ATLANTA -- Fleet Finance Inc. said it has opened a loan production office in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., that will serve as a processing center for mortgage loans.
Atlanta-based Fleet Finance, a $1.6 billion-asset consumer lending company with 134 offices in 26 states, is an affiliate of Fleet Financial Group of Providence, R.I.
The Cleveland-based bank is projecting steady growth in net interest income even as credit losses remain manageable. But Chairman and CEO Chris Gorman also said that he thinks a recession is likely.
The first-quarter increase stemmed from higher interest rates, partial charge-offs and certain problem loans, many involving commercial real estate, executives at the Dallas bank say. Further CRE deterioration is anticipated.
The Detroit-based company is exploring ways to make more consumer auto loans without running afoul of stricter capital standards that are expected from the Federal Reserve. Possible approaches include more securitizations and the use of credit risk transfers.
The House Financial Services Committee also sent to the full House two bipartisan bills, including one that would prevent large banks from opting out of having to recognize Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in regulatory capital.
Charge-offs and nonperforming loans rose at the Georgia bank in the first quarter. But it blamed the problem on one large client and said the matter has been resolved.
Amid healthy first-quarter loan growth and improving credit quality, Discover Financial Services slashed its profits by $800 million to offset remediation costs from a 16-year period when it overcharged certain merchants.
