Salisbury Bancorp. in Lakeville, Conn., has issued $10 million in subordinated debt and plans to exit the Small Business Lending Fund.

First United Bancorp in Madisonville, Ky., has agreed to buy Town & Country Financial in Beaver Dam, Ky.

Community bank executives are wary about the year ahead. Cybersecurity threats, the real possibility of even tighter margins after the Federal Reserve acts, and compliance woes are among their concerns.

The regulatory red lines of $10 billion and $50 billion affect banks well before they pass them, and add to the pressure to buy or sell, says FIG Partners analyst Chris Marinac.

Webster Financial has agreed to take over the leases of 14 Citigroup branches in the Boston area, which would more than triple its retail presence there.

Anchor Bancorp in Lacey, Wash., has named an accountant to its board, to settle a dispute with an activist investor.

Strong financials were an important consideration behind the $1 billion merger, but it often takes more than good numbers to compel Korean-American banks to merge. Hanmi Financial found that out the hard way after its unsolicited bid for BBCN largely fell on deaf ears.

Fear is one causing many small banks to sell, says FIG Partners analyst Chris Marinac. Deals will likely be slow in the early going next year but pick up as the spring begins.

The $30.2 million-asset Citizens, in Hartford, Ky., agreed to pay a 1.77% premium for the branch's average daily balance of assumed deposits for the ten days prior to the closing date.

Carolina Financial in Charleston, S.C., plans to raise $30 million in a public offering of its common stock.

Patriot National once suffered seven straight years of losses. Again profitable, the company is looking to use capital to buy back leased branches, improve technology and make the first acquisition in its 21-year history.

Several CEOs hitting the magic age of 63 have chosen to sell their institutions, suggesting a dearth of younger executives waiting in the wings.

Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., which has made 15 bank deals since 2010, has raised $110 million in an offering of its common stock.

Univest Corp. of Pennsylvania in Souderton has agreed to buy Fox Chase Bancorp in Hatboro, Pa., for $244.3 million.

BOK Financial in Tulsa, Okla., has agreed to buy MBT Bancshares in Kansas City, Mo., for $102 million.

Eagle Bancorp in Bethesda, Md., has added equipment leasing to its lineup of commercial banking products.

Enterprise Financial Services in Clayton, Mo., has reached an agreement to end loss-share agreements tied to the four failed banks it acquired during the financial crisis.

Why a small bank like First Mid-Illinois ignored the conventional wisdom — 'Commercial banks buy property/casualty firms.' 'Private-equity will outbid you.' 'Leave the innovation to the big guys.' — and bought a retail health-insurance agency.

Deals by M&T, KeyCorp and BB&T opened the door to big-bank M&A, even if investors balked at the prices. There are a few other regionals that look poised to make a big splash, says Chris Marinac of FIG Partners.

An activist investor has called on the lead director of Banc of California in Irvine to disclose details about Chairman and Chief Executive Steven Sugarman's involvement in an investment fund that violated securities laws.