Associated Banc-Corp is the latest industry welterweight to get back into M&A. That should benefit larger sellers that have watched the bigger regionals sit idle in the last couple of years.
Increased dealings in direct consumer lending and guaranteed student loans offset a decline in mortgage-related income. A lower loan-loss provision also helped the bottom line.
The Pittsburgh company, pleased with employee and client retention from its March purchase of Yadkin Financial, is looking to hire lenders from other institutions.
Regional banks are hoping that recent comments by Fed Chair Janet Yellen can add fuel to their efforts to replace the $50 billion asset threshold for systemically important banks with a regulatory indicator test.
