Citizens Community Bancorp

What Citizens Community Bancorp does

Citizens Community Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZWI) is a publicly traded community bank holding company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, operating under the CCFBank brand (Citizens Community Federal National Association) since 1938. The company manages approximately $1.8 billion in total assets and $1.57 billion in deposits as of Q1 2026 across 21 branch locations spanning Wisconsin and Minnesota. Its product portfolio is organized into three pillars: personal banking (checking, savings, money market, CDs, IRAs, credit cards, and the Beyond Spend rewards program), business banking (checking, savings, ACH origination, Remote Deposit Capture, merchant card services, fraud detection, and SBA lending as a Preferred Lender for 7(a), 504, and Express programs), and specialty lending (agricultural banking across dairy, livestock, row/cash crop, beginning farmer, and recreational land segments, plus a national outdoor hospitality / campground lending program offering $2M–$30M loans).

The bank's core technology stack is built on third-party integrations rather than proprietary systems. Mobile and online banking is powered by Fiserv, providing account access, mobile deposit, bill pay, card controls, and alerts through iOS and Android apps. Credit cards are issued by Elan Financial Services, merchant POS is provided by Elavon, and SBA loan applications route through Spark Lending's platform. The bank generated Q1 2026 net income of $3.8M ($0.39 diluted EPS) on a 3.18% net interest margin, with Q3 2025 net income of $3.7M ($0.37 EPS). Q1 2026 loan growth was 1.3% and deposit growth was 2.7%.

Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income (interest earned on agricultural, commercial real estate, mortgage, and consumer loans minus interest paid on deposits) supplemented by non-interest income from deposit account fees, SBA loan origination, mortgage banking, and merchant card services. The go-to-market model is sales-led and relationship-based, executed through dedicated community banking presidents in each region, specialized SBA and agricultural lending teams, and physical branch distribution. Key certifications and recognition include FDIC insurance, a 5-Star BauerFinancial rating (2026), and Top SBA Lender in Wisconsin status for SBA fiscal years 2021 and 2022 in the $1B–$5B asset class. The company redeemed $15M of subordinated debt in October 2025 to strengthen its capital position.

Name

Citizens Community Bancorp

Legal name

Citizens Community Federal National Association

Website

https://ccf.us

Company type

Public

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Citizens Community Bancorp (NASDAQ: CZWI) is a Wisconsin-based community bank holding company operating CCFBank with $1.8B in assets across 21 branches in Wisconsin and Minnesota, offering personal banking, business banking, SBA lending, agricultural lending, and specialty outdoor hospitality financing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (522110)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI), Branch & In-Person Banking (Teller/ATM Networks) (FSABAAAE)

Keywords

• Community banking
• Agricultural lending
• SBA loans
• Residential mortgages
• Business banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Eau Claire

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices21 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Net Interest Income: Traditional bank interest income from loan portfolio (agricultural, commercial real estate, mortgage, consumer) minus interest paid on deposits. Net interest margin of 3.18% as of Q1 2026.
2. Deposit Account Fees and Services: Monthly service charges, overdraft fees, and other account-related fees from personal and business checking and savings accounts.
3. Non-Interest Income: Fee income from SBA lending, mortgage banking, merchant card services, and other financial services. Q3 2025 showed improved margins driven by higher net interest margin and stable non-interest income.
4. SBA Loan Origination Fees: Fees earned from originating SBA 7(a), 504, and Express loans for small business customers. As a top SBA lender in Wisconsin, the bank generates income from loan origination and servicing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Citizens Community Bancorp, through its CCFBank brand, operates a community bank offering personal checking, savings, money market, CDs, IRAs, and credit cards; business checking, savings, ACH origination, remote deposit capture, merchant card services, fraud detection, and treasury management; specialty lending including SBA 7(a)/504/Express, agricultural loans (dairy, livestock, row/crop, beginning farmer, recreational land), and outdoor hospitality/campground lending; and residential mortgages including conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, construction-to-permanent, and HELOCs. All products are delivered via 21 Wisconsin and Minnesota branches and Fiserv-powered digital banking channels.

Product overview

CCFBank (Citizens Community Federal National Association) is a Wisconsin/Minnesota community bank with $1.8B in assets and 21 locations, founded in 1938. The company operates as a single unified banking brand offering three primary product lines: (1) Personal Banking — deposit accounts (Simple Spend, Beyond Spend, Classic Spend checking; Classic Save, Beyond Save, Beyond Save Extra savings; Money Market; CDs; IRA Save) alongside a debit card rewards program (uChoose Rewards), credit cards issued via Elan Financial Services, and digital banking through Fiserv-powered online and mobile apps with card controls; (2) Business Banking — business checking/savings/CD accounts, SBA lending (7a/504/Express as an SBA Preferred Lender), ACH origination, Remote Deposit Capture, Merchant Card Services (via Elavon POS), Customized Business Solutions (sweep accounts), Check Positive Pay and ACH fraud detection, and general commercial/real estate lending; and (3) Specialty Lending — Agricultural lending covering Beginning Farmer, Dairy, Livestock, Row/Crop, and Recreational Land segments, plus Outdoor Hospitality/Campground Lending ($2MM–$30MM loans), and Residential Mortgages including Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, and Construction-to-Permanent products, plus HELOCs. All segments are supported by digital tools including agricultural and mortgage calculators. The bank has no public API but connects customers through third-party platforms for SBA loan applications (Spark Lending) and merchant onboarding (PaymentStart).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CCFBank Personal Spend Accounts (Simple Spend, Beyond Spend, Classic Spend, HSA Spend)
• CCFBank Personal Save Accounts (Classic Save, Beyond Save, Beyond Save Extra, Money Market, IRA Save)
• Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
• Online and Mobile Banking (Fiserv-powered)
• Personal and Business Credit Cards
• Business Spend Accounts (Simple Business, Traditional Business, Elite, Community, Relationship Business Checking)
• Business Save Accounts (Business Save, Business Money Market, Business CDs)
• ACH Solutions
• Remote Deposit Capture
• Merchant Card Services
• Customized Business Solutions (Target Balance Account, Line of Credit Sweep)
• Check and Fraud Detection (Check Positive Pay, ACH Filters/Blockers)
• SBA Loans (7(a), 504, Express)
• Agricultural Lending
• Outdoor Hospitality / Campground Lending
• Business Lending (Commercial Real Estate, Working Capital, Equipment)
• Residential Mortgages (Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, Construction-to-Permanent)
• First-Time Homebuyer Programs
• Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)

Quantifiable outcome

• Q1 2026 net income of $3.8 million, EPS of $0.39
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCFBank is an SBA Preferred Lender and SBA Express Lender, enabling expedited loan approvals on behalf of the SBA. The bank utilizes SBA 7(a), 504, and Express programs to serve small business customers. It has been a top SBA lender in Wisconsin for fiscal years 2021 and 2022.
• Farmer MacminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarmer Mac provides financing solutions for agricultural and rural land investors. CCFBank references Farmer Mac as a resource for recreational land buyers.
• Iowa State University ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for agricultural education resources, directing customers to ISU Extension resources for farming guidance.
• Jellystone FranchiseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCCFBank provides financing for campground and RV park operators, including those in the Jellystone franchise system.
• FiservcoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile banking and related services are powered by Fiserv, providing core banking functionality including account access, transfers, bill pay, mobile deposit, and alerts.
• Elan Financial ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationElan Financial Services provides credit cards for CCFBank customers. Zero fraud liability is provided by Elan Financial Services for unauthorized transactions.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Old National Bancorp: Evansville, Indiana-based Midwest community and commercial bank with overlapping commercial banking, ag lending, and consumer services across the broader Midwest region — a relevant regional incumbent.
• Live Oak Bancshares: Wilmington, North Carolina-based bank specializing in SBA lending nationwide. Much larger scale but a relevant comparator for CCFBank's SBA Preferred Lender franchise and small business lending economics.
• Wintrust Financial Corporation: Rosemont, Illinois-based community banking franchise with multiple community bank charters across the Midwest. Larger and more diversified than CCFBank but overlaps in SBA, ag, and community banking segments.
• Commerce Bancshares: Midwest regional bank with consumer and commercial banking across multiple states. Larger scale and broader geographic scope than CCFBank, but overlapping commercial and community banking activities.

Direct peers

• Heartland Financial USA (HTLF): Dubuque, Iowa-based multi-state community banking franchise with comparable Midwest footprint, ag lending exposure, and SBA lending capabilities — a relevant Midwest peer across overlapping geographies.
• First Business Financial Services: Madison, Wisconsin-based commercial banking specialist with similar asset size, serving small to mid-sized businesses in Wisconsin — overlapping market and comparable business banking orientation.
• Nicolet National Bank: Wisconsin-based community bank headquartered in Green Bay, comparable in regional focus and asset size range, with similar small business, ag, and consumer banking mix in the same Upper Midwest footprint.
• Bridgewater Bancshares: Minneapolis-based community bank serving Minnesota commercial and consumer clients. Comparable in size, geography overlap (Minnesota is part of CCFBank's footprint), and emphasis on commercial and small business lending.
• Lakeland Financial Corporation: Warsaw, Indiana-based community bank serving small businesses and ag clients in the Midwest with comparable balance sheet scale and a similar relationship-driven community banking model.
• Pathward Financial (formerly Meta Financial Group): Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based community bank with comparable Upper Midwest footprint and similar balance sheet scale, focused on consumer and small business banking services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ccfbank
• Facebookfacebook.com/citizenscommunityfederal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Citizens Community Bancorp