Release Details


First Busey Corporation Earnings Release for Quarter Ending June 30, 2006

Jul 18, 2006
    URBANA, Ill., July 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

                             FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Net income increased $759,000 or 12.1% to $7,035,000 for the quarter ending June 30, 2006, as compared to $6,276,000 for the comparable period in 2005. For the quarter ending June 30, 2006, earnings per share on a fully- diluted basis were $0.33, an increase of $0.02 or 6.5% from $0.31 for the comparable period in 2005. On a year-to-date basis, net income increased $1,090,000 or 8.5% to $13,902,000 as compared to $12,812,000 for the comparable period in 2005. For the six-month period ending June 30, 2006, earnings per share on a fully-diluted basis were $0.65, an increase of $0.03 or 4.8% from $0.62 for the comparable period in 2005.

Net interest income increased $2,102,000 or 12.3% to $19,251,000 in the second quarter of 2006 compared to $17,149,000 in the comparable quarter in 2005. Interest income increased $8,206,000 during the second quarter of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005 due primarily to loan growth combined with higher yields on investment securities and outstanding loans. Interest expense increased $6,104,000 during the second quarter of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005. The increase in interest expense reflects the combination of growth in deposits and long-term debt and a market driven increase in deposit and borrowing rates. The increase in long-term debt is primarily associated with the July 2005, acquisition of Tarpon Coast National Bank.

Provision for loan losses was $300,000 during the second quarter of 2006 compared to $1,425,000 in the comparable period of 2005. As a percentage of total outstanding loans, the allowance for loan losses was 1.27% as of June 30, 2006 and 1.34% as of June 30, 2005.

Non-interest income increased $940,000 or 15.8% to $6,904,000 during the second quarter of 2006. Growth in non-interest income is due primarily to growth in customer service fees, trust fees, and net security gains.

Non-interest expense increased $2,635,000 or 21.7% to $14,787,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2006, due primarily to increased operating costs and amortization expense associated with growth in the Florida market.

First Busey Statutory Trust IV issued $30,000,000 trust preferred securities on June 15, 2006, for the primary purpose of redeeming outstanding trust preferred securities under First Busey Capital Trust I in the amount of $25,000,000. The annual interest rate under the new securities is fixed for five years at 6.94% versus 9.00% on the redeemed securities. The offering and associated lower interest rate provides an additional $5,000,000 in liquidity with an approximate annual after-tax interest expense reduction of $90,500.

                              FINANCIAL SUMMARY

                             Three Months Ended         Six Months Ended
                                  June 30,                  June 30,
                             2006         2005         2006         2005
                               (in thousands, except per share data)

    Earnings & Per Share Data
    Net income              $7,035       $6,276      $13,902      $12,812
    Basic earnings per share  0.33         0.31         0.65         0.63
    Fully diluted earnings
     per share                0.33         0.31         0.65         0.62
    Dividends per share       0.16         0.14         0.32         0.28

    Average Balances
    Assets              $2,297,781   $2,014,470   $2,276,421   $2,000,229
    Investment securities  324,806      310,795      328,351      319,349
    Loans                1,791,837    1,553,819    1,770,244    1,522,930
    Earning assets       2,122,695    1,880,471    2,104,425    1,865,819
    Deposits             1,820,999    1,603,725    1,807,986    1,590,417
    Stockholders' equity   171,943      140,684      171,088      139,587

    Performance Ratios
    Return on average
     assets                  1.23%        1.25%        1.23%        1.29%
    Return on average
     equity                 16.41%       17.89%       16.39%       18.51%
    Net interest margin      3.74%        3.74%        3.72%        3.69%
    Efficiency ratio        55.90%       51.45%       55.58%       50.87%

    Loan Performance
    Net credit losses         $402          $87         $498         $213
    Accruing loans 90+ days
     past due                1,347        1,270        1,347        1,270
    Non-accrual loans        4,656        1,880        4,656        1,880
    Foreclosed assets          561        3,811          561        3,811



                            BUSE Stock Performance

    First Busey Corporation began trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market on
October 1, 1998.  Below is information for BUSE representing the annualized
total return as compared to other indices for the 5 year period ending June
30, 2006.

    As of June 30, 2006:
    Closing Price                 $20.47
    Price/earnings ratio           14.83x
    Price/book ratio                252%
    52-week price range           $18.03 - $21.25
    Book value per share           $8.11
    YTD dividend per share         $0.32

    Annualized total return for the 5 year period ending June 30, 2006:
    BUSE                          13.66%
    S&P 500 Index                  2.49%
    NASDAQ Composite               0.86%



                   CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited)

                                                            June 30,
                                                      2006           2005
                                                   (in thousands, except per
                                                           share data)
    Assets
    Cash and due from banks                          $61,099        $55,611
    Federal funds sold                                     -          1,600
    Investment securities                            319,984        305,991

    Loans                                          1,839,443      1,575,742
      Less allowance for loan losses                 (23,392)       (21,119)
    Net loans                                     $1,816,051     $1,554,623

    Premises and equipment, net                       40,799         27,635
    Goodwill and other intangibles                    58,804         35,247
    Other assets                                      45,638         47,155
    Total assets                                  $2,342,375     $2,027,862

    Liabilities & Stockholders' Equity
    Non-interest bearing deposits                   $251,544       $205,212
    Interest-bearing deposits                      1,610,657      1,427,502
    Total deposits                                $1,862,201     $1,632,714

    Federal funds purchased & securities
     sold under agreements to repurchase              68,497         37,532
    Short-term borrowings                                  -          1,000
    Long-term debt                                   168,863        151,801
    Junior subordinated debt owed to
     unconsolidated trusts                            55,000         50,000
    Other liabilities                                 13,907         10,941
    Total liabilities                             $2,168,468     $1,883,988

    Common stock                                         $22            $21
    Common stock to be issued                            292              -
    Surplus                                           45,103         28,147
    Retained earnings                                136,820        121,453
    Other comprehensive income                         5,459          7,744
    Treasury stock                                   (11,729)       (11,026)
    Unearned ESOP shares                              (2,058)        (2,456)
    Deferred compensation for stock grants                (2)            (9)
    Total stockholders' equity                      $173,907       $143,874
    Total liabilities & stockholders' equity      $2,342,375     $2,027,862

    Per Share Data
    Book value per share                               $8.11          $6.99
    Tangible book value per share                      $5.37          $5.28
    Ending number of shares outstanding           21,444,766     20,592,251



                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (unaudited)

                             Three Months Ended         Six Months Ended
                                   June 30,                  June 30,
                              2006         2005         2006         2005
                                 (in thousands, except per share data)

    Interest and fees on
     loans                  $32,465      $24,921      $62,447      $47,783
    Interest on investment
     securities               3,157        2,501        6,282        5,042
    Other interest income        69           63          122          223
    Total interest income   $35,691      $27,485      $68,851      $53,048

    Interest on deposits    $12,713       $7,671      $24,044      $14,446
    Interest on short-term
     borrowings                 817          352        1,305          581
    Interest on long-term
     debt                     1,864        1,511        3,714        3,052
    Junior subordinated debt
     owed to unconsolidated
     trusts                   1,046          802        2,039        1,559
    Total interest expense  $16,440      $10,336      $31,102      $19,638

    Net interest income     $19,251      $17,149      $37,749      $33,410
    Provision for loans
     losses                     300        1,425          700        2,115
    Net interest income
     after provision        $18,951      $15,724      $37,049      $31,295

    Trust fees               $1,642       $1,471       $3,158       $2,911
    Commissions and brokers'
     fees                       710          525        1,379        1,051
    Fees for customer
     services                 2,802        2,519        5,338        4,852
    Gain on sale of loans       538          589        1,072        1,012
    Net security gains          862          250        1,086          412
    Other                       350          610        1,044        1,281
    Total non-interest
     income                  $6,904       $5,964      $13,077      $11,519

    Salaries and wages       $6,772       $5,438      $13,269      $10,635
    Employee benefits         1,445        1,175        2,948        2,379
    Net occupancy expense     1,257        1,121        2,504        2,068
    Furniture and equipment
     expense                    948          743        1,748        1,426
    Data processing expense     490          578          894        1,067
    Amortization expense        352          195          704          390
    Other operating expenses  3,523        2,902        6,863        5,436
    Total non-interest
     expense                $14,787      $12,152      $28,930      $23,401

    Income before income
     taxes                  $11,068       $9,536      $21,196      $19,413
    Income taxes              4,033        3,260        7,294        6,601
    Net Income               $7,035       $6,276      $13,902      $12,812

    Per Share Data
    Basic earnings per share  $0.33        $0.31        $0.65        $0.63
    Fully-diluted earnings
     per share                $0.33        $0.31        $0.65        $0.62
    Diluted average shares
     outstanding         21,433,249   20,514,271   21,446,704   20,549,358



                              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-two 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 June 30, 2006, Busey Bank had total assets of $1.9 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 eight banking centers serving Lee, Charlotte, and Sarasota Counties in Southwest Florida. Busey Bank N.A. had total assets of $432 million as of June 30, 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