Southcoast Financial Corporation Announces Corrected 2007 Year End Earnings


MT. PLEASANT, S.C., Feb. 27, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- On January 17, 2008, Southcoast Financial Corporation (Nasdaq:SOCB) (the "Company"), released a report of its 2007 Year End Earnings. That report contained errors caused by the incorrect accounting treatment of a sale-leaseback of one of the Company's offices. Prior to the completion of that transaction, which closed December 20, 2007, the Company consulted with accounting experts about how to account for the transaction and, upon completion of the transaction, accounted for the transaction in the manner it had proposed. Subsequently, it was determined that the accounting treatment which was initially used, and was reflected in the Company's unaudited condensed income statements for the year and the three months ended December 31, 2007, included in the January 17, 2008, press release, was incorrect in that it recognized the approximately $1.5 million gain on the sale of the property as noninterest income in 2007. The correct accounting treatment is to defer the recognition of the approximately $1.5 million gain by recognizing the gain ratably over the lease term as a reduction of lease expense. The corrected news release reflects the corrected accounting treatment for the year and three months ended December 31, 2007.



                            * * * * *
                 Southcoast Financial Corporation
                     Corrected News Release
                      Southcoast Announces
                     2007 Year End Earnings

Southcoast Financial Corporation announced today that it had unaudited net income of $3,429,000 or $0.63 per basic share, for the year ended December 31, 2007. This compares to net income of $4,839,000, or $0.81 per basic share, for the year ended December 31, 2006. Average shares outstanding for both periods have been adjusted for the 10% stock dividend issued May 30, 2007. Average basic shares decreased 9.8% between 2006 and 2007 primarily due to the Company's buyback of 977,281 shares during 2007.

Total assets as of December 31, 2007 were $500.9 million compared to $481.9 million as of December 31, 2006, an increase of 3.9%. Loans, excluding loans held for sale, increased to $378.4 million, up 2.9% from $367.6 million as of December 31, 2006. Deposits increased 10.2% to $342.8 million over the same period.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2007, unaudited net income was $723,000, or $0.15 per basic share. This compares to net income of $967,000, or $0.16 per basic share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2006. Average shares for both periods have been adjusted for the earlier referenced 10% stock dividend.

Southcoast Financial Corporation, headquartered in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, is the holding company of Southcoast Community Bank. The Bank, which opened for business July 20, 1998, is a state chartered commercial bank operating from its main office at 530 Johnnie Dodds Boulevard in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Southcoast Financial Corporation's common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol SOCB. Information about the corporation is available on our web site,www.southcoastbank.com.



 Southcoast Financial Corporation
 SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
 (dollars in thousands, except earnings per share)
                                         Year       Year       Year
                                         Ended      Ended     Ended
                                       Dec. 2007  Dec. 2006  Dec. 2005
                                      (Unaudited)

 INCOME STATEMENT DATA
  Net interest income                    $14,354    $16,145    $13,914
  Provision for loan losses                    0        723        865
  Noninterest income                       2,555      3,837      2,725
  Noninterest expenses                    11,999     11,542      9,243
  Net income                               3,429      4,839      4,189

 PER SHARE DATA *
 Net income per share
  Basic                                    $0.63      $0.81      $0.97
  Diluted                                  $0.63      $0.80      $0.97

 BALANCE SHEET DATA
  Total assets                          $500,852   $481,856   $476,599
  Total deposits                         342,755    310,893    311,554
  Total loans (net)                      374,117    363,246    371,656
  Investment securities                   62,609     46,461     35,203
  Total earning assets                   443,200    445,119    440,942
  Other Borrowings                        81,230     67,841     67,000
  Junior subordinated debentures          10,310     21,655     21,655
  Shareholders' equity                    62,741     78,803     73,315

 Book value per share                     $12.52     $14.41     $14.80

 Average shares outstanding*
  Basic                                5,419,474  6,007,137  4,335,319
  Diluted                              5,423,915  6,012,445  4,340,470

 KEY RATIOS
  Return on assets                          0.71%      1.00%      1.04%
  Return on equity                          4.96%      6.22%      9.28%
  Equity to asset ratio                    12.53%     16.35%     15.38%
  Non-performing assets to assets           0.18%      0.18%      0.11%
  Reserve to loans                          1.14%      1.19%      1.14%
  Net interest margin                       3.40%      3.64%      3.69%

  Employees                                  114        110         91
  # of accounts                           11,737     10,778     10,728
  # of offices open                           10          8          8
  # of offices under construction              0          2          1
  # of office sites purchased                  0          2          0
  ATM stand alone                              1          1          1

                                         Year       Year       Year
                                         Ended      Ended      Ended
                                       Dec. 2004  Dec. 2003  Dec. 2002

 INCOME STATEMENT DATA
  Net interest income                    $10,692     $7,858     $5,458
  Provision for loan losses                1,146        735        480
  Noninterest income                       2,700      1,711      1,767
  Noninterest expenses                     7,966      6,171      4,866
  Net income                               2,982      1,704      1,147

 PER SHARE DATA *                     
 Net income per share                 
  Basic                                    $0.76      $0.69      $0.52
  Diluted                                  $0.75      $0.67      $0.50

 BALANCE SHEET DATA                   
  Total assets                          $366,102   $253,217   $181,513
  Total deposits                         258,153    166,213    132,655
  Total loans (net)                      293,207    199,732    134,729
  Investment securities                   24,831     22,049      7,608
  Total earning assets                   344,482    238,009    168,225
  Other Borrowings                        58,000     41,100     23,500
  Junior subordinated debentures          11,345     11,345     11,345
  Shareholders' equity                    36,571     33,410     12,709

 Book value per share                     $12.31     $12.46      $9.61

 Average shares outstanding*          
  Basic                                3,945,175  2,471,038  2,223,220
  Diluted                              4,001,380  2,529,742  2,312,627

 KEY RATIOS                           
  Return on assets                          0.98%      0.79%      0.78%
  Return on equity                          8.56%     10.43%      9.45%
  Equity to asset ratio                     9.99%     13.19%      7.00%
  Non-performing assets to assets           0.27%      0.04%      0.06%
  Reserve to loans                          1.15%      1.18%      1.21%
  Net interest margin                       3.78%      3.90%      4.02%

  Employees                                   77         68         61
  # of accounts                            9,391      7,814      6,899
  # of offices open                            7          5          5
  # of offices under construction              0          2          0
  # of office sites purchased                  2          1          2
  ATM stand alone                              1          0          0
                                     
 *Share and per share data has been adjusted for 10% stock dividends in
   2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, and 10% and 5% dividends in 2003.


                   Southcoast Financial Corporation
                    Consolidated Income Statements
          (Dollars in thousands, except earnings per share)

                           Year Ended            Three Months Ended
                    December 31, December 31, December 31, December 31,
                       2007         2006         2007         2006
                    (Unaudited)               (Unaudited)  (Unaudited)
 Interest Income
  Interest and fees
   on loans             $28,760      $28,080       $7,289       $7,127
  Interest on
   investments            2,716        2,852          747          738
  Interest on Fed
   funds sold               397          478           38          155
                        -------      -------      -------      ------- 
   Total interest
    income               31,873       31,410       $8,074       $8,020

 Interest expense        17,519       15,265        4,559        4,158
                        -------      -------      -------      ------- 
   Net interest
    income               14,354       16,145        3,515        3,862
 Provision for loan
  losses                      0          723            0            0
                        -------      -------      -------      ------- 
 Net interest income
  after loan loss
  provision              14,354       15,422        3,515        3,862

 Noninterest income       2,555        3,837          634          708
                        -------      -------      -------      ------- 
   Total operating
    income               16,909       19,259        4,149        4,570

 Noninterest expense
  Salaries and
   benefits               6,747        6,499        1,812        1,557
  Occupancy and
   equipment              2,288        1,925          584          508
  Other expenses          2,964        3,118          854        1,016
                        -------      -------      -------      ------- 

   Total noninterest
    expense              11,999       11,542        3,250        3,081
                        -------      -------      -------      ------- 
 Income before taxes      4,910        7,717          899        1,489

 Income tax expense       1,481        2,878          176          522
                     ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------
 Net income              $3,429       $4,839         $723         $967
                     ==========   ==========   ==========   ==========

 Basic net income
  per common share*       $0.63        $0.81        $0.15        $0.16

 Diluted net income
  per common share*       $0.63        $0.80        $0.15        $0.15

 Average shares
  outstanding*
  Basic               5,419,474    6,007,137    5,019,704    6,017,348
  Diluted             5,423,915    6,012,445    5,021,347    6,022,140


 * Share and per share data has been adjusted for 10% stock dividends 
   in 2007 and 2006.



                  Southcoast Financial Corporation
                Consolidated Statements of Condition
           (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

                                                 Dec. 31   Dec. 31
                                                   2007      2006
                                                (Unaudited)

 Assets
 Cash and due from banks                           $7,033    $7,008
 Federal Funds sold                                 3,774    31,204
 Investments                                       62,609    46,461
 Loans held for sale                                  384       140
 Loans:
  Commercial and Construction                     222,273   196,572
  Mortgage                                        145,615   159,774
  Consumer                                         10,526    11,264
                                                 --------  --------
   Total loans                                    378,414   367,610
 Less: Allowance for loan Losses                    4,297     4,364
                                                 --------  --------
 Net loans                                        374,117   363,246
 Fixed assets                                      26,735    25,126
 Other assets                                      26,200     8,671
                                                 --------  --------
     Total Assets                                $500,852  $481,856
                                                 ========  ========
 Liabilities & Shareholders' Equity
 Deposits:
  Noninterest bearing                             $32,607   $34,694
  Interest bearing                                310,148   276,199
                                                 --------  --------
   Total deposits                                 342,755   310,893
 Other Borrowings                                  81,230    67,841
 Junior subordinated debentures                    10,310    21,655
 Other liabilities                                  3,816     2,664
                                                 --------  --------
    Total liabilities                             438,111   403,053

 Shareholders' Equity
  Common Stock                                     60,157    75,316
  Retained Earnings and Accumulated
   Other Comprehensive Income or Loss               2,584     3,487
                                                 --------  --------
    Total shareholders' equity                     62,741    78,803
                                                 --------  --------
    Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity   $500,852  $481,856
                                                 ========  ========

 Book value per share                              $12.52**  $14.41**

 Allowance for loan losses to Loans Ratio            1.14%     1.19%

 ** Adjusted for a 10% stock dividend in 2007.


            

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