REGION

REGION
First Niles Financialreports higher earnings
NILES -- First Niles Financial earned $275,000 in the fourth quarter, compared with $272,000 in the same quarter of 2002. For all of 2003, the company earned $1.06 million, compared with $982,000 in 2002.
Earnings per share last quarter were 21 cents, compared with 20 cents in the fourth quarter of 2002.
As of Dec. 31, the company had assets of $100 million, compared with $100.6 million a year earlier. It had a $2.7 million decrease in cash and cash equivalents and a $1.4 million decrease in net loans receivable, but offset those with a $3.6 million increase in investment securities. The company's annual meeting of shareholders will be at 2 p.m. April 21 at Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Niles, 55 N. Main St. First Niles is the holding company for Home Federal.
Vindicator staff report