One of my favorite retailers competes in an industry not exactly known for differentiated offerings.

First Volunteer Corp. in Chattanooga, Tenn., has bought a century-old community bank in Benton, Tenn., that lost millions of dollars in an apparent loan fraud scheme.

The stock price of Oregon Pacific Bancorp Inc. soared Thursday after the Florence company announced that it plans to deregister its stock and go private.

Sun Bancorp Inc. of Vineland, N.J., said Thursday that it would take a $4.1 million fourth-quarter provision for loan losses and charge off $3.5 million of loans.

Another Michigan bank is warning about credit trouble prompted by the state's flagging economy.

Bradford Bancorp Inc.'s deal to buy another Maryland thrift is officially off.

WGNB Corp.'s shares fell sharply Thursday after the Carrollton, Ga., company warned that fourth-quarter and full-year earnings would fall well short of 2006 results due to continued weakness in its residential real estate portfolio.

Community bank directors have had an easy job for the last 10 to 15 years, and though I hear many directors complain about the job's workload and complexity, it is absolutely nothing compared to the early 1990s.

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United Bancorp Inc. of Tecumseh, Mich., warned Wednesday that it would add $5.1 million to its fourth-quarter provision for loan losses, because of deteriorating credit quality.

Few financial institutions are expanding as aggressively as Navy Federal Credit Union, and community bankers are watching closely.

MIDDLE ATLANTIC

Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. in Lititz, Pa., said Wednesday that it has a deal to buy the investment management firm Stratton Holding Co. in Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

Horizon Bancorp of Michigan City, Ind., said it increased its provision for loan and lease losses by $1.4 million last month, because of deteriorating credit quality in its wholesale mortgage and indirect auto loan portfolios.

After 17 years as a publicly traded company, Peoples Bancorp in Auburn, Ind., is planning to go private.

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA's Texas acquisition spree has been a windfall for one Rio Grande Valley bank.

Thrift companies looking to raise capital through public offerings are not generating much interest from investors these days.

It has been a difficult year for Hanmi Financial Corp. of Los Angeles, but Sung Won Sohn said that is not why he is resigning as its president and chief executive.

Community Shores Bank Corp. in Muskegon, Mich., said that it would roughly double its provision for loan losses for the fourth quarter to reflect both the impairment of a commercial loan and the elevated risk in its portfolio of residential real estate and land development loans.