Banking

Home BancShares in Conway, Ark., swallowed $1.7 million of merger-integration costs in the fourth quarter, capping a year of investment in its expansion.

Profits at People's United Financial in Bridgeport, Conn., edged up in the fourth quarter thanks to fee income and loan growth.

Citigroup plans to shed 60 branches as part of its ongoing restructuring, a number of which are said to be in California. It shopped some of the California branches last year, and it may again try to sell some of them.

The president's job at Northwest Indiana Bancorp of Munster, Ind., has been passed on to a fourth generation of Bochnowski. The company said Benjamin Bochnowski, who remains the company's chief operating officer, will have the same posts at its bank.

Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., reported higher quarterly earnings on increased revenue, with fourth-quarter profit rose 8% from a year earlier, to $38.13 million.

The Obama Administration's issued looser rules Thursday for transactions in the small island nation, but banks still face impediments.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco reported flat fourth-quarter profits as strong deposit growth and gains in both interest and fee income were largely offset by higher expenses.

Google, an early investor in LendingClub, is using the online platform to help it sell more services to businesses.

Under pressure from Congress and credit unions, the NCUA significantly dialed back its proposal to institute risk-based capital requirements, raising the threshold of which institutions must comply and softening other provisions.

Bank of America's expenses still far exceed those of JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, so analysts were clearly disappointed Thursday when CEO Brian Moynihan failed to outline any specific plans for further lowering overhead.

Facing the prospect of losing its license in California, Ocwen would be wise to settle its probe by state regulators in a timely manner, observers said. If it doesn't, the mortgage servicer could lose significant revenue and might even face a cash crunch.

Regions Financial is testing gamification as a way to teach financial literacy to young people with a mobile app that simulates a sport more commonly associated with older generations.

Westamerica Bancorp. in San Rafael, Calif., reported lower quarterly results as lower yields and a smaller loan book dragged down profit.

Monitise, a London-based payments technology company, has partnered with MoneyPass Network to provide services to ATM users in the U.S.

System United Corporate Federal Credit Union (SunCorp) and Alloya Corporate FCU on Thursday said NCUA has approved the application for SunCorp to merge into Alloya.

While put-backs and litigation risk are widely recognized as factors that have contributed to tight credit conditions, another factor — high servicing costs for nonperforming loans — is being overlooked.

Lenders could save time and money by offering homeowners the opportunity to finance the purchase of a rooftop solar system into a new mortgage.

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced Thursday plans to propose legislation to overhaul the state's data security law while requiring new safeguards for the personal data of consumers.

The Bancorp in Wilmington, Del., said the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will assess an insurance premium surcharge after a broader ruling on the status of prepaid cards.

A Minnesota state senator who filed for bankruptcy was relieved of $840,00 in debt last year, including $613,000 owed to the U.S. Small Business Administration.