Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) CFO gets 27,470-share grant, reports small stock sale

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Ameris Bancorp CFO Nicole S. Stokes reported multiple stock transactions involving company common shares. She received a grant of 27,470 shares on February 20, 2026 under the Ameris Bancorp 2021 Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan, with equal tranches scheduled to vest on February 20, 2027, February 20, 2028, and February 20, 2029.

On February 21, 2026, 1,318 shares were withheld to cover tax obligations upon vesting of earlier awards, and on February 24, 2026 she made a small open-market sale of 0.5291 shares at $79.20 per share. After these transactions, she directly owned 86,210 shares of Ameris Bancorp common stock.

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Stokes Nicole S

(Last) (First) (Middle)

3490 PIEDMONT RD NE

STE 1550

(Street)

ATLANTA GA 30305

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Ameris Bancorp [ ABCB ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director		10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)
	CFO

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/20/2026

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	02/20/2026		A(1)		27,470	A	$0	87,528.5291	D
Common Stock	02/21/2026		F(2)		1,318	D	$83.73	86,210.5291	D
Common Stock	02/24/2026		S		0.5291	D	$79.2	86,210	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

1. Stock grant pursuant to the Ameris Bancorp 2021 Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan, vesting: (i) 9,157 shares on February 20, 2027; (ii) 9,157 shares on February 20, 2028; and (iii) 9,156 shares on February 20, 2029.

2. This transaction represents the withholding of 1,318 shares of common stock to satisfy the tax withholding obligations incurred by the reporting person upon the vesting of 1,724 and 1,234 shares of common stock originally awarded on February 21, 2024 and February 20, 2025, respectively.

Remarks:

	Nicole Stokes by Elna Klein-Kolarich as Attorney-in-Fact	02/24/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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FAQ

What insider transactions did Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) CFO report?

Ameris Bancorp CFO Nicole S. Stokes reported a 27,470-share stock grant, a 1,318-share tax-withholding disposition, and a small 0.5291-share open-market sale. These movements reflect equity compensation vesting, related tax coverage, and a minor sale, rather than a large discretionary share liquidation.

How many Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) shares does the CFO hold after these transactions?

After the reported transactions, CFO Nicole S. Stokes directly owns 86,210 Ameris Bancorp common shares. This figure reflects the new stock grant, the tax-withholding share reduction, and the small open-market sale, giving investors an updated view of her direct equity stake in the company.

What was the size and price of the Ameris Bancorp CFO’s stock sale?

The CFO sold 0.5291 Ameris Bancorp common shares at a price of $79.20 per share. This is a very small open-market sale compared with her total holdings and appears alongside a much larger equity grant and routine tax-withholding share disposition.

What is the vesting schedule for the Ameris Bancorp CFO’s new stock grant?

The 27,470-share grant vests in three equal annual installments: 9,157 shares on February 20, 2027, 9,157 shares on February 20, 2028, and 9,156 shares on February 20, 2029. This staggered schedule aligns the CFO’s compensation with multi-year company performance.

Why were 1,318 Ameris Bancorp shares withheld from the CFO’s holdings?

The 1,318 withheld shares satisfied tax obligations triggered by vesting of prior awards granted on February 21, 2024 and February 20, 2025. Instead of paying cash, a portion of vested shares was retained to cover taxes, a common structure in equity compensation programs.