Equity Bancshares Expands into Nebraska with $122.8B Merger

Several significant banking mergers and acquisitions are underway to expand regional footprints and improve community banking services. Land of Lincoln Credit Union is acquiring Williamsville State Bank and Trust in an all-cash transaction expected to close in the first half of 2026, growing its assets to $576 million and increasing its branches in Sangamon County, Illinois. Both institutions emphasize their shared community-focused values and the benefits the merger will bring to customers and employees. Meanwhile, Wichita-based Equity Bank is merging with Omaha-based Frontier Holdings, adding seven Nebraska locations and expanding into a sixth state; this deal, expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, will boost Equity Bank’s assets to $7.9 billion. Equity Bank has a history of strategic acquisitions and plans to enhance services through this merger, which also requires regulatory approval. These mergers reflect a broader trend of consolidation aimed at combining local banking relationships with the resources of larger institutions.