M&A

BB&T and SunTrust showed that big-bank mergers are still possible, but top executives at other large regional banks say that a knee-jerk response would be a mistake.

The company will gain branches in Northampton County as part of the $79 million deal.

The sale comes just three years after the San Francisco bank bought the platform.

Cost cutting and systems integrations are short-term priorities, but over time CEO Kelly King and his heir apparent, Bill Rogers, will have to exploit the combined BB&T-SunTrust's revenue potential and prove the biggest post-crisis merger was a good idea.

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