Citizens Republic Bancorp of Flint, Mich., announced first-quarter earnings Thursday of $31.5 million, up 52% compared with the same quarter last year.

BankAtlantic Bancorp Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., reported a first-quarter loss of $2.2 million from continuing operations, after earning $8 million in the same period a year ago.

MIDDLE ATLANTIC

The softening Midwest economy is taking a toll on Chicago-area banks.

In previous acquisitions, East West Bancorp Inc. in Pasadena, Calif., has bought companies that, like itself, largely target Chinese-Americans in the Los Angeles area.

As expected, Pacific Capital Bancorp of Santa Barbara, Calif., reported a first-quarter earnings drop, mainly because of a decline in its refund anticipation loan business.

BancorpSouth Inc. said its first-quarter earnings slipped 12% from a year earlier, to $33.6 million, as a result of a large swing in its loan-loss provision.

Sterling Bancshares Inc.'s decision to overhaul its credit approval policies is paying off.

Whitney Holding Corp. in New Orleans said Tuesday that its first-quarter net income rose 2.5% from a year earlier, to $37 million.

Sun Bancorp Inc.'s efficiency drive is starting to show up in its bottom line, and the Vineland, N.J., company aims to maintain the momentum with more aggressive cost cutting.

UMB Financial Corp. of Kansas City, Mo., said first-quarter earnings rose 31% from a year earlier, to $17.3 million.

Trustmark Corp. in Jackson, Miss., says it is looking to improve earnings by tightening its belt.

Like several other Michigan banking companies, Independent Bank Corp. in Ionia is attributing a steep drop in first-quarter profits in large part to the state's sluggish economy.

Texas Rep. Helen Giddings said that when she became a victim of identity theft — a box of her checks was stolen in 2004 — it took her close to a year to straighten out her finances.

Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp Inc. in Harrisburg said Friday that its first-quarter profits plummeted 45% from a year earlier, to $1.1 million, largely as a result of increased expenses.

Shares of Sterling Financial Corp. of Lancaster, Pa., held up well Friday, falling just 0.2%, after the company said late Thursday that possible contract irregularities at an equipment leasing subsidiary would delay its first-quarter earnings report.

An otherwise banner day for the stock markets was painful for Hanmi Financial Corp. of Los Angeles and Capitol Bancorp Ltd. of Lansing, Mich.

Prosperity Bancshares Inc. in Houston said first-quarter earnings rose 57% from a year earlier, to a record $20 million.

When consumers apply for home loans, credit bureaus often sell their information to other lenders, which might call the prospective borrowers with competing offers.