8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 20, 2005

ECB BANCORP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

North Carolina	000-24753	56-2090738
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

Post Office Box 337 Engelhard, North Carolina	27824
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (252) 925-9411

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

On July 20, 2005, we announced our financial condition and results of operations at, and for the three and six months ended, June 30, 2005. A copy of our press release is being furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Report.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

The following exhibit is being furnished with this Report:

Exhibit No.	Exhibit Description
99.1	Copy of our press release dated July 20, 2005

Disclosures About Forward Looking Statements

The discussions included in this Report and its exhibits may contain statements that could be considered to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Forward-looking statements are statements that include projections, predictions, expectations or beliefs about future events or results or otherwise are not statements of historical fact. Those statements often are characterized by the use of qualifying words (and their derivatives) such as “expect,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “anticipate,” or other statements concerning opinions or judgments of our management about future events. Those statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, or the actual outcome of the matters discussed in the statements, to be materially different from historical results or any results or outcome expressed or implied by the statements themselves. Factors that could influence the accuracy of those forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, customer acceptance of our services, products and fee structure, the financial success or changing strategies of our customers, the competitive nature of the financial services industry and our ability to compete effectively against other financial institutions, weather and similar conditions, particularly the effect of hurricanes on our banking, loan production and operations facilities and on our customers and the communities in which we do business, actions of government regulators, the level of market interest rates, and general economic conditions. Further information about factors and risks that could affect our business, financial condition and results of operations are included in the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of those reports are available through our Internet website at www.ecbbancorp.com or directly through the Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, we have duly caused this Report to be signed on our behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

	ECB BANCORP, INC.
	(Registrant)
Date: July 20, 2005	By:	/S/ Gary M. Adams
		Gary M. Adams
		Chief Financial Officer

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE

July 20, 2005

CONTACT:	ECB Bancorp, Inc.
	Gary M. Adams, Chief Financial Officer (252) 925-5525 (252) 925-8491 facsimile Gary.Adams@ecbbancorp.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ECB Bancorp, Inc. Reports 2005 First Half Financial Results

ENGELHARD, N.C.- ECB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: ECBE) (“ECB” or the “Company”) today announced its results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2005.

2005 First Half Financial Highlights

Net income for the 2005 first half was $2,218,000, or $1.08 per diluted share, generating an annualized ROAA of 0.87% and an annualized ROAE of 13.64% compared to net income for the 2004 first half of $2,196,000, or $1.07 per diluted share, generating an annualized ROAA of 0.94% and an annualized ROAE of 14.22%. Net income for the 2005 second quarter was $1,265,000, or $0.62 per diluted share, generating an annualized ROAA of 0.98% and an annualized ROAE of 15.50%, compared to net income for the 2004 second quarter of $1,222,000, or $0.60 per diluted share, generating an annualized ROAA of 1.01% and an annualized ROAE of 15.86%.

• Net interest income rose 12.17 % to $8,999,000 in the first six months of 2005 from the year ago period. For the 2005 second quarter, net interest income rose 12.48 % to $4,625,000 compared to the second quarter of 2004.

• Consolidated assets increased 10.6 % to $541,136,000 at June 30, 2005 from $489,242,000 at June 30, 2004.

• Loans increased 14.77 % to $361,665,000 at June 30, 2005 from $315,127,000 at June 30, 2004.

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• Deposits increased 12.75 % to $455,622,000 at June 30, 2005 from $404,097,000 at June 30, 2004.

• Non-interest income decreased 15.02 % to $2,825,690 in the first six months. For the 2005 second quarter, non-interest income decreased 11.08 % to $1,618,000 from the 2004 second quarter.

• Declared quarterly dividend of $0.16 per share, a 12.3% increase, or $0.64 per share on an annualized basis.

Arthur H. Keeney, III, President and CEO stated: “Our solid performance in the first half of 2005 underscores the continued successful implementation of our core strategies. These results not only reflect the opening of a new full service branch in Wilmington in June 2004 and the new Corporate Headquarters and branch in Engelhard in January 2005 but also a $316,924 (pre-tax) gain in the first quarter of 2004 on insurance proceeds for the property damage sustained during Hurricane Isabel in the fall of 2003.

“The increase in loan demand is due, in part, to businesses that are opening in our markets to take advantage of opportunities in our coastal communities where growth is being driven by a combination of increased tourism and an influx of retirees. The bank’s quality statistics remain above our peer averages.

“During the 3^rd quarter of 2005, we will begin construction on a full-service branch facility in Hertford on Harvey Point Road replacing our small branch office in a shopping center on Hwy 17. We will also begin construction on a new branch facility, to replace our existing branch, in Southern Shores to meet the ever-growing needs of our customers in that market.”

About ECB Bancorp, Inc.

ECB Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Engelhard, North Carolina, whose wholly-owned subsidiary, The East Carolina Bank, is a state-chartered, independent community bank insured by the FDIC. The Bank provides a full range of financial services through its 20 offices in eastern North Carolina, including new full-service branches in Morehead City and Wilmington. The Bank also provides mortgages, insurance services through the Bank’s licensed agents and investment and brokerage services offered through a third-party broker-dealer. ECB’s common stock is listed on The Nasdaq SmallCap Market under the symbol “ECBE”. More information can be obtained by visiting ECB’s web site at www.ecbbancorp.com.

“Safe Harbor Statement” Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Statements in this Press Release 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.

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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 the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other documents filed by the Company 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 the Company’s customers, actions of government regulators, the level of market interest rates, weather and similar conditions, particularly the effect of hurricanes on the Company’s banking and operations facilities and on the Company’s customers and the communities in which it does business, and general economic conditions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company has no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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