The San Luis Obispo, Calif., bank in five years went from a start-up to the winner in a bidding war between two bank suitors. Picking a good location and keeping its nose clean paid off, CEO Mark Crawford said.

Aided by a decrease in problem loans, improved expense control and robust mortgage-lending activity, Hampton Roads Bancshares narrowed its loss in the first quarter to $7.9 million from $21.4 million in the fourth quarter and $31.6 million the same period last year.

Michael D. Fraizer, chairman and CEO of Genworth Financial, resigned Tuesday afternoon, two weeks after the firm's stock was hammered because of accelerating losses in its Australian mortgage insurance business.

A study released Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Board showed that interchange fees are lower, but the savings were not passed on to consumers.

Orrstown Financial Services said Tuesday that shareholders voted in support of management's compensation, though they also voted to eliminate supermajority voting.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated a written agreement with MidSouth Bank after capital levels improved and noncurrent loans decreased at the Murfreesboro, Tenn., company.

Tired of sifting through struggling banks looking for a savior, some aspiring buyers are approaching healthy banks about acquisitions.

Continuing its rapid expansion throughout the Northeast, Berkshire Hills Bancorp (BHLB) in Pittsfield, Mass., said Tuesday that it has acquired Greenpark Mortgage Corporation of Needham, Mass.

Shares of Premier Financial Bancorp (PFBI) surged to a 52-week high Tuesday after the Huntington, W.Va., four-bank holding company reported a 69% increase in its first-quarter profit.

Flagstar Bancorp (FBC) reported another loss in the first quarter but its chief executive assured investors Tuesday that the Troy, Mich., company will return to profitability this year.

Wells Fargo plans to give its underwriters more control in approving mortgages that it retains in its own portfolio, as the bank tries to add high-quality assets to its balance sheet.

Eagle Bancorp (EGBN) of Bethesda, Md., could raise up to $35 million for general corporate purposes, including potential acquisitions and organic growth.

Don't think of this business as residential lending. It's really a low-risk form of asset-based lending.

Two Fulton Financial shareholders shared their displeasure with the company at its annual meeting, slamming a decision to award a $1.2 million cash "retention" bonus to its CEO, Scott Smith, even though he's retiring at the end of the year.

JPMorgan Chase is working with LivingSocial, a daily deals provider that competes with Groupon, to provide a credit card that rewards consumers for the money they spend on discounts.

Independent Bank Corp. (INDB) of Rockland, Mass., has agreed to acquire Central Bancorp (CEBK) of Somerville, Mass., for $54.8 million in cash and stock.

Mortgage industry veteran Tony Renzi, who joined Freddie Mac last spring as part of a major organization at the GSE, has resigned from the company effective May 11, according to a new SEC filing.

While having dinner with a couple of old banker friends recently, our conversation turned to a consistent challenge many management teams face. It started when one friend shared that he was recently in a meeting in which his bank's "revised" incentive plan for branch managers and frontline employees was being explained.

Like any self-conscious Chicagoan, Ed Wehmer is hoping his actions – in this case an advertising campaign at Wrigley Field – aren’t perpetuating the Chicago Cubs’ curse.

A common thread emerged from this year's list of the top innovators in financial services: Much of the new technology is designed to help financially distressed people.