The pressure to merge is strong. But plenty of small banks are still viable, and rushing to do a deal could be just as risky as waiting.

Regulators became cautious about approving bank deals after the financial crisis, but now some buyers are getting approval to close their transactions more quickly.

PacWest Bancorp (PACW) in Los Angeles is experiencing life on the other side of the bargaining table after its bank agreed to sell 10 branches to Opus Bank.

The Georgia Department of Banking and Finance closed Montgomery Bank & Trust in Ailey on Friday. Ameris Bank in Moultrie, Ga., agreed to assume all of the bank's $164.4 million in deposits.

RBC Capital Markets recently added two bankers to its financial institutions practice.

American Banker's Robert Barba on how Kansas has become fertile territory for bank deals and why more are in the works.

Henry Michaels and Jerry Wiant of RBC Capital Markets give their outlook for deals and pricing, discuss why taking stock can still be a good thing for sellers and advise bank buyers to manage investor expectations.

The U.S. island territory is on the verge of having only six banks left, but executives there welcome consolidation and appear more open to change than their mainland peers.

While nine of the largest, most complex U.S. banks largely followed the same template in filing their "living wills," there were subtle but significant differences in their approach.

Officials with St. Helens Community Federal Credit Union in Oregon and nearby Wauna Federal Credit Union said they plan to merge to create a credit union with about $300 million in assets.

EverBank this week was the latest buyer to take advantage of the ripening market for books of commercial and other types of credits. Wells Fargo, City National and others have announced similar moves.

Lender Processing Services (LPS) has agreed to acquire LendingSpace, a provider of mortgage loan origination software.

Pacific Premier Bancorp (PPBI) in Costa Mesa, Calif., is considering raising up to $50 million in fresh capital so it can make more acquisitions if and when opportunities arise.

The favorable numbers behind EverBank's purchase of GE Capital's business lending arm are a blessing for investors who participated in the bank's disappointing public offering in May.

FDIC loss-sharing deals are significantly down this year as failures get smaller, bidders become more competitive and the economic situation improves.

Though bank deals have risen in Texas because of its robust economy and in California because of abundant capital, small Kansas banks are partnering because they worry about their viability as little guys.

A breakdown of M&A announcements for the week ended June 30.

Camden National Bank in Maine has agreed to sell a branch in Rockland, Maine, that it is buying from Bank of America (BAC) because of competition concerns raised by the Justice Department.

The thirst for greater clarity about capital spending and valuations is prompting bank buyers and sellers to flock to cash.

Sterling Financial (STSA) in Spokane, Wash., is selling all of its Montana branches as it aims to become more efficient and improve its overall profits. Eagle Bancorp is buying the branches for $7.3 million.