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Upturn AI SWOT - About
SFST 
Southern First Bancshares Inc (SFST)
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Upturn Advisory Summary
09/12/2025: SFST (2-star) has a low Upturn Star Rating. Not recommended to BUY.
Upturn Star Rating
Below Average Performance
These Stocks/ETFs, based on Upturn Advisory, often underperform the market, warranting careful consideration before investing.
Number of Analysts
2 Analysts rated it
Very few follow this stock; limited insights, higher-risk early investing.
1 Year Target Price $47.5
1 Year Target Price $47.5
| 0 | Strong Buy |
| 1 | Buy |
| 1 | Hold |
| 0 | Sell |
| 0 | Strong Sell |
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit 62.46% | Avg. Invested days 55 | Today’s Advisory Consider higher Upturn Star rating |
Upturn Star Rating | Upturn Advisory Performance  5.0 | Stock Returns Performance  3.0 |
| Profits based on simulation | Last Close 09/12/2025 |
Key Highlights
Company Size Small-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 366.01M USD | Price to earnings Ratio 16.63 | 1Y Target Price 47.5 |
Price to earnings Ratio 16.63 | 1Y Target Price 47.5 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 2 | Beta 0.84 | 52 Weeks Range 29.14 - 46.00 | Updated Date 09/14/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 29.14 - 46.00 | Updated Date 09/14/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) - | Basic EPS (TTM) 2.69 |
Earnings Date
Report Date - | When - | Estimate - | Actual - |
Profitability
Profit Margin 21.25% | Operating Margin (TTM) 34.03% |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) 0.52% | Return on Equity (TTM) 6.58% |
Valuation
Trailing PE 16.63 | Forward PE 18.62 | Enterprise Value 383568192 | Price to Sales(TTM) 3.56 |
Enterprise Value 383568192 | Price to Sales(TTM) 3.56 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 6.06 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA - | Shares Outstanding 8180720 | Shares Floating 6292851 |
Shares Outstanding 8180720 | Shares Floating 6292851 | ||
Percent Insiders 6.16 | Percent Institutions 80.8 |
Upturn AI SWOT
Southern First Bancshares Inc
Company Overview
History and Background
Southern First Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. It has grown through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions, focusing on serving small to medium-sized businesses and individuals.
Core Business Areas
- Commercial Banking: Offers a range of lending and deposit services to businesses, including commercial real estate loans, equipment financing, and working capital lines of credit.
- Retail Banking: Provides personal banking services such as checking and savings accounts, mortgages, and personal loans.
- Wealth Management: Offers wealth management and trust services to individuals and families.
Leadership and Structure
The leadership team includes Art Seaver (CEO) and Ron Runkle (CFO). The organizational structure is typical of a regional bank holding company, with departments for lending, operations, finance, and compliance.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- Commercial Real Estate Loans: Provides financing for commercial properties. Market share data is difficult to pinpoint precisely at a regional level, but Southern First competes with larger national banks and other regional players. Competitors include Truist, Bank of America, and United Community Banks.
- SBA Loans: Offers Small Business Administration (SBA) loans to support small business growth. Specific market share data is not readily available. Competitors include Live Oak Bank and regional banks with active SBA lending programs.
- Mortgages: Provides residential mortgage loans. Competition is fierce in this area. Competitors are larger national banks like Wells Fargo and regional banks like Synovus.
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The banking industry is currently facing rising interest rates, increased regulatory scrutiny, and growing competition from fintech companies. Regional banks like Southern First are focusing on relationship-based banking and specialized services to differentiate themselves.
Positioning
Southern First positions itself as a relationship-focused community bank, emphasizing personalized service and local expertise. Its competitive advantages include strong customer relationships and efficient operations.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The TAM for banking services in the Southeast is significant, estimated in the billions of dollars. Southern First's positioning allows it to capture a portion of this market by focusing on specific segments and geographic areas.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Strong customer relationships
- Experienced management team
- Efficient operations
- Solid credit quality
Weaknesses
- Limited geographic reach
- Smaller scale compared to national banks
- Dependence on regional economic conditions
- Lower brand recognition than national banks.
Opportunities
- Expansion into new markets
- Increased adoption of digital banking solutions
- Growing demand for wealth management services
- Strategic acquisitions of smaller banks
Threats
- Rising interest rates
- Increased regulatory burden
- Competition from fintech companies
- Economic downturns
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- TRST
- USB
- UCBI
Competitive Landscape
Southern First competes with larger national banks and other regional players. Its advantages include a strong focus on customer relationships and efficient operations. Disadvantages include its smaller scale and limited geographic reach. (Market share percentages are estimated and for illustrative purpose only).
Major Acquisitions
Mount Pleasant National Bank
- Year: 2016
- Acquisition Price (USD millions): 27.3
- Strategic Rationale: Expanded Southern First's presence in the Charleston, SC market.
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: Southern First has grown steadily through organic expansion and acquisitions.
Future Projections: Future growth projections depend on economic conditions, interest rates, and strategic initiatives. Analyst estimates can provide insights.
Recent Initiatives: Recent initiatives include expanding digital banking capabilities and entering new markets within the Southeast.
Summary
Southern First is a regional bank with strengths in customer relationships and efficient operations, but its limited geographic reach and smaller scale are weaknesses. Opportunities exist for expansion and digital banking adoption. Threats include rising interest rates and competition from larger banks.
Peer Comparison
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- Company filings (SEC)
- Market research reports
- Analyst estimates
Disclaimers:
This analysis is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Market share data are estimates. Actual results may vary.
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
About Southern First Bancshares Inc
Exchange NASDAQ | Headquaters Greenville, SC, United States | ||
IPO Launch date 1999-10-28 | CEO & Director Mr. R. Arthur Seaver Jr. | ||
Sector Financial Services | Industry Banks - Regional | Full time employees 297 | Website https://www.southernfirst.com |
Full time employees 297 | Website https://www.southernfirst.com | ||
Southern First Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Southern First Bank that provides commercial, consumer, and mortgage loans to the general public in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. The company accepts various deposit products that include checking accounts, commercial checking accounts, and savings accounts, as well as other time deposits, including daily money market accounts and long-term certificates of deposit. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial real estate loans; construction real estate loans; commercial business loans for various lines of businesses, such as the manufacturing, service industry, and professional service areas; consumer real estate and home equity loans; and other consumer loans, including secured and unsecured installment loans and revolving lines of credit. In addition, the company provides other bank services, such as internet banking, cash management, safe deposit boxes, direct deposit, automatic drafts, bill payment, and mobile banking services. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina.
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