Three small banks that recently waved the white flag detail why it was better to sell now, take some stock in a bigger company and stop a losing battle for capital and market share. Their proxy filings are a preview of coming attractions.

Bank of New York Mellon's sale of its Shareowner Services business to a Melbourne, Australia, firm will lower its profits in the fourth quarter, but will bolster its capital levels going forward.

Dec. 31 — Regions Financial Corp. ended talks to sell its Morgan Keegan brokerage to Stifel Financial Corp., two people with direct knowledge of discussions said.

VeriFone announced Tuesday that it completed its acquisition of the Northern European payment and gateway services provider Point.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, looking for momentum after a tough year, adds investment bankers James Harasimowicz and Joseph Gulash to its bank M&A team.

Intrum Justitia, a European accounts receivable management company and debt buyer, is shutting down collection operations in Latvia and Lithuania, citing difficulties capitalizing on the "economy of scales that comes with being a market leader."

Stellar Recovery, a collection agency in Kalispell, Mont., will move its headquarters to Jacksonville, Fla. but will create up to 100 jobs in Kalispell, where the office will become the company's secondary accounting branch.

In an industry in need of new sources of revenue, some banks have built insurance brokerage operations that account for 40% or more of their total noninterest income. Most banks have not followed, however, and the business remains a minor sideline nationally.

Two acquirers tied up some loose ends Friday as the yearend approached.

HomeTrust Bank in Asheville, N.C., will convert from a mutual thrift to a stock-owned bank in order to raise capital for future organic growth and possible acquisitions within North Carolina.

Ahead of the planned sale of its credit card arm to Capital One Financial Corp., HSBC North America has renewed its private-label credit card agreements with Saks Inc. and three other retailers.

Private Bank of Buckhead in Atlanta is looking to open its second branch in suburban Decatur.

If you read through enough material loss reviews prepared by the FDIC's Inspector General — essentially autopsies on failed banks — certain common themes emerge. One of the recurring themes is that many closed banks overconcentrated in commercial real estate and development loans. The rapid decline in property values, reflected by appraisals, then rendered the bank undercapitalized.

Continuing to bulk up in Texas through bite-sized deals, Independent Bank Group Inc. in McKinney said this week that it is buying the $155 million-asset I Bank Texas in Austin.

Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. in Lititz, Pa., is planning to eliminate nearly 350 jobs in Pennsylvania and Maryland, according to notices it filed with labor departments in both states this month.

The Carlyle Group, a powerhouse private-equity firm that has been aggressively acquiring stakes in ailing banks, is looking to raise additional funds to invest in troubled and capital-starved financial institutions.

Citigroup is selling its Belgian consumer operations unit to French lender Credit Mutuel Nord Europe for an undisclosed price, a spokesman for Citigroup's local units said Wednesday.

With General Electric buying deposits from MetLife, bankers have good reason to ponder the broader meaning to the competitive landscape.

The finance arm of General Electric anticipates a rebound in corporate borrowing, wants more in-house funding and is willing to stomach increased regulation.

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