Merchants & Manufacturers Bancorporation, Inc. Announces Agreement to Sell Iowa Operation
July 13 2007 - 5:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
NEW BERLIN, Wis., July 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Merchants &
Manufacturers Bancorporation, Inc. (OTC:MMBI) (BULLETIN BOARD:
MMBI) ("Merchants"), today announced a definitive agreement to sell
our subsidiary bank in Iowa, Fortress Bank of Cresco, to Security
Agency, Inc., the holding company for Decorah Bank & Trust
Company of Decorah, Iowa. The sale is consistent with the strategic
initiatives announced on May 7th and is separate from the pending
sale of Merchants to Harris Bankcorp, Inc. which was announced on
July 10. The sale of Fortress Bank of Cresco is expected to close
in the 4th quarter of 2007 pending regulatory approval. Michael J.
Murry, Chairman, stated "We believe the sale of Fortress Bank of
Cresco to the Decorah Bank and Trust Company organization will be
good for the clients and employees of the bank as well as for the
community of Cresco." Merchants & Manufacturers Bancorporation,
Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in New Berlin,
Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. Through our Community Financial
Group network, we operate six banks in Wisconsin (Community Bank
Financial, Fortress Bank, Grafton State Bank, Lincoln State Bank,
The Reedsburg Bank and Wisconsin State Bank) and one bank in Iowa
(Fortress Bank of Cresco). Together, our banks operate 46 offices
in the communities they serve with more than 100,000 clients and
total assets of $1.5 billion. In addition to traditional banking
services, our Community Financial Group network also provides our
clients with a full range of financial services including
investment and insurance products, residential mortgage services,
private banking capabilities and tax consultation and tax
preparation services. Merchants' shares trade on the OTC Bulletin
Board under the symbol "MMBI." Certain statements contained in this
press release constitute or may constitute forward-looking
statements about Merchants which we believe are covered by the safe
harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This release
contains forward-looking statements concerning Merchants' prospects
that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of
management. When used in written documents, the words anticipate,
believe, estimate, expect, objective and similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. Additional
forward-looking statements relate to the elements of Merchants'
strategic plan and the implementation of such elements. The
statements contained herein and such future statements involve or
may involve certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of
which are beyond Merchants' control, that could cause Merchants'
actual results and performance to differ materially from what is
expected. In addition to the assumptions and other factors
referenced specifically in connection with such statements, the
following factors could impact the business and financial prospects
of the Merchants and its ability to successfully implement its
strategic plan: the satisfaction of the closing conditions for the
sale of Fortress Bank of Cresco, including regulatory approval, and
risk that the transaction does not close; general economic
conditions; legislative and regulatory initiatives; monetary and
fiscal policies of the federal government; deposit flows;
disintermediation; the cost of funds; general market rates of
interest; interest rates or investment returns on competing
investments; demand for loan products; demand for financial
services; changes in accounting policies or guidelines; changes in
the quality or composition of Merchants' loan and investment
portfolio; and Merchants' ability to complete the proposed sale of
Fortress Bank Cresco and the terms of such transaction if
completed. Such uncertainties and other risk factors are discussed
further in Merchants' filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Merchants undertakes no obligation to make any
revisions to forward-looking statements contained in this release
or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring
after the date of this release. DATASOURCE: Merchants &
Manufacturers Bancorporation, Inc. CONTACT: Michael J. Murry,
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Merchants & Manufacturers
Bancorporation, Inc., +1-414-425-5334 Web site:
http://www.communitybancgroup.com/
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