Beach First Reports Earnings Growth of 151 Percent

Assets Grow to $427 Million


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., April 18, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:BFNB) today announced that its first quarter 2006 earnings increased 151% over the same period last year.

Net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2006, increased 151%, totaling $1,211,807, or $0.37 per diluted share, when compared to the $481,852, or $0.23 per diluted share, reported for the quarter ended March 31, 2005. Total assets grew to $426.7 million, which represents an increase of 48% from the same period a year ago. Total deposits grew to $337.9 million, an increase of 40% from the same period a year ago. Total loans grew to $349.2 million, a 58% increase over the same period last year.

Return on average shareholders' equity was 12.02% for March 31, 2006, compared to 11.44% for March 31, 2005. The net interest margin was 4.42% for the period ended March 31, 2006, when compared to 4.54% for the same period a year ago. Book value per share stood at $12.63 per share at March 31, 2006, compared to $8.12 per share at March 31, 2005.

Walt Standish, president and chief executive officer, said, "The year is off to a great start at Beach First. Net income exceeded $1 million for the second consecutive quarter, fueled by good loan and deposit growth in both the consumer and commercial areas. We experienced double digit growth in earnings, deposits, and loans as compared to March 31, 2005, and crossed the $400 million mark in asset size for the first time in the company's history. We continue to invest in technology and staffing to support our growth and expansion. We are working toward a September timeframe for moving into our new main office on Grissom Parkway."

Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. is the parent of Beach First National Bank, a $426.7 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 on the NASDAQ National Market 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 is available 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,
                               2006           2005            2005 
                               ----           ----            ---- 
                                                                 
                            (unaudited)    (unaudited)      (audited)
                                                            ---------
         ASSETS
 Cash and due from banks  $   4,599,760  $   4,537,722  $   4,284,868
 Federal funds sold and 
  short-term investments      6,133,853     16,707,372     25,521,071
 Investment securities
  available for sale         52,099,895     34,748,012     43,975,876
 Loans, net                 344,306,128    218,587,069    307,424,435
 Federal Reserve Bank stock     534,000        309,000        534,000
 Federal Home Loan Bank 
  stock                       2,318,100      1,336,400      2,011,400
 Premises and equipment, 
  net                         6,463,619      5,267,876      6,672,507
 Cash value of life 
  insurance                   3,331,263      3,209,759      3,301,417
 Other assets                 6,922,087      2,871,932      3,663,660
                          -------------  -------------  -------------
   Total assets           $ 426,708,705  $ 287,575,142  $ 397,389,234
                          =============  =============  =============

 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
  LIABILITIES:
 Deposits
  Noninterest bearing 
   deposits               $  28,884,753  $  28,111,244  $  31,152,603
  Interest bearing 
   deposits                 308,985,257    212,551,306    279,741,607
                          -------------  -------------  -------------
   Total deposits           337,870,010    240,662,550    310,894,210
 Advances from Federal 
  Home Loan Bank             32,500,000     19,000,000     34,000,000
 Other borrowings             3,299,945             --      1,504,009
 Junior subordinated
  debentures                 10,310,000     10,310,000     10,310,000
 Other liabilities            2,648,541      1,254,330      1,555,602
                          -------------  -------------  -------------
          

   Total liabilities        386,628,496    271,226,880    358,263,821
                          -------------  -------------  -------------

 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 Common stock, $1 par 
  value;10,000,000 shares
  authorized; 3,174,458 
  issued and outstanding at
  March 31, 2006 and
  2,016,158 at March 31, 
  2005 and 3,169,958 at
  December 31, 2005           3,174,458      2,016,158      3,169,958
 Paid-in capital             30,215,578     11,351,276     30,157,843
 Retained earnings            7,725,390      3,635,791      6,513,582
 Accumulated other
  comprehensive income 
  (loss)                     (1,035,217)      (654,963)      (715,970)
                          -------------  -------------  -------------
   Total 
    shareholders' equity     40,080,209     16,348,262     39,125,413
                          -------------  -------------  -------------
   Total liabilities and 
    shareholders' equity  $ 426,708,705  $ 287,575,142  $ 397,389,234
                          =============  =============  =============



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

                         Three Months Ended         For the Year Ended
                              March 31                 December 31
                              --------                  ---------
                          2006           2005              2005
                          ----           ----              ----
                       (unaudited)     (unaudited)       (audited)
 INTEREST INCOME
  Interest and fees 
    on loans             $  6,823,870    $   3,635,643   $  18,938,675
  Investment securities       582,144          393,722       1,838,313
  Federal funds sold          145,054           28,154         127,961
  Other                         5,256               --          15,682
                         ------------    -------------   -------------
    Total interest income   7,556,324        4,057,519      20,920,631

INTEREST EXPENSE
  Deposits                  2,696,889        1,080,257       5,912,891
  Advances from the FHLB 
    and federal funds 
    purchased                 341,889          124,865         747,209
  Junior subordinated 
    debentures                177,247           66,967         528,812
                         ------------     ------------    ------------
    Total interest expense  3,216,025        1,272,089       7,188,912

    Net interest income     4,340,299        2,785,430      13,731,719

 PROVISION FOR POSSIBLE 
   LOAN LOSSES                522,200          500,000       2,184,000
                         ------------     ------------    ------------
   Net interest income 
     after provision for
     possible loan losses   3,818,099        2,285,430      11,547,719
                         ------------     ------------    ------------

 NONINTEREST INCOME
    Service fees on 
      deposit accounts        127,965          140,461         549,689
    Gain on sale of loan       22,259           14,610          14,610
    Loss on sale of 
      investment securities        --             (529)         (3,935)
    Income from cash value 
      life insurance           34,850           25,338          89,809
    Mortgage loan referral 
      fees                     66,385           39,821         249,757
    Other income               60,061           43,479         217,947
                         ------------      -----------    ------------
    Total noninterest 
      invome                  311,520          263,180       1,117,877
                         ------------      -----------    ------------

 NONINTEREST EXPENSES
    Salaries and wages      1,023,484          794,166       3,371,922
    Employee benefits         234,307          171,506         675,496
    Supplies and printing      28,439           26,316         101,889
    Advertising and public 
      relations                83,515           72,971         295,509
    Professional fees          77,522           72,707         327,130
    Depreciation and 
      amortization            130,402          126,484         539,406
    Occupancy                 189,484          183,815         724,313
    Data processing fees      116,969          109,688         455,646
    Other operating 
      expenses                353,671          229,985       1,053,867
                         ------------       ----------     -----------
    Total noninterest 
      expenses              2,237,793        1,787,638       7,545,178
                         ------------      -----------     -----------

    Income before income 
      taxes                 1,891,826          760,972       5,120,418

 INCOME TAX EXPENSE           680,019          279,120       1,760,775
                         ------------      ------------    -----------
    Net  income          $  1,211,807      $   481,852     $ 3,359,643
                         ============      ============    ===========

 BASIC NET INCOME PER 
   COMMON SHARE          $        .38      $       .24     $      1.27
                          ============     ===========     ===========
 DILUTED NET INCOME PER 
   COMMON SHARE          $        .37      $       .23     $      1.23
                         =============     ===========     ===========
  Weighted average common 
    shares outstanding -
    basic                   3,172,108        2,014,391       2,650,576
  Weighted average common 
    shares outstanding -
    diluted                 3,243,080        2,105,422       2,740,899




                                              (Unaudited)
                                            (In thousands)

 Asset Quality Ratios and Other Data               

                            March 31,    March 31, 2005    December 31,
                            ---------    --------------    ------------
                             2006             2005             2005
                             ----             ----             ----

 Total nonperforming loans  $ 1,899          $ 299           $ 1,111
 Allowance for loan losses    4,883          2,919             4,364
 Nonperforming loans as a 
  percent of total
  loans                        0.54%          0.14%             0.36%
 Nonperforming assets, 
  past due and restructured 
  loans to total assets        0.45%          0.10%             0.28%
 Net charge-offs to average 
  total loans                 0.001%         0.001%             0.10%
 Allowance for loan losses 
  to total loans               1.40%          1.32%             1.40%
 Allowance for loan losses 
  to nonperforming loans     257.10%        975.70%           392.80%

                            For the Qtr ended       For the Year ended
                                 March 31,              December 31,
                                ---------              ------------
                          2006             2005            2005
                          ----             ----            ----
 Interest rate spread     3.88%            4.21%           4.10%
 Net interest margin      4.42%            4.54%           4.67%


            

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