WEST POINT, Va., April 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- C&F Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:  CFFI), the one-bank holding company for C&F Bank, today announced that it is among just 45 U.S. banking institutions named to Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.'s ("KBW") "Bank Honor Roll," which recognizes U.S. banking institutions for successfully navigating the financial crisis and generating a superior 10-year record.

KBW, a full-service investment bank headquartered in New York City, conducts research each year to determine its annual "Bank Honor Roll."  The results reveal a list featuring just 45 banking institutions that have posted positive earnings per share growth trends over the last decade, regardless of the performance of the economy.

In order to be eligible for the top bank list, KBW set the following criteria:

• No annual loss reported in net income per share before extraordinary items over the past 10 years. (Items are classified as extraordinary per the applicable accounting standard).
• 2011 annual reported net income per share before extraordinary items equal to or greater than peak net income per share over the past 10 years.
• Consecutive increases in net income per share before extraordinary items since 2009.

Forbes.com recently published KBW Bank Honor Roll results and posted, "Not all banks are created equal.  That's especially true when it comes to their earnings power over the last decade," said Halah Touryalai of Forbes.com.  KBW Bank Honor Roll winners are publicly traded banking companies with at least $500 million in total assets.  Nearly 400 companies were in the initial screening leading to the 45 honorees selected.

C&F Bank operates 18 retail bank branches located throughout the Hampton to Richmond corridor in Virginia and offers full investment services through its subsidiary C&F Investment Services, Inc.  C&F Mortgage Corporation provides mortgage, title and appraisal services through 20 offices located in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.  C&F Finance Company provides automobile loans in Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama, Missouri and West Virginia through its offices in Richmond and Hampton, Virginia, in Nashville, Tennessee and in Towson, Maryland.

SOURCE C&F Financial Corporation