Contrary to many community banks, Eagle Bancorp of Bethesda, Md., has strong loan demand and lacks sufficient deposits to cover the loans. Eagle CEO Ron Paul and analysts cite the relative economic health of the Washington area for Eagle's growth, leading to a need for creative solutions.

Sandler O'Neill & Partners analyst Kevin Fitzsimmons on Friday lowered his 2012 earnings estimates for 11 regional and community banks amid concern about weak loan demand and mounting pressure on net interest margins.

Shareholders at Nara Bancorp and Center Financial have approved the planned merger of the two Los Angeles companies.

To hedge against bad surprises in a seller's portfolio, some buyers are making part of the payout contingent on the performance of certain loans or batches of them. If things go well, the practice can help the seller, too.

First National was looking to sell – for the second time. Kevin Fowler, whose return to banking as president of Rockwall Bancshares followed a failed bid for office, was looking to enter the Dallas market. A match was made.

Credit card company Discover Financial Services has been a frequent buyer in the past year as it tries to expand beyond its traditional card lending and network roots. But now it is developing new businesses internally, including a new online checking account it plans to launch at the end of 2012.

BB&T Corp.'s insurance unit has agreed to acquire Liberty Benefit Insurance Services, a purchase that will expand its California operations.

Discover Financial Services more than doubled its third-quarter net income to $649 million, as its customers increased their spending and its credit card loan portfolio grew for the first time in over two years.

A Maryland District Court judge dismissed 314 collection cases against Maryland residents who were sued by Sunshine Financial Group.

Toronto-Dominion Bank, which owns 45% of TD Ameritrade, signaled aversion to a TD Ameritrade-E-Trade acquisition deal.

BB&T, which took over Colonial Bank after it was seized by regulators, is now asking one of those authorities, the FDIC, to protect it from a $300 million suit brought by creditors of the Alabama bank's former parent, Colonial BancGroup.

Kip Weissman, partner at Luse, Gorman, Pomerenk & Schick, says the explosion of deposits and the dicey loan market have transformed what makes a bank attractive to buyers — and how they calculate its value.

Ecommerce software company Rearden Commerce has raised $133 million in new funding from investors Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., and American Express Co.

State Street Corp. has agreed to purchase a Boston brokerage firm, Pulse Trading Inc.

Payments firm S1, jilted by Fundtech, needs to find a new merger partner to stay competitive and please shareholders. A long line of prospective suitors awaits.

The specter of "too big to fail," coupled with the usual fuming by community groups over Capital One's CRA record, made for a dramatic nine hours — and counting.

American Express has purchased Sometrics, a company that facilitates payments within electronic games using virtual currency, in a deal worth $30 million, the company confirmed Tuesday.

Series of bad events led to Seattle banks sale to AmericanWest. Being small did not help things.

A group of bankers have banded together to buy First National Bank of Chillicothe in Texas and will use it to open a branch just outside of Dallas.

Big bank deals will worsen systemic risks and unfair competition, said the ICBA, which called for a moratorium while new regulations are in the works. Capital One argued the deal would create a safer company.