CARY, N.C., March 6, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crescent Financial Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:CRFN), the parent company of Crescent State Bank, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2011. Highlights include the following:

• Piedmont Community Bank Holdings, Inc. ("Piedmont") completed its investment of $75.0 million in Crescent Financial Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company") through the purchase of 18,750,000 shares of the Company's common stock on November 18, 2011 (the "Piedmont Investment");
  
• Piedmont purchased approximately 6.1 million additional shares of the Company's common stock at $4.75 per share through a tender offer to the Company's legacy shareholders which closed on December 21, 2011 ("Tender Offer"), increasing its ownership of the Company to approximately 88% of the common shares outstanding;
  
• As a result of the Piedmont Investment, the Company's Tier 1 leverage ratio, Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio and total risk-based capital ratio increased to 10.68%, 14.26% and 15.27%, respectively, as of December 31, 2011;
  
• The Company's asset quality improved as total nonperforming assets decreased from $56.8 million, or 6.20% of total assets, as of September 30, 2011 to $32.3 million, or 3.87% of total assets, as of December 31, 2011;
  
• The Company's balance sheet was repositioned to reduce non-core funding;
  
• The Company's net interest margin improved to 3.24% in the successor period of November 19 to December 31, 2011 from 3.03% in the predecessor fourth quarter of 2010 and from 3.09% in the predecessor period of October 1 to November 18, 2011; and
  
• Net loss attributable to common shareholders for the successor period of November 19 to December 31, 2011 totaled $330 thousand, or ($0.01) per share, and net loss attributable to common shareholders for the predecessor period of October 1 to November 18, 2011 totaled $260 thousand, or ($0.00) per share.

"With the investment from Piedmont, Crescent State Bank is one of the most strongly capitalized banks in the Southeast and has the financial resources to provide services to businesses, business owners, and professionals throughout its markets," stated Scott Custer, CEO of the Company and Piedmont. Mr. Custer continued, "With our investment in Crescent and the other banks Piedmont has acquired, we are building a sustainable model for community banking that will provide first-class service to our customers and improve the Company's profitability to levels expected of a stable, high performing community bank. In the short period of time since Piedmont's investment, Crescent has already experienced improved capital ratios, asset quality, liquidity, and net interest margin."

Piedmont Investment

On November 18, 2011, the Company completed the issuance and sale of 18,750,000 shares of its common stock to Piedmont for $75.0 million in cash. On December 21, 2011, Piedmont purchased approximately 6.1 million additional shares of the Company's common stock at $4.75 per share through a tender offer to the Company's legacy shareholders. As a result of the Piedmont Investment and the Tender Offer, Piedmont currently owns approximately 88% of the Company's common stock.

Financial results for the fourth quarter of 2011 were significantly impacted by the controlling investment in the Company by Piedmont. Because of the level of Piedmont's ownership and control, the Company has applied push-down accounting to reflect the nature of the Piedmont transactions. Accordingly, the Company's assets and liabilities were adjusted to estimated fair value at the acquisition date, and the allowance for loan losses was eliminated. The Company is currently within the one-year measurement period with respect to the acquisition date, and thus, future material adjustments to these purchase accounting fair value adjustments are possible. Balances and activity in the Company's consolidated financial statements prior to the Piedmont Investment have been labeled with "Predecessor Company" while balances and activity subsequent to the Piedmont Investment have been labeled with "Successor Company."

Net Interest Income

Net interest income for the period of November 19 to December 31, 2011 ("Successor Period") totaled $3.4 million while net interest income for the predecessor period of October 1, 2011 to November 18, 2011 and the predecessor quarter ended December 31, 2010 totaled $3.3 million and $6.6 million, respectively. Net interest margin increased from 3.03% in the quarter ended December 31, 2010 and from 3.09% in the predecessor period of October 1, 2011 to November 18, 2011 to 3.24% in the Successor Period. This margin improvement was primarily due to a decline in funding costs as the average rate on total interest-bearing liabilities fell from 2.46% in the quarter ended December 31, 2010 and 2.04% in the predecessor period of October 1 to November 18, 2011 to 1.41% in the Successor Period. Although the Company's net interest margin improved in the Successor Period, its elevated balance of low-yielding, interest-bearing cash weighed on net interest margin as the Company's investment portfolio restructuring was in process during this period.

Net amortization of purchase accounting fair value adjustments on interest-bearing liabilities increased net interest income by $452 thousand in the Successor Period and lowered funding costs by 0.50%. The remaining 0.13% decline in funding costs from the predecessor period of October 1 to November 18, 2011 was due to re-pricing of deposits. Average earning assets totaled $865.7 million in the Successor Period compared with $908.4 million in the quarter ended December 31, 2010 and $857.3 million in the predecessor period of October 1, 2011 to November 18, 2011.

On a year-to-date basis, net interest income for the Successor Period totaled $3.4 million while net interest income for the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011 and the predecessor year ended December 31, 2010 totaled $22.4 million and $28.5 million, respectively. Net interest margin increased from 3.18% in 2010 and 2.87% for the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011 to 3.24% in the Successor Period. Average earning assets decreased from $931.2 million in 2010 and from $921.6 million in the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011 to $865.7 million in the Successor Period. Average earning asset levels in the Successor Period were affected by the Piedmont Investment and the Company's balance sheet repositioning which reduced non-core funding.

Provision for Loan Losses and Asset Quality

Provision for loan losses for the Successor Period totaled $227 thousand while provision for loan losses for the predecessor period of October 1, 2011 to November 18, 2011 and the predecessor quarter ended December 31, 2010 totaled $2.2 million and $5.2 million, respectively. In addition, provision for loan losses for the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011 and the predecessor year ended December 31, 2010 totaled $16.7 million and $20.3 million, respectively. The loan loss provision in the Successor Period reflects estimated losses inherent in loans originated subsequent to the Piedmont Investment. The purchased loan portfolio was adjusted to fair value at acquisition and no additional impairment on purchased loans was evident during the Successor Period.

Nonperforming loans as a percentage of total loans held for investment totaled 4.14% as of December 31, 2011, which was a decline from 7.00% as of September 30, 2011 and 4.52% as of December 31, 2010. Total nonperforming assets, which include nonaccrual loans, loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing, other real estate owned and repossessed loan collateral, as a percentage of total assets as of December 31, 2011 totaled 3.87%, which was a decline from 6.20% as of September 30, 2011 and 4.74% as of December 31, 2010.

As part of an ongoing, focused effort to reduce its problem asset levels, the Company has completed various note sales to investors subsequent to December 31, 2011. The note sales included loans with carrying values totaling $11.8 million as of December 31, 2011, of which $5.3 million were classified as nonperforming.

Noninterest Income

Noninterest income for the Successor Period totaled $484 thousand while noninterest income for the predecessor period of October 1, 2011 to November 18, 2011 and the predecessor quarter ended December 31, 2010 totaled $4.5 million and $1.5 million, respectively. Prior to the Piedmont Investment, the Company began the process of restructuring its investment portfolio and recognized a $3.7 million gain on sale of securities in the predecessor period of October 1 to November 18, 2011. The securities gain in this period contrasts with a loss on sale of securities of $55 thousand in the Successor Period and a gain on sale of securities of $25 thousand in the predecessor quarter ended December 31, 2010.

On a year-to-date basis, noninterest income for the Successor Period totaled $484 thousand while noninterest income for the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011 and the predecessor year ended December 31, 2010 totaled $8.1 million and $4.9 million, respectively. Noninterest income in the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011 was significantly benefited by $4.2 million in gains on the sale of securities, primarily due to the portfolio restructuring. The Company also recorded impairment of $227 thousand on equity investments, which partially offset higher income in the same period.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense for the Successor Period totaled $4.3 million while noninterest expense for the predecessor period of October 1, 2011 to November 18, 2011 and the predecessor quarter ended December 31, 2010 totaled $5.6 million and $7.0 million, respectively. Expenses in the fourth quarter of 2011, both in the predecessor and successor periods, were impacted by various non-recurring items related to the Piedmont Investment, including restructuring of the Company's management team and business lines. Severance and contract termination payments to former members of the Company's staff and executive management increased salaries and employee benefits expense by $735 thousand in the Successor Period and increased expense in the predecessor period of October 1 to November 18, 2011 by $1.6 million. Non-recurring professional expenses related to the Piedmont Investment totaled $95 thousand in the Successor Period and $298 thousand in the predecessor period of October 1 to November 18, 2011.

On a year-to-date basis, noninterest expense for the Successor Period totaled $4.3 million while predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011 and the predecessor year ended December 31, 2010 totaled $27.3 million and $27.0 million, respectively. Severance and contract termination payments to former members of the Company's staff and executive management increased salaries and employee benefits expense by $735 thousand in the Successor Period and increased expense in the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011 by $1.6 million. Non-recurring professional expenses related to the Piedmont Investment totaled $95 thousand in the Successor Period and $1.0 million in the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011. Additionally, data processing costs in the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011 were impacted by $108 thousand of system conversion costs.

Income Taxes

The Company did not record any tax benefit associated with the pre-tax loss for the predecessor period of January 1 to November 18, 2011. The valuation allowance on deferred tax assets was increased by $5.4 million during the period, which represented a full reserve on the tax benefit generated by current period losses. Because of the improvement in the Company's earnings prospects following the Piedmont Investment, the Company determined that there was sufficient positive evidence to indicate that it would likely realize the full value of its deferred tax assets over time and therefore established no valuation allowance on its deferred tax assets in purchase accounting. Thus, in the Successor Period, the Company recorded a tax benefit of $520 thousand, which was based on the pre-tax loss in that period adjusted for non-taxable investment and earnings on life insurance as well as non-deductible merger costs.

Crescent State Bank is a state chartered bank operating fifteen banking offices in Cary (2), Apex, Clayton, Holly Springs, Southern Pines, Pinehurst, Sanford, Garner, Raleigh (3), Wilmington (2) and Knightdale, North Carolina. Crescent Financial Bancshares, Inc. stock can be found on the NASDAQ Global Market trading under the symbol CRFN. Investors can access additional corporate information, product descriptions and online services through the Bank's website at http://www.crescentstatebank.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Information in this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including without limitation, risks associated with the ownership by Piedmont of a majority of the company's voting power, including interests of Piedmont differing from other stockholders or any change in management, strategic direction, business plan, or operations, the Company's new management's ability to successfully integrate into the Company's business and execute its business plan, local economic conditions affecting retail and commercial real estate, disruptions in the credit markets, changes in interest rates, adverse developments in the real estate market affecting the value and marketability of collateral securing loans made by the Bank, the failure of assumptions underlying loan loss and other reserves, competition and the risk of new and changing regulation. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of the press release, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements.

CONTACT: Mr. Terry Earley
         Chief Financial Officer
         Crescent Financial Bancshares, Inc.
         Phone: (919) 659-9015
         Email: tearley@CrescentStateBank.com