California

The investment group Castine Capital Management has been sharply reducing its ownership stake in First California Financial Group (FCAL) even as it has been pressuring the company to sell itself.

First California Financial Group's decision to turn down a buyout offer from PacWest Bancorp (PACW) has angered at least one of the company's largest shareholders.

The $5.4 billion-asset company's aggressive pursuit of First California and American Perspective may inspire others to abandon the traditional courtesies of the bank deals market.

PacWest Bancorp in Los Angeles is attempting a hostile takeover just days after unseating Umpqua Holdings to buy American Perspective Bank. Industry observers say the company's newfound buying aggression might make it a better seller someday and give its PE investors a tidy exit.

PacWest Bancorp (PACW) in Los Angeles is dead serious about expanding its California footprint through acquisitions.

The Private Bank of California in Los Angeles is opening a new office in affluent — and crowded — Orange County and has hired three local bankers to manage the office and drum up business there.

WASHINGTON — On the heaviest night of bank closures this year, regulators across four states shuttered a total of five institutions, bringing the year’s failure total to 22 and costing the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. more than $270 million.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated a written agreement with North Valley Bancorp (NOVB) in response to the Redding, Calif., company's improved financial condition.

Westamerica Bancorporation (WABC) in San Rafael, Calif., said Tuesday that its first-quarter earnings fell 6.2%, to $21.8 million, from the same period in 2011 as the company intentionally curtailed its lending in response to persistently low interest rates and fierce competition for quality loans.

In a letter to Senate leaders, the head of a Glendale, Calif., credit union broke with the rest of the industry on legislation that would allow credit unions to make more commercial loans.

NCAL Bancorp in Los Angeles and Raton Capital in New Mexico have been hit with enforcement orders from the Federal Reserve Board that require them to stabilize their ailing bank subsidiaries.

The regional bank is expanding into the Golden State's central coast region with its first open-bank deal in five years.

Wilshire Bancorp in Los Angeles has exited the Troubled Asset Relief Program by repurchasing the bulk of its shares it issued to the Treasury Department at a slight discount.

The Birmingham, Ala., investment bank has hired John Hamel from Roth Capital Partners and two associates to its group that advises on bank deals. Hamel will report to Robert Hutchinson, head of investment banking for depository institutions.

An institutional investor at Broadway Financial (BYFC) has agreed to swap its preferred shares for common stock to help the Los Angeles company attract more capital.

Community West Bancshares in Goleta, Calif., has yet another chief executive, marking its third CEO in less than a year.

Bridge Capital Holdings Inc. in San Jose is opening a third loan office on the East Coast to lend to emerging technology companies.

Seacoast Commerce Bank in Chula Vista, Calif., will open its first loan-production office in Utah.

Despite strong asset and deposit growth, First PacTrust Bancorp Inc. swung to a loss in the fourth quarter as the Irvine, Calif., company sharply increased its loan-loss provision to reflect both a surge in total loans and an increase in impaired loans.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco has opened a trust company in Delaware as it looks to gain a greater market share of affluent households.