Regional banks

The Sun Belt lender also increased fee income and kept expenses down in the first quarter.

Forecasts for better times ahead in banking have sellers wanting more and buyers pursuing less.

The Wisconsin regional's profits rose 35% in the first quarter on healthy loan growth, wider margins and an improved efficiency ratio, and it said its "satisfactory" CRA rating had been restored.

In an interview, CEOs for midsize banks said they are hopeful for a bipartisan Dodd-Frank Act reform bill that eases regulatory requirements for institutions with assets of more than $10 billion.

In his annual letter to shareholders, M&T Bank chief Robert Wilmers laid out in compelling detail how government policies intended to protect American families have ultimately stymied economic growth.

Because the fates of banks and the communities they serve are so intertwined, the regulatory impacts borne by regional banks are inextricably linked to the repercussions experienced by their customers.

Creative growth strategies are helping banks with $10B to $50B of assets — including Webster and TCF — improve profitability. These ‘tweeners’ deal with tougher regulations than smaller competitors without the scale larger ones have to absorb the expense.

The recent decision by the Federal Reserve Board to exempt banks with less than $250 billion in assets from the qualitative aspects of the CCAR stress tests may be a sign of things to come, says Joo-Yung Lee, head of North American financial institutions at Fitch Ratings.

Critics of Dodd-Frank argue that post-crisis regulations put a damper on lending. But loan growth at regional and community banks has "actually been very strong," says Joo-Yung Lee, head of North American financial institutions at Fitch Ratings.

By partnering with the matchmaking platform Opportunity Network, Citizens will be able to better connect corporate clients to deals worldwide.

Acquisition pushes quarterly revenues past $1 billion for first time ever.

Add package pickup to the growing list of things banks are doing with branches as foot traffic declines.

The rally in bank stocks since Donald Trump's surprise victory in November has minted a new billionaire banker ahead of Friday's inauguration: M&T Bank CEO Robert Wilmers.

The New York bank weathered headwinds in its taxi-medallion portfolio to post double-digit growth in earnings and net interest income during the fourth quarter.

Improved credit quality also helped compensate for flat loan growth at the Dallas bank.

Wells Fargo faces an economic environment that may not be particularly suited for the way the bank is structured. Also: are you brave enough to make bitcoin a part of your retirement portfolio?

People's United is taking its efforts to raise awareness of financial exploitation to a new level.

F.N.B., Iberiabank and Simmons First are among the banks entering new regions. A growing need for scale and increased use of technology are among the reasons for their aggressive moves.

Zions' Lori Chillingworth is part of the 2008 Most Powerful Women in Banking rankings.