Corporate governance

Deal advisors said the Trump administration's tariff threats and the specter of inflation have given some bankers reason to pause on acquisition plans. Momentum could still mount, but uncertainty in Washington is a detriment early in the new year.

As forbearance starts to rise due to the fires, servicers that have just gotten a respite from hurricanes recoveries will have to gear up again.

The largest U.S. bank by assets has elevated Jennifer Piepszak to chief operating officer, in preparation for Daniel Pinto's retirement in 2026. But Piepszak is not interested in being CEO, the company said.

Awareness of disaster risk has increased in the public and private sectors, and it appears to be prompting more interest in home improvements in particular.

The sale of the $318 million-asset portfolio comes five weeks after the Greenville, South Carolina-based company agreed to sell its investment advisory unit.

The Honolulu bank is raising $165 million through depositary shares, a move that two observers said would help boost its below-average leverage ratio.

During New York Community Bancorp's annual shareholder meeting, executives reiterated their mission to restore value in the beleaguered Long Island-based company. Questions from shareholders suggested at least some discontent following a capital influx that significantly diluted their position in the company.

Although experts are predicting an active season, actual damages could be lower depending on how many storms make landfall and where, Corelogic reported.

SouthState Corp. plans to purchase Independent Bank Group in a $2 billion deal, marking an end to the latter bank's long run of buying companies. Chairman and CEO David Brooks pointed to a challenging interest rate environment and heightened regulatory scrutiny as reasons he decided to sell.

Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., is asking the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to withdraw a corporate governance guidance proposal as FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg is set to testify in Congress later this week.

The Philadelphia-based bank's parent company, Republic First Bancshares, had been roiled by a yearslong proxy battle involving activist investors groups and its former CEO.

Larger banks are responsible for a special assessment to cover the costs of the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. The price tag has ballooned by $4.1 billion, and trade groups are criticizing the FDIC's process, arguing that it lacks transparency.

The Long Island-based lender has released a number of new details about its reconfiguration following a $1 billion capital injection led by two former Trump administration officials.

The turmoil at New York Community Bancorp resumed Thursday with the departure of CEO Thomas Cangemi. The embattled regional bank, which also recorded a $2.4 billion goodwill impairment charge and disclosed other new problems, saw its share price plunge.

The private student loan market is in flux after one major lender, Discover Financial Services, said it's leaving the sector. Sallie Mae is gearing up to compete for that business, much as it did when Wells Fargo pulled up stakes in 2020.

Despite a surge in quarterly expenses in the fourth quarter and a projected uptick in the first quarter, the North Carolina company is standing by its expense guidance for 2024.

Left-leaning shareholder groups are asking JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and other large asset managers to explain a recent decline in their support for certain environmental and social policies at public companies.

The Pittsburgh-based regional bank expects to save $325 million next year as it reduces its staff by 4%. Executives said the cuts are necessary because revenue has fallen amid a surge in interest rates and a decline in loan volumes.

Some analysts and investors want the North Carolina bank to make big changes to meet financial targets, which they say aren't being met more than four years after the BB&T-SunTrust merger. The critics will be closely watching a presentation by top Truist executives on Monday.

The Canadian bank initially told investors the acquisition would result in more than $350 million in cost savings. But a recent analysis suggests that number could be even higher.