The combination, expected to close next year, would create a regional bank with $17 billion of deposits across 10 states.

Lower interest rates could bolster loan demand, credit quality and securities portfolios. But they could also curb lending profitability faster than they ease deposit costs, crimping net interest margins and eating into near-term profits.

The planned Altos Bank in Los Altos cleared a big hurdle this week when state regulators approved its application to open a startup bank. Organizers are hoping for a soft opening before year-end.

Most financial institutions are seeking ways to speed up payments, but one neobank is looking to slow them down to protect a segment of the population frequently targeted by scams.

Increased demand from borrowers may hinge on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and his colleagues cutting interest rates this fall.

In a sea of generically named "First Banks of X" and "Community Banks of Y," financial institutions must decide if the painstaking rebranding process is worth the investment and risk to stand out.

Industry Bancshares got into a deep hole after rising interest rates tanked the value of its sizable bond portfolio. Now the Texas community bank is expecting a $195 million capital infusion and taking steps to start relying more on revenue from loans.

The Ames-based Ames National Corp. has watched its profits shrink over the past two years amid increased funding costs and stiff competition for deposits.

Toronto-Dominion Bank's expensive foray into the U.S. was supposed to supercharge its growth. Instead, it's become a drag on profitability and badly dented the lender's reputation.