Exhibit 99.1

South Plains Financial, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2022 Financial Results

LUBBOCK, Texas, January 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – South Plains Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPFI) (“South Plains” or the “Company”), the parent company of City Bank (“City Bank” or the “Bank”), today reported its financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2022.

Fourth Quarter 2022 Highlights

Full Year 2022 Highlights

Curtis Griffith, South Plains’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “I am very proud of our execution over the last year as we successfully navigated a challenging economic environment and, we believe we have positioned South Plains for continued success in the future. Central to our success has been the expansion of our commercial lending platform where we achieved full-year organic loan growth of 12.7% during 2022, exceeding our mid-to-high digit loan growth guidance. Importantly, we delivered 19.2% loan growth during 2022 in our major metropolitan markets of Dallas, Houston and El Paso as we continued to expand our commercial lending team. As our loan balances grew through the year, we experienced an acceleration to our net interest income growth, which began to offset the expected decline in our mortgage banking revenues, given the sharp rise in market interest rates through the year. As a result, we were able to achieve modest earnings per share growth in 2022, as compared to 2021, which is a true credit to the dedication and hard work of our employees. We also remained focused on returning capital to our shareholders, as we repurchased 4.8% of the Company’s shares, which were outstanding, as of December 31, 2021, during this past year, and distributed $0.46 per share in quarterly cash dividends in 2022, representing a 53% increase as compared to 2021. Looking forward, we expect economic growth to moderate in Texas as the economy digests the impact of higher market interest rates, which supports our low single digit loan growth outlook for 2023.”

Results of Operations, Quarter Ended December 31, 2022

Net Interest Income

Net interest income was $36.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to $35.1 million for the third quarter of 2022 and $31.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2021. Net interest margin, calculated on a tax-equivalent basis, was 3.88% for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to 3.70% for the third quarter of 2022 and 3.50% for the fourth quarter of 2021. The average yield on loans was 5.59% for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to 5.12% for the third quarter of 2022 and 4.90% for the fourth quarter of 2021. The average cost of deposits was 97 basis points for the fourth quarter of 2022, which is 45 basis points higher than the third quarter of 2022 and 74 basis points higher than the fourth quarter of 2021.

Interest income was $46.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to $41.1 million for the third quarter of 2022 and $34.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2021. Interest income increased $5.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 from the third quarter of 2022, which was comprised of increases of $4.2 million in loan interest income and $0.9 million in interest income from securities and other interest-earning assets. The increase in loan interest income was primarily due to an increase of $74.4 million in average loans outstanding, a $0.9 million purchase discount principal and interest recovery, and the rising interest rate environment. The increase in interest income on securities and other interest-earning assets was primarily due to continued rising market interest rates. Interest income increased $11.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. This increase was primarily due to an increase of average loans of $227.9 million, securities purchases, and rising market interest rates during the period.

Interest expense was $9.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to $6.0 million for the third quarter of 2022 and $3.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2021. Interest expense increased $3.9 million compared to the third quarter of 2022 and $6.8 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 primarily as a result of rising interest rates on interest-bearing liabilities, with the increase being mainly comprised of interest expense on deposits.

Noninterest Income and Noninterest Expense

Noninterest income was $12.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to $20.9 million for the third quarter of 2022 and $22.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2021. The decrease from the third quarter of 2022 was primarily due to the seasonal decrease of $2.0 million in income from insurance activities, a decrease of $3.5 million in mortgage banking activities revenue, and $2.1 million of income from legal settlements recorded in the third quarter of 2022. The decrease in mortgage banking activities revenues was mainly the result of a decline of $26.8 million, or 17.7%, in mortgage loan originations, as the residential mortgage market continued to slow during the fourth quarter of 2022, as a result of higher market interest rates and seasonality, and a $1.3 million fair value write-down of the mortgage servicing rights portfolio. The decrease in noninterest income for the fourth quarter of 2022 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 was primarily due to a decline of $9.6 million in mortgage banking activities revenue as mortgage loan originations declined $189.0 million, or 60.2%, as high-volume refinance activity experienced during 2020 and 2021 has slowed as a result of higher market interest rates.

Noninterest expense was $32.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to $37.4 million for the third quarter of 2022 and $36.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2021. The decrease from the third quarter of 2022 was primarily the result of a decline of $4.2 million in personnel expense and a decline of $0.6 million in legal expenses. The decrease in personnel expense was mainly the result of having the additional $1.8 million in commissions for increased insurance activities in the third quarter of 2022 and a decrease of $1.2 million in mortgage commission and related supporting personnel expenses as mortgage loan originations decreased in the fourth quarter of 2022. The decrease in noninterest expense for the fourth quarter of 2022 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 was primarily driven by lower mortgage commissions and other variable mortgage-based expenses due to the reduction in mortgage loan originations, partially offset by additional commercial lenders hired as part of a planned initiative.

Loan Portfolio and Composition

Loans held for investment were $2.75 billion as of December 31, 2022, compared to $2.69 billion as of September 30, 2022 and $2.44 billion as of December 31, 2021. The $57.7 million, or 2.1%, increase during the fourth quarter of 2022 as compared to the third quarter of 2022 was primarily the result of organic net loan growth. This loan growth remained relationship-focused and occurred primarily in commercial real estate loans, residential mortgage loans, and consumer auto loans, partially offset by a decrease in hotel loans and agricultural production loans. As of December 31, 2022, loans held for investment increased $310.5 million, or 12.7% year over year, from December 31, 2021, primarily attributable to strong organic loan growth.

Agricultural production loans were $66.5 million as of December 31, 2022, compared to $94.1 million as of September 30, 2022 and $103.0 million as of December 31, 2021. The typical funding of these agricultural production loans during 2022 was below normal given the drought conditions experienced across the State of Texas.

Deposits and Borrowings

Deposits totaled $3.41 billion as of December 31, 2022, compared to $3.46 billion as of September 30, 2022 and $3.34 billion as of December 31, 2021. Deposits decreased by $54.1 million, or 1.6%, in the fourth quarter of 2022 from September 30, 2022. As of December 31, 2022, deposits increased $65.2 million, or 2.0% year over year, from December 31, 2021. Noninterest-bearing deposits were $1.15 billion as of December 31, 2022, compared to $1.26 billion as of September 30, 2022 and $1.07 billion as of December 31, 2021. Noninterest-bearing deposits represented 33.4% of total deposits as of December 31, 2022. The quarterly decrease in deposits was mainly the result of increased competition for deposits amid overall deposit outflows in the United States banking system. The year-over-year increase in deposits is primarily a result of organic growth noted through the first three quarters of 2022.

Asset Quality

The Company recorded a provision for loan losses in the fourth quarter of 2022 of $248 thousand, compared to a negative provision of $782 thousand in the third quarter of 2022 and no provision in the fourth quarter of 2021. The Company continued to largely experience stable credit metrics in the loan portfolio during the fourth quarter of 2022. There were improvements specifically noted in the hotel segment, which had a net reduction in outstanding principal of $16.8 million during the quarter. Nevertheless, forecasted economic conditions continue to remain uncertain due to the continued rising interest rate environment and persistent high inflation levels in the United States, and provisions for loan losses may be necessary in future periods.

The ratio of allowance for loan losses to loans held for investment was 1.43% as of December 31, 2022, compared to 1.47% as of September 30, 2022 and 1.73% as of December 31, 2021.

The ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets as of December 31, 2022 was 0.20%, compared to 0.20% as of September 30, 2022 and 0.30% at December 31, 2021. Annualized net charge-offs (recoveries) were 0.09% for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to (0.10)% for the third quarter of 2022 and 0.11% for the fourth quarter of 2021.

Capital

Book value per share increased to $20.97 at December 31, 2022, compared to $20.03 at September 30, 2022. The increase was mainly driven by an $8.4 million dollar increase in accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) and by an increase of $10.6 million of net income after dividends paid. The increase in AOCI was attributed to the rise in fair value of our available for sale securities and fair value hedges, net of tax, as a result of decreases in longer-term market interest rates during the period.

Conference Call

South Plains will host a conference call to discuss its fourth quarter and year-end 2022 financial results today, January 26, 2023, at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Investors and analysts interested in participating in the call are invited to dial 1-877-407-9716 (international callers please dial 1-201-493-6779) approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. A live audio webcast of the conference call and conference materials will be available on the Company’s website at https://www.spfi.bank/news-events/events.

A replay of the conference call will be available within two hours of the conclusion of the call and can be accessed on the investor section of the Company’s website as well as by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (international callers please dial 1-412-317-6671). The pin to access the telephone replay is 13733502. The replay will be available until February 2, 2023.

About South Plains Financial, Inc.

South Plains is the bank holding company for City Bank, a Texas state-chartered bank headquartered in Lubbock, Texas. City Bank is one of the largest independent banks in West Texas and has additional banking operations in the Dallas, El Paso, Greater Houston, the Permian Basin, and College Station, Texas markets, and the Ruidoso, New Mexico market. South Plains provides a wide range of commercial and consumer financial services to small and medium-sized businesses and individuals in its market areas. Its principal business activities include commercial and retail banking, along with insurance, investment, trust and mortgage services. Please visit https://www.spfi.bank for more information.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Some of the financial measures included in this press release are not measures of financial performance recognized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). These non-GAAP financial measures include Tangible Book Value Per Share, Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets, and Pre-Tax, Pre-Provision Income. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide both management and investors a more complete understanding of the Company’s financial position and performance. These non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental and are not a substitute for any analysis based on GAAP financial measures.

We classify a financial measure as being a non-GAAP financial measure if that financial measure excludes or includes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of excluding or including amounts, that are included or excluded, as the case may be, in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time in the United States in our statements of income, balance sheets or statements of cash flows. Not all companies use the same calculation of these measures; therefore, this presentation may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures as presented by other companies.

A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures is provided at the end of this press release.

Available Information

The Company routinely posts important information for investors on its web site (under www.spfi.bank and, more specifically, under the News & Events tab at www.spfi.bank/news-events/press-releases). The Company intends to use its web site as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure) promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, investors should monitor the Company’s web site, in addition to following the Company’s press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, presentations and webcasts.

The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, the Company’s web site is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this document.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect South Plains’ current views with respect to future events. Any statements about South Plains’ expectations, beliefs, plans, predictions, forecasts, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believes,” “can,” “could,” “may,” “predicts,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “estimate,” “plans,” “projects,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expects,” “intends” and similar words or phrases. South Plains cautions that the forward-looking statements in this press release are based largely on South Plains’ expectations and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on factors which are, in many instances, beyond South Plains’ control. Factors that could cause such changes include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (and any current or future variants thereof) on our customers, changes in market interest rates, the persistence of the current inflationary environment in the United States and our market areas, the uncertain impacts of quantitative tightening and current and future monetary policies of the Federal Reserve, regulatory considerations, competition and market expansion opportunities, changes in non-interest expenditures or in the anticipated benefits of such expenditures, and changes in applicable laws and regulations. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties to which South Plains’ business and future financial performance are subject is contained in South Plains’ most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q on file with the SEC, and other documents South Plains files with the SEC from time to time. South Plains urges readers of this press release to review the “Risk Factors” section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the “Risk Factors” section of other documents South Plains files or furnishes with the SEC from time to time, which are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed, or implied by the forward-looking statements due to additional risks and uncertainties of which South Plains is not currently aware or which it does not currently view as, but in the future may become, material to its business or operating results. Due to these and other possible uncertainties and risks, the Company can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements presented herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and South Plains does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in assumptions, new information, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements, express or implied, included in the press release are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Source: South Plains Financial, Inc.

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