8-K

 

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

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): March 1, 2006

First PacTrust Bancorp, Inc.
__________________________________________
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland	000-49806	04-3639825
_____________________ (State or other jurisdiction	_____________ (Commission	______________ (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)	File Number)	Identification No.)
610 Bay Boulevard, Chula Vista, California		91910
_________________________________ (Address of principal executive offices)		___________ (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (619) 691-1519

Not Applicable
______________________________________________
Former name or former address, if changed since last report

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 8.01 Other Events.

A press release is issued on March 1, 2006 announcing the declaration of a $0.145 per share quarterly dividend, payable on March 28, 2006 to shareholders of record as of March 16, 2006.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

Press Release dated March 1, 2006

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	First PacTrust Bancorp, Inc.
March 1, 2006	By:	James P. Sheehy
		Name: James P. Sheehy
		Title: EVP - Secretary and Treasurer

Exhibit Index

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Relese dated March 1, 2006

EX-99.1

FIRST PACTRUST BANCORP, INC.

FOR RELEASE AT 2:00 P.M. P.S.T.
March 1, 2006

FIRST PACTRUST BANCORP, INC. ANNOUNCES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

CHULA VISTA, CA – March 1, 2006 – First PacTrust Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: FPTB), the holding company for Pacific Trust Bank, announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of fourteen and one-half cents ($0.145) per share on its outstanding common stock. The dividend will be payable on March 28, 2006 to shareholders of record as of March 16, 2006.

Hans R. Ganz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said “this twelfth consecutive increase to our quarterly dividend reflects our commitment to enhance shareholder value.”

As of September 30, 2005, the Company had consolidated total assets of $734.9 million and stockholders’ equity of $76.8 million, with 4,409,662 shares of common stock currently outstanding. The Company’s stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “FPTB”.

Contact:
Hans Ganz, President and CEO
Phone: (619) 691-1519, ext. 4000

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