According to Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at financial website Bankrate<\/a>, many of these mergers are coming after the Trump administration signaled a friendly environment for bank mergers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSome of these mergers have come about after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency came out with essentially a ruling that would translate into an expedited review for bank deals,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you\u2019re operating in that space, you\u2019re going to look at that favorably and realize that you may not be facing the same regulatory risk, at least with respect to an acquisition or merger, that you would have under the previous regime.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n That also could significantly lower merger and acquisition costs, if the process is speeded up, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Cadence acquisition<\/a> represents the next phase of growth for Huntington, said Steve Steinour, chairman, president and CEO of Huntington Bancshares in a news release.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis partnership will extend the reach of our full franchise to 21 states \u2014 stretching from the midwest to the south to Texas \u2014 and into new, high-growth markets for which we have a powerful playbook,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals. Cadence Bank teams and branches will operate under the Huntington Bank name and brand following the acquisition.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
![\"Creative](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758084579_646_cc-by-nd-4.0.png\"\/)
<\/a><\/p>\n