Regulators have shut down 3 more banks in Florida, Arizona and Kansas, pushing up U.S. bank failures to 133 so far this year. The struggling economy continues to weigh heavily on banks. This takes the total number of bank failures to 133, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007.  While the state of the economy is showing signs of recovery, there are lingering concerns related to the banking industry. As the industry tolerates bad loans that were made during the credit explosion, the trouble in the banking system goes even deeper, increasing the possibility of more bank failures.  The failed banks were: Republic Federal Bank, N.A. of Miami, Florida with total assets of $433.0 million and total deposits of approximately $352.7 million as of Sep 30, 2009; Valley Capital Bank, National Association of Mesa, Arizona with total assets of $40.3 million and total deposits of ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 17, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB), Zions Bancorp (ZION), SunTrust Banks (STI) and PNC Financial (PNC).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

Bank Failures Rise to 123

The failed banks were -- Century Bank, FSB of Sarasota, Florida with $728 million in assets and $631 million in deposits, Orion Bank of Naples, Florida with about $2.7 billion in assets and $2.1 billion in deposits and Pacific Coast National Bank of

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Regulators shut down 2 banks in Florida and 1 in California; U.S. bank failures reach 123 this year.   U.S. regulators on Friday shuttered two more banks in Florida and one in California. Though there are some early signs of economic recovery, bank failures continue unabated. This takes the total number of bank failures to 123, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007.  The weak economy continues to weigh heavily on banks with a stream of loan defaults. As the industry has to tolerate bad loans that were made during the credit explosion, the trouble in the banking system goes even deeper, increasing the possibility of more bank failures. However, the regulators are trying to avoid panic by seizing banks slowly. Also, the slow seizing could be a strategy as it is hard to get buyers for so many failed banks.  The failed banks were ...

Regulators shut down 5 more banks in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and California; tally hits 120 so far this year  U.S. regulators on Friday shuttered five more institutions in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and California , as the recession continues to take its toll on banks. This takes the total number to 120, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007.  As the industry has to tolerate bad loans that were made during the credit explosion, the trouble in the banking system goes even deeper, increasing the possibility of more failures. However, the regulators are trying to avoid panic by seizing banks slowly. Also, the slow pace of seizing could be a strategy as it is hard to get buyers for so many failed banks.  The failed banks were -- Georgia-based United Security Bank of Sparta with total assets of $157 million and total deposits ...

After enduring extraordinary shocks in 2008, the U.S. banks entered an exceptional state of turmoil in 2009. Starting as a credit issue in the subprime segment of the mortgage market, the sticky situation spread to almost the entire financial services industry, and all corners of the globe. In other words, the financial crisis ultimately morphed into a massive economic crisis, which has had major ramifications across the whole world. Although the banking industry is dealing with liquidity and confidence challenges, it now has financial support from the U.S. government. The government has taken several steps, including programs offering capital injections and debt guarantees, to stabilize the financial system. We believe that the worst of the credit crisis is now probably behind us. After almost a year of initiating the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), a lot has improved with respect to the economic crisis, but ...

Yesterday, BB&T Corp. (BBT) said expected losses in the loan portfolio acquired from Colonial BancGroup (CBCG) of $5 billion will not have a negative impact on its earnings because of its loss-sharing agreement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).   Last Friday, BB&T took control of Colonial after it was seized by regulators. As a result, BB&T is exposed to losses connected with its purchase of Colonial assets for $21.8 billion.   The estimated cost of Colonial’s failure to the deposit insurance fund would be $2.8 billion. The FDIC and BB&T have signed an agreement to share losses on about $15 billion of Colonial's loans and other assets.   The Colonial deal is the biggest acquisition in BB&T’s history, creating the nation's eighth-largest financial holding company by deposits. BB&T is a dominant player in Southeastern U.S., where many closures have happened. Having taken over most of ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - July 7, 2009 - Zacks Equity Research highlights Sohu.com, Inc. (SOHU) as the Bull of the Day and Cousins Properties (CUZ) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) and Zions Bancorporation Pharmaceuticals (ZION).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2676.

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Sohu.com, Inc. (SOHU) is the second-largest Internet portal and one of the most well-known online brands in China. Sohu's pipeline for its new online games remains strong and is expected to drive meaningful growth in late 2009 and 2010.

The company spun-off part of its gaming division Changyou.com via an ADS offering, which is expected to

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Even more banks turn victims of recessionU.S. regulators have shut down 7 more banks with total assets of about $1.5 billion, bringing the total number of failed U.S. banks during 2009 so far to 52, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007. This marks the largest number of bank failures in one week during the 2008-2009 banking crisis, breaking the previous record of five bank failures in the previous week.The failed banks witnessed massive capital erosion stemming from losses due to significant exposure in collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), commercial real estate loans and other commercial and industrial loans.The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) was appointed receiver of the following 7 failed banks: The John Warner Bank of Clinton, First State Bank of Winchester, Rock River Bank of Oregon, Elizabeth State Bank, Founders Bank, First National Bank of ...

Saturday February 14, 2009
Navivest

Four more banks fell victim to the deteriorating economy and were closed by financial regulators in their respective states on Friday.

The banks, Pinnacle Bank, Beaverton, OR, Corn Belt Bank and Trust Company Pittsfield, IL, Riverside Bank of the Gulf Coast, Cape Coral, FL, Sherman County Bank, Loup City, NE were all relative small banks, with assets under $600 million.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which insures U.S. banks, was named receiver of the banks and it has entered into purchase and assumption agreements with other banks that will now assume the deposits of the failed banks.

Pinnacle Bank had total assets of approximately $73 million and total deposits of $64 million as of December 31, 2008. Its deposits have been assumed by Washington Trust Bank of Spokane, Washington, which also agreed to purchase about $72 million in assets, at a discount of $7.6 million. The

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Warning: Megabanks Could Fail Despite Federal Aid

by Martin D. Weiss, Ph.D.   01-26-09

The time has come to issue one of my sternest warnings to date: Bank of America and Citigroup could fail despite the most radical government rescues of all time.

Right now, after recent close calls with instant death, these two megabanks are on life support, receiving massive transfusions of government capital. But they’re still hemorrhaging, and no one in Washington has found a cure.

Already, they have received capital injections of $90 billion ($45 billion each).

Already, this bailout is larger than the total combined capital of PNC Bank, Suntrust Bank and State Street Bank — all among

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