We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
SouthState's Organic Growth Remains Strong: What's Driving the Upside?
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
SSB posted 18.7% revenue CAGR from 2020-2025, supported by NII and fee income growth.
SouthState's loan pipeline doubled to $6.4B in Q1'26, signaling strong demand momentum.
SSB's non-interest income rose in Q1'26 on higher banking and capital markets income.
SouthState Corp.’s (SSB - Free Report) organic growth has been driven by steady expansion in lending activities, diversified fee-income streams and proactive balance-sheet management. Its revenues witnessed a five-year (2020-2025) compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.7%.
The company’s loans witnessed a CAGR of 14.7% over the same time frame. In the first quarter of 2026, both loans and revenues increased year over year, while loan pipelines doubled to $6.4 billion. Notably, loan production in Texas and Colorado more than doubled year over year to $1.1 billion following the Independent Bank acquisition, with Houston emerging as one of the company’s fastest-growing markets. This steady loan growth has been a key contributor to higher net interest income (NII), forming a strong foundation for SSB’s overall revenue expansion. Over the last five years ending 2025, NII witnessed a CAGR of 22.7%, driven by securities restructuring and better-than-expected deposit pricing, with the growth trend continuing in the first quarter of 2026.
In the future, stabilizing funding and deposit costs following the Federal Reserve’s rate cuts in 2024 and 2025 are likely to create a favorable operating environment for SSB. Additionally, legacy loan repricing, higher average earning assets and potential securities restructuring efforts are expected to support NII growth in the upcoming period.
SSB also benefits from a meaningful non-interest income base. The metric witnessed a CAGR of 3.9% over the past five years ended 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, non-interest income increased year over year, primarily driven by higher correspondent banking and capital markets income. The company has also continued investing in wealth management and other fee-generating businesses to diversify revenues and strengthen top-line growth.
Overall, continued loan growth, improving NII and steady expansion in fee-based businesses are expected to support SouthState’s revenue growth in the coming periods.
SSB’s Growth Outlook
The company expects average interest-earning assets between $61 billion and $62 billion in 2026. NIM is expected to be in the range of 3.80-3.90%.
Loan growth is projected to be in the mid to upper-single-digit range in 2026, supported by sustained pipeline strength.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate of SSB’s 2026 and 2027 revenues suggests rallies of 2.2% and 7.5%, respectively.
Revenue Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How Have SSB’s Peers Been Performing?
Cullen/Frost Bankers (CFR - Free Report) has been witnessing steady organic growth, driven by improving lending trends, rising NII and stable fee-income generation. Cullen/Frost’s loans recorded a five-year (2020-2025) CAGR of 4.6%, with the growth trend continuing in the first quarter of 2026.
Meanwhile, Cullen/Frost’s NII witnessed a CAGR of 12.2% over the last five years ending 2025, while non-interest income witnessed a CAGR of 1.4% over the same period, with both metrics continuing to improve in the first quarter of 2026. Management expects NII and non-interest income to grow 3.5-5% and 4-5%, respectively, in 2026.
BOK Financial (BOKF - Free Report) has been witnessing steady growth, driven by loan expansion, rising NII and diversified revenue streams. BOK Financial’s total loans witnessed a CAGR of 4.3% over the last seven years (2018-2025), with the growth trend continuing in the first quarter of 2026.
Further, BOK Financial’s NII witnessed a five-year CAGR of 2.4% ending 2025, while total fees and commissions witnessed a CAGR of 2.7% over the same period, with both metrics continuing to improve in the first quarter of 2026. BOK Financial expects total revenues to grow in the mid-single-digit range in 2026 from the $2.2 billion reported in 2025.
SSB’s Price Performance & Zacks Rank
In the past year, SouthState shares have gained 8% compared with the industry’s 12.2% growth.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
SouthState's Organic Growth Remains Strong: What's Driving the Upside?
Key Takeaways
SouthState Corp.’s (SSB - Free Report) organic growth has been driven by steady expansion in lending activities, diversified fee-income streams and proactive balance-sheet management. Its revenues witnessed a five-year (2020-2025) compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.7%.
The company’s loans witnessed a CAGR of 14.7% over the same time frame. In the first quarter of 2026, both loans and revenues increased year over year, while loan pipelines doubled to $6.4 billion. Notably, loan production in Texas and Colorado more than doubled year over year to $1.1 billion following the Independent Bank acquisition, with Houston emerging as one of the company’s fastest-growing markets. This steady loan growth has been a key contributor to higher net interest income (NII), forming a strong foundation for SSB’s overall revenue expansion. Over the last five years ending 2025, NII witnessed a CAGR of 22.7%, driven by securities restructuring and better-than-expected deposit pricing, with the growth trend continuing in the first quarter of 2026.
In the future, stabilizing funding and deposit costs following the Federal Reserve’s rate cuts in 2024 and 2025 are likely to create a favorable operating environment for SSB. Additionally, legacy loan repricing, higher average earning assets and potential securities restructuring efforts are expected to support NII growth in the upcoming period.
SSB also benefits from a meaningful non-interest income base. The metric witnessed a CAGR of 3.9% over the past five years ended 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, non-interest income increased year over year, primarily driven by higher correspondent banking and capital markets income. The company has also continued investing in wealth management and other fee-generating businesses to diversify revenues and strengthen top-line growth.
Overall, continued loan growth, improving NII and steady expansion in fee-based businesses are expected to support SouthState’s revenue growth in the coming periods.
SSB’s Growth Outlook
The company expects average interest-earning assets between $61 billion and $62 billion in 2026. NIM is expected to be in the range of 3.80-3.90%.
Loan growth is projected to be in the mid to upper-single-digit range in 2026, supported by sustained pipeline strength.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate of SSB’s 2026 and 2027 revenues suggests rallies of 2.2% and 7.5%, respectively.
Revenue Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How Have SSB’s Peers Been Performing?
Cullen/Frost Bankers (CFR - Free Report) has been witnessing steady organic growth, driven by improving lending trends, rising NII and stable fee-income generation. Cullen/Frost’s loans recorded a five-year (2020-2025) CAGR of 4.6%, with the growth trend continuing in the first quarter of 2026.
Meanwhile, Cullen/Frost’s NII witnessed a CAGR of 12.2% over the last five years ending 2025, while non-interest income witnessed a CAGR of 1.4% over the same period, with both metrics continuing to improve in the first quarter of 2026. Management expects NII and non-interest income to grow 3.5-5% and 4-5%, respectively, in 2026.
BOK Financial (BOKF - Free Report) has been witnessing steady growth, driven by loan expansion, rising NII and diversified revenue streams. BOK Financial’s total loans witnessed a CAGR of 4.3% over the last seven years (2018-2025), with the growth trend continuing in the first quarter of 2026.
Further, BOK Financial’s NII witnessed a five-year CAGR of 2.4% ending 2025, while total fees and commissions witnessed a CAGR of 2.7% over the same period, with both metrics continuing to improve in the first quarter of 2026. BOK Financial expects total revenues to grow in the mid-single-digit range in 2026 from the $2.2 billion reported in 2025.
SSB’s Price Performance & Zacks Rank
In the past year, SouthState shares have gained 8% compared with the industry’s 12.2% growth.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Currently, SSB carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.