Western Alliance Bancorp. relishes niches with thin competition and high rewards. Its deal for Bridge Capital is no different: The seller serves small tech companies that provide high liquidity and ample fee revenue.

Dana Stonestreet, CEO of HomeTrust Bancshares in North Carolina, recently discussed his company's preferences when evaluating an acquisition. Here is a look at his checklist.

Reliance Bancshares is also talking to Tim Hortons about anchoring some of its branches, in hopes that coffee traffic will bring more business into its underutilized offices.

Glen Rock Savings Bank in Glen Rock, N.J., has agreed to buy Llewellyn-Edison Savings Bank in West Orange, N.J.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco is planning to raise more than $200 million in a public offering.

Charles "Stormy" Greef, a partner with Hunton & Williams' financial institutions team, died March 10. He was 66.

A recovering economy has all but stopped talk about loan growth. Instead, bankers are now getting grilled about deposit gathering, dealmaking and, in some instances, how they are dealing with slumping energy prices.

Community banking groups have recently struck referral deals with marketplace lenders that could add revenue in the short run, but they might be giving away potentially valuable data and customers in the process.

Foresight Financial Group in Rockford, Ill., has agreed to buy State Bank of Herscher in Herscher, Ill.

PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh may have to pay $390 million, including $35.5 million in punitive damages, for the role an acquisition had allegedly played in a major fraud scheme.

McKenzie Banking in McKenzie, Tenn., has agreed to buy Farmers Bank in Woodland Mills, Tenn.

Western Alliance Bancorp. in Phoenix has agreed to buy Bridge Capital Holdings in San Jose, Calif.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended March 7.

Joseph Stilwell hopes a fourth challenge against Harvard Illinois Bancorp is successful.

CertusHoldings in Greenville, S.C., has agreed to sell its small business finance unit to BankUnited in Miami Lakes, Fla.

Veritex Holdings in Dallas has agreed to buy IBT Bancorp in Irving, Texas.

Banc of California in Irvine got a shot in the arm from its acquisition of 20 Popular Community Bank branches in the fourth quarter.

Two activist groups are urging the Fed and OCC to investigate whether OneWest used donations and other sweeteners to buy community support for its sale to CIT.

PrivateBancorp, despite having one of banking's most rate-sensitive loan books, has grown earnings by relying on fee diversification and new specialty lines. CEO Larry Richman discusses the growth strategy and what he expects when rates do finally rise.