Private equity firms could unload their bank investments if a weak economy and sluggish earnings persist.

TF Financial (THRD) in Newtown, Pa., has agreed to acquire Roebling Financial (RBLG) in New Jersey for $14.5 million in stock and cash.

EVO Payments International plans to move into the Spanish market with a proposed acquisition of Banco Popular's merchant acquiring business.

MB Financial Bank in Chicago has purchased Celtic Leasing, a privately held equipment-leasing company.

United Community Bancorp (UCBA) in Lawrenceburg, Ind., has raised enough funds from its community offering to complete its second-step conversion.

Little guys are getting a rare chance to feast at a big guy's expense. Small banks nationwide are eagerly buying dozens of branches from B of A, which must slim down. However, the buyers are at risk of gorging themselves.

Unable to seal their deal, C1 Bank and U.S. Century have instead struck a new agreement that would still give C1 a foothold in the Miami area.

United Community Bancorp in Lawrenceburg, Ind., is extending its community offering after receiving insufficient orders for stock to complete its second-step conversion.

These financial services executives won't be sorry to see this year end and are hoping for better results in 2013.

Capital, cost-cuts and creativity. Those are three things banks, especially small ones, will need to ride out a period of low margins and stiff regulation until economic conditions improve, says BankUnited CEO John Kanas.

Red River Bancshares in Alexandria, La., plans to expand into the Baton Rouge area with a deal to buy Fidelity Bancorp.

In the most challenging banking environment in memory, BankUnited's John Kanas expects the winners to be those companies most adept at amassing capital, cutting costs and figuring out the innovation puzzle.

Payments processor TSYS will be able to offer a Square-like card reader to micro merchants now that its purchase of ProPay is complete.

The industry returned to sustainable (albeit tepid) profitability this year and housing appears to have bottomed. Regulatory fines and litigation continue to cast a pall on the future, however.

The FDIC this year has filed more lawsuits against the officers and directors of failed banks than it did last year. That number is expected to grow again next year, and involve smaller institutions.

BBCN execs took a difficult path to build the largest Korean-American bank, but a successful merger in L.A. and a deal in Seattle have put it on course to become a West Coast player — and maybe more.

Banking was a tough business to thrive in over the past year. These ten executives stood out for savvy moves that enabled their companies to beat the odds.

In a market where banks have been massively devalued, BankUnited's CEO says executives will have to focus on creating value over the next few years to sell at attractive prices.

The landscape has changed radically in the last two decades. In most states, the number of banks has fallen sharply. But some states have emerged as storehouses for the nation's lending giants.

Wells Fargo (WFC) has agreed to pay up to $2.5 million in attorneys' fees to settle two lawsuits that stem from its purchase of Wachovia in 2008.