REGION

REGION

F.N.B. Corp. declares dividend of 12 cents

HERMITAGE, Pa. — F.N.B. Corp. declared a dividend of 12 cents a share on its common stock for the first quarter. The dividend in the previous quarter was 24 cents.

The first-quarter dividend is payable on March 15 to shareholders of record as of March 2. The parent company of First National Bank of Pennsylvania recently reported a fourth-quarter loss of $18.9 million after it set aside $51.3 million to cover loan losses, primarily in Florida.

Komara celebrates opening in Howland

HOWLAND — Komara Jewelers today begins a three-day event celebrating the opening of its second location in The Market Place, 5200 E. Market St.

Komara, which also has a store in Cornersburg, is opening in the location that housed Earl Maxin Jewelers. Maxin recently retired and will be at the ribbon-cutting for the new store at 10 a.m. today. The Komara staff is welcoming customers with refreshments from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

First Niles Financial reports earnings

NILES — First Niles Financial earned $233,000 in the fourth quarter, compared with $308,000 in the same quarter of 2007. For all of 2008, the company earned $693,000, compared with $793,000 in 2007.

The company’s annual meeting of shareholders will be at 2 p.m. April 29 at the office at 55 N. Main St. Shareholders will be asked to vote on two directors. First Niles is the parent company of Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Niles.

From Vindicator staff reports