New York Community Bancorp in Westbury, N.Y., reported higher third-quarter earnings after a debt repositioning last year helped its net interest income.

Executives pointed to cost reductions, revenue opportunities and improving returns as early indications of success. Management also touted Key's quick response to a integration snafu that "impacted a very small percentage" of First Niagara clients.

KeyCorp in Cleveland posted lower profit after merger-related costs cut into its bottom line.

The acquisition of Middleburg Financial would create a nearly $2.5 billion-asset bank in northern Virginia with strong mortgage originations and a growing wealth management business. It would provide an endgame for Middleburg while also making Access more appealing to potential buyers.

Access National in Reston, Va., has agreed to buy Middleburg Financial in Virginia for $233.1 million, or $32.51 a share, in stock.

Community Bank System in Syracuse, N.Y., has agreed to buy Merchants Bancshares in South Burlington, Vt., for $304 million, or $44.02 a share, in cash and stock.

TD Ameritrade and its largest stakeholder, Toronto-Dominion Bank, agreed to buy Scottrade Financial for $4 billion, combining two of the largest online brokerages while expanding the U.S. operations of Canada's second-largest lender.

WestStar Bank in El Paso, Texas, said it has acquired assets from Cimarron Mortgage Capital that are to Cimarron's construction lending and residential mortgage divisions.

James Cope entered into an agreement with the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee to plead guilty to one count of insider trading; he will serve a two-year probationary sentence.

Home BancShares in Arkansas would rather buy banks that meet its financial parameters than do one large deal to catapult over $10 billion in assets. The bank also spent most of this year idling with M&A so it could prepare for stress testing.

Greg Carmichael, who has been on the job nearly a year as Fifth Third's CEO, has started putting his stamp on the company by aggressively trimming branches in favor of mobile, seeking to build up its consumer credit business and retooling the balance sheet.

Independent Bank in Rockland, Mass., has agreed to buy Island Bancorp in Edgartown, Mass.

Equity Bancshares in Wichita, Kan., has agreed to buy Prairie State Bancshares in Hoxie, Kan.

Combining biometrics with device ID, social data, behavior patterns and other factors builds a strong foundation for artificial intelligence to conduct identity proofing and transaction authorization.

The California company plans to hire a second chief credit officer to specify monitor commercial lending and specialty lines. At least one analyst said the changes, which also include adjustments to credit policies, calls into question the company's strategic director and growth trajectory.

The company believes it is done making acquisitions in its home state. The next phase of growth will likely involve deals and strategic hiring in large urban markets across the Southeast.

SunTrust Banks in Atlanta has agreed to buy the multifamily lending business of Pillar Financial in New York.

BancorpSouth in Tupelo, Miss., reported higher third-quarter earnings after net interest and fee revenue improved from a year earlier.

Profit improved at M&T Bank in the third quarter as the Buffalo, N.Y., company expanded commercial and mortgage lending and completed the sale of a large investment-securities portfolio.

Mastercard's $924 million buy of VocaLink was the highest value acquisition in the payments industry during the third quarter.