Regulation-by-numbers under Dodd-Frank is taking the art out of community banking and narrowing the borrowing window for lenders and needy borrowers alike. That was one of the key take-aways from the Federal Reserve's first ever conference on community bank research.

Prudential Bancorp (PBIP) in Philadelphia has completed its second-step conversion and $71.4 million public offering.

Republic Bancorp's deal to buy the bank operations of H&R Block collapsed because of regulators' apparent concerns about the mixing of banking and tax-refund processing. The deal would have helped restore a business already bruised by conflicts with regulators.

Risk managers are hopeful that the demand for new loans will rise, but a new study shows that they are increasingly worried that existing loans may go sour.

Banks had to devote more money to compliance in the third quarter after regulators increased the rate of new enforcement actions.

Enterprise Financial and Reliance Bancshares in St. Louis, under pressure to grow like most community banks, believe they have figured out how to expand into faraway markets yet avoid the mistakes that cost many banks during the financial crisis.

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators on Wednesday urged banks and other financial institutions to consider loan modification plans for borrowers affected by the government shutdown, which is now in its second week.

TGR Financial in Naples, Fla., has agreed to buy Shamrock Bank of Florida.

Century Bancorp (CNBKA) in Medford, Mass., said Thursday that its third-quarter profit fell slightly due to a decline in loan balances.

Plaza Bank in Irvine, Calif., has hired Michael Vantrease as an executive vice president and its chief administrative officer.

Hopefully, examiners will respect good-faith efforts by banks and third-party processors to verify that a merchant’s business is legal – rather than expect financial institutions to guarantee how courts will decide.

H&R Block Inc.'s plan to sell its bank and exit Federal Reserve oversight stalled as Republic Bancorp Inc. said it rescinded a plan to buy the unit.

Think twice about buying a far-away bank. Consider getting into equipment leasing. Trust your instincts in credit decisions. Those are among the insights from a slew of research papers on community banks presented at a Federal Reserve conference last week.

Jacksonville Bancorp (JAXB) in Florida is planning a reverse stock split that would allow its shares to keep trading on the Nasdaq exchange.

First National Bank of New York is selling to Bridge Bancorp 18 months after its recapitalization because additional capital was elusive. For Bridge, the deal expands its reach closer to New York City. Similar scenarios will happen elsewhere.

Pulaski Financial (PULB) in St. Louis is losing the president of its mortgage division.

O'Neill, a co-founder of Sandler O'Neill & Partners, knows skeptics are questioning his plan to start an investment bank. But there are thousands of banks and they will always need M&A advice, he says.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. reported continued positive signs about the health of its insurance fund, and said improvement in the industry has also meant lower premiums for some institutions.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. told banks under its watch to prioritize "prudent interest rate risk oversight."

A wave of management changes at Korean-American banks highlights the difficulties of filling key posts in a niche banking industry.