American Banker apparently feels duty-bound to publish a story whenever it learns of a credit union that is not supporting the industry’s effort to enact legislation raising the cap that now constrains credit unions' ability to lend to small businesses ("Third Credit Union Dissents on Business Lending Bill," April 23).

Sterling Financial (STSA) said after markets closed Wednesday that its first-quarter net income rose 146% from the same period last year, to $13.3 million, due primarily to a growth in loan balances, lower funding costs and improved asset quality.

Solid revenue growth and a continued decline in problem loans helped boost Trustmark's first-quarter profit by 27% over the same period last year, to $30.3 million.

Smaller banks are struggling to keep efficiency ratios down, forcing many bankers to look at closing more branches and laying off more employees.

Buoyed by stronger credit quality and higher mortgage banking income, Lakeland Financial (LKFN) of Warsaw, Ind., reported record first-quarter income of $8.6 million, up 45% from a year earlier.

A surge in mortgage lending combined with improved asset quality and expense control led the embattled First Mariner Bancorp in Baltimore to its first profitable quarter in more than five years for the quarter that ended March 31.

Cullen/Frost Bankers (CFR) in San Antonio posted record profits in the first quarter as strong deposit growth and sharply improved asset quality more than offset a declining net interest margin and a dip in fee income.

Twitter and Facebook audiences are tough nuts to crack, but the social media channel posing the biggest challenge to banks may be YouTube.

Shares of Sun Bancorp (SNBC) plunged early Wednesday after the Vineland, N.J., company reported a wider-than-expected loss in the first quarter due to ongoing weakness in its loan portfolio.

EverBank Financial finally set a price for a planned $225 million capital raise after sitting on its initial public offering for half a year.

PremierWest Bancorp's losses widened in the first quarter as problem loans continued to drag down results as the Medford, Ore., company.

BancorpSouth (BXS) of Tupelo, Miss., is coming off its strongest quarter in two years as improved asset quality and modest growth in fee income more than offset declining loan revenue.

Loan-loss provisions keep plummeting at community banks, as credit trends improve and a need for protective stockpiles subsides. The drop has contributed to some community banks beating analysts’ profit estimates for the first quarter.

Truman Bank of St. Louis has been undercapitalized since late last year and the Federal Reserve Board has issued a Prompt Corrective Action order saying said it has 90 days to either bolster its capital levels or find a buyer.

PrivateBancorp (PVTB) in Chicago reported first-quarter earnings of $10.8 million, up 44% from a year earlier, as credit costs fell and the company collected more fees.

Shares of UMB Financial (UMBF) hit a 52-week high Tuesday after the Kansas City, Mo., company reported a record $46.4 million profit in the first quarter, a 50% increase from the same period last year.

Synovus Financial (SNV) is coming off its most profitable quarter in four years and now everyone wants to know when the Columbus, Ga., company plans to repay the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Aided by strong loan growth, Signature Bank (SBNY) in New York reported first-quarter net income of $42.4 million, up more than 22% from a year earlier.

The acquisition would add 15 branches and deepen penetration in key markets.