An uptick in fees and a drop in expenses lifted Pinnacle Bancshares in the first quarter.

Like a lot of buyers, Southern Missouri Bancorp would like to acquire bigger banks, but in agreeing to buy Bank of Thayer and its parent for $6.5 million, its execs say they are being realistic and going for what is available.

Ambiguous language in the 2012 national mortgage settlement has caused widespread confusion about the legality of foreclosing on delinquent borrowers who have filed paperwork on mortgage modifications.

Daniel Walker made his way from working as an elevator operator at Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach to heading up the California company.

Attorney General Eric Holder ruffled feathers in March when he indicated during Capitol Hill testimony that some financial institutions are "too big to jail." Holder later tried to backtrack amid a fierce public outcry. The controversy comes on the heels of claims by some critics that the DOJ and Obama administration have given the politically well-connected banking industry an undeserved free pass in the wake of the financial crisis. As the following examples illustrate, however, the government has acted aggressively in some cases to bring senior bankers to justice-senior bankers at small institutions, that is.

Provide them with a basic understanding of the banking system, share your firm’s strategic vision and encourage communication between departments and affiliates.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has taken action against a Missouri bank and freed four others from regulatory actions.

Shareholders of San Diego Trust Bank have approved the bank's sale to Pacific Premier (PPBI) in Irvine, Calif.

Southern Missouri Bancorp in Poplar Bluff, Mo., has agreed to buy Ozarks Legacy Community Financial in Thayer, Mo.

Flagstar Bancorp (FBC) will pay $105 million to settle allegations it misrepresented the quality of loans backing securities insured by Assured Guaranty (AGO).

A former bank executive in Georgia has pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding a bank that had received funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

A new Texas law addresses concerns that community banks will suffer if big-box retailers and large banks begin to team up on pricing.

Two American Banker staffers who cover mergers and acquisitions have a confession to make. We sometimes get so enmeshed in the arcane numbers behind bank deals that we overlook what really makes them tick: the human element.

Snapchat, a once-popular app among high school students, has captured the attention of privacy-savvy Wall Street financers hoping to keep their late-night escapades quiet.

The chief executive and three directors of Atlantic Coast Financial (ACFC) are leaving the company after shareholders rejected a proposed sale to Bond Street Holdings earlier this month.

As part of the heavy competition in New York, BankUnited CEO John Kanas has swiped a number of bankers away from rivals, including Capital One and Signature Bank. Most worked for him at the old North Fork Bank.

Reliance Bancshares in St. Louis has named a new chief executive for its bank unit.

California Republic Bancorp in Irvine has securitized and sold $238 million of notes backed by its car loans.

The NCUA has approved the mergers of several struggling credit unions, including four more in California.

F&M Bank Corp. (FMBM) in Timberville, Va., has named new chief financial and administrative officers at its bank unit as part of a series of promotions.