Retail & Commercial

There are too many things in M&A that buyers cannot control, including the willingness of the right targets to sell, economic conditions and the likelihood that desire will interfere with good due diligence, two Midwest bankers warn.

Bank of America Corp.'s proposed $8.5 billion settlement with mortgage-bond investors, including BlackRock Inc. (BLK) and Pacific Investment Management Co., was approved by a New York state judge, except for some loan modification claims.

AltaPacific Bancorp (ABNK) in Santa Rosa, Calif., has agreed to buy Mission Oaks Bancorp (MOKB) in Temecula, Calif.

Shares in prepaid card issuer Green Dot (GDOT) tumbled Friday amid fears that the firm would need to keep spending heavily to stave off new competitors, such as T-Mobile.

A recap of the informed opinion’s (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.

WSFS Financial (WSFS) in Wilmington, Del., realized some of the benefits of its M&A strategy last quarter.

The central bank of Estonia, where Swedish banks dominate the lending market, urged consumers to steer clear of Bitcoin and similar virtual currencies, warning such software could prove to be little more than a "Ponzi scheme."

Investors Bancorp (ISBC) in Short Hills, N.J., which is poised for a second-step conversion, saw quarterly profits soar on big loan growth.

The Federal Housing Administration's long-awaited decision to start accepting electronic signatures on mortgage documents will cut down on costs and streamline operations for banks and other mortgage lenders. But the industry still faces several hurdles before it can reap the benefits of this technology upgrade.

For some, 2013 may be remembered as the toughest regulatory year on record. New regulation will likely slow this year, but scrutiny is expected to rise.