10KSB

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-KSB

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004

Commission File No. 0-24753

ECB BANCORP, INC.

(Name of small business issuer in its charter)

North Carolina	56-2090738
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Post Office Box 337

Engelhard, North Carolina 27824

(Address of principal executive offices, including Zip Code)

(252) 925-9411

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

Securities registered under Section 12(b) of the Act:	None
Securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Act:	Common Stock, $3.50 par value per share
	(Title of class)

Check whether the issuer (1) filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the past 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 the past 90 days.    Yes x    No ¨

Check if there is no disclosure of delinquent filers in response to Item 405 of Regulation S-B contained in this form, and no disclosure will 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-KSB or any amendment to this Form 10-KSB.  ¨

Registrant’s revenues for its most recent fiscal year were $ 28,932,359

On March 9, 2005, the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by nonaffiliates (computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity) was $42,831,059.

On March 9, 2005, the number of outstanding shares of Registrant’s common stock was 2,038,242.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

Portions of Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with its 2005 Annual Meeting are incorporated into Part III of this Report.

PART I

[In this Report, the terms “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms refer to ECB Bancorp, Inc.]

Item 1.    Description of Business.

General.    We are a bank holding company headquartered in Engelhard, North Carolina. We operate through our wholly-owned bank subsidiary, The East Carolina Bank (the “Bank”). Our principal asset is our investment in the Bank, and dividends we receive from the Bank are our primary source of revenue. We were organized on March 4, 1998, by the Bank and at the direction of the Bank’s Board of Directors, to serve as the Bank’s parent holding company. The Bank became our wholly-owned subsidiary on July 22, 1998.

Sale of Preferred Trust Securities.    On June 26, 2002, a business trust subsidiary that we formed (ECB Statutory Trust I) privately sold $10.0 million in preferred trust securities as part of a pooled re-securitization transaction with several other financial institutions. The proceeds from that sale, together with the proceeds from the Trust’s sale of all its common securities to us, were used to purchase an aggregate of $10.3 million in junior subordinated debentures that we issued. The debentures call for interest payable quarterly at a variable annual rate equal to the three-month LIBOR plus 3.45%, with principal payable in full on June 26, 2032. We own all of our Trust subsidiary’s common securities and, subject to certain limitations, we have fully and unconditionally guaranteed the Trust subsidiary’s obligations under its preferred trust securities. Substantially all the proceeds from the Trust’s sale of preferred securities are currently being counted as “Tier 1” capital on our books and have been or will be used by us to supplement the Bank’s and our capital and support our continued operations and growth. Following its organization, we have treated the Trust as our consolidated subsidiary for financial statement purposes, and the Trust’s assets and liabilities have been included in our consolidated financial statements. However, as a result of the application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46 (“FIN 46”), as subsequently amended, and as of December 31, 2003, we have deconsolidated the Trust. Additional information regarding FIN 46 and the effect of the deconsolidation of the Trust is described in Note 1(L) to our consolidated financial statements which are contained in Item 7 of this report.

The Bank.    The Bank is an insured, North Carolina-chartered bank which was organized in 1919 and is engaged in a general, community-oriented commercial and consumer banking business. Its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) under its Bank Insurance Fund (“BIF”) to the maximum amount permitted by law. The Bank has two wholly-owned subsidiaries. ECB Realty, Inc. holds title to six of the Bank’s branch offices which it leases to the Bank. The second subsidiary, ECB Financial Services, Inc., formerly provided courier services to the Bank but is currently inactive.

Business Offices.    The Bank has 20 full-service banking offices, which are located in 10 North Carolina counties.

Services.    The Bank’s operations are primarily retail oriented and directed toward individuals and small- and medium-sized businesses located in its banking markets. The majority of its deposits and loans are derived from customers in its banking markets, but it also makes loans and has deposit relationships with individual and business customers in areas surrounding its immediate markets. The Bank provides most traditional commercial and consumer banking services, but its principal activities are the taking of demand and time deposits and the making of consumer and commercial loans. Its primary source of revenue is interest income it derives from its lending activities.

The Bank’s deposit services include business and individual checking accounts, savings accounts, NOW accounts, certificates of deposit and money market checking accounts. It monitors its competition in order to keep the rates paid on its deposits at a competitive level, and it generates certificates of deposit (CD) on the Internet through the advertising of its deposit rates on an on-line CD trading network. Additional information regarding the Bank’s deposit accounts on December 31, 2004, is included with the information included in this Report under the caption “Item 6 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

The Bank makes a variety of types of consumer and commercial loans to individuals and small- and medium-sized businesses for various personal and business purposes, including term and installment loans, equity lines of credit, and overdraft checking credit. Additional information regarding the Bank’s loan portfolio at December 31, 2004, is included in the information included in this Report under the caption “Item 6. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

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Banking Markets.    The Bank’s banking markets are located in the east central, northeastern and southern coastal portions of North Carolina and along North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The Bank opened new offices in Morehead City and Wilmington, which has extended its banking markets into Carteret and New Hanover County in the southern coastal plain of North Carolina.

Employees.    All of our officers serve as officers and employees of the Bank, and we have no employees of our own. As of December 31, 2004, the Bank employed 178 full-time employees (including our executive officers) and 15 part-time employees. The Bank is not a party to any collective bargaining agreement with its employees, and it considers its relations with its employees to be good.

Statistical Data.    Certain statistical data regarding our business is included in the material included in this Report under the caption “Item 6. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

Competition.    Commercial banking in North Carolina is highly competitive, due in large part to our state’s early adoption of statewide branching. Over the years, federal and state legislation (including the elimination of restrictions on interstate banking) has heightened the competitive environment in which all financial institutions conduct their business, and the potential for competition among financial institutions of all types has increased significantly. North Carolina is the home of two of the largest commercial banks in the United States, each of which has branches located in our banking market, and we compete with other commercial banks, savings banks and credit unions.

Substantially all of our customers are individuals and small- and medium-sized businesses. We try to differentiate ourselves from our larger competitors with our focus on relationship banking, personalized service, direct customer contact, and our ability to make credit and other business decisions locally. We also depend on our reputation as a community bank in our banking market, our involvement in the communities we serve, the experience of our senior management team, and the quality of our associates. We believe that our focus allows us to be more responsive to our customers’ needs and more flexible in approving loans based on collateral quality and personal knowledge of our customers.

Interest rates, both on loans and deposits, and prices of fee-based services are significant competitive factors among financial institutions generally. Other important competitive factors include office location, office hours, the quality of customer service, community reputation, continuity of personnel and services, and, in the case of larger commercial customers, relative lending limits and the ability to offer more sophisticated cash management and other commercial banking services. Many of the Bank’s competitors have greater resources, broader geographic markets and higher lending limits than the Bank, and they can offer more products and services and can better afford and make more effective use of media advertising, support services and electronic technology than can the Bank. The Bank depends on its reputation as a community bank in its local markets, its direct customer contact, its ability to make credit and other business decisions locally, and its personalized service, to counter these competitive disadvantages. However, in terms of assets, the Bank is one of the smaller commercial banks in North Carolina, and there is no assurance that we will be or continue to be an effective competitor in our banking market.

Supervision and Regulation.    Our business and operations are subject to extensive federal and state governmental regulation and supervision. We are a bank holding company registered with the Federal Reserve Board (the “FRB”) under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”). We are subject to supervision and examination by, and the regulations and reporting requirements of, the FRB. Under the BHCA, a bank holding company’s activities are limited to banking, managing or controlling banks, or engaging in any other activities which the FRB determines to be closely related and a proper incident to banking or managing or controlling banks.

The BHCA prohibits a bank holding company from acquiring direct or indirect control of more than 5.0% of the outstanding voting stock, or substantially all of the assets, of any financial institution, or merging or consolidating with another bank holding company or savings bank holding company, without prior approval of the FRB. Additionally, the BHCA generally prohibits bank holding companies from engaging in, or acquiring ownership or control of more than 5.0% of the outstanding voting stock of any company that engages in a nonbanking activity unless that activity is determined by the FRB to be closely related and a proper incident to banking. In approving an application to engage in a nonbanking activity, the FRB must consider whether that activity can reasonably be expected to produce benefits to the public, such as greater convenience, increased competition, or gains in efficiency, that outweigh possible adverse effects, such as undue concentration of resources, decreased or unfair competition, conflicts of interest or unsound banking practices.

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There are a number of obligations and restrictions imposed by law on a bank holding company and its insured bank subsidiaries that are designed to minimize potential loss to depositors and the FDIC insurance funds. For example, if a bank holding company’s insured bank subsidiary becomes “undercapitalized,” then the bank holding company is required to guarantee (subject to certain limits) the subsidiary’s compliance with the terms of any capital restoration plan filed with its federal banking agency. A bank holding company is required to serve as a source of financial strength to its bank subsidiaries and to commit resources to support those banks in circumstances where it otherwise might not do so, absent such policy. Under the BHCA, the FRB may require a bank holding company to terminate any activity or to relinquish control of a nonbank subsidiary if the FRB determines that the activity or control constitutes a serious risk to the financial soundness and stability of a bank subsidiary of a bank holding company.

Regulation of the Bank.    The Bank is an insured, state-chartered bank. Its deposits are insured by the FDIC’s Bank Insurance Fund, and it is subject to supervision and examination by, and the regulations and reporting requirements of, the FDIC and the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks (the “Commissioner”). The Bank is not a member of the Federal Reserve System.

As an insured bank, the Bank is prohibited from engaging as a principal in an activity that is not permitted for national banks unless (1) the FDIC determines that the activity would pose no significant risk to the deposit insurance fund and (2) the Bank is, and continues to be, in compliance with all applicable capital standards. Insured banks also are prohibited from directly acquiring or retaining any equity investment of a type or in an amount not permitted for national banks.

The Commissioner and the FDIC regulate all areas of the Bank’s business, including its payment of dividends and other aspects of its operations. They conduct regular examinations of the Bank, and the Bank must furnish periodic reports to the Commissioner and the FDIC containing detailed financial and other information regarding its affairs. The Commissioner and FDIC have broad powers to enforce laws and regulations that apply to the Bank and to require corrective action of conditions that affect its safety and soundness. Among others, these powers include issuing cease and desist orders, imposing civil penalties, removing officers and directors, and the ability otherwise to intervene in the operation and management of the Bank if examinations of and reports filed by the Bank reflect the need to do so.

Even though it is not a member of the Federal Reserve System, the business of the Bank is influenced by the monetary and fiscal policies of the FRB. The actions and policy directives of the FRB determine to a significant degree the cost and the availability of funds obtained from money market sources for lending and investing and also influence, directly and indirectly, the rates of interest paid by commercial banks on their time and savings deposits. Additionally, the Bank’s earnings are affected by general economic conditions, management policies, changes in state and Federal legislation and actions of various regulatory authorities, including those referred to above.

The following paragraphs summarize some of the other significant statutes and regulations that affect us and the Bank, but they are not a complete discussion of all the laws that affect our business. Each paragraph is qualified in its entirety by reference to the particular statutory or regulatory provision or proposal being described.

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.    The federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “GLB Act”) adopted by Congress during 1999 dramatically changed various federal laws governing the banking, securities and insurance industries. The GLB Act expanded opportunities for banks and bank holding companies to provide services and engage in other revenue-generating activities that previously were prohibited to them.

The GLB Act permits bank holding companies to become “financial holding companies” and, in general (1) expands opportunities to affiliate with securities firms and insurance companies; (2) overrides certain state laws that would prohibit certain banking and insurance affiliations; (3) expands the activities in which banks and bank holding companies may participate; (4) requires that banks and bank holding companies engage in some activities only through affiliates owned or managed in accordance with certain requirements; and (5) reorganizes responsibility among various federal regulators for oversight of certain securities activities conducted by banks and bank holding companies.

Among its other provisions, the GLB Act also contains extensive customer privacy protection provisions which require banks to adopt and implement policies and procedures for the protection of the financial privacy of their customers, including procedures that allow customers to elect that certain financial information not be disclosed to certain

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persons. Under these provisions, a bank must provide to its customers, at the inception of the customer relationship and annually thereafter, the bank’s policies and procedures regarding the handling of customers’ nonpublic personal financial information. The GLB Act provides that, except for certain limited exceptions, a bank may not provide such personal information to unaffiliated third parties unless the bank discloses to the customer that such information may be so provided and the customer is given the opportunity to opt out of such disclosure. A bank may not disclose to a non-affiliated third party, other than to a consumer reporting agency, customer account numbers or other similar account identifiers for marketing purposes. The GLB Act permits states to adopt customer privacy protections that are stricter than those contained in the Act, and it makes it a criminal offense, except in limited circumstances, to obtain or attempt to obtain customer information of a financial nature by fraudulent or deceptive means.

The GLB Act has expanded opportunities for us and the Bank to provide other services and obtain other revenues in the future. However, this expanded authority also may present us with new challenges as our larger competitors are able to expand their services and products into areas that are not feasible for smaller, community oriented financial institutions. To date we have not elected to become a “financial holding company” and the GLB Act has not had a significant effect on our operations as presently conducted.

Payment of Dividends.    Under North Carolina law, we are authorized to pay dividends such as are declared by our Board of Directors, provided that no such distribution results in our insolvency on a going concern or balance sheet basis. However, we are a legal entity separate and distinct from the Bank, and our principal source of funds with which we can pay dividends to our shareholders is dividends we receive from the Bank. For that reason, our ability to pay dividends effectively is subject to the same limitations that apply to the Bank in general.

In general, the Bank may pay dividends only from its undivided profits. However, if its surplus is less than 50% of our paid-in capital stock, then the Bank’s directors may not declare any cash dividend until it has transferred from undivided profits to surplus 25% of its undivided profits or any lesser percentage necessary to raise its surplus to an amount equal to 50% of its paid-in capital stock.

Under federal law, and as an insured bank, the Bank is prohibited from making any capital distributions, including paying a cash dividend, if it is, or after making the distribution it would become, “undercapitalized” as that term is defined in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (the “FDIA”). Additionally, if in the opinion of the FDIC an insured bank under its jurisdiction is engaged in or is about to engage in an unsafe or unsound practice (which, depending on the financial condition of the bank, could include the payment of dividends), the FDIC may require, after notice and hearing, that the bank cease and desist from that practice. The federal banking agencies have indicated that paying dividends that deplete a bank’s capital base to an inadequate level would be an unsafe and unsound banking practice. The federal agencies have issued policy statements which provide that insured banks generally should only pay dividends out of current operating earnings, and under the FDIA no dividend may be paid by an FDIC-insured bank while it is in default on any assessment due the FDIC. The payment of dividends by the Bank also may be affected or limited by other factors, such as requirements that its regulators have authority to impose on it to maintain its capital above regulatory guidelines.

Capital Adequacy.    We are required to comply with the capital adequacy standards established by the FRB for bank holding companies and by the FDIC for insured banks. The FRB and FDIC have issued risk-based capital and leverage capital guidelines for measuring the adequacy of a holding company’s or bank’s capital, and all applicable capital standards must be satisfied for us or the Bank to be considered in compliance with the FRB’s or FDIC’s requirements.

Under the risk-based capital measure, the minimum ratio (“Total Capital Ratio”) of an entity’s total capital (“Total Capital”) to its risk-weighted assets (including certain off-balance-sheet items, such as standby letters of credit) is 8.0%. At least half of Total Capital must be composed of common equity, undivided profits, minority interests in the equity accounts of consolidated subsidiaries, qualifying noncumulative perpetual preferred stock, and a limited amount of cumulative perpetual preferred stock, less goodwill and certain other intangible assets (“Tier 1 Capital”). The remainder (“Tier 2 Capital”) may consist of certain subordinated debt, certain hybrid capital instruments and other qualifying preferred stock, and a limited amount of loan loss reserves. A bank or bank holding company that does not satisfy minimum capital requirements may be required to adopt and implement a plan acceptable to its federal banking regulator to achieve an adequate level of capital.

Under the leverage capital measure, the minimum ratio (the “Leverage Capital Ratio”) of Tier 1 Capital to average assets, less goodwill and certain other intangible assets, is 3.0% for entities that meet certain specified criteria, including having the highest regulatory rating. All others generally are required to maintain an additional cushion of 100 to 200 basis

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points above the stated minimum. The guidelines also provide that banks experiencing internal growth or making acquisitions will be expected to maintain strong capital positions substantially above the minimum levels without significant reliance on intangible assets, and a bank’s “Tangible Leverage Ratio” (deducting all intangibles) and other indicators of capital strength also will be taken into consideration by banking regulators in evaluating proposals for expansion or new activities.

The FRB and the FDIC also consider interest rate risk (when the interest rate sensitivity of an institution’s assets does not match the sensitivity of its liabilities or its off-balance-sheet position) in the evaluation of an entity’s capital adequacy. The bank regulatory agencies’ methodology for evaluating interest rate risk requires banks with excessive interest rate risk exposure to hold additional amounts of capital against their exposure to losses resulting from that risk. The regulators also require banks to incorporate market risk components into their risk-based capital. Under these market risk requirements, capital is allocated to support the amount of market risk related to a bank’s trading activities.

The following table lists our regulatory capital ratios at December 31, 2004.

	Minimum Required ratio		Required to be “well capitalized”		Our ratio at 12-31-04		Bank’s ratio at 12-31-04
Risk-based capital ratios:
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets	4.0	%	6.0	%	10.86	%	10.73	%
Total capital to risk-weighted assets	8.0	%	10.0	%	11.96	%	11.82	%
Leverage capital ratio	4.0	%	5.0	%	8.43	%	8.32	%

Our capital categories are determined solely for the purpose of applying “prompt corrective action” rules described below which have been adopted by the various federal banking regulators, and they do not necessarily constitute an accurate representation of overall financial condition or prospects for other purposes. A failure to meet capital guidelines could subject a bank holding company or bank to a variety of enforcement remedies under those rules, including the issuance of a capital directive, the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC, a prohibition on the taking of brokered deposits, and certain other restrictions on its business. As described below, substantial additional restrictions can be imposed on banks that fail to meet applicable capital requirements.

Prompt Corrective Action.    Current federal law establishes a system of prompt corrective action to resolve the problems of undercapitalized banks. Under this system, the FDIC has established five capital categories (“well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized,” and “critically undercapitalized”), and it is required to take certain mandatory supervisory actions, and is authorized to take other discretionary actions, with respect to banks in the three undercapitalized categories. The severity of any actions taken will depend upon the capital category in which a bank is placed. Generally, subject to a narrow exception, current federal law requires the FDIC to appoint a receiver or conservator for a bank that is critically undercapitalized.

Under the FDIC’s rules implementing the prompt corrective action provisions, an insured, state-chartered bank that (1) has a Total Capital Ratio of 10.0% or greater, a Tier 1 Capital Ratio of 6.0% or greater, and a Leverage Ratio of 5.0% or greater, and (2) is not subject to any written agreement, order, capital directive, or prompt corrective action directive issued by the FDIC, is considered to be “well capitalized.” A bank with a Total Capital Ratio of 8.0% or greater, a Tier 1 Capital Ratio of 4.0% or greater, and a Leverage Ratio of 4.0% or greater, is considered to be “adequately capitalized.” A bank that has a Total Capital Ratio of less than 8.0%, a Tier 1 Capital Ratio of less than 4.0%, or a Leverage Ratio of less than 4.0%, is considered to be “undercapitalized.” A bank that has a Total Capital Ratio of less than 6.0%, a Tier 1 Capital Ratio of less than 3.0%, or a Leverage Ratio of less than 3.0%, is considered to be “significantly undercapitalized,” and a bank that has a tangible equity capital to assets ratio equal to or less than 2.0% is deemed to be “critically undercapitalized.” For purposes of these rules, the term “tangible equity” includes core capital elements counted as Tier 1 Capital for purposes of the risk-based capital standards, plus the amount of outstanding cumulative perpetual preferred stock (including related surplus), minus all intangible assets (with various exceptions). A bank may be deemed to be in a capitalization category lower than indicated by its actual capital position if it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating.

A bank that is categorized as “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized,” or “critically undercapitalized” is required to submit an acceptable capital restoration plan to the FDIC. An “undercapitalized” bank also is generally prohibited from increasing its average total assets, making acquisitions, establishing any branches, or engaging in any new line of business, except in accordance with an accepted capital restoration plan or with the approval of the FDIC. In

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addition, the FDIC has authority with respect to any “undercapitalized” bank to take any of the actions it is required to or may take with respect to a “significantly undercapitalized” bank if it determines that those actions are necessary to carry out the purpose of the law.

Reserve Requirements.    Under regulations of the FRB, all FDIC-insured banks must maintain average daily reserves against their transaction accounts. No reserves are required to be maintained on the first $7.0 million of transaction accounts, but reserves equal to 3.0% must be maintained on the aggregate balances of those accounts between $7.0 million and $47.6 million, and reserves equal to 10.0% must be maintained on aggregate balances in excess of $47.6 million. Those percentages are subject to adjustment by the FRB. Because required reserves must be maintained in the form of vault cash or in a non-interest-bearing account at a Federal Reserve Bank, the effect of the reserve requirement is to reduce the amount of the Bank’s interest-earning assets.

FDIC Insurance Assessments.    The FDIC currently uses a risk-based assessment system that takes into account the risks attributable to different categories and concentrations of assets and liabilities for purposes of calculating deposit insurance assessments to be paid by insured banks. The risk-based assessment system categorizes banks as “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized” or “undercapitalized.” These three categories are substantially similar to the prompt corrective action categories described above, with the “undercapitalized” category including banks that are “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized” and “critically undercapitalized” for prompt corrective action purposes. Banks also are assigned by the FDIC to one of three supervisory subgroups within each capital group, with the particular supervisory subgroup to which a bank is assigned being based on a supervisory evaluation provided to the FDIC by the bank’s primary federal banking regulator and information which the FDIC determines to be relevant to the bank’s financial condition and the risk posed to the deposit insurance funds (which may include, if applicable, information provided by the bank’s state supervisor). A different insurance assessment rate (ranging from zero to 27 basis points) applies to each of the nine assessment risk classifications (i.e., combinations of capital groups and supervisory subgroups). A bank’s assessment rate is determined based on the capital category and supervisory subgroup to which it is assigned. If the Bank’s capital classification were to drop, its assessment rate would increase in the future until it restored and maintained its capital at a higher level. A higher assessment rate would result in an increase in the assessments the Bank pays the FDIC for deposit insurance.

Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, the FDIC may terminate the Bank’s deposit insurance if it finds that it has engaged in unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated applicable laws, regulations, rules or orders.

The FDIC is charged with the responsibility of maintaining the adequacy of the BIF, and the amount the Bank pays for deposit insurance is influenced not only by its capital category and supervisory subgroup but also by the adequacy of the insurance funds at any time. FDIC insurance assessments could be increased substantially in the future if the FDIC finds such an increase to be necessary in order to adequately maintain the insurance funds.

Restrictions on Transactions with Affiliates.    The Bank is subject to the provisions of Section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act. Section 23A places limits on the amount of:

· a bank’s loans or extensions of credit to, or investment in, its affiliates;

· assets a bank may purchase from affiliates, except for real and personal property exempted by the Federal Reserve Board;

· the amount of loans or extensions of credit by a bank to third parties which are collateralized by the securities or obligations of the bank’s affiliates; and

· a bank’s guarantee, acceptance or letter of credit issued on behalf of one of its affiliates.

For purposes of Section 23A, we and any other company or entity that we control or that is under common control with us is treated as an affiliate of the Bank.

The total amount of the above transactions by the Bank 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. In addition to the limitation on the amount of these transactions, each of the above transactions must also meet specified collateral requirements. The Bank also must comply with other provisions of Section 23A designed to avoid the taking of low-quality assets from an affiliate.

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The Bank also is subject to the provisions of Section 23B of the Federal Reserve Act which, among other things, prohibits it from engaging in the above transactions with its affiliates unless the transactions are on terms substantially the same, or at least as favorable to the Bank or its subsidiaries, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with nonaffiliated companies.

Federal law also places restrictions on the Bank’s ability to extend credit to its or our executive officers, directors, principal shareholders and their related interests. These extensions of credit (1) must be made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with unrelated third parties, and (2) must not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features.

Interstate Banking and Branching.    The Bank Holding Company Act, as amended by the interstate banking provisions of the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 (the “Interstate Banking Law”), permits adequately capitalized and managed bank holding companies to acquire control of the assets of banks in any state. Acquisitions are subject to antitrust provisions that cap at 10.0% the portion of the total deposits of insured depository institutions in the United States that a single bank holding company may control, and generally cap at 30.0% the portion of the total deposits of insured depository institutions in a state that a single bank holding company may control. Under certain circumstances, states have the authority to increase or decrease the 30.0% cap, and states may set minimum age requirements of up to five years on target banks within their borders.

Subject to certain conditions, the Interstate Banking Law also permits interstate branching by allowing a bank in one state to merge with a bank located in a different state. Each state was allowed to accelerate the effective date for interstate mergers by adopting a law authorizing such transactions prior to June 1, 1997, or it could “opt out” and thereby prohibit interstate branching by enacting legislation to that effect prior to that date. The Interstate Banking Law also permits banks to establish branches in other states by opening new branches or acquiring existing branches of other banks, provided the laws of those other states specifically permit that form of interstate branching. North Carolina has adopted statutes which, subject to conditions, authorize out-of-state bank holding companies and banks to acquire or merge with North Carolina banks and to establish or acquire branches in North Carolina.

Community Reinvestment.    Under the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”), as implemented by regulations of the federal bank regulatory agencies, an insured bank has a continuing and affirmative obligation, consistent with its safe and sound operation, to help meet the credit needs of its entire community, including low and moderate income neighborhoods. The CRA does not establish specific lending requirements or programs for banks, nor does it limit a bank’s discretion to develop the types of products and services that it believes are best suited to its particular community, consistent with the CRA. The CRA requires the federal bank regulatory agencies, in connection with their examination of insured banks, to assess the banks’ records of meeting the credit needs of their communities, using the ratings of “outstanding,” “satisfactory,” “needs to improve,” or “substantial noncompliance,” and to take that record into account in its evaluation of certain applications by those banks. All insured banks are required to make public disclosure of their CRA performance ratings. The Bank received an outstanding rating in its most recent CRA examination.

USA Patriot Act of 2001.    The USA Patriot Act of 2001 was enacted in response to the terrorist attacks that occurred in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001. The Act is intended to strengthen the ability of U.S. law enforcement and the intelligence community to work cohesively to combat terrorism on a variety of fronts. The potential impact of the Act on financial institutions of all kinds is significant and wide ranging. The Act contains sweeping anti-money laundering and financial transparency laws and requires various regulations, including standards for verifying customer identification at account opening, and rules to promote cooperation among financial institutions, regulators, and law enforcement entities in identifying parties that may be involved in terrorism or money laundering.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.    On July 30, 2002, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was signed into law and became some of the most sweeping federal legislation addressing accounting, corporate governance and disclosure issues. The Act applies to all public companies and imposed significant new requirements for public company governance and disclosure requirements. Some of the provisions of the Act became effective immediately while others are still in the process of being implemented.

In general, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act mandated important new corporate governance and financial reporting requirements intended to enhance the accuracy and transparency of public companies’ reported financial results. It established new responsibilities for corporate chief executive officers, chief financial officers and audit committees in the financial reporting process, and it created a new regulatory body to oversee auditors of public companies. It backed these requirements with new SEC enforcement tools, increases criminal penalties for federal mail, wire and securities fraud,

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and created new criminal penalties for document and record destruction in connection with federal investigations. It also increased the opportunity for more private litigation by lengthening the statute of limitations for securities fraud claims and providing new federal corporate whistleblower protection.

The Act went further to require that the various securities exchanges, including The Nasdaq Stock Market, prohibit the listing of the stock of an issuer unless that issuer complies with various new corporate governance requirements imposed by the exchanges, including the requirement that various corporate matters (including executive compensation and board nominations) be approved, or recommended for approval by the issuer’s full board of directors, by directors of the issuer who are “independent” as defined by the exchanges’ rules or by committees made up of “independent” directors. Our common stock is a listed stock, so we are subject to those provisions of the Act and to corporate governance requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market.

The economic and operational effects of the Act on public companies, and particularly on smaller public companies, have been and will continue to be significant in terms of the time, resources and costs associated with complying with the new law.

Item 2.    Description of Property.

Our offices are located in the Bank’s corporate offices in Engelhard, North Carolina, and we do not own or lease any separate properties. All of the Bank’s existing banking offices are in good condition and fully equipped for the Bank’s purposes. At December 31, 2004, our consolidated investment in premises and banking equipment (cost less accumulated depreciation) was approximately $16.9 million.

Bank maintains the following 20 offices, 11 of which are owned by the Bank, 6 of which are owned by ECB Realty, Inc. and leased to the Bank, and 3 of which are held under leases with unaffiliated third parties.

Pamlico Region:	Engelhard main banking and corporate office (owned)
	Swan Quarter branch office (leased from ECB Realty)
	Fairfield branch office (leased from ECB Realty)
	Washington branch office (leased)
	Williamston branch office (owned)
	Morehead City branch office (owned)
Albemarle Region:	Columbia branch office (leased from ECB Realty)
	Creswell branch office (owned)
	Hertford branch office (leased)
Western Region:	Greenville Arlington branch office (owned)
	Greenville University Medical Center branch office (owned)
	New Bern branch office (owned)
	Wilmington branch office (owned)
Outer Banks Region:	Currituck branch office (owned)
	Southern Shores/Kitty Hawk branch office (leased from ECB Realty)
	Nags Head branch office (leased from ECB Realty)
	Manteo branch office (owned)
	Avon branch office (leased)
	Hatteras branch office (leased from ECB Realty)
	Ocracoke branch office (owned)

Item 3.    Legal Proceedings.

We are not a party to any legal proceeding that is expected to have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

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

Not applicable.

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PART II

Item 5.    Market for Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters.

Our common stock was first issued on July 22, 1998, when we became the Bank’s parent holding company. Our common stock was listed on The Nasdaq SmallCap Market on November 23, 1998, under the trading symbol “ECBE.” Previously, it had been traded on the OTC Bulletin Board. On March 4, 2005, there were 692 holders of record of our common stock.

The per share cash dividends we have paid during each quarterly period during 2004 and 2003, and the quarterly high and low prices of our common stock during those two years as reported on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, are set forth in Table 18 which is included in Item 6 of this Report. Our sole source of funds for the payment of dividends on our common stock is dividends paid to us by the Bank on the shares of the Bank’s common stock that we hold. The declaration and payment of future dividends by the Bank will continue to depend on its earnings and financial condition, capital requirements, general economic conditions, compliance with regulatory requirements generally applicable to North Carolina banks, and other factors. Additional information regarding restrictions on the Bank’s ability to pay dividends to us is contained in Item 1 of this Report under the caption “Payment of Dividends.”

Our ability to pay dividends also is subject to our own separate factors, including our earnings and financial condition, capital requirements and regulatory restrictions applicable to bank holding companies.

During the fourth quarter of 2004, we did not repurchase any shares of our outstanding common stock.

Item 6.    Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

ECB Bancorp, Inc. (“Bancorp”) is a bank holding company headquartered in Engelhard, North Carolina. Bancorp’s wholly-owned subsidiary, The East Carolina Bank (the “Bank”) (Bancorp and the Bank collectively referred to hereafter as the “Company”), is a state-chartered community bank which was founded in 1919. As part of our growth strategy, management perceived that the formation of a holding company likely would result in certain advantages, including additional flexibility in expansion of our business through the acquisition of other financial institutions or of branch offices of other institutions, in the raising of additional capital through borrowing (if needed) and provide the flexibility to engage in other financial services activities through newly formed subsidiaries or through the acquisition of existing companies.

We offer a full range of banking services through 20 branches serving eastern North Carolina, including the communities of Engelhard, Swan Quarter, Columbia, Creswell, Fairfield, Nags Head, Manteo, Southern Shores, Currituck, Avon, Hatteras, Ocracoke, Washington, Greenville (two branches), New Bern, Hertford, Williamston, Morehead City and Wilmington.

Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are presented to assist in understanding the financial condition and results of operations of ECB Bancorp, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, The East Carolina Bank, for the years 2004, 2003, and 2002. This discussion and the related financial data should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related footnotes.

Our operations and those of depository institutions in general are significantly influenced by general economic conditions and by related monetary, fiscal and other policies of depository institution regulatory agencies, including the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) and the North Carolina State Banking Commission. Our net income is dependent, to a large extent, on the differences between interest earned on loans and investments and interest paid on deposits. Deposit flows and costs of funds are influenced by interest rates on competing investments and general market rates of interest. Lending activities are affected by the demand for financing of real estate and other types of loans, which in turn are affected by the interest rates at which such financing may be offered and other factors affecting local demand and availability of funds.

Liquidity is our ability to generate cash to fund asset growth, to meet deposit withdrawals, to maintain regulatory reserve requirement and to pay operating expenses. The principal sources of liquidity are our investment portfolio, interest from loans and investments, loan principal repayments, and increases in deposits.

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Certain critical accounting policies affect the more significant judgements and estimates used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements. For example, we maintain a reserve for probable loan losses for estimated probable losses resulting from the inability of our customers to make required payments. If the financial condition of our borrowers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, our estimates would be updated, and additional reserves may be required. For further discussion of the estimates used, refer to the section captioned Summary of Loan Loss Experience.

Sufficient levels of capital are necessary to sustain growth and absorb losses. To this end, the FDIC has established capital adequacy guidelines. These guidelines relate to our Leverage Capital, Tier 1 and Total Risk Based Capital (“RBC”).

For The East Carolina Bank, Leverage Capital consists of total shareholders’ equity excluding unrealized gains or losses, net of income taxes, on securities available-for-sale. As of December 31, 2004, our Leverage Ratio was 8.32% compared to 9.25% and 9.98%, respectively, at year-end 2003 and 2002. For regulatory purposes, a well-capitalized financial institution must have a Tier 1 Leverage Ratio of at least 5.00%.

Within the RBC calculations, The East Carolina Bank’s assets, including loan commitments and other off-balance sheet items, are weighted according to Federal regulatory guidelines for risk considered inherent in the assets. The East Carolina Bank’s Tier 1 RBC ratio as of December 31, 2004 was 10.73%, which is, along with ratios of 11.32% and 12.94% for 2003 and 2002, respectively, representative of a well-capitalized institution. The calculation of the Total RBC ratio allows, in The East Carolina Bank’s circumstances, the inclusion of the allowance for probable loan losses in capital, but only to the maximum of 1.25% of risk-weighted assets. As of December 31, 2004, Our Total RBC was 11.82%, which is representative of a well-capitalized institution. The Total RBC ratios for 2003 and 2002 were 12.34% and 14.03%, respectively, both of which were representative of a well-capitalized financial institution.

As of December 31, 2004, shareholders’ equity totaled $32.1 million compared to $30.6 million at December 31, 2003. Shareholders’ equity for 2004 included net unrealized securities losses of $286,581 and net unrealized securities gains of $241,000 in 2003.

An adequate capital position provides us with expansion capabilities. Retention of sufficient earnings to maintain an adequate capital position is an important factor in determining dividends. During 2004, we declared $1,162,170 in dividends, versus $1,018,971 in 2003 and $823,742 in 2002. As a percentage of net income in 2004, dividends were 35.43%. On a per share basis, dividends declared in 2004 represented an increase of 14.0% over dividends per share declared in 2003.

In 2004, our net income was $3,279,794 or $1.63 basic and $1.60 diluted earnings per share, compared to $3,905,628 or $1.93 basic and $1.91 diluted earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2003.

Net interest income for 2004 was $16,822,230, an increase of $1,592,051 or 10.45% when compared to net interest income of $15,230,179 earned during 2003. Our net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis, for the year-ended December 31, 2004 was 4.05% compared to 4.27% in 2003. Management attributes the decrease in our net interest margin to the sustained low interest rate environment throughout all of 2004. Many of our rate sensitive liabilities, especially interest-bearing transaction accounts such as NOW and Money Market accounts, reached minimum rates such that additional rate reductions were not practical, thus reducing our ability to lower its cost of funds. While our rate sensitive assets such as loans and investment securities continued to mature and pay-out, subsequently, these earning assets were reinvested at lower rates. The yield on average earning assets, on a tax-equivalent basis, fell 28 basis points during 2004 to 5.42% compared to 5.70% in 2003.

Total interest income increased $2,265,788 during 2004 compared to 2003, due to an increase of $62.8 million in average earning assets. Approximately $3.8 million in interest income can be attributed to the additional volume of earning assets while the effect of lower rates reduced the additional income by approximately $1.5 million. The effect of variances in volume and rate interest income and interest expense is illustrated in Table 2. Volume and Rate Variance Analysis.

Total interest expense increased $673,737 during 2004 compared to 2003, the result of increased volume of average interest-bearing liabilities. Our cost of funds during 2003 was 1.62%, a decrease of 9 basis points when compared to 1.71%

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in 2003. The volume of average interest-bearing liabilities increased $59.0 million in 2004 and as a result increased interest expense by approximately $854,000. The effect of lower interest rates paid on interest-bearing liabilities during 2004 resulted in reduced interest expense of $180,000 producing a net increase in interest expense of $674,000.

Noninterest income, principally charges for the use of our services, is a significant contributor to net earnings. Noninterest income decreased $662,957 or 12.13% to $4,801,509 during 2004 compared to $5,464,466 in 2003. This increase is principally due to an impairment charge of $1,388,275 on $5.6 million of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”) and Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) perpetual preferred stock. The reclassification of an unrealized mark-to-market loss on these securities to an other-than-temporary charge was based upon a detailed impairment analysis and does not necessarily reflect the expected long-term value of these government sponsored investment grade securities. Gains and losses on the securities were previously recognized in the equity section of the balance sheet. The impairment charge was partially offset by a gain on insurance proceeds of $316,924 for property damage sustained during Hurricane Isabel, net gain on the sale of securities of $308,176 and an insurance recovery of $79,440 on a wire transfer fraud that was charged off in late 2003. Service charges on deposit accounts increased by $21,726 or 0.65% as Overdraft Banking Privilege fee income increased slightly when compared to 2003. Other service charges and fees increased $65,481 or 4.02% over the prior year period due to increases in net merchant discount fees generated by our credit card and merchant services department and increased net Business Manager service charge fees of $39,106. During 2004, the Bank had a net gain on the sale of securities of $308,176 compared to net gain of $135,952 during 2003.

Noninterest expense increased $1,064,105 or 7.36% to $15,515,211 compared to $14,451,106 in 2003. This increase is principally due to increases in salary and benefits expense of $648,383 also contributed to increased noninterest expense in 2004 compared to 2003. Salary expense increased $583,283 or 11.03% over the prior year period as a result of general salary increases of $123,308 and additional staffing expense within our mortgage department and home office of $133,668 and $124,211, respectively. Additional salary expenses of $182,260 are associated with our recently opened full service offices in Williamston, Morehead City and Wilmington. Benefits during 2004 compared to 2003 increased $65,100 or 3.16% principally due to an increase in premiums for employee group insurance of $56,233 and employee FICA taxes of $44,151. Restricted stock incentive expense increased $44,637 over the prior year period. These increases in employee benefits were partially offset by a reduction in incentive expense of $129,925 when compared to 2003. Occupancy expense increased $35,618 or 2.81% as property taxes and insurance increased $59,398 or 29.40% and janitorial expense increased $39,062 or 27.19% due to the new branch offices and home office buildings. These increases were partially offset by accelerated depreciation expense of approximately $66,000 on the Bank’s flood damaged accounting and operations facility. Equipment expense increased $236,558 or 16.21% over 2003 due principally to increased equipment maintenance of $147,136 or 40.56% and increased equipment rental expense of $123,490 or 59.83%. Long distance telephone expense decreased $65,492 or 85.75% over the prior year, as we received a credit adjustment of $33,062 due to being over charged by our long distance carrier in prior billing periods. Other operating expenses increased $244,728 from $3,001,558 in 2003 to $3,246,286 for 2004. The increase is primarily due to the charge-off of $92,201 in checks paid into overdraft that were deemed non-collectible in the current period. However, it is anticipated that a portion of the write-off will be recovered in a future period. We experienced losses on sale of repossessed assets that amounted to $57,670.

Income tax expense for 2004 and 2003 was $2,025,000 and $1,700,000, respectively, resulting in effective tax rates of 38.17% and 30.33%, respectively. The increase in our effective tax rate for 2004 was due to the change in valuation allowance as a result of the $1,388,275 impairment charge on investments taken at year end 2004. The valuation allowance for deferred tax assets was $534,486 and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively. The valuation allowance required at December 31, 2004 was for certain unrealized capital losses related to perpetual preferred stock issued by Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. These losses are capital in character and the corporation may not have current capital gain capacity to offset these losses. The effective tax rates in year 2003 differs from the federal statutory rate of 34.00% primarily due to tax-exempt interest income and state income tax expense.

COMPARISON OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AT DECEMBER 31, 2004 AND DECEMBER 31, 2003

Total assets increased $66.9 million to $501.9 million, an increase of 15.39% when compared to $435.0 million at December 31, 2003. Asset growth was funded by an increase in interest-bearing demand deposits of $13.5 million, an increase in non-interest-bearing demand deposits of $6.6 million and increased savings and time deposits of $38.1 million.

Loans receivable have increased $48.0 million or 17.03% from $281.6 million at December 31, 2003 to $329.5 million at December 31, 2004. We have experienced steady loan demand in all of our existing markets and as well as our new loan production offices. Real estate related loans increased approximately $57.1 million and accounted for essentially all of the loan growth during 2004. Real estate loans secured by nonfarm, nonresidential properties increased $44.4 million, while

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construction loans increased by $12.9 million. Our two new full service offices, one located in Wilmington and the other in Morehead City, contributed approximately 34% of the loan growth achieved in 2004. Our western region increased loans by approximately $27.5 million and the Outer Banks region increased their loans by approximately $13.0 million when compared to 2003. As we continued to increase our loan portfolio, we adhered to our strict underwriting standards.

Our investment portfolio increased by $10.5 million, an increase of 10.31% from $101.8 million at December 31, 2003 to $112.3 million at December 31, 2004. The increase resulted from a $20 million leverage strategy implemented in the first quarter of 2004. Monthly cash flow from fixed rate mortgage-backed products provided a portion of the funding for the loan growth experienced in 2004.

Total deposits at December 31, 2004 were $411.1 million, an increase of $58.2 million or 16.49% compared to $352.9 million at December 31, 2003. Interest bearing demand deposits, principally Money Market accounts, increased $13.5 million or 16.58% during 2004. ECB offices located on the “Outer Banks” of North Carolina where we have six branches generated approximately half of the increase. Noninterest bearing demand deposit accounts increased $6.6 million or 8.23%.

During 2004 and 2003, we continued to look to the wholesale funds market to augment our traditional sources of asset funding. As part of our liquidity and funding strategy, we replaced a portion of deposits of local municipalities, which require us to pledge qualifying investment securities as collateral, with wholesale funds. We subscribe to an Internet bulletin board to advertise our deposit rates which was used to generate $37,769,000 in certificates of deposit. We also used a brokerage firm for an additional $9.8 million certificate of deposit. At year-end 2004 and 2003, we had approximately $58.2 and $32.3 million, respectively, in this type of deposit, most of which has a maturity of two years or less and carries an interest rate slightly higher than those paid in our local markets.

Shareholders’ equity increased by $1,434,948 from December 31, 2003 to December 31, 2004, as we generated net income of $3,297,794 and recognized deferred compensation of $98,252 on restricted stock awards. We experienced an increase of net unrealized losses on available-for-sale securities of $528,028. During 2004, we repurchased 8,600 shares or $252,900 of our stock and we declared cash dividends of $1,162,170 or 57.0 cents per share, during 2004 compared to $1,018,971 or 50.0 cents per share in the prior year period.

The allowance for probable loan losses (AFLL) is established through a provision for probable loan losses charged against earnings. The level of the allowance for probable loan losses reflects our best estimate of probable losses inherent in the portfolio as of the balance sheet date and is based on our evaluation of the risks in the loan portfolio and changes in the nature and volume of loan activity. Our evaluation, which includes a review of loans for which full collectibility may not be reasonably assured, considers the loans’ “risk grades,” the estimated fair value of the underlying collateral, current economic conditions, historical loan loss experience and other current factors that warrant consideration in determining an adequate allowance. Our objective is to maintain a loan portfolio that is diverse in terms of loan type, industry concentration, and borrower concentration in order to manage overall credit risk by minimizing the adverse impact of any single event or combination of related events. The allowance for probable loan losses as a percentage of loans outstanding was 1.30% and 1.26% at December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2003, respectively.

RESERVE POLICY AND METHODOLOGY

The allowance for probable loan losses is composed of general reserves, specific reserves and an unallocated reserve. General reserves are established for the loan portfolio using loss percentages that are determined based on management’s evaluation of the losses inherent in the various risk grades of loans. Loans are categorized as one of eight risk grades based on our assessment of the overall credit quality of the loan, including the payment history, the financial position of the borrower, underlying collateral, internal credit reviews and the results of external regulatory examinations. The general reserve percentages are then applied to the loan balances within each risk grade to estimate the necessary allowance for probable losses in each risk category.

The general reserve percentages used have been determined by management to be appropriate based primarily on historical loan losses and the level of risk assumed for the various risk grades. The reserve percentages for Special Mention, Substandard and Doubtful are based on rates used by banking regulators in conjunction with their examination of ECB.

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The process of classifying loans into the appropriate risk grades is performed initially as a component of the approval of the loan by the appropriate credit officer. Based on the size of the loan, senior credit officers and/or the loan committee may review the classification to ensure accuracy and consistency of classification. To determine the most appropriate risk grade classification for each loan, credit officers examine the borrower’s liquidity level, the quality of any collateral, the amount of the borrower’s other indebtedness, cash flow, earnings, sources of financing and existing lending relationships. Loan classifications are frequently reviewed by internal credit examiners to determine if any changes in the circumstances of the loan require a different risk grade. An independent vendor we engage on an annual basis conducts an external review of loan classifications as part of their credit review process.

Specific reserves are provided on impaired commercial loans and are determined on a loan-by-loan basis based on our evaluation of our loss exposure for each credit, given the current payment status of the loan and the value of any underlying collateral. Loans for which specific reserves are provided are excluded from the general allowance calculations described above to prevent duplicate reserves. The calculations of specific reserves on commercial loans incorporate the results of measuring impaired loans pursuant to the requirements of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 114, “Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a Loan.” SFAS No. 114, as amended, requires that impaired loans be measured based on the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, at the loan’s observable market price, or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral-dependent. A loan is impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that we will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. When the measurement of the impaired loan is less than the recorded investment in the loan, the amount of the impairment is recorded through a specific reserve. It is our policy to classify and disclose all commercial loans that are on nonaccrual status as impaired loans. Substantially all other loans made by ECB are excluded from the scope of SFAS No. 114 as they are comprised of large groups of smaller balance homogeneous loans (e.g., residential mortgage and consumer installment) that are evaluated collectively for impairment in the general reserves estimation process discussed above.

There are two primary components considered in determining an appropriate level for the unallocated reserve. A portion of the unallocated reserve is established to cover the elements of imprecision and estimation risk inherent in the calculations of the general and specific reserves described above. The remaining portion of the unallocated reserve is determined based on management’s evaluation of various conditions that are not directly measured by any other component of the reserve, including current general economic and business conditions affecting key lending areas, credit quality trends, collateral values, loan volumes and concentrations, seasoning of the loan portfolio, the findings of internal credit examinations and results from external bank regulatory examinations.

While we use the best information available to establish the allowance for probable loan losses, future adjustments to the allowance or to the reserving methodology may be necessary if economic conditions differ substantially from the assumptions used in making the valuations or, if required by regulators, based upon information at the time of their examinations. Such adjustments to original estimates, as necessary, are made in the period in which these factors and other relevant considerations indicate that loss levels may vary from previous estimates.

Nonperforming assets consist of loans not accruing interest, restructured debt and real estate acquired in settlement of loans and other repossessed collateral. It is our policy to place loans on nonaccrual status when any portion of principal or interest becomes 90 days past due, or earlier if full collection of principal and interest become doubtful. When loans are placed on nonaccrual status, interest receivable is reversed against interest income in the current period. Interest payments received thereafter are applied as a reduction of the remaining principal balance so long as doubt exists as to the ultimate collection of the principal. Loans are removed from nonaccrual status when they become current as to both principal and interest and when the collectibility of principal or interest is no longer doubtful. Nonperforming assets were $138,000 and $444,000 which represented .04% and .16% of loans outstanding at December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively. At December 31, 2004, we had no loans considered to be impaired under SFAS No. 114 compared to $61,285 at December 31, 2003, all of which were on a non-accrual basis. Trends and dollar amounts of nonperforming loans are used by management in evaluating the overall adequacy of the allowance for probable loan losses.

The provision for probable loan losses charged to operations during 2004 was $803,734, compared to $637,911 for the year ended 2003. Net charge-offs for 2004 totaled $53,735, compared to net charge-offs of $237,911 in 2003. The amount charged for provision for probable loan losses is the result of our review and evaluation of the portfolio, which considers current economic conditions, past due loans, and prior loan loss experience.

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2003

In 2003, our net income was $3,905,628 or $1.93 basic and $1.91 diluted earnings per share, compared to $3,488,158 or $1.70 basic and $1.69 diluted earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2002.

Net interest income for 2003 was $15,230,179, an increase of $1,194,149 or 8.51% when compared to net interest income of $14,036,030 earned during 2002. Our net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis, for the year-ended December 31, 2003 was 4.27% compared to 4.82% in 2002. Management attributes the decrease in our net interest margin to the sustained low interest rate environment throughout all of 2003. Many of our rate sensitive liabilities, especially interest-bearing transaction accounts such as NOW and Money Market accounts, reached minimum rates such that additional rate reductions were not practical, thus reducing our ability to lower its cost of funds. While our rate sensitive assets such as loans and investment securities continued to mature and pay-out, subsequently, these earning assets were reinvested at lower rates. The yield on average earning assets, on a tax-equivalent basis, fell 89 basis points during 2003 to 5.70% compared to 6.59% in 2002.

Total interest income increased $1,105,097 during 2003 compared to 2002, due to an increase of $66.8 million in average earning assets. Approximately $4.2 million in interest income can be attributed to the additional volume of earning assets while the effect of lower rates reduced the additional income by approximately $3.1 million. The effect of variances in volume and rate interest income and interest expense is illustrated in Table 2. Volume and Rate Variance Analysis.

Total interest expense decreased $89,052 during 2003 compared to 2002, the result of a lower interest rate environment. Our cost of funds during 2003 was 1.72%, a decrease of 47 basis points when compared to 2.19% in 2002. The volume of average interest-bearing liabilities increased $62.7 million in 2003 and as a result increased interest expense by approximately $1.5 million. The effect of lower interest rates paid on interest-bearing liabilities during 2003 resulted in reduced interest expense of $1.6 million producing a net decrease in interest expense of less than $100,000.

Noninterest income, principally charges for the use of our services, is a significant contributor to net earnings. Noninterest income increased $993,590 or 22.22% to $5,464,466 during 2003 compared to $4,470,876 in 2002. Service charges on deposit accounts increased $572,344 over the prior year. This is principally due to continued success of our Overdraft Banking Privilege (ODP) banking product designed to assist customers in the event of checking account overdrafts by automatically advancing funds to their account. Overdraft Banking Privilege fees net of uncollected and charged-off ODP advances of $212,516 increased $569,707 during 2003. ODP advances are charged-off once the account has maintained a negative balance for 45 consecutive days. Other service charges and fees increased $357,357 over the prior year period. In order to take advantage of a 40 year low in home mortgage rates, we expanded the number of our mortgage loan origination facilities. More staff was added and new mortgage products were designed to meet increased demands from our customers, resulting in increased origination fees of $194,175 over fees earned in 2002. In addition, our investment brokerage staff increased fees by $151,961 over 2002. Recently, we entered into a relationship with a local insurance specialist firm in order to enhance our insurance options for our customers. We anticipate that our mortgage, investment, and insurance products will continue to play an increasing role in our future success. During 2003, we had a net gain on the sale of securities of $135,952 compared to $80,485 in 2002.

Noninterest expense increased $1,476,369 or 11.38% to $14,451,106 compared to $12,974,737 in 2002. This increase is principally due to increased salary and occupancy expense resulting from the expansion of banking locations, services and products. Salary and employee benefits expense increased $648,967 or 9.60%. Salary expense increased $541,341 over the prior year period, primarily the result of incremental salary expense of $346,004 associated with our mid-year opening of its full-service branch in Williamston, additional staffing of our mortgage origination offices and loan production offices in Morehead City and Wilmington opened in January 2003. General Bank employee salary expense increased $195,337 compared to 2002 due to annual merit increases of approximately 4% and increased number of personnel. Employee benefit expense increased $107,626 over the prior year period, due to increased employee group insurance premiums of $107,200 when compared to premiums paid in 2002. Occupancy expense increased $263,817 or 26.33% principally as the result of accelerated depreciation expense of $129,885 on our home office branch facility as we replaced the existing branch structure with a new corporate and branch office in 2004. An additional $68,285 of occupancy expense is directly attributable to the opening of the new Williamston office and two loan production offices. Bank supplies increased $42,968 from the prior year period primarily as the result of increased forms and computer related supplies. Telephone and data communications expense increased $167,115 over the prior year period, as we have implemented a new voice and data system, upgraded to provide bank-wide voicemail and additional bandwidth to promote our network capabilities.

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Other operating expenses increased $238,185 to $3,001,558 from the 2002 level of $2,763,373. Approximately $125,000 of the increase in other operating expense is the result of our charging off a returned check involved in a fraudulent wire transfer that occurred during the year. We are in the pursuit of a partial monetary recovery from our insurance company, but such recovery is uncertain. Fees for credit card and merchant services provided for us from outside vendors increased $85,480.

Income tax expense for 2003 and 2002 was $1,700,000 and $1,404,000, respectively, resulting in effective tax rates of 30.33% and 28.70%, respectively. The increase in our effective tax rate for 2003 is the result of an increased state tax liability. Changes in the mix of investments within our investment portfolio during 2003 away from state tax exempt securities resulted in a higher state tax liability. The effective tax rates in both years differ from the federal statutory rate of 34.00% primarily due to tax-exempt interest income.

COMPARISON OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AT DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND DECEMBER 31, 2002

Total assets increased $48.7 million to $435.0 million, an increase of 12.60% when compared to $386.3 million at December 31, 2002. Asset growth was funded by an increase in non-interest-bearing demand deposits of $12.8 million, an increase in interest-bearing demand deposits of $10.2 million and increased savings and time deposits of $28.7 million.

Loans receivable have increased $53.7 million or 23.56% from $227.9 million at December 31, 2002 to $281.6 million at December 31, 2003. We have experienced steady loan demand in all of our existing markets and as well as our new loan production offices. Real estate related loans increased approximately $47.2 million and accounted for nearly 90% of the loan growth during 2003. Real estate loans secured by nonfarm, nonresidential properties increased $30.7 million, while construction loans and real estate secured by residential properties increased by $13.3 million. Our two loan production offices, one located in Wilmington and the other in Morehead City, contributed approximately 24% of the loan growth achieved in 2003. As we continued to increase our loan portfolio, we adhered to our strict underwriting standards.

Our investment portfolio decreased by $18.5 million, a decrease of 15.37% from $120.3 million at December 31, 2002 to $101.8 million at December 31, 2003. The decrease was a planned and anticipated event resulting from the cost recovery and leverage strategy implemented in the third quarter of 2002. Monthly cash flow from fixed rate mortgage-backed products provided a third of the funding for the loan growth experienced in 2003.

Total deposits at December 31, 2003 were $352.9 million, an increase of $51.7 million or 17.13% compared to $301.3 million at December 31, 2002. Demand deposits increased $12.8 million or 19.10% during 2003. ECB offices located on the “Outer Banks” of North Carolina where we have six branches generated approximately half of the increase. Interest-bearing deposit accounts, principally NOW accounts, increased $10.2 million or 14.27%. Growth in NOW account deposits occurred primarily in our Pamlico and Albemarle regions.

During 2003, we looked to the wholesale funds market to augment our traditional sources of asset funding. As part of our liquidity and funding strategy, we replaced a portion of deposits of local municipalities, which require us to pledge qualifying investment securities as collateral, with wholesale funds. In February, we obtained $10 million of brokered deposits, a six-month and one year term of equal amounts. Also, we subscribe to an Internet bulletin board service to advertise our certificate of deposit rates. At year-end 2003, we had approximately $27.3 million in this type of deposit, most of which has a maturity of one year or less and carries an interest rate slightly higher than those paid in our local markets.

Shareholders’ equity increased by $1,004,020 from December 31, 2002 to December 31, 2003, as we generated net income of $3,905,628 and experienced a decrease of net unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities of $1,727,388 and deferred compensation—restricted stock issuances net of recognition of $97,820. During 2003, we repurchased 10,500 shares or $208,863 of its stock. We declared cash dividends of $1,018,971 or 50.0 cents per share, during 2003 compared to 40.0 cents per share in the prior year period.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In December 2003, FASB Statement No. 132 (revised), Employers’ Disclosures about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits, was issued. Statement 132 (revised) prescribes employers’ disclosures about pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans; it does not change the measurement or recognition of those plans. The Statement

16

retains and revises the disclosure requirements contained in the original Statement 132. It also requires additional disclosures about the assets, obligations, cash flows, and net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans. The Statement generally is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2003. The adoption of SFAS No. 132 (revised) did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. The disclosure requirements of Statement 132 (revised) are contained in Notes to the financial statements.

On December 12, 2003, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) released Statement of Position (SOP) 03-03, Accounting for Certain Loans or Debt Securities Acquired in a Transfer. This statement of position addresses accounting for differences between contractual cash flows and cash flows expected to be collected from investor’s initial investment in loans or debt securities (loans) acquired in a transfer if those differences are attributable, at least in part, to credit quality. This SOP is effective for loans acquired in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2004. The adoption of SOP 03-3 is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In January 2003, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 46 (FIN 46), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities—an Interpretation of Accounting Research Bulletin 51—Consolidated Financial Statements.” This interpretation provides guidance related to identifying variable interest entities and determining whether such entities should be consolidated. FIN 46 requires an enterprise to consolidate a variable interest entity when the enterprise (a) absorbs a majority of the variable interest entity’s expected losses, (b) receives a majority of the entity’s expected residual returns, or both, as a result of ownership, contractual or other financial interests in the entity. Prior to the effective date of FIN 46, entities were generally consolidated by an enterprise that had control through ownership of a majority voting interest in the entity. FIN 46 originally applied immediately to variable interest entities created or obtained after January 31, 2003. During 2003, the Bank did not participate in the creation of, or obtain a new variable interest in, any variable interest entity. In December 2003, the FASB issued FIN 46R, a revision to FIN 46, which modified certain requirements of FIN 46 and allowed for the optional deferral of the effective date of FIN 46R for annual or interim periods ending after March 15, 2004. As disclosed in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the period ended September 30, 2003, the Company completed its assessment of the trust preferred securities and determined that these statutory business trusts should no longer be consolidated entities. Accordingly, the statutory business trusts were deconsolidated and the debt issued to the trust was recorded in accordance with FIN 46. The remaining provisions of FIN 46R did not have a material impact on the consolidated results of operations or consolidated financial condition of the Company.

On March 9, 2004, the SEC Staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 105, “Application of Accounting Principles to Loan Commitments” (“SAB 105”). SAB 105 clarifies existing accounting practices relating to the valuation of issued loan commitments, including interest rate lock commitments (“IRLC”), subject to SFAS No. 149 and Derivative Implementation Group Issue C13, “Scope Exceptions: When a Loan Commitment is included in the Scope of Statement 133.” Furthermore, SAB 105 disallows the inclusion of the values of a servicing component and other internally developed intangible assets in the initial and subsequent IRLC valuation. The provisions of SAB 105 were effective for loan commitments entered into after March 31, 2004. The Company adopted the provisions of SAB 105 effective April 1, 2004. Since the provisions of SAB 105 affect only the timing of the recognition of mortgage banking income, the adoption of SAB 105 did not have a material adverse effect on either the Company’s consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations.

In the second quarter of 2004, the Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) released EITF Issue 03-01, “The Meaning of Other-Than-Temporary Impairment and its Application to Certain Investments.” The Issue provided guidance for evaluating whether an investment is other-than-temporarily impaired and requires certain disclosures with respect to these investments. On September 30, 2004, the EITF delayed the effective date of paragraphs 10-20 of EITF Issue 03-01. As of December 31, 2004, the Company held certain investment positions that it purchased at premiums with unrealized losses that, in the aggregate, were not material to the Company’s consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations. These investments were in U.S. government agency obligations and local government obligations, the cash flows of which are guaranteed by the U.S. government agencies or the taxing authority of the local government and, therefore, it is expected that the securities would not be settled at a price less than their amortized cost. Because the decline in market value was caused by interest rate increases and not credit quality, and because the Company has the ability and intent to hold these investments until a recovery of fair value, which may be maturity, the Company has not recognized any other-than-temporary impairment in connection with these investments.

At December 31, 2004, the Bank owns $4,276,725 of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”) and Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) perpetual preferred stock. Based on the recent events at these issuers

17

and the anticipated interest rate environment expected in the near term, we concluded that the unrealized losses were other-than-temporary. The Company’s conclusion considered the duration and the severity of the unrealized loss, the financial condition and near term prospects of the issuers, and the likelihood of the market value of these instruments increasing to our initial cost basis within a reasonable period of time. The reclassification of these securities to other-than-temporary impairment resulted in a mark-to-market impairment charge of $1,388,275.

On May 19, 2004, the FASB released FASB Staff Position (FSP) FAS No. 106-2 “Accounting and Disclosure Requirements Related to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003.” The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 provides a subsidy for employers that sponsor postretirement health care plans that provide prescription drug benefits. The net periodic postretirement benefit cost disclosed does not reflect any amount associated with the subsidy because the Company has not yet concluded whether the benefits provided by the plan are actuarially equivalent to Medicare Part D under the Act.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this Report and exhibits relating to plans, strategies, economic performance and trends, projections of results of specific activities or investments, expectations or beliefs about future events or results, and other statements that are not descriptions of historical facts, may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking information is inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other documents filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Forward-looking statements may be identified by terms such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “expects”, “plans”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “predicts”, “forecasts”, “potential” or “continue,” or similar terms or the negative of these terms, or other statements concerning opinions or judgments of the Company’s management about future events. Factors that could influence the accuracy of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the financial success or changing strategies of our customers, actions of government regulators, the level of market interest rates, weather and similar conditions, particularly the effect of hurricanes on our banking and operations facilities and on our customers and the communities in which we do business, and general economic conditions. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. We have no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

18

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Table 1.

AVERAGE BALANCES AND NET INTEREST INCOME ANALYSIS

	Year Ended December 31,
	2004						2003						2002
	Average Balance		Yield/ Rate		Income/ Expense		Average Balance		Yield/ Rate		Income/ Expense		Average Balance		Yield/ Rate		Income/ Expense
	(dollars in thousands)
ASSETS
Loans—net (1)	$	308,207	5.91	%	$	18,202	$	251,243	6.31	%	$	15,850	$	202,334	7.15	%	$	14,471
Taxable securities		83,394	3.98	%		3,323		85,218	4.28	%		3,644		71,003	5.53	%		3,927
Non-taxable securities (2)		34,384	5.05	%		1,735		25,932	5.38	%		1,395		23,044	5.74	%		1,323
Overnight investments		4,222	1.73	%		73		5,021	1.23	%		62		4,260	2.35	%		100
Total interest-earning assets		430,207	5.42	%	$	23,333		367,414	5.70	%	$	20,951		300,641	6.59	%	$	19,821
Cash and due from banks		24,393						19,932						13,947
Bank premises and equipment, net		14,056						10,364						8,193
Other assets		15,505						12,387						11,000
Total assets	$	484,161					$	410,097					$	333,781
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Interest-bearing deposits	$	313,661	1.36	%	$	4,273	$	252,104	1.43	%	$	3,594	$	214,514	2.01	%	$	4,310
Short-term borrowings		15,936	1.52	%		243		19,735	1.33	%		262		10,121	1.14	%		115
Long-term obligations		35,495	3.96	%		1,405		34,236	4.06	%		1,391		18,500	4.92	%		911
Total interest-bearing liabilities		365,092	1.62	%		5,921		306,075	1.71	%		5,247		243,135	2.19	%		5,336
Non-interest-bearing deposits		85,432						72,221						61,158
Other liabilities		2,424						1,677						2,179
Shareholders’ equity		31,213						30,124						27,309
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	484,161					$	410,097					$	333,781
Net interest income and net yield on interest-earning assets (FTE) (3)			4.05	%	$	17,412			4.27	%	$	15,704			4.82	%	$	14,485
Interest rate spread (FTE) (4)			3.80	%					3.99	%					4.40	%

⁽¹⁾ Average loans include non-accruing loans, net of allowance for probable loan losses. Amortization of deferred loan fees of $481,000, $325,000, and $333,000 for 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively, are included in interest income.

⁽²⁾ Yields on tax-exempt investments have been adjusted to a fully taxable-equivalent basis (FTE) using the federal income tax rate of 34%. The taxable equivalent adjustment was $590,000, $474,000, and $449,000 for the years 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively.

⁽³⁾ Net interest margin is computed by dividing net interest income by total earning assets.

⁽⁴⁾ Interest rate spread equals the earning asset yield minus the interest-bearing liability rate.

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Changes in interest income and interest expense can result from variances in both volume and rates. Table 2 below analyzes the effect of variances in volume and rate on taxable-equivalent interest income, interest expense and net interest income.

Table 2.

VOLUME AND RATE VARIANCE ANALYSIS

	2004 compared to 2003									2003 compared to 2002
	Volume (1)			Rate (1)			Net			Volume (1)		Rate (1)			Net
	(dollars in thousands)
Loans	$	3,479		$	(1,127	)	$	2,352		$	3,292	$	(1,913	)	$	1,379
Taxable securities		(75	)		(246	)		(321	)		697		(980	)		(283	)
Non-taxable securities (2)		441			(101	)		340			160		(88	)		72
Overnight investments		(12	)		23			11			14		(52	)		(38	)
Interest income		3,833			(1,451	)		2,382			4,163		(3,033	)		1,130
Interest-bearing deposits		858			(179	)		679			645		(1,361	)		(716	)
Short-term borrowings		(54	)		35			(19	)		118		29			147
Long-term obligations		50			(36	)		14			707		(227	)		480
Interest expense		854			(180	)		674			1,470		(1,559	)		(89	)
Net interest income	$	2,979		$	(1,271	)	$	1,708		$	2,693	$	(1,474	)	$	1,219

⁽¹⁾ The combined rate/volume variance for each category has been allocated equally between rate and volume variances.

⁽²⁾ Yields on tax-exempt investments have been adjusted to a fully taxable-equivalent basis (FTE) using the federal income tax rate of 34%.

The taxable equivalent adjustment was $590,000, $474,000, and $449,000 for the years 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively.

Rate sensitivity analysis, an important aspect of achieving satisfactory levels of net interest income, is the management of the composition and maturities of rate-sensitive assets and liabilities. The following table sets forth our interest sensitivity analysis at December 31, and describes, at various cumulative maturity intervals, the gap-ratios (ratios of rate-sensitive assets to rate-sensitive liabilities) for assets and liabilities that we consider rate sensitive. The interest-sensitivity position has meaning only as of the date for which it was prepared.

The difference between interest-sensitive asset and interest-sensitive liability repricing within time periods is referred to as the interest-rate-sensitivity gap. Gaps are identified as either positive (interest-sensitive assets in excess of interest-sensitive liabilities) or negative (interest-sensitive liabilities in excess of interest-sensitive assets).

As of December 31, 2004, we had a negative one year cumulative gap of 25.7% of interest-earning assets. We have interest-earning assets of $210 million maturing or repricing within one year and interest-bearing liabilities of $324 million repricing or maturing within one year. This is primarily the result of stable core deposits being used to fund longer term interest-earning assets, such as loans and investment securities. A negative gap position implies that interest-bearing liabilities (deposits) will reprice at a faster rate than interest-earning assets (loans and investments). In a falling rate environment, this position will generally have a positive effect on earnings, while in a rising rate environment this will generally have a negative effect on earnings.

Our savings and core time deposits of $229 million include interest-bearing checking and savings accounts of $96 million. These deposits are considered as repricing in the earliest period because the rate can be changed weekly. However, history has shown that the decreases in the rates paid on these deposits have little, if any, effect on their movement out of the Bank. Therefore, in reality, they are not sensitive to changes in market rates and could be considered as non-rate sensitive. If this change were made, our rate sensitive liabilities would be more closely matched at the end of the one year period.

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Table 3.

RATE SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2004

	3 Months Or less			4 to 12 Months			Total within 12 Months			Over 12 Months			Total
	(dollars in thousands)
Earning Assets
Loans—gross	$	196,106		$	10,558		$	206,664		$	122,866		$	329,530
Investment securities		365			842			1,207			111,114			112,321
FHLB stock		1,947			—			1,947			—			1,947
Total earning assets	$	198,418		$	11,400		$	209,818		$	233,980		$	443,798
Percent of total earning assets		44.7	%		2.6	%		47.3	%		52.7	%		100.0	%
Cumulative percentage of total earning assets		44.7	%		47.3	%		47.3	%		100.0	%
Interest-bearing liabilities
Time deposits of $100,000 or more	$	40,800		$	41,512		$	82,312		$	13,678		$	95,990
Savings, NOW and Money Market deposits		118,103			—			118,103			—			118,103
Other time deposits		37,009			63,527			100,536			10,288			110,824
Short-term borrowings		20,007			3,000			23,007			—			23,007
Long-term obligations		—			—			—			31,310			31,310
Total interest-bearing liabilities	$	215,919		$	108,039		$	323,958		$	55,276		$	379,234
Percent of total interest-bearing liabilities		56.9	%		28.5	%		85.4	%		14.6	%		100.0	%
Cumulative percent of total interest-bearing liabilities		56.9	%		85.4	%		85.4	%		100.0	%
Ratios
Ratio of earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities (gap ratio)		91.9	%		10.6	%		64.8	%		423.3	%		117.0	%
Cumulative ratio of earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities (cumulative gap ratio)		91.9	%		64.8	%		64.8	%		117.0	%
Interest sensitivity gap	$	(17,501	)	$	(96,639	)	$	(114,140	)	$	178,704		$	64,564
Cumulative interest sensitivity gap	$	(17,501	)	$	(114,140	)	$	(114,140	)	$	64,564		$	64,564
As a percent of total earning assets		-3.9	%		-25.7	%		-25.7	%		14.5	%		14.5	%

In periods of rising interest rates, our rate-sensitive assets cannot be repriced as quickly as its rate-sensitive liabilities. Thus, our net interest income generally will decrease during a period of rising interest rates. In periods of declining interest rates the opposite occurs.

As of December 31, 2004, approximately 47.3% of our interest-earning assets could be repriced within one year and approximately 88.7% of interest-bearing assets could be repriced within five years. Approximately 85.4% of interest-bearing liabilities could be repriced within one year and 94.7% of interest-bearing liabilities could be repriced within five years.

MARKET RISK

Our primary market risk is interest rate risk. Interest rate risk is the result of differing maturities or repricing intervals of interest earning assets and interest bearing liabilities and the fact that rates on these financial instruments do not change uniformly. These conditions may impact the earnings generated by our interest earning assets or the cost of our interest bearing liabilities, thus directly impacting our overall earnings.

We actively monitor and manage interest rate risk. One way this is accomplished is through the development of and adherence to our asset/liability policy. This policy sets forth our strategy for matching the risk characteristics of interest bearing assets and liabilities so as to mitigate the effect of changes in the rate environment.

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Table 4.

MARKET RISK ANALYSIS

	Principal Maturing in Years ended December 31,
	2005			2006			2007			2008			2009			Thereafter			Total			Fair Value
	(dollars in thousands)
ASSETS
Loans
Fixed Rate	$	15,554		$	21,333		$	30,250		$	29,249		$	26,377		$	15,660		$	138,423		$	136,512
Average rate (%)		6.59	%		6.58	%		6.29	%		6.05	%		6.20	%		6.15	%		6.28	%
Variable Rate		68,441			13,605			19,111			23,531			31,330			35,089			191,107			191,107
Average rate (%)		5.78	%		5.55	%		5.59	%		5.40	%		5.41	%		5.73	%		5.63	%
Investment securities
Fixed Rate		521			1,618			2,306			6,340			6,315			95,687			112,787			112,321
Average rate (%)		5.49	%		4.14	%		3.51	%		4.16	%		4.53	%		4.35	%		4.35	%
LIABILITIES
Savings and interest-bearing checking
Variable Rate		118,103			—			—			—			—			—			118,103			118,103
Average rate (%)		0.42	%		—			—			—			—			—			0.42	%
Certificates of deposits
Fixed Rate		182,292			11,304			2,862			4,413			5,387			—			206,258			205,372
Average rate (%)		2.15	%		2.73	%		3.31	%		3.45	%		3.85	%		—			2.27	%
Variable Rate		556			—			—			—			—			—			556			556
Average rate (%)		1.73	%		—			—			—			—			—			1.73	%
Short-term borrowings
Variable Rate		23,007			—			—			—			—			—			23,007			23,007
Average rate (%)		2.39	%		—			—			—			—			—			2.39	%
Long-term obligations
Fixed Rate		—			13,000			3,000			—			—			5,000			21,000			21,067
Average rate (%)		—			3.82	%		3.70	%		—			—			4.44	%		3.95	%
Variable Rate		—			—			—			—			—			10,310			10,310			10,310
Average rate (%)		—			—			—			—			—			6.00	%		6.00	%

Noninterest income, principally charges for the use of our services, is a significant contributor to net earnings. Noninterest income decreased $662,957 or 12.13% to $4,801,509 during 2004 compared to $5,464,466 in 2003. This increase is principally due to an impairment charge of $1,388,275 on $5.6 million of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”) and Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) perpetual preferred stock. The reclassification of an unrealized mark-to-market loss on these securities to an other-than-temporary charge was based upon a detailed impairment analysis and does not necessarily reflect the expected long-term value of these government sponsored investment grade securities. Gains and losses on the securities were previously recognized in the equity section of the balance sheet. The impairment charge was partially offset by a gain on insurance proceeds of $316,924 for property damage sustained during Hurricane Isabel, net gain on the sale of securities of $308,176 and an insurance recovery of $79,440 on a wire transfer fraud that was charged off in late 2003. Service charges on deposit accounts increased by $21,726 or 0.65% as Overdraft Banking Privilege fee income increased slightly when compared to 2003. Other service charges and fees increased $65,481 or 4.02% over the prior year period due to increases in net merchant discount fees generated by our credit card and merchant services department and increased net Business Manager service charge fees of $39,106. During 2004, the Bank had a net gain on the sale of securities of $308,176 compared to net gain of $135,952 during 2003.

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Table 5.

NONINTEREST INCOME

	Year Ended December 31,
	2004			2003		2002
	(dollars in thousands)
Service charges on deposit accounts	$	3,387		$	3,365	$	2,793
Other service charges and fees		1,693			1,627		1,270
Net gain on sale of securities		308			136		80
Impairment charge on investments		(1,388	)		—		—
Income from bank owned life insurance		288			246		269
Other		514			90		59
Total	$	4,802		$	5,464	$	4,471

Noninterest expense increased $1,064,105 or 7.36% to $15,515,211 compared to $14,451,106 in 2003. This increase is principally due to increases in salary and benefits expense of $648,383 also contributed to increased noninterest expense in 2004 compared to 2003. Salary expense increased $583,283 or 11.03% over the prior year period as a result of general salary increases of $123,308 and additional staffing expense within our mortgage department and home office of $133,668 and $124,211, respectively. Additional salary expenses of $182,260 are associated with our recently opened full service offices in Williamston, Morehead City and Wilmington. Benefits during 2004 compared to 2003 increased $65,100 or 3.16% principally due to an increase in premiums for employee group insurance of $56,233 and employee FICA taxes of $44,151. Restricted stock incentive expense increased $44,637 over the prior year period. These increases in employee benefits were partially offset by a reduction in incentive expense of $129,925 when compared to 2003. Occupancy expense increased $35,618 or 2.81% as property taxes and insurance increased $59,398 or 29.40% and janitorial expense increased $39,062 or 27.19% due to the new branch offices and home office buildings. These increases were partially offset by accelerated depreciation expense of approximately $66,000 on the Bank’s flood damaged accounting and operations facility. Equipment expense increased $236,558 or 16.21% over 2003 due principally to increased equipment maintenance of $147,136 or 40.56% and increased equipment rental expense of $123,490 or 59.83%. Long distance telephone expense decreased $65,492 or 85.75% over the prior year, as we received a credit adjustment of $33,062 due to being over charged by our long distance carrier in prior billing periods. Other operating expenses increased $244,728 from $3,001,558 in 2003 to $3,246,286 for 2004. The increase is primarily due to the charge-off of $92,201 in checks paid into overdraft that were deemed non-collectible in the current period. However, it is anticipated that a portion of the write-off will be recovered in a future period. We experienced losses on sale of repossessed assets during the first quarter of 2004 that amounted to $57,670.

Table 6.

NONINTEREST EXPENSES

	Year Ended December 31,
	2004		2003		2002
	(dollars in thousands)
Salaries	$	5,874	$	5,290	$	4,749
Retirement and other employee benefits		2,126		2,061		1,954
Occupancy		1,301		1,266		1,002
Equipment		1,696		1,459		1,372
Professional fees		316		343		315
Supplies		329		337		294
Telephone		389		480		313
Postage		238		213		213
Other		3,246		3,002		2,763
Total	$	15,515	$	14,451	$	12,975

23

ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

We believe our financial condition is sound. The following discussion focuses on the factors considered by us to be important in assessing our financial condition.

The following table sets forth the percentage of significant components of our balance sheets at December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002.

Table 7.

DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

	December 31,
	2004				2003				2002
	(dollars in thousands)
ASSETS
Loans, net	$	325,230	64.8	%	$	278,031	63.9	%	$	224,733	58.2	%
Investment securities		112,321	22.4	%		101,821	23.4	%		120,317	31.1	%
FHLB stock		1,947	0.4	%		1,100	0.3	%		1,428	0.5	%
Federal funds sold		—	—			—	—			2,000	0.5	%
Total earning assets		439,498	87.6	%		380,952	87.6	%		348,478	90.2	%
Cash and due from banks		28,263	5.7	%		27,384	6.4	%		18,345	4.7	%
Bank premises and equipment, net		16,939	3.4	%		11,880	2.7	%		8,616	2.2	%
Other assets		17,190	3.4	%		14,748	3.4	%		10,866	2.8	%
Total assets	$	501,890	100.0	%	$	434,964	100.0	%	$	386,305	100.0	%
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Demand deposits	$	86,216	17.2	%	$	79,661	18.3	%	$	66,884	17.3	%
Savings, NOW and Money Market deposits		118,103	23.5	%		102,717	23.6	%		88,320	22.9	%
Time deposits of $100,000 or more		95,990	19.1	%		78,338	18.0	%		79,896	20.7	%
Other time deposits		110,824	22.1	%		92,218	21.2	%		66,161	17.1	%
Total deposits		411,133	81.9	%		352,934	81.1	%		301,261	78.0	%
Short-term borrowings		23,007	4.6	%		18,299	4.2	%		20,221	5.2	%
Long-term obligations		31,310	6.3	%		29,310	6.8	%		32,000	8.3	%
Accrued interest and other liabilities		4,363	0.9	%		3,779	0.9	%		3,184	0.8	%
Total liabilities		469,813	93.7	%		404,322	93.0	%		356,666	92.3	%
Shareholders’ equity		32,077	6.4	%		30,642	7.0	%		29,639	7.7	%
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	501,890	100.0	%	$	434,964	100.0	%	$	386,305	100.0	%

INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO

The carrying values of investment securities held by us at the dates indicated are summarized as follows:

Table 8.

INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION.

	December 31,
	2004		Percentage		2003		Percentage		2002		Percentage
Securities available-for-sale
U.S. Government agencies	$	10,963	9.8	%	$	17,626	17.3	%	$	12,838	10.7	%
Collaterized mortgage obligations		20,980	18.7	%		12,463	12.2	%		21,120	17.6	%
Mortgage-backed securities		45,067	40.1	%		40,246	39.5	%		59,282	49.3	%
Tax-exempt municipals		31,034	27.6	%		26,433	26.0	%		21,327	17.7	%
Preferred stock		4,277	3.8	%		5,053	5.0	%		5,750	4.8	%
Total investments	$	112,321	100.0	%	$	101,821	100.0	%	$	120,317	100.0	%

24

The following table shows maturities of the carrying values of investment securities held by us at December 31, 2004, and the weighted average yields.

Table 9.

INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO MATURITY SCHEDULES.

	3 Months or Less			Over 3 Months Through 1 Year			Over 1 Year Through 5 Years			Over 5 Years But Within 10 Years			Over 10 Years
Security Type	Amount/Yield			Amount/Yield			Amount/Yield			Amount/Yield			Amount/Yield			Total/Yield
Available-for-sale
U.S. Government agencies	$	—		$	—		$	10,963		$	—		$	—		$	10,963
		—			—			3.65	%		—						3.65	%
Collaterized mortgage obligations (1)		170			—			20,810			—			—			20,980
		5.46	%		—			4.06	%		—			—			4.07	%
Mortgage-backed securities (1)		—			—			39,819			5,248			—			45,067
		—			—			3.84	%		4.71	%		—			3.94	%
Tax-exempt municipals		195			842			6,942			10,964			12,091			31,034
		4.67	%		5.70	%		5.39	%		5.82	%		5.79	%		5.70	%
Preferred stock		—			—			—			—			4,277			4,277
														1.75	%		1.75	%
Total investments	$	365		$	842		$	78,534		$	16,212		$	16,368		$	112,321
		5.04	%		5.70	%		4.00	%		5.45	%		3.97	%		4.33	%

⁽¹⁾ Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and collaterized mortgage obligations (CMO) maturities are based on the average life at the projected speed. Yields on tax-exempt investments have been adjusted to a fully taxable-equivalent basis (FTE) using the federal income tax rate of 34%. The taxable equivalent adjustment was $590,000, $474,000, and $449,000 for the years 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively. The weighted average yields shown are calculated on the basis of cost and effective yields for the scheduled maturity of each security. At December 31, 2004 the market value of the investment portfolio was approximately $466,000 below its book value, which is primarily the result of higher market interest rates compared to the interest rates on the investments in the portfolio.

LOAN PORTFOLIO

We believe the loan portfolio is adequately diversified and contains no foreign loans. Real estate loans represent approximately 65.3% of our loan portfolio. Real estate loans are primarily loans secured by real estate, mortgage, and construction loans. We do not have a large portfolio of home mortgage loans. See note (1) below. Commercial loans are spread throughout a variety of industries, with no particular industry or group of related industries accounting for a significant portion of the commercial loan portfolio. At December 31, 2004, our ten largest loans accounted for approximately 6.8% of our loans outstanding. As of December 31, 2004, we had outstanding loan commitments of approximately $87,739,000. The amounts of loans outstanding and the percentage that such loans represented of total loans at the indicated dates are shown in the following table according to loan type.

Table 10.

LOAN PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION

	December 31,
	2004		2003		2002		2001		2000
	(dollars in thousands)
Real estate—construction	$	36,982	$	19,205	$	19,188	$	12,881	$	7,803
Real estate—mortgage		203,317		164,643		119,313		91,428		91,822
Installment loans		9,996		11,566		13,705		12,012		12,449
Credit cards and related plans		4,989		4,538		3,970		3,884		3,960
Commercial and all other loans (1)		74,246		81,629		71,707		68,656		56,932
Total	$	329,530	$	281,581	$	227,883	$	188,861	$	172,966

⁽¹⁾ The majority of the commercial real estate is owner-occupied and operated.

25

MATURITIES AND SENSITIVITIES OF LOANS TO CHANGES IN INTEREST RATES

The following table sets forth the maturity distribution of our loans as of December 31, 2004. A significant majority of loans maturing after one year are repriced at two and three year intervals. In addition, approximately 58.0% of our loan portfolio is comprised of variable rate loans.

Table 11.

LOAN MATURITIES

	Real Estate						Credit cards and related plans		Commercial and all other loans		Total
	Construction		Mortgage		Installment
	(dollars in thousands)
Due in 1 year or less	$	14,035	$	38,799	$	1,390	$	4,893	$	25,647	$	84,764
Due after 1 year through 5 years:
Floating interest rates		3,822		59,848		770		73		23,063		87,576
Fixed interest rates		2,325		77,968		7,445		—		19,471		107,209
Due after 5 years:
Floating interest rates		2,559		27,875		103		23		3,764		34,324
Fixed interest rates		—		13,068		288		—		2,301		15,657
Total	$	22,741	$	217,558	$	9,996	$	4,989	$	74,246	$	329,530

NONPERFORMING ASSETS AND PAST DUE LOANS

A loan is placed on non-accrual status when, in our judgment, the collection of interest income appears doubtful or the loan is past due 90 days or more. Interest receivable that has been accrued and is subsequently determined to have doubtful collectibility is charged to the appropriate interest income account. Interest on loans that are classified as non-accrual is recognized when received. In some cases, where borrowers are experiencing financial difficulties, loans may be restructured to provide terms significantly different from the original terms. Foreclosed properties are included in other assets and represent other real estate that has been acquired through loan foreclosures or deeds in lieu of foreclosure. Such properties are initially recorded at the lower of cost or fair value less estimated costs to sell. Thereafter the properties are maintained at the lower of cost or fair value. During 2004, non-accrual and restructured loans generated $9,000 of interest income and was recorded as part of the Bank’s net income for 2004.

The following table summarizes our nonperforming assets and past due loans at the dates indicated.

Table 12.

NONPERFORMING ASSETS AND PAST DUE LOANS

	December, 31
	2004		2003		2002		2001		2000
	(dollars in thousands)
Non-accrual loans	$	66	$	147	$	351	$	146	$	121
Loans past due 90 or more days still accruing		—		—		—		94		—
Restructured loans		37		43		61		67		73
Repossessions		—		230		—		25		2
Foreclosed properties		35		24		26		171		58
Total	$	138	$	444	$	438	$	503	$	254

At December 31, 2004 and 2003, nonperforming assets and past due loans were approximately 0.04% and 0.16%, respectively, of the loans outstanding at such dates.

26

SUMMARY OF LOAN LOSS EXPERIENCE

The allowance for probable loan losses is created by direct charges to operations. Losses on loans are charged against the allowance in the period in which such loans, in our opinion, become uncollectible. Recoveries during the period are credited to this allowance. The factors that influence our judgment in determining the amount charged to operating expense include past due loan loss experience, composition of the loan portfolio, evaluation of estimated probable loan losses and current economic conditions. Our loan watch committee, which includes three members of senior management as well as regional managers and other credit administration personnel, conducts a quarterly review of all credits classified as substandard. This review follows a re-evaluation by the account officer who has primary responsibility for the relationship.

At December 31, 2004, the allocated portion of the allowance for probable loan losses assigned to real estate loans increased $919,000 or 50.63%. The shift in allocation is primarily the result of loan volume growth of real estate loans and risk grades assigned to individual loans during our assessment of credit quality.

Our unallocated portion of the allowance for probable loan losses increased $29,000 or 69.05% as the result of our evaluation of various conditions that are not directly measured by any other component of the reserve. One element of this evaluation is the seasoning of the loan portfolio.

The following table sets forth the allocation of allowance for probable loan losses and percent of total loans in each loan category for each of the years presented.

Table 13.

ALLOCATION OF ALLOWANCE FOR PROBABLE LOAN LOSSES

	December 31,
	2004				2003				2002				2001				2000
	Amount		Percent		Amount		Percent		Amount		Percent		Amount		Percent		Amount		Percent
	(dollars in thousands)
Real estate	$	2,734	72.92	%	$	2,487	65.3	%	$	1,815	60.7	%	$	1,587	55.2	%	$	1,660	57.6	%
Installment loans		134	3.03	%		82	4.1	%		128	6.0	%		192	6.4	%		154	7.2	%
Credit cards and related plans		165	1.51	%		162	1.6	%		137	1.8	%		142	2.1	%		170	2.3	%
Commercial and all other loans		1,196	22.54	%		777	29.0	%		818	31.5	%		809	36.3	%		686	32.9	%
Total allocated		4,229	100.0	%		3,508	100.0	%		2,898	100.0	%		2,730	100.0	%		2,670	100.0	%
Unallocated		71				42				252				120				130
Total	$	4,300			$	3,550			$	3,150			$	2,850			$	2,800

We consider the allowance for probable loan losses adequate to cover estimated probable loan losses relating to the loans outstanding as of each reporting period. It must be emphasized, however, that the determination of the allowance using our procedures and methods rest upon various judgements and assumptions about economic conditions and other factors affecting loans. In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the allowance for probable loan losses. Such agencies may require us to recognize adjustments to the allowance for probable loan losses based on their judgments about the information available to them at the time of their examinations. No assurance can be given that we will not in any particular period sustain loan losses that are sizable in relation to the amount reserved or that subsequent evaluations of the loan portfolio, in light of conditions and factors then prevailing, will not require significant changes in the allowance for probable loan losses or future charges to earnings.

27

The following table summarizes the balances of loans outstanding, average loans outstanding, changes in the allowance arising from charge-offs and recoveries by category, and additions to the allowance that have been charged to expense.

Table 14.

LOAN LOSS AND RECOVERY EXPERIENCE

	Year ended December 31,
	2004			2003			2002			2001			2000
	(dollars in thousands)
Total loans outstanding at end of year—gross	$	329,530		$	281,581		$	227,883		$	188,861		$	172,966
Average loans outstanding—gross		312,082			254,830			205,272			183,612			161,356
Allowance for probable loan losses at beginning of year	$	3,550		$	3,150		$	2,850		$	2,800		$	2,700
Loans charged off:
Real estate		6			—			—			136			6
Installment loans		103			200			134			83			45
Credit cards and related plans		38			39			123			124			72
Commercial and all other loans		34			111			188			103			114
Total charge-offs		181			350			445			446			237
Recoveries of loans previously charged off:
Real estate		—			14			1			25			2
Installment loans		50			43			21			14			23
Credit cards and related plans		15			18			24			15			31
Commercial and all other loans		62			37			59			3			39
Total recoveries		127			112			105			57			95
Net charge offs		54			238			340			389			142
Provision for probable loan losses		804			638			640			439			242
Allowance for probable loan losses at end of year	$	4,300		$	3,550		$	3,150		$	2,850		$	2,800
RATIOS
Net charge offs during year to average loans outstanding		0.02	%		0.09	%		0.17	%		0.21	%		0.09	%
Net charge offs during year to loans at year-end		0.02	%		0.08	%		0.15	%		0.21	%		0.08	%
Allowance for probable loan losses to average loans		1.38	%		1.39	%		1.53	%		1.55	%		1.74	%
Allowance for probable loan losses to loans at year-end		1.30	%		1.26	%		1.38	%		1.51	%		1.62	%
Net charge offs to allowance for probable loan losses		1.26	%		6.70	%		10.79	%		13.65	%		5.07	%
Net charge offs to provision for probable loan losses		6.72	%		37.30	%		53.13	%		88.61	%		58.68	%

28

DEPOSITS

The average balance of deposits and interest rates thereon for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002 are summarized below.

Table 15.

AVERAGE DEPOSITS

	Year ended December 31,
	2004				2003				2002
	Average Balance		Rate		Average Balance		Rate		Average Balance		Rate
	(dollars in thousands)
Interest-bearing demand deposits	$	91,404	0.41	%	$	77,855	0.52	%	$	67,787	0.76	%
Savings deposits		22,500	0.50	%		18,596	0.54	%		15,510	0.59	%
Time deposits		199,757	1.90	%		155,653	1.98	%		131,217	2.82	%
Total interest-bearing deposits		313,661	1.36	%		252,104	1.43	%		214,514	2.01	%
Noninterest-bearing deposits		85,432				72,221				61,158
Total deposits	$	399,093	1.07	%	$	324,325	1.11	%	$	275,672	1.56	%

We have a stable base of time deposits that are principally certificates of deposits and individual retirement accounts obtained from individual customers. Deposits of certain local governments and municipal entities represented approximately 13.30% of our deposits at December 31, 2004. All such public funds are collateralized by investment securities. During 2003, we began using wholesale funding to augment our traditional sources of funding. We subscribe to an Internet bulletin board to advertise our deposit rates which were used to generate $37,769,000 in certificates of deposit. We also used a brokerage firm for an additional $9.8 million certificate of deposit.

As of December 31, 2004, we held approximately $79,490,000 in time deposits of $100,000 or more of individuals, local governments or municipal entities and $16,500,000 of wholesale deposits $100,000 or more. Non-brokered time deposits less than $100,000 was approximately $69,107,000. The following table is a maturity schedule of time deposits as of December 31, 2004.

Table 16.

TIME DEPOSIT MATURITY SCHEDULE

	3 Months or Less		4 to 6 Months		7 to 12 Months		Over 12 Months		Total
	(dollars in thousands)
Time certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more	$	38,218	$	19,612	$	17,984	$	3,676	$	79,490
Time certificates of deposit less than $100,000		26,687		18,575		15,820		8,025		69,107
Wholesale time certificates of deposit		12,904		11,308		21,740		12,265		58,217
Total time deposits	$	77,809	$	49,495	$	55,544	$	23,966	$	206,814

RETURN ON ASSETS AND EQUITY

The following table shows return on assets (net income divided by average assets), return on equity (net income divided by average shareholders’ equity), dividend payout ratio (dividends declared per share divided by net income per share) and shareholders’ equity to assets ratio (average shareholders’ equity divided by average total assets) for each of the years presented.

Table 17.

RETURN ON ASSETS AND EQUITY

	Year ended December 31,
(Averages)	2004		2003		2002
Return on assets	0.68	%	0.95	%	1.05	%
Return on equity	10.11	%	12.97	%	12.77	%
Dividend payout	35.63	%	25.91	%	23.53	%
Shareholders’ equity to assets	6.70	%	7.35	%	8.18	%

29

Table 18.

MARKET PRICE OF COMMON STOCK AND DIVIDENDS

The following table sets forth the high and low published prices of the our common stock as reported on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market during each quarterly period during 2004 and 2003 and the quarterly per share cash dividend declared by Bancorp.

Quarter	High		Low		Dividends Declared
2004
Fourth	$	30.50	$	28.00	$	0.1425
Third		30.00		27.00		0.1425
Second		31.95		27.50		0.1425
First		32.99		27.00		0.1425
2003
Fourth	$	28.75	$	22.75	$	0.1250
Third		24.00		21.77		0.1250
Second		23.50		19.12		0.1250
First		21.73		16.30		0.1250

The following table sets forth our contractual payment obligations as of December 31, 2004.

Table 19.

CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

	Payments Due
Contractual Obligations	1 year or less		2-3 years		4-5 years		After 5 years		Total
	(dollars in thousands)
Long-term obligations	$	—	$	16,000	$	—	$	15,310	$	31,310
Short-term borrowings		23,007		—		—		—		23,007
Operating leases		463		897		501		1,712		3,573
Deposits		387,166		14,167		9,800		—		411,133
Total contractual obligations	$	410,636	$	31,064	$	10,301	$	17,022	$	469,023

We have various financial instruments (outstanding commitments) with off-balance sheet risk that are issued in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of our customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. The dollar amount of commitments as of December 31, 2004, are set forth in the following table.

Table 20.

COMMERCIAL COMMITMENTS

	Amount of Commitment Expiration per Period
Commercial Commitments	1 year or less		2-3 years		4-5 years		After 5 years		Total
	(dollars in thousands)
Loan commitments and lines of credit	$	43,958	$	13,299	$	3,623	$	26,859	$	87,739
Standby letters of credit		996		—		—		—		996
Total commercial commitments	$	44,954	$	13,299	$	3,623	$	26,859	$	88,735

30

CONSOLIDATED FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL SUMMARY

ECB Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary

	2004		2003		2002		2001		2000
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
Securities:	$	112,321,137	$	101,820,909	$	120,316,725	$	81,531,173	$	64,776,683
Taxable		81,447,934		75,388,351		99,787,693		65,223,908		51,246,305
Tax exempt		30,873,203		26,432,558		20,529,032		16,307,265		13,530,378
Loans		329,530,355		281,581,346		227,882,860		188,861,167		172,965,645
Allowance for probable loan losses		4,300,000		3,550,000		3,150,000		2,850,000		2,800,000
Assets		501,889,830		434,964,009		386,304,649		311,496,489		268,388,353
Deposits:		411,132,959		352,933,768		301,261,277		268,466,621		236,241,497
Demand		181,140,072		161,081,644		138,139,444		120,461,779		108,323,266
Savings and time		229,992,887		191,852,124		163,121,833		148,004,842		127,918,231
Shareholders’ equity		32,077,213		30,642,265		29,638,245		25,525,925		23,943,002
OPERATING SUMMARY
Interest income:
Interest and fees on loans	$	18,201,643	$	15,849,547	$	14,471,301	$	15,387,869	$	14,900,352
Interest on securities		4,467,885		4,565,474		4,800,449		4,020,816		3,821,533
Interest on federal funds sold		73,047		61,766		99,940		352,670		279,976
Total interest income		22,742,575		20,476,787		19,371,690		19,761,355		19,001,861
Interest expense:
Interest on deposits		4,272,598		3,593,919		4,309,628		7,312,976		7,003,566
Interest on short-term borrowings		242,752		261,673		96,958		99,434		179,448
Interest on long-term obligations		1,404,995		1,391,016		929,074		228,006		144,290
Total Interest Expense		5,920,345		5,246,608		5,335,660		7,640,416		7,327,304
Net Interest income		16,822,230		15,230,179		14,036,030		12,120,939		11,674,557
Provision for probable loan losses		803,734		637,911		640,011		439,116		242,112
Noninterest Income		4,801,509		5,464,466		4,470,876		3,428,289		2,263,865
Noninterest expenses		15,515,211		14,451,106		12,974,737		11,615,809		10,394,432
Income before income taxes		5,304,794		5,605,628		4,892,158		3,494,303		3,301,878
Income taxes		2,025,000		1,700,000		1,404,000		925,000		935,000
Net income	$	3,279,794	$	3,905,628	$	3,488,158	$	2,569,303	$	2,366,878
Weighted average shares outstanding—basic		2,016,680		2,022,264		2,052,603		2,059,999		2,098,490
Weighted average shares outstanding—diluted		2,044,201		2,045,263		2,064,930		2,064,690		2,101,488
Net income per share—basic	$	1.63	$	1.93	$	1.70	$	1.25	$	1.13
Net income per share—diluted	$	1.60	$	1.91	$	1.69	$	1.24	$	1.13

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

31

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

ECB Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary

	2004		2003		Percent Change
For the year:
Total revenues	$	27,544,084	$	25,941,253	6.2	%
Interest and noninterest expenses		24,264,290		22,035,625	10.1	%
Net income		3,279,794		3,905,628	-16.0	%
Per share—basic	$	1.63	$	1.93	-15.8	%
Per share—diluted	$	1.60	$	1.91	-16.0	%
Cash dividends declared		1,162,170		1,018,971	14.1	%
Per share	$	0.57	$	0.50	14.0	%
Weighted average shares outstanding—basic		2,016,680		2,022,264	-0.3	%
Weighted average shares outstanding—diluted		2,044,201		2,045,263	-0.1	%
At year-end:
Assets	$	501,889,830	$	434,964,009	15.4	%
Earning assets		441,851,492		383,402,255	15.2	%
Loans		329,530,355		281,581,346	17.0	%
Investment securities		112,321,137		101,820,909	10.3	%
Allowance for probable loan loss		4,300,000		3,550,000	21.1	%
Deposits		411,132,959		352,933,768	16.5	%
Shareholders’ equity		32,077,213		30,642,265	4.7	%
Book value per share	$	15.74	$	15.04	4.7	%
Averages:
Assets	$	484,161,000	$	410,097,000	18.1	%
Earning assets		433,806,000		371,001,000	16.9	%
Loans		311,806,000		254,576,000	22.5	%
Deposits		399,093,000		324,009,000	23.2	%
Shareholders’ equity		32,444,000		30,124,000	7.7	%

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

32

Item 7. Financial Statements

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ECB BANCORP, INC.:

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of ECB Bancorp, Inc. and subsidiary as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2004. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of ECB Bancorp, Inc. and subsidiary as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2004, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Raleigh, North Carolina

March 22, 2005

33

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

DECEMBER 31, 2004 AND 2003

ECB Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary

	December 31,
	2004			2003
ASSETS
Non-interest bearing deposits and cash	$	28,263,268		$	27,384,112
Total cash and cash equivalents		28,263,268			27,384,112
Investment securities available-for-sale, at fair value (cost of $112,787,121 and $101,428,313 at December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively)		112,321,137			101,820,909
Loans		329,530,355			281,581,346
Allowance for probable loan losses		(4,300,000	)		(3,550,000	)
Loans, net		325,230,355			278,031,346
Real estate and repossessions acquired in settlement of loans, net		34,500			254,000
Federal Home Loan Bank common stock, at cost		1,946,500			1,100,000
Bank premises and equipment, net		16,939,045			11,880,400
Accrued interest receivable		2,758,558			2,623,464
Other assets		14,396,467			11,869,778
Total	$	501,889,830		$	434,964,009
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Deposits
Demand, noninterest bearing	$	86,215,997		$	79,660,488
Demand, interest bearing		94,924,075			81,421,156
Savings		23,178,796			21,295,920
Time		206,814,091			170,556,204
Total deposits		411,132,959			352,933,768
Accrued interest payable		970,081			694,004
Short-term borrowings		23,006,740			18,299,409
Long-term obligations		31,310,000			29,310,000
Other liabilities		3,392,837			3,084,563
Total liabilities		469,812,617			404,321,744
Shareholders’ equity
Common stock, par value $3.50 per share; authorized 10,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 2,038,242 and 2,037,929 in 2004 and 2003, respectively.		7,133,848			7,132,752
Capital surplus		5,360,003			5,359,978
Retained earnings		20,176,100			18,058,476
Deferred compensation—restricted stock		(306,157	)		(150,388	)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(286,581	)		241,447
Total shareholders’ equity		32,077,213			30,642,265
Total	$	501,889,830		$	434,964,009

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

34

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

ECB Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary

	Years Ended December 31,
	2004			2003		2002
INTEREST INCOME:
Interest and fees on loans	$	18,201,643		$	15,849,547	$	14,471,301
Interest on investment securities:
Interest exempt from federal income taxes		1,081,083			809,793		725,152
Taxable interest income		3,251,830			3,540,446		3,827,196
Dividend income		90,695			158,775		211,439
FHLB stock dividends		44,277			56,460		99,940
Interest on federal funds sold		73,047			61,766		36,662
Total interest income		22,742,575			20,476,787		19,371,690
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits:
Demand accounts		373,528			408,727		518,062
Savings		113,214			100,278		91,746
Time		3,785,856			3,084,914		3,699,820
Short-term borrowings		242,752			261,673		96,958
Long-term obligations		1,404,995			1,391,016		929,074
Total interest expense		5,920,345			5,246,608		5,335,660
Net interest income		16,822,230			15,230,179		14,036,030
Provision for probable loan losses		803,734			637,911		640,011
Net interest income after provision for probable loan losses		16,018,496			14,592,268		13,396,019
NON-INTEREST INCOME:
Service charges on deposit accounts		3,386,809			3,365,083		2,792,739
Other service charges and fees		1,692,494			1,627,013		1,269,656
Net gain on sale of securities		308,176			135,952		80,485
Impairment charge on investments		(1,388,275	)		—		—
Income from bank owned life insurance		288,297			246,300		269,156
Other operating income		514,008			90,118		58,840
Total non-interest income		4,801,509			5,464,466		4,470,876
NON-INTEREST EXPENSES:
Salaries		5,873,527			5,290,244		4,748,903
Retirement and other employee benefits		2,126,130			2,061,030		1,953,404
Occupancy		1,301,242			1,265,624		1,001,807
Equipment		1,695,632			1,459,074		1,372,383
Professional fees		316,297			343,291		314,902
Supplies		328,871			337,133		294,165
Telephone		389,298			480,337		313,222
Postage		237,928			212,815		212,578
Other operating expenses		3,246,286			3,001,558		2,763,373
Total non-interest expenses		15,515,211			14,451,106		12,974,737
Income before income taxes		5,304,794			5,605,628		4,892,158
Income taxes		2,025,000			1,700,000		1,404,000
Net income	$	3,279,794		$	3,905,628	$	3,488,158
Net income per share—basic	$	1.63		$	1.93	$	1.70
Net income per share—diluted	$	1.60		$	1.91	$	1.69
Weighted average shares outstanding—basic		2,016,680			2,022,264		2,052,603
Weighted average shares outstanding—diluted		2,044,201			2,045,263		2,064,930

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

35

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004, 2003 AND 2002

ECB Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary

	Common Stock					Capital surplus			Retained earnings			Deferred compensation – restricted stock			Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)			Comprehensive income			Total
	Number		Amount
Balance at December 31, 2001	2,065,891		$	7,230,619		$	5,762,477		$	12,507,403		$	(75,896	)	$	101,322					$	25,525,925
Unrealized gains, net of income taxes of $1,169,293	—			—			—			—			—			1,867,513		$	1,867,513			1,867,513
Net income	—			—			—			3,488,158			—			—			3,488,158			3,488,158
Total comprehensive income																		$	5,355,671
Deferred compensation—restricted stock issuance	—			—			—			—			—			—						—
Recognition of deferred compensation—restricted stock	—			—			—			—			23,328			—						23,328
Repurchase of common stock	(25,875	)		(90,562	)		(352,375	)		—			—			—						(442,937	)
Cash dividends ($.40 per share)	—			—			—			(823,742	)		—			—						(823,742	)
Balance at December 31, 2002	2,040,016		$	7,140,057		$	5,410,102		$	15,171,819		$	(52,568	)	$	1,968,835					$	29,638,245
Unrealized losses, net of income tax benefit of $1,081,372	—			—			—			—			—			(1,727,388	)	$	(1,727,388	)		(1,727,388	)
Net income	—			—			—			3,905,628			—						3,905,628			3,905,628
Total comprehensive income																		$	2,178,240
Deferred compensation—restricted stock issuance	8,413			29,445			121,989			—			(151,434	)		—						—
Recognition of deferred compensation—restricted stock	—			—			—			—			53,614			—						53,614
Repurchase of common stock	(10,500	)		(36,750	)		(172,113	)		—			—			—						(208,863	)
Cash dividends ($.50 per share)	—			—			—			(1,018,971	)		—			—						(1,018,971	)
Balance at December 31, 2003	2,037,929		$	7,132,752		$	5,359,978		$	18,058,476		$	(150,388	)	$	241,447					$	30,642,265
Unrealized losses, net of income tax benefit of $330,553	—			—			—			—			—			(528,028	)	$	(528,028	)		(528,028	)
Net income	—			—			—			3,279,794			—						3,279,794			3,279,794
Total comprehensive income																		$	2,751,766
Deferred compensation—restricted stock issuance	8,913			31,196			222,825			—			(254,021	)		—						—
Recognition of deferred compensation—restricted stock	—			—			—			—			98,252			—						98,252
Repurchase of common stock	(8,600	)		(30,100	)		(222,800	)		—			—			—						(252,900	)
Cash dividends ($.57 per share)	—			—			—			(1,162,170	)		—			—						(1,162,170	)
Balance December 31, 2004	2,038,242		$	7,133,848		$	5,360,003		$	20,176,100		$	(306,157	)	$	(286,581	)				$	32,077,213

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

36

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

ECB Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiary

	Years Ended December 31,
	2004			2003			2002
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$	3,279,794		$	3,905,628		$	3,488,158
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation		994,429			1,041,154			826,231
Amortization (accretion) of investment securities, net		345,033			483,029			95,301
Provision for probable loan losses		803,734			637,911			640,011
Deferred income taxes		(326,000	)		(297,000	)		(242,000	)
Gain on sale of securities		(308,176	)		(135,952	)		(80,485	)
Impairment charge on investments		1,388,275			—			—
Loss (gain) on sale of real estate acquired in settlement of loans		61,445			4,820			(74	)
Loss on disposal of premises and equipment		15,972			(992	)		(1,587	)
Deferred compensation—restricted stock		98,252			53,614			23,328
(Increase) decrease in accrued interest receivable		(135,094	)		(302,500	)		65,972
(Increase) decrease in other assets		(2,200,689	)		(3,282,832	)		(1,387,689	)
Decrease in accrued interest payable		276,077			(35,144	)		(246,854	)
Increase in other liabilities, net		603,122			1,660,344			100,755
Net cash provided by operating activities		4,896,174			3,732,080			3,281,067
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from sales of investment securities classified as available-for-sale		23,115,110			17,812,453			18,169,100
Proceeds from maturities of investment securities classified as available-for-sale		23,634,394			49,599,613			17,746,250
Purchases of investment securities classified as available-for-sale		(59,533,446	)		(52,072,087	)		(71,678,909	)
Redemption (purchase) of Federal Home Loan Bank common stock		(846,500	)		327,500			(794,700	)
Proceeds from disposal of premises and equipment		—			3,300			4,646
Purchases of premises and equipment		(6,069,046	)		(4,308,035	)		(1,237,008	)
Proceeds from disposal of real estate acquired in settlement of loans and real estate held for sale		158,055			—			144,880
Net increase in loans		(48,002,743	)		(53,939,397	)		(39,361,704	)
Net cash used by investing activities		(67,544,176	)		(42,576,653	)		(77,007,445	)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Net increase in deposits		58,199,191			51,672,491			32,794,656
Net (decrease) increase in short-term borrowings		4,707,331			(1,921,718	)		15,101,915
Proceeds from (repayment of) long-term obligations		2,000,000			(2,690,000	)		22,000,000
Dividends paid		(1,126,464	)		(968,231	)		(805,670	)
Repurchase of common stock		(252,900	)		(208,863	)		(442,937	)
Net cash provided by financing activities		63,527,158			45,883,679			68,647,964
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		879,156			7,039,106			(5,078,414	)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		27,384,112			20,345,006			25,423,420
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$	28,263,268		$	27,384,112		$	20,345,006
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF NONCASH FINANCING AND INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net of deferred taxes		(528,028	)		(1,727,388	)		1,867,513
Cash dividends declared but not paid	$	290,450		$	254,743		$	204,002

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

37

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(1)    SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

(A)    Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of ECB Bancorp, Inc. (Bancorp) and its wholly owned subsidiary, The East Carolina Bank (the Bank) (collectively referred to hereafter as the Company). The Bank has two wholly owned subsidiaries, ECB Realty, Inc. and ECB Financial Services, Inc. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

(B)    Basis of Financial Statement Presentation

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the balance sheets and the reported amounts of income and expenses for the periods presented. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near-term relate to the determination of the allowance for probable loan losses.

(C)    Business

Bancorp is a bank holding company incorporated in North Carolina on March 4, 1998. The principal activity of Bancorp is ownership of the Bank. The Bank provides financial services through its branch network located in eastern North Carolina. The Bank competes with other financial institutions and numerous other non-financial services commercial entities offering financial services products. The Bank is further subject to the regulations of certain federal and state agencies and undergoes periodic examinations by those regulatory authorities. The Company has no foreign operations, and the Company’s customers are principally located in eastern North Carolina.

(D)    Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include demand and time deposits (with original maturities of ninety days or less) at other financial institutions and federal funds sold. Generally, federal funds are purchased and sold for one-day periods.

(E)    Investment Securities

Management determines the appropriate classification of investment securities at the time of purchase. Securities are classified as held-to-maturity (HTM) when the Company has both the positive intent and ability to hold the securities to maturity. HTM securities are stated at amortized cost. Securities not classified as HTM are classified as available-for-sale (AFS). AFS securities are stated at fair value as determined by reference to published sources, with the unrealized gains and losses, net of income taxes, reported as a separate component of shareholders’ equity. The Company may sell its AFS securities in response to liquidity needs, changes in regulatory capital and investment requirements, or significant unforeseen changes in market conditions, including interest rates and market values of securities held in the portfolio. The Company has no trading securities.

The amortized cost of securities classified as HTM or AFS is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization is included in interest income from investments. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method.

A decline in the market value of any available-for-sale or held-to-maturity security below cost that is deemed to be other-than-temporary results in a reduction in carrying amount to fair value. The impairment is charged to earnings and a

38

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

new cost basis for the security is established. To determine whether an impairment is other-than-temporary, the Company considers whether it has the ability and intent to hold the investment until a market price recovery and considers whether evidence indicating the cost of the investment is recoverable outweighs evidence to the contrary. Evidence considered in this assessment includes the reasons for the impairment, the severity and duration of the impairment, changes in value subsequent to year-end, and forecasted performance of the investee.

Premiums and discounts are amortized or accreted over the life of the related held-to-maturity or available-for-sale security as an adjustment to yield using the effective-interest method. Dividend and interest income are recognized when earned.

(F)    Loans

Loans are generally stated at their outstanding unpaid principal balances net of any deferred fees or costs. Loan origination fees net of certain direct loan origination costs are deferred and amortized as a yield adjustment over the contractual life of the related loans using the level-yield method.

Interest on loans is recorded based on the principal amount outstanding. The Company ceases accruing interest on loans (including impaired loans) when, in management’s judgment, the collection of interest appears doubtful or the loan is past due 90 days or more. Management may return a loan classified as nonaccrual to accrual status when the obligation has been brought current, has performed in accordance with its contractual terms over an extended period of time, and the ultimate collectibility of the total contractual principal and interest is no longer in doubt.

(G)    Allowance for Probable Loan Losses

The allowance for probable loan losses (AFLL) is established through provisions for losses charged against income. Loan amounts deemed to be uncollectible are charged against the AFLL, and subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance. The AFLL represents management’s estimate of the amount necessary to absorb estimated probable losses in the loan portfolio. Management’s periodic evaluation of the adequacy of the allowance is based on individual loan reviews, past loan loss experience, economic conditions in the Company’s market areas, the fair value and adequacy of underlying collateral, and the growth and loss attributes of the loan portfolio. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires material estimates, including the amounts and timing of future cash flows expected to be received on impaired loans, that may be susceptible to significant change. Thus, future additions to the AFLL may be necessary based on the impact of changes in economic conditions. In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the Company’s AFLL. Such agencies may require the Company to recognize adjustments to the AFLL based on their judgments about information available to them at the time of their examination.

Under the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 114, “Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a Loan,” as amended by SFAS No. 118, “Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a Loan—Income Recognition and Disclosures” (collectively referred to hereafter as SFAS No. 114), the AFLL related to loans that are identified for evaluation and deemed impaired is based on discounted cash flows using the loan’s initial effective interest rate, the loan’s observable market price, or the fair value of the collateral for collateral dependent loans. Loans evaluated for impairment and not considered impaired are assessed under SFAS No. 5, “Accounting for Contingencies”.

(H)    Real Estate Acquired in Settlement of Loans

Real estate acquired in settlement of loans consists of property acquired through a foreclosure proceeding or acceptance of a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. Real estate acquired in settlement of loans is recorded initially at estimated fair value of the property less estimated selling costs at the date of foreclosure. The initial recorded value may be subsequently reduced by additional allowances, which are charged to earnings if the estimated fair value of the property less estimated selling costs declines below the initial recorded value. Costs related to the improvement of the property are

39

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

capitalized, whereas those related to holding the property are expensed. Such properties are held for sale and, accordingly, no depreciation or amortization expense is recognized. Loans with outstanding principal balances totaling $34,500 and $24,000 were foreclosed on during the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively. There were no such foreclosures in 2002.

(I)    Membership/Investment in Federal Home Loan Bank Stock

The Company is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLB). Membership, along with a signed blanket collateral agreement, provides the Company with the ability to draw $100.3 million and $86.0 million of advances from the FHLB during 2004 and 2003, respectively. At December 31, 2004 and 2003, the Company had advances totaling $24 million and $22 million, respectively, from the FHLB.

As a requirement for membership, the Company invests in stock of the FHLB in the amount of 1% of its outstanding residential loans or 5% of its outstanding advances from the FHLB, whichever is greater. Such stock is pledged as collateral for any FHLB advances drawn by the Company. At December 31, 2004 and 2003, the Company owned 19,465 and 11,000 shares, respectively, of the FHLB’s $100 par value capital stock. No ready market exists for such stock, which is carried at cost.

(J)    Premises and Equipment

Premises and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed by the straight-line method and is charged to operations over the estimated useful lives of the assets which range from 25 to 50 years for bank premises and 3 to 10 years for furniture and equipment.

Maintenance, repairs, renewals and minor improvements are charged to expense as incurred. Major improvements are capitalized and depreciated.

(K)    Short-term Borrowings

Short-term borrowings are composed primarily of securities sold under agreements to repurchase, generally on an overnight basis.

(L)    Long-Term Obligations

On June 26, 2002 the Company completed a private issuance of $10 million in trust preferred securities as part of a pooled resecuritization transaction with several other financial institutions. The trust preferred securities bear a floating rate of interest of 3.45% over the three-month LIBOR rate, and the initial coupon, set at 4.85%, is payable quarterly. ECB Bancorp has used the net proceeds for market expansion, the repurchase of Bancorp stock and for other corporate and strategic purposes.

The trust preferred securities were issued by a wholly owned finance subsidiary of ECB Bancorp, Inc., ECB Statutory Trust I (the “Trust”), and ECB Bancorp has fully and unconditionally guaranteed the repayment of those securities. The proceeds from the issuance of trust preferred securities were invested in debentures issued by ECB Bancorp, Inc. and that investment became the sole asset of the trust. ECB Bancorp may redeem the trust preferred securities in whole or in part on or about June 26, 2007. The trust preferred securities mature on June 26, 2032.

Since its organization, the Company had treated the Trust as our consolidated subsidiary for financial statement purposes, and the Trust’s assets and liabilities have been included in our consolidated financial statements. However, as a result of the adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46 Revised (“FIN 46”). We deconsolidated the Trust as of December 31, 2003. The deconsolidation of trust preferred securities did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

40

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(M)    Income Taxes

The Company records income taxes using the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred income taxes are determined based on temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when such amounts are realized or settled.

(N)    Stock Option Plan

During 1998, the Company adopted an Omnibus Stock Ownership and Long-Term Incentive Plan (the Omnibus Plan) which provides for the issuance of up to an aggregate of 159,000 shares of common stock of the Company pursuant to stock options and other awards granted or issued under its terms. Stock options vest one-third each year beginning three years after the grant date (for full vesting after 5 years) and expire after 10 years. Restricted stock vests over 5 years.

The Company accounts for its awards pursuant to the Omnibus Plan in accordance with the provisions of Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25 (APB Opinion No. 25), “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” and related interpretations. As such, compensation expense is recorded on the date of grant only if the market price of the underlying stock on the date of grant exceeds the exercise price. SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” (SFAS No. 123), recommends that entities recognize as expense over the vesting period the fair value of all stock-based awards on the date of grant. Alternatively, SFAS No. 123 also allows entities to continue to apply the provisions of APB Opinion No. 25 and provide pro forma net income and pro forma earnings per share disclosures for employee stock option grants made as if the fair-value-based method defined in SFAS No. 123 had been applied. The Company has elected to apply the provisions of APB Opinion No. 25 and provide the pro forma disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 123.

Stock options of 8,100 shares were granted in 2002. There were no options granted in 2004 or 2003. The per share weighted-average fair value of options granted during 2002 was $2.63 on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following weighted-average assumptions:

	2002
Expected dividend yield	3.0	%
Risk-free interest rate	4.8	%
Expected life (in years)	6
Expected volatility	20	%

Restricted stock of 8,913 shares and 8,413 shares was awarded in 2004 and 2003, respectively, resulting in an increase to deferred compensation-restricted stock of $254,021 in 2004 and $151,434 in 2003.

If the Company had elected to recognize compensation cost for its stock-based compensation plans in accordance with the fair value based accounting method of SFAS No. 123, net income and earnings per share (“EPS”) would have been as follows:

	Year ended December 31,
	2004			2003			2002
Net income, as reported	$	3,279,794		$	3,905,628		3,488,158
Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under fair value based method for all awards, net of related tax effects		(6,585	)		(9,187	)	(8,719	)
Proforma net income	$	3,273,209		$	3,896,441		3,479,439
Earnings per share:
Basic—as reported	$	1.63		$	1.93		1.70
Basic—proforma		1.62			1.93		1.70
Diluted—as reported		1.60			1.91		1.69
Diluted—proforma		1.60			1.91		1.69

41

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(O)    Net Income Per Share

Basic net income per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. For purposes of basic net income per share, restricted stock is considered “contingently issuable” and is not included in the weighted average number of common shares outstanding.

Diluted net income per share is computed by assuming the issuance of common shares for all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the reporting period. Restricted stock is considered outstanding for purposes of diluted net income per share. The amount of compensation cost attributed to future services and not yet recognized is considered “proceeds” using the treasury stock method. Diluted weighted average shares outstanding increased by 12,712, 11,012, and 5,943 shares for 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively, due to the dilutive impact of restricted stock.

In computing diluted net income per share, it is assumed that all dilutive stock options are exercised during the reporting period at their respective exercise prices, with the proceeds from the exercises used by the Company to buy back stock in the open market at the average market price in effect during the reporting period. The difference between the number of shares assumed to be exercised and the number of shares bought back is added to the number of weighted average common shares outstanding during the period. The sum is used as the denominator to calculate diluted net income per share for the Company. During 2004, 2003 and 2002, diluted weighted average shares outstanding increased by 14,809, 11,987, and 6,384, respectively, due to the dilutive impact of options.

The following is a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators used in computing basic and diluted net income per share.

	Year ended December 31, 2004
	Income (Numerator)		Shares (Denominator)	Per share Amount
Basic net income per share	$	3,279,794	2,016,680	$	1.63
Effect of dilutive securities		—	27,521
Diluted net income per share	$	3,279,794	2,044,201	$	1.60

	Year ended December 31, 2003
	Income (Numerator)		Shares (Denominator)	Per share Amount
Basic net income per share	$	3,905,628	2,022,264	$	1.93
Effect of dilutive securities		—	22,999
Diluted net income per share	$	3,905,628	2,045,263	$	1.91

	Year ended December 31, 2002
	Income (Numerator)		Shares (Denominator)	Per share Amount
Basic net income per share	$	3,488,158	2,052,603	$	1.70
Effect of dilutive securities		—	12,327
Diluted net income per share	$	3,488,158	2,064,930	$	1.69

42

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(P)    Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income is defined as the change in equity during a period for non-owner transactions and is divided into net income and other comprehensive income. Other comprehensive income includes revenues, expenses, gains, and losses that are excluded from earnings under current accounting standards. As of and for the periods presented, the sole component of other comprehensive income for the Company has consisted of unrealized gains and losses, net of taxes, of the Company’s available-for-sale securities portfolio.

	2004			2003			2002
Unrealized (losses) gains arising during the period	$	(550,406	)	$	(2,672,808	)	3,117,291
Tax benefit (expense)		211,906			1,028,963		(1,200,283	)
Reclassification to realized (gains) losses		(308,176	)		(135,952	)	(80,485	)
Tax expense (benefit)		118,648			52,409		30,990
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$	(528,028	)	$	(1,727,388	)	1,867,513

(Q)    Reclassifications

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified in the consolidated financial statements to conform with the current year presentation. The reclassifications had no effect on previously reported net income or shareholders’ equity.

(R)    New Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2003, FASB Statement No. 132 (revised), Employers’ Disclosures about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits, was issued. Statement 132 (revised) prescribes employers’ disclosures about pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans; it does not change the measurement or recognition of those plans. The Statement retains and revises the disclosure requirements contained in the original Statement 132. It also requires additional disclosures about the assets, obligations, cash flows, and net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans. The Statement generally is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2003. The adoption of SFAS No. 132 (revised) did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. The disclosure requirements of Statement 132 (revised) are contained in Notes to the financial statements.

On December 12, 2003, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) released Statement of Position (SOP) 03-03, Accounting for Certain Loans or Debt Securities Acquired in a Transfer. This statement of position addresses accounting for differences between contractual cash flows and cash flows expected to be collected from investor’s initial investment in loans or debt securities (loans) acquired in a transfer if those differences are attributable, at least in part, to credit quality. This SOP is effective for loans acquired in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2004. The adoption of SOP 03-3 is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In January 2003, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 46 (FIN 46), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities—an Interpretation of Accounting Research Bulletin 51—Consolidated Financial Statements.” This interpretation provides guidance related to identifying variable interest entities and determining whether such entities should be consolidated. FIN 46 requires an enterprise to consolidate a variable interest entity when the enterprise (a) absorbs a majority of the variable interest entity’s expected losses, (b) receives a majority of the entity’s expected residual returns, or both, as a result of ownership, contractual or other financial interests in the entity. Prior to the effective date of FIN 46, entities were generally consolidated by an enterprise that had control through ownership of a majority voting interest in the entity. FIN 46 originally applied immediately to variable interest entities created or obtained after January 31, 2003. During 2003, the Bank did not participate in the creation of, or obtain a new variable interest in, any variable interest entity. In December 2003, the FASB issued FIN 46R, a revision to FIN 46, which modified certain requirements of FIN 46 and allowed for the optional deferral of the effective date of FIN 46R for annual or interim periods ending after March 15, 2004. As disclosed in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the period ended September 30, 2003, the Company

43

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

completed its assessment of the trust preferred securities and determined that these statutory business trusts should no longer be consolidated entities. Accordingly, the statutory business trusts were deconsolidated and the debt issued to the trust was recorded in accordance with FIN 46. The remaining provisions of FIN 46R did not have a material impact on the consolidated results of operations or consolidated financial condition of the Company.

On March 9, 2004, the SEC Staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 105, “Application of Accounting Principles to Loan Commitments” (“SAB 105”). SAB 105 clarifies existing accounting practices relating to the valuation of issued loan commitments, including interest rate lock commitments (“IRLC”), subject to SFAS No. 149 and Derivative Implementation Group Issue C13, “Scope Exceptions: When a Loan Commitment is included in the Scope of Statement 133.” Furthermore, SAB 105 disallows the inclusion of the values of a servicing component and other internally developed intangible assets in the initial and subsequent IRLC valuation. The provisions of SAB 105 were effective for loan commitments entered into after March 31, 2004. The Company adopted the provisions of SAB 105 effective April 1, 2004. Since the provisions of SAB 105 affect only the timing of the recognition of mortgage banking income, the adoption of SAB 105 did not have a material adverse effect on either the Company’s consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations.

In the second quarter of 2004, the Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) released EITF Issue 03-01, “The Meaning of Other-Than-Temporary Impairment and its Application to Certain Investments.” The Issue provided guidance for evaluating whether an investment is other-than-temporarily impaired and requires certain disclosures with respect to these investments. On September 30, 2004, the EITF delayed the effective date of paragraphs 10-20 of EITF Issue 03-01. As of December 31, 2004, the Company held certain investment positions that it purchased at premiums with unrealized losses that, in the aggregate, were not material to the Company’s consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations. These investments were in U.S. government agency obligations and local government obligations, the cash flows of which are guaranteed by the U.S. government agencies or the taxing authority of the local government and, therefore, it is expected that the securities would not be settled at a price less than their amortized cost. Because the decline in market value was caused by interest rate increases and not credit quality, and because the Company has the ability and intent to hold these investments until a recovery of fair value, which may be maturity, the Company has not recognized any other-than-temporary impairment in connection with these investments.

At December 31, 2004, the Bank owns $4,276,725 of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”) and Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) perpetual preferred stock. Based on the recent events at these issuers and the anticipated interest rate environment expected in the near term, we concluded that the unrealized losses were other-than-temporary. The Company’s conclusion considered the duration and the severity of the unrealized loss, the financial condition and near term prospects of the issuers, and the likelihood of the market value of these instruments increasing to our initial cost basis within a reasonable period of time. The reclassification of these securities to other-than-temporary impairment resulted in a mark-to-market impairment charge of $1,388,275.

On May 19, 2004, the FASB released FASB Staff Position (FSP) FAS No. 106-2 “Accounting and Disclosure Requirements Related to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003.” The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 provides a subsidy for employers that sponsor postretirement health care plans that provide prescription drug benefits. The net periodic postretirement benefit cost disclosed does not reflect any amount associated with the subsidy because the Company has not yet concluded whether the benefits provided by the plan are actuarially equivalent to Medicare Part D under the Act.

44

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(2)    INVESTMENT SECURITIES

The following is a summary of the securities portfolio by major classification:

	December 31, 2004
	Amortized cost		Gross unrealized gains	Gross unrealized losses		Fair value
Securities available-for-sale:
Securities of other U.S. government agencies and corporations	$	10,975,422	21,778	(34,300	)	10,962,900
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		30,873,203	502,136	(341,616	)	31,033,723
Mortgage-backed securities		66,661,771	129,233	(743,215	)	66,047,789
Preferred stock		4,276,725	—	—		4,276,725
	$	112,787,121	653,147	(1,119,131	)	112,321,137
	December 31, 2003
	Amortized cost		Gross unrealized gains	Gross unrealized losses		Fair value
Securities available-for-sale:
Securities of other U.S. government agencies and corporations	$	17,480,323	161,752	(16,560	)	17,625,515
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		25,565,217	906,051	(38,710	)	26,432,558
Mortgage-backed securities		52,717,773	586,804	(594,799	)	52,709,778
Preferred stock		5,665,000	—	(611,942	)	5,053,058
	$	101,428,313	1,654,607	(1,262,011	)	101,820,909

Gross realized gains and losses on sales of securities for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 were as follows:

	2004			2003			2002
Gross realized gains	$	358,188		$	190,053		81,757
Gross realized losses		(50,012	)		(54,101	)	(1,272	)
Net realized gains	$	308,176		$	135,952		80,485

Impairment of Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities. The following table sets forth the amount of unrealized losses (that is, the amount by which cost or amortized cost exceeds fair value), and the related fair value of investments with unrealized losses, none of which are considered to be other than temporarily impaired. The table is segregated into investments that have been in continuous unrealized-loss position for less than 12 months from those that have been in a continuous unrealized-loss position for more than 12 months.

	Less than 12 months			12 months or longer		Total
	Fair Value		Unrealized Losses	Fair Value	Unrealized Losses	Fair Value	Unrealized Losses
Description of Securities
Securities of other U.S. government agencies and corporations	$	3,986,100	13,900	979,600	20,400	4,965,700	34,300
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		8,147,560	323,820	1,292,704	17,796	9,440,264	341,616
Mortgage-backed securities		34,187,703	413,139	15,900,548	330,076	50,088,251	743,215
Total	$	46,321,363	750,859	18,172,852	368,272	64,494,215	1,119,131

45

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

As of December 31, 2004, management has concluded that the unrealized losses above (which consisted of 177 securities) are temporary in nature since they are not related to the underlying credit quality of the issuers, and the Company has the intent and ability to hold these investments for a time necessary to recover its cost. The losses above are on securities that have contractual maturity dates and are primarily related to market interest rates. Securities that have been in an unrealized loss position for longer than 1 year include one US government obligation, one municipal obligation and nine mortgage-backed securities. The unrealized losses associated with these securities are not considered to be other-than-temporary, because they are related to changes in interest rates and do not affect the expected cash flows of the underlying collateral or the issuer.

Not included in the 2004 amount above was an other-than-temporary impairment charge of $1,388,275 on FNMA and FHLMC preferred stock. Based on the recent events at these issuers and the anticipated interest rate environment expected in the near term, we concluded that the unrealized losses were other-than-temporary. The Company’s conclusion considered the duration and the severity of the unrealized loss, the financial condition and near term prospects of the issuers, and the likelihood of the market value of these instruments increasing to our initial cost basis within a reasonable period of time.

The aggregate amortized cost and fair value of the available-for-sale securities portfolio at December 31, 2004, by remaining contractual maturity are as follows:

	Amortized cost		Fair value
Securities of other U.S. government agencies and corporations:
Due in one year or less	$	—	—
Due in one year through five years		10,975,422	10,962,900
Due after five through ten years		—	—
Obligations of states and political subdivisions:
Due in one year or less		520,843	523,007
Due in one year through five years		4,979,457	5,100,410
Due after five through ten years		9,993,364	10,181,391
Due after ten years		15,379,539	15,228,915
Mortgage-backed securities:
Due in one year through five years		624,216	613,664
Due after five through ten years		8,950,170	8,789,403
Due after ten years		57,087,385	56,644,722
Preferred stock		4,276,725	4,276,725
Total securities	$	112,787,121	112,321,137

Securities with an amortized cost of $91,635,726 at December 31, 2004 are pledged as collateral for deposits. Of this total, $19,921,162 are pledged as collateral for FHLB advances.

46

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(3)    LOANS

Loans at December 31, 2004 and 2003 classified by type, are as follows:

	2004		2003
Real estate loans:
Construction	$	36,981,863	$	24,118,578
Secured by farmland		21,588,063		18,294,244
Secured by residential properties		35,859,849		39,294,379
Secured by nonfarm, nonresidential properties		146,565,757		102,140,713
Consumer installment		9,996,319		11,568,599
Credit cards and related plans		4,988,542		4,535,416
Commercial and all other loans:
Commercial and industrial		47,738,841		56,199,958
Loans to finance agricultural production		14,917,013		17,350,383
All other loans		11,590,409		8,623,261
		330,226,656		282,125,531
Less deferred fees and costs, net		696,301		544,185
	$	329,530,355	$	281,581,346
Included in the above:
Nonaccrual loans	$	66,031	$	147,017
Restructured loans		37,054		43,081

At December 31, 2004, the recorded investment in loans that are considered to be impaired under SFAS No. 114 was $0. The average recorded investment in impaired loans during the year ended December 31, 2004 was $27,516. For the year ended December 31, 2004, the Company recognized no interest income on impaired loans.

At December 31, 2003, the recorded investment in loans that were considered to be impaired under SFAS No. 114 was $61,285 and had no associated allowance for probable loan loss. The average recorded investment in impaired loans during the year ended December 31, 2003 was $196,457. For the year ended December 31, 2003, the Company recognized no interest income on those impaired loans.

At December 31, 2002, the recorded investment in loans that are considered to be impaired under SFAS No. 114 was $0. The average recorded investment in impaired loans during the year ended December 31, 2002 was none. For the year ended December 31, 2002, the Company recognized no interest income on impaired loans.

The Company, through its normal lending activity, originates and maintains loans receivable which are substantially concentrated in the Eastern region of North Carolina, where its offices are located. The Company’s policy calls for collateral or other forms of repayment assurance to be received from the borrower at the time of loan origination. Such collateral or other form of repayment assurance is subject to changes in economic value due to various factors beyond the control of the Company, and such changes could be significant.

At December 31, 2004 and 2003, included in mortgage, commercial, and residential loans were loans collateralized by owner-occupied residential real estate of approximately $35,860,000 and $39,294,000, respectively.

Loans of approximately $19,921,000 at December 31, 2004 are pledged as eligible collateral for FHLB advances.

47

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(4)    ALLOWANCE FOR PROBABLE LOAN LOSSES

An analysis of the allowance for probable loan losses for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 follows:

	December 31,
	2004			2003			2002
Beginning balance	$	3,550,000		$	3,150,000		2,850,000
Provision for probable loan losses		803,734			637,911		640,011
Recoveries		127,456			111,644		105,475
Loans charged off		(181,190	)		(349,555	)	(445,486	)
Ending balance	$	4,300,000		$	3,550,000		3,150,000

(5)    BANK PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

The components of bank premises and equipment at December 31, 2004 and 2003 are as follows:

	Cost		Accumulated depreciation	Undepreciated cost
December 31, 2004:
Land	$	5,422,210	—	5,422,210
Land improvements		256,524	204,581	51,943
Buildings		12,270,515	2,686,118	9,584,397
Furniture and equipment		6,331,340	4,450,845	1,880,495
Total	$	24,280,589	7,341,544	16,939,045
December 31, 2003:
Land	$	3,201,072	—	3,201,072
Land improvements		265,055	185,505	79,550
Buildings		9,358,848	2,492,396	6,866,452
Furniture and equipment		5,683,931	3,950,605	1,733,326
Total	$	18,508,906	6,628,506	11,880,400

(6)    INCOME TAXES

The components of income tax expense are as follows:

	Current		Deferred		Total
Year ended December 31, 2004:
Federal	$	1,926,000	(264,000	)	1,662,000
State		425,000	(62,000	)	363,000
	$	2,351,000	(326,000	)	2,025,000
Year ended December 31, 2003:
Federal	$	1,661,000	(244,000	)	1,417,000
State		336,000	(53,000	)	283,000
	$	1,997,000	(297,000	)	1,700,000
Year ended December 31, 2002:
Federal	$	1,381,000	(201,000	)	1,180,000
State		265,000	(41,000	)	224,000
	$	1,646,000	(242,000	)	1,404,000

48

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

Total income tax expense was greater than the amount computed by applying the federal income tax rate of 34% to income before income taxes. The reasons for the difference were as follows:

	Years ended December 31,
	2004			2003			2002
Income taxes at statutory rate	$	1,804,000		$	1,906,000		1,663,000
Increase (decrease) resulting from:
Effect of non-taxable interest income		(396,000	)		(440,000	)	(417,000	)
Increase in valuation allowance		534,000			—		—
Bank owned life insurance		(98,000	)		—		—
State taxes, net of federal benefit		178,000			186,000		148,000
Other, net		3,000			48,000		10,000
Applicable income taxes	$	2,025,000		$	1,700,000		1,404,000

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2004 and 2003 are presented below:

	2004			2003
Deferred tax assets:
Allowance for probable loan losses	$	1,403,000		$	1,114,000
Unrealized loss associated with FNMA and FHLMC preferred stock		535,000			—
Postretirement benefits		236,000			230,500
State economic loss carryforwards		1,500			1,500
Unrealized losses on securities available for sale		179,000			—
Other		601,000			427,500
Total gross deferred tax assets	$	2,955,500		$	1,773,500
Valuation allowance		(534,000	)		—
Total net deferred tax assets		2,421,500			1,773,500
Deferred tax liabilities:
Bank premises and equipment, principally due to differences in depreciation		455,000			387,000
Unrealized gains on securities available for sale		—			151,000
Other		310,000			228,500
Total gross deferred tax liabilities		765,000			766,500
Net deferred tax asset (liability)	$	1,656,500		$	1,007,000

The valuation allowance for deferred tax assets was $534,486 and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively. The valuation allowance required at December 31, 2004 was for certain unrealized capital losses related to perpetual preferred stock issued by Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. These losses are capital in character and the corporation may not have current capital gain capacity to offset these losses. In order for these capital losses to be realized, the Company would need capital gains to offset them. Currently, the Company does not have capital gains and there are no plans in place to generate any capital gains in the future. Accordingly, it is more likely than not that these capital losses will fail to be realized and a valuation allowance is required on this portion of the deferred tax asset. Based on the Company’s historical and current earnings, management believes it is more likely than not the Company will realize the benefits of the deferred tax assets which are not provided for under the valuation allowance.

Income taxes paid during each of the three years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002 were $1,732,331, $2,201,740, and $1,692,500, respectively.

49

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(7)    BORROWED FUNDS

Borrowed funds and the corresponding weighted average rates (WAR) at December 31, 2004 and 2003 are summarized as follows:

	2004		WAR		2003		WAR
Sweep accounts	$	1,621,740	0.50	%	$	1,829,409	0.50	%
Advances from FHLB		3,000,000	3.03	%		3,000,000	2.52	%
Federal Funds Purchased		8,975,000	2.30	%		—	—
Repurchase agreements		9,410,000	2.60	%		13,470,000	1.40	%
Total short-term borrowings		23,006,740	2.39	%		18,299,409	1.49	%
Junior subordinated debentures		10,310,000	6.00	%		10,310,000	4.62	%
Advances from FHLB		21,000,000	3.95	%		19,000,000	4.30	%
Total long-term obligations		31,310,000	4.63	%		29,310,000	4.41	%
Total borrowed funds	$	54,316,740	3.68	%	$	47,609,409	3.29	%

Pursuant to a collateral agreement with the FHLB, advances are collateralized by all the Company’s FHLB stock and qualifying first mortgage loans. The balance of qualifying first mortgage loans as of December 31, 2004, was $17,206,929. This agreement with the FHLB provides for a line of credit up to 20% of the Bank’s assets. In addition, the Bank had $19,314,471 of investment securities held as collateral by the FHLB on advances as of December 31, 2004. The maximum month end balances were $27,000,000, $25,000,000 and $25,000,000 during the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

Annual principal maturities of Federal Home Loan Bank advances for the years subsequent to December 31, 2004 are as follows:

2005	$	3,000,000
2006		13,000,000
2007		3,000,000
2011		5,000,000
	$	24,000,000

The Company has Junior Subordinated Debentures outstanding of $10.3 million which bear interest at 3.45% over the 3-month LIBOR rate, payable quarterly. The interest rate at December 31, 2004 was 6.00%. ECB Bancorp may redeem the trust preferred securities in whole or in part on or about June 26, 2007. The trust preferred securities mature on June 26, 2032.

The Company enters into agreements with customers to transfer excess funds in demand accounts into repurchase agreements. Under the repurchase agreement, the Company sells the customer an interest in securities that are direct obligations of the United States Government. The customer’s interest in the underlying security shall be repurchased by the Company at the opening of the next banking day. The rate paid fluctuates with the weekly average federal funds rate minus 125 basis points and has a floor of 50 basis points.

(8)    RETIREMENT PLANS AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS

The Company has a defined contribution 401(k) plan that covers all eligible employees. The Company matches employee contributions up to certain amounts as defined in the plan. Total expense related to this plan was $210,313, $189,707 and $177,681 in 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively. The Company also has a postretirement benefit plan whereby the Company pays postretirement health care benefits for certain of its retirees that have met minimum age and service requirements.

50

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

The following tables provide information relating to the Company’s postretirement benefit plan:

	2004			2003
Reconciliation of benefit obligation
Net benefit obligation, January 1	$	609,114		$	583,419
Service cost		6,357			8,951
Interest cost		42,608			42,541
Amortization of (gain) loss		4,286			(214	)
Plan amendment		(45,125	)		(52,646	)
Actuarial loss		117,611			153,661
Benefits paid		(26,996	)		(25,583	)
Net benefit obligation, December 31		707,855			710,129
Fair value of plan assets		—			—
Funded status
Funded status, December 31		707,855			710,129
Unrecognized prior service cost		45,125			52,646
Unrecognized actuarial loss		(117,611	)		(153,661	)
Net amount recognized, included in other liabilities	$	635,369		$	609,114

Net periodic postretirement benefit cost for 2004, 2003 and 2002 includes the following components:

	2004		2003			2002
Service cost	$	6,357	$	8,951		6,640
Interest cost		42,608		42,541		36,448
Amortization of (gain) loss		4,286		(214	)	(3,749	)
Net periodic postretirement benefit cost	$	53,251	$	51,278		39,339

The following table presents assumptions relating to the plan at December 31, 2004 and 2003:

	2004		2003
Discount rate in determining benefit obligation	6.0	%	6.0	%
Annual health care cost trend rate	8.0	%	8.0	%
Ultimate medical trend rate	8.0	%	8.0	%
Medical trend rate period (in years)	4		4
Effect of 1% increase in assumed health care cost on:
Service and interest cost	14.5	%	14.5	%
Benefit obligation	13.3	%	13.2	%
Effect of 1% decrease in assumed health care cost on:
Service and interest cost	(12.0	)%	(12.0	)%
Benefit obligation	(11.1	)%	(11.0	)%

51

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(9)    STOCK OPTION PLAN

A summary of the status of stock options as of December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, and changes during the years then ended is presented below:

	2004			2003			2002
	Number	Weighted average option price		Number	Weighted average option price		Number	Weighted average option price
Options outstanding, beginning of year	25,302	$	11.92	25,302	$	11.92	17,202	$	11.29
Granted	—		—	—		—	8,100		13.25
Exercised	—		—	—		—	—		—
Forfeited	—		—	—		—	—		—
Options outstanding, end of year	25,302	$	11.92	25,302	$	11.92	25,302	$	11.92

The following table summarizes information about the stock options outstanding at December 31, 2004:

	2004
	Options Outstanding		Options Exercisable
Exercise Price	Number outstanding December 31, 2004	Weighted- average remaining contractual life (years)	Number outstanding December 31, 2004	Weighted- average exercise price
$10.00	8,358	5.1	5,570	$	10.00
$12.50	8,844	3.4	8,844		12.50
$13.25	8,100	7.0	—		—
	25,302	5.1	14,414	$	11.53

The following table summarizes information about the stock options outstanding at December 31, 2003:

	2003
	Options Outstanding		Options Exercisable
Exercise Price	Number outstanding December 31, 2003	Weighted- average remaining contractual life (years)	Number outstanding December 31, 2003	Weighted- average exercise price
$10.00	8,358	6.1	2,786	$	10.00
$12.50	8,844	4.4	8,844		12.50
$13.25	8,100	8.0	—		—
	25,302	6.1	11,630	$	11.90

The following table summarizes information about the stock options outstanding at December 31, 2002:

	2002
	Options Outstanding		Options Exercisable
Exercise Price	Number outstanding December 31, 2002	Weighted- average remaining contractual life (years)	Number outstanding December 31, 2002	Weighted- average exercise price
$10.00	8,358	7.1	—		—
$12.50	8,844	5.4	5,896	$	12.50
$13.25	8,100	9.0	—		—
	25,302	7.1	5,896	$	12.50

52

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(10)    DEPOSITS

At December 31, 2004 and 2003, certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more amounted to approximately $95,990,000 and $78,338,000, respectively.

Time deposit accounts as of December 31, 2004, mature in the following years and amounts: 2005—$182,848,000; 2006—$11,305,000; 2007—$2,862,000; 2008—$4,413,000; and 2009—$5,387,000.

For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, interest expense on certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more amounted to approximately $1,586,000, $1,188,000 and $1,719,000, respectively.

The Company made interest payments on deposits and borrowings of $5,644,000, $5,282,000 and $5,583,000 during the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

(11)    LEASES

The Company has several noncancellable operating leases for three branch locations. These leases generally contain renewal options for periods ranging from three to twenty years and require the Company to pay all executory costs such as maintenance and insurance. Rental expense for operating leases during 2004, 2003 and 2002 was $599,829, $524,412 and $179,756, respectively.

Future minimum lease payments under noncancellable operating leases (with initial or remaining lease terms in excess of one year) as of December 31, 2004 are as follows:

Year ending December 31,
2005	$	463,039
2006		453,550
2007		443,417
2008		336,333
2009		164,872
Thereafter		1,711,563
Total minimum lease payments	$	3,572,774

(12)    RESERVE REQUIREMENTS

The aggregate net reserve balances maintained under the requirements of the Federal Reserve, which are noninterest-bearing, were approximately $8,671,000 at December 31, 2004.

(13)    COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Company has various financial instruments (outstanding commitments) with off-balance sheet risk that are issued in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments included commitments to extend credit of $87,739,000, standby letters of credit of $996,000 and $950,000 of unfunded commitments, included in other liabilities, with two Small Business Administration backed venture and debt investment groups (SBIC’s) at December 31, 2004.

The Company’s exposure to credit loss for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is the contractual amount of those financial instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies for making commitments and issuing standby letters of credit as it does for on-balance sheet financial instruments. Each customer’s creditworthiness is evaluated on an individual case-by-case basis. The amount and type of collateral, if deemed necessary

53

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

by management, is based upon this evaluation of creditworthiness. Collateral obtained varies, but may include marketable securities, deposits, property, plant and equipment, investment assets, real estate, inventories and accounts receivable. Management does not anticipate any significant losses as a result of these financial instruments and anticipates funding them from normal operations.

The Company is not involved in any legal proceedings which, in management’s opinion, could have a material effect on the consolidated financial position or results of operations of the Company.

(14)    FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Fair value estimates are made by management at a specific point in time, based on relevant information about the financial instrument and the market. These estimates do not reflect any premium or discount that could result from offering for sale at one time the Company’s entire holdings of a particular financial instrument nor are potential taxes and other expenses that would be incurred in an actual sale considered. Fair value estimates are based on judgments regarding future expected loss experience, current economic conditions, risk characteristics of various financial instruments, and other factors. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and therefore cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions and/or the methodology used could significantly affect the estimates disclosed. Similarly, the fair values disclosed could vary significantly from amounts realized in actual transactions.

Fair value estimates are based on existing on- and off-balance sheet financial instruments without attempting to estimate the value of anticipated future business and the value of assets and liabilities that are not considered financial instruments.

The following table presents the carrying values and estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments at December 31, 2004 and 2003:

	2004				2003
	Carrying value		Estimated fair value		Carrying value		Estimated fair value
Financial assets:
Non-interest bearing deposits and cash	$	28,263,000	$	28,263,000	$	27,384,000	$	27,384,000
Investment securities		112,321,000		112,321,000		101,821,000		101,821,000
FHLB stock		1,947,000		1,947,000		1,100,000		1,100,000
Accrued interest receivable		2,759,000		2,759,000		2,623,000		2,623,000
Net loans		325,230,000		323,319,000		278,031,000		278,959,000
Financial liabilities:
Deposits		411,133,000		410,247,000		352,934,000		352,981,000
Short-term borrowings		23,007,000		23,007,000		18,299,000		18,299,000
Accrued interest payable		970,000		970,000		694,000		694,000
Long-term obligations		31,310,000		31,377,000		29,310,000		29,822,000

The estimated fair values of net loans, deposits and long-term obligations at December 31 are based on cash flows discounted at market interest rates. The carrying values of other financial instruments, including various receivables and payables, approximate fair value. Refer to note 1(E) for investment securities fair value information. The fair value of off-balance sheet financial instruments is considered immaterial. As discussed in note 13, these off-balance sheet financial instruments are commitments to extend credit and are either short-term in nature or subject to immediate repricing.

(15)    REGULATORY MATTERS

The Company is subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory, and possibly additional discretionary,

54

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Company’s financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of the Company’s assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. The Company’s capital amounts and classifications are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings, and other factors.

Quantitative measures established by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) to ensure capital adequacy require the Bank to maintain minimum amounts and ratios (set forth in the table below) of total and Tier I capital (as defined in the regulations) to risk-weighted assets (as defined), and of Tier I capital to average assets (as defined). The Company, as a bank holding company, is also subject, on a consolidated basis, to the capital adequacy guidelines of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (the “Federal Reserve Board”). The capital requirements of the Federal Reserve Board are similar to those of the FDIC governing the Bank. Management believes, as of December 31, 2004, that the Bank and the Company meet all capital adequacy requirements to which they are subject.

Based on the most recent notification from the FDIC, the Bank is well-capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. To be categorized as well-capitalized, the Bank must maintain minimum total risk-based, Tier I risk-based, and Tier I leverage ratios as set forth in the table below. There are no conditions or events since that notification that management believes have changed the Bank’s category.

The Bank’s actual capital amounts, in thousands, and ratios are presented in the following table:

	Actual				For capital adequacy purposes			To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions
	Amount		Ratio		Ratio			Ratio
As of December 31, 2004:
Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	$	46,387	11.82	%	³	8.00	%	³	10.00	%
Tier I Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	$	42,087	10.73	%	³	4.00	%	³	6.00	%
Tier I Capital (to Average Assets)	$	42,087	8.32	%	³	4.00	%	³	5.00	%
As of December 31, 2003:
Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	$	43,065	12.34	%	³	8.00	%	³	10.00	%
Tier I Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	$	39,515	11.32	%	³	4.00	%	³	6.00	%
Tier I Capital (to Average Assets)	$	39,515	9.25	%	³	4.00	%	³	5.00	%

The following table lists Bancorp’s actual capital amounts, in thousands, and ratios:

	Actual				For capital adequacy purposes			To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions
	Amount		Ratio		Ratio			Ratio
As of December 31, 2004:
Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	$	46,973	11.96	%	³	8.00	%	³	10.00	%
Tier I Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	$	42,673	10.86	%	³	4.00	%	³	6.00	%
Tier I Capital (to Average Assets)	$	42,673	8.43	%	³	3.00	%	³	5.00	%
As of December 31, 2003:
Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	$	43,661	12.52	%	³	8.00	%	³	10.00	%
Tier I Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	$	39,801	11.41	%	³	4.00	%	³	6.00	%
Tier I Capital (to Average Assets)	$	39,801	9.31	%	³	3.00	%	³	5.00	%

55

ECB BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2004 and 2003

(16)    ECB BANCORP, INC. (PARENT COMPANY)

ECB Bancorp, Inc.’s principal asset is its investment in the Bank, and its principal source of income is dividends from the Bank. The Parent Company condensed balance sheets as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the related condensed statements of income and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 are as follows:

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

	2004		2003
Assets
Receivable from subsidiary	$	600,450	$	564,743
Investment in subsidiaries		41,852,835		40,396,449
Other assets		275,917		285,950
Total assets	$	42,729,202	$	41,247,142
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
Dividends payable	$	290,450	$	254,743
Accrued interest payable		51,539		40,134
Long-term obligations		10,310,000		10,310,000
Total liabilities		10,651,989		10,604,877
Total shareholders’ equity		32,077,213		30,642,265
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	42,729,202	$	41,247,142

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

	2004		2003		2002
Dividends from bank subsidiary	$	1,281,112	$	1,123,480	1,225,279
Equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries		1,998,682		2,782,148	2,262,879
Net income	$	3,279,794	$	3,905,628	3,488,158

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

	2004			2003			2002
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$	3,279,794		$	3,905,628		3,488,158
Undistributed net income of subsidiaries		(1,998,682	)		(2,782,148	)	(2,262,879	)
Deferred compensation—restricted stock		98,252			53,614		23,328
Net cash provided by operating activities		1,379,364			1,177,094		1,248,607
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Repurchase of common stock		(252,900	)		(208,863	)	(442,937	)
Cash dividends paid		(1,126,464	)		(968,231	)	(805,670	)
Net cash used in financing activities		(1,379,364	)		(1,177,094	)	(1,248,607	)
Net change in cash	$	—		$	—		—

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(17)    RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Bancorp and the Bank have had, and expect to have in the future, banking transactions in the ordinary course of business with several directors, officers and their associates (“Related Parties”) on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with others. Those transactions neither involve more than normal risk of collectibility nor present any unfavorable features.

Loans at December 31, 2004 and 2003 include loans to officers and directors and their associates totaling approximately $868,000 and $1,064,000, respectively. During 2004, $256,000 in loans were disbursed to officers, directors and their associates and principal repayments of $452,000 were received on such loans.

57

Item 8.    Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.

On March 10, 2005, our Audit Committee appointed Dixon Hughes PLLC as our independent accountants to audit our consolidated financial statements for 2005. Dixon Hughes PLLC will replace KPMG LLP which audited our financial statements for 2004. Our relationship with KPMG LLP terminated on March 22, 2005, upon their completion of the audit of our 2004 consolidated financial statements and issuance of their report thereon. KPMG LLP has served as our independent accountants since 1993.

In connection with KPMG LLP’s audits of the two years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, and through KPMG LLP’s completion of its audit for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004 on March 22, 2005, there have been no disagreements with KPMG LLP on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, which, if not resolved to KPMG LLP’s satisfaction, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in connection with its reports on our financial statements.

KPMG LLP’s audit reports on our consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.

During 2004 and 2003, and through March 22, 2005, when the Audit Committee’s action dismissing KPMG LLP became effective, there have been no “reportable events” requiring disclosure pursuant to Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K or any “consultations” with Dixon Hughes PLLC of a type requiring disclosure pursuant to Item 304(a)(2) of Regulation S-K.

Item 8A.    Controls and Procedures

Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures in accordance with Rule 13a-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). Based on our evaluation, management, along with our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this report, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective in enabling us to record, process, summarize and report in a timely manner the information required to be disclosed in reports we file under the Exchange Act.

No change in our internal control over financial reporting occurred during our fourth quarter of 2004 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Item 8B.    Other Information

Not Applicable

PART III

Item 9.    Directors, Executive Officers, Promoters and Control Persons;

Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act

Directors and Executive Officers.    Information regarding our directors and executive officers is incorporated by reference from pages 4 and 5 (under the caption “Proposal 1: Election of Directors”) and page 9 (under the caption “Executive Officers”) of our definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with our 2005 Annual Meeting.

Audit Committee.    Information regarding our Audit Committee is incorporated by reference from page 6 (under the captions “Audit Committee—Function” and “—Members”) of our definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with our 2005 Annual Meeting.

Audit Committee Financial Expert.    Rules recently adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) require that we disclose whether our Board of Directors has determined that our Audit Committee includes a

58

member who qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined in the SEC’s rules. To qualify as an audit committee financial expert under the SEC’s rules, a person must have a relatively high level of accounting and financial knowledge or expertise which he or she has acquired through specialized education or training or through experience in certain types of positions. We currently do not have an independent director who our Board believes can be considered an audit committee financial expert and, for that reason, there is no such person who the Board can appoint to our Audit Committee. In the future, financial expertise and experience will be one of many factors that our Board considers in selecting candidates to become directors. However, we are not required by any law or regulation to have an audit committee financial expert on our Board or Audit Committee, and we believe that small companies such as ours will find it difficult to locate persons with the specialized knowledge and experience needed to qualify as audit committee financial experts who are willing to serve as directors without being compensated at levels higher than we currently pay our directors. Our current Audit Committee members have a level of financial knowledge and experience that we believe is sufficient for a bank our size that, like us, does not engage in a wide variety of business activities, and, for that reason, the ability to qualify as an audit committee financial expert will not be the primary criteria in our Board’s selection of candidates to become new directors.

Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.    Information regarding compliance by our directors, executive officers and principal shareholders with the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is incorporated by reference from page 3 (under the caption “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance”) of our definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with our 2005 Annual Meeting.

Code of Ethics.    Our Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to our directors and to all our executive officers, including without limitation our principal executive officer and principal financial officer. A copy of our Code of Ethics will be provided without charge to any person upon request. Requests for copies of our Code of Ethics should be sent by mail to our Corporate Secretary at ECB Bancorp, Inc., Post Office Box 337, Engelhard, NC 27824, or by telephone to 252 925-5501.

Procedures for Shareholder Recommendations to Nominating Committee.    Our Nominations Committee has adopted procedures to be followed by our shareholders who wish to recommend candidates to the Committee for its consideration in connection with its recommendation of director nominees to our Board of Directors. A copy of those procedures is attached as an exhibit to this Report.

Item 10.    Executive Compensation

Information regarding compensation paid to our executive officers and directors is incorporated by reference from page 5 (under the caption “Director Compensation”) and pages 10 and 11 (under the caption “Executive Compensation”) of our definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with our 2005 Annual Meeting.

Item 11.    Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and

Management and Related Stockholder Matters

Beneficial Ownership of Securities.    Information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock by our directors, executive officers and principal shareholders is incorporated by reference from pages 2 and 3 (under the caption “Beneficial Ownership of Securities”) of our definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with our 2005 Annual Meeting.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans.    The following table summarizes all compensation plans and individual compensation arrangements which were in effect on December 31, 2004, and under which shares of our Common Stock have been authorized for issuance.

59

	EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
Plan category	(a) Number of shares to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options	(b) Weighted-average Exercise price of Outstanding options		(c) Number of shares remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding shares reflected in column (a))
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders	25,302	$	11.92	107,030
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders	-0-		—	-0-
Total	25,302	$	11.92	107,030

Item 12.    Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

Information regarding transactions between us and our directors and executive officers is incorporated by reference from page 12 (under the caption “Transactions with Management”) of our definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with our 2005 Annual Meeting.

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Item 13.    Exhibits.

Exhibits.    The following exhibits are filed or furnished with or incorporated by reference into this Report.

Exhibit Number	Description of Exhibit
3.1	Our Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2, Reg. No. 333-61839)
3.2	Our Bylaws (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2, Reg. No. 333-61839)
4.1	Indenture dated as of June 26, between us and State Street Bank and Trust Company of Connecticut, National Association (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our June 30, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
4.2	Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust dated as of June 26, 2002, by and among us, State Street Bank and Trust Company of Connecticut, National Association, and the Administrators (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our June 30, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
4.3	Guarantee Agreement dated as of June 26, 2002, between us and State Street Bank and Trust Company of Connecticut, National Association (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our June 30, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.1*	Employment Agreement between Arthur H. Keeney, III and the Bank (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2, Reg. No. 333-61839)
10.2*	Agreement between J. Dorson White, Jr. and the Bank (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.3*	Agreement between William F. Plyler, II. and the Bank (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.4*	Agreement between Gary M. Adams and the Bank (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.5*	Omnibus Stock Ownership and Long Term Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2, Reg. No. 333-61839)
10.6*	Form of Employee Stock Option Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2, Reg. No. 333-61839)
10.7*	Form of Restricted Stock Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form S-8, Reg. No. 333-77689)
10.8*	Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between the Bank and Arthur H. Keeney, III (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.9*	Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between the Bank and J. Dorson White, Jr. (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.10*	Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between the Bank and William F. Plyler, II (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.11*	Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between the Bank and Gary M. Adams (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.12*	Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreement between the Bank and Arthur H. Keeney, III (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.13*	Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreement between the Bank and J. Dorson White, Jr. (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.14*	Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreement between the Bank and William F. Plyler, II (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.15*	Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreement between the Bank and Gary M. Adams (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)

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10.16	*	Form of Director Supplemental Retirement Agreements between the Bank and George T. Davis, Jr., John F. Hughes, Jr., Arthur H. Keeney III, Joseph T. Lamb, Jr., R. S. Spencer, Jr. and Ray M. Spencer (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.17	*	Form of Director Supplemental Retirement Agreements between the Bank and Gregory C. Gibbs, J. Bryant Kittrell III, and B. Martelle Marshall (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.18	*	Form of Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreements between the Bank and George T. Davis, Jr., Gregory C. Gibbs, John F. Hughes, Jr., Arthur H. Keeney III, J. Bryant Kittrell III, Joseph T. Lamb, Jr., B. Martelle Marshall, and R. S. Spencer, Jr. (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.19	*	The East Carolina Bank Incentive Plan (filed herewith)
16		Letter from KPMG LLP (filed herewith)
21		List of our subsidiaries (filed herewith)
23		Consent of KPMG LLP (filed herewith)
31.1		Certification of our Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) (filed herewith)
31.2		Certification of our Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) (filed herewith)
32		Certifications of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (filed herewith)
99.1		Procedures for submission of recommendations by Shareholders to the Nominations Committee of ECB Bancorp, Inc. (filed herewith)
99.2		Our definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with our 2005 Annual Meeting (being filed separately)

* Asterisks denote a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

Item 14.    Principal Accountant Fees and Services

Information regarding services provided to us by our independent accountants is incorporated by reference from pages 13 and 14 (under the caption “Services and Fees During 2003 and 2004”) of our definitive Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with our 2005 Annual Meeting.

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SIGNATURES

In accordance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, we have caused this Report to be signed on our behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: March 22 , 2005	ECB BANCORP, INC.
	By:
		/s/    ARTHUR H. KEENEY III
		Arthur H. Keeney III President and Chief Executive Officer

In accordance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Report has been signed by the following persons on our and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature	Title	Date
/s/    ARTHUR H. KEENEY III         Arthur H. Keeney III	President and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer)	March 22, 2005
/s/    GARY M. ADAMS         Gary M. Adams	Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer)	March 22, 2005
/s/    GEORGE T. DAVIS, JR.         George T. Davis, Jr.	Vice Chairman	March 22, 2005
/s/    GREGORY C. GIBBS         Gregory C. Gibbs	Director	March 22, 2005
/s/    JOHN F. HUGHES, JR. John F. Hughes, Jr.	Director	March 22, 2005
/s/    J. BRYANT KITTRELL III         J. Bryant Kittrell III	Director	March 22, 2005
/s/    JOSEPH T. LAMB, JR.         Joseph T. Lamb, Jr.	Director	March 22, 2005
/s/    B. MARTELLE MARSHALL         B. Martelle Marshall	Director	March 22, 2005
/s/    RAY M. SPENCER         Ray M. Spencer	Director	March 22, 2005
/s/    R. S. SPENCER, JR.         R. S. Spencer, Jr.	Chairman	March 22, 2005

63

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description of Exhibit
3.1	Our Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2, Reg. No. 333-61839)
3.2	Our Bylaws (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2, Reg. No. 333-61839)
4.1	Indenture dated as of June 26, between us and State Street Bank and Trust Company of Connecticut, National Association (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our June 30, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
4.2	Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust dated as of June 26, 2002, by and among us, State Street Bank and Trust Company of Connecticut, National Association, and the Administrators (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our June 30, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
4.3	Guarantee Agreement dated as of June 26, 2002, between us and State Street Bank and Trust Company of Connecticut, National Association (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our June 30, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.1	Employment Agreement between Arthur H. Keeney, III and the Bank (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2,
10.2	Agreement between J. Dorson White, Jr. and the Bank (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2001 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.3	Agreement between William F. Plyler, II and the Bank (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.4	Agreement between Gary M. Adams and the Bank (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.5	Omnibus Stock Ownership and Long Term Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2, Reg. No. 333-61839)
10.6	Form of Employee Stock Option Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form SB-2, Reg. No. 333-61839)
10.7	Form of Restricted Stock Agreement (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our Registration Statement on Form S-8, Reg. No. 333-77689)
10.8	Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between the Bank and Arthur H. Keeney, III (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.9	Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between the Bank and J. Dorson White, Jr. (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.10	Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between the Bank and William F. Plyler, II (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.11	Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between the Bank and Gary M. Adams (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.12	Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreement between the Bank and Arthur H. Keeney, III (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.13	Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreement between the Bank and J. Dorson White, Jr. (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.14	Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreement between the Bank and William F. Plyler, II (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.15	Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreement between the Bank and Gary M. Adams (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-KSB)
10.16	Form of Director Supplemental Retirement Agreements between the Bank and George T. Davis, Jr., John F. Hughes, Jr., Arthur H. Keeney III, Joseph T. Lamb, Jr., R. S. Spencer, Jr. and Ray M. Spencer (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)

Exhibit Number	Description of Exhibit
10.17	Form of Director Supplemental Retirement Agreements between the Bank and Gregory C. Gibbs, J. Bryant Kittrell III, and B. Martelle Marshall (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.18	Form of Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreements between the Bank and George T. Davis, Jr., Gregory C. Gibbs, John F. Hughes, Jr., Arthur H. Keeney III, J. Bryant Kittrell III, Joseph T. Lamb, Jr., B. Martelle Marshall, and R. S. Spencer, Jr. (incorporated by reference from Exhibits to our March 31, 2002, Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB)
10.19	The East Carolina Bank Incentive Plan (filed herewith)
16	Letter from KPMG LLP (filed herewith)
21	List of our subsidiaries (filed herewith)
23	Consent of KPMG LLP (filed herewith)
31.1	Certification of our Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) (filed herewith)
31.2	Certification of our Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) (filed herewith)
32	Certifications of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (filed herewith)
99.1	Procedures for submission of recommendations by Shareholders to the Nominations Committee of ECB Bancorp, Inc. (filed herewith)
99.2	Our definitive Proxy Statement dated March 22, 2004, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (being filed separately)

COPIES OF EXHIBITS ARE AVAILABLE UPON WRITTEN REQUEST TO GARY M. ADAMS,

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AT ECB BANCORP, INC., P.O. BOX 337, ENGELHARD,

NORTH CAROLINA 27824.

EX-10.19

Exhibit 10.19

The East Carolina Bank

Incentive Plan

1. Purpose.

The purpose of The East Carolina Bank’s Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to motivate the employees of The East Carolina Bank (the “Bank”) to improve the Bank’s financial performance within the constraints of safe and sound bank practices and to improve the Bank’s service levels. The Bank seeks to reward improved performance via variable awards and to de-emphasize base salaries, the fixed cost component of compensation. The implementation of an incentive plan is designed to enhance the potential compensation of the Bank’s employees thereby assisting in the attraction, motivation and retention of qualified employees.

2. Effective Date and Plan Year.

The Effective Date of the Plan shall be January 1, 2004. The Plan Year shall be the calendar year.

3. Eligibility.

An individual shall be eligible to become a Participant in the Plan who satisfies the following requirements:

a) The individual is a “regular full-time employee” of the Bank or its subsidiaries who performs duties for a minimum of thirty (30) hours per week.

b) The individual is an employee of the Bank and in an active pay status for a minimum of six consecutive, full calendar months of the Plan Year.

c) The individual is approved by the Chief Executive Officer as a Participant in the Plan

4. Participation.

Prior to the beginning of each Plan Year, the Chief Executive Officer shall approve a list of eligible employees to become Participants in the Plan (a “Participant”) with respect to such Plan Year. In the event of the hiring of a new employee during the Plan Year, the Chief Executive Officer may approve the entry of a Participant into the Plan. In such case, the Incentive Award determined under Section 5 with respect to such Participant shall be multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of full calendar months during the Plan Year in which he/she is a Participant and the denominator of which is twelve. Participation in the Plan requires the Participant to be subject to the provisions of the Plan and such other terms and conditions as the Board shall provide.

Participation is categorized by seven tiers. Tier 1 is the Chief Executive Officer, Tier 2 is Senior Management, Tier 3 is Regional Management, Tier 4 is Branch Managers and Specialized Lenders, Tier 5 is Corporate/Specialized officers; Tier 6 is home office personnel exclusive of Tiers 1, 2, and 5 and Tier 7 is branch personnel exclusive of Tier 4.

5. Incentive Award.

5.1 Subject to Section 5.2, each Participant for a Plan Year shall have the potential to receive an Incentive Award. The incentive award shall be determined by the Bank’s and participants’ performance against four Performance Criteria: Return on Average Equity, Return on Average Assets, Operating Expenses as a Percentage of Average Assets and Branch Performance Criteria. Each Tier’s performance factor(s) is weighted as to its importance to the set of performance factors for that Tier.

The Performance Criteria are defined as :

Return on Average Equity

Net Income / Average Equity

(Net Income after estimated Incentive Plan payouts, after all Operating Expenses and after all Cost of Funds) / (Paid in Capital, Retained Earnings and Undivided Profits at the end of the prior year plus net earnings at the end of each plan year month / 13)

* For the purpose of measuring Return on Average Equity no accounting adjustments as a result of items dating to a period prior to the inception of the Incentive Plan will impact the measure. Estimated incentive plan payouts will equal 100% of incentive threshold potential.

Return on Average Assets

Net Income / Average Assets =

(Net Income after estimated Incentive Plan payouts, after all Operating Expenses and after all Cost of Funds) / (Assets at the end of the prior year plus assets at the end of each plan year month / 13)

* For the purpose of measuring Return on Average Assets no accounting adjustments as a result of items dating to a period prior to the inception of the Incentive Plan will impact the measure. Estimated incentive plan payouts will equal 100% of incentive threshold potential.

Operating Expenses as a percentage of Average Assets:

(Total Operating Expenses) / (Assets at the end of the prior year plus assets at the end of each plan year month / 13)

Branch Performance Criteria:

Measures include: Loan growth, deposit growth, past due percentage, non-interest income and non-interest expense.

Specialized Lender Criteria:

Measures include: Loan growth, past due percentage; loan documentation exceptions, fee income generation, mortgage loan goals.

The relative achievement of each Performance Criteria will be measured by the accomplishment of Performance Levels. The Performance Levels are: Threshold, Target and Maximum. An award percentage is set for each Performance Level. The Performance Levels for each factor and their corresponding award percentages are set by the Board of Directors.

The Performance Levels are defined as:

Threshold:

A level of performance against a Performance Factor that is greater than or equal to the statistic set for the Threshold but less than the Target set for the Performance Factor. The lowest performance level at which an Incentive Award will be paid.

Target:

A level of performance against a Performance Factor that is greater than or equal to the statistic set for the Target but less than the Maximum set for the Performance Factor.

Maximum:

A level of performance against a Performance Factor that is greater than or equal to the statistic set for the Maximum set for the Performance Factor.

2

Each Performance Level is assigned an award percentage for achieving the level.

The participant’s Incentive Award is calculated by:

1. Determining what Performance Level the Tier participants accomplished on each Performance Criteria.

2. Multiplying the Performance Level award percentage by the Performance Criteria weight.

3. Summing the weighted award percentages.

4. Multiplying the total weighted award percentage times the participant’s base salary on the final day of the Plan Year.

Each participation Tier has an Award Trigger(s). The Award Triggers are set levels of Bank performance. No incentive award is granted unless the Tier’s Award Trigger(s) is accomplished. The Award Triggers are: Return on Average Assets, Operating Expenses as a percentage of Average Assets and the Bank’s FDIC CAMEL rating for the plan year. The Board of Directors will determine the Award Trigger(s) for each Tier and the level of performance for each Award Trigger.

5.2 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, the Chief Executive Officer shall recommend the payment of the Incentive Award as determined under Section 5.1 and the Board shall approve such awards. The Board in its discretion may adjust the amount of the payment as it deems necessary to meet the purpose of this Plan. Where interpretations of achievement or performance on the Incentive Award calculation factors is inconsistent, the judgment of the Board will prevail.

5.3 To receive an Incentive Award from the Plan, the Participant must be an active employee of the Bank on the last day of the Plan year.

6. Change of Job during Plan Year.

In the event that a Participant changes jobs within the Bank during the Plan Year, the Participant’s potential award will be calculated on a prorated basis. The participant’s job tenure in each Tier will be the basis for proration. Proration will be calculated by rounding tenure to the nearest full month. If a part-time employee moves into a full-time position, the employee must have worked in the full-time status for 6 months and will be paid on a prorated basis for those six months. If a full-time employee moves to a part-time position, that employee forfeits participation in the plan.

7. Payment of Incentive Awards.

Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Incentive Award for a Plan Year shall be paid by the Bank in cash to the Participant or his Beneficiary no later than two and one-half months after the end of the Plan Year.

8. Withholding.

There shall be deducted from the payment of the Incentive Award the amount of any tax or other amount required by any governmental authority to be withheld and paid over by the Bank to such authority for the account of the person entitled to such payment.

9. Nonassignability of Incentive Awards.

The right to receive payment of the Incentive Award shall not be assignable or transferable (including by pledge or hypothecation) other than by will or the laws of intestate succession.

10. No Trust Fund: Unsecured Interest.

3

A Participant shall have no interest in any fund or specified asset of the Bank. No trust fund shall be created in connection with the Plan or any Incentive Award, and there shall be no required funding of amounts which may become payable under this Plan. Any amounts which are or may be set aside under the provisions of this Plan shall continue for all purposes to be a part of the general assets of the Bank, and no person other than the Bank shall, by virtue of the provisions of this Plan, have any interest in such assets. No right to receive payment from the Bank pursuant to the Plan shall be greater than the right of any unsecured creditor of the Bank.

11. No Right or Obligation of Continued Employment.

Nothing contained in the Plan shall require the Bank to continue to employ the Participant, nor shall the Participant be required to remain in the employment of the Bank.

12. Retirement Plans.

Any amounts accrued, payable or paid out under this Plan shall be treated as compensation for the purpose of determining the amount of contributions or benefits to which a Participant shall be entitled under any retirement plan to which the Bank may be a party.

13. Dilution or Other Adjustments.

If there is any change in the Bank because of a merger, consolidation or reorganization involving the Bank, the Board shall make such adjustments to any provisions of this Plan as the Board deems desirable to prevent the dilution or enlargement of rights granted hereunder.

14. Administration of the Plan.

The Plan shall be administered by the Chief Executive Officer with the consent and approval of the Board or its designated committee. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall have plenary authority in its discretion, among other things, to determine the levels for Performance Factors and Award Triggers, to approve the Incentive Awards to Plan Participants, to interpret the Plan and to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, provided that no member of the Board shall take part in any action with respect to the decisions to pay an Incentive Award to such member, or with respect to the terms or conditions of any Incentive Award awarded to such member.

15. Amendment, Termination and Continuation of the Plan.

The Plan may be amended or terminated at any time by the Board. The Plan must be affirmed by the Board at the beginning of each Plan year.

16. Binding on Successors.

The obligations of the Bank under the Plan shall be binding upon any organization which shall succeed to all or substantially all of the assets of the Bank, and the term “Bank,” whenever used in the Plan, shall mean and include any such organization after the succession.

17. Applicable Law.

The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina.

4

EX-16

EXHIBIT 16

KPMG LLP

Suite 1200

150 Fayetteville Street Mall

PO Box 29543

Raleigh, NC 27626-0543

March 22, 2005

Securities and Exchange Commission

Washington, D.C. 20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are currently principal accountants for ECB Bancorp, Inc. and, under the date of March 22, 2005, we reported on the consolidated financial statements of ECB Bancorp, Inc. as of and for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003. On March 10, 2005, we were notified that ECB Bancorp, Inc. engaged Dixon Hughes PLLC as its principal accountant for the year ending December 31, 2005 and that the auditor-client relationship with KPMG LLP will cease upon completion of the audit of ECB Bancorp, Inc.’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2004, and the issuance of our report thereon. We have read ECB Bancorp, Inc.’s statements included under Item 8 of its Form 10-KSB dated March 22, 2005, and we agree with such statements (except that we are not in a position to agree or disagree with ECB Bancorp’s statement that the Audit Committee appointed Dixon Hughes PLLC and that there were no consultations with Dixon Hughes PLLC of the type of requiring disclosure pursuant to Item 304(a)(2) of Regulation S-K.)

Very truly yours,

/s/ KPMG LLP

EX-21

EXHIBIT 21

LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES

The East Carolina Bank, a North Carolina state-chartered bank.

ECB Statutory Trust I, a Connecticut statutory trust.

EX-23

EXHIBIT 23

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

ECB Bancorp, Inc.:

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement (No. 333-77689) of ECB Bancorp, Inc. on Form S-8 relating to the ECB Bancorp, Inc. Omnibus Stock Ownership and Long-Term Incentive Plan, of our report dated March 22, 2005, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of ECB Bancorp, Inc. and subsidiary as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2004, which report appears in the December 31, 2004, annual report on Form 10-KSB of ECB Bancorp, Inc.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Raleigh, North Carolina

March 22, 2005

EX-31.1

EXHIBIT 31.1

Certification

I, Arthur H. Keeney III, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-KSB of ECB Bancorp, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the small business issuer as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The small business issuer’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the small business issuer and have:

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the small business issuer, including its consolidated subsidiary, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the small business issuer’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

(c) Disclosed in this report any change in the small business issuer’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the small business issuer’s most recent fiscal quarter (the small business issuer’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the small business issuer’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The small business issuer’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the small business issuer’s auditors and the audit committee of the small business issuer’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the small business issuer’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the small business issuer’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: March 22, 2005	/s/    ARTHUR H. KEENEY III
	Arthur H. Keeney III President and Chief Executive Officer

EX-31.2

EXHIBIT 31.2

Certification

I, Gary M. Adams, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-KSB of ECB Bancorp, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the small business issuer as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The small business issuer’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the small business issuer and have:

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the small business issuer, including its consolidated subsidiary, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the small business issuer’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

(c) Disclosed in this report any change in the small business issuer’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the small business issuer’s most recent fiscal quarter (the small business issuer’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the small business issuer’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The small business issuer’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the small business issuer’s auditors and the audit committee of the small business issuer’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the small business issuer’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the small business issuer’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date:  March 22, 2005	/s/    GARY M. ADAMS
	Gary M. Adams Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

EX-32

EXHIBIT 32

CERTIFICATIONS

(Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350)

The undersigned hereby certifies that, to his knowledge (i) the foregoing Annual Report on Form 10-KSB filed by ECB Bancorp, Inc. (the “Issuer”) for the year ended December 31, 2004, fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and (ii) the information contained in that Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Issuer on the dates and for the period presented therein.

Date:  March 22, 2005	/s/    ARTHUR H. KEENEY III
	Arthur H. Keeney III President and Chief Executive Officer
Date:  March 22, 2005	/s/    GARY M. ADAMS
	Gary M. Adams Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

PROCEDURES FOR SUBMISSION OF RECOMMENDATIONS BY SHAREHOLDERS

TO THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE OF

ECB BANCORP, INC.

The Charter of the Nominations Committee provides that the Committee will consider candidates recommended by shareholders of the Company. The following procedures are intended to provide an orderly process by which shareholders may submit recommendations to the Committee and to insure that recommendations are submitted in a manner that will permit the Committee to give them due and timely consideration in its evaluation process.

How to Submit Recommendations

Shareholders who desire to recommend candidates to the Company’s Committee for selection as nominees for election as directors should do so in writing. Each recommendation should be sent to:

Nominations Committee

ECB Bancorp, Inc.

C/O Corporate Secretary

Post Office Box 337

Engelhard, North Carolina 27824

Information to be Submitted with Recommendations

Each recommendation should be accompanied by the following:

• the full name, address and telephone number of the person making the recommendation, and an affirmation that the person making the recommendation is a shareholder of record of the Company (or, if the person is a beneficial owner of shares but not a record holder, a statement from the record holder of the shares verifying the number of shares beneficially owned by the person making the recommendation), and a statement as to whether the person making the recommendation has a good faith intention to continue to hold those shares through the date of the Company’s next annual shareholder meeting;

• the full name, address and telephone number of the candidate being recommended, and information regarding candidate’s beneficial ownership of shares of the Company’s voting securities and any business or personal relationship between the candidate and the person making the recommendation;

• a statement signed by the candidate that he or she is aware of and consents to being recommended to the Committee and will provide such information as it may request in connection with its evaluation of candidates;

• a description of the candidate’s current principal occupation, business or professional experience, previous employment history, educational background, and any particular areas of expertise;

• information regarding any business or personal relationships between the candidate and any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ customers, suppliers, vendors, competitors, directors or officers, affiliated companies, or other persons with any special interest regarding the Company or its affiliated companies, and any transactions between the candidate and the Company or any of its affiliated companies;

• any information in addition to the above regarding the candidate that would be required to be included in the Company’s proxy statement pursuant to the SEC’s Regulation 14A (including without limitation information regarding legal proceedings in which the candidate has been involved within the past five years);

• an explanation of the value or benefit that the person making the recommendation believes that the candidate would provide to the Company as a director.

Deadline for Submission of Recommendations

In order to be considered by the Committee in connection with its recommendations of candidates to the Company’s Board of Directors for selection as nominees for election at an annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders, a shareholder’s recommendation must be received by the Committee not later than the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date that the Company’s proxy statement was first mailed to its shareholders in conjunction with the preceding year’s annual meeting.

Compliance with Procedures

Recommendations submitted by shareholders other than in accordance with the above procedures will not be considered by the Committee.

Satisfaction of Applicable Banking Regulations

In addition to other qualification requirements established by the Committee or Board of Directors from time to time, candidates recommended by shareholders must qualify to serve as directors of the Company and its subsidiaries under applicable state and federal banking laws and regulations, including without limitation the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and requirements of minimum ownership of shares of the Company’s voting securities.

Evaluation of Candidates Recommended by Shareholders

The Committee will evaluate candidates recommended by shareholders in a manner similar to its evaluation of other candidates. The Committee will select candidates to be recommended to the Board of Directors each year based on its assessment of, among other things, (1) candidates’ business, life and educational background and experience, community leadership, independence, geographic location within the Company’s service area, and their other qualifications, attributes and potential contributions; (2) the past and future contributions of our current directors, and the value of continuity, diversity and prior Board experience; (3) the existence of one or more vacancies on the Board; (4) the need for a director possessing particular attributes or particular experience or expertise; (5) the role of directors in business development activities of the Company’s subsidiaries; and (6) other factors that it considers relevant, including any specific qualifications the Committee adopts from time to time.

Nominations at Annual Meeting

This procedure applies to recommendations of candidates to the Committee and not to nominations intended to be made by shareholders at annual meetings of the Company’s shareholders.

No Contract

These procedures do not create a contract between any shareholder and the Company, and the Company may amend the procedures at any time.