Community banks are reporting first-quarter declines in net interest income despite increased lending. Low rates and competition are to blame.

Beneficial Mutual Bancorp in Philadelphia is the subject of a governmental investigation into its residential real estate lending.

A reduced reimbursement from regulators weighed on quarterly results at First Financial (FFBC) in Cincinnati.

Two federal regulators — the FDIC and the OCC — issued guidance on deposit-advance products that establish strict underwriting standards for payday loans offered by banks and any related third-party vendor.

Park Sterling in Charlotte, N.C., said it is on the hunt for bank acquisitions as it reported a record quarterly profit.

Improved asset quality and lower expenses lifted Columbia Banking System (COLB) in the first quarter.

BBCN Bancorp in Los Angeles has hired a former chief executive of Hanmi Financial and Wilshire Bancorp to lead its bank.

Yadkin Valley Financial in Elkin, N.C., tapped fee income to return to profitability.

Higher revenue and lower expenses lifted United Bankshares (UBSI) inn Charleston, W.Va., in the first quarter.

Sens. David Vitter and Sherrod Brown are courting a key constituency — small banks — that they hope can help build support for their legislation to tackle "too big to fail."

Oriental Financial Group (OFG) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is being rebranded as OFG Bancorp.

Promontory Financial Group has hired Linda Gallagher, the head of KPMG's financial services regulatory department, as head of its consumer protection practice.

High-profile investor Jay Sidhu says he still plans to vote against the sale of Atlantic Coast in Jacksonville even though Bond Street has agreed to pay shareholders $5 a share up front, instead of withholding $2 a share for a year to cover litigation costs.

Monarch Financial Holdings (MNRK) in Chesapeake, Va., has made five executive promotions, including the appointment of a new chief credit officer

BankUnited (BKU) in Miami Lakes, Fla., reported solid growth in interest income as it began its expansion into the New York City market.

A number of community banks reported higher noninterest expenses in the first quarter as they sought out ways to book more loans and charge more fees.

Bank of Marin Bancorp in Novato, Calif., is looking for a chief financial officer.

Jacksonville Bancorp (JAXB) in Florida has made Donald Glisson its chairman.

Rurban, a $641 million-asset company, has renamed itself SB Financial Group and will trade under the stock symbol "SBFG" starting on Wednesday.

Triumph Bancorp in Dallas has agreed to National Bancshares in Bettendorf, Iowa.