SouthState Corp - Quarter Report: 2022 March (Form 10-Q)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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FORM 10-Q

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(Mark One)

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For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2022

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For the transition period from              to              

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Commission file number 001-12669

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SOUTHSTATE CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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(863) 293-4710

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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Not Applicable

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

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

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities 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  ◻

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data file required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes  ☒  No  ☐

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

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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. ◻

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

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

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SouthState Corporation and Subsidiaries

March 31, 2022 Form 10-Q

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INDEX

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PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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SouthState Corporation and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Dollars in thousands, except par value)

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The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of the Financial Statements.

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SouthState Corporation and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Net Income (unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share data)

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The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of the Financial Statements.

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SouthState Corporation and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income

(Dollars in thousands)

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The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of the Financial Statements.

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SouthState Corporation and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity (unaudited)

Three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021

(Dollars in thousands, except for share data)

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The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of the Financial Statements.

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SouthState Corporation and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

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The Accompanying Notes are an Integral Part of the Financial Statements.

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SouthState Corporation and Subsidiaries

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)

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Note 1 — Basis of Presentation

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The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, otherwise referred to as 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 of the information and disclosures required 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. Certain prior period information has been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation, and these reclassifications had no impact on net income or equity as previously reported. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2022.

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The condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2021 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

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The information contained in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 25, 2022, should be referenced when reading these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, references herein to “SouthState,” the “Company” “we,” “us,” “our” or similar references mean SouthState Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries. References to the “Bank” or “SouthState Bank” means SouthState Corporation’s wholly owned subsidiary, South State Bank, National Association, a national banking association.

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Allowance for Credit Losses (“ACL”)

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On January 1, 2020, we adopted the requirements of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, sometimes referred to herein as ASU 2016-13. Topic 326 was subsequently amended by ASU No. 2019-11, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses; ASU No. 2019-05, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses; and ASU No. 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments. This standard applies to all financial assets measured at amortized cost and off-balance sheet credit exposures, including loans, investment securities and unfunded commitments. We applied the standard’s provisions using the modified retrospective method as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2020.

ACL – Investment Securities

Management uses a systematic methodology to determine its ACL for investment securities held to maturity. The ACL is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost basis to present the net amount expected to be collected on the held to maturity portfolio. Management considers the effects of past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts on the collectability of the loan portfolio. The Company’s estimate of its ACL involves a high degree of judgment; therefore, Management’s process for determining expected credit losses may result in a range of expected credit losses. Management monitors the held to maturity portfolio to determine whether a valuation account should be recorded. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had $2.8 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively, of held to maturity securities and no related valuation account.

Management excludes the accrued interest receivable balance from the amortized cost basis in measuring expected credit losses on the investment securities and does not record an allowance for credit losses on accrued interest receivable. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the accrued interest receivables for all investment securities recorded in Other Assets were $25.4 million and $19.2 million, respectively.

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Management no longer evaluates securities for other-than-temporary impairment, otherwise referred to herein as OTTI, as ASC Subtopic 326-30, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses—Available for Sale Debt Securities, changes the accounting for recognizing impairment on available for sale debt securities. Each quarter Management evaluates impairment where there has been a decline in fair value below the amortized cost basis of a security to determine whether there is a credit loss associated with the decline in fair value. Management considers the nature of the collateral, potential future changes in collateral values, default rates, delinquency rates, third-party guarantees, credit ratings, interest rate changes since purchase, volatility of the security’s fair value and historical loss information for financial assets secured with similar collateral among other factors. Credit losses are calculated individually, rather than collectively, using a discounted cash flow method, whereby Management compares the present value of expected cash flows with the amortized cost basis of the security. The credit loss component would be recognized through the provision for credit losses in the Statements of Income.

ACL - Loans

The ACL for loans held for investment reflects Management’s estimate of losses that will result from the inability of our borrowers to make required loan payments. The Company established the incremental increase in the ACL at adoption through equity and subsequent adjustments through a provision for or recovery of credit losses recorded to earnings. The Company records loans charged off against the ACL and subsequent recoveries, if any, increase the ACL when they are recognized.

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Management uses systematic methodologies to determine its ACL for loans held for investment and certain off-balance-sheet credit exposures. The ACL is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost basis to present the net amount expected to be collected on the loan portfolio. Management considers the effects of past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts on the collectability of the loan portfolio. The Company’s estimate of its ACL involves a high degree of judgment; therefore, Management’s process for determining expected credit losses may result in a range of expected credit losses. The Company’s ACL recorded in the balance sheet reflects Management’s best estimate within the range of expected credit losses. The Company recognizes in net income the amount needed to adjust the ACL for Management’s current estimate of expected credit losses. The Company’s ACL is calculated using collectively evaluated and individually evaluated loans.

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The allowance for credit losses is measured on a collective pool basis when similar risk characteristics exist. Loans with similar risk characteristics are grouped into homogenous segments, or pools, for analysis. The Discounted Cash Flow (“DCF”) method is utilized for each loan in a pool, and the results are aggregated at the pool level. A periodic tendency to default and absolute loss given default are applied to a projective model of the loan’s cash flow while considering prepayment and principal curtailment effects. The analysis produces expected cash flows for each instrument in the pool by pairing loan-level term information (e.g., maturity date, payment amount, interest rate, etc.) with top-down pool assumptions (e.g., default rates and prepayment speeds). The Company has identified the following portfolio segments: Owner-Occupied Commercial Real Estate, Non-Owner Occupied Commercial Real Estate, Multifamily, Municipal, Commercial and Industrial, Commercial Construction and Land Development, Residential Construction, Residential Senior Mortgage, Residential Junior Mortgage, Revolving Mortgage, and Consumer and Other.

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In determining the proper level of the ACL, Management has determined that the loss experience of the Bank provides the best basis for its assessment of expected credit losses. It therefore utilized its own historical credit loss experience by each loan segment over an economic cycle, while excluding loss experience from certain acquired institutions (i.e., failed banks). For most of the segment models for collectively evaluated loans, the Company incorporated two or more macroeconomic drivers using a statistical regression modeling methodology.

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Management considers forward-looking information in estimating expected credit losses. The Company subscribes to a third-party service which provides a quarterly macroeconomic baseline outlook and alternative scenarios for the United States economy. The baseline, along with the evaluation of alternative scenarios, is used by Management to determine the best estimate within the range of expected credit losses. Management has evaluated the appropriateness of the reasonable and supportable forecast scenarios and has made adjustments as needed. For the contractual term that extends beyond the reasonable and supportable forecast period, the Company reverts to the long term mean of historical factors within four quarters using a straight-line approach. The Company generally utilizes a four-quarter forecast and a four-quarter reversion period.

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Included in its systematic methodology to determine its ACL, Management considers the need to qualitatively adjust expected credit losses for information not already captured in the loss estimation process. These qualitative adjustments either increase or decrease the quantitative model estimation (i.e., formulaic model results). Each period the Company considers qualitative factors that are relevant within the qualitative framework that includes the following: 1) Lending Policy; 2) Economic conditions not captured in models; 3) Volume and Mix of Loan Portfolio; 4) Past Due Trends; 5) Concentration Risk; 6) External Factors; and 7) Model Limitations.

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When a loan no longer shares similar risk characteristics with its segment, the asset is assessed to determine whether it should be included in another pool or should be individually evaluated. The Company’s threshold for individually-evaluated loans includes all non-accrual loans with a net book balance in excess of $1.0 million. Management will monitor the credit environment and make adjustments to this threshold in the future if warranted. Based on the threshold above, consumer financial assets will generally remain in pools unless they meet the dollar threshold. The expected credit losses on individually-evaluated loans will be estimated based on discounted cash flow analysis unless the loan meets the criteria for use of the fair value of collateral, either by virtue of an expected foreclosure or through meeting the definition of collateral-dependent. Financial assets that have been individually evaluated can be returned to a pool for purposes of estimating the expected credit loss insofar as their credit profile improves and that the repayment terms were not considered to be unique to the asset.

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Management measures expected credit losses over the contractual term of a loan. When determining the contractual term, the Company considers expected prepayments but is precluded from considering expected extensions, renewals, or modifications, unless the Company reasonably expects it will execute a TDR with a borrower. In the event of a reasonably-expected TDR, the Company factors the reasonably-expected TDR into the current expected credit losses estimate. For consumer loans, the point at which a TDR is reasonably expected is when the Company approves the borrower’s application for a modification (i.e., the borrower qualifies for the TDR) or when the Credit Administration department approves loan concessions on substandard loans. For commercial loans, the point at which a TDR is reasonably expected is when the Company approves the loan for modification or when the Credit Administration department approves loan concessions on substandard loans. The Company uses a discounted cash flow methodology for a TDR to calculate the effect of the concession provided to the borrower within the ACL.

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A restructuring that results in only a delay in payments that is insignificant is not considered an economic concession. In accordance with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, the Company implemented loan modification programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to provide borrowers with flexibility with respect to repayment terms. The Company’s payment relief assistance includes forbearance, deferrals, extension and re-aging programs, along with certain other modification strategies. The Company elected the accounting policy in the CARES Act to not apply TDR accounting to loans modified for borrowers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic if the concession met the criteria as defined under the CARES Act.

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For purchased credit-deteriorated, otherwise referred to herein as PCD, assets are defined as acquired individual financial assets (or acquired groups of financial assets with similar risk characteristics) that, as of the date of acquisition, have experienced a more-than-insignificant deterioration in credit quality since origination, as determined by the Company’s assessment. The Company records acquired PCD loans by adding the expected credit losses (i.e., allowance for credit losses) to the purchase price of the financial assets rather than recording through the provision for credit losses in the income statement. The expected credit loss, as of the acquisition day, of a PCD loan is added to the allowance for credit losses. The non-credit discount or premium is the difference between the unpaid principal balance and the amortized cost basis as of the acquisition date. Subsequent to the acquisition date, the change in the ACL on PCD loans is recognized through the Provision for Credit Losses in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. The non-credit discount or premium is accreted or amortized, respectively, into interest income over the remaining life of the PCD loan on a level-yield basis. In accordance with the transition requirements within the standard, the Company’s acquired credit-impaired loans (i.e., ACI or Purchased Credit Impaired) were treated as PCD loans.

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The Company follows its nonaccrual policy by reversing contractual interest income in the income statement when the Company places a loan on nonaccrual status. Therefore, Management excludes the accrued interest receivable balance from the amortized cost basis in measuring expected credit losses on the portfolio and does not record an allowance for credit losses on accrued interest receivable. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the accrued interest receivables for loans recorded in Other Assets were $80.6 million and $70.6 million, respectively.

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The Company has a variety of assets that have a component that qualifies as an off-balance sheet exposure. These primarily include undrawn portions of revolving lines of credit and standby letters of credit. The expected losses associated with these exposures within the unfunded portion of the expected credit loss will be recorded as a liability on the balance sheet. Management has determined that a majority of the Company’s off-balance-sheet credit exposures are not unconditionally cancellable. Management completes funding studies based on historical data to estimate the percentage of unfunded loan commitments that will ultimately be funded to calculate the reserve for unfunded commitments. Management applies this funding rate, along with the loss factor rate determined for each pooled loan segment, to unfunded loan commitments, excluding unconditionally cancellable exposures and letters of credit, to arrive at the reserve for unfunded loan commitments. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the liabilities recorded for expected credit losses on unfunded commitments were $30.4 million and $30.5 million, respectively. The current adjustment to the ACL for unfunded commitments is recognized through the Provision for Credit Losses in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

Note 3 — Recent Accounting and Regulatory Pronouncements

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Accounting Standards Adopted

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans (Subtopic 715-20. ASU 2018-14 amends ASC 715-20 to add, remove, and clarify disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. For public business entities, ASU 2018-14 is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020 and requires entities to apply the amendment on a retrospective basis. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU No. 2018-14 but it did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Issued But Not Yet Adopted Accounting Standards

In March 2022, FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures. The amendments in this ASU eliminate the long-standing accounting guidance for TDRs by creditors in Subtopic 310-40, Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors, as it is no longer meaningful due to the introduction of Topic 326, which requires an entity to consider lifetime expected credit losses on loans when establishing an allowance for credit losses. Thus, most losses that would have been realized for a TDR under Subtopic 310-40 are now captured by the accounting required under Topic 326. The amendments in this ASU also require that an entity disclose current-period gross write offs by year of origination for financing receivables and net investments in leases within the scope of Subtopic 326-20, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses Measured at Amortized Cost. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Aside from the changes to the disclosures required by this ASU, this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

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In March 2020, FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848 – Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting and subsequently expanded the scope of ASU No. 2020-04 with the issuance of ASU No. 2021-01. This update provides companies with optional guidance to ease the potential accounting burden associated with transitioning away from reference rates that will be discontinued. The amendments in this update provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The main provisions for contract modifications include optional relief by allowing the modification as a continuation of the existing contract without additional analysis and other optional expedients regarding embedded features. The amendments in this update apply only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate that will be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The amendments in this update were effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 and may be applied through December 31, 2022. An entity may elect to apply the amendments in this update to eligible hedging relationships existing as of the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020 and to new eligible hedging relationships entered into after the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020. An entity may elect to apply the amendments for contract modifications as of any date from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or prospectively from a date within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, up to the date that the financial statements are available to be issued. Once elected, the amendments in this update must be applied prospectively for all eligible contract modifications and hedging relationships.

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The Company has established a LIBOR Committee and various subcommittees which have evaluated the impact of adopting and implementing ASU 2020-04 on the consolidated financial statements including the evaluation of all of the Company’s contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions that will be affected by reference rates that are being discontinued. The cross-functional LIBOR Committee and subcommittees have (1) assessed the Company's current exposure to LIBOR indexed instruments and the data, systems and processes that will be impacted; (2) established a detailed implementation plan; and (3) developed a formal governance structure for the transition. The Company is in the process of developing and implementing various proactive steps to facilitate the transition on behalf of customers, which include the adoption and ongoing implementation of fallback provisions that provide for the determination of replacement rates for LIBOR-linked financial products; the adoption of new products linked to alternative reference rates, such as adjustable-rate mortgages, consistent with guidance provided by the U.S. regulators, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, and government sponsored entities; the cessation of quoting LIBOR and originating new products linked to LIBOR by December 31, 2021; and the selection of SOFR indices as the replacement indices, and successful completion of systems testing using the SOFR replacement indices.

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As a result of the implementation plan, the Company discontinued quoting LIBOR on September 30, 2021 and discontinued originating new products linked to LIBOR on December 31, 2021. The Company continues to evaluate its financial and operational infrastructure in its effort to transition all financial and strategic processes, systems, and models to reference rates other than LIBOR. The Company is in the process of developing and implementing processes to educate all client-facing associates and coordinate communications with customers regarding the transition. In addition, the Company expects to adopt the LIBOR transition relief allowed under ASU No. 2020-04.

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Note 4 — Mergers and Acquisitions

Duncan-Williams, Inc. (“Duncan-Williams”)

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On February 1, 2021, the Company completed its acquisition of Duncan-Williams, a 52-year-old family- and employee-owned registered broker-dealer, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, serving primarily institutional clients across the U.S. in the fixed income business. Duncan-Williams firm became an operating subsidiary of the Bank immediately following the transaction.

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In total, the purchase price for Duncan-Williams was $48.3 million, including an additional premium of $8.0 million that is payable after three years from the date of acquisition. The acquisition was accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with ASC Topic 805. The Company recognized goodwill on this acquisition of $15.8 million. The goodwill was calculated based on the fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date.

Atlantic Capital Bancshares, Inc. (“Atlantic Capital” or “ACBI”)

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On March 1, 2022, the Company acquired all of the outstanding common stock of Atlantic Capital Bancshares, Inc., a Georgia corporation (“Atlantic Capital” or “ACBI”), in a stock transaction. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, Atlantic Capital merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation in the merger. Immediately following the merger, Atlantic Capital’s wholly owned banking subsidiary, Atlantic Capital Bank, N.A. (“ACB”) merged with and into the Company’s wholly owned banking subsidiary, SouthState Bank, National Association, which continues as the surviving bank in the bank merger by and between SouthState and Atlantic Capital. Shareholders of Atlantic Capital received 0.36 shares of the Company’s common stock for each share of Atlantic Capital common stock they owned. In total, the purchase price for Atlantic Capital was $657.8 million.

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In the acquisition, the Company acquired $2.4 billion of loans, including PPP loans, at fair value, net of $48.7 million, or 2.01%, estimated discount to the outstanding principal balance, representing 10.0% of the Company’s total loans at December 31, 2021. Of the total loans acquired, Management identified $112.7 million that had more than insignificantly deteriorated since origination and were thus determined to be PCD loans.

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The acquisition was accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with ASC Topic 805. The Company recognized goodwill on this acquisition of $342.9 million. The goodwill was calculated based on the fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date.

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During three month ended March 31, 2022, the Company incurred approximately $5.6 million of acquisition costs related to this transaction. These acquisition costs are reported in merger and branch consolidation related expenses on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income.