BankUnited (BKU) of Miami Lakes, Fla., reported better-than-expected earnings in the fourth quarter as a surge in interest income more than offset a dip in fee income and the impact of a penalty for pre-paying Federal Home Loan bank advances.

The New Jersey company is well capitalized but was challenged making bigger loans to its commercial clients, an issue that could lead other small banks to seek buyers.

Lake Shore Bancorp (LSBK) in Dunkirk, N.Y., is ready to make a change at the top as two directors approach retirement age.

National Bank Holdings (NBHC) reported a higher quarterly profit thanks to a wider net interest margin and lower tax and loan-loss provisions.

Mortgage earnings climbed to 14% of total revenues at Wells Fargo in the fourth quarter. Banks say they can scale down operations quickly when volume fizzles.

Banks want to collect more data to target offers at their card customers. One company's facial-recognition system may offer an edge, assuming it's not going too far.

Eight new members have joined the committee that advises the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on community-bank policy.

Lakeland Bancorp in Oak Ridge has agreed to buy Somerset Hills Bancorp in Bernardsville, N.J.

As loan-loss reserves normalize, the earnings benefit from lower provision expenses will abate and earnings will be squeezed. M&A should emerge as an attractive strategy to maintain earnings and generate growth.

A ruling by a federal appeals court last week that President Obama acted improperly in recess appointing members of the National Labor Relations Board may encourage Democrats to cut a deal on the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

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JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is standing up for megabanks against growing criticism and calls for their breakup.

Zions Bancorp. (ZION) posted lower fourth-quarter earnings after taking a big charge on its holdings of collateralized debt obligations.

Richard Cordray's recess appointment to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau may ultimately be invalidated, but legal experts say several recent mortgage regulations approved on his watch may still be upheld.

Sierra Vista Bank (SVBA) in Folsom, Calif., is soldiering on with newly raised capital, though its profit shrank in the fourth quarter.

EverBank and OneWest appear set to do what regulators and the largest mortgage servicers concluded was impractical: Finish the independent foreclosure reviews.

Other acquisitive banks have dropped regional monikers, but Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., is focusing on service instead of rebranding, its CEO says.

First Financial Northwest (FFNW) in Renton, Wash., reported higher quarterly earnings after settling a lawsuit with an activist investor.

Persistent challenges such as margin compression and rising expenses will eventually force more banks to sell.

The inspector general monitoring Tarp says that, despite its previous warnings, the Treasury Department has failed to improve its policies and procedures to ensure that its own guidelines on executive pay are met.