Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) Files $60M Common Shelf

Ameris Bancorp (NASDAQ: ABCB) today filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the offering of up to $60 million of its common stock. Ameris Bancorp expects to sell its common stock in an underwritten public offering with Keefe, Bruyette & Woods acting as lead manager and sole book runner and Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc. serving as co-manager. The Company intends to grant the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the shares sold to cover over-allotments, if any. The common stock will be issued pursuant to a prospectus filed as part of the Company's registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933. The number of shares to be offered and the price for those shares has not yet been determined.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including to fund possible future acquisitions, which may include FDIC-assisted transactions.