Exhibit 99.2

NEW CENTURY BANCORP AMENDS PREVIOUSLY RELEASED

SECOND QUARTER 2012 EARNINGS

TO REFLECT INCREASED NET INCOME

DUNN, NC . . . New Century Bancorp (the “Company” NASDAQ: NCBC), the holding company for New Century Bank, today reported that its unaudited results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, as previously released on July 30, 2012, would be amended to reflect increased net income. The Company’s net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, as adjusted, was $1.2 million, resulting in basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.17. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2012, as adjusted, was $3.3 million, resulting in basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.47 for the six-month period.

The increase in net income for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2012 stems from a decrease in the required balance of the Company’s allowance for loan losses due to reductions in adversely classified assets and nonaccrual loans, improved historical credit quality metrics, and an overall reduction in the size of the Company’s loan portfolio.

Total assets for the Company as of June 30, 2012 were impacted by the change and, as adjusted, were $563.7 million. Total deposits and total loans were $471.2 million and $390.4 million, respectively, and these measures were not affected by the change.

The Company will furnish a report on Form 8-K to the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 3, 2012, as scheduled, regarding its results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012. No restatement or amendment of the Company’s reports previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is anticipated.

New Century Bank has branch offices in these North Carolina communities: Dunn, Clinton, Fayetteville, Goldsboro, Lillington, Lumberton, and a loan production office in Greenville.

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The information as of and for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, as presented is unaudited. This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, (i) statements regarding certain of our goals and expectations with respect to earnings, earnings per share, revenue, expenses and the growth rate in such items, as well as other measures of economic performance, including statements relating to estimates of credit quality trends, and (ii) statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “projects,” “outlook” or similar expressions. The actual results might differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements for various reasons, including, but not limited to, our ability to manage growth, our limited operating history, substantial changes in financial markets, regulatory changes, changes in interest rates, loss of deposits and loan demand to other savings and financial institutions, and changes in real estate values and the real estate market. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from those in the forward-looking statements is contained in the Company’s SEC filings, including its periodic reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, copies of which are available upon request from the Company.

New Century Bancorp, Inc.

Selected Financial Information and Other Data

($ in thousands, except per share data)