Advocates for depositor-owned banks hope Warsaw Federal's $5 million capital raise will serve as a template for institutions in need of more capital than retained earnings can provide.

When it comes to delivering superior return on average equity, smaller banks frequently punch above their weight, according to a recent study by Capital Performance Group and American Banker.

The Maine-based bank's bid for Northway Financial was valued at $86.6 million. It is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 2025.

The all-stock transaction is slated to close in the second quarter of 2025. It would create a bank with more than $15 billion of assets.

The Ohio-based bank said it would hire 350 people to operate retail banking and wealth management businesses in a region where it recently launched commercial banking.

The bank faced credit setbacks in the nation's capital and margin pressure this year. But it made a series of hires to reduce risk and diversify its loan portfolio, preparing for a new era of demand as the industry awaits interest rate cuts.

Branches are being closed at a record pace because of mergers and financial reasons. If a closed branch is in a good location and meets certain other conditions, it can represent a low-cost way for a community bank to expand.

The Minneapolis-based banking giant is enjoying its biggest year ever for 7(a) lending, with volume up 40%, as borrowers "are still coming to us," its SBA chief said.

After hikes pinched profits across the industry, a move in the opposite direction could be the start of a more promising trend. But bankers caution that the immediate effects of a September rate cut figure to be small.

The inquiry, which is focusing on the nation's four largest airlines, aims to protect consumers from potentially unfair, deceptive and anticompetitive practices.