Despite a long-running consolidation trend in banking and a recent run-up in stock valuations, small privately owned banks interested in selling are having a tough time finding a buyer.
Panelists and attendees at the D.A. Davidson Financial Institutions Group Summit in Denver outlined several impediments to small-bank deal activity on May 9, the first day of the conference.
For banks across the nation, including thousands of very small banks struggling to keep up with rising regulatory costs, M&A has been a predominant theme for years.