Form 10-K for Dec 31, 2006

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
     
FORM 10-K
 
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the fiscal year ended: December 31, 2006
 
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
 
North Carolina
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
 
000-27205
56-2132396
(Commission File No.)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
 
518 West C Street, Newton, North Carolina
28658
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
 
(828) 464-5620
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
 
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None
 
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
 
Common Stock, no par value
(title of class)
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
 
Yes
  o
No
  x
  
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act
 
Yes
  o
No
  x
  
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
 
Yes
  x
No
  o  
 
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers in response to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in
Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.
 x
  
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, and accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer.
Large Accelerated Filer
   o
Accelerated Filer
   x
Non-Accelerated Filer
   o  
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
 
Yes     o
  
No
  x
  
 
State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked prices of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. $78,083,522 based on the closing price of such common stock on June 30, 2006, which was $26.01 per share.
 
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant's classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
3,834,175 shares of common stock, outstanding at February 28, 2007.
 
 
 
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Annual Report of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2006 (the “Annual Report”), which will be included as Appendix A to the Proxy Statement for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, are incorporated by reference into Part I and Part II and included as Exhibit 13 to the Form 10-K.

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. to be held on May 3, 2007 (the “Proxy Statement”), are incorporated by reference into Part III.


 



 









This report contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (the “Company”). These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management of the Company and on the information available to management at the time that these disclosures were prepared. These statements can be identified by the use of words like “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate” and “believe,” variations of these words and other similar expressions. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, (1) competition in the markets served by Peoples Bank (the “Bank”), (2) changes in the interest rate environment, (3) general national, regional or local economic conditions may be less favorable than expected, resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality and the possible impairment of collectibility of loans, (4) legislative or regulatory changes, including changes in accounting standards, (5) significant changes in the federal and state legal and regulatory environment and tax laws, (6) the impact of changes in monetary and fiscal policies, laws, rules and regulations and (7) other risks and factors identified in the Company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
 
 
 
2
 

PEOPLES BANCORP OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC
FORM 10-K CROSS REFERENCE INDEX
 
 
 
2006 Form
10-K
Notice of 2007
Annual Meeting,
Proxy Statement
and Annual Report
 
Page
Page
PART I
    
Item 1 - Business
3 - 10
N/A
Item 1A - Risk Factors
10 - 12
N/A
Item 1B - Unresolved Staff Comments
12
N/A
Item 2 - Properties
13
N/A
Item 3 - Legal Proceedings
13
N/A
Item 4 - Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
13
N/A
     
PART II
    
Item 5 - Market for the Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and
   
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
14
A-24
Item 6 - Selected Financial Data
14
A-3
Item 7 - Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
   
Results of Operations
14
A-4 - A-25
Item 7A - Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
14
A-22
Item 8 - Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
15
A-26 - A-56
Item 9 - Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting
    
and Financial Disclosure
15
N/A
Item 9A - Controls and Procedures
15
N/A
Item 9B - Other Information
15
N/A
     
PART III
    
Item 10 - Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant
15
7 - 11; 17 - 18
Item 11 - Executive Compensation
16
11 - 32
Item 12 - Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
16
4 - 7; 22
Item 13 - Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
16
31
Item 14 - Principal Accountant Fees and Services
16
33 - 34
     
PART IV
    
Item 15 - Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
17 - 19
N/A
     
Signatures
20
N/A
 
 
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PART I

ITEM 1.     BUSINESS

General

Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (the “Company”), was formed in 1999 to serve as the holding company for Peoples Bank (the “Bank”). The Company is a bank holding company registered with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”). The Company’s principal source of income is any dividends, which are declared and paid by the Bank on its capital stock. The Company has no operations and conducts no business of its own other than owning the Bank. Accordingly, the discussion of the business which follows concerns the business conducted by the Bank, unless otherwise indicated.

The Bank, founded in 1912, is a state-chartered commercial bank serving the citizens and business interests of the Catawba Valley and surrounding communities through 18 banking offices located in Lincolnton, Newton, Denver, Catawba, Conover, Maiden, Claremont, Hiddenite, Hickory, Charlotte and Monroe, North Carolina. The Bank also operates loan production offices in Davidson and Denver, North Carolina. At December 31, 2006, the Company had total assets of $818.9 million, net loans of $643.1 million, deposits of $633.8 million, investment securities of $117.6 million, and shareholders’ equity of $62.8 million.

The Bank has a diversified loan portfolio, with no foreign loans and few agricultural loans. Real estate loans are predominately variable rate commercial property loans, which include residential development loans to commercial customers. Commercial loans are spread throughout a variety of industries with no one particular industry or group of related industries accounting for a significant portion of the commercial loan portfolio. The majority of the Bank's deposit and loan customers are individuals and small to medium-sized businesses located in the Bank's market area. The Bank’s loan portfolio also includes Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) mortgage loans generated thorough the Bank’s Banco de le Gente offices.   Additional discussion of the Bank’s loan portfolio and sources of funds for loans can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” on pages A-4 through A-26 of the Annual Report, which is included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit 13.

The operations of the Bank and depository institutions in general are significantly influenced by general economic conditions and by related monetary and fiscal policies of depository institution regulatory agencies, including the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) and the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks (the "Commissioner").

At December 31, 2006, the Bank employed 239 full-time equivalent employees.

Subsidiaries

The Bank is a subsidiary of the Company. The Bank has two subsidiaries, Peoples Investment Services, Inc. and Real Estate Advisory Services, Inc.  Through a relationship with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Peoples Investment Services, Inc. provides the Bank's customers access to investment counseling and non-deposit investment products such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, tax deferred annuities, and related brokerage services. Real Estate Advisory Services, Inc., provides real estate appraisal and real estate brokerage services.

In June 2006, the Company formed a second wholly-owned Delaware statutory trust, PEBK Capital Trust II (“PEBK Trust II”), which issued $20.0 million of guaranteed preferred beneficial interests in the Company’s junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures. All of the common securities of PEBK Trust II are owned by the Company. The proceeds from the issuance of the common securities and the trust preferred securities were used by PEBK Trust II to purchase $20.6 million of junior subordinated debentures of the Company, which pay a floating rate equal to three month LIBOR plus 163 basis points. The proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the junior subordinated debentures were used in December 2006 to repay the trust preferred securities issued by PEBK Trust in December 2001 and for general purposes. The debentures represent the sole asset of PEBK Trust II. PEBK Trust II is not included in the consolidated financial statements.

The trust preferred securities issued by PEBK Trust II accrue and pay quarterly at a floating rate of three-month LIBOR plus 163 basis points. The Company has guaranteed distributions and other payments due on the trust preferred
 
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securities to the extent PEBK Trust II has funds with which to make the distributions and other payments. The net combined effect of the trust preferred securities transaction is that the Company is obligated to make the distributions and other payments required on the trust preferred securities.
 
These trust preferred securities are mandatorily redeemable upon maturity of the debentures on June 28, 2036, or upon earlier redemption as provided in the indenture. The Company has the right to redeem the debentures purchased by PEBK Trust II, in whole or in part, on or after June 28, 2011. As specified in the indenture, if the debentures are redeemed prior to maturity, the redemption price will be the principal amount and any accrued but unpaid interest.
 
Market Area

The Bank's primary market consists of the communities in an approximately 25-mile radius around its headquarters office in Newton, North Carolina. This area includes Catawba County, Alexander County, Lincoln County, Iredell County and portions of northeast Gaston County. The Bank is located only 40 miles north of Charlotte, North Carolina and the Bank's primary market area is and will continue to be significantly affected by its close proximity to this major metropolitan area. The Bank has two offices in Mecklenburg County and one office in Union County specifically designed to serve the growing Latino market.

Employment in the Bank's primary market area is diversified among manufacturing, agricultural, retail and wholesale trade, technology, services and utilities. Catawba County’s largest employers include Catawba County Schools, Frye Regional Medical Center, CommScope, Inc. (manufacturer of fiber optic cable and accessories), Merchant Distributors, Inc (wholesale food distributor), Hickory Springs (manufacturer of foam rubber cushions), Catawba Valley Medical Center, Catawba County, Sherrill Furniture Company, CV Industries (furniture manufacturer) and McCreary Modern (furniture manufacturer).

Competition

The Bank has operated in the Catawba Valley region for more than 90 years and is the only financial institution headquartered in Newton. Nevertheless, the Bank faces strong competition both in attracting deposits and making loans. Its most direct competition for deposits has historically come from other commercial banks, credit unions and brokerage firms located in its primary market area, including large financial institutions. Two national money center commercial banks are headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Based upon June 30, 2006 comparative data, the Bank had 21.19% of the deposits in Catawba County, placing it second in deposit size among a total of 13 banks with branch offices in Catawba County; 10.70% of the deposits in Lincoln County, placing it seventh in deposit size among a total of eight banks with branch offices in Lincoln County and 12.45% of the deposits in Alexander County, placing it fifth in deposit size among a total of seven banks with branch offices in Alexander County.

The Bank also faces additional significant competition for investors' funds from short-term money market securities and other corporate and government securities. The Bank's deposit base has grown principally due to economic growth in the Bank's market area coupled with the implementation of new and competitive deposit products. The ability of the Bank to attract and retain deposits depends on its ability to generally provide a rate of return, liquidity and risk comparable to that offered by competing investment opportunities.

The Bank experiences strong competition for loans from commercial banks and mortgage banking companies. The Bank competes for loans primarily through the interest rates and loan fees it charges and the efficiency and quality of services it provides borrowers. Competition is increasing as a result of the continuing reduction of restrictions on the interstate operations of financial institutions.
 
Supervision and Regulation

Bank holding companies and commercial banks are extensively regulated under both federal and state law. The following is a brief summary of certain statutes and rules and regulations that affect or will affect the Company, the Bank and any subsidiaries. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the particular statute and regulatory provisions cited below and is not intended to be an exhaustive description of the statutes or regulations applicable to the business of the Company and the Bank. Supervision, regulation and examination of the Company and the Bank by the regulatory agencies are intended primarily for the protection of depositors rather than shareholders of the Company. Statutes and regulations which contain wide-ranging proposals for altering the structures, regulations and competitive relationship of financial institutions are introduced regularly. The Company cannot predict whether or in what form any
 
 
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proposed statute or regulation will be adopted or the extent to which the business of the Company and the Bank may be affected by such statute or regulation.
 
               General. There are a number of obligations and restrictions imposed on bank holding companies and their depository institution subsidiaries by law and regulatory policy that are designed to minimize potential loss to the depositors of such depository institutions and the FDIC insurance funds in the event the depository institution becomes in danger of default or in default. For example, to avoid receivership of an insured depository institution subsidiary, a bank holding company is required to guarantee the compliance of any insured depository institution subsidiary that may become “undercapitalized” with the terms of the capital restoration plan filed by such subsidiary with its appropriate federal banking agency up to the lesser of (i) an amount equal to 5% of the bank's total assets at the time the bank became undercapitalized or (ii) the amount which is necessary (or would have been necessary) to bring the bank into compliance with all acceptable capital standards as of the time the bank fails to comply with such capital restoration plan. The Company, as a registered bank holding company, is subject to the regulation of the Federal Reserve. Under a policy of the Federal Reserve with respect to bank holding company operations, a bank holding company is required to serve as a source of financial strength to its subsidiary depository institutions and to commit resources to support such institutions in circumstances where it might not do so absent such policy. The Federal Reserve under the BHCA also has the authority to require a bank holding company to terminate any activity or to relinquish control of a nonbank subsidiary (other than a nonbank subsidiary of a bank) upon the Federal Reserve's determination that such activity or control constitutes a serious risk to the financial soundness and stability of any bank subsidiary of the bank holding company.

In addition, insured depository institutions under common control are required to reimburse the FDIC for any loss suffered by its deposit insurance funds as a result of the default of a commonly controlled insured depository institution or for any assistance provided by the FDIC to a commonly controlled insured depository institution in danger of default. The FDIC may decline to enforce the cross-guarantee provisions if it determines that a waiver is in the best interest of the deposit insurance funds. The FDIC's claim for damages is superior to claims of stockholders of the insured depository institution or its holding company but is subordinate to claims of depositors, secured creditors and holders of subordinated debt (other than affiliates) of the commonly controlled insured depository institutions.

As a result of the Company's ownership of the Bank, the Company is also registered under the bank holding company laws of North Carolina. Accordingly, the Company is also subject to regulation and supervision by the Commissioner.

Capital Adequacy Guidelines for Holding Companies. The Federal Reserve has adopted capital adequacy guidelines for bank holding companies and banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System and have consolidated assets of $150 million or more. Bank holding companies subject to the Federal Reserve’s capital adequacy guidelines are required to comply with the Federal Reserve's risk-based capital guidelines. Under these regulations, the minimum ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets is 8%. At least half of the total capital is required to be “Tier I capital,” principally consisting of common stockholders' equity, noncumulative perpetual preferred stock, and a limited amount of cumulative perpetual preferred stock, less certain goodwill items. The remainder (“Tier II capital”) may consist of a limited amount of subordinated debt, certain hybrid capital instruments and other debt securities, perpetual preferred stock, and a limited amount of the general loan loss allowance. In addition to the risk-based capital guidelines, the Federal Reserve has adopted a minimum Tier I capital (leverage) ratio, under which a bank holding company must maintain a minimum level of Tier I capital to average total consolidated assets of at least 3% in the case of a bank holding company which has the highest regulatory examination rating and is not contemplating significant growth or expansion. All other bank holding companies are expected to maintain a Tier I capital (leverage) ratio of at least 1% to 2% above the stated minimum.

Capital Requirements for the Bank. The Bank, as a North Carolina commercial bank, is required to maintain a surplus account equal to 50% or more of its paid-in capital stock. As a North Carolina chartered, FDIC-insured commercial bank which is not a member of the Federal Reserve System, the Bank is also subject to capital requirements imposed by the FDIC. Under the FDIC's regulations, state nonmember banks that (a) receive the highest rating during the examination process and (b) are not anticipating or experiencing any significant growth, are required to maintain a minimum leverage ratio of 3% of total consolidated assets; all other banks are required to maintain a minimum ratio of 1% or 2% above the stated minimum, with a minimum leverage ratio of not less than 4%. The Bank exceeded all applicable capital requirements as of December 31, 2006.

Dividend and Repurchase Limitations. The Company must obtain Federal Reserve approval prior to repurchasing its Common Stock in excess of 10% of its net worth during any twelve-month period unless the Company (i)
 
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both before and after the redemption satisfies capital requirements for "well capitalized" state member banks; (ii) received a one or two rating in its last examination; and (iii) is not the subject of any unresolved supervisory issues.
 
Although the payment of dividends and repurchase of stock by the Company are subject to certain requirements and limitations of North Carolina corporate law, except as set forth in this paragraph, neither the Commissioner nor the FDIC have promulgated any regulations specifically limiting the right of the Company to pay dividends and repurchase shares. However, the ability of the Company to pay dividends or repurchase shares may be dependent upon the Company's receipt of dividends from the Bank.

North Carolina commercial banks, such as the Bank, are subject to legal limitations on the amounts of dividends they are permitted to pay. Dividends may be paid by the Bank from undivided profits, which are determined by deducting and charging certain items against actual profits, including any contributions to surplus required by North Carolina law. Also, an insured depository institution, such as the Bank, is prohibited from making capital distributions, including the payment of dividends, if, after making such distribution, the institution would become "undercapitalized" (as such term is defined in the applicable law and regulations).

Deposit Insurance. The deposits of the Bank are currently insured to a maximum of $100,000 per depositor, subject to aggregation rules. The FDIC establishes rates for the payment of premiums by federally insured banks and thrifts for deposit insurance. Since 1993, insured depository institutions like the Bank have paid for deposit insurance under a risk-based premium system. Insurance of deposits may be terminated by the FDIC upon a finding that the institution has engaged in unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order, or condition imposed by the FDIC. Due to its severe consequences, the FDIC historically uses insurance termination as an enforcement action of last resort and the termination process itself involves substantial notice, a formal adjudicative hearing and federal appellate review. In instances where insurance deposit is terminated, the financial institution is required to notify its depositors and insured funds on the date of termination that they will continue to be insured for at least six months and up to two years, at the discretion of the FDIC. After the date of termination, no new deposits accepted by the financial institution will be federally insured.

Federal Deposit Insurance Reform. On February 8, 2006, President Bush signed the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act of 2005 (FDIRA). The FDIC was required to adopt rules implementing the various provisions of FDIRA by November 5, 2006. Among other things, FDIRA changes the Federal deposit insurance system by:

 
·
raising the coverage level for retirement accounts to $250,000;
 
·
indexing deposit insurance coverage levels for inflation beginning in 2012;
 
·
prohibiting undercapitalized financial institutions from accepting employee benefit plan deposits;
 
·
merging the Bank Insurance Fund and Savings Association Insurance Fund into a new Deposit Insurance Fund (the DIF); and
 
·
providing credits to financial institutions that capitalized the FDIC prior to 1996 to offset future assessment premiums.

FDIRA also authorizes the FDIC to revise the current risk-based assessment system, subject to notice and comment and caps the amount of the DIF at 1.50% of domestic deposits. The FDIC must issue cash dividends, awarded on a historical basis, for the amount of the DIF over the 1.50% ratio. Additionally, if the DIF exceeds 1.35% of domestic deposits at year-end, the FDIC must issue cash dividends, awarded on a historical basis, for half of the amount of the excess.

Federal Home Loan Bank System. The FHLB system provides a central credit facility for member institutions. As a member of the FHLB of Atlanta, the Bank is required to own capital stock in the FHLB of Atlanta in an amount at least equal to 0.20% (or 20 basis points) of the Bank’s total assets at the end of each calendar year, plus 4.5% of its outstanding advances (borrowings) from the FHLB of Atlanta under the new activity-based stock ownership requirement. On December 31, 2006, the Bank was in compliance with this requirement.

Community Reinvestment.  Under the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”), as implemented by regulations of the FDIC, an insured institution has a continuing and affirmative obligation consistent with its safe and sound operation to help meet the credit needs of its entire community, including low and moderate income neighborhoods. The CRA does not establish specific lending requirements or programs for financial institutions, nor does it limit an institution’s discretion to develop, consistent with the CRA, the types of products and services that it believes are best
 
 
7
 
suited to its particular community. The CRA requires the federal banking regulators, in connection with their examinations of insured institutions, to assess the institutions’ records of meeting the credit needs of their communities, using the ratings of “outstanding,” “satisfactory,” “needs to improve,” or “substantial noncompliance,” and to take that record into account in its evaluation of certain applications by those institutions. All institutions are required to make public disclosure of their CRA performance ratings. The Bank received a “satisfactory” rating in its last CRA examination, which was conducted during March 2004.

Prompt Corrective Action. The FDIC has broad powers to take corrective action to resolve the problems of insured depository institutions. The extent of these powers will depend upon whether the institution in question is "well capitalized," "adequately capitalized," "undercapitalized," "significantly undercapitalized," or "critically undercapitalized." Under the regulations, an institution is considered: (A) "well capitalized" if it has (i) a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% or greater, (ii) a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of 6% or greater, (iii) a leverage ratio of 5% or greater and (iv) is not subject to any order or written directive to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure; (B) "adequately capitalized" if it has (i) a total risk-based capital ratio of 8% or greater, (ii) a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of 4% or greater and (iii) a leverage ratio of 4% or greater (or 3% or greater in the case of an institution with the highest examination rating); (C)"undercapitalized" if it has (i) a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 8%, (ii) a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of less than 4% or (iii) a leverage ratio of less than 4% (or 3% in the case of an institution with the highest examination rating); (D) "significantly undercapitalized" if it has (i) a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 6%, or (ii) a Tier I risk-based capital ratio of less than 3% or (iii) a leverage ratio of less than 3%; and (E) "critically undercapitalized" if the institution has a ratio of tangible equity to total assets equal to or less than 2%.
 
               Changes in Control. The BHCA prohibits the Company from acquiring direct or indirect control of more than 5% of the outstanding voting stock or substantially all of the assets of any bank or savings bank or merging or consolidating with another bank holding company or savings bank holding company without prior approval of the Federal Reserve. Similarly, Federal Reserve approval (or, in certain cases, non-disapproval) must be obtained prior to any person acquiring control of the Company. Control is conclusively presumed to exist if, among other things, a person acquires more than 25% of any class of voting stock of the Company or controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of the Company. Control is presumed to exist if a person acquires more than 10% of any class of voting stock and the stock is registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or the acquiror will be the largest shareholder after the acquisition.

Federal Securities Law. The Company has registered its Common Stock with the SEC pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. As a result of such registration, the proxy and tender offer rules, insider trading reporting requirements, annual and periodic reporting and other requirements of the Exchange Act are applicable to the Company.

Transactions with Affiliates. Under current federal law, depository institutions are subject to the restrictions contained in Section 22(h) of the Federal Reserve Act with respect to loans to directors, executive officers and principal shareholders. Under Section 22(h), loans to directors, executive officers and shareholders who own more than 10% of a depository institution (18% in the case of institutions located in an area with less than 30,000 in population), and certain affiliated entities of any of the foregoing, may not exceed, together with all other outstanding loans to such person and affiliated entities, the institution's loans-to-one-borrower limit (as discussed below). Section 22(h) also prohibits loans above amounts prescribed by the appropriate federal banking agency to directors, executive officers and shareholders who own more than 10% of an institution, and their respective affiliates, unless such loans are approved in advance by a majority of the board of directors of the institution. Any "interested" director may not participate in the voting. The FDIC has prescribed the loan amount (which includes all other outstanding loans to such person), as to which such prior board of director approval is required, as being the greater of $25,000 or 5% of capital and surplus (up to $500,000). Further, pursuant to Section 22(h), the Federal Reserve requires that loans to directors, executive officers, and principal shareholders be made on terms substantially the same as offered in comparable transactions with non-executive employees of the Bank. The FDIC has imposed additional limits on the amount a bank can loan to an executive officer.

Loans to One Borrower. The Bank is subject to the Commissioner's loans to one borrower limits which are substantially the same as those applicable to national banks. Under these limits, no loans and extensions of credit to any borrower outstanding at one time and not fully secured by readily marketable collateral shall exceed 15% of the unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus of the bank. Loans and extensions of credit fully secured by readily marketable collateral may comprise an additional 10% of unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus.
 
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Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. The federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “GLB Act”) dramatically changed various federal laws governing the banking, securities and insurance industries. The GLB Act has expanded opportunities for banks and bank holding companies to provide services and engage in other revenue-generating activities that previously were prohibited to them. However, this expanded authority also may present us with new challenges as our larger competitors are able to expand their services and products into areas that are not feasible for smaller, community oriented financial institutions. The GLB Act likely will have a significant economic impact on the banking industry and on competitive conditions in the financial services industry generally.

USA Patriot Act of 2001. The USA Patriot Act of 2001 was enacted in response to the terrorist attacks that occurred in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001. The Act is intended to strengthen the ability of U.S. law enforcement and the intelligence community to work cohesively to combat terrorism on a variety of fronts. The potential impact of the Act on financial institutions of all kinds is significant and wide ranging. The Act contains sweeping anti-money laundering and financial transparency laws and contains various regulations, including standards for verifying customer identification at account opening, and rules to promote cooperation among financial institutions, regulators, and law enforcement entities in identifying parties that may be involved in terrorism or money laundering.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. On July 30, 2002, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was signed into law and became some of the most sweeping federal legislation addressing accounting, corporate governance and disclosure issues. The impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is wide-ranging as it applies to all public companies and imposes significant new requirements for public company governance and disclosure requirements. Some of the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act became effective immediately while others are still being implemented.
 
                In general, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act mandates important new corporate governance and financial reporting requirements intended to enhance the accuracy and transparency of public companies’ reported financial results. It establishes new responsibilities for corporate chief executive officers, chief financial officers and audit committees in the financial reporting process and creates a new regulatory body to oversee auditors of public companies. It backs these requirements with new SEC enforcement tools, increases criminal penalties for federal mail, wire and securities fraud, and creates new criminal penalties for document and record destruction in connection with federal investigations. It also increases the opportunity for more private litigation by lengthening the statute of limitations for securities fraud claims and providing new federal corporate whistleblower protection.

The economic and operational effects of this new legislation on public companies, including us, will be significant in terms of the time, resources and costs associated with complying with the new law. Because the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, for the most part, applies equally to larger and smaller public companies, we will be presented with additional challenges as a smaller, community-oriented financial institution seeking to compete with larger financial institutions in our market.

The Company qualified as an accelerated filer in accordance with Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, effective December 31, 2006. Therefore, the Company is now subject to the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOX 404”). The Company incurred additional consulting and audit expenses in becoming compliant with SOX 404, and will continue to incur additional audit expenses to comply with SOX 404 going forward. Management does not expect expenses related to SOX 404 to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements

Other.  Additional regulations require annual examinations of all insured depository institutions by the appropriate federal banking agency, with some exceptions for small, well-capitalized institutions and state chartered institutions examined by state regulators. Additional regulations also establish operational and managerial, asset quality, earnings and stock valuation standards for insured depository institutions, as well as compensation standards.

The Bank is subject to examination by the FDIC and the Commissioner. In addition, the Bank is subject to various other state and federal laws and regulations, including state usury laws, laws relating to fiduciaries, consumer credit and equal credit, fair credit reporting laws and laws relating to branch banking. The Bank, as an insured North Carolina commercial bank, is prohibited from engaging as a principal in activities that are not permitted for national banks, unless (i) the FDIC determines that the activity would pose no significant risk to the appropriate deposit insurance fund and (ii) the Bank is, and continues to be, in compliance with all applicable capital standards.

 
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Under Chapter 53 of the North Carolina General Statutes, if the capital stock of a North Carolina commercial bank is impaired by losses or otherwise, the Commissioner is authorized to require payment of the deficiency by assessment upon the bank's shareholders, pro rata, and to the extent necessary, if any such assessment is not paid by any shareholder, upon 30 days notice, to sell as much as is necessary of the stock of such shareholder to make good the deficiency.
 
ITEM 1A.
RISK FACTORS
 
The following are potential risks that management considers material and that could affect the future operating results and financial condition of the Bank and the Company. The risks are not listed in any particular order of importance, and there is the potential that there are other risks that have either not been identified or that management believed to be immaterial but which could in fact adversely affect the Bank’s operating results and financial condition.

Loss of key personnel could adversely impact results
The success of the Bank has been and will continue to be greatly influenced by the ability to retain the services of existing senior management The Bank has benefited from consistency within its senior management team, with its top five executives averaging over 14 years of service with the Bank. The Company has entered into employment contracts with each of these top management officials. Nevertheless, the unexpected loss of the services of any of the key management personnel, or the inability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in the future, could have an adverse impact on the business and financial results of the Bank.

A significant amount of the Bank’s business is concentrated in lending which is secured by property located in the Catawba Valley and surrounding areas
In addition to the financial strength and cash flow characteristics of the borrower in each case, the Bank often secures its loans with real estate collateral. The real estate collateral in each case provides an alternate source of repayment in the event of default by the borrower and may deteriorate in value during the time the credit is extended. If the Bank is required to liquidate the collateral securing a loan during a period of reduced real estate values to satisfy the debt, the Bank’s earnings and capital could be adversely affected.

Additionally, with most of the Bank’s loans concentrated in the Catawba Valley and surrounding areas, a decline in local economic conditions could adversely affect the values of the Bank’s real estate collateral. Consequently, a decline in local economic conditions may have a greater effect on the Bank’s earnings and capital than on the earnings and capital of larger financial institutions whose real estate loan portfolios are geographically diverse.

An inadequate allowance for loan losses would reduce our earnings
The risk of credit losses on loans varies with, among other things, general economic conditions, the creditworthiness of the borrower over the term of the loan and, in the case of a collateralized loan, the value and marketability of the collateral for the loan. Management maintains an allowance for loan losses based upon, among other things, historical experience, an evaluation of economic conditions and regular reviews of delinquencies and loan portfolio quality. Considering such factors, management makes various assumptions and judgments about the ultimate collectability of the loan portfolio and provides an allowance for loan losses based upon a percentage of the outstanding balances within assigned risk grades and for specific loans when their ultimate collectability is considered questionable. If management’s assumptions and judgments prove to be incorrect and the allowance for loan losses is inadequate to absorb future losses, or if the bank regulatory authorities require the Bank to increase the allowance for loan losses as a part of their examination process, the Bank’s earnings and capital could be significantly and adversely affected. For further discussion related to our process for determining the appropriate level of the allowance for loan losses, see “Allowance for Loan Losses” within “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results and Operation” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Changes in interest rates affect profitability and assets
Changes in prevailing interest rates may hurt the Bank’s business. The Bank derives its income primarily from the difference or “spread” between the interest earned on loans, securities and other interest-earning assets, and interest paid on deposits, borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities. In general, the larger the spread, the more the Bank earns. When market rates of interest change, the interest the Bank receives on its assets and the interest the Bank pays on its liabilities will fluctuate. This can cause decreases in the “spread” and can adversely affect the Bank’s income. Changes in market interest rates could reduce the value of the Bank’s financial assets. Fixed-rate investments, mortgage-backed and related securities and mortgage loans generally decrease in value as interest rates rise. In addition, interest rates affect how much money the Bank lends. For example, when interest rates rise, the cost of borrowing increases and the loan
 
10
 
originations tend to decrease. If the Bank is unsuccessful in managing the effects of changes in interest rates, the financial condition and results of operations could suffer.

We measure interest rate risk under various rate scenarios using specific criteria and assumptions. A summary of this process, along with the results of our net interest income simulations is presented within “Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
Regional economic factors may have an adverse impact on our business
Substantially all of the Bank’s business is with customers in its local market areas. Most of the Bank’s customers are individuals and medium-sized businesses which are dependent upon the regional economy. Adverse changes in economic and business conditions in the Bank’s markets could adversely affect its borrowers, their ability to repay their loans and to borrow additional funds or buy financial services and products from the Bank.

The Bank faces strong competition from other banks and financial institutions which can hurt its business
The financial services industry is highly competitive. The Bank competes against commercial banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, mortgage banks, brokerage firms, investment advisory firms, insurance companies and other financial institutions. Many of these entities are larger organizations with significantly greater financial, management and other resources than the Bank has. Moreover, two national money center commercial banks are headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, only 40 miles from the Bank's primary market area.

While management believes it can and does successfully compete with other financial institutions in our market, we may face a competitive disadvantage as a result of our smaller size and lack of geographic diversification.

Government regulations and policies impose limitations and may result in higher operating costs and competitive disadvantages
The Bank is subject to extensive federal government supervision and regulation that is intended primarily to protect depositors and the FDIC’s Bank Insurance Fund, rather than the Company’s shareholders. Existing banking laws subject the Bank to substantial limitations with respect to loans, the purchase of securities, the payment of dividends and many other aspects of banking business. Some of the banking laws may increase the cost of doing business or otherwise adversely affect the Bank and create competitive advantages for non-bank competitors. There can be no assurance that future legislation or government policy will not adversely affect the banking industry or the Bank’s operations. Federal economic and monetary policy may also affect the Bank’s ability to attract deposits, make loans and achieve satisfactory interest spreads.

Changes in technology may impact the Bank’s business
The Bank uses various technologies in its business and the banking industry is undergoing rapid technological changes. The effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to reduce costs. The Bank’s future success will depend in part on its ability to address the needs of its customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands for convenience as well as create additional efficiencies in the Bank’s operations. The Bank’s competitors may have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements.

The trading volume in our common stock is less than that of larger public companies which can cause price volatility
            The trading history of our common stock has been characterized by relatively low trading volume. The value of a shareholder’s investment may be subject to sudden decreases due to the volatility of the price of our common stock, which trades on the NASDAQ Global Market.
 
The market price of our common stock may be volatile and subject to fluctuations in response to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed in other risk factors and the following:
 
 
l
 actual or anticipated fluctuation in our operating results;
 
l
 changes in interest rates;
 
l
 changes in the legal or regulatory environment in which we operate;
 
l
 press releases, announcements or publicity relating to us or our competitors or relating to trends in our industry;
 
l
 changes in expectations as to our future financial performance, including financial estimates or recommendations by securities analysts and investors;
 
l
 future sales of our common stock;
 
 
11
 

  ·  
changes in economic conditions in our market, general conditions in the U.S. economy, financial markets or the banking industry; and
·  
other developments affecting us or our competitors.
 
These factors may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance, and could prevent a shareholder from selling common stock at or above the current market price.
 
We may be subject to examinations by taxing authorities which could adversely affect our results of operations
 
In the normal course of business, we may be subject to examinations from federal and state taxing authorities regarding the amount of taxes due in connection with investments we have made and the businesses in which we are engaged. Recently, federal and state taxing authorities have become increasingly aggressive in challenging tax positions taken by financial institutions. The challenges made by taxing authorities may result in adjustments to the timing or amount of taxable income or deductions or the allocation of income among tax jurisdictions. If any such challenges are made and are not resolved in our favor, they could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to pay dividends in the future in accordance with past practice
We have in the past paid a quarterly dividend to shareholders. However, we are dependent primarily upon the Bank for our earnings and funds to pay dividends on our common stock. The payment of dividends also is subject to legal and regulatory restrictions. Any payment of dividends in the future will depend, in large part, on the Bank’s earnings, capital requirements, financial condition and other factors considered relevant by our Board of Directors.

ITEM 1B.
UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
 
Not applicable.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12
 
ITEM 2.
PROPERTIES

At December 31, 2006, the Bank conducted its business from the headquarters office in Newton, North Carolina, and its 18 other branch offices in Lincolnton, Hickory, Newton, Catawba, Conover, Claremont, Maiden, Denver, Triangle, Hiddenite, Charlotte and Monroe, North Carolina. The Bank also operates loan production offices in Davidson and Denver, North Carolina. The following table sets forth certain information regarding the Bank's properties at December 31, 2006.
 
 
Owned
  
Leased
  
         
 
Corporate Office
  
1333 2nd Street NE
  
 
518 West C Street
  
Hickory, North Carolina 28601
  
 
Newton, North Carolina 28658
      
     
1910 East Main Street
  
 
420 West A Street
  
Lincolnton, North Carolina 28092
  
 
Newton, North Carolina 28658
      
     
2050 Catawba Valley Boulevard
  
 
2619 North Main Avenue
  
Hickory, North Carolina 28601
  
 
Newton, North Carolina 28658
      
     
760 Highway 27 West
  
 
213 1st Street, West
  
Lincolnton, North Carolina 28092
  
 
Conover, North Carolina 28613
      
     
102 Leonard Avenue
  
 
3261 East Main Street
  
Newton, North Carolina 28658
  
 
Claremont, North Carolina 28610
      
     
6300 South Boulevard
  
 
6125 Highway 16 South
  
Suite 100
 
 
Denver, North Carolina 28037
  
Charlotte, North Carolina 28217
  
         
 
5153 N.C. Highway 90E
  
4451 Central Avenue
  
 
Hiddenite, North Carolina 28636
  
Suite A
  
     
Charlotte, North Carolina 28205
  
 
200 Island Ford Road
      
 
Maiden, North Carolina 28650
  
3752/3754 Highway 16 North
  
     
Denver, North Carolina 28037
  
 
3310 Springs Road NE
      
 
Hickory, North Carolina 28601
  
209 Delburg Street
  
     
Suite 105
  
 
142 South Highway 16
  
Davidson, North Carolina 28036
  
 
Denver, North Carolina 28037
      
      501 West Roosevelt Boulevard  
 
106 North Main Street
   Monroe, NC  28110  
 
Catawba, North Carolina 28609
      
 
ITEM 3.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
In the opinion of management, the Company is not involved in any material pending legal proceedings other than routine proceedings occurring in the ordinary course of business.
 
ITEM 4.
SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
 
No matter was submitted to a vote of the Company's shareholders during the quarter ended December 31, 2006
 
 
13
 

PART II
 
ITEM 5.
MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
 
The information required by this Item is set forth under the section captioned "Market for the Company’s Common Equity and Related Shareholder Matters" on page A-24 of the Annual Report.   The Annual Report is included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).   See "Item 1. BUSINESS--Supervision and Regulation" above for regulatory restrictions which limit the ability of the Company to pay dividends.
 
The information required by Item 201(d) concerning securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans is set forth in Item 12 hereof.
 

ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
                    
                     
Period
  
Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased
 
Average
Price Paid
per Share
 
Total Number of
Shares Purchased
as Part of Publicly Announced Plans
or Programs
 
Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar
Value) of Shares that
May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
   
                               
October 1 - 31, 2006
    
-    
  
$
-   
   
-    
  
$
1,575,000
      
                               
November 1 - 30, 2006
    
569
   
29.71
   
-    
    
1,575,000
 
(1)
 
                               
December 1 - 31, 2006
    
-    
    
-    
    
-    
    
2,000,000
 
(2)
 
                               
Total
    
569
 
$
29.71
    
-    
  
$
2,000,000
      
                               
(1) The Company authorized a $2.0 million stock repurchase program effective December 1, 2005. This program expired November 30, 2006. The Company repurchased 19,250 shares pursuant to this program in first quarter 2006.
  
                               
(2) The Company authorized a $2.0 million stock repurchase program effective December 1, 2006. This program will expire November 30, 2007. No shares were repurchased pursuant to this program in 2006.
  
 
The information required by Item 201(e), the Performance Graph, is set forth in the section captioned “Stock Performance Graph” on page A-25 of the Annual Report, which is included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).
 
ITEM 6.
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The information required by this Item is set forth in the table captioned "Selected Financial Data" on page A-3 of the Annual Report, which table is included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).

ITEM 7.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The information required by this Item is set forth in the section captioned “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” on pages A-4 through A-25 of the Annual Report, which section is included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).

ITEM 7A.
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

The information required by this Item is set forth in the section captioned “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” on page A-22 of the Annual Report, which section is included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13). 
 
 
14
 
ITEM 8.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

The consolidated financial statements of the Company and supplementary data set forth on pages A-26 through A-56 of the Annual Report are included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).
 
ITEM 9.
CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

Not applicable.
 
ITEM 9A.
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

The Company’s management, under the supervision and with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company have concluded, based on their evaluation as of the end of the period covered by this Report, that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13A-15(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act) are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports filed or submitted by it under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the applicable rules and forms.

There have been no significant changes in internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 31, 2006 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.   Please see "Management's Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting" on page A-28 of the Annual Report included in this Form 10-K as Exhibit (13).

ITEM 9B.
OTHER INFORMATION

                None

PART III

ITEM 10.
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

The information required by this Item regarding directors and executive officers of the Company is set forth under the sections captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors - Nominees” contained in the Proxy Statement and “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors - Executive Officers” contained in the Proxy Statement, which sections are incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this Item regarding compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is set forth under the section captioned “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” contained in the Proxy Statement, which section is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this Item regarding identification of members of the Company’s Audit Committee is set forth under the section captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors” contained in the Proxy Statement, which section is incorporated herein by reference. 

The Company has adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to the Company’s employees, including the principal executive officer and principal financial officer.  The Company has also adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee, which is reviewed annually, and amended as needed, by the Committee.  The Company will provide to any person, without charge, upon request, a copy of these documents. To request a copy, a written request should be submitted to the Company’s corporate headquarters, addressed to the attention of A. Joseph Lampron, Chief Financial Officer. These documents are also available on the Bank’s website (www.peoplesbanknc.com) under "Investor Relations."
 
ITEM 11.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The information required by this Item is set forth under the sections captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors” contained in the Proxy Statement, which sections are incorporated herein by reference.
 
 
15
 
 
ITEM 12.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The information required by this Item is incorporated by reference from the section captioned “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” contained in the Proxy Statement and the section captioned “Equity Compensation Plan Information” contained in the Proxy Statement.
 
ITEM 13.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

See the section captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors - Indebtedness of and Transactions with Management and Directors” contained in the Proxy Statement, which section is incorporated herein by reference.
 
ITEM 14.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

See the section captioned “Proposal 3 - Ratification of Selection of Independent Auditor” contained in the Proxy Statement, which section is incorporated herein by reference.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16
 
PART IV
 
ITEM 15.
   EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

15(a)1.
  
Consolidated Financial Statements (contained in the Annual Report attached hereto as Exhibit (13) and incorporated herein by reference)

 
(a)
Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 
(b)
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2006 and 2005

 
(c)
Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004

 
(d)
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004

 
(e)
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004

 
(f)
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004

 
(g)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

15(a)2.
  
Financial Consolidated Statement Schedules

All schedules have been omitted as the required information is either inapplicable or included in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
15(a)3.
Exhibits
  
     
 
Exhibit (3)(i)
Articles of Incorporation of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.,
   
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (3)(i) to the Form 8-A filed with the
   
Securities and Exchange Commission on September 2, 1999
     
 
Exhibit (3)(ii)
Amended and Restated Bylaws of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina,
   
Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit (3)(ii) to the Form 10-K filed
   
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 26, 2004
     
 
Exhibit (4)
Specimen Stock Certificate, incorporated by reference to Exhibit (4) to
   
the Form 8-A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
    September 2, 1999
     
 
Exhibit (10)(a)
Employment Agreement between Peoples Bank and Tony W. Wolfe
   
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(a) to the Form 10-K filed with
   
the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2000
     
 
Exhibit (10)(b)
Employment Agreement between Peoples Bank and Joseph F. Beaman,
   
Jr. incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(b) to the Form 10-K filed
   
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2000
     
 
Exhibit (10)(c)
Employment Agreement between Peoples Bank and William D. Cable
   
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(d) to the Form 10-K filed with
   
the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2000

17


 
Exhibit (10)(d)
Employment Agreement between Peoples Bank and Lance A. Sellers
   
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(e) to the Form 10-K filed with
   
the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2000
     
 
Exhibit (10)(e)
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. Omnibus Stock Ownership and
   
Long Term Incentive Plan incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(f) to
   
the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
    March 30, 2000
     
  Exhibit (10)(e)(i) Amendment No. 1 to the Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.
    Omnibus Stock Ownership and Long Term Incentive Plan
     
 
Exhibit (10)(f)
Employment Agreement between Peoples Bank and A. Joseph Lampron,
   
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(g) to the Form 10-K filed with the
   
Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2002
     
 
Exhibit (10)(g)
Peoples Bank Directors' and Officers' Deferral Plan, incorporated by
   
reference to Exhibit (10)(h) to the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and
   
Exchange Commission on March 28, 2002
     
 
Exhibit (10)(h)
Rabbi Trust for the Peoples Bank Directors' and Officers' Deferral Plan,
   
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(i) to the Form 10-K filed with the
   
Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2002
     
 
Exhibit (10)(i)
Description of Service Recognition Program maintained by Peoples Bank,
   
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(i) to the Form 10-K filed with the
   
Securities and Exchange Commission on March 27, 2003
     
 
Exhibit (10)(j)
Capital Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of June 26, 2006, by and
   
among Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc., PEBK Capital Trust II
   
and Bear, Sterns Securities Corp., incorporated by reference to Exhibit
   
10(j) to the Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange
   
Commission on November 13, 2006
     
 
Exhibit (10)(k)
Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of PEBK Capital Trust II, dated
   
as of June 28, 2006, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10(k) to the
   
Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
   
November 13, 2006
     
 
Exhibit (10)(l)
Guarantee Agreement of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. dated
   
as of June 28, 2006, incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(l) to the
   
Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
   
November 13, 2006
     
 
Exhibit (10)(m)
Indenture, dated as of June 28, 2006, by and between Peoples Bancorp of
   
North Carolina, Inc. and LaSalle Bank National Association, as Trustee,
   
relating to Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Due September 15, 2036,
   
incorporated by reference to Exhibit (10)(m) to the Form 10-Q filed with
   
the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 13, 2006
     
 
Exhibit (12)
Statement Regarding Computation of Ratios
     
 
Exhibit (13)
2006 Annual Report of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.
     
 
Exhibit (14)
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics of Peoples Bancorp of North 
   
Carolina, Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14 to the Form 10-K
    filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 25, 2005

 
18
 

  Exhibit (21) Subsidiaries of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc., incorporated by
    reference to Exhibit 21 to the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and
    Exchange Commission on March 27, 2003
     
 
Exhibit (23)
Consent of Porter Keadle Moore, LLP
     
  Exhibit (31)(a) Certification of principal executive officer pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
     
 
Exhibit (31)(b)
Certification of principal financial officer pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
     
 
Exhibit (32)
Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19
 

SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 

    PEOPLES BANCORP OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC.  
    (Registrant)        
               
   
By:
/s/ Tony W. Wolfe       
    Tony W. Wolfe        
    President and Chief Executive Officer      
               
    Date: March 15, 2007        
 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
 
Signature
  
Title
  
Date
         
/s/ Tony W. Wolfe
  
President and Chief Executive Officer
  
March 15, 2007
Tony W. Wolfe
  
(Principal Executive Officer)
    
         
/s/ James S. Abernethy
  
Director
  
March 15, 2007
James S. Abernethy
        
         
/s/ Robert C. Abernethy
  
Chairman of the Board and Director
  
March 15, 2007
Robert C. Abernethy
        
         
/s/ Douglas S. Howard
  
Director
  
March 15, 2007
Douglas S. Howard
        
         
/s/ A. Joseph Lampron
  
Executive Vice President and Chief
 
March 15, 2007
A. Joseph Lampron
  
Financial Officer (Principal Financial
    
   
and Principal Accounting Officer)
    
         
/s/ John W. Lineberger, Jr.
  
Director
  
March 15, 2007
John W. Lineberger, Jr.
  
 
    
         
/s/ Gary E. Matthews
  
Director
  
March 15, 2007
Gary E. Matthews
        
         
/s/ Billy L. Price, Jr., M.D.
  
Director
  
March 15, 2007
Billy L. Price, Jr., M.D.
        
         
/s/ Larry E. Robinson
  
Director
  
March 15, 2007
Larry E. Robinson
        
         
/s/ William Gregory Terry
  
Director
  
March 15, 2007
William Gregory Terry
        
         
/s/ Dan Ray Timmerman, Sr.
  
Director
  
March 15, 2007
Dan Ray Timmerman, Sr.
        
         
/s/ Benjamin I. Zachary
  
Director
  
March 15, 2007
Benjamin I. Zachary
        

20