Liberty Bancorp to buy Lawson Financial in Missouri

Liberty Bancorp in Kansas City, Mo., has agreed to buy Lawson Financial in Missouri.

The $452 million-asset Liberty said in a press release that it expects to complete the purchase of the Lawson Financial and its $126 million-asset bank in the second quarter. Liberty did not disclose the price it will pay.

“This move fits very well with our core growth and service throughout the Northland,” Brent Giles, Liberty Bancorp’s president and CEO, said in the release. “We look forward to further executing our plan of building a financially strong bank through prudent and creative solutions for our customers.”

“The decision to sell was not an easy one but I am pleased that our customers will continue to be served by a community bank that shares our passion for helping local households and businesses,” Stephen McCray, Lawson Financial’s chairman, said in the release.

Lawson has branches in the Missouri communities of Kansas City, Lawson, Gladstone and Excelsior Springs.

Raymond James and Stinson Leonard Street advised Liberty. The Capital Corp. and Lathrop Gage advised Lawson Financial.

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