It is the primary subsidiary of Simmons First National Corporation, a bank holding company.

The bank was founded by physician Dr. John Franklin Simmons in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1903.

On March 23, 1984, a customer (Mary Stone) withdrew $285 from an automated teller machine in Sydney, Australia in the first intercontinental transaction made ever via an ATM.

In August 2014, the company acquired Delta Trust & Bank.

[11] In November 2021, the company purchased Spirit of Texas Bancshares, with the acquisition completed and locations converted in April 2022.