Release Details


First Busey Corporation Earnings Release for Quarter Ending June 30, 2005

Jul 18, 2005
    URBANA, Ill., July 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

                             FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

As scheduled, First Capital Bank merged into Busey Bank on May 20, 2005. This places all Illinois banking locations under one charter. On June 20, 2005, at a special meeting of their shareholders, Tarpon Coast Bancorp, Inc. approved the merger agreement with First Busey Corporation. First Busey has received regulatory approval for this transaction, and this acquisition is scheduled to close on Friday, July 29, 2005.

Net income increased $735,000 or 13.3% to $6,276,000 for the quarter ending June 30, 2005, as compared to $5,541,000 for the comparable period in 2004. For the quarter ending June 30, 2005, earnings per share on a fully- diluted basis were $0.31, an increase of $0.04 or 14.8% from $0.27 for the comparable period in 2004. On a year-to-date basis, net income increased $1,911,000 or 17.5% to $12,812,000, as compared to $10,901,000 for the comparable period in 2004. For the six-month period ending June 30, 2005, earnings per share on a fully-diluted basis were $0.62, an increase of $0.09 or 17.0% from $0.53 for the comparable period in 2004.

Net interest income increased $3,855,000 or 29.0% to $17,149,000 in the second quarter of 2005 compared to $13,294,000 in the comparable quarter in 2004. Interest income increased $7,573,000 during the second quarter of 2005 compared to the same period in 2004 due primarily to asset growth combined with higher yields on outstanding loans. Interest expense increased significantly during the second quarter of 2005 compared to the same period in 2004. This increase in interest expense is due to growth in the average balances of deposit and other funding sources combined with higher interest rates on those funding sources.

Provision for loan losses was $1,425,000 during the second quarter of 2005 compared to $655,000 in the prior year period due to growth in the average balance of outstanding loans. The allowance for loan losses expressed as a percentage of average loans was 1.34% and 1.26% as of June 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

Non-interest income was $5,964,000 during the second quarter of 2005, which represents a decrease of $70,000 or 1.2% from non-interest income of $6,034,000 during the second quarter of 2004. This decrease in non-interest income is due to lower gains on the sale of investment securities.

Non-interest expense increased $1,956,000 or 19.2% to $12,152,000 during the quarter ended June 30, 2005, as compared to $10,196,000 during the comparable prior year period due primarily to increased operating costs associated with the addition of First Capital Bank.

                              FINANCIAL SUMMARY

                            Three Months Ended         Six Months Ended
                                 June 30,                  June 30
                              2005        2004         2005         2004
                                  (in thousands, except per share data)
    Earnings & Per Share
     Data
    Net income              $6,276       $5,541      $12,812      $10,901
    Basic earnings per
     share*                   0.31         0.27         0.63         0.54
    Fully diluted earnings
     per share*               0.31         0.27         0.62         0.53
    Dividends per share*      0.14       0.1267         0.28       0.2533

    Average Balances
    Assets              $2,003,971   $1,651,993   $1,991,406   $1,584,338
    Investment
     securities            310,795      227,908      319,349      221,353
    Loans                1,553,819    1,306,537    1,522,930    1,256,235
    Earning assets       1,869,972    1,545,837    1,856,996    1,484,228
    Deposits             1,603,725    1,326,731    1,590,417    1,278,423
    Stockholders' equity   140,684      127,722      139,587      127,041

    Performance Ratios
    Return on average
     assets                  1.26%        1.35%        1.30%        1.38%
    Return on average
     equity                 17.89%       17.40%       18.51%       17.26%
    Net interest margin      3.76%        3.53%        3.71%        3.56%
    Efficiency ratio        51.45%       52.57%       50.87%       52.09%

    Loan Performance
    Net credit losses          $87       $1,065         $213       $1,064
    Accruing loans 90+
     days past due           1,270        1,121        1,270        1,121
    Non-accrual loans        1,880        2,030        1,880        2,030
    Foreclosed assets        3,811        4,911        3,811        4,911

    * Share and per share data have been adjusted to effect a three-for-two
      common stock split effective August 3, 2004, as if it had occurred on
      January 1, 2004.


     June 30, 2005

     NASDAQ symbol              BUSE

     Closing price              $19.31

     Price/earnings ratio       15.96x

     Price/book ratio           276%

     52-week price range        $18.24 - $21.53

     Book value per share       $6.99

     YTD dividend per share     $0.28

     Common shares outstanding  20.6 million



                         CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                 (unaudited)

                                                             June 30,
                                                       2005           2004
                                          (in thousands except per share data)
    Assets
    Cash and due from banks                          $55,611        $47,242
    Federal funds sold                                 1,600          5,850
    Investment securities                            305,991        284,533

    Loans                                          1,575,742      1,451,460
      Less allowance for loan losses                 (21,119)       (18,313)
    Net loans                                      1,554,623      1,433,147

    Premises and equipment, net                       27,635         26,228
    Goodwill and other intangibles                    35,247         36,244
    Other assets                                      47,155         41,814
    Total assets                                  $2,027,862     $1,875,058

    Liabilities & Stockholders' Equity
    Non-interest bearing deposits                   $205,212       $181,599
    Interest-bearing deposits                      1,427,502      1,301,598
    Total deposits                                $1,632,714     $1,483,197

    Federal funds purchased & securities
     sold under agreements to repurchase              37,532         35,480
    Short-term borrowings                              1,000         14,250
    Long-term debt                                   151,801        165,167
    Junior subordinated debt owed to
     unconsolidated trusts                            50,000         40,000
    Other liabilities                                 10,941          8,341
    Total liabilities                             $1,883,988     $1,746,435

    Common stock                                         $21         $6,291
    Surplus                                           28,147         21,071
    Retained earnings                                121,453        108,036
    Other comprehensive income                         7,744          7,757
    Treasury stock                                   (11,026)       (11,651)
    Unearned ESOP shares                              (2,456)        (2,853)
    Deferred compensation for stock grants                (9)           (28)
    Total stockholders' equity                      $143,874       $128,623
    Total liabilities & stockholders' equity      $2,027,862     $1,875,058

    Per Share Data*
    Book value per share                               $6.99          $6.27
    Tangible book value per share                      $5.28          $4.50
    Ending number of shares outstanding           20,592,251     20,483,103


    * Share and per share data have been adjusted to effect a three-for-two
      common stock split effective August 3, 2004, as if it had occurred on
      January 1, 2004.


                           CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS
                            OF INCOME (unaudited)

                             Three Months Ended         Six Months Ended
                                  June 30,                  June 30,
                             2005         2004         2005         2004
                              (in thousands, except common share data)
    Interest and fees
     on loans              $24,921      $18,077      $47,783      $34,716
    Interest on investment
     securities              2,501        1,808        5,042        3,424
    Other interest income       63           27          223           28
    Total interest income  $27,485      $19,912      $53,048      $38,168

    Interest on deposits    $7,671       $4,650      $14,446       $8,897
    Interest on short-term
     borrowings                352           95          581          163
    Interest on long-term
     debt                    1,511        1,215        3,052        2,231
    Junior subordinated
     debt owed to
     unconsolidated trusts     802          658        1,559        1,221
    Total interest expense $10,336       $6,618      $19,638      $12,512

    Net interest income    $17,149      $13,294      $33,410      $25,656

    Provision for loans
     losses                  1,425          655        2,115        1,080
    Net interest income
     after provision       $15,724      $12,639      $31,295      $24,576

    Trust fees              $1,471       $1,396       $2,911       $2,791
    Commissions and
     brokers' fees             525          604        1,051        1,196
    Fees for customer
     services                2,519        2,525        4,852        4,721
    Gain on sale of loans      589          459        1,012        1,281
    Security gains, net        250          497          412          688
    Other                      610          553        1,281        1,051
    Total non-interest
     income                 $5,964       $6,034      $11,519      $11,728

    Salaries and wages      $5,438       $4,583      $10,635       $9,124
    Employee benefits        1,175        1,213        2,379        2,236
    Net occupancy expense    1,121          933        2,068        1,817
    Furniture and equipment
     expenses                  743          588        1,426        1,123
    Amortization expense       195          129          390          234
    Other operating
     expenses                3,480        2,750        6,503        5,129
    Total non-interest
     expense               $12,152      $10,196      $23,401      $19,663

    Income before income
     taxes                  $9,536       $8,477      $19,413      $16,641
    Income taxes             3,260        2,936        6,601        5,740
    Net Income              $6,276       $5,541      $12,812      $10,901

    Common Share Data*
    Basic earnings
     per share               $0.31        $0.27        $0.63        $0.54
    Fully-diluted earnings
     per share               $0.31        $0.27        $0.62        $0.53
    Average shares
     outstanding        20,514,271   20,478,121   20,549,358   20,490,381


    * Share and per share data have been adjusted to effect a three-for-two
      common stock split effective August 3, 2004, as if it had occurred on
      January 1, 2004.


                              CORPORATE PROFILE

First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE) is 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 servicing Champaign, McLean, Peoria, Ford, and Tazewell Counties in Illinois. Busey Bank also has a banking center in Indianapolis, Indiana, and loan production offices in Ft. Myers and Naples, Florida. Total assets of Busey Bank were $1.8 billion as of June 30, 2005. On June 1, 2004, First Busey Corporation completed its acquisition of First Capital Bank in Peoria, Illinois. On May 20, 2005, First Capital Bank's assets were merged into Busey Bank. Busey Bank Florida is a federal thrift headquartered in Ft. Myers, Florida, with two additional banking centers in Cape Coral, Florida. Total assets of Busey Bank Florida were $241 million as of June 30, 2005.

Through Busey Investment Group, First Busey provides investment management and fiduciary services, security broker/dealer services, and personal insurance products. 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. provides personal insurance products and specializes in long-term healthcare insurance. Busey Investment Group has approximately $2 billion in assets under care.

Busey provides electronic delivery of financial services through Busey e- bank, http://www.busey.com .

First Busey Corporation common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market 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-                             07/18/2005
    /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; Busey Bank; First Capital Bank
ST:  Illinois
IN:  FIN
SU:  ERN

JR-AM
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