Actor Ashton Kutcher has invested in mobile payments provider Dwolla and wants to "build a killer [bleeping] company in Iowa."

With big deals still lacking, some bankers — including Umpqua's Ray Davis — are resorting to several small ones to move the needle.

Roughly 33 full-timers will lose their jobs when Ally Financial closes its MBS broker/dealer operation, according to a company spokeswoman.

Intuit has purchased the mobile commerce provider AisleBuyer.

Umpqua Holdings bought an open bank Tuesday for the first time in years, and like many of its peers chose a low-risk target that promises niche growth and little blowback from shareholders.

Capital One Financial (COF) in McLean, Va., has slashed nearly 500 assistant branch manager positions nationwide in a cost-cutting move aimed it improving its overall efficiency.

Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union of Warrenville, Ill., the survivor of what was once Members United Corporate FCU, said Tuesday it has signed a letter of intent to combine with Central Corporate Credit Union of Michigan, creating the nation's largest corporate with almost $5 billion in assets.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s (GS) co-head of global mergers and acquisitions Yoel Zaoui is stepping down from his post, the latest high-level exit at the Wall Street firm.

BB&T’s (BBT) deal to buy BankAtlantic Bancorp’s (BBX) thrift for up to $316 million has received the green light from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, one of three federal regulators that must approve the sale.

NCO Group Inc., in its annual report filed Friday, said its debt collection unit accounted for $1.2 billion in revenue in 2011, down 7% from 2010. The company's overall revenues totaled $1.54 billion last year, down 2% from the previous year.

First Mariner Bancorp says it recently purchased a 24.9% stake in another Maryland bank to collect collateral on a debt – not to take it over.

PremierWest Bancorp (PRWT) of Medford, Ore., will lay off staff in support areas and not fill vacant positions as it continues to implement cost-cutting measures.

A breakdown of M&A announcements for the last week

South Valley Bancorp would more than double its sale price if it collects in full on a pool of suspect business loans before its takeover by Washington Federal is completed.

Seoul's Hana Financial Group no longer plans to acquire a 51% ownership stake in Saehan Bancorp of Los Angeles.

Eileen Bagnoli made the right move when she chose teller job at Pioneer over a teaching post 40 years ago.

The OCC's approval clears First Niagara to close its deal for 195 branches in New York and Connecticut by May 18, CEO John Koelmel says.

Jefferson’s deal for Carrollton Bancorp is part of the PE-backed company’s plan to expand to $1 billion of assets, which CEO Cashen says is a must in today’s world.

The Lansing, Mich., company has turned its inventory of community banks into a garage sale to bring in capital to support its struggling banks. With fewer banks left to sell, industry observers say Capitol has few options to keep capital levels above regulatory minimums for failure.

DNB First in Downington, Pa., is acquiring a branch in nearby Boothwyn from Capital Bank of Rockville. Md.