Activist shareholder Joseph Stilwell often battles with thrifts in which he invests, and now he is taking on the Office of Thrift Supervision itself.

Patriot National Bancorp Inc. in Stamford, Conn., said Thursday that its second-quarter profit fell 26% from a year earlier, to $396,000, as declining property values and weak home sales in its market area forced it boost to its loan-loss provision.

Solera National Bank in Lakewood, Colo., is hoping it can serve predominantly Hispanic consumers and businesses without having to broaden its focus.

Saehan Bancorp in Los Angeles said Thursday that it lost $1.6 million in the second quarter and that it slashed its work force by nearly 10% in July to save costs.

Having lost money in six consecutive quarters, Irwin Financial Corp. of Columbus, Ind., has a simple plan for becoming profitable again: Exit the national home equity lending and small-ticket leasing businesses, and focus on small-business and consumer banking in its local communities.

Vineyard National Bancorp of Corona, Calif., said Wednesday that it lost $62.5 million in the second quarter, after recording a $20.3 million provision for its deferred tax asset and a $40.5 million provision for losses on residential construction loans.

AUSTIN — Texas banks are starting to feel the ripple effects of the nation's economic downturn.

FirstFed Financial Corp. in Los Angeles said Wednesday that it lost $35.5 million in the second quarter after it recorded a $90.2 million provision for losses on option adjustable-rate mortgages. It reported a profit of $29.1 million for last year's second quarter.

Two small New Jersey start-ups have agreed to a merger of equals.

NEW ENGLAND

BETHPAGE, N.Y. – Bethpage FCU, which has added 13 new branches over the past four years, is working to create a standardized branch to reflect the credit union’s slogan, “Banking among friends.”

Concerned that media coverage of IndyMac Bank's failure last month would panic consumers, Tri Counties Bank in Chico, Calif., called local television stations and offered to explain how deposit insurance works.

With a regulatory deadline looming, the battered Federal Trust Corp. in Sanford, Fla., has decided to offer shares of its common stock to the public, instead of going through with a previously announced rights offering.

Hamilton of Ga. Purchasing Jefferson

Capitol Federal Financial of Topeka, Kan., said Monday that its profit for its fiscal 2008 third quarter more than doubled from a year earlier, to $14.4 million.

With the backing of its deep-pocketed parent, Mutual of Omaha Bank intends to continue buying troubled or failed banks, and within 10 years it could even "rival" its ...

Cape Fear Bank Corp. in Wilmington, N.C., said Monday that it swung to a loss in the second quarter as credit quality weakened and expenses soared.

Norman Morales, the former chief executive of Vineyard National Bancorp in Corona, Calif., has withdrawn himself from the slate of dissident directors trying to gain control of the company's board.