Small business

PacWest Bancorp in Los Angeles reported an increase in fourth-quarter profit, the second full quarter after its April acquisition of CapitalSource Bank, a commercial lender that targeted small and medium-sized businesses.

Online marketplace lender OnDeck Capital has launched a new platform to better enable institutional investors to buy small business loans OnDeck originates.

Five Star Bank is the latest financial institution to settle claims that it avoided lending to minorities. More redlining cases can be expected, industry experts say.

United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., reported higher quarterly profit because of loan growth and higher fee revenue.

The company said in a press release Thursday that it redeemed preferred shares worth $76.46 million that were issued under the program to the Treasury Department.

Leaders of smaller banks optimistic about the growth prospects of small-business loans in 2015, but they are equally worried about increased competition from larger banks, nonbanks and credit unions.

Federal bank regulators increased the asset-size thresholds for the definition of a "small bank" and "intermediate small bank" for certain bank exams on Friday.

For years Zions First National Bank has been a top SBA lender in its markets, but Lori Chillingworth keeps finding ways to make this highly profitable business even stronger.