UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant ☒

Filed by a Party of other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

☐	Preliminary Proxy Statement

☐	Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14s-6(e)(2))

☒	Definitive Proxy Statement

☐	Definitive Additional Materials

☐	Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12

South Plains Financial, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):

☒	No fee required.

☐	Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

☐	Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

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April 6, 2026

Dear Fellow Shareholder:

On behalf of the board of directors of South Plains Financial, Inc. (the “Company”), I invite you to attend the 2026 annual meeting of shareholders (the “annual meeting”) to be held solely by means of remote communication on Monday, May 11, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., Central Time.

The purposes of the annual meeting are set forth in the accompanying Notice of 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement.

In accordance with Texas law and the Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, the Company’s board of directors has decided that the annual meeting will be held solely by means of remote communication. You will not be able to attend the annual meeting in-person.

Shareholders may attend and participate in the annual meeting by means of remote communication by logging onto the virtual meeting platform at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SPFI2026 with your sixteen-digit control number provided on your proxy card or, if your shares of common stock of the Company are held in “street name,” on your broker’s or intermediary’s voting instruction card. Individuals without a control number may attend the annual meeting as a guest using the link to the virtual meeting platform, but will not have the option to vote. Those planning to participate in the annual meeting should connect to the virtual meeting platform at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the annual meeting.

Whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting, it is important that your shares be represented. Please take a moment to complete, date, sign and return the enclosed proxy card as soon as possible, or use Internet or telephone voting according to the instructions on the proxy card. You may also attend the annual meeting and vote by means of remote communication by logging onto the virtual meeting platform, as discussed above.

We appreciate your continued support of our Company and look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting.



			Sincerely,
			Curtis C. Griffith
			Curtis C. Griffith
			Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

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5219 City Bank Parkway

Lubbock, Texas 79407

(800) 687-2265

April 6, 2026

NOTICE OF 2026 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

To the shareholders of South Plains Financial, Inc.:

The 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “annual meeting”) of South Plains Financial, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held solely by means of remote communication on Monday, May 11, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., Central Time, for the following purposes:

1.	To elect two (2) Class I directors to serve on the Company’s board of directors until the Company’s 2029 annual meeting of shareholders or each until their respective successor or successors are duly elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal from office;

2.	To ratify the appointment of Forvis Mazars, LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2026;

3.	To approve the Company’s compensation for named executive officers - advisory (non-binding) vote; and

4.	To transact such other business as may properly come before the annual meeting or any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof.

In accordance with Texas law and the Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, the Company’s board of directors has decided that the annual meeting will be held solely by means of remote communication. You will not be able to attend the annual meeting in-person.

Shareholders may attend and participate in the annual meeting by means of remote communication by logging onto the virtual meeting platform at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SPFI2026 with your sixteen-digit control number provided on your proxy card or, if your shares of common stock of the Company are held in “street name,” on your broker’s or intermediary’s voting instruction card. Individuals without a control number may attend the annual meeting as a guest using the link to the virtual meeting platform, but will not have the option to vote. Those planning to participate in the annual meeting should connect to the virtual meeting platform at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the annual meeting.

Only shareholders of record at the close of business on March 19, 2026, the record date, will be entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the annual meeting. For instructions on voting, please refer to the enclosed proxy card or voting information form. A list of shareholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting will be available for inspection by any shareholder at the principal office of the Company during ordinary business hours for a period of ten (10) days prior to the annual meeting.


			By Order of the Board of Directors,
			Curtis C. Griffith
			Curtis C. Griffith
			Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

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Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders To Be Held on May 11, 2026: electronic copies of the Notice of 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the proxy statement, our 2025 Annual Report to Shareholders and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 are available at www.proxyvote.com and on the SEC Filings page of the Company’s Investor Relations website at https://www.spfi.bank/financials-filings/sec-filings.

Your Vote is Important

A proxy card is included with this proxy statement. Whether or not you plan to attend the annual meeting by means of remote communication, please vote by completing, signing and dating the proxy card and promptly mailing it or via the Internet pursuant to the instructions provided on the enclosed proxy card. You may revoke your proxy card in the manner described in the proxy statement at any time before it is exercised. See “About the Annual Meeting” for more information on how to vote your shares or revoke your proxy.

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5219 City Bank Parkway

Lubbock, Texas 79407

(800) 687-2265

PROXY STATEMENT FOR

2026 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON MAY 11, 2026

Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this proxy statement to “we,” “us,” “our,” “our company,” the “Company” or “South Plains” refer to South Plains Financial, Inc., a Texas corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries; references to “the Bank” or “our Bank” refer to City Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. In addition, unless the context otherwise requires, references to “shareholders” are to the holders of outstanding shares of our common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “common stock”).

This proxy statement is being furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the board of directors of the Company (the “board of directors” or the “board”) for use at the 2026 annual meeting of shareholders of the Company to be held solely by means of remote communication on Monday, May 11, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., Central Time, and any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof (the “annual meeting”) for the purposes set forth in this proxy statement and the accompanying notice of the annual meeting. This proxy statement, the notice of the annual meeting, the 2025 annual report to shareholders, the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and the enclosed proxy card (collectively, the “proxy materials”) are first being sent to shareholders on or about April 6, 2026. You should read the entire proxy statement carefully before voting.

Important Notice Regarding Internet Availability of Proxy Materials for the 2026 Annual Meeting

Pursuant to the rules promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the Company is providing access to its proxy materials both by sending you a full set of proxy materials and making copies of these materials available on the Internet on the SEC Filings page of the Company’s Investor Relations website, available at https://www.spfi.bank/financials-filings/sec-filings. Additionally, you may access the Company’s proxy materials at www.proxyvote.com. Shareholders are encouraged to access and review the proxy materials before voting. The website www.proxyvote.com will also have directions to attend the annual meeting and vote by means of remote communication.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

BY MEANS OF REMOTE COMMUNICATION

We are holding the annual meeting solely by means of remote communication, in accordance with Texas law and the Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “bylaws”). Instructions for attending and participating in the annual meeting by means of remote communication are provided below.

Shareholders may only attend and participate in the annual meeting by means of remote communication. Shareholders will not be able to attend the annual meeting physically.

Attendance and Participation


PROXY STATEMENT FOR 2026 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS			1
ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING			3
PROPOSAL 1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS			8
PROPOSAL 2. RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM			10
PROPOSAL 3. APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY’S COMPENSATION FOR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS – ADVISORY (NON-BINDING) VOTE			11
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE			12
CURRENT EXECUTIVE OFFICERS			20
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS			21
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS			42
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF THE COMPANY’S COMMON STOCK BY MANAGEMENT AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY			44
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT			46
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS			47
DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 2027 ANNUAL MEETING			48
OTHER MATTERS			49

SEC Form DEF 14A filed by South Plains Financial Inc.