M&A

Ruoff Financial will make its first push into banking with the purchase of SBB Bancshares.

Blue Lion Capital, which has been a vocal critic of the Seattle company's strategy, also wants management to consider selling its MSR portfolio.

Century Communities has acquired the 50% of regional builder Wade Jurney Homes it didn't already own to boost its mortgage and title operations and reach more first-time homebuyers.

Genworth Financial's mortgage insurance business, which had slipped in market share, has more certainty about its future prospects after a federal government committee approved the holding company's acquisition by China Oceanwide.

With its acquisition of artificial intelligence and machine learning developer HeavyWater, Black Knight is turning to its Artificial Intelligence Virtual Assistant to streamline the mortgage process, with an immediate focus on the originations sector.

Black Knight has acquired HeavyWater, a developer of artificial intelligence and machine learning technology for the mortgage industry, and plans to incorporate the startup's borrower data verification and other automation capabilities into its existing product suite.

Citizens Bank's $511 million acquisition of Franklin American Mortgage will beef up the bank's servicing portfolio and diversify its origination business at a time when higher interest rates have put a damper on refinance volume.

The Rhode Island regional agreed to buy Franklin American Mortgage. With the acquisition it would have one of the nation's 15 largest bank-owned mortgage platforms.

Capitol Federal Financial has mostly relied on mortgages throughout its history. Its acquisition of a commercial lender will change that.