Retail & Commercial

A number of community banks are turning to alternative channels, including lending cooperatives, to address imbalanced loan-to-deposit ratios.

BankUnited (BKU) of Miami Lakes, Fla., reported better-than-expected earnings in the fourth quarter as a surge in interest income more than offset a dip in fee income and the impact of a penalty for pre-paying Federal Home Loan bank advances.

The New Jersey company is well capitalized but was challenged making bigger loans to its commercial clients, an issue that could lead other small banks to seek buyers.

Lake Shore Bancorp (LSBK) in Dunkirk, N.Y., is ready to make a change at the top as two directors approach retirement age.

National Bank Holdings (NBHC) reported a higher quarterly profit thanks to a wider net interest margin and lower tax and loan-loss provisions.

Visa and Citigroup, working with the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion, plan to connect governments, NGOs, the private sector and others to advance global financial access by the end of this decade. Their Financial Inclusion 2020 campaign aims to do this by increasing access to credit, savings, payment tools and insurance for people all over the world.

Mortgage earnings climbed to 14% of total revenues at Wells Fargo in the fourth quarter. Banks say they can scale down operations quickly when volume fizzles.

Banks want to collect more data to target offers at their card customers. One company's facial-recognition system may offer an edge, assuming it's not going too far.

Eight new members have joined the committee that advises the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on community-bank policy.

Lakeland Bancorp in Oak Ridge has agreed to buy Somerset Hills Bancorp in Bernardsville, N.J.