Texas

DeviceFidelity Inc. on Wednesday said it was issued a patent for using near-field communication technology to perform payment and other activities on mobile devices.

NexBank in Dallas is expanding into correspondent lending for banks and mortgage brokers.

International Bancshares Corp. in Laredo, Texas, said Friday that first-quarter earnings rose 5% from a year earlier, in part because of lower credit costs.

NetSpend Holdings Inc.'s first-quarter revenue rose 16% from a year earlier, to $80.8 million, as the activity on its prepaid debit cards increased and more of its customers began using direct deposit.

Entrust Inc. has begun offering a mobile software development kit for users of its IdentityGuard authentication system.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has scrapped a test of higher ATM fees it did in two states for noncustomers, a spokesman confirmed on Tuesday.

Cardtronics Inc.'s first-quarter net income rose 55%, to $6.5 million, from a year earlier. The Houston ATM independent sales organization attributed the results in part to the addition of 250 machines to its existing base.

MoneyGram International Inc. said Thursday that its first-quarter net income rose 30% year over year, to $14 million.

The personal financial management provider Geezeo Inc. said that it had entered an agreement to provide services to McCoy Myers & Associates Inc. of Amarillo, Texas, a division of Computer Services Inc.

Cullen/Frost Bankers Inc. in San Antonio said Wednesday that first-quarter earnings rose 8.6% from a year earlier, to $52 million.

First Financial Bankshares Inc. in Abilene, Texas, is planning a three-for-two split of its common stock. The $3.83 billion-asset company said the split will take the form of a 50% stock dividend, which it will distribute on June 1 to shareholders of record on May 15.

Alliance Data Systems Corp. is expanding its Epsilon marketing business through a $345 million acquisition after the unit suffered a large data breach last month.

After making two major acquisitions in as many months, Community Bancorp LLC says it's in no hurry to spend the rest of its war chest.

A Texas woman suing a collection agency claims it threatened to garnish her to collect on a delinquent account.

"The first quarter [pace] was a 33% payout," said Comerica CFO Beth Acton, in reference to dividend payments and stock buybacks. "Our goal is to get to a full-year payout of 50%."

Sterling Bancshares Inc. in Houston reported a narrow loss Tuesday for what should be its last quarter before its sale to Comerica Inc.

Six banks in four states met their demise and two new banks were chartered in their ashes in perhaps the busiest night the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has had so far in 2011.

Prosperity Bancshares Inc. in Houston said Thursday that its first-quarter net earnings rose 9% from a year earlier, to $33.9 million, largely because of double-digit increases in loans and deposits.

Many of these young banks are treading water, at best, waiting for the elusive rebound while coping with higher compliance costs.

Skeptics have often viewed banks with in-store branches as unconventional. Still, several community banks have tested the strategy and concluded it has untapped potential.