John Ikard, a Colorado bank CEO and incoming chairman of the American Bankers Association, hopes to score a few legislative victories on behalf of bankers, who he says have spent years on the defensive.

WASHINGTON — NBRS FInancial in Rising Sun, Md., has become the second institution in the state to fail this year.

HCBF Holding in Fort Pierce, Fla., has agreed to acquire First America Holding in Bradenton, Fla.

Astoria Financial in Lake Success, N.Y., set out a few years ago to become more commercially focused by going after more multifamily and commercial real estate loans. The goal is for such loans to make up 50% and at the end of the third quarter they were 38%.

Republic Bancorp in Louisville, Ky., reported higher third-quarter profits, driven by a combination of organic loan growth and asset quality improvements.

Pinnacle Bancorp in Central City, Neb., has agreed to buy Home State Bank in Louisville, Neb.

Beneficial Mutual Bancorp in Philadelphia reported a nearly 50% increase in third-quarter net income led by the sale of nonperforming assets.

Huntington Bancshares says spend — it plans to expand its branch network next year — but SunTrust, BB&T and First Horizon are of a mind to keep cutting costs.

Earnings at Northwest Bancshares in Warren, Pa., dropped slightly compared with last year, as a reduced return from the bank's loan portfolio squeezed profits.

Third-quarter earnings at Fidelity Southern in Atlanta increased after it completed a recent acquisition in Florida.

Western Alliance Bancorp. in Phoenix reported higher third-quarter earnings due to double digit growth in loans and revenue.

Many lenders think home loans are off-limits for undocumented immigrants because they lack Social Security numbers, but higher-cost loans using borrowers' individual taxpayer identification numbers are available and being made by a handful of firms.

Loan growth, bigger trading gains, and additional interest income from a first-quarter acquisition helped BancFirst in Oklahoma City beat third-quarter earnings estimates.

First Financial Bankshares in Abilene, Texas reported higher third-quarter profits than a year earlier, driven by strong performance from its loan portfolio.

First Horizon National in Memphis, Tenn., beat analysts' estimates for a second consecutive quarter, posting net income of $45 million — 19 cents a share — paced by strong revenue growth and continued improvement in credit quality.

Comerica in Dallas reported broad loan and deposit growth in the third quarter, increasing net income 4%, to $154 million, from a year earlier.

People's United Financial in Bridgeport, Conn., said solid growth in commercial and mortgage loans drove third-quarter net income up 5% to $61.6 million, or 21 cents per share.

First Niagara Financial in Buffalo, N.Y., plans to close 17 branches and two drive-through locations in January.

Congress and banking agencies should seize the opportunity to eliminate unnecessary and outdated requirements.

Associated Banc-Corp in Green Bay, Wis., produced strong loan growth and other results in the third quarter that analysts said outshone some of its peers.