Edgar Filing: Ameris Bancorp

Ameris Bancorp 10-Q 3-31-2007

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 2054

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

x	QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2007

o	TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission File Number: 001-13901

AMERIS BANCORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

GEORGIA		58-1456434
(State of incorporation)		(IRS Employer ID No.)

24 SECOND AVE., SE MOULTRIE, GA 31768

(Address of principal executive offices)

(229) 890-1111

(Registrant’s telephone number)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to befiled by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer o

Accelerated filer x

Non-accelerated filer o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act). Yes o No x

There were 13,536,736 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of May 1, 2007.

AMERIS BANCORP

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION		Page
Item 1.	Financial Statements
	Consolidated Balance Sheets at March 31, 2007 (unaudited), December 31, 2006 (audited) and March 31, 2006 (unaudited)	3

	Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (unaudited) for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2007 and 2006	4

	Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2007 and 2006	5

	Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)	6

Item 2.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	12

Item 3.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	23

Item 4.	Controls and Procedures	23

PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1.	Legal Proceedings	24

Item 1A.	Risk Factors	24

Item 2.	Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds	24

Item 3.	Defaults Upon Senior Securities	24

Item 4.	Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders	24

Item 5.	Other Information	24

Item 6.	Exhibits	24
	Signatures

	Exhibits:
	Exhibit 31.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer
	Exhibit 31.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer
	Exhibit 32.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act
	Exhibit 32.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act

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AMERIS BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(dollars in thousands)

	(Unaudited)			(Audited)			(Unaudited)
	March 31			December 31			March 31
	2007			2006			2006
Assets
Cash and due from banks	$	49,640		$	66,856		$	67,570
Federal funds sold & interest bearing deposits		94,496			135,232			56,998
Securities available for sale, at fair value		300,322			283,192			273,031

Loans		1,475,869			1,442,951			1,240,436
Less: allowance for loan losses		25,113			24,863			22,616
Loans, Net		1,450,756			1,418,088			1,217,820

Premises and equipment, net		47,251			46,604			40,194
Intangible assets, net		5,775			6,099			6,203
Goodwill		54,419			54,365			43,304
Other assets		33,754			37,106			33,771
	$	2,036,413		$	2,047,542		$	1,738,891

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Deposits:
Noninterest-bearing demand	$	197,845		$	221,592		$	193,869
Interest-bearing demand		574,089			545,564			423,682
Savings		64,182			63,255			73,532
Time deposits		876,391			879,752			730,023
Total deposits		1,712,507			1,710,163			1,421,106
Federal funds purchased & securities sold under agreements to repurchase		5,370			15,933			8,502
Other borrowings		75,500			75,500			100,095
Other liabilities		18,003			24,945			17,036
Subordinated deferrable interest debentures		42,269			42,269			40,722
Total liabilities		1,853,649			1,868,810			1,587,461


Stockholders' equity
Common stock, par value $1; 30,000,000 shares authorized;14,850,237, 14,850,237 and 14,286,041 shares issued at March 31, 2007, December 31, 2006 and March 31, 2006, respectively		14,850			14,850			14,286
Capital surplus		81,620			81,481			67,097
Retained earnings		98,631			95,523			83,970
Accumulated other comprehensive income		(1,744	)		(2,529	)		(3,442	)
		193,357			189,325			161,911
Treasury stock, at cost, 1,322,717, 1,322,717 and 1,318,465shares at March 31, 2007, December 31, 2006 and March 31, 2006, respectively		(10,593	)		(10,593	)		(10,481	)
Total stockholders' equity		182,764			178,732			151,430
	$	2,036,413		$	2,047,542		$	1,738,891

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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AMERIS BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2007		2006
Interest income
Interest and fees on loans	$	30,760	$	23,476
Interest on taxable securities		3,337		2,742
Interest on nontaxable securities		179		98
Interest on deposits in other banks		1,042		667
Interest on federal funds sold		91		158
		35,409		27,141

Interest expense
Interest on deposits		15,205		8,628
Interest on federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase		59		33
Interest on other borrowings		1,727		2,088
		16,991		10,749

Net interest income		18,419		16,392
Provision for loan losses		507		510
Net interest income after provision for loan losses		17,911		15,882

Other income
Service charges on deposit accounts		2,870		2,631
Mortgage banking activities		683		454
Other		972		800
Gain (loss) on sale of securities		-		9
		4,525		3,894

Other expense
Salaries and employee benefits		7,732		6,624
Equipment and occupancy expense		1,676		1,353
Amortization of intangible assets		324		209
Other operating expenses		4,712		3,899
		14,444		12,085

Income before income taxes		7,992		7,691

Applicable income taxes		2,968		2,591

Net income	$	5,024	$	5,100

Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Unrealized holding losses arising during period, net of tax	$	785	$	(811	)
Reclassification for gains included in net income		-		(6	)
	$	5,809	$	4,283

Income per common share-Basic	$	0.37	$	0.39

Income per common share-Diluted	$	0.37	$	0.39

Dividends declared per share	$	0.14	$	0.14

Average shares outstanding		13,443,850		12,951,765

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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AMERIS BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2007 AND 2006
(dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)

	2007			2006
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net Income	$	5,024		$	5,100
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation		769			629
Provision for loan losses		507			510
Amortization of intangible assets		324			209
Other prepaids, deferrals and accruals, net		(3,104	)		1,686
Net cash provided by operating activities		3,520			8,134



CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Net decrease in federal funds sold and interest bearing deposits		40,736			42,783
Proceeds from maturities of securities available for sale		8,818			8,268
Purchase of securities available for sale		(24,736	)		(50,110	)
Proceeds from sales of securities available for sale		-			3,956
Net increase in loans		(34,003	)		(54,023	)
Purchases of premises and equipment		(1,416	)		(2,447	)
Net cash used in investing activities		(10,601	)		(51,573	)


CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Net increase in deposits		2,344			45,874
Net decrease in federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase		(10,563	)		(1,805	)
Decrease in other borrowings		-			(5,927	)
Dividends declared		(1,916	)		(1,813	)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		-			260
Net cash provided by (used in) by financing activities		(10,135	)		36,589

Net decrease in cash and due from banks	$	(17,216	)	$	(6,850	)

Cash and due from banks at beginning of period		66,856			74,420

Cash and due from banks at end of period	$	49,640		$	67,570

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

March 31, 2007

(Unaudited)

Note 1 - Basis of Presentation & Accounting Policies

Ameris Bancorp, (the “Company” or “Ameris”) is a financial holding company headquartered in Moultrie, Georgia. Ameris conducts the majority of its operations through its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Ameris Bank (the “Bank”). Ameris Bank currently operates 46 branches in Georgia, Alabama, Northern Florida and South Carolina. Our business model capitalizes on the efficiencies of a billion dollar financial services company while still providing the community with the personalized banking service expected by our customers. We manage our Banks through a balance of decentralized management responsibilities and efficient centralized operating systems, products and loan underwriting standards. Ameris’ board of directors and senior managers establish corporate policy, strategy and administrative policies. Within Ameris’ established guidelines and policies, each advisory board and senior managers make lending and community-specific decisions. This approach allows the banker closest to the customer to respond to the differing needs and demands of their unique market.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements for Ameris have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information and Regulation S-X. Accordingly, the financial statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statement presentation. The interim consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited, but reflect all adjustments which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial position and results of operations for the interim periods presented. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2007 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto and the report of our registered independent public accounting firm included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.

Note 2 - Recent Business Combinations

On December 29, 2006, Ameris acquired 100 percent of the outstanding common shares of Islands Bancorp and its banking subsidiary, Islands Community Bank, NA (collectively, “Islands”). Islands was headquartered in Beaufort, South Carolina where it operated a single branch with satellite loan production offices in Bluffton, South Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina. The consideration for the acquisition was a combination of cash and common stock with an aggregate purchase price of approximately $19,055,000. The total consideration consisted of $5,121,000 in cash, and approximately 494,000 shares of Ameris Bancorp common stock with a value of approximately $13,934,000. The value of the shares of common stock issued of $28.18 was based on the average closing price of Ameris common stock for the 10 trading days immediately preceding the merger. Islands results of operations for 2006 are not included in Ameris’ consolidated financial results as the merger date occurred after close of business on the last day of the fiscal year.

Note 3 - Investment Securities

Ameris’s investment policy blends the needs of the Company’s liquidity and interest rate risk with its desire to improve income and provide funds for expected growth in loans. Under this policy, the Company generally invests in obligations of the United States Treasury or other governmental or quasi-governmental agencies. Ameris’s portfolio and investing philosophy concentrate activities in obligations where the credit risk is limited. For a small portion of Ameris’s portfolio that has been found to present credit risk, the Company has reviewed the investments and financial performance of the obligors and believes the credit risk to be acceptable.

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The amortized cost and estimated fair value of investment securities available for sale at March 31, 2007, December 31, 2006 and March 31, 2006 are presented below:

March 31, 2007

(dollars in thousands)

Amortized Cost

Unrealized Gains

Unrealized Losses

Estimated Fair Value

U. S. Government and federal agencies

112,248

987

111,334

State and municipal securities

19,178

481

18,731

Corporate debt securities

9,829

9,842

Mortgage backed securities

160,853

412

1,599

159,666

Marketable equity securities

788

528

302,896

581

3,155

300,322

	December 31, 2006
(dollars in thousands)	Amortized Cost		Unrealized Gains		Unrealized Losses			Estimated Fair Value
U. S. Government and federal agencies	$	103,207	$	31	$	(1,375	)	$	101,863
State and municipal securities		19,364		42		(472	)		18,934
Corporate debt securities		9,852		40		(63	)		9,829
Mortgage-backed securities		153,768		194		(2,144	)		151,818
Marketable equity securities		788		0		(40	)		748
	$	286,979	$	307	$	(4,094	)	$	283,192

	March 31, 2006
(dollars in thousands)	Amortized Cost		Unrealized Gains		Unrealized Losses		Estimated Fair Value
U. S. Government and federal agencies	$	108,559	$	0	$	2,055	$	106,504
State and municipal securities		10,397		19		195		10,221
Corporate debt securities		7,101		44		85		7,060
Mortgage-backed securities		151,621		58		2,943		148,736
Marketable equity securities		567		0		59		509
	$	278,247	$	121	$	5,336	$	273,031

Note 4 - Loans

The Company engages in a full complement of lending activities, including real estate-related loans, agriculture-related loans, commercial and financial loans and consumer installment loans. Ameris concentrates the majority of its lending activities on real estate loans where the historical loss percentages have been low. While risk of loss in the Company’s portfolio is primarily tied to the credit quality of the various borrowers, risk of loss may increase due to factors beyond Ameris’s control, such as local, regional and/or national economic downturns. General conditions in the real estate market may also impact the relative risk in the real estate portfolio. Of the target areas of lending activities, commercial and financial loans are generally considered to have a greater risk of loss than real estate loans or consumer installment loans.

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The Company evaluates loans for impairment when a loan is risk rated as substandard or doubtful. The Company measures impairment based upon the present value of the loan’s expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, except where foreclosure or liquidation is probable or when the primary source of repayment is provided by real estate collateral. In these circumstances, impairment is measured based upon the estimated fair value of the collateral. In addition, in certain circumstances, impairment may be based on the loan’s observable estimated fair value. Impairment with regard to substantially all of Ameris’s impaired loans has been measured based on the estimated fair value of the underlying collateral. The Company’s policy for recognizing interest income on impaired loans is consistent with its nonaccrual policy. At the time the contractual payments on a loan are deemed to be uncollectible, Ameris’s policy is to record a charge-off against the allowance for loan losses.

Nonperforming assets include loans classified as nonaccrual or renegotiated and foreclosed assets. It is the general policy of the Company to stop accruing interest income and place the recognition of interest on a cash basis when any commercial, industrial or commercial real estate loan is 90 days or more past due as to principal or interest and/or the ultimate collection of either is in doubt, unless collection of both principal and interest is assured by way of collateralization, guarantees or other security. When a loan is placed on nonaccrual status, any interest previously accrued but not collected is reversed against current income unless the collateral for the loan is sufficient to cover the accrued interest or a guarantor assures payment of interest.

Loans are stated at unpaid balances, net of unearned income and deferred loan fees. Balances within the major loans receivable categories are represented in the following table:

(dollars in thousands)	March 31, 2007		December 31, 2006		March 31, 2006

Commercial and financial	$	177,647	$	174,852	$	152,573
Agricultural		35,576		33,980		30,903
Real estate-construction		354,795		340,325		241,506
Real estate-mortgage, farmland		91,451		91,650		75,826
Real estate-mortgage, commercial		413,316		397,837		350,280
Real estate-mortgage, residential		340,920		339,843		324,267
Consumer installment loans		56,861		59,422		60,975
Other		5,303		5,042		4,106
	$	1,475,869	$	1,442,951	$	1,240,436

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Note 5 - Allowance for Loan Losses

Activity in the allowance for loan losses for the three months ended March 31, 2007, for the year ended December 31, 2006 and for the three months ended March 31, 2006 is as follows:

(dollars in thousands)	March 31, 2007			December 31, 2006			March 31, 2006
Balance, January 1	$	24,863		$	22,294		$	22,294
Provision for loan losses charged to expense		507			2,837			510
Loans charged off		(787	)		(3,198	)		(1419	)
Recoveries of loans previously charged off		530			1,906			1,231
Allowance for loan losses of acquired subsidiary		-			1,024			-
Ending balance	$	25,113		$	24,863		$	22,616

Note 6 - Earnings per Share and Common Stock

Earnings per share have been computed based on the following weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006:

	For the Three Months Ended March 31,
	2007		2006
	(share data in thousands)
Basic shares outstanding		13,444		12,952
Plus: Dilutive effect of ISOs		194		109
Plus: Dilutive effect of Restricted Grants		30		0
Diluted shares outstanding		13,668		13,061

Note 7 - Stock-Based Compensation

At March 31, 2007, the Company had stock-based compensation plans, which are more fully described in Note 15 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006. On January 1, 2006, Ameris adopted the fair value recognition provisions of FASB Statement No. 123(R), Share-Based Payment (SFAS 123(R)), using the modified prospective-transition method. Under that transition method, compensation cost recognized beginning in 2006 includes: (a) the compensation cost for all share-based payments granted prior to, but not yet vested as of January 1, 2006, based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the original provisions of FASB Statement Note 123, and (b) the compensation cost for all share-based payments granted subsequent to January 1, 2006, based on the grant-date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of SFAS 123(R).

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A summary of the status of the employee stock option plans as of March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006 is presented below.

	Period Ended								Year Ended
	March 31, 2007								December 31, 2006
	Number		Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term		Aggregate Intrinsic Value ($000)		Number			Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term		Aggregate Intrinsic Value ($000)

Under option, beginning of the period:		511,818		15.88						459,235			13.89
Granted		-		-						101,750			21.38
Exercised		-		-						(40,987	)		6.94
Forfeited		-		-						(8,180	)		17.39
Under option, end of the period		511,818		15.88		6.57	$	4,402		511,818			15.88		6.90	$	6,413

Exercisable at the end of the period		288,137		13.28		4.98	$	3,227		286,217			13.29		5.64	$	4,259

Weighted-average fair value per option of options granted during the year								n/a								$	5.08

The fair value of the options granted was based upon the discounted value of future cash flows of the options using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and the following assumptions. There were no options granted during the first quarter of 2007.

	Year Ended
	December 31, 2006

Risk-free interest rate		4.45% - 5.12	%
Expected life of the options		8 years
Expected dividend yield		1.96% - 2.70	%
Expected volatility		16.51% - 20.28	%

A summary of the status of Ameris’ nonvested shares as of December 31, 2006 and changes during the period ended March 31, 2007, is presented below:

	Shares (000’s)			Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value

Nonvested at January 1, 2006		227,622		$	4.01
Granted		-
Vested		(1,920	)		2.47
Forfeited		-
Nonvested at September 30, 2006		225,702		$	4.00

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At March 31, 2007, there was $837,000 of unrecognized compensation cost related to stock-based awards which is expected to be recognized over a period of approximately 3.1 years.

Note 8 - Commitments, Contingencies and Contractual Obligations
The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk in excess of the amount recognized in the consolidated balance sheets.

The contract amounts of those instruments reflect the extent of involvement the Company has in particular classes of financial instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as are used for on-balance-sheet instruments.

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements.

The Company issues standby letters of credit, which are conditional commitments issued to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. Those guarantees are primarily issued to support public and private borrowing arrangements and expire in decreasing amounts with terms ranging from one to four years. The credit risk involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loan facilities to customers. The Company holds various assets as collateral supporting those commitments for which collateral is deemed necessary.

The Company evaluates each customer’s creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the Company upon extension of credit, is based on management’s credit evaluation of the borrower. Collateral held may include accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, residential real estate, and income-producing commercial properties on those commitments for which collateral is deemed necessary.

The following represent the Company’s commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit:

(dollars in thousands)	March 31, 2007		March 31, 2006

Commitments to extend credit	$	178,343	$	182,348

Standby letters of credit		7,335		3,876

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Item 2.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Certain of the statements made in this report are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of, and subject to the protections of, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to our beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates, intentions and future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which may be beyond our control and which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements through our use of words such as “may,” “will,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “should,” “indicate,” “would,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “point to,” “project,” “predict,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “potential” and other similar words and expressions of the future. These forward-looking statements may not be realized due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation, legislative and regulatory initiatives; additional competition in Ameris’ markets; potential business strategies, including acquisitions or dispositions of assets or internal restructuring, that may be pursued by Ameris; state and federal banking regulations; changes in or application of environmental and other laws and regulations to which Ameris is subject; political, legal and economic conditions and developments; financial market conditions and the results of financing efforts; changes in commodity prices and interest rates; weather, natural disasters and other catastrophic events; and other factors discussed in Ameris’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act.

All written or oral forward-looking statements that are made by or are attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. Our forward-looking statements apply only as of the date of this report or the respective date of the document from which they are incorporated herein by reference. We have no obligation and do not undertake to update, revise or correct any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this report, or after the respective dates on which such statements otherwise are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Overview

The following is management’s discussion and analysis of certain significant factors which have affected the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as reflected in the unaudited consolidated statement of condition as of March 31, 2007 as compared to December 31, 2006 and operating results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2007 as compared to the three-month period ended March 31, 2006. These comments should be read in conjunction with the Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes appearing elsewhere herein.

The Company’s total assets decreased $11.1 million, or 0.99%, since December 2006. Earning assets increased $9.1 million or 0.49% during the same period. Short term assets (federal funds sold and interest bearing deposits in banks) decreased $40.7 million due to an increase in loan demand and purchases of investment securities. Loans increased 2.3%, or $32.9 million, since December 2006, while the investment portfolio increased $16.9 million or 6.0%. Total deposits increased by 0.13%, or $2.3 million, due primarily to continued emphasis on sales activities and the Company’s willingness to pay higher rates to acquire and maintain deposit balances.

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The growth in the balance sheet and earning assets contributed to solid growth in net interest income. Net interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2007 increased 12.2% to $18.4 million from $16.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006. This increase in interest income is the result of several factors, the most significant of which are the internal growth in earning assets, effective management of yields on earning assets and efforts to control the Company’s cost of funds.

Return on average equity for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 was 11.22% and 13.59%, respectively, on average equity of $181.6 million and $151.4 million, respectively. Return on average assets for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 were 1.01% and 1.20%, respectively.

The following table sets forth unaudited selected financial data for the previous five quarters and for the three month periods ending March 31, 2007 and 2006. This data should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto and the information contained in this Item 2.

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(in thousands, except	2007			2006
share data, taxable equivalent)	First Quarter			Fourth Quarter			Third Quarter			Second Quarter			First Quarter
Results of Operations:
Net interest income	$	18,418		$	17,913		$	17,897		$	17,673		$	16,392
Net interest income (tax equivalent)		18,565			18,065			18,046			17,716			16,495
Provision for loan losses		507			713			713			901			510
Non-interest income		4,525			7,022			5,252			3,536			3,894
Non-interest expense		14,444			15,625			13,481			12,294			12,085
Net income		5,024			5,758			5,954			5,315			5,100
Selected Average Balances:
Loans, net of unearned income	$	1,458,725		$	1,377,824		$	1,351,601		$	1,289,354		$	1,213,586
Investment securities		292,979			272,769			266,450			270,842			265,680
Earning assets		1,837,001			1,776,925			1,682,425			1,585,473			1,549,065
Assets		2,014,040			1,946,772			1,851,073			1,733,204			1,723,891
Deposits		1,688,885			1,627,188			1,529,441			1,418,742			1,421,106
Shareholders’ equity		181,645			169,135			155,922			152,329			151,430
Period-End Balances:
Loans, net of unearned income	$	1,475,869		$	1,442,951		$	1,373,071		$	1,330,713		$	1,240,436
Earning assets		1,870,466			1,861,375			1,787,735			1,614,638			1,570,465
Total assets		2,036,413			2,047,542			1,945,904			1,783,344			1,738,891
Deposits		1,712,507			1,710,163			1,640,966			1,446,128			1,421,106
Long-term obligations		117,769			112,769			118,556			124,094			100,095
Shareholders’ equity		182,764			178,732			160,440			153,002			151,430
Per Common Share Data:
Earnings per share-Basic	$	0.37		$	0.44		$	0.46		$	0.41		$	0.39
Earnings per share - Diluted		0.37			0.43			0.45			0.40			0.39
Book value per share		13.51			13.24			12.31			11.75			11.68
End of period shares outstanding		13,527,520			13,553,002			13,033,193			13,021,510			12,967,576
Weighted average shares outstanding
Basic		13,443,850			13,044,493			13,022,400			12,985,424			12,951,765
Diluteddon		13,667,509			13,269,289			13,226,055			13,139,130			13,060,533
Market Price:
High Closing Price		28.32			28.18			27.21			23.14			23.26
Low Closing Price		23.25			29.13			27.91			23.24			23.29
Closing Price for Quarter		24.48			25.90			21.09			20.23			19.71
Trading volume (avg. daily)		41,130			23,016			36,957			21,949			15,952
Cash dividends per share		0.14			0.14			0.14			0.14			0.14
Price to earnings		16.54			16.38			14.79			14.11			14.91
Price to book value		1.81			2.13			2.21			1.97			1.99
Performance Ratios:
Return on average assets		1.01	%		1.17	%		1.28	%		1.23	%		1.20	%
Return on average equity		11.22	%		13.51	%		15.15	%		14.00	%		13.59	%
Avg. loans as % of avg. deposits		86.18	%		84.68	%		88.37	%		90.88	%		87.96	%
Net interest margin (tax equivalent)		4.10	%		4.03	%		4.26	%		4.48	%		4.32	%
Average equity to average assets		9.02	%		8.69	%		8.42	%		8.74	%		8.80	%
Efficiency ratio		62.95	%		62.66	%		58.24	%		57.97	%		59.57	%

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Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2007 and 2006

Interest Income

Interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2007 was $18.4 million, an increase of $2.0 million, or 12.35%, compared to $16.4 million for the same period in 2006. Average earning assets for the three month period increased $287.9 million, or 18.59%, to $1.8 billion as of March 31, 2007, compared to $1.5 billion as of March 31, 2006. Yield on average earning assets increased to 7.85% from 7.13% for the quarters ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The Company’s increase in interest income is primarily attributable to higher levels in prevailing interest rates as well as continued growth from both internal sources and the acquisition of Islands Bancorp on December 31, 2006.

Interest Expense

Interest expense on deposits for the three months ended March 31, 2007 was $15.2 million, an increase of $6.6 million from March 31, 2006. Total funding costs for the Company (deposits and wholesale borrowings) increased $6.2 million, or 58.0%, to $16.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2007, compared to $10.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006. Total cost of funding for the Company increased substantially to 3.79% from 2.83% during the first quarter of 2006. The increase in the cost of funding relates mostly to an aggressive effort by the Company to seize market share in larger, growth oriented cities such as Jacksonville, Florida and Columbia, SC. This aggressive position on pricing new deposits sometimes influences existing balances and raises the cost of funding by more than just incremental inflows of deposits. The Company’s focus has been largely centered on demand deposits (interest-bearing and non interest-bearing) which have increased to $778.4 million or 26.0% from March 31, 2006.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2007 increased $2.0 million or 12.2%, to $18.4 million compared to the same quarter in 2006. The Company’s net interest margin decreased over the same period from 4.32% during the first quarter of 2006 to 4.10% in the first quarter of 2007. The increase in net interest income relates to continued double digit growth in earning assets, offset somewhat by the lower net interest margins. Net interest margins in the first quarter of 2006 were unusually high for the Company as interest rates continued to move higher during the quarter and the Company’s balance sheet had higher levels of asset sensitivity than management thought appropriate.

Provision for Loan Losses

The provision for loan losses was $507 for the three months ended March 31, 2007, compared to $510 for the same quarter in 2006. The amount of provision for loan losses is determined using the Company’s methodology that grades each loan and determines the reserve necessary for the portfolio based on those grades. Management believes that the present allowance for loan losses is adequate at March 31, 2007.

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Non-interest Income

Non-interest income was $4.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2007, an increase of $631,000 from reported amount in the first quarter of 2006. Service charges on deposit accounts increased 9.1% to $2.8 million due to higher levels of demand deposits and higher fee structures implemented during the second half of 2006. Income from mortgage banking activities increased 50.4% to $683,000 during the first quarter when compared to the same quarter in 2006. This increase in mortgage income relates mostly to the placement of additional mortgage loan officers in many of the Company’s markets and increased sales effectiveness from existing mortgage officers from sales training and referral activity in the Bank.

Non-interest Expense

Non-interest expenses for the first quarter of 2007 were $14.4 million, an increase of $2.4 million from the first quarter of 2006. Salaries and employee benefits increased $1.1 million to $7.7 million during the quarter due to the recent acquisition of Islands Bancorp on December 31, 2006 as well as additional new hires across the Company’s other growth markets. Occupancy increased slightly to $1.7 million during the first quarter of 2007 from $1.4 million during the same quarter in 2006. New offices, opened during the last half of 2006 in Jacksonville, Florida and Douglas, Georgia have contributed to higher levels of occupancy and equipment expenses. Other non-interest expenses increased approximately $0.8 million to $4.7 million in the first quarter of 2007. These increases relate mostly to increased advertising, marketing and telecommunications expenses associated with expansion efforts in South Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida.

Income Taxes

The amount of income tax expense is influenced by the amount of taxable income and the amount of tax-exempt income. For the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, the provision for taxes was $3.0 million and $2.6 million, respectively. The effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 was 37.1% and 33.7%, respectively.

Capital

Capital management consists of providing equity to support both current and anticipated future operations. The Company is subject to capital adequacy requirements imposed by the Federal Reserve Board (the “FRB”) and the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (the “GDBF”), and the Banks are subject to capital adequacy requirements imposed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), and the GDBF.

The FRB, the FDIC, and the GDBF have adopted risk-based capital requirements for assessing bank holding company and bank capital adequacy. These standards define and establish minimum capital requirements in relation to assets and off-balance sheet exposure, adjusted for credit risk. The risk-based capital standards currently in effect are designed to make regulatory capital requirements more sensitive to differences in risk profiles among bank holding companies and banks and to account for off-balance sheet exposure.

The minimum requirements established by the regulators are set forth in the table below, along with the actual ratios at March 31, 2007 and 2006.

	Well Capitalized Requirement	Adequately Capitalized Requirement	March 31, 2007 Actual	March 31, 2006 Actual
Tier 1 Capital (to Average Assets)	>5%	>4%	8.45%	8.51%
Tier 1 Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	>6%	>4%	10.95%	11.05%
Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)	>10%	>8%	12.20%	12.75%

Management believes, as March 31, 2007, that the Company and the Banks met all capital requirements to which they are subject.

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Loans and Allowance for Loan Losses

At March 31, 2007, gross loans outstanding were $1.48 billion, an increase of $235.4 million, or 20%, over net loans at March 31, 2006. The growth in the loan portfolio was attributable to a consistent focus on quality loan production and expansion into faster growing markets over the past couple years. The Company constantly monitors the composition of the loan portfolio to evaluate the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses in light of the impact that changes in the economic environment may have on the loan portfolio.

The Company primarily focuses on the following loan categories: (1) commercial and financial, (2) real estate construction, (3) residential mortgage, (4) commercial real estate, (5) agricultural, and (6) consumer loans. The Company’s management has strategically located its branches in South and Southeast Georgia, North Florida and Southeast Alabama and has taken advantage of the growth in these areas.

The allowance for loan losses is a reserve established through charges to earnings in the form of a provision for loan losses. The provision for loan losses is based on management’s evaluation of the size and composition of the loan portfolio, the level of non-performing and past due loans, historical trends of charged-off loans and recoveries, prevailing economic conditions and other factors management deems appropriate. The Company’s management has established an allowance for loan losses which it believes is adequate for the risk of loss inherent in the loan portfolio. Based on a credit evaluation of the loan portfolio, management presents a monthly review of the allowance for loan losses to the Company’s Board of Directors. The review that management has developed primarily focuses on risk by evaluating the level of loans in certain risk categories. These categories have also been established by management and take the form of loan grades. These loan grades include the following classifications: (10) prime credit, (20) satisfactory credit, (25) minimum acceptable credit, (30) other assets especially mentioned, (40) substandard, (45) troubled debt restructuring, (50) doubtful, and (60) loss. By grading the loan portfolio in this manner the Company’s management is able to effectively evaluate the portfolio by risk, which management believes is the most effective way to analyze the loan portfolio and thus analyze the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. Management also reviews charge-offs and recoveries on a monthly basis to identify trends.

The Company’s risk management processes include a loan review program designed to evaluate the credit risk in the loan portfolio and insure credit grade accuracy. Through the loan review process, the Company maintains a loan portfolio summary analysis, charge-off and recoveries analysis, trends in accruing problem loan analysis, and problem and past due loan analysis which serve as tools to assist management in assessing the overall quality of the loan portfolio and the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. Loans classified as “substandard” are loans which are inadequately protected by the current sound worth and paying capacity of the borrower or of the collateral pledged. These assets exhibit a well-defined weakness or are characterized by the distinct possibility that the Company will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected. These weaknesses may be characterized by past due performance, operating losses and/or questionable collateral values. Loans classified as “doubtful” are those loans that have characteristics similar to substandard loans but have an increased risk of loss. Loans classified as “loss” are those loans which are considered uncollectible and are in the process of being charged-off.

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The allowance for loan losses is established by examining (1) the large classified loans, nonaccrual loans and loans considered impaired and evaluating them individually to determine the specific reserve allocation, and (2) the remainder of the loan portfolio to allocate a portion of the allowance based on past loss experience and the economic conditions for the particular loan category. The Company will also consider other factors such as changes in lending policies and procedures; changes in national, regional, and/or local economic and business conditions; changes in the nature and volume of the loan portfolio; changes in the experience, ability and debt of either the bank president or lending staff; changes in the volume and severity of past due and classified loans; changes in the quality of the Company’s corporate loan review system; and other factors management deems necessary. Historically, we believe our estimates of the level of allowance for loan losses required have been appropriate and our expectation is that the primary factors considered in the provision calculation will continue to be consistent with prior trends.

For the three month period ending March 31, 2007, the Company recorded net charge-offs totaling $257,000 for the period compared to $188,000 for the same period in 2006. The provision for loan losses for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 was $507,000 and $510,000 respectively. The allowance for loan losses totaled $25.1 million, or 1.70% of total loans, March 31, 2007, compared to $22.6 million, or 1.82% of total loans, at March 31, 2006.

The following table presents an analysis of the allowance for loan losses for the three month periods ended March 31, 2007 and 2006:

(dollars in thousands)	March 31, 2007			March 31, 2006
Balance of allowance for loan losses at beginning of period	$	24,863		$	22,294
Provision charged to operating expense		507			510
Charge-offs:
Commercial		353			181
Installment		146			163
Real estate		288			1,005
Agriculture		0			0
Other		0			70
Total charge-offs		787			1,419
Recoveries:
Commercial		357			636
Installment		121			247
Real estate		51			335
Agriculture		0			0
Other		0			13
Total recoveries		530			1,231
Net charge-offs (recoveries)		257			188
Balance of allowance for loan losses at end of period	$	25,113		$	22,616
Net annualized (charge-offs) recoveries as a percentage of average loans		0.07	%		0.06	%
Reserve for loan losses as a percentage of loans at end of period		1.70	%		1.82	%

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Non-Performing Assets

Non-performing assets include nonaccrual loans, accruing loans contractually past due 90 days or more, repossessed personal property, and other real estate. Loans are placed on nonaccrual status when management has concerns relating to the ability to collect the principal and interest and generally when such loans are 90 days or more past due. A loan is considered impaired when it is probable that not all principal and interest amounts will be collected according to the loan contract. When a loan is placed on nonaccrual status, any interest previously accrued but not collected is reversed against current income.

Non-performing assets were as follows:

(dollars in thousands)	March 31, 2007		December 31, 2006
Total nonaccrual loans	$	8,891	$	6,877
Accruing loans delinquent 90 days or more		-		-
Other real estate owned and repossessed collateral		1,038		1,838
Total non-performing assets	$	9,929	$	8,715

Interest Rate Sensitivity and Liquidity

The Company’s primary market risk exposures are credit, interest rate risk and to a lesser degree, liquidity risk. The Banks operate under an Asset Liability Management Policy approved by the Company’s Board of Directors and the Asset and Liability Committee (the “ALCO Committee”). The policy outlines limits on interest rate risk in terms of changes in net interest income and changes in the net market values of assets and liabilities over certain changes in interest rate environments. These measurements are made through a simulation model which projects the impact of changes in interest rates on the Bank’s assets and liabilities. The policy also outlines responsibility for monitoring interest rate risk, and the process for the approval, implementation and monitoring of interest rate risk strategies to achieve the Bank’s interest rate risk objectives.

The ALCO Committee is comprised of senior officers of Ameris, two Bank presidents and two outside members of the Company’s Board of Directors. The ALCO Committee makes all strategic decisions with respect to the sources and uses of funds that may affect net interest income, including net interest spread and net interest margin. The objective of the ALCO Committee is to identify the interest rate, liquidity and market value risks of the Company’s balance sheet and use reasonable methods approved by the Company’s board and executive management to minimize those identified risks.

The normal course of business activity exposes the Company to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk is managed within an overall asset and liability framework for the Company. The principal objectives of asset and liability management are to predict the sensitivity of net interest spreads to potential changes in interest rates, control risk and enhance profitability. Funding positions are kept within predetermined limits designed to properly manage risk and liquidity. The Company employs sensitivity analysis in the form of a net interest income simulation to help characterize the market risk arising from changes in interest rates. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates usually result in changes in the fair market value of the Company’s financial instruments, cash flows and net interest income. The Company’s interest rate risk position is managed by the ALCO Committee.

The Company uses a simulation modeling process to measure interest rate risk and evaluate potential strategies. Interest rate scenario models are prepared using software created and licensed from an outside vendor. The Company’s simulation includes all financial assets and liabilities. Simulation results quantify interest rate risk under various interest rate scenarios. Management then develops and implements appropriate strategies. ALCO has determined that an acceptable level of interest rate risk would be for net interest income to decrease no more than 5.00% given a change in selected interest rates of 200 basis points over any 24 month period.

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Liquidity management involves the matching of the cash flow requirements of customers, who may be either depositors desiring to withdraw funds or borrowers needing assurance that sufficient funds will be available to meet their credit needs, and the ability of Ameris to manage those requirements. The Company strives to maintain an adequate liquidity position by managing the balances and maturities of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities so that the balance it has in short-term investments at any given time will adequately cover any reasonably anticipated immediate need for funds. Additionally, the Banks maintain relationships with correspondent banks, which could provide funds to them on short notice, if needed. The Company has invested in Federal Home Loan Bank stock for the purpose of establishing credit lines with the Federal Home Loan Bank. The credit availability to the Banks is equal to 20% of the Banks’ total assets as reported on the most recent quarterly financial information submitted to the regulators subject to the pledging of sufficient collateral. At March 31, 2007, there were $71.5 million in advances outstanding with the Federal Home Loan Bank.

The following liquidity ratios compare certain assets and liabilities to total deposits or total assets:

	March 31, 2007	December 31, 2006	September 31, 2006	June 30, 2006	March 31, 2006
Total securities to total deposits	17.54%	16.55%	16.24%	17.79%	19.21%
Total loans (net of unearned income) to total deposits	86.18%	84.37%	83.67%	92.02%	87.29%
Interest-earning assets to total assets	91.86%	90.90%	91.87%	90.54%	90.31%
Interest-bearing deposits to total deposits	88.45%	87.04%	86.17%	86.07%	86.36%

The liquidity resources of the Company are monitored continuously by the ALCO Committee and on a periodic basis by state and federal regulatory authorities. As determined under guidelines established by these regulatory authorities, the Company’s and the Banks’ liquidity ratios at March 31, 2007 were considered satisfactory. The Company is aware of no events or trends likely to result in a material change in liquidity.

Item 3.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

The Company is exposed only to U. S. dollar interest rate changes, and, accordingly, the Company manages exposure by considering the possible changes in the net interest margin. The Company does not have any trading instruments nor does it classify any portion of the investment portfolio as held for trading. The Company does not engage in any hedging activities or enter into any derivative instruments with a higher degree of risk than mortgage backed securities. Finally, the Company has no exposure to foreign currency exchange rate risk, commodity price risk and other market risks.

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Interest rates play a major part in the net interest income of a financial institution. The sensitivity to rate changes is known as “interest rate risk”. The repricing of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities can influence the changes in net interest income. As part of the Company’s asset/liability management program, the timing of repriced assets and liabilities is referred to as Gap management.

The Company uses simulation analysis to monitor changes in net interest income due to changes in market interest rates. The simulation of rising, declining and flat interest rate scenarios allows management to monitor and adjust interest rate sensitivity to minimize the impact of market interest rate swings. The analysis of the impact on net interest income over a twelve-month period is subjected to a gradual 200 basis point increase or decrease in market rates on net interest income and is monitored on a quarterly basis.

Additional information required by Item 305 of Regulation S-K is set forth under Item 2 of this report.

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Item 4.

Controls and Procedures

The Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have evaluated the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), as of the end of the period covered by this report, as required by paragraph (b) of Rules 13a-15 or 15d-15 of the Exchange Act. Based on such evaluation, such officers have concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this report, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

During the quarter ended March 31, 2007, there was not any change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Rules 13a-15 or 15d-15 of the Exchange Act that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

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PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.

Legal Proceedings

None

Item 1A.

Risk Factors

There have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in Item 1A. of Part 1 in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.

Item 2.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

None.

Item 3.

Defaults upon Senior Securities

None

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Item 4.

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

No matter was submitted to a vote of our security holders by solicitation of proxies or otherwise during the second quarter of 2006.

Item 5.

Other Information

None.

Item 6.

Exhibits

The following are filed with or incorporated by reference into this report.

31.1

Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer

31.2

Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer

32.1

Section 1350 Certification by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer

32.2

Section 1350 Certification by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

	AMERIS BANCORP

Date: May 9, 2007

	/s/ Dennis J. Zember Jr.
	Dennis J. Zember Jr.,
	Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
	(duly authorized signatory and principal financial officer)

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description

31.1	Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer

31.2	Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer

32.1	Section 1350 Certification by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer

32.2	Section 1350 Certification by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer