Banking

John W. Allison of Home BancShares was on the prowl for a deal in Florida when a "game-changer" came up in its home state of Arkansas. He sacrificed geographic diversification for a local moneymaker. Was it the right move for the long term?

A number of lenders are betting that creating a closer tie between employers and loans to their employees will lead to lower default rates and cheaper consumer credit.

A former president and chief executive of a Tennessee bank is going to prison for bank fraud.

Amazon.com Inc. and 7-Eleven Inc. sued Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc. over card fees after rejecting a multibillion-dollar settlement in an antitrust case.

Carolina Premier Bank hopes its blend of Southern charm and robust technology (robotic bankers, anyone?) will be a hit with residents in the nation's capital.

Southern Methodist University's banking school has given Scott Dueser, the head of First Financial Bankshares in Abilene, Texas, its distinguished alumnus award for embracing change in challenging times.

Green Dot's recently launched branchless GoBank is holding personal checks deposited via smartphones for so long it raises questions about its grasp of its business model's risks and its customers' psyches.

Independence Bancshares (IEBS) in Greenville, S.C., plans to raise $1.8 million in a follow-up offering to a private placement that closed last December.

Growth in business loans continued to outpace other categories in the second quarter but failed to rebound to the blistering rate that prevailed through most of 2011 and 2012, preliminary data shows.

Virginia Heritage Bank (VGBK) in Tysons Corner raised $22 million in its recent public offering.

The industry doesn't need to invest millions in further education and legislation. The road to a good credit score is pretty straightforward.

The Treasury Department plans to sell its stake in eight more institutions as it seeks to continuing winding down the 5-year-old Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Another FBR bank analyst is leaving the northern Virginia boutique to pursue a career in investor relations. Brett Scheiner has left FBR to become the investor relations officer for Popular Inc. (BPOP) in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

First Merchants (FRME) in Muncie, Ind., has reduced its ties to the Treasury Department's Small Business Lending Fund.

Serial acquirer Grandpoint Capital has agreed to buy Gilmore Bank. Both are in Los Angeles.

A report from McAfee called "Cybercrime Exposed" provides insight into what it costs to operate cyber fraud.

First ULB (FUBP) in Oakland, Calif., has agreed to buy Union Financial in Albuquerque, N.M.

Deposit-rich banks needing to make loans are suppressing rates on jumbo mortgages to compete for wealthier customers as home prices soar in expensive areas from Manhattan to San Francisco.

Prosperity Bancshares in Houston rarely participates in auctions, but CEO David Zalman was confident enough of his offer for FVNB to the bank solicit another bid. Zalman won, and Prosperity's investors embraced the result.

The $400 million-asset bank said Tuesday that it had acquired Luhn-McCain Insurance, also in San Antonio. The bank did not disclose the price.