Beach First Announces Year-End Results


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., Jan. 28, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:BFNB) today announced increases in 2007 year-end earnings and total assets over figures reported for the same period in 2006.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2007 increased 1.07 percent, totaling $6,262,195 or $1.26 per diluted share, when compared to the $6,195,728 or $1.27 per diluted share, reported for the year ended December 31, 2006. Total assets grew to $606.0 million, which represents an increase of 16.5 percent from December 31, 2006.

Walt Standish, president and chief executive officer, said, "Beach First has held its own in the face of many challenges, showing some earnings improvement, which is evidence of our relative strength in the market. The banking industry as a whole has had to manage through many challenges in 2007, as declining home sales, turmoil in the credit markets, and pressure on the net interest margin have been issues for banks across the country."

Standish added, "While we expect market conditions to remain unsettled in 2008, we will continue to operate from a position of strength. During the second quarter of 2008, we expect to open our seventh location, a branch at 73rd Avenue North in Myrtle Beach. We are investing in technology to make banking easy for our customers, and we are touting our brand to build awareness of our bank in the markets we serve. We believe we are well prepared to handle the challenges of 2008 and are poised to take advantage of opportunities as economic conditions improve."

Additional Year-End Highlights

Total loans grew to $509.9 million, a 24.0 percent increase over the December 31, 2006 figure. Total deposits grew to $464.2 million, an increase of 11.5 percent from December 31, 2006.

Return on average equity was 12.80 percent for the year ended December 31, 2007, compared to 14.53 percent for the year ended December 31, 2006. Return on average assets was 1.11 percent for the year ended December 31, 2007, compared to 1.33 percent for the same period a year ago. The net interest margin stood at 4.20 percent at December 31, 2007, compared to 4.62 percent at December 31, 2006. Book value per share was $10.85 per share at December 31, 2007, compared to $9.53 per share at December 31, 2006.

Beach First operates 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. A seventh location is scheduled to open during the second quarter of 2008 at 7202 North Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. The bank's mortgage lending division operates eight mortgage offices in the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic states. The company's stock trades on the NASDAQ Global 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, greater than expected noninterest expenses, excessive loan losses, regulatory actions or changes and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For a more detailed description of factors that could cause or contribute to such differences, please see our Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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
                    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
                     Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                                  December 31,
                                         -----------------------------
                                              2007           2006
                                         -------------   -------------
 Assets
 Cash and due from banks                 $   5,197,574   $   5,198,945
 Federal funds sold and short term
  investments                                  361,104      14,010,667
 Investment securities                      65,677,993      68,474,531
 Loans
  Loans, net of unearned income            503,432,516     398,736,636
  Mortgage loans held for sale               6,475,619      12,478,221
                                         -------------   -------------
   Total Loans                             509,908,135     411,214,857
  Allowance for Loan Loss                   (6,935,616)     (5,888,052)
 Loans, net of allowance                   502,972,519     405,326,805
                                         -------------   -------------
 Federal Reserve Bank stock                    984,000         984,000
 Federal Home Loan Bank stock                3,395,300       2,475,600
 Property and equipment, net                15,746,143      14,344,330
 Cash value of life insurance                3,554,807       3,424,586
 Investment in BFNB Trusts                     310,000         310,000
 Other assets                                7,788,978       5,651,875
                                         -------------   -------------
   Total assets                          $ 605,988,418   $ 520,201,339
                                         =============   =============

 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
 Liabilities
 Deposits
  Non-interesting bearing                $  33,138,936   $  37,194,469
  Interest bearing                         431,059,409     379,162,660
                                         -------------   -------------

   Total deposits                          464,198,345     416,357,129
                                         -------------   -------------

 Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank       55,000,000      37,500,000
 Other borrowings                           18,288,147       7,209,820
 Junior subordinated debentures             10,310,000      10,310,000
 Other liabilities                           5,613,877       3,364,811
                                         -------------   -------------
   Total liabilities                       553,410,369     474,741,760
                                         -------------   -------------

 Shareholders' Equity
  Common stock, $1 par value, 10,000,000
   shares authorized, 4,845,018 shares
   issued and outstanding at December 31,
   2007 and 4,768,413 at December 31,
    2006                                     4,845,018       4,768,413
  Paid-in capital                           29,109,348      28,657,576
  Retained earnings                         18,968,989      12,706,795
  Accumulated other comprehensive loss        (345,305)       (673,205)
                                         -------------   -------------
   Total shareholders' equity               52,578,050      45,459,579
                                         -------------   -------------
   Total liabilities and shareholders'
    equity                               $ 605,988,419   $ 520,201,339
                                         =============   =============


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

                                  For the Years ended December 31,
                              ----------------------------------------
                                  2007          2006          2005
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
 Interest income
  Loans and fees on loans     $ 41,075,377  $ 33,096,343  $ 18,938,676
  Investment securities          3,698,507     2,897,719     1,838,313
  Federal funds sold and
   short term investments          309,165       469,819       127,961
  Other                             23,970        22,929        15,681
   Total interest income        45,107,019    36,486,810    20,920,631
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
 Interest expense
  Deposits                      18,802,056    13,711,212     5,912,891
  Advances from FHLB and
   federal funds purchased       2,443,234     1,546,286       747,209
  Junior subordinated
   debentures                    1,236,683       771,740       528,812
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Total interest expense       22,481,973    16,029,238     7,188,912
   Net interest income          22,625,046    20,457,572    13,731,719
 Provision for loan losses       2,045,600     2,174,400     2,184,000
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Net interest income after
    provision for loan losses   20,579,446    18,283,172    11,547,719
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
 Noninterest income
  Service fees on deposit
   accounts                        568,760       514,285       549,689
  Retail mortgage origination
   income                        2,424,502     1,001,210       249,757
  Miscellaneous loan fees        1,766,923       537,490            --
  Merchant income                  665,811       164,229        17,806
  Gain on sale of loans            895,767       658,949        14,610
  Income from cash value life
   insurance                       152,086       143,717        89,809
  Gain on sale of fixed assets       6,324       583,011           142
  Other income                   1,097,611       387,458       196,064
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Total noninterest income      7,577,784     3,990,349     1,117,877
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
 Noninterest expenses
  Salaries and wages             7,760,272     6,018,633     3,371,922
  Employee benefits              1,646,093     1,138,653       675,496
  Supplies and printing            199,977       126,705       101,889
  Advertising and public
   relations                       615,552       387,056       295,509
  Professional fees                725,122       311,627       327,130
  Depreciation and
   amortization                  1,060,255       518,551       539,406
  Occupancy                      1,719,491     1,065,091       724,313
  Data processing fees             748,446       547,747       455,646
  Other operating expenses       4,458,136     2,461,594     1,053,867
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Total noninterest expenses   18,933,344    12,575,657     7,545,178
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Income before income taxes    9,223,886     9,697,864     5,120,418
 Income tax expense              2,961,691     3,502,136     1,760,775
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Net income                 $  6,262,195  $  6,195,728  $  3,359,643
                              ============  ============  ============
 Basic net income per common
  share                       $       1.30  $       1.30  $       0.84
 Diluted net income per
  common share                $       1.26  $       1.27  $       0.83
  Weighted average common
   shares outstanding:
   Basic                         4,817,911     4,764,072     3,975,864
                              ============  ============  ============
   Diluted                       4,977,067     4,874,562     4,059,865
                              ============  ============  ============


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

                                            For the Three Months ended 
                                                  December 31,
                                            --------------------------
                                                2007          2006
                                            ------------  ------------ 
 Interest income
  Loans and fees on loans                   $ 10,431,489  $  9,656,861
  Investment securities                          914,919       849,295
  Federal funds sold and short term
   investments                                    28,992       156,241
  Other                                            6,066         6,013
                                            ------------  ------------
   Total interest income                      11,381,466    10,668,410
                                            ------------  ------------
 Interest expense
  Deposits                                     4,821,890     4,208,272
  Advances from FHLB and federal funds
   purchased                                     738,031       479,355
  Junior subordinated debentures                 269,093       202,762
                                            ------------  ------------
   Total interest expense                      5,829,014     4,890,389
                                            ------------  ------------

   Net interest income                         5,552,452     5,778,021
 Provision for loan losses                     1,094,800       395,800
                                            ------------  ------------
   Net interest income after provision for
    loan losses                                4,457,652     5,382,221
                                            ------------  ------------
 Noninterest income
  Service fees on deposit accounts               141,781       132,674
  Retail mortgage origination income             298,202       473,369
  Miscellaneous loan fees                        252,566       273,212
  Merchant income                                148,700        59,442
  Gain on sale of loans                          192,545       339,715
  Income from cash value life insurance           37,936        36,721
  Other income                                   214,599       165,427
                                            ------------  ------------
   Total noninterest income                    1,286,329     1,480,560
                                            ------------  ------------
 Noninterest expenses
  Salaries and wages                           1,776,178     1,813,244
  Employee benefits                              415,890       376,156
  Supplies and printing                           49,903        37,164
  Advertising and public relations               119,585       118,614
  Professional fees                              269,919       (38,984)
  Depreciation and amortization                  267,273       152,804
  Occupancy                                      388,034       359,809
  Data processing fees                           220,328       158,415
  Other operating expenses                       986,367     1,012,865
                                            ------------  ------------
   Total noninterest expenses                  4,493,477     3,990,087
                                            ------------  ------------
   Income before income taxes                  1,250,504     2,872,694
 Income tax expense                              121,232     1,041,683
                                            ------------  ------------
   Net income                               $  1,129,272  $  1,831,011
                                            ============  ============
 Basic net income per common share          $       0.23  $       0.38
                                            ------------  ------------
 Diluted net income per common share        $       0.23  $       0.38
                                            ------------  ------------
  Weighted average common shares
   outstanding:
   Basic                                       4,843,182     4,768,413
                                            ============  ============
   Diluted                                     4,958,040     4,879,701
                                            ============  ============


       Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
                    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
                 Asset Quality Ratios and Other Data
                             (Unaudited)

                              December 31,  December 31,  December 31,
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
                                  2007          2006          2005
                                 -----          ----          ----

 Net Income                   $  6,262,195  $  6,195,728  $  3,359,643
 Average assets                564,196,922   464,599,310   311,887,493
 Average equity                 48,932,435    42,652,928    29,553,166
 Average loans                 458,703,105   372,791,961   251,305,542
 End of period loans           509,908,135   411,214,857   311,788,722

 Return on average assets             1.11%         1.33%         1.08%
 Return on average equity            12.80%        14.53%        11.37%

 Allowance for loan losses       6,935,616     5,888,052     4,364,287
 Net charge-offs                   948,036       650,635       241,552
 Allowance for loan losses
  to total loans                      1.36%         1.43%         1.40%
 Net charge-offs to average
  total loans                         0.21%         0.17%         0.10%

 Total non performing loans      2,902,888     1,624,511     1,111,264
 Total other real estate owned      15,000        15,000        62,947
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
 Total nonperforming assets      2,917,888     1,639,511     1,174,211
 Nonperforming loans as a
  percent of total loans              0.57%         0.40%         0.36%
 Total nonperforming assets
  as a percent of total assets        0.48%         0.31%         0.29%
 Allowance for loan losses
  to nonperforming loans            238.92%       362.45%       392.73%

 Interest rate spread                 3.63%         4.06%         4.13%
 Net interest margin                  4.20%         4.62%         4.60%


            

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