WICHITA, Kan., Nov. 2, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Equity Bancshares, Inc. (“Equity”) announced today that it has launched its initial public offering of 1,790,000 shares of Class A common stock at an anticipated initial public offering price of between $22.00 and $24.00 per share pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 filed previously with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Equity has applied to list its Class A common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “EQBK.”

Equity is offering 1,500,000 shares of its Class A common stock and the selling stockholders named in the registration statement are offering 290,000 shares of Equity’s Class A common stock (which includes 273,000 shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the automatic conversion of an equal number of shares of Class B common stock as a result of the offering). Equity has also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 268,500 shares of Equity’s Class A common stock.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. and Stephens Inc. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. is serving as co-manager for the offering.

The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the prospectus relating to this offering, when available, may be obtained from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., a Stifel Company, 787 Seventh Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Equity Capital Markets, or by calling 1-800-966-1559; Stephens Inc., 111 Center Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201, Attention: Syndicate, or by calling 1-800-643-9691; or Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P., 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, New York, New York, 10020, Attention: Prospectus Department, or by calling (866) 805-4128.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy these securities be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Equity Bancshares, Inc.

Equity is the Wichita-based holding company of Equity Bank, a $1.5 billion bank, offering a full range of financial solutions, including commercial loans, consumer banking, mortgage loans, and treasury management services.

Equity Bank has offices located in Andover, Coffeyville, Ellis, Hays, Independence, Neodesha, Overland Park, Pittsburg, Topeka and Wichita, Kansas, and Clinton, Higginsville, Kansas City, Knob Noster, Lee’s Summit, Sedalia, Sweet Springs, Warrensburg, Warsaw and Windsor, Missouri. Learn more at www.equitybank.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including with respect to the proposed initial public offering. Forward-looking statements may generally be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan” and “will” or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. As a result, actual events may differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by Equity in this press release speaks only as of the date hereof. New risks and uncertainties come up from time to time, and it is impossible for Equity to predict these events or how they may affect it. Equity has no obligation, and does not intend, to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof, except as required by federal securities laws.

CONTACT: John Hanley
         Director of Marketing
         913-583-8004
         [email protected]