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.

Intrum Justitia, a European accounts receivable management company and debt buyer, is shutting down collection operations in Latvia and Lithuania, citing difficulties capitalizing on the "economy of scales that comes with being a market leader."

Stellar Recovery, a collection agency in Kalispell, Mont., will move its headquarters to Jacksonville, Fla. but will create up to 100 jobs in Kalispell, where the office will become the company's secondary accounting branch.

In an industry in need of new sources of revenue, some banks have built insurance brokerage operations that account for 40% or more of their total noninterest income. Most banks have not followed, however, and the business remains a minor sideline nationally.

Two acquirers tied up some loose ends Friday as the yearend approached.

HomeTrust Bank in Asheville, N.C., will convert from a mutual thrift to a stock-owned bank in order to raise capital for future organic growth and possible acquisitions within North Carolina.

Ahead of the planned sale of its credit card arm to Capital One Financial Corp., HSBC North America has renewed its private-label credit card agreements with Saks Inc. and three other retailers.

Private Bank of Buckhead in Atlanta is looking to open its second branch in suburban Decatur.

If you read through enough material loss reviews prepared by the FDIC's Inspector General — essentially autopsies on failed banks — certain common themes emerge. One of the recurring themes is that many closed banks overconcentrated in commercial real estate and development loans. The rapid decline in property values, reflected by appraisals, then rendered the bank undercapitalized.