American Riviera Bank in Santa Barbara, Calif., has agreed to buy Bank of Santa Barbara.

Wells Financial in Minnesota has completed its purchase of St. James Federal Savings & Loan Association, in a deal closely watched by members of the mutual bank community.

PeoplesSouth Bank in Colquitt, Ga., has agreed to buy Cadence Bancorp's Florida Panhandle branch network.

The New Jersey company's entrée into New York City had been expected for years. A week after opening an office on Madison Avenue, ConnectOne is eager to court small businesses and identify possible people to hire.

Morgan Stanley reported profit that beat analysts' estimates as a jump in trading and brokerage fees led to the biggest revenue increase among the six largest U.S. banks. The shares climbed in early trading.

Preferred Bank in Los Angeles has agreed to buy United International Bank in Flushing, N.Y.

M&T, PNC, SunTrust and other regionals reported strong fee growth thanks to inroads they have made in investment banking, wealth management and other areas. It couldn't have come at a better time for them.

Sunshine Bancorp in Plant City, Fla., has agreed to buy two branches from First Federal Bank of Florida.

The Minneapolis investment bank, for the most, didn't serve financial institutions. It hopes to change that with a number of key hires and the purchase of a Chicago boutique firm.

The Dallas company recorded a higher provision as nearly $330 million in energy credits were classified as "criticized" during the second quarter. The size of Comerica's energy portfolio also shrank by 8% during the quarter.

A new proposal by the FDIC could further discourage the use of noncore deposits, including those facilitated by deposit brokers and listing services and even certain reciprocal instruments not subject to the brokered-fund penalty.

Meta Financial Group in Sioux Falls, S.D., has agreed to buy Fort Knox Financial Services, a software firm that helps independent tax firms process refund transfers.

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Umpqua Holdings in Portland, Ore., reported higher second-quarter profit, citing lower merger costs and growth in residential real estate lending and equipment finance.

Citigroup's second-quarter profit got a modest boost from Citi Holdings, a unit set up six years ago as a dumping ground for toxic assets. After losing billions for years, Citi Holdings has now become a minor profit source for its parent.

Kelly King, who is close to closing BB&T s biggest acquisition to date, told analysts that he could look to add up to $20 billion in assets next year through acquisitions. Management also used a conference call to emphasize the ongoing importance of organic growth.

Bank executives never know what to expect when they face analysts. M&T's CFO may have been prepared for questions on the company’s long-delayed acquisition, but instead he got tougher question over a charitable donation.

The Cleveland company, which this spring said it had decided to start originating its own mortgage loans again, shared more details on the start date of this new effort and the rationale behind it.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., met Wall Street's earnings expectations after reporting revenue rose slightly. The company's second-quarter net income available to shareholders rose 7% from a year earlier, to $454 million. Revenue increased 1.3%, to $2.3 billion.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s profit tumbled 49 percent as fixed-income trading revenue dropped more than its rivals and litigation expenses rose fivefold.