Decatur First Bank Closes, Fidelity Bank Assumes Deposits

Decatur First Bank was closed today by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Fidelity Bank to assume all of the deposits of Decatur First Bank.

The five branches of Decatur First Bank will reopen during their normal business hours tomorrow as branches of Fidelity Bank. Depositors of Decatur First Bank will automatically become depositors of Fidelity. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Customers of Decatur First Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from Fidelity that their other branches can process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of Decatur First Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.

As of June 30, Decatur First Bank had approximately $191.5 million in total assets and $179.2 million in total deposits. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, Fidelity Bank agreed to purchase essentially all of the assets.

The FDIC and Fidelity Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $111.5 million of Decatur First Bank's assets. Fidelity Bank will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The loss-share transaction is projected to maximize returns on the assets covered by keeping them in the private sector. The transaction also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers. For more information on loss share, please visit: http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/lossshare/index.html.

Customers with questions about today's transaction should call the FDIC toll-free at 1-800-430-7974. The phone number will be operational this evening until 9:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (EDT); on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EDT; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., EDT; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EDT. Interested parties also can visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/decatur.html.

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $32.6 million. Compared to other alternatives, Fidelity Bank’s acquisition was the least costly resolution for the FDIC's DIF. Decatur First Bank is the 82nd FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the twenty-first in Georgia. The last FDIC-insured institution closed in the state was Piedmont Community Bank on Oct. 14.

Helpful Links

FDIC
http://www.fdic.gov/

Bank Failures in Brief 2011
http://www.fdic.gov/bank/historical/bank/

Historical Statistics on Banking (Database used to track failed banks from present to 1934.)
http://www2.fdic.gov/hsob/SelectRpt.asp?EntryTyp=30

When a Bank Fails - Facts for Depositors, Creditors, and Borrowers
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/banking/facts/

Bank Failure Process (Summary)
http://www.fdic.gov/bank/historical/reshandbook/overview.pdf

FDIC High-Def B-Roll
http://www.fdic.gov/news/pressroom/b-roll.html