Arkansas

Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., is set to catapult over $10 billion in assets after agreeing to buy Community & Southern Holdings in Atlanta.

Get a bunch of community bankers together and they start sharing efficiency ratios like golf scores. There seem to be more bogeys than holes in one these days in the course of cost-cutting.

Simmons First National in Pine Bluff, Ark., has agreed to an early termination of its federal loss-share agreements for its acquisition of four failed banks.

Simmons First National in Pine Bluff, Ark., had a convenient "in" as it was looking to buy wealth management firm Ozark Trust and Investment Corp. in Springfield, Mo.

Home BancShares in Conway, Ark., has promoted John "Stephen" Tipton to chief operating officer, after the position had been vacant for about five years.

Simmons First National in Pine Bluff, Ark., has promoted several executives, as David Bartlett announced his plans to retire as president and chief banking officer.

Cross County Bank in Wynne, Ark., has agreed to buy three Arkansas branches from SouthBank in Huntsville, Ala.

The federal government has taken the unusual step of suing a dead bank president's estate for repayment of bailout funds the bank received during the financial crisis.

Bear State Financial in Little Rock, Ark., has agreed to buy Metropolitan National Bank in Springfield, Mo.

Two community banks that focus on underbanked and low-income populations, City First Bank of D.C. and Southern Bancorp in Arkadelphia, Ark., have joined an international group that promotes socially and environmentally responsible development.

Home Bancshares in Conway, Ark., has agreed to buy Florida Business BancGroup in Tampa, Fla.

An investment bank cautioned Bank of the Ozarks that its target, Bank of the Carolinas, was in talks with another suitor and "did not wish to jeopardize that transaction," a filing disclosed. The Arkansas acquirer pushed on and ended up walking away with the deal less than two months later.

Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., has agreed to buy Bank of the Carolinas in Mocksville, N.C.

Simmons First National in Pine Bluff, Ark., has agreed to buy Ozark Trust and Investment Corp. in Springfield, Mo.

Home Bancshares in Conway, Ark., has bids out to buy three banks that, if successful, would add $2 billion in assets.

Home BancShares in Conway, Ark., reported higher first-quarter profit and assets after it acquired branches and loans from the failed Doral Bank in Puerto Rico.

John W. Allison is always on the hunt for non-dilutive deals that will boost his Arkansas company's earnings. That has largely led to deals for Florida banks, but Home just agreed to buy nearly $300 million in nationwide commercial real estate credits and recruited a team to open a loan production office in New York.

Home BancShares in Conway, Ark., has found another opportunity in the failure of Doral Bank.

Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., and WesBanco in Wheeling, W.Va., each completed acquisitions this week.

Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., reported a higher profit in the fourth quarter behind record net interest income.