The First Bank
The First Bank is a Southeast U.S. regional community bank, now operating as part of Renasant Corporation, serving retail consumers, small-to-mid-size businesses, mortgage borrowers, and wealth management clients across Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida through a multi-channel branch and digital banking platform.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersHattiesburg, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The First Bank does
The First Bank is a regional community bank that historically operated across the Southeastern United States, serving retail consumers, small-to-mid-size businesses, and mortgage/wealth management clients through a multi-state branch network and full-featured digital banking platform. The bank offered a standard commercial and retail banking suite: checking, savings, CDs, IRAs, credit and debit cards, personal and auto loans, mortgages, home equity lines, SBA loans, treasury management, and wealth and trust services, distributed through physical branches, online and mobile channels (iOS/Android), Zelle, mobile check deposit, mortgage loan officers, and business banking relationship managers.
The company was the core banking subsidiary of The First Bancshares, Inc., a public holding company headquartered in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Following a multi-year M&A roll-up strategy that included acquisitions of Iberville Bank, Gulf Coast Community Bank, Sunshine Community Bank, First Community Bank Alabama ($60M), FMB Banking Corp. ($80M), Southwest Georgia Financial, Beach Bancorp ($116.7M), and Heritage Southeast Bancorporation ($207M), The First Bancshares was itself acquired by Renasant Corporation (NYSE:RNST) in 2025. That transaction expanded the combined entity's assets by 48.3% year-over-year and established a Southeast footprint spanning Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
Post-integration, the bank reports above-peer profitability metrics: ROA of 1.26%, ROE of 14.35%, net interest income expanding from $16.4M to $20.8M, and a Q1 2026 dividend of $0.37 per share (5.31% annualized yield). The franchise trades at a 9.4x P/E, the lowest in its peer group. Revenue is generated primarily through net interest margin on loans and deposits, supplemented by fee income from treasury management, wealth management (including Park Place Capital), mortgage origination, and card interchange.
The First Bank firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The First Bank
- Legal name
- The First Bancshares, Inc.
- Website
- https://www.thefirstbank.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- The First Bank is a Southeast U.S. regional community bank, now operating as part of Renasant Corporation, serving retail consumers, small-to-mid-size businesses, mortgage borrowers, and wealth management clients across Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida through a multi-channel branch and digital banking platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The First Bank industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Banking
- NAICS
- Commercial Banking (52211)
- SIC
- State Commercial Banks (6022)
- akta.pro primary industry
- SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs) (FSABABAC)
Keywords
Where The First Bank is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hattiesburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
The First Bank business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
The First Bank product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The First Bank is a regional community bank delivering FDIC-insured deposit products (checking, savings, CDs, IRAs, HSA, money market), consumer and commercial lending (personal, auto, home equity, mortgages, SBA loans, treasury management), cards (credit, debit, affinity), digital banking (online/mobile, Zelle, mobile deposit, bill pay), and wealth management and trust services. Operating across Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida as part of Renasant Corporation, it serves retail consumers, small-to-mid-size businesses, mortgage borrowers, and affluent clients through a physical branch network and digital channels.
Product overview
The First Bank operates as a regional banking institution, offering personal and business banking services. Following acquisitions of Beach Bank and Heritage Southeast Bank, The First Bank expanded its presence across Georgia and Florida markets. The bank provides standard commercial and retail banking products including checking accounts, savings accounts, loans, and related financial services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Checking Accounts (Interest, Simple, Rewards Extra) Tiered FDIC-insured consumer checking accounts — Interest Checking, Simple Checking, and Rewards Extra Checking — for individuals and households in the Southeast U.S., with features such as debit cards, online and mobile banking, and bill pay.
- Savings Accounts (Regular, Rewards, Children's, Money Market) FDIC-insured consumer savings products including Regular Savings, Rewards Savings, Children's Savings, and Personal Money Market accounts for individuals and households.
- Certificates of Deposit (CDs) FDIC-insured Certificates of Deposit offered to personal banking customers for fixed-term deposits with a stated interest rate.
- Health Savings Account (HSA) Health Savings Account deposit product for individuals to set aside pre-tax funds for qualified medical expenses, paired with an FDIC-insured deposit account.
- Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) FDIC-insured Individual Retirement Account deposit products for retirement savings held at The First Bank.
- Credit Cards Consumer credit card products issued to eligible personal banking customers for purchases, balance management, and digital payments.
- Debit Cards and Affinity Debit Cards Debit cards linked to consumer checking accounts, including affinity/branded debit card variants, supporting point-of-sale purchases, ATM access, and digital wallet tokenization.
- Personal Loans Unsecured personal installment loans for consumers to finance personal needs, with online loan application and payment tools.
- Auto Loans Consumer auto loan financing for new and used vehicle purchases, with online application and digital servicing tools.
- Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) Revolving home equity line of credit secured by residential real estate, allowing homeowners to borrow against home equity for various needs.
- Mortgage Loans (Purchase and Refinancing) Residential mortgage products including purchase mortgages, refinancing, renovation and repair loans, Community Homebuyer Programs, and Affordable Mortgage Products, delivered through dedicated mortgage lending officers.
- Online and Mobile Banking Online banking portal providing account management, bill pay, e-statements, and self-service tools for personal banking customers.
- Mobile Banking App (iOS and Android) Native mobile banking application for iOS and Android providing account management, mobile check deposit, bill pay, Zelle, mobile wallet, and digital account access.
- Zelle Person-to-Person Payments Person-to-person payment service integrated into the digital banking platform, allowing customers to send and receive funds with eligible U.S. bank accounts.
- Mobile Wallet and Click to Pay Tokenization services enabling customers to add The First Bank debit and credit cards to mobile wallets and Click to Pay for in-store, in-app, and online card payments.
- Bill Pay Online and mobile bill payment service for personal banking customers to schedule recurring and one-time payments from their checking accounts.
- Mobile Check Deposit Remote deposit capture capability within the mobile banking app, allowing customers to deposit checks by capturing images with their mobile device.
- Trust Services Trust administration services for individuals and families, including trust planning, estate administration, and fiduciary services delivered by trust officers.
- Financial Services (Financial Planning and Retirement Investing) Financial planning, retirement investing, and related advisory services for affluent individuals and families, delivered through financial advisors.
- Park Place Capital (Wealth Advisory) Affiliated wealth advisory offering investment management and financial planning services to wealth management clients of The First Bank.
- Medical Banking Specialized banking offering for medical professionals, providing tailored deposit, lending, and wealth management solutions for the healthcare practitioner segment.
- Private Client Banking Private banking relationship service for high-net-worth individuals and families, combining deposits, lending, wealth management, and trust services through dedicated advisors.
- Business and Commercial Banking (Commercial Loans, SBA Loans, Treasury Management) Business banking products and services for small-to-mid-size businesses and commercial clients, including commercial loans, SBA loans, business checking and savings, treasury management, and cash management solutions delivered through dedicated business bankers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Net interest income grew from $16.4M to $20.8M driven by lower deposit costs and higher net interest margin.
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use The First Bank
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The First Bank technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The First Bank partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Heritage Southeast Bancorporation, Inc.coreThe First Bancshares, Inc. announced a proposed merger with Heritage Southeast Bancorporation, Inc. (HSBI), involving the acquisition of HSBI and merger of Heritage Southeast Bank into The First Bank. The transaction was valued at approximately $207 million and aimed to expand The First Bancshares' presence across Georgia and Florida, creating a stronger regional bank. This represented a key strategic M&A partnership for geographic expansion.
- Beach Bancorp, Inc.coreThe First Bancshares, Inc. announced a proposed acquisition of Beach Bancorp, Inc., involving the merger of Beach Bank into The First Bank and expansion of its presence in Florida. The all-stock transaction was valued at approximately $116.7 million and was expected to close in late 2022 after regulatory and shareholder approvals. This represented a strategic expansion of the Florida market footprint.
- Renasant Corporation (NYSE:RNST)coreRenasant Corporation completed its acquisition of The First Bancshares, significantly expanding its market share in the Southeast. The acquisition increased Renasant's assets by 48.3% year-over-year and boosted earnings in 2025. The First Bancshares' operations were integrated into the Renasant Bank network, extending Renasant's footprint to include Georgia and Florida markets.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The First Bank competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Renasant Corporation: NYSE-listed parent (RNST) that acquired The First Bancshares; operates community banking across MS, TN, AL, GA, and FL with comparable consumer/commercial product suites, branch network, and community-bank DNA — the most direct and most relevant peer.
- Trustmark Corporation: NASDAQ-listed (TRMK) Mississippi-headquartered regional bank with consumer, commercial, and wealth management services across the Southeast; comparable community-bank model, asset size, and geographic overlap.
- Cadence Bank: NYSE-listed (CADE) Southeast regional bank formed from the merger of BancorpSouth and Cadence; provides commercial banking, treasury management, and wealth services with overlapping footprint in MS, AL, GA, TN, and FL.
- Synovus Financial Corp. NYSE-listed (SNV) Southeast regional bank headquartered in Columbus, GA; competes directly with community and commercial banking services across Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee markets.
- SouthState Corporation: NYSE-listed (SSB) Southeast super-community bank formed from the merger of CenterState and South State; offers similar consumer, commercial, and mortgage products with direct overlap in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.
- Pinnacle Financial Partners: NYSE-listed (PNFP) Tennessee-headquartered regional bank with growing Southeast footprint; competing commercial banking, treasury management, and wealth offerings make it a relevant comparable.
- ServisFirst Bancshares: NYSE-listed (SFBS) Birmingham, AL-based super-community bank with operations across the Southeast; similar commercial banking focus, relationship-driven model, and asset scale tier.
- Simmons First National Corporation: NASDAQ-listed (SFNC) Arkansas-based regional bank with significant Southeast and Texas footprint; comparable community-bank operating model with consumer, commercial, and treasury management services.
Broad incumbents
- First Horizon Corporation: NYSE-listed (FHN) large Southeast regional bank (~$80B assets) with broad consumer, commercial, mortgage, and wealth offerings across TN, MS, FL, GA; larger-scale incumbent that competes for similar customers with a wider product set.
- Regions Financial Corporation: NYSE-listed (RF) major Southeast regional bank (~$150B assets) with full-service consumer, commercial, and wealth capabilities across the same five-state footprint; an entrenched incumbent competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The First Bank social profiles
Digital presenceThe First Bank financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The First Bank leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The First Bank subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The First Bank funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The First Bank M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A9 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The First Bank
What does The First Bank do?
The First Bank is a regional community bank delivering FDIC-insured deposit products (checking, savings, CDs, IRAs, HSA, money market), consumer and commercial lending (personal, auto, home equity, mortgages, SBA loans, treasury management), cards (credit, debit, affinity), digital banking (online/mobile, Zelle, mobile deposit, bill pay), and wealth management and trust services. Operating across Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida as part of Renasant Corporation, it serves retail consumers, small-to-mid-size businesses, mortgage borrowers, and affluent clients through a physical branch network and digital channels.
Is The First Bank a public or private company?
The First Bank is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was The First Bank founded?
The First Bank was founded in 1996. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is The First Bank based?
The First Bank is headquartered in Hattiesburg, United States, in the North America region.
Who are The First Bank's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Renasant Corporation, Trustmark Corporation, Cadence Bank, Synovus Financial Corp., SouthState Corporation, Pinnacle Financial Partners, ServisFirst Bancshares and Simmons First National Corporation. Broad incumbents are First Horizon Corporation and Regions Financial Corporation.
Does The First Bank have an API?
No public API is recorded for The First Bank.
What industry is The First Bank in?
The First Bank's product category is Community Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABABAC, SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs). Its NAICS code is 52211 and its SIC code is 6022.