Performance reports

Low interest rates continue to constrain growth at TCF Financial in Wayzata, Minn.

Fulton Financial in Lancaster, Pa., reported a decrease in third-quarter profit, as expenses rose and income from fees and certain securities holdings declined.

Washington Federal in Seattle reported higher profit in its fiscal fourth quarter, citing a record level of commercial loan originations.

The Georgia company is ready to return to buying banks, but it isn’t looking for a game changer. Rather, management wants to ease into consolidation by acquiring a smaller institution.

BankUnited in Miami Lakes, Fla., reported quarterly earnings that missed Wall Street expectations despite loan growth and an income tax benefit.

Loan-loss provisions are trending up, partly due to an increase in overall lending but also because lenders are concerned about future losses on loans tied to the energy and manufacturing sectors.

Signature Bank in New York reported higher profit in the third quarter, as loan growth offset issues in its taxi medallion portfolio.

Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati reported a higher third-quarter profit, although the restructuring of a commercial credit cut into the results.

Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., reported higher quarterly earnings that reflected an increase in fee income and cost control.

Bank of New York Mellon, the world’s second-largest custody bank, reported a third-quarter profit that beat analysts’ estimates as the company cut expenses to offset the impact of lower interest rates.

Regions Financial in Birmingham, Ala., reported gains in loans and overall revenues in the third quarter, but its net income declined from the same period last year due to increases in its premium for federal deposit insurance and provision for loan losses.

Merger-related expenses took a nearly $6 million bite out of third-quarter earnings at Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., but its chief executive predicted several recently completed deals will pay off sooner than anticipated.

Zions Bancorp. in Salt Lake City posted stronger third-quarter earnings from lower costs and higher fee income. The $58.4 billion-asset company said in a press release Monday that its earnings rose 6% from a year earlier, to $84.2 million, or 41 cents a share.

M&T Bank in Buffalo, N.Y., reported a higher third-quarter profit as improved net interest income offset declines in trust services, deposit-account fees and mortgage banking.

Western Alliance Bancorp. in Phoenix posted a big increase in third-quarter profit, its first earnings statement after the acquisition of Bridge Bank.

Morgan Stanley reported profit that missed analysts’ estimates as fixed-income trading revenue tumbled and investment-management fees dropped by more than half on an Asian private-equity loss.

Acquisitions would seem to be a logical course of action for regional banks struggling to cut costs and boost revenues in the low interest rate environment, but some bank chief executives are less open to the idea than others as comments by the heads of First Horizon and SunTrust demonstrate.

Associated Banc-Corp in Green Bay, Wis., posted lower third-quarter profit, citing lower yields on earning assets.

The agency's staff is already working on a new regulation that would easing access to capital, an issue that makes bankers very nervous.

BofI Holding in San Diego is poised to end a tumultuous week, after a lawsuit accusing it of lax controls sent investors scurrying.