Associated Bank Advances Credit Risk Strategy with Upgrade to FICO Auto Score 10

FICO (NYSE: FICO), global analytics software leader, today announced that Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) (“Associated”), has successfully upgraded from FICO Auto Score 8 to FICO Auto Score 10, leveraging dual processing to validate predictive benefits, enhance underwriting accuracy, and improve borrower assessment.

This strategic move positions Associated Bank at the forefront of credit risk innovation, demonstrating its commitment to smarter and faster lending decisions. By adopting FICO’s latest scoring model, the bank is accelerating its ability to assess borrower credit readiness in a rapidly evolving credit landscape without compromising loan volume.

“The implementation of FICO Auto Score 10 is a game-changer for our risk and sales teams,” said Steven Zandpour, executive vice president, Head of Consumer and Business Banking at Associated Bank. “It empowers us to make faster, more predictive credit decisions and has already accelerated our loan approval rates. FICO Auto Score 10 gives us the agility to assess borrower terms with greater precision, without sacrificing loan volume. We’re especially excited by the early improvements in predicting future delinquency, particularly for thin-file and bankruptcy-prone segments.”

Associated Bank implemented a dual processing approach, pulling both FICO Auto Score 10 and FICO Auto Score 8 to compare real-time borrower results with origination and account management strategies. This method enabled the bank to cut months off traditional implementation times while validating the score’s predictive power and maintaining operational continuity.

Preliminary analysis from dual processing and account management reviews has already shown:

• A higher percentage of borrowers scoring in top tiers,
• Stronger predictive separation for underserved profiles, including thin-file applicants and bankruptcy-prone segments,
• Early indicators of increased approval rates, with full delinquency validation expected within 18 months.

“Associated Bank’s rapid adoption of FICO Auto Score 10 is a powerful example of how financial institutions can lead with agility and innovation,” said Shams Blanc, vice president of Auto Scores at FICO. “By leveraging dual processing, lenders can accelerate implementation timelines and validate predictive improvements in real time, without disrupting operations. This kind of forward-thinking approach is exactly what today’s credit landscape demands, and we’re proud to support Associated Bank in delivering smarter and faster lending decisions.”