Corporate governance

Some banks hope to use M&A as a way to play defense, either because they need to shore up their deposits or because they have aging CEOs and are looking for an exit. But investors aren't wild about the deal math.

Main Street Financial's ouster of James VanSickle came three months after its chairman characterized the company's financial performance as being "on the upswing."

The 5-year-old experiment of tying executive compensation to achieving diversity goals appears to be ending. The abrupt shift comes amid the Trump administration's crackdown on DEI.

Freedom Bank is rolling out Freedom@Work, which offers perks for employees of participating companies, as part of a wider strategy to attract more consumer deposits.

Oxford Bank appears poised to reap benefits from a substantial investment in building out its commercial finance subsidiary. The business, which provides credit to companies that aren't a good fit for bank loans, has moved into the banking mainstream over the last 15 years.

The transaction comes as the megabank is determined to simplify its operating model and shed units that have slower growth prospects or aren't core to its business.

BMO Financial Group has sold a U.S. credit card portfolio and exited a franchise loan portfolio as part of an effort to achieve a return on equity of at least 12% in its U.S. business.

A recent deal involving a troubled Texas bank shows that even the most lopsided depository can find an exit.