Dear Shareholders The third quarter of 1997 was an outstanding quarter for Triangle Bancorp. Net income for the quarter was $3.4 million, an increase of 17% over the same period in 1996. Earnings per share for the quarter were $.31, compared to $.27 for the third quarter of 1996, an increase of 15%. Excluding certain non-recurring charges, net income for the quarter was $3.6 million or $.33 per share. For the nine months ended September 30, 1997, earnings were $11.2 million, a 33% increase over the $8.4 million earned during the same period in 1996. Earnings per share were $1.02 compared to $.78 for the same period in 1996. Year-to-date results for 1997 and 1996 include after-tax, non-recurring items of $1.0 million and $237,000, respectively, which represent gains from the sale of certain branches net of non-recurring merger expenses. Excluding these items, earnings for the nine months ended September 30, 1997 were $10.1 million, a 23% increase over the $8.1 million earned during the same period in 1996. We are pleased with the quarter and year-to-date results as earning assets and net income growth have continued to be strong. Earnings have been fueled by the growth in net interest income as both earning assets and costing liabilities have grown approximately 26% since September 30, 1996. In addition, the Company is operating efficiently as noninterest income is significantly above the prior year level and noninterest expenses have grown less than one percent. Total assets as of September 30, 1997 were $1.2 billion, an increase of 25%, while net loans grew by $138 million to $777 million and deposits grew to $1.0 billion, an increase of 23%. In September, your Board increased the quarterly cash dividend from $.11 per share to $.12 per share. This is the second time the quarterly cash dividend has been increased this year and represents an increase of 71% over the $.07 per share paid in the third quarter of 1996. In August, we completed the acquisition of ten North Carolina offices of another financial institution. This acquisition resulted in an increase in deposits of $195 million and an increase in loans of $61 million. In addition, both Triangle and Bank of Mecklenburg shareholders approved our merger, which was consummated on October 2, 1997. With the completion of these transactions, we have approximately $1.5 billion in assets and operate almost 60 banking centers in North Carolina. On September 2, we announced that we had reached an agreement in principle to acquire Coastal Leasing Corporation of Greenville, NC, an equipment leasing company with offices in Greenville, Greensboro, Raleigh, Wilmington and Chesapeake, VA. This expansion of services to our small business customers should be completed in October of this year. These results could not have been achieved without you. We appreciate your continued support and, as always, we encourage you to use the services of our bank and to recommend us to others. Sincerely, Michael S. Patterson President and CEO Summary Balance Sheets (In thousands) 9/30/97 9/30/96 Assets Cash, Due from Banks, and Federal Funds Sold $ 49,755 $ 54,113 Investments, Market Value of $309,578 and $219,645 308,120 220,826 Loans Less Allowance of $11,693 and $9,689 777,259 640,032 Other Assets 70,902 49,492 Total Assets $1,206,036 $ 964,463 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Demand Deposits $ 165,022 $ 134,739 Interest Bearing Deposits 861,732 701,214 Total Deposits 1,026,754 835,953 Other Borrowings 72,886 34,727 Other Liabilities 12,501 9,596 Total Other Liabilities 85,387 44,323 Total Liabilities 1,112,141 880,276 Shareholders' Equity Common Stock; no par value; 20,000 shares authorized; 10,469 shares and 10,446 shares outstanding at September 30, 1997 and 1996, respectively 60,172 61,411 Undivided Profits 32,953 23,361 Net Unrealized Loss on Securities Available for Sale 770 (585) Total Shareholders' Equity 93,895 84,187 Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity $1,206,036 $ 964,463 Summary Statements of Income and Expense (In thousands, except per share data) For the Three For the nine Months Ended Months Ended 9/30/97 9/30/96 9/30/97 9/30/96 Interest Income $21,918 $18,934 $61,484 $53,905 Interest Expenses 10,246 8,565 28,145 24,218 Net Interest Income 11,672 10,369 33,339 29,687 Provision for Loan Losses 1,040 300 2,370 1,335 Net Interest Income After Provision 10,632 10,069 30,969 28,352 Noninterest Income 2,401 2,104 8,502 6,680 Noninterest Expense 7,762 7,557 21,913 21,800 Net Income Before Income Taxes 5,271 4,616 17,558 13,233 Income Tax Expense 1,856 1,694 6,391 4,862 Net Income $ 3,415 $ 2,922 11,167 8,370 Primary Earnings per Share $ .31 $ .27 1.03 .78 Average Common and Common Equivalent Shares 10,917 10,774 10,893 10,789 Fully Diluted Earnings per Share $ .31 $ .27 1.02 .78 Average Common and Common Equivalent Shares assuming full dilution 10,971 10,778 10,997 10,789 Significant Ratios Return on Assets 1.22% 1.23% 1.44% 1.23% Return on Equity 14.56% 13.95% 16.56% 13.66% Efficiency Ratio 55.16% 60.59% 52.37% 59.94% Net Charge Offs to Average Loans .17% .004% .19% .001% Allowance for Loan Losses to Loans 1.48% 1.49% 1.48% 1.49% Allowance for Loan Losses to Nonperforming Assets 181% 271% 181% 271% Closing Stock Price at Period End $30.00% $14.50% Triangle Bank Office Locations Bailey Battleboro Benson Carrboro Cary (2) Chapel Hill (2) Clayton (2) Creedmoor Dunn (2) Durham Fairmont Fayetteville (2) Fremont Fuquay-Varina Garner Goldsboro (3) Greenville (2) Hamlet Havelock Lillington Lumberton (2) Middlesex Mount Olive Nashville New Bern (2) Oxford (2) Plymouth Raleigh (4) Red Oak Rocky Mount Roper Sanford Scotland Neck Seaboard Sharpsburg Spring Hope Tarboro (2) Wallace Whiteville (2) Wilmington Shareholder Information Stock Transfer Agent and Registrar: First Citizens Bank Stock Transfer Department 2917 Highwoods Boulevard Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 1-800-662-7130 Stock Listing: The common stock of Triangle Bancorp is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the ticker symbol TRBC. Market Makers: Dean Witter Reynolds Herzog, Heine, Geduld, Inc. Interstate/Johnson Lane Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Robinson Humphrey Co., Inc. Sandler O'Neill & Partners Scott & Stringfellow Wedbush Morgan Securities, Inc. Wheat First Securities, Inc. Triangle Bancorp, Inc. and Subsidiaries Website: www.trianglebank.com