Legacy Bancorp Inc. is proceeding with its merger with Berkshire Hills Bancorp. Under the terms of the agreement, the $1 billion-asset Legacy had the opportunity to pursue alternative bids during a "go-shop" period, which ended Jan. 31.

Properly training front-line employees before deploying them requires planning. It's far less expensive in the long run than making your customers pay for that training with their patience.

In the last two weeks of January, two failed banks did not garner a single bid. Though it is still early in the year to declare a trend, the two failures hint at tougher struggles to market banks on the brink and could mean higher costs for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

The National Credit Union Administration plans to sell another $1.26 billion of bailout bonds this week, after last week's successful $1.51 billion offering.

For all the excitement generated by mergers and acquisitions across the Northeast, there is little else in the region to arouse bankers' enthusiasm.

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Integra Bank Corp. gave a grim outlook on its future after reporting that the total risk-based capital of its bank fell 168 basis points from a quarter earlier.

Pentagon Federal Credit Union has hired a former bank executive to run one of the most active funders of military charities in the U.S.

Atlantic Coast Federal Corp. in Waycross, Ga., said late Monday that it would raise about $17.1 million in its mutual-to-stock conversion.

Beneficial Mutual Bancorp Inc. in Philadelphia swung to a $9 million loss in 2010, primarily as a result of higher credit costs.

First of Long Island Corp. in Glen Head, N.Y., said Monday that 2010 earnings increased 36.6%, to $18.4 million. The $1.7 billion-asset company also said earnings per share increased 25% for the year, to $2.30 from $1.84 in 2009.

First Mariner Bancorp in Baltimore said Monday it had a fourth-quarter a net loss of $33.4 million after reducing the value of some deferred-tax assets.

PNC appears to be willing to pay up to expand on Florida's west coast, entering into a deal to buy 19 branches and $350 million of deposits from BankAtlantic at a 10% premium.

The same securities once used to boost capital at most bank holding companies have moved to the forefront of prospective buyers' questions in acquisitions or capital raises, bank attorneys said.

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BankAtlantic Bancorp said Monday that PNC Financial Services Group has agreed to buy 19 of its Florida branches and $350 million in associated deposits.

A price tag for the deal, but BankAtlantic said PNC has agreed to pay a premium for the approximately $350 million associated with the branches plus two related facilities.

Regulators closed four banks late Friday, including the largest based in New Mexico, resulting in over $500 million of losses to the Deposit Insurance Fund.

MB Financial Inc. in Chicago earned $595,000 in the fourth quarter, compared with a loss $12.4 million a year earlier, as net interest income grew and credit costs subsided.

Sterling Bancorp in New York said its net income grew 75% in the fourth quarter, from a year earlier, as noninterest income grew and credit costs declined.