Chris Cumming

A judge has ruled that the involuntary bankruptcy of FMB Bancshares in Lakeland, Ga., may proceed, a decision that could embolden more trust-preferred creditors to pursue a similar strategy.

Leaders of large community banks in the Southeast are keen on acquisitions, though their level of interest varies widely. Some, like Home BancShares in Arkansas, are eager to line up the next big deal. Others, including Bank of the Ozarks, seem content to steal lenders and open offices after several years of acquisitions.

The company is opening high-tech loan production offices and using data analytics to match customers with products. But like other banks seeking to modernize, Seacoast is trying to balance short-term needs with costly long-term investments.

Many banks are aggressively closing branches to cut costs. Those banks must be mindful about branches in moderate- and low-income neighborhoods or risk downgrades after their next Community Reinvestment Act examination.

A new study finds that P2P borrowers want the option to use branches. Could this be an opportunity for banks?

The Connecticut company was an early adopter of branch modernization, starting an effort four years ago that has led to the closure of underperforming locations, enhanced digital offerings and use of universal bankers.

The resurgence of subprime auto lending has stoked fears about poor underwriting and drawn parallels to the subprime mortgage debacle , but a group of economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York say there is no reason to panic.

Subprime auto originations have nearly doubled in recent years, which has led to warnings of a bubble. But the fears are overstated, especially for banks, which have made fewer loans to borrowers with the lowest credit scores, four New York Fed economists said.

Nearly six months after some CertusBank investors demanded a total management overhaul, the Greenville, S.C., company elected six new board members at an annual meeting last week. Yet investors remain very concerned about the company's ongoing losses and capital levels, new Chairman John Poelker says.

Banks that own broker-dealers need to hold more capital to withstand runs and other shocks, said Eric Rosengren, the head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston said Wednesday.

A loyal patron of the Connecticut bank celebrated her upcoming 95th birthday with some flowers courtesy of the CEO and a chauffeured ride to the annual meeting.

Heritage Bank in Jonesboro, Ga., became one of the first banks to retire trust-preferred securities held by the FDIC after a complex, year-long negotiation. The transaction could be a model for dozens of other lenders trying to avoid default and possible bankruptcy.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has issued new guidelines on the sale of consumer debt, a move that could help reform a practice that consumer groups say is plagued by errors and abuses.

Bank of the Ozarks' deal to buy Intervest Bancshares looks a bit odd on paper because the two are very different and operation in different of parts of the country. However, Intervest would give Ozarks a commercial lending niche it lacks.

Banks, especially small to midsize ones, have been rewarded with strong loan growth this year. But heavy competition and uncertain economic forecasts are forcing them to keep fine-tuning their growth strategies, asset mixes and risk tolerance.

The troubled Greenville, S.C., bank lost $15 million in the second quarter, its first quarterly results since a new management team replaced the three founders who were fired in April. Moreover, local NAACP leaders have raised concerns about the firings, which they say sent a toxic message to the local African-American community.

A number of community banks reported higher loan-loss provisions during the second quarter despite improved credit quality. For some, the burgeoning trend could be yet another sign that the industry is getting back on track.

CEO Joe Ficalora says the thrift has ways it can buy time to announce a transformative acquisition or benefit from a change in the definition of what it requires to be a systemically important institution. With OneWest off the table, industry observers wonder if the thrift can find the deal it’s been looking for.

New York Community Bancorp's quarterly profit slipped from a year earlier despite strong loan growth and gains from property sales.

Regions Financial in Birmingham, Ala., met bullish second-quarter earnings expectations as loan growth offset a decline in fee income.