First Reliance Bank: how it compares with its peers
Against 17 SC banks with half to twice its assets, First Reliance Bank's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is net interest margin (3.87% vs. a 3.47% peer median). Its weakest relative measure is efficiency ratio (66.43% vs. 59.17%).
| Measure | First Reliance Bank | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 1.21% | 1.14% | Middle third Ahead of 53% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 3.87% | 3.47% | Top third Ahead of 71% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 66.43% | 59.17% | Bottom third Ahead of 24% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $6.9M | $8.1M | Bottom third Ahead of 29% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 89.96% | 78.93% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 66.43% is above the 59.17% peer median: it spends more to earn each dollar of revenue than most banks its size. Staff time on manual borrower verification (collecting pay stubs, bank statements, and employment letters, then re-keying them) is one of the larger controllable costs behind that number.
Banks closest in size
- The Citizens Bank Olanta, SC · $1.14B
- First Palmetto Bank Camden, SC · $1.10B
- First Capital Bank Charleston, SC · $1.32B
- Coastal Carolina National Bank Myrtle Beach, SC · $1.35B
- Carolina Bank & Trust Co. Lamar, SC · $845M
Questions about First Reliance Bank
How big is First Reliance Bank?
First Reliance Bank, established in 1999, is headquartered in Florence, SC. It reported $1.13B in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 10 offices.
What is First Reliance Bank's return on assets?
1.21% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.14% median for 17 SC banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 53% of them.
What is First Reliance Bank's efficiency ratio?
66.43% in Q2 2026: it spent about 66 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 59.17%, and lower is better.
Is First Reliance Bank growing its loans?
Net loans grew 4.9% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits shrank 3.1%.
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 SC 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 South Carolina bank ranked.