Performance reports

Umpqua Holdings in Portland, Ore., posted lower profit from a quarter earlier, largely reflecting a decline in net interest income.

First-quarter results from U.S. Bancorp and PNC Financial Services Group shows banks have little choice but to wait until the Fed raises interest rates. They have cut expenses almost as far as they can go, and fee income is limited in how much it can offset narrower spread income.

Bank of America reported its best quarterly profit in more than a year, but with revenue declining and expense-reduction slowing, it is unclear where the company can turn to boost earnings. Similar questions are plaguing many banks as the latest earnings season unfolds.

Bank of the Ozarks could raise more capital, especially if a rising number of unfunded loans convert to funded credits. Management is also keeping an eye on credit quality, raising certain standards and selling some syndicated loans.

PNC Financial Services Group posted profit that beat analysts' estimates as commercial lending accelerated.

Bank of America Corp., the second-biggest U.S. lender by assets, posted a $3.36 billion first-quarter profit that beat analysts' estimates, as legal costs tumbled.

U.S. Bancorp posted profit that matched analysts' estimates on gains in mortgage-banking revenue.

The San Francisco bank has produced enough growth in mortgages, C&I and other areas and made other moves to offset low rates. It is a hopeful example for mortgage-heavy banks and other lenders battling tight margins.

More than 70 banks are set to hit their seventh anniversary this year, crossing a threshold where they will have reduced regulatory scrutiny and relaxed capital ratios. While many are excited about the potential to growth, they are aiming to do so carefully.

JPMorgan Chase reported strong loan growth and higher utilization in its commercial banking unit, which serves midsize businesses. It could set the stage for others to report similar results. Still, low interest rates are muffling the benefits.

Wells Fargo & Co., the most valuable U.S. bank, said low interest rates pushed first-quarter lending margins below 3 percent for the first time since the 1990s.

JPMorgan Chase & Co., the biggest U.S. bank, said first-quarter profit climbed 12 percent on rising revenue from fixed-income trading.

Commerce Bancshares in Kansas City, Mo., said Monday that first-quarter profits fell 5% from a year earlier, to $61.1 million, as net interest income fell and expenses rose.

Local governments have historically relied on selling bonds to finance operations. But low interest rates and the rising costs of taking bond issues public are making traditional loans a more tempting option.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Shared branching network CU Service Centers of Alabama is set to return $147,000 in patronage rebates and dividends, the fourth consecutive year it has done so.

A new study reveals the pace of credit unions failures and closures has gone down since the beginning of 2014, and the report's author says it's a sign of a healthier CU industry.

WATFORD CITY, N.D. — Several years into the oil boom in Western North Dakota, two credit unions say that for all the growth they've seen, there's no escaping a very real people problem.

As the largest banks get set to report their first-quarter earnings, investors and analysts will be looking for clarity on developments from the last three months. Here are the key storylines for each major bank.

First-quarter earnings calls will rev up in the next week. Here are some community banks that could have a lot to say about M&A, compliance and cost cutting.

A new forecast from NCUA says the economic outlook for 2015 is solid, but rising unemployment in oil-producing regions are making that forecast slightly less sunny than it was a few months ago.