BB&T announced Thursday that it earned $210 million in the first quarter, compared with $431 million a year earlier, as it took a $281 million charge related to a tax dispute with the Internal Revenue Service.

But large banks have narrowed the gap as they have made a more concerted effort to better explain their fee structures to disgruntled customers.

Steve Antonakes, the No.2 at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, spent an hour with bankers on Wednesday attempting to ease concerns about impending mortgage rules and the examinations that will follow.

Astoria Financial (AF) in Lake Success, N.Y., boosted its quarterly profit nearly 40% by reining in costs.

Umpqua Holdings (UMPQ) in Portland, Ore., missed its quarterly earnings expectations because of margin pressure.

Shore Bancshares (SHBI) in Easton, Md., has tapped a company veteran to become its chief executive.

Boston Private Financial Holdings (BPFH) plans to buy back all of the preferred stock held by its largest investor, the Carlyle Group, for approximately $70 million.

Huntington has enjoyed undeniable success in attracting new customers, but a big question for investors is when that growth in new households will translate into meaningful revenue growth.

Community Trust Bancorp (CTBI) in Pikeville, Ky., reported flat earnings for the first quarter as higher costs offset an increase in fee income.

Berkshire Bancorp has found a "material weakness" in its internal controls tied to tax calculations and its loan-loss allowance. It has also brought on a new CEO.

PacWest Bancorp (PACW) in Los Angeles more than doubled its first-quarter profit as it reduced its loan-loss provision by $10 million.

Stubborn regulators. Delays and cancellations. Unpredictable shareholders. Those are just some of the stomach-churning obstacles that have made guts and a bit of luck key ingredients in successful bank dealmaking.

Fees and commissions provided a silver lining for BancFirst in Oklahoma City last quarter.

Fulton Financial (FULT) in Lancaster, Pa., reported a slight increase in quarterly profit as better credit quality and higher securities gains offset revenue declines.

Jacoby Dickens, majority owner and chairman of Seaway Bancshares, died Sunday at his home in Fisher Island, Fla., Crain's Chicago Business reported.

Comerica is generating enough loan growth in its key markets that it is under no pressure to expand through acquisitions, Chairman and Chief Executive Ralph Babb says.

Community banks spent $250 million and more than 8 million hours on regulation implemented during the first quarter, a recent study found.

Tompkins Financial (TMP) in Ithaca, N.Y., has hired an executive from National Penn Bancshares (NPBC) to run its bank in southeast Pennsylvania.

Quarterly profit fell at Westamerica Bancorp. (WABC) in San Rafael, Calif., as interest and fee income declined.

Bank of the West's Andy Harmening says there needs to be more conversation to determine the future of the big banks and whether they should be broken up. Harmening, a senior executive vice president and regional banking group head, spoke to American Banker at the annual Best Practices in Retail Banking Symposium.