Banks that kept a lid on their cost of funds managed to outperform their peers, illustrating the fact that 2024 was a defensive year for the industry.

First Northwest Bancorp is parting ways with CEO Matt Deines "by mutual agreement," the Port Angeles, Washington-based company said. Deines' departure comes a month after a hedge fund sued, alleging the lender was complicit in a Ponzi scheme.

Bill Martin, a real estate developer and athletics executive who founded the community bank in 1996, said he considers the privately held institution to be "like one of my kids."

Business First Bancshares CEO Jude Melville and Progressive Bancorp head George Cummings are both second-generation bank CEOs — common ground that helped propel an $83 million merger deal.

The parent company of Wayne Bank said it would buy PB Bankshares for $54.9 million in cash and stock.

Baton Rouge-based Business First Bancshares would pad its margin as Louisiana's largest state-chartered bank with an all-stock deal for Progressive Bancorp.

Community banks that could reel in cheap deposits while keeping a lid on expenses were able to outperform peers in 2024.

Baton Rouge-based Investar Holding Corp. has agreed to pay $84 million for Wichita Falls Bancshares, which operates five branches in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Dime Community Bancshares, which has added dozens of bankers over the past two years, is now ready to consider expanding its geography.

The Missouri bank surveyed consumers about what kind of financial management tools they use, then built its My Finance360 tool in response.