Strategic planning

The Tacoma, Washington-based bank, which has completed two mergers since 2023, said Thursday that it will buy back up to $700 million of its own shares over the next year.

The Canadian bank said it will take at least a year to hit an inflection point in U.S. loan growth. It has been shedding assets in an effort to free up space for growth in more promising business lines.

Flagstar Bank wants to merge its holding company into the bank, which would cut $15 million in annual expenses and eliminate regulatory oversight by the Federal Reserve, leaving the OCC as its primary regulator. The bank's CEO, Joseph Otting, is a former comptroller of the currency.

Bankers' surveys of commercial clients have found that corporate decision-makers are less concerned about adverse tariff effects than nervous investors.

Forecasters on an American Bankers Association panel predict continued economic growth this year, though they say President Trump's tariffs have created new inflation and recession risks.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

The CEOs of the nation's largest banks met with officials in Washington on Wednesday and Thursday, just two weeks before the government is expected to go broke. Behind the scenes, the banks are reviewing contingencies in case the unthinkable occurs.

Headcount at the nation's second-largest bank has fallen by around 1,000 since the end of last month. More job reductions are in the works after noninterest expenses rose by 6% during the first quarter.

The latest expense guidance also stems from rising operating losses at the North Carolina bank. Cost-cutting was a key rationale for the 2019 merger of BB&T and SunTrust, which created Truist.

The nation's largest bank indicated Monday that it may again offer home equity lines of credit to a wide audience. Rising mortgage rates have made the product more attractive after a long drought when low rates suppressed demand.

Bank of America is moving three months early on its most recent plan to raise its hourly base pay. “Until the labor market eases, the weight of wage growth is going to be strong,” CEO Brian Moynihan said during a CNBC interview.