Commercial banking

The Minneapolis-based company will return to its former governance structure when it installs CEO Gunjan Kedia as board chair. Andy Cecere had served as chair during his tenure as the company's chief executive, and then became executive chair when he stepped down as CEO last year.

Acquiring Stellar Bancorp will create the second-largest Texas-headquartered bank, with a No. 5 deposit share in the massive Houston marketplace.

Julia Carreon is suing the bank, alleging she suffered race and sex discrimination, including sexual harassment by Andy Sieg, the bank's head of wealth management. On Tuesday, Citi hit back by filing a petition to compel arbitration and accusing Carreon of making false claims.

A Delaware judge denied HoldCo Asset Management's emergency motion for a temporary restraining order to stop the deal from closing. Fifth Third plans to complete its purchase on Feb. 1.

CEO Gunjan Kedia joined nearly 70 chief executives of Minnesota-based companies in calling for "an immediate de-escalation of tensions" in Minneapolis, where a second resident was fatally shot by federal immigration agents on Saturday.

The Boston bank, which has been targeted by an activist investor over its M&A strategy, isn't pursuing deals, CEO Denis Sheahan said Friday. Instead, the company is focused on organic growth and share buybacks.

The McLean, Virginia-based bank plans to close the deal in mid-2026, about a year after it sealed its landmark purchase of Discover Financial Services.

Three weeks after completing its "merger of equals" with Synovus Financial, Pinnacle Financial Partners said it plans to hire 225 to 250 revenue-generating bankers in 2026 across its newly expanded Southeast footprint.

The Huntsville, Alabama-based regional bank is well positioned to defend its Southeast footprint, according to CEO John Turner. It's hiring more bankers in growth markets, it has strong brand recognition and it has a long history in its core markets, he said.

Goldman Sachs' fourth-quarter earnings far exceeded analysts' forecasts, overcoming losses from its consumer-focused Platform Solutions unit.

The investment banking giant reported an 18% increase in net income for the fourth quarter and stuck to its 2-year-old financial targets, even as it exceeded some of them.

The megabank's net income declined by 13% during the fourth quarter as a result of a $1.2 billion pretax loss on sale related to the divestiture of its remaining operations in Russia.

The Federal Reserve will resume accepting pennies from banks and credit unions at all commercial coin distribution locations beginning Jan. 14. The central bank had ceased accepting pennies at some distribution centers late last year, but bankers praised Thursday's reversal.

The Kansas City, Missouri-based bank completed its first bank acquisition in 12 years on New Year's Day. Now it's focused on retaining and growing FineMark Holdings' high-net-worth clients in markets such as Southwest Florida, South Carolina and Arizona.

Last year highlighted the risks for banks in lending to nondepository financial institutions. A new approach by Trump-era regulators could change the playing field.

New Jersey-based OceanFirst Financial slid in its planned $579 million acquisition of Flushing Financial just before the end of the year. The private equity firm Warburg Pincus is also participating in the transaction.

It's not just Capital One Cafés; banks all over the country are repurposing branches and offices. Marketing experts call it innovative, but critics say some lenders are crossing a legal boundary between banking and commerce.

Cockroaches, crazy work and shots in the butt: Here are some of the most quotable bank CEOs of 2025.