He was wrong about Astoria in 2011, but Sandler O'Neill's Mark Fitzgibbon says a focus on multi-family lending and takeover speculation will fuel a run-up in 2012.

Colombia's largest lending institution, Bancolombia begins a public offering Friday for 64 million preferred shares worth $886 million.

In a setback to Citigroup's efforts to divest itself of noncore businesses, talks to sell the bank's OneMain consumer-lending unit to private-equity buyers have ended without a deal in place, according to people familiar with the matter.

Hancock Holding Co. has sold an insurance unit as part of a larger agreement with a Florida insurance company.

Much is at stake in UniCredit SpA's €7.5 billion rights issue — not least for another beleaguered lender, Bank of America Corp., which as a lead underwriter could be stuck with a hefty bill should the share sale fall flat.

University Bank in Ann Arbor, Mich., has acquired an additional 37.5% stake in a specialty finance firm in which it already half owned.

Cardinal Bankshares is fighting with an outside investor who wants to oust the company's chairman and CEO or force its sale.

Under orders from its regulator to improve its capital ratios, Community First Bank & Trust in Columbia, Tenn., is selling one of its 10 branches to Southern Community Bank in Tullahoma, Tenn., and could be looking to unload several more.

Analysts' failure to foresee declining earnings per share for the biggest banks last year hasn't stopped them from predicting an even bigger profit surge for 2012.

BankAtlantic Bancorp's hopes to move forward with its planned sale without the interference of its debt holders have been squashed by a Delaware judge.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has ordered seven ailing community banks to raise fresh capital and directed three others with elevated loan losses to submit written plans for raising capital should credit quality weaken further.

While some of us were shopping for loved ones during the holidays, some banks were shopping for acquisitions.

Kevin Kabat believes Fifth Third Bancorp can boost lending this year, somewhat offsetting low interest rates. He’d like to pursue acquisitions, though he admits that M&A activity may underwhelm again in 2012.

PacWest Bancorp in Los Angeles has completed its acquisition of a specialty equipment leasing company from Meridian Bank in Wickenburg, Ariz., for $35 million in cash.

CoBank in Denver has completed its merger with U.S. AgBank in Wichita, Kan., creating an $85 billion cooperative bank in the Farm Credit System.

Three small banks that recently waved the white flag detail why it was better to sell now, take some stock in a bigger company and stop a losing battle for capital and market share. Their proxy filings are a preview of coming attractions.

Bank of New York Mellon's sale of its Shareowner Services business to a Melbourne, Australia, firm will lower its profits in the fourth quarter, but will bolster its capital levels going forward.

Dec. 31 — Regions Financial Corp. ended talks to sell its Morgan Keegan brokerage to Stifel Financial Corp., two people with direct knowledge of discussions said.

VeriFone announced Tuesday that it completed its acquisition of the Northern European payment and gateway services provider Point.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, looking for momentum after a tough year, adds investment bankers James Harasimowicz and Joseph Gulash to its bank M&A team.