The Renton, Wash., company has spent more than $600,000 to fight an big outside investor, highlighting the cost of duking it out with irate shareholders.

Strong gains in fee income combined with improved asset quality powered West Coast Bancorp in Lake Oswego, Wash., to a $6 million profit in the second quarter, up 30% from the same period in 2010.

As banks try to raise revenue and improve their reputations, they are shaking up their relationships with the "mad men" of Wall Street, testing out new advertising to help refurbish their brands.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Pentagon FCU announced this morning its Prudential PenFed Realty CUSO has acquired Prudential Professional Realty in Clarksville, Tenn., an independent franchise outside the Fort Campbell, Kentucky, military base, which has been rebranded as Prudential PenFed Realty.

Howard Bancorp in Ellicott City, Md., has raised $10.2 million through a public offering and private placement of common stock.

Lower noninterest expenses and a declining provision for credit losses led Bank of Hawaii (BOH) in Honolulu to second-quarter net income of $40.7 million, up almost 16% from a year earlier.

Bank sellers and buyers are seeing a steady pickup in business, including separate deals last week by Emigrant and WesBanco.

Metro Bancorp (METR) in Harrisburg, Pa., reported its most profitable quarter in nearly four years in the three months that ended June 30 as the company saw a modest increase in loans and revenues and continued to reduce its overhead.

Bank of America (BAC) reduced its automated teller network almost 9 percent this year by yanking most of the devices deployed at U.S. gas stations and malls.

Higher earnings at People's United Financial could not prevent analysts from heavily questioning management on the company's lower net interest margin during a conference call.

Citigroup has developed a perk-laden Hilton credit card, in the latest big bank effort to poach some of American Express's wealthy, high-spending customers.

Two banks owned by Mercantile Bancorp in Quincy, Ill., were among five failures on Friday, one of the busiest nights for closures in recent weeks.

NEW YORK — Target Corp., one of the biggest retailers in the country, joined groups including the National Association of Convenience Stores in opposing the proposed $7.25 billion settlement of a lawsuit brought by a group of retailers against Visa and MasterCard and a dozen large banks.

The Indiana bank states that it has made major strides since deficiencies were identified more than a year ago.

Anchor Bancorp (ANCB) in Lacey, Wash., will increase its fiscal-year fourth-quarter loan-loss provision by $1.1 million, leading to an expected loss for the period.

Umpqua executives were scratching their heads Friday over the sudden drop in the company's stock price following what appeared to be a strong earnings report this week. TCF, PacWest and Associated also saw slides.

Trade association chief says group polled members and decided allowing the coverage to continue would reduce uncertainty. But group's position still differs from ICBA's proposed five-year extension.

The rapidly expanding First Republic Bank (FRC) will open a branch in the wealthy south Florida enclave of Palm Beach, its first office in the Sunshine State.

The California company received the FDIC's blessing to sell 11 loans covered by loss-sharing arrangements. Industry observers believe more sales could take place now that this deal has been cleared to take place.

Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC) in Green Bay, Wis., reported its highest quarterly profit since early 2008 as commercial and business lending surged.