ServisFirst Bank Commemorates Fifth Anniversary and Outstanding Growth and Profitability

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- ServisFirst Bank marks its five-year anniversary, ranking in the top 5% of de novo banks founded in 2005 for cumulative profitability, along with an 81% compounded annual growth rate in total deposits.  Bank founders attribute the strong five-year performance to the organizing concepts of providing outstanding customer service by the best bankers in the market and by offering innovative banking services.

ServisFirst opened in May 2005 with $35 million in capital – the most capital raised by a start-up bank in Alabama – and within six months had reached profitability, with $200 million in assets. By October 2006, assets were $500 million and the bank was named the largest and fastest growing new bank in the U.S. by Donnelly Penman & Partners. By September 2008, the bank had exceeded $1 billion in assets in just over three years.

As ServisFirst's financial strength and profitability grew, so did its market coverage within the state.  The bank expanded into Huntsville in 2006, Montgomery in 2007, and Dothan in 2008, making a total of eight banking centers with 160 employees today.

"Our success and acceptance in all of our market locations is attributed to excellence in customer service, responsiveness to our customers' needs, and attracting the best bankers who are knowledgeable and have the authority to make decisions," says President and CEO Tom Broughton. "We understand that customers benefit by having a relationship with their banker and by doing business with a bank whose employees work hard all day every day. We rely on our many shareholders and customers along with our Board of Directors to continue to grow and plan for the next five years and beyond."

ABOUT SERVISFIRST:

ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company based in Birmingham, Alabama with ServisFirst Bank as its subsidiary.  ServisFirst Bank is a full service bank focused on commercial banking, cash management, private banking and the professional consumer market, emphasizing competitive products, and state-of-the-art technology. Recently the bank announced its benchmark of success of accumulating over $1.6 billion in assets with no brokered deposits. The bank offers sophisticated cash management products, Internet banking, home mortgage lending, remote deposit express service and highly competitive rates. 

More information about ServisFirst Bank may be obtained at www.servisfirstbank.com.

ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. files periodic reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  Copies of its filings may be obtained through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or at www.servisfirstbancshares.com.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts, including, but not limited to, statements concerning future operations, results or performance, are hereby identified as "forward-looking statements" for the purpose of the safe harbor provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933.  The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "plan," "intend," "will," "would," "might" and similar expressions often signify forward-looking statements. Such statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. cautions that such forward-looking statements, wherever they occur in this press release or in other statements attributable to ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc., are necessarily estimates reflecting the judgment of ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc.'s senior management and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements.  Such forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various factors that could affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements, including: general economic conditions, especially in the credit markets and in the Southeast; the performance of the capital markets; changes in interest rates, yield curves and interest rate spread relationships; changes in accounting and tax principles, policies or guidelines; changes in legislation or regulatory requirements; changes in our loan portfolio and the deposit base, possible changes in laws and regulations and governmental monetary and fiscal policies, including, but not limited to, economic stimulus initiatives and so-called "bailout" initiatives; the cost and other effects of legal and administrative cases and similar contingencies; possible changes in the creditworthiness of customers and the possible impairment of the collectibility of loans and the value of collateral; the effect of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, in our geographic markets; and increased competition from both banks and non-bank financial institutions.  The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. For discussion of these and other risks that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other SEC filings. If one or more of the factors affecting our forward-looking information and statements proves incorrect, then our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking information and statements contained herein. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made.  ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements that are made from time to time.

SOURCE ServisFirst Bank