Performance reports

Third-quarter profit at PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh declined on a yearly basis as a higher tax rate and increased expenses ate into improved revenue in both lending and fee-based products.

JPMorgan Chase & Co., the biggest U.S. bank by assets, said profit fell 7.6% from a year ago, when results got a boost from $2.2 billion in tax benefits. Revenue climbed 8.4% as bond-trading revenue rose more than analysts estimated.

A nearly double-digit increase in net interest income helped third-quarter profit increase by 12.9% at VSB Bancorp in New York.

Hingham Institution for Savings in Massachusetts said a double-digit spike in lending contributed to a strong third quarter.

The $4.3 billion-asset parent of Century Bank and Trust Co. said in a press release Tuesday that its net income increased 5.2% in the quarter from a year earlier to $6.4 million, or $1.16 a share.

About two-thirds of banks that close branches will lose deposit share in their impacted markets in time. Here's how to prevent customers from leaving your bank.

It's been a tough year for farmers, and lenders are looking for ways to help those borrowers offset sagging income.

Earnings season is set to begin with a bang Oct. 14 when four of the six largest banking companies report. The next few weeks will likely bring a steady stream of lackluster commercial lending results, good news on energy and mortgage books and (thanks, Wells Fargo) a whole lot of scrutiny of cross-selling practices.

Large banks aren't the only financial institutions producing up-and-coming executives. Five executives on American Banker's list of Women to Watch hold key positions at banks with less than $30 billion in assets.

Wells Fargo, the lender grappling with a scandal involving unauthorized customer accounts, had its outlook lowered to negative from stable by Fitch Ratings.

Banks continue to lay off operations workers and send their jobs to other countries with lower labor costs. They may feel they have no choice, but there are risks to consider.

Male bankers are often unaware of how they benefit from a level of privilege that limits the advancement and contributions of their female colleagues, to the detriment of the entire industry.

A strategy to reinvigorate black-owned financial institutions would not only bring hope to the black community but would also be an inspiration for other minorities who seek to be more effectively served by financial institutions that understand their needs.

Julie Stackhouse, head of supervision at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses the insights that resonated at the regulator's recent community banking conference — some encouraging for the future of small financial institutions, others less so.

Shiv Govindan at Pilgrims & Indians Capital has kept a relatively low profile as a bank investor. But two key board appointments at struggling community banks promise to make him a more visible player in the industry.

Community bankers are showing renewed interest in consumer lending but admit they may be losing ground to more tech-savvy players, according to a survey released Thursday.

Orrstown Financial in Shippensburg, Pa., has agreed to pay a $1 million to settle charges that it misled investors as it raised capital in the wake of the financial crisis.

As the Wells Fargo story has played out, pundits have been quick to blame "sales culture" for improper behavior, but that's like blaming automobiles for reckless drivers.

The investment bank's annual ranking of midcap all-stars includes 10 returning all-stars from 2015 and 11 newcomers.

Technology? Bankers can keep up. New regulations? We've got people to handle that. But how to account for the flight of customers, prospective employees and economic opportunities from rural areas is perhaps the biggest challenge facing community lenders and policymakers, warns a longtime Oklahoma banker.