It’s Friday and that means more bank failures…

Liberty Bank, Eugene, Oregon

LibertyBank, Eugene, Oregon, was closed today by the Oregon Division of Finance and Corporate Securities, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Home Federal Bank, Nampa, Idaho, to assume all of the deposits of LibertyBank.

The 15 branches of LibertyBank will reopen on Monday as branches of Home Federal Bank. Depositors of LibertyBank will automatically become depositors of Home Federal Bank. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage. Customers of LibertyBank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from Home Federal Bank that it has completed systems changes to allow other Home Federal Bank branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of LibertyBank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.

As of March 31, 2010, LibertyBank had approximately $768.2 million in total assets and $718.5 million in total deposits. Home Federal Bank paid the FDIC a premium of 1.0 percent for the deposits of LibertyBank. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, Home Federal Bank agreed to purchase approximately $419.7 million of the failed bank’s assets.

Information for customers of Liberty Bank

Cowlitz Bank, Longview, Washington

The Cowlitz Bank, Longview, Washington, was closed today by the Washington Department of Financial Institutions, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Heritage Bank, Olympia, Washington, to assume all of the deposits of The Cowlitz Bank.

The nine branches of The Cowlitz Bank, including the two branches operating in Oregon, and three branches operating in Washington under the name Bay Bank, a division of The Cowlitz Bank, will reopen on Saturday during normal banking hours as branches of Heritage Bank. Depositors of The Cowlitz Bank will automatically become depositors of Heritage Bank. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage. Customers of The Cowlitz Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from Heritage Bank that it has completed systems changes to allow other Heritage Bank branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of The Cowlitz Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.

As of March 31, 2010, The Cowlitz Bank had approximately $529.3 million in total assets and $513.9 million in total deposits. Heritage Bank paid the FDIC a premium of 1.0 percent for the deposits of The Cowlitz Bank. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, Heritage Bank agreed to purchase approximately $329.5 million of the failed bank’s assets. The FDIC will retain the remaining assets for later disposition.

The FDIC and Heritage Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $160.9 million of The Cowlitz Bank’s assets.

Information for customers of Cowlitz Bank

Bayside Savings Bank of Port Saint Joe, Florida & Coastal Community Bank of Panama City Beach Florida

Bayside Savings Bank, Port Saint Joe, Florida and Coastal Community Bank, Panama City Beach, Florida, were closed today by federal and state banking agencies, which then appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver for both institutions. To protect depositors, the FDIC entered into purchase and assumption agreements with Centennial Bank, Conway, Arkansas, to assume all the deposits and essentially all the assets of the two failed institutions.

Bayside Savings Bank was closed by the Office of Thrift Supervision, and Coastal Community Bank was closed by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation.

Collectively, the two failed institutions operated 13 branches, which will reopen as branches of Centennial Bank during normal business hours, including those offices with Saturday hours. Bayside Savings Bank has two branches, and Coastal Community Bank has eleven branches.

Depositors of Bayside Savings Bank and Coastal Community Bank will automatically become depositors of Centennial Bank. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship to retain their deposit insurance coverage.

Customers of the two failed institutions should continue to use their former branches. Over the weekend, depositors can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards.

As of March 31, 2010, Bayside Savings Bank had total assets of $66.1 million and total deposits of $52.4 million. Coastal Community Bank had total assets of $372.9 million and total deposits of $363.2 million. Centennial Bank did not pay the FDIC a premium for the deposits of the failed banks. In addition to assuming all the deposits from the two Florida institutions, Centennial Bank will purchase virtually all their assets.

The FDIC and Centennial Bank entered into loss-share transactions on $48.3 million of Bayside Savings Bank’s assets and $302.8 million of Coastal Community Bank’s assets.

Information for customers of these two failed banks

NorthWest Bank and Trust, Acworth, Georgia

NorthWest Bank and Trust, Acworth, Georgia, was closed today by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with State Bank and Trust Company, Macon, Georgia, to assume all of the deposits of NorthWest Bank and Trust.

The two branches of NorthWest Bank and Trust will reopen beginning Saturday during normal business hours as branches of State Bank and Trust Company. Depositors of NorthWest Bank and Trust will automatically become depositors of State Bank and Trust Company. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage. Customers of NorthWest Bank and Trust should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from State Bank and Trust Company that it has completed systems changes to allow other State Bank and Trust Company branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of NorthWest Bank and Trust can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.

As of March 31, 2010, NorthWest Bank and Trust had approximately $167.7 million in total assets and $159.4 million in total deposits. State Bank and Trust Company did not pay the FDIC a premium for the deposits of NorthWest Bank and Trust. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, State Bank and Trust Company agreed to purchase essentially all of the failed bank’s assets.

The FDIC and State Bank and Trust Company entered into a loss-share transaction on $107.6 million of NorthWest Bank and Trust’s assets.

Information for customers of NorthWest Bank and Trust

Recent Posts:

• Taxpayers to the Rescue of Afghanistan Banking Crisis?
• Economic Data and Earnings Schedule for September 2 2010
• Christina Romer Makes a Final Recommendation Before Leaving To Teach Keynesian Economics
• Homebuilder Hovnanian (HOV) Reports Dismal Quarter
• Auto Sales Data for August 2010
• Stock Market Rewind – September 1, 2010