Strategic planning

The Delaware company would remove a rival, gain scale in affluent Philadelphia suburbs and accelerate its transformation from a branch-heavy lender to a digital-first bank with the $976 million acquisition.

Efforts to simplify business operations under incoming CEO Jane Fraser will cost a lot of money but will ultimately create a safer, more profitable company, Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason said.

Bank of America cut some of its staff in the global banking and markets division this week. The latest cuts mark an end to BofA's pledge not to eliminate any jobs in 2020 as the global pandemic flared.

The London company poured cold water on speculation a deal to divest its 152-branch network in the United States was imminent. But biding its time here while focusing on issues in other parts of its global operation could drive up the price in a seller’s M&A market.

Chairman and CEO Phillip Green said the decision to lay off 68 employees was "really the last thing" the San Antonio company wanted to do as it wrestles with low interest rates and challenges tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bank of New York Mellon, State Street and Northern Trust have even more reason to slash costs than commercial banks because their options to boost revenue are more limited. Problem is, they also have fewer cost-cutting options.

The Georgia company increased its target for annual expense cuts and new revenue to $175 million from $100 million. But executives warned that low interest rates and weaker mortgage volume, along with a need to invest in technology, will delay some of the bottom-line benefits.

The companies are reacting to an ongoing shift in customer preferences to digital channels.

Mergers and acquisitions were largely on ice in 2020, but banks' mounting need to control expenses and invest heavily in technology could spur a comeback this year.

Pandemic-induced shifts in how people work and bank will allow the Tennessee company to shed more branches and office space. It now projects it will slash expenses by an additional $30 million a year.

The Connecticut company said it will take several years to shut down the locations, which are located in Stop & Shop stores. About 80% of the branches are within five miles of traditional locations.

Hundreds of branches temporarily shuttered during the pandemic are now permanently closed.

CEO Charlie Scharf’s long-awaited expense-reduction plan got a chilly reception from investors.

Divvy, the financial-technology company that offers corporate cards and expense-management software to small businesses, said it’s now valued at $1.6 billion after raising money from investors including PayPal Holdings Inc.

Inside Wells Fargo, managers say they intend to build a more commensurate presence on Wall Street, where the firm ranks a mere ninth in capital markets and deal advisory, by focusing on business lines and industries where it already has credibility.

The New Canaan, Conn., company said it will record a pretax expense of $3.9 million in the fourth quarter related to branch and office closings, severance payments and the end of a vendor contract.

Bank of America is extending pandemic benefits for employees who need child or adult care services.

First Horizon, TCF and Webster are among the banks eyeing efficiency initiatives that could include more branch closings, layoffs and reduction of office space. Expect others to follow suit as low rates and tepid loan demand tied to the pandemic pressure revenue.

As she prepares to take over in February, Fraser says she is planning to invest in some of the bank's largest businesses, including its sprawling custody network and its burgeoning wealth management effort.

Big banks and other financial firms predict the cost of warding off cybercriminals will keep climbing in 2021 as they work to secure digital financial services popularized by the pandemic.