Northwest Bancshares Inc. in Warren, Pa., has agreed to buy NexTier Inc. in Butler, Pa., for $20.3 million, the companies announced late Wednesday.

Integra Bank Corp. in Evansville, Ind., has a new strategy for addressing its problem assets: Get them off the books as quickly as possible.

Banks with good management should be given time to work through asset-quality issues or to acquire problem banks under current capital standards.

Small banks will likely have to raise capital in the coming years, while bigger institutions are doing much better than a year ago, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday.

The vultures are circling around Midwest Banc Holdings Inc., and it's a scene that could become increasingly common as competition for failed banks intensifies nationwide.

Nearly 30 years after the department store chain set out to become "the largest financial services entity," as its then-chairman put it, Sears is once again challenging banks.

Probably the most important lesson that I learned while working for a "low-key 'country banker'" was the value of a work ethic and optimistic outlook.

Tower Financial of Fort Wayne, Ind., agreed to draft a plan that would strengthen oversight of its management, the Federal Reserve said.

Square Mile Capital Management LLC has won the bidding for a portion of the assets the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. acquired when it seized Atlanta's Silverton Bank a year ago.

It's still early in the seemingly endless community bank earnings season, but higher expectations so far are being rewarded with firmer results.

Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin Inc. in Madison has bought itself more time from its lender. The struggling, $4.6 billion-asset company announced late Monday that U.S. Bancorp had agreed to put off for a year the due date on a $116.3 million loan

Independence Federal Savings Bank in Washington has called off its acquisition of Colombo Bank in Rockville, Md., after an indication from regulators that the deal had been delayed indefinitely.

The Federal Reserve on Monday announced it has taken enforcement action against banks in Montana and Florida.

Less than a week after making a deal with a private-equity firm and the Treasury Department, Sterling Financial Corp. in Spokane announced it is raising $555 million in capital through private placements with several investors.

Regulators have dealt another setback to TierOne Corp. in Lincoln, Neb., by rejecting the company's proposal to sell half its branches to Great Western Bank.

The $2.5 billion-asset company capped the week by announcing the immediate departure of Scot T. Wetzel, the chief executive and president of the company and of its thrift unit.

Regulators closed $3.5 billion-asset Frontier Bank in Everett, Wash., and three other smaller banks in the Midwest to bring the year’s failure total to 64.

WASHINGTON — Regulators closed $3.5 billion-asset Frontier Bank in Everett, Wash., and three other smaller banks in the Midwest to bring the year’s failure total to 64.

The collapse last week of three of Puerto Rico's 10 banks significantly consolidated the commonwealth's banking system and marked one of the most complicated days in the history of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

The collapse on Friday of three of Puerto Rico's 10 banks significantly consolidated the commonwealth's banking system and marked one of the most complicated days in the history of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.