Where are you located and how has your winter weather been so far?

one hour north Atlanta. It's 7B.

The winter has been ups and downs, with quite a few freezing days and nights.

My guess is the sudden freeze in December has done this damage, many gardeners across the south have seen similar damage. As the weather warms you may see new growth from the lower parts of the plant and once that happens you can trim the dead branches back. Recovery should be fairly quick... unless the cold was too much... either way you will know by late spring.

Most likely cold damage. If twigs are still green, it will leaf out normally in spring.

It might also not be permanent cold damage. Loropetalums can drop foliage under cold weather conditions, appearing to be deciduous rather than evergreen. If so, follow the same guidelines provided by katob.....wait until spring and prune back what fails to leaf out.

Thank you all for your kind replies. I'll see how they do in mid/late spring.

Ken, no this past year, no drought here, we have had pretty good rain falls.

Sorry, I mislead you, but I just mentioned my expeirence with loropetalums: those planted by me from my former house garden and now these planted by the builder. I did add the landscape fabric and add mulch to the current ones.