Institutions with at least $10 billion in assets approved 15.9% of loans between $25,000 and $3 million in February, up from 15.3% in January and from 11.7% a year earlier, according to Biz2Credit.

As banks struggle to find new sources of profitable business, are some making risky loans, delving into areas where they have little experience or are otherwise stretching in ways that they will eventually regret.

A rise in shareholder lawsuits following deal announcements has prompted insurers to vet clients' M&A plans and raise the deductibles banks must pay to settle claims.

Using data commonly available on most core systems, a relatively simple, inexpensive concentration stress testing model can bring value.

Heritage has agreed to pay $44.2 million for Valley Community Bancshares in Puyallup, Wash., the holding company for the $242 million-asset Valley Bank, the companies announced Tuesday.

Sunrise Community Banks in St. Paul, Minn., plans to combine three bank charters.

First BanCorp in San Juan, Puerto Rico, said that one of its directors resigned over a personal issue with another member of the board.

Gulfstream Bancshares, a closely held Florida business lender with four branches and equity of about $66 million, has put itself up for sale, said two people with knowledge of the matter.

The most notable quotes from American Banker stories of the previous week. Readers are encouraged to add their own observations in the Comments fields at the bottom of each slide.

FirstMerit (FMER) has hired a veteran banker to lead its operations in Wisconsin.

The $143.8 million-asset company said Monday it had named Jeffry Wagner to the post. Wagner, who had been CFO at Florida Business Bank in Melbourne, succeeded Richard Browdy, who resigned in February to pursue other career opportunities.

United Community Financial (UCFC) in Youngstown, Ohio, is looking to raise $5 million through a rights offering.

Michael Carrazza, a private equity investor who bailed out Patriot National Bancorp, is eager to make loans while searching for the optimal exit strategy.

Florida bank-buyer Bond Street Holdings bulked up on failure deals, took a 19-month break and has returned to M&A with the aim of $5 billion in assets by yearend.

The nonexistence of "too big to fail" is swell news. Now taxpayers can stop worrying about future bailouts, the Federal Reserve can ease monetary policy and the Justice Department can prosecute the banks purportedly "too big to jail."

Commercial and multifamily mortgage debt rose by 0.9% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, to $21.8 billion, marking the highest year-over-year improvement since the second quarter of 2008, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Monday.

In the past, it was tough for customers to change banks. So, we could charge them—and treat them—pretty much as we pleased. Technology renders switching banks easier and cheaper—making banking more competitive, less profitable.

Community bankers should be more concerned about interest rate risk, mortgage rules and examiner's questions about strategic direction than anything the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau might do, regulators say.

Hanmi Financial Corp's talks with rivals about a possible sale have stalled because of disagreements over price and management, said people with knowledge of the matter.

Signature Bank in New York has hired eight bankers from Citigroup to run two private client banking teams.