| FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact:
Craig Fortin,
National Bank and Trust
937-283-3002 |
|
June
30 , 2009 |
NB&T Financial Group. Inc. to Acquire Community
National Corporation
Wilmington
and Franklin, Ohio, June 30, 2009 - NB&T Financial
Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NBTF) ("NBTF"), parent company
of The National Bank and Trust Company, Wilmington,
Ohio, and Community National Corporation ("Community"),
parent company of Community National Bank, Franklin,
Ohio, today announced a definitive agreement for the
merger of Community into NBTF in a cash and stock
transaction.
Under
the terms of the merger agreement, which has been
unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of
both companies, the shareholders of Community holding
of record more than 1,500 shares will be entitled
to elect to receive for each share of Community common
stock $11.41 in cash, 0.761 common shares of NBTF,
or a combination of both. Shareholders holding of
record 1,500 or fewer Community shares will be entitled
to receive for each share of Community common stock
$11.41 in cash. The form of consideration to be received
by each Community shareholder is subject to reallocation
in order to ensure that 50% of the outstanding Community
shares are exchanged for cash and 50% are exchanged
for NBTF common shares. The consideration also may
be reduced based on a reduction in the tangible net
worth of Community prior to closing, and Community
shareholders may receive additional cash consideration
if Community receives certain insurance proceeds.
The transaction is valued at approximately $6.8 million
based on the $13.74 closing trade price for each NBTF
common share most recently reported on The NASDAQ
Stock Market. The receipt of NBTF common shares by
Community shareholders is expected to qualify as a
tax-free exchange. As of June 30, 2009, Community
had 624,458 common shares outstanding.
Community
had total assets of $99.2 million, deposits of $89.8
million, net loans of $66.4 million and stockholders'
equity of $8.8 million as of May 31, 2009. Community
National Bank presently operates full-service banking
offices in the communities of Franklin, Springboro,
Centerville, Carlisle and Middletown, Ohio.
John
J. Limbert, NBTF's President and Chief Executive Officer,
stated, "We are excited to have Community National
become part of our team. Community National's focus
on customer relationships and community banking fits
perfectly with how we try to serve our customers.
In addition, this transaction will continue our expansion
into Warren County and give us an entrance into Montgomery
and Butler counties."
Carolyn
Bradford, Community's Chief Executive Officer, stated,
"Through these difficult times, we have positioned
ourselves to be successful going forward, but recognized
we needed additional products, services and capital
to meet the needs of both our shareholders and the
communities we serve. NBTF provides all three. Additionally,
our shareholders will receive a stock that provides
them greater liquidity."
The
transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter
of 2009, subject to regulatory approval, the approval
of Community's shareholders and other conditions to
closing.
NBTF
is being advised in the transaction by Austin Associates,
LLC, and Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP. Community
is being advised by Stifel, Nicolaus & Company and
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.
About
NB&T Financial Group, Inc.
NBTF is a financial holding company headquartered
in Wilmington, Ohio, with approximate assets of $529 million
as of March 31, 2009. NBTF provides a complete range
of banking and other financial services to consumers
and businesses through its wholly owned subsidiary,
The National Bank and Trust Company. The National
Bank and Trust Company operates 19 banking offices
and an insurance subsidiary, NB&T Insurance Agency,
Inc., in Clinton, Clermont, Brown, Warren and Highland
counties.
Additional Information
NBTF will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC") a Registration Statement on Form S-4 concerning
the merger transaction. The Registration Statement
will include a combined prospectus for the offer and
sale of NBTF Common Shares to Community shareholders
as well as a proxy statement of Community for the
solicitation of proxies from its shareholders for
use at the meeting at which the merger transaction
will be voted upon. The combined prospectus and proxy
statement and other documents filed by NBTF with the
SEC will contain important information about NBTF,
Community, and the merger transaction. We urge investors
and Community shareholders to read carefully the combined
prospectus and proxy statement and other documents
filed with the SEC, including any amendments or supplements
also filed with the SEC. Community shareholders in
particular should read the combined prospectus and
proxy statement carefully before making a decision
concerning the merger transaction. Investors and shareholders
will be able to obtain a free copy of the combined
prospectus and proxy statement – along with other
filings containing information about NBTF – at the
SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the
combined prospectus and proxy statement, and the filings
with the SEC incorporated by reference in the combined
prospectus and proxy statement, can also be obtained
free of charge by directing a request to NB&T Financial
Group, Inc, 48 N. South Street, Wilmington, Ohio,
45177, attention Craig F. Fortin, Chief Financial
Officer, telephone (937) 382-1441.
This
communication shall not constitute an offer to sell
or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities
nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction
in which the offer, solicitation, or sale is unlawful
before registration or qualification of the securities
under the securities laws of the jurisdiction. No
offer of securities shall be made except by means
of a prospectus satisfying the requirements of Section 10
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Forward-Looking
Statements
Except for the historical and present factual information
contained in this press release, the matters discussed
in this press release, including statements as to
the expected benefits of the merger transaction, and
other statements identified by words such as "will,"
"expected," "plans," and similar expressions are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor"
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause
actual results to differ materially from those set
forth in the forward-looking statements, including
the following: the ability to obtain regulatory approvals
and termination of a regulatory agreement and Community
shareholder approval of the merger transaction on
the proposed terms and schedule; the possibility that
certain conditions to closing may not have occurred
on the proposed terms and schedules; the possibility
that costs or difficulties related to the integration
of the businesses of Community and NBTF will be greater
than expected or that the cost savings and any revenue
synergies of the combined organizations following
the merger transaction may be lower or take longer
to realize than expected; disruptions from the merger
may make it more difficult to maintain relationships
with customers, employees or suppliers; changing interest
rates, foreclosure rates and other economic and financial
market conditions; competition; regulatory actions
and changes in laws; the ability to execute NBTF's
and Community's business plans; and other factors
described in NBTF's filings with the SEC, including
but not limited to the discussion in NBTF's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2008 under the caption "Risk Factors." Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements, which reflect management's judgment solely
as of the date hereof.
| For further information please
contact: |
John
J. Limbert, President and CEO
NB&T Financial Group, Inc.
(937) 382-1441 |
Carolyn
L. Bradford, CEO
Community National Corporation
(937) 746-1520 |
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