Mississippi

A U.S. District judge in Scranton denied the student lender's motion to dismiss the suit.

The Credit Union National Association will not ask Mississippi Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith to return its campaign contribution, even as a number of major corporations have asked for their money back.

The Mississippi company will have 22 branches and more than $1 billion in assets when the deal is completed.

The Mississippi company will pay $86 million for seven branches with $318 million in deposits.

A sluggish business climate and few M&A opportunities freed up midsize banks to invest in better tech systems and services, says Regions Chairman Grayson Hall.

The Mississippi company will also gain its first branches in southern Georgia as part of the $80 million deal.

The Mississippi company said it has recorded most of the expected charge-offs tied to the last severe decline in oil prices.

While sellers in urban centers are getting a lot of attention from acquirers, Southern Bancorp in Arkansas shows the upside of pursuing smaller deals in underserved rural markets.

Brand Group in Georgia was mulling a public offering but it opted to test the waters as a seller first. That decision led to one of the biggest bank deals announced this year.

Auto lenders would be well advised to keep up their guard as states — particularly blue ones — take steps of their own to crack down on what they see as abusive practices.

Dan Rollins engineered nearly a dozen deals while at Prosperity Bank. Now CEO at BancorpSouth, he has returned to M&A after spending four frustrating years dealing with compliance issues.

BancorpSouth, which had two prior deals delayed over BSA and CRA issues, has agreed to buy a bank in the Houston area.

An increase in total loans and a lower tax rate helped the Mississippi company offset revenue it lost after selling a consumer finance business.

The Mississippi company will gain nearly $2 billion in loans after it buys Brand Group Holdings.

BankFirst Financial Services in Columbus, Miss., has acquired HomeFirst, a mortgage services firm.

Harrison Finance has 35 offices, nearly 140 employees and about $95 million of outstanding loans.

The company sold common stock to employees, existing shareholders and new investors.

The Mississippi company reported strong loan growth, even as it reduced exposure to energy-related borrowers. Higher revenue also helped Hancock lower its efficiency ratio.

The company, which agreed to buy Southwest Bancshares in Mobile, also plans to sell $45 million in stock to help fund the deal.

Increased investor appetite and the emergence of specialized debt ratings are expected to spur demand, and community banks are looking for ways to fund expansion and hedge against future economic downturns.