Placer Sierra Bancshares of Sacramento took a big step toward its goal of building a statewide operation, and expanding its Small Business Administration lending, by making a deal to buy Southwest Community Bancorp of Carlsbad, Calif.

A tiny provision in the Small Business Administration's fiscal-2007 budget proposal has lenders worried that they may eventually become the government agency's sole source of funding.

Since Ohio Central Savings in Dublin launched its Auto Arm in April, the outsourcing unit has made $9 million of direct auto loans for 10 small banks but has yet to produce a profit for the $60 million-asset thrift.

Community banks have largely resisted the trend toward slashing pension benefits, working instead to salvage their defined benefit plans in an effort to promote employee loyalty and the accompanying community ties these banks consider their lifeblood.

A Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst disputes the widely held view that a flat yield curve is a major driver of consolidation among small banks.

United Security Bancshares Inc. of Thomasville, Ala., said its fourth-quarter earnings fell 15% from a year earlier, to $3.1 million.

FNB Financial Services Corp. in Greensboro, N.C., reported a $5.6 million loss for the fourth quarter of last year, versus a $2 million profit for the same period of 2004.

Several Midwest banking companies that have posted lackluster earnings in recent quarters could get bought out this year, according to an analyst report.

Good trust officers are in demand but hard to find, according to a survey of community banking executives.

At first glance, Sterling Financial Corp.'s $65.3 million deal for a Seattle-area thrift would seem to run counter to the Spokane thrift company's strategy of transforming itself into more of a commercial bank.

Premier Financial Bancorp Inc. of Huntington, W.Va., said fourth-quarter net income jumped 175% from a year earlier, to $1.54 million, continuing a rebound from huge losses in 2002 and 2003 attributed to loan fraud.

FirstBank NW Corp. in Clarkston, Wash., said Friday that strong loan growth boosted earnings last quarter.

Federal Trust Corp. in Sanford, Fla., is firing back at investors it claims are pressuring it to sell.

The Bush administration wants the Department of Agriculture to follow the Small Business Administration's lead in funding its guaranteed loan programs.

First Financial Bancorp of Hamilton, Ohio, reported Friday that fourth-quarter earnings dropped 72% from a year earlier, to $2.8 million.

Somerset Hills Bancorp of Bernardsville, N.J., cleared up the confusion surrounding its fourth-quarter earnings Thursday by reporting a record profit of $1.05 million.

Kendal E. Carson has resigned as an executive vice president of United Bankshares Inc. of Charleston, W.Va., and the president of United Bank, its Virginia subsidiary, to join Cardinal Financial Corp. of McLean, Va.

The results Saehan Bancorp announced Jan. 30 were its best in years: record 2005 net income, a huge jump in assets, and return on equity well above the industry average.

MIDDLE ATLANTIC