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): December 15, 2017

First Bancorp

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

North Carolina	0-15572	56-1421916
(State or Other Jurisdiction	(Commission	(I.R.S. Employer
of Incorporation)	File Number)	Identification Number)

300 SW Broad Street, Southern Pines, NC	28387
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

(910) 246-2500

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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:

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

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

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company o

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o

First Bancorp
INDEX

	Page
Item 8.01 – Other Events		3
Item 9.01 – Financial Statements and Exhibits		3
Signatures		4
Exhibit 99 (a) News Release dated December 15, 2017		5

2

Item 8.01 — Other Events

On December 15, 2017, the Registrant issued a news release to announce a cash dividend. The Registrant reported that its board of directors had declared a cash dividend of 8 cents per share on its common stock payable on January 25, 2018 to shareholders of record as of December 31, 2017.

Item 9.01 – Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit 99(a) – News Release dated December 15, 2017

3

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 thereunto duly authorized.

		First Bancorp
December 15, 2017	By:	/s/ Richard H. Moore
		Richard H. Moore
		Chief Executive Officer

4

EX-99.A

News Release

For Immediate Release:	For More Information,
December 15, 2017	Contact:  Elaine Pozarycki
	919-834-3090

First Bancorp Announces Cash Dividend

Southern Pines, N.C. – The Board of Directors of First Bancorp (NASDAQ - FBNC), the parent company of First Bank, has declared a cash dividend on its common stock of $0.08 per share payable January 25, 2018 to shareholders of record as of December 31, 2017. The $0.08 per share dividend rate is the same as the rate declared in the comparable period of 2016.

First Bancorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $5.4 billion. Its principal activity is the ownership and operation of First Bank, a state-chartered community bank that operates 104 branches in North Carolina and South Carolina. First Bank also operates two mortgage loan production offices in the central region of North Carolina. First Bank also provides SBA loans to customers through its nationwide network of lenders – for more information on First Bank’s SBA lending capabilities, please visit www.firstbanksba.com. First Bancorp’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “FBNC.”

Please visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com.