Virginia Heritage Bank in Tysons Corner has begun a common stock offering.

They have spent the last few years building mass through acquisitions, but AmericanWest Bank and First PacTrust Bancorp are now shedding the nonessential parts.

Haven Bancorp in Hoboken has agreed to buy Hilltop Community Bancorp (HTBC) in Summit in a merger of New Jersey banks.

McColl Partners, an investment firm formed by retired Bank of America Chief Executive Hugh McColl, could be looking to sell.

Investors, analysts and reporters have overestimated the Georgia bank's interest in doing M&A deals, chairman and CEO Kessel Stelling says.

Debt buyer Portfolio Recovery Associates Inc., based in Norfolk, Va., announced that James A. Nussle has been appointed by the company's board of directors to serve as an independent director.

The $555 billion-asset Canadian company announced Tuesday that Costello plans to retire as its U.S. country head and as president and chief executive of its BMO Financial unit in Chicago.

QCR Holdings in Moline, Ill., has agreed to sell two branches to Clear Lake Bank & Trust in Iowa.

The U.S. revival in collateralized loan obligations had spread to Europe -- until an American-style fight over how much "skin in the game" should be kept by CLO managers crept across the pond, too.

Taylor Capital Group (TAYC) in Chicago plans to enter the mortgage-servicing business through the purchase of servicing rights and facilities from Liberty Savings Bank of Wilmington, Ohio.

Umpqua Holdings in Portland, Ore., has agreed to buy Financial Pacific Holding in Federal Way, Wash.

The $76 million-asset lender raised the sum from local investors. It began the effort in October and finished at the end of May, its financial advisor, Community Capital Advisors, announced on Monday.

The Houston company said Monday it has purchased the assets of Merrimak ATM Group of Rohnert Park, Calif. Financial terms were not disclosed.

It's been a buoyant year for stocks but not for bank deals. Regulatory uncertainty and a failure of buyers and sellers to come to terms on price continue to stymie activity. American Banker staffers discuss whether the market is getting closer to taking off and why some big investors have been selling.

Regulation should be strong enough to protect investors yet business-minded enough to promote active derivatives, mortgage and other markets, says Judd Gregg, a former New Hampshire lawmaker and new chief executive of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

Delinquencies on commercial mortgages that back securities inched up in May as resolutions fell.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended June 1.

Farmers National Banc in Canfield, Ohio is buying an employee-benefits consultant.

AmericanWest Bank in Spokane, Wash., has agreed to buy eight southern California branches from First PacTrust Bancorp in Irvine, Calif.

The Michigan company is set to raise up to $100 million if the right acquisition is available. Analysts say in an erratic M&A market, it is better to be ready to raise capital than to raise it and wait.