Franklin Financial Corporation Announces Quarterly Dividend FRANKLIN, Tenn., March 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Franklin Financial Corporation (FFC), the parent company of Franklin National Bank, has declared a $.0625 per share first quarter dividend to its shareholders, according to FFC Chairman, President & CEO Gordon E. Inman. The record date for the cash dividend is March 19, 2004, with payment scheduled for April 7, 2004. Gordon E. Inman, Chairman, President & CEO, Franklin Financial Corporation, comments, "Franklin Financial Corporation is pleased to post our 22nd consecutive quarterly cash dividend. I am so proud of the performance of our company, and I thank our dedicated employees and loyal customers that make our company successful." Franklin Financial Corporation is a financial services holding company and the parent company of Franklin National Bank, Franklin Financial Mortgage and Franklin Financial Securities. The common stock of Franklin Financial Corporation is listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "FNFN". The corporate website is located on the Internet at http://www.fnfn.net/ . Franklin National Bank operates nine retail branches in Williamson, Davidson and Maury counties and can be found on the Internetat http://www.franklinnetbranch.com/ . As previously announced, Franklin Financial Corporation has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:FITB) in a merger. The parties expect to complete the merger during the second quarter of 2004. The merger is subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. THE STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS RELEASE WHICH ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS MADE PURSUANT TO THE SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS DESCRIBING FRANKLIN FINANCIAL CORPORATION'S FUTURE PLANS, PROJECTIONS, STRATEGIES AND EXPECTATIONS, ARE BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS AND INVOLVE A NUMBER OF RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES, MANY OF WHICH ARE BEYOND FRANKLIN FINANCIAL CORPORATION'S CONTROL. ACTUAL RESULTS COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE PROJECTED DUE TO CHANGES IN INTEREST RATES, COMPETITION IN THE INDUSTRY, CHANGES IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND VARIOUS OTHER FACTORS. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING SUCH FACTORS, WHICH COULD AFFECT FRANKLIN FINANCIAL CORPORATION, IS CONTAINED IN FRANKLIN FINANCIAL CORPORATION'S FILINGS WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. DATASOURCE: Franklin Financial Corporation CONTACT: Kristy Williams, +1-615-595-5531, or David McCurrach, +1-615-591-1059, both of Franklin Financial Corporation Web site: http://www.franklinnetbranch.com/ http://www.fnfn.net/

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