Claim 55% Off TipRanks
- Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions
- Discover top-performing stock ideas and upgrade to a portfolio of market leaders with Smart Investor Picks
Southern First Bancshares ( (SFST) ) has issued an announcement.
Southern First Bancshares reported strong first-quarter 2026 results on April 21, 2026, with net income of $9.9 million and diluted EPS of $1.19, up 83% from a year earlier, driven by 29% growth in net interest income and a wider 2.88% net interest margin. Asset quality remained solid, with net charge-offs at 0.01% of average loans and nonperforming assets down to 0.26% of total assets, while total loans reached $3.9 billion and retail deposits surged by nearly $210 million, reflecting record growth and improved profitability metrics including higher returns on assets and equity.
To support continued expansion, Southern First completed an underwritten public offering that closed on April 17, 2026, issuing 1,207,500 common shares at $54.00 per share for gross proceeds of about $65.2 million. The added capital is intended to bolster organic growth and strengthen the bank’s capital position, as evidenced by an 8.29% tangible common equity ratio and an 11.03% Common Equity Tier 1 ratio, underscoring management’s confidence in sustaining loan and deposit momentum while maintaining conservative credit reserves.
The most recent analyst rating on (SFST) stock is a Buy with a $64.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Southern First Bancshares stock, see the SFST Stock Forecast page.
Spark’s Take on SFST Stock
According to Spark, TipRanks’ AI Analyst, SFST is a Outperform.
The score is driven primarily by improving fundamentals (revenue growth and a strong 2025 earnings rebound) and favorable technical momentum with the stock trading above major moving averages. Valuation appears reasonable at ~10.5x earnings, while the recent equity offering is a mixed factor—strengthening capital but potentially dilutive.
To see Spark’s full report on SFST stock, click here.
More about Southern First Bancshares
Southern First Bancshares, Inc., based in Greenville, South Carolina, is a regional banking company that provides commercial and retail banking services through Southern First Bank. The institution focuses on loan growth and deposit gathering, with a particular emphasis on expanding retail deposits and supporting client relationship growth across its markets.
Average Trading Volume: 83,096
Technical Sentiment Signal: Buy
Current Market Cap: $484.6M
For detailed information about SFST stock, go to TipRanks’ Stock Analysis page.