Fee income

There are ways to add revenue without ruffling features, behavioral economist Wei Ke explains.

People's Bank of Commerce in southern Oregon decided it had to diversify to survive, so when a director heard a factoring firm he co-founded was up for sale, the bank seized the moment. Now it has other deals in mind.

The acquisition of Coker Capital Advisors would be the fifth nonbank deal for the Cincinnati company in the past year.

Reps. Elijah Cummings and Jimmy Gomez, both Democrats, questioned why B of A would stop offering accounts that are popular with low-income consumers when it stands to reap huge financial benefits from recently passed tax cuts.

Net interest income has surged thanks to rising rates, but noninterest income has lagged as trading revenue has weakened, refi demand has softened and fees from deposit service charges have barely budged. Is this the new normal?

As customers become more tech-savvy, the bank said it no longer needs to prod them to use its digital products by offering discounts. Account holders can avoid fees by enrolling in direct deposit.

Merger- and tax-related charges took a bite out of fourth-quarter profits at the Cleveland company, but its CEO emphasized that a recent deal and tax reform are promising for growth.

Weak loan growth, a $3.25 billion litigation accrual and other costs tied to the phony-accounts saga all added up to a messy fourth quarter for the San Francisco bank.

A number of banks, especially those with extra real estate on their hands, are trying to capitalize on the co-working craze to appeal to fledgling companies that could become success stories — and their customers.

Dueling blockchain stories — one arguing it was virtually useless, the other saying it could change real estate lending — seized the top spots this week, while readers also focused on tax reform aftermath and a key Senate retirement.

SunTrust and First Republic are taking benefits they offer to their workers, such as financial wellness training and student debt repayment, and extending them to corporate clients as benefits they can offer to their own employees. In doing so, they are strengthening relationships with valuable commercial customers.

After visiting with dozens of banks, tech firms and retailers, the CEO of the Delaware bank concluded that he needed to create a customer experience department but could leave blockchain development to his larger rivals. He also gained valuable insights about succession planning during his time away and discovered new ways to connect with employees.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency must set fees equal to the cost of capital that private banks hold against similar risk, not just the amount of capital that Fannie and Freddie think are right for themselves.

Growth in net interest income was offset by a decrease in revenue from mortgage banking and capital markets, the Birmingham, Ala., company said Tuesday.

The ongoing bull market produced more fee income, interest income and new business at the Boston custody bank, which reported a 9% gain in revenue.

Flush with capital and facing stiff competition for customers, many regional banks appear to be mulling acquisitions to accelerate growth.

The Minneapolis company is considering re-entering a business it exited under pressure from its regulator in 2014.

Net interest margin widened 12 basis points, too. Those lending results offset a decline in fee income at the Minneapolis company, which saw earnings rise 4%.

The bank plans to contact all customers who paid fees for rate lock extensions during a three-and-a-half-year period and to refund any who believe they should not have been charged.

House Democrats are lobbying for a bill to reform the way banks charge overdraft fees, but recognizing that Republicans are unlikely to take up the legislation, they are hoping the CFPB can act on its own.