CASH 2018 Annual Report

52 The Company’s Community Banking operation attracts deposits through its Retail Banking offices, primarily from the communities in which those Retail Banking offices are located; therefore, competition for those deposits is principally from other commercial banks, savings banks, credit unions and brokerage offices located in the same communities. The Company competes for these deposits by offering a variety of deposit accounts at competitive rates, convenient business hours and convenient branch locations with interbranch deposit and withdrawal privileges at each branch location. The Company’s MPS division serves customers nationally and also faces strong competition from large commercial banks and specialty providers of electronic payments processing and servicing, including prepaid, debit and credit card issuers, Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) processors and ATM network sponsors. Many of these national players are aggressive competitors, leveraging relationships and economies of scale. It is also expected that the Bank will continue to experience strong competition for its AFS/IBEX division with respect to financing insurance premiums and for its Refund Advantage, EPS, and SCS businesses with respect to tax return processing services. Employees At September 30, 2018, the Company and its subsidiaries had a total of 1,219 full-time equivalent employees, an increase of 392 employees, or 47%, from September 30, 2017. The Company’s employees are not represented by any collective bargaining group. Management considers its employee relations to be good. Available Information The Company’s website address is www.metafinancialgroup.com . The Company makes available, through a link with the SEC’s EDGAR database, free of charge, its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and statements of ownership on Forms 3, 4, and 5. Investors are encouraged to access these reports and other information about our business on our website. The information found on the Company’s website is not incorporated by reference in this or any other report the Company files or furnishes to the SEC. We also will provide copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, free of charge, upon written request to Brittany Kelley Elsasser, Director of Investor Relations, at the Company’s address. Also posted on our website, among other things, are the charters of our committees of the Board of Directors, as well as the Company's and the Bank's Codes of Ethics. Item 1A. Risk Factors We are subject to various risks, including those described below that, individually or in the aggregate, could cause our actual results to differ materially from expected or historical results. Our business could be harmed, perhaps materially, by any of these risks, as well as other risks that we have not identified, whether due to such risks not presently being known to us, because we do not currently believe such risks to be material, or otherwise. The trading price of our common stock could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risks discussed below also include forward-looking statements, and actual results and events may differ substantially from those discussed or highlighted in these forward-looking statements. In assessing these risks, you should also refer to the other information contained in this annual report on Form 10-K, including the Company’s financial statements and related notes. Before making an investment decision with respect to any of our securities, you should carefully consider the following risks and uncertainties described below and elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K. See also “Forward-Looking Statements.”