Independent Bank Corp. in Rockland, Mass., has agreed to buy New England Bancorp in Hyannis, Mass., the parent of Bank of Cape Cod, for $30.7 million.

A small Connecticut bank takes the plunge into mobile-friendly mortgages in a bid to turn an attractive pool of student-loan borrowers into lifetime customers.

Heartland Financial USA in Dubuque, Iowa, has exited the Small Business Lending Fund.

Consolidation is increasing risk to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. while reducing diversification in the industry.

Lawmakers sharply criticized the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Wednesday over a watchdog report that said the agency used abusive tactics to stop banks from offering refund anticipation loans.

Guaranty Bancorp in Denver has agreed to buy Home State Bancorp in Loveland, Colo., for $133.7 million in cash and stock. The deal is expected to close in the summer.

Loans outpacing GDP and the expressed optimism of CEOs on recent earnings calls are among the signs that growth figures are too good to be true.

Unity Bancorp in Clinton, N.J., has bought its corporate headquarters building for $4.12 million.

The San Rafael, Calif., company has stayed at roughly the same asset size for six years now, even though it has the capacity and desire to become much larger. The reasons speak to the competitiveness among lenders and the fickle nature of bank M&A.

First Resource Bank in Exton, Pa., has redeemed its remaining preferred shares tied to the Small Business Lending Fund.

About a fifth of regional banks look at their efficiency ratios as they set executive compensation. Ongoing revenue challenges and investor pressure could push more boards to consider efficiency — or simple cost-cutting — to determine pay for high-level officers.

Tidelands Bancshares in Mount Pleasant, S.C., has been declared in default on $18.3 million of trust-preferred securities.

Midwest BankCentre in Lemay, Mo., has agreed to buy Bremen Bank & Trust in Hazelwood, Mo.

The activist investor seeking to remove Steve Streit as chief executive of Green Dot will nominate three payments and financial services industry executives to the prepaid card company's board.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., has increased the roles of two executives as part of an effort to focus more on digital projects.

FSB Community Bankshares in Fairport, N.Y., plans to convert from partial mutual ownership to a fully stock-owned bank.

Standard Bank & Trust in Hickory Hills, Ill., has hired an investment bank to explore a possible sale, according to Crain's Chicago Business.

Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, which spent three years righting the ship, is ready to poach bankers and clients who might be upset with recent consolidation in Royal's home state. While it could look at deals, Royal is primarily hoping to steal market share with a private-banking model, loan production offices and technology upgrades.

First Community Financial Partners in Joliet, Ill., has agreed to buy First Mazon Bancorp in Mazon, Ill.

The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions closed the $67.1 million-asset North Milwaukee State Bank on Friday.