Southern First Bancshares, Inc.
Item 1. (b) Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices
100 Verdae Boulevard, Suite 100
Greenville, SC 29606
Item 2. (a) Name of Person Filing
This Amendment No. 2 to the Schedule 13G is being filed on behalf of the following persons (the "Reporting Persons")*:
(i) | EJF Capital LLC; |
(ii) | Emanuel J. Friedman; |
(iii) | EJF Financial Services Fund, LP (the "Financial Services Fund"); |
(iv) | EJF Financial Services GP, LLC; |
(v) | EJF Financial Opportunities Master Fund, L.P. (the "Financial Opportunities Fund"); and |
(vi) | EJF Financial Opportunities GP, LLC. |
*Attached as Exhibit A is a copy of an agreement among the Reporting Persons that this Amendment No. 2 to the Schedule 13G is being filed on behalf of each of them.
Item 2. (b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence
The address of the principal business office of each Reporting Person is:
2107 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 410
Arlington, VA 22201
Item 2. (c) Citizenship
See Item 4 of the attached cover pages.
Item 2. (d) Title of Class of Securities
Common Stock, $0.01 par value (“Common Stock”)
Item 2. (e) CUSIP Number
842873101
Item 3. If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a:
Not Applicable.
Item 4. Ownership
(a) | Amount beneficially owned: |
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| See Item 9 of the attached cover pages. |
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(b) | Percent of class: |
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| See Item 11 of the attached cover pages. |
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(c) | Number of shares as to which such person has: |
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| (i) | Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: |
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| | See Item 5 of the attached cover pages. |
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| (ii) | Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: |
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| | See Item 6 of the attached cover pages. |
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| (iii) | Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition: |
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| | See Item 7 of the attached cover pages. |
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| (iv) | Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition: |
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| | See Item 8 of the attached cover pages. |
The Financial Services Fund is the record owner of the shares of Common Stock shown on item 9 of its respective cover page.
EJF Financial Services GP, LLC is the general partner of the Financial Services Fund and an investment manager of certain affiliates thereof and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock of which the Financial Services Fund is the record owner.
The Financial Opportunities Fund was the record owner of the shares of Common Stock previously reported by it on a schedule 13G/A filed on February 13, 2015, but no longer owns such shares of Common Stock.
EJF Financial Opportunities GP, LLC serves as the general partner of the Financial Opportunities Fund and may be deemed to have shared beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock of which the Financial Opportunities Fund was the record owner.
EJF Capital LLC is the sole member of each of EJF Financial Services GP, LLC and EJF Financial Opportunities GP, LLC, and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock of which such entities may share beneficial ownership. EJF Capital LLC also serves as the investment manager of the Financial Opportunities Fund and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock of which the Financial Opportunities Fund is the record owner. Emanuel J. Friedman is the controlling member of EJF Capital LLC and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock over which EJF Capital LLC may share beneficial ownership.
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following [ ].
As of the date hereof, the Financial Opportunities Fund and EJF Financial Opportunities GP, LLC have ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities.
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company
Not Applicable.
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group
Not Applicable.
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group
Not Applicable.
Item 10. Certification
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.