First Niagara Financial Group (FNFG) in Buffalo, N.Y., met quarterly estimates and announced a plan to invest heavily in technological improvements as it moves beyond its recent phase of rapid growth.

Hancock Holding (HBHC) in Gulfport, Miss., missed earnings estimates in the fourth quarter as the company took $17.1 million in charges related to cost-cutting measures.

Texas Capital Bancshares (TCBI) in Dallas is planning to raise up to $102.4 million via a public offering of common stock. Texas Capital plans to sell 1.7 million shares at $60.25 per share.

City National Corporation (CYN) of Beverly Hills, Calif., posted net income of $55.1 million for the fourth quarter, up 17% from the same quarter a year earlier.

The $214 million-asset First Federal said in a press release Thursday that it will pay about $4.3 million in stock for the $73.7 million-asset Alpena. The deal is expected to close in the second or third quarter.

Banks and credit unions are outperforming retailers in the war against credit card fraud, according to a new survey from Javelin Strategy & Research.

Xenith Bankshares (XBKS) in Richmond, Va., disclosed that Malcolm McDonald will retire as chairman at the end of his current term.

Rockville Financial (RCBK) in Glastonbury, Conn., is beefing up its mortgage lending operation ahead of its pending merger with United Financial (UBNK) in Massachusetts.

Pulaski Financial (PULB) in St. Louis plans to take out a $10 million loan in order to redeem preferred stock shares issued to the Treasury Department under the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

BancorpSouth (BXS) in Tupelo, Miss., reported a big jump in profit as credit quality continued to improve.

Farmers Capital Bank (FFKT) in Frankfort, Ky., is one step closer to being freed from a regulatory order.

Executives at KeyCorp and Fifth Third Bancorp said they are noticing increased consumer confidence, which would translate into more lending opportunities this year.

Perhaps more community banks should think boldly like TriCo Bancshares. The small California bank's deal to buy another rural lender, North Valley Bancorp, could give it the scale it needs to knock heads with Wells Fargo and B of A, its execs say.

Columbia Banking System (COLB) in Tacoma, Wash., reported higher quarterly earnings buoyed by last year's purchase of West Coast Bancorp in Lake Oswego, Ore.

Barkocy, research director of Mendon Capital Advisors, salutes his mentors and confesses a soft spot for small banks as he prepares to wrap up a career that lasted nearly five decades.

PacWest Bancorp (PACW) of Los Angeles reported a steep decline in quarterly earnings after it took a large charge tied to stock awards.

National Penn Bancshares (NPBC) in Boyertown, Pa., will close nine branches as it looks to cut costs.

BankUnited (BKU) in Miami Lakes, Fla., reported quarterly earnings that were in line with Wall Street expectations.

Susquehanna Bancshares (SUSQ) in Lititz, Pa., reported a profit of $41.3 million in the fourth quarter, down 4.4% from a year earlier.

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) in Cincinnati warned that it will take a hit to fourth-quarter earnings because of a $22.4 million valuation adjustment to its indemnification asset from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.