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Growth, diversification, cost control and service have laid the foundations for these achievements. 

## One Message 1 

## To our stockholders: >. 

On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of First BanCorp I am pleased to submit our annual report for 2001, another record year. In 2001 First BanCorp earned $86.0 million, rep- resenting $2.61 per common share (basic) or $2.60 per com- mon share (diluted). These earnings compare favorably with 2000,when the Corporation earned $67.3 million,which came to $2.22 per common share (basic) or $2.21 per common share (diluted). 

Net income increased 27.8% and diluted earnings per share rose 17.6% in 2001. The Corporation achieved a 22.13% return on common equity in 2001, while the return on aver- age assets was 1.28%.The efficiency ratio improved to an out- standing 41.81%. Growth, diversification, cost control and service have laid the foundations for these achievements. I will emphasize those four themes in this letter. 

## New Initiatives and Growth >. 

Our business grew substantially last year. Assets rose 38.5% from $5.9 billion at year-end 2000 to $8.2 billion at the end of 2001. Loans increased 23.2% to $4.3 billion, due mainly to an $822 million increase in residential mortgage and commercial lending. Deposits increased 22.5% to $4.1 billion. 

