Question-and-Answer Session
Operator
(Operator Instructions). Our first question comes from Dave Bishop with Stifel Nicolaus.
Dave Bishop - Stifel Nicolaus
Hey. Good morning.
Tracy Keegan
Good morning.
Michael McMullan
Good morning.
Dave Bishop - Stifel Nicolaus
Mike, just sort of looking at some of the different details here in terms of the loan growth here, looks like you had a pretty nice jump here in the retail segment of the commercial real estate portfolio. Maybe you can give us some detail here of how you're getting comfortable in terms of the growth here at this state of the economy and maybe what you're seeing in terms of loan pricing, loan terms now versus before that leads you to believe you're not the victim here of potential adverse selection?
Michael McMullan
Certainly. Being very selective is job one in this environment. The comment that we made in our earlier announcement this month was that we had turned down well over $100 million worth of loans in the Southeast market and that those loans were turned down because of credit underwriting standards, pricing or the lack of a relationship opportunity.
So the underwriting standards that we're using were as stringent as we could apply. The nature of the opportunities is really a result of banks in our markets that are literally out of the lending business right now. So many of their disenfranchised good borrowing customers are trying to find institutions that are still lending. In fact, I've had a couple of calls from CEOs in the last couple of months that are asking if we would take care of some of those better borrowers with a loan request.
So the concern that the regulators and the treasury have that loan dollars are not getting out to the main street right now is somewhat valid, that banks that are going through this examination cycle are being told that they need to raise capital before they can make any more loans. That is becoming evident in the markets that we compete in. So the nature of Florida, as we said, there's still, according to zip code, a lot of good borrowers out there and the borrowers are seeing some disruption in their traditional relationships with their banks.
Dave Bishop - Stifel Nicolaus
You talked, or I think Tracy alluded to, pricing improving somewhat there. Maybe can you give some examples in terms of the degree that's happening in terms of spread or maybe just a basis point number there?
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