In Brief: SierraWest Paying $39M for Continential Pacific of Calif.

SierraWest Bancorp of Truckee, Calif., has announced plans to acquire Continental Pacific Bank, Vacaville, Calif., for roughly $39 million in stock.

Under terms of the deal, SierraWest would exchange shares of its common stock with shareholders of Continental Pacific's parent, California Community Bancshares, at ratio based on the stock price three weeks before the deal's completion.

The merger, approved unanimously by both companies' boards, is expected to close in the first half. SierraWest stock is trading near $29 and California Community stock is trading in the $27 range.

SierraWest, with $575 million of assets, has been expanding aggressively.

In July it paid $6.6 million in cash for Mercantile Bank of Sacramento, boosting its deposits in the state capital to more than $100 million, said William T. Fike, SierraWest's president and chief executive officer. Buying $192 million-asset Continental Pacific would boost SierraWest's assets to more than $750 million.

Continental Pacific's eight branches would assume the SierraWest Bank name once the merger was completed. Most of Continental Pacific's employees would be retained, though some management and back-office positions would be eliminated, said Mr. Fike.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER