Short Interest in Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFST) Expands By 129.0%

Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFST – Get Free Report) saw a large growth in short interest during the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totaling 436,399 shares, a growth of 129.0% from the June 15th total of 190,554 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 204,632 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.1 days. Currently, 5.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold.

Southern First Bancshares Trading Up 0.3%

NASDAQ SFST traded up $0.16 on Tuesday, hitting $61.87. 29,993 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 111,829. Southern First Bancshares has a 52-week low of $38.30 and a 52-week high of $63.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The company has a market capitalization of $585.29 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.46 and a beta of 0.67. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $58.61 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $56.56.

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Southern First Bancshares (NASDAQ:SFST – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The bank reported $1.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.20 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $32.30 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $33.10 million. Southern First Bancshares had a net margin of 15.21% and a return on equity of 9.65%. Research analysts predict that Southern First Bancshares will post 5.05 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Southern First Bancshares

In other news, Director Leighton M. Cubbage sold 765 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.60, for a total transaction of $46,359.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 50,715 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,073,329. This trade represents a 1.49% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 6.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Southern First Bancshares

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its position in Southern First Bancshares by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 34,910 shares of the bank’s stock worth $1,149,000 after acquiring an additional 890 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Southern First Bancshares by 4.8% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 66,603 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $2,193,000 after purchasing an additional 3,074 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in shares of Southern First Bancshares by 23.4% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 18,637 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $614,000 after purchasing an additional 3,532 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Southern First Bancshares in the first quarter worth approximately $303,000. Finally, Gabelli Funds LLC lifted its position in shares of Southern First Bancshares by 14.2% in the second quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 41,850 shares of the bank’s stock worth $1,592,000 after purchasing an additional 5,200 shares in the last quarter. 75.00% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently commented on SFST. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Southern First Bancshares from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Weiss Ratings raised Southern First Bancshares from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $64.00.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Southern First Bancshares

Southern First Bancshares Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Southern First Bancshares is the bank holding company for Southern First Bank, a community-oriented financial institution headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, the company delivers a full spectrum of commercial and consumer banking services designed to meet the needs of small and midsize businesses, professionals, and individual customers. Southern First Bancshares operates under a relationship-driven model, emphasizing personalized service and local decision–making.

The company’s core offerings include deposit products such as checking, savings, money market accounts and certificates of deposit, alongside an array of lending solutions covering commercial real estate, construction, equipment financing and small business administration (SBA) loans.

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