John Reosti

Business First Bancshares CEO Jude Melville and Progressive Bancorp head George Cummings are both second-generation bank CEOs — common ground that helped propel an $83 million merger deal.

Baton Rouge-based Business First Bancshares would pad its margin as Louisiana's largest state-chartered bank with an all-stock deal for Progressive Bancorp.

A pair of surveys released in June indicates that small-business owners have growing confidence, while startup activity and SBA lending are demonstrating continued strength.

Baton Rouge-based Investar Holding Corp. has agreed to pay $84 million for Wichita Falls Bancshares, which operates five branches in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

After passing the Federal Reserve's stress tests with high marks, large banks announced dividend increases. In some cases, they also said the Fed had conceded that certain prior calculations needed to be revised.

Starting at 4:30 p.m., the 22 large banks that were stress-tested by the Fed can release information about their plans for dividend increases and share repurchases.

Dime Community Bancshares, which has added dozens of bankers over the past two years, is now ready to consider expanding its geography.

Richmond, Virginia-based Atlantic Union Bankshares has sold $2 billion in performing commercial real estate loans to Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies. 

The prolific purchaser is entering the state in a bid to expand its Southwest presence.

Cincinnati-based First Financial scooped up Westfield Bank near Cleveland after Westfield's parent company decided to exit the bank space and focus on its core insurance business.