FIRST COMMUNITY CORP /SC/ - Annual Report: 2007 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

Commission file number: 000-28344

First Community Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

803-951-2265
Registrant's telephone number, including area code

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

         Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes o    No ý

         Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes o    No ý

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for past 90 days. Yes ý    No o

         Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. Yes o    No ý

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definition of "accelerated filer," "large accelerated filer," and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check One):

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o    No ý

         As of June 30, 2007, the aggregate market value of the registrant's common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $47,913,000 based on the closing sale price of $16.70 on June 30, 2007, as reported on The NASDAQ Capital Market.

         3,196,854 shares of the issuer's common stock were issued and outstanding as of March 15, 2008.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

         Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders Part III (Portions of Items 10-14) to be held on May 21, 2008.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This Report contains statements which constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on many assumptions and estimates and are not guarantees of future performance. Our actual results may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements, as they will depend on many factors about which we are unsure, including many factors which are beyond our control. The words "may," "would," "could," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," and "estimate," as well as similar expressions, are meant to identify such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to those described below under Item 1A- Risk Factors and the following:

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success and timing of other business strategies;



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significant increases in competitive pressure in the banking and financial services industries;



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changes in the interest rate environment which could reduce anticipated or actual margins;



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changes in political conditions or the legislative or regulatory environment;



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general economic conditions, either nationally or regionally and especially in our primary service area, becoming less favorable than expected, resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality;



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changes occurring in business conditions and inflation;



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changes in technology;



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changes in monetary and tax policies;



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the adequacy of our level of allowance for loan loss;



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the rate of delinquencies and amounts of charge-offs;



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the rates of loan growth;



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adverse changes in asset quality and resulting credit risk-related losses and expenses;



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loss of consumer confidence and economic disruptions resulting from terrorist activities;



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changes in the securities markets; and



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other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

We undertake no obligation to publicly update or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

PART I

Item 1.    Business

General

        First Community Corporation, a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, was incorporated under the laws of South Carolina in 1994 primarily to own and control all of the capital stock of First Community Bank, N.A., which commenced operations in August 1995. On October 1, 2004, we completed our acquisition of DutchFork Bancshares, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Newberry Federal Savings Bank. During the second quarter of 2006, we completed our acquisition of DeKalb Bankshares, Inc., the holding company for The Bank of Camden. We engage in a

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commercial banking business from our main office in Lexington, South Carolina and our 11 full-service offices are located in Lexington (two), Forest Acres, Irmo, Cayce-West Columbia, Gilbert, Chapin, Northeast Columbia, Prosperity, Newberry and Camden. We offer a wide-range of traditional banking products and services for professionals and small-to medium-sized businesses, including consumer and commercial, mortgage, brokerage and investment, and insurance services. We also offer online banking to our customers. Our stock trades on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol FCCO.

        The company is not an accelerated filer as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. As a result, the company qualifies for the extended compliance period with respect to the accountants report on management's assessment of internal control over financial reporting required by PCAOB Auditing Standards No. 5.

Location and Service Area

        The bank is engaged in a general commercial and retail banking business, emphasizing the needs of small-to-medium sized businesses, professional concerns and individuals, primarily in Richland, Lexington, Kershaw and Newberry counties of South Carolina and the surrounding areas.

        Richland County, Lexington County, Kershaw County and Newberry County are located in the geographic center of the state of South Carolina. Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, is located within and divided between Richland and Lexington counties. Columbia can be reached via three interstate highways: I-20, I-26, and I-77. Columbia is served by several airlines as well as by passenger and freight rail service. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, Richland, Lexington, Kershaw and Newberry Counties, which include the primary service areas for the existing twelve sites of the bank, had estimated populations in 2006 of 348,226, 240,160, 57,490 and 37,762, respectively.

        The principal components of the economy within our market area are service industries, government, and wholesale and retail trade. The largest employers in the area, each of which employs in excess of 3,000 people, include Fort Jackson Army Base, the University of South Carolina, Palmetto Health Alliance, Blue Cross Blue Shield and SCANA Corporation. The area has experienced steady growth over the past 10 years and we expect that the area, as well as the service industry needed to support it, will to continue to grow. For 2004, Richland, Lexington, Kershaw and Newberry Counties had estimated median household incomes of $40,025, $46,517, $41,242 and $33,920, respectively, compared to $39,454 for South Carolina as a whole.

Banking Services

        We offer a full range of deposit services that are typically available in most banks and thrift institutions, including checking accounts, NOW accounts, savings accounts and other time deposits of various types, ranging from daily money market accounts to longer-term certificates of deposit. The transaction accounts and time certificates are tailored to our principal market area at rates competitive to those offered in the area. In addition, we offer certain retirement account services, such as Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). All deposit accounts are insured by the FDIC up to the maximum amount allowed by law (generally, $100,000 or $250,000 in the case of IRA accounts per depositor subject to aggregation rules). We solicit these accounts from individuals, businesses, associations and organizations, and governmental authorities.

        We also offer a full range of commercial and personal loans. Commercial loans include both secured and unsecured loans for working capital (including inventory and receivables), business expansion (including acquisition of real estate and improvements), and purchase of equipment and machinery. Consumer loans include secured and unsecured loans for financing automobiles, home improvements, education, and personal investments. We also make real estate construction and acquisition loans. We originate fixed and variable rate mortgage loans substantially all of which are closed in the name of a third party which, are sold into the secondary market. Our lending activities

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are subject to a variety of lending limits imposed by federal law. While differing limits apply in certain circumstances based on the type of loan or the nature of the borrower (including the borrower's relationship to the bank), in general we are subject to a loans-to-one-borrower limit of an amount equal to 15% of the bank's unimpaired capital and surplus, or 25% of the unimpaired capital and surplus if the excess over 15% is approved by the board of directors of the bank and is fully secured by readily marketable collateral. We may not make any loans to any director, officer, employee, or 10% shareholder of the company or the bank unless the loan is approved by our board of directors and is made on terms not more favorable to such person than would be available to a person not affiliated with the bank.

        Other bank services include internet banking, cash management services, safe deposit boxes, travelers checks, direct deposit of payroll and social security checks, and automatic drafts for various accounts. We offer non-deposit investment products and other investment brokerage services through a registered representative with an affiliation through GAA Securities, Inc. We are associated with Jeannie, Star, and Plus networks of automated teller machines and Mastermoney debit cards that may be used by our customers throughout South Carolina and other regions. We also offer VISA and MasterCard credit card services through a correspondent bank as our agent.

        We currently do not exercise trust powers, but can begin to do so with the prior approval of the OCC.

Competition

        The banking business is highly competitive. We compete as a financial intermediary with other commercial banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions and money market mutual funds operating in Richland, Lexington, Kershaw and Newberry Counties and elsewhere. As of June 30, 2007, there were 20 financial institutions operating approximately 189 offices in Lexington, Richland, Kershaw and Newberry Counties. The competition among the various financial institutions is based upon a variety of factors, including interest rates offered on deposit accounts, interest rates charged on loans, credit and service charges, the quality of services rendered, the convenience of banking facilities and, in the case of loans to large commercial borrowers, relative lending limits. Size gives larger banks certain advantages in competing for business from large corporations. These advantages include higher lending limits and the ability to offers services in other areas of South Carolina. As a result, we do not generally attempt to compete for the banking relationships of large corporations, but concentrate our efforts on small-to-medium sized businesses and individuals. We believe we have competed effectively in this market by offering quality and personal service.

Employees

        As of December 31, 2007, we had 138 full-time employees. We believe that our relations with our employees are good.

SUPERVISION AND REGULATION

        Both the company and the bank are subject to extensive state and federal banking laws and regulations that impose specific requirements or restrictions on and provide for general regulatory oversight of virtually all aspects of our operations. These laws and regulations are generally intended to protect depositors, not shareholders. The following summary is qualified by reference to the statutory and regulatory provisions discussed. Changes in applicable laws or regulations may have a material effect on our business and prospects. Our operations may be affected by legislative changes and the policies of various regulatory authorities. We cannot predict the effect that fiscal or monetary policies, economic control, or new federal or state legislation may have on our business and earnings in the future.

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        The following discussion is not intended to be a complete list of all the activities regulated by the banking laws or of the impact of such laws and regulations on our operations. It is intended only to briefly summarize some material provisions.

First Community Corporation

        We own 100% of the outstanding capital stock of the bank, and therefore we are considered to be a bank holding company under the federal Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the "Bank Holding Company Act"). As a result, we are primarily subject to the supervision, examination and reporting requirements of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (the "Federal Reserve") under the Bank Holding Company Act and its regulations promulgated there under. Moreover, as a bank holding company of a bank located in South Carolina, we also are subject to the South Carolina Banking and Branching Efficiency Act.

        Permitted Activities.    Under the Bank Holding Company Act, a bank holding company is generally permitted to engage in, or acquire direct or indirect control of more than 5% of the voting shares of any company engaged in, the following activities:

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banking or managing or controlling banks;



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furnishing services to or performing services for our subsidiaries; and



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any activity that the Federal Reserve determines to be so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident to the business of banking.

        Activities that the Federal Reserve has found to be so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident to the business of banking include:

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factoring accounts receivable;



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making, acquiring, brokering or servicing loans and usual related activities;



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leasing personal or real property;



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operating a non-bank depository institution, such as a savings association;



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trust company functions;



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financial and investment advisory activities;



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conducting discount securities brokerage activities;



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underwriting and dealing in government obligations and money market instruments;



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providing specified management consulting and counseling activities;



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performing selected data processing services and support services;



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acting as agent or broker in selling credit life insurance and other types of insurance in connection with credit transactions; and



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performing selected insurance underwriting activities.

        As a bank holding company we also can elect to be treated as a "financial holding company," which would allow us engage in a broader array of activities. In sum, a financial holding company can engage in activities that are financial in nature or incidental or complimentary to financial activities, including insurance underwriting, sales and brokerage activities, providing financial and investment advisory services, underwriting services and limited merchant banking activities. We have not sought financial holding company status, but may elect such status in the future as our business matures. If we were to elect in writing for financial holding company status, each insured depository institution we

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control would have to be well capitalized, well managed and have at least a satisfactory rating under the CRA (discussed below).

        The Federal Reserve has the authority to order a bank holding company or its subsidiaries to terminate any of these activities or to terminate its ownership or control of any subsidiary when it has reasonable cause to believe that the bank holding company's continued ownership, activity or control constitutes a serious risk to the financial safety, soundness or stability of it or any of its bank subsidiaries.

        Change in Control.    In addition, and subject to certain exceptions, the Bank Holding Company Act and the Change in Bank Control Act, together with regulations promulgated thereunder, require Federal Reserve approval prior to any person or company acquiring "control" of a bank holding company. Control is conclusively presumed to exist if an individual or company acquires 25% or more of any class of voting securities of a bank holding company. Control is rebuttably presumed to exist if a person acquires 10% or more, but less than 25%, of any class of voting securities and either the company has registered securities under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or no other person owns a greater percentage of that class of voting securities immediately after the transaction. In certain cases, a company may also be presumed to have control under the BHCA if it acquires 5% or more of any class of voting securities of a bank holding company. Our common stock is registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act. The regulations provide a procedure for rebutting control when ownership of any class of voting securities is below 25%.

        Source of Strength.    In accordance with Federal Reserve Board policy, we are expected to act as a source of financial strength to the bank and to commit resources to support the bank in circumstances in which we might not otherwise do so. If the bank were to become "under-capitalized (see below First Community Bank, N.A.—Prompt Corrective Action"), we would be required to provide a guarantee of the bank's plan to return to capital adequacy. Additionally, under the Bank Holding Company Act, the Federal Reserve Board may require a bank holding company to terminate any activity or relinquish control of a non-bank subsidiary, other than a non-bank subsidiary of a bank, upon the Federal Reserve's determination that such activity or control constitutes a serious risk to the financial soundness or stability of any depository institution subsidiary of a bank holding company. Federal bank regulatory authorities have additional discretion to require a bank holding company to divest itself of any bank or non-bank subsidiaries if the agency determines that divestiture may aid the depository institution's financial condition. Further, any loans by bank holding company to a subsidiary bank are subordinate in right of payment to deposits and certain other indebtedness of the subsidiary bank. In the event of a bank holding company's bankruptcy, any commitment by the bank holding company to a federal bank regulatory agency to maintain the capital of a subsidiary bank at a certain level would be assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and entitled to priority payment.

        Capital Requirements.    The Federal Reserve Board imposes certain capital requirements on the bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act, including a minimum leverage ratio and a minimum ratio of "qualifying" capital to risk-weighted assets. These requirements are essentially the same as those that apply to the bank and are described below under "First Community Bank, N.A.—Capital Regulations." Subject to our capital requirements and certain other restrictions, we are able to borrow money to make a capital contribution to the bank, and these loans may be repaid from dividends paid from the bank to the company. Our ability to pay dividends depends on the bank's ability to pay dividends to us, which is subject to regulatory restrictions as described below in "First Community Bank, N.A.—Dividends." We are also able to raise capital for contribution to the bank by issuing securities without having to receive regulatory approval, subject to compliance with federal and state securities laws.

        South Carolina State Regulation.    As a South Carolina bank holding company under the South Carolina Banking and Branching Efficiency Act, we are subject to limitations on sale or merger and to

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regulation by the South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions (the "S.C. Board"). We are not required to obtain the approval of the S.C. Board prior to acquiring the capital stock of a national bank, but we must notify them at least 15 days prior to doing so. We must receive the Board's approval prior to engaging in the acquisition of a South Carolina state chartered bank or another South Carolina bank holding company.

First Community Bank, N.A.

        The bank operates as a national banking association incorporated under the laws of the United States and subject to examination by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the "OCC"). Deposits in the bank are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") up to a maximum amount, which is currently $100,000 for each non-retirement depositor and $250,000 for certain retirement-account depositors. Accordingly, the FDIC also has enforcement authority over the bank. The OCC and the FDIC regulate or monitor virtually all areas of the bank's operations, including

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security devices and procedures;



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adequacy of capitalization and loss reserves;



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loans;



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investments;



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borrowings;



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deposits;



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mergers;



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issuances of securities;



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payment of dividends;



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interest rates payable on deposits;



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interest rates or fees chargeable on loans;



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establishment of branches;



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corporate reorganizations;



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maintenance of books and records; and



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adequacy of staff training to carry on safe lending and deposit gathering practices.

        The OCC requires that the bank maintain specified capital ratios of capital to assets and imposes limitations on the bank's aggregate investment in real estate, bank premises, and furniture and fixtures. Two categories of regulatory capital are used in calculating these ratios—Tier 1 capital and total capital. Tier 1 capital generally includes common equity, retained earnings, a limited amount of qualifying preferred stock, and qualifying minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries, reduced by goodwill and certain other intangible assets, such as core deposit intangibles, and certain other assets. Total capital generally consists of Tier 1 capital plus Tier 2 capital, which includes the allowance for loan losses, preferred stock that did not qualify as Tier 1 capital, certain types of subordinated debt and a limited amount of other items.

        The bank is required to calculate three ratios: the ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, the ratio of Total capital to risk-weighted assets, and the "leverage ratio," which is the ratio of Tier 1 capital to assets on a non-risk-adjusted basis. For the two ratios of capital to risk-weighted assets, certain assets, such as cash and U.S. Treasury securities, have a zero risk weighting. Others, such as

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commercial and consumer loans, have a 100% risk weighting. Some assets, notably purchase-money loans secured by first-liens on residential real property, are risk-weighted at 50%. Assets also include amounts that represent the potential funding of off-balance sheet obligations such as loan commitments and letters of credit. These potential assets are assigned to risk categories in the same manner as funded assets. The total assets in each category are multiplied by the appropriate risk weighting to determine risk-adjusted assets for the capital calculations.

        The minimum capital ratios for both the company and the bank are generally 8% for total capital, 4% for Tier 1 capital and 4% for leverage. To be eligible to be classified as "well-capitalized," the bank must generally maintain a total capital ratio of 10% or more, a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6% or more, and a leverage ratio of 5% or more. Certain implications of the regulatory capital classification system is discussed in greater detail below.

        Prompt Corrective Action.    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 ("FDICIA") established a "prompt corrective action" program in which every bank is placed in one of five regulatory categories, depending primarily on its regulatory capital levels. The OCC and the other federal banking regulators are permitted to take increasingly severe action as a bank's capital position or financial condition declines below the "Adequately Capitalized" level described below. Regulators are also empowered to place in receivership or require the sale of a bank to another depository institution when a bank's leverage ratio reaches two percent. Better capitalized institutions are generally subject to less onerous regulation and supervision than banks with lesser amounts of capital. The OCC's regulations set forth five capital categories, each with specific regulatory consequences. The categories are:

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Well Capitalized—The institution exceeds the required minimum level for each relevant capital measure. A well capitalized institution is one (i) having a total capital ratio of 10% or greater, (ii) having a tier 1 capital ratio of 6% or greater, (iii) having a leverage capital ratio of 5% or greater and (iv) that is not subject to any order or written directive to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure.



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Adequately Capitalized—The institution meets the required minimum level for each relevant capital measure. No capital distribution may be made that would result in the institution becoming undercapitalized. An adequately capitalized institution is one (i) having a total capital ratio of 8% or greater, (ii) having a tier 1 capital ratio of 4% or greater and (iii) having a leverage capital ratio of 4% or greater or a leverage capital ratio of 3% or greater if the institution is rated composite 1 under the CAMELS (Capital, Assets, Management, Earnings, Liquidity and Sensitivity to market risk) rating system.



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Undercapitalized—The institution fails to meet the required minimum level for any relevant capital measure. An undercapitalized institution is one (i) having a total capital ratio of less than 8% or (ii) having a tier 1 capital ratio of less than 4% or (iii) having a leverage capital ratio of less than 4%, or if the institution is rated a composite 1 under the CAMEL rating system, a leverage capital ratio of less than 3%.



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Significantly Undercapitalized—The institution is significantly below the required minimum level for any relevant capital measure. A significantly undercapitalized institution is one (i) having a total capital ratio of less than 6% or (ii) having a tier 1 capital ratio of less than 3% or (iii) having a leverage capital ratio of less than 3%.



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Critically Undercapitalized—The institution fails to meet a critical capital level set by the appropriate federal banking agency. A critically undercapitalized institution is one having a ratio of tangible equity to total assets that is equal to or less than 2%.

        If the OCC determines, after notice and an opportunity for hearing, that the bank is in an unsafe or unsound condition, the regulator is authorized to reclassify the bank to the next lower capital

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category (other than critically undercapitalized) and require the submission of a plan to correct the unsafe or unsound condition.

        If the bank is not well capitalized, it cannot accept brokered deposits without prior FDIC approval and, if approval is granted, cannot offer an effective yield in excess of 75 basis points on interests paid on deposits of comparable size and maturity in such institution's normal market area for deposits accepted from within its normal market area, or national rate paid on deposits of comparable size and maturity for deposits accepted outside the bank's normal market area. Moreover, if the bank becomes less than adequately capitalized, it must adopt a capital restoration plan acceptable to the OCC that is subject to a limited performance guarantee by the corporation. The bank also would become subject to increased regulatory oversight, and is increasingly restricted in the scope of its permissible activities. Each company having control over an undercapitalized institution also must provide a limited guarantee that the institution will comply with its capital restoration plan. Except under limited circumstances consistent with an accepted capital restoration plan, an undercapitalized institution may not grow. An undercapitalized institution may not acquire another institution, establish additional branch offices or engage in any new line of business unless determined by the appropriate Federal banking agency to be consistent with an accepted capital restoration plan, or unless the FDIC determines that the proposed action will further the purpose of prompt corrective action. The appropriate federal banking agency may take any action authorized for a significantly undercapitalized institution if an undercapitalized institution fails to submit an acceptable capital restoration plan or fails in any material respect to implement a plan accepted by the agency. A critically undercapitalized institution is subject to having a receiver or conservator appointed to manage its affairs and for loss of its charter to conduct banking activities.

        An insured depository institution may not pay a management fee to a bank holding company controlling that institution or any other person having control of the institution if, after making the payment, the institution, would be undercapitalized. In addition, an institution cannot make a capital distribution, such as a dividend or other distribution that is in substance a distribution of capital to the owners of the institution if following such a distribution the institution would be undercapitalized. Thus, if payment of such a management fee or the making of such would cause the bank to become undercapitalized, it could not pay a management fee or dividend to us. As of December 31, 2007, the bank was deemed to be "well capitalized."

        Standards for Safety and Soundness.    The FDIA also requires the federal banking regulatory agencies to prescribe, by regulation or guideline, operational and managerial standards for all insured depository institutions relating to: (i) internal controls, information systems and internal audit systems; (ii) loan documentation; (iii) credit underwriting; (iv) interest rate risk exposure; and (v) asset growth. The agencies also must prescribe standards for asset quality, earnings, and stock valuation, as well as standards for compensation, fees and benefits. The federal banking agencies have adopted regulations and Interagency Guidelines Prescribing Standards for Safety and Soundness to implement these required standards. These guidelines set forth the safety and soundness standards that the federal banking agencies use to identify and address problems at insured depository institutions before capital becomes impaired. Under the regulations, if the OCC determines that the bank fails to meet any standards prescribed by the guidelines, the agency may require the bank to submit to the agency an acceptable plan to achieve compliance with the standard, as required by the OCC. The final regulations establish deadlines for the submission and review of such safety and soundness compliance plans.

        Regulatory Examination.    The OCC also requires the bank to prepare annual reports on the bank's financial condition and to conduct an annual audit of its financial affairs in compliance with its minimum standards and procedures.

        All insured institutions must undergo regular on-site examinations by their appropriate banking agency. The cost of examinations of insured depository institutions and any affiliates may be assessed

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by the appropriate federal banking agency against each institution or affiliate as it deems necessary or appropriate. Insured institutions are required to submit annual reports to the FDIC, their federal regulatory agency, and state supervisor when applicable. The FDIC has developed a method for insured depository institutions to provide supplemental disclosure of the estimated fair market value of assets and liabilities, to the extent feasible and practicable, in any balance sheet, financial statement, report of condition or any other report of any insured depository institution. The federal banking regulatory agencies to prescribe, by regulation, standards for all insured depository institutions and depository institution holding companies relating, among other things, to the following:

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internal controls;



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information systems and audit systems;



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loan documentation;



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credit underwriting;



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interest rate risk exposure; and



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asset quality.

        Deposit Insurance and Assessments.    Deposits at the bank are insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund (the "DIF") as administered by the FDIC, up to the applicable limits established by law—generally $100,000 per accountholder and $250,000 for certain retirement accountholders. In November 2006, the FDIC adopted final regulations that set the deposit insurance assessment rates that took effect in 2007. The FDIC uses a risk-based assessment system that assigns insured depository institutions to one of four risk categories based on three primary sources of information—supervisory risk ratings for all institutions, financial ratios for most institutions, including the company, and long-term debt issuer ratings for large institutions that have such ratings. The new premium rate structure imposes a minimum assessment of from five to seven cents for every $100 of domestic deposits on institutions that are assigned to the lowest risk category. This category is expected to encompass substantially all insured institutions, including the bank. A one time assessment credit is available to offset up to 100% of the 2007 assessment. Any remaining credit can be used to offset up to 90% of subsequent annual assessments through 2010. For institutions assigned to higher risk categories, the premium that took effect in 2007 ranges from ten cents to forty-three cents per $100 of deposits.

        The FDIC also collects a deposit-based assessment from insured financial institutions on behalf of The Financing Corporation (FICO). The funds from these assessments are used to service debt issued by FICO in its capacity as a financial vehicle for the Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corporation. The FICO assessment rate is set quarterly and in 2006 ranged from 1.32 cents to 1.24 cents per $100 of assessable deposits. For the first quarter of 2007, the FICO assessment rate was 1.22 cents per $100 of assessable deposits.

        Transactions with Affiliates and Insiders.    The company is a legal entity separate and distinct from the bank and its other subsidiaries. Various legal limitations restrict the bank from lending or otherwise supplying funds to the company or its non-bank subsidiaries. The company and the bank are subject to Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and Federal Reserve Regulation W. Section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act places limits on the amount of loans or extensions of credit to, or investments in, or certain other transactions with, affiliates and on the amount of advances to third parties collateralized by the securities or obligations of affiliates. The aggregate of all covered transactions is limited in amount, as to any one affiliate, to 10% of the bank's capital and surplus and, as to all affiliates combined, to 20% of the bank's capital and surplus. Furthermore, within the foregoing limitations as to amount, each covered transaction must meet specified collateral requirements. The bank is forbidden to purchase low quality assets from an affiliate.

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        Section 23B of the Federal Reserve Act, among other things, prohibits an institution from engaging in certain transactions with certain affiliates unless the transactions are on terms substantially the same, or at least as favorable to such institution or its subsidiaries, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with nonaffiliated companies.

        Regulation W generally excludes all non-bank and non-savings association subsidiaries of banks from treatment as affiliates, except to the extent that the Federal Reserve Board decides to treat these subsidiaries as affiliates. The regulation also limits the amount of loans that can be purchased by a bank from an affiliate to not more than 100% of the bank's capital and surplus.

        The bank is also subject to certain restrictions on extensions of credit to executive officers, directors, certain principal shareholders, and their related interests. Such extensions of credit (i) must be made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates, and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with third parties and (ii) must not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features.

        Dividends.    The company's principal source of cash flow, including cash flow to pay dividends to its shareholders, is dividends it receives from the bank. Statutory and regulatory limitations apply to the bank's payment of dividends to the company. As a general rule, the amount of a dividend may not exceed, without prior regulatory approval, the sum of net income in the calendar year to date and the retained net earnings of the immediately preceding two calendar years. A depository institution may not pay any dividend if payment would cause the institution to become undercapitalized or if it already is undercapitalized. The OCC may prevent the payment of a dividend if it determine that the payment would be an unsafe and unsound banking practice. The OCC also has advised that a national bank should generally pay dividends only out of current operating earnings.

        Branching.    National banks are required by the National Bank Act to adhere to branch office banking laws applicable to state banks in the states in which they are located. Under current South Carolina law, the bank may open branch offices throughout South Carolina with the prior approval of the OCC. In addition, with prior regulatory approval, the bank is able to acquire existing banking operations in South Carolina. Furthermore, federal legislation permits interstate branching, including out-of-state acquisitions by bank holding companies, interstate branching by banks if allowed by state law, and interstate merging by banks. South Carolina law currently permits, with limited exceptions, branching across state lines through interstate mergers.

        Anti-Tying Restrictions.    Under amendments to the BHCA and Federal Reserve regulations, a bank is prohibited from engaging in certain tying or reciprocity arrangements with its customers. In general, a bank may not extend credit, lease, sell property, or furnish any services or fix or vary the consideration for these on the condition that (i) the customer obtain or provide some additional credit, property, or services from or to the bank, the bank holding company or subsidiaries thereof or (ii) the customer may not obtain some other credit, property, or services from a competitor, except to the extent reasonable conditions are imposed to assure the soundness of the credit extended. Certain arrangements are permissible: a bank may offer combined-balance products and may otherwise offer more favorable terms if a customer obtains two or more traditional bank products; and certain foreign transactions are exempt from the general rule. A bank holding company or any bank affiliate also is subject to anti-tying requirements in connection with electronic benefit transfer services.

        Community Reinvestment Act.    The Community Reinvestment Act requires that the OCC evaluate the record of the bank in meeting the credit needs of its local community, including low and moderate income neighborhoods. These factors are also considered in evaluating mergers, acquisitions, and applications to open a branch or facility. Failure to adequately meet these criteria could impose additional requirements and limitations on our bank.

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        Finance Subsidiaries.    Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the "GLBA"), subject to certain conditions imposed by their respective banking regulators, national and state-chartered banks are permitted to form "financial subsidiaries" that may conduct financial or incidental activities, thereby permitting bank subsidiaries to engage in certain activities that previously were impermissible. The GLBA imposes several safeguards and restrictions on financial subsidiaries, including that the parent bank's equity investment in the financial subsidiary be deducted from the bank's assets and tangible equity for purposes of calculating the bank's capital adequacy. In addition, the GLBA imposes new restrictions on transactions between a bank and its financial subsidiaries similar to restrictions applicable to transactions between banks and non-bank affiliates.

        Consumer Protection Regulations.    Activities of the bank are subject to a variety of statutes and regulations designed to protect consumers. Interest and other charges collected or contracted for by the bank are subject to state usury laws and federal laws concerning interest rates. The bank's loan operations are also subject to federal laws applicable to credit transactions, such as:

•

the federal Truth-In-Lending Act, governing disclosures of credit terms to consumer borrowers;



•

the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975, requiring financial institutions to provide information to enable the public and public officials to determine whether a financial institution is fulfilling its obligation to help meet the housing needs of the community it serves;



•

the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, creed or other prohibited factors in extending credit;



•

the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1978, governing the use and provision of information to credit reporting agencies;



•

the Fair Debt Collection Act, governing the manner in which consumer debts may be collected by collection agencies; and



•

the rules and regulations of the various federal agencies charged with the responsibility of implementing such federal laws.

        The deposit operations of the bank also are subject to:

•

the Right to Financial Privacy Act, which imposes a duty to maintain confidentiality of consumer financial records and prescribes procedures for complying with administrative subpoenas of financial records; and



•

the Electronic Funds Transfer Act and Regulation E issued by the Federal Reserve Board to implement that Act, which governs automatic deposits to and withdrawals from deposit accounts and customers' rights and liabilities arising from the use of automated teller machines and other electronic banking services.

        Enforcement Powers.    The bank and its "institution-affiliated parties," including its management, employee's agent's independent contractors and consultants such as attorneys and accountants and others who participate in the conduct of the financial institution's affairs, are subject to potential civil and criminal penalties for violations of law, regulations or written orders of a government agency. These practices can include the failure of an institution to timely file required reports or the filing of false or misleading information or the submission of inaccurate reports. Civil penalties may be as high as $1,000,000 a day for such violations. Criminal penalties for some financial institution crimes have been increased to twenty years. In addition, regulators are provided with greater flexibility to commence enforcement actions against institutions and institution-affiliated parties. Possible enforcement actions include the termination of deposit insurance. Furthermore, banking agencies' power to issue cease-and-desist orders were expanded. Such orders may, among other things, require affirmative action to correct any harm resulting from a violation or practice, including restitution,

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reimbursement, indemnifications or guarantees against loss. A financial institution may also be ordered to restrict its growth, dispose of certain assets, rescind agreements or contracts, or take other actions as determined by the ordering agency to be appropriate.

        Anti-Money Laundering.    Financial institutions must maintain anti-money laundering programs that include established internal policies, procedures, and controls; a designated compliance officer; an ongoing employee training program; and testing of the program by an independent audit function. The company and the bank are also prohibited from entering into specified financial transactions and account relationships and must meet enhanced standards for due diligence and "knowing your customer" in their dealings with foreign financial institutions and foreign customers. Financial institutions must take reasonable steps to conduct enhanced scrutiny of account relationships to guard against money laundering and to report any suspicious transactions, and recent laws provide law enforcement authorities with increased access to financial information maintained by banks. Anti-money laundering obligations have been substantially strengthened as a result of the USA Patriot Act, enacted in 2001 and renewed in 2006. Bank regulators routinely examine institutions for compliance with these obligations and are required to consider compliance in connection with the regulatory review of applications. The regulatory authorities have been active in imposing "cease and desist" orders and money penalty sanctions against institutions found to be violating these obligations.

        USA PATRIOT Act/Bank Secrecy Act.    Financial institutions must maintain anti-money laundering programs that include established internal policies, procedures, and controls; a designated compliance officer; an ongoing employee training program; and testing of the program by an independent audit function. The USA PATRIOT Act, amended, in part, the bank Secrecy Act and provides for the facilitation of information sharing among governmental entities and financial institutions for the purpose of combating terrorism and money laundering by enhancing anti-money laundering and financial transparency laws, as well as enhanced information collection tools and enforcement mechanics for the U.S. government, including: (i) requiring standards for verifying customer identification at account opening; (ii) rules to promote cooperation among financial institutions, regulators, and law enforcement entities in identifying parties that may be involved in terrorism or money laundering; (iii) reports by nonfinancial trades and businesses filed with the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for transactions exceeding $10,000; and (iv) filing suspicious activities reports if a bank believes a customer may be violating U.S. laws and regulations and requires enhanced due diligence requirements for financial institutions that administer, maintain, or manage private bank accounts or correspondent accounts for non-U.S. persons. Bank regulators routinely examine institutions for compliance with these obligations and are required to consider compliance in connection with the regulatory review of applications.

        Under the USA PATRIOT Act, the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") can send to the banking regulatory agencies lists of the names of persons suspected of involvement in terrorist activities. The bank can be requested, to search its records for any relationships or transactions with persons on those lists. If the bank finds any relationships or transactions, it must file a suspicious activity report and contact the FBI.

        The Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC"), which is a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, is responsible for helping to insure that United States entities do not engage in transactions with "enemies" of the United States, as defined by various Executive Orders and Acts of Congress. OFAC has sent, and will send, our banking regulatory agencies lists of names of persons and organizations suspected of aiding, harboring or engaging in terrorist acts. If the bank finds a name on any transaction, account or wire transfer that is on an OFAC list, it must freeze such account, file a suspicious activity report and notify the FBI. The bank has appointed an OFAC compliance officer to oversee the inspection of its accounts and the filing of any notifications. The bank actively checks high-risk OFAC areas such as new accounts, wire transfers and customer files. The bank performs these

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checks utilizing software, which is updated each time a modification is made to the lists provided by OFAC and other agencies of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons.

        Privacy and Credit Reporting.    Financial institutions are required to disclose their policies for collecting and protecting confidential information. Customers generally may prevent financial institutions from sharing nonpublic personal financial information with nonaffiliated third parties except under narrow circumstances, such as the processing of transactions requested by the consumer. Additionally, financial institutions generally may not disclose consumer account numbers to any nonaffiliated third party for use in telemarketing, direct mail marketing or other marketing to consumers. It is the bank's policy not to disclose any personal information unless required by law. The OCC and the federal banking agencies have prescribed standards for maintaining the security and confidentiality of consumer information. The bank is subject to such standards, as well as standards for notifying consumers in the event of a security breach.

        Like other lending institutions, the bank utilizes credit bureau data in its underwriting activities. Use of such data is regulated under the Federal Credit Reporting Act on a uniform, nationwide basis, including credit reporting, prescreening, sharing of information between affiliates, and the use of credit data. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (the "FACT Act") permits states to enact identity theft laws that are not inconsistent with the conduct required by the provisions of the FACT Act.

        Check 21.    The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act gives "substitute checks," such as a digital image of a check and copies made from that image, the same legal standing as the original paper check. Some of the major provisions include:

•

allowing check truncation without making it mandatory;



•

demanding that every financial institution communicate to accountholders in writing a description of its substitute check processing program and their rights under the law;



•

legalizing substitutions for and replacements of paper checks without agreement from consumers;



•

retaining in place the previously mandated electronic collection and return of checks between financial institutions only when individual agreements are in place;



•

requiring that when accountholders request verification, financial institutions produce the original check (or a copy that accurately represents the original) and demonstrate that the account debit was accurate and valid; and



•

requiring the re-crediting of funds to an individual's account on the next business day after a consumer proves that the financial institution has erred.

        Effect of Governmental Monetary Policies.    Our earnings are affected by domestic economic conditions and the monetary and fiscal policies of the United States government and its agencies. The Federal Reserve Bank's monetary policies have had, and are likely to continue to have, an important impact on the operating results of commercial banks through its power to implement national monetary policy in order, among other things, to curb inflation or combat a recession. The monetary policies of the Federal Reserve Board have major effects upon the levels of bank loans, investments and deposits through its open market operations in United States government securities and through its regulation of the discount rate on borrowings of member banks and the reserve requirements against member bank deposits. It is not possible to predict the nature or impact of future changes in monetary and fiscal policies.

        Proposed Legislation and Regulatory Action.    New regulations and statutes are regularly proposed that contain wide-ranging proposals for altering the structures, regulations, and competitive

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relationships of the nation's financial institutions. We cannot predict whether or in what form any proposed regulation or statute will be adopted or the extent to which our business may be affected by any new regulation or statute.

Item 1A.    Risk Factors

Our recent operating results may not be indicative of our future operating results.

        We may not be able to sustain our historical rate of growth, and, consequently, our historical results of operations will not necessarily be indicative of our future operations. Various factors, such as economic conditions, regulatory and legislative considerations, and competition, may also impede our ability to expand our market presence. If we experience a significant decrease in our historical rate of growth, our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected because a high percentage of our operating costs are fixed expenses.

Our decisions regarding credit risk and reserves for loan losses may materially and adversely affect our business.

        Making loans and other extensions of credit is an essential element of our business. Although we seek to mitigate risks inherent in lending by adhering to specific underwriting practices, our loans and other extensions of credit may not be repaid. The risk of nonpayment is affected by a number of factors, including:

•

the duration of the credit;



•

credit risks of a particular customer;



•

changes in economic and industry conditions; and



•

in the case of a collateralized loan, risks resulting from uncertainties about the future value of the collateral.

        We attempt to maintain an appropriate allowance for loan losses to provide for potential losses in our loan portfolio. We periodically determine the amount of the allowance based on consideration of several factors, including:

•

an ongoing review of the quality, mix, and size of our overall loan portfolio;



•

our historical loan loss experience;



•

evaluation of economic conditions;



•

regular reviews of loan delinquencies and loan portfolio quality; and



•

the amount and quality of collateral, including guarantees, securing the loans.

        There is no precise method of predicting credit losses; therefore, we face the risk that charge-offs in future periods will exceed our allowance for loan losses and that additional increases in the allowance for loan losses will be required. Additions to the allowance for loan losses would result in a decrease of our net income, and possibly our capital.

        Federal and state regulators periodically review our allowance for loan losses and may require us to increase our provision for loan losses or recognize further loan charge-offs, based on judgments different than those of our management. Any increase in the amount of our provision or loans charged-off as required by these regulatory agencies could have a negative effect on our operating results.

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Lack of seasoning of our loan portfolio may increase the risk of credit defaults in the future.

        Due to the rapid growth of our bank over the past several years, a material portion of the loans in our loan portfolio and of our lending relationships are of relatively recent origin. In general, loans do not begin to show signs of credit deterioration or default until they have been outstanding for some period of time, a process we refer to as "seasoning." As a result, a portfolio of older loans will usually behave more predictably than a newer portfolio. Because of our internal loan growth, the current level of delinquencies and defaults may not be representative of the level that will prevail when the portfolio becomes more seasoned, which may be higher than current levels. If delinquencies and defaults increase, we may be required to increase our provision for loan losses, which would adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

An economic downturn, especially one affecting the Lexington, Richland, Newberry, and Kershaw Counties and the surrounding areas, could reduce our customer base, our level of deposits, and demand for financial products such as loans.

        We are operating in a challenging and uncertain economic environment, including generally uncertain national and local conditions. Our success significantly depends upon the growth in population, income levels, deposits, and housing starts in our market of Lexington, Richland, Newberry, and Kershaw Counties and the surrounding area. If the communities in which we operate do not grow or if prevailing economic conditions locally or nationally are unfavorable, our business may not succeed. An economic downturn would likely contribute to the deterioration of the quality of our loan portfolio and reduce our level of deposits, which in turn would hurt our business. If an economic downturn occurs in the economy as a whole, or in Lexington, Richland, Newberry, and Kershaw Counties and the surrounding area, borrowers may be less likely to repay their loans as scheduled. Moreover, the value of real estate or other collateral that may secure our loans could be adversely affected. Unlike many larger institutions, we are not able to spread the risks of unfavorable local economic conditions across a large number of diversified economies. An economic downturn could, therefore, result in losses that materially and adversely affect our business.

We have a concentration of credit exposure in commercial real estate and a downturn in commercial real estate could adversely affect its business, financial condition, and results of operations.

        As of December 31, 2007, we had approximately $130.7 million in loans outstanding to borrowers in the commercial real estate industry, representing approximately 42.4% of our total loans outstanding as of that date. The real estate consists primarily of owner-occupied properties, warehouse and other commercial properties. These types of loans are generally viewed as having more risk of default than residential real estate loans. They are also typically larger than residential real estate loans and consumer loans and depend on cash flows from the owner's business or the property to service the debt. Cash flows may be affected significantly by general economic conditions, and a downturn in the local economy or in occupancy rates in the local economy where the property is located could increase the likelihood of default. Because our loan portfolio contains a number of commercial real estate loans with relatively large balances, the deterioration of one or a few of these loans could cause a significant increase in our level of non-performing loans. An increase in non-performing loans could result in a loss of earnings from these loans, an increase in the related provision for loan losses and an increase in charge-offs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

        Our commercial real estate loans have grown 31.0%, or $31.0, million since December 31, 2006. The banking regulators are giving commercial real estate lending greater scrutiny, and may require banks with higher levels of commercial real estate loans to implement more stringent underwriting, internal controls, risk management policies and portfolio stress testing, as well as possibly higher levels

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of allowances for losses and capital levels as a result of commercial real estate lending growth and exposures.

A significant portion of our loan portfolio is secured by real estate, and events that negatively impact the real estate market could hurt our business.

        A significant portion of our loan portfolio is secured by real estate. As of December 31, 2007, approximately 88.3% of our loans had real estate as a primary or secondary component of collateral. The real estate collateral in each case provides an alternate source of repayment in the event of default by the borrower and may deteriorate in value during the time the credit is extended. A weakening of the real estate market in our primary market area could result in an increase in the number of borrowers who default on their loans and a reduction in the value of the collateral securing their loans, which in turn could have an adverse effect on our profitability and asset quality. If we are required to liquidate the collateral securing a loan to satisfy the debt during a period of reduced real estate values, our earnings and capital could be adversely affected. Acts of nature, including hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, fires and floods, which may cause uninsured damage and other loss of value to real estate that secures these loans, may also negatively impact our financial condition.

Changes in the financial markets could impair the value of our investment portfolio.

        The investment securities portfolio is a significant component of our total earning assets. Total securities averaged $172.3 million in 2007, as compared to $175.1 million in 2006. This represents 36.2% and 40.0% of the average earning assets for the year ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. At December 31, 2007, the portfolio was 35.8% of earning assets. Turmoil in the financial markets could impair the market value of our investment portfolio, which could adversely affect our net income and possibly our capital.

        During the last half of 2007 the bond markets and many institutional holders of bonds came under a great deal of stress partially as a result of increasing delinquencies in the sub-prime mortgage lending market. At December 31, 2007 we had mortgage backed securities including collateralized mortgage obligations (CMO's) with a fair value of $91.4 million. Of these, $61.8 million were issued by government sponsored enterprises and $29.6 million are by other issuers. We believe that none of the CMOs held at December 31, 2007 are deemed to be invested in "high risk" tranches. Although none of the collateralized mortgage obligations that we hold are classified as sub-prime obligations or considered the "high risk" tranches, the majority of "structured" investments within all credit markets have been impacted by volatility and credit concerns. The result has been that the market for these investments has become less liquid and the spread as compared to alternative investments has widened dramatically. To a lesser extent mortgage backed securities issued by government sponsored enterprises (GSE's) such as FHLMC and FNMA have been impacted and spreads have increased on these investments. These entities have also experienced increasing delinquencies in the underlying loans that make up the mortgage backed securities and CMO's.

        At December 31, 2007, we also had investments in variable rate preferred stock issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC) with a fair value of $10.9 million, and book value of $14.2 million. The market for these preferred securities has been impacted by the current credit and liquidity concerns in the overall bond market. As a result of the current economic cycle the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation recently issued additional preferred stock to enhance their capital levels. These fixed rate securities were issued at a yield significantly higher than the yield currently being realized on our FHLMC holdings.

        As of December 31, 2007 and 2006, all of the mortgage backed securities issued by GSE's and others, as well as our preferred stock investments, are classified as "Available for Sale." Unrealized losses on these investments are not considered to be "other than temporary" and we have the intent

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and ability to hold these until they mature or recover our current book value. We currently maintain substantial liquidity which supports our intent and ability to hold these investments until they mature, or until a market price recovery in the case of preferred stock investment. However, if we were to cease to have the ability and intent to hold these investments until maturity or a market price recovery, or were to sell these securities at a loss, it could adversely affect our net income and possibly our capital.

Changes in prevailing interest rates may reduce our profitability.

        Our results of operations depend in large part upon the level of our net interest income, which is the difference between interest income from interest-earning assets, such as loans and mortgage-backed securities, and interest expense on interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and other borrowings. Depending on the terms and maturities of our assets and liabilities, a significant change in interest rates could have a material adverse effect on our profitability. Many factors cause changes in interest rates, including governmental monetary policies and domestic and international economic and political conditions. While we intend to manage the effects of changes in interest rates by adjusting the terms, maturities, and pricing of our assets and liabilities, our efforts may not be effective and our financial condition and results of operations could suffer.

We are dependent on key individuals, and the loss of one or more of these key individuals could curtail our growth and adversely affect our prospects.

        Michael C. Crapps, our president and chief executive officer, has extensive and long-standing ties within our primary market area and substantial experience with our operations, and he has contributed significantly to our growth. If we lose the services of Mr. Crapps, he would be difficult to replace and our business and development could be materially and adversely affected.

        Our success also depends, in part, on our continued ability to attract and retain experienced loan originators, as well as other management personnel. Competition for personnel is intense, and we may not be successful in attracting or retaining qualified personnel. Our failure to compete for these personnel, or the loss of the services of several of such key personnel, could adversely affect our growth strategy and seriously harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

We are subject to extensive regulation that could limit or restrict our activities.

        We operate in a highly regulated industry and are subject to examination, supervision, and comprehensive regulation by various regulatory agencies. Our compliance with these regulations is costly and restricts certain of our activities, including payment of dividends, mergers and acquisitions, investments, loans and interest rates charged, interest rates paid on deposits, and locations of offices. We are also subject to capitalization guidelines established by our regulators, which require us to maintain adequate capital to support our growth.

        The laws and regulations applicable to the banking industry could change at any time, and we cannot predict the effects of these changes on our business and profitability. Because government regulation greatly affects the business and financial results of all commercial banks and bank holding companies, our cost of compliance could adversely affect our ability to operate profitably.

        The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the related rules and regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission that are now applicable to us, have increased the scope, complexity, and cost of corporate governance, reporting, and disclosure practices. To comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we have previously hired outside consultant to assist with our internal audit and internal control functions. We have experienced, and we expect to continue to experience, greater compliance costs, including costs related to internal controls, as a result of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

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        We have performed the system and process evaluation and testing (and any necessary remediation) required to comply with the management certification for 2007. Currently the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are not applicable to us until December 31, 2009. We currently anticipate that our auditors will be able to provide the attestation relating to internal controls and all other aspects of Section 404 in 2009. In the event internal control deficiencies are identified in the future that we are unable to remediate in a timely manner or if we are not able to maintain the requirements of Section 404, we could be subject to scrutiny by regulatory authorities and the trading price of our stock could decline. Moreover, effective internal controls are necessary for us to produce reliable financial reports and are important to helping prevent financial fraud. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, our business and operating results could be harmed, investors and regulators could lose confidence in our reported financial information, and the trading price of our stock could drop significantly. We currently anticipate that we will continue to fully implement the requirements relating to internal controls and all other aspects of Section 404 within required time frames.

Our continued pace of growth may require us to raise additional capital in the future, but that capital may not be available when it is needed.

        We are required by regulatory authorities to maintain adequate levels of capital to support our operations. To support our continued growth, we may need to raise additional capital. Our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, will depend in part on conditions in the capital markets at that time, which are outside our control. Accordingly, we cannot assure you of our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, on terms acceptable to us. If we cannot raise additional capital when needed, our ability to further expand our operations through internal growth and acquisitions could be materially impaired. In addition, if we decide to raise additional equity capital, your interest could be diluted.

We face strong competition for customers, which could prevent us from obtaining customers and may cause us to pay higher interest rates to attract customers.

        The banking business is highly competitive, and we experience competition in our market from many other financial institutions. We compete with commercial banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, mortgage banking firms, consumer finance companies, securities brokerage firms, insurance companies, money market funds, and other mutual funds, as well as other super-regional, national, and international financial institutions that operate offices in our primary market areas and elsewhere. We compete with these institutions both in attracting deposits and in making loans. In addition, we have to attract our customer base from other existing financial institutions and from new residents. Many of our competitors are well-established, larger financial institutions. These institutions offer some services, such as extensive and established branch networks, that we do not provide. There is a risk that we will not be able to compete successfully with other financial institutions in our market, and that we may have to pay higher interest rates to attract deposits, resulting in reduced profitability. In addition, competitors that are not depository institutions are generally not subject to the extensive regulations that apply to us.

We will face risks with respect to expansion through acquisitions or mergers.

        From time to time we may seek to acquire other financial institutions or parts of those institutions. We may also expand into new markets or lines of business or offer new products or services. These activities would involve a number of risks, including:

•

the potential inaccuracy of the estimates and judgments used to evaluate credit, operations, management, and market risks with respect to a target institution;

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•

the time and costs of evaluating new markets, hiring or retaining experienced local management, and opening new offices and the time lags between these activities and the generation of sufficient assets and deposits to support the costs of the expansion;



•

the incurrence and possible impairment of goodwill associated with an acquisition and possible adverse effects on our results of operations; and



•

the risk of loss of key employees and customers.

Our underwriting decisions may materially and adversely affect our business.

        While we generally underwrite the loans in our portfolio in accordance with our own internal underwriting guidelines and regulatory supervisory guidelines, in certain circumstances we have made loans which exceed either our internal underwriting guidelines, supervisory guidelines, or both. As of December 31, 2007, approximately $9.0 million of our loans, or 17.6% of our bank's capital, had loan-to-value ratios that exceeded regulatory supervisory guidelines, of which 2 loans totaling approximately $60,000 had loan-to-value ratios of 100% or more. In addition, supervisory limits on commercial loan to value exceptions are set at 30% of our bank's capital. At December 31, 2007, $8.2 million of our commercial loans, or 16.1% of our bank's capital, exceeded the supervisory loan to value ratio. The number of loans in our portfolio with loan-to-value ratios in excess of supervisory guidelines, our internal guidelines, or both could increase the risk of delinquencies and defaults in our portfolio.

Our small to medium-sized business target markets may have fewer financial resources to weather a downturn in the economy.

        We target the banking and financial services needs of small and medium-sized businesses. These businesses generally have fewer financial resources in terms of capital borrowing capacity than larger entities. If general economic conditions negatively impact these businesses in the markets in which we operate, our business, financial condition, and results of operation may be adversely affected.

We may have higher loan losses than we have allowed for in our allowance for loan losses.

        Our loan losses could exceed our allowance for loan losses. Our average loan size continues to increase and reliance on our historic allowance for loan losses may not be adequate. Approximately 76% of our loan portfolio is composed of construction, commercial mortgage and commercial loans. Repayment of such loans is generally considered more subject to market risk than residential mortgage loans. Industry experience shows that a portion of loans will become delinquent and a portion of loans will require partial or entire charge-off. Regardless of the underwriting criteria utilized, losses may be experienced as a result of various factors beyond our control, including among other things, changes in market conditions affecting the value of loan collateral and problems affecting the credit of our borrowers.

Item 1B.    Unresolved SEC Comments.

        We have no unresolved staff comments with the SEC regarding our periodic or currect reports under the Exchange Act.

Item 2.    Description of Property.

        Lexington Property.    The principal place of business of both the company and our main office is located at 5455 Sunset Boulevard, Lexington, South Carolina 29072. The site of the bank's main office branch is a 2.29 acre plot of land. This site was purchased for $576,000 and the building cost were approximately $1.0 million. The branch operates in an 8,500 square foot facility located on this site.

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        In October 2000, the bank acquired an additional 2.0 acres adjacent to the existing facility for approximately $300,000. This site was designed to allow for 24,000 to 48,000 square foot facility at some future date. The bank completed construction and occupied the 28,000 square foot administrative center in July 2006. The total construction cost for the building is approximately $3.4 million. The Lexington property is owned by the bank.

        Forest Acres Property.    We operate a branch office facility at 4404 Forest Drive, Columbia, South Carolina 29206. The Forest Acres site is .71 acres. The banking facility is approximately 4,000 square feet with a total cost of land and facility approximately $920,000. This property is owned by the bank.

        Irmo Property.    We operate a branch office facility at 1030 Lake Murray Boulevard, Irmo, South Carolina 29063. The Irmo site is approximately 1.00 acre. The banking facility is approximately 3,200 square feet with a total cost of land and facility of approximately $1.1 million. This property is owned by the bank.

        Cayce/West Columbia Property.    We operate a branch office facility at 506 Meeting Street, West Columbia, South Carolina, 29169. The Cayce/West Columbia site is approximately 1.25 acres. The banking facility is approximately 3,800 square feet with a total cost of land and facility of approximately $935,000. This property is owned by the bank.

        Gilbert Property.    We operate a branch office at 4325 Augusta Highway Gilbert, South Carolina 29054. The facility is an approximate 3000 square foot facility located on an approximate one acre lot. The total cost of the land and facility was approximately $768,000. This property is owned by the bank.

        Chapin Office.    We operate a branch office facility at 137 Amicks Ferry Rd., Chapin, South Carolina 29036. The facility is approximately 3,000 square feet and is located on a three acre lot. The total cost of the facility and land was approximately $1.3 million. This property is owned by the bank.

        Northeast Columbia.    We operate a branch office facility at 9822 Two Notch Rd, Columbia, South Carolina 29223. The facility is approximately 3,000 square feet and is located on a 1.0 acre lot. The total cost of the facility and land was approximately $1.2 million. This property is owned by the bank.

        Prosperity Property.    We operate a branch office at 101 N. Wheeler Avenue, Prosperity, South Carolina 29127. This office was acquired in connection with the DutchFork merger. The banking facility is approximately 1,300 square feet and is located on a .31 acre lot. The total cost of the facility and land was approximately $175,000. This property is owned by the bank.

        Wilson Road.    We operate a branch office at 1735 Wilson Road, Newberry, South Carolina 29108. The banking office was acquired in connection with the DutchFork merger. This banking facility is approximately 12,000 square feet and is located on a 1.56 acre lot. Adjacent to the branch facility is a 13,000 square foot facility which was formerly utilized as the DutchFork operations center. The total cost of the facility and land was approximately $3.3 million. This property is owned by the bank.

        Redbank Property.    We operate a branch office facility at 1449 Two Notch Road, Lexington, South Carolina 29073. This branch opened for operation on February 3, 2005. The facility is approximately 3,000 square feet and is located on a 1.0 acre lot. The total cost of the facility and land was approximately $1.3 million. This property is owned by the bank.

        Camden Property.    We operate a branch office facility at 631 DeKalb Street, Camden, South Carolina 29020. This office was acquired in connection with the DeKalb merger. The facility is approximately 11,247 square feet and is located on a 2.2 acre lot. The total cost of the facility and land was approximately $2.4 million. This property is owned by the bank.

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        Highway 219 Property.    A .61 acre lot located on highway 219 in Newberry County was acquired in connection with the DutchFork merger. This lot may be used for a future branch location but no definitive plans have been made. The cost of the lot was $430,000. This property is owned by the bank.

Item 3.    Legal Proceedings.

        Neither the company nor the bank is a party to, nor is any of their property the subject of, any material pending legal proceedings related to the business of the company or the bank.

Item 4.    Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

        No matter was submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered by this report.

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PART II

Item 5.    Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

        As of March 1, 2008, there were approximately 1,549 shareholders of record of our common stock. On January 15, 2003, our stock began trading on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the trading symbol of "FCCO." Prior to January 15, 2003, our stock was quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board under the trading symbol "FCCO.OB." The following table sets forth the high and low sales price information as reported by NASDAQ in 2007 and 2006, and the dividends per share declared on our common stock in each such quarter. All information has been adjusted for any stock splits and stock dividends effected during the periods presented.

        We expect comparable dividends to be paid to the shareholders for the foreseeable future. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the future dividend policy of the company is subject to the discretion of the board of directors and will depend upon a number of factors, including future earnings, financial condition, cash requirements, and general business conditions. Our ability to pay dividends is generally limited by the ability of our subsidiary bank to pay dividends to us. As a national bank, our bank may only pay dividends out of its net profits then on hand, after deducting expenses, including losses and bad debts. In addition, the bank is prohibited from declaring a dividend on its shares of common stock until its surplus equals its stated capital, unless there has been transferred to surplus no less than one-tenth of the bank's net profits of the preceding two consecutive half-year periods (in the case of an annual dividend). The approval of the OCC will be required if the total of all dividends declared in any calendar year by the bank exceeds the bank's net profits to date, as defined, for that year combined with its retained net profits for the preceding two years less any required transfers to surplus. At December 31, 2007, the bank had $9.0 million free of these restrictions. The OCC also has the authority under federal law to enjoin a national bank from engaging in what in its opinion constitutes an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting its business, including the payment of a dividend under certain circumstances.

        On June 21, 2006, our board of directors approved a new plan to repurchase up to 150,000 shares of our common stock on the open market. On April 17, 2007 and January 15, 2008 the Board approved an increase of 50,000 to be repurchased at each meeting. This brought the total available to be

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repurchased under the plan since inception to 250,000 shares. The following table reflects share repurchase activity during the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2007:

(1)

Includes 50,000 shares authorized by the Board of Directors on January 15, 2008.

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Performance Graph

        The following information in this Item 5 of this Annual Report is not deemed to be "soliciting material" or to be "filed" with the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except to the extent we specifically incorporate it by reference into such a filing.

        The following graph sets forth the performance of First Community Corporation's common stock for the five year period ended December 31, 2007 as compared to the NASDAQ Composite Index and the NASDAQ Bank Index. The graph assumes $100 originally invested on December 31, 2002 and that any and all subsequent dividends were reinvested in additional shares. The performance graph represents past performance and should not be considered to be an indication of future performance.

FIVE YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURNS
COMPARISON OF FIRST COMMUNITY CORPORATION,
NASDAQ STOCK MARKET (U.S.) INDEX,
AND NASDAQ BANK INDEX

See Tabular Information Below

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Item 6.    Selected Financial Data

First Community Corporation

Selected Financial Data
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)

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Item 7.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Overview

        First Community Corporation is a one bank holding company headquartered in Lexington, South Carolina. We operate from our main office in Lexington, South Carolina and our 11 full-service offices are located in Lexington (two), Forest Acres, Irmo, Cayce-West Columbia, Gilbert, Chapin, Northeast Columbia, Prosperity, Newberry and Camden. During the second quarter of 2006, we completed our acquisition of DeKalb Bankshares, Inc., the holding company for The Bank of Camden. The merger added one office in Kershaw County located in the Midlands of South Carolina. During the fourth quarter of 2004, we completed our first acquisition of another financial institution when we merged with DutchFork Bancshares, Inc., the holding company for Newberry Federal Savings Bank. The merger added three offices in Newberry County. In 2007, our College Street office in Newberry was consolidated with our Wilson Road Office in Newberry. We engage in a general commercial and retail banking business characterized by personalized service and local decision making, emphasizing the banking needs of small to medium-sized businesses, professional concerns and individuals.

        During 2007, we experienced loan growth of 12.7%, or $34.8 million. Deposits decreased by 2.2% or $9.1 million during 2007. The continued growth in our loan portfolio is consistent with our strategy to leverage the deposit base in Newberry County that we acquired in the DutchFork acquisition in 2004. Our loan to deposit ratio at December 31, 2007 was 76.4% as compared to 66.3% at December 31, 2006. The growth in the loan portfolio was funded primarily by cash flow provided from our investment portfolio and a decrease in our overnight federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell. Total assets grew to $565.6 million, loans to $310.0 million and deposits decreased to $405.8 million at December 31, 2007. Our net income increased $463,000 in 2007, or 13.2%, over the year ended December 31, 2006. The increase was primarily attributable to the continued growth in the level of earning assets as well as an increase in non-interest income. Net income was $4.0 million, or $1.21 diluted earnings per share in 2007, compared to $3.5 million, or $1.10 diluted earnings per share in 2006.

        The following discussion describes our results of operations for 2007 as compared to 2006 (and 2006 compared to 2005 and also analyzes our financial condition as of December 31, 2007 as compared to December 31, 2006. Like most community banks, we derive most of our income from interest we receive on our loans and investments. A primary source of funds for making these loans and investments is our deposits, on which we pay interest. Consequently, one of the key measures of our success is our amount of net interest income, or the difference between the income on our interest-earning assets, such as loans and investments, and the expense on our interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits. Another key measure is the spread between the yield we earn on these interest-earning assets and the rate we pay on our interest-bearing liabilities.

        We have included a number of tables to assist in our description of these measures. For example, the "Average Balances" table shows the average balance during 2007, 2006 and 2005 of each category of our assets and liabilities, as well as the yield we earned or the rate we paid with respect to each category. A review of this table shows that our loans typically provide higher interest yields than do other types of interest earning assets, which is why we intend to channel a substantial percentage of our earning assets into our loan portfolio. Similarly, the "Rate/Volume Analysis" table helps demonstrate the impact of changing interest rates and changing volume of assets and liabilities during the years shown. We also track the sensitivity of our various categories of assets and liabilities to changes in interest rates, and we have included a "Sensitivity Analysis Table" to help explain this. Finally, we have included a number of tables that provide detail about our investment securities, our loans, and our deposits and other borrowings.

        There are risks inherent in all loans, so we maintain an allowance for loan losses to absorb probable losses on existing loans that may become uncollectible. We establish and maintain this

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allowance by charging a provision for loan losses against our operating earnings. In the following section we have included a detailed discussion of this process, as well as several tables describing our allowance for loan losses and the allocation of this allowance among our various categories of loans.

        In addition to earning interest on our loans and investments, we earn income through fees and other expenses we charge to our customers. We describe the various components of this noninterest income, as well as our noninterest expense, in the following discussion. The discussion and analysis also identifies significant factors that have affected our financial position and operating results during the periods included in the accompanying financial statements. We encourage you to read this discussion and analysis in conjunction with the financial statements and the related notes and the other statistical information also included in this report.

Mergers

        On June 9, 2006 we consummated our merger with DeKalb Bankshares, Inc. Pursuant to the merger, we issued 364,034 shares of common stock valued at $7.6 million and paid $2.4 million in cash to shareholders of DeKalb. Other costs related to the merger included stock options valued at $585,000 and direct acquisition costs of $277,000. The fair value of assets acquired at the date of acquisition was $46.4 million, including $4.9 million in goodwill and $522,000 in core deposit intangible. The fair value of liabilities assumed amounted to $36.2 million. Periods prior to June 9, 2006 do not include the effect of the merger with DeKalb.

        On October 1, 2004, we completed our merger with DutchFork Bancshares, Inc. Pursuant to the merger, we issued 1,169,898 shares of common stock valued at $27.3 million and paid $18.3 million to shareholders of DutchFork. Other costs related to the merger included stock options valued at $2.6 million and direct acquisition costs of $1.1 million. The fair value of assets acquired at the date of acquisition was $224.2 million, including $24.2 million in goodwill and $2.9 million in core deposit intangible. The fair value of liabilities assumed amounted to $174.9 million.

Critical Accounting Policies

        We have adopted various accounting policies that govern the application of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and that are consistent with general practices within the banking industry in the preparation of our financial statements. Our significant accounting policies are described in footnote 2 to our audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2007, as included in our annual report.

        Certain accounting policies involve significant judgments and assumptions by us that have a material impact on the carrying value of certain assets and liabilities. We consider these accounting policies to be critical accounting policies. The judgment and assumptions we use are based on historical experience and other factors, which we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Because of the nature of the judgment and assumptions we make, actual results could differ from these judgments and estimates that could have a material impact on the carrying values of our assets and liabilities and our results of operations.

        We believe the allowance for loan losses is the critical accounting policy that requires the most significant judgments and estimates when preparing our consolidated financial statements. Some of the more critical judgments supporting the amount of our allowance for loan losses include judgments about the credit worthiness of borrowers, the estimated value of the underlying collateral, cash flow assumptions, the determination of loss factors for estimating credit losses, the impact of current events, and other factors impacting the level of probable inherent losses. Under different conditions or using different assumptions, the actual amount of credit losses incurred by us may be different from management's estimates provided in our consolidated financial statements. Please see "Allowance for

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Loan Losses" for a more complete discussion of our processes and methodology for determining our allowance for loan losses.

Results of Operations

        Our net income was $4.0 million, or $1.21 diluted earnings per share, for the year ended December 31, 2007, as compared to net income of $3.5 million, or $1.10 diluted earnings per share, for the year ended December 31, 2006, and $3.1 million, or $1.04 diluted earnings per share, for the year ended December 31, 2005. The increase in net income for 2007 as compared to 2006 resulted primarily from an increase in the level of average earning assets of $38.2 million. The effect of the increase in earning assets was offset by a 6 basis point decrease in the net interest margin from 3.27% during 2006 to 3.21% during 2007. On a tax equivalent basis, the net interest margin was 3.29% and 3.36% for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. Net interest spread, the difference between the yield on earning assets and the rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities, was 2.69% in 2007 as compared to 2.88% in 2006 and 3.05% in 2005. See below under "Net Interest Income" and "Market Risk and Interest Rate Sensitivity" for a further discussion about the effect of this decrease in the net interest spread and in our net interest margin. Net interest income increased to $15.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from $14.3 million in 2006. The provision for loan losses was $492,000 in 2007 as compared to $528,000 in 2006. Non-interest income increased to $5.0 million in 2007 from $4.4 million in 2006 due primarily to increased deposit service charges resulting from higher average deposit account balances as well as increased ATM/Debit Card fees and a favorable adjustment on financial instruments that are carried at fair value. Non-interest expense increased to $14.1 million in 2007 as compared to $13.2 million in 2006. This increase is attributable to increases in all expense categories required to support the continued growth of the bank.

        The increase in net income from 2005 to 2006 resulted primarily from an increase in the level of average earning assets of $44.0 million, which was partially offset by a decrease in the net interest margin from 3.30% in 2005 compared to 3.27% in 2006. Earning assets averaged $393.9 million in 2005 as compared to $437.9 million in 2006. Non-interest income increased from $3.3 million in 2005 to $4.4 million in 2006 due to increased deposit service charges resulting from higher account balances as well as the introduction of an Overdraft Protection in the fourth quarter of 2005. In addition, in 2006 we had net losses on the securities of $69,000 as compared to gains of $188,000 in 2005. Non-interest expense increased to $13.2 million in 2006 as compared to $11.8 million in 2005. This increase is attributable to expenses of the former DeKalb Bancshares being included in the 2006 operations for approximately six months. In addition, increased occupancy expense resulted from the move to a new 29,000 square foot operations center in July 2006.

Net Interest Income

        Net interest income is our primary source of revenue. Net interest income is the difference between income earned on assets and interest paid on deposits and borrowings used to support such assets. Net interest income is determined by the rates earned on our interest-earning assets and the rates paid on our interest-bearing liabilities, the relative amounts of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, and the degree of mismatch and the maturity and repricing characteristics of its interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities.

        Net interest income totaled $15.3 million in 2007, $14.3 million in 2006 and $13.0 million in 2005. The yield on earning assets, which was 5.42% in 2005, increased to 6.22% and 6.50% in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities was 2.37% in 2005, 3.34% in 2006 and 3.81% in 2007. The fully taxable equivalent net interest margin was 3.44% in 2005, 3.36% in 2006 and 3.29% in 2007. The continued decrease in net interest margin in 2007 as compared to 2006 was a result of a smaller rise in average yields on interest earning assets relative to the rise in the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities. Our loan to deposit ratio on average during 2007 was 73.4%, as compared to

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64.8% in 2006 and 59.8% during 2005. Loans typically provide a higher yield than other types of earning assets and thus one of our goals continues to be to grow the loan portfolio as a percentage of earning assets which should improve the overall yield on earning assets and the net interest margin. At December 31, 2007, the loan to deposit ratio had increased to 76.4%.

        The flat yield curve throughout much the first half of 2007 as well as an increasing competitive deposit and lending environment were significant contributors to the decline in the net interest margin. The yield on earning assets increased by 28 basis points in 2007 as compared to 2006, whereas the cost of interest-bearing funds increased by 47 basis points during the same period. The higher increase in the cost of funds as compared to yield on interest earning assets was due to an increase in our funding cost on time deposits. Approximately, 84.4% of our time deposits reprice within 12 months. The short end of the yield curve declined in the latter half of 2007 but the competitive pricing environment within our market kept rates on these deposits high in comparison to the yield curve decline. The average cost of time deposits was 4.77% in 2007 as compared to 4.18% and 2.89% in 2006 and 2005, respectively. The average borrowed funds to total interest bearing-liabilities in 2007 was 19.6%, as compared to 17.0% and 19.2% in 2006 and 2005, respectively. Longer term borrowed funds typically have a higher interest rate than our mix of deposit products. Our average cost of borrowed funds for 2007 was 4.80% as compared to 4.70% and 3.84% in 2006 and 2005, respectively.

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        Average Balances, Income Expenses and Rates.    The following tables depict, for the periods indicated, certain information related to our average balance sheet and our average yields on assets and average costs of liabilities. Such yields are derived by dividing income or expense by the average balance of the corresponding assets or liabilities. Average balances have been derived from daily averages.

(1)

All loans and deposits are domestic. Average loan balances include non-accrual loans

(2)

The computation includes federal funds sold, securities purchased under agreement to resell and interest bearing deposits.

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        The following table presents the dollar amount of changes in interest income and interest expense attributable to changes in volume and the amount attributable to changes in rate. The combined effect in both volume and rate, which cannot be separately identified, has been allocated proportionately to the change due to volume and due to rate.

Market Risk and Interest Rate Sensitivity

        Market risk reflects the risk of economic loss resulting from adverse changes in market prices and interest rates. The risk of loss can be measured in either diminished current market values or reduced current and potential net income. Our primary market risk is interest rate risk. We have established an Asset/Liability Management Committee ("ALCO") to monitor and manage interest rate risk. The ALCO monitors and manages the pricing and maturity of its assets and liabilities in order to diminish the potential adverse impact that changes in interest rates could have on its net interest income. The ALCO has established policies guidelines and strategies with respect to interest rate risk exposure and liquidity.

        A monitoring technique employed by us is the measurement of our interest sensitivity "gap," which is the positive or negative dollar difference between assets and liabilities that are subject to interest rate repricing within a given period of time. Also, asset/liability modeling is performed to assess the impact varying interest rates and balance sheet mix assumptions will have on net interest income. Interest rate sensitivity can be managed by repricing assets or liabilities, selling securities available-for-sale, replacing an asset or liability at maturity or by adjusting the interest rate during the life of an asset or liability. Managing the amount of assets and liabilities repricing in the same time interval helps to hedge the risk and minimize the impact on net interest income of rising or falling interest rates. Neither the "gap" analysis or asset/liability modeling are precise indicators of our interest sensitivity position due to the many factors that affect net interest income including, the timing, magnitude and frequency of interest rate changes as well as changes in the volume and mix of earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities.

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        The following table illustrates our interest rate sensitivity at December 31, 2007.

Interest Sensitivity Analysis

(1)

Loans classified as non-accrual as of December 31, 2007 are not included in the balances.

(2)

Securities based on amortized cost.

        At December 31, 2007, we had entered into interest rate cap and floor agreements with a notional amount of $10.0 million each. The cap rate of interest is 4.50% three month LIBOR and the floor rate of interest is 5.00% three month LIBOR. The fair value of the agreements at December 31, 2007 were $458,000. These agreements were entered into to protect assets and liabilities from the negative effects of volatility in interest rates. The agreements provide for a payment to the bank of the difference between the cap/floor rate of interest and the market rate of interest. The bank's exposure to credit risk is limited to the ability of the counterparty to make potential future payments required pursuant to the agreement. The bank's exposure to market risk of loss is limited to the market value of the cap and floor. The market value of the cap was $28,000 and the floor market value was $429,000 at December 31, 2007. Any gain or loss on the value of these contracts are recognized in earnings on a current basis. The bank received payments under the terms of the cap contract in the amount $92,000 and $49,000 during the year ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. No payments were received in on the cap contract in 2005. No payments were received under the terms of the floor contract in 2007 and 2006. The bank recognized $178,000, $18,409 and $37,897 in other income to reflect the increase in the value of the contracts for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The cap agreement and floor agreement expire on August 1, 2009 and August 31, 2011, respectively.

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        Through simulation modeling, we monitor the effect that an immediate and sustained change in interest rates of 100 basis points and 200 basis points up and down will have on net-interest income over the next 12 months. Based on the many factors and assumptions used in simulating the effect of changes in interest rates, the following table estimates the hypothetical percentage change in net interest income at December 31, 2007 and 2006 over the subsequent 12 months. Even though we are liability sensitive the model at December 31, 2007 reflects a decrease in net interest income in a declining rate environment. This primarily results from the current level of interest rates being paid on our interest bearing transaction accounts as well as money market accounts. The interest rates on these accounts are at a level where they can not be repriced in proportion to the change in interest rates. The increase and decrease of 100 and 200 basis points assume a simultaneous and parallel change in interest rates along the entire yield curve.

Net Interest Income Sensitivity

        We also perform a valuation analysis projecting future cash flows from assets and liabilities to determine the Present Value of Equity (PVE) over a range of changes in market interest rates. The sensitivity of PVE to changes in interest rates is a measure of the sensitivity of earnings over a longer time horizon. At December 31, 2007 and 2006 the PVE, exposure in a plus 200 basis point increase in market interest rates was estimated to be 15.39% and 9.92%, respectively.

Provision and Allowance for Loan Losses

        At December 31, 2007, the allowance for loan losses amounted to $3.5 million, or 1.14% of total loans, as compared to $3.2 million, or 1.17% of total loans, at December 31, 2006. Our provision for loan loss was $492,000 for the year ended December 31, 2007 as compared to $528,000 and $329,000 for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The provision is made based on our assessment of general loan loss risk and asset quality. The allowance for loan losses represents an amount which we believe will be adequate to absorb probable losses on existing loans that may become uncollectible. Our judgment as to the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses is based on a number of assumptions about future events, which we believe to be reasonable, but which may or may not prove to be accurate. Our determination of the allowance for loan losses is based on evaluations of the collectability of loans, including consideration of factors such as the balance of impaired loans, the quality, mix, and size of our overall loan portfolio, economic conditions that may affect the borrower's ability to repay, the amount and quality of collateral securing the loans, our historical loan loss experience, and a review of specific problem loans. We also consider subjective issues such as changes in the lending policies and procedures, changes in the local/national economy, changes in volume or type of credits, changes in volume/severity of problem loans, quality of loan review and board of director oversight and concentrations of credit. Periodically, we adjust the amount of the allowance based on changing circumstances. We charge recognized losses to the allowance and add subsequent recoveries back to the allowance for loan losses.

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        We perform an analysis quarterly to assess the risk within the loan portfolio. The portfolio is segregated into similar risk components for which historical loss ratios are calculated and adjusted for identified changes in current portfolio characteristics. Historical loss ratios are calculated by product type and by regulatory credit risk classification. The allowance consist of an allocated and unallocated allowance. The allocated portion is determined by types and ratings of loans within the portfolio. The unallocated portion of the allowance is established for losses that exist in the remainder of the portfolio and compensates for uncertainty in estimating the loan losses.

        There can be no assurance that charge-offs of loans in future periods will not exceed the allowance for loan losses as estimated at any point in time or that provisions for loan losses will not be significant to a particular accounting period. The allowance is also subject to examination and testing for adequacy by regulatory agencies, which may consider such factors as the methodology used to determine adequacy and the size of the allowance relative to that of peer institutions. Such regulatory agencies could require us to adjust our allowance based on information available to them at the time of their examination.

        At December 31, 2007, 2006, and 2005, we had non-accrual loans in the amount of $600,000, $449,000 and $101,000 respectively. Nonaccrual loans at December 31, 2007 consisted of 11 loans one in the amount of $285,000 which has subsequently been sold with no additional loss. The other ten loans, the largest of which is $75,000, are all secured by real estate. We have reappraised the collateral on each of these loans and have written them down to their estimated fair value. It is not anticipated that we will incur any material losses on these loans.

        There were $324,000, $1.6 million, and $387,000 in loans delinquent greater than 30 days at December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. There were $501,000, $22,000 and $34,000 in loans greater than 90 days delinquent and still accruing interest at December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The increase in the loans delinquent 90 days and still accruing relates primarily to two loans totaling $453,000. Both of these are single family residential properties. One of these in the amount of $167,000 has been sold subsequent to year end with no loss of principal or interest. The second in the amount of $286,000 had a loan to value of approximately 46.0% and was listed for sale at December 31, 2007. The property is located on the coast of South Carolina where property has been selling at a slower pace in recent months and property values have declined. This property has been listed for sale and an offer was received in the first quarter of 2008. The seller subsequently decided they were not willing to accept the offer that was presented. Based on these circumstances and the fact that it will take additional time to sell the property, this loan has subsequently been placed in a non-accrual status. The offer that was received was in excess of our current loan balance and we do not anticipate any principal loss on this loan.

        Our management continuously monitors non-performing, classified and past due loans to identify deterioration regarding the condition of these loans. We identified 4 loans in the amount of $569,000 which are current as to principal and interest and not included in non-performing assets but that could be potential problem loans.

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Allowance for Loan Losses