Commercial lending

The Connecticut company has struggled to put deposits from its health savings account business to work across the Northeast. Buying Sterling Bancorp for $5 billion will provide Webster with new opportunities in a number of business lines, including asset-based lending and equipment finance.

Funds affiliated with HPS Investment Partners plan to buy Marlin Business Services for $282 million.

The Maryland company recently raised $345 million to form the subsidiary and fund growth opportunities for its bank.

The leaders of Citizens Financial and Truist predict lending will bounce back in the second half of 2021 as the economy normalizes. But PNC chief Bill Demchak says there are scant signs that businesses are gearing up for a rebound.

The Arkansas company, once a prolific acquirer, last bought a bank in 2017 but now has three M&A deals in the works as it seeks new sources of growth.

Organizers of Integrity Bank for Business must raise around $19.9 million before they can open the bank.

BofA is awash in liquidity, but an uptick in credit card applications and heightened interest from commercial borrowers have executives hopeful that loan demand will soon rebound.

Business owners have shown little interest in taking on debt during the pandemic. Will their attitudes change as the economy improves?

When it was launched a year ago, the program was criticized for glitches and a focus on larger borrowers. Since then technical improvements have been made, smaller loans have been prioritized, and other changes favored by lenders have been implemented.

Brian Mauntel, who previously served as president of Heartland Bank in Ohio, will join Citizens Business Bank in late April.