Beach First Earnings Grow 75 Percent for Third Quarter; 105 Percent Year-to-Date


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., Oct. 17, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:BFNB) today announced that its net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, increased 104.7 percent over figures reported for the same period in 2005.

Net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2006 increased 75.1 percent, totaling $1,729,819, or $0.53 per diluted share, when compared to $987,551, or $0.30 per diluted share, for the same period a year ago. As of September 30, 2006, total assets were $492.0 million, which represents an increase of 44.0 percent compared to September 30, 2005. Total deposits grew to $382.8 million, an increase of 43.3 percent from September 30, 2005. Total loans grew to $403.8 million, a 43.9 percent increase from September 30, 2005.

Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 increased $2,232,065, totaling $4,364,717, or $1.34 per diluted share, an increase of 104.7 percent when compared to $2,132,652, or $0.83 per diluted share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2005.

Return on average shareholders' equity was 13.93 percent for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 (annualized), compared to 10.81 percent for the same period in 2005 (annualized). The net interest margin declined slightly to 4.57 percent at September 30, 2006, compared to 4.65 percent at September 30, 2005. Book value per share was $13.71 per share at September 30, 2006, compared to $12.06 per share at September 30, 2005.

Walt Standish, president and chief executive officer, said, "Beach First's third quarter performance can be attributed to our favorable net interest margin, fueled by our ability to meet strong loan demand and by growth of deposits as we have promoted competitive and special rates in all markets. During the third quarter, we continued to make progress on our new headquarters at the corner of 38th Avenue North and Grissom Parkway in Myrtle Beach and expect to occupy the new building in December 2006."

Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. is the parent of Beach First National Bank, a $492.0 million financial company 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 Global Market under the symbol BFNB and the website is beachfirst.com.

The Beach First National Bank logo can be found 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
                      Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
                       Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                                 
                                      September 30,        December 31,
                                   2006          2005          2005    
                                   ----          ----          ----    
     ASSETS                    (unaudited)   (unaudited)    (audited)
                                ---------     ---------      -------
 Cash and due from banks      $  6,694,944  $  5,156,506  $  4,284,868
 Federal funds sold and short
  term investments                 235,866       607,305    25,521,071
 Investment securities
  available for sale            62,892,627    45,392,922    43,975,876
 Loans, net                    398,145,937   276,693,072   307,424,435
 Federal Reserve Bank stock        984,000       534,000       534,000
 Federal Home Loan Bank stock    2,475,600     1,448,900     2,011,400
 Premises and equipment, net    11,197,614     5,112,738     6,672,507
 Cash value life insurance       3,393,144     3,271,008     3,301,417
 Investment in BFNB Trusts         310,000       310,000            --
 Other assets                    5,705,823     3,290,746     3,663,660
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Total assets               $492,035,555  $341,817,197  $397,389,234
                              ============  ============  ============

     LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

 LIABILITIES:

 Deposits

  Noninterest bearing 
   deposits                   $ 35,560,935  $ 34,066,310  $ 31,152,603
  Interest bearing deposits    347,223,536   233,029,902   279,741,607
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Total deposits              382,784,471   267,096,212   310,894,210
 Advances from Federal Home
  Loan Bank                     37,500,000    21,500,000    34,000,000
 Other borrowings               14,780,469     3,080,000     1,504,009
 Junior subordinated
  debentures                    10,310,000    10,310,000    10,310,000
 Other liabilities               3,085,054     1,626,547     1,555,602
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Total liabilities           448,459,994   303,612,759   358,263,821
                              ------------  ------------  ------------

 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:

 Common stock, $1 par value;
  10,000,000 shares
  authorized; shares
  issued and outstanding -
  3,179,008 at September 30,
  2006, 3,168,458 at
  September 30, 2005 and
  3,169,958 at December 31,
  2005                           3,179,008     3,168,458     3,169,958
 Paid-in capital                30,247,080    30,277,536    30,157,843
 Retained earnings              10,878,299     5,286,591     6,513,582
 Accumulated other
  comprehensive income (loss)     (728,826)     (528,147)     (715,970)
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Total shareholders' equity   43,575,561    38,204,438    39,125,413
                              ------------  ------------  ------------
   Total liabilities and
    shareholders' equity      $492,035,555  $341,817,197  $397,389,234
                              ============  ============  ============


            Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
                       Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
                 Consolidated Statements of Operations
                               (Unaudited)

                        Nine Months Ended         Three Months Ended
                          September 30,             September 30,
                          -------------             -------------
                        2006         2005         2006         2005
                        ----         ----         ----         ----
 INTEREST INCOME

  Interest and fees
   on loans         $23,439,481  $13,143,631  $ 8,816,443  $ 5,178,211
  Investment
   securities         2,048,424    1,326,583      786,308      485,766
  Fed funds sold
   and short term
   investments          330,493      121,432       93,509       48,141
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Total interest
    income           25,818,398   14,591,646    9,696,260    5,712,118

 INTEREST EXPENSE

  Deposits            9,502,940    3,991,768    3,651,980    1,549,433
  Short-term
   borrowings         1,066,931      428,115      379,518      152,914
  Long-term
   borrowings-junior
   subordinated debt    568,977      362,427      202,150      152,913
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Total interest
    expense          11,138,848    4,782,310    4,233,648    1,855,260

   Net interest
    income           14,679,550    9,809,336    5,462,612    3,856,858

 PROVISION FOR
  POSSIBLE LOAN
  LOSSES              1,778,600    1,643,000      591,200      544,000
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
  Net interest
   income after
   provision for
   possible loan
   losses            12,900,950    8,166,336    4,871,412    3,312,858
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------

 NONINTEREST INCOME

 Service fees on
  deposit accounts      381,611      407,166      119,663      124,897
 Gain on sale of
  loans                  60,392       14,610           --           --
 Gain on sale of
  mortgage loans        258,842           --      258,842           --

 Loss on sale of
  investment
  securities                 --       (3,935)          --      (13,600)
 Income from cash
  value life
  insurance             106,996       68,371       36,469       21,472
 Income from
  mortgage
  operations            792,119      180,541      671,245       74,224
 Other income           909,829      157,166      150,803       61,778
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
   Total
    noninterest
    income            2,509,789      823,919    1,237,022      268,771
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------

 NONINTEREST EXPENSES

 Salaries and wages   4,205,389    2,634,429    1,715,590      982,170
 Employee benefits      762,497      491,417      328,788      166,455
 Supplies and
  printing               89,542       75,487       30,181       25,964
 Advertising and
  public relations      268,441      215,279       95,658       78,334
 Professional fees      350,610      225,388       81,435       76,618
 Depreciation and
  amortization          365,747      398,350      115,621      138,976
 Occupancy              705,281      545,179      299,392      183,313
 Data processing
  fees                  389,333      335,706      142,557      115,494
 Other operating
  expenses            1,448,729      735,046      589,519      274,362
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
  Total noninterest
   expenses           8,585,569    5,656,281    3,398,741    2,041,686
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------

  Income before
   income taxes       6,825,170    3,333,974    2,709,693    1,539,943

 INCOME TAX EXPENSE   2,460,453    1,201,322      979,874      552,392
                    -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------

  Net income        $ 4,364,717  $ 2,132,652  $ 1,729,819  $   987,551
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========

 BASIC NET INCOME
  PER COMMON SHARE  $      1.37  $       .86  $       .54  $       .31
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========

 DILUTED NET INCOME
  PER COMMON SHARE  $      1.34  $       .83  $       .53  $       .30
                    ===========  ===========  ===========  ===========
 Weighted average
  common shares
  outstanding:
    Basic             3,175,051    2,476,052    3,178,470    3,168,458


    Diluted           3,248,391    2,563,420    3,254,874    3,255,826


            Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
                        Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
                              (Unaudited)
                             (In thousands)

 Asset Quality Ratios 
  and Other Data      September 30,  September 30,  December 31, 2005
                      -------------  -------------  -----------------
                          2006           2005
                          ----           ----

 Total nonperforming 
  loans                $   2,615      $   1,010        $   1,111
 Allowance for loan 
  losses                   5,671          3,902            4,364
 Nonperforming loans 
  as a percent of 
  total loans               0.65%          0.36%            0.36%
 Nonperforming 
  assets, past due 
  and restructured 
  loans to total 
  assets                    0.62%          0.32%            0.28%
 Net charge-offs to 
  average total loans       0.13%          0.07%            0.10%
 Allowance for loan 
  losses to total 
  loans                     1.40%          1.39%            1.40%
 Allowance for loan 
  losses to
  nonperforming loans     216.85%        386.24%          392.80%

                        For the nine months ended   For the Year ended
                               September 30,            December 31,
                               -------------            ------------
                            2006           2005             2005
                            ----           ----             ----
 Interest rate spread       4.04%          4.22%            4.10%

 Net interest margin        4.57%          4.65%            4.67%


            

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