Carrington Holding Co. has acquired Clear Financial Solutions Limited, a residential mortgage brokerage based in Scotland, in a move that marks the U.S. mortgage conglomerate's expansion overseas.

Bankers gathered for the ICBA convention in Hawaii say intensifying competition from larger players is prompting more discussion about the need to gain scale — most likely through consolidation.

Two of the three major nonbank mortgage servicers are sticking by plans to acquire more portfolios from banks this year, despite regulatory scrutiny and concern they are growing too fast.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency shuttered the $130 million-asset Millennium Bank in Sterling, Va., while Pennsylvania state regulators closed the $63 million-asset Vantage Bank in Horsham, Pa.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has approved Horizon Bancorp's (HBNC) request to acquire SCB Bancorp of East Lasting, Mich., and its subsidiary, Summit Community Bank.

Bryn Mawr Bank in Pennsylvania starts every acquisition discussion the same way: the top talent agrees to stay or Bryn Mawr is not interested in pursuing a deal. It's a lesson for anyone considering buying or selling a bank.

BBVA's agreement to buy the online banking startup Simple will help improve its mobile banking and other technology, but the deal also highlights the stakes for other traditional banks as the industry tries to innovate. American Banker editors discuss which banks are the most forward-thinking and how other traditional financial companies can learn from startups and other disrupters.

Oconee Federal Financial Corp. (OFED) in Seneca, S.C., has agreed to buy Stephens Federal Bank in Toccoa, Ga.

Serial bank acquirers might stop to catch their breath some times, but many realize that their next deal is always on the horizon. Three of those banks recently discussed their plans to return to M&A at a conference in Boston.

The most notable quotes from American Banker stories of the previous week. Readers are encouraged to add their own observations in the Comments fields at the bottom of each slide.

Southern Missouri Bancorp (SMBC) in Poplar Bluff, Mo., has agreed to buy Peoples Banking Company in Nixa, Mo.

John A. Allison is planning to retire from the board of BB&T (BBT) in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Bank of New York Mellon (BK) has agreed to take full ownership of HedgeMark International.

An unsolicited offer from an unnamed institution prompted Team Capital Bank in Bethlehem, Pa., to explore selling itself.

The Brooklyn company points to the recently announced merger of Rockville and United Financial in the New England, along with other deal, as evidence that similarly sized banks can reach agreement.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Feb. 22.

In an effort to create "one of the largest pure-play" business process outsourcing companies in the U.S., HandsOn3 has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire BPO provider BancTec.

Fannie Mae posted net income of $6.5 billion from October through December, its eighth straight profitable quarter.

Big banks survived the financial crisis, but their ability to attract top young talent may not. That's the argument of Kevin Roose, author of the book "Young Money," which chronicles three years in the lives of eight young, and increasingly disenchanted, investment bank employees. Roose discusses why some of the junior bankers he shadowed have left finance; what banks can -- and can't -- do to change their cultures; and how the industry's efforts to promote diversity are still falling short.

Stilwell Group is irate that Poage Bankshares has agreed to buy another Kentucky bank. The activist investor would prefer to see the company buy back stock and, eventually, find a buyer.