Ohio's largest mutual bank is planning to form a holding company to position itself for acquisitions and other growth opportunities.

The usefulness of in-store branches is a hotly debated topic in the banking industry. But some institutions are successfully landing customers — and increasingly valuable deposits — through such locations.

Bank of New York Mellon is building out a new investment firm with the mortgage specialist Amherst Holdings. The move is its second major commitment to a fixed income-related fund this year.

Not only should regulators investigate the timing of OneWest's charitable donations to supporters of its proposed merger with CIT Group, they should encourage both banks to adopt clear CRA benchmarks that would hold them accountable for future investments in local communities.

To shake off years of sluggish growth, Citizens Financial is going hard after asset classes that other banks are starting to back away from. The Providence, R.I., company says the growth opportunity outweighs the risk.

U.S. Bancorp has hired a former Santander Bank executive to oversee the diversified industries segment of its large corporate banking division in New England.

If successful, Provident Bank in Massachusetts and Cincinnati Federal in Ohio would become the first new mutual holding companies since 2011, giving some hope that the structure could make a comeback.

Kevin Cummings, the New Jersey company's CEO, transformed Investors to sizable bank prior to its second-step conversion last May. With $2.2 billion in capital and an updated core system, Cummings has his sights on the company's next growth phase.

WSFS Financial in Wilmington, Del., has made a number of executive changes following the planned departure of its chief financial officer.

Branch closures can prompt online blowback as community members worry about employee layoffs and stranded customers. A bank's best move is to get in front of the issue and respond directly to locals' concerns.

Financial Institutions Inc. in Warsaw, N.Y., has filed to sell up to $100 million in debt and equity.

A top Justice Department prosecutor said the U.S. is prepared to punish banks for violating criminal settlements, an unprecedented move designed to crack down on repeat offenders.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended March 14.

Warburg Pincus is set to sell its remaining shares of National Penn Bancshares in Allentown, Pa.

Two activist groups want regulators to investigate whether OneWest Bank used philanthropic contributions to win the support of community organizations. But this could set a precedent that would discourage banks from making much-needed donations.

Tangible book value was considered nearly sacred after the financial crisis. With the economy improving, investors are becoming more tolerant of acquirers diluting tangible book value for accretive deals.

One of the most successful startup banks in a generation is turning over its keys to a California bank. Institutional ownership and the prospect of slower growth may have prompted Square 1 to make the deal.

EverBank Financial in Jacksonville, Fla., has announced the share price of a secondary public offering by two institutional stockholders.