Peoples Bancorp (PEBO) in Marietta, Ohio, reported increased profit despite a shrinking net interest margin.

The city council in Knoxville, Tenn., is considering Tuesday whether to join the ranks of city's hiring collection agencies to recover unpaid court costs and property taxes.

FirstMerit (FMER) in Akron, Ohio, posted stronger quarterly results largely because of higher fee income and lower expenses.

Synovus Financial posted stronger fourth-quarter earnings after it recaptured substantially all of the value of its deferred tax asset.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce closed the $50.2 million-asset 1st Regents Bank in Andover on Friday.

The $3 billion-asset StellarOne of Charlottesville, Va., said Friday that it will buy a branch from the $508 million-asset Village Bank and Trust (VBFC) in Midlothian, Va.

Capital One's fourth-quarter results and 2013 profit guidance disappointed investors, sowing doubts about the earnings power of its acquisitions of ING Direct and HSBC's U.S. credit card portfolio.

U.S. Century Bank in Doral, Fla., sold about $120 million of loans in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Royal Business Bank is relying more on making deals, particularly for banks that focus on Chinese-American communities, as competition intensifies.

Capital One blames lower revenue, higher costs and margin trends for earnings that fell short of analysts' expectations in the fourth quarter.

Tighter margins. Anxious commercial customers. Fresh memories of bad risks taken. These are a few of the limitations acting on Fifth Third, BB&T, PNC and other regional banks as they try to improve on progress made last year.

A group's plan to open a de novo bank in southeastern Pennsylvania could open the door for more bank charters.

Citigroup's disappointing fourth-quarter report included an unexpected $500 million legal reserve related to its U.S. consumer businesses, as the CFPB reviews the bank's card products.

The fast-growing Berkshire Bank in Pittsfield, Mass., hopes that features like community rooms with video-game systems will attract customers as it enters new markets.

Bank of the Ozarks (OZRK) of Little Rock, Ark., posted a fourth-quarter profit gain despite sliding interest income, thanks in part to an acquisition that closed late in the year.

Scottrade Bank has hired a former executive at TCF Financial (TCB) to launch an equipment finance unit.

Republic Bancorp (RBCAA) in Louisville, Ky., posted higher quarterly earnings after booking gains tied to recent failed-bank acquisitions.

Virginia Commerce Bancorp in Arlington took a quarterly hit to earnings after exiting the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., posted an increase in quarterly earnings on higher mortgage fees and loan growth.

Fifth Third (FTB) said fourth-quarter profit rose 27 percent as the firm booked a gain on a stake in Vantiv Inc.