Company Overview - First Bancorp (FBNC) is headquartered in Southern Pines and operates in the Finance sector [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 0.27% since the beginning of the year [3] Dividend Information - First Bancorp currently pays a dividend of $0.22 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.09% [3] - The average dividend yield for the Banks - Southeast industry is 2.37%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.57% [3] - The company's annualized dividend of $0.92 has increased by 4.5% from the previous year [4] - Over the last 5 years, First Bancorp has increased its dividend 2 times year-over-year, with an average annual increase of 4.32% [4] - The current payout ratio is 29%, indicating that 29% of its trailing 12-month EPS has been paid out as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for First Bancorp's earnings in 2025 is $3.54 per share, reflecting a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 27.80% [5] Investment Perspective - First Bancorp is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]

Group 1 - First Bank announced the closing of a $35.0 million private placement of fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes, intending to use the proceeds to redeem $30.0 million of existing subordinated notes and for general corporate purposes [1][2] - The notes have a maturity date of June 30, 2035, with a fixed interest rate of 7.125% for the first five years, transitioning to a floating rate thereafter, which is the three-month Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) plus 343 basis points [2] - The notes are structured to qualify as Tier 2 capital for regulatory purposes, and the Bank can redeem them without penalty starting June 30, 2030 [2] Group 2 - CEO Patrick L. Ryan expressed satisfaction with the successful completion of the subordinated debt offering, highlighting that it allows the Bank to retire existing notes at a lower interest rate and enhance its capital base without diluting common stock [3] - The overall cost of capital is considered attractive due to the tax-deductible nature of the instrument combined with the low interest rate [3] - Piper Sandler & Co. acted as the sole placement agent for the offering, with legal advice provided by Luse Gorman, PC and Silver, Freedman, Taff & Tiernan LLP [3] Group 3 - First Bank is a New Jersey state-chartered bank with 27 full-service branches and $3.88 billion in assets as of March 31, 2025, offering a range of deposit and loan products primarily in the New York City to Philadelphia corridor [4]

Group 1 - First Bank appointed Larry Jackson as the new Chief Credit Officer, effective April 2025, bringing over 21 years of experience in credit risk management [1][2] - CEO Adam Currie expressed excitement about Jackson's appointment, highlighting his expertise and leadership skills as vital for the bank's growth [2] - Jackson is relocating to Greensboro with his family and is committed to community involvement, aligning with the bank's values [2] Group 2 - First Bank, a subsidiary of First Bancorp, is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.1 billion [3] - The bank operates 113 branches in North Carolina and South Carolina, focusing on tailored banking solutions and local expertise [3] - First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol "FBNC" [3]

Core Viewpoint - First Bancorp (FBNC) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) due to an upward trend in earnings estimates, which significantly influences stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Impact - The Zacks rating system emphasizes the importance of changing earnings estimates, which are closely correlated with near-term stock price movements [4][6]. - Rising earnings estimates for First Bancorp indicate an improvement in the company's underlying business, suggesting potential for stock price appreciation [5][8]. Zacks Rating System - The Zacks Rank stock-rating system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with Zacks Rank 1 stocks historically generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7][9]. - Only the top 5% of Zacks-covered stocks receive a 'Strong Buy' rating, indicating superior earnings estimate revisions and potential for market-beating returns [10]. Recent Earnings Estimate Revisions - First Bancorp is projected to earn $3.47 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 25.3% [8]. - Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for First Bancorp has risen by 6.2% [8].

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] Company Overview: First Bancorp (FBNC) - First Bancorp currently holds a Momentum Style Score of B, indicating potential as a solid momentum pick [3] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which historically outperforms the market when combined with a Style Score of A or B [4] Price Performance - FBNC shares have increased by 1.27% over the past week, while the Zacks Banks - Southeast industry has risen by 2.38% [6] - Over the past month, FBNC's price change is 14.04%, outperforming the industry's 9.03% [6] - In the last quarter, FBNC shares rose by 1.49%, and over the past year, they gained 29.85%, compared to the S&P 500's -2.26% and 13.85% respectively [7] Trading Volume - FBNC's average 20-day trading volume is 187,189 shares, which serves as a price-to-volume baseline for assessing stock momentum [8] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, one earnings estimate for FBNC has increased, raising the consensus estimate from $3.27 to $3.47 [10] - For the next fiscal year, one estimate has also moved upwards with no downward revisions [10] Conclusion - Considering the positive price trends and earnings outlook, FBNC is positioned as a 1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of B, making it a noteworthy candidate for near-term investment [12]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of timing and sustainability in stock trends for successful short-term investing, highlighting the need for strong fundamentals and positive earnings revisions to maintain momentum. Group 1: Stock Performance - First Bank (FRBA) has shown a solid price increase of 0.7% over the past 12 weeks, indicating investor willingness to pay more for potential upside [4] - Over the last four weeks, FRBA's price increased by 13.9%, suggesting that the upward trend is still intact [5] - FRBA is currently trading at 87% of its 52-week high-low range, indicating a potential breakout [5] Group 2: Fundamental Strength - FRBA holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), placing it in the top 20% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises [6] - The stock has an Average Broker Recommendation of 1 (Strong Buy), reflecting high optimism from the brokerage community regarding its near-term price performance [7] Group 3: Investment Strategy - The "Recent Price Strength" screen is a useful tool for identifying stocks like FRBA that are on an uptrend supported by strong fundamentals [3] - The article suggests exploring over 45 Zacks Premium Screens tailored to different investing styles to find potential winning stocks [8]

FORM 10-Q QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2025 Commission File Number 0-15572 FIRST BANCORP (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) | North Carolina | | | 56-1421916 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) | | 300 SW Broad St., | ...

-1- Financial Results First Quarter 2025 April 24, 2025 -2- AGENDA | 1 | 1Q 2025 – | Quarter Highlights | Aurelio Alemán, President and Chief Executive Officer | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2 | 1Q 2025 – | Results of Operations | Orlando Berges, | | | | | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | | 3 | 1Q 2025 – | Questions and Answers | | -3- FIRST QUARTER 2025 Financial Performance Highlights FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This presentation contains "forward-looking statements" concerning the Cor ...

Investors might want to bet on First Bancorp (FBNC) , as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This upgrade is essentially a reflection of an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.Si ...

Core Viewpoint - First Bank (FRBA) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook on its earnings estimates, which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Performance - The Zacks rating system emphasizes the importance of earnings estimate revisions, which are strongly correlated with stock price movements [4][6]. - An increase in earnings estimates typically leads to higher fair value calculations by institutional investors, resulting in buying or selling actions that affect stock prices [4]. Recent Earnings Estimate Revisions - First Bank is projected to earn $1.69 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2025, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 1.7% [8]. - Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for First Bank has increased by 2.4%, indicating a positive trend in earnings outlook [8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system categorizes stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7]. - The upgrade of First Bank to a Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, suggesting potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10].