Robert Barba is the technology editor of American Banker. Robert previously served as deputy editor of American Banker's dealmaking and strategy section. He joined American Banker in late 2007 as a community banking reporter, just in time for the financial crisis. Robert played a lead role in covering community banks' struggle for survival in the years following the downturn. Robert has appeared on Fox Business to discuss bank failures and the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program. Prior to joining American Banker, Robert was a general business reporter at Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers in Stuart, Fla. He began his career as a business desk intern at The Denver Post and Boulder Daily Camera. Robert is based in New York.
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Evertec (EVTC), a payments business Popular started 25 years ago, filed a secondary offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday to sell 20 million shares, including 9 million shares currently held by the $37 billion-asset Popular.
September 10 -
FirstMerit, M&T Bank and New York Community Bancorp are buyers in different stages of the acquisition process, and their executives together provided an insightful look into the full M&A experience this week.
September 10 -
A bankruptcy judge's decision to lower breakup fees in the auction of Metropolitan National gives Simmons First and others a chance at unseating stalking horse Ford Financial. The results could encourage more interest in bidding for bank units of bankrupt holding companies.
September 6 -
The decision by private-equity backers of Sterling Financial to push for a sale of the entire Spokane company, rather than to merely unload their shares, surprised investors. It also showed that investor exits are a complex business which often defy expectations.
September 5 -
When it agreed to be sold to Stifel last year, KBW was painted as a victim of weak bank M&A and the transformation of investment banking. Things are looking up now as the combined company ranked as the top advisor in four of six U.S. regions at midyear.
September 1 -
The complexion of bank M&A has changed, say investment bankers at St. Charles Capital in Denver: buyers and sellers are healthier, both sides are closer together on valuations and more buyers are approaching targets directly in lieu of bidding wars.
August 27 -
M&T Bank is expected to complete its purchase of Hudson City Bancorp despite unexpected regulatory issues. But an analyst had fun speculating about who might step in as the buyer if that deal collapsed.
August 23 -
Merger negotiations are starting to resemble job interviews as more bankers hope to retain some level of control after begrudgingly selling their institutions.
August 22 -
Capital One says it will take its time in deciding the best way to bring apartment lender Beech Street Capital into the fold. Execs look to add the benefits of the originate-to-sell lender without messing up its winning formula.
August 19 -
Cullen/Frost Bankers, led by Dick Evans, is breaking into oil-rich west Texas with a deal for WNB Bancshares. The seller was attractive partly because it resembled Cullen/Frost, Evans says.
August 15 -
The struggling Anchor (ABCW) in Madison has commitments of $175 million of fresh capital, but creditor Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC) refused to sign off on the deal, according to bankruptcy court documents. Anchor then filed for Chapter 11 to facilitate it recapitalization.
August 14 -
Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin finally found some capital after a four-year search, but that wasn't enough. It has filed for Chapter 11 as a way to get Associated Banc-Corp, one of its creditors and competitors, to consent to its recapitalization.
August 13 -
Determined to stay independent, Allegiance Bancshares is looking for more deals like its recent one with Independence Bank so it can get big enough to go public. Other Texas banks could be attracted by the chance to join a soon-to-be public company.
August 12 -
Bank of Wausau was shut down by Wisconsin regulators Friday.
August 9 -
As a good bank in a hard-hit state, Gulfstream Bancshares in Stuart, Fla., focused on getting in the best shape to be above reproach to potential buyers. The strategy worked, and its agreement to sell itself to CenterState could embolden others.
August 8 -
With the market starting to value banks on their earnings rather than their book values, buyers are looking for deals that will prop up their bottom lines over the long term and are willing to pay more.
August 5 -
Carrollton Bancorp (CRRB) announced Thursday that its chief financial officer had resigned from the company roughly 75 days after it hired him.
August 1 -
The serial acquirer in Rosemont, Ill., announced Wednesday that it has agreed to buy the $165 million-asset Diamond Bancorp, which has a branch on Chicago's north side and three branches in its northern suburbs.
July 31 -
The Seattle mortgage lender's agreements to buy two small banks would give it more commercial lending expertise and put it in the company of other banks like Sterling Financial and AmericanWest that are engaged in M&A-driven makeovers.
July 31 -
The Florida bank says that after a string of troubled-bank acquisitions that brought it lots of short-term benefits, it is turning to deals like its agreement for Gulfstream that will juice earnings over the long haul.
July 30
