Rusty Cloutier, the Lafayette, La., company's CEO, says MidSouth can double in size over the next five years without making another large acquisition.

Kentucky First Federal Bancorp (KFFB) has received approval from Federal Reserve Board to waive its right to receive a dividend.

Getting a good deal is sometimes about more than fetching top dollar, as private-equity investors in West Coast Bancorp demonstrate in their agreement to sell to Columbia Banking.

First Bancorp in Troy, N.C., has agreed to buy a branch from Four Oaks Fincorp in Rockingham and will also acquire $64 million in deposits and $22 million in loans associated with a branch in Southern Pines.

MidSouth Bancorp (MSL) in Lafayette, La., is expanding northward with an agreement to buy PSB Financial in Many, La., for $39 million.

Noble Systems Corp., an Atlanta-based contact center technology services firm, makes its second company acquisition announcement this week.

West Coast Bancorp's pending $506 million sale to Columbia Banking System could serve as a green light for private equity firms itching to cash out of post-crisis bank investments.

While criticizing big bank bailouts, the former FDIC chairman highlights instances where small firms — including United Commercial Bank and ShoreBank — were closed even with alternatives available.

Large expectation value gaps reflect either an investor relations communication problem or questions concerning the validity of management's plan. They can ultimately attract unwanted suitors and hurt a bank's future prospects.

Both TD Bank (TD) and Scotiabank (BNS) may be among more than 15 bidders for the non-U.S. operations of Ally Financial, Reuters reported late Tuesday.

Aspiring consolidators are weighing the advantages of attracting lending teams instead of making outright acquisitions.

Fidelity Bancorp, Western Liberty and Savannah Bancorp artfully structured deals to sell themselves, and are rushing to complete them, in case Congress raises capital gains taxes next year.

Columbia Banking System has agreed to buy West Coast Bancorp. The acquisition, valued at about $506 million, will create a community bank in the Pacific Northwest with more than $7 billion in assets.

Dwight Utz wanted to accelerate his North Carolina company's growth by bringing in private equity. Less than year after ECB's plans fell through, the company agreed to sell to Crescent Financial, which has plenty of backing from private equity firms.

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust has agreed to buy $452 million of nonperforming whole loans from undisclosed sellers, according to a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Buying CIT, a specialty lender, would add high-yielding loans without saddling Wells Fargo with more deposits and branches.

Landmark Credit Union joins a growing list of tax-exempt institutions finalizing deals to buy banks or thrifts.

Private equity may have played a role in the deal. Crescent, led by Scott Custer, has PE backing, while an infusion set for ECB fell through earlier this year.

Noble Systems Corp., a contact center technology services firm, announced Monday the acquisition of Stratasoft Inc., a provider of hosted and premise-based contact center technology.

United Community Financial (UCFC) in Youngstown, Ohio, has reduced its classified assets nearly in half through a bulk sale.