FLB First Natl Bancshares Fla

First National Bankshares of Florida Completes Acquisition of First Bradenton Bank in Bradenton, Florida NAPLES, Fla., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- First National Bankshares of Florida, Inc. (NYSE:FLB) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of First Bradenton Bank, a state-chartered commercial bank with one community banking location in Bradenton, Florida. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031230/FNBFLOGO ) "We are pleased to make our initial entry in the expanding Bradenton/Manatee County market," said Gary L. Tice, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First National Bankshares. "The acquisition of First Bradenton Bank will help fill a gap in our Florida franchise and provide us with opportunities to expand not only our traditional banking services, but also our complete line of wealth management and insurance products." First Bradenton Bank was established in 1997. As of September 30, 2004, the bank had $65.7 million in assets and $60.2 million in deposits. The addition of First Bradenton Bank gives First National Bankshares more than $5.6 billion in total assets, $4.0 billion in total deposits and 75 full- service financial centers throughout South and Central Florida. "This merger gives us the opportunity to partner with a successful, community-minded organization that shares so many of our values," said Thomas L. Hodgson, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Bradenton Bank. "By joining forces with First National, our customers will retain very high levels of service and gain access to a wider range of financial products and services. We are delighted to be joining the First National family." Headquartered in Naples, Florida, First National Bankshares of Florida, Inc. is a $5.6 billion diversified financial services company. The company's focus is on expansion in the high-growth Florida market. In addition to traditional community banking, the company provides a complete line of wealth management and insurance services. The company's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FLB." On August 2, 2004, First National Bankshares of Florida and Fifth Third Bancorp announced the signing of a definitive agreement in which Fifth Third will acquire First National Bankshares and its subsidiaries. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2005 and is subject to normal regulatory approvals. Upon completion of this transaction, Fifth Third will have approximately $6.6 billion in assets and more than 90 banking centers located throughout the state of Florida. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Fifth Third is a diversified financial services company with approximately $98.3 billion in total assets and 1,008 banking centers located in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee and West Virginia. The company's common stock is traded through the Nasdaq National Market System under the symbol "FITB." This document contains forward-looking statements with respect to the plans, objectives, financial condition, results of operations and businesses of First National Bankshares of Florida, Inc.; the benefits and synergies of the planned affiliation with Fifth Third Bancorp; and the expected date of closing of the acquisition, including statements containing such words as "believes," "expects," "projects," "anticipates," and similar expressions. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties. There are a number of important factors that could cause future results to differ materially from historical performance and these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (1) competitive pressures among depository institutions increase significantly; (2) changes in the interest rate environment reduce interest rate margins; (3) general economic conditions are less favorable than expected; (4) legislative or regulatory changes adversely affect the businesses in which the company is engaged; (5) costs, delays, and any other difficulties related to the planned transaction; (6) failure of the parties to satisfy conditions to the closing of the merger; (7) the ability to manage and continue growth; and (8) other risk factors as detailed in First National Bankshares' reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. First National Bankshares disclaims any responsibility to update these forward-looking statements. CONTACT: Clay W. Cone Vice President, Director of Corporate Communications 239-436-1676 http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031230/FNBFLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: First National Bankshares Of Florida, Inc. CONTACT: Clay W. Cone, Vice President, Director of Corporate Communications of First National Bankshares Of Florida, Inc., +1-239-436-1676 Web site: http://www.firstnationalbankshares.com/

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