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.
CIC Bancshares sale to Heartland Financial reflect a good cultural fit between the companies, but it also shows how the sellers management team struggled to find a suitable way to provide shareholders with liquidity.
The Georgia company is ready to return to buying banks, but it isnt looking for a game changer. Rather, management wants to ease into consolidation by acquiring a smaller institution.
Loan-loss provisions are trending up, partly due to an increase in overall lending but also because lenders are concerned about future losses on loans tied to the energy and manufacturing sectors.
Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., reported higher quarterly earnings that reflected an increase in fee income and cost control.
Zions Bancorp. in Salt Lake City posted stronger third-quarter earnings from lower costs and higher fee income. The $58.4 billion-asset company said in a press release Monday that its earnings rose 6% from a year earlier, to $84.2 million, or 41 cents a share.
Community banks, frustrated that online and email marketing often gets overlooked, are trying to get people to engage with local businesses in hopes of landing more clients.
BofI Holding in San Diego is poised to end a tumultuous week, after a lawsuit accusing it of lax controls sent investors scurrying.
Regional banks did a much better job of expanding revenue than their megabank counterparts in the third quarter, but they had to spend more to do so and risk angering investors in a tight-margin environment.
KeyCorp in Cleveland posted higher third-quarter profits as revenue soared on growth in fee income from its investment banking business.
Executives at United Community in Georgia say they have a list of 50 targets as the company nears $10 billion in assets. A large transformative deal would also be considered.
Foreign banks looking to buy a U.S. institution long faced tough scrutiny from the Federal Reserve, and the financial crisis has only made the process harder.
The long-delayed approval of the merger of M&T and Hudson City should have been a bright spot in postcrisis M&A, but a small footnote from the Fed quickly reminded bankers that dealmaking will remain a demanding process.
While banks have significantly decreased their problem assets from their 2010 peak, sour credits remain much higher than in 2006. A number of banks have been reluctant to sell these assets because of low interest rates and a struggle to find better investments.
By locking up key clients, minimizing employee attrition and embracing innovation, Margaret Keane has made all the right moves in preparing Synchrony Financial to stand on its own.
Activity at credit unions has been on the rise since the Bank Transfer Day movement in November 2011. It remains to be seen, however, if credit unions can succeed at keeping many of those relationships.
Banks are closing branches and relying more heavily on technology to serve customers. Concerns that online and mobile banking don't reach all customers could leave banks open to allegations of discrimination.
Community banks could be vulnerable to increased funding costs, particularly rates tied to retail deposits. Technology, and improved modeling, could help them hold onto more deposits.
Talented lenders and anxious clients should expect a full-court press from Pennsylvania's community banks as they look to take market share from of the state's newcomer.
Suncrest Bank is hoping that its team of experienced executives, combined with organic growth and acquisitions, will help more than double its assets in the next few years.
Traditional gadflies are again pressing banks to find buyers. They could soon be joined by less vocal investors who still know how to put pressure on executives and directors.