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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The Treasury Department has agreed to take a haircut on its equity in Broadway Financial in Los Angeles to help the company bring in new capital.
February 16 -
Carver Bancorp Inc. in New York reported a loss of $700,000 for its fiscal third quarter, as the recapitalized company took steps to mark down its problems assets.
February 14 -
Investors would be interested in buying Emigrant's 32 New York branches if the price is right and a deal can be done soon, Investors CEO Cummings says, according to a report.
February 14 -
Greg Gonzales closed two banks last month and a slew of new problem banks could keep him busy this year. In a recent interview, he says his strategy gives struggling banks a reality check, but enough rope as possible to solve their problems.
February 13 -
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency closed two Midwestern banks Friday, bringing the failure tally so far this year to nine. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., as the receiver of the failed national banks, was able to find other institutions to resolve the failures.
February 10 -
Private-equity firms complain about the government dragging its feet in approving their bank deals, but the investors in ECB Bancorp may have found a silver lining.
February 9 -
The gap between healthy banks and those that remain in the doldrums will fuel acquisition activity in the coming years, a Virginia investment management firm predicts.
February 8 -
Old Second Bank remained well-capitalized at year-end, but the company's stubborn portfolio of nonperforming assets continues to present a challenge to capital levels.
February 7 -
The FDIC has fined Stuart Voigt, a former Vikings player, and wants to ban him from banking after accusing him of improper dealings as chairman of a Minnesota bank.
February 2 -
Several banks recaptured deferred tax assets in the fourth quarter, regaining an asset they had to remove from balance sheets as quarterly losses piled up during the financial crisis. Banks that are reclaiming these assets have been able to boost capital levels.
February 1 -
There have always been regulatory impediments to the pursuit of profit, but bankers are increasingly worried about how to preserve the self-determination they have left.
February 1 -
MountainOne Financial Partners in North Adams, Mass., is merging two of its thrifts under one charter in an effort to become more efficient.
January 31 -
Republic Bancorp and the FDIC seemed to have put last year's legal tussle to rest after reaching an agreement to transfer ownership of Tennessee Commerce Bank.
January 30 -
In the matter of an evening, Tennessee jumped from having no bank failures so far this crisis, to being tied with Florida so far this year.
January 27 -
Citizens Republic Bancorp Inc.'s total loan portfolio shrunk $500 million last year, but it entered 2012 with big strides in commercial and industrial lending.
January 27 -
MB Financial Inc.'s fourth-quarter results fell shy of Wall Street's expectations, but things are still looking up for the Chicago company.
January 27 -
Tennessee has managed to escape the downturn relatively unscathed, and hasn't had a bank fail since 2002. But a new crop of undercapitalized banks and other strugglers have put 10% of the state's banks at some risk of failure.
January 26 -
The Michigan company reported its fourth straight annual loss, despite a dogged attempt to harness problem credits.
January 25 -
After spending much of 2011 watching its loans shrink, PrivateBancorp Inc. in Chicago increased its loans by nearly 4% during the fourth quarter. That boost was enough to lift analysts' confidence and estimates.
January 25 -
Wilbur Ross says in an email to American Banker that BankUnited tried to sell only after an unnamed investment bank told management it could fetch a "substantial premium above market."
January 24
