In Brief: Magna Group Has Deal to Buy Charter of Ill.

Magna Group Inc. said Thursday it has agreed to buy Charter Financial Inc. of Sparta, Ill., for approximately $100 million in stock, 1.6 times Charter's book value.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter, provided regulators and shareholders approve.

The purchase would expand $7 billion-asset Magna's presence in southern Illinois. Charter has $338 million of assets and eight offices in the fast- growing region.

Magna, which has 141 branches in Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa, wouldn't say how many Charter branches would remain open or how many employees would be retained.

One Charter employee who won't be joining Magna is president and chief executive officer John A. Becker, who is retiring after 43 years with the bank.

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