The Lake Mary, Fla., credit union has agreed to buy Fidelity Bank of Florida, which the SBA designated as a certified lender in 2017.

With SBA lending at a standstill, many small businesses can't access the capital they need to create and retain jobs, Stephen Steinour says.

While the transaction will lower the cost of servicing First Data’s massive debt, the fintech and processing giant will be more complex and ponderous, writes Eric Grover, a principal at Intrepid Ventures.

The New York company will add $504 million of asset-based and equipment finance loans as part of the acquisition.

Bank First's deal for Partnership is the third Wisconsin bank merger announced this week.

In selling its Walmart credit card portfolio to Capital One and extending a partnership with Sam’s Club that appeared to be in peril, Synchrony Financial avoids an expensive legal battle with the world’s largest retailer.

The Florida bank sold $344 million of taxi-medallion and other loans in the fourth quarter, saying it was positioning itself for the future.

The $1.9 billion-asset Schools Financial Credit Union has plans to merge into SchoolsFirst, which is already the largest credit union in California.

CEO Greg Carmichael says the Cincinnati bank will hire bankers in Denver, Dallas and Houston as part of a broader expansion into fast-growing markets that are home to lots of midsize firms. It is also interested in buying more fee-based businesses.

Provident's investment adviser unit will have nearly $3 billion in assets under management after it buys Tirschwell & Loewy.

Payment service provider heidelpay Group has purchased the installment lender Universum Group to bring a new payment capability to the heidelpay Group in the form of an installment lending product called FlexiPay.

The Virginia company cautioned that it expects lending to slow down this year.

The low-cost deposits it gained in its purchase of 52 Wells Fargo branches, combined with higher interest rates, lifted Flagstar's net interest margin.

The company will pay $93 million for Kinderhook Bank, which has a concentration of branches around Albany.

Most bigger banks aren't interested in buying out their smaller counterparts, but these institutions are of interest to credit unions looking to grow.

"I don't and I never would discount the European banks," Citigroup Chief Executive Officer Michael Corbat said in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "Don't overestimate the U.S. banks' position, and don't underestimate the European banks' position."

Bank of America Chief Executive Officer Brian Moynihan predicted another round of consolidation in the U.S. that could lead to the emergence of a new competitor.

The company will top $1 billion in assets after it buys the parent of F&M Bank in Tomah, Wis.

Greenwoods Financial will have $270 million in assets when it buys Fox River Financial.

The Tennessee company is pleased with loan growth. It has also been able to reduce its dependence on brokered deposits as it brings in new customers following its purchase of Capital Bank.