Corporate finance

As deposits grow scarcer, the Stamford, Connecticut-based bank's acquisition of interLINK earlier this month promises to yield billions of dollars in core funding it can put to work paying down borrowings or purchasing securities, CEO John Ciulla says.

The company will also slow investments in new products this year as it copes with economic uncertainty.

The Oklahoma bank grew fourth-quarter loans at a steady rate and said its regional economy is solid. But it is closely watching the impact of rising senior-care costs.

The Boston bank reported broad-based increases in loans during the fourth quarter, and said it's upbeat about its forecast for 2023. "I think the reason why we're comfortable is because we haven't changed our credit box at all," said CEO Nitin Mhatre.

The card network sees digital payment opportunities and upside from China's reopening, but inflation and the slower pace of travel spending could slow growth.

With the $7.5 billion acquisition, the Minneapolis bank bolstered its customer base in the nation's most populous state by more than 1 million. Earnings accretion from the combination could offset slower loan growth this year.

While branch closings remain the norm throughout the industry, the hunt for suddenly scarce deposits is prompting some community banks to move in the opposite direction and expand their branch networks.

The McLean, Virginia-based bank is building its deposit base — in contrast with many banks that are starting to see outflows. But the growth is accompanied by rising interest expenses, which are expected to cut modestly into profit margins this year.

The loan-growth projections are for Columbia Banking System itself, before the Tacoma, Washington, bank officially merges with Umpqua Holdings. The $5 billion deal is scheduled to close Feb. 28.

Members of the American Bankers Association's Economic Advisory Committee expect gross domestic product to stall in 2023. Other surveys show a modest contraction. Lenders say sentiment among their borrowers also points to a slight slowdown.

The Dallas-based company says noninterest expenses should grow by low double digits in 2023 now that the bulk of the investments related to its business transformation have been incurred.

The declining credit quality included more borrowers with higher credit scores falling behind on their credit card payments. But executives said the increase remains within expectations as it continues seeing "very linear normalization" in credit.

The custody giant benefited from rising interest rates, which helped offset choppy financial markets and a decline in fee income.

Morgan Stanley decreased Chief Executive James Gorman's compensation by 10% to $31.5 million for 2022, a year in which profit tumbled and the shares sank.

The Birmingham, Alabama, bank expects up to $5 billion in additional deposit declines in the first half of 2023 but is hopeful for potential growth in funding later this year.

The parent company of Silicon Valley Bank, which has been mired in deposit challenges, expects little near-term change in the deployment of venture capital dollars, which executives say will keep putting pressure on SVB's balance sheet.

More consumers are struggling to pay their auto loans from Detroit-based Ally, but CEO Jeffrey Brown says executives "feel very good" about their preparations for a downturn. Investors appeared to like his message as its stock jumped 19%.

The Ohio bank posted strong fourth-quarter earnings and, while it expects activity to ease some, it envisions continued strong loan growth in the year ahead.

The Cincinnati bank expects net interest income growth to cool considerably and fee income to tread water as rate hikes slow and inflation moderates but still continues.

CEO Bill Rogers stopped short of confirming or denying speculation that the bank is seeking a buyer for part of the unit.