Jim Dobbs

The privately held First Missouri Bank has rebranded as Verimore Bank.

Auto loan growth eased substantially in the second quarter amid competitive pressures from credit unions and other lenders.

Bank lending activity grew at a strong clip in the second quarter and continues to expand. Yet rising interest rates and recession concerns could hamper future growth.

The acquisition of Town and Country Financial would provide the buyer entrance into Springfield and St. Louis Metro East.

The credit union's CEO said a state judge supported the regulatory opposition to its bid to acquire Premier Bank in Omaha, effectively killing the deal.

The seller, Farmers Bankshares, has $609 million of assets and eight branches.

Corporations are navigating shifting geopolitics, and M&A bankers are advising them as they consider selling off faraway units and focusing more on assets closer to home or in friendlier countries.

The West Virginia bank said its acquisition of Integrated Financial Holdings in North Carolina would give it SBA and USDA lending teams that have originated more than $1 billion of loans since 2018.

Rising interest rates, lower stock prices and other headwinds have caused many banks to pump the brakes on dealmaking. But some are betting that these trends will be too short-lived to deter them from engaging in mergers and acquisitions.

The serial acquirer agreed to pay $488.6 million for Professional Bank, which operates in areas of South Florida that have seen an influx of business activity since the start of the pandemic.