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Dime Community Bancshares Inc. in Brooklyn, N.Y., said that fourth-quarter profit rose, despite a decline in net interest income, because of a lower loan-loss provision.

Citizens Republic Bancorp Inc.'s total loan portfolio shrunk $500 million last year, but it entered 2012 with big strides in commercial and industrial lending.

MB Financial Inc.'s fourth-quarter results fell shy of Wall Street's expectations, but things are still looking up for the Chicago company.

Provident Financial Services Inc. reported that its fourth-quarter earnings rose 23% from a year earlier, to $14.9 million, because of an increase in net loans.

Hancock Holding Co.'s fourth-quarter results included hefty costs associated with buying Whitney Holding Corp.

SVB Financial Group's fourth-quarter net income was more than double what it earned a year earlier, at $35.6 million.

Glacier Bancorp Inc. in Kalispell, Mont., reported higher earnings after it purged bad loans off its books.

Chemical Financial Corp. in Midland, Mich., reported that its fourth-quarter profit rose 49% from a year earlier, to $11.2 million, because a lower loan-loss provision.

Tennessee has managed to escape the downturn relatively unscathed, and hasn't had a bank fail since 2002. But a new crop of undercapitalized banks and other strugglers have put 10% of the state's banks at some risk of failure.

Columbia Banking System Inc. in Tacoma, Wash., and an aggressive buyer of failed banks, rode those acquisitions to a strong fourth quarter.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The NCUA Board this morning approved the proposed merger of Tennessee's Volunteer Corporate CU with West Virginia Corporate CU, accelerating the pace of the corporate restructuring.

Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., announced that fourth quarter earnings fell after several special charges.

Sterling Financial Corp. in Spokane, Wash., returned to the black for the year as credit quality improved.

The Ithaca, N.Y., bank has been scouting for deals and said Thursday it has agreed to buy VIST Financial in southeastern Pennsylvania for $86 million in stock.

United Community Banks Inc. of Blairsville, Ga. is back in the black — again.

Suffolk Bancorp in Riverhead, N.Y., said late Wednesday that it has a new accounting firm.

Astoria Financial Corp. in Lake Success, N.Y., said late Wednesday that its fourth-quarter profits fell 50% from a year earlier, to $11.8 million, because of decreases in average interest-earning assets.

Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. in Lititz, Pa., reported Wednesday that its fourth-quarter earnings nearly doubled from a year earlier, to $19.1 million, on improvements in areas such as lending, fee income and a reduction of problem assets.

John Keach Jr., the chairman and CEO of Indiana Community Bancorp, which agreed to sell to a rival this week, speaks for many bankers in ticking off the threats to going it alone as a community bank — and explains why his bank decided it had to get out now.

Buoyed by a lower loan-loss provision, Lakeland Financial Corp. in Warsaw, Ind., said Wednesday that its fourth-quarter profits rose 43% from a year earlier, to $8.3 million.