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:

June 30, 2005

 

 



 

Item 1. Schedule of Investments.

 



 

Portfolio of Investments as of June 30, 2005

 

(Unaudited)

FIRST FINANCIAL FUND, INC.

 

Shares

 

Description

 

Value (Note 1)

 

LONG TERM INVESTMENTS—100.6%

 

 

 

DOMESTIC COMMON STOCKS—89.6%

 

 

 

Banks & Thrifts—48.9%

 

 

 

72,600

 

Alliance Bankshares Corporation †

 

$

1,107,150

 

211,600

 

Amegy Bancorp, Inc.

 

4,735,608

 

468,000

 

AmeriServ Financial, Inc. †

 

2,503,800

 

78,200

 

Bancorp Rhode Island, Inc.

 

2,862,120

 

251,735

 

Bancorp, Inc. †

 

4,390,258

 

40,500

 

Bank of Oak Ridge †

 

389,610

 

377,000

 

BankFinancial Corporation

 

5,025,410

 

68,300

 

Benjamin Franklin Bancorp, Inc.

 

786,133

 

37,800

 

CalNet Business Bank † (a)

 

578,340

 

124,200

 

Capital Corp. of the West

 

3,446,550

 

180,100

 

Cardinal Financial Corporation †

 

1,691,139

 

85,000

 

Cardinal State Bank †

 

1,020,000

 

38,500

 

Carolina Trust Bank †

 

504,350

 

282,010

 

CCF Holding Company (b)

 

5,174,884

 

485,800

 

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

 

5,100,900

 

600,000

 

Centennial C Corporation (a) (c)

 

6,300,000

 

3

 

Central Pacific Financial Corporation

 

107

 

83,000

 

City National Corporation

 

5,951,930

 

62,000

 

Coast Financial Holdings, Inc. †

 

1,083,760

 

8,400

 

Coastal Banking Company, Inc. †

 

163,800

 

143,200

 

Commerce Bancorp, Inc., NJ

 

4,340,392

 

60,000

 

Community Bank (a) (c)

 

3,085,800

 

66,000

 

Community Bank of Orange, N.A. (a) (c)

 

282,150

 

89,200

 

Community Capital Bancshares, Inc.

 

986,552

 

31,300

 

Cornerstone Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,090,805

 

9,100

 

Crescent Banking Company

 

279,279

 

78,834

 

Dearborn Bancorp, Inc. †

 

2,041,801

 

71,468

 

F.N.B. Corporation

 

1,422,213

 

79,300

 

FCB Bancorp, Inc. (a) (c)

 

1,566,175

 

100,000

 

Federal City National Bank (a) (c)

 

1,000,000

 

9,000

 

Fidelity Southern Corporation

 

139,050

 

49,199

 

First Citizens BancShares, Inc., Class A

 

7,111,715

 

13,011

 

First Indiana Corporation

 

386,036

 

135,163

 

First Regional Bancorp †

 

8,941,032

 

340,775

 

First Republic Bank

 

12,039,581

 

66,726

 

First Southern Bancorp (a) (d)

 

1,634,787

 

10,000

 

First Trust Bank †

 

218,000

 

73,650

 

Foothill Independent Bancorp

 

1,475,651

 

159,060

 

Gateway Financial Holdings

 

2,878,986

 

20,700

 

Greene County Bancshares, Inc.

 

565,524

 

45,572

 

Greenville First Bancshares, Inc. †

 

934,226

 

18,600

 

Heartland Financial USA, Inc.

 

363,258

 

1,785

 

Heritage Oaks Bancorp †

 

38,377

 

65,600

 

IBERIABANK Corporation

 

4,041,616

 

100,900

 

LSB Bancshares, Inc.

 

1,812,164

 

75,850

 

MainSource Financial Group, Inc.

 

1,372,127

 

219,600

 

MetroCorp Bancshares, Inc.

 

4,644,540

 

336,000

 

North Valley Bancorp

 

5,762,400

 

57,000

 

Northrim Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,338,360

 

49,280

 

Parkway Bank †

 

616,000

 

130,500

 

Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp †

 

4,273,875

 

152,000

 

Pilot Bancshares, Inc. (c)

 

2,128,000

 

50,400

 

Preferred Bank Los Angeles

 

2,000,880

 

157,472

 

Republic First Bancorp, Inc. †

 

2,125,872

 

5,399

 

SCBT Financial Corporation

 

170,878

 

 

1



 

327,900

 

Signature Bank †

 

$

8,000,760

 

246,100

 

SNB Bancshares, Inc. †

 

2,707,100

 

111,615

 

Southern Connecticut Bancorp, Inc. †

 

881,759

 

10,200

 

Southwest Bancorp, Inc.

 

208,896

 

302,900

 

Square 1 Financial, Inc. (a) (c)

 

3,029,000

 

72,700

 

Sterling Bank

 

846,955

 

29,500

 

SuffolkFirst Bank †

 

339,250

 

294,913

 

Sun Bancorp, Inc. †

 

6,095,852

 

311,642

 

Taylor Capital Group, Inc.

 

12,231,949

 

21,100

 

Team Financial, Inc.

 

289,070

 

61,200

 

Texas United Bancshares, Inc.

 

1,113,840

 

18,400

 

The Bank Holdings, Inc. †

 

358,432

 

39,900

 

TIB Financial Corporation

 

1,075,305

 

71,900

 

Tidelands Bancshares, Inc. (a) (c)

 

672,265

 

130,000

 

Transatlantic Bank (a) (c)

 

1,695,200

 

10,600

 

TriCo Bancshares

 

236,804

 

121,400

 

UCBH Holdings, Inc.

 

1,971,536

 

115,200

 

UMB Financial Corporation

 

6,569,856

 

159,600

 

UnionBanCal Corporation

 

10,680,432

 

28,500

 

UnionBancorp, Inc.

 

627,000

 

40,300

 

United Community Banks, Inc.

 

1,048,606

 

46,700

 

Valley Commerce Bancorp †

 

782,225

 

161,238

 

Wainwright Bank & Trust Company

 

1,797,804

 

38,587

 

Westbank Corporation

 

624,338

 

48,100

 

Western Alliance Bancorp †

 

1,221,740

 

36,700

 

Yardville National Bancorp

 

1,312,025

 

 

 

 

 

202,341,950

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Savings & Loans—21.8%

 

 

 

116,000

 

Abington Community Bancorp, Inc. †

 

1,436,080

 

160,400

 

Atlantic Coast Federal †

 

1,984,148

 

124,326

 

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.

 

4,142,542

 

129,280

 

Broadway Financial Corporation (b)

 

1,339,341

 

41,600

 

Carver Bancorp, Inc.

 

708,032

 

324,800

 

CFS Bancorp, Inc.

 

4,313,344

 

24,400

 

Charter Financial Corporation

 

852,536

 

238,500

 

Citizens First Bancorp, Inc.

 

4,925,025

 

77,200

 

Downey Financial Corporation

 

5,651,040

 

32,500

 

Fidelity Federal Bancorp †

 

511,875

 

5,540

 

First Community Bank Corporation of America †

 

136,229

 

6,500

 

First Defiance Financial Corporation

 

173,485

 

57,538

 

First Federal Bancshares, Inc. (b)

 

1,176,652

 

63,600

 

First Place Financial Corporation

 

1,277,724

 

252,000

 

FirstFed Bancorp, Inc. (b)

 

2,242,800

 

43,400

 

Georgetown Bancorp, Inc. †

 

399,280

 

3,300

 

HF Financial Corportaion

 

72,039

 

90,000

 

HMN Financial, Inc.

 

2,833,200

 

128,000

 

Home Federal Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,579,520

 

526,700

 

Hudson City Bancorp, Inc.

 

6,009,647

 

46,900

 

Jefferson Bancshares, Inc.

 

600,320

 

100,000

 

K-Fed Bancorp

 

1,219,000

 

54,612

 

LSB Corporation

 

884,714

 

310,300

 

MidCountry Financial Corporation (a) (c)

 

4,654,500

 

85,000

 

Northwest Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,807,100

 

261,000

 

Ocean Shore Holding Company †

 

2,792,700

 

163,300

 

Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc. †

 

1,748,943

 

94,800

 

Parkvale Financial Corporation

 

2,573,820

 

69,725

 

People’s Bank

 

2,108,484

 

253,700

 

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

 

2,283,300

 

165,930

 

Perpetual Federal Savings Bank (b)

 

4,372,256

 

 

2



 

17,500

 

Privee LLC (a) (c)

 

$

2,362,500

 

333,025

 

Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. (b)

 

9,361,333

 

40,650

 

Redwood Financial, Inc. † (b)

 

833,325

 

90,000

 

River Valley Bancorp (b)

 

1,926,900

 

52,637

 

Riverview Bancorp, Inc.

 

1,123,800

 

12,500

 

Rockville Financial, Inc.

 

152,750

 

203,000

 

Rome Bancorp, Inc.

 

2,033,654

 

6,300

 

Royal Financial, Inc.

 

81,270

 

289,600

 

SI Financial Group, Inc.

 

3,376,736

 

100,000

 

Sterling Eagle (a) (c)

 

802,000

 

110,500

 

Third Century Bancorp (b)

 

1,464,125

 

 

 

 

 

90,328,069

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mortgages & REITS—10.7%

 

 

 

565,900

 

Aames Investment Corporation; REIT

 

5,500,548

 

303,100

 

Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.; REIT (a) (d)

 

8,698,970

 

424,000

 

Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc.; REIT (c)

 

5,978,400

 

329,600

 

Diamondrock Hospitality Company; REIT † (a) (c) (d)

 

3,352,032

 

47,700

 

Freddie Mac

 

3,111,471

 

419,500

 

Medical Properties Trust, Inc.; REIT (d)

 

4,215,975

 

441,900

 

MortgageIT Holdings, Inc.; REIT

 

8,064,675

 

39,200

 

New Century Financial Corp.; REIT

 

2,016,840

 

155,504

 

Newcastle Investment Holdings Corporation; REIT † (a) (d)

 

1,282,908

 

119,400

 

Saxon Capital, Inc.; REIT

 

2,038,158

 

 

 

 

 

44,259,977

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diversified Financials Services—5.4%

 

 

 

53,845

 

Bay View Capital Corporation

 

832,982

 

136,300

 

Citigroup, Inc.

 

6,301,149

 

25,000

 

CMET Financial Holdings, Inc. (a) (d)

 

1,750,000

 

60,000

 

Independence Financial (a) (c)

 

480,000

 

93,615

 

Mackinac Financial Corporation (c)

 

1,425,756

 

293,600

 

MBNA Corp.

 

7,680,576

 

265,000

 

Resource Capital Corporation (a) (d)

 

3,975,000

 

 

 

 

 

22,445,463

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insurance—2.8%

 

 

 

114,700

 

Bristol West Holdings, Inc.

 

2,099,010

 

154,800

 

Mercer Insurance Group, Inc. †

 

2,004,675

 

184,400

 

Ohio Casualty Corporation

 

4,458,792

 

50,000

 

ProAssurance Corporation †

 

2,088,000

 

85,900

 

Seabright Insurance Holdings †

 

981,837

 

 

 

 

 

11,632,314

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Domestic Common Stocks (cost $285,359,024)

 

371,007,773

 

 

 

 

 

FOREIGN COMMON STOCKS—10.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bermuda—5.4%

 

 

 

141,900

 

Aspen Insurance Holdings, Ltd.

 

3,910,764

 

140,950

 

Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.

 

3,988,885

 

77,000

 

IPC Holdings Ltd.

 

3,050,740

 

17,900

 

White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd.

 

11,293,110

 

 

 

 

 

22,243,499

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canada—3.4%

 

 

 

507,574

 

Canadian Western Bank

 

11,947,549

 

204,800

 

Sunrise Senior Living, Inc.; REIT

 

2,100,170

 

 

 

14,047,719

 

 

3



 

Switzerland—0.9%

 

 

 

48,700

 

UBS AG

 

$

3,791,295

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Germany—0.5%

 

 

 

81,425

 

Bayerische Hypo-Und Vereinsbank AG †

 

2,120,395

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Foreign Common Stocks (cost $29,120,863)

 

42,202,908

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WARRANTS—0.8%

 

 

 

195,000

 

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

 

35,100

 

3,680

 

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

 

29,808

 

359,900

 

Punjab National, Warrant, Expires 1/19/09 †

 

3,131,130

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Warrants (cost $3,271,413)

 

3,196,038

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Long Term Investments (cost $317,751,300)

 

416,406,719

 

 

SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS—1.8%

 

Par

 

 

 

 

 

Value

 

Description

 

Value (Note 1)

 

Repurchase Agreement—1.8%

 

 

 

$

7,500,000

 

Agreement with Gold Tri-Party, 3.450% dated 6/30/2005, to be repurchased at $7,500,719 on 7/1/05, collateralized by a U.S. Government Agency Security with a market value of $7,650,000, rate of 5.50%, and maturity of 6/1/35
(Cost $7,500,000)

 

$

7,500,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Investments — 102.4% (cost $325,251,300)

 

$

423,906,719

 

 

 

Other Assets and Liabilities—(2.4%)

 

(9,931,744

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets—100%

 

413,974,975

 

 


 †

 

Non-income producing security.

(a)

 

Indicates a fair valued security. Total market value for fair valued securities is $52,302,527 representing 12.63% of the total net assets.

(b)

 

Affiliated Company. See Note 3 to Schedule of Investments.

(c)

 

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

(d)

 

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

 

4



 

First Financial Fund, Inc. – Notes to Schedule of Investments

 

June 30, 2005 (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: The Fund may enter into 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 June 30, 2005, based on cost of $325,724,831 for federal income tax purposes,  aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all securities in which there is an excess of value over tax cost was $104,366,216 and aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all securities in which there is an excess of tax cost over value was $(6,184,328).

 



 

Note 3. Transactions With Affiliated Companies

 

Transactions during the quarter with companies in which the Fund owned at least 5% of the voting securities were as follows:

 

Name of Affiliate

 

Beginning
Share
Balance

 

Ending
Share
Balance

 

Purchase
Cost

 

Sales
Cost

 

Dividend
Income

 

Market
Value

 

Broadway Financial Corporation

 

129,280

 

129,280

 

 

 

0

 

1,339,341

 

CCF Holding Company

 

282,010

 

282,010

 

 

 

19,741

 

5,174,884

 

First Federal BancShares, Inc.

 

79,638

 

57,538

 

 

600,378

 

6,905

 

1,176,652

 

FirstFed Bancorp, Inc.

 

252,000

 

252,000

 

 

 

17,640

 

2,242,800

 

Perpetual Federal Savings Bank

 

165,930

 

165,930

 

 

 

39,823

 

4,372,256

 

Provident Financial Holdings, Inc.

 

456,525

 

333,025

 

 

606,403

 

52,522

 

9,361,333

 

Redwood Financial, Inc.

 

40,650

 

40,650

 

 

 

0

 

833,325

 

River Valley Bancorp

 

90,000

 

90,000

 

 

 

17,550

 

1,926,900

 

Third Century Bancorp

 

110,500

 

110,500

 

 

 

4,420

 

1,464,125

 

 



 

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) were effective as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report (the “Evaluation Date”), based on their evaluation of the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the Evaluation Date.

 

(b) There were no changes in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act (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.

 

(a)Certification of 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.

 

Registrant

First Financial Fund, Inc.

 

 

By

/s/ Stephen C. Miller

 

Stephen C. Miller, President

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

Date

August 15, 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

/s/ Stephen C. Miller

 

Stephen C. Miller, President

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

Date

August 15, 2005

 

 

By

/s/ Carl D. Johns

 

Carl D. Johns, Vice President and Treasurer

 

(Principal Financial Officer)

 

 

Date

August 15, 2005