Americas

First PacTrust Bancorp Inc. in Chula Vista, Calif., is looking to raise up to $30 million in fresh capital that it could use to support its growth.

Cardtronics Inc.'s deal to purchase the ATM businesses of EDC Holding Co. LLC will do as much to boost the quality of the buyer's ATMs as it will to boost its quantity.

First Financial Holdings Inc. in Charleston, S.C., has agreed to buy five South Carolina branches from Liberty Savings Bank. The $3.3 billion-asset First Financial will buy $109.5 million in deposits and $27 million in performing loans as part of the deal.

Teche Holding Co. in New Iberia, La., said Wednesday that it has completed the charter conversion for Teche Federal Bank. The $782 million-asset company switched its unit to a state bank from a federally chartered thrift in a move that will reduce the company's regulatory fees by $100,000 annually.

Anchor Commercial Bank in Juno Beach, Fla., is close to raising $20 million in capital from a group of South Florida investors.

Western Liberty Bancorp Inc. in Las Vegas has hired Sandler O'Neil & Partners LP to search for strategic alternatives, including a possible sale, just eight after the special-purpose acquisition company completed its first bank acquisition.

Isis, the wireless carrier-led mobile payments joint venture, plans to pilot its service next year in Austin, Texas, allowing consumers there to purchase items using their smartphones.

Porter Bancorp Inc. was able to avoid trouble during the darkest days of the recession, only to show up on its regulator's radar screen as many other banks are recovering.

Cardtronics Inc. said Tuesday that it plans to buy EDC ATM Subsidiary LLC and Efmark Deployment I Inc., adding an additional 3,700 automated teller machines to its fleet.

The Federal Reserve said Tuesday that it had approved the sale of Centra Financial Holdings Inc. in Morganton, W.Va., to United Bankshares Inc. in Charleston, W.Va.