ORANGE COUNTY EARNINGS

PNB Financial Group: The Newport Beach parent of Pacific National Bank said first-quarter profits surged 78%, to $1.67 million, or 60 cents a share, thanks to increases in lending volume and deposits and a decline in nonperforming assets. A year ago, PNB earned $939,000, or 35 cents a share. Assets in the quarter rose 38%, to $258.1 million as residential lending volume rose 58%, to $347 million. Nonperforming assets fell to $1.7 million as of March 31, from $7 million a year earlier.