Beach First Earnings Grow 84 Percent in 2006

7th Consecutive Year of Strong Financial Performance


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., Jan. 22, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:BFNB) today announced that its 2006 year-end earnings increased 84 percent over figures reported for 2005.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2006 totaled $6,195,728, or $1.27 per diluted share, an increase of 84 percent over the amount of $3,359,643, or $0.83 per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2005. Total assets ended the year at $520 million, an increase of 31 percent from figures reported for 2005. Total deposits grew 34 percent to $416 million, and total loans grew 32 percent to $411 million.

Return on average assets was 1.33 percent for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to 1.08 percent for the same period a year ago. Return on average shareholders' equity was 14.53 percent for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to 11.37 percent for the same period a year ago. The net interest margin improved to 4.62 percent at December 31, 2006, compared to 4.60 percent at December 31, 2005. Book value per share stood at $9.54 per share at December 31, 2006, compared to $8.23 per share at December 31, 2005.

Walt Standish, president and chief executive officer, said, "Beach First completed its seventh consecutive year of strong financial performance in 2006. We believe our community bank philosophy is at the heart of our success, as it continues to resonate with customers who are drawn to our local bank service and convenient locations. When we combine this strong level of service with the healthy economies in the markets our bank serves, it yields robust performance. We are also pleased to have made the move to our new headquarters at Grissom Parkway in late December and invite the public to visit this beautiful and environmentally friendly space."

Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. is the parent of Beach First National Bank, a $520 million financial institution headquartered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Beach First is the Grand Strand's only locally-owned bank, operating six banking locations 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, and recently moved into its new headquarters at the corner of 38th Avenue North and Grissom Parkway in Myrtle Beach. The company's stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol BFNB and the website is www.beachfirst.com.

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

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.



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

                                            December 31,
                                 -------------          -------------
                                      2006                   2005
                                 -------------          -------------
 Assets
 Cash and due from banks         $   5,198,945          $   4,284,868
 Federal funds sold and                              
  short term investments            14,010,667             25,521,071
 Investment securities              68,474,531             43,975,876
 Loans, net                        405,326,804            307,424,435
 Federal Reserve Bank                                
  stock                                984,000                534,000
 Federal Home Loan Bank                              
  stock                              2,475,600              2,011,400
 Property and equipment,                             
  net                               14,344,330              6,672,507
 Cash value of life                                  
  insurance                          3,424,586              3,301,417
 Other assets                        5,961,876              3,663,659
                                 -------------          -------------
   Total assets                  $ 520,201,339          $ 397,389,234
                                 =============          =============
                                                     
 Liabilities and shareholders' equity                                
 Liabilities                                         
 Deposits                                            
                                                     
  Non-interesting bearing        $  37,194,469          $  31,152,603
  Interest bearing                 379,162,660            279,741,607
                                 -------------          -------------
   Total deposits                  416,357,129            310,894,210
 Advances from Federal                               
  Home Loan Bank                    37,500,000             34,000,000
 Other borrowings                    7,209,820              1,504,009
 Junior subordinated                                 
  debentures                        10,310,000             10,310,000
 Other liabilities                   3,364,811              1,555,602
                                 -------------          -------------
                                                     
    Total liabilities              474,741,760            358,263,821

                                                     
 Commitments and contingencies        
                                                     
 Shareholders' equity                                
 Common stock, $1 par value, 
  10,000,000 shares authorized, 
  4,763,987 shares issued and        
  outstanding at December 31, 
  2006 and 4,754,937                             
  at December 31, 2005               4,763,987              4,754,937
 Paid-in capital                    28,659,487             28,572,864
 Retained earnings                  12,709,310              6,513,582
 Accumulated other                               
  comprehensive loss                  (673,205)              (715,970)
                                  -------------          -------------
   Total shareholders'                           
    equity                          45,459,579             39,125,413
                                 -------------          -------------
   Total liabilities                             
    and shareholders'                            
    equity                       $ 520,201,339          $ 397,389,234
                                 =============          =============


 
           Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
 
                   Consolidated Statements of Income

                                 For the Years ended December 31,
                             -----------------------------------------
                                 2006          2005           2004
                             -----------   -----------   -------------
 Interest income
  Loans and fees on loans    $33,096,343   $18,938,675    $ 10,418,114
  Investment securities        2,897,719     1,838,313       1,098,986
  Federal funds sold and
   short term investments        469,819       127,961          75,702
  Other                           22,929        15,682           4,069
                             -----------   -----------    ------------
    Total interest income     36,486,810    20,920,631      11,596,871

  Interest expense
   Deposits                   13,711,212     5,912,891       2,799,558
   Advances from FHLB and
    federal funds purchased    1,546,286       747,209         394,946
   Junior subordinated
    debentures                   771,740       528,812         136,943
                             -----------   -----------    ------------
     Total interest expense   16,029,238     7,188,912       3,331,447

    Net interest income       20,457,572    13,731,719       8,265,424

  Provision for loan losses    2,174,400     2,184,000       1,340,000
                             -----------   -----------    ------------

   Net interest income
    after provision for
    loan losses               18,283,172    11,547,719       6,925,424
                             -----------   -----------    ------------

 Noninterest income
  Service fees on deposit
   accounts                      514,286       549,689         536,077
  Gain on sale of loans           60,392        14,610             --
  Gain (loss) on sale of
   investment securities           1,007        (3,935)         37,395
  Income from cash value
   life insurance                143,717        89,809         161,544
  Income from mortgage
   operations                  2,136,250       249,757         134,865
  Other income                 1,172,013       217,947         167,544
                             -----------   -----------    ------------

    Total noninterest
     income                    4,027,665     1,117,877       1,037,425
                             -----------   -----------    ------------

 Noninterest expenses
  Salaries and wages           6,018,633     3,371,922       2,556,452
  Employee benefits            1,138,653       675,496         501,347
  Supplies and printing          126,705       101,889          89,560
  Advertising and public
   relations                     387,056       295,509         239,256
  Professional fees              311,627       327,130         190,138
  Depreciation and
   amortization                  518,551       539,406         446,158
  Occupancy                    1,102,406       724,313         476,736
  Data processing fees           547,747       455,646         343,275
  Other operating expenses     2,461,595     1,053,867         838,945
                             -----------   -----------    ------------

    Total noninterest
     expenses                 12,612,973     7,545,178       5,681,867
                             -----------   -----------    ------------

    Income before income
     taxes                     9,697,864     5,120,418       2,280,982

 Income tax expense            3,502,136     1,760,775         845,060
                             -----------   -----------    ------------

  Net income                 $ 6,195,728   $ 3,359,643    $  1,435,922
                             ===========   ===========    ============


  Basic net income per
   common share                   $ 1.30        $ 0.84          $ 0.48
  Diluted net income per
   common share                   $ 1.27        $ 0.83          $ 0.46
  Weighted average common
   shares outstanding:

  Basic                        4,764,072     3,975,864       3,015,993
                             ===========   ===========    ============
  Diluted                      4,874,562     4,059,865       3,133,931
                             ===========   ===========    ============


 
       Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries

                             (Unaudited)
                            (In thousands)

 Asset Quality Ratios and Other Data 
                                    Dec. 31,    Dec. 31,      Dec. 31,
                                      2006        2005          2004 
                                   ---------   ---------    ----------
 Total nonperforming loans        $   1,625    $   1,111    $      78
 Allowance for loan losses            5,888        4,364        2,422
 Nonperforming loans as a
  percent of total loans               0.40%        0.36%        0.04%
 Nonperforming assets, past
  due and restructured loans
  to total assets                      0.31%        0.28%        0.03%
 Net charge-offs to average
  total loans                          0.17%        0.10%        0.43%
 Allowance for loan losses
  to total loans                       1.43%        1.40%        1.26%
 Allowance for loan losses
  to nonperforming loans             362.45%      392.80%    3,105.13%



                                          For the year ended
                                              December 31,
                                      2006        2005          2004 
                                   ---------   ---------    ----------
 Interest rate spread                4.06%       4.10%         3.95%
 Net interest margin                 4.62%       4.67%         4.30%


            

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