Arkansas regulators have closed the $66.3 million-asset Allied Bank in Mulberry, the fifth institution to fail this year.

First Bancorp in Southern Pines, N.C., has terminated loss-share agreements tied to a pair of failed-bank acquisitions.

Only a dozen banks still owe the government Troubled Asset Relief Program money, and an unspecified number of others including Reliance Bancshares in St. Louis owe investors who bought their Tarp balances. But Reliance has made problem loans vanish and has a credit line in hand to help retire its $62 million Tarp-related debt.

Randolph Bancorp raised $57 million in a mutual-to-stock conversion and is using the proceeds to fund acquisitions — it closed its first-ever deal in July — and dramatically improve its digital capabilities.

Bankers can bolster investor confidence by showing they are taking a disciplined approach to M&A. That involves thorough due diligence, strong rationales for deals and the ability to step away from the table.

The $8.3 billion-asset CVB said Thursday that it would pay $57.5 million in cash and stock for the $416 million-asset parent of Valley Business Bank.

Home BancShares co-founder and Chairman John Allison is shrinking his ownership stake in the Conway, Ark., company for estate-planning purposes.

Farmers Capital Bank in Frankfort, Ky., has announced a plan to restructure its balance sheet.

A compliance-at-all-costs mentality, which is the overarching attitude in many banks, results in overspending and overallocating valuable resources to meet both real and perceived compliance standards.

CapStar Financial Holdings in Nashville, Tenn., expects to raise net proceeds of $16.6 million in an initial public offering that it plans to spend on growth and other initiatives — perhaps including M&A.

An independent chairman could uncover or minimize damage from fraud while also meting out punishment more impartially after the fact. The longtime corporate governance argument has new legs in light of the account scam at Wells Fargo, whose board is led by CEO John Stumpf.

Wellesley Bancorp in Massachusetts has appointed New England banking veteran Kathryn Hinderhofer to its board.

An unusual investment by the Minneapolis company shows how big banks are developing innovative partnerships to deliver financial services in low-income neighborhoods.

Bankers generally expect loan demand to increase over the next year, but global shocks, domestic politics and regional economic variations may be prompting them to prepare for slightly slower growth than before.

First Midwest Bancorp in Itasca, Ill., is planning to shutter 16 branches in connection with its acquisition of Standard Bancshares in Hickory Hill, Ill.

BankGuam Holding in Hagatna aims to raise $10 million through the sale of preferred stock.

The LegacyTexas Financial Group in Plano sold $50 million in debt to use for possible acquisitions and other purposes.

HomeTrust Bancshares in Asheville, N.C., is beefing up in Tennessee with a deal to acquire TriSummit Bancorp in Kingsport.

OFG Bancorp in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has sold its bank's participation in a line of credit to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, or PREPA.

The activist investor is irate that the company's board will not meet to discuss concerns it has over executive compensation and corporate governance.