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      Southern First Reports Results for First Quarter 2023

      Southern First logo. (PRNewsfoto/Southern First Bancshares, Inc.)

      News provided by

      Southern First Bancshares, Inc.

      Apr 25, 2023, 09:15 ET

      Share this article

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      GREENVILLE, S.C., April 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFST), holding company for Southern First Bank, today announced its financial results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2023.

      "While the current interest rate environment continues to be challenging in terms of margin and earnings, we are excited about the outstanding retail deposit growth and record number of client accounts opened during the first quarter of 2023," stated Art Seaver, the Company's Chief Executive Officer. "We continue to enjoy strong momentum in attracting new clients and recruiting great bankers, which will have a lasting impact on the performance of our Company."

      2023 First Quarter Highlights

      •  Net income was $2.7 million and diluted earnings per common share were $0.33 for Q1 2023
      •  Total deposits increased 27% to $3.4 billion at Q1 2023, compared to $2.7 billion at Q1 2022
      •  Total loans increased 28% to $3.4 billion at Q1 2023, compared to $2.7 billion at Q1 2022
      •  Book value per common share increased to $37.16 at Q1 2023, or 6%, over Q1 2022
      •  Record number of new account openings during Q1 2023


      Quarter Ended



      March 31

      December 31

      September 30

      June 30

      March 31



      2023

      2022

      2022

      2022

      2022

      Earnings ($ in thousands, except per share data):







      Net income available to common shareholders

      $

      2,703

      5,492

      8,413

      7,240

      7,970

      Earnings per common share, diluted


      0.33

      0.68

      1.05

      0.90

      0.98

      Total revenue(1)


      22,468

      25,826

      28,134

      27,149

      26,091

      Net interest margin (tax-equivalent)(2)


      2.36 %

      2.88 %

      3.19 %

      3.35 %

      3.37 %

      Return on average assets(3)


      0.30 %

      0.63 %

      1.00 %

      0.92 %

      1.10 %

      Return on average equity(3)


      3.67 %

      7.44 %

      11.57 %

      10.31 %

      11.60 %

      Efficiency ratio(4)


      76.12 %

      63.55 %

      57.03 %

      58.16 %

      56.28 %

      Noninterest expense to average assets (3)


      1.89 %

      1.87 %

      1.92 %

      2.02 %

      2.03 %

      Balance Sheet ($ in thousands):







      Total loans(5)

      $

      3,417,945

      3,273,363

      3,030,027

      2,845,205

      2,660,675

      Total deposits


      3,426,774

      3,133,864

      3,001,452

      2,870,158

      2,708,174

      Core deposits(6)


      2,946,567

      2,759,112

      2,723,592

      2,588,283

      2,541,113

      Total assets


      3,938,140

      3,691,981

      3,439,669

      3,287,663

      3,073,234

      Book value per common share


      37.16

      36.76

      35.99

      35.39

      34.90

      Loans to deposits


      99.74 %

      104.45 %

      100.95 %

      99.13 %

      98.25 %

      Holding Company Capital Ratios(7):







      Total risk-based capital ratio


      12.67 %

      12.91 %

      13.58 %

      13.97 %

      14.37 %

      Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio


      10.66 %

      10.88 %

      11.49 %

      11.83 %

      12.18 %

      Leverage ratio


      8.77 %

      9.17 %

      9.44 %

      9.71 %

      10.12 %

      Common equity tier 1 ratio(8)


      10.23 %

      10.44 %

      11.02 %

      11.33 %

      11.65 %

      Tangible common equity(9)


      7.60 %

      7.98 %

      8.37 %

      8.60 %

      9.06 %

      Asset Quality Ratios:







      Nonperforming assets/ total assets


      0.12 %

      0.07 %

      0.08 %

      0.09 %

      0.15 %

      Classified assets/tier one capital plus allowance for credit losses


      5.10 %

      4.71 %

      5.24 %

      7.29 %

      7.83 %

      Loans 30 days or more past due/ loans(5)


      0.11 %

      0.11 %

      0.07 %

      0.10 %

      0.13 %

      Net charge-offs (recoveries)/average loans(5) (YTD annualized)


      0.01 %

      (0.05 %)

      (0.06 %)

      0.02 %

      0.00 %

      Allowance for credit losses/loans(5)


      1.18 %

      1.18 %

      1.20 %

      1.20 %

      1.24 %

      Allowance for credit losses/nonaccrual loans


      854.33 %

      1,470.74 %

      1,388.87 %

      1,166.70 %

      726.88 %




                                                                            [Footnotes to table located on page 6]

      INCOME STATEMENTS -- Unaudited









      Quarter Ended



      March 31

      Dec 31

      Sept 30

      June 30

      Mar 31

      (in thousands, except per share data)


      2023

      2022

      2022

      2022

      2022

      Interest income







      Loans

      $

      36,748

      33,939

      29,752

      26,610

      23,931

      Investment securities


      613

      562

      506

      448

      474

      Federal funds sold


      969

      525

      676

      180

      59

        Total interest income


      38,330

      35,026

      30,934

      27,238

      24,464

      Interest expense







      Deposits


      17,179

      10,329

      5,021

      1,844

      908

      Borrowings


      727

      578

      459

      510

      392

        Total interest expense


      17,906

      10,907

      5,480

      2,354

      1,300

      Net interest income


      20,424

      24,119

      25,454

      24,884

      23,164

      Provision for credit losses


      1,825

      2,325

      950

      1,775

      1,105

      Net interest income after provision for credit losses


      18,599

      21,794

      24,504

      23,109

      22,059

      Noninterest income







      Mortgage banking income


      622

      291

      1,230

      1,184

      1,494

      Service fees on deposit accounts


      325

      316

      318

      327

      303

      ATM and debit card income


      555

      558

      542

      548

      514

      Income from bank owned life insurance


      332

      344

      315

      315

      315

      Loss on disposal of fixed assets


      -

      -

      -

      (394)

      -

      Other income


      210

      198

      275

      285

      301

        Total noninterest income


      2,044

      1,707

      2,680

      2,265

      2,927

      Noninterest expense







      Compensation and benefits


      10,356

      9,576

      9,843

      9,915

      9,456

      Occupancy


      2,457

      2,666

      2,442

      2,219

      1,778

      Outside service and data processing costs


      1,629

      1,521

      1,529

      1,528

      1,533

      Insurance


      689

      551

      507

      367

      260

      Professional fees


      660

      788

      555

      693

      599

      Marketing


      366

      282

      338

      329

      269

      Other


      947

      1,029

      832

      737

      790

        Total noninterest expenses


      17,104

      16,413

      16,046

      15,788

      14,685

      Income before provision for income taxes


      3,539

      7,088

      11,138

      9,586

      10,301

      Income tax expense


      836

      1,596

      2,725

      2,346

      2,331

      Net income available to common shareholders

      $

      2,703

      5,492

      8,413

      7,240

      7,970








      Earnings per common share – Basic

      $

      0.34

      0.69

      1.06

      0.91

      1.00

      Earnings per common share – Diluted


      0.33

      0.68

      1.04

      0.90

      0.98

      Basic weighted average common shares


      8,026

      7,971

      7,972

      7,945

      7,932

      Diluted weighted average common shares


      8,092

      8,071

      8,065

      8,075

      8,096




                                                                           [Footnotes to table located on page 6]

      Net income for the first quarter of 2023 was $2.7 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, a $2.8 million decrease from the fourth quarter of 2022 and a $5.3 million decrease from the first quarter of 2022.  Net interest income decreased $3.7 million for the first quarter of 2023, compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, and decreased $2.7 million, compared to the first quarter of 2022. The decrease in net interest income from the prior quarter and prior year was driven by an increase in interest expense on our deposit accounts related to the Federal Reserve's 475-basis point interest rate hikes during the past 12 months.     

      The provision for credit losses was $1.8 million for the first quarter of 2023, compared to $2.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2022 and $1.1 million for the first quarter of 2022.  The provision expense during the first quarter of 2023, calculated under the Current Expected Credit Loss ("CECL") methodology adopted effective January 1, 2022, includes a $1.9 million provision for loan losses and a $30 thousand reversal of the reserve for unfunded commitments.

      Noninterest income totaled $2.0 million for the first quarter of 2023, a $337 thousand increase from the fourth quarter of 2022 and an $883 thousand decrease from the first quarter of 2022.  Mortgage banking income has typically been the largest component of our noninterest income; however, lower mortgage origination volume during the past 12 months, combined with our strategy to keep a larger percentage of these loans in our portfolio, has impacted our profitability.  Consequently, mortgage banking income was $622 thousand for the first quarter of 2023, an increase of $331 thousand from the prior quarter income and an $872 thousand decrease from the first quarter of 2022. 

      Noninterest expense for the first quarter of 2023 was $17.1 million, a $691 thousand increase from the fourth quarter of 2022, and a $2.4 million increase from the first quarter of 2022. The increase in noninterest expense from the previous quarter was driven by increases in compensation and benefits, outside service and data processing costs, and insurance expense, while the increase from the prior year related to increases in compensation and benefits, occupancy, and insurance expenses. Compensation and benefits expense increased from the previous quarter and year, driven by annual salary increases, hiring of new team members, and higher benefits expense. Occupancy expense increased from the prior year due to costs associated with the construction and relocation of our headquarters, while insurance costs increased from the prior quarter and year due to higher FDIC insurance premiums.

      Our effective tax rate was 23.6% for the first quarter, an increase from 22.5% for the fourth quarter of 2022 and from 22.6% for the first quarter of 2022. The higher tax rate in the first quarter of 2023 relates to the effect of equity compensation transactions on our tax rate during the quarter.

      NET INTEREST INCOME AND MARGIN - Unaudited




      For the Three Months Ended


      March 31, 2023

      December 31, 2022

      March 31, 2022

      (dollars in thousands)

      Average
      Balance

      Income/
      Expense

      Yield/
      Rate(3)

      Average
      Balance

      Income/
      Expense

      Yield/
      Rate(3)

      Average
      Balance

      Income/
      Expense

      Yield/
      Rate(3)

      Interest-earning assets










      Federal funds sold and interest-bearing deposits

      $      85,966

      $       969

      4.57 %

      $      60,176

      $       525

      3.46 %

      $      89,096

      $        59

      0.27 %

        Investment securities, taxable

      87,521

      530

      2.46 %

      86,594

      515

      2.36 %

      113,101

      425

      1.52 %

        Investment securities, nontaxable(2)

      10,266

      106

      4.21 %

      9,987

      61

      2.42 %

      11,899

      64

      2.17 %

        Loans(10)

      3,334,530

      36,748

      4.47 %

      3,165,061

      33,939

      4.25 %

      2,573,978

      23,931

      3.77 %

          Total interest-earning assets

      3,518,283

      38,353

      4.42 %

      3,321,818

      35,040

      4.18 %

      2,788,074

      24,479

      3.56 %

        Noninterest-earning assets

      161,310



      162,924



      152,565



          Total assets

      $3,679,593



      $3,484,742



      $2,940,639



      Interest-bearing liabilities










      NOW accounts

      $    303,176

      440

      0.59 %

      $    343,541

      379

      0.44 %

      $    406,054

      115

      0.11 %

      Savings & money market

      1,661,878

      11,992

      2.93 %

      1,529,532

      7,657

      1.99 %

      1,242,225

      618

      0.20 %

      Time deposits

      543,425

      4,747

      3.54 %

      405,907

      2,293

      2.24 %

      158,720

      175

      0.45 %

      Total interest-bearing deposits

      2,508,479

      17,179

      2.78 %

      2,278,980

      10,329

      1.80 %

      1,806,999

      908

      0.20 %

      FHLB advances and other borrowings

      18,243

      200

      4.45 %

      7,594

      81

      4.23 %

      16,626

      12

      0.29 %

      Subordinated debentures

      36,224

      527

      5.90 %

      36,197

      497

      5.45 %

      36,116

      380

      4.27 %

      Total interest-bearing liabilities

      2,562,946

      17,906

      2.83 %

      2,322,771

      10,907

      1.86 %

      1,859,741

      1,300

      0.28 %

      Noninterest-bearing liabilities

      818,123



      869,314



      802,299



      Shareholders' equity

      298,524



      292,657



      278,600



      Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

      $3,679,593



      $3,484,742



      $2,940,639



      Net interest spread



      1.59 %



      2.32 %



      3.28 %

      Net interest income (tax equivalent) / margin


      $20,447

      2.36 %


      $24,133

      2.88 %


      $23,179

      3.37 %

      Less:  tax-equivalent adjustment(2)


      23



      14



      15


      Net interest income


      $20,424



      $24,119



      $23,164
















                                                                           [Footnotes to table located on page 6]

      Net interest income was $20.4 million for the first quarter of 2023, a $3.7 million decrease from the fourth quarter of 2022, driven by a $7.0 million increase in interest expense, partially offset by a $3.3 million increase in interest income, on a taxable basis. The increase in interest expense was driven by $229.5 million growth in average interest-bearing deposit balances at an average rate of 2.78%, a 98-basis points increase over the previous quarter, partially offset by $169.5 million growth in average loan balances at a yield of 4.47%, an increase of 22-basis points from the fourth quarter of 2022.  In comparison to the first quarter of 2022, net interest income decreased $2.7 million, resulting primarily from $701.5 million growth in average interest-bearing deposit balances during the 13 months ended March 31, 2023, combined with a 258-basis point increase in deposit rates.  Our net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis, was 2.36% for the first quarter of 2023, a 52-basis point decrease from 2.88% for the fourth quarter of 2022 and a 101-basis point decrease from 3.37% for the first quarter of 2022.  As a result of the Federal Reserve's 475-basis point interest rate hikes during the past 12 months, the rate on our interest-bearing liabilities has increased by 255-basis points during the first quarter of 2023 in comparison to the first quarter of 2022. However, the yield on our interest-earning assets, driven by our loan portfolio, has increased by only 86-basis points during the same time period, resulting in the lower net interest margin during the first quarter of 2023. 

      BALANCE SHEETS - Unaudited




      Ending Balance




      March 31

      December 31

      September 30

      June 30

      March 31


      (in thousands, except per share data)


      2023

      2022

      2022

      2022

      2022


      Assets








      Cash and cash equivalents:








        Cash and due from banks

      $

      22,213

      18,788

      16,530

      21,090

      20,992


        Federal funds sold


      242,642

      101,277

      139,544

      124,462

      95,093


        Interest-bearing deposits with banks


      7,350

      50,809

      4,532

      36,538

      33,131


          Total cash and cash equivalents


      272,205

      170,874

      160,606

      182,090

      149,216


      Investment securities:








        Investment securities available for sale


      94,036

      93,347

      91,521

      98,991

      106,978


        Other investments


      10,097

      10,833

      5,449

      5,065

      4,104


          Total investment securities


      104,133

      104,180

      96,970

      104,056

      111,082


      Mortgage loans held for sale


      6,979

      3,917

      9,243

      18,329

      17,840


      Loans (5)


      3,417,945

      3,273,363

      3,030,027

      2,845,205

      2,660,675


      Less allowance for credit losses


      (40,435)

      (38,639)

      (36,317)

      (34,192)

      (32,944)


          Loans, net


      3,377,510

      3,234,724

      2,993,710

      2,811,013

      2,627,731


      Bank owned life insurance


      51,453

      51,122

      50,778

      50,463

      50,148


      Property and equipment, net


      97,806

      99,183

      99,530

      96,674

      95,129


      Deferred income taxes


      12,087

      12,522

      18,425

      15,078

      10,635


      Other assets


      15,967

      15,459

      10,407

      9,960

      10,859


          Total assets

      $

      3,938,140

      3,691,981

      3,439,669

      3,287,663

      3,072,640


      Liabilities








      Deposits

      $

      3,426,774

      3,133,864

      3,001,452

      2,870,158

      2,708,174


      FHLB Advances


      125,000

      175,000

      60,000

      50,000

      -


      Subordinated debentures


      36,241

      36,214

      36,187

      36,160

      36,133


      Other liabilities


      50,775

      52,391

      54,245

      48,708

      49,809


          Total liabilities


      3,638,790

      3,397,469

      3,151,884

      3,005,026

      2,794,116


      Shareholders' equity








      Preferred stock - $.01 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized


      -

      -

      -

      -

      -


      Common Stock - $.01 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized


      80

      80

      80

      80

      80


      Nonvested restricted stock


      (4,462)

      (3,306)

      (3,348)

      (3,230)

      (3,425)


      Additional paid-in capital


      120,683

      119,027

      118,433

      117,714

      117,286


      Accumulated other comprehensive loss


      (11,775)

      (13,410)

      (14,009)

      (10,143)

      (6,393)


      Retained earnings


      194,824

      192,121

      186,629

      178,216

      170,976


          Total shareholders' equity


      299,350

      294,512

      287,785

      282,637

      278,524


          Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

      $

      3,938,140

      3,691,981

      3,439,669

      3,287,663

      3,072,640


      Common Stock








      Book value per common share

      $

      37.16

      36.76

      35.99

      35.39

      34.90


      Stock price:








        High


      45.05

      49.50

      47.16

      50.09

      65.02


        Low


      30.70

      41.46

      41.66

      42.25

      50.84


        Period end


      30.70

      45.75

      41.66

      43.59

      50.84


      Common shares outstanding


      8,048

      8,011

      7,997

      7,986

      7,981














                                                                      [Footnotes to table located on page 6]

      ASSET QUALITY MEASURES - Unaudited




      Quarter Ended



      March 31

      December 31

      September 30

      June 30

      March 31

      (dollars in thousands)


      2023

      2022

      2022

      2022

      2022

      Nonperforming Assets







      Commercial







        Non-owner occupied RE

      $

      1,384

      247

      253

      981

      1,026

        Commercial business


      1,196

      182

      79

      -

      -

      Consumer







        Real estate


      1,075

      1,099

      904

      552

      1,482

        Home equity


      1,078

      1,099

      1,379

      1,398

      2,024

      Total nonaccrual loans


      4,733

      2,627

      2,615

      2,931

      4,532

      Other real estate owned


      -

      -

      -

      -

      -

      Total nonperforming assets

      $

      4,733

      2,627

      2,615

      2,931

      4,532

      Nonperforming assets as a percentage of:







        Total assets


      0.12 %

      0.07 %

      0.08 %

      0.09 %

      0.15 %

        Total loans


      0.14 %

      0.08 %

      0.09 %

      0.10 %

      0.17 %

      Classified assets/tier 1 capital plus allowance for credit losses


      5.10 %

      4.71 %

      5.24 %

      7.29 %

      7.83 %



      Quarter Ended



      March 31

      December 31

      September 30

      June 30

      March 31

      (dollars in thousands)


      2023

      2022

      2022

      2022

      2022

      Allowance for Credit Losses







      Balance, beginning of period

      $

      38,639

      36,317

      34,192

      32,944

      30,408

      CECL adjustment


      -

      -

      -

      -

      1,500

      Loans charged-off


      (161)

      -

      -

      (316)

      (169)

      Recoveries of loans previously charged-off


      102

      22

      1,600

      39

      180

        Net loans (charged-off) recovered


      (59)

      22

      1,600

      (277)

      11

      Provision for credit losses


      1,855

      2,300

      525

      1,525

      1,025

      Balance, end of period

      $

      40,435

      38,639

      36,317

      34,192

      32,944

      Allowance for credit losses to gross loans


      1.18 %

      1.18 %

      1.20 %

      1.20 %

      1.24 %

      Allowance for credit losses to nonaccrual loans


      854.33 %

      1,470.74 %

      1,388.87 %

      1,166.70 %

      726.88 %

      Net charge-offs to average loans QTD (annualized)


      0.01 %

      0.00 %

      (0.22 %)

      0.04 %

      0.00 %

      Total nonperforming assets increased by $2.1 million during the first quarter of 2023, representing 0.12% of total assets, compared to 0.07% in the fourth quarter of 2023. The increase in nonperforming assets during the first quarter of 2023 results primarily from three commercial loans that went on nonaccrual status. In addition, our classified asset ratio increased to 5.10% for the first quarter of 2023 from 4.71% in the fourth quarter of 2022 and decreased from 7.83% in the first quarter of 2022. The improvement from the first quarter of 2022 was primarily the result of six hotel loans, or $18.5 million in the aggregate, we upgraded from substandard during the prior year.

      On March 31, 2023, the allowance for credit losses was $40.4 million, or 1.18% of total loans, compared to $38.6 million, or 1.18% of total loans, at December 31, 2022, and $32.9 million, or 1.24% of total loans, at March 31, 2022. We had net charge-offs of $59 thousand, or 0.01% annualized, for the first quarter of 2023, compared to net recoveries of $22 thousand for the fourth quarter of 2022 and net recoveries of $11 thousand for the first quarter of 2022. There was a provision for credit losses of $1.9 million for the first quarter of 2023, compared to a provision of $2.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2022 and a provision of $1.0 million for the first quarter of 2022.

      LOAN COMPOSITION - Unaudited




      Quarter Ended



      March 31

      December 31

      September 30

      June 30

      March 31

      (dollars in thousands)


      2023

      2022

      2022

      2022

      2022

      Commercial







      Owner occupied RE

      $

      615,094

      612,901

      572,972

      551,544

      527,776

      Non-owner occupied RE


      928,059

      862,579

      799,569

      741,263

      705,811

      Construction


      94,641

      109,726

      85,850

      84,612

      75,015

      Business


      495,161

      468,112

      419,312

      389,790

      352,932

      Total commercial loans


      2,132,955

      2,053,318

      1,877,703

      1,767,209

      1,661,534

      Consumer







      Real estate


      993,258

      931,278

      873,471

      812,130

      745,667

      Home equity


      180,974

      179,300

      171,904

      161,512

      155,678

      Construction


      71,137

      80,415

      77,798

      76,878

      72,627

      Other


      39,621

      29,052

      29,151

      27,476

      25,169

      Total consumer loans


      1,284,990

      1,220,045

      1,152,324

      1,077,996

      999,141

      Total gross loans, net of deferred fees    


      3,417,945

      3,273,363

      3,030,027

      2,845,205

      2,660,675

      Less—allowance for credit losses


      (40,435)

      (38,639)

      (36,317)

      (34,192)

      (32,944)

      Total loans, net

      $

      3,377,510

      3,234,724

      2,993,710

      2,811,013

      2,627,731

      DEPOSIT COMPOSITION - Unaudited




      Quarter Ended



      March 31

      December 31

      September 30

      June 30

      March 31

      (dollars in thousands)


      2023

      2022

      2022

      2022

      2022

      Non-interest bearing

      $

      740,534

      804,115

      791,050

      799,169

      779,262

      Interest bearing:







         NOW accounts


      303,743

      318,030

      357,862

      364,189

      416,322

         Money market accounts


      1,748,562

      1,506,418

      1,452,958

      1,320,329

      1,238,866

         Savings


      39,706

      40,673

      42,335

      41,944

      41,630

         Time, less than $250,000


      106,679

      89,877

      79,387

      62,340

      57,972

         Time and out-of-market deposits, $250,000 and over


      487,550

      374,751

      277,860

      282,187

      174,122

      Total deposits

      $

      3,426,774

      3,133,864

      3,001,452

      2,870,158

      2,708,174

      Footnotes to tables:


       (1) Total revenue is the sum of net interest income and noninterest income.

       (2) The tax-equivalent adjustment to net interest income adjusts the yield for assets earning tax-exempt income to a comparable yield on a taxable basis.

       (3) Annualized for the respective three-month period.

       (4) Noninterest expense divided by the sum of net interest income and noninterest income.

       (5) Excludes mortgage loans held for sale.

       (6) Excludes out of market deposits and time deposits greater than $250,000.

       (7) March 31, 2023 ratios are preliminary.

       (8) The common equity tier 1 ratio is calculated as the sum of common equity divided by risk-weighted assets.

       (9) The tangible common equity ratio is calculated as total equity less preferred stock divided by total assets.

      (10) Includes mortgage loans held for sale.

      ABOUT SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES
      Southern First Bancshares, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina is a registered bank holding company incorporated under the laws of South Carolina.  The company's wholly owned subsidiary, Southern First Bank, is the second largest bank headquartered in South Carolina.  Southern First Bank has been providing financial services since 1999 and now operates in 12 locations in the Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston markets of South Carolina as well as the Charlotte, Triangle and Triad regions of North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. Southern First Bancshares has consolidated assets of approximately $3.9 billion and its common stock is traded on The NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol "SFST."  More information can be found at www.southernfirst.com.

      FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
      Certain statements in this news release contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to future plans and expectations, and are thus prospective. Such forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "target," "continue," "lasting," and "project," as well as similar expressions. Such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Therefore, we can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be construed as a representation by our company or any person that the future events, plans, or expectations contemplated by our company will be achieved.

      The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: (1) competitive pressures among depository and other financial institutions may increase significantly and have an effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; (2) the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which the company conducts operations may be different than expected; (3) the rate of delinquencies and amounts of charge-offs, the level of allowance for credit loss, the rates of loan and deposit growth as well as pricing of each product, or adverse changes in asset quality in our loan portfolio, which may result in increased credit risk-related losses and expenses; (4) changes in legislation, regulation, policies, or administrative practices, whether by judicial, governmental, or legislative action, including, but not limited to, changes affecting oversight of the financial services industry or consumer protection; (5) the impact of changes to Congress on the regulatory landscape and capital markets; (6) adverse conditions in the stock market, the public debt market and other capital markets (including changes in interest rate conditions) could continue to have a negative impact on the company; (7) changes in interest rates, which may continue to affect the company's net income, interest expense, prepayment penalty income, mortgage banking income, and other future cash flows, or the market value of the company's assets, including its investment securities; and (8) elevated inflation which causes adverse risk to the overall economy, and could indirectly pose challenges to our clients and to our business; (9) any increase in FDIC assessments which will increase our cost of doing business; and (10) changes in accounting principles, policies, practices, or guidelines. Additional factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in our reports (such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the SEC and available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the company or any person acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements above.  We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made, except as required by law.

      FINANCIAL & MEDIA CONTACT:
      ART SEAVER  864-679-9010

      WEB SITE: www.southernfirst.com

      SOURCE Southern First Bancshares, Inc.

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