South Atlantic Bank: how it compares with its peers
Against 11 SC banks with half to twice its assets, South Atlantic Bank's strongest measure in Q2 2026 is assets per employee ($11.3M vs. a $8.0M peer median). Its weakest relative measure is net interest margin (3.30% vs. 3.60%).
| Measure | South Atlantic Bank | Peer median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return on assets Annualized net income over average assets. | 1.07% | 1.24% | Bottom third Ahead of 18% of peers |
| Net interest margin Annualized net interest income over earning assets. | 3.30% | 3.60% | Bottom third Ahead of 9% of peers |
| Efficiency ratio Noninterest expense per dollar of revenue. Lower is better. | 59.17% | 59.17% | Middle third Ahead of 45% of peers |
| Assets per employee Total assets over full-time-equivalent staff. | $11.3M | $8.0M | Top third Ahead of 82% of peers |
| Loans to deposits Net loans and leases over total deposits. | 91.08% | 78.93% | Context |
What it means for lending operations
Its efficiency ratio of 59.17% 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 Conway National Bank Conway, SC · $2.00B
- Bank of Travelers Rest Travelers Rest, SC · $1.60B
- Anderson Brothers Bank Mullins, SC · $2.38B
- First Community Bank Lexington, SC · $2.38B
- Coastal States Bank Hilton Head Island, SC · $2.42B
- Security Federal Bank Aiken, SC · $1.54B
Questions about South Atlantic Bank
How big is South Atlantic Bank?
South Atlantic Bank, established in 2007, is headquartered in Myrtle Beach, SC. It reported $1.98B in total assets in its Q2 2026 FDIC call report and operates 12 offices.
What is South Atlantic Bank's return on assets?
1.07% annualized in Q2 2026, against a 1.24% median for 11 SC banks with half to twice its assets, ahead of 18% of them.
What is South Atlantic Bank's efficiency ratio?
59.17% in Q2 2026: it spent about 59 cents in noninterest expense for each dollar of revenue. The peer median is 59.17%, and lower is better.
Is South Atlantic Bank growing its loans?
Net loans grew 7.5% over the year to Q2 2026, while deposits grew 3.7%.
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.