Report: Bank M&A activity declines - Business First of Buffalo:

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Through the first half of 2009, according to a reporft by Houston-based Carson Medlin Co., only two merger dealws were finalized byJune 30, compared to 13 in all of 2008 and 25 in 2007. In Tall City Bancshares Inc. acquired Kent County State Bank, with assets of $15 while the most recent deal, completed in May, saw Austinm Bancshares Inc. acquire La Grange Bancshares with assetsof $29 Across the country, amid a growing number of bank failures, overall M&A has not slowed as with 66 deals through June 30 comparefd to 144 for all of 2008. Through the end of 45 banks have failed though none werein Texas. Georgia leads the country with nine followed by Californiawith six.
Still, report authorr Dan Bass, Carson Medlin managing suggests thatthe M&A market may shake free of the doldrumds in the second half of the “There’s a lot of pent-up and we’re hearing from lots of buyers and sellerxs anxious to do transactions,” Bass “The buyers are sensing that there is a window of opportunithy that might close, and the sellerds are starting to think that maybwe they need to lower their expectations a bit.
"Thougnh there were only two dealsso far, it wouldn’t take much to improves on that, but I think the second half (of will be more