East West Bancorp Inc.'s shares surged early Friday following news that the Pasadena, Calif., company had a record-breaking 2011 and plans to double its dividend.

Serial acquirer Grandpoint Capital Inc. has announced its first acquisition of 2012 as it prepares for the closing of its last announced deal.

Four months after its planned sale to Texas investment group fell through, The Bank Arlington near Dallas has found another buyer.

The agreements with rivals Community Bank System and Financial Institutions Inc. would complete First Niagara's planned divestitures in connection with its blockbuster deal for much of HSBC Bank's retail franchise.

Frivolously adding armor to combat planes makes the aircraft difficult to control and less effective. Weighting down banks with ill-conceived risk mitigation strategies and regulations serves the interests of neither individual banks nor the banking system as a whole.

Auburn National Bancorp in Alabama announced two moves that will largely offset each other during the first quarter.

BankUnited Inc. once seemed intent to grow on its own. But now, after a brief flirtation with selling itself, the company's main job will be assuring key constituents that it's simply going to stick around.

A good-news/bad-news story is the best way to describe fourth quarter 2011 results. The numbers also hold clues to where the banking business is heading.

Did an anonymous open letter to BankUnited CEO John Kanas, emailed to all of the bank's employees, imploring him not to sell the bank really have an impact on the decision to abandon the sale?

Westamerica Bancorp. in San Rafael, Calif., reported fourth-quarter earnings of $21.8 million, down 8% from a year earlier.

Gateway Bancshares Inc. in Ringgold, Ga., is selling itself to rival First Volunteer Corp. in Chattanooga, Tenn., and its chief executive said that the decision was driven largely by the need for scale.

Kelly King said he is willing to pass on deals, a day after its reported target, BankUnited, opted to remain independent.

Republic Bancorp Inc. in Louisville, Ky., reported on Thursday fourth-quarter results of $6.2 million, partially driven by loan growth and improved asset quality, and year-end earnings of $94.1 million, due to higher income from its Tax Refund Solutions.

Glacier Bancorp Inc. in Kalispell, Mont., is planning to collapse its 11 bank subsidiaries into a single commercial bank in a move aimed at streamlining its operations and lowering its overall compliance costs.

Wintrust Financial Corp. in Lake Forest, Ill., reported late Wednesday that its fourth-quarter earnings rose 35% from a year earlier, to $19.2 million, as credit costs subsided and the company benefited from an 11% jump in earning assets from a year earlier.

Higher fee income and lower costs tied to deposits and operations helped CVB Financial Corp. more than double its fourth-quarter profit from a year ago.

Buoyed by improved asset quality and a surge in commercial loan originations, Webster Financial Corp. in Waterbury, Conn., said Thursday that its fourth-quarter net income jumped 63% from the same period in 2010, to $39.6 million.

BankUnited issued a press release confirming rumors that it did in fact engage an investment bank to find a possible buyer for the company, but has opted to stay independent.

Complaint also seeks to bar Alan Levan, the company's chairman and CEO, from serving as an officer or director of any public company.

F.N.B. Corp. in Hermitage, Pa., said late Wednesday that Stephen J. Gurgovits is stepping down as its chief executive.