Chris Cumming

Cullen/Frost Bankers (CFR) in San Antonio posted higher quarterly earnings because of strong loan growth and a securities gain.

New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) in Westbury, N.Y., reported earnings that were short of analysts' expectations because a surge in refinancing cut its net interest margin.

BOK Financial (BOKF) in Oklahoma City reported higher quarterly earnings because of higher mortgage-banking income.

In announcing plans to buy the $2.8 billion-asset Virginia Commerce, United Bankshares has made a deal that will dramatically increase its market share around the nation's capital.

The Spokane, Wash., company has agreed to sell three branches to Pacific Financial (PFLC) in Aberdeen, Wash. The branches are in Astoria, Ore., Seaside, Ore., and Aberdeen.

FirstMerit (FMER) of Akron, Ohio, seeks to raise as much as $350 million in connection with its deal for Citizens Republic Bancorp (CRBC).

First Niagara Financial Group (FNFG) in Buffalo, N.Y., has filled its openings for general counsel and human resources manager from within.

The Federal Reserve Board has approved an application by NongHyup Bank to open a branch and a representative office in New York. The bank currently already has a representative office in New York and a nonbank unit in California.

WesBanco in Wheeling, W. Va., reported higher quarterly earnings because of a lower loan-loss provision and higher interest income.

BankUnited (BKU) of Miami Lakes, Fla., reported better-than-expected earnings in the fourth quarter as a surge in interest income more than offset a dip in fee income and the impact of a penalty for pre-paying Federal Home Loan bank advances.

Lake Shore Bancorp (LSBK) in Dunkirk, N.Y., is ready to make a change at the top as two directors approach retirement age.

National Bank Holdings (NBHC) reported a higher quarterly profit thanks to a wider net interest margin and lower tax and loan-loss provisions.

Identity-security firm HID Global and biometrics company BehavioSec have released a fraud-detection system that relies on behavioral cues like typing speed and pressure to identify security breaches.

Eight new members have joined the committee that advises the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on community-bank policy.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is standing up for megabanks against growing criticism and calls for their breakup.

Zions Bancorp. (ZION) posted lower fourth-quarter earnings after taking a big charge on its holdings of collateralized debt obligations.

Dexter Credit Union, a Rhode Island credit union, now uses technology from Q2ebanking for online banking, text banking and mobile apps.

Sierra Vista Bank (SVBA) in Folsom, Calif., is soldiering on with newly raised capital, though its profit shrank in the fourth quarter.

Jeanne Capachin is leaving the "rat race" analyst world for public relations firm Graber.

Attunity's Repliweb software can now copy data to an open-source framework such as Hadoop.