The Return of Big Bank Mergers

The 80s and 90s were marked by major M&A deals in the banking world. Current behemoths such as Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo were largely borne out of acquisitions from that time period. Thinking about it makes us wistful for bank brands long gone: Manufacturer’s Hanover, Bank One, Chemical Bank.

Could the era of bigger bank deals be coming back? In addition to the massive BB&T-SunTrust deal, valued at $28.1 billion, American Banker reports that three other bank deals have been consummated already this year with values of at least $2 billion. Bank M&A dropped off severely after the financial crisis, but it could be back, and in a big way.