National Bankshares, Inc. Reports Second Quarter and First Half Earnings

BLACKSBURG, VA, July 24, 2014:  Today, National Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ Capital Market: NKSH) announced net income of over $8.51 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014 compared to $8.65 million for the same period in 2013. Basic earnings per share were $1.23 at June 30, 2014 compared to $1.25 at June 30, 2013. The return on average assets for the six months ending June 30, 2014 was 1.54% compared to 1.59% in 2013. The return on average equity was 11.22% and 11.42% for the same two periods.

For the three month ending June 30, 2014, net income was $4.11 million. The Company had total assets of almost $1.13 billion at June 30, 2014.

National Bankshares’ Chairman, President & CEO James G. Rakes commented, “While the interest rate environment and competitive pressures remain very challenging, we are positioning the Bank to take advantage of opportunities on the horizon as economic conditions in our market area improve. We pride ourselves in our community banking philosophy which leads to exceptional service and strong customer relationships. These principles provide a competitive advantage when meeting the needs of our customers.”

National Bankshares, Inc., headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is the parent company of The National Bank of Blacksburg, which does business as National Bank, and of National Bankshares Financial Services, Inc.  National Bank is a community bank operating from 25 offices throughout Southwest Virginia.  National Bankshares Financial Services, Inc. is an investment and insurance subsidiary operating in the same trade area. The Company’s stock is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “NKSH.” Additional information is available at www.nationalbankshares.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may be “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements are statements that include projections, predictions, expectations or beliefs about future events or results that are not statements of historical fact and that involve significant risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that its expectations with regard to forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its existing knowledge of its business and operations, there can be no assurance that actual Company results will not differ materially from any future results implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results may be materially different from past or anticipated results because of many factors, some of which may include changes in economic conditions, the interest rate environment, legislative and regulatory requirements, new products, competition, changes in the stock and bond markets and technology. The Company does not update any forward-looking statements that it may make.