SOUHY South32 Ltd (PK)

New Hampshire Thrift Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: NHTB), the holding company for Lake Sunapee Bank, fsb (the �Bank�), today reported consolidated net income for the six months ended June 30, 2008 of $2,790,600, or $0.48 per share (assuming dilution) compared to $2,104,564, or $0.48 per share (assuming dilution) for the first six months of 2007, an increase of $686,036, or 32.60%. For the second quarter ended June 30, 2008, net income totaled $1,406,143, or $0.24 per share (assuming dilution) compared to $1,079,955 or $0.24 per share (assuming dilution) for the same period in 2007, an increase of $326,188, or 30.20%. The Company�s returns on average assets and equity for the six months ended June 30, 2008 were 0.65% and 7.43%, respectively, compared to 0.63% and 9.26%, respectively, for the same period in 2007. Improving interest income margins and the completion of the two bank acquisitions of First Brandon National Bank and First Community Bank during the second and fourth quarters, respectively, of 2007 influenced the operating results for the six months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2007. The increase in the amount of $686,036 in net income for the six months ended June 30, 2008 reflects an increase in the amount of $3,284,282, or 36.43%, in net interest and dividend income. Noninterest income increased in the amount of $876,586, or 27.69%, for the six months ended June 30, 2008. These increases were offset by an increase of $2,871,522, or 31.89%, in noninterest expense. The increase in the amount of $326,188 in net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 compared to the quarter end June 30, 2007 reflects an increase of $1,491,602, or 31.85%, in net interest and dividend income. Noninterest income increased in the amount of $343,776, or 21.02%, for the three months ended June 30, 2008. These increases were offset by an increase of $1,174,583, or 25.09%, in noninterest expense. A decrease in the Bank�s cost of funds helped to increase the interest rate margin to 3.35% at June 30, 2008, as compared to 2.96% at June 30, 2007. Total loan production for the six months ended June 30, 2008 amounted to $128,503,986, compared to $101,624,756 for the same period ended June 30, 2007. Total assets amounted to $837,696,125 at June 30, 2008, compared to $757,898,055 at June 30, 2007, an increase of $79,798,070, including approximately $74 million from the First Community acquisition which closed during the second half of 2007. Loans held in portfolio increased by $62,473,526 (including approximately $60 million from the First Community acquisition), or 10.98%, to $631,143,873 at June 30, 2008, from $568,670,347 at June 30, 2007. Total deposits increased by $100,240,597, including approximately $60.4 million from the First Community acquisition, or 18.04%, to $656,045,634 at June 30, 2008, from $555,805,037 at June 30, 2007. Advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) decreased by $37,573,820 from $100,119,657 at June 30, 2007 to $62,545,837 at June 30, 2008. Asset quality remained strong with non-performing assets as a percentage of total assets totaling 0.76%, up slightly from 0.61% as of March 31, 2008. At June 30, 2008, 43 of 9,851 loans held in portfolio by the Bank were classified as non-performing compared to 34 of 9,897 loans held in portfolio by the Bank at March 31, 2008. Lake Sunapee Bank continues to originate loans in a conservative manner and has no loans considered �sub prime�. The Bank remains well-capitalized with a Tier I Capital ratio of 8.05% at June 30, 2008. Shareholders� equity of $73,996,744 at June 30, 2008 resulted in a book value of $12.87 per share, based on 5,747,772 shares of common stock outstanding. As previously announced, a regular quarterly dividend in the amount of $0.13 per share is payable on July 31, 2008 to shareholders of record as of July 24, 2008. NHTB is the parent company of Lake Sunapee Bank, fsb, a federally-chartered stock savings bank providing a wide range of banking and financial services through twenty-nine offices strategically located within the greater Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee-Kearsarge and Monadnock regions of west-central New Hampshire, and central Vermont. New Hampshire Thrift Bancshares, Inc. Selected Financial Highlights (unaudited) � Three Months Ended � Six Months Ended � 6/30/08 � � 6/30/07 � 6/30/08 � � 6/30/07 Interest and Dividend Income $ 10,506,475 $ 9,173,962 $ 21,574,271 $ 17,984,596 Interest Expense 4,331,254 4,490,343 9,275,257 8,969,864 Net Interest and Dividend Income 6,175,221 4,683,619 12,299,014 9,014,732 Provision for Loan Losses 140,000 38,000 177,000 45,000 Noninterest Income 1,979,263 1,635,487 4,042,222 3,165,636 Noninterest Expense 5,855,841 4,681,258 11,877,093 9,005,571 Net Income $ 1,406,143 $ 1,079,955 $ 2,790,600 $ 2,104,564 Earnings Per Common Share, basic (1) $ 0.24 $ 0.24 $ 0.49 $ 0.49 Earnings Per Common Share, assuming dilution (1) $ 0.24 $ 0.24 $ 0.48 $ 0.48 Dividends Declared (1) $ 0.13 $ 0.13 $ 0.26 $ 0.26 � As of 6/30/08 � As of 6/30/07 � Total Assets $ 837,696,125 $ 757,898,055 Loans receivable, net 631,143,873 568,670,347 Securities 97,700,263 102,075,155 Total Deposits 656,045,634 555,805,037 Federal Home Loan Bank Advances 62,545,837 100,119,657 Subordinated Debentures 20,620,000 20,620,000 Shareholders� Equity 73,996,744 61,830,333 Book Value of Shares Outstanding 12.87 12.21 Tier I Core Capital to Assets 8.05 % 7.82 % Shares Outstanding 5,747,772 5,065,528 Return on Average Assets 0.65 % 0.63 % Return on Average Equity 7.43 % 9.26 % Non-performing Assets as a % of Total Assets 0.76 % 0.15 % (1) Diluted earnings per share are calculated using the weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the period, including common stock equivalents, as appropriate. Statements included in this press release that are not historical or current fact are "forward-looking statements" made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical earnings and those presently anticipated or projected. New Hampshire Thrift Bancshares disclaims any obligation to subsequently revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements, or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances.