First Southern State Bank: how it compares with its peers
Against 24 AL banks with half to twice its assets, First Southern State Bank's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is return on assets (1.46% vs. a 1.29% peer median). Its weakest relative measure is assets per employee ($6.5M vs. $7.4M).
| Measure | First Southern State Bank | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 1.46% | 1.29% | Top third Ahead of 67% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 3.80% | 3.77% | Middle third Ahead of 50% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 53.02% | 60.07% | Top third Ahead of 67% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $6.5M | $7.4M | Bottom third Ahead of 33% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 61.33% | 74.29% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 53.02% is better than the 60.07% peer median. Banks that already run lean usually find their next gains in loan growth: faster digital applications and fewer borrowers abandoning a slow document chase.
Banks closest in size
- Traditions Bank Cullman, AL · $891M
- Central State Bank Calera, AL · $891M
- West Alabama Bank & Trust Reform, AL · $929M
- First Metro Bank Muscle Shoals, AL · $1.01B
- MidSouth Bank Dothan, AL · $771M
- CommerceOne Bank Birmingham, AL · $1.06B
Questions about First Southern State Bank
How big is First Southern State Bank?
First Southern State Bank, established in 1910, is headquartered in Stevenson, AL. It reported $893M in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 11 offices.
What is First Southern State Bank's return on assets?
1.46% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.29% median for 24 AL banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 67% of them.
What is First Southern State Bank's efficiency ratio?
53.02% in Q2 2026: it spent about 53 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 60.07%, and lower is better.
Is First Southern State Bank growing its loans?
Net loans grew 5.5% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits grew 3.2%.
Sources and method
Figures are from the FDIC’s public call report data for the quarter ending 06/30/2026, via FDIC BankFind. Return on assets and net interest margin are annualized year to date. Peers are AL banks with half to twice its assets in the same quarter, excluding this bank. The page refreshes daily, so new quarters appear as banks file. Compare another bank or see every Alabama bank ranked.