Thinly traded First Trust Bank was a popular stock with investors early Friday after rumors circulated that the Charlotte community bank could soon be acquired.

Investors Bancorp (ISBC) in Short Hills, N.J., reported a profit of $18.9 million in the quarter that ended March 31, up about 4% from the same period last year, as an acquisition and continued organic growth helped boost earning assets.

Hancock Holding's (HBHC) shares tumbled Friday morning after the Gulfport, Miss., company reported that its first-quarter earnings fell short of expectations as its allowance for loan losses rose.

Calling it a "milestone in its global growth," Silicon Valley Bank announced late Thursday that it has received permission from British banking authorities to open a full-service banking office in London.

Citizens Republic Bancorp (CRBC) in Flint, Mich., reported its fourth-straight quarterly Thursday profit as loan quality continued to improve and a surge of new deposits helped generate fresh income from investment securities.

As revenue growth diminishes, more community banks are looking to expand their wealth management and trust operations. A number of them, including Iberiabank and Wintrust, are turning to acquisitions for growth.

Texas Capital Bancshares' (TCBI) stock zoomed to an all-time high Thursday after the Dallas company handily beat first-quarter earnings projections and the investment firm Sterne Agee & Leach upgraded its shares from neutral to buy.

Asset quality might be paramount, but there are other things sellers need to consider as they seek to attract buyers. The list includes avoiding long-term contracts, trimming expenses and retaining key employees.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated a written agreement with North Valley Bancorp (NOVB) in response to the Redding, Calif., company's improved financial condition.

Bar Harbor Bankshares (BHB) in Maine is getting some love from analysts following its record earnings performance in the first quarter.

When I see my name in print included alongside names like Sheila Bair, Tom Hoenig, Richard Fisher, and Simon Johnson, I take notice.

United Community Banks (UCBI) in Blairsville, Ga., reported a profit of $8.5 million in the first quarter as lower expenses and 31% jump in fee-based revenues from the prior year more than offset slightly weakening asset quality.

Central Pacific Financial (CPF) said Thursday that first-quarter earnings rose 191% from a year earlier, to $13.5 million, as it reduced nonperforming assets and decreased the amount of chargeoffs.

Sun Bancorp (SNBC) has more than doubled the size of its New Jersey home mortgage team by hiring 50 former MetLife (MET) employees for its residential lending division.

American Banker apparently feels duty-bound to publish a story whenever it learns of a credit union that is not supporting the industry’s effort to enact legislation raising the cap that now constrains credit unions' ability to lend to small businesses ("Third Credit Union Dissents on Business Lending Bill," April 23).

Sterling Financial (STSA) said after markets closed Wednesday that its first-quarter net income rose 146% from the same period last year, to $13.3 million, due primarily to a growth in loan balances, lower funding costs and improved asset quality.

Solid revenue growth and a continued decline in problem loans helped boost Trustmark's first-quarter profit by 27% over the same period last year, to $30.3 million.

Smaller banks are struggling to keep efficiency ratios down, forcing many bankers to look at closing more branches and laying off more employees.

Buoyed by stronger credit quality and higher mortgage banking income, Lakeland Financial (LKFN) of Warsaw, Ind., reported record first-quarter income of $8.6 million, up 45% from a year earlier.