Finance

Arkansas: the land of OZ

A top White House official on Monday (Aug. 5) said that policymakers in Little Rock and across Arkansas already have a “green light” to seek private investment for distressed, low-income…

SBA official says agency ready to help Fort Smith area businesses

The Arkansas Small Business Association is there to help Fort Smith area business, or at least the small ones, get started and continue to flourish. David Moody, deputy director of…

Then & Now: Passion, love for the job sustain Kestner’s career

Editor’s Note: The following story appeared in the July 22 issue of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. “Then & Now” is a profile of a past member of the Business…

Simmons Bank to acquire another Missouri bank for $435 million

Pine Bluff-based Simmons First National Corp. on Wednesday (July 31) announced the acquisition of a Columbia, Mo.-based community bank in an all-stock deal valued at nearly $435 million. Bank officials…

Central Research opens Tennessee call center

Lowell-based Central Research Inc. (CRI), a provider of management and financial service solutions for government and commercial sectors, announced Monday (July 29) the opening of a 12,000-square-foot call center in…

Armor Bank makes key hires in Jonesboro market

Armor Bank has entered the Jonesboro market by hiring Brock Fletcher as market president and Bryan Wagner as senior vice president of commercial lending and business development. Fletcher and Wagner…

First Financial Bank of El Dorado acquires Wynne bank

First Financial Bank, headquartered in El Dorado, has entered into an agreement to acquire The First National Bank of Wynne and its branches in Cherry Valley, Forrest City, Harrisburg, McCrory,…

UA economist discusses low unemployment, rising deficits and pay equity

Economist Mervin Jebaraj said that Arkansas’ record low unemployment rate is a positive, but he warned that it could still be revised like it has in previous instances. Jebaraj, director…

Zillow: Top economists, real estate experts predict next recession will begin in 2020

A panel of housing and real estate economists surveyed by Seattle-based real estate company Zillow predicted Wednesday (July 24) that the nation’s next recession will likely begin in 2020 following…

U.S. business investment abroad falls in 2018 due to corporate tax cut provisions

In the midst of the Trump administration’s ongoing trade war with China and efforts to ratify the U.S-Mexico-Canada trade pact, American business investment abroad fell by $62.3 billion to $5.95…

Sherwood software firm ABC Financial announces new CEO, expands executive leadership team

ABC Financial Services LLC, the longtime Sherwood-based technology and billing software firm primarily serving the health and fitness industry, has appointed a new chief executive and announced a series of…

Simmons First 2Q profits up $2 million over 2018

Simmons First National Corp., which has moved its regional headquarters for central Arkansas to the former Acxiom building in Little Rock and established a foothold in the larger St. Louis…

Bank OZK quarterly profits below year ago results, net interest income sees tepid growth

Bank OZK on Thursday (July 18) reported that second quarter profits fell short of year ago as a greater volume of loan repayments, the competitive environment for loans and deposits,…

Simmons Bank names Carriles as chief digital officer

Simmons Bank named Alejandro “Alex” Carriles executive vice president and chief digital officer. Carriles’ responsibilities include direct oversight of Simmons’ digital banking strategy, customer experience through digital channels and customer…

Home BancShares 2Q earnings down a penny from a year ago, bank officials note volatile interest rates

Conway-based Home BancShares Inc. on Thursday (July 18) reported that second quarter earnings were slightly down from a year ago as company officials grumbled about the nation’s “turbulent interest rate…

Equipment leasing remains a viable option

Equipment finance can be traced back more than 4,000 years, when Sumerians produced leases on tablets made of clay (not Apple) for agricultural tools and animals. Today, the industry meets…

Gov. Hutchinson makes annual appeal for fintech jobs, FIS extends sponsorship of accelerator program

Appearing in lights onstage at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday (July 17) made his annual appeal to ten out-of-state financial technology startups to consider setting up…

Slim Chickens announces equity investment from 10 Point Capital, eyes 600 new locations in next decade

Fayetteville-based restaurant chain Slim Chickens announced Wednesday (July 17) an equity investment from 10 Point Capital, an Atlanta-based private equity firm. Financial terms were not disclosed. The investment is expected to…

Alpe hired as FNBC senior vice president in Jonesboro

Kevin Alpe has joined FNBC Bank as a senior vice president and commercial lender at the bank’s newest branch in Jonesboro according to Chad Hudson, FNBC regional president and chief…

J.B. Hunt profit falls nearly 12%, revenue rises 6% in second quarter

J.B. Hunt Transport Services missed analyst expectations for profit in the second quarter as earnings fell 11.9% while meeting expectations for revenue, which rose 6% from the same period in…