New York

Profits rose at Bridge Bancorp in Bridgehampton, N.Y., on strong loan growth. The $2.2 billion-asset reported net income of $4.9 million in the third quarter, up 56% from a year earlier.

Hudson Valley Holding Corp. (HVB), a New York City-area lender with about $3.2 billion in assets, is exploring a sale, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The company's $800 million goodwill impairment charge may reflect macroeconomic factors, but also likely resulted from a purchase of HSBC branches two years ago. Other banks are unlikely to face the exact same issues, observers said.

Tompkins Financial in Ithaca, N.Y., reported slightly lower quarterly earnings due to higher costs and lower fee-based revenue.

First Niagara Financial Group in Buffalo, N.Y., reported a massive quarterly loss that had a number of large writedowns.

TrustCo Bank in Glenville, N.Y., reported higher quarterly earnings driven by increased lending. The $4.6 billion-asset company's third-quarter earnings rose 5% from a year earlier, to $10.7 million.

Empire Bancorp in Islandia, N.Y., posted stronger quarterly earnings after working to make loans a higher percentage of total assets.

Signature Bank in New York reported higher third-quarter profits driven by an uptick in commercial and multifamily lending.

Community Bank System in Syracuse, N.Y., reported higher earnings from a year earlier, as strong returns from investment services helped it overcome the cost of a legal settlement.

Arrow Financial in Glens Falls, N.Y. reported an increase in quarterly profit because of increased lending.

Astoria Financial in Lake Success, N.Y., set out a few years ago to become more commercially focused by going after more multifamily and commercial real estate loans. The goal is for such loans to make up 50% and at the end of the third quarter they were 38%.

JPMorgan Chase is in early negotiations to build a new headquarters complex in the area of New York's Hudson Yards, the burgeoning district under development on the far west side of Manhattan.

First Niagara Financial in Buffalo, N.Y., plans to close 17 branches and two drive-through locations in January.

Astoria Financial in Lake Success, N.Y., has hired former KeyCorp executive Hugh Donlon to be its chief lending officer.

Putnam County Savings Bank in Brewster, N.Y., has agreed to buy CMS Bancorp in White Plains, N.Y.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a measure that allows financial institutions to offer raffle-style programs to encourage saving.

Palisades Federal Credit Union in Pearl River, N.Y., has appointed Juan "Tony" Molina as the$163 million credit union's new president and chief executive.

BETHPAGE, N.Y. — A couple of key fraud- fighting partnerships have helped Bethpage FCU save about $200,000 for its 250,000 members over just the last six months.

Three New York bank tellers have been arrested and accused of participating in an identity theft ring, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Tuesday.

City National Bank of New Jersey has agreed to sell deposits and loans associated with a branch on New York's Long Island to Bethpage Federal Credit Union.