Release Details


First Busey Corporation Fourth Quarter Earnings Release

Jan 18, 2005
    URBANA, Ill., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

                             FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

     -- Douglas C. Mills, Chairman of the Board and CEO, announced that 2004
        was a record year for First Busey Corporation.  "I am extremely
        pleased with the performance of "BUSE" stock which closed the year
        at $20.87.  This represents an increase of 15.9%.  We also increased
        the dividend 13.3% from $.45 to $.51.  This results in a total return
        for BUSE in 2004 of 18.8%."  Below is a chart comparing the total
        return of BUSE to the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Bank Index.

                                                         NASDAQ
                             BUSE         S&P 500      Bank Index

           1 Year            18.8%         10.9%         11.2%
           3 Year            16.3%          3.5%         14.7%
           5 Year             9.3%       -2.3%         13.8%
           10 Year           17.4%       12.0%         16.5%

    Other highlights for the fourth quarter and for the year are:

     -- Net income increased $1,413,000 or 32.4% to $5,769,000 for the quarter
        ended December 31, 2004, as compared to $4,356,000 for the comparable
        period in 2003.  For the quarter ending December 31, 2004, earnings
        per share on a fully-diluted basis were $0.28, an increase of $.07 or
        33.3% from $0.21 for the comparable period in 2003.  On a year-to-date
        basis, net income increased $2,590,000 or 13.0% to $22,454,000 for the
        year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $19,864,000 for the year
        ended December 31, 2003.  For the year ended December 31, 2004,
        earnings per share on a fully-diluted basis were $1.09, an increase of
        $0.12 or 12.4% from $0.97 for the year ended December 31, 2003.

     -- During the fourth quarter of 2004, First Busey recognized $585,000 in
        provision for loan losses compared to the fourth quarter of 2003 when
        $1,680,000 in provision for loan losses was recognized.  The provision
        was higher during the fourth quarter of 2003 due to higher net charge-
        offs activity and to establish a specific reserve for one large
        commercial credit customer.

     -- Net interest income increased $3,125,000 or 25.5% to $15,378,000 for
        the quarter ended December 31, 2004, compared to $12,253,000 during
        the fourth quarter of 2003.  Interest income increased $6,210,000 or
        34.0% during the fourth quarter of 2004 compared to the same period in
        2003 due primarily to loan growth.  Interest expense increased
        $3,085,000 or 51.4% due to growth in the average balances of deposits
        and long-term debt.  On June 1, 2004, First Busey completed the
        acquisition of First Capital Bank in Peoria, IL.  The increase in net
        interest income is due to the addition of First Capital Bank combined
        with additional growth from Busey Bank and Busey Bank Florida.

     -- Non-interest income increased $420,000 or 7.5% to $6,041,000 during
        the fourth quarter of 2004 compared to $5,621,000 during the same
        period in 2003.  Increased trust fee revenue, service charge income,
        and gains on the sale of real estate loans offset lower security
        gains.

     -- Non-interest expense increased $2,692,000 or 28.1% to $12,272,000
        during the fourth quarter of 2004 compared to $9,580,000 during the
        same period in 2003.  Salary and benefit costs were higher in the
        fourth quarter of 2004 compared to the same period of 2003 due to the
        addition of First Capital Bank.  Other operating expenses were also
        higher in the fourth quarter of 2004 compared to the fourth quarter of
        2003 due to higher expenses related to property held in other real
        estate owned.  During the fourth quarter of 2004, First Busey reduced
        the carrying value of a hotel property held in other real estate owned
        by $700,000.  During the fourth quarter of 2003, First Busey
        recognized $294,000 in similar valuation adjustments.


                              FINANCIAL SUMMARY

                            Three Months Ended         Twelve Months Ended
                               December 31,               December 31,
                             2004         2003         2004          2003
     Earnings &                  (in thousands, except per share data)
      Per Share Data
     Net income             $5,769       $4,356      $22,454      $19,864
     Basic earnings per share 0.28         0.21         1.10         0.97
     Fully-diluted earnings
      per share               0.28         0.21         1.09         0.97
     Dividends per share      0.13         0.11         0.51         0.45

     Average Balances
     Assets             $1,986,325   $1,509,049   $1,756,846   $1,467,959
     Investment
      securities           345,444      236,855      265,514      242,238
     Loans               1,459,995    1,160,352    1,355,487    1,118,667
     Earning assets      1,850,868    1,414,246    1,640,204    1,376,195
     Deposits            1,575,532    1,250,795    1,404,618    1,220,292
     Stockholders' equity  136,062      125,150      130,356      121,600

     Performance Ratios
     Return on
      average assets         1.15%        1.15%        1.28%        1.35%
     Return on
      average equity        16.82%       13.81%       17.23%       16.34%
     Net interest margin     3.37%        3.52%        3.49%        3.60%
     Efficiency ratio       56.20%       54.06%       53.33%       54.04%

     Loan Performance
     Net credit losses         $71       $2,183       $1,986       $2,290
     Accruing loans 90+
      days past due                                    2,141          581
     Non-accrual loans                                 1,523        2,638
     Foreclosed assets                                 4,235        4,791


                         CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                 (unaudited)

                                                          December 31,
                                                      2004           2003
                                                     (in thousands, except
                                                        per share data)
     Assets
     Cash and due from banks                         $47,991        $52,397
     Federal funds sold                                3,100              -
     Investment securities                           352,256        224,733

     Loans                                         1,475,900      1,192,396
       Less allowance for loan losses                (19,217)       (16,228)
     Net loans                                     1,456,683      1,176,168

     Premises and equipment, net                      26,295         22,223
     Goodwill and other intangibles                   35,637          9,480
     Other assets                                     42,479         37,083
     Total assets                                 $1,964,441     $1,522,084

     Liabilities & Stockholders' Equity
     Non-interest bearing deposits                  $213,921       $160,578
     Interest-bearing deposits                     1,344,901      1,096,017
     Total deposits                               $1,558,822     $1,256,595

     Federal funds purchased & securities
      sold under agreements to repurchase             41,558         16,000
     Short-term borrowings                            11,250              -
     Long-term debt                                  165,374         92,853
     Junior subordinated debt owed to
      unconsolidated trust                            40,000         25,000
     Other liabilities                                 8,565          6,459
     Total liabilities                            $1,825,569     $1,396,907

     Common stock                                     $6,291         $6,291
     Surplus                                          21,696         20,968
     Retained earnings                               114,359        102,288
     Other comprehensive income                        9,170          9,191
     Treasury stock                                  (10,173)       (10,667)
     Unearned ESOP shares                             (2,456)        (2,853)
     Deferred compensation for stock grants              (15)           (41)
     Total stockholders' equity                     $138,872       $125,177
     Total liabilities & stockholders' equity     $1,964,441     $1,522,084

     Per Share Data
     Book value per share                              $6.74          $6.10
     Tangible book value per share                     $5.01          $5.64
     Ending number of shares outstanding          20,608,151     20,516,216


                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                                 (unaudited)

                           Three Months Ended         Twelve Months Ended
                              December 31,                December 31,
                            2004         2003          2004         2003
                                (in thousands, except per share data)
     Interest and fees
      on loans             $21,695      $16,378      $77,499      $65,603
     Interest on
      investment securities  2,596        1,847        8,148        8,097
     Other interest income     179           35          272          149
     Total interest income $24,470      $18,260      $85,919      $73,849

     Interest on deposits   $6,578       $4,452      $21,436      $19,644
     Interest on short-term
      borrowings               205           19          557          146
     Interest on long-term
      debt                   1,569          974        5,372        3,578
     Junior subordinated debt
      owed to unconsolidated
      trust                    740          562        2,676        2,250
     Total interest expense $9,092       $6,007      $30,041      $25,618

     Net interest income   $15,378      $12,253      $55,878      $48,231

     Provision for loans
      losses                   585        1,680        2,905        3,058
     Net interest income
      after provision      $14,793      $10,573      $52,973      $45,173

     Trust fees             $1,337       $1,148       $5,339       $4,615
     Commissions and
      brokers' fees            561          562        2,335        2,103
     Fees for customer
      services               2,523        2,295        9,876        9,155
     Gain on sale of loans     705          350        2,689        6,183
     Security gains, net       283          653        1,373          975
     Other                     632          613        2,178        1,654
     Total non-interest
      income                $6,041       $5,621      $23,790      $24,685

     Salaries and employee
      benefits              $6,313       $4,911      $23,826      $22,314
     Net occupancy expense   1,023          832        3,921        3,158
     Furniture and
      equipment expenses       612          547        2,384        2,446
     Other operating
      expenses               4,324        3,290       12,954       12,051
     Total non-interest
      expense              $12,272       $9,580      $43,085      $39,969

     Income before income
      taxes                 $8,562       $6,614      $33,678      $29,889
     Income taxes            2,793        2,258       11,224       10,025
     Net Income             $5,769       $4,356      $22,454      $19,864

     Per Share Data*
     Basic earnings
      per share              $0.28        $0.21        $1.10        $0.97
     Fully-diluted
      earnings per share     $0.28        $0.21        $1.09        $0.97
     Average number of
      shares
      outstanding       20,564,049   20,549,905   20,511,423   20,534,340

     *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, 2003.

                              CORPORATE PROFILE

First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE) is a financial holding company headquartered in Urbana, Illinois. First Busey Corporation has three wholly- owned banking subsidiaries with locations in three states. Busey Bank is headquartered in Urbana, Illinois and has seventeen banking centers serving Champaign, McLean and Ford 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 $1.5 billion as of December 31, 2004. 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 $176 million as of December 31, 2004. On June 1, 2004, First Busey Corporation completed its acquisition of First Capital Bank in Peoria, Illinois. First Capital Bank has three banking centers in Peoria and one in Pekin, Illinois. Total assets of First Capital Bank as of December 31, 2004 were $250 million. 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. provides personal insurance products and specializes in long-term healthcare insurance. Busey Investment Group has approximately $2 billion in assets under care.

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. BUSE closed on December 31, 2004 at $20.87, an increase of 15.9% from the closing price of $18.00* on December 31, 2003.

SOURCE  First Busey Corporation
    -0-                             01/18/2005
    /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
ST:  Illinois
IN:  FIN
SU:  ERN

SH-CM
-- CGTU046 --
8030 01/18/200516:33 ESThttp://www.prnewswire.com