| ● | our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing. |
Any forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs and assumptions at the time they are made. The Company wishes to advise readers that the factors listed above and other risks described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including, without limitation, those described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” and other documents filed or furnished from time to time by the Company with the SEC (and are available on our website at www.bankwithsouthern.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov) could affect the Company’s financial performance and cause the Company’s actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those contained in such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking statements discussed might not occur, and you should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.
Market Area
The Bank provides its customers with a full array of community banking services and conducts its business from its headquarters in Poplar Bluff, as well as 62 full service branch offices and three limited service branch offices, as of June 30, 2023. The branch offices are located in Poplar Bluff (4), Van Buren, Dexter (2), Kennett, Doniphan, Sikeston, Qulin, Springfield (3), Thayer (2), West Plains (2), Alton, Clever, Forsyth, Fremont Hills, Kimberling City, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Marshfield, Cape Girardeau (2), Jackson, Gideon, Chaffee, Benton, Advance, Bloomfield, Essex, Rolla, Arnold, Oakville, Kansas City (2), Kearney, Lee’s Summit, Macon, Maryville, Boonville, Brookfield, Chillicothe (2), Smithville, St. Joseph (2), and Trenton, Missouri; Jonesboro (2), Paragould, Batesville, Searcy, Bald Knob, Bradford, and Cabot, Arkansas; Anna, Cairo, and Tamms, Illinois; and Leawood, Kansas. In January 2023, the Company completed a merger with Citizens adding fourteen branches in markets in Missouri and Kansas, including the Kansas City and St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs).
For purposes of management and oversight of its operations, the Bank has organized its facilities into five regional markets. The Bank’s east region includes 24 of its facilities, one of which is limited service, which are situated in Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, New Madrid, Ripley, Scott, and Stoddard counties in Missouri, and Alexander and Union counties in Illinois. These counties have a total population of approximately 245,000, and included within this market area is the Cape Girardeau MSA, which has a population of approximately 103,000. At June 30, 2023 the Bank’s south region includes 13 of its facilities, one of which is limited service, which are situated in Dunklin, Howell, and Oregon counties in Missouri, and Craighead, Greene, Independence, Lonoke, and White counties in Arkansas. These counties have a total population of approximately 458,000, and included within this market area is the Jonesboro MSA, which has a population of approximately 157,000. The Cabot, Arkansas, branch in Lonoke County, is located in the northeast corner of the Little Rock MSA. The Bank’s west region includes 12 of its facilities, which are situated in Christian, Greene, Phelps, Stone, Taney, and Webster counties in Missouri. These counties have a total population of approximately 571,000, and included within this market area is the Springfield MSA, which has a population of approximately 493,000. The Bank’s north region includes two of its facilities, which are situated in Jefferson and St. Louis counties. The market area also includes the City of St. Louis. The two counties and the City of St. Louis have a total population of approximately 1.5 million. The north region market area is within the St. Louis MSA. The Bank’s northwest region includes 15 of its facilities, one of which is limited service, which are situated in Buchanan, Clay, Cooper, Grundy, Jackson, Linn, Livingston, Macon, and Nodaway counties in Missouri, and Johnson county in Kansas. These counties have a total population of approximately 1.7 million, and some counties in this market area are located within the Kansas City MSA, or the St. Joseph MSA. Each of these markets may also serve other communities just outside the area described, but without a notable impact on the demographics of the market area.
The Bank’s east and south regions, and part of the northwest region. are generally rural in nature with economies supported by manufacturing activity, agriculture (livestock, dairy, poultry, rice, timber, soybeans, wheat, melons, corn, and cotton), healthcare, and education. Large employers include hospitals, manufacturers, school districts,