The Wisconsin company hasn't bought a bank since 2007. The potential for unforeseen regulatory snags and scrutiny from community groups have the company's conservative management team biding their time.

Simmons First National in Pine Bluff, Ark., had a convenient "in" as it was looking to buy wealth management firm Ozark Trust and Investment Corp. in Springfield, Mo.

First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Lakewood in Ohio has agreed to acquire Belpre Savings Bank in Belbre, Ohio.

Planters Holding in Indianola, Miss., has agreed to buy Covenant Financial in Clarksdale, Miss.

While in talks to buy National Penn Bancshares, BB&T circulated an email to help key executives understand Pennsylvania’s prominent cultural and religious groups.

Horicon Bank in Horicon, Wis., has agreed to acquire a branch in Fond du Lac, Wis., from Baraboo National Bank.

Market Street Bancshares in Mount Vernon, Ill., has completed a $15 million debt offering.

Esquire Bank, a Garden City, N.Y., bank that specializes in financial services for law firms, has raised $19.1 million in a private placement of common stock.

Bankwell Financial Group in New Canaan, Conn., has issued $25.5 million in subordinated debt and it plans to exit the Small Business Lending Fund program.

Envestnet's planned acquisition of Yodlee is shedding light on how real-time data about customers' financial data can shape the future of the wealth management and financial advisory business. Jud Bergman, CEO of Envestnet, says the deal will create "an unprecedented level of engagement."

Depositors at mutuals in Ohio and Massachusetts have approved measures making it more difficult for their institutions to convert to stock ownership. Still, many industry observers believe the mutual industry is poised for more consolidation.

Heartland Bancorp in Bloomington, Ill., has agreed to buy National Bancorp in Schaumburg, Ill., Crain's Chicago Business reported.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., plans to close 25 branches as part of its integration of National Penn Bancshares in Allentown, Pa.

In this post-apocalyptic world of apps and bots, community banks lay in ruin, fintechs come and go, and megabanks dot the vast desert wasteland.

The $3.9 billion-asset Luther Burbank Savings has opened retail loan origination offices in several Southern California cities to produce more jumbo mortgages. It is one of several lenders in the region that think jumbo loans are worth the risks to achieve growth.

The Pennsylvania company chose to sell to a much larger bank rather than buy smaller rivals or manage assets to delay added regulatory burden. More banks could follow that example. The only thing missing is interest from regional suitors.

The North Carolina regional bank is placing a big bet that targeting Pennsylvania's high earners will offset the state's reputation for having slower-than-average growth.

Activist investor Joseph Stilwell is demanding that Carroll Bancorp in Sykesville, Md., pick up the pace on stock buybacks.

The recapitalization will allow City National Bank to continue as a certified Community Development Financial Institution, the bank said.

Citigroup agreed to sell its Alternative Investor Services business to SS&C Technologies, a provider of software and investment services to the finance industry, for about $425 million.