UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT

TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) ~~May~~June 201, 2025

Southern First Bancshares, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

South Carolina

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

000-27719	58-2459561
(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
6 Verdae Boulevard, Greenville, SC	29607
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

100 Verdae Boulevard, Suite 100, Greenville, SC	29607
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

(864) 679-9000

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

~~100~~ ~~Verdae~~Not ~~Boulevard, Suite 100, Greenville, SC~~Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock	SFST	The Nasdaq Global Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ¨☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨☐

ITEM 5.0702. Departure ~~Submission~~of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of ~~Matters~~Directors; toAppointment aof ~~Vote~~Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of ~~Security~~Certain ~~Holders.~~Officers

OnEffective June ~~May 20~~1, 2025, the joint Board of Directors of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (the 8“Company”),~~168,955~~ ~~shares~~and ofSouthern ~~common stock~~First ~~outstanding~~Bank ~~and~~(the “Bank”), ~~entitled~~voted to ~~vote~~approve at the ~~2025~~appointment ~~Annual~~of ~~Shareholders’~~three ~~Meeting~~new directors, 7Ms. Jennifer S. Cluverius,~~383~~ Mr. Darrin Goss,~~469~~ ~~shares~~Sr., ~~(90~~and Mr.~~38%)~~ William ~~were~~M. ~~present~~McClatchey, inJr. ~~person~~Each individual will serve as a director of the Company and the Bank, with Ms. Cluverius also serving on the orCompensation byCommittee ~~proxy~~of the Boards, ~~and~~Mr. Goss serving on the ~~following~~Audit ~~matters~~Committee ~~were~~of ~~voted~~the ~~upon~~Boards and ~~approved~~Mr. byMcClatchey ~~our~~serving ~~shareholders~~on atthe Risk Committee of the Boards. These individuals will participate in the current director compensation arrangements generally applicable to the Company’s non-employee directors as described in the Company’s Proxy Statement filed in connection with its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders’. There ~~Meeting:~~are no arrangements or understandings between any of these three individuals and other persons pursuant to which they were selected as directors. In addition, none of these individuals has engaged in any transaction with the Company or the Bank that would be reportable as a related party transaction under Item 404(a) of Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-K.

1Ms. Cluverius serves as shareholder of the ~~election~~law firm Maynard Nexsen, PC, previously Nexsen Pruet, LLC, and serves on the firm’s Board of ~~eight~~Directors ~~members~~and tochairs ~~our~~its ~~board~~Labor & Employment Practice Group. She is a South Carolina Supreme Court Certified Specialist in Labor and Employment Law and holds a bachelor's degree from Clemson University and J.D. from University of ~~directors~~South toCarolina ~~serve~~School of Law. Ms. Cluverius is a ~~one-year~~trusted ~~term;~~legal adviser, a persuasive communicator and a critical thinker which provides her with a valuable perspective as director.

2Mr. Goss serves as president and chief executive officer of the ~~non-binding~~Coastal ~~resolution~~Community onFoundation ~~our~~in Charleston, South Carolina. His previous roles include president and chief executive ~~compensation~~officer ~~policies~~of Capital Area United Way in Baton Rouge, VP of Community Impact at United Way of Greenville County, Assistant Dean of Students and ~~procedures;~~Director of Career Services at Wofford College, and Training and Development Consultant at Sunoco. He is a U.S. Army veteran and earned a bachelor’s degree from Wofford College and a master’s degree from North Greenville University. Mr. Goss is a respected and strategic leader, a passionate advocate, and a dynamic speaker on issues impacting his community, which enhances his ability to serve as a director.

3Mr. McClatchey is the ~~non-binding~~chief ~~vote~~executive officer of Chaucer Creek Capital in Raleigh, NC and has focused on the ~~frequency~~Southeastern multifamily market during his real estate career. He previously founded, grew, and successfully exited McClatchey Broadcasting Company, which owned and operated radio stations across the Carolinas. He worked in mergers and acquisition groups for Bowles Hollowell Conner & Company and for Trident Financial Corporation, focusing on financial institutions. He completed his undergraduate degree at Duke University and MBA at University of ~~future~~North ~~advisory~~Carolina. Mr. ~~votes~~McClatchey’s ties to the Raleigh community, a key market for the bank, and his experience in investment banking in the financial institutions sector enhances his ability to serve on our ~~executive~~board ~~compensation;~~of ~~and~~directors.

~~4. the ratification of the appointment of Elliott Davis, LLC as our independent public accountant.~~EXHIBIT INDEX

The following is a summary of the voting results for each matter presented to the shareholders:

Exhibit No.		Description

104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

~~1. Election of Directors~~SIGNATURES

Director’s Name	Votes For	Votes Withheld	Broker Non-Votes
Mark A. Cothran	6,305,611	331,678	746,180
Rudolph G. Johnstone, III, M.D.	6,248,259	389,030	746,180
Anna T. Locke	5,815,886	821,403	746,180
R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.	6,597,977	39,312	746,180
Leighton M. Cubbage	6,529,277	108,012	746,180
David G. Ellison	6,574,544	62,745	746,180
Terry Grayson-Caprio	5,289,181	1,348,108	746,180
James B. Orders, III	6,470,595	166,694	746,180

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

~~The~~SOUTHERN ~~following~~FIRST ~~individuals~~BANCSHARES, ~~continue~~INC. toBy: ~~serve~~/s/ ~~as directors~~Christian ~~until~~J. ~~our~~Zych ~~Annual~~Name: ~~Meeting~~Christian inJ. ~~the~~Zych ~~year indicated~~Title: Chief Financial Officer

~~Directors~~June 2, ~~Whose Terms Will Expire in 2026~~2025

Mark A. Cothran

Leighton M. Cubbage

David G. Ellison

Terry Grayson-Caprio

Rudolph G. Johnstone, III, M.D.

Anna T. Locke

James B. Orders, III

R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.

Andrew B. Cajka

Anne S. Ellefson

Tecumseh Hooper, Jr.

Ray A. Lattimore

William A. Maner, IV

2. Approval of Compensation of Named Executive Officers

Votes For		Votes Against		Votes Abstained		Broker Non-Votes
5,540,020		1,069,591		27,678		746,180

3. Frequency of Vote on Executive Compensation

One Year		Two Years		Three Years		Votes Abstained		Broker Non-Votes
6,262,557		405		364,168		10,159		746,180

4. Ratification of the Appointment of Elliott Davis, LLC

Votes For		Votes Against		Votes Abstained
7,267,562		113,289		2,618

ITEM 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

On May 20, 2025, the Company made available the presentation (“Presentation”) prepared for the Company’s Annual Shareholders’ meeting. Attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit 99.1 is the text of that Presentation.

The information contained in this Item 7.01 of this Current Report, including the information set forth in the Presentation filed as Exhibit 99.1 to, and incorporated in, this Current Report, is being "furnished" and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Presentation for Southern First Bancshares, Inc. Annual Shareholders’ Meeting
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES, INC. By: /s/ Christian J. Zych Name: Christian J. Zych Title: Chief Financial Officer

May 21, 2025

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