BNP Paribas Financial Markets Trims Stake in Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFST)

BNP Paribas Financial Markets lowered its stake in shares of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFST) by 35.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,328 shares of the bank’s stock after selling 738 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets’ holdings in Southern First Bancshares were worth $53,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of SFST. SG Americas Securities LLC increased its position in shares of Southern First Bancshares by 35.8% during the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 4,041 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $161,000 after buying an additional 1,065 shares during the period. Colonial Trust Advisors increased its position in shares of Southern First Bancshares by 18.1% during the fourth quarter. Colonial Trust Advisors now owns 5,725 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $228,000 after buying an additional 877 shares during the period. Wells Fargo & Company MN increased its position in shares of Southern First Bancshares by 15.1% during the fourth quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 7,506 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $298,000 after buying an additional 986 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers increased its position in shares of Southern First Bancshares by 7.0% during the fourth quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 12,506 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $497,000 after buying an additional 813 shares during the period. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC increased its position in shares of Southern First Bancshares by 4.7% during the fourth quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 15,105 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $600,000 after buying an additional 675 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.00% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other Southern First Bancshares news, Director William Iv Maner bought 700 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 14th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $36.15 per share, for a total transaction of $25,305.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 2,700 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $97,605. This trade represents a 35.00% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 7.06% of the company’s stock.

Southern First Bancshares Price Performance

Shares of SFST opened at $35.74 on Wednesday. Southern First Bancshares, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $25.81 and a fifty-two week high of $45.91. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $34.34 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $36.52. The stock has a market cap of $291.96 million, a PE ratio of 18.61 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.09.

Southern First Bancshares (NASDAQ:SFST) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 22nd. The bank reported $0.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.61 by $0.04. Southern First Bancshares had a net margin of 7.28% and a return on equity of 4.85%. The firm had revenue of $26.50 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $26.56 million. Analysts anticipate that Southern First Bancshares, Inc. will post 1.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southern First Bancshares Company Profile

Southern First Bancshares, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Southern First Bank that provides commercial, consumer, and mortgage loans to the general public in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. The company accepts various deposit products that include checking accounts, commercial checking accounts, and savings accounts, as well as other time deposits, including daily money market accounts and long-term certificates of deposit.