Exhibit 99.1

Southern First Reports Results for First Quarter of 2017

Greenville, South Carolina, April 25, 2017 – Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFST), holding company for Southern First Bank, today reported net income available to the common shareholders of $3.1 million, or $0.46 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2017. In comparison, net income available to common shareholders was $3.0 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2016.

“I am proud of our team as we generated record core deposit growth of over $63 million,” stated Art Seaver, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. “With our first quarter loan growth of $55 million, we are seeing strong momentum in adding new client relationships. We are also excited as we added new members to our Columbia and Charleston teams as well as our first key bankers in the Atlanta market.”

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Operating Results
Net interest margin for the first quarter of 2017 was 3.61%, compared to 3.63% for the prior quarter and 3.64% for the first quarter of 2016. During the first quarter of 2017, our average interest-earning assets increased by $163.9 million, compared to the first quarter of 2016, while the yield on our interest-earning assets decreased by one basis point. In comparison, our average interest-bearing liabilities increased by $96.7 million during the first quarter of 2017, compared to the first quarter of 2016, with the respective cost increasing by six basis points.

Noninterest income was $2.1 million and $2.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The decrease in noninterest income during the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 relates primarily to a decrease in mortgage banking revenue during the first quarter of 2017 and gain on sale of investment securities of $307 thousand in the first quarter of 2016. Specifically, mortgage banking revenue was $1.1 million and $1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Noninterest expense was $8.4 million and $7.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The increase in noninterest expense during the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 relates primarily to increases in compensation and benefits, occupancy, outside services and data processing costs and other noninterest expenses, partially offset by a decrease in real estate owned expenses. Included in noninterest expense are mortgage banking expenses of $849 thousand and $902 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

During the first quarter of 2017, we recorded total credit costs of $513 thousand, including a $500 thousand provision for loan losses and $13 thousand expenses related to the sale and management of other real estate owned. In addition, we had net charge-offs for the first quarter of 2017 of $68 thousand, or 0.02% of average loans, annualized. During the first quarter of 2016, our total credit costs were $910 thousand, including a $625 thousand provision for loan losses and $285 thousand expenses related to the sale and management of other real estate owned. Net loan charge-offs for the first quarter of 2016 were $356 thousand, or 0.14% of average loans on an annual basis, and related primarily to two commercial and one consumer relationships. Our allowance for loan losses was $15.3 million, or 1.25% of loans, at March 31, 2017 which provides approximately 247% coverage of nonaccrual loans, compared to $13.9 million, or 1.34% of loans, and approximately 225% coverage of nonaccrual loans at March 31, 2016.

Nonperforming assets were $6.8 million, or 0.47% of total assets, as of March 31, 2017. Comparatively, nonperforming assets were $8.5 million, or 0.68% of total assets, at March 31, 2016. Of the $6.8 million in total nonperforming assets as of March 31, 2017, nonperforming loans represent $6.2 million and other real estate owned represents $669 thousand. Classified assets improved to 12% of tier 1 capital plus the allowance for loan losses at March 31, 2017, compared to 15% at March 31, 2016.

Gross loans were $1.219 billion, excluding mortgage loans held for sale, as of March 31, 2017, compared to $1.039 billion at March 31, 2016. Core deposits, which exclude out-of-market deposits and time deposits of $250,000 or more, increased to $1.001 billion at March 31, 2017 compared to $853.6 million at March 31, 2016.

Shareholders’ equity totaled $113.6 million as of March 31, 2017, compared to $109.9 million at December 31, 2016, and $98.3 million at March 31, 2016. As of March 31, 2017, our capital ratios continue to exceed the regulatory requirements for a “well capitalized” institution.

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ABOUT SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES

Southern First Bancshares, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina is a registered bank holding company incorporated under the laws of South Carolina. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Southern First Bank, is the third largest bank headquartered in South Carolina. Southern First Bancshares has been providing financial services since 1999 and now operates in ten locations in the Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston markets of South Carolina as well as Raleigh, North Carolina. Southern First Bancshares has assets of approximately $1.5 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.

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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.

FINANCIAL CONTACT: MIKE DOWLING 864-679-9070

MEDIA CONTACT: ART SEAVER 864-679-9010

WEB SITE: www.southernfirst.com

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