FS Bancorp, Inc. Announces Twenty-First Consecutive Quarterly Dividend and Dividend Increase

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, Wash., March 27, 2018 -- FS Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSBW) (the “Company”), the holding company for 1st Security Bank of Washington today announced that the Company’s Board of Directors had approved the Company’s twenty-first consecutive quarterly cash dividend to shareholders of $0.14 per share.  The dividend represents a 27.3% increase from the previously declared quarterly dividend of $0.11 per share.  The dividend will be paid on May 14, 2018 to shareholders of record as of April 30, 2018.

“The Board reviewed our capital planning strategy in light of the recent changes to the tax laws during the fourth quarter of 2017 and determined the dividend increase is supportable and provides for sufficient planned growth when including the projected retained earnings,” stated CEO Joe Adams.  “The Board and management remain committed to dividends as a component of our capital management strategy.”

About FS Bancorp

FS Bancorp, Inc., a Washington corporation, is the holding company for 1st Security Bank of Washington.  The Bank provides loan and deposit services to customers who are predominantly small and middle-market businesses and individuals in western Washington through its 11 branches and seven loan production offices in various suburban communities in the greater Puget Sound area, and one loan production office in the market area of the Tri-Cities.  The Bank services home mortgage customers throughout Washington State with an emphasis in the Puget Sound and Tri-Cities home lending markets.

Forward-Looking Statements

When used in this press release and in other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in press releases or other public stockholder communications, or in oral statements made with the approval of an authorized executive officer, the words or phrases “believe,” “will,” “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “estimate,” “project,” “plans,” or similar expressions are intended to identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward‑looking statements are not historical facts but instead represent management's current expectations and forecasts regarding future events, many of which are inherently uncertain and outside of our control.  Actual results may differ, possibly materially from those currently expected or projected in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, include but are not limited to, the following: increased competitive pressures; changes in the interest rate environment; changes in general economic conditions and conditions within the securities markets; our ability to execute our plans to grow our residential construction lending, our mortgage banking operations, our warehouse lending, and the geographic expansion of our indirect home improvement lending; our ability to successfully integrate any assets, liabilities, customers, systems, and management personnel we may acquire into our operations and our ability to realize related revenue synergies and expected cost savings and other benefits within the anticipated time frames or at all; secondary market conditions for loans and our ability to sell loans in the secondary market; legislative and regulatory changes; and other factors described in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission which are available on our website at www.fsbwa.com and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.  Any of the forward-looking statements that we make in this press release and in the other public statements are based upon management's beliefs and assumptions at the time they are made and may turn out to be wrong because of the inaccurate assumptions we might make, because of the factors illustrated above or because of other factors that we cannot foresee. Therefore, these factors should be considered in evaluating the forward‑looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. We do not undertake and specifically disclaim any obligation to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements. These risks could cause our actual results for 2018 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of us and could negatively affect our operating and stock performance.

Contact:   Joseph C. Adams,
Chief Executive Officer
Matthew D. Mullet,
Chief Financial Officer
(425) 771-5299
www.FSBWA.com