Civista Bancshares (CIVB) vs Southern First Bancshares (SFST)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Southern First Bancshares (SFST) has outperformed Civista Bancshares (CIVB) over the past year, gaining 37.4% versus a gain of 27.3%. Over five years, SFST leads with a +11.9% price change compared with +5.1% for CIVB. Southern First Bancshares is the larger company by market cap ($572.1 million vs $560.2 million), about 1.0 times the size.
On valuation, Civista Bancshares trades at a lower forward P/E (9.2x vs 9.8x for Southern First Bancshares). Civista Bancshares pays a dividend yielding 2.60%, while Southern First Bancshares does not currently pay one.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | CIVB | SFST |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $26.94 | $60.40 |
| Market cap | $560.20M | $572.09M |
| 1-day change | +1.28% | +0.92% |
| YTD return | +19.71% | +16.17% |
| 1-year return | +27.27% | +37.40% |
| 5-year return | +5.14% | +11.85% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 10.01 | 13.02 |
| Forward P/E | 9.24 | 9.78 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.69 | $4.64 |
| Dividend yield | 2.60% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.70 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $29.97 | $65.09 |
| 52-week low | $19.82 | $40.90 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -10.11% | -7.21% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +14.77% | +13.41% |
| Average volume | 139.39K | 100.21K |
| Shares outstanding | 20.79M | 9.47M |
| Employees | 548 | 315 |
| Sector | Financial Services | Finance |
| Industry | Banks - Regional | Major Banks |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- SFST has outperformed CIVB by 10.1 percentage points over the past year.
- Southern First Bancshares trades at a higher earnings multiple (13.0x vs 10.0x trailing P/E).
- Civista Bancshares offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.60% vs 0.00%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Civista Bancshares in Financial Services and Southern First Bancshares in Finance.
About Civista Bancshares
CIVB stock →Civista Bancshares, Inc. operates as the financial holding company for Civista Bank that provides banking services in the United States.
Financial Services · Banks - Regional · 548 employees
About Southern First Bancshares
SFST stock →Southern First Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Southern First Bank that provides commercial, consumer, and mortgage loans to the general public in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia.
Finance · Major Banks · 315 employees
CIVB vs SFST FAQ
Which is bigger, Civista Bancshares or Southern First Bancshares?
Southern First Bancshares (SFST) is larger, with a market capitalization of $572.09M compared with $560.20M for Civista Bancshares (CIVB).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CIVB or SFST?
SFST returned +37.40% over the past 12 months, compared with +27.27% for CIVB (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CIVB or SFST?
CIVB has the lower trailing P/E at 10.0, versus 13.0 for SFST. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Civista Bancshares or Southern First Bancshares?
Civista Bancshares pays a dividend yielding 2.60%, while Southern First Bancshares does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Civista Bancshares and Southern First Bancshares in the same industry?
No. Civista Bancshares is in the Financial Services sector, while Southern First Bancshares is in Finance.