Jackie Stewart

The Windy City is littered with small, privately held banks, some of which are looking to sell. Here is an overview of the challenges — and possible solutions — faced by those banks and ones like them in clogged banking markets around the country.

Several court decisions in Delaware could make it harder for shareholders to sue banks following a merger announcement.

Zions Bancorp. in Salt lake City posted higher quarterly earnings after cutting expenses and making more loans.

KeyCorp is on pace to complete its biggest acquisition to date next week. The company will face intense scrutiny to deliver promised financial returns as quickly as possible.

KeyCorp in Cleveland posted lower quarterly profit as merger-related expenses cut into the bottom line.

North Carolina's second-biggest community bank agreed to sell itself at a rich premium, signaling that the state has become an attractive market for acquirers. Adding an out-of-state bank could also create opportunities for *locals* to poach business.

BancorpSouth in Tupelo, Miss., reported weaker quarterly profit after boosting its loan-loss provision and recording lower fee income.

H. Rodgin Cohen has just about seen it all over his decades of work advising bankers. The well-known lawyer looks at existing issues for banks while reflecting on past mergers that paid off for their participants.

Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., reported higher second-quarter earnings on solid growth in revenue and loans for investment properties.

Banks with a special focus, such as social equality or environmental sustainability, have to overcome additional hurdles while looking for an acquisition.

Royal Bank of Canada and CIBC have plunked down $9 billion in the past year to buy U.S. banks, ending a brief lull from Canadian banks. Expect more activity from those banks and others.

The Canadian company took its time before making a bank acquisition in the U.S. The wait allowed management to address internal performance, assess the market and find the right bank to buy.

The Canadian company is determined to rely on low-cost deposits, lending prowess and cross-selling to justify the price it will pay for PrivateBancorp. Each of those strategies could backfire, highlighting why most acquirers emphasize cost-cutting when pitching a deal.

Suffolk Bancorp said increased oversight of commercial real estate contributed to — and may have accelerated — its decision to sell to People's United. Other banks could make a similar choice.

First Bancorp in Southern Pines, N.C., has agreed to buy Carolina Bank Holdings for $97.3 million, or $19.26, in cash and stock.

More institutions are willing to pursue small acquisitions, or rely on organic growth, to cross over a regulatory threshold that includes interchange fee caps and stress testing. A big reason is that bankers are becoming more comfortable with the financial toll of such regulation.

Bankers are donating money and promoting blood drives in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. However, a long-term strategy to stay involved with the issues that the tragedy has brought to light is also considered important.

The financial crisis, and its aftermath, created a new layer of regulation to consider. A growing need to fund technology projects and an uncertain rate environment have only made it harder to forecast revenue and expenses.

Bankers have long complained that customers are fee averse. Aspiration, a nonbank that is working with a Boston bank, has a model that is proving that some clients will voluntarily pay fees.

A number of banks have faced pressure from shareholders to ditch plurality voting, where directors can keep their seats even if they fail to receive majority support from investors.