First Financial Holdings (SCBT) in Columbia, S.C., reported a 26% rise in quarterly profit after completing a transformative M&A deal.

Atlantic Coast Financial (ACFC) in Jacksonville, Fla., narrowed its losses during a quarter of management upheaval.

M&A is time-consuming and expensive, and it’s especially painful for small banks like First Scottsdale, an aspiring consolidator in Arizona, when their deals fall apart.

First Data Corp., a global electronic commerce and payment processing firm, announced Tuesday that it has acquired Perka, provider of a smart loyalty program.

The $12.8 billion-asset company plans to offer $50 million of common stock and up to $100 million of perpetual preferred stock, it announced Monday.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Oct. 26.

Chemical Financial Corp. (CHFC) in Midland, Mich., said Monday that its third-quarter earnings rose 14% from the same quarter last year, to $15 million, thanks largely to revenue gains generated by its acquisition of 21 Independent Bank (IBCP) branches in December 2012.

Carrollton Bancorp in Lutherville, Md., is changing its name to Bay Bancorp.

Corporate default rates and other conditions in U.S. credit markets can only worsen in the current interest rate environment, according to a quarterly survey of the International Association of Credit Portfolio Managers.

LCNB Corp. (LCNB) in Lebanon, Ohio, has agreed to buy Eaton National Bank & Trust in Eaton, Ohio, for $24.8 million in cash.

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Honor CU, fresh off its acquisition of $80 million SIR FCU and its three branches, has agreed to buy the Decatur, Mich., branch of St. Joseph-based Edgewater Bank, along with 850 customer accounts and $14 million in assets.

Reliance Bancshares in St. Louis was headed toward potential failure when a semi-retired banker, Tom Brouster, stepped in as an investor. Executives broke down their challenges into manageable tasks, focused intently on cleaning up bad loans and are now ready to start lending and pursuing M&A, he says.

Shareholders of BankUnited (BKU) in Miami Lakes, Fla., are preparing to sell more than $330 million of the company's stock.

Heritage Oaks Bancorp in Paso Robles, Calif., is a lesson in seizing the moment. It went on the M&A offensive just weeks after being freed from a regulatory order, is poised to become No. 2 in market share in San Luis Obispo County and sees major cost-cutting opportunities.

Highlands Bancorp (HSBK) in Vernon, N.J., has agreed to buy Secured Lending Solutions, a mortgage banking company in Glen Rock, N.J.

City National Corp. (CYN) in Los Angeles boosted its quarterly earnings due to improvements in asset quality and increased lending income.

Bank of America Corp. reported it plans to cut up to 4,000 mortgage jobs as fewer borrowers refinance, and fewer home loans go bad.

First Scottsdale Bank (FSB) in Scottsdale, Ariz., and CBOA Financial (CBOF) in Tucson, Ariz., have terminated plans to merge.

SouthCrest Financial Group (SCSG) in Peachtree City, Ga., has raised nearly $18 million and plans to merge its banks.