Business First in La. buys consulting firm American Planning Corp.
Business First Bancshares in Baton Rouge, La., bought consulting firm American Planning Corp. The $8.9 billion-asset Business First said in a press release that T. Jefferson Fair, American Planning’s CEO, and his team joined b1BANK subsidiary Smith Shellnut Wilson. The price wasn’t disclosed. American Planning offers outsourced CFO services, financial modeling, strategic planning, capital planning, […]
Hyperion in Philadelphia raises $14M to fund organic growth
Hyperion Bancshares in Philadelphia raised $14.1 million to expand in its headquarters city and Atlanta. The $553 million-asset company said in a press release that it sold $8.6 million in common stock and $6.1 million in preferred stock. The capital is expected to support the bank’s strategy while preserving lending capacity and maintaining regulatory capital […]
CBW Bank seeking OCC charter to expand digital assets operations
CBW Bank in Wichita, Kan., is seeking to switch to a national bank charter. The $66 million-asset bank applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to convert from a state banking charter. CBW is listed on the OCC’s digital asset licensing applications webpage under the pending applications section. The bank adds to […]
FDIC grants conditional approval for Bank of St. George in Utah
A group in St. George, Utah, has received conditional approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to form a bank. The organizers of the proposed Bank of St. George must raise $20 million of initial capital before opening the bank. The group initially applied to open the bank in 2019, but withdrew the application. They […]
Axos in Nevada to buy fintech Arc Technologies
Axos Financial in Las Vegas has agreed to buy Arc Technologies, a fintech that serves technology and growth companies. The $29.2 billion-asset Axos said in a press release that it expects the deal to close later this month. The price wasn’t disclosed. Arc provides cash management, capital markets, and AI-powered financial software solutions, helping businesses […]
Agricultural Banking to buy Buckley Bancorp in Illinois bank merger
Agricultural Banking Corp. in Paxton, Ill., has agreed to buy Buckley Bancorp in Buckley, Ill. Agricultural Banking, the holding company for the $200 million-asset Frederick Community Bank, said in a press release that it expects to buy the parent of the $50 million-asset Buckley State Bank in the fourth quarter. The price wasn’t disclosed Selected […]
BNPL pioneer Klarna seeking ILC in Utah
Klarna has applied for an industrial bank charter. The Swedish Buy Now, Pay Later pioneer filed its applications with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Utah’s Department of Financial Institutions. Klarna has partnered with U.S. banks, including WebBank, to offer some of its financial services. “Our own banking license is the natural next step, giving customers tools […]
Hometown in Mass. to buy Primary in N.H., convert to stock holding company
Hometown Financial Group in Easthampton, Mass., has agreed to buy Primary Bank in Bedford, N.H., in a move that will include Hometown’s conversion to a stock holding company. The $6.9 billion-asset Hometown said in a press release that it will pay $160 million in cash and stock for the $743 million-asset Primary. The deal is […]
Finward in Indiana released from MOU with FDIC, state regulator
Finward Bancorp in Munster, Ind., has been freed from another enforcement action. The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that its bank was released from an August 2024 memorandum of understanding with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. Finward was previously freed in August 2025 from a November 2023 […]
National Bankshares in Virginia sheds restructures its securities portfolio
National Bankshares in Blacksburg, Va., sold underperforming securities. The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it sold $131.9 million of securities as a pretax loss of $6.6 million. Proceeds were used to buy $127.3 million of higher-yielding securities. The company offset the hit with proceeds from the sale of its membership interest in Bearing […]
Bank7 in Oklahoma aims to buy Century Bank in New Mexico
Bank7 in Oklahoma City has agreed to buy a controlling stake in Century Financial Services in Santa Fe, N.M. The $2 billion-asset Bank7 said in a press release that it plans to buy a 71% stake in the holding company for the $1.4 billion-asset Century Bank for $68 million in cash. The shares are being […]
Patriot in Connecticut freed from January 2025 OCC formal agreement
Patriot National Bancorp in Stamford, Conn., has been freed from an enforcement action. The $1.3 billion-asset company said in a press release that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency released Patriot Bank from a January 2025 formal agreement. “This important milestone is a testament to the terrific team Patriot Bank has assembled to […]
Southern Bancorp in Arkansas to rebrand as Uplift Bank
Southern Bancorp in Arkadelphia, Ark., has chosen a new name. The company said in a press release that it will rebrand as Uplift Bank. “For 40 years, we’ve worked alongside individuals, families, businesses, and communities to create pathways to financial opportunity for everyone, no matter their zip code,” Southern said in a LinkedIn post. “As […]
Regions in Alabama buys investment bank Frazier Lanier
Regions Financial in Birmingham, Ala., bought Frazier Lanier Company, an investment bank that specializes in municipal and corporate securities. The $161 billion-asset Regions did not disclose the price it paid for the Montgomery, Ala., investment bank. “By welcoming experienced bankers from Frazer Lanier to the Regions family, we are connecting Regions’ clients with even greater […]
MidMinnesota FCU to buy branch from Unity Bank in Wisconson
MidMinnesota Federal Credit Union in Baxter has agreed to buy a branch in Clarissa, Minn., from Unity Bank, Augusta, Wis. The $834 million-asset credit union said in a press release that the all-cash deal should close in the fourth quarter. The price wasn’t disclosed. The branch had $27 million in deposits and $3 million in […]
Commerce in Mo. to buy boutique investment bank Nolan & Associates
Commerce Bancshares in Kansas City, Mo., has agreed to buy boutique investment bank Nolan & Associates in St. Louis, Mo. Nolan provides sell-side, buy-side and capital raise advisory services to business owners, private equity firms and corporations in industries that including building products, transportation, logistics, energy, healthcare, telecom, business services, manufacturing, distribution and agriculture. Nolan […]
BankTech Ventures identifies 2026 investments
BankTech Ventures, an investment fund backed by banks, announced a new round of investments totaling $15 million over the past six months. The fund said that new portfolio companies and follow-on investments included: Coinbax, which deals in stablecoin payments via smart contracts with built-in risk controls and reversibility. FileJet, which offers automated compliance, reporting, and […]
Bank of Charlotte County in Va. announces CEO’s retirement
Bank of Charlotte County in Phenix, Va., is saying goodbye to its leader. The $228 million-asset bank announced in a LinkedIn post that Dexter Gilliam will retire as president and CEO on June 1. The post did not identify his successor. “Dexter’s leadership, dedication, and commitment to our employees, customers, and communities has helped shape […]
Fintech GrailPay raises $10.5M in latest funding round
New York fintech GrailPay raised $10.5 million in Series A funding. The fintech, which is building a risk intelligence platform for ACH and bank payments, said the funding round was led by MissionOG and included participation EJF Ventures, Counterpart Ventures, Construct Capital, Commerce Ventures, and SSC Venture Partners. GrailPay said it plans to use the funds […]
Candescent finds next CEO
Candescent in Atlanta has a new leader. The platform said in a press release that Jason Edelboim had become its CEO, succeeding Brendan Tansill, who stepped down. Edelboim was CEO of iCIMS, an AI platform for talent acquisition. “Banking is moving from digital to intelligent, and Candescent is at the forefront of this shift,” Edelboim […]
Keweenaw Financial to buy Range Bank in Michigan merger
Keweenaw Financial in Hancock, Mich., has agreed to buy Range Financial in Marquette, Mich. Keweenaw, the parent of the $1.1 billion-asset Superior National Bank, said in a press release that it plans to buy the $635 million-asset holding company for Range Bank in the fourth quarter. The price of the all-stock deal wasn’t disclosed. Range […]
Colony in Georgia to buy First Reliance in S.C. for $163 million
Colony Bankcorp in Fitzgerald, Ga., has agreed to buy First Reliance Bancshares in Florence, S.C. The $3.9 billion-asset Colony said in a press release that it will pay $163 million in stock for the $1.1 billion-asset First Reliance. The deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, priced First Reliance at 162% of […]
Proposed SoCal de novo gets conditional FDIC approval
Organizers of the proposed TriCoast Bank in Burbank, Calif., have received conditional approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The group must raise $25 million in capital before the bank can open. Organizers originally applied with the FDIC and state regulator in October.
BCB in New Jersey suspends quarterly dividends
BCB Bancorp in Bayonne, N.J., has suspended its quarterly dividend as its new CEO looks to shore up capital. The company said ina press release that the suspension applies to common and preferred stock. The board also voted to suspend its 2026 amended and restated dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan. “We will be undergoing […]
Ion Bank in Conn. makes Boston push with Cooperative Bank merger
Ion Financial in Naugatuck, Conn., has agreed to absorb Cooperative Bank in Boston. The $2.8 billion-asset Ion said in a press release that the $540 million-asset Cooperative will continue to operate as a division. Cooperative President and CEO John Battaglia will join Ion as president of the new division. The banks will create a $2.5 […]