Provident Financial Services Inc. reported that its fourth-quarter earnings rose 23% from a year earlier, to $14.9 million, because of an increase in net loans.

Hancock Holding Co.'s fourth-quarter results included hefty costs associated with buying Whitney Holding Corp.

SVB Financial Group's fourth-quarter net income was more than double what it earned a year earlier, at $35.6 million.

Improved asset quality helped Boston Private Financial Holdings Inc. return to the black in 2011 despite declines in revenue.

Glacier Bancorp Inc. in Kalispell, Mont., reported higher earnings after it purged bad loans off its books.

Chemical Financial Corp. in Midland, Mich., reported that its fourth-quarter profit rose 49% from a year earlier, to $11.2 million, because a lower loan-loss provision.

Tennessee has managed to escape the downturn relatively unscathed, and hasn't had a bank fail since 2002. But a new crop of undercapitalized banks and other strugglers have put 10% of the state's banks at some risk of failure.

Columbia Banking System Inc. in Tacoma, Wash., and an aggressive buyer of failed banks, rode those acquisitions to a strong fourth quarter.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The NCUA Board this morning approved the proposed merger of Tennessee's Volunteer Corporate CU with West Virginia Corporate CU, accelerating the pace of the corporate restructuring.

Brookline Bancorp Inc.'s fourth-quarter and full-year results rose despite costs associated with acquisitions.

Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., announced that fourth quarter earnings fell after several special charges.

Sterling Financial Corp. in Spokane, Wash., returned to the black for the year as credit quality improved.

The Ithaca, N.Y., bank has been scouting for deals and said Thursday it has agreed to buy VIST Financial in southeastern Pennsylvania for $86 million in stock.

United Community Banks Inc. of Blairsville, Ga. is back in the black — again.

New Resource Bank in San Francisco said Thursday that it had raised $7.7 million through a private placement.

The $733 million-asset company said in a press release that Philip Brothman will not seek reelection as chairman of Evans or unit Evans Bank when shareholders meet in April.

The St. Louis company will restate almost two years' worth of earnings after finding an error tied to loss-sharing agreements for failed-bank deals.

John Koelmel touts quarterly profit in interview, but merger and integration costs weighed on the Buffalo bank — and more are on the way.

Suffolk Bancorp in Riverhead, N.Y., said late Wednesday that it has a new accounting firm.

Astoria Financial Corp. in Lake Success, N.Y., said late Wednesday that its fourth-quarter profits fell 50% from a year earlier, to $11.8 million, because of decreases in average interest-earning assets.