First Financial Holdings, Inc. Announces Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call

April 21, 2009

CHARLESTON, SC – April 17, 2009 – First Financial Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq GSM: FFCH) announced today that the company will host a conference call for institutional investors and bank analysts on Friday, April 24, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time to discuss its financial results. The conference call will coincide with the news release announcing fiscal second quarter earnings which will be distributed prior to the market open on Friday, April 24, 2009.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available at www.firstfinancialholdings.com. Additionally, the webcast will be recorded and available until July 31, 2009.

First Financial is the thrift holding company of First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Charleston. The Association offers banking and trust services through 58 offices located in the Charleston Metropolitan area, Horry, Georgetown, Florence and Beaufort counties in South Carolina and Brunswick County in coastal North Carolina. The Company also provides insurance and brokerage services through First Southeast Insurance Services, The Kimbrell Insurance Group and First Southeast Investor Services.

To go to the web site, click here: http://www.firstfinancialholdings.com/