Upstart Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., is embarking on an ambitious branch expansion plan to go along with is acquisition of a Seattle-area bank.

Two weeks after announcing plans to open its first retail branch in Los Angeles County, First PacTrust Bancorp Inc. in Chula Vista, Calif., has struck its deal to buy a bank there.

Pacific Capital Bank has ditched its name and is consolidating its five separately branded banks under the name Santa Barbara Bank & Trust N.A.

Frontier State Bank's continuing legal battle with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is gaining more attention from other revenue-starved banks.

Ohio's Liberty Savings Bank is exiting its home state and selling its 16 branches there to First Financial Bancorp of Cincinnati, tripling First Financial's footprint in Dayton.

The closure Friday of the $208 million-asset Atlantic Bank and Trust in Charleston, S.C., was estimated to cost the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. $36 million.

The closure Friday of the $208 million-asset Atlantic Bank and Trust in Charleston, S.C., was estimated to cost the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. $36 million.

Community bankers are urging lawmakers to pressure the IRS into withdrawing a proposed rule requiring banks to report interest paid on deposit accounts of nonresidents.

Community bankers are urging lawmakers to pressure the Internal Revenue Service into withdrawing a proposed rule that would require U.S. banks to report to the IRS any interest paid on deposit accounts of nonresident aliens.

Ohio's Liberty Savings Bank is exiting its home state and selling its 16 branches there to First Financial Bancorp of Cincinnati, tripling First Financial's footprint in Dayton.

Banks thinking of scaling back loyalty programs should carefully weigh how to do it, because getting it wrong can alienate customers, even if they're still getting something for free.

Due to a noncompete agreement, John Kanas must remain hands-off for a while after BankUnited buys Herald National in New York. When that noncompete expires, watch out.

Eager to lower its overhead, Hampton Roads Bankshares Inc. in Norfolk, Va., will close nine branches this year and move customers' accounts into other nearby branches.

Huntington National Bank is committing $2 billion to help jumpstart Michigan's sputtering economy.

Despite the loss of some advantages under Dodd-Frank, the grandfathered unitary thrift holding company still offers more flexibility than the financial holding company variant.

The $3.6 billion-asset thrift company said this week that its lender, U.S. Bank, has given it another six months to repay a $116.3 million loan that was due to be paid off May 31.

Republic Bancorp Inc. in Louisville is exiting the Bowling Green, Ky., market and selling its branch there to a local rival.

Tennessee Commerce Bancorp Inc. in Franklin will not be required to restate its 2010 earnings after all, but it is under orders to boost its capital ratios.

Xenith Bancshares Inc. of Richmond, Va., is adding market share in its hometown with a deal to acquire the lone Virginia branch of Paragon Commercial Bank in Raleigh, N.C.

BankUnited Inc. of Miami Lakes, Fla., is expanding into the New York market with a deal to acquire Herald National Bank for $71.4 million in cash and stock.