additional collateral, such as an assignment of life insurance and a lien on personal real estate owned by the guarantor(s).
Commercial – Equipment Finance
The company’s equipment finance line of business offers companies that are purchasing equipment for their business various products to help manage working capital needs, while offering flexible and customizable repayment terms. These products are primarily made up of commercial finance agreements and commercial loans for transportation, construction, healthcare and manufacturing equipment. The loans have terms ranging from 24 to 96 months, with an average of five years, and are secured by the financed equipment.
Commercial – Municipal Leases
The company offers ground and equipment lease financing to fire departments located primarily throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and to a lesser extent, Virginia. Municipal leases are secured primarily by a ground lease in the company’s name with a sublease to the borrower for a fire station or an equipment lease for fire trucks and firefighting equipment. The company originates and underwrites all leases prior to funding. These leases are at a fixed interest rate and may have a term to maturity of up to 20 years.
Residential Real Estate – Construction and Land Development
The company originates construction-to-permanent loans to homeowners building a residence. In addition, the company originates land/lot loans predominately for the purchase or refinance of an improved lot for the construction of a residence to be occupied by the borrower. All of the company’s construction and land/lot loans were made on properties located within the company’s market area.
Construction-to-permanent loans are made for the construction of a one-to-four family property, which is intended to be occupied by the borrower as either a primary or secondary residence. Construction-to-permanent loans are originated to the homeowner rather than the homebuilder and are structured to be converted to a first lien fixed- or adjustable-rate permanent loan at the completion of the construction phase.
Included in the company’s construction and land/lot loan portfolio are land/lot loans, which are typically loans secured by developed lots in residential subdivisions located in the company’s market areas. The company originates these loans to individuals intending to construct their primary or secondary residence on the lot within one year of the origination date. This portfolio may also include loans for the purchase or refinance of unimproved land that is generally less than or equal to five acres and for which the purpose is to commence the improvement of the land and construction of an owner occupied primary or secondary residence within one year of the origination date.
Residential Real Estate – One-to-Four Family
The company originates loans secured by first mortgages on one-to-four family residences typically for the purchase or refinance of owner occupied primary or secondary residences located primarily in the company’s market areas. The company originates both fixed-rate loans and adjustable-rate loans. The company generally originates fixed rate mortgage loans with terms greater than 10 years for sale to various secondary market investors, on a servicing retained basis. The company also originates adjustable-rate mortgage, or ARM, loans which have interest rates that adjust to the average 30-day yield on the SOFR plus a margin. Most of the company’s ARM loans are hybrid loans, which after an initial fixed rate period of one, five, seven or 10 years will convert to an annual adjustable interest rate for the remaining term of the loan. The company’s ARM loans have terms up to 30 years.
Residential Real Estate – Home Equity Lines of Credit
The company’s HELOCs primarily consist of adjustable-rate lines of credit.
Consumer Lending
The company’s consumer loans consist of loans secured by deposit accounts or personal property, such as automobiles, boats and motorcycles, as well as unsecured consumer debt. This portfolio includes indirect auto finance installment contracts on new and used vehicles sourced through the company’s relationships with automobile dealerships, both manufacturer franchised dealerships and independent dealerships.
Deposits
As of December 31, 2024, the company’s deposits were core deposits, such as noninterest-bearing deposits, now accounts, money market accounts, and savings accounts; and certificates of deposit.
Regulation
As a bank holding company and financial holding company, the company is regulated by the Federal Reserve.
As a North Carolina state-chartered bank, and member of the FRB (Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond), the bank's primary regulators are the NCCOB (North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks) and the Federal Reserve (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System). The bank's deposits are federally insured up to applicable limits by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation). The bank is a member of the FHLB (Federal Home Loan Bank) of Atlanta.
The company is subject to examination and supervision by, and is required to file certain reports with, the Federal Reserve. The company is also subject to the rules and regulations of the SEC under the federal securities laws.
The bank is subject to examination and regulation primarily by the NCCOB and the Federal Reserve as its primary federal regulator.
The bank is periodically examined by the NCCOB and the Federal Reserve to ensure that it satisfies applicable standards with respect to its capital adequacy, assets, management, earnings, liquidity and sensitivity to market interest rates. The NCCOB and the Federal Reserve also regulate the branching authority of the bank.
In connection with its deposit-taking, lending and other activities, the bank is subject to federal laws designed to protect consumers and promote lending for various purposes. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issues regulations and standards under these federal consumer protection laws, which include the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Truth-in-Lending Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, and others. The CFPB has promulgated a number of proposed and final regulations under these laws that affect the company’s consumer businesses.
The bank received a ‘satisfactory’ rating during its most recent CRA (the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977) examination.
The bank is subject to the BSA (Bank Secrecy Act of 1970) and other anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. These laws and regulations require the bank to implement policies, procedures and controls to detect, prevent and report money laundering and terrorist financing and to verify the identity of its customers.
The company’s business activities are generally limited to those activities permissible for bank holding companies under Section 4(c)(8) of the Bank Holding Company Act (BHCA), those permitted for a financial holding company under Section 4(f) of the BHCA, and certain additional activities authorized by regulation.
The common stock of the company is registered with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act). The company is subject to the information, proxy solicitation, insider trading restrictions and other requirements of the SEC under the Exchange Act.
History
HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1926. The company was incorporated in 2011.