TROY, N.C., Dec. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of First Bancorp (NASDAQ: FBNC), 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."

Please visit our website at www.FirstBancorp.com.

SOURCE First Bancorp