Note 11 - Capital Stock	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements
Capital Stock Disclosure [Text Block]	NOTE 11: CAPITAL STOCK On February 27, 2009, at a special meeting, the Company’s shareholders approved an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation to establish 40,040,000 authorized shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value. The aggregate liquidation preference of all shares of preferred stock cannot exceed $80,000,000. On February 27, 2015, as part of the acquisition of Community First, the Company issued 30,852 shares of Senior Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A (“Simmons Series A Preferred Stock”) in exchange for the outstanding shares of Community First Senior Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C (“Community First Series C Preferred Stock”). The preferred stock is held by the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) as the Community First Series C Preferred Stock was issued when Community First entered into a Small Business Lending Fund Securities Purchase Agreement with the Treasury. The Simmons Series A Preferred Stock qualifies as Tier 1 capital and will pay quarterly dividends. The rate will remain fixed at 1% through February 18, 2016, at which time it will convert to a fixed rate of 9%. On January 29, 2016, the Company redeemed all of the preferred stock, including accrued and unpaid dividends. On July 23, 2012, the Company approved a stock repurchase program which authorized the repurchase of up to 850,000 shares of Class A common stock, or approximately 5% of the shares outstanding. The shares are to be purchased from time to time at prevailing market prices, through open market or unsolicited negotiated transactions, depending upon market conditions. Under the repurchase program, there is no time limit for the stock repurchases, nor is there a minimum number of shares that the Company intends to repurchase. The Company may discontinue purchases at any time that management determines additional purchases are not warranted. The Company intends to use the repurchased shares to satisfy stock option exercises, payment of future stock awards and dividends and general corporate purposes. During 2013, the Company repurchased 419,564 shares of stock with a weighted average repurchase price of $25.89 per share. Under the current stock repurchase plan, the Company can repurchase an additional 154,136 shares. As a result of its announced acquisition of Metropolitan, the Company suspended its stock repurchases in August of 2013. See Note 2, Acquisitions, for additional information on the Metropolitan acquisition. On March 4, 2014 the Company filed a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Subsequently, on June 18, 2014 the Company filed Amendment No. 1 to the shelf registration statement. The shelf registration statement allows the Company to raise capital from time to time, up to an aggregate of $300 million, through the sale of common stock, preferred stock, stock warrants, stock rights or a combination thereof, subject to market conditions. Specific terms and prices are determined at the time of any offering under a separate prospectus supplement that the Company is required to file with the SEC at the time of the specific offering.

NOTE

11:

CAPITAL STOCK

February

27,

2009,

at a special meeting, the Company’s shareholders approved an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation to establish

40,040,000

authorized shares of preferred stock,

$0.01

par value. The aggregate liquidation preference of all shares of preferred stock cannot exceed

$80,000,000.

February

27,

2015,

as part of the acquisition of Community First, the Company issued

30,852

shares of Senior Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A (“Simmons Series A Preferred Stock”) in exchange for the outstanding shares of Community First Senior Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C (“Community First Series C Preferred Stock”). The preferred stock is held by the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) as the Community First Series C Preferred Stock was issued when Community First entered into a Small Business Lending Fund Securities Purchase Agreement with the Treasury. The Simmons Series A Preferred Stock qualifies as Tier

capital and will pay quarterly dividends. The rate will remain fixed at

through

February

18,

2016,

at which time it will convert to a fixed rate of

9%.

January

29,

2016,

the Company redeemed all of the preferred stock, including accrued and unpaid dividends.

July

23,

2012,

the Company approved a stock repurchase program which authorized the repurchase of up to

850,000

shares of Class A common stock, or approximately

of the shares outstanding. The shares are to be purchased from time to time at prevailing market prices, through open market or unsolicited negotiated transactions, depending upon market conditions. Under the repurchase program, there is no time limit for the stock repurchases, nor is there a minimum number of shares that the Company intends to repurchase. The Company

may

discontinue purchases at any time that management determines additional purchases are not warranted. The Company intends to use the repurchased shares to satisfy stock option exercises, payment of future stock awards and dividends and general corporate purposes.

During

2013,

the Company repurchased

419,564

shares of stock with a weighted average repurchase price of

$25.89

per share. Under the current stock repurchase plan, the Company can repurchase an additional

154,136

shares. As a result of its announced acquisition of Metropolitan, the Company suspended its stock repurchases in

August

2013.

See Note

Acquisitions, for additional information on the Metropolitan acquisition.

March

2014

the Company filed a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Subsequently, on

June

18,

2014

the Company filed Amendment No.

to the shelf registration statement. The shelf registration statement allows the Company to raise capital from time to time, up to an aggregate of

$300

million, through the sale of common stock, preferred stock, stock warrants, stock rights or a combination thereof, subject to market conditions. Specific terms and prices are determined at the time of any offering under a separate prospectus supplement that the Company is required to file with the SEC at the time of the specific offering.