Robert Barba

BB&T wants to trim expenses, and its effort should include little things like conserving electricity at the office, CEO Kelly King says.

Revenue is expected to strengthen at least a little in the second quarter, but cost-cutting is here to stay until the economy really improves.

Richard Davis, whose U.S. Bancorp reported a quarterly revenue slowdown, says the threat of higher rates actually would stir complacent corporate borrowers to seek more credit. But when that would happen is anybody's guess.

When Iberiabank lowered the amount of money it expects to receive in FDIC loss-sharing, it meant some credits are performing better than expected — and that some losses might show up after the FDIC agreement runs out.

Shareholders for M&T and Hudson City will meet next week to vote on the banks' merger, though a Fed review of M&T's anti-money-laundering compliance could throw a wrench in the works.

The Bellevue, Wash., bank has done fine on its own, but decided to buy a smaller version of itself in hopes of boosting market value. And its CEO says he's not done dealing.

AmericanWest Bank in Spokane, Wash., has promoted an insider to oversee its expansion into Oregon and northern California.

Stieven, who has followed banks 30 years, managed a portfolio teeming with bank buyers. Still, he cautions against deals that only build scale.

The company announced two deals in the first quarter, ending a three-year drought after raising millions to buy banks.

Provident New York says the addition of Sterling Bancorp will super-size returns. Analysts are sold on the combo but question whether the profitability projections for it are realistic.

Provident New York scouted other potential targets in the New York City region besides Sterling, but too many of them still think they can survive as independents, CEO Jack Kopnisky says.

Atlantic Coast Financial in Jacksonville expected disgruntled shareholder Jay Sidhu to blast its deal to sell itself to Bond Street Holdings — and he came through.

Fewer bank deals were struck in the first quarter compared with a year earlier and the fourth quarter, despite increasing optimism about consolidation and the economy.

CNB is an infrequent buyer but agreed to acquire a smaller bank near Columbus, Ohio, as a way to enter a market without abandoning its preference for organic growth.

Provident New York Bancorp wants to join forces with a similarly sized bank, KBW analyst Collyn Gilbert says. But a pool crowded with rival buyers is crimping its plans.

Most of the $45 million value of 1st United Bancorp's deal for Enterprise Bancorp is a gamble by Enterprise shareholders that they can keep and collect on Enterprise's problem assets. It's a clever way to avoid a common dealbreaker.

Investor Umberto Fedeli began pushing for changes at PVF Capital as early as 2007. After joining the board, helping the company turn itself around and eventually sell itself, he reflects on what it took to survive.

Peyton Patterson. Cathy Nash. Al de Molina. These and other names surfaced as possible successors to John Koelmel, who was ousted this week as CEO of First Niagara in Buffalo, N.Y.

The current M&A cycle has its first cautionary tale in John Koelmel and his departure from First Niagara. The Buffalo bank expanded rapidly but erred in its deal for the HSBC branches.

LNB Bancorp in Lorain, Ohio, has retired a large chunk of its bailout money by offering its owners common stock.