Southern First Bancshares Inc (NASDAQ: SFST)

Southern First Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company incorporated under the laws of South Carolina. The company owns and oversees Southern First Bank a state chartered commercial bank. The bank operates retail branches in the Greenville Columbia and Charleston markets of South Carolina the Raleigh Greensboro and Charlotte markets of North Carolina and one office in Atlanta Georgia. It also runs a loan production office known as the Dream Mortgage Center in Columbia South Carolina and plans to open a retail branch in Cary North Carolina in late 2026. The bank’s core business consists of taking deposits insured by the FDIC and extending commercial consumer and mortgage loans to the general public.

The company generates revenue primarily from interest earned on its loan portfolio which includes commercial real estate loans commercial business loans consumer real estate loans and other consumer loans. Additional revenue comes from service charges and fees on deposit accounts debit and credit card transactions wire transfers and ATM usage. The bank also earns income from its mortgage lending activities through the Dream Mortgage Center and from fees associated with cash management and purchasing card services offered to business clients.

The bank holds a measurable presence in its key metropolitan markets with deposit shares that reflect its competitive stance among local financial institutions. It emphasizes a ClientFIRST service model that assigns relationship teams to each client aiming to deliver consistent and personalized service. This approach supports lower efficiency ratios compared with certain peers and helps build long term relationships that stabilize funding and lending. The bank also invests in technology offerings such as mobile online and cash management platforms which it considers industry leading among community banks. Its main competitors include larger national banks like Bank of America Wells Fargo and Truist as well as other regional banks operating in the same geographies.

The bank serves a diverse mix of individuals families and small to medium sized businesses across its footprint. It provides deposit and lending services to retail customers seeking checking savings and mortgage products and to commercial clients needing real estate financing business loans and treasury services. While the filing does not disclose specific customer names the bank’s activities are focused on the general public and commercial enterprises within the markets it serves.