BELLEVUE, Wash., Dec. 11, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- First Mutual Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:FMSB) announced today its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.09 per share. The dividend is payable on January 2, 2008, to shareholders of record December 24, 2007.
At a special meeting held October 11, 2007, shareholders of First Mutual Bancshares approved an agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which First Mutual will be merged with and into Washington Federal, Inc. The proposed merger is pending regulatory approval and is anticipated to close in the first quarter of 2008. Within ten (10) days after the close of the merger, shares of First Mutual common stock will be exchanged for shares of Washington Federal common stock and/or cash in accordance with the elections made by shareholders and the election and allocation procedures described in the proxy statement/prospectus, dated September 5, 2007, and in the merger agreement. The proxy statement/prospectus as well as filings and press releases related to the merger are available at www.firstmutual.com.
First Mutual Bancshares, Inc. is the parent company of First Mutual Bank, an independent, community-based bank that operates 12 full-service banking centers in the Puget Sound area and sales finance offices in Orange Park, Florida and Mt. Clemens, Michigan.