First Niagara Financial Group (FNFG) in Buffalo, N.Y., met quarterly estimates and announced a plan to invest heavily in technological improvements as it moves beyond its recent phase of rapid growth.

Hancock Holding (HBHC) in Gulfport, Miss., missed earnings estimates in the fourth quarter as the company took $17.1 million in charges related to cost-cutting measures.

New York regulators have reached a settlement with Western Sky Financial LLC, CashCall Inc., WS Funding LLC and their owners, Martin Webb and J. Paul Reddam, for violating the state's usury and licensed lender laws in connection with personal loans they made over the Internet.

Bank of Nova Scotia's ING Direct unit sees growth potential in wealth management after it completes efforts to add deposits and customers and introduces a credit card, said Peter Aceto, who heads the business.

Washington Federal (WAFD) in Seattle has agreed to buy 23 Bank of America (BAC) branches in Arizona and Nevada.

Texas Capital Bancshares (TCBI) in Dallas is planning to raise up to $102.4 million via a public offering of common stock. Texas Capital plans to sell 1.7 million shares at $60.25 per share.

A diverse group of entrepreneurs is trying to solve a riddle that may hold the key to Bitcoin and other digital currency moving into the mainstream: how to insure accounts.

City National Corporation (CYN) of Beverly Hills, Calif., posted net income of $55.1 million for the fourth quarter, up 17% from the same quarter a year earlier.

The $214 million-asset First Federal said in a press release Thursday that it will pay about $4.3 million in stock for the $73.7 million-asset Alpena. The deal is expected to close in the second or third quarter.

Banks and credit unions are outperforming retailers in the war against credit card fraud, according to a new survey from Javelin Strategy & Research.

Xenith Bankshares (XBKS) in Richmond, Va., disclosed that Malcolm McDonald will retire as chairman at the end of his current term.

Discover Financial Services (DFS) rode credit card loan growth in the fourth quarter to earnings of $602 million, an increase of nearly 12% over the same period in 2012.

Rockville Financial (RCBK) in Glastonbury, Conn., is beefing up its mortgage lending operation ahead of its pending merger with United Financial (UBNK) in Massachusetts.

Pulaski Financial (PULB) in St. Louis plans to take out a $10 million loan in order to redeem preferred stock shares issued to the Treasury Department under the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

In a letter to two trade groups, Assistant Attorney General Stuart Delery pledged to work to minimize collateral damage from the investigation.

BancorpSouth (BXS) in Tupelo, Miss., reported a big jump in profit as credit quality continued to improve.

Farmers Capital Bank (FFKT) in Frankfort, Ky., is one step closer to being freed from a regulatory order.

Executives at KeyCorp and Fifth Third Bancorp said they are noticing increased consumer confidence, which would translate into more lending opportunities this year.

Paydiant has received a patent covering technology that allows consumers to withdraw cash out of ATMs with their smartphones, a feature that it says should appeal to banks.

Perhaps more community banks should think boldly like TriCo Bancshares. The small California bank's deal to buy another rural lender, North Valley Bancorp, could give it the scale it needs to knock heads with Wells Fargo and B of A, its execs say.