Expense management

The Minnesota company recently announced that it would stop selling auto loans since credit quality concerns have slowed investor demand, but it is unclear whether its plan to keep all its car loans on its books is less risky.

Executives at the embattled bank made clear Thursday that they are not discarding its long-standing strategy of selling additional products to existing customers.

Wells said slowing loan growth had hurt its aggressive efforts to lower its efficiency ratio, so it is doubling the expenses it aims to cut by 2019.

The recent earnings season shined a light on community bankers’ tactical moves. Here’s a look at what some institutions are planning in coming months.

After a bogus-accounts scandal spooked new clients and crimped profitability, Wells Fargo may eliminate more branches and dismiss staff.

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.

The New Jersey company's profit growth was constrained by an 11% increase in compensation and benefits and an 85% jump in consulting fees tied to compliance and other issues.

The Cincinnati bank's profit-improvement plan is as detailed as it gets, but there is an argument to be made it is heavy on metrics and light on vision.

Merger-related expenses cut into the Pittsburgh company's earnings, though management is excited about growth opportunities in North Carolina.

The Cincinnati company’s 1Q profits were hurt as it scaled back in key consumer and commercial credits, paid higher severance and saw fee income fall.