Premier Financial Bancorp Inc 's

The Banks encounter strong competition both in making loans and attracting deposits. The widespread enactment of state laws that permit multi-bank holding companies as well as the availability of nationwide interstate banking and internet banking have created a highly competitive environment for financial services providers. In one or more aspects of its business, each Bank competes with other commercial banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, finance companies, mutual funds, insurance companies, brokerage and investment banking companies and other financial intermediaries operating in its market and elsewhere, many of which have substantially greater financial and managerial resources. While the Banks are smaller financial institutions by comparison, each of the Banks competitors include large bank holding companies having substantially greater resources and offering certain services that the Affiliate Banks may not currently provide. Each Bank seeks to minimize the competitive effect of larger financial institutions through a community banking approach that emphasizes direct customer access to the Banks regional presidents and other officers in an environment conducive to friendly, informed and courteous service. Furthermore, via the Company’s credit administration department, the Banks can also minimize the competitive effects of larger institutions by tailoring their lending criteria to the individual circumstances of the small-to-medium sized business owner.