Eastern Bank's 18-month-old innovation unit, run by startup veterans, is preparing to release its first product as the industry continues to allocate resources to internal tech labs while wondering when and how such efforts will pay off.

Executives at small banks and credit unions told the Senate Banking Committee about horror stories of technical glitches, vendor delays and overworked appraisers, while expressing an interest in having more time to comply with new mortgage rules.

CenterState Banks in Davenport, Fla., has agreed to buy Hometown of Homestead Banking Co. in Homestead, Fla.

United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., reported higher quarterly earnings despite costs tied to its purchase of Palmetto Bancshares in South Carolina.

First Capital was on Jim Cherry short list of recapitalization targets before the ex-Wachovia executive raised more than $150 million to rebuild Park Sterling in Charlotte. Park Sterling eventually agreed to buy First Capital earlier this month.

A move by the National Labor Relations Board could force more legal liability on franchisors for actions taken by their franchisees. Some observers believe banks could become more reluctant lending to smaller franchisors until the issue has more clarity.

First Northern Community Bancorp in Dixon, Calif., has exited the Small Business Lending Fund.

A large investor in 1st Century Bancshares is upset that the Los Angeles company is looking to raise new capital.

Bank executives were pressed during third-quarter calls to share their views on whether to pursue acquisitions now that regulators have approved deals involving BB&T, Royal Bank of Canada and M&T Bank. Here's what many of them had to say.

Banks should be prepared for the potential that an investor with a growing stake does not have the institution’s interests at heart.

Alerus Financial in Grand Forks, N.D., has agreed to buy Alliance Benefit Group North Central States, a retirement plan administrator in Minnesota.

Wells Fargo plans to systematically poach Credit Suisse's private brokers in the U.S. and their clients — and the Swiss bank is OK with that.

The $3.5 billion-asset Fidelity Southern said in a press release Monday that it will pay $27 million in stock for the $205 million-asset American Enterprise. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter.

German American Bancorp in Jasper, Ind., has agreed to buy River Valley Bancorp in Madison, Ind.

CIC Bancshares’ sale to Heartland Financial reflect a good cultural fit between the companies, but it also shows how the seller’s management team struggled to find a suitable way to provide shareholders with liquidity.

HomeTrust Bancshares in Asheville, N.C., has agreed to pay an additional $484,000 to complete its July 2013 acquisition of BankGreenville Financial.

First National Bancorp in Green Forest, Ark., has agreed to buy Twin Lakes Community Bank in Flippin, Ark.

State Bank Financial in Atlanta has acquired Patriot Capital, a provider of equipment financing to gas stations and commercial petroleum users.

The third quarter showed the kind of solid results Citizens Financial hopes to achieve as a public company split off from Royal Bank of Scotland, but much work remains for Chief Executive Bruce Van Saun. He spoke with American Banker about what went right this quarter and how he's working to change the company's culture.

Prosperity has built itself into one of Texas' largest banks over the past decade and now it's beginning to reap the benefits that come with scale.