American Bank of Commerce’s decision last year to begin offering mortgages — for the first time in about two decades — came at an opportune time.

Its portfolio ripe with nonperforming condominium construction loans, Corus Bankshares Inc. in Chicago is coming off its worst quarterly performance in years.

FirstFed Financial Corp. in Santa Monica, Calif., said Friday that fourth-quarter profits fell 75%, to $8.4 million, from the year earlier, due to mounting losses in its residential real estate loan portfolio.

Florida's state-chartered banks are hoping the third time is the charm for legislation that would relax restrictions on selling debt cancellation products.

United Bankshares Inc. in Charleston, W.Va., said Thursday that fourth-quarter earnings declined 36% from a year earlier, to $16 million, mainly as a result of costs associated with a balance-sheet restructuring.

Umpqua Holdings Corp. in Portland, Ore., said Thursday that its fourth-quarter net income fell 61% from a year earlier, to $9.5 million, mainly because of a $17.8 million loan-loss provision related primarily to the slowdown in residential housing construction in its markets.

Weighed down by $11.9 million of impairment charges, Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., said Thursday that its fourth-quarter earnings fell 27% from a year earlier, to $27.7 million.

MIDDLE ATLANTIC

Wintrust Financial Corp. in Lake Forest, Ill., said Wednesday that its fourth-quarter earnings rose 4% from a year earlier, to $15.6 million.

Whitney Holding Corp. in New Orleans announced Wednesday that its fourth-quarter earnings fell 11% from a year earlier, to $30.2 million, because of a surge in nonperforming loans.

Amid a deluge of steep profit declines and losses this earnings season, Cullen/Frost Bankers Inc. of San Antonio reported profit increases for the fourth quarter and the year.

United Community Banks Inc. in Blairsville, Ga., said Wednesday that its fourth-quarter earnings fell 78% from a year earlier, to $4.2 million. Earnings per share fell 80%, to 9 cents.

Could Douglass National Bank's days be numbered?

First Midwest Bancorp Inc. in Itasca, Ill., announced Wednesday that it lost $5.4 million, or 11 cents per diluted share, in the fourth quarter.

A newly formed private investment company is looking to pick up shares of Southeastern and Middle Atlantic community banks on the cheap.

Fourth-quarter earnings at Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp Inc. in Harrisburg grew 62% from a year earlier, to $2.5 million, on strong loan growth, the company said on Tuesday.

Southwest Bancorp Inc. of Stillwater, Okla., said Tuesday that a shrinking net interest margin and higher expenses cut its fourth-quarter profit by 31% from a year earlier, to $4.5 million.

Patapsco Bancorp Inc. in Dundlak, Md., said Tuesday that higher expenses and trouble with a large loan slashed earnings for the quarter ending Dec. 31 by 82% from the year earlier, to $64,000.

Citing improved credit quality, FirstMerit Corp. of Akron said Tuesday that its fourth-quarter earnings more than quadrupled from a year earlier, to $31.5 million.