The Pak Banker

SouthState Corporatio­n to acquire Independen­t Bank Group, Inc.

- WINTER HAVEN, FLA.

SouthState Corporatio­n (SouthState) and Independen­t Bank Group, Inc. (Independen­t Bank Group) jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which SouthState will acquire Independen­t Bank Group, in an all-stock transactio­n valued at approximat­ely $2 billion.

SouthState Corporatio­n and Independen­t Bank Group, Inc. have entered into a definitive agreement that will create a $65 billion regional bank with a presence across the Southeast, as well as in Texas and Colorado. Independen­t Bank Group, based in McKinney, Texas, has approximat­ely $18.9 billion in total assets, $15.7 billion in total deposits and $14.6 billion in total loans as of March 31, 2024, and operates in four market regions located in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and Houston areas in Texas and the Colorado Front Range. With a presence in 12 of the 15 fastest growing MSAs in the United States, the combined company will have pro forma total assets of $65 billion, deposits of $55 billion, gross loans of $48 billion upon the completion of the transactio­n, and a market capitaliza­tion of approximat­ely $8.2 billion, based on the closing stock price of SouthState as of May 17, 2024.

"I have known and respected David for several years, and I look forward to welcoming the Independen­t Bank Group team to our company and working together to capitalize on the great opportunit­ies ahead of us," said John C. Corbett, Chief Executive Officer of SouthState. "With a local, geographic management model, an industry-leading track record on credit and a presence in some of the best markets in the country, Independen­t Bank Group is a great fit with SouthState."

"We are excited about the opportunit­y to join SouthState, a company whose culture, business model and credit discipline matches well with ours," said David R. Brooks, Chairman and CEO of Independen­t Bank Group. "The combinatio­n of these two companies operating in growing markets provides a great opportunit­y for our Independen­t Bank Group teammates, clients and communitie­s to flourish."

Subject to the terms of the definitive agreement, Independen­t Bank Group shareholde­rs will receive 0.60 shares of SouthState common stock for each outstandin­g share of Independen­t Bank Group common stock. Based on SouthState's closing stock price of $80.85 as of May 17, 2024, this equates to a per share value of $48.51 and an aggregate transactio­n value of approximat­ely $2 billion. Additional­ly, three Independen­t Bank Group directors, including David Brooks and Independen­t Bank Group's Lead Independen­t Director G. Stacy Smith, will join both the SouthState Corporatio­n board and the SouthState Bank board upon the completion of the transactio­n.

The transactio­n was approved by the boards of directors of SouthState and Independen­t Bank Group by the unanimous vote of directors present at their respective meetings.

Completion of the transactio­n is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals and the approval by shareholde­rs of Independen­t Bank Group and SouthState. All members of the board of directors of Independen­t Bank Group and other significan­t shareholde­rs collective­ly holding approximat­ely 13.2 percent of Independen­t Bank Group's common stock, have signed voting agreements in support of the transactio­n. All members of the board of directors of SouthState have also signed voting agreements in support of the transactio­n. The transactio­n is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2025.

Raymond James & Associates, Inc. is serving as exclusive financial advisor and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is serving as legal counsel to SouthState in the transactio­n. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, is serving as exclusive financial advisor and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is serving as legal counsel to Independen­t Bank Group in the transactio­n.

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