Banking

Jeff Davis Bancshares of Jennings, La., has agreed to acquire Guaranty Capital, as the buyer expands northward in its home state.

East West Bancorp grew its commercial loans and reduced deposit costs, sending the largest Chinese-American bank to its seventh consecutive quarter of higher profits.

The good news is that several dozen banks are projected to outpace peers in loan growth in the year ahead. The bad news: only half will profit from doing so.

Consistency and ample communication are the cornerstones of acquisition announcements. Compassion and reassurance to your new team members flow to your customers and the community.

Third-quarter profit at Astoria Financial (AF) improved as it continues to emphasize multifamily and commercial real estate loans, and cut costs.

Bankers urged their counterparts to rally against Basel III and other regulations at the American Bankers Association conference in San Diego. In contrast, regulators tried to convince bankers that their voices would be heard in Washington.

Commercial banks donated significant amounts of money to some of the most critical -- and most hotly contested -- congressional races this year.

BB&T's third-quarter earnings dipped from midyear after it incurred costs from buying BankAtlantic and issued preferred stock.

A group of bankruptcy attorneys is warning cash-strapped borrowers against the hazards of working with companies that promise to reduce debt in exchange for a fee.

RBS Citizens Financial Group has hired JPMorgan Chase executive Michael J. Cleary to head its U.S. distribution for consumer banking.

Transit systems are a proving ground for payments: they require high-speed, sometimes wireless, and consistently reliable payments. New York’s subways, buses and taxis are constantly testing potential new systems, and not all succeed.

M&T Bank in Buffalo and Comerica in Dallas have increased lending, but M&T is profiting more because of an important investment decision it made last year.

Strong mortgage banking revenue boosted third-quarter earnings at Umpqua Holdings (UMPQ) by almost 15% from a year earlier, to $25 million.

Wincor Nixdorf is joining the ranks of ATM manufacturers providing software for pre-staging transactions.

While accepting a lifetime achievement award at American Banker's Women in Banking gala, former Capital One Bank President Lynn Carter urged bankers to embrace perspectives contrary to their own.

Associated Banc-Corp in Green Bay, Wis., announced plans to close a dozen branches a day before it is scheduled to release its third-quarter results.

BB&T, a $179 billion-asset company in Winston-Salem, N.C., said Tuesday it plans to add roughly 1,700 jobs in back-office, administrative and support functions in Greensboro.

American Express Co. (AXP) on Wednesday reported third-quarter net income of $1.25 billion, up 1% from the same period a year ago, as customer spending grew worldwide.

American Express Co. on Wednesday reported third-quarter net income of $1.25 billion, up 1% from the same period a year ago, as customer spending grew worldwide.

KBW named 42 small banks it says will have loan growth that far outpaces their peers and the overall economy next year. But half of them probably won't translate that into big profits.