Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., has agreed to buy Intervest Bancshares in New York for $228.5 million in stock.

Regional and small banks are providing M&A advisory services to their commercial customers as a way to drive fee income, deepen client relationships and differentiate themselves from rivals.

If finalized and then approved by regulators, the combination of the Des Moines and Seattle Home Loan banks would be the first voluntary merger in the system’s history.

Banc of California in Irvine reported a jump in second-quarter profits, fueled by strong growth in its loan portfolio.

Old National Bancorp in Evansville, Ind., has spent the last year buying its way into higher-growth markets, including a deal announced Monday in Grand Rapids, Mich. CEO Bob Jones is still antsy to expand in Louisville but acknowledges that shareholders want him to take a break from M&A.

Home Bancshares in Conway, Ark., has agreed to acquire Broward Financial Holdings in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Cullen/Frost Bankers in San Antonio, Texas, reported an uptick second-quarter earnings, boosted by its recent acquisition of WNB Bancshares.

Doral Financial, the holding company for Puerto Rico's second-largest mortgage lender, is trying to sell itself in parts, people with knowledge of the matter said, to maintain compliance with capital requirements.

Payment technology provider First Data is moving into the virtual prepaid space by acquiring Gyft.

Bank owners can make more objective decisions about whether it's the right time to sell by comparing the value of holding onto the bank to its private market price and instating an external review process, writes consultant J.V. Rizzi.

Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., reported that second-quarter earnings declined because of a significant drop in noninterest income.

CIT Group's deal for OneWest is further proof that buyers are increasingly eyeing deposits, not assets, as they prepare for an increase in loan demand and look to position themselves for rising interest rates.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended July 26.

NBT Bancorp in Norwich, N.Y., reported a 63% rise in second-quarter earnings from a year earlier after selling partial ownership in Springstone Financial.

Shares for Sterling Bancorp in Montebello, N.Y., rose after the company posted stronger quarterly income tied to its merger with Provident New York Bancorp.

Heartland Financial USA in Dubuque, Iowa, posted higher second-quarter earnings after growing loans organically and through acquisitions.

Eagle Bancorp in Bethesda, Md., plans to raise $55 million by issuing subordinated debt.

Bridge Bancorp in Bridgehampton, N.Y., reported higher quarterly earnings following the acquisition of FNBNY Bancorp earlier this year.

Old National Bancorp in Evansville, Ind., has agreed to acquire Founders Financial in Grand Rapids, Mich., for $88.2 million in cash and stock.

GreenChoice Bank in Chicago is the fourteenth failure this year. An investment group seeking to establish an environmentally friendly bank saved the thrift from collapse four years ago, but it fell on hard times again.