Beach First Earnings Grow 33.1 Percent in First Quarter


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., April 17, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:BFNB) today announced that its first quarter 2007 earnings increased 33.1 percent over the same period last year.

Net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2007, increased 33.1 percent, totaling $1,612,384 or $0.33 per diluted share, when compared to the $1,211,807, or $0.25 per diluted share, reported for the quarter ended March 31, 2006. Total assets grew to $552.8 million, which represents an increase of 30 percent from the same period a year ago. Total deposits grew to $445.1 million, an increase of 32 percent from the same period a year ago. Total loans grew to $448.0 million, a 28 percent increase over the same period last year.

Annualized return on average shareholders' equity was 14.05 percent for March 31, 2007, compared to 12.02 percent for March 31, 2006. The net interest margin was 4.39 percent for the period ended March 31, 2007, when compared to 4.42 percent for the same period a year ago. Book value per share stood at $9.89 per share at March 31, 2007, compared to $8.42 per share at March 31, 2006.

Walt Standish, president and chief executive officer, said, "Beach First continues to perform well in 2007. During the first quarter, we completed our move to our new headquarters at Grissom Parkway and celebrated with a well-received Grand Opening event. We have continued to build the infrastructure needed to run a growing bank with an expanded presence in both the Grand Strand and Hilton Head Island markets. Our new mortgage loan division continues to expand, building Beach First's presence in the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic states."

Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. is the parent of Beach First National Bank, a $543.7 million financial institution 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 is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?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, greater than expected noninterest expenses, excessive loan losses 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 Condensed Balance Sheets

                                     March 31,            December 31,
                                2007           2006          2006
                                ----           ----          -----  
                             (unaudited)    (unaudited)    (audited)
          ASSETS

 Cash and due from banks   $   7,654,093  $   4,599,760  $   5,198,945
 Federal funds sold and
  short-term investments       4,655,718      6,133,853     14,010,667
 Investment securities
  available for sale          69,191,574     52,099,895     68,474,531
 Loans, net                  427,957,250    344,306,128    392,848,582
 Mortgage Loans Held for
  Sale                        13,865,389             --     12,478,222
 Federal Reserve Bank stock      984,000        534,000        984,000
 Federal Home Loan Bank
  stock                        2,607,800      2,318,100      2,475,600
 Premises and equipment, net  14,967,965      8,373,573     14,344,330
 Cash value of life
  insurance                    3,456,030      3,331,263      3,424,586
 Other assets                  7,467,395      5,012,133      5,961,876
                           -------------  -------------  -------------
  Total assets             $ 552,807,214  $ 426,708,705  $ 520,201,339
                           =============  =============  =============

  
   LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 LIABILITIES:

 Deposits

  Noninterest bearing
   deposits                $  35,863,807  $  28,884,753  $  37,194,469
  Interest bearing deposits  409,193,216    308,985,257    379,162,660
                           -------------  -------------  -------------
   Total deposits            445,057,023    337,870,010    416,357,129
 Advances from Federal Home
  Loan Bank                   37,500,000     32,500,000     37,500,000
 Other borrowings              7,133,561      3,299,945      7,209,820
 Junior subordinated
  debentures                  10,310,000     10,310,000     10,310,000
 Other liabilities             5,526,823      2,648,541      3,364,811
                           -------------  -------------  -------------


   Total liabilities         505,527,407    386,628,496    474,741,760
                           -------------  -------------  -------------

 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:
 Common stock, $1 par value;
  10,000,000 shares
  authorized; 4,779,241
  issued and outstanding at
  March 31, 2007 and
  4,761,687 at March 31,
  2006 and 4,768,413 at
  December 31, 2006            4,779,241      4,761,687      4,768,413
 Paid-in capital              28,695,185     28,628,349     28,657,576
 Retained earnings            14,319,179      7,725,389     12,706,795
 Accumulated other
  comprehensive loss            (513,798)    (1,035,216)      (673,205)
                           -------------  -------------  -------------
   Total shareholders'
    equity                    47,279,807     40,080,209     45,459,579
                           -------------  -------------  -------------
   Total liabilities and
    shareholders' equity   $ 552,807,214  $ 426,708,705  $ 520,201,339
                           =============  =============  =============

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

                                                         For the Year
                                   Three Months Ended       Ended 
                                       March 31,         December 31,
                                       ---------         ------------
                                   2007          2006        2006
                                   ----          ----        ----
                               (unaudited)   (unaudited)   (audited)
 INTEREST INCOME
  Interest and fees on loans   $ 9,716,457  $ 6,823,870  $33,096,343
  Investment securities            904,843      582,144    2,897,719
  Federal funds sold                69,027      145,054      469,819
  Other                              5,900        5,256       22,929
                               -----------  -----------  -----------
   Total interest income        10,696,227    7,556,324   36,486,810

 INTEREST EXPENSE
  Deposits                       4,467,285    2,696,889   13,711,212
  Advances from the FHLB and
   federal funds purchased         428,816      341,889    1,546,286
  Junior subordinated 
   debentures                      318,380      177,247      771,740
                               -----------  -----------  -----------
   Total interest expense        5,214,481    3,216,025   16,029,238

   Net interest income           5,481,746    4,340,299   20,457,572

 PROVISION FOR POSSIBLE LOAN
    LOSSES                         351,200      522,200    2,174,400
                               -----------  -----------  -----------
   Net interest income after
    provision for possible
    loan losses                  5,130,546    3,818,099   18,283,172
                               -----------  -----------  -----------

 NONINTEREST INCOME
  Service fees on deposit
   accounts                        135,488      127,965      514,286
  Gain on sale of loans               --         22,259       60,392
  Gain on sale of fixed asset        3,850         --           --
  Gain on sale of investment
   securities                         --           --          1,007
  Income from cash value life
   insurance                        36,759       34,850      143,717
  Income from mortgage
   operations                    1,773,197       66,385    2,136,250
  Other income                     384,807       60,061    1,134,697
                               -----------  -----------  -----------
   Total noninterest income      2,334,101      311,520    3,990,349
                               -----------  -----------  -----------

 NONINTEREST EXPENSES
  Salaries and wages             2,332,432    1,023,484    6,018,633
  Employee benefits                400,906      234,307    1,138,653
  Supplies and printing             51,182       28,439      126,705
  Advertising and public
   relations                       143,606       83,515      387,056
  Professional fees                127,989       77,522      311,627
  Depreciation and amortization    315,739      130,402      518,551
  Occupancy                        448,618      189,484    1,065,091
  Data processing fees             171,457      116,969      547,747
  Other operating expenses         966,725      353,671    2,461,594
                               -----------  -----------  -----------
   Total noninterest expenses    4,958,654    2,237,793    12,575,57
                               -----------  -----------  -----------

   Income before income taxes    2,505,993    1,891,826    9,697,864

 INCOME TAX EXPENSE                893,609      680,019    3,502,136
                               -----------  -----------  -----------

   Net income                  $ 1,612,384  $ 1,211,807  $ 6,195,728
                               ===========  ===========  ===========

 BASIC NET INCOME PER COMMON
  SHARE                        $      0.34  $      0.26  $      1.30
                               ===========  ===========  ===========
 DILUTED NET INCOME PER COMMON
  SHARE                        $      0.33  $      0.25  $      1.27
                               ===========  ===========  ===========
   Weighted average common
    shares outstanding - basic   4,769,102    4,758,162    4,764,072
   Weighted average common
    shares outstanding -
    diluted                      4,926,803    4,864,620    4,874,562




  Beach First National Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiaries
                  Asset Quality Ratios and Other Data

                              (Unaudited)
                            (In thousands)

                                        March 31,  March 31,  Dec. 31,
                                          2007       2006       2006
                                        --------   --------   --------
 Total nonperforming loans               $ 1,107    $ 1,899    $ 1,625
 Allowance for loan losses                 6,172      4,883      5,888
 Nonperforming loans as a
  percent of total loans                    0.24%      0.54%      0.40%
 Nonperforming assets, past
  due and restructured loans
  to total assets                           0.32%      0.45%      0.31%
 Net charge-offs to average
  total loans                              0.004%     0.001%      0.17%
 Allowance for loan losses to
  total loans                               1.38%      1.40%      1.43%
 Allowance for loan losses to
  nonperforming loans                     557.70%    257.10%    362.45%

                                  For the Quarter         For the Year
                                       Ended                  Ended
                                     March 31,            December 31,
                                     ---------            ------------
                                  2007         2006          2006
                                  ----         ----          ----
 Interest rate spread             3.84%       3.88%          4.06%
 Net interest margin              4.39%       4.42%          4.62%


            

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