Equity in Kansas to sell branches

Equity Bank, Wichita, Kan., has agreed to sell two of its branches to Tri-Century Bank, Simpson, Kan..The branches are in Spring Hill and De Soto, Kan., on the southwest fringes of the Kansas City metro area..The acquisition would open the door to the Kansas City market for the one-branch TriCentury Bank. The $3.7 million bank is about 200 miles west of Kansas City, and will relocate its headquarters to the De Soto office once the deal is complete..Equity CEO Brad Elliott said the sale would allow Equity to focus on the core of the Kansas City market. "Those [branches] are just a little outside the zone of what we consider the Kansas City metro to be," Elliott told The Wichita Eagle..After the sale, the $1.2 billion Equity will have 25 branches in Kansas and western Missouri, including six in the Kansas City area..Financial terms of the deal, expected to close in the fourth quarter, were not disclosed.