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Medallion Financial Corp. Announces First Quarter Results

- Operating Earnings reach $0.16 per share

- Loan Portfolio reaches record high

- Stock Buy Back extended

- Dividend Increased

NEW YORK, May 9 -- Medallion Financial Corp. , a specialty finance company with a leading position in servicing the taxicab industry and in commercial and consumer lending to targeted niche industries, announced net investment income after taxes of $2,760,000, or $0.16 per diluted share for the 2005 first quarter, compared to a loss of $62,000 or $0.00 per share, in the 2004 first quarter. Net increase in net assets resulting from operations was $2,236,000 or $0.13 per share for the 2005 quarter, compared to a loss of $1,380,000 or $0.08 per share in the 2004 quarter.

The taxicab medallion loan portfolio increased to $408,271,000, up from $392,131,000 at year-end. The commercial and consumer loan portfolios increased to $216,171,056 from $203,165,639. Total assets increased to $734,817,000 from $709,910,000.

Over the last 12 months, taxicab medallion loans have grown by 33%, commercial loans by 40%, and total assets by 53%.

Andrew Murstein, President of Medallion stated, "We are very pleased with our continuing trends of increased margins and quarterly earnings. During this quarter, we reached several all-time highs, including an outstanding medallion loan portfolio of $408,000,000, and total assets under management of $845,000,000. New York City medallion prices have also continued to rise during the quarter. Since late 2001, corporate medallion values have increased from $195,000 per medallion to approximately $390,000 today. With another New York City taxicab medallion auction of newly issued medallions scheduled for later this year, along with strong loan demand, we expect our portfolio to continue to grow. We remain very well positioned for the future."

Larry Hall, CFO stated, "Loan quality continued to remain strong, and remains one of the hallmarks of Medallion Financial. Delinquent loans more than 90 days past due have decreased to 2.9% of the loan portfolio from 5.7% one year ago. Finally, we are also pleased to announce the extension of our stock repurchase program for an additional six-month period. As our book value per share has risen to $9.86 from $8.74 one year ago, we feel it is both accretive to our earnings and our book value to continue repurchasing our stock. With the sale of most of the assets of our Business Lenders, LLC subsidiary expected to close by the end of this quarter upon final regulatory approval, we expect to receive significant cash, thus further strengthening our liquidity and balance sheet."

The Company also announced that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.12 per share on its common stock for the 2005 first quarter, an increase from $0.11 in the fourth quarter, and up from $0.08 a year ago. The dividend is payable on May 31, 2005 to shareholders of record on May 20, 2005. Since the Company's initial public offering in 1996, the Company has paid out over $85,000,000 in dividends, or $5.89 per share.

Medallion Financial Corp. is a specialty finance company with a leading position in the origination and servicing of loans financing the purchase of taxicab medallions and related assets. The Company also originates and services commercial and consumer loans financing small businesses in other targeted markets. The Company and its subsidiaries have lent over $2 billion to the taxicab industry and commercial equipment industries.

Please note that this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to business performance, cash flow, costs, sales, net investment income, earnings, and growth. Medallion's actual results may differ significantly from the results discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, those factors discussed under the heading "Investment Considerations," in Medallion's 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

                     Medallion Financial Corporation
                      Consolidated Income Statements

                                                 Quarter Ended
                                        March 31,  December 31,   March 31,
                                          2005         2004         2004

  Total investment income             $12,966,259  $11,255,249   $6,485,248
  Total interest expense                5,221,336    4,982,921    2,897,692

  Net interest income                   7,744,923    6,272,328    3,587,556

  Gain on sale of loans                   239,520      173,948      213,278
  Other income                            673,238      757,133      550,264
  Total noninterest income                912,758      931,081      763,542

  Salaries and benefits                 2,912,428    2,249,620    2,401,722
  Professional fees                       505,257      465,118      454,532
  Other operating expenses              1,923,308    1,854,145    1,511,606
  Total operating expenses              5,340,993    4,568,883    4,367,860

  Net investment income
   before income taxes                  3,316,688    2,634,526      (16,762)
  Income tax provision                    556,661      496,460       45,100
  Net investment income after tax       2,760,027    2,138,066      (61,862)

  Net realized gains (losses)
   on investments                       2,047,887    3,272,872     (199,234)
  Net change in unrealized app/(dep)   (2,572,235)  (1,823,410)  (1,118,591)
  Net realized/unrealized gain (loss)    (524,348)   1,449,462   (1,317,825)

  Net increase in net assets
   from operations                     $2,235,679   $3,587,528  $(1,379,687)

  Weighted average shares
  Basic                                17,135,682   17,575,356   18,219,999
  Diluted                              17,605,676   18,030,899   18,676,754

  Net investment income after
   income taxes per share
  Basic                                     $0.16        $0.12       $(0.00)
  Diluted                                    0.16         0.12        (0.00)

  Net increase in net assets per share
  Basic                                     $0.13        $0.20       $(0.08)
  Diluted                                    0.13         0.20        (0.07)

  Declared dividends per share              $0.12        $0.11        $0.08

                     Medallion Financial Corporation
                       Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                                 March 31,     December 31,
                                                    2005           2004
  ASSETS
  Medallion loans                              $408,271,424   $392,131,108
  Commercial loans                              147,258,623    136,834,891
  Consumer loans                                 68,912,433     66,330,748
  Equity investments                             30,973,295     33,645,424
  Investment securities                          18,765,147     14,598,837
  Net investments                               674,180,922    643,541,008

  Cash                                           30,395,053     37,267,122
  Accrued interest receivable                     3,229,195      3,062,608
  Servicing fee receivable                        2,274,178      2,312,040
  Fixed assets, net                               1,011,031        991,901
  Goodwill, net                                   5,007,583      5,007,583
  Other assets                                   18,719,070     17,727,362
  Total assets                                 $734,817,032   $709,909,624

  LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
  Accounts payable and accrued expenses         $10,118,253    $11,756,337
  Accrued interest payable                          639,265      1,758,956
  Floating rate borrowings                      297,173,074    274,959,911
  Fixed rate borrowings                         259,655,871    250,973,035
  Total liabilities                             567,586,463    539,448,239

  Total shareholders' equity                    167,230,569    170,461,385
  Total liabilities and shareholders' equity   $734,817,032   $709,909,624

  Number of common shares outstanding            16,955,865     17,344,999
  Net asset value per share                           $9.86          $9.83

  Total managed loans                          $734,317,657   $718,462,564
  Total managed assets                          844,692,209    833,075,441