1 Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward- Looking Statements • This presentation contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “may,” “hope,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “could,” “future” or the negative of those terms or other words of similar meaning. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss our future expectations or state other “forward-looking” information. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. • Crescent Financial Bancshares, Inc. (“CRFN”) and ECB Bancorp, Inc. (“ECBE”) caution readers that any forward-looking statement is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statement. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the proposed merger involving CRFN and ECBE, CRFN’s and ECBE’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, the expected timing of completion of the transaction and other statements that are not historical facts. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth in CRFN’s and ECBE’s filings with the SEC. These include risks and uncertainties relating to: the ability to obtain the requisite CRFN and ECBE shareholder approvals; the risk that CRFN or ECBE may be unable to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals required for the merger, or required governmental and regulatory approvals may delay the merger; the risk that a condition to closing of the merger may not be satisfied; the timing to consummate the proposed merger; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; the risk that the cost savings and any other synergies from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer than expected; disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers and employees; the diversion of management time on merger- related issues; general worldwide economic conditions and related uncertainties; the effect of changes in governmental regulations; and other factors discussed or referred to in the “Risk Factors” section of each of CRFN’s and ECBE’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement and except as may be required by law, neither CRFN nor ECBE undertakes any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. |