Competitive pricing and softening demand at the high end of the apartment- and condo-building market had executives at BankUnited, Signature and New York Community answering tough questions about their growth projections and diversification strategies.

Banc of California in Irvine is expanding its commercial bank by starting units specializing in health care, municipals and nonprofit banking.

University Bancorp in Michigan says the main goal of its recent debt offering was to raise capital, but it also was designed to comply with Sharia and other religious standards that guard against usury.

Strong investor demand for two recent securitizations by Navient, the largest servicer of federally guaranteed student loans, suggests that banks may soon have an opportunity to resume unloading such assets.

Emigrant Bank in New York has asked for regulatory approval to double its ownership stake in The Bancorp in Wilmington, Del.

Two St. Louis-area investors have been indicted on charges they defrauded the failed Excel Bank on real estate loans.

Recent steps by New York Community Bancorp to lower its borrowing costs paid off last quarter in higher net interest income and profits.

MB Financial in Chicago said its first-quarter profit rose 15.6% from a year earlier as fee income rose and expenses fell.

After another disappointing quarter, Comerica is promising big changes in its ongoing quest to improve returns to shareholders. It appears to be considering all options, including selling off business lines and perhaps even merging with another institution.

Sometimes boards have to police their own, as an insider-trading case involving a Pinnacle Financial director shows. The risks are especially high when banks enter confidential merger talks.

Middleburg Financial in Middleburg, Va., is facing pressure from its biggest shareholder to find a buyer.

Several small and midsize banks generated large year-over-year loan growth despite a belief by some outsiders that a slowdown was looming. Bankers may have to spend coming months assuring investors that they can keep booking loans while adequately managing risk.

Revenue at Webster Financial in Waterbury, Conn., hit a record $240.6 million in the first quarter, but expenses related to its expansion in Boston and an uptick in net chargeoffs kept profits flat.

Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., reported lower quarterly earnings as salaries and personnel expenses increased.

Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., in the first quarter reaped the benefits of several M&A deals that it completed last year.

Porter Bancorp in Louisville, Ky., used part of $5 million it raised in a private placement to become current on interest payments on some debt holdings.

William Penn Bancorp in Levittown, Pa., is facing pressure from an activist to conduct a mutual conversion.

M&T is squeezing savings out of its newly purchased Hudson City Bancorp after fighting long and hard for regulatory approval. But it's also taking steps to keep Hudson City's customers from leaving, like offering higher rates on CDs in the New Jersey area.

Since replacing Kevin Kabat in November, Greg Carmichael has said that the Cincinnati company needs to invest more heavily in technology and compliance now in order to boost profits and improve efficiency down the road. But investors worry that expenses will grow faster than revenues and further squeeze margins.

Peoples Bancorp in Prairie Du Chien, Wis., has agreed to buy four branches in Wisconsin from FirstMerit.