Release Details


First Busey Corporation Earnings Release for Quarter Ended March 31, 2006

Apr 18, 2006
    URBANA, Ill., April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

                             FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Net income increased $331,000 or 5.1% to $6,867,000 during the quarter ended March 31, 2006, compared to $6,536,000 during the first quarter of 2005. The growth in earnings is due to increases in net interest income and non-interest income which were partially offset by an increase in non-interest expenses. Earnings per share on a fully-diluted basis were $0.32 during the first quarter of 2006, reflecting no change from earnings per share of $0.32 during the first quarter of 2005.

Net interest margin for the first quarter of 2006 was 3.70%, compared to 3.64% during the first quarter of 2005. Net interest income increased $2,237,000 or 13.8% to $18,498,000 during the first quarter of 2006, compared to $16,261,000 in the comparable quarter in 2005. Interest income increased $7,597,000 to $33,160,000 during the first quarter of 2006, compared to $25,563,000 during the comparable period in 2005, due primarily to loan growth combined with higher yields on investment securities and outstanding loans. Interest expense increased $5,360,000 or 57.6% to $14,662,000 during the first quarter of 2006, compared to $9,302,000 during the comparable period in 2005, due primarily to increased deposit and borrowing costs combined with growth in deposits and long-term debt. The increase in long-term debt is associated primarily with the July, 2005, acquisition of Tarpon Coast.

Provision for loan losses was $400,000 during the first quarter of 2006 compared to $690,000 during the comparable period in 2005. As a percentage of total outstanding loans, the allowance for loan losses was 1.33% as of March 31, 2006 and 1.31% as of March 31, 2005. The Corporation recognized $96,000 in net credit losses during the first quarter of 2006 compared to $126,000 during the comparable period in 2005.

Non-interest income increased $618,000 or 11.1% to $6,173,000 during the first quarter of 2006 from $5,555,000 during the first quarter of 2005. Growth in non-interest income is due primarily to growth in service charge income, brokerage commissions, gains on the sale of real estate loans, and trust fees. During the first quarter of 2006 the Corporation recognized net gains of $224,000 from the sale of securities compared to $162,000 during the first quarter in 2005.

Non-interest expense increased $2,894,000 or 25.7% to $14,143,000 during the first quarter of 2006 compared to $11,249,000 during the first quarter of 2005, due primarily to increased operating costs and amortization expense associated with growth in the Florida market. The Corporation adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standard 123R, Share Based Payment, on January 1, 2006. Adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Corporation's first quarter operating results.

                              FINANCIAL SUMMARY

                                                       Three Months Ended
                                                            March 31,
                                                       2006          2005
                                                      (in thousands, except
                                                         per share data)
     Earnings & Per Share Data
     Net income                                       $6,867         $6,536
     Basic earnings per share                           0.32           0.32
     Fully diluted earnings per share                   0.32           0.32
     Dividends per share                                0.16           0.14

     Average Balances
     Assets                                       $2,255,128     $1,982,410
     Investment securities                           331,980        328,204
     Loans                                         1,748,415      1,491,894
     Earning assets                                2,086,000      1,847,684
     Deposits                                      1,795,128      1,577,835
     Stockholders' equity                            170,350        138,305

     Performance Ratios
     Return on average assets                          1.23%          1.34%
     Return on average equity                         16.35%         19.17%
     Net interest margin                               3.70%          3.64%
     Efficiency ratio                                 55.25%         50.26%

     Loan Performance
     Net credit losses                                   $96           $126
     Accruing loans 90+ days past due                    865          1,830
     Non-accrual loans                                 4,769          1,974
     Foreclosed assets                                   258          4,191


     March 31, 2006
     NASDAQ symbol                 BUSE
     Closing price                 $21.10
     Price/earnings ratio          14.86X
     Price/book ratio              264%
     52-week price range           $18.07 - $21.25
     Book value per share          $7.99
     YTD dividend per share        $0.16
     Common shares outstanding     21.5 million



                   CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited)

                                                           March 31,
                                                       2006          2005
                                                     (in thousands except
                                                        per share data)

     Asset
     Cash and due from banks                         $48,983        $48,403
     Federal funds sold                               14,500         21,300
     Investment securities                           330,216        317,867

     Loans                                         1,760,498      1,507,949
       Less allowance for loan losses                (23,494)       (19,781)
     Net loans                                    $1,737,004     $1,488,168

     Premises and equipment, net                      39,863         27,245
     Goodwill and other intangibles                   58,969         35,442
     Other assets                                     43,531         42,705
     Total assets                                 $2,273,066     $1,981,130

     Liabilities & Stockholders' Equity
     Non-interest bearing deposit                   $245,160       $197,371
     Interest-bearing deposits                     1,580,567      1,391,931
     Total deposits                               $1,825,727     $1,589,302

     Federal funds purchased & securities sold
      under agreements to repurchase                  49,724         43,075
     Short-term borrowings                                 -         10,000
     Long-term debt                                  159,883        147,851
     Junior subordinated debt owed to
      unconsolidated trusts                           50,000         40,000
     Other liabilities                                16,179         12,054
     Total liabilities                            $2,101,513     $1,842,282

     Common stock                                        $22         $6,291
     Common stock to be issued                           326              -
     Surplus                                          44,973         21,767
     Retained earnings                               133,175        118,030
     Other comprehensive income                        6,159          6,965
     Treasury stock                                  (11,041)       (11,737)
     Unearned ESOP shares                             (2,058)        (2,456)
     Deferred compensation for stock grants               (3)           (12)
     Total stockholders' equity                     $171,553       $138,848
     Total liabilities & stockholders' equity     $2,273,066     $1,981,130

     Per Share Data
     Book value per share                              $7.99          $6.76
     Tangible book value per share                     $5.24          $5.03
     Ending number of shares outstanding          21,477,532     20,537,651



                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (unaudited)

                                                       Three Months Ended
                                                            March 31,
                                                      2006           2005
                                                      (in thousands, except
                                                       common share data)

     Interest and fees on loans                      $29,982        $22,862
     Interest on investment securities                 3,125          2,541
     Other interest income                                53            160
     Total interest income                           $33,160        $25,563

     Interest on deposits                            $11,331         $6,775
     Interest on short-term borrowings                   488            229
     Interest on long-term debt                        1,850          1,541
     Junior subordinated debt owed to
      unconsolidated trusts                              993            757
     Total interest expense                          $14,662         $9,302

     Net interest income                             $18,498        $16,261

     Provision for loans losses                          400            690
     Net interest income after provision             $18,098        $15,571

     Trust fees                                       $1,516         $1,440
     Commissions and brokers' fees                       669            526
     Fees for customer services                        2,536          2,333
     Gain on sale of loans                               534            423
     Net security gains                                  224            162
     Other                                               694            671
     Total non-interest income                        $6,173         $5,555

     Salaries and wages                               $6,497         $5,197
     Employee benefits                                 1,503          1,204
     Net occupancy expense                             1,247            947
     Furniture and equipment expense                     800            683
     Data processing expense                             404            489
     Amortization expense                                352            195
     Other operating expenses                          3,340          2,534
     Total non-interest expense                      $14,143        $11,249

     Income before income taxes                      $10,128         $9,877
     Income taxes                                      3,261          3,341
     Net Income                                       $6,867         $6,536

     Common Share Data
     Basic earnings per share                          $0.32          $0.32
     Fully-diluted earnings per share                  $0.32          $0.32
     Average shares outstanding                   21,460,308     20,584,835


    CORPORATE PROFILE

First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE) is a financial holding company headquartered in Urbana, Illinois. First Busey Corporation has two wholly-owned banking subsidiaries with locations in three states. Busey Bank is headquartered in Urbana, Illinois and has twenty-one banking centers serving Champaign, McLean, Ford, Peoria, and Tazewell Counties in Illinois. Busey Bank also has a banking center in Indianapolis, Indiana, and a loan production office in Ft. Myers, Florida. On March 31, 2006, Busey Bank had total assets of $1.8 billion. On July 29, 2005, First Busey Corporation acquired Tarpon Coast Bancorp, Inc. and its primary subsidiary, Tarpon Coast National Bank, Port Charlotte, Florida. Busey Bank Florida and Tarpon Coast National Bank merged at the close of business on February 17, 2006, and the resultant bank is Busey Bank, N.A. Busey Bank N.A. is a federally-chartered bank headquartered in Port Charlotte, Florida, with seven banking centers serving Lee, Charlotte, and Sarasota Counties in Southwest Florida. Busey Bank N.A. had total assets of $422 million as of March 31, 2006. Busey provides electronic delivery of financial services through Busey e-bank, http://www.busey.com .

Busey Investment Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Busey Corporation and owns three subsidiaries. First Busey Trust & Investment Co. specializes in asset management and trust services. First Busey Securities, Inc. (member NASD/SIPC) is a full-service broker/dealer subsidiary. Busey Insurance Services, Inc. is a provider of personal insurance products. Busey Investment Group has approximately $2.3 billion in assets under care.

First Busey Corporation's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange under the symbol "BUSE." First Busey Corporation has a repurchase program in effect under which it is authorized to purchase up to 750,000 shares of stock.

SOURCE  First Busey Corporation
    -0-                             04/18/2006
    /CONTACT:  Barbara J. Kuhl, President & COO of First Busey Corporation,
+1-217-365-4513/
    /Web site:  http://www.busey.com/
    (BUSE)

CO:  First Busey Corporation
ST:  Illinois
IN:  FIN
SU:  ERN

SH-CM
-- CGTU039 --
1232 04/18/200617:00 EDThttp://www.prnewswire.com