SAN JOSE, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/31/13 -- Focus Business Bank (OTCQB: FCSB) announced unaudited financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2012. Net income was $391,000, or $0.14 per share, and $3,458,000, or $1.24 per share, for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2012, respectively. These results included an income tax benefit of $2,174,000 for the year ended December 31, 2012 resulting from the reversal of the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets. Reversal of the valuation allowance was based on the Bank's assessment that after eleven consecutive quarters of pre-tax net income it was likely that the benefits from the deferred tax assets would be realized.

President and Chief Executive Officer Richard L. Conniff remarked, "We are proud of the continuing success of Focus Business Bank. The three months ending December 31, 2012 marked the Bank's best quarter of pre-tax income, driven by growth in loans and deposits, both of which are at all time high levels. The Bank has remained disciplined in its control of operating expenses and the management of asset quality. We believe we are ideally positioned to assist and support our target customers, closely-held businesses in our market."

Assets and Liabilities
The balance sheet of the Bank experienced solid growth in 2012:

• Deposits increased 28% from $145.2 million at December 31, 2011 to $186.4 million at December 31, 2012. During 2012, the fastest growing deposit segment was interest-bearing demand, which grew 144% from $28.1 million to $68.8 million. Interest bearing demand is primarily composed of the Bank's specialty deposit businesses including condominium homeowner associations and non-profit corporations where it has significantly grown its local market share. The Bank considers these specialty businesses to be core deposits.
  
  
• Loans increased 23% from $97.4 million at December 31, 2011 to $119.4 million at December 31, 2012. Growth in loans in 2012 was balanced between commercial and industrial, which grew 21% and commercial real estate, primarily first mortgages on commercial properties in Santa Clara County, which grew 24%.
  
  
• The Bank also experienced growth in investment securities and interest bearing deposits with other banks. Investment securities and interest bearing deposits provide funds for day to day operations and secondary liquidity to manage balance sheet fluctuations. The growth in these asset classes was funded primarily by growth in deposits, partially offset by growth in loans.
  
  

Net Interest Income
Net interest income for the three months and year ended December 31, 2012 was $1,646,000 and $6,089,000, up 21% and 26%, respectively, compared to the same periods ending December 31, 2011. The increase in net interest income is attributable to the growth in interest earning assets, partially offset by a decrease in net interest margin. Net interest margin was 3.35% for the three months ended December 31, 2012 compared to 3.47% for the same three-month period in 2011. The decrease in net interest margin is attributable primarily to declines in market rates of interest and a change in the Bank's mix of earning assets as the loan to deposit ratio was 64% at December 31, 2012 compared to 67% at December 31, 2011.

Non-interest Income
Non-interest income was $421,000 and $1,159,000 for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2012, respectively, compared to $137,000 and $1,027,000 for the same periods in 2011. Gains on the sale of SBA loans originated by the Bank and sold in the secondary market remain the largest component of non-interest income. The remaining balance of non-interest income is primarily related to loan servicing fees, deposit activities and changes in the cash surrender value of bank owned life insurance.

Non-Interest Expense
Non-interest expense was $1,692,000 and $5,964,000 for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2012, respectively, compared to $1,268,000 and $5,211,000 for the comparable periods in 2011. The increase in non-interest expense is a result of the Bank's increase in infrastructure costs required to support our existing and planned growth in assets. The largest component of non-interest expense is related to compensation of the Bank's employees. The Bank had 27 full-time employees at December 31, 2012 compared to 24 full-time employees at December 31, 2011.

Asset Quality
The Bank made no provision for loan losses in the quarter or year ended December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011. The allowance for loan losses was 2.13% of total loans at December 31, 2012, as compared to 2.61% at December 31, 2011. There were no loan charge-offs for the quarter or year ended December 31, 2012. At December 31, 2012, the Bank had no non-performing loans and the Bank has never had other real estate owned.

Capital
Focus Business Bank has capital ratios substantially in excess of the minimum regulatory requirements for a bank to be considered well capitalized. At December 31, 2012, the total risk-based capital ratio was 18.07%. The Bank has not participated in any government sponsored capital programs, including the Troubled Asset Relief Program ("TARP") or the Small Business Lending Fund ("SBLF").

About Focus Business Bank
Focus Business Bank is dedicated to meeting the banking needs of closely-held businesses and professionals in Santa Clara County. The Bank's office is located at 10 Almaden Boulevard in downtown San Jose, California and offers a variety of commercial banking products including loans, deposits, remote deposit capture and other cash management services oriented toward closely-held businesses and their owners. The Bank specializes in commercial loans and is also an SBA Preferred Lender. The Bank also serves not-for-profit businesses and condominium homeowner associations by offering expertise, market knowledge and specialized products and services to these customers.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements, such as, among others, statements about plans, expectations and goals concerning growth and improvement. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties may include but are not necessarily limited to fluctuations in interest rates, inflation, government regulations and general economic conditions, including the real estate market in California and other factors beyond the Bank's control. Such risks and uncertainties could cause results for subsequent interim periods or for the entire year to differ materially from those indicated. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which reflect management's view only as of the date hereof. The Bank undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

                                      Focus Business Bank
                                 Summary Financial Information
                                           Unaudited
                              ----------------------------------

                                               As of               12 Month
BALANCE SHEET                  31-Dec-12   30-Sep-12   31-Dec-11   % Change
                              ----------  ----------  ----------  ---------
($ in ',000s except per share
 data)
ASSETS
Cash and due from banks
  Interest bearing            $   52,560  $   39,397  $   40,906         28%
  Non-interest bearing             6,895       6,231       4,309         60%
Federal funds sold                   505         505         505          0%
Investment securities             29,368      24,803      26,204         12%
Loans                            119,378     114,168      97,401         23%
  Net deferred loan costs             37          22          37          0%
  Allowance for loan losses       (2,545)     (2,544)     (2,541)         0%
                              ----------  ----------  ----------
    Net Loans                    116,870     111,646      94,897         23%
Other assets                       7,237       7,030       1,703        325%
                              ----------  ----------  ----------
TOTAL ASSETS                  $  213,435  $  189,612  $  168,524         27%
                              ==========  ==========  ==========
LIABILITIES
Deposits
  Non-interest bearing        $   63,065  $   55,649  $   63,196          0%
  Interest bearing               123,295     107,451      81,986         50%
                              ----------  ----------  ----------
    Total deposits               186,360     163,100     145,182         28%
Other liabilities                    880         721         716         23%
                              ----------  ----------  ----------
TOTAL LIABILITIES                187,240     163,821     145,898         28%
Stockholders' equity              26,195      25,791      22,626         16%
                              ----------  ----------  ----------
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS'
 EQUITY                       $  213,435  $  189,612  $  168,524         27%
                              ==========  ==========  ==========
Book value/share              $     9.42  $     9.28  $     8.15         16%
Balance Sheet Ratios
  Loan/deposit                        64%         70%         67%
  Non-interest/total deposit          34%         34%         44%
Regulatory Capital Ratios
  Tier-1 leverage                  11.77%      13.40%      13.82%
  Tier-1 risk based capital        16.81%      17.65%      19.48%
  Total risk-based capital         18.07%      18.91%      20.75%
Asset Quality Metrics
  Non-performing loans        $        -  $        -  $    1,044
  Non-performing loans/total
   loans                            0.00%       0.00%       1.07%
  ALLL/total loans                  2.13%       2.23%       2.61%




                             Focus Business Bank
                        Summary Financial Information
                                 Unaudited

                                 Quarters Ended            Years Ended
                             ----------------------  ----------------------
INCOME STATEMENT              31-Dec-12   31-Dec-11   31-Dec-12   31-Dec-11
                             ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
($ in ',000s except per
 share data)
Interest income              $    1,769  $    1,465  $    6,531  $    5,275
Interest expense                    123         100         442         428
                             ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
  Net interest income             1,646       1,365       6,089       4,847
Provision for loan losses             -           -           -           -
Non-interest income                 421         137       1,159       1,027
Non-interest expense              1,692       1,268       5,964       5,211
                             ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
    Pre-tax income (loss)           375         234       1,284         663
    Income taxes                    (16)         (5)     (2,174)         62
                             ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
Net income (loss)            $      391  $      239  $    3,458  $      601
                             ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========
Net income (Loss) per basic
 share                       $     0.14  $     0.09  $     1.24  $     0.22
Performance Metrics
  Net interest margin              3.35%       3.47%       3.60%       3.46%
  Return on average assets         0.75%       0.59%       1.95%       0.42%
  Return on average equity         5.98%       4.20%      14.47%       2.72%