Discover Financial Services will exit the residential mortgage-origination business that it acquired in 2012.

Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., is planning to issue a combined $200 million in preferred stock and debt.

Steve Apodaca, who recently joined the American Bankers Association, hopes to help farmers navigate falling commodity prices, compete against the Farm Credit System and find ways to lend on new farming technology.

NCR in Duluth, Ga., may be a target for a possible takeover by private equity firms Blackstone Group and Carlyle Group.

Zions Bancorp. in Salt Lake City has sold its remaining collateralized debt obligations.

Mechanics Bank in Walnut Creek, Calif., shook up its top leadership post following its sale to a Dallas investment group.

Revere Bank in Laurel, Md., has raised $15.5 million through a private placement of its common stock. The $717 million-asset bank sold 1 million shares at $15.50 per share.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended June 13.

Institutions with $5 billion to $50 billion in assets have gained a bigger slice of the industry's assets since 2010 by focusing on specialized lending and redefining their markets.

The $5.9 billion-asset company sold the subsidiary, First Merchants Insurance Group, on June 12 to USI Insurance Services, an insurance brokerage firm in Valhalla, N.Y.

Community Bank in Pasadena, Calif., has completed a debt restructuring that will reduce second-quarter profit, but will improve its cost of funds and margins and increase yearly income.

Emclaire Financial in Emlenton, Pa., has raised $8 million in a private placement of its common stock.

Riverview Bancorp in Vancouver, Wash., is in talks with an activist investor about a board seat.

A seemingly minor change to accounting rules governing the treatment of loan losses could effectively serve as a tax on bank acquisitions, say critics. Or not — even accounting experts are split, if not confused, about the rule, after three years of debate.

Worth Carter is reluctant to talk to investors and media. He is tight-fisted with costs and is willing to hold off making loans. His namesake bank doesn't offer online banking. But the institution is riding a hot streak of profitability that would make other banks jealous.

Highlands Bancorp in Vernon, N.J., has acquired LCD Mortgage, a residential mortgage originator in Totowa, N.J.

People's Utah Bancorp in American Fork has filed for a $36.3 million initial public offering. The $1.4 billion-asset holding company for Bank of American Fork and Lewiston State Bank plans to sell 2.5 million shares of common stock for $14.50 each.

Executives have taken a wide range of approaches to deal with the prolonged period of low interest rates and the risks associated with their eventual rise. Some of those balance-sheet strategies have cut into banks' profitability and thus their efficiency.

Atlantic Capital Bancshares in Atlanta has increased the portion of its common stock to be used in its pending $160 million acquisition of First Security Group in Chattanooga, Tenn.

North Shore Bank in Peabody, Mass., has agreed to merge with Merrimac Savings Bank in Massachusetts.