---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000732417-26-000003"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "HBIA"
cik: "0000732417"
company_name: "HILLS BANCORPORATION"
filed_at: "2026-01-09T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-16T11:07:49.260659+00:00"
event_type: "other_material"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.55
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Hills Bancorporation replaces Forvis Mazars with Crowe as auditor; cites material weaknesses

## Summary
- Audit Committee dismissed Forvis Mazars, LLP effective after 2025 audit completion on Jan 5, 2026.
- Crowe LLP approved as successor auditor for fiscal year ending Dec 31, 2026, subject to client acceptance.
- Past reports from Forvis Mazars were unqualified; no disagreements occurred.
- Material weaknesses disclosed in internal controls over period-end reporting, journal entries, and related-party transactions.
- Forvis Mazars provided a letter to the SEC agreeing with the company's disclosures.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000732417-26-000003
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: HBIA
- cik: 0000732417
- company_name: HILLS BANCORPORATION
- filed_at: 2026-01-09T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: other_material
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.55
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 4.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/732417/000073241726000003/0000732417-26-000003-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/732417/000073241726000003/hbia-20260105.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000732417-26-000003
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000732417-26-000003.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000732417-26-000003.txt

## Source-grounded claims
- claim_id: 0c85111c3f69f113607f144c42920d4b6c929cdc
  claim: HILLS BANCORPORATION engaged Crowe LLP as its auditor.
  evidence_excerpt: On January 5, 2026, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company approved the engagement of Crowe LLP ("Crowe") to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/732417/000073241726000003/0000732417-26-000003-index.htm
- claim_id: 67aa94011645f147de80cb034d25be0889ed0851
  claim: HILLS BANCORPORATION dismissed Forvis Mazars, LLP as its auditor.
  evidence_excerpt: on January 5, 2026, the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors notified Forvis Mazars, LLP that it will be dismissed as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/732417/000073241726000003/0000732417-26-000003-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.