Kristin Broughton

On paper, conditions would seem favorable for regional banks to pursue acquisitions in order to overcome organic growth challenges. But executives have poured cold water on that idea in recent days.

The Providence, R.I., company reported a 27% gain in profits thanks partly to a boost in fee income from its purchase of Franklin American Mortgage in August.

A shifting C&I landscape, heated competition for deposits and red flags in consumer lending also took center stage in often testy exchanges between bankers and analysts on quarterly earnings calls.

The New York bank, which reported a 25% increase in third-quarter earnings Thursday, recently began serving digital-asset companies and private equity firms.

The appointment comes nearly two years after Davis said he was stepping down from the Minneapolis bank to pursue "another calling."

Executives are reluctant to pull back on their big investments in technology, arguing they must stay competitive and that they have flexibility in other areas to trim costs if growth begins to stagnate.

The Minneapolis company, which reported strong profits but 1% loan growth, is hiring middle-market bankers in New York and launching a digital lending platform aimed at small businesses.

The Dallas bank has picked a bad time to shift from cost-cutting to expansion as big banks are in a commercial lending funk.

The Dallas company reported a 41% increase in 3Q earnings despite lackluster performances in lending, deposits and fee income.

The largest U.S. bank's strong third quarter did not insulate its leaders from being pressed about the downside of pricey investments in technology, whether capital rules make commercial lending growth hard for big banks to achieve, and whether another economic downturn is edging closer.