Only three mutual thrifts have succeeded in going public so far this year, but the conversion market is starting to pick up, with two large deals on the way.

Guaranty Financial Group Inc. sought bankruptcy protection from creditors less than a week after collapsing in the 11th-biggest bank failure in U.S. history.

WASHINGTON — Three banks totaling $1.9 billion in assets failed late Friday, bringing the year's closure total to 84.

InBank of Oak Forest, Ill., went from well capitalized to insolvent in no time at all, and industry observers are pointing to the $209 million-asset bank as an extreme example of an aggressive regulatory approach to deteriorating credit quality.

Sierra Bancorp in Porterville, Calif., has lined up a $21.3 million capital infusion.

Pinnacle Bank of Rogers, Ark., and Central Bank of Little Rock have called off plans to merge.

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California credit unions had another increase in loan delinquencies during the second quarter, and more of them have been deemed troubled.

Preferred Bank in Los Angeles aimed to bring in $10 million with its recent stock offering, but demand exceeded its expectations.

LegacyTexas Group Inc. in Plano must get more aggressive in dealing with its loan trouble in order to satisfy regulators.

The $7.8 billion-asset company said Thursday that it had proposed two separate swaps — one for its $100 million of subordinated notes, the other for its $125 million of capital securities.

Plains Capital Corp. said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it will use the funds to pay off its $92 million in funding under the Troubled Asset Relief Program, pay off another $20 million in debt and perhaps use the remainder to buy other banks or assets.

MIDWEST

Though it already has a fat tangible common equity ratio, PacWest Bancorp in San Diego is piling on even more capital with an eye toward buying failed institutions.

Virginia Business Bank in Richmond agreed to submit written plans to the Federal Reserve Board and the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions detailing how its board plans to enhance oversight of the bank while also retooling its operations.

Nonbank commercial lenders are facing intense scrutiny as they try to start or buy a bank these days, so much so that more are starting to abandon their plans.

For the complete listing of community banks and thrifts ranked by the largest commercial and industrial loan portfolios in the first quarter, click here.

To help close its $1.3 billion budget gap, Pennsylvania is considering a proposal to reduce or eliminate tax exemptions for nonprofit organizations — including credit unions.

Savings Bank of Mendocino County in Ukiah, Calif., is bulking up by combining with a local competitor.

Tucked into the Obama administration's regulatory reform proposal is a plan to lift restrictions on interstate branching, an issue that could end up dividing community bankers.