Bank M&A activity has been lackluster in most parts of the country. It will probably stay that way, since so many banks are too small for buyers to bother with.

Bank investor Kenneth Lehman plans to buy a controlling stake in Marine Bank & Trust Co. in Vero Beach, Fla.

Northwest Savings Bank in Warren, Pa., has agreed to acquire a financial advisory firm and an employee benefits and consulting insurance company.

First Internet Bank (INBK) in Indianapolis raised $29.1 million through a public offering.

Heartland Financial USA's unusual acquisition of Freedom Bank in Sterling, Ill., seems to be more about collecting on a debt than strategic M&A. Such moves are uncommon but have happened in the last few years — and they can work.

MB Financial (MBFI) plans to retain nearly all of the top executives at Taylor Capital Group (TAYC) following the companies' planned merger, according to a report Wednesday in Crain's Chicago Business.

A founding executive of National Bank Holdings Corp. (NBHC) in Greenwood Village, Colo., is stepping down.

The small-dollar lender First Cash Financial Services (FCFS) has agreed to buy a 12-store pawnshop chain in the Charleston, S.C., area.

State Bank Financial CEO Joe Evans has hired an ex-colleague, fund manager David Brown, to help lead the next stage of the Atlanta bank's M&A strategy.

Mercantile Bank (MBWM) in Grand Rapids, Mich., expects regulatory hang-ups to delay its acquisition of Firstbank (FBMI) in Alma, Mich.

A plan to sell a Dallas bank to an investor group through a bankruptcy auction could lead to big losses for groups that made investments at the height of the economic crisis.

It's a hot year for second-lien loans, which are already at $28 billion. But they may be "second" in name only for claims in the event of default because of the increasingly complex structures of debt issuances and inconsistent industry definitions.

Alliance Bancorp Inc. of Pennsylvania (ALLB) in Broomall will face a proxy challenge from activist investor PL Capital.

ViewPoint Financial (VPFG) in Plano, Texas, has agreed to buy LegacyTexas Group in Plano.

The positive reaction to Independent Bank Group's $170 million agreement to buy BOH Holdings shows how precrisis M&A valuation methods are returning and that the industry is getting stronger.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Nov. 23.

Heartland Financial (HTLF) in Dubuque, Iowa, has purchased a bank of River Valley Bancorp in Davenport, Iowa.

Banc of California (BANC) in Irvine has filed documents that would allow it to offer up to $1 billion of securities.

WSFS Financial (WSFS) in Wilmington, Del., has agreed to buy First Wyoming Financial in Wyoming, Del.

The Federal Reserve Board has approved a deal for prepaid card issuer Green Dot to buy GE Capital's Walmart-branded prepaid debit card business, according to a statement the Fed posted online Nov. 22.