BBT News

BB&T Corp. has increased Birmingham-area deposits by $169 million since taking over for Colonial BancGroup in August, which Chief Executive Kelly King called welcome news amid his attempts to instill his company's business philosophy at 102 new branches and among hundreds of new employees.

BB&T Corp. named Bill Kilburg president of its Peachtree City, Ga.-based South Atlanta Region, which has more than $1.7 billion in deposits and 31 branches.

Credit Suisse analysts on Wednesday urged clients to buy and overweight regional banking stocks, saying that a number of credit metrics that have plagued the sector will improve steadily in 2010, and provide good returns.

Among the shares expected to see active trading in Wednesday's session are Jos. A. Bank, Continental Air, Diedrich Coffee, Ford, Nokia, RF, Shanda and Walgreen.

Prospects for Fifth Third Bancorp investors could be looking up. A Citigroup analyst has upgraded his rating on Fifth Third's stock from "hold" to "buy." Citigroup also upgraded BB&T Corp.

BB&T Corp. has named Luquire George Andrews of Charlotte its branding agency of record.

The new marketing agency of record for BB&T Corp. plans to accent the bank's reputation for financial strength.

The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area - by Paul Davis The Business Journal Serving the Greater Triad Area Send this story to a friend Wachovia Corp.'s $14 billion play for SouthTrust could make BB&T Corp.

Judging by the pop in shares of East West Bancorp and Iberiabank this month after these companies won separate deals to acquire failed bank assets, trying to pinpoint other institutions gunning for similar transactions could yield hefty returns for investors.

Birmingham bank stocks were broadly flat on Friday. Regions Financial Corp. was up 2 percent to $5.47, compared with its previous close at $5.35. Earlier this week, the bank announced plans to reinstate its employee retirement benefits.

JPMorgan Chase , U.S. Bancorp and eight other holding companies have boosted their deposits by more than a third in the past two years by acquiring failed banks.

Decisions by the federal government led to last year's financial crisis, the chairman of BB&T Corp.

Sweat equity has taken on a new meaning for most BB&T Corp. employees. Given the opportunity to volunteer on company time, more than two-thirds of BB&T's 30,000 employees provided hands-on help with its inaugural Project Lighthouse.

A Raleigh public relations firm with high-profile clients in the Triad will cease operations Friday.

More than half of regional banks missed third-quarter profit forecasts as the recession and tight credit conditions continued to weigh on these lenders, according to an earnings wrap Monday.

BB&T Corp . has pledged $1 million to the University of West Georgia 's Richards College of Business to create the Center for Ethics and Free Enterprise and the BB&T Lectures in Free Enterprise Series.

BB&T Insurance Services , the nation's seventh largest insurance broker, has raised its southwest Florida profile with the purchase of Fort Myers-based Oswald Tripp and Company Inc., the Raleigh-based BB&T subsidiary said Tuesday.

BB&T Insurance Services has expanded its southwest Florida operation with the acquisition of Oswald Trippe and Company Inc.

The major indexes kicked off November with a volatile trading session that managed to end positive.

Positive reports on manufacturing and home sales sent stock prices higher Monday although the market closed below the best levels of the session.