A small Georgia bank pummeled by internal fraud reported a $6.89 million fourth-quarter profit it attributed largely to a branch sell-off.

MIDDLE ATLANTIC

Community bankers are suffering from the costs of data breaches, according to a survey released Tuesday by America's Community Bankers.

Premier Financial Bancorp Inc. of Huntington, W.Va., said full-year net income soared 47%, to $6.5 million; earnings per share jumped 46%, to $1.24.

It's the talk of Fort Worth: How did Compass Bank, less than a year after its purchase of the $1.8 billion-asset TexasBank, lose so many people?

United Community Banks Inc. of Blairsville, Ga., announced a deal Tuesday for the $675 million-asset First Bank of the South that finally gets it into all the markets surrounding Atlanta.

Pennsylvania Commerce Bank signed an agreement with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, pledging to improve its risk management, internal audit, and anti-money-laundering compliance.

More banks could qualify for the tax-advantaged S corporation structure under the minimum wage bill the Senate passed last week.

Firstbank Corp. in Alma, Mich., has agreed to buy ICNB Financial Corp. in Ionia, Mich., for $38.4 million in cash and stock.

Southwest Bancorp Inc. in Stillwater, Okla., announced that it has agreed to buy Bank of Kansas in Hutchinson for $15.25 million in cash.

Coast Financial Holdings Inc. in Bradenton, Fla., announced Monday that it has hired veteran banker Tramm Hudson to advise its board of directors on problem loan resolution and bank regulation.

For more information on this data, visit Novantas LLC and Market Rates Insight.

The private-equity firm Castle Creek Capital LLC is on track to do the same thing in Florida that it has done in California and Texas - roll up a number of community banks and sell the resulting company for what it hopes is a nice profit.

The San Francisco private equity firm Belvedere Capital Partners Inc. says it is buying a majority interest in Professional Business Bank in Pasadena, Calif., for $51 million in cash and stock.

Disappointing fourth-quarter earnings from community banks have ratcheted up tensions between some bankers and activist investors.

James K. Toomey, the chairman of Coast Financial Holdings Inc. in Bradenton, Fla., was hospitalized Friday after complaining of chest pains.

ST. LOUIS - Building a branch and putting out a "Se habla Espanol" sign isn't enough.

Call it guilt by association.

The New England Patriots did not make it to the Super Bowl this year, but Boston's Eastern Bank did.

In the face of mounting pressure from Wall Street to rein in expenses, BankAtlantic Bancorp Inc. said it would reduce its 2007 marketing spending by about 22%, or $7.8 million.