Beach First Reports 42% Earnings Growth in 2004


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., Jan. 25, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Beach First National Bancshares, Inc., parent of Beach First National Bank (OTCBB:BFNB), announced earnings growth of 42.3% in 2004, marking the bank's fifth consecutive year of strong financial performance. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2004 increased 42.3%, totaling $1,435,922, or $0.71 per basic share, when compared to $1,008,931, or $0.51 per basic share, for 2003. Return on average equity for the year ended December 31, 2004 increased 29.1% to 9.10% compared to 7.05% in 2003.

The bank experienced solid growth in virtually all areas of the balance sheet. Total assets grew to $242 million, which represents an increase of 46.6% over the previous year. Total deposits grew to $203 million, an increase of 47.1% in 2004. Total loans grew to $191 million, a 41.2% increase over the previous year.

Walt Standish, president and chief executive officer, said, "This earnings report caps a busy and productive year for Beach First National Bank. In 2004, we opened our fifth office overall and fourth along the Grand Strand, in the Waccamaw Neck area, and prepared for a second office on Hilton Head Island. Our newest location on the Island is located in The Village at Wexford and opened on schedule on January 3. The bank also continued to prepare for future growth with key staff additions in the commercial lending and technology areas."

Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. is the parent of Beach First National Bank, a $242 million financial institution headquartered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Beach First operates offices in Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Beach First offers a full line of banking products and services, including NetTeller internet banking. The company's stock trades under the symbol BFNB and the website is beachfirst.com.

Certain statements in this news release contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to future plans and expectations, and are thus prospective. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, such as a downturn in the economy, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Therefore, we can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be construed as a representation by our company or any person that the future events, plans, or expectations contemplated by our company will be achieved. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

The Beach First National Bank logo can be found at http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=703



      Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiary
            
                 Consolidated Balance Sheets


                                            December 31,
                                   ----------------------------- 
                                        2004             2003
                                   ------------     ------------
 Assets
                                 
 Cash and due                   
  from banks                         $4,824,176       $4,886,682
 Federal funds sold 
  and short term 
  investments                           463,069        4,598,520
 Investment securities               36,202,370       11,918,074
 Loans, net                         189,059,926      133,851,712
 Federal Reserve 
  Bank stock                            309,000          309,000
 Federal Home Loan 
  Bank stock                          1,070,200          575,000
 Property and equipment, 
  net                                 4,544,022        4,477,943
 Cash value of life
  insurance                           3,230,950        3,076,570
 Investment in 
  BFNB Trust                            155,000             --
 Other assets                         2,232,632        1,399,535
                                   ------------     ------------

   Total assets                    $242,091,345     $165,093,036
                                   ============     ============

 Liabilities and 
  shareholders' equity

 Liabilities
 Deposits

 Non-interesting bearing           $ 32,540,139     $ 23,454,124
 Interest bearing                   170,628,819      114,645,442
                                   ------------     ------------
  
    Total deposits                  203,168,958      138,099,566

 Advances from Federal 
  Home Loan Bank                     16,500,000       11,500,000
 Other liabilities                      934,426          760,577
                                   ------------     ------------
    Total liabilities               220,603,383      150,360,143

 Commitments and 
  contingencies -

 Shareholders' equity
 Common stock, $1 par 
  value, 10,000,000 
  shares authorized, 
  2,013,508 shares 
  issued and outstanding 
  at December 31, 2004 
  and 1,323,768 at 
  December 31, 2003                   2,013,508        1,323,768
 Paid-in capital                     11,335,982       11,837,299
 Retained earnings                    3,153,939        1,718,321
 Accumulated other 
  comprehensive loss                   (170,467)        (146,495)
                                   ------------     ------------

   Total shareholders' 
    equity                           16,332,962       14,732,893
                                   ------------     ------------
   Total liabilities and 
    shareholders' equity           $242,091,345     $165,093,036
                                   ============     ============



         Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiary

                  Consolidated Statements of Income

                                For the years ended December 31,
                          -----------------------------------------
                              2004           2003           2002
                          -----------    -----------    -----------                                            
 Interest income

 Loans and fees 
  on loans                $10,418,114    $ 7,927,496    $ 5,898,801
 Investment securities      1,102,690        519,128        413,289
 Federal funds sold 
  and short term
  investments                  71,998         49,637         73,206
 Dividends on long 
  term investments              4,069            --           --
                          -----------    -----------    -----------
    Total interest 
     income                11,596,871      8,496,261      6,385,296

 Interest expense

 Deposits                   2,799,558      2,266,876      2,023,754
 Short term 
  borrowings                  395,946        216,040         71,746
 Long-term 
  borrowings - junior  
  subordinated debt           136,943           --              --
                          -----------    -----------    -----------
     Total Interest 
      Expense               3,331,447      2,482,916      2,095,500

     Net interest
      income                8,265,424      6,013,344      4,289,797

 Provision for 
  loan losses               1,340,000        713,000        539,000
                          -----------    -----------    -----------

  Net interest 
   income after 
   provision for
   loan losses              6,925,424      5,300,344      3,750,797
                          -----------    -----------    -----------
 Noninterest income

 Service fees on
  deposit accounts            536,077        490,694        420,128
 Gain on sale 
  of loan                      --               --           96,886
 Gain on sale of 
  investment 
  securities                   37,395        134,530            977
 Income from cash 
  value life 
  insurance                   161,544        161,544         80,222
 Other income                 302,409        200,066        133,411
                          -----------    -----------    -----------

    Total noninterest 
      income                1,037,425        986,834        731,624
                          -----------    -----------    -----------

 Noninterest expenses

 Salaries and wages         2,556,452      2,074,934      1,468,357
 Employee benefits            501,347        400,579        275,694
 Supplies and printing         89,560        105,704         94,624
 Advertising and
  public relations            239,256        168,138        117,077
 Professional fees            190,138        136,553        140,429
 Depreciation and 
  amortization                446,158        428,609        320,590
 Occupancy                    476,736        362,202        239,774
 Data processing fees         343,275        308,568        215,397
 Other operating
  expenses                    838,946        703,317        483,988
                          -----------    -----------    -----------

     Total noninterest 
      expenses              5,681,867      4,688,604      3,355,930
                          -----------    -----------    -----------

     Income before
      income taxes          2,280,982      1,598,574      1,126,491

 Income tax expense           845,060        589,643        419,220
                          -----------    -----------    -----------
     
   Net income             $ 1,435,922    $ 1,008,931    $   707,271        
                          ===========    ===========    ===========
 Basic net income 
  per common share        $      0.71    $      0.51    $      0.36
 Diluted net 
  income per 
  common share            $      0.69    $      0.50    $      0.36
 Weighted average 
  number of common
  Shares outstanding

   Basic                    2,010,662      1,978,252      1,977,552
                          ===========    ===========    ===========
 
  Diluted                   2,089,287      2,015,103      1,987,468
                          ===========    ===========    ===========


            

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