Federal credit union · FORT SMITH, Arkansas · NCUA charter #13737
Arkansas Best
Health score 81/100 (Excellent) - from the NCUA 5300 Call Report, 2025Q4.
- 81
- Health / 100
- $142.7M
- Total assets
- 11,571
- Members
- 16.0%
- Net-worth ratio
Arkansas Best - Share Insurance Coverage
The 2025Q4 NCUA Call Report puts charter #13737 at the supervisory bracket and risk-based capital level shown below. NCUSIF protection is covered in our deposit-insurance coverage note.
Arkansas Best - Five Health Pillars
This credit union's pillar breakdown: five 0-100 sub-scores below, which weight-and-sum to the headline health score above. Same underlying NCUA 5300 figures throughout, no normalisation tricks.
- Capital (net worth ratio)100
- Asset quality (delinquency)99
- Earnings (ROA)78
- Member growth26
- Liquidity (loan-to-share)70
Weighted composite: 81/100 - each bar is the 0–100 sub-score; the composite weights them 30/25/15/15/15.
This credit union's 15.97% net worth ratio clears the 7.0% NCUA well-capitalized threshold set under Prompt Corrective Action rules.
Financial Health Metrics
| Metric | Value | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Net Worth Ratio | 15.97% | 30% |
| Delinquency Rate | 0.53% | 25% |
| Return on Assets | 0.28% | 15% |
| Member Growth | -2.87% | 15% |
| Loan-to-Share Ratio | 50.00% | 15% |
Health score = weighted composite of above metrics. Scores based on NCUA 5300 Call Report Q4 2025 data. Peer group: $100M–$500M (1069 CUs).
Historical Financials
| Quarter | Assets | Members |
|---|---|---|
| 2025Q4 | $142.7M | 11,571 |
| 2024Q4 | $144.1M | 11,913 |
| 2023Q4 | $145.3M | 12,347 |
Credit Union Details
- Charter Number
- 13737
- Type
- Federal
- Field of Membership
- Community
- Peer Group
- $100M–$500M
- State
- Arkansas
- City
- FORT SMITH
- Data Quarter
- 2025Q4
What This Data Says About Arkansas Best
Charter #13737, peer group $100M–$500M, a cohort of 1069 similarly-sized institutions: that's Arkansas Best, a federal credit union in FORT SMITH, Arkansas with 11,571 members, $142.7M in total assets, and $59.8M in outstanding loans as of Q4 2025. The five-factor composite scores it 81/100 (Excellent), helped by a net worth ratio of 15.97% - above the 7.0% NCUA "well capitalized" threshold under Prompt Corrective Action rules.
0.53% of the loan book sits 60+ days past due, the headline loan-quality read - the peer group average for $100M–$500M credit unions sits at 0.894%, so this institution is running tighter than peers. Deposit deployment is captured by the 50.00% loan-to-share ratio, below the 60% band that typically signals under-deployed capital. Return on assets stands at 0.28% on net income of $394K for the period; a not-for-profit cooperative typically runs a modest positive ROA, returning surplus to members through better rates and lower fees rather than to shareholders.
Year-over-year membership changed by -2.87%. The quarterly NCUA 5300 Call Report is the source for everything above, current through 2025Q4. Field of membership (currently: Community) decides eligibility to join. NCUSIF deposit-insurance coverage and usage guidance for this data live on our disclaimer page.
Nearby Credit Unions in Arkansas
More federally-insured credit unions based in Arkansas, ordered by peer group match and asset size.
Sources & disclaimer
Source: NCUA 5300 Call Report, Q4 2025. Source: NCUA Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), federal deposit insurance up to $250,000. Not affiliated with NCUA. For informational purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arkansas Best financially healthy?
A 15.97% net worth ratio and a 0.53% delinquency rate feed into Arkansas Best's financial health score of 81/100 (Excellent), from NCUA 5300 Call Report data as of Q4 2025. The scale: above 80 excellent, below 50 warrants closer monitoring.
How does Arkansas Best compare to other credit unions?
On PlainCU's health composite, Arkansas Best lands at 81/100, compared to a peer group average for $100M–$500M credit unions. Five NCUA-reported metrics feed that number: net worth ratio (weighted 30%), delinquency rate (25%), return on assets (15%), member growth (15%), and loan-to-share ratio (15%).
What is a credit union health score?
A credit union health score is a composite rating (0–100) that combines five financial metrics reported to the NCUA: net worth ratio (capital adequacy), delinquency rate (loan quality), return on assets (profitability), member growth, and loan-to-share ratio (liquidity balance). Scores above 80 indicate excellent financial health; 60–79 is good; 40–59 is fair; below 40 is weak.
How can I join Arkansas Best?
Arkansas Best operates under a community charter, meaning membership is generally open to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school within its defined geographic service area, no employer or association tie required. Contact Arkansas Best directly for the exact boundaries and application steps.
Is my money safe at Arkansas Best?
Federal credit unions like Arkansas Best are insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), administered by the NCUA. Each individual depositor is insured up to $250,000, the same limit as FDIC-insured banks. Arkansas Best's net worth ratio of 15.97% exceeds the 7% threshold NCUA considers "well capitalized."
What rates does Arkansas Best offer compared to banks?
Credit unions like Arkansas Best are not-for-profit cooperatives, which typically allows them to offer higher savings rates and lower loan rates than banks. Nationally, credit unions average 0.25–0.50% lower auto loan rates and 0.10–0.30% higher savings yields. Contact Arkansas Best directly for current rates, or compare overall credit union vs bank rates on our rates comparison page.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainCU is rendered directly from NCUA quarterly call report data, no number is typed in by an editor. Credit union figures are computed directly from NCUA quarterly call report data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.