Southern States Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:SSBK) shares are trading higher on Monday after the company announced FB Financial Corporation (NYSE:FBK) will acquire the company.

What To Know: Southern States will be acquired by FB Financial for $381 million or $37.64 per share. The aim of the merger is for FB Financial to expand into desired areas of growth, such as, Atlanta, Birmingham and Columbus.

Southern States’ President and CEO, Mark A. Chambers, said, “Our team is excited about this partnership and the opportunity it presents. We believe this transaction benefits all of our shareholders and customers, and the combined company will be well positioned to capitalize on talent and financial strength with an enhanced presence in exceptional markets.”

The deal is expected to close during the third or fourth quarter of 2025.

How To Buy Southern States Bancshares

Besides going to a brokerage platform to purchase a share – or fractional share – of stock, you can also gain access to shares either by buying an exchange traded fund (ETF) that holds the stock itself, or by allocating yourself to a strategy in your 401(k) that would seek to acquire shares in a mutual fund or other instrument.

For example, in Southern States’ case, it is in the Financials sector. An ETF will likely hold shares in many liquid and large companies that help track that sector, allowing an investor to gain exposure to the trends within that segment.

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SSBK Price Action: At the time of writing, Southern States stock is trading 10.8% higher at $35.99, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

Image: This illustration was generated using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.