The $5.9 billion-asset company sold the subsidiary, First Merchants Insurance Group, on June 12 to USI Insurance Services, an insurance brokerage firm in Valhalla, N.Y.

Community Bank in Pasadena, Calif., has completed a debt restructuring that will reduce second-quarter profit, but will improve its cost of funds and margins and increase yearly income.

Emclaire Financial in Emlenton, Pa., has raised $8 million in a private placement of its common stock.

Riverview Bancorp in Vancouver, Wash., is in talks with an activist investor about a board seat.

A seemingly minor change to accounting rules governing the treatment of loan losses could effectively serve as a tax on bank acquisitions, say critics. Or not — even accounting experts are split, if not confused, about the rule, after three years of debate.

Worth Carter is reluctant to talk to investors and media. He is tight-fisted with costs and is willing to hold off making loans. His namesake bank doesn't offer online banking. But the institution is riding a hot streak of profitability that would make other banks jealous.

Highlands Bancorp in Vernon, N.J., has acquired LCD Mortgage, a residential mortgage originator in Totowa, N.J.

People's Utah Bancorp in American Fork has filed for a $36.3 million initial public offering. The $1.4 billion-asset holding company for Bank of American Fork and Lewiston State Bank plans to sell 2.5 million shares of common stock for $14.50 each.

Executives have taken a wide range of approaches to deal with the prolonged period of low interest rates and the risks associated with their eventual rise. Some of those balance-sheet strategies have cut into banks' profitability and thus their efficiency.

Atlantic Capital Bancshares in Atlanta has increased the portion of its common stock to be used in its pending $160 million acquisition of First Security Group in Chattanooga, Tenn.

North Shore Bank in Peabody, Mass., has agreed to merge with Merrimac Savings Bank in Massachusetts.

A dramatic last-minute drop is occurring in a corner of the market for collateralized loan obligations ahead of a deadline for U.S. banks to get rid of some of their holdings.

Community Bank System and Oneida Financial, both of western New York state, have delayed the closing of their merger after settling a shareholder lawsuit that challenged the deal.

Wells Fargo and Toronto-Dominion Bank are exploring offers for a batch of U.S. commercial-lending businesses General Electric is selling as whittles down its finance arm.

The mortgage lender Nationstar Mortgage Holdings is pouring a lot of energy into a digital and mobile homebuying platform called Xome. The strategy could attract tech-savvy millennials but carries plenty of risks including whether consumers would be improperly steered to its products.

Big banks and institutional lenders approved small-business loans at record rates in May, according to data from Biz2Credit.

New Buffalo Savings Bank in Michigan has filed plans to convert from a mutual thrift to a stock-owned institution.

Diebold contacted Wincor Nixdorf about a potential acquisition last week, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential.

CommonBond, a marketplace lender specializing in private student loans, announced its first securitization Wednesday.

The California Reinvestment Coalition has called for a federal investigation into the foreclosure policies of OneWest Bank in minority neighborhoods.