ASB BANCORP, INC. (NASDAQ:ASBB) Files An 8-K Results of Operations and Financial Condition
Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On July 28, 2017, ASB Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for Asheville Savings Bank, S.S.B., issued a news release announcing its unaudited preliminary financial results for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2017. A copy of the news release is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and is furnished herewith.

The information set forth in Item 2.02 is incorporated by reference in this Item 8.01.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Current Report contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 giving ASB Bancorp’s (the “Company”) and First Bancorp’s (“FBNC”) expectations or predictions of future financial or business performance or conditions. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “target,” “estimate,” “continue,” “positions,” “prospects” or “potential,” by future conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may”, or by variations of such words or by similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the combination of the Company and FBNC, including future financial and operating results, expected cost savings, expected impact on future earnings, the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. We assume no duty to update forward-looking statements.

In addition to factors previously disclosed in the Company’s and FBNC’s reports filed with the SEC, the following factors among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements: ability to obtain regulatory approvals and meet other closing conditions to the merger, including approval by the Company’s shareholders, on the expected terms and schedule; delay in closing the merger; difficulties and delays in integrating the Company and FBNC businesses or fully realizing cost savings and other benefits; business disruption following the proposed transaction; changes in asset quality and credit risk; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates and capital markets; inflation; customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices; the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives; competitive conditions; the inability to realize cost savings or revenues or to implement integration plans and other consequences associated with mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; economic conditions; the reaction to the transaction of the companies’ customers, employees and counterparties; and the impact, extent and timing of technological changes, capital management activities, and other actions of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND WHERE TO FIND IT

This communication is being made in respect of the proposed transaction involving the Company and FBNC. This material is not a solicitation of any vote or approval of the Company’s shareholders and is not a substitute for the proxy statement/prospectus or any other documents which the Company and FBNC may send in connection with the Merger. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

In connection with the proposed transaction, FBNC has filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of the Company and a prospectus of FBNC, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. Investors and security holders are also urged to carefully review and consider each of the Company’s and FBNC’s public filings with the SEC, including, but not limited to, their Annual Reports on Form 10-K, their proxy statements, their Current Reports on Form 8-K and their Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to the Company’s shareholders. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISIONS, INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE ENTIRE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PROXY STATEMENT/ PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED MERGER WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement/ prospectus (when available) and other filings containing information about the Company and FBNC at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders may also obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by the Company on its website at www.ashevillesavingsbank.com and by FBNC on its website at http://www.localfirstbank.com.

The Company, FBNC and certain of their respective directors and executive officers, under the SEC’s rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of the Company’s shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of the Company and their ownership of the Company’s common stock is set forth in the proxy statement for the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A on April 5, 2017. Information about the directors and executive officers of FBNC and their ownership of FBNC common stock is set forth in the proxy statement for FBNC’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A on March 27, 2017. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction may be obtained by reading the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.

ASB Bancorp Inc Exhibit
EX-99.1 2 v471699_ex99-1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1 Exhibit 99.1   ASB Bancorp,…
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About ASB BANCORP, INC. (NASDAQ:ASBB)

ASB Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Asheville Savings Bank (the Bank). The Company’s principal business activity is the ownership of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Bank. The Bank is a chartered savings bank. It operates as a community-oriented financial institution offering traditional financial services to consumers and businesses in its primary market area. It accepts deposits from the public and uses these funds to originate loans. The Bank, through a third-party registered broker-dealer, offers its customers non-deposit investment products, including mutual funds, debt, equity and government securities, retirement accounts, insurance products, and fixed and variable annuities. Its primary market area is Asheville, North Carolina and the rest of Buncombe County where it has over eight branch offices, as well as Henderson, Madison, McDowell and Transylvania Counties where it has over five branch offices and a loan production office in Mecklenburg County.