U.S. bank earnings increased 5% in the third quarter from a year earlier to $40.4 billion as a “few large banks” recorded lower litigation expenses, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Tuesday.

Bank of the James Financial Group in Lynchburg, Va., is planning to raise about $11.5 million through a private placement.

The rapid growth of competition from nonbanks has the potential to hit community banks harder than the mortgage meltdown.

MainSource Financial Group in Greensburg, Ind., has agreed to buy Cheviot Financial in Cincinnati.

Entegra Financial in Franklin, N.C., has agreed to buy Oldtown Bank in Waynesville, N.C.

First Farmers and Merchants in Columbia, Tenn., plans to buy out some of its shareholders and deregister as a publicly traded company.

The $5.4 billion-asset WSFS said in a press release Monday that it will pay $101 million, or $21.75 a share, in cash and stock for the $651 million-asset parent of Penn Liberty Bank.

Hanmi Financial has gone public with efforts to merge with BBCN Bancorp in a move the Los Angeles company hopes will scuttle another rumored pairing.

American Chartered was also the top M&A priority for MB Financial, which was willing to pay a healthy premium to get a deal done. MB Financial, which prefers big acquisitions, will be challenged to find other opportunities in the Windy City.

The Federal Housing Administration's annual financial report demonstrates the outsize influence of reverse mortgages on the performance of its insurance fund, fueling a debate about whether those loans belong there.

The proliferation of easy-to-use analytics tools has allowed community banks to do what used to take teams of quants to accomplish. Some are using it to get an edge in M&A, others are using it to improve efficiency.

On the sidelines for three years, the once-aggressive acquirer jumps back in the game with a deal for CommunityOne Bancorp in Charlotte. It's also looking to bulk up in Tennessee and Florida, though any opportunity would bring tough decisions on whether to cross the $10 billion-asset mark.

Centre 1 Bancorp in Beloit, Wis., has agreed to buy Walworth State Bank in Wisconsin.

Coastal Banking in Beaufort, S.C., has agreed to buy First Avenue National Bank of Ocala in Florida.

Atlantic Coast Financial in Jacksonville, Fla., has agreed to sell a branch in Georgia to Queensborough National Bank & Trust in Louisville, Ga.

Capital Bank Financial in Coral Gables, Fla., has agreed to buy CommunityOne Bancorp in Charlotte, N.C.

MB Financial in Chicago has agreed to buy American Chartered Bancorp in Chicago.

Peoples Bancorp in Marietta, Ohio, has hired John C. Rogers as its chief financial officer and treasurer. He starts Nov. 30.

The $1.2 billion-asset company has redeemed the $10.9 million of preferred shares held by the U.S. Treasury Department, plus accrued dividends.

The $938 million-asset company will incur $400,000 in expenses from shutting down the unit, including $300,000 for contract termination costs and $100,000 for severance and employee benefits.