Growth outside of its residential mortgage business contributed to Flagstar Bank beating first-quarter earnings estimates, company executives said.

The West Virginia company sold the mortgages to Residential Funding and ResCap Liquidating Trust between 2003 and 2007.

Strong gains in low-cost health savings account balances helped fuel loan growth at the Waterbury, Conn., company.

The Atlanta company's profits rose on stronger net interest income and investment banking income as well as a tax maneuver.

The Wisconsin regional's profits rose 35% in the first quarter on healthy loan growth, wider margins and an improved efficiency ratio, and it said its "satisfactory" CRA rating had been restored.

Executives at BB&T, KeyCorp and Citizens are milking commercial lending niches and balancing cost control with new investments while waiting for more rate hikes to fatten margins.

Stewart Information Services Corp. posted net income in the first quarter of $4.1 million, a turnaround from the $11.2 million loss one year ago.

MGIC Investment Corp. had net income of $89.8 million for the first quarter, an increase of nearly 30% over the same period last year of $69.2 million.

Earnings per share fell a nickel short of estimates due in part to lower-than-expected revenue from the origination and sale of mortgages.

Texas Capital Bancshares sharply reduced the size of its loan-loss provision as credit quality improved in its energy loan book. That helped the Dallas bank post a 77% rise in first-quarter profit.