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.
Deals are still getting done in California, even though water issues continue to plague the state's economy. Still, buyers are finding themselves conducting more extensive due diligence to vet the markets and loan concentrations of targets.
The Salt Lake City company is targeting an efficiency ratio more in line with other regional banks by closing branches and finding ways to boost revenue. Zions hopes its efforts will reduce annual pretax expenses by $120 million by 2017.
Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., announced its second deal in Florida, a state that has been difficult for other out-of-state banks to enter.
The Salt Lake City company was a prolific acquirer through the 1990s but has been quiet on the M&A front for several years. It's likely to stay that way in the near term, Chairman and CEO Harris Simmons said.
Several Puerto Rican banks are dealing with a sour participation to a major utility on the island. The creditor like the Puerto Rican government is barred from filing for bankruptcy, complicating matters for its lenders.
The Miami area's economy is on the rebound and expanding beyond sun and fun. A new influx of money, investors and customers with international ties could feed local banks' balance sheets and top-line growth.
Top-performing community banks have found different ways to provide double-digit returns, despite numerous challenges facing the banking industry.
As more community banks switch to a universal banker model, they are also finding that it can take a year or more to properly train those employees.
During Monday's first-quarter earnings call, Zions executives took a moment to thank and tease CFO Doyle Arnold before he retires.
The Georgia company has been cutting costs, while reinvesting funds in new businesses and technology. While the moves are doing little to increase near-term return on assets, they could help Synovus improve its longer-term performance.
Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., posted higher quarterly earnings as its loan-loss provision continued to decline.
A slump in Zions Bancorp.'s noninterest income caused the Salt Lake City company to report lower quarterly earnings.
Californians are entering the fourth year of drought, forcing bankers to seriously consider the long-term implications for farmers and other industries. In some instances, banks are reviewing and changing underwriting practices to address risk.
Strategic acquisitions in payments and investment banking helped the Cleveland company absorb compressed margins and lackluster results elsewhere. Management also vowed to keep cutting costs, including ongoing efforts to pare back its branch network.
KeyCorp in Cleveland reported a drop in first-quarter earnings as expenses and its provision for loan losses crept up.
Bankers who hold political offices can become advocates for their communities while boosting the profile of their banks. Still, they must be mindful of the time constraints and potential conflicts of interest that come with having dual jobs.
The adoption of new anti-fraud card technology is prompting more community banks to consider supporting Apple Pay.
A key deadline for anti-fraud card technology is prompting more retailers and banks to take a hard look at mobile payments platforms.
OFG Bancorp in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has expanded its ATM network 34% by adding 85 machines throughout the territory.
Community Banker University will provide courses on topics ranging from wealth management and call reports to information technology and compliance. The platform will use a variety of channels such as in-person training and webinars.