Live Oak Bancshares, Inc.

Annual Report on Form 10-K

December 31, 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Important Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Report”) contains statements that management believes are forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements generally relate to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance or business of Live Oak Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”). They usually can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believes,” “expects,” or “are expected to,” “plans,” “projects,” “goals,” “estimates,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “continues,” “intends to,” “outlook” or “anticipates,” or variations of these and similar words, or by discussions of strategies that involve risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, as they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, those described in this Report. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind these risks and uncertainties, as well as any cautionary statements management may make. Moreover, you should treat these statements as speaking only as of the date they are made and based only on information actually known to the Company at the time. Management undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements contained in this Report are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company’s business, management’s beliefs and assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of the Company’s future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, without limitation:

•deterioration in the financial condition of borrowers resulting in significant increases in the Company’s provision for credit losses and other adverse impacts to results of operations and financial condition;

•changes in Small Business Administration (“SBA”) rules, regulations and loan products, including specifically the Section 7(a) program, changes in SBA standard operating procedures or changes to the status of Live Oak Banking Company (the “Bank” or “Live Oak Bank”) as an SBA Preferred Lender;

•changes in rules, regulations or procedures for other government loan programs, including those of the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”);

•changes in interest rates that affect the level and composition of deposits, loan demand and the values of loan collateral, securities, and interest-sensitive assets and liabilities;

•the failure of assumptions underlying the establishment of reserves for possible credit losses;

•changes in loan underwriting, credit review or loss reserve policies associated with economic conditions, examination conclusions, or regulatory developments;

•adverse developments in the banking industry highlighted by high-profile bank failures and the potential impact of such developments on customer confidence, liquidity, and regulatory responses to these developments;

•the impacts of any pandemic or public health situation, on trade (including supply chains and export levels), travel, employee productivity and other economic activities that may have a destabilizing and negative effect on financial markets, economic activity and customer behavior;

•risks relating to the deployment and use of artificial intelligence by the Company, its customers, and counterparties;

•a reduction in or the termination of the Company’s ability to use the technology-based platform that is critical to the success of the Company’s business model, including a failure in or a breach of the Company’s operational or security systems or those of its third-party service providers;

•risks relating to the material weaknesses we identified in our internal control over financial reporting;

•technological risks and developments, including cyber threats, attacks, or events;

•changes in financial market conditions, either internationally, nationally or locally in areas in which the Company conducts operations, including reductions in rates of business formation and growth, demand for the Company’s products and services, commercial and residential real estate development and prices, premiums paid in the secondary market for the sale of loans, and valuation of servicing rights;

•changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines applicable to bank holding companies and banking;

•fluctuations in markets for equity, fixed-income, commercial paper and other securities, which could affect availability, market liquidity levels, and pricing;

•the effects of competition from other commercial banks, non-bank lenders, consumer finance companies, credit unions, securities brokerage firms, insurance companies, money market and mutual funds, and other financial institutions operating in the Company’s market area and elsewhere, including institutions operating regionally, nationally and internationally, together with such competitors offering banking products and services by mail, telephone and the Internet;

•the Company's ability to attract and retain key personnel;

•changes in governmental monetary and fiscal policies as well as other legislative and regulatory changes, including with respect to SBA or USDA lending programs and investment tax credits;

•changes in tariffs and trade barriers, including potential changes in U.S. and international trade policies and the resulting impact on the Company and its customers;

•a deterioration of the credit rating for U.S. long-term sovereign debt, actions that the U.S. government may take to avoid exceeding the debt ceiling, and uncertainties surrounding the debt ceiling and the federal budget;

•changes in political and economic conditions, including any prolonged U.S. government shutdown;

•the impact of heightened regulatory scrutiny of financial products and services;

•the Company's ability to comply with any requirements imposed on it by regulators, and the potential negative consequences that may result;

•operational, compliance and other factors, including conditions in local areas in which the Company conducts business such as inclement weather or a reduction in the availability of services or products for which loan proceeds will be used, that could prevent or delay closing and funding loans before they can be sold in the secondary market;

•the effect of any mergers, acquisitions or other transactions, to which the Company or the Bank may from time to time be a party, including management’s ability to successfully integrate any businesses acquired;

•adverse results, including related fees and expenses, from pending or future lawsuits, government investigations or private actions;

•other risk factors listed from time to time in reports that the Company files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, including those described under “Risk Factors” in this Report; and

•the Company’s success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing.

Except as otherwise disclosed, forward-looking statements do not reflect: (i) the effect of any acquisitions, divestitures or similar transactions that have not been previously disclosed; (ii) any changes in laws, regulations or regulatory interpretations; or (iii) any change in current dividend or repurchase strategies, in each case after the date as of which such statements are made. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any statement, to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.