NCUA: Merger Trend Continues

ALEXANDRIA, Va.-The consolidation trend raged on through October, according to NCUA’s Insurance Report of Activity for the month. NCUA approved 35 mergers in October, more than one a day. Ten were of credit unions under $1 million in assets, including the tiny $43,592 Minot Union Trades Credit Union in Minot, N.D. and $90,843 Our Lady of the Assumption Federal Credit Union in New Bedford, Mass. Another 21 were between $1 million and $10 million in assets and four had more than $10 million in assets. Three credit unions left the federal flock for state charters: * My Federal Credit Union (Bedford, Texas) with $32 million in assets; * Mohart Federal Credit Union (Decatur, Ala.) with $5 million in assets; and * Sloss Federal Credit Union (Birmingham, Ala.) with $53 million in assets. Thirteen underserved areas were approved for adoption by 12 federal credit unions, most of which were smaller institutions. Two underserved areas were denied and eight are pending further information. Eight federal credit unions made the leap to community charters adding 2.3 million potential members. The community charters approved by the regions were relatively small this time around, the largest being York County, Pa. with a population of 334,563 approved for $51 million Heritage Valley Federal Credit Union. Another 11 community charter applications, or 57.9%, were deferred pending more information.