Live Oak Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company that owns Live Oak Banking Company, a nationally focused online lender that originates small business loans and gathers deposits. The company concentrates on lending to small businesses and professionals in selected industry verticals such as healthcare, agriculture and renewable energy. It builds deep knowledge of borrowers through virtual or in person visits and uses a technology driven platform to streamline loan origination, servicing and reporting. Headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, the firm serves customers across the United States without relying on traditional branch locations. Live Oak Bancshares completed its initial public offering in 2015 and its stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker LOB.

Revenue is generated primarily from interest income on loans originated by Live Oak Bank, including loans partially guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture. Additional revenue comes from service fees on loan processing, deposit account charges, and income from subsidiaries such as Live Oak Ventures which invests in financial technology firms, Live Oak Private Wealth which provides investment advisory services, and Government Loan Solutions which offers consulting and technology services for government guaranteed loan programs. The company also earns income from treasury activities and gains on the sale of loan portfolios. Fee based revenue includes charges for loan servicing, advisory contracts and technology solutions provided to third parties. This diversified revenue mix helps stabilize earnings amid changing interest rate environments.

The company operates through a single significant operating segment.

• Live Oak Bank: This segment originates loans partially guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture, provides deposit products, and delivers financial services through a technology based platform that supports loan origination, servicing and customer experience without maintaining traditional branch locations.

Live Oak Bancshares competes with large national banks, regional community banks, credit unions and a growing number of fintech lenders that serve the small business market. Its competitive advantage lies in a proprietary technology platform that accelerates credit underwriting and improves the borrower experience, combined with deep expertise in chosen industry verticals that allows the company to assess risk more accurately than many broader lenders. The firm also benefits from a culture of personalized service that emphasizes regular interaction with customers, a practice that differentiates it from competitors that rely solely on digital channels. Additionally, Live Oak Bancshares maintains disciplined underwriting standards that have historically resulted in lower credit losses compared with peers in the small business lending space.

The company serves a diverse base of small business borrowers across sectors such as healthcare professionals, agricultural producers, renewable energy developers and other specialty industries. It also attracts deposit customers ranging from individual savers to businesses seeking competitive yields on their balances. Deposit growth has been supported by the company’s online banking platform which offers competitive rates and convenient access for customers nationwide.