Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Regions to buy tech-focused M&A advisory firm

Regions to buy tech-focused M&A advisory firm

Regions Financial in Birmingham, Ala., has agreed to buy Clearsight Advisors, a McLean, Va., M&A advisory firm focused on technology firms. The $156 billion-asset Regions said in a press release Friday that Clearsight also works with industries such as professional services, data and information services and digital and technology-enabled services. The deal is expected to close by the end of this year. Regions did not disclose the price it will pay. Regions said

December 17, 2021
Avadian Credit Union agrees to buy Alabama bank

Avadian Credit Union agrees to buy Alabama bank

Avadian Credit Union in Huntsville, Ala., has agreed to buy Citizens State Bank in Vernon, Ala. The $1.1 billion-asset Avadian entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Citizens Southern Bancshares, the parent of the $85.4 million-asset Citizens State, according to an announcement by Olsen Palmer, which represented the seller. The price of the all-cash deal was not disclosed. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter.

December 17, 2021
Silvergate, EJF Capital form fintech-focused fund

Silvergate, EJF Capital form fintech-focused fund

Silvergate Capital in La Jolla, Calif., and EJF Capital in Arlington, Va., have launched a joint investment vehicle that will focus on early stage fintechs. The $12.8 billion-asset Silvergate said in a press release Thursday that the EJF Silvergate Ventures Fund will also invest in digital currencies, payments and banking and specialty finance technology.The companies did not disclose the financial aspects of the partnership. EJF’s “investment strategy and financial services industry

December 17, 2021
Customers in Pa. debuts logo reflecting fintech focus

Customers in Pa. debuts logo reflecting fintech focus

Customers Bancorp in West Reading, Pa., is introducing a new website and logo to support its efforts to become a more fintech-focused financial institution. The $19.1 billion-asset company said in a press release Thursday that the move also reflects a push to offer more products and services nationwide. Customers already has national exposure after making $10 billion of Paycheck Protection Program loans and launching a blockchain-based real-time payments platform for cryptocurrency and

December 16, 2021
Proposed Georgia bank gets conditional FDIC approval

Proposed Georgia bank gets conditional FDIC approval

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has given conditional approval to a bank planned in Moultrie, Ga. The agency is requiring the organizers of Moultrie Bank & Trust to raise $20 million before opening, according to the Dec. 13 order. Organizers applied for deposit insurance in July. A consultant for the group said at that time that Donna Lott would serve as the bank’s CEO, while Collin Batchelor would be the

December 16, 2021
Home in Louisiana to enter Texas via acquisition

Home in Louisiana to enter Texas via acquisition

Home Bancorp in Lafayette, La., has agreed to buy Friendswood Capital in Houston. The $2.7 billion-asset Home said in a press release Wednesday that it will pay $67 million in cash for the parent of $445 million-asset Texan Bank. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter. The move makes Home’s first entry into Texas. "This merger provides Home Bancorp the opportunity to expand our geographic footprint into Texas," John Bordelon, the

December 16, 2021
Bank of the James to buy Virginia RIA

Bank of the James to buy Virginia RIA

Bank of the James Financial Group in Lynchburg, Va., has agreed to buy Pettyjohn, Wood, & White, a registered investment adviser in Lynchburg.  The $943 million-asset Bank of the James said in a press release Wednesday that Pettyjohn, Wood & White has more than $650 million of assets under management. The firm provides investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, individuals, corporations, charitable organizations and pension and profit-sharing plans. The price was not disclosed. Bunny Wood will remain

December 16, 2021
CItizens buying investment bank focused on digital infrastructure

CItizens buying investment bank focused on digital infrastructure

Citizens Financial Group in Providence, R.I., has agreed to buy DH Capital, an investment banking firm in New York. DH Capital, which also has an office in Boulder, Colo., serves companies in the Internet infrastructure, software and next-gen IT services, and communications sectors. The $170 billion-asset Citizens did not disclose the price it paid. DH Capital has completed more than 200 M&A transactions totaling about $35 billion in value. “The DH Capital team brings

December 15, 2021