Jackie Stewart is the executive editor of American Banker Magazine. Previously, she covered breaking news, community banks and mergers and acquisitions for American Banker before being named as the managing editor of the Credit Union Journal. After graduating from Northwestern University in 2006, Jackie taught for two years in the Bronx, N.Y., through Teach for America.
Daryl Tressler will retire as president and CEO of MainSource Bank in Greensburg, Ind., at the end of this year.
Regulators have warned about the dangers of high commercial real estate concentrations despite bankers' assertions that they are managing risk better than they did before the financial crisis. Still, CRE concerns could influence M&A and loan diversification in 2017.
So now what? New York Community Bancorp and Astoria Financial have been mum about why they nixed their merger agreement, or where they go next, but the companies have a surprising number of options in the current climate.
Pacific Metro Bank would cater to Chinese-Americans around Atlanta. The application process is worth watching since the group is seeking the first Georgia charter in seven years and would be based in a market where more than 90 banks have failed since 2007.
Pacific Premier in California has been firing on all cylinders when it comes to lending, but it needed low-cost deposits. Buying Heritage Oaks Bancorp will do just that.
The new chairman of Republic First was famously ousted from Commerce Bancorp because of conflict-of-interest concerns years ago. His new bank uses some Hill-related companies for marketing and other services but says that it has structured the relationship in a way that passes muster with regulators.
Three fund managers and two advisory firms have soured on PrivateBancorp's planned sale to CIBC, raising the possibility that investors could nix the deal. What would happen next is anyone's guess.
The Music City is booming because of entertainment and health care. Still, banks are monitoring growth in areas such as real estate development for signs of stress.
Anthony Labozzetta, CEO of Sussex Bancorp in New Jersey, isn't afraid of change. His unusual approach to banking helped Sussex emerge from the financial crisis with momentum. Now he's building a branch model that could serve as a blueprint for growth-minded banks.
The pending purchase of Carlile Bancshares will lower Independent's concentration in commercial real estate, while introducing the company to fast-growing markets in Texas and Colorado.
Montana's biggest bank will have to compete in cities such as Seattle and Portland, Ore., after buying Cascade Bancorp. But the company is arguably more excited about its chances to grow in central Oregon and Idaho, which are more like its existing markets.
The Farm Service Agency and the Small Business Administration seem to be taking longer to approve guarantees for loans to facilities that house livestock, creating another headache for bankers.
New York Community's acquisition of Astoria Financial will not get the necessary regulatory OK this year, but both parties remain committed to the transaction, the CRE-heavy acquirer said.
Will another reason for market fluctuations hurt stock-heavy merger agreements? Will the promise of lighter regulation give buyers more time to chase deals, or encourage prospective sellers to stay independent? The wheels are already turning in the minds of dealmakers after Trump's defeat of Clinton.
Zions Bancorp. in Salt Lake City disclosed that it had entered into a "substantive settlement discussion" with the Justice Department regarding an probe into its payment-processing practices.
Prosperity Bancshares is hopeful it will be able to announce its next bank deal in the near future. Such chatter provides hope that Texas banks are moving past oil concerns and renewing merger talks.
Consumer compliance was already an important issue for regulators who vet bank deals, but it is expected to move up on their priority list after Wells' phony-account saga. Banks that seek M&A approvals should make sure their cross-sale and incentives policies along with those of their targets are bulletproof.
The Bancorp's stock fell nearly 15% Friday after the Wilmington, Del., company reported a large quarterly loss tied to a bad commercial real estate loan.
Iberiabanks stock fell in morning trading after the Lafayette, La., company posted third-quarter profits that missed expectations.
The regulatory environment could be looking brighter for New York Community Bancorp as it is poised to cross an important regulatory threshold.