Credit quality

Executives at four former credit repair companies agree to pay $2 million for charging consumers millions in illegal advance fees.

MidSouth Bancorp in Louisiana, which faces a formal order from its regulators, will cut jobs, close branches and slash its dividend as it works to reduce its energy exposure.

The accounting board has scheduled a meeting that bankers hope will produce eleventh-hour modifications to reserving requirements.

An aggressive band of community, regional and investment banks is stepping into the commercial real estate void left by more cautious lenders, saying there are still good CRE loans to be made or bought.

The Louisiana company's board has made it clear that independence is "not a God-given right" and wants new management to address energy loan issues, underwriting, capital and expenses.

This is a good time for bank risk managers and bank regulatory examiners to evaluate the effects of a deepening retail crisis on the financial services sector.

Once focused mainly on growth, the New York-based small-business lender said it will lay off employees and cut other expenses in an effort to become profitable. The moves are a sign of waning patience among investors in the once-frothy sector.

Some investors have raised questions about the credibility of the firm’s leadership since credit card issuer announced that its loss reserves would surge this year.

The company's earnings fell 20% from a year earlier, reflecting $5 million in restructuring charges and a higher loan-loss provision.

Rusty Cloutier had been CEO of MidSouth Bancorp for 32 years. Energy-sector woes helped do him in.

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Many banks curtailed leveraged lending following the financial crisis, and for good reason. But we may be on the verge of a leveraged-loan comeback.

The era of exceptionally strong loan performance in the credit card business has come to an end, and the Riverwoods, Ill., firm is feeling the effects.

The Florida company relied on loan growth and loan sales to offset higher expenses and ongoing issues in its taxi medallion lending operations.

Zions beat expectations on several bits of good news, but it reported about $30 million of chargeoffs tied to a single commercial borrower.

The California company's credit issues eased some in the first quarter, though earnings were down from a year earlier due to charges tied to cost cutting and reductions in three loan categories.

The Wisconsin regional's profits rose 35% in the first quarter on healthy loan growth, wider margins and an improved efficiency ratio, and it said its "satisfactory" CRA rating had been restored.

At the heart of the push to roll back the Dodd-Frank Act are claims that the 2010 reform law is killing lending. But these assertions should be backed by data.

Huntington, Wintrust and Eagle reported extremely low quarterly chargeoff ratios, and their CEOs say they remain confident about the future. But, as one observer says, "ultimately some sector is going to get overextended."

Earnings at the Dallas-based company more than tripled because of a big improvement in credit quality, higher fee income and other factors.