Company Description
Citizens Community Bancorp Inc (NASDAQ: CZWI) is a bank holding company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The company operates through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Citizens Community Federal N.A., providing traditional banking services to individuals, businesses, and agricultural customers across the upper Midwest.
Business Overview
Citizens Community Bancorp functions as a full-service community bank with operations spanning three states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. The bank maintains a branch network serving communities in both urban and rural markets, reflecting the traditional community banking model that emphasizes local relationships and personalized service.
The company generates revenue primarily through two channels: net interest income from its lending activities and non-interest income from service fees and other banking services. Its loan portfolio encompasses residential mortgages, commercial real estate loans, agricultural lending, and consumer loans. On the deposit side, the bank offers checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit.
Geographic Footprint
The bank serves customers from branch locations across Wisconsin cities including Eau Claire, Altoona, Appleton, Rice Lake, Chippewa Falls, Neenah, Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh. Its Minnesota presence includes Brooklyn Park, Mankato, Oakdale, Red Wing, Faribault, and Winona. The bank also maintains locations in Rochester Hills and Lake Orion, Michigan, giving it a diverse regional presence in the upper Midwest.
Market Position
As a community bank, Citizens Community Bancorp occupies a distinct niche in the banking landscape. Community banks typically compete against larger regional and national institutions by offering more personalized service, faster decision-making on loans, and deeper knowledge of local markets. This model proves particularly valuable in serving small businesses, agricultural operations, and individuals who benefit from relationship-based banking.
Regulatory Framework
Citizens Community Bancorp operates under the regulatory oversight of federal banking agencies, including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Reserve. The bank maintains FDIC insurance on deposits, providing customers with federal deposit protection. As a publicly traded bank holding company, CZWI files regular reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including annual 10-K reports and quarterly 10-Q filings that detail the bank's financial condition and operations.
Corporate Structure
The company functions as a holding company structure, with Citizens Community Bancorp Inc serving as the parent entity that owns Citizens Community Federal N.A. This structure is common among banks and provides flexibility for capital management, acquisitions, and regulatory compliance. The bank stock trades on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker symbol CZWI.
Agricultural Banking Focus
Given its presence in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, Citizens Community Bancorp serves agricultural customers in productive farming regions. Agricultural lending represents a specialized banking segment requiring expertise in crop cycles, livestock operations, farm equipment financing, and the unique cash flow patterns of agricultural businesses. Community banks in the upper Midwest often develop particular expertise in serving this customer segment.