Performance reports

Sitting down with American Banker, incoming American Bankers Association CEO Rob Nichols discussed the need for industry unity, banking's convergence with the technology sector and the regulatory relief fight, among other issues.

Banks are closing branches and relying more heavily on technology to serve customers. Concerns that online and mobile banking don't reach all customers could leave banks open to allegations of discrimination.

Loan-to-value ratios in commercial real estate lending have returned to their levels from the bubble days, Moody's says. Loss-rates look good for now, but trouble could be coming.

There were doubts that CommunityOne could survive in 2011, even with the help of private equity and cooperation from regulators. Four years later, the North Carolina company is again profitable and healthy enough to consider acquisitions.

State Bank Financial in Atlanta has reduced its workforce by consolidating several company departments, as it pivots away from failed-bank loss-share agreements and looks to acquire healthy banks.

Bank earnings may be on the up and up, but aging business models are still putting a drag on most financial institutions' performance.

Banks are going to keep cranking out loans at a brisk pace for the foreseeable future, according to the heads of three Chicago-area banks. That could spell trouble if the competition leads to reckless credit decisions.

Community banks could be vulnerable to increased funding costs, particularly rates tied to retail deposits. Technology, and improved modeling, could help them hold onto more deposits.

Forget China — for U.S. banks, Canada carries more weight. Canada's energy-led recession looks harmless for now, but the tight connections between Canada and American banks make it potentially dangerous if it becomes prolonged.

Some institutions, such as Amalgamated Bank in New York, are voluntarily raising wages for tellers and other workers, while banks in cities such as Seattle and Los Angeles are being forced to pay more by municipal ordinances.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s second-quarter industry update showed steadily rising loan balances making up for persistently tight net interest margins.

Sunshine Financial in Tallahassee, Fla., will restate earnings for the first and second quarters after it discovered an accounting error.

The market correction and likely longer timeline for a Fed rate rise have sent some overly optimistic investors to the door, and now prices are closer in line with the fundamentals. That's setting the stage for a bounceback in some of the biggest banks' stocks and may ease pressure on them coming into third-quarter earnings season.

First Financial Northwest is moving past its thrift roots three years after a proxy battle ousted its chief executive. Other banks in the same position are still trying to get back on track.

When the hurricane hit the Gulf Coast nearly a decade ago, it brought with it unimaginable destruction. Still, it also allowed the area's banks a chance to work together, connect with clients and work toward a stronger future.

Stock fluctuations will fuel investment banking fees in the short run, but a prolonged shock would complicate bank M&A and could tighten margins, crimp wealth management fees and present other risks.

WASHINGTON — A Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. publication on Monday advised banks to include cyber risk in standard disaster-planning and business-continuity exercises as part of general strategic-planning discussions.

Cecil Bancorp in Elkton, Md., has been ordered by federal regulators to raise more capital or sell itself.

Roughly 20 banks still have capital from the crisis-era program. Most are way behind on dividend payments and have limited options to raise capital to repay the Treasury Department.

Depositors at mutuals in Ohio and Massachusetts have approved measures making it more difficult for their institutions to convert to stock ownership. Still, many industry observers believe the mutual industry is poised for more consolidation.