First Bank Announces Commencement of Public Offering of Common Stock

HAMILTON, N.J., May 22, 2017 -- First Bank (NASDAQ:FRBA) announced today that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of approximately $35 million of shares of its common stock. All of the shares to be sold in the offering will be offered by First Bank. In addition, First Bank intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day over-allotment option to purchase an additional 15% of the shares sold in the offering. The offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or the actual size or terms of the offering.

First Bank intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including the support of additional growth.

Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P. and Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated are acting as joint book-running managers for the proposed offering. Hovde Group, LLC and FIG Partners are acting as co-managers.

The offering will be made only by means of an offering circular. Copies of the preliminary offering circular relating to this offering may be obtained, when available, by contacting Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P., Attention: Prospectus Department, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10020, or via email at [email protected]; or Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Attention: Syndicate Department, 777 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202, or via email at [email protected].

This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities, which is being made only by means of an offering circular, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The securities are neither insured nor approved by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

About First Bank

First Bank is a New Jersey state chartered bank with ten full-service branches in Cranbury, Denville, Ewing, Flemington, Hamilton, Lawrence, Randolph, Somerset and Williamstown, New Jersey, and Trevose, Pennsylvania. With $1.1 billion in assets as of March 31, 2017, First Bank offers a traditional range of deposit and loan products to individuals and businesses throughout the New York City to Philadelphia corridor.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements about First Bank’s expectations, beliefs, plans, predictions, forecasts, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements may be identified by such forward looking terminology as “should”, “expect”, “look”, “believe”, “view”, opportunity”, “allow”, “continues”, “reflects”, “typically”, “usually”, “anticipate”, “may”, “will”, or similar statements or variations of such terms. There can be no assurance that First Bank’s expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements will be achieved.

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results. Any forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in First Bank’s preliminary offering circular relating to this offering, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, and other risks described in documents subsequently filed by First Bank from time to time.

Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which it is made. First Bank assumes no obligation to update or supplement any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law or regulation.

Patrick L. Ryan
President and CEO
First Bank
(609) 643-0168
[email protected]