Westamerica Bancorp. probably expected little trouble when it asked for regulatory permission to close a small branch in northern California. Wrong! Welcome to the world of online petitions and social media.

Frank Hamlin, CEO of Canandaigua National, suggested in a recent letter to shareholders that N.Y. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's cases against Financial Institutions Inc. and Evans Bancorp were politically motivated.

Tangible book value was considered nearly sacred after the financial crisis. With the economy improving, investors are becoming more tolerant of acquirers diluting tangible book value for accretive deals.

One of the most successful startup banks in a generation is turning over its keys to a California bank. Institutional ownership and the prospect of slower growth may have prompted Square 1 to make the deal.

EverBank Financial in Jacksonville, Fla., has announced the share price of a secondary public offering by two institutional stockholders.

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An expected rush of refinancings of Federal Housing Administration loans could force some mortgage servicers to take writedowns in the first and second quarters, but they have more incentive than ever to keep borrowers in the FHA program instead of letting rivals lure away their customers.

Enterprise Financial Services in St. Louis plans to add a banking veteran to its board.

Western Alliance Bancorp. relishes niches with thin competition and high rewards. Its deal for Bridge Capital is no different: The seller serves small tech companies that provide high liquidity and ample fee revenue.

Reliance Bancshares is also talking to Tim Hortons about anchoring some of its branches, in hopes that coffee traffic will bring more business into its underutilized offices.

First Bancorp in Puerto Rico revised its fourth-quarter earnings to reflect an adjustment tied to a reversal in its deferred-tax asset.

Glen Rock Savings Bank in Glen Rock, N.J., has agreed to buy Llewellyn-Edison Savings Bank in West Orange, N.J.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and from our social media platforms.

Hencorp Becstone Capital in Miami has agreed to pay $3.8 million to settle allegations that it provided inaccurate statements and claims to the Export-Import Bank.

The Justice Department handed down its third bank settlement under Operation Choke Point Thursday, bringing a civil complaint against Plaza Bank of Irvine, Calif., for failing to report a payment processor's relationship with fraudulent merchants.

Charles "Stormy" Greef, a partner with Hunton & Williams' financial institutions team, died March 10. He was 66.

Smaller banks need to develop detailed marketing plans to reach out to cardholders, while also working with their processors to prepare for the transition to EMV cards.

FirstBank Holding Company is appealing to young, outdoorsy and wired customers with soft marketing, including a smartphone-guided treasure hunt for free snowboards and skis at a Colorado resort.

A recovering economy has all but stopped talk about loan growth. Instead, bankers are now getting grilled about deposit gathering, dealmaking and, in some instances, how they are dealing with slumping energy prices.