UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORM N-Q

 

 

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY

 

Investment Company Act file number

811-04605

 

First Financial Fund, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

1680 38th Street, Suite 800 Boulder, CO

 

80301

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 

Stephen C. Miller, Esq.

1680 38th Street, Suite 800

Boulder, CO  80301

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:

303-444-5483

 

 

Date of fiscal year end:

March 31, 2005

 

 

Date of reporting period:

December 31, 2004

 

 



Item 1. Schedule of Investments. –  The schedules of investments for the period ended December 31, 2004 are filed herewith.

 



Portfolio of Investments as of December 31, 2004

(Unaudited)                                                                                                                                                     First Financial Fund, Inc.

 

Shares

 

Description

 

Value (Note 1)

 

LONG TERM INVESTMENTS—100.3%

 

 

 

DOMESTIC COMMON STOCKS—90.0%

 

 

 

Banks & Thrifts-36.6%

 

 

 

 

 

72,600

 

Alliance Bankshares Corporation+

 

$

1,128,930

 

66,000

 

American Pacific Bank, Class B+

 

745,866

 

468,000

 

AmeriServ Financial, Inc.(a)

 

2,186,028

 

16,800

 

Bancorp Rhode Island, Inc.

 

663,600

 

251,735

 

Bancorp, Inc.+

 

4,027,760

 

47,086

 

Bank of America Corporation

 

2,212,571

 

40,500

 

Bank of Oak Ridge+

 

439,020

 

37,800

 

CalNet Business Bank+(a)

 

756,000

 

50,400

 

Cardinal Financial Corporation+

 

561,960

 

85,000

 

Cardinal State Bank+

 

935,000

 

38,000

 

Carolina Trust Bank+

 

475,000

 

282,010

 

CCF Holding Company

 

5,414,592

 

92,700

 

City National Corporation

 

6,549,255

 

62,000

 

Coast Financial Holdings, Inc.+

 

1,085,000

 

8,400

 

Coastal Banking Company, Inc.+

 

147,000

 

4,700

 

Community Bancorp+

 

143,820

 

60,000

 

Community Bank(a)(b)

 

2,995,800

 

89,200

 

Community Capital Bancshares, Inc.

 

1,036,504

 

31,300

 

Cornerstone Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,070,460

 

9,100

 

Crescent Banking Company

 

240,240

 

75,080

 

Dearborn Bancorp, Inc.+

 

2,189,333

 

71,468

 

F.N.B. Corporation

 

1,362,895

 

9,000

 

Fidelity Southern Corporation

 

171,000

 

48,299

 

First Citizens BancShares, Inc., Class A

 

7,160,327

 

13,011

 

First Indiana Corporation

 

292,878

 

166,363

 

First Regional Bancorp+

 

8,925,375

 

207,650

 

First Republic Bank

 

11,005,450

 

31,800

 

Foothill Independent Bancorp

 

746,664

 

144,600

 

Gateway Financial Holdings

 

2,320,830

 

64,800

 

Greenville First Bancshares, Inc.+

 

1,270,080

 

1,700

 

Heritage Oaks Bancorp+

 

35,360

 

72,500

 

IBERIABANK Corporation

 

4,811,100

 

46,800

 

LSB Bancshares, Inc.

 

783,900

 

219,600

 

MetroCorp Bancshares, Inc.

 

4,888,296

 

80,250

 

North Fork Bancorporation, Inc.

 

2,315,212

 

336,000

 

North Valley Bancorp

 

6,528,480

 

57,000

 

Northrim Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,339,500

 

44,800

 

Parkway Bank+

 

571,200

 

57,000

 

Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp+

 

3,591,000

 

2,000

 

Pointe Financial Corporation

 

81,500

 

5,846

 

SCBT Financial Corporation

 

196,233

 

202,300

 

Signature Bank+

 

6,546,428

 

246,100

 

SNB Bancshares, Inc.+

 

3,634,897

 

106,300

 

Southern Connecticut Bancorp, Inc.+

 

871,660

 

39,700

 

Southwest Bancorp, Inc.

 

971,856

 

29,500

 

SuffolkFirst Bank+

 

271,400

 

214,070

 

Sun Bancorp, Inc.+

 

5,347,469

 

322,442

 

Taylor Capital Group, Inc.

 

10,801,807

 

21,100

 

Team Financial, Inc.

 

268,603

 

61,200

 

Texas United Bancshares, Inc.

 

1,208,700

 

18,400

 

The Bank Holdings, Inc.+

 

377,384

 

41,200

 

The South Financial Group, Inc.

 

1,340,236

 

16,300

 

TIB Financial Corporation

 

413,531

 

130,000

 

Transatlantic Bank+(a)(b)(c)

 

1,547,000

 

10,600

 

TriCo Bancshares

 

248,040

 

104,000

 

UMB Financial Corporation

 

5,892,640

 

169,500

 

UnionBanCal Corporation

 

10,929,360

 

15,500

 

UnionBancorp, Inc.

 

329,375

 

18,600

 

Valley Commerce Bancorp+

 

314,340

 

153,560

 

Wainwright Bank & Trust Company

 

1,896,466

 

53,600

 

Webster Financial Corporation

 

2,714,304

 

38,587

 

Westbank Corporation

 

710,001

 

36,700

 

Yardville National Bnacorp

 

1,257,342

 

 

 

 

 

151,293,858

 

 



 

Savings & Loans—28.3%

 

 

 

70,500

 

Abington Community Bancorp, Inc.

 

$

942,585

 

163,300

 

Atlantic Coast Federal+

 

2,248,641

 

129,280

 

Broadway Financial Corporation

 

1,486,720

 

15,400

 

Carver Bancorp, Inc.

 

307,384

 

324,800

 

CFS Bancorp, Inc.

 

4,634,896

 

24,400

 

Charter Financial Corporation

 

1,070,428

 

50,900

 

Citizens Community Bancorp

 

763,500

 

238,500

 

Citizens First Bancorp, Inc.

 

5,766,930

 

106,500

 

Downey Financial Corporation

 

6,070,500

 

413,565

 

Fidelity Federal Bancorp+

 

769,231

 

800

 

First Community Bank Corporation of America+

 

23,201

 

2,400

 

First Defiance Financial Corporation

 

68,328

 

79,638

 

First Federal Bancshares, Inc.

 

1,713,093

 

24,000

 

First PacTrust Bancorp, Inc.

 

656,400

 

63,600

 

First Place Financial Corporation

 

1,424,004

 

252,000

 

FirstFed Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,811,880

 

177,600

 

Golden West Financial Corporation

 

10,908,192

 

90,000

 

HMN Financial, Inc.

 

2,889,000

 

84,300

 

Home Federal Bancorp, Inc.+

 

1,057,965

 

46,900

 

Jefferson Bancshares, Inc.

 

616,735

 

100,000

 

K-Fed Bancorp

 

1,496,000

 

54,612

 

LSB Corporation

 

1,011,414

 

310,300

 

MidCountry Financial Corporation(a)(b)

 

4,654,500

 

116,500

 

Northeast Pennsylvania Financial Corporation

 

2,635,230

 

82,300

 

Northwest Bancorp, Inc.

 

2,064,907

 

219,000

 

Ocean Shore Holding Company+

 

2,649,900

 

163,300

 

Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc.+

 

2,165,358

 

94,800

 

Parkvale Financial Corporation

 

2,729,292

 

73,950

 

People’s Bank

 

2,875,915

 

409,300

 

People’s Choice Financial Corporation(a)(c)

 

4,093,000

 

165,930

 

Perpetual Federal Savings Bank

 

4,745,598

 

17,500

 

Privee LLC(a)(b)

 

2,362,500

 

322,200

 

Provident Bancorp, Inc.

 

4,249,818

 

456,525

 

Provident Financial Holdings, Inc.

 

13,170,746

 

456,700

 

Provident Financial Holdings, Inc.(b)

 

5,199,530

 

36,000

 

Rainier Pacific Financial Group, Inc.

 

644,400

 

40,650

 

Redwood Financial, Inc.+

 

813,000

 

90,000

 

River Valley Bancorp

 

1,998,000

 

317,400

 

SI Financial Group, Inc.+

 

3,932,586

 

23,986

 

Sovereign Bancorp, Inc.

 

540,884

 

100,000

 

Sterling Eagle(a)(b)

 

814,000

 

110,500

 

Third Century Bancorp

 

1,447,550

 

150,100

 

Woronoco Bancorp, Inc.

 

5,505,668

 

 

 

 

 

117,029,409

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mortgages & REITS—11.6%

 

 

 

565,900

 

Aames Investment Corporation; REIT+

 

6,004,199

 

385,000

 

Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.; REIT(a)

 

9,447,900

 

424,000

 

Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc.; REIT+(c)

 

6,779,760

 

151,900

 

Freddie Mac

 

11,195,030

 

272,590

 

Medical Office Properties; REIT(a)

 

8,178

 

419,500

 

Medical Properties Trust, Inc.; REIT(c)

 

4,195,000

 

505,000

 

MortgageIT Holdings, Inc.; REIT+

 

9,064,750

 

155,504

 

Newcastle Investment Holdings Corporation; REIT+(a)(b)(c)

 

1,282,908

 

 

 

 

 

47,977,725

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diversified Financials Services—5.2%

 

 

 

53,845

 

Bay View Capital Corporation

 

824,367

 

485,800

 

Centennial Bank Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

 

5,100,900

 

72,700

 

Citigroup, Inc.

 

3,502,686

 

25,000

 

CMET Financial Holdings, Inc.(a)(b)(c)

 

1,750,000

 

227,798

 

Countrywide Financial Corporation

 

8,430,804

 

60,000

 

Independence Financial(a)(b)

 

480,000

 

93,615

 

Mackinac Financial Corp.(a)

 

1,557,005

 

 

 

 

 

21,645,762

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insurance-4.4%

 

 

 

 

 

210,900

 

Bristol West Holdings, Inc.

 

4,218,000

 

279,100

 

Mercer Insurance Group, Inc.+

 

3,748,313

 

184,400

 

Ohio Casualty Corporation+

 

4,279,924

 

228,700

 

Specialty Underwriters’ Alliance, Inc.+

 

2,172,650

 

201,500

 

United National Group Ltd., Class A

 

3,751,930

 

 

 

 

 

18,170,817

 

 



 

Other—3.9%

 

 

 

 

 

600,000

 

Centennial C Corporation(a)(b)

 

$

6,300,000

 

329,600

 

Diamondrock Hospitality Company+ (b)(c)

 

3,296,000

 

194,086

 

Resource America, Inc., Class A

 

6,307,795

 

 

 

 

 

15,903,795

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Domestic Common Stocks (cost $255,703,982)

 

372,021,366

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOREIGN COMMON STOCKS—9.6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bermuda—6.4%

 

 

 

 

 

89,000

 

Aspen Insurance Holdings, Ltd.

 

2,182,280

 

223,400

 

Assured Guaranty Ltd.

 

4,394,278

 

154,800

 

Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.

 

4,235,328

 

94,500

 

IPC Holdings Ltd.

 

4,111,695

 

17,900

 

White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd.

 

11,563,400

 

 

 

 

 

26,486,981

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canada—3.2%

 

 

 

 

 

507,574

 

Canadian Western Bank

 

11,260,123

 

204,800

 

Sunrise Senior Living, Inc.(c)

 

1,972,534

 

 

 

 

 

13,232,657

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Foreign Common Stocks (cost $26,415,620)

 

39,719,638

 

PREFERRED STOCKS—0.5%

 

 

 

76,700

 

Taylor Capital Trust 1, Cum. Conv. Pfd., 9.75%, 10/31/32

 

2,082,405

 

 

 

(cost $1,917,500)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WARRANTS-0.2%

 

 

 

 

 

195,000

 

Dime Bancorp, Inc., Warrant, Expires 11/22/05+

 

37,050

 

3,680

 

The Bank Holdings, Inc., Warrant, Expires 5/21/06+

 

39,744

 

1

 

Citigroup, Inc. Litigation Tracking, Warrant, Expires 12/31/50+

 

1

 

77,000

 

Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.; REIT, Warrant, Expires 6/30/05(a)

 

699,160

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Warrants (cost $248,903)

 

775,955

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Long Term Investments (cost $284,286,005)

 

414,599,364

 

SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS—6.8%

 

 

 

 

 

Par
Value

 

Description

 

Value (Note 1)

 

Repurchase Agreement—6.8%

 

 

28,200,000

 

Agreement with Gold Tri-Party, 2.29%, dated 12/31/04, to be repurchased at $28,205,382 on 1/3/05, collateralized by $28,764,001 market value of a FNMA Bond, 6.00%, 9/1/34-10/1/34

 

$

28,200,000

 

 

 

(Cost $28,200,000)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Investments — 107.1% (cost $312,486,005)

$

442,799,364

 

 

 

Other Liabilities In Excess Of Other Assets—(7.2%)

 

(29,928,874

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets—100%

 

412,870,490

 

 


+

 

Non-income producing security.

(a)

 

Indicates a fair valued security. Total market value for fair valued securities is $48,616,630 representing 10.98% of the total net assets.

(b)

 

Private Placement restricted as to resale and does not have a readily available market.

(c)

 

Security exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securiites Act of 1933, as amended.

 



 

First Financial Fund, Inc.

December 31, 2004 (Unaudited)

 

Note 1.  Valuation and Investment Practices

 

Securities Valuation: Securities for which market quotations are readily available-including securities listed on national securities exchanges and those traded over-the-counter- are valued at the last quoted sales price on the valuation date on which the security is traded. If such securities were not traded on the valuation date, but market quotations are readily available, they are valued at the most recently quoted bid price provided by an independent pricing service or by principal market makers.  Securities traded via NASDAQ are valued at the NASDAQ Official Close Price (“NOCP”).  Securities for which market quotations are not readily available or for which the pricing agent or market maker does not provide a valuation or methodology, or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment of the adviser, does not represent fair value (“Fair Value Securities”), are valued at fair value by a Pricing Committee appointed by the Board of Directors, in consultation with the adviser. In such circumstances, the adviser makes an initial written recommendation to the Pricing Committee regarding valuation methodology for each Fair Value Security.  Thereafter, the adviser conducts periodic reviews of each Fair Value Security to consider whether the respective methodology and its application is appropriate and recommends methodology changes when appropriate.  Prior to implementation, the Pricing Committee reviews and makes a determination regarding each initial methodology recommendation and any subsequent methodology changes. All methodology recommendations and any changes are reviewed by the entire Board of Directors on a quarterly basis.

 

Short-term securities which mature in more than 60 days are valued at current market quotations. Short-term securities which mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.

 

Repurchase Agreements:  In connection with the repurchase agreement transactions with United States financial institutions, it is the Fund’s policy that its custodian take possession of the underlying collateral securities, the value of which exceeds the principal amount of the repurchase transaction, including accrued interest.  To the extent that any repurchase transaction exceeds one business day, the value of the collateral is marked-to-market on a daily basis to maintain the adequacy of the collateral.  If the seller defaults, and the value of the collateral declines or if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization of the collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited.

 

Securities Transactions and Net Investment Income:  Securities transactions are recorded on the trade date.  Realized gains or losses on sales of securities are calculated on the identified cost basis.  Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date; interest income including amortization of premium and accretion of discount on debt securities, as required is recorded on the accrual basis, which may require the use of certain estimates by management.

 

Note 2.  Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

 

On December 31, 2004, net unrealized appreciation for Federal tax purposes was $130,313,359, consisting of $139,499,617 aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all securities in which there is an excess of value over tax cost and $9,186,258 aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all securities in which there is an excess of tax cost over value.

 



Item 2. Controls and Procedures.

 

(a) The Registrant’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer concluded that the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17CFR 270.30a-3(c)), are effective based on his evaluation of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report.

 

(b) There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d)) that occurred during the Registrant’s last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 3. Exhibits.

 

Certification of the Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30a-2(a)) is attached hereto as Exhibit 99CERT.

 



SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

FIRST FINANCIAL FUND, INC.

 

 

By

/s/ Stephen C. Miller

 

Stephen C. Miller, President
(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

Date

February 18, 2005

 

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated

 

 

 

By (Signature and Title)

/s/ Stephen C. Miller

 

 

Stephen C. Miller, President

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

Date

February 18, 2005

 

 

 

 

By (Signature and Title)

/s/ Carl D. Johns

 

 

Carl D. Johns, Vice President and Treasurer

 

 

(Principal Financial Officer)

 

Date

February 18, 2005