Sec Form 4 Filing - Griffith Curtis C @ SOUTH PLAINS FINANCIAL, INC. - 2021-12-31

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

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, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Griffith Curtis C 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol SOUTH PLAINS FINANCIAL, INC. [ SPFI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X __ Director X __ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman & CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 5219 CITY BANK PARKWAY 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 12/31/2021 (Street) LUBBOCK, TX79407-3544 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 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 12/16/2021 G V 870,000( 1 ) D $ 0 1,519,231 D Common Stock 12/31/2021 M 9,000 A $ 11.03 1,528,231 D Common Stock 12/31/2021 F 4,881 D $ 27.93 1,523,350 D Common Stock 99,762 I By ESOP( 2 ) Common Stock 151 I By 401(k)( 3 ) Common Stock 435,000 I By CCG Trust( 4 ) Common Stock 87,000 I By RTW Trust( 5 ) Common Stock 87,000 I By BLW Trust( 6 ) Common Stock 87,000 I By WHW Trust( 7 ) Common Stock 87,000 I By SSG Trust( 8 ) Common Stock 87,000 I By JBG Trust( 9 )

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 (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 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 (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (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 of Derivative Security: 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 Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 11.03 12/31/2021 M 9,000 ( 10 ) 12/31/2021 Common Stock 9,000 $ 0 0 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Griffith Curtis C 5219 CITY BANK PARKWAY LUBBOCK, TX79407-3544 X X Chairman & CEO Signatures /s/ By Mikella D. Newsom as Attorney-in-Fact for Curtis C. Griffith 01/05/2022 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )On 12/16/21 the Reporting Person ("RP") gifted 435,000 shares to the Curtis C. Griffith 2021 Irrevocable Trust (RP's spouse serves as trustee) and also gifted 435,000 shares to RP's spouse, who immediately gifted such shares to various family trusts. RP serves as trustee of such family trusts and RP and members of his immediate family are beneficiaries of such trusts. ( 2 )Shares held by the South Plain Financial, Inc. Employee Stock Option Ownership Plan ("ESOP") and allocated to the Reporting Person's account. ( 3 )Shares held in the Reporting Person's account under the City Bank 401(k) Plan. ( 4 )Shares held in the Curtis C. Griffith 2021 Irrevocable Trust, over which the Reporting Person's Spouse, who shares the Reporting Person's household, serves as trustee. The members of the Reporting Person's immediate family are the beneficiaries of this trust. ( 5 )Shares held in the Richard Thomas White 2021 Trust, over which the Reporting Person serves as trustee. A member of the Reporting Person's immediate family is the beneficiary of this trust. ( 6 )Shares held in the Birdie Lucille White 2021 Trust, over which the Reporting Person serves as trustee. A member of the Reporting Person's immediate family is the beneficiary of this trust. ( 7 )Shares held in the William Hogan White 2021 Trust, over which the Reporting Person serves as trustee. A member of the Reporting Person's immediate family is the beneficiary of this trust. ( 8 )Shares held in the Sydney Suzanne Griffith 2021 Trust, over which the Reporting Person serves as trustee. A member of the Reporting Person's immediate family is the beneficiary of this trust. ( 9 )Shares held in the Johnathan Brockway Griffith 2021 Trust, over which the Reporting Person serves as trustee. A member of the Reporting Person's immediate family is the beneficiary of this trust. ( 10 )These were fully exercisable on date of grant.

Remarks: Shares acquired and disposed of by the Reporting Person on 12/31/2021 are being reported late due to administrative error.

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).

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