Finance

American Express is planning for a protracted legal battle with the Justice Department in order to defend its ability to structure merchant contracts as it sees fit, company officials said March 25.

Farm banks have enjoyed several years of robust loan volume, but declining farm income has them on guard for increases in delinquencies and more eager to use government-guarantee programs.

Southern Missouri Bancorp in Poplar Bluff has filed to sell $20 million in preferred stock it issued to the Treasury Department as part of the Small Business Lending Fund.

Regulatory approval of Primary Bank in New Hampshire does not make a trend, but observers are hopeful it signals a more promising near future for the chartering of new banks.

If successful, Provident Bank in Massachusetts and Cincinnati Federal in Ohio would become the first new mutual holding companies since 2011, giving some hope that the structure could make a comeback.

Kevin Cummings, the New Jersey company's CEO, transformed Investors to sizable bank prior to its second-step conversion last May. With $2.2 billion in capital and an updated core system, Cummings has his sights on the company's next growth phase.

WSFS Financial in Wilmington, Del., has made a number of executive changes following the planned departure of its chief financial officer.

Financial Institutions Inc. in Warsaw, N.Y., has filed to sell up to $100 million in debt and equity.

Kearny Financial in Fairfield, N.J., is moving ahead with its second-step conversion after getting approval from the Federal Reserve Board.

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

Lucrative sale of a subprime lending unit. Big credit card deal. Clear business plan. It's looking like a good year for Citi — provided it passes the CCAR stress test this week and fills a key executive post.

The Federal Reserve and JPMorgan Chase were far apart last week in how much revenue the company would be making after the kind of economic shock envisioned in the Dodd-Frank stress test. The gap has JPM observers cautiously awaiting the results of this week's CCAR test.

Eagle Bancorp in Bethesda, Md., is looking to raise funds to exit the Small Business Lending Fund.

U.S. Century Bank inDoral, Fla., has received regulatory approval for its plan to raise $65 million in capital, according to a news report.

Talmer Bancorp in Troy, Mich., has paid billionaire backer Wilbur Ross $20 million to redeem warrants he has held in the company for several years.

WASHINGTON — Federal bank regulators made a tool available on Wednesday to help banks calculate capital requirements for securitization exposures.

The Puerto Rican bank faces a deadline to raise capital or sell itself. With recapitalization a challenging prospect, here's a look at how other scenarios could play out.

Grand River Commerce in Grandville, Mich., has raised $10.7 million through a private placement.

Banco Santander's stock market value plummeted after it announced an $8.8 billion capital raise and dividend cuts in January. The experience serves as a reminder to bank directors that the interests of investors cannot remain forever on the back burner.

Online marketplace lender CommonBond has announced that Nelnet, an education planning and financing company, has agreed to finance at least $150 million of CommonBond's annual loan volume.