Bank M&A was “miserable” in 2023. Will this year be even worse?

Naomi Snyder, Editor-in-Chief of Bank Director, discusses why the bank M&A market was so bad in 2023 and the obstacles faced, including asset quality, pricing expectations, lack of suitable targets, cultural integration, and regulatory approval challenges. The chapter also explores the potential changes and proposals in bank M&A, such as dropping a 1996 OCC rule and collaboration with other agencies to assess competition in the industry.