SouthState’s third quarter was marked by revenue and profit figures that exceeded Wall Street expectations, yet the market reacted negatively, reflecting investor caution. Management attributed the performance largely to the full integration of the Independent Financial acquisition, which began delivering earnings synergies during the quarter, and to solid growth in both loans and deposits. CEO John Corbett emphasized that loan production increased, particularly in Texas and Colorado, while charge-offs were elevated due to a single large commercial credit. Corbett described credit metrics as stable overall, noting, “Nonaccruals are down slightly, and we've only experienced 12 basis points of charge-offs year-to-date.”

Is now the time to buy SSB? Find out in our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions From SouthState’s Q3 Earnings Call

• Michael Rose (Raymond James) asked about the sustainability of margin given higher loan accretion and deposit costs. CFO Stephen Young explained that accretion from prior loan vintages boosted Q3 margin but will normalize, projecting net interest margin to settle in the high 3.80% to 3.90% range.
• Jared Shaw (Barclays) questioned the implications of a large commercial charge-off and the outlook for credit quality. CEO John Corbett confirmed this was a unique supply chain finance exposure and stated, “We don't have any more of that type of lending,” emphasizing stable credit metrics elsewhere.
• Catherine Mealor (KBW) sought clarity on fee income outlook following a strong quarter for capital markets. Young responded that while Q3 benefited from favorable market conditions, noninterest income is likely to revert toward a $370–$380 million annual run rate.
• Sun Young Lee (TD Cowen) asked about the transition of Independent Financial bankers to SouthState’s business model. Corbett outlined changes to incentive structures and described efforts to encourage recruiting without penalizing initial hiring costs in 2026.
• Ben Gerlinger (Citi) inquired about capital deployment priorities, including potential M&A. Corbett stated that organic growth through banker recruitment and share buybacks takes precedence over acquisitions in the current environment.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In upcoming quarters, the StockStory team will focus on (1) the pace of loan growth and banker recruitment in Texas, Colorado, and Southeast markets; (2) evidence of stable or improving net interest margin as rate cuts materialize and deposit costs shift; and (3) whether expense controls and merger synergies continue to support operating efficiency. The sustainability of fee income, especially from capital markets activities, will also be an important marker of performance.

SouthState currently trades at $89.72, down from $93.85 just before the earnings. In the wake of this quarter, is it a buy or sell? The answer lies in our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

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