First Bancorp Declares $0.08 Cash Dividend

The Board of Directors of First Bancorp

, the parent company of First Bank, has declared a cash dividend on its common stock of $0.08 per share payable January 25, 2013 to shareholders of record as of December 31, 2012.  The $0.08 per share dividend rate is the same as the rate declared in the comparable period of 2011. First Bancorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Troy, North Carolina with total assets of approximately $3.3 billion.  Its principal activity is the ownership and operation of First Bank, a state-chartered community bank that operates 98 branches, with 82 branches operating in North Carolina, 9 branches in South Carolina and 7 branches in Virginia, where First Bank does business as First Bank of Virginia. First Bank also has a loan production office in Blacksburg, Virginia. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC."