Charter Financial Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Charter Financial Corporation (OTC:CHFN) (BULLETIN BOARD: CHFN) today announced that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 25 cents per share. The dividend is payable on December 29, 2008, to stockholders of record on December 12, 2008. This equates to an annualized dividend rate of $1.00 per share.

"Our high level of capital and recent operating performance permit us the to declare this dividend," said Robert L. Johnson, Chairman and CEO.

This dividend will be paid on approximately 2.7 million shares and the total dividend payout will be approximately $675,000. First Charter, MHC, which owns approximately 86 percent of Charter Financial, is waiving its right to receive this dividend.

Charter Financial Corporation is a savings and loan holding company and the parent of CharterBank, a full-service community bank and a federal savings institution. CharterBank is headquartered in West Point, Georgia, and operates ten branches on the I-85 corridor from LaGrange, Georgia, to Auburn, Alabama. The Company also operates two loan production offices in Georgia. CharterBank's deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Additional information, including financial highlights, is available on the company's website, http://www.charterbank.net/. Persons interested in receiving e-mail notifications of news about the company may do so by completing the registration form on the investor relations page of the company's website.

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Fidelity Southern Corporation to Participate in the U.S. Treasury's Capital Purchase Program

/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fidelity Southern Corporation (NASDAQ:LION) , parent of Fidelity Bank, announced today that the U.S. Treasury Department has given preliminary approval of its $48.2 million investment in the company and of Fidelity's participation in the Capital Purchase Program.

Fidelity Southern Corporation, through its operating subsidiaries Fidelity Bank and LionMark Insurance Company, provides banking services and credit-related insurance products through 23 branches in Atlanta, Georgia, a branch in Jacksonville, Florida, and an insurance office in Atlanta, Georgia. SBA loans are provided through employees located throughout the Southeast. For additional information about Fidelity's products and services, please visit the website at www.FidelitySouthern.com .

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Consumer Reports' Annual Public-Education Campaign Warns of the Pitfalls of Credit Card Debt

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Reports today unveiled the third installment of its annual public education campaign, warning holiday shoppers of the pitfalls of credit card debt. Consumer Reports' public education campaign kicks off on Monday, November 24th with a full-page ad in USA Today advising shoppers: "There is no 'bailout clause' in your credit card contract." Americans owe nearly $1 trillion in credit card debt according to the Federal Reserve Board.

A recent survey from the Consumer Reports National Research Center found that 12 million Americans are still in debt from last year's holiday season. Additionally 38 percent of Americans said they plan to use credit cards this holiday season as much as they did last year (35%) or more than last year (3%).

In addition to the full-page ad in USA Today, Consumer Reports will run a series of online ads across highly trafficked or influential personal finance and consumer blogs including Consumerist.com, Yahoo Shopping, and Bargainist.com. The online ads will highlight the Consumer Reports "Tightwad Tod" blog on www.ConsumerReports.org/TightwadTod.

Launched at the start of the holiday shopping season, the "Tightwad Tod" blog covers a wide variety of topics that affect consumers during these tight economic times including advice on getting the best deals during the holiday season -- everything from layaway plans to getting a holiday job to navigating outlet malls. The blog is written by Consumer Reports Senior Project Editor Tod Marks, who has been finding deals and exposing scams in every area of consumer spending for nearly 20 years.

"This campaign reminds consumers that Wall Street's bailout won't cover them this holiday season. If consumers over-extend their credit cards, there won't be a rescue package waiting in the wings, so they need to remain vigilant about spending within their budgets," said Jim Guest, president and CEO of Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. "As an organization that doesn't take advertising, we're using this venue as a way to educate consumers and foster marketplace change."

A Tradition of Public Education and Marketplace Change

This latest effort by Consumer Reports follows a tradition of public education campaigns against gift cards and extended warranties. Last year, the organization took on the retail sector and the ubiquitous gift card with a full-page ad in the New York Times, which advised consumers that $8 billion in gift cards go unused and wind up back in the pockets of retailers. The campaign called on retailers and the National Retail Federation to eliminate expiration dates and service fees. In 2006, Consumer Reports took out a full-page ad in USA Today advising consumers to skip the extended warranty. That ad was rebutted by a full-page ad one week later from the Service Contract Industry Council. Following this campaign, the Consumer Electronics Association reported consumer interest in purchasing extended warranties fell 20 percent.

Which way to pay: Credit, debit, check, or cash

A recent poll conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center found that 59% of consumers plan to make a budget before they begin to shop this holiday season. And while making a budget is a good first step, being able to stick with it is quite another. Of the 39% of consumers who said they made a budget last year, 45% were able to stay on budget while, nearly as many (44%) went over budget. Only 3% discarded their budget all together going way over budget.

Consumer Reports advises consumers that whether they make a budget or not this year the method of payment makes a difference. Credit cards offer the most protections for consumers, but consumers who routinely carry a balance will pay more for their purchases once fees and interest charges are factored in.

Consumer Reports recommends the following tips to avoid debt and maximize the method of payment:

-- Cash. Consumers should use cash as much as they can. There's no fear
of identity theft, and it's accepted almost everywhere. Remember to
save the receipt for evidence of payment.
-- Checks. Write a check if you need to make a large purchase somewhere
that won't accept credit or debit and you don't want to carry cash.
Canceled checks can also be useful as receipts or for tax purposes. If
a check disappears, you can stop payment on it, if you act quickly
enough (checks are increasingly being processed in a single day).
-- Debit cards. Use a debit card when you don't mind having the money
withdrawn immediately from your checking account. Debit cards are a
surefire way to avoid onerous credit-card interest charges, but you
could be slapped with burdensome overdraft fees if you don't have
enough money in your account to cover your purchases. With a debit
card, your liability for unauthorized transactions is limited to $50
if you report the problem within two business days of discovering it.
After that the limit leaps to $500. Beyond 60 days of your account
statement you could lose all the money in your bank account.
-- Credit cards. Use a credit card for most large purchases, if you're
not carrying a balance and can pay off the bill each month. Credit
cards offer greater protection than other forms of payment. If you
don't pay off your purchases each month, you'll pay interest rates of
about 12 to 13 percent on your balance, depending on whether your card
has a variable or fixed rate. If your account number falls into the
wrong hands, you're liable for only the first $50 in charges, and most
large issuers waive liability altogether. If you have a legitimate
beef with a seller, it's relatively easy to have the charges removed
until the dispute is settled, if you report the matter to the issuer
within 60 days after the charge appears on your statement.


The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey of a nationally-representative probability sample of telephone households. 1,001 interviews were completed among adults aged 18+. Interviewing took place over October 16-19, 2008. The margin of error is +/-3% points at a 95% confidence level.

DECEMBER 2008

(C) Consumers Union 2008. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for commercial or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports(R) is published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, Consumers Union accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. Consumers Union supports itself through the sale of our information products and services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants.

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Community Bankers Trust Corporation Welcomes The Community Bank, Loganville, Georgia

Community Bankers Trust Corporation Welcomes The Community Bank, Loganville, Georgia (now operating as Essex Bank, a division of Bank of Essex) into the Bank of Essex Family


Community Bankers Trust Corporation (the “Company” or “CBTC”) (AMEX:BTC) is pleased to announce that Bank of Essex (BOE), a wholly-owned, Virginia state-chartered banking subsidiary of the Company, has entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), as receiver for The Community Bank, Loganville, Georgia (TCB), providing for the assumption by BOE, effective 6:00 pm Friday, November 21, 2008, off all deposit liabilities and to purchase certain assets of TCB.

BOE is assuming approximately $600 million in deposits, approximately $250 million of which are deemed to be core deposits. BOE has agreed to pay the FDIC a premium of 1.36% on all deposits, excluding all brokered and Internet deposits. Other than loans fully secured by deposit accounts, BOE is not purchasing any loans at this time, but will be providing loan servicing to TCB’s existing loan customers. BOE has sixty days to evaluate and, at its sole option, purchase any of the TCB loans. All deposits have been fully assumed and all insured deposits maintain their current insurance coverage. The existing branches of TCB will open Monday morning as Essex Bank, a division of Bank of Essex. TCB operates four branches in the greater Atlanta, Georgia market, Loganville, Walton County, Georgia; Covington, Newton, County, Georgia; Grayson, Gwinnett County, Georgia; and Snellville, Gwinnett County, Georgia.

George M. Longest, Chief Executive Officer of CBTC and BOE said, ”Since 1926, Bank of Essex has had a proud history of operating as a core community bank, serving its local community though conservative lending and prudent balance sheet management. This year we continued this tradition with the addition of TransCommunity Bank, N.A., which was recently merged into BOE. Today, we stand solid with one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry, with capital levels well above our peers. TCB is a true community bank and has proudly served its community since 1946. It has been the premier community bank in the markets that it serves. We look forward to working with the employees of TCB in building an even stronger community banking team and serving the needs of our combined customers and the local communities in which we operate. We are excited about the opportunities that lay before us in the greater Atlanta market. Monday morning, customers of TCB, as customers of Essex Bank, will find it is business as usual with the same friendly staff and the same desire to provide full personal service and attention to our customers.”

Gary A. Simanson, Vice-Chairman of the Company, commented, “part of our strategic plan, in addition to operating a core community bank, has been to build a franchise through select acquisition opportunities and reach out to attractive markets beyond the Commonwealth of Virginia. We find the addition of TCB to our franchise to be such an opportunity. Not only are we teaming up with a true, long established community bank, in some of the highest growth markets in the Country, we are making a statement that we are open to looking at further opportunities should they arise in this market. We believe that we demonstrated the appropriate pricing discipline in approaching this transaction and anticipate that the transaction will be accretive to earnings within the first full quarter of combined operations. While there are always execution risks in any transaction, we feel that the long operating history of TCB in its local community helps limits these risks. The local culture of TCB is much like that of the Bank of Essex. Additionally, we are not taking on any credit risk in this transaction. These are interesting times in the banking industry and with our strong capital position and experienced banking team we look forward to continuing to build both a highly respected community banking franchise and long-term shareholder value. We appreciate the assistance of our regulators in consummating this transaction and will endeavor to work with them closely to see that the banking needs of the local communities will continue to be well served.”

About Community Bankers Trust Corporation.

CBTC is a well-capitalized, single-bank holding company headquartered in the greater Richmond, Virginia market, with approximately $1.3 billion in assets, $1.1 million in deposits, $500 million in loans, and $150 million in capital. It operates 13 full service banking facilities from Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay to the Shenandoah Valley under the Bank of Essex, Bank of Goochland, Bank of Powhatan, Bank of Louisa and Bank of Rockbridge brand names and four branches in the greater Atlanta, Georgia market under the Essex Bank brand name. Additional information is available on the Company’s website at www.cbtrustcorp.com. The shares of the Company are traded on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) under the symbol “BTC”.

Forward-Looking Statement:

This release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties, estimates and assumptions made by management. Facts that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include competitive pressures in the banking industry that may increase significantly; changes in the interest rate environment may reduce margins and/or the volumes and values of loans made or held as well as the value of other financial assets held; general economic conditions, either nationally or regionally, may be less favorable than expected, resulting in, among other things, deterioration in credit quality and/or a reduced demand for credit or other services, changes in the legislative or regulatory environment, including changes in accounting standards, may adversely affect our business; costs or difficulties; related to the integration of the business and the businesses we have acquired may be greater than expected; expected cost savings associated with recently completed acquisitions may not be fully realized or realized within the expected time frame; our competitors may have greater financial resources and develop products that enable them to compete more successfully; changes in business conditions, changes in the securities market and changes in our local economy with regards to our market area. We assume no obligation to update information contained in this release.

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Community Capital Bancshares Announces Third Quarter Results of Operations

/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Community Capital Bancshares Inc. (Other OTC: ALBY) today announced a loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 of $5,325,000 or $1.74 per basic share. This compares with income of $35,000 or $0.01 per basic share for the nine months ended September 30, 2007. For the three months ended September 30, 2008, the Company incurred a loss of $3,059,000 or $0.99 per basic share, in comparison to the loss of $447,000 or $ 0.15 per basic share made during the same period of 2007.

Net income for the year has been negatively impacted by loan loss provisions of $4,380,000 necessary to provide for potential losses in the loan portfolio. For the nine months ended there have been $1,102,000 of losses and write downs of foreclosed property as compared to $90,000 in 2007. During the third quarter of 2008, the company recognized a loss of $936,000 due to other than temporary impairment on FNMA stock held in its investment portfolio.

Total assets as of September 30, 2008 were $198,933,000 as compared to $248,840,000 as of September 30, 2007. The decreased level of assets is the result of loan reductions and the efforts by the subsidiary Banks to remain compliant with the capital provisions of the Formal Agreements with the OCC.

John H. Monk Jr., President and CEO commented, "We continue to aggressively pursue the collection of our troubled loans. The current market conditions pose additional problems for the valuation and marketing of our troubled assets. We will continue to identify and dispose of these assets. We feel that we have sufficient capital levels to weather this storm. Our Tier 1 risk based capital ratio is over 17.5% at September 30, 2008. During the fourth quarter we will engage an independent valuation firm to test our Goodwill for possible impairment." John Monk continued, "We appreciate the continued support of our customers and look forward to continuing to serve them in the coming years."

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The Home Depot Declares Third Quarter Dividend of 22.5 Cents

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Home Depot(R), the world's largest home improvement retailer, today announced that its board of directors declared a third quarter cash dividend of 22.5 cents per share. The dividend is payable on December 18 to shareholders of record on the close of business on December 4. This is the 87th consecutive quarter the Company has paid a cash dividend.

The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,270 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. In fiscal 2007, The Home Depot had sales of $77.3 billion and earnings from continuing operations of $4.2 billion. The Company employs more than 300,000 associates. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index. HDE.

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Habersham Bancorp Announces Suspension of Dividend

/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- David D. Stovall, President and Chief Executive Officer of Habersham Bancorp (NASDAQ:HABC) reported that the Board of Directors of Habersham Bancorp has voted to suspend regular cash dividends on its common stock for an indefinite period. Concerning the announcement, Mr. Stovall stated, "Given the current uncertainty in the economy, the board of directors and management feel it in the best interest of shareholders to retain our capital at the present time, and be better able to sustain our business through this downturn."

Habersham Bancorp owns Habersham Bank, headquartered in Clarkesville, Georgia, with offices located in Cornelia, Baldwin, Braselton, Cleveland, Canton, Flowery Branch, Hickory Flat, Cumming, Toccoa, Eastanollee and Warrenton, Georgia. Habersham Bancorp also owns Advantage Insurers, Inc., headquartered in Cornelia, Georgia, an insurance subsidiary of Habersham Bank.

The Company's stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol HABC.

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