Equity Bancshares Buys Lincoln Bancorp for $123M, Expanding Iowa Footprint

Equity Bancshares (EQBK) reported Q3 2026 earnings, highlighting organic growth with loans up $39M to $5.44B and deposits down $136M to $6.17B. The company announced a merger with Lincoln Bancorp, adding 16 branches in Iowa. Net income was $26.8M, or $1.29 per diluted share. The company expects margin to return to 4.25-4.35% in Q4, excluding the merger.

StoneX reduced its price target for Equity Bancshares (EQBK) to $58 from $59, citing net interest margin expectations. The firm raised its fiscal 2026 EPS forecast to $5.18 but lowered the 2027 estimate to $5.27. EQBK's stock trades at a P/E ratio of 10.58, and analysts expect net income growth. The company recently reported Q3 earnings beating estimates, with EPS of $1.40 vs. $1.29 expected, but revenue missed slightly.

Equity Bancshares (EQBK) reported Q3 2026 earnings with record loan production of $379M, up 56% YoY. Core EPS was $1.40, and core ROA was 16.5%. Non-interest income grew to $10.8M. Deposits fell 2.2%, and NIM decreased 16bps to 4.20%. The company expects the Lincoln acquisition to be accretive. Management discussed loan growth, margin pressures, and M&A plans.

Equity Bancshares (EQBK) reported Q3 2026 earnings with core EPS of $1.40, beating expectations despite a net interest margin compression to 4.20%. The stock rose 0.75% to $46.92. The bank reported net income of $26.8M, with total assets of $7.6B and a market cap of $972M. Management expects margin recovery and growth from pending acquisitions.

Equity Bancshares (EQBK) reported Q3 2026 earnings of $1.40 per share, beating estimates, though revenue fell slightly short. The stock rose 0.99% to $47.03. The bank faces margin pressure but continues growth through acquisitions, including the pending Lincoln Savings Bank deal. Asset quality showed some deterioration, with nonperforming assets rising to 0.99%. The company is investing in AI to improve efficiency.

Equity Bancshares (EQBK) reported Q2 2026 net interest income of $72.8M, down slightly from the prior quarter but up 16.6% year-over-year. The company's GF Value™ suggests it is modestly undervalued with a 15.2% margin of safety. EQBK has a GF Score™ of 81/100, indicating strong fundamentals in valuation and momentum, but weaker financial strength. Insiders and gurus have shown net selling activity. The stock trades at $46.57 with a trailing P/E of 27.97x and a forward P/E of 8.55x.