88Deposits in financial institutions3262 1

30,2008 Average Balance Interest Yield/Rate - Interest-Earning Assets:Loans held for sale$110,721 $1,756 6.31Loans held for investment: Taxable3,598,381 57,815 6.39 Non-taxable (3)4,472 95 8.46Securities: Taxable642,1527,714 4.78 Non-taxable (3) 97,6071,284 5.23Trading assets4,348 21 1.92Federal funds sold6,774 32 1.88Deposits in financial institutions3262 1.88 Total interest-earning assets4,464,781 68,719 6.12Noninterest-earning assets469,002-Total Assets $4,933,783 Interest-Bearing Liabilities:Deposits: Demand and savings$1,410,719 $4,136 1.17 Certificates and other time1,145,1968,763 3.04Other borrowed funds581,2123,432 2.35Subordinated debt74,0981,198 6.43Junior subordinated debt 82,7341,317 6.33 - Total interest-bearingliabilities 3,293,959 18,846 2.28Noninterest-bearing sources: Noninterest-bearingliabilities 1,136,661 Shareholders' equity 503,163-Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity$4,933,783 Tax Equivalent Net Interest Income & Margin (3) 49,873 4.44 Tax equivalent adjustment: Loans30 Securities375 - Total tax equivalent adjustment 405 -Net Interest Income$49,468 STERLING BANCSHARES, INC.SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Unaudited)(dollars in thousands)Page 8 Year Ended 2008 Average Balance Interest Yield/Rate - Interest-Earning Assets:Loans held for sale $71,050 $4,696 6.61Loans held for investment: Taxable3,583,762236,259 6.59 Non-taxable (3)3,637294 8.09Securities: Taxable620,506 29,660 4.78 Non-taxable (3) 97,3285,116 5.26Trading assets3,727 64 1.70Federal funds sold4,915101 2.06Deposits in financial institutions510 10 1.92- Total interest-earning assets4,385,435276,200 6.30Noninterest-earning assets467,937-Total Assets $4,853,372 Interest-Bearing Liabilities:Deposits: Demand and savings$1,416,594$17,285 1.22 Certificates and other time1,107,735 37,443 3.38Other borrowed funds542,413 11,607 2.14Subordinated debt62,1284,474 7.20Junior subordinated debt 82,7345,731 6.93 - Total interest-bearingliabilities 3,211,604 76,540 2.38Noninterest-bearing sources: Noninterest-bearing liabilities1,132,123 Shareholders' equity 509,645-Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity$4,853,372 - Tax Equivalent Net Interest Income & Margin (3)199,660 4.55 Tax equivalent adjustment: Loans92 Securities1,484 - Total tax equivalent adjustment 1,576 -Net Interest Income $198,084 Year Ended 2007 Average Balance Interest Yield/Rate - Interest-Earning Assets:Loans held for sale $62,232 $4,982 8.01Loans held for investment: Taxable3,221,523254,931 7.91 Non-taxable (3)3,344265 7.92Securities: Taxable523,589 23,849 4.55 Non-taxable (3) 92,9284,699 5.06Trading assets4,396173 3.93Federal funds sold 13,061597 4.58Deposits in financial institutions734 35 4.78- Total interest-earning assets3,921,807289,531 7.38Noninterest-earning assets412,478-Total Assets $4,334,285 Interest-Bearing Liabilities:Deposits: Demand and savings$1,304,168$29,217 2.24 Certificates and other time1,191,393 55,691 4.67Other borrowed funds134,3496,829 5.08Subordinated debt46,5214,649 9.99Junior subordinated debt 76,8026,239 8.12 - Total interest-bearingliabilities 2,753,233102,625 3.73Noninterest-bearing sources: Noninterest-bearing liabilities1,131,074 Shareholders' equity 449,978-Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity$4,334,285 - Tax Equivalent Net Interest Income & Margin (3)186,906 4.77 Tax equivalent adjustment: Loans77 Securities1,205 - Total tax equivalent adjustment 1,282 -Net Interest Income $185,624STERLING BANCSHARES, INC.SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Unaudited)(dollars in thousands)Page 9 Quarter Ended -Dec 31, Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec. 31,2008 2008 2008 2008 2007 Condensed Average Balance SheetLoans held for sale$684 $110,721$94,801$78,331$66,897Loans held for investment 3,795,3403,602,8533,540,9773,407,9723,341,014- Totalloans 3,796,0243,713,5743,635,7783,486,3033,407,911Available-for- sale securities, at fair value 573,073564,779543,696486,131472,239Held-to-maturity securities, at amortized cost 173,584174,980175,912178,623178,309Trading assets 1,7844,3484,3954,3958,686Other earning assets 2,5827,1006,6035,427 10,748 Total earningassets4,547,0474,464,7814,366,3844,160,8794,077,893Goodwill173,210173,106172,690169,198166,177Core deposits and other intangibles, net 14,158 14,740 15,322 15,767 16,271All other non- interest earning assets 301,516281,156283,069257,573226,367- Totalassets $5,035,931 $4,933,783 $4,837,465 $4,603,417 $4,486,708 Noninterest-bearing demand deposits $1,116,607 $1,093,053 $1,090,439 $1,046,412 $1,086,217Interest-bearing deposits: Interest-bearingdemanddeposits1,407,4821,410,7191,417,4531,430,8871,348,767 Jumbocertificatesof deposit634,499677,251642,066707,543789,006 Regularcertificatesof deposit306,224316,567302,790327,624339,085 Brokeredcertificatesof deposit162,654151,378111,166 90,816118,027- -Total deposits 3,627,4663,648,9683,563,9143,603,2823,681,102Other borrowed funds667,933581,212595,081323,622148,982Subordinated debt75,354 74,098 49,511 49,272 47,637Junior subordinated debt82,734 82,734 82,734 82,734 82,734Accrued interest payable and other liabilities 44,340 43,608 44,109 49,554 51,048 Totalliabilities 4,497,8274,430,6204,335,3494,108,4644,011,503Common equity 510,965503,163502,116494,953475,205Preferred equity 27,139 Total shareholders' equity 538,104503,163502,116494,953475,205- Totalliabilitiesandshareholders'equity $5,035,931 $4,933,783 $4,837,465 $4,603,417 $4,486,708 Dec 31, Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec. 31, 2008 2008 2008 2008 2007 Period- end Loans:Loans held for sale$1,524 $322 $112,614$90,274$78,447Loans held for investment: Commercial andindustrial1,107,5191,094,7671,008,410980,884934,176 Real Estate:Commercial1,765,8431,564,9891,473,8431,432,9051,389,225Construction and development545,303732,174728,217731,833714,600Residential mortgage 309,665284,036258,600237,715226,085 Consumer/other63,960 68,806 73,924 75,139 75,751 Loans held for investment 3,792,2903,744,7723,542,9943,458,4763,339,837-Total period- end loans $3,793,814 $3,745,094 $3,655,608 $3,548,750 $3,418,284 Period-End Deposits:Noninterest- bearing demand$1,123,746 $1,085,882 $1,135,296 $1,100,919 $1,092,210Interest- bearing demand 1,523,9691,397,6141,409,2201,464,9371,403,227Certificates and other time deposits:Jumbo 660,427636,447674,891682,264756,980Regular 317,719304,050318,762304,776332,206Brokered193,276150,127156,166 92,021 89,088- Total period-end deposits$3,819,137 $3,574,120 $3,694,335 $3,644,917 $3,673,711 STERLING BANCSHARES, INC.SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Unaudited)(dollars in thousands)Page 10 Quarter Ended - Dec 31,Sep 30,Jun 30,Mar 31,Dec. 31, 20082008200820082007 Allowance For Credit LossesAllowance for loan losses at beginning of period $45,222 $41,651 $35,681 $34,446 $34,225Charge-offs: Commercial,financial andindustrial1,764 3,713 2,210 1,721 876 Real estate,mortgage andconstruction1,629 1,879 252 1,481 728 Consumer 648 657 351 303 547- - - - -Total charge-off 4,041 6,249 2,813 3,505 2,151- - - - -Recoveries: Commercial,financial andindustrial286 277 477 352 270 Real estate,mortgage andconstruction5282361 8 Consumer 205 142 116 177 494- - - - -Total recoveries 496 447 616 590 772- - - - -Net charge-offs 3,545 5,802 2,197 2,915 1,379Allowance for credit losses associated with acquired institutions - - - - -Provision for loan losses 7,500 9,373 8,167 4,150 1,600- - - - -Allowance for loan losses at end of period $49,177 $45,222 $41,651 $35,681 $34,446- - - - -Reserve for unfunded loan commitments at beginning of period 1,654 927 927 927 927Provision for losses on unfunded loan commitments- 727 - - - - - -Reserve for unfunded loan commitments at end of period1,654 1,654 927 927 927- - - - -Total allowance for credit losses$50,831 $46,876 $42,578 $36,608 $35,373 Nonperforming AssetsNonperforming loans: Nonaccrual $85,594 $70,538 $48,921 $21,199 $19,445 Restructured - - - 764 769Real estate acquired by foreclosure5,625 4,562 4,293 4,042 3,683Other repossessed assets 154 234 118 112 152- - - - -Total nonperforming assets $91,373 $75,334 $53,332 $26,117 $24,049 Accruing loans past due 90 days or more$38$3,142$2,224$944$1,304RatiosPeriod-end allowance for credit losses to period-end loans1.34 1.25 1.16 1.03 1.03Period-end allowance for loan losses to period-end loans1.30 1.21 1.14 1.01 1.01Period-end allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans57.4564.1185.14 162.46 170.41Nonperforming loans to period- end loans 2.26 1.88 1.34 0.62 0.59Nonperforming assets to period- end assets1.80 1.52 1.09 0.55 0.53Net charge-offs to average loans (2) 0.37 0.62 0.24 0.34 0.16Year Ended 2008 2007 Allowance For Credit LossesAllowance for loan losses at beginning of period$34,446$32,027Charge-offs: Commercial, financial and industrial9,4083,267 Real estate, mortgage and construction5,2411,066 Consumer1,9591,629 Total charge-offs 16,6085,962-Recoveries: Commercial, financial and industrial1,3921,829 Real estate, mortgage and construction117 47 Consumer6401,189 Total recoveries 2,1493,065 Net charge-offs 14,4592,897Allowance for credit losses associated with acquired institutions -1,496Provision for loan losses 29,1903,820-Allowance for loan losses at end of period $49,177$34,446 Reserve for unfunded loan commitments at beginning of period 927927Provision for losses on unfunded loan commitments 727- Reserve for unfunded loan commitments at end of period 1,654927 Total allowance for credit losses$50,831$35,373 Nonperforming AssetsNonperforming loans: Nonaccrual$85,594$19,445 Restructured-769Real estate acquired by foreclosure5,6253,683Other repossessed assets 154152 Total nonperforming assets $91,373$24,049 Accruing loans past due 90 days or more$38 $1,304 RatiosPeriod-end allowance for credit losses to period-end loans 1.341.03Period-end allowance for loan losses to period-end loans 1.301.01Period-end allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans 57.45170.41Nonperforming loans to period-end loans 2.260.59Nonperforming assets to period-end assets 1.800.53Net charge-offs to average loans (2)0.400.09STERLING BANCSHARES, INC.FOOTNOTES TO EARNINGS RELEASEPage 11(1) Earnings per share in each quarter is computed individually using theweighted-average number of shares outstanding during that quarter whileearnings per share for the full period is computed using the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the year.Thus, the sum forall quarters does not necessarily equal the full period earnings pershare.(2) Interim periods annualized.(3) Taxable-equivalent basis assuming a 35 tax rate.(4) The efficiency ratio is calculated by dividing noninterest expenseless acquisition costs, hurricane related costs, an employee severancepayment, and Trust Preferred Securities debt issuance costs by taxequivalent basis net interest income plus noninterest income less net gain(loss) on investment securities.For More Information Contact:J. Downey Bridgwater, Chairman, President& Chief Executive Officer, (713) 507-2670Zach L. Wasson, Executive Vice President &Chief Financial Officer, (713) 507-1297SOURCESterling Bancshares, Inc.J.

Downey Bridgwater, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer,1-713-507-2670, or Zach L. Wasson, Executive Vice President & Chief FinancialOfficer, 1-713-507-1297, both of Sterling Bancshares, Inc.. Numerex Launches User-Friendly Application Platform to Accelerate Customers'GrowthNumerex FAST(TM) (Foundation Application Software Technology) simplifies newservice development and deployment processATLANTA, Jan 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ Numerex Corp. (Nasdaq: NMRX), aleading provider of full-service, highly secure machine-to-machine (M2M)network services and solutions today announced that, following its recentacquisition of software developer Ublip, it has launched the NumerexFoundation Application Software Technology (Numerex FAST(TM)) platform, whichis being used by customers eager to get to market rapidly and efficiently.Numerex FAST provides a reliable and scalable hosting environment, anddelivers a working end-to-end solution right out of the box.It can bedefined in a nutshell as "ease-of-use" and "plug-and-play."Within minutes ofplugging in the device, data can be seen in the new web application.

With this new technology, the Numerex customer can reallyfocus on what matters, i.e., meeting and exceeding the end user'sexpectations."Numerex FAST is designed to reduce complexity," said Stratton Nicolaides,Chairman and CEO of Numerex. "We are actively marketing our newly-acquiredcapabilities to many customers who are anxious to avail themselves of acomplete range of M2M services vital to supporting their growth."Customers will be able to take advantage of a resilient and secure hostingenvironment that enables the rapid creation and support of Web-based M2Mapplications.In addition to hardware-based and networking services, Numerexwill offer a host of ancillary solutions aimed at facilitating and enhancingits customers' performance such as flexible billing, warehousing, fulfillment,reverse logistics, provisioning and quality assurance.Numerex's strategy of streamlining the deployment process is an importantkey to sustainable growth in the industry. Numerex FAST simplifies and'jumpstarts' the application development process, and has the capacity tosupport several different devices, wireless networks, and protocols; creatingalong the way efficiencies for customers in a variety of markets. "I ampleased that our strategy is panning out as expected," Mr. Nicolaides added."As we are implementing our strategy, transitioning from a product to aservice and solutions-centric business with a focus on certain key verticalmarkets, the software and technology platforms that we acquired and developedwill prove important to our long-term success.