0000051964-15-000005.txt : 20150210 0000051964-15-000005.hdr.sgml : 20150210 20150210155425 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000051964-15-000005 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13G PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 20150210 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20150210 SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Ameris Bancorp CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000351569 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022] IRS NUMBER: 581456434 STATE OF INCORPORATION: GA FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13G SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-44865 FILM NUMBER: 15593731 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 24 2/ND/ AVENUE CITY: MOULTRIE STATE: GA ZIP: 31768 BUSINESS PHONE: 9128901111 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: PO BOX 1500 CITY: MOULTRIE STATE: GA ZIP: 31776 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: ABC BANCORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: ABC HOLDING CO DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19870119 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: INVESTMENT COUNSELORS OF MARYLAND LLC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000051964 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: UNKNOWN SIC - 0000 [0000] IRS NUMBER: 522345054 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13G BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 300 EAST LOMBARD STREET STREET 2: SUITE 810 CITY: BALTIMORE STATE: MD ZIP: 21202 BUSINESS PHONE: 410-539-3838 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 300 EAST LOMBARD STREET STREET 2: SUITE 810 CITY: BALTIMORE STATE: MD ZIP: 21202 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: INVESTMENT COUNSELORS OF MARYLAND INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920929 SC 13G 1 amerisbancorp.txt UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO. 3)* Ameris Bancorp (Name of Issuer) Common Stock (Title of Class of Securities) 03076K108 (Cusip Number) *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). SCHEDULE 13G CUSIP No. 03076K108 Page 2 of 6 Pages 1. NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS Investment Counselors of Maryland, LLC 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a)[ ] (b)[ ] 3. SEC USE ONLY 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware 5. SOLE VOTING POWER NUMBER OF SHARES 744,781 BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY EACH 550,421 REPORTING 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER PERSON 1,295,202 WITH 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER -- 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,295,202 10. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 4.60% 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* IA CUSIP No. 03076K108 Page 3 of 6 Pages Item 1(a) Name of Issuer: Ameris Bancorp (b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices 310 First Street Southeast Moultrie, GA 31768 Item 2(a) Name of Person Filing: Investment Counselors of Maryland, LLC (b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence: 300 East Lombard Street, Suite 810 Baltimore, Maryland 21202 (c) Citizenship: Delaware (d) Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock (e) CUSIP Number: 03076K108 Item 3: Capacity in Which Person is Filing: [x] Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. CUSIP No. 03076K108 Page 4 of 6 Pages Item 4: Ownership: As of December 31, 2014: (a) Amount Beneficially Owned: 1,295,202 (b) Percent of class: 4.60% (c) Number of shares to which such person has: (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: 744,781 (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 550,421 (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 1,295,202 (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: Item 5: Ownership of Five Percent of Less of Class: If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following. [X] CUSIP No. 03076K108 Page 5 of 6 Pages Item 6: Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person: Not applicable Item 7: Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company: Not applicable Item 8: Identification and Classification of Members of the Group: Not applicable Item 9: Notice of Dissolution of Group: Not applicable CUSIP No. 03076K108 Page 6 of 6 Pages Item 10: Certification: By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purposes or effect. SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Investment Counselors of Maryland, LLC By: /s/ Gary Merwitz Gary Merwitz Principal Date: 2/10/15