----------- ---------------------------- --------------------------------
- T H E - For First BancTrust Corporation - N E W S R E L E A S E -
000 X. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx --------------------------------
INVESTOR Xxxxx, XX 00000 The Investor Relations Company
(000) 000-0000 serves as investor relations
RELATIONS counsel to this company, is
acting on the company's behalf
- COMPANY - in issuing this news release and
----------- receiving compensation therefor.
The information contained herein
is furnished for information
purposes only and is not to be
construed as an offer to buy or
sell securities.
For further Information: -------------------------------------------------------
EXHIBIT 99.1
At First BancTrust: At The Investor Relations Company:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx or
President and Chief Executive Officer Xxxxx Xxxxxx
(000) 000-0000 (000) 000-0000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FIRST BANCTRUST CORP. COMPLETES ACQUISITION
OF RANTOUL FIRST BANK
PARIS, IL, OCTOBER 3, 2005 - First BancTrust Corporation (Nasdaq: FBTC),
reported today that its previously announced acquisition of Rantoul First Bank,
Rantoul, Illinois has closed and is effective. First BancTrust has purchased all
of the outstanding shares of Rantoul First Bank.
"The addition of the Rantoul location to the First BancTrust organization gives
us a stronger presence in fast-growing Champaign County," said Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx,
First BancTrust president and chief executive officer. "Combined with our
location in Savoy in the southern part of the county, we are now able to offer
our services to customers throughout the area."
Xxxxxx said that customers in the Rantoul area will benefit from an increase in
the number of products and services available. "All of the products available to
customers in our other locations will also be available at the Rantoul office.
Part of our strategy for growth has been to introduce new products and services
for both our retail and commercial customers. We believe that individuals and
businesses in Rantoul will welcome the broader array of options."
In keeping with First BancTrust policy, the Rantoul location is being renamed
First Bank of Rantoul, Xxxxxx noted. "Work on integrating the Rantoul operation
has been ongoing for some time. We expect that it will be quickly and smoothly
completed," Xxxxxx added.
Xxxxxx also reiterated projections of the impact of the acquisition on First
BancTrust's financial results. "We said at the time we announced the acquisition
in April that we expected the transaction to be minimally dilutive to our
results in 2005 and to be accretive in 2006 and beyond. That continues to be our
expectation," he said.
ABOUT FIRST BANCTRUST
First BancTrust Corporation is a holding company that owns all of the capital
stock of First Bank & Trust, S. B., an Illinois-chartered savings bank that
conducts business from its main office located in Paris, Illinois, and branch
banks in Xxxxxxxx, Rantoul and Savoy, Illinois. On June 30, 2005, the company
had $234 million of total assets, $207 million of total liabilities and $27
million of stockholders' equity.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company intends such
forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for
forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995 as amended, and is including this statement for purposes of these
safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain
assumptions and describe future plans, strategies and expectations of the
Company, are generally identifiable by use of the words "believe," "expect,"
"intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," or similar expressions. The
Company's ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or
strategies is inherently uncertain. Factors which could have a material adverse
affect on the operations and future prospects of the Company and its
wholly-owned subsidiaries include, but are not limited to, changes in: interest
rates; general economic conditions; legislative/regulatory provisions; monetary
and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government, including policies of the U.S.
Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the quality of composition of the loan
or investment portfolios; demand for loan products; deposit flows; competition;
demand for financial services in the Company's market area; and accounting
principles, policies, and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties should be
considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should
not be placed on such statements. Further information concerning the Company and
its business, including additional factors that could materially affect the
Company's financial results, is included in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
