Prosperity scoops up another Texas bank for $269M

The Houston-based lender, which “treats M&A as a line of business,” is likely to consider more acquisition opportunities while closing and integrating its two most recently announced deals, an analyst said.

By Caitlin Mullen • Oct. 2, 2025

2026 banking conference roundup

Gatherings can be idea generators, or crucial chances to network — especially amid an environment where political change can yield previously unexpected possibilities and partnerships.

By Dan Ennis • Oct. 1, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Banking Dive

Since the approval of Capital One’s acquisition of Discover, banks have increasingly waded into new deals. Beyond that, they’ve doubled down on strategy, from organic growth to branch placement to app design.

By Banking Dive staff

TD wants to get ‘back to winning’

The Canadian lender’s executives detailed plans to slash costs by $1.8 billion a year and deepen customer relationships to make the bank more efficient while revving up revenue growth.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 30, 2025

Washington banks to combine in $176.6M deal

Heritage Financial will buy Kitsap Bank – adding 17 locations to bolster its presence on two peninsulas west of Seattle. It’ll be Heritage’s first acquisition since 2018.

By Dan Ennis • Sept. 29, 2025

Mid Penn to buy NJ bank, Florida investment firm

The serial acquirer seeks to buy its seventh bank in about 11 years, New Jersey-based 1st Colonial, for $101 million. The following day, Mid Penn said it’s acquiring an investment management firm, too.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 29, 2025

Indiana’s First Merchants to buy in-state peer for $241.3M

The deal would give the Muncie, Indiana-based bank $21 billion in assets and entry to the neighboring Louisville, Kentucky, market.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • Sept. 26, 2025

Citi sells 25% stake in Banamex for $2.3B

The bank incurred a $726 million goodwill impairment charge from the transaction, which is set to close in the second half of 2026.

By Dan Ennis • Sept. 25, 2025

Stifel hires 13 from SVB for life science, healthcare team

“Our clients are doing crazy, fun, innovative things,” one new Stifel hire said. “We get to provide a lot of hopeful value to help these clients be successful.”

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • Sept. 24, 2025

Axos acquires industrial equipment lender

The San Diego-based challenger bank first entered the equipment lending space in 2016 with its purchase of Pacific Western Equipment Finance from Pacific Western Bank.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • Sept. 23, 2025

Tennessee bank aims to raise up to $103.7M in IPO

Commercial Bancgroup wants to list on the Nasdaq. It’s putting more than 3.7 million shares on the public market and is expected to fetch up to $27.75 per share.

By Dan Ennis • Sept. 22, 2025

SMBC to boost stake in Jefferies to 20%

The Japanese bank will pay roughly $912.8 million to buy shares. But it will also offer Jefferies $2.5 billion in new credit facilities. The banks plan to launch a joint venture in Japan in 2027.

By Dan Ennis • Sept. 19, 2025

First Interstate CEO: Colorado ‘a better opportunity’ after PNC move

Jim Reuter – who spent 37 years at FirstBank, most recently as CEO – said PNC’s acquisition of the Colorado bank creates opportunities for other local lenders to snag customers and talent.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 19, 2025

BMO taps insider as next CFO

Rahul Nalgirkar, CFO of the bank’s U.S. operations, will succeed Tayfun Tuzun, who is set to retire early next year. Like Tuzun, Nalgirkar is a Fifth Third alum.

By Dan Ennis • Sept. 19, 2025

BofA boosts minimum hourly wage to $25

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank followed through on a 2021 promise to raise its pay floor to that level. And it’s not the only lender to do so this year.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 17, 2025

Ally CIO: Pace of tech change ‘weighs on me’

Sathish Muthukrishnan, the bank’s chief information, data and digital officer, shared what’s surprised him about the use of Ally’s AI platform and the challenges of keeping up with rapid tech evolution.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 17, 2025

National Bank Holdings to acquire Texas lender for $369M

Acquiring privately held Vista, which has operations in Texas and Florida, would push Denver-based NBH to $12.4 billion in total assets.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 16, 2025

Washington bank sued by hedge fund names next CEO

Curt Queyrouze, most recently president of Coastal Community Bank, was chosen as First Fed’s next CEO, following the resignation of former CEO Matthew Deines in July.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 15, 2025

Zions CEO eyes acquisition opportunities

The $89 billion-asset regional is “a really good partner” for small banks that “are going to be looking for a home,” its CEO said this week.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 12, 2025

Merger with Synovus isn’t ‘Truist 2.0,’ Pinnacle CEO says

The CEOs of Pinnacle and Synovus sought to assure investors that they learned from other recent mergers of equals and sorted out a number of decisions early on.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 11, 2025

Fifth Third replaces BNY as Direct Express partner

The Cincinnati-based lender has been named the bank partner for the prepaid card program. The bank also disclosed “alleged external fraudulent activity” expected to result in a perhaps $200 million impairment charge.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 10, 2025

PNC CEO: ‘We just effectively bought Colorado’

If PNC finds another acquisition target like FirstBank, “we’d probably do it,” CEO Bill Demchak said Tuesday, adding, “the path to growth is long and curious, and unpredictable.”

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 10, 2025

Comerica CEO pledges improvements amid activist pressure

Executives for the Dallas-based regional are “taking a hard look at expenses” as they work to improve the bank’s efficiency, CEO Curt Farmer said Tuesday. 

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 9, 2025

PNC to acquire FirstBank in $4.1B deal

The move would triple PNC’s presence in Colorado and boost its Arizona footprint by more than a dozen branches, the bank said.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 8, 2025

Central Florida de novo targets early 2026 opening

The group behind prospective lender Portrait Bank has submitted regulatory applications and increased its capital target based on strong response, said Erik Weiner, who will serve as CEO and president.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 5, 2025

BNY offers cyber, AI training for community bankers

The program is set to address cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data analytics – topics that came up in a survey of community bankers BNY fielded last year.

By Caitlin Mullen • Sept. 4, 2025