SouthState Bank (NYSE:SSB) Downgraded to "Sell" Rating by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• SouthState Bank was downgraded to “Sell” by Wall Street Zen, although broader analyst sentiment remains more positive overall with a Moderate Buy average rating.
• The bank reported Q2 EPS of $2.35, beating estimates, while revenue of about $672.7 million came in slightly below expectations amid pressure on net interest income.
• SouthState also raised its quarterly dividend to $0.66 per share from $0.60 and guided for net interest margin of 3.75% to 3.80% through 2027, signaling confidence in future earnings and loan growth.

SouthState Bank (NYSE:SSB - Get Free Report) was downgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a note issued to investors on Saturday.

A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Citigroup reduced their price target on SouthState Bank from $116.00 to $115.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Barclays lowered their price objective on SouthState Bank from $123.00 to $118.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Weiss Ratings upgraded SouthState Bank from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Hovde Group upped their target price on SouthState Bank from $110.00 to $112.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, DA Davidson reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $125.00 price target on shares of SouthState Bank in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, SouthState Bank presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $117.50.

SouthState Bank Stock Up 4.7%

Shares of SouthState Bank stock opened at $106.00 on Friday. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $97.97 and its 200-day moving average price is $97.76. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. SouthState Bank has a 52-week low of $84.47 and a 52-week high of $108.46. The company has a market cap of $10.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.15 and a beta of 0.70.

SouthState Bank (NYSE:SSB - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The company reported $2.35 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.31 by $0.04. SouthState Bank had a net margin of 25.09% and a return on equity of 10.70%. The firm had revenue of $672.67 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $676.83 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.30 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that SouthState Bank will post 9.51 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at SouthState Bank

In other news, Director David R. Brooks sold 14,300 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.39, for a total transaction of $1,406,977.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 12,700 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,249,553. The trade was a 52.96% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.70% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of SouthState Bank

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Root Financial Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of SouthState Bank by 100.0% in the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 420 shares of the company's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares during the period. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of SouthState Bank during the second quarter worth about $50,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new stake in SouthState Bank in the third quarter valued at approximately $51,000. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in SouthState Bank in the 1st quarter worth approximately $52,000. Finally, Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in SouthState Bank in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $59,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.76% of the company's stock.

Key SouthState Bank News

Here are the key news stories impacting SouthState Bank this week:

• Positive Sentiment: SouthState reported Q2 EPS of $2.35, ahead of the $2.31 consensus, signaling stronger-than-expected bottom-line performance. SouthState Bank Corporation Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results, Declares an Increase in the Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.66 per share from $0.60, a 10% increase, which can signal confidence in capital strength and future cash generation. SouthState Bank Corporation Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results, Declares an Increase in the Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Management said it expects net interest margin of about 3.75% to 3.80% through 2027 and is targeting mid- to high single-digit loan growth, which suggests stable earnings power and continued balance-sheet expansion. SouthState signals stable 3.75%-3.80% NIM through 2027 while targeting mid- to high single-digit loan growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue came in slightly below expectations at about $672.7 million versus $676.8 million estimated, with weaker net interest income offset by growth in non-interest income, loans, and deposits. SouthState Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Miss on Lower NII
• Neutral Sentiment: The Q2 earnings call transcript and related market coverage indicate investors are weighing the strong earnings beat against the revenue miss and NII pressure, keeping the overall reaction mixed but constructive. SouthState Bank Corporation (SSB) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

About SouthState Bank

SouthState Bank NYSE: SSB is a bank holding company headquartered in Winter Haven, Florida, that provides a range of commercial and retail banking services. Through its subsidiary, SouthState Bank, the company serves businesses, institutions and individuals with deposit, lending and treasury management solutions. Its core business lines include commercial and industrial loans, commercial real estate lending, consumer mortgages and home equity loans.

In addition to traditional lending and deposit products, SouthState Bank offers specialized services such as treasury and cash management, merchant services, payment solutions and online banking.

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