Americas

Sterling Bancorp said the Treasury Department has approved its exit from the Troubled Asset Relief Program. On Wednesday Sterling redeemed all $42 million of preferred stock tied to Tarp.

First Financial Bankshares Inc. in Abilene, Texas, is planning a three-for-two split of its common stock. The $3.83 billion-asset company said the split will take the form of a 50% stock dividend, which it will distribute on June 1 to shareholders of record on May 15.

Put two ailing banks together and conventional wisdom dictates you might have twice the problems. You might also have a very attractive target for private equity.

Sterling Bancorp in New York reported Tuesday that first-quarter earnings rose 71% from a year earlier, to $3.3 million. The $2.39 billion-asset company's loan-loss provision was halved from the first quarter of 2010, to $3 million.

BancorpSouth Inc. in Tupelo, Miss., reported a first-quarter loss because of higher credit costs and a decline in mortgage-related revenue.

Vensure Federal Credit Union in Mesa, Ariz., taken under conservatorship by the National Credit Union Administration two weeks ago, claimed that the NCUA knew all along that it was processing online bets for the two biggest poker websites.

UMB Financial Corp. in Kansas City, Mo. reported earnings of $30.9 million in the first quarter, up 17.9% from a year ago, as noninterest income soared following the acquisition of two advisory firms last year.

Fueled by strong loan growth and record deposit growth, Signature Bank in New York is coming off its most-profitable quarter in its 10-year history.

Shares of Wilshire Bancorp plunged early Tuesday after the Los Angeles company announced that it lost $52.1 million, or $1.77 per share, in the first quarter.

Building on its strong second half of 2010, PrivateBancorp in Chicago started 2011 with its third straight profitable quarter.