FBR Capital Markets Expands Research Coverage of Financial Institutions

ARLINGTON, Virginia -

- Firm Bolsters Its Financial Institutions Research Group with New Hires and Promotion

FBR Capital Markets Corporation (Nasdaq: FBCM) (FBR Capital Markets), a leading investment bank serving the middle market, announced today that it has broadened its equity research coverage of financial institutions through the addition of two new analysts and a promotion within its Financial Institutions Research group. Barbara Pires has joined FBR Capital Markets’ European subsidiary, Friedman, Billings, Ramsey International, Ltd., as Vice President and Analyst covering European banks. Brett Scheiner has joined FBR Capital Markets as Vice President and Analyst covering small-cap and community banks. Bob Ramsey, CFA, has been promoted to Vice President and Analyst covering Northeastern regional banks.

“We’re very pleased to have such an exceptionally talented team to help expand our Financial Institutions coverage,” said David M. Khani, CFA, Senior Managing Director and Director of Research at FBR Capital Markets. “We’re committed to adding value across our entire Research platform in meaningful ways, and we continue to make strategic additions which are beneficial to clients and complementary to our broader brokerage and capital markets capabilities.”

FBR Capital Markets’ Research group is known for its differentiated research and ability to identify unique investment opportunities and generate added value for clients. FBR Capital Markets’ analysts are regularly ranked among the best on the Street by The Wall Street Journal and StarMine / Financial Times. FBR Capital Markets’ 15-member Financial Institutions Research group covers 15 industry segments in addition to Financial Strategy and is led by Paul J. Miller Jr., CFA.

Ms. Pires broadens FBR Capital Markets’ coverage of European Financials and expands the firm’s London-based European Research platform launched earlier this year. With over 15 years of experience in equity research covering financial institutions, Ms. Pires joins FBR Capital Markets from MainFirst Bank and previously served as Associate Director of Research at Evolution Securities. She began her career as an analyst at Banco Efisa followed by tenure with Santander Central Hispano, Lehman Brothers and ABN AMRO. Ms. Pires holds a Master of economics from the Catholic University of Portugal.

Mr. Scheiner provides coverage of small- and micro-cap banks to FBR Capital Markets’ Financial Institutions Research platform. Mr. Scheiner began his career in equity research at Loomis, Sayles & Company, before serving as a financial sector equity strategist and product manager for Lehman Brothers. Mr. Scheiner earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Johns Hopkins University and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Mr. Ramsey joined FBR Capital Markets as an Associate Analyst in 2004, and now, as Vice President and Analyst, he specializes in coverage of Banks & Thrifts throughout the Northeastern region of the United States. He previously worked in the Margin department at Wachovia Securities. Mr. Ramsey received a Bachelor of Arts in managerial economics from Hampden-Sydney College and earned an MBA from the Mason School of Business at the College of William & Mary. He is also a CFA charterholder.

FBR Capital Markets Corporation (Nasdaq: FBCM) provides investment banking, merger and acquisition advisory, institutional brokerage, prime brokerage and research services through its subsidiary FBR Capital Markets & Co. Services provided in the U.K. and Europe are provided by Friedman, Billings, Ramsey International, Ltd. FBR Capital Markets focuses capital and financial expertise on seven industry sectors: consumer; diversified industrials; energy & natural resources; financial institutions; insurance; real estate; and technology, media & telecom. Asset management services are provided by FBR Investment Management, Inc., and mutual funds are provided by FBR Fund Advisers, Inc.; both companies are subsidiaries of FBR Capital Markets Corporation. FBR Capital Markets is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with offices throughout the United States and in London. For more information, please visit www.fbrcapitalmarkets.com.

Source: FBR Capital Markets Corporation

Media: Troy D. Gravitt, +1-703-469-1004 or Investors: Bradley J. Wright, +1-703-469-1080, both of FBR Capital Markets Corporation