Webster Financial in Waterbury, Conn., posted higher profits in the fourth quarter, propelled by strong loan demand.

Royal Bank of Canada is ready to take another shot at U.S. banking, agreeing to buy City National in Los Angeles.

The $794 million-asset Kentucky Bancshares will pay $7.2 million, or $32.50 a share, in stock for the $121 million-asset Madison.

Five Star Bank is the latest financial institution to settle claims that it avoided lending to minorities. More redlining cases can be expected, industry experts say.

Stephen Platt, a forensic investigations consultant and author of Criminal Capital: How the Finance Industry Facilitates Crime, explains why bank directors' fear of revealing their ignorance is dangerous for financial institutions.

United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., reported higher quarterly profit because of loan growth and higher fee revenue.

Saco & Biddeford Savings in Saco, Maine, has a new president.

Cathay General Bancorp in Los Angeles has agreed to buy Asia Bancshares in New York.

Fulton Financial in Lancaster, Pa., reported lower quarterly earnings that reflected the costs of complying with a regulatory order.

The digital-only offshoot of Customers Bank combines edgier technology — like letting consumers snap photos of their driver's license to open accounts — with a new business model that counts on interchange revenue rather than fees.

The Louisiana company is the latest out-of-stater to move into the Sunshine State after buying a failed bank in the Florida Panhandle. First NBC's chief executive made it clear his company has more expansion in mind.

PL Capital in Naperville, Ill., disclosed in a regulatory filing last week that it wants Joseph Palmer Jr. and John Yerkes Jr. to resign rather than stand for reelection at the $542 million-asset company's Feb. 10 annual meeting.

Bankwell Financial Group in New Canaan, Conn., has hired a new chief strategy officer.

M&T Bank in Buffalo, N.Y., reported a higher quarterly profit as lower expenses offset tighter margins.

Many community banks will soon have to replace outdated technology — expenses that will hit them in an ongoing environment of compressed net interest margins, increasing compliance costs and higher capital requirements.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency closed First National Bank of Crestview in Florida on Friday, marking this year's first bank failure.

CMS Bancorp in White Plains, N.Y., is working through a material weakness unearthed by a recent audit.

Add hiring a new chief financial officer to Doral Financial's growing list of headaches. The $8 billion-asset San Juan, Puerto Rico, company disclosed in a regulatory filing Friday that Nancy Reinhard will resign as acting CFO and principal accounting officer.

Sunflower Financial in Salina, Kan., has canceled its planned purchase of First Western Financial in Denver. The $1.7 billion-asset Sunflower had agreed in September to buy the $688 million-asset First Financial.