Beach First Reports Earnings Growth of 57%; Asset Size Reaches $288 Million


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., April 19, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. (OTCBB:BFNB) today announced that its first quarter 2005 earnings increased 56.6% over the same period last year.

Net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2005, increased 56.6%, totaling $481,851, or $0.24 per basic share, when compared to the $307,649, or $0.16 per basic share, reported for the quarter ended March 31, 2004. Total assets grew to $287.6 million, which represents an increase of 55.5% from the same period a year ago. Total deposits grew to $240.7 million, an increase of 58.7% from the same period a year ago. Total loans grew to $221.5 million, a 53.5% increase over the same period last year.

Return on average shareholders' equity was 11.44% for March 31, 2005, compared to 8.14% for March 31, 2004. The net interest margin improved to 4.54% for the period ended March 31, 2005 when compared to 4.31% for the same period a year ago. Book value per share stood at $8.43 per share at March 31, 2005, compared to $7.63 per share at March 31, 2004.

Walt Standish, president and chief executive officer, said, "Our robust financial performance is attributed primarily to the growth in loans during the first quarter of 2005. In February 2005, the bank recorded its best ever month for loan growth, and deposits kept pace with this growth, due to our competitive interest rates and community bank philosophy. During the first quarter, the bank opened its sixth location overall and second on Hilton Head Island. This new office in the Village at Wexford provides the bank with solid locations on the south and north ends of the Island and is a key part of our growing branch network."

Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. is the parent of Beach First National Bank, a $288 million financial institution headquartered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Beach First operates six banking locations in Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and 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 Subsidiaries
                    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
              Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets
                            (unaudited)


                                    March 31,          December 31,
                                2005         2004          2004
                                ----         ----          ----
                            (unaudited)   (unaudited)    (audited)
                                                         ---------

           ASSETS

 Cash and due from
   banks                   $ 4,537,722    $ 3,246,513   $  4,824,176
 Federal funds sold and
  short-term investments    16,707,372     12,163,000        463,069
 Investment securities
  available for sale        34,748,012     17,113,065     36,202,370
 Loans, net                218,587,069    142,330,206    189,059,926
 Federal Reserve Bank
  stock                        309,000        309,000        309,000
 Federal Home Loan Bank
   stock                     1,336,400        825,000      1,070,200
 Premises and
  equipment, net             5,133,422      4,270,701      4,681,812
 Cash Value of life
  insurance                  3,209,759      3,115,165      3,230,950
 Other assets                3,006,386      1,569,749      2,249,842
                          ------------   ------------   ------------
       Total assets       $287,575,142   $184,942,399   $242,091,345
                          ============   ============   ============

           LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

 LIABILITIES:
 Deposits
  Noninterest bearing
   deposits               $ 28,111,244   $ 22,538,769   $ 32,540,139
  Interest bearing
   deposits                212,551,306    129,121,788    170,628,819
                          ------------   ------------   ------------

      Total deposits       240,662,550    151,660,557    203,168,958
  Advances from Federal
    Home Loan Bank          19,000,000     16,500,000     16,500,000
  Junior subordinated
   debentures               10,310,000            --       5,155,000
 Other liabilities           1,254,330      1,363,904        934,425
                          ------------   ------------   ------------
      Total liabilities    271,226,880    169,524,461    225,758,383
                          ------------   ------------   ------------


 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:
 Common stock, $1 par
   value; 10,000,000
   shares authorized;
   2,016,158 issued and
   outstanding at March
   31, 2005, 1,342,018
   at March 31, 2004
   and 2,013,508 at
   December 31, 2004         2,016,158      1,342,018      2,013,508
 Paid-in capital            11,351,276     12,003,806     11,335,982
 Retained earnings           3,635,791      2,025,970      3,153,939
 Accumulated other
  comprehensive income        (654,963)        46,144       (170,467)
                          ------------   ------------   ------------
    Total shareholders'
     equity                 16,348,262     15,417,938     16,332,962
                          ------------   ------------   ------------
    Total liabilities
     and shareholders'
     equity               $287,575,142   $184,942,399   $242,091,345
                          ============   ============   ============


        Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
                      Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
            Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income
                             (unaudited)



                                             Three Months Ended
                                                  March 31,
                                           2005              2004
                                           ----              ----
 INTEREST INCOME
    Interest and fees on loans         $ 3,635,643      $ 2,222,578
    Investment securities                  393,722          153,409
    Federal funds sold                      28,154           16,140
                                       -----------      -----------
       Total interest income             4,057,519        2,392,127

 INTEREST EXPENSE
    Deposits                             1,080,257          576,409
    Advances from FHLB and
     federal funds purchased               124,865           84,260
    Junior subordinated
      debentures                            66,967              --
                                       -----------      -----------
       Total interest expense            1,272,089          660,669

       Net interest income               2,785,430        1,731,458

 PROVISION FOR POSSIBLE
  LOAN LOSSES                              500,000          215,000
                                       -----------      -----------
    Net interest income after
     provision for possible
     loan losses                         2,285,430        1,516,458
                                       -----------      -----------

 NONINTEREST INCOME
    Service fees on deposit
     accounts                              140,461          131,091
    Gain on sale of loan                    14,610             --
    Loss on sale of investment
     securities                               (529)              (3)
    Income from cash value
     life insurance                         25,338           40,386
    Mortgage loan referral fees             39,821           26,884
    Other income                            43,479           29,410
                                       -----------      -----------
     Total noninterest income              263,180          227,768
                                       -----------      -----------
 NONINTEREST EXPENSES
    Salaries and wages                     794,166          554,850
    Employee benefits                      171,506          122,718
    Supplies and printing                   26,316           18,529
    Advertising and public
     relations                              72,971           49,488
    Professional fees                       72,707           43,443
    Depreciation and
     amortization                          126,484          108,252
    Occupancy                              183,815          107,346
    Data processing fees                   109,688           84,011
    Other operating expenses               229,986          167,258
                                       -----------      -----------
      Total noninterest expenses         1,787,639        1,255,895
                                       -----------      -----------
      Income before income taxes           760,971          488,331

 INCOME TAX EXPENSE                        279,120          180,682
                                       -----------      -----------
      Net  income                      $   481,851      $   307,649
                                       ===========      ===========

 BASIC NET INCOME PER
  COMMON SHARE                         $       .24      $       .16
                                       ===========      ===========

 DILUTED NET INCOME PER
  COMMON SHARE                         $       .23      $       .15
                                       ===========      ===========

 Weighted average common
  shares outstanding - basic             2,014,391        1,977,552
 Weighted average common
  shares outstanding - diluted           2,105,422        1,990,957


            

Contact Data