Two dozen former mutual thrifts, including OmniAmerican, have reached or are nearing the end of a three-year ban from selling themselves. Let the M&A chatter begin.

Flushing Financial in Lake Success, N.Y., is set to convert to a bank.

Conversion activity has declined in recent years, though some observers believe mutual thrifts could find market conditions more accommodating in coming months.

Univest (UVSP) in Souderton, Pa., reported lower quarterly earnings because of higher expenses.

Trustmark (TRMK) in Jackson, Miss., posted double-digit quarterly earnings growth because of increased mortgage-banking activity and higher fee income.

Better credit quality helped Bank of Commerce (BONC) in Charlotte, N.C., narrow its losses.

BV Financial (BVFL) in Baltimore added profits in the company's fiscal second quarter.

Management expressed frustration about expense control during a conference call to discuss quarterly earnings.

Southwest Bancorp (OKSB) in Stillwater, Okla., reported higher earnings because of lower expenses, fewer loan losses and higher fee revenue.

Northfield Bancorp in Woodbridge, N.J., has completed the stock offering for its conversion to a fully public company.

It seems clear that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau believes balloon mortgages are not abusive or predatory. Why, then, does the rule so restrict their use?

Carver Bancorp in New York has shuffled several managers while creating a new position of president and chief operating officer.

Wintrust Financial (WTFC) announced another small acquisition to expand its operations in Illinois, saying it would buy First Lansing Bancorp, which has seven branches, $370 million in assets and $325 million in deposits.

Higher costs weighed on UMB Financial (UMBF) in Kansas City, Mo., in the fourth quarter. Earnings at the $14.9 billion-asset company fell 9.4% from a year earlier, to $21.1 million.

Higher costs offset revenue gains at Community Bank System (CBU) in Syracuse, N.Y., in the fourth quarter. Earnings at the $7.5 billion-asset company fell roughly 1% from a year earlier, to $18.8 million.

Preferred Bank in Los Angeles blamed its lower fourth-quarter profits on tax-related items.

The Columbus, Ga., company reported higher quarterly earnings, helped by a $800 million deferred tax asset, and quieted M&A talk for now.

PremierWest Bancorp (PRWT) in Medford, Ore., took a loss in the fourth quarter as it sought to remove dead wood from its balance sheet.

Valley Bank in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will get an assist from its parent after facing a capital shortfall.

A breakup perhaps has never ended so well as when the local investors bought out Capitol Bancorp's majority stake in three Colorado banks more than two years ago.