Two small New Jersey start-ups have agreed to a merger of equals.

NEW ENGLAND

Concerned that media coverage of IndyMac Bank's failure last month would panic consumers, Tri Counties Bank in Chico, Calif., called local television stations and offered to explain how deposit insurance works.

With a regulatory deadline looming, the battered Federal Trust Corp. in Sanford, Fla., has decided to offer shares of its common stock to the public, instead of going through with a previously announced rights offering.

Hamilton of Ga. Purchasing Jefferson

Capitol Federal Financial of Topeka, Kan., said Monday that its profit for its fiscal 2008 third quarter more than doubled from a year earlier, to $14.4 million.

With the backing of its deep-pocketed parent, Mutual of Omaha Bank intends to continue buying troubled or failed banks, and within 10 years it could even "rival" its ...

Cape Fear Bank Corp. in Wilmington, N.C., said Monday that it swung to a loss in the second quarter as credit quality weakened and expenses soared.

Norman Morales, the former chief executive of Vineyard National Bancorp in Corona, Calif., has withdrawn himself from the slate of dissident directors trying to gain control of the company's board.

For Vineyard National Bancorp shareholders, the long-running battle for control of the Corona, Calif., company's board boils down to this question: Is now the time for Vineyard — deemed a "troubled" institution by regulators — to be aggressively going after new business, or should it focus on reducing assets and building its capital base?

Capital City Bank Group Inc. in Tallahassee, Fla., says it has looked at about eight acquisition targets in recent months but found that most have credit issues that could make them more trouble than they are worth.

The Board of Directors of Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest today named Walter Healy, 42, president, succeeding Martin J. Noll, 65, who was named chairman of the board and continues as chief executive officer.

Battered by large losses on subprime mortgage and construction loans, First Banks Inc. in St. Louis expects to report a loss of nearly $40 million when it announces second-quarter earnings next week.

After a second straight dismal quarter, Silver State Bancorp in Henderson, Nev., is looking for a new chairman and a new chief executive officer.

First Community Bancshares Inc. in Bluefield, Va., has a deal to buy Coddle Creek Financial Corp. in Mooresville, N.C., for $33.1 million.

Examiners are expecting bankers to take new approaches to stress testing loans, especially commercial real estate ones, which could have a profound impact on loan-loss reserves.

If Guaranty Financial Group Inc. in Austin and Central Pacific Financial Corp. in Honolulu had made loans only in their home states, they might have reported solid profits for the second quarter.

As a start-up flush with capital, Allegiance Bank Texas in Houston has had little trouble attracting deposits of late.