Bigger And Better, South State Corp Looking To Disrupt The Southeast

South State Corp. (SSB) is following a time-tested strategy - leveraging a low-cost deposit base and strong market share in attractive markets to build a competitive commercial lending-focused banking franchise. There are growing pains throughout that process, though, and South State has yet to post strong returns on equity or capital on a consistent basis. What's more, the shares looked a little pricey around a year ago, and the shares have lagged regional bank peers since.

With Park Sterling in the fold, good organic loan growth, and strong core markets, though, I believe this is a time to revisit South State. Much larger rivals like Bank of America (BAC), BB&T (BBT), Wells Fargo (WFC), and SunTrust (STI) should not be taken lightly, but South State's low funding costs are a strategic asset, as is the company's focus on smaller commercial clients that often don't feel so well-served by the larger super-regional baking franchises. If South State can generate the mid-teens organic growth I expect, these shares look undervalued below $100.

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Bigger And Better, South State Corp Looking To Disrupt The Southeast