First Bankers Trustshares : Announces Increase to Its Dividend for 12th Consecutive Year

First Bankers Trustshares, Inc. Announces

Increase to Its Dividend for 12th Consecutive Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Quincy, IL - November 19, 2021 - First Bankers Trustshares, Inc. (FBTT) (the "Company") announced that it has declared a cash dividend of $0.19 per share on its common stock. This is the 12th consecutive year that the Company has declared a cash dividend increase. The dividend will be payable on January 28, 2022 to shareholders of record as of December 23, 2021.

The $0.19 cash dividend represents a $0.01, or 5.6% increase and an annualized yield of 2.42% based on the closing share price of $31.45 on November 18, 2021.

"To declare a cash dividend increase for the 12th consecutive year is an achievement that we are extremely proud of," said President and Chief Executive Officer, Allen Shafer. "This increase is a testament to the consistent strength and stability of our business, as well as a reflection of our commitment to providing quality returns for our shareholders."

About First Bankers Trustshares, Inc.

First Bankers Trustshares, Inc. is a bank holding company owning First Bankers Trust Company, N.A. The Company was incorporated on August 25, 1988, and is headquartered in Quincy, Ill. First Bankers Trustshares, Inc. is a publicly held company whose common stock is traded over-the-counter under the symbol FBTT. For more information, visit http://fbti.firstbankers.com.

About First Bankers Trust Company, N.A.:

Headquartered in Quincy, Ill., First Bankers Trust Company, N.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Bankers Trustshares, Inc., is a community-oriented commercial bank offering a variety of financial services to meet the needs of the communities it serves, including personal banking, residential mortgage loans, consumer loans, small business loan and agricultural loans. The bank has branch locations in Quincy, Macomb, Mendon, Carthage, Rushville, and Springfield, Illinois as well as a Loan Production office in O'Fallon, Illinois. It is the largest bank in Adams County. For more information, visit https://www.firstbankers.com.

Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward- looking statements reflect the current views of First Bankers' management with respect to, among other things, future events and First Bankers' financial performance. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "may," "should," "could," "predict," "potential," "believe," "will likely result," "expect," "continue," "will," "anticipate," "seek," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," "forecast," "goal," "target," "would" and "outlook," or the negative variations of those words or other comparable words of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements are not historical

facts, and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about First Bankers' industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond First Bankers' control. Accordingly, First Bankers cautions you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Although First Bankers believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from First Bankers' expectations include, without limitation, the following: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and measures to prevent its spread, which include wide disruptions to business activity that may impact the financial strength of our borrowers; competition from other financial institutions and bank holding companies; the effects of and changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board; changes in the demand for loans; fluctuations in value of collateral and loan reserves; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; and acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses, and similar variables. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and First Bankers does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict those events or how they may affect us. In addition, First Bankers cannot assess the impact of each factor on First Bankers' business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that First Bankers or persons acting on First Bankers' behalf may issue.

Investor contact:

Allen W. Shafer

First Bankers Trustshares, Inc. [e-mail]

Media Contact

Kyle Beckman Director of Marketing [e-mail][phone]