Lakeland Bank’s Post

It’s official: New Jersey’s first “super-community bank” will soon be a reality. The merger between Provident Financial Services and Lakeland Bankcorp has just received the green light from the Federal Reserve Board. The two institutions will now unify under the Provident name, marking a significant transformation in the regional banking landscape. With over $25 billion in combined assets, the new Provident will emerge as the 7th largest bank in New Jersey. This expansion is set to have far-reaching implications across New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, not only boosting local economies but also expanding the scope of financial services available to customers. We expect the merger to introduce enhanced product offerings and generate major career opportunities within the region’s banking sector. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/etTJfECW #BankingTrends #FinancialServices #MergersAndAcquisitions

The UK govt's divestment from NatWest, offering shares at a discount, is a golden opportunity for investors to tap into a bank showing resilience and growth. With new CEO Paul Thwaite at the helm and brokers like AJ Bell mobilizing investors, this sale could mark a transformative moment for the sector. Your thoughts on this strategic move? #NatWest #InvestmentOpportunity #FinancialMarkets Join the conversation below! Original article: https://lnkd.in/g4Zi-tDH

thewealthnet can confirm that the interim chief executive of Coutts and Natwest’s wealth businesses – Mohammad Kamal Syed – has left the firm. Read more on thewealthnet 👇 https://lnkd.in/eDbqYyRQ

Truist has reduced 3,500 teammates or about 8% since last year. Expenses are still only flat for 2024. 72 additional branches have been shuttered on top of over 800+ since the merger. There is still no commitment to reduce or hold growth in expenses in 2025. Wealth Management is expected to grow but what about other lending opportunities to have organic growth? Let’s see if they can deliver now since there will not be the three rate cuts that were baked into their forecast. Time to deliver. Or as I was always taught “Put up or Shut up “.

𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨: Beyond the checkboxes, Bank Advisors crafts financial solutions that resonate, paving the way for excellence that exceeds community & board of directors expectations. Visit www.BankAdvisorsLtd.com to learn more. Follow Our Team on LinkedIn 👉 Julie Bromann, AI-GRS, CIA 👉 Michael Earle 👉 Meghan McGuire 👉 John Cresto 👉 Jeffrey Sondgeroth #BankAdvisors #Banking #CommunityBanks #Bankers #FieldExams #BankAudits #BankMergers #MergersAndAcquisitions #MandA #BankReviews

Berkshire Hathaway sold an additional $863 million of Bank of America stock, trimming the conglomerate’s stake closer to a 10% regulatory threshold. bit.ly/47BW28l Berkshire now owns 10.5% of the second-largest US bank after the latest disposals on the three trading days through Tuesday, according to a regulatory filing. As long as it remains above the threshold, the company must disclose trades within a few days. Warren Buffett, 94, began trimming the massive investment in mid-July. Even after months of sales, Berkshire’s remaining stake in Bank of America is worth $32.1 billion, based on Tuesday’s closing price, preserving its perch as the largest shareholder. Read more: bit.ly/47BW28l

After some deep research and analysis, I uncovered some fascinating real-world examples of successful secondary transactions that can teach us valuable lessons Success Stories in Secondary Transactions: Lessons from the Best 🔍 Diving Deep into Secondary Transactions in Private Equity 💼 Case Study: Coller Capital and the Lloyds Banking Group Portfolio 💼 In 2010, Coller Capital made headlines with a blockbuster deal, acquiring a significant portfolio from Lloyds Banking Group for a whopping £480 million. This was one of the largest secondary deals at the time! What Made It a Success? - Strategic Timing: Post-financial crisis, Lloyds needed to strengthen its balance sheet. Coller Capital seized this golden opportunity. - Thorough Due Diligence: They left no stone unturned in evaluating the portfolio’s assets and risks. - Swift Execution: Speed and efficiency in closing the deal gave Coller Capital a significant edge. Lesson Learned: Timing is everything. Thorough due diligence and swift execution are keys to success in the secondary market. #PrivateEquity #SecondaryTransactions #Finance #Investment #ValueCreation #DueDiligence #Strategy #SuccessStories

Business First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: BFST), parent company of b1BANK, announced its unaudited results for the year ended December 31, 2023, including net income available to common shareholders of $65.6 million or $2.59 per diluted common share, increases of $12.7 million and $0.27, respectively, from the prior year ended December 31, 2022.   “There have been very few years in our company’s life of which I’ve been prouder than I am of the year 2023,” said Jude Melville, president and CEO. “As our country generally, and banking specifically, faced the challenge of navigating swiftly moving economic currents, our team was a source of stability, performing consistently and well for our clients and our investors. We are a stronger organization and better bankers than we were at the beginning of the year, and I am excited to see that improvement continue over the course of 2024.”     Please click the link below to read the full earnings release. https://lnkd.in/dke4WseD  

Sharing a great read about how TD Securities is poised to accelerate its’ growth strategy one year after the acquisition of Cowen. The combination of TDS and Cowen will not only enable the firm to better serve existing clients but also win new mandates. But ultimately this all comes people and culture. And as noted in the story, “people and culture eat strategy for breakfast”.

Barclays Boosts Investor Confidence with Share Buyback Program Amid Challenging Times #Africanoperations #Barclays #challengingmarketconditions #costreduction #deliveringvaluetoshareholders #diversifiedbusinessmodel #efficiencyimprovements #excesscapital #improveefficiency #investorconfidence #jesstaley #longtermgrowthprospects #netloss #positiveoutlook #pretaxprofit #reducecosts #Resilience #sharebuybackprogram