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Failures in 2009 shot past the 100-mark late Friday as regulators swooped into seven community banks in the Midwest and southeast.

Though United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., continued to suffer worse-than-expected loan losses in the third quarter, it offered an optimistic outlook on a conference call Friday.

The industry marked a stark milestone Friday — the 100th bank failure of 2009. It is the first time since 1992 that failures hit triple digits.

Citizens Republic Bancorp in Michigan is finding that capital counts for a lot. The company lost $853.4 million in the past year and a half, including $56.9 million in the third quarter.

A new commercial real estate lender in Dallas is looking for opportunities to make loans nationwide and says it can help banks by recapitalizing their borrowers.

Webster Financial Corp. in Waterbury, Conn., said Thursday that its loss in the third quarter deepened by 20% from the year earlier, to $26.1 million, as credit quality continued to sour.

After years of idling, Florida Shores Bancorp Inc. is shifting into high gear with a new strategy that reflects changes in the regulatory and economic environment since the company's founding.

In what it is calling a first step toward replenishing its capital, Mercantile Bancorp Inc. in Quincy, Ill., said it intends to merge its flailing Florida bank with a stronger unit.

As other banking companies ready third-quarter results, at least two are being forced by regulators to restate their second-quarter figures, with serious consequences.

Hancock Holding in Gulfport, Miss., has begun a $150 million common stock offering, just after reporting that its third-quarter earnings slipped 4.9% from the year earlier, but rose 10.7% from the second quarter, to $15.2 million.

In reporting third-quarter earnings of $6.9 million, Hudson Valley Holding in Yonkers, N.Y., said a $90 million common stock offering it has in the works was prompted partly by regulators.

San Joaquin Bank in Bakersfield, Calif., became the industry's 99th failed institution of the year late Friday.

If at first you don't succeed, go hostile? That's Porter Bancorp Inc.'s strategy as the $1.7 billion-asset company pursues the $339 million-asset Citizens First Corp. in Bowling Green, Ky.

Regulators have strengthened an order against Second Federal Savings and Loan in Chicago, directing the $251 million-asset thrift to hold more capital than usually expected of institutions.

Just three months after saying its problems had begun to level off, Sterling Financial Corp. in Spokane, Wash., unexpectedly ousted its longtime leader and was ordered by regulators to boost capital levels.

Most struggling bank companies are clamoring for someone, anyone willing to help, but Patriot National Bancorp Inc. is sizing up its suitors.

U.S. Bancorp picked up $800 million of deposits in Nevada from BB&T Corp. Tuesday, a week after negotiations for a sale of branches in the state broke down between BB&T and Global Consumer Acquisition Corp. of New York.

Texas Dow Employees CU, one of the largest locally-owned financial institutions, is calling on Texans to shun the out-of-state and international banks that are buying up increasing parts of the local market.

Citing the possibility of regulatory orders that might impose higher capital requirements, three West Coast banking companies are moving forward with stock offerings.

Instead of reporting third-quarter results as expected Tuesday, Enterprise Financial Services Corp. in Clayton, Mo., announced a delay.