Core Insights - Southern First Bancshares, Inc. reported strong financial results for Q1 2025, highlighting exceptional loan and deposit growth, solid margin expansion, and excellent asset quality [2][5][21] - The company is well-positioned for potential economic uncertainties and is focused on increasing profitability while supporting community initiatives [2][5] Financial Performance - Net income for Q1 2025 was $5.3 million, or $0.65 per diluted share, representing a 109% increase compared to Q1 2024 [5][6] - Total revenue reached $26.5 million, up from $21.3 million in Q1 2024, driven by increased net interest income and noninterest income [3][5] - Net interest margin improved to 2.41%, compared to 1.94% in Q1 2024 [5][11] Loan and Deposit Growth - Total loans increased to $3.7 billion, reflecting a 6% annualized growth over Q4 2024 [5][19] - Core deposits rose to $2.8 billion, marking a 23% annualized increase from Q4 2024 [5][19] Asset Quality - Nonperforming assets represented 0.26% of total assets, a slight decrease from 0.27% in Q4 2024 [15][16] - The allowance for credit losses was $40.7 million, or 1.10% of total loans, consistent with previous quarters [16][19] Noninterest Income and Expenses - Noninterest income totaled $3.1 million, up from $2.7 million in Q1 2024, with mortgage banking income being the largest component [8][9] - Noninterest expenses increased to $18.8 million, driven by higher compensation and benefits [9][10] Capital Ratios - The total risk-based capital ratio stood at 12.69%, indicating strong capital adequacy [3][14] - The tangible common equity ratio was reported at 7.88% [5][14]

ATLANTA, April 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company today announced it is increasing its dividend by 8 cents per share on an annualized basis to a rate of $2.96 per share.This marks the 77th consecutive year that Southern Company has paid a dividend on its common stock that is equal to or greater than the previous quarter. Additionally, this is the 24th consecutive year the company has raised its dividend.Southern Company also announced a regular quarterly dividend – including an increase of 2 cents pe ...

Core Points - Georgia Natural Gas is celebrating 15 years of leadership in Earth Day initiatives, encouraging Atlanta residents to responsibly dispose of electronic waste [1][2] - The goal for this year's event is to recycle at least 50,000 pounds of electronics, with participation from eWaste/ePlanet and local businesses [2] - The event will take place on April 26, 2025, at Lenox Square, where community members can drop off various electronic items for recycling [1][2] Company Information - Georgia Natural Gas is the leading natural gas provider in Georgia and is part of SouthStar Energy Services, which operates in multiple states [5] - Southern Company Gas, the parent company of Georgia Natural Gas, serves approximately 4.4 million natural gas utility customers across four states [6] - The Greener Life program offered by Georgia Natural Gas allows customers to offset their carbon footprint for a small monthly fee, promoting environmental stewardship [3]

Core Viewpoint - Southern Company is facing allegations of engaging in smear campaigns against Latino individuals and families, which has drawn criticism from advocacy groups and raised questions about the company's commitment to racial equity and inclusion [1][4]. Group 1: Allegations and Investigations - Ernesto Pichardo, Chairman of the CDLU, has called for Southern Company to stop its alleged million-dollar smear campaigns against Latinos, stating that these actions serve no corporate purpose [1]. - An investigative report by Rob Holbert reveals that Southern Company may have funded a smear website through a consulting firm, Matrix, LLC, which reportedly received $2.2 million annually without invoicing [1]. - The smear campaign reportedly targeted K.B. Forbes, CEO of Consejo de Latinos, who faced harassment including a phony protest, smear news stories, and social media attacks [2]. Group 2: Nature of the Smear Campaign - The smear website created against Forbes is described as unprofessional, using low-quality graphics to falsely accuse him of racism and deception [3]. - The campaign also involved defaming attorney Burt Newsome, who was linked to a lawsuit against Balch & Bingham, a law firm favored by Southern Company [3]. - The motivation behind these actions appears to stem from a belief that Newsome is an adversary to the utility industry and has conflicts with Southern Company's preferred legal representation [3]. Group 3: Company’s Public Image vs. Actions - Southern Company has publicly advocated for racial equity and inclusion, yet its alleged actions contradict this stance by targeting and defaming Latino individuals [4].

Company Performance - Southern Co. closed at $87.80, with a daily increase of +1.08%, underperforming the S&P 500's gain of 9.52% [1] - Over the past month, shares have decreased by 3.6%, which is better than the Utilities sector's loss of 4.41% and the S&P 500's loss of 13.47% [1] Earnings Forecast - The company is expected to release earnings on May 1, 2025, with a predicted EPS of $1.17, reflecting a growth of 13.59% year-over-year [2] - Revenue is anticipated to be $6.93 billion, indicating a 4.3% increase compared to the same quarter last year [2] Fiscal Year Estimates - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are projected at $4.29 per share and revenue at $27.43 billion, representing increases of +5.93% and +2.63% respectively from the previous year [3] - Recent analyst estimate revisions are seen as a positive indicator of the company's business outlook [3] Valuation Metrics - Southern Co. has a Forward P/E ratio of 20.23, which is higher than the industry's average Forward P/E of 17.29 [6] - The company’s PEG ratio stands at 3.12, compared to the Utility - Electric Power industry's average PEG ratio of 2.63 [6] Industry Context - The Utility - Electric Power industry is ranked 58 in the Zacks Industry Rank, placing it in the top 24% of over 250 industries [7] - The top 50% rated industries are shown to outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

Core Insights - Georgia Power received the Emergency Recovery Award from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) for its exceptional response to Hurricane Helene in 2024, which caused significant damage across the state [1][5][4] - The storm resulted in over 1,500 miles of downed power lines, 11,800 broken power poles, and 5,800 damaged transformers, marking it as the most destructive hurricane in Georgia Power's 140-year history [6][4] - Georgia Power plans to hire approximately 180 lineworkers annually over the next several years to support its growing workforce needs [8][9] Company Response to Hurricane Helene - Georgia Power's response involved over 20,000 personnel, including teams from other states and Canada, utilizing helicopters, boats, and drones for restoration efforts [5][4] - The company highlighted the dedication of its employees, particularly lineworkers, in restoring power to over one million customers affected by the hurricane [4][5] Workforce Development - Georgia Power hires around 700 positions annually and collaborates with technical colleges to recruit and train new lineworkers, with over 60% of new hires coming from Electrical Lineworker Apprentice Certification programs [8][9] - The company offers a multi-year apprenticeship program and continuing education for employees to ensure they remain competitive in the industry [8][9] Industry Recognition - The EEI commended Georgia Power for its safe and efficient response to Hurricane Helene, emphasizing the importance of the electric workforce in restoring power after natural disasters [5][11] - Georgia Power is recognized as an industry leader in customer satisfaction, serving 2.8 million customers across Georgia [10]

Vancouver, British Columbia and Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 7, 2025) - Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (TSXV: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTC Pink: MWSNF) (FSE: MV3) ("Southern Cross Gold" or the "Company") announces a drilling and geophysical exploration activity update. Two further diamond drill rigs will mobilize to Sunday Creek next week to increase the total number to eight rigs operating at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek gold-antimony project in Victoria, while multiple geophysical and soil ...

Funding for twenty-one new programs focused on ensuring Georgia has workforce needed for growing economy ATLANTA, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Georgia Power Foundation announced today that it has reached a milestone, awarding over $2.25 million through 65 grants to support workforce development needs through educational programs across the state since 2020. The Georgia Power Foundation's Workforce for Georgia signature grant program, administered by The Georgia Foundation for Public Education, provides ...

CHICAGO, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guaranteed Rate Affinity, a leading mortgage provider offering unparalleled lending services through its exclusive partnership with Coldwell Banker, announces that Sabina Adamski has rejoined the company as Vice President of Mortgage Lending in Laguna Niguel and Irvine, California. Adamski, who has worked in the mortgage industry since 2015, spent a year with Guaranteed Rate Affinity in 2021 before working at another firm for two years. She returns to Guaranteed R ...

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