Retail & Commercial

Activist investors are turning their sights back toward banks after going easier on them than on other industries in recent years. Look for the next bank M&A wave to be fueled by aggressive hedge funds as they push for board seats and ultimately sales of financial institutions.

PL Capital is raising money for a new fund that'll target banks with up to $75 billion of assets, after 20 years of sticking to just community banks with less than $3 billion of assets. In this Q&A, Richard Lashley explains why activist investors are eyeing bigger banks now and how banks can avoid his kind.

The hedge fund Bluestone Financial Partners has investments in a handful of banks that it views as takeout targets, but its founder, Ted Peters, says he would never agitate for a sale. Here's why he values the pacifist approach.

Univest believes its subscription-based pricing model may have solved a persistent fee conundrum – charging small-business customers for various services without irking them.

The public focus on whether Ally should pursue a sale has obscured other issues being raised by the firm's unhappy shareholders.

A rush of bank M&A is welcome news to activist investors, who typically make money when banks make improvements and sell to bigger institutions. Here is a look at six firms that have stood out in recent years for pressuring management teams and boards to enhance value for shareholders.

Bank of America is preparing to submit 20 blockchain-related patents any day now to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, CNBC reported this week, citing a company spokesperson.

Fourth-quarter profit improved at Investors Bancorp, as the Short Hills, N.J., company originated more multifamily, business and commercial real estate loans

CoBiz Financial in Denver postponed a conference call to discuss its fourth-quarter earnings, after an $11.2 million loan was downgraded and placed into nonaccrual status.

HSBC is testing a new money management app that uses push notifications to nudge customers into saving more and spending less.