Exhibit 99.1

Southern First Reports Results for Fourth Quarter of 2015

Greenville, South Carolina, January 26, 2016 – Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFST), holding company for Southern First Bank, today reported net income available to the common shareholders of $2.9 million, or $0.43 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2015. In comparison, net income available to common shareholders was $1.8 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2014. For the year ended December 31, 2015, net income to common shareholders was $10.2 million, or $1.55 per diluted share. In comparison, net income available to common shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2014 was $5.7 million, or $1.10 per diluted share.

“2015 was a record year for our company with earnings of $10.2 million and significant growth in deposits and loans,” stated Art Seaver, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.

Operating Results

Net interest margin for the fourth quarter of 2015 was 3.48%, compared to 3.62% for the prior quarter, and 3.71% for the fourth quarter of 2014. Average interest-earning assets for the fourth quarter of 2015 increased by $211.2 million, compared to the fourth quarter of 2014, while our average interest-bearing liabilities for the fourth quarter of 2015 increased by $149.5 million, compared to the same period in 2014. However, the yield on our interest-earning assets declined by 26 basis points, as compared to the fourth quarter of 2014, due primarily to a higher level of low-yielding federal funds combined with a lower average loan yield. In addition, the cost of our interest-bearing liabilities declined by only one basis point, as compared to the same period in 2014.

Noninterest income was $2.0 million and $1.7 million for the three months ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, noninterest income was $8.4 million and $5.8 million, respectively. The increase in noninterest income during the three- and twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2015 relates primarily to increases in loan and mortgage fee income. A significant portion of our loan and mortgage fee income relates to income derived from mortgage originations of $1.1 million and $5.0 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, respectively, and $999 thousand and $2.7 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2014, respectively.

Noninterest expense was $7.2 million and $6.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $28.2 million and $24.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The increase in noninterest expense during the 2015 periods relates primarily to an increase in salaries and benefits and occupancy expenses, partially offset by a decrease in other noninterest expense. In addition, real estate owned expenses decreased by $412 thousand during the three-month period ended December 31, 2015 compared to the fourth quarter of 2014, and increased by $495 thousand during the year ended December 31, 2015, compared to the prior year.

During the three months ended December 31, 2015, we recorded total credit costs of $839 thousand, including a $700 thousand provision for loan losses and $139 thousand of expenses related to the sale and management of other real estate owned. In addition, net loan charge-offs for the fourth quarter of 2015 were $439 thousand, or 0.17% of average loans, annualized. During the three months ended December 31, 2014, our total credit costs were $1.5 million, consisting of a $900 thousand provision for loan losses and $551 thousand of expenses related to other real estate owned. Net loan charge-offs for the fourth quarter of 2014 were $453 thousand, or 0.21% of average loans, annualized. For the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, total credit costs were $4.3 million and $4.8 million, respectively. Our allowance for loan losses was $13.6 million, or 1.36% of loans, at December 31, 2015 which provides approximately 206% coverage of nonaccrual loans, compared to $11.8 million, or 1.35% of loans, and approximately 177% coverage of nonaccrual loans at December 31, 2014.

Nonperforming assets were $9.1 million, or 0.75% of total assets, as of December 31, 2015. Comparatively, nonperforming assets were $10.0 million, or 0.97% of total assets, at December 31, 2014. Of the $9.1 million in total nonperforming assets as of December 31, 2015, nonperforming loans represent $6.6 million and other real estate owned represents $2.5 million. Classified assets improved to 17% of tier 1 capital plus the allowance for loan losses at December 31, 2015, compared to 22% at December 31, 2014.

Gross loans were $1.0 billion, excluding loans held for sale, as of December 31, 2015, compared to $871.4 million at December 31, 2014. Of the $133.5 million of loan growth during the year, $39.8 million was in the Greenville market, $33.4 million was in the Columbia market, and $60.3 million was in the Charleston market. Core deposits, which exclude out-of-market deposits and time deposits of $250,000 or more, increased to $840.2 million at December 31, 2015, compared to $667.1 million at December 31, 2014. During 2015, core deposits grew by $173.1 million with growth of $52.7 million in the Greenville market, $55.0 million in the Columbia market, and $65.4 million in the Charleston market.

Shareholders’ equity totaled $94.2 million as of December 31, 2015, compared to $83.0 million at December 31, 2014. As of December 31, 2015, our capital ratios continue to exceed the regulatory requirements for a “well capitalized” institution.

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Southern First Bancshares, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina is a registered bank holding company incorporated under the laws of South Carolina. The Company consists of Southern First Bank, the third largest bank headquartered in South Carolina. Southern First Bancshares has been providing financial services since 1999 and now operates in nine locations in the Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston markets of South Carolina. Southern First Bancshares has assets of approximately $1.2 billion and its common stock is traded in the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “SFST.” More information can be found at www.southernfirst.com.

FORWARD- LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this news release contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to future plans and expectations, and are thus prospective. Such forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “targets,” and “projects,” as well as similar expressions. Such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Therefore, we can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be construed as a representation by our company or any person that the future events, plans, or expectations contemplated by our company will be achieved.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: (1) competitive pressures among depository and other financial institutions may increase significantly and have an effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; (2) the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations may be different than expected resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in the credit quality or a reduced demand for credit, including the resultant effect on the company’s loan portfolio and allowance for loan losses; (3) the rate of delinquencies and amounts of charge-offs, the level of allowance for loan loss, the rates of loan growth, or adverse changes in asset quality in our loan portfolio, which may result in increased credit risk-related losses and expenses; (4) changes in the United States legal and regulatory framework; and (5) adverse conditions in the stock market, the public debt market and other capital markets (including changes in interest rate conditions) could have a negative impact on the company. Additional factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in our reports (such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the company or any person acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements above. We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

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