Local bankers will try to pick up any business that could fall out as a result of the merger. And with one less bank to buy in Southern California, remaining franchises also may command scarcity value.

PacWest Bancorp in Los Angeles reported an increase in fourth-quarter profit, the second full quarter after its April acquisition of CapitalSource Bank, a commercial lender that targeted small and medium-sized businesses.

Royal Bank of Canada sold its U.S. retail bank a few years ago to PNC. The company is back with a targeted play: City National, a Los Angeles bank that has built its business targeting the rich and working with Hollywood.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., has agreed to buy a pair of nonbanking businesses.

BB&T plans to add more than $20 billion in assets this year through three pending acquisitions. Management, which believes it should have no problem getting its deals approved, has started to improve how it monitors its liquidity capital ratio before new thresholds kick in.

Royal Bank of Canada is ready to take another shot at U.S. banking, agreeing to buy City National in Los Angeles.

The $794 million-asset Kentucky Bancshares will pay $7.2 million, or $32.50 a share, in stock for the $121 million-asset Madison.

M&T Bank in Buffalo, N.Y., has agreed to sell a trade processing business to Broadridge Financial Solutions in Lake Success, N.Y.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Jan. 17.

Cathay General Bancorp in Los Angeles has agreed to buy Asia Bancshares in New York.

BBVA and USAA are among a group of participants in a $75 million investment in the Bitcoin wallet provider Coinbase, an unusual move given the cool posture most financial institutions have taken toward virtual currency.

The Louisiana company is the latest out-of-stater to move into the Sunshine State after buying a failed bank in the Florida Panhandle. First NBC's chief executive made it clear his company has more expansion in mind.

U.S. Bancorp in Minneapolis has promoted Andrew Cecere to become its chief operating officer.

PL Capital in Naperville, Ill., disclosed in a regulatory filing last week that it wants Joseph Palmer Jr. and John Yerkes Jr. to resign rather than stand for reelection at the $542 million-asset company's Feb. 10 annual meeting.

Bankwell Financial Group in New Canaan, Conn., has hired a new chief strategy officer.

M&T Bank in Buffalo, N.Y., reported a higher quarterly profit as lower expenses offset tighter margins.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency closed First National Bank of Crestview in Florida on Friday, marking this year's first bank failure.

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Associated Banc-Corp in Green Bay, Wis., has agreed to buy Ahmann & Martin, a benefits consulting firm in Edina, Minn.

Sunflower Financial in Salina, Kan., has canceled its planned purchase of First Western Financial in Denver. The $1.7 billion-asset Sunflower had agreed in September to buy the $688 million-asset First Financial.