Equibles

10-Q

SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES INC (SFST)

10-Q 2024-04-30 For: 2024-03-31
View Original
Added on April 07, 2026

Table of Contents

UNITED

STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington,

D.C. 20549

FORM

10-Q

☒  QUARTERLY

REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Forthe Quarterly Period Ended March 31, 2024

OR

☐

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Transition Period from

to

Commission file number 000-27719

Southern First Bancshares, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

South Carolina 58-2459561
(State<br> or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S.<br> Employer Identification No.)
6 Verdae Boulevard
Greenville, S.C. 29607
(Address<br> of principal executive offices) (Zip<br> Code)

864-679-9000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

NotApplicable(Former name, former address, and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock SFST The Nasdaq Global Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated<br> filer ☐ Accelerated filer ☒
Non-accelerated filer ☐ Smaller<br> Reporting Company ☐
Emerging<br> growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date:

8,156,109 shares

of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, were issued and outstanding as of April 30, 2024.

Table of Contents

SOUTHERN

FIRST BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY March 31, 2024 Form 10-Q

INDEX

Page
PART I – CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Consolidated Financial Statements
Consolidated Balance Sheets 3
Consolidated Statements of Income 4
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income 5
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity 6
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 7
Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements 8
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and<br> Results of Operations 27
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk 42
Item 4. Controls and Procedures 42
PART II – OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings 43
Item 1A. Risk Factors 43
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds 43
Item 3. Defaults upon Senior Securities 43
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 43
Item 5. Other Information 43
Item 6. Exhibits 43 
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PART I.

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item

  1. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

SOUTHERN

FIRST BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

December<br> 31,
(dollars<br> in thousands, except share data) 2023
(Audited)
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash and due from banks 13,925 28,020
Federal funds sold 144,595 119,349
Interest-bearing deposits with banks 8,789 8,801
Total cash and cash equivalents 167,309 156,170
Investment securities:
Investment securities available for sale 125,996 134,702
Other investments 18,499 19,939
Total investment securities 144,495 154,641
Mortgage loans held for sale 11,842 7,194
Loans 3,643,766 3,602,627
Less allowance for credit losses (40,441 ) (40,682 )
Loans, net 3,603,325 3,561,945
Bank owned life insurance 52,878 52,501
Property and equipment, net 93,007 94,301
Deferred income taxes, net 12,321 12,200
Other assets 20,527 16,837
Total assets 4,105,704 4,055,789
LIABILITIES
Deposits 3,460,681 3,379,564
FHLB advances and related debt 240,000 275,000
Subordinated debentures 36,349 36,322
Other liabilities 53,418 52,436
Total liabilities 3,790,448 3,743,322
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Preferred stock, par value .01 per share, 10,000,000 shares authorized - -
Common stock, par value .01 per share, 10,000,000 shares authorized, 8,156,109 and 8,088,186 shares<br> issued and outstanding at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively 82 81
Nonvested restricted stock (5,257 ) (3,596 )
Additional paid-in capital 124,159 121,777
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (11,797 ) (11,342 )
Retained earnings 208,069 205,547
Total shareholders’ equity 315,256 312,467
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 4,105,704 4,055,789

All values are in US Dollars.

See notes to consolidated financial statements that are an integral part of these consolidated statements.

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SOUTHERNFIRST BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARYCONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME(Unaudited)

For the three months
ended<br> March 31,
(dollars<br> in thousands, except share data) 2024 2023
Interest income
Loans $ 45,605 36,748
Investment securities 1,478 613
Federal funds sold and interest-bearing deposits with banks 1,280 969
Total interest income 48,363 38,330
Interest expense
Deposits 26,932 17,179
Borrowings 2,786 727
Total interest expense 29,718 17,906
Net interest income 18,645 20,424
Provision for (reversal of) credit losses (175 ) 1,825
Net interest income after provision for (reversal of) credit losses 18,820 18,599
Noninterest income
Mortgage banking income 1,164 622
Service fees on deposit accounts 387 325
ATM and debit card income 544 555
Income from bank owned life insurance 377 332
Other income 192 210
Total noninterest income 2,664 2,044
Noninterest expenses
Compensation and benefits 10,857 10,356
Occupancy 2,557 2,457
Outside service and data processing costs 1,846 1,629
Insurance 955 689
Professional fees 618 660
Marketing 369 366
Other 898 947
Total noninterest expenses 18,100 17,104
Income before income tax expense 3,384 3,539
Income tax expense 862 836
Net income $ 2,522 2,703
Earnings per common share
Basic $ 0.31 0.34
Diluted 0.31 0.33
Weighted average common shares outstanding
Basic 8,110,249 8,025,876
Diluted 8,141,921 8,092,270

See notes to consolidated financial statements that are an integral part of these consolidated statements.

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SOUTHERNFIRST BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARYCONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Unaudited)

For<br> the three months<br><br> ended March 31,
(dollars<br> in thousands) 2024 2023
Net income $ 2,522 2,703
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Unrealized gain (loss) on securities available for sale:
Unrealized holding gain (loss) arising during the period, pretax (578 ) 2,070
Tax benefit (expense) 123 (435 )
Other comprehensive income (loss) (455 ) 1,635
Comprehensive income $ 2,067 4,338

See notes to consolidated financial statements that are an integral part of these consolidated statements.

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SOUTHERN

FIRST BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Unaudited)

For the<br> three months ended March 31,
(dollars in thousands, Common stock Preferred stock Nonvested<br> restricted Additional<br> paid-in Accumulated<br> other<br> comprehensive Retained
except share data) Shares Amount Shares Amount stock capital income<br> (loss) earnings Total
December 31, 2022 8,011,045 $ 80 - $ - $ (3,306 ) $ 119,027 $ (13,410 ) $ 192,121 $ 294,512
Net income - - - - - - - 2,703 2,703
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 1,000 - - - - 17 - - 17
Issuance of restricted stock Retained earnings 35,930 - - - (1,521 ) 1,521 - - -
Compensation expense related to restricted stock, net of tax - - - - 365 - - - 365
Compensation expense related to stock options, net of tax Common stock - - - - - 118 - - 118
Other comprehensive income - - - - - - 1,635 - 1,635
Additional paid-in capital
March 31, 2023 Preferred stock 8,047,975 $ 80 - $ - $ (4,462 ) $ 120,683 $ (11,775 ) $ 194,824 $ 299,350
December 31, 2023 8,088,186 $ 81 - $ - $ (3,596 ) $ 121,777 $ (11,342 ) $ 205,547 $ 312,467
Net income - - - - - - - 2,522 2,522
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 11,000 - - - - 167 - - 167
Issuance of restricted stock, net of forfeitures 56,923 1 - - (2,112 ) 2,111 - - -
Compensation expense related to restricted stock, net of tax - - - - 451 - - - 451
Compensation expense related to stock options, net of tax - - - - - 104 - - 104
Other comprehensive loss - - - - - - (455 ) - (455 )
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
March 31, 2024 8,156,109 $ 82 - $ - $ (5,257 ) $ 124,159 $ (11,797 ) $ 208,069 $ 315,256

See notes to consolidated financial statements that are an integral part of these consolidated statements.

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SOUTHERN

FIRST BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

For<br> the three months ended <br>March 31,
(dollars<br> in thousands) 2024 2023
Operating activities
Net income $ 2,522 2,703
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Provision for (reversal of) credit losses (175 ) 1,825
Depreciation and other amortization 1,214 1,203
Accretion and amortization of securities discounts and premium, net 131 129
Net change in operating leases 39 53
Compensation expense related to stock options and restricted stock grants 555 483
Gain on sale of loans held for sale (1,014 ) (530 )
Loans originated and held for sale (36,524 ) (17,892 )
Proceeds from sale of loans held for sale 32,890 15,360
Increase in cash surrender value of bank owned life insurance (377 ) (331 )
Increase in other assets (3,690 ) (508 )
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities 1,505 (1,258 )
Net cash (used for) provided by operating activities (2,924 ) 1,237
Investing activities
Increase (decrease) in cash realized from:
Increase in loans, net (41,380 ) (144,641 )
Purchase of property and equipment (280 ) (180 )
Purchase of investment securities:
Available for sale (5,191 ) -
Other investments (4,302 ) (18,264 )
Payments and maturities, calls and repayments of investment securities:
Available for sale 13,190 1,252
Other investments 5,742 19,000
Net cash used for investing activities (32,221 ) (142,833 )
Financing activities
Increase in cash realized from:
Increase in deposits, net 81,117 292,910
Decrease in Federal Home Loan Bank advances and other borrowings, net (35,000 ) (50,000 )
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options 167 17
Net cash provided by financing activities 46,284 242,927
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 11,139 101,331
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period 156,170 170,874
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period $ 167,309 272,205
Supplemental information
Cash paid for
Interest $ 27,617 16,801
Schedule of non-cash transactions
Unrealized gain (loss) on securities, net of income taxes (455 ) 1,635

See notes to consolidated financial statements that are an integral part of these consolidated statements.

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SOUTHERN

FIRST BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business

SouthernFirst Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) is a South Carolina corporation that owns all of the capital stock of Southern First Bank (the “Bank”) and all of the stock of Greenville First Statutory Trusts I and II (collectively, the “Trusts”). The Trusts are special purpose non-consolidated entities organized for the sole purpose of issuing trust preferred securities. The Bank’s primary federal regulator is the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”). The Bank is also regulated and examined by the South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions. The Bank is primarily engaged in the business of accepting demand deposits and savings deposits insured by the FDIC, and providing commercial, consumer and mortgage loans to the general public.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 5, 2024. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and the Bank. In accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, “Consolidation,” the financial statements related to the Trusts have not been consolidated.

BusinessSegments

The Company, through the Bank, provides a broad range of financial services to individuals and companies in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. These services include demand, time and savings deposits, lending services and ATM processing and mortgage banking services. While the Company’s management periodically reviews limited production information for these revenue streams, that information is not complete as it does not include a full allocation of revenue, costs and capital from key corporate functions. Management will continue to evaluate these lines of business for separate reporting as facts and circumstances change.  Accordingly, the Company’s various banking operations are not considered by management to constitute more than one reportable operating segment.

Risk and Uncertainties

In the normal course of its business, the Company encounters two significant types of risks: economic and regulatory. There are three main components of economic risk: interest rate risk, credit risk and market risk. The Company is subject to interest rate risk to the degree that its interest-bearing liabilities mature or reprice at different speeds, or on different bases, than its interest-earning assets. Credit risk is the risk of default within the Company’s loan portfolio that results from borrowers’ inability or unwillingness to make contractually required payments. Market risk reflects changes in the value of collateral underlying loans receivable and the valuation of real estate held by the Company. There were three significant bank failures in the first five months of 2023, primarily due to the failed banks’ lack of liquidity as depositors sought to withdraw their deposits. Due to rising interest rates, the failed banks were unable to sell investment securities held to meet liquidity needs without realizing substantial losses. As a result of the recent bank failures and in an effort to strengthen public confidence in the banking system and protect depositors, regulators announced that any losses to the Deposit Insurance Fund to support uninsured depositors will be recovered by a special assessment on banks, as required by law, which has and could continue to increase the cost of our FDIC insurance assessments. The ultimate impact of these bank failures on the economy, financial institutions and their depositors, as well as any governmental regulatory responses or actions resulting from the same, remains difficult to predict at this time.

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The Company is subject to the regulations of various governmental agencies. These regulations can and do change significantly from period to period. The Company also undergoes periodic examinations by the regulatory agencies, which may subject the Company to changes with respect to the valuation of assets, the amount of required credit loss allowance and operating restrictions resulting from the regulators’ judgments based on information available to them at the time of their examinations.

The

Bank makes loans to individuals and businesses in the Upstate, Midlands, and Lowcountry regions of South Carolina as well as the Triangle, Triad and Charlotte regions of North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia for various personal and commercial purposes. The Bank’s loan portfolio has a concentration of real estate loans. As of March 31, 2024 and 2023, real estate loans represented 84.3% and 84.8%, respectively, of total loans. However, borrowers’ ability to repay their loans is not dependent upon any specific economic sector.

As of March 31, 2024, the Company’s and the Bank’s capital ratios were in excess of all regulatory requirements. While management believes that we have sufficient capital to withstand an extended economic recession, our reported and regulatory capital ratios could be adversely impacted by future credit losses.

The Company maintains access to multiple sources of liquidity, including a $15.0 million holding company line of credit with another bank which could be used to support capital ratios at the subsidiary bank. As of March 31, 2024, the $15.0 million line was unused.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amount of income and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for credit losses, real estate acquired in the settlement of loans, fair value of financial instruments, and valuation of deferred tax assets.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts, previously reported, have been reclassified to state all periods on a comparable basis and had no effect on shareholders’ equity or net income.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent events are events or transactions that occur after the balance sheet date but before financial statements are issued. Recognized subsequent events are events or transactions that provide additional evidence about conditions that existed at the date of the balance sheet, including the estimates inherent in the process of preparing financial statements. Non-recognized subsequent events are events that provide evidence about conditions that did not exist at the date of the balance sheet but arose after that date.

NewlyIssued, But Not Yet Effective Accounting Standards

In December 2022, the FASB issued amendments to defer the sunset date of the Reference Rate Reform Topic of the Accounting Standards Codification from December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2024, because the current relief in Reference Rate Reform Topic may not cover a period of time during which a significant number of modifications may take place. The amendments were effective upon issuance. The Company does not expect these amendments to have a material effect on its financial statements.

In December 2023, the FASB amended the Income Taxes topic in the Accounting Standards Codification to improve the transparency of income tax disclosures. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted for annual financial statements that have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. The Company does not expect these amendments to have a material effect on its financial statements.

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NOTE2 – Investment Securities

The amortized costs and fair value of investment securities are as follows:

Schedule of amortized costs and fair value of investment securities
March<br> 31, 2024
Amortized Gross<br> Unrealized Fair
(dollars<br> in thousands) Corporate bonds [Member] Cost Gains Losses Value
Available for sale Asset-backed securities [Member]
Corporate bonds $ 2,140 - 253 1,887
US treasuries US treasuries [Member] 999 - 111 888
US government agencies US government agencies [Member] 20,183 - 1,986 18,197
State and political subdivisions State and political subdivisions [Member] 22,579 - 3,042 19,537
Asset-backed securities Mortgage-backed securities [Member] 34,247 33 76 34,204
Mortgage-backed securities 60,782 - 9,499 51,283
Total investment securities available for sale $ 140,930 33 14,967 125,996
December<br> 31, 2023
Amortized Gross<br> Unrealized Fair
Cost Gains Losses Value
Available for sale
Corporate bonds $ 2,147 - 237 1,910
US treasuries 9,495 1 102 9,394
US government agencies 20,594 - 1,938 18,656
State and political subdivisions 22,642 11 2,912 19,741
Asset-backed securities 33,450 2 216 33,236
Mortgage-backed securities 60,730 - 8,965 51,765
Total investment securities available for sale $ 149,058 14 14,370 134,702

Contractual maturities and yields on the Company’s investment securities at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 are shown in the following table. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.

Schedule of maturities and yields on the company’s investment securities
March 31, 2024
Less<br> than one year One<br> to five years Five<br> to ten years Over<br> ten years Total
(dollars in thousands) Amount Yield Amount Yield Amount Yield Amount Yield Amount Yield
Available for sale
Corporate bonds Corporate bonds [Member] $ - - $ - - $ 1,887 2.01 % $ - - $ 1,887 2.01 %
US treasuries - - 888 1.27 % - - - - 888 1.27 %
US government agencies US government agencies [Member] 980 0.45 % 2,380 1.00 % 14,837 4.38 % - - 18,197 3.72 %
State and political subdivisions State and political subdivisions [Member] - - 902 1.94 % 5,744 1.89 % 12,891 2.15 % 19,537 2.07 %
Asset-backed securities Asset-backed securities [Member] - - 211 6.21 % - - 33,993 6.61 % 34,204 6.61 %
Mortgage-backed<br> securities Mortgage-backed securities [Member] - - 6,626 1.29 % 3,419 1.54 % 41,238 2.04 % 51,283 1.91 %
Total<br> investment securities Total investment securities [Member] $ 980 0.45 % $ 11,007 1.37 % $ 25,887 3.28 % $ 88,122 3.82 % $ 125,996 3.47 %
December 31, 2023
Less than one year One to five years Five to ten years Over ten years Total
(dollars in thousands) Amount Yield Amount Yield Amount Yield Amount Yield Amount Yield
Available for sale
Corporate bonds $ - - $ - - $ 1,910 2.01 % $ - - $ 1,910 2.01 %
US treasuries 8,497 5.42 % 897 1.27 % - - - - 9,394 5.02 %
US government agencies 970 0.45 % 2,385 1.00 % 15,301 4.41 % - - 18,656 3.77 %
State and political subdivisions - - 906 1.94 % 5,769 1.89 % 13,066 2.15 % 19,741 2.06 %
Asset-backed securities - - 296 (6.13 %) - - 32,940 6.63 % 33,236 6.57 %
Mortgage-backed<br> securities - - 4,795 1.15 % 5,400 1.59 % 41,570 2.00 % 51,765 1.87 %
Total<br> investment securities $ 9,467 4.91 % $ 9,279 0.98 % $ 28,380 3.20 % $ 87,576 3.76 % $ 134,702 3.55 % 
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The tables below summarize gross unrealized losses on investment securities and the fair market value of the related securities at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position.

Schedule of gross unrealized losses on investment<br> securities and fair market value of related securities
March<br> 31, 2024
Less<br> than 12 months 12<br> months or longer Total
(dollars<br> in thousands) # Fair<br><br> value Unrealized<br><br> losses # Fair<br><br> value Unrealized<br><br> losses # Fair<br><br> value Unrealized<br><br> losses
Available for sale
Corporate bonds - $ - $ - 1 $ 1,887 $ 253 1 $ 1,887 $ 253
US treasuries - - - 1 888 111 1 888 111
US government agencies 2 7,133 39 10 11,064 1,947 12 18,197 1,986
State and political subdivisions 2 759 4 30 18,778 3,038 32 19,537 3,042
Asset-backed 4 11,343 31 7 4,567 45 11 15,910 76
Mortgage-backed securities 1 1,387 8 64 49,896 9,491 65 51,283 9,499
Total investment securities 9 $ 20,622 $ 82 113 $ 87,080 $ 14,885 122 $ 107,702 $ 14,967
December<br> 31, 2023
Less<br> than 12 months 12<br> months or longer Total
(dollars<br> in thousands) # Fair<br><br> value Unrealized<br><br> losses # Fair<br><br> value Unrealized<br><br> losses # Fair<br><br> value Unrealized<br><br> losses
Available for sale
Corporate bonds - $ - $ - 1 $ 1,910 $ 237 1 $ 1,910 $ 237
US treasuries - - - 1 897 102 1 897 102
US government agencies 2 7,533 50 10 11,123 1,888 12 18,656 1,938
State and political subdivisions - - - 30 18,964 2,912 30 18,964 2,912
Asset-backed 8 26,746 145 7 4,866 71 15 31,612 216
Mortgage-backed<br> securities Mortgage-backed securities [Member] 2 2,869 36 62 48,896 8,929 64 51,765 8,965
Total investment<br> securities 12 $ 37,148 $ 231 111 $ 86,656 $ 14,139 123 $ 123,804 $ 14,370

At March 31, 2024, the Company had 122 individual investments that were in an unrealized loss position. The unrealized losses were primarily attributable to changes in interest rates, rather than deterioration in credit quality. The individual securities are each investment grade securities. The Company considers factors such as the financial condition of the issuer including credit ratings and specific events affecting the operations of the issuer, volatility of the security, underlying assets that collateralize the debt security, and other industry and macroeconomic conditions. The Company does not intend to sell these securities, and it is more likely than not that the Company will not be required to sell these securities before recovery of the amortized cost. The issuers of these securities continue to make timely principal and interest payments under the contractual terms of the securities. As such, there is no allowance for credit losses on available for sale securities recognized as of March 31, 2024.

Other investments are comprised of the following and are recorded at cost which approximates fair value.

Schedule of other investments
(dollars<br> in thousands) March<br> 31, 2024 December<br> 31, 2023
Federal Home Loan Bank stock $ 14,633 16,063
Other nonmarketable investments 3,463 3,473
Investment in Trust Preferred subsidiaries 403 403
Total other investments $ 18,499 19,939

The Company has evaluated other investments for impairment and determined that the other investments are not impaired as of March 31, 2024 and that ultimate recoverability of the par value of the investments is probable. All of the FHLB stock is used to collateralize advances with the FHLB.

At March 31, 2024, there were no securities pledges as collateral for repurchase agreements from brokers.

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NOTE3 – Mortgage Loans Held for Sale

Mortgage

loans originated and intended for sale in the secondary market are reported as loans held for sale and carried at fair value under the fair value option with changes in fair value recognized in current period earnings. At the date of funding of the mortgage loan held for sale, the funded amount of the loan, the related derivative asset or liability of the associated interest rate lock commitment, less direct loan costs becomes the initial recorded investment in the loan held for sale. Such amount approximates the fair value of the loan. At March 31, 2024, mortgage loans held for sale totaled $11.8 million compared to $7.2 million at December 31, 2023.

NOTE 4 – Loans and Allowance for Credit Losses

The

following table summarizes the composition of our loan portfolio. Total gross loans are recorded net of deferred loan fees and costs, which totaled $6.9 million as of March 31, 2024 and $7.0 million as of December 31, 2023.

Schedule of composition of our loan portfolio
March 31,<br> 2024 December<br> 31, 2023
(dollars in thousands)Commercial [Member] Amount %  of<br> Total Amount %  of<br> Total
Commercial
Owner occupied REOwner<br> occupied RE [Member] $ 631,047 17.3 % $ 631,657 17.5 %
Non-owner occupied RENon-owner occupied RE [Member] 944,530 25.9 % 942,529 26.2 %
ConstructionConstruction [Member] 157,464 4.3 % 150,680 4.2 %
BusinessBusiness [Member] 520,073 14.3 % 500,161 13.9 %
Total commercial loansConsumer [Member] 2,253,114 61.8 % 2,225,027 61.8 %
Consumer
Real estateReal estate [Member] 1,101,573 30.2 % 1,082,429 30.0 %
Home equityHome equity [Member] 184,691 5.1 % 183,004 5.1 %
Construction 53,216 1.5 % 63,348 1.7 %
OtherOther [Member] 51,172 1.4 % 48,819 1.4 %
Total consumer loans 1,390,652 38.2 % 1,377,600 38.2 %
Total gross loans, net of deferred fees 3,643,766 100.0 % 3,602,627 100.0 %
Less—allowance for credit losses (40,441 ) (40,682 )
Total loans, net $ 3,603,325 $ 3,561,945

Maturities and Sensitivity of Loans to Changes in Interest Rates

The information in the following tables summarizes the loan maturity distribution by type and related interest rate characteristics based on the contractual maturities of individual loans, including loans which may be subject to renewal at their contractual maturity. Renewal of such loans is subject to review and credit approval, as well as modification of terms upon maturity. Actual repayments of loans may differ from the maturities reflected below, because borrowers have the right to prepay obligations with or without prepayment penalties.

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Schedule of loan maturity distribution by type and related interest rate
March<br> 31, 2024
(dollars in thousands) One<br> year<br> or less After<br> one<br> but within<br> five years After<br> five but<br><br> within fifteen<br> years After<br><br><br> fifteen<br><br> years Total
Commercial
Owner occupied RE $ 15,855 185,107 388,424 41,661 631,047
Non-owner occupied RE 77,445 516,176 326,650 24,259 944,530
Construction 32,425 61,546 63,493 - 157,464
Business 117,557 218,031 180,132 4,353 520,073
Total commercial loans 243,282 980,860 958,699 70,273 2,253,114
Consumer
Real estate 10,230 52,771 310,383 728,189 1,101,573
Home equity 2,878 27,460 149,530 4,823 184,691
Construction 382 901 31,926 20,007 53,216
Other 12,564 34,683 3,103 822 51,172
Total consumer loans 26,054 115,815 494,942 753,841 1,390,652
Total gross loans, net of deferred fees $ 269,336 1,096,675 1,453,641 824,114 3,643,766
December 31, 2023
(dollars in thousands) One year or less After one but within five years After five but within fifteen years After fifteen years Total
Commercial
Owner occupied RE $ 17,358 177,203 395,130 41,966 631,657
Non-owner occupied RE 68,601 517,622 331,727 24,579 942,529
Construction 26,762 64,432 59,486 - 150,680
Business 114,432 194,416 186,927 4,386 500,161
Total commercial loans 227,153 953,673 973,270 70,931 2,225,027
Consumer
Real estate 10,593 51,956 301,095 718,785 1,082,429
Home equity 2,716 27,578 147,855 4,855 183,004
Construction - 252 39,459 23,637 63,348
Other 11,157 33,592 3,265 805 48,819
Total consumer loans 24,466 113,378 491,674 748,082 1,377,600
Total gross loans, net of deferred fees $ 251,619 1,067,051 1,464,944 819,013 3,602,627 
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The following table summarizes the loans due after one year by category.

Schedule of loans due after one year by category
March<br> 31, 2024 December<br> 31, 2023
Interest<br> Rate Interest Rate
(dollars in thousands) Fixed Floating<br> or<br><br> Adjustable Fixed Floating<br> or<br><br> Adjustable
Commercial
Owner occupied RE $ 600,279 14,913 605,199 9,100
Non-owner occupied RE 746,525 120,560 768,048 105,880
Construction 96,176 28,863 81,326 42,592
Business 293,897 108,619 293,920 91,809
Total commercial loans 1,736,877 272,955 1,748,493 249,381
Consumer
Real estate 1,091,343 - 1,071,836 -
Home equity 11,485 170,328 11,441 168,847
Construction 52,834 - 63,348 -
Other 12,127 26,481 11,525 26,137
Total consumer loans 1,167,789 196,809 1,158,150 194,984
Total gross loans, net of deferred fees $ 2,904,666 469,764 2,906,643 444,365

Credit Quality Indicators

The Company tracks credit quality based on its internal risk ratings. Upon origination, a loan is assigned an initial risk grade, which is generally based on several factors such as the borrower’s credit score, the loan-to-value ratio, the debt-to-income ratio, etc. After loans are initially graded, they are monitored regularly for credit quality based on many factors, such as payment history, the borrower’s financial status, and changes in collateral value. Loans can be downgraded or upgraded depending on management’s evaluation of these factors. Internal risk-grading policies are consistent throughout each loan type.

A description of the general characteristics of the risk grades is as follows:

● Pass—A pass loan ranges from minimal to average credit risk; however, still has acceptable credit<br> risk.
● Watch—A<br> watch loan exhibits above average credit risk due to minor weaknesses and warrants closer<br> scrutiny by management.
● Special<br> mention—A special mention loan has potential weaknesses that deserve management’s<br> close attention. If left uncorrected, these potential weaknesses may result in deterioration<br> of the repayment prospects for the loan or the institution’s credit position at some<br> future date.
● Substandard—A<br> substandard loan is inadequately protected by the current sound worth and paying capacity<br> of the obligor or of the collateral pledged, if any. Loans so classified must have a well-defined<br> weakness, or weaknesses, which may jeopardize the liquidation of the debt. A substandard<br> loan is characterized by the distinct possibility that the Bank will sustain some loss if<br> the deficiencies are not corrected.
● Doubtful—A<br> doubtful loan has all of the weaknesses inherent in one classified as substandard with the<br> added characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full, on the basis<br> of the currently existing facts, conditions and values, highly questionable and improbable. 
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The following table presents loan balances classified by credit quality indicators by year of origination as of March 31, 2024.

Schedule of classified by credit quality indicators by year of origination
March 31, 2024
(dollars in thousands) 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 Prior Revolving Revolving Converted to Term Total
Commercial
Owner occupied RE
Pass $ 11,770 42,283 180,226 134,787 63,949 164,174 85 - 597,274
Watch - - 3,429 456 15,880 10,101 - - 29,866
Special Mention - - 177 - - 2,889 - - 3,066
Substandard - - - - - 841 - - 841
Total Owner occupied RE 11,770 42,283 183,832 135,243 79,829 178,005 85 - 631,047
Non-owner occupied RE
Pass 12,575 79,336 303,755 169,028 105,833 226,072 303 - 896,902
Watch - 1,002 2,596 448 527 15,911 - - 20,484
Special Mention - - 967 7,707 - 9,049 - - 17,723
Substandard - - - 305 - 9,116 - - 9,421
Total Non-owner occupied RE 12,575 80,338 307,318 177,488 106,360 260,148 303 - 944,530
Construction
Pass 3,563 28,027 86,648 26,741 11,087 - - - 156,066
Watch - - 1,398 - - - - - 1,398
Total Construction 3,563 28,027 88,046 26,741 11,087 - - - 157,464
Business
Pass 8,232 52,166 134,401 45,948 18,339 61,981 163,010 - 484,077
Watch - 120 17,160 1,814 980 4,600 6,942 5 31,621
Special Mention - 231 942 89 500 1,736 101 - 3,599
Substandard - - - 151 - 625 - - 776
Total Business 8,232 52,517 152,503 48,002 19,819 68,942 170,053 5 520,073
Current period gross write-offs - - - - (346 ) - - - (346 )
Total Commercial loans 36,140 203,165 731,699 387,474 217,095 507,095 170,441 5 2,253,114
Consumer
Real estate
Pass 18,718 146,761 281,881 276,118 171,468 168,438 - - 1,063,384
Watch - 488 5,615 7,360 3,883 5,876 - - 23,222
Special Mention - 142 2,487 1,905 1,282 5,253 - - 11,069
Substandard - 275 350 631 986 1,656 - - 3,898
Total Real estate 18,718 147,666 290,333 286,014 177,619 181,223 - - 1,101,573
Home equity
Pass - - - - - - 173,125 - 173,125
Watch - - - - - - 6,103 - 6,103
Special Mention - - - - - - 5,007 - 5,007
Substandard - - - - - - 456 - 456
Total Home equity - - - - - - 184,691 - 184,691
Construction
Pass 664 13,604 30,974 7,974 - - - - 53,216
Total Construction 664 13,604 30,974 7,974 - - - - 53,216
Other
Pass 1,979 1,171 2,411 2,174 1,387 3,253 37,657 - 50,032
Watch - 8 25 345 - 156 51 - 585
Special Mention - 32 330 71 - 73 36 - 542
Substandard - - - - - - 13 - 13
Total Other 1,979 1,211 2,766 2,590 1,387 3,482 37,757 - 51,172
Current period gross write-offs - - - - - (38 ) (40 ) - (78 )
Total Consumer loans 21,361 162,481 324,073 296,578 179,006 184,705 222,448 - 1,390,652
Total loans $ 57,501 365,646 1,055,772 684,052 396,101 691,800 392,889 5 3,643,766
Total Current period gross write-offs - - - - (346 ) (38 ) (40 ) - (424 ) 
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The following table presents loan balances classified by credit quality indicators by year of origination as of December 31, 2023.

**** December 31, 2023 ****
(dollars<br> in thousands) 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 Prior Revolving Revolving<br> Converted to Term Total
Commercial
Owner occupied RE
Pass $ 42,846 180,654 138,549 64,818 59,880 110,502 85 166 597,500
Watch - 3,460 460 15,997 3,525 6,616 - - 30,058
Special Mention - 181 - - - 3,057 - - 3,238
Substandard - - - - - 861 - - 861
Total Owner occupied RE 42,846 184,295 139,009 80,815 63,405 121,036 85 166 631,657
Non-owner occupied RE
Pass 84,617 298,063 162,697 107,364 59,260 163,990 9,249 - 885,240
Watch 1,007 3,260 9,914 533 5,545 10,630 - - 30,889
Special Mention - - 7,759 - 8,252 879 - - 16,890
Substandard - - 313 - 8,088 1,109 - - 9,510
Total Non-owner occupied RE 85,624 301,323 180,683 107,897 81,145 176,608 9,249 - 942,529
Current period gross write-offs - (200 ) - - - (42 ) - - (242 )
Construction
Pass 27,262 86,161 24,399 11,459 - - - - 149,281
Watch - 1,399 - - - - - - 1,399
Total Construction 27,262 87,560 24,399 11,459 - - - - 150,680
Business
Pass 48,705 134,999 48,557 18,868 17,292 47,708 146,745 1,431 464,305
Watch 127 15,867 1,833 1,010 842 3,584 7,570 506 31,339
Special Mention 241 961 98 857 184 447 150 97 3,035
Substandard - - 155 - 132 1,195 - - 1,482
Total Business 49,073 151,827 50,643 20,735 18,450 52,934 154,465 2,034 500,161
Current period gross write-offs - - - (28 ) - - (15 ) (22 ) (65 )
Total Commercial loans 204,805 725,005 394,734 220,906 163,000 350,578 163,799 2,200 2,225,027
Consumer
Real estate
Pass 144,179 273,585 278,138 176,395 66,087 105,383 - - 1,043,767
Watch 490 5,658 8,230 3,917 2,051 3,890 - - 24,236
Special Mention 143 2,499 1,657 1,291 2,220 3,360 - - 11,170
Substandard - - 635 817 318 1,486 - - 3,256
Total Real estate 144,812 281,742 288,660 182,420 70,676 114,119 - - 1,082,429
Home equity
Pass - - - - - - 171,003 - 171,003
Watch - - - - - - 6,393 - 6,393
Special Mention - - - - - - 4,283 - 4,283
Substandard - - - - - - 1,325 - 1,325
Total Home equity - - - - - - 183,004 - 183,004
Current period gross write-offs - - - - - - (438 ) - (438 )
Construction
Pass 14,339 39,893 9,116 - - - - - 63,348
Total Construction 14,339 39,893 9,116 - - - - - 63,348
Other
Pass 1,278 2,551 2,361 1,457 803 2,604 36,549 - 47,603
Watch 9 29 348 - 15 163 58 - 622
Special Mention 33 333 - - 23 82 41 - 512
Substandard - - 75 - - - 7 - 82
Total Other 1,320 2,913 2,784 1,457 841 2,849 36,655 - 48,819
Current period gross<br> write-offs - - - - - - (16 ) - (16 )
Total Consumer loans 160,471 324,548 300,560 183,877 71,517 116,968 219,659 - 1,377,600
Total loans $ 365,276 1,049,553 695,294 404,783 234,517 467,546 383,458 2,200 3,602,627
Total Current period gross write-offs - (200 ) - (28 ) - (42 ) (469 ) (22 ) (761 ) 
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The following tables present loan balances by age and payment status.

Schedule of loan balances by payment status
March<br> 31, 2024
(dollars<br> in thousands) Accruing<br> 30-<br><br> 59 days past<br><br> due Accruing<br> 60-89<br><br> days past due Accruing<br> 90<br><br> days or more<br><br> past due Nonaccrual<br><br> loans Accruing<br><br> current Total
Commercial
Owner occupied RE $ - - - - 631,047 631,047
Non-owner occupied RE 8,031 27 - 1,410 935,062 944,530
Construction - - - - 157,464 157,464
Business 428 18 - 488 519,139 520,073
Consumer
Real estate 2,903 - - 1,380 1,097,290 1,101,573
Home equity 231 127 - 367 183,966 184,691
Construction - - - - 53,216 53,216
Other - 7 - 1 51,164 51,172
Total loans $ 11,593 179 - 3,646 3,628,348 3,643,766
Total loans over 90 days past due - - - - - 889
December<br> 31, 2023
(dollars<br> in thousands) Accruing<br> 30-<br><br> 59 days past<br><br> due Accruing<br> 60-89<br><br> days past due Accruing<br> 90<br> days or more<br> past due Nonaccrual<br><br> loans Accruing<br><br> current Total
Commercial
Owner occupied RE $ 74 - - - 631,583 631,657
Non-owner occupied RE 8,102 - - 1,423 933,004 942,529
Construction - - - - 150,680 150,680
Business 567 - - 319 499,275 500,161
Consumer
Real estate 1,750 - - 985 1,079,694 1,082,429
Home equity 601 30 - 1,236 181,137 183,004
Construction - - - - 63,348 63,348
Other 25 25 - - 48,769 48,819
Total loans $ 11,119 55 - 3,963 3,587,490 3,602,627
Total loans over 90 days past due - - - - - 1,300

As

of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, loans 30 days or more past due represented 0.36% and 0.37% of the Company’s total loan portfolio, respectively. Commercial loans 30 days or more past due were 0.24% and 0.27% of the Company’s total loan portfolio as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. Consumer loans 30 days or more past due were 0.11% and 0.09% of total loans as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

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The table below summarizes nonaccrual loans by major categories for the periods presented.

Schedule nonaccrual loans by major categories
March<br> 31, 2024 December<br> 31, 2023
Nonaccrual Nonaccrual Nonaccrual Nonaccrual
loans loans Total loans loans Total
with no with an nonaccrual with no with an nonaccrual
(dollars<br> in thousands) allowance allowance loans allowance allowance loans
Commercial
Owner occupied RE $ - - - $ - - -
Non-owner occupied<br> RE 646 764 1,410 653 770 1,423
Construction - - - - - -
Business - 488 488 164 155 319
Total<br> commercial 646 1,252 1,898 817 925 1,742
Consumer
Real estate 625 755 1,380 - 985 985
Home equity 367 - 367 343 893 1,236
Construction - - - - - -
Other - 1 1 - - -
Total<br> consumer 992 756 1,748 343 1,878 2,221
Total<br> nonaccrual loans $ 1,638 2,008 3,646 $ 1,160 2,803 3,963

The Company did not recognize interest income on nonaccrual loans for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023. The accrued interest reversed during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023 was not material. Foregone interest income on the nonaccrual loans for the three-month period ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023 was not material.0

The table below summarizes information regarding nonperforming assets.

Schedule of nonperforming assets
(dollars<br> in thousands) March<br> 31, 2024 December<br> 31, 2023
Nonaccrual loans $ 3,646 3,963
Other real estate owned - -
Total nonperforming<br> assets $ 3,646 3,963
Nonperforming assets as a percentage of:
Total assets 0.09 % 0.10 %
Gross loans 0.10 % 0.11 %
Total loans over 90 days past due $ 889 1,300
Loans over 90 days past due and still<br> accruing - -

Modificationsto Borrowers Experiencing Financial Difficulty

The Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2022-02, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures (“ASU 2022-02”) effective January 1, 2023. The amendments in ASU 2022-02 eliminated the recognition and measure of troubled debt restructurings and enhanced disclosures for loan modifications to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty.

The allowance for credit losses incorporates an estimate of lifetime expected credit losses and is recorded on each asset upon origination or acquisition. The starting point for the estimate of the allowance for credit losses is historical loss information, which includes losses from modifications of receivables to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. The Company uses a probability of default/loss given default model to determine the allowance for credit losses. An assessment of whether a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty is made on the date of a modification.

Because the effect of most modifications made to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty is already included in the allowance for credit losses because of the measurement methodologies used to estimate the allowance, a change to the allowance for credit losses is generally not recorded upon modification.

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There were no loans modified to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty during the three months ended March 31, 2024. The following table shows the amortized cost basis of the loans modified to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, disaggregated by class of loans and type of concession granted and describes the financial effect of the modifications made to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty.

Schedule of amortized cost basis<br>of loans
Term Extension
(dollars in thousands) Amortized<br> Cost Basis % of Total<br> Loan Type Financial Effect
Commercial Business $ 309 0.06 % Added a 1-year term to both of the loans modified. One loan was granted an extended amortization due to the inability to pay on a 3-year amortization. The other loan was given an interest only period due to the ability to pay only interest to get the loan renewed.

Neither of the two loans modified had a payment default during the period. The Company closely monitors the performance of the loans that are modified for borrowers experiencing financial difficulty to understand the effectiveness of its modification efforts. Both loans are in current payment status since the loan modification occurred in the third quarter of 2023. There have been no commitments to lend additional funds to the borrowers experiencing financial difficulty as of March 31, 2024.

Allowance forCredit Losses

The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses to provide for expected credit losses. Losses are charged against the allowance when management believes that the principal is uncollectable. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance. Allocations of the allowance are made for specific loans and for pools of similar types of loans, although the entire allowance is available for any loan that, in management’s judgment, should be charged against the allowance. A provision for credit losses is taken based on management’s ongoing evaluation of the appropriate allowance balance.

A formal evaluation of the adequacy of the credit loss allowance is conducted quarterly. This assessment includes procedures to estimate the allowance and test the adequacy and appropriateness of the resulting balance. The level of the allowance is based upon management's evaluation of historical default and loss experience, current and projected economic conditions, asset quality trends, known and inherent risks in the portfolio, adverse situations that may affect the borrowers' ability to repay a loan, the estimated value of any underlying collateral, composition of the loan portfolio, industry and peer bank loan quality indications and other pertinent factors, including regulatory recommendations. Management believes the level of the allowance for credit losses is adequate to absorb all expected future losses inherent in the loan portfolio at the balance sheet date. The allowance is increased through provision for credit losses and decreased by charge-offs, net of recoveries of amounts previously charged-off.

The Company uses a lifetime probability of default and loss given default modeling approach to estimate the allowance for credit losses on loans. This method uses historical correlations between default experience and the age of loans to forecast defaults and losses, assuming that a loan in a pool shares similar risk characteristics such as loan product type, risk rating and loan age, and demonstrates similar default characteristics as other loans in that pool, as the loan progresses through its lifecycle. The Company calculates lifetime probability of default and loss given default rates based on historical loss experience, which is used to calculate expected losses based on the pool’s loss rate and the age of loans in the pool. Management believes that the Company’s historical loss experience provides the best basis for its assessment of expected credit losses to determine the allowance for credit losses. The Company uses its own internal data to measure historical credit loss experience within the pools with similar risk characteristics over an economic cycle. The probability of default and loss given default method also includes assumptions of observed migration over the lifetime of the underlying loan data. Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated for expected credit losses on an individual basis and excluded from the collective evaluation.

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Management also considers further adjustments to historical loss information for current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that differ from the conditions that exist for the period over which historical information is evaluated as well as other changes in qualitative factors not inherently considered in the quantitative analyses. The Company generally utilizes a four-quarter forecast period in evaluating the appropriateness of the reasonable and supportable forecast scenarios which are incorporated through qualitative adjustments. There is immediate reversion to historical loss rates. The qualitative categories and the measurements used to quantify the risks within each of these categories are subjectively selected by management but measured by objective measurements period over period. The data for each measurement may be obtained from internal or external sources. The current period measurements are evaluated and assigned a factor commensurate with the current level of risk relative to past measurements over time. The resulting qualitative adjustments are applied to the relevant collectively evaluated loan pools. These adjustments are based upon quarterly trend assessments in certain economic factors such as labor, inflation, consumer sentiment and real disposable income, as well as associate retention and turnover, portfolio concentrations, and growth characteristics. The qualitative analysis increases or decreases the allowance allocation for each loan pool based on the assessment of factors described above.

The following tables summarize the activity related to the allowance for credit losses for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023 under the CECL methodology.

Schedule of activity related to the allowance for credit losses
Three months ended March 31, 2024
Commercial Consumer
(dollars in thousands) Owner<br><br> occupied<br><br> RE Non-<br><br>owner<br><br> occupied<br><br> RE Construction Business Real<br><br> Estate Home <br>Equity Construction Other Total
Balance, beginning of period $ 6,118 11,167 1,594 7,385 10,647 2,600 677 494 40,682
Provision for credit losses - - - - - - - - -
Loan charge-offs - - - (346 ) - - - (78 ) (424 )
Loan recoveries - - - 15 - 119 - 49 183
Net loan recoveries (charge-offs) - - - (331 ) - 119 - (29 ) (241 )
Balance, end of period $ 6,118 11,167 1,594 7,054 10,647 2,719 677 465 40,441
Net charge-offs to average loans (annualized) 0.03 %
Allowance for credit losses to gross loans 1.11 %
Allowance for credit losses to nonperforming loans 1,109.13 %
Three months ended March 31, 2023
Commercial Consumer
(dollars in thousands) Owner occupied RE Non-owner occupied RE Construction Business Real Estate Home<br> <br>Equity Construction Other Total
Balance, beginning of period $ 5,867 10,376 1,292 7,861 9,487 2,551 893 312 38,639
Provision for credit losses 117 1,038 (182 ) 150 592 53 (83 ) 170 1,855
Loan charge-offs - (160 ) - (1 ) - - - - (161 )
Loan recoveries - 31 - 12 - 59 - - 102
Net loan recoveries (charge-offs) - (129 ) - 11 - 59 - - (59 )
Balance, end of period $ 5,984 11,285 1,110 8,022 10,079 2,663 810 482 40,435
Net charge-offs to average loans (annualized) 0.01 %
Allowance for credit losses to gross loans 1.18 %
Allowance for credit losses to nonperforming loans 854.33 %

There

was no provision for credit losses recorded during the first quarter of 2024, compared to a provision of $1.9 million for the first quarter of 2023. No provision was recorded during the first quarter of 2024 due to continued low net charge-offs and a continued decline of the expected loss rates in the allowance for credit losses.

Collateral dependent loans are loans for which the repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral and the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. The Company reviews individually evaluated loans for designation as collateral dependent loans, as well as other loans that management of the Company designates as having higher risk. These loans do not share common risk characteristics and are not included within the collectively evaluated loans for determining the allowance for credit losses.

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Under CECL, for collateral dependent loans, the Company has adopted the practical expedient to measure the allowance for credit losses based on the fair value of collateral. The allowance for credit losses is calculated on an individual loan basis based on the shortfall between the fair value of the loan's collateral, which is adjusted for liquidation costs/discounts, and amortized cost. If the fair value of the collateral exceeds the amortized cost, no allowance is required.

The following tables present an analysis of collateral-dependent loans of the Company as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Schedule of analysis of collateral-dependent loans
March<br> 31, 2024
Real Business
(dollars<br> in thousands) estate assets Other Total
Commercial
Owner occupied RE $ - - - -
Non-owner occupied RE 723 - - 723
Construction - - - -
Business - - - -
Total commercial 723 - - 723
Consumer
Real estate 789 - - 789
Home equity 367 - - 367
Construction - - - -
Other - - - -
Total consumer 1,156 - - 1,156
Total $ 1,879 - - 1,879
December<br> 31, 2023
Real Business
(dollars<br> in thousands) estate assets Other Total
Commercial
Owner occupied RE $ - - - -
Non-owner occupied RE 720 - - 720
Construction - - - -
Business 164 - - 164
Total commercial 884 - - 884
Consumer
Real estate 166 - - 166
Home equity 343 - - 343
Construction - - - -
Other - - - -
Total consumer 509 - - 509
Total $ 1,393 - - 1,393 
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Allowance forCredit Losses - Unfunded Loan Commitments

The

allowance for credit losses for unfunded loan commitments was $1.7 million and $1.8 million at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, and is separately classified on the balance sheet within other liabilities. The following table presents the balance and activity in the allowance for credit losses for unfunded loan commitments for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.

Schedule of allowance for credit losses for unfunded loan commitments
Three<br> months ended Twelve<br> months ended
(dollars<br> in thousands) March<br> 31, 2024 December<br> 31, 2023
Balance, beginning of period $ 1,831 2,780
Provision for (reversal of) credit losses (175 ) (949 )
Balance, end of period $ 1,656 1,831
Unfunded Loan Commitments $ 710,669 724,606
Reserve for Unfunded Commitments to Unfunded Loan Commitments 0.23 % 0.25 %

NOTE 5 –Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company utilizes derivative financial instruments primarily to manage its exposure to changes in interest rates. All derivative financial instruments are recognized as either assets or liabilities and measured at fair value.

The Company enters into commitments to originate residential mortgage loans held for sale, at specified interest rates and within a specified period of time, with clients who have applied for a loan and meet certain credit and underwriting criteria (interest rate lock commitments). These interest rate lock commitments (“IRLCs”) meet the definition of a derivative financial instrument and are reflected in the balance sheet at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in current period earnings. Unrealized gains and losses on the IRLCs are recorded as derivative assets and derivative liabilities, respectively, and are measured based on the value of the underlying mortgage loan, quoted mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) prices and an estimate of the probability that the mortgage loan will fund within the terms of the interest rate lock commitment, net of estimated commission expenses.

The Company manages the interest rate and price risk associated with its outstanding IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale by entering into derivative instruments such as forward sales of MBS. These derivatives are free- standing derivatives and are not designated as instruments for hedge accounting. Management expects these derivatives will experience changes in fair value opposite to changes in fair value of the IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale, thereby reducing earnings volatility. The Company takes into account various factors and strategies in determining the portion of the mortgage pipeline (IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale) it wants to economically hedge. The gain or loss resulting from the change in the fair value of the derivative is recognized in the Company’s statement of income during the period of change.

The

Company entered into a pay-fixed portfolio layer method fair value swap, designated as a hedging instrument, with a total notional amount of $200.0 million in the second quarter of 2023. The hedging instrument matures on May 25, 2028. The Company is designating the fair value swap under the portfolio layer method (“PLM”). Under this method, the hedged item is designated as a hedged layer of a closed portfolio of financial loans that is anticipated to remain outstanding for the designated hedged period. Adjustments are made to record the swap at fair value on the consolidated balance sheets, with changes in fair value recognized in interest income. The carrying value of the fair value swap on the consolidated balance sheets will also be adjusted through interest income, based on changes in fair value attributable to changes in the hedged risk.

The following table represents the carrying value of the portfolio layer method hedged asset and liability and the cumulative fair value hedging adjustment included in the carrying value of the hedged asset as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Schedule of<br> carrying value of hedged asset and liability and cumulative fair value hedging adjustment
March 31, 2024 December 31, 2023
(dollars in thousands) Carrying<br> Amount Hedged Asset Carrying<br> Amount Hedged Liability
Fixed<br>Rate Asset/Liability^1^ $ 203,206 $ 3,206 $ 199,518 $ 482 
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^1^ These<br> amounts included the amortized cost basis of closed portfolios of fixed rate loans used to<br> designate hedging relationships in which the hedged item is the stated amount of the assets<br> in the closed portfolio anticipated to be outstanding for the designated hedged period. As<br> of March 31, 2024, the amortized cost basis of the closed portfolio used in this hedging<br> relationship was $706.9 million, the cumulative basis adjustment associated with this hedging relationship was $3.2 million,<br> and the amount of the designated hedged item was $200.0 million.

The following table summarizes the Company’s outstanding financial derivative instruments at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Schedule of outstanding financial derivative instruments
March 31, 2024
Fair Value
(dollars in thousands) Notional Balance Sheet<br><br> Location Asset/(Liability)
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Fair value swap Fair<br> value swap [Member] $ 200,000 Other assets $ 3,206
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Mortgage loan interest rate lock commitments Mortgage loan<br> interest rate lock commitments [Member] 28,986 Other assets 316
MBS forward sales commitments MBS forward sales commitments [Member] 19,500 Other liabilities (59 )
Total derivative financial instruments Total derivative financial instruments [Member] $ 248,486 $ 3,463
December 31, 2023
Fair Value
(dollars in thousands) Notional Balance Sheet<br><br> Location Asset/(Liability)
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Fair value swap $ 200,000 Other liabilities $ (482 )
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Mortgage loan interest rate lock commitments 12,973 Other assets 159
MBS forward sales commitments 10,000 Other liabilities (68 )
Total derivative financial instruments $ 222,973 $ (391 )

Accrued

interest receivable related to the interest rate swap as of March 31, 2024 totaled $291,000 and is excluded from the fair value presented in the table above.

The Company assesses the effectiveness of the fair value swap hedge with a regression analysis that compares the changes in forward curves to determine the value. The effective portion of changes in fair value of derivatives designated as fair value hedges is recorded through interest income. The Company does not offset derivative assets and derivative liabilities for financial statement presentation purposes.

The following table summarizes the effect of the fair value hedging relationship recognized in the consolidated statements of income for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023.

Schedule of summarize the effect of fair value hedging relationship recognized in consolidated statement of income ****
Three months ended <br>March 31,
(dollars in thousands) 2024 2023
Gain (loss) on fair value hedging relationship:
Hedged asset $ 3,688 -
Fair value derivative designated as hedging instrument (3,738 ) -
Total gain (loss) recognized in interest income on loans $ (50 ) -

NOTE 6 – Fair Value Accounting

FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures,” defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. FASB ASC 820 also establishes a fair value hierarchy which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and

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minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The standard describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1 – Quoted market price in active markets
Quoted<br> prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 1 assets and liabilities include certain debt and equity securities<br> that are traded in an active exchange market.
Level 2 – Significant other observable inputs
Observable<br> inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active;<br> or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets<br> or liabilities. Level 2 assets and liabilities include fixed income securities and mortgage-backed securities that are held in the<br> Company’s available-for-sale portfolio and valued by a third-party pricing service, as well as certain individually evaluated<br> loans.
Level 3 – Significant unobservable inputs
---
Unobservable inputs that are supported by<br> little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 assets and liabilities<br> include financial instruments whose value is determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques,<br> as well as instruments for which the determination of fair value requires significant management judgment or estimation.  These<br> methodologies may result in a significant portion of the fair value being derived from unobservable data.

The methods of determining the fair value of assets and liabilities presented in this note are consistent with our methodologies disclosed in Note 12 of the Company’s 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K. See Note 5 for how the derivative asset fair value is determined. The Company’s loan portfolio is initially fair valued using a segmented approach, using the eight categories of loans as disclosed in Note 4 – Loans and Allowance for Credit Losses. Loans are considered a Level 3 classification.

Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

The tables below present the recorded amount of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Schedule of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
March 31, 2024
(dollars in thousands) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total
Assets
Securities available for sale
Corporate bonds Level 1 [Member] $ - 1,887 - 1,887
US treasuries Level 2 [Member] - 888 - 888
US government agencies Level 3 [Member] - 18,197 - 18,197
State and political subdivisions - 19,537 - 19,537
Asset-backed securities - 34,204 - 34,204
Mortgage-backed securities - 51,283 - 51,283
Mortgage loans held for sale - 11,842 - 11,842
Mortgage loan interest rate lock commitments - 316 - 316
Derivative asset - 3,206 - 3,206
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis $ - 141,360 - 141,360
Liabilities
MBS forward sales commitments $ - 59 - 59
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis $ - 59 - 59 
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December<br> 31, 2023
(dollars in thousands) Level<br> 1 Level<br> 2 Level<br> 3 Total
Assets
Securities available<br> for sale:
Corporate<br> bonds $ - 1,910 - 1,910
US treasuries - 9,394 - 9,394
US government agencies - 18,656 - 18,656
State and political subdivisions - 19,741 - 19,741
Asset-backed securities - 33,236 - 33,236
Mortgage-backed securities - 51,765 - 51,765
Mortgage loans held for<br> sale - 7,194 - 7,194
Mortgage<br> loan interest rate lock commitments - 159 - 159
Total<br> assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis $ - 142,055 - 142,055
Liabilities
Derivative liability $ - 482 - 482
MBS<br> forward sales commitments - 68 - 68
Total<br> liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis $ - 550 - 550

Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

The tables below present the recorded amount of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Schedule of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis
As of March 31, 2024
(dollars in thousands) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total
Assets
Individually evaluated loans $ - 1,638 2,153 3,791
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis $ - 1,638 2,153 3,791
As of December 31, 2023
(dollars in thousands) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total
Assets
Individually evaluated loans $ - 1,160 2,976 4,136
Total assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis $ - 1,160 2,976 4,136

The Company had no liabilities carried at fair value or measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis.

For Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring or nonrecurring basis as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurements were as follows:

Schedule of unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurements Valuation Technique Significant Unobservable Inputs Range of Inputs
Individually<br> evaluated loans Appraised<br> Value/ Discounted Cash Flows Discounts to appraisals or<br> cash flows for estimated holding and/or selling costs or age of appraisal 0-25%

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Financial instruments require disclosure of fair value information, whether or not recognized in the consolidated balance sheets, when it is practical to estimate the fair value. A financial instrument is defined as cash, evidence of an ownership interest in an entity or a contractual obligation which requires the exchange of cash. Certain items are specifically excluded from the disclosure requirements, including the Company’s common stock, premises and equipment and other assets and liabilities.

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The estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 are as follows:

Schedule of estimated fair values of the company's financial instruments
March 31, 2024
(dollars in thousands) Carrying<br> Amount Fair<br> Value Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Financial Assets:
Other investments, at cost $ 18,499 18,499 - - 18,499
Loans^1^ 3,598,837 3,269,154 - - 3,269,154
Financial Liabilities:
Deposits 3,460,681 2,954,382 - 2,954,382 -
Subordinated debentures 36,349 40,617 - 40,617 -
December 31, 2023
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
(dollars in thousands) Carrying<br> Amount Fair<br> Value Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Financial Assets:
Other investments, at cost $ 19,939 19,939 - - 19,939
Loans^1^ 3,557,120 3,337,768 - - 3,337,768
Financial Liabilities:
Deposits 3,379,564 2,961,182 - 2,961,182 -
Subordinated debentures 36,322 40,712 - 40,712 -
^1^ Carrying amount is net of the allowance<br>for credit losses and individually evaluated loans.
--- ---

NOTE 7 – Leases

The

Company had operating right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, included in property and equipment, of $21.8 million and $22.2 million as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.  The Company had lease liabilities, included in other liabilities, of $24.3 million and $24.6 million as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. We maintain operating leases on land and buildings for various office spaces. The lease agreements have maturity dates ranging from April 2025 to February 2032, some of which include options for multiple five-year extensions. The weighted average remaining life of the lease term for these leases was 5.67 years as of March 31, 2024. The ROU asset and lease liability are recognized at lease commencement by calculating the present value of lease payments over the lease term.  The ROU assets also include any initial direct costs incurred and lease payments made at or before commencement date and are reduced by any lease incentives.

The

discount rate used in determining the lease liability for each individual lease was the FHLB fixed advance rate which corresponded with the remaining lease term at implementation of the accounting standard and as of the lease commencement date for leases subsequently entered into. The weighted average discount rate for leases was 2.29% as of March 31, 2024.

The

total operating lease costs were $593,000 and $595,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

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Operating lease payments due as of March 31, 2024 were as follows:

Schedule of maturities of lease liabilities
(dollars<br> in thousands) Operating<br><br> Leases
2024 $ 1,578
2025 2,157
2026 2,210
2027 2,267
2028 2,015
Thereafter 20,187
Total undiscounted lease payments 30,414
Discount effect of cash flows 6,117
Total lease liability $ 24,297

NOTE 8 – Earnings Per Common Share

The

following schedule reconciles the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted earnings per share computations for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2024 and 2023. Dilutive common shares arise from the potentially dilutive effect of the Company’s stock options that were outstanding at March 31, 2024. The assumed conversion of stock options can create a difference between basic and dilutive net income per common share. At March 31, 2024 and 2023, there were 212,863 and 205,689 options, respectively, that were not considered in computing diluted earnings per common share because they were anti-dilutive.

Schedule of earnings per share calculation
Three<br> months ended<br> March 31,
(dollars<br> in thousands, except share data) **** 2024 2023
Numerator:
Net<br> income available to common shareholders $ 2,522 2,703
Denominator:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding –<br> basic 8,110,249 8,025,876
Common stock equivalents 31,672 66,394
Weighted-average<br> common shares outstanding – diluted 8,141,921 8,092,270
Earnings per common share:
Basic $ 0.31 0.34
Diluted 0.31 0.33

Item2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Thefollowing discussion reviews our results of operations for the three month period ended March 31, 2024 as compared to the three monthperiod ended March 31, 2023 and assesses our financial condition as of March 31, 2024 as compared to December 31, 2023. You should readthe following discussion and analysis in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements and the related notes andthe consolidated financial statements and the related notes for the year ended December 31, 2023 included in our Annual Report on Form10-K for that period. Results for the three month period ended March 31, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the yearending December 31, 2024 or any future period.

Unlessthe context requires otherwise, references to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or similarreferences mean Southern First Bancshares, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiary. References to the “Bank” refer to SouthernFirst Bank.

Cautionary Warning Regarding forward-looking statements

This report contains statements which constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-

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looking statements may relate to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, or future performance. These statements are based on many assumptions and estimates and are not guarantees of future performance. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements, as they will depend on many factors about which we are unsure, including many factors which are beyond our control. The words “may,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “seek to,” “strive,” “focus,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “believe,” “continue,” “assume,” “intend,” “plan,” and “estimate,” as well as similar expressions, are meant to identify such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

● Restrictions<br> or conditions imposed by our regulators on our operations;
● Increases<br> in competitive pressure in the banking and financial services industries;
--- ---
● Changes<br> in access to funding or increased regulatory requirements with regard to funding, which could<br> impair our liquidity;
--- ---
● Changes<br> in deposit flows, which may be negatively affected by a number of factors, including rates<br> paid by competitors, general interest rate levels, regulatory capital requirements, returns<br> available to clients on alternative investments and general economic or industry conditions;
--- ---
● Credit<br> losses as a result of declining real estate values, increasing interest rates, increasing<br> unemployment, changes in payment behavior or other factors;
--- ---
● Credit<br> losses due to loan concentration;
--- ---
● Changes<br> in the amount of our loan portfolio collateralized by real estate and weaknesses in the real<br> estate market;
--- ---
● Our<br> ability to successfully execute our business strategy;
--- ---
● Our<br> ability to attract and retain key personnel;
--- ---
● The<br> success and costs of our expansion into the Charlotte, North Carolina, Greensboro, North<br> Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia markets and into potential new markets;
--- ---
● Risks<br> with respect to future mergers or acquisitions, including our ability to successfully expand<br> and integrate the businesses and operations that we acquire and realize the anticipated benefits<br> of the mergers or acquisitions;
--- ---
● Changes<br> in the interest rate environment which could reduce anticipated or actual margins;
--- ---
● Changes<br> in political conditions or the legislative or regulatory environment, including new governmental<br> initiatives affecting the financial services industry;
--- ---
● Changes<br> in economic conditions resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality;
--- ---
● Changes<br> occurring in business conditions and inflation;
--- ---
● Increased<br> cybersecurity risk, including potential business disruptions or financial losses;
--- ---
● Changes<br> in technology;
--- ---
● The<br> adequacy of the level of our allowance for credit losses and the amount of loan loss provisions<br> required in future periods;
--- ---
● Examinations<br> by our regulatory authorities, including the possibility that the regulatory authorities<br> may, among other things, require us to increase our allowance for credit losses or write-down<br> assets;
--- ---
● Changes<br> in U.S. monetary policy, the level and volatility of interest rates, the capital markets<br> and other market conditions that may affect, among other things, our liquidity and the value<br> of our assets and liabilities;
--- ---
● Any<br> increase in FDIC assessments which will increase our cost of doing business;
--- ---
● Risks<br> associated with complex and changing regulatory environments, including, among others, with<br> respect to data privacy, artificial intelligence, information security, climate change or<br> other environmental, social and governance matters, and labor matters, relating to our operations;
--- ---
● The<br> rate of delinquencies and amounts of loans charged-off;
--- --- 
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● The<br> rate of loan growth in recent years and the lack of seasoning of a portion of our loan portfolio;
● Our<br> ability to maintain appropriate levels of capital and to comply with our capital ratio requirements;
--- ---
● Adverse<br> changes in asset quality and resulting credit risk-related losses and expenses;
--- ---
● Changes<br> in accounting standards, rules and interpretations and the related impact on our financial<br> statements;
--- ---
● Risks<br> associated with actual or potential litigation or investigations by customers, regulatory<br> agencies or others;
--- ---
● Adverse<br> effects of failures by our vendors to provide agreed upon services in the manner and at the<br> cost agreed;
--- ---
● The<br> potential effects of events beyond our control that may have a destabilizing effect on financial<br> markets and the economy, such as epidemics and pandemics, war or terrorist activities, such<br> as the war in Ukraine, the Middle East conflict, and the conflict between China and Taiwan,<br> disruptions in our customers’ supply chains, disruptions in transportation, essential<br> utility outages or trade disputes and related tariffs; and
--- ---
● Other<br> risks and uncertainties detailed in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of our Annual<br> Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, in Part II, Item 1A, “Risk<br> Factors” of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in our other filings with the SEC.
--- ---

If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements proves to be incorrect, our results could differ materially from those expressed in, implied or projected by, such forward-looking statements. We urge investors to consider all of these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We make these forward-looking statements as of the date of this document and we do not intend, and assume no obligation, to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

OVERVIEW

Our business model continues to be client-focused, utilizing relationship teams to provide our clients with a specific banker contact and support team responsible for all of their banking needs. The purpose of this structure is to provide a consistent and superior level of professional service, and we believe it provides us with a distinct competitive advantage. We consider exceptional client service to be a critical part of our culture, which we refer to as “ClientFIRST.”

At March 31, 2024, we had total assets of $4.11 billion, a 1.2% increase from total assets of $4.06 billion at December 31, 2023. The largest component of our total assets is loans which were $3.64 billion and $3.60 billion at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. Our liabilities and shareholders’ equity at March 31, 2024 totaled $3.79 billion and $315.3 million, respectively, compared to liabilities of $3.74 billion and shareholders’ equity of $312.5 million at December 31, 2023. The principal component of our liabilities is deposits which were $3.46 billion and $3.38 billion at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

Like most community banks, we derive the majority of our income from interest received on our loans and investments. Our primary source of funds for making these loans and investments is our deposits, on which we pay interest. Consequently, one of the key measures of our success is our amount of net interest income, or the difference between the income on our interest-earning assets, such as loans and investments, and the expense on our interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and borrowings. Another key measure is the spread between the yield we earn on these interest-earning assets and the rate we pay on our interest-bearing liabilities, which is called our net interest spread. In addition to earning interest on our loans and investments, we earn income through fees and other charges to our clients.

Our net income to common shareholders was $2.5 million and $2.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) was $0.31 for the first quarter of 2024 as compared to $0.33 for the same period in 2023. The decrease in net income was primarily driven by a decrease in net interest income resulting from an increase in deposit and funding costs.

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resultsof operations

Net Interest Income and Margin

Our level of net interest income is determined by the level of earning assets and the management of our net interest margin. Our net interest income was $18.6 million for the first quarter of 2024, an 8.7% decrease over net interest income of $20.4 million for the first quarter of 2023, driven primarily by an $11.8 million increase in interest expense on our deposit accounts, partially offset by a $10.0 million increase in interest income. In addition, our net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis (TE), was 1.94% for the first quarter of 2024 compared to 2.36% for the same period in 2023.

We have included a number of tables to assist in our description of various measures of our financial performance. For example, the “Average Balances, Income and Expenses, Yields and Rates” table reflects the average balance of each category of our assets and liabilities as well as the yield we earned or the rate we paid with respect to each category during the three month periods ended March 31, 2024 and 2023. A review of this table shows that our loans typically provide higher interest yields than do other types of interest-earning assets, which is why we direct a substantial percentage of our earning assets into our loan portfolio. Similarly, the “Rate/Volume Analysis” tables demonstrate the effect of changing interest rates and changing volume of assets and liabilities on our financial condition during the periods shown. We also track the sensitivity of our various categories of assets and liabilities to changes in interest rates, and we have included tables to illustrate our interest rate sensitivity with respect to interest-earning accounts and interest-bearing accounts.

The following tables entitled “Average Balances, Income and Expenses, Yield and Rates” set forth information related to our average balance sheets, average yields on assets, and average costs of liabilities. We derived these yields by dividing income or expense by the average balance of the corresponding assets or liabilities. We derived average balances from the daily balances throughout the periods indicated. During the same periods, we had no securities purchased with agreements to resell. All investments owned have an original maturity of over one year. Nonaccrual loans are included in the following tables. Loan yields have been reduced to reflect the negative impact on our earnings of loans on nonaccrual status. The net of capitalized loan costs and fees are amortized into interest income on loans.

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AverageBalances, Income and Expenses, Yields and Rates

For<br> the Three Months Ended March 31,
2024 2023
(dollars<br> in thousands) Average<br><br> Balance Income/<br><br> Expense Yield/<br><br> Rate^(1)^ Average<br><br> Balance Income/<br><br> Expense Yield/<br><br> Rate^(1)^
Interest-earning assets
Federal funds sold and interest-bearing<br> deposits with banks $ 94,420 $ 1,280 5.44 % $ 85,966 $ 969 4.57 %
Investment securities, taxable 137,271 1,436 4.20 % 87,521 530 2.46 %
Investment<br> securities, nontaxable^(2)^ 8,097 55 2.70 % 10,266 106 4.21 %
Loans^(3)^ 3,622,972 45,605 5.05 % 3,334,530 36,748 4.47 %
Total interest-earning assets 3,862,760 48,376 5.02 % 3,518,283 38,353 4.42 %
Noninterest-earning<br> assets 155,362 161,310
Total assets $ 4,018,122 $ 3,679,593
Interest-bearing liabilities
NOW accounts $ 295,774 660 0.90 % $ 303,176 440 0.59 %
Savings & money market 1,620,521 16,299 4.03 % 1,661,878 11,992 2.93 %
Time deposits 801,734 9,973 4.99 % 543,425 4,747 3.54 %
Total interest-bearing deposits 2,718,029 26,932 3.97 % 2,508,479 17,179 2.78 %
FHLB advances and other borrowings 241,319 2,229 3.71 % 18,243 200 4.45 %
Subordinated debentures 36,333 557 6.15 % 36,224 527 5.90 %
Total interest-bearing liabilities 2,995,681 29,718 3.98 % 2,562,946 17,906 2.83 %
Noninterest-bearing liabilities 707,890 818,123
Shareholders’<br> equity 314,551 298,524
Total liabilities<br> and shareholders’ equity $ 4,018,122 $ 3,679,593
Net interest spread 1.04 % 1.59 %
Net interest income (tax equivalent) / margin $ 18,658 1.94 % $ 20,447 2.36 %
Less: tax-equivalent adjustment^(2)^ 13 23
Net interest income $ 18,645 $ 20,424
(1) Annualized<br> for the three month period.
--- ---
(2) The tax-equivalent<br> adjustment to net interest income adjusts the yield for assets earning tax-exempt income<br> to a comparable yield on a taxable basis.
--- ---
(3) Includes mortgage<br> loans held for sale.
--- ---

Our net interest margin (TE) decreased 42 basis points to 1.94% during the first quarter of 2024, compared to the first quarter of 2023, primarily due to our deposit and borrowing costs increasing faster than our loan yield as our interest-bearing liabilities have been more sensitive to changes in the federal funds rate over the past two years. Our average interest-bearing liabilities grew by $432.7 million during the first quarter of 2024 from the prior year, while the rate on these liabilities increased 115 basis points to 3.98%. In contrast, our average interest-earning assets grew by $344.5 million during the first quarter of 2024 from the prior year, while the average yield on these assets increased by only 60 basis points to 5.02% during the same period.

The increase in our average interest-bearing liabilities during the first quarter of 2024 resulted primarily from a $209.6 million increase in our interest-bearing deposits from the prior year, while the 115 basis point increase in rate on our interest-bearing liabilities was driven by a 119 basis point increase in deposit rates.

The increase in average interest-earning assets for the first quarter of 2024 related primarily to an increase of $288.4 million in our average loan balances from the prior year. The 60 basis point increase in yield on our interest-earning assets was driven by a 58 basis point increase in loan yield as our loan portfolio has repriced at rates higher than historical rates for the majority of the past 12 months.

Our net interest spread was 1.04% for the first quarter of 2024 compared to 1.59% for the same period in 2023. The net interest spread is the difference between the yield we earn on our interest-earning assets and the rate we pay on our interest-bearing liabilities. The 115 basis point increase in the rate on our interest-bearing liabilities was partially offset by a 60 basis point increase in yield on our interest-earning assets, resulting in a 55 basis point decrease in our net interest spread for the 2024 period. We anticipate continued pressure on our net interest spread

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and net interest margin in future periods as a significant portion of our loan portfolio is at fixed rates which do not move with the Federal Reserve’s interest rate increases, while our deposit accounts reprice much more quickly.

Rate/VolumeAnalysis

Net interest income can be analyzed in terms of the impact of changing interest rates and changing volume. The following tables set forth the effect which the varying levels of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities and the applicable rates have had on changes in net interest income for the periods presented.

Three Months Ended
March 31, 2024 vs. 2023 March 31, 2023 vs. 2022
Increase (Decrease) Due to Increase (Decrease) Due to
(dollars in thousands) Volume Rate Rate/<br> Volume Total Volume Rate Rate/<br> Volume Total
Interest income
Loans $ 3,234 5,168 455 8,857 $ 7,189 4,328 1,300 12,817
Investment securities 297 382 186 865 (103 ) 309 (67 ) 139
Federal funds sold and interest-bearing deposits with banks 45 254 12 311 (2 ) 945 (33 ) 910
Total interest income 3,576 5,804 653 10,033 7,084 5,582 1,200 13,866
Interest expense
Deposits 503 8,987 263 9,753 253 12,521 3,497 16,271
FHLB advances and other borrowings 2,444 (31 ) (384 ) 2,029 1 170 17 188
Subordinated debentures 2 28 - 30 1 146 - 147
Total interest expense 2,949 8,984 (121 ) 11,812 255 12,837 3,514 16,606
Net interest income $ 627 (3,180 ) 774 (1,779 ) $ 6,829 (7,255 ) (2,314 ) (2,740 )

Net interest income, the largest component of our income, was $18.6 million for the first quarter of 2024 and $20.4 million for the first quarter of 2023, a $1.8 million, or 8.7%, decrease year over year. The decrease during 2024 was driven by an $11.8 million increase in interest expense primarily due to higher rates on our interest-bearing deposits, combined with an increase in average FHLB advances and other borrowings. Partially offsetting the increase in interest expense was a $10.0 million increase in interest income which was primarily driven by an increase in yield on our loan portfolio, combined with a $288.4 million increase in average loan balances for the first quarter of 2024.

Provision for Credit Losses

The provision for credit losses, which includes a provision for losses on unfunded commitments, is a charge to earnings to maintain the allowance for credit losses and reserve for unfunded commitments at levels consistent with management’s assessment of expected losses in the loan portfolio at the balance sheet date. We review the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses on a quarterly basis. Please see the discussion included in Note 4 – Loans and Allowance for Credit Losses for a description of the factors we consider in determining the amount of the provision we expense each period to maintain this allowance.

We recorded a $175,000 reversal of the provision for credit losses during the first quarter of 2024, compared to a $1.8 million provision for credit losses in the first quarter of 2023. No provision for credit losses was recorded during the first quarter of 2024 as we continue to experience low net charge-offs, and the expected loss rates in our allowance for credit losses continue to decline. During the first quarter of 2024, we reversed $175,000 of the reserve for unfunded commitments due to a decrease in the balance of unfunded commitments at March 31, 2024, compared to December 31, 2023.

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Noninterest Income

The following table sets forth information related to our noninterest income.

Three months ended<br> March 31,
(dollars in thousands) 2024 2023
Mortgage banking income $ 1,164 622
Service fees on deposit accounts 387 325
ATM and debit card income 544 555
Income from bank owned life insurance 377 332
Other income 192 210
Total noninterest income $ 2,664 2,044

Noninterest income was $2.7 million for the first quarter of 2024, a $620,000, or 30.3%, increase from noninterest income of $2.0 million for the first quarter of 2023. Mortgage banking income continues to be the largest component of our noninterest income at $1.2 million for the first quarter of 2024. The increase in noninterest income resulted primarily from a $542,000, or 87.1%, increase in mortgage banking income over the prior year which was driven by higher mortgage volume during the first quarter of 2024.

Noninterestexpenses

The following table sets forth information related to our noninterest expenses.

Three<br> months ended<br>  March 31,
(dollars in thousands) 2024 2023
Compensation<br> and benefits $ 10,857 10,356
Occupancy 2,557 2,457
Outside service and data<br> processing costs 1,846 1,629
Insurance 955 689
Professional fees 618 660
Marketing 369 366
Other 898 947
Total<br> noninterest expense $ 18,100 17,104

Noninterest expense was $18.1 million for the first quarter of 2024, a $996,000, or 5.8%, increase from noninterest expense of $17.1 million for the first quarter of 2023. The increase in noninterest expense was driven primarily by the following:

● Compensation<br> and benefits expense increased $501,000, or 4.8%, relating primarily to annual salary increases<br> and higher benefit related expenses.
● Outside<br> service and data processing costs increased $217,000, or 13.3%, relating primarily to increases<br> in item processing, electronic banking and software licensing and maintenance costs.
--- ---
● Insurance<br> costs increased $266,000, or 38.6%, as a result of higher FDIC insurance premiums.
--- ---

Our efficiency ratio was 84.9% for the first quarter of 2024, compared to 76.1% for the first quarter of 2023. The efficiency ratio represents the percentage of one dollar of expense required to be incurred to earn a full dollar of revenue and is computed by dividing noninterest expense by the sum of net interest income and noninterest income. The higher ratio during the first quarter of 2024, compared to the first quarter of 2023, relates primarily to the decrease in net interest income combined with higher noninterest expenses.

We incurred income tax expense of $862,000 and $836,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Our effective tax rate was 25.5% and 23.6% for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The higher tax rate during the first quarter of 2024 was driven by the effect of equity compensation transactions during the quarter.

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BalanceSheet Review

Investment Securities

At March 31, 2024, the $144.5 million in our investment securities portfolio represented approximately 3.5% of our total assets. Our available for sale investment portfolio included corporate bonds, US treasuries, US government agency securities, state and political subdivisions, asset-backed securities and mortgage-backed securities with a fair value of $126.0 million and an amortized cost of $140.9 million, resulting in an unrealized loss of $14.9 million. At December 31, 2023, the $154.6 million in our investment securities portfolio represented approximately 3.8% of our total assets, including investment securities with a fair value of $134.7 million and an amortized cost of $149.1 million for an unrealized loss of $14.4 million. In addition, other investments, which include FHLB Stock and other nonmarketable investments, decreased $1.4 million from December 31, 2023 to $18.5 million at March 31, 2024.

Loans

Since loans typically provide higher interest yields than other types of interest earning assets, a substantial percentage of our earning assets are invested in our loan portfolio. Average loans, excluding mortgage loans held for sale, for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 were $3.62 billion and $3.33 billion, respectively. Before the allowance for credit losses, total loans outstanding at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were $3.64 billion and $3.60 billion, respectively.

The principal component of our loan portfolio is loans secured by real estate mortgages. As of March 31, 2024, our loan portfolio included $3.07 billion, or 84.3%, of real estate loans, compared to $3.05 billion, or 84.8%, at December 31, 2023. Most of our real estate loans are secured by residential or commercial property. We obtain a security interest in real estate, in addition to any other available collateral, in order to increase the likelihood of the ultimate repayment of the loan. Generally, we limit the loan-to-value ratio on loans to coincide with the appropriate regulatory guidelines. We attempt to maintain a relatively diversified loan portfolio to help reduce the risk inherent in concentration in certain types of collateral and business types. Home equity lines of credit totaled $184.7 million as of March 31, 2024, of which approximately 48% were in a first lien position, while the remaining balance was second liens. At December 31, 2023, our home equity lines of credit totaled $183.0 million, of which approximately 46% were in first lien positions, while the remaining balance was in second liens. The average home equity loan had a balance of approximately $86,000 and a loan to value of 70% as of March 31, 2024, compared to an average loan balance of $85,000 and a loan to value of approximately 73% as of December 31, 2023. Further, 0.3% and 0.8% of our total home equity lines of credit were over 30 days past due as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

Following is a summary of our loan composition at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. During the first three months of 2024, our loan portfolio increased by $41.1 million, or 1.14%, with a $28.1 million increase in commercial loans while consumer loans increased by $13.0 million during the period. The majority of the increase was in loans secured by real estate. Our level of non-owner occupied commercial real estate and multi-family loans represents 271.4% of the Bank’s total risk-based capital at March 31, 2024. Our consumer real estate portfolio grew by $19.1 million and includes high quality 1-4 family consumer real estate loans. Our average consumer real estate loan currently has a principal balance of $468,000, a term of 23 years, and an average rate of 4.18% as of March 31, 2024, compared to a principal balance of $469,000, a term of 23 years, and an average rate of 4.10% as of December 31, 2023.

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March<br> 31, 2024 December<br> 31, 2023
(dollars<br> in thousands) Amount %  of<br> Total Amount %  of<br> Total
Commercial
Owner occupied RE $ 631,047 17.3 % $ 631,657 17.5 %
Non-owner occupied RE 944,530 25.9 % 942,529 26.2 %
Construction 157,464 4.3 % 150,680 4.2 %
Business 520,073 14.3 % 500,161 13.9 %
Total commercial loans 2,253,114 61.8 % 2,225,027 61.8 %
Consumer
Real estate 1,101,573 30.2 % 1,082,429 30.0 %
Home equity 184,691 5.1 % 183,004 5.1 %
Construction 53,216 1.5 % 63,348 1.7 %
Other 51,172 1.4 % 48,819 1.4 %
Total consumer loans 1,390,652 38.2 % 1,377,600 38.2 %
Total gross loans, net of deferred fees 3,643,766 100.0 % 3,602,627 100.0 %
Less—allowance for credit losses (40,441 ) (40,682 )
Total loans, net $ 3,603,325 $ 3,561,945

Nonperforming assets

Nonperforming assets include real estate acquired through foreclosure or deed taken in lieu of foreclosure and loans on nonaccrual status. Generally, a loan is placed on nonaccrual status when it becomes 90 days past due as to principal or interest, or when we believe, after considering economic and business conditions and collection efforts, that the borrower’s financial condition is such that collection of the contractual principal or interest on the loan is doubtful. A payment of interest on a loan that is classified as nonaccrual is recognized as a reduction in principal when received. Our policy with respect to nonperforming loans requires the borrower to make a minimum of six consecutive payments in accordance with the loan terms and to show capacity to continue performing into the future before that loan can be placed back on accrual status. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, we had no loans 90 days past due and still accruing.

Following is a summary of our nonperforming assets.

(dollars in thousands) March 31, 2024 December 31, 2023
Commercial $ 1,898 1,742
Consumer 1,748 2,221
Total nonaccrual loans 3,646 3,963
Other real estate owned - -
Total nonperforming assets $ 3,646 3,963

At March 31, 2024, nonperforming assets were $3.6 million, or 0.09% of total assets and 0.10% of gross loans. Comparatively, nonperforming assets were $4.0 million, or 0.10% of total assets and 0.11% of gross loans at December 31, 2023. Nonaccrual loans decreased $317,000 during the first three months of 2024 due primarily to two relationships that returned to accrual status and one relationship that paid off during the quarter.

The amount of foregone interest income on nonaccrual loans in the first three months of 2024 and 2023 was not material. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the allowance for credit losses represented 1,109.13% and 1,026.55% of the total amount of nonperforming loans, respectively. A significant portion of the nonperforming loans at March 31, 2024 were secured by real estate. We have evaluated the underlying collateral on these loans and believe that the collateral on these loans is sufficient to minimize future losses.

As a general practice, most of our commercial loans and a portion of our consumer loans are originated with relatively short maturities of less than ten years. As a result, when a loan reaches its maturity we frequently renew

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the loan and thus extend its maturity using similar credit standards as those used when the loan was first originated. Due to these loan practices, we may, at times, renew loans which are classified as nonaccrual after evaluating the loan’s collateral value and financial strength of its guarantors. Nonaccrual loans are renewed at terms generally consistent with the ultimate source of repayment and rarely at reduced rates. In these cases, we will generally seek additional credit enhancements, such as additional collateral or additional guarantees to further protect the loan. When a loan is no longer performing in accordance with its stated terms, we will typically seek performance under the guarantee.

In addition, at March 31, 2024, 84.3% of our loans were collateralized by real estate and 89.1% of our individually evaluated loans were secured by real estate. Included in our real estate portfolio at March 31, 2024 was $222.1 million of loans, or 6.1% of our total loan portfolio, collateralized by office properties, $172.6 million of loans, or 4.7%, collateralized by retail properties, $147.4 million of loans, or 4.0%, collateralized by hotels, and $112.6 million of loans, or 3.1%, collateralized by multifamily properties. We utilize third party appraisers to determine the fair value of collateral dependent loans. Our current loan and appraisal policies require us to obtain updated appraisals on an annual basis, either through a new external appraisal or an appraisal evaluation. Individually evaluated loans are reviewed on a quarterly basis to determine the level of impairment. As of March 31, 2024, we did not have any individually evaluated real estate loans carried at a value in excess of the appraised value. We typically charge-off a portion or create a specific reserve for individually evaluated loans when we do not expect repayment to occur as agreed upon under the original terms of the loan agreement.

At March 31, 2024, individually evaluated loans totaled $4.5 million with a reserve of approximately $697,000 allocated in the allowance for credit losses. Comparatively, individually evaluated loans totaled $4.8 million at December 31, 2023 for which $3.7 million of these loans had a reserve of approximately $688,000 allocated in the allowance for credit losses.

Allowance for Credit Losses

The allowance for credit losses was $40.4 million, representing 1.11% of outstanding loans and providing coverage of 1,109.13% of nonperforming loans at March 31, 2024 compared to $40.7 million, or 1.13% of outstanding loans and 1,026.58% of nonperforming loans at December 31, 2023. At March 31, 2023, the allowance for credit losses was $40.4 million, or 1.18% of outstanding loans and 854.33% of nonperforming loans.

Deposits and Other Interest-Bearing Liabilities

Our primary source of funds for loans and investments is our deposits and advances from the FHLB. In the past, we have chosen to obtain a portion of our certificates of deposits from areas outside of our market in order to obtain longer term deposits than are readily available in our local market. Our internal guidelines regarding the use of brokered CDs limit our brokered CDs to 30% of total deposits, which allows us to take advantage of the attractive terms that wholesale funding can offer while mitigating the related inherent risk.

Our retail deposits represented $3.00 billion, or 86.7% of total deposits, while our wholesale deposits represented $459.8 million, or 13.3%, of total deposits at March 31, 2024. At December 31, 2023, retail deposits represented $3.00 billion, or 88.8%, of our total deposits and wholesale deposits were $379.4 million, representing 11.2% of our total deposits. Our loan-to-deposit ratio was 105% at March 31, 2024 and 107% at December 31, 2023.

The following is a detail of our deposit accounts:

December 31,
(dollars in thousands) 2023
Non-interest bearing 671,708 674,167
Interest bearing:
NOW accounts 293,064 310,218
Money market accounts 1,603,796 1,605,278
Savings 32,248 31,669
Time, less than 250,000 206,657 190,167
Time and out-of-market deposits, 250,000 and over 653,208 568,065
Total deposits 3,460,681 3,379,564

All values are in US Dollars.

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Our primary focus is on increasing core deposits, which exclude out-of-market deposits and time deposits of $250,000 or more, in order to provide a relatively stable funding source for our loan portfolio and other earning assets. Our core deposits were stable at $2.81 billion at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. In addition, at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, we estimate that we have approximately $1.3 billion, or 37.8% and 38.7% of total deposits, respectively, in uninsured deposits, including related interest accrued and unpaid. Since it is not reasonably practicable to provide a precise measure of uninsured deposits, the amounts above are estimates and are based on the same methodologies and assumptions used by the FDIC for the Bank’s regulatory reporting requirements.

The following table shows the average balance amounts and the average rates paid on deposits.
2023
(dollars in thousands) Rate Amount Rate
Noninterest-bearing demand deposits 653,223 0.00 % $ 766,916 0.00 %
Interest-bearing demand deposits 295,774 0.90 % 303,176 0.59 %
Money market accounts 1,588,788 4.11 % 1,621,885 3.01 %
Savings accounts 31,734 0.17 % 39,993 0.06 %
Time deposits less than 250,000 146,477 4.41 % 59,469 4.57 %
Time deposits greater than 250,000 655,256 5.12 % 483,956 3.43 %
Total deposits 3,371,252 3.20 % $ 3,275,395 2.13 %

All values are in US Dollars.

During the first three months of 2024, our average transaction account balances decreased by $162.5 million, or 6.0%, from the prior year, while our average time deposit balances increased by $258.3 million, or 47.5%.

All of our time deposits are certificates of deposits. The maturity distribution of our time deposits $250,000 or more at March 31, 2024 was as follows:

(dollars in thousands) March 31, 2024
Three months or less $ 84,482
Over three through six months 65,646
Over six  through twelve months 144,396
Over twelve months 358,684
Total $ 653,208

Time deposits that meet or exceed the FDIC insurance limit of $250,000 at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were $653.2 million and $568.1 million, respectively. We have a relationship with IntraFi Promontory Network, allowing us to provide deposit customers with access to aggregate FDIC insurance in amounts exceeding $250,000. This gives us the ability, as and when needed, to attract and retain large deposits from insurance conscious customers. With IntraFi, we have the option to keep deposits on balance sheet or sell them to other members of the network.

At March 31, 2024, the Company had $240.0 million of convertible fixed rate FHLB advances with a weighted average rate of 3.65%, while at December 31, 2023, the Company had $275.0 million in FHLB Advances. Of the $275.0 million outstanding at December 31, 2023, $35.0 million was at a variable rate and $240.0 million was at fixed rates. The $240.0 million was secured with approximately $1.30 billion of mortgage loans and $14.6 million of stock in the FHLB at March 31, 2024. The $275.0 million was secured with approximately $1.25 billion of mortgage loans and $16.1 million of stock in the FHLB at December 31, 2023.

Listed below is a summary of the terms and maturities of the advances outstanding at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

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March 31, December 31,
(dollars in thousands) 2024 2023
Maturity Amount Rate Amount Rate
February 29, 2024 $ - - $ 35,000 5.57 %
April 28, 2028 40,000 3.51 % 40,000 3.51 %
May 15, 2028 35,000 3.13 % 35,000 3.13 %
June 28, 2028 40,000 3.54 % 40,000 3.54 %
July 10, 2028 45,000 3.78 % 45,000 3.78 %
July 10, 2028 40,000 3.87 % 40,000 3.87 %
July 10, 2028 40,000 3.96 % 40,000 3.96 %
$ 240,000 3.65 % $ 275,000 3.89 %

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity is our ability to fund operations, to meet depositor withdrawals, to provide for customers’ credit needs, and to meet maturing obligations and existing commitments. Our liquidity principally depends on our cash flows from operating activities, investment in and maturity of assets, changes in balances of deposits and borrowings, and our ability to borrow funds. The bank failures in the first five months of 2023 exemplify the potential serious results of the unexpected inability of insured depository institutions to obtain needed liquidity to satisfy deposit withdrawal requests, including how quickly such requests can accelerate once uninsured depositors lose confidence in an institution’s ability to satisfy its obligations to depositors. We seek to ensure our funding needs are met by maintaining a level of liquidity through asset and liability management. Liquidity management involves monitoring our sources and uses of funds in order to meet our day-to-day cash flow requirements while maximizing profits. Liquidity management is made more complicated because different balance sheet components are subject to varying degrees of management control. For example, the timing of maturities of our investment portfolio is fairly predictable and subject to a high degree of control at the time investment decisions are made. However, net deposit inflows and outflows are far less predictable and are not subject to the same degree of control.

At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, our cash and cash equivalents totaled $167.3 million and $156.2 million, respectively, or 4.1% and 3.9% of total assets, respectively. Our investment securities at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 amounted to $144.5 million and $154.6 million, respectively, or 3.5% and 3.8% of total assets, respectively. Investment securities traditionally provide a secondary source of liquidity since they can be converted into cash in a timely manner.

Our ability to maintain and expand our deposit base and borrowing capabilities serves as our primary source of liquidity. We plan to meet our future cash needs through the liquidation of temporary investments, the generation of deposits, loan payoffs, and from additional borrowings. In addition, we will receive cash upon the maturity and sale of loans and the maturity of investment securities. We maintain five federal funds purchased lines of credit with correspondent banks totaling $108.5 million for which there were no borrowings against the lines of credit at March 31, 2024. We also had $236.1 million pledged and available with the Federal Reserve Discount Window at March 31, 2024. Comparatively, at December 31, 2023, we had $227.1 million pledged and available with the Federal Reserve Discount Window. At December 31, 2023, we had $13.0 million of marketable investment securities pledged in the Federal Reserve’s Bank Term Funding Program which closed on March 11, 2024.

We are also a member of the FHLB, from which applications for borrowings can be made. The FHLB requires that securities, qualifying mortgage loans, and stock of the FHLB owned by the Bank be pledged to secure any advances from the FHLB. The unused borrowing capacity currently available from the FHLB at March 31, 2024 was $590.0 million, based primarily on the Bank’s qualifying mortgages available to secure any future borrowings. However, we are able to pledge additional securities to the FHLB in order to increase our available borrowing capacity. In addition, at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 we had $386.8 million and $388.3 million, respectively, of letters of credit outstanding with the FHLB to secure client deposits.

We have a relationship with IntraFi Promontory Network, allowing us to provide deposit customers with access to aggregate FDIC insurance in amounts exceeding $250,000. This gives us the ability, as and when needed, to attract and retain large deposits from insurance conscious customers. With IntraFi, we have the option to keep deposits on balance sheet or sell them to other members of the network. Additionally, subject to certain limits, the Bank can

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use IntraFi to purchase cost-effective funding without collateralization and in lieu of generating funds through traditional brokered CDs or the FHLB. In this manner, IntraFi can provide us with another funding option. Thus, it serves as a deposit-gathering tool and an additional liquidity management tool. Under the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, a well capitalized bank with a CAMELS rating of 1 or 2 may hold reciprocal deposits up to the lesser of 20% of its total liabilities or $5 billion without those deposits being treated as brokered deposits.

We also have a line of credit with another financial institution for $15.0 million, which was unused at March 31, 2024. The line of credit was issued on December 28, 2023 at an interest rate of the U.S. Prime Rate plus 0.25% and a maturity date of February 28, 2025.

We believe that our existing stable base of core deposits, federal funds purchased lines of credit with correspondent banks, availability with the Federal Reserve Discount Window, and borrowings from the FHLB will enable us to successfully meet our long-term liquidity needs. However, as short-term liquidity needs arise, we have the ability to sell a portion of our investment securities portfolio to meet those needs.

Total shareholders’ equity was $315.3 million at March 31, 2024 and $312.5 million at December 31, 2023. The $2.8 million increase from December 31, 2023 is primarily related to net income of $2.5 million during the first three months of 2024 and stock option exercises and equity compensation expenses of $722,000, partially offset by a $455,000 loss in other comprehensive income related to our available for sale securities.

The following table shows the return on average assets (net income divided by average total assets), return on average equity (net income divided by average equity), equity to assets ratio (average equity divided by average assets), and tangible common equity ratio (total equity less preferred stock divided by total assets) annualized for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and the year ended December 31, 2023. Since our inception, we have not paid cash dividends.

March 31, 2024 December 31, 2023
Return on average assets 0.25 % 0.34 %
Return on average equity 3.22 % 4.44 %
Return on average common equity 3.22 % 4.44 %
Average equity to average assets ratio 7.83 % 7.71 %
Tangible common equity to assets ratio 7.68 % 7.70 %

Under the capital adequacy guidelines, regulatory capital is classified into two tiers. These guidelines require an institution to maintain a certain level of Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital to risk-weighted assets. Tier 1 capital consists of common shareholders’ equity, excluding the unrealized gain or loss on securities available for sale, minus certain intangible assets. In determining the amount of risk-weighted assets, all assets, including certain off-balance sheet assets, are multiplied by a risk-weight factor of 0% to 100% based on the risks believed to be inherent in the type of asset. Tier 2 capital consists of Tier 1 capital plus the general reserve for credit losses, subject to certain limitations. We are also required to maintain capital at a minimum level based on total average assets, which is known as the Tier 1 leverage ratio.

Regulatory capital rules, which we refer to as Basel III, impose minimum capital requirements for bank holding companies and banks. The Basel III rules apply to all national and state banks and savings associations regardless of size and bank holding companies and savings and loan holding companies other than “small bank holding companies,” generally holding companies with consolidated assets of less than $3 billion. In order to avoid restrictions on capital distributions or discretionary bonus payments to executives, a covered banking organization must maintain a “capital conservation buffer” on top of our minimum risk-based capital requirements. This buffer must consist solely of common equity Tier 1, but the buffer applies to all three measurements (common equity Tier 1, Tier 1 capital and total capital). The capital conservation buffer consists of an additional amount of CET1 equal to 2.5% of risk-weighted assets.

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To be considered “well capitalized” for purposes of certain rules and prompt corrective action requirements, the Bank must maintain a minimum total risked-based capital ratio of at least 10%, a total Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 8%, a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 6.5%, and a leverage ratio of at least 5%. As of March 31, 2024 our capital ratios exceed these ratios and we remain “well capitalized.”

The following table summarizes the capital amounts and ratios of the Bank and the regulatory minimum requirements.

March 31, 2024
Actual For capital adequacy purposes minimum plus the capital conservation buffer To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions minimum
(dollars<br> in thousands) Amount Ratio Amount Ratio Amount Ratio
Total Capital (to risk weighted assets) $ 393,470 12.29 % $ 256,023 8.00 % $ 320,029 10.00 %
Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets) 353,461 11.04 % 192,017 6.00 % 256,023 8.00 %
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets) 353,461 11.04 % 144,013 4.50 % 208,019 6.50 %
Tier 1 Capital (to average assets) 353,461 8.77 % 161,255 4.00 % 201,569 5.00 %
December 31, 2023
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Actual For capital adequacy purposes minimum plus the capital conservation buffer To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions minimum
(dollars<br> in thousands) Amount Ratio Amount Ratio Amount Ratio
Total Capital (to risk weighted assets) $ 390,197 12.28 % $ 254,278 8.00 % $ 317,847 10.00 %
Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets) 350,455 11.03 % 190,708 6.00 % 254,278 8.00 %
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets) 350,455 11.03 % 143,031 4.50 % 206,601 6.50 %
Tier 1 Capital (to average assets) 350,455 8.47 % 165,414 4.00 % 206,767 5.00 %

The following table summarizes the capital amounts and ratios of the Company and the minimum regulatory requirements.

March 31, 2024
Actual For capital adequacy purposes minimum plus the capital conservation buffer ^(1)^ To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions minimum
(dollars<br> in thousands) Amount Ratio Amount Ratio Amount Ratio
Total Capital (to risk weighted assets) $ 403,062 12.59 % $ 256,023 8.00 % N/A N/A
Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets) 340,053 10.63 % 192,017 6.00 % N/A N/A
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets) 327,053 10.22 % 144,013 4.50 % N/A N/A
Tier 1 Capital (to average assets) 340,053 8.44 % 161,255 4.00 % N/A N/A
December 31, 2023
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Actual For capital adequacy purposes minimum plus the capital conservation buffer ^(1)^ To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions minimum
(dollars<br> in thousands) Amount Ratio Amount Ratio Amount Ratio
Total Capital (to risk weighted assets) $ 399,551 12.57 % $ 254,278 8.00 % N/A N/A
Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets) 336,809 10.60 % 190,708 6.00 % N/A N/A
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to risk weighted assets) 323,809 10.19 % 143,031 4.50 % N/A N/A
Tier 1 Capital (to average assets) 336,809 8.14 % 165,436 4.00 % N/A N/A 
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(1) The prompt corrective action provisions are only applicable at theBank level. The Bank exceeded the general minimum regulatory requirements to be considered “well capitalized.”

The ability of the Company to pay cash dividends to shareholders is dependent upon receiving cash in the form of dividends from the Bank. The dividends that may be paid by the Bank to the Company are subject to legal limitations and regulatory capital requirements. Since our inception, we have not paid cash dividends to shareholders.

Effect of Inflation and ChangingPrices

The effect of relative purchasing power over time due to inflation has not been taken into account in our consolidated financial statements. Rather, our financial statements have been prepared on an historical cost basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Unlike most industrial companies, our assets and liabilities are primarily monetary in nature. Therefore, the effect of changes in interest rates will have a more significant impact on our performance than will the effect of changing prices and inflation in general. In addition, interest rates may generally increase as the rate of inflation increases, although not necessarily in the same magnitude. As discussed previously, we seek to manage the relationships between interest sensitive assets and liabilities in order to protect against wide rate fluctuations, including those resulting from inflation.

Off-Balance Sheet Risk

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend money to a client as long as the client has not violated any material condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require the payment of a fee. At March 31, 2024 unfunded commitments to extend credit were $710.7 million, of which $116.0 million were at fixed rates and $595.0 million were at variable rates. At December 31, 2023, unfunded commitments to extend credit were $724.6 million, of which approximately $145.6 million were at fixed rates and $579.0 million were at variable rates. A significant portion of the unfunded commitments related to commercial business loans and consumer home equity lines of credit. We evaluate each client’s credit worthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by us upon extension of credit, is based on our credit evaluation of the borrower. The type of collateral varies but may include accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, and commercial and residential real estate. As of March 31, 2024, the reserve for unfunded commitments was $1.7 million or 0.23% of total unfunded commitments. As of December 31, 2023, the reserve for unfunded commitments was $1.8 million or 0.25% of total unfunded commitments.

At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were commitments under letters of credit for $12.0 million and $16.1 million, respectively. The credit risk and collateral involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loan facilities to customers. Since most of the letters of credit are expected to expire without being drawn upon, they do not necessarily represent future cash requirements.

Except as disclosed in this report, we are not involved in off-balance sheet contractual relationships, unconsolidated related entities that have off-balance sheet arrangements or transactions that could result in liquidity needs or other commitments that significantly impact earnings.

Critical Accounting Estimates

We have adopted various accounting policies that govern the application of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and with general practices within the banking industry in the preparation of our financial statements.

Certain accounting policies inherently involve a greater reliance on the use of estimates, assumptions and judgments and, as such, have a greater possibility of producing results that could be materially different than originally reported, which could have a material impact on the carrying values of our assets and liabilities and our results of operations. Of the significant accounting policies used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements, we have identified certain items as critical accounting policies based on the associated estimates, assumptions, judgments and complexity. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and

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Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Estimates” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, for a description our significant accounting policies that use critical accounting estimates.

Accounting, Reporting, and RegulatoryMatters

See Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report for details of recently issued accounting pronouncements and their expected impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Other accounting standards that have been issued or proposed by the FASB or other standards-setting bodies that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.

Market risk is the risk of loss from adverse changes in market prices and rates, which principally arises from interest rate risk inherent in our lending, investing, deposit gathering, and borrowing activities. Other types of market risks, such as foreign currency exchange rate risk and commodity price risk, do not generally arise in the normal course of our business.

We actively monitor and manage our interest rate risk exposure in order to control the mix and maturities of our assets and liabilities utilizing a process we call asset/liability management. The essential purposes of asset/liability management are to seek to ensure adequate liquidity and to maintain an appropriate balance between interest sensitive assets and liabilities in order to minimize potentially adverse impacts on earnings from changes in market interest rates. Our asset/liability management committee (“ALCO”) monitors and considers methods of managing exposure to interest rate risk. We have both an internal ALCO consisting of senior management that meets no less than quarterly and a board risk committee that meets quarterly. These committees are responsible for maintaining the level of interest rate sensitivity of our interest sensitive assets and liabilities within board-approved limits.

As of March 31, 2024, the following table summarizes the forecasted impact on net interest income using a base case scenario given upward and downward movements in interest rates of 100, 200, and 300 basis points based on forecasted assumptions of prepayment speeds, nominal interest rates and loan and deposit repricing rates. Estimates are based on current economic conditions, historical interest rate cycles and other factors deemed to be relevant. However, underlying assumptions may be impacted in future periods which were not known to management at the time of the issuance of the Consolidated Financial Statements. Therefore, management’s assumptions may or may not prove valid. No assurance can be given that changing economic conditions and other relevant factors impacting our net interest income will not cause actual occurrences to differ from underlying assumptions. In addition, this analysis does not consider any strategic changes to our balance sheet which management may consider as a result of changes in market conditions.

Interest rate<br> scenario Change<br> in net interest<br><br> income from base
Up 300 basis points (7.17 )%
Up 200 basis points (4.75 )%
Up 100 basis points (2.36 )%
Base -
Down 100 basis points 3.99 %
Down 200 basis points 6.87 %
Down 300 basis points 9.51 %

Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial

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Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports we file and submit under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized and reported as and when required and (ii) accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the three months ended March 31, 2024, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

We are a party to claims and lawsuits arising in the course of normal business activities. Management is not aware of any material pending legal proceedings against the Company which, if determined adversely, would have a material adverse impact on the company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS.

Investing in shares of our common stock involves certain risks, including those identified and described in Item 1A. of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as well as cautionary statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including those under the caption “Cautionary Warning Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” set forth in Part I, Item 2 of this Form 10-Q, risks and matters described elsewhere in this Form 10-Q, and in our other filings with the SEC.

There have been no material changes to the risk factors previously disclosed in the Company’s (i) Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

Item 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES, USE OF PROCEEDS, AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.

(a) Sales of Unregistered Securities - None
(b) Use of Proceeds – Not applicable
--- ---
(c) Issuer Purchases of Securities
--- ---

As of March 31, 2024, the Company does not have an authorized share repurchase program.

Item 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES.

None.

Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.

Not applicable.

Item 5. OTHER INFORMATION.

Trading Plans

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, no director or “officer” of the Company adopted or terminated a “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or a “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” as each term is defined in Item 408 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act of 1933.

Item 6. EXHIBITS.

The exhibits required to be filed as part of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are listed in the Index to Exhibits attached hereto and are incorporated herein by reference.

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INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit <br><br>Number Description
31.1 Rule 13a-14(a) Certification of the Principal Executive Officer.
31.2 Rule 13a-14(a) Certification of the Principal Financial Officer.
32 Section 1350 Certifications.
101 The following materials from the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, formatted in iXBRL (Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language): (i) Consolidated Balance Sheets, (ii) Consolidated Statements of Income, (iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, (iv) Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity, (v) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and (vi) Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements.
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) 
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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.
Registrant
Date: April 30, 2024 /s/R. Arthur<br> Seaver, Jr.
R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
Date: April 30, 2024 /s/R. Arthur Seaver,<br> Jr.
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) 
45

Exhibit 31.1

Rule 13a-14(a) Certification of the Principal Executive Officer.

Exhibit 31.1

Rule 13a-14(a) Certification of the Principal Executive Officer.

I, R. Arthur Seaver, Jr., certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Southern First Bancshares, Inc.;
2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact<br>or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were<br>made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
--- ---
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report,<br>fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for,<br>the periods presented in this report;
--- ---
4. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure<br>controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined<br>in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
--- ---
a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to<br>be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries,<br>is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
--- ---
b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial<br>reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the<br>preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
--- ---
c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this<br>report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report<br>based on such evaluation; and
--- ---
d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that<br>occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that<br>has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
--- ---
5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of<br>internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors<br>(or persons performing the equivalent functions):
--- ---
a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over<br>financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report<br>financial information; and
--- ---
b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant<br>role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
--- ---
Date:  April 30, 2024 By: /s/ R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
--- --- ---
R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 31.2

Rule 13a-14(a) Certification of the Principal Financial Officer.

Exhibit 31.2

Rule 13a-14(a) Certification of the Principal Financial Officer.

I, R. Arthur Seaver, Jr., certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Southern First Bancshares, Inc.;
2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact<br>or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were<br>made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
--- ---
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report,<br>fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for,<br>the periods presented in this report;
--- ---
4. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure<br>controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined<br>in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
--- ---
a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to<br>be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries,<br>is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
--- ---
b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial<br>reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the<br>preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
--- ---
c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this<br>report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report<br>based on such evaluation; and
--- ---
d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that<br>occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that<br>has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
--- ---
5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of<br>internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors<br>(or persons performing the equivalent functions):
--- ---
a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over<br>financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report<br>financial information; and
--- ---
b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant<br>role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
--- ---
Date:  April 30, 2024 By: /s/<br> R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
--- --- ---
R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
Principal Financial Officer

Exhibit 32

Section 1350 Certifications.

Exhibit 32

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TOSECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

The undersigned, the Chief Executive Officer and the Principal Financial Officer of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”), each certify that, to his knowledge on the date of this certification:

1. The quarterly report of the Company for the period ended March 31, 2024 as filed with the Securities<br>and Exchange Commission on this date (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities<br>Exchange Act of 1934; and
2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition<br>and results of operations of the Company.
--- ---
/s/ R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
---
R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer
Date: April 30, 2024
/s/ R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
Principal Financial Officer
Date: April 30, 2024

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