Performance reports

Hancock Holding in Gulfport, Miss., reported a steep drop in quarterly earnings that reflected ongoing energy woes.

Discover Financial Services reported higher loan growth in its flagship credit-card business during the first quarter, reversing a trend that the company's leaders had vowed to address.

After another disappointing quarter, Comerica is promising big changes in its ongoing quest to improve returns to shareholders. It appears to be considering all options, including selling off business lines and perhaps even merging with another institution.

Several small and midsize banks generated large year-over-year loan growth despite a belief by some outsiders that a slowdown was looming. Bankers may have to spend coming months assuring investors that they can keep booking loans while adequately managing risk.

An improvement in fees collected for trust and investment services at Northern Trust contributed to an increase in first-quarter profit.

Community banks are at a crossroads as they face a threat from alternative lenders and the need to stay true to the traditional bank model. What they should do?

Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., reported lower quarterly earnings as salaries and personnel expenses increased.

Comerica reported a steep decline in first-quarter profits as weak energy prices forced the Dallas company to sharply boost its reserves for loan losses.

Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., in the first quarter reaped the benefits of several M&A deals that it completed last year.

M&T is squeezing savings out of its newly purchased Hudson City Bancorp after fighting long and hard for regulatory approval. But it's also taking steps to keep Hudson City's customers from leaving, like offering higher rates on CDs in the New Jersey area.

Since replacing Kevin Kabat in November, Greg Carmichael has said that the Cincinnati company needs to invest more heavily in technology and compliance now in order to boost profits and improve efficiency down the road. But investors worry that expenses will grow faster than revenues and further squeeze margins.

All the noise over the impact of the Current Expected Loss Model is paralyzing bankers from taking reasonable and practical steps to prepare for the new accounting standard.

M&T Bank in Buffalo, N.Y., for the first time was able to report a full-quarter impact from its acquisition of Hudson City Bancorp, which took about three and a half years to complete because of regulatory challenges.

The Memphis, Tenn., company's forecast for the remainder of the year calls for cost saves from a branch-reduction effort that's gaining momentum as online and mobile banking grow and monthly visits to branches plummet.

First Horizon National in Memphis, Tenn., reported improved quarterly earnings that reflected higher revenue.

Citigroup Inc. reported first-quarter profit that beat analysts’ estimates, joining big U.S. rivals in slashing costs more than anticipated amid a trading and dealmaking slump.

Regions Financial in Birmingham, Ala., posted a double-digit gain in its first-quarter profit as strong revenue growth more than offset continued deterioration in its energy-loan portfolio.

Washington Federal in Seattle said its profit rose 3.4% to $41.7 million in the three months that ended March 31 as loan growth outweighed higher information technology costs.

Bank earnings season is just getting underway, but a consistent theme around energy lending is already emerging — credit quality is going to get worse and weigh on profits the rest of the year.

B of A is normally thought of as a U.S. economic bellwether, but it has substantial operations overseas, and its international performance last quarter provided a painful reminder of that fact.