Ameris Bancorp announced unaudited earnings results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2011. For the quarter, the company reported total interest income of $38,223,000 against $30,811,000 in the same period of last year. Net interest income was $32,768,000 against $23,006,000 in the same period of last year. Operating profit was $1,728,000 against $1,959,000 in the same period of last year. Net income was $1,141,000 against $1,861,000 in the same period of last year. Net income available to common shareholders was $322,000 against $1,050,000 in the same period of last year. Diluted earnings available to common shareholders were $0.01 against $0.04 in the same period of last year. Return on average assets was 0.15% against 0.26% in the same period of last year. Return on average common equity was 1.82% against 3.28% in the same period of last year. For the full year ended December 31, 2011, the company reported total interest income of $141,071,000 against $119,071,000 in the same period of last year. Net interest income was $113,524,000 against $89,277,000 in the same period of last year. Operating profit was $31,649,000 against operating loss of $7,184,000 in the same period of last year. Net income was $21,093,000 against net loss of $3,989,000 in the same period of last year. Net income available to common shareholders was $17,852,000 against net loss available to common shareholders of $7,202,000 in the same period of last year. Diluted earnings available to common shareholders were $0.76 against diluted loss available to common shareholders of $0.35 in the same period of last year. Book value per share at December 31, 2011 was $10.23 against $9.44 at December 31, 2010. Tangible book value per share at December 31, 2011 was $10.06 against $9.22 at December 31, 2010. Net interest income increased in 2011 from 2010. Several factors contributed to this 27.1% increase, including an increase in average earning assets of 13.6%, from $2.2 billion in 2010 to $2.5 billion in 2011. Average loans outstanding benefited from acquisitions in late 2010 and during 2011, increasing 13.8%. Average investment securities increased 30.5% while average short-term assets decreased 5.7%. Return on average assets was 0.71% against negative return on average assets of 0.16% in the same period of last year. Return on average common equity was 8.52% against negative return on average common equity of 2.07% in the same period of last year. For the quarter ended December 31, 2011, the company reported net charge-offs (recoveries) of $8,325,000 against $10,238,000 in the same period of last year.