The embattled Capitol Bancorp Ltd. eked out a small profit in the first quarter, thanks largely to a $16.9 million gain on the conversion of trust-preferred securities to common equity.

After the meltdown, the public and policymakers devoted extensive attention to the risks posed by too-big-too-fail banks and the plight of community banks. But a lot less has been said about the hit sustained by midsize banks and its implications.

Continuing to be plagued by problem construction loans, Hampton Roads Bancshares Inc. in Norfolk, Va., said after the markets closed on Monday that it lost $31.7 million in the quarter that ended March 31.

Two community banks have signed up for Secure Vault Payments, according to eWise Systems USA Inc., the Denver company working with Nacha, the electronic payments association, to offer the technology.

Hancock Holding of Gulfport, Miss., has won all federal approvals to acquire Whitney Holding in New Orleans, setting the stage for the deal to close on June 4 and create a $20 billion-asset company with more than 300 branches stretching from Florida to Texas.

Premier Financial Bancorp of Huntington, W.Va., has received regulatory approval to resume dividend payments on its investment from the Treasury Department.

Large community banks that aspire to the next rung face a critical challenge: expanding in size and scope while maintaining their small-bank identity.

Bay Commercial Bank in Walnut Creek, Calif., is moving into the Silicon Valley market with a deal to acquire the $66 million-asset Global Trust Bank for $15.3 million in cash and stock.

California Assemblyman Ben Hueso, a Democrat, has introduced a bill to create a task force to consider the viability of forming a bank that'd use deposits of state agencies to support economic development.

Bell Federal Credit Union and Midwest Partners Federal Credit Union, both in Sioux Falls, S.D., have agreed to merge, creating a $65 million-asset credit union serving 9,000 members.

The Federal Reserve on Thursday released information on written agreements with five banking companies.

The midtier bank seemed destined for the endangered species list after the meltdown, but a fresh crop of small-bank survivors are eager to fill the void.

Naugatuck Valley Financial Corp. in Connecticut has won permission from the Office of Thrift Supervision to convert from a mutual holding company to a 100% stock-owned company.

Northern Trust Corp. will remain the title sponsor of a top professional golf tournament in Los Angeles at least through 2016.

Northern Trust Corp. will remain the title sponsor of a top professional golf tournament in Los Angeles at least through 2016.

Tri-Valley Bank in San Ramon, Calif., is looking to raise roughly $7 million in a private placement that the bank said it would use to support growth and boost its capital levels.

Tri-Valley Bank in San Ramon, Calif., is looking to raise roughly $7 million in a private placement that the bank said it would use to support growth and boost its capital levels.

Suffolk Bancorp in Riverhead, N.Y., has announced that it may need to restate earnings for several quarter after identifying weaknesses in its methodology for calculating loan losses.

Suffolk Bancorp in Riverhead, N.Y., has announced that it may need to restate earnings for several quarter after identifying weaknesses in its methodology for calculating loan losses.

ViewPoint Financial Group Inc. in Plano, Texas, said Thursday that Gary Base, its longtime president and chief executive, will retire at the end of the year.