BOWLING GREEN, Va., May 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Board of Directors of Union Bankshares Corporation (the "Company") has declared a quarterly dividend of $.06 per share. This dividend represents a decrease of 67.6% from the dividend for the same period last year paid on May 31, 2008 and a decrease of 50.0% from the dividend for the last quarter paid on February 28, 2009. It also represents 85.7% of earnings per share reported for the quarter ended March 31, 2009. Based on the closing price of the Company's stock on May 1, 2009 ($15.80), the dividend yield is 1.52%. The dividend is payable on May 31, 2009 to shareholders of record as of May 19, 2009.
"During these difficult and uncertain economic times it is important that our Company maintain its strong capital base to protect the Company and its shareholders from unexpected or unforeseen financial issues. It is also prudent to maintain a dividend payout consistent with current earnings levels. Management and the Board of Directors must balance the discipline of returning a portion of our operating earnings to our shareholders with the prudence of operating the company responsibly. As the economy recovers, we expect to see improved net interest margins, reduced credit costs and the opportunity to begin increasing our dividends," said G. William Beale, President and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bankshares Corporation.
ABOUT UNION BANKSHARES CORPORATION
Union Bankshares Corporation is one of the largest community banking organizations based in Virginia, providing full service banking to the Northern, Central, Rappahannock, Tidewater and Northern Neck regions of Virginia through its bank subsidiaries, Union Bank and Trust Company (42 locations in the counties of Albemarle, Caroline, Chesterfield, Fairfax, Fluvanna, Hanover, Henrico, King George, King William, Nelson, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Westmoreland, and the cities of Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, Newport News, Grafton and Charlottesville); Northern Neck State Bank (9 locations in the counties of Richmond, Westmoreland, Essex, Northumberland and Lancaster); and Rappahannock National Bank (7 locations in Washington, Front Royal, Middleburg, Warrenton and Winchester). Union Investment Services, Inc. provides full brokerage services; Union Mortgage Group, Inc. provides a full line of mortgage products; and Union Insurance Group, LLC offers various lines of insurance products. Union Bank and Trust Company also owns a non-controlling interest in Johnson Mortgage Company, LLC.
On March 30 2009, the Company and First Market Bank, FSB ("First Market") announced the signing of an agreement pursuant to which First Market will merge with the Company in an all stock transaction valued at approximately $105.4 million. First Market, a privately held federally chartered savings bank with over $1.3 billion in assets, operates 39 branches throughout central Virginia with 31 locations in the greater Richmond metropolitan area. Upon completion of the transaction, expected to occur before year end, the Company will become the largest Virginia based community banking organization with approximately 97 branch locations and total assets of over $3.9 billion.
Additional information is available on the Company's website at http://www.ubsh.com/. The shares of the Company are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "UBSH."
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this report may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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. Such statements are often characterized by the use of qualified words (and their derivatives) such as "expect," "believe," "estimate," "plan," "project," "anticipate" or other statements concerning opinions or judgment of the Company and its management about future events. Although the Company believes that its expectations with respect to forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its existing knowledge of its business and operations, there can be no assurance that actual results, performance or achievements of the Company will not differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Actual future results and trends may differ materially from historical results or those anticipated depending on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the effects of and changes in: general economic conditions, the interest rate environment, legislative and regulatory requirements, competitive pressures, new products and delivery systems, inflation, changes in the stock and bond markets, technology, and consumer spending and savings habits. The Company does not update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company.
Union Bankshares Corporation
CONTACT: D. Anthony Peay, Executive Vice President/Chief Financial
Officer, +1-804-632-2112
Web Site: http://www.ubsh.com/
