Paul Davis

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 company said it is trying to improve shareholder returns as rising rates cut into its net interest margin.

The North Carolina company reported slightly lower costs and a stable net interest margin in the third quarter.

The company will pay $42 million for Oak Park River Forest Bancshares.

Many community banks face the same challenges that drove AJS Bancorp to become a seller, but few if any would go to the lengths that it did to seek a buyer.

BankMobile will remain part of Customers for at least two years after regulatory snags derailed a plan to transfer the unit to a Florida bank.

The Montana company will spend $200 million to buy Idaho Independent and Community 1st Bank.

The Federal Reserve System is trying to be proactive in these and other high-profile areas, offering educational materials and coaching to bank execs and directors, according to supervision officials at the St. Louis and Richmond Fed banks.

The company agreed to buy Mainland Bank for nearly $20 million in stock.

Union Bankshares will gain 15 branches and $2 billion in loans in northern Virginia after it buys Access National.

Speaking at an industry conference Thursday, two tech executives and a community banker said that community banks should be allowed to experiment with new products without worrying about running afoul of regulators.

Better incentives to lend and invest in underserved communities are also worthy of consideration, Loretta Mester says, as regulators try to blend the best of the Community Reinvestment Act with new ideas in updating its rules.

The economy could “positively slow down in mid-2019” and consumer debt levels are a huge concern, but technology and lessons learned from the crisis could still create opportunity for small banks, says Beneficial’s Gerry Cuddy ahead of a big speech on current conditions.

Citizens & Northern will pay $43 million for the $348 million-asset Monument.

AmeriNational Community Services plans to form an industrial bank in Nevada.

Perseverance and commitment are two requirements to get more minority bankers into senior leadership positions.

The Alabama-based credit union will gain three locations, along with $138 million in loans, as part of a deal with Georgia-based Synovus Financial.

Jefferson Financial Federal Credit Union will gain three locations, along with $138 million in loans, as part of the transaction.

Fiserv will buy the business, once known as Elan ATM and Debit Processing, for $690 million.

Seven other banks passed on a chance to bid on FCB Financial, perhaps showing the small pool of large buyers eager to make a big commitment to the Sunshine State.