NCUA Approves 34 Mergers in the Third Quarter

The NCUA approved 34 mergers in the third quarter, which was substantially down from the 50 consolidations approved at the end of last year’s third quarter.

Starting off early in the fourth quarter, four credit unions in South Carolina, Ohio and New York have recently announced the approval or completion of consolidation agreements. According to the NCUA as of Wednesday, at least 24 credit unions were scheduled to hold membership meetings in November and December to consider proposed mergers, including one of the largest deals of the year. On Dec. 28, members of the $1.5 billion Firefly Federal Credit Union will vote on whether to merge with the $1.7 billion TruStone Financial Federal Credit Union, which will create Minnesota’s second largest financial cooperative

During 2020’s first and second quarters, the independent federal agency approved 25 and 34 mergers, respectively, bringing the total number of consolidations to 93 through the end of the third quarter. That total number is also lower compared to last year when 111 mergers were approved during 2019’s three quarters.

The third quarter’s largest merger was the $265 million Sperry Associates Federal Credit Union in Garden City Park, N.Y., into the $26 billion Pentagon Federal Credit Union in Mclean Va., according to the NCUA Merger Activity and Insurance Report.

In addition, there were five other consolidations of credit unions with assets that ranged from more than $100 million to more than $200 million. They included the $203 million Northstar Credit Union in Warrenville, Ill., with the $318 million NuMark Credit Union in Joliet, Ill.; the $180 million Malheur Federal Credit union in Ontario, Ore., into the $2.1 billion Rogue Credit Union in Medford, Ore.; the $143 million GO Federal Credit Union in Dallas with the $246 million America’s Credit Union in Garland, Texas; the $154 million River Valley Credit Union in Brattleboro, Vt., into the $157 million Members Advantage Community Credit Union in Barre, Vt.; and the $114 million Riverset Credit Union in Pittsburgh, Pa., with the $148 million Allegent Community Federal Credit Union, also in Pittsburgh.

There were four credit unions that got the green light to merge because of their poor financial condition. They included the $11 million SourceOne Credit Union in Chicago into the $745 million Corporate America Family Credit Union in Elgin, Ill.; the $10 million Mid East Tennessee Community Credit Union in Decatur, Tenn., with the $2.6 billion ORNL Credit Union in Oak Ridge, Tenn.; the $7.3 million Heartland Community Credit Union in Kansas City, Mo., with the $46.4 million CSD Credit Union also based in Kansas City, and the $4.8 million Shamrock Foods Federal Credit Union in Phoenix, Ariz., into the $457 million Sunwest Federal Credit Union, also based in Phoenix.

Because of membership loss/decline, the $89,791 Union Memorial Credit Union in St. Louis was approved to merge into the $355 million St. Louis Community Credit Union.

Twenty-four credit unions with less than $100 million in assets were approved to consolidate for “expanded services,” according to the NCUA Merger Activity and Insurance Report.

Other credit unions that have recently completed consolidations early in the fourth quarter included the $1.8 million Charleston County Teachers Federal Credit Union in Charleston, S.C., with the $2.1 billion South Carolina Federal Credit Union in North Charleston. This is South Carolina FCU’s third merger this year following consolidations with the $31.1 million Health Facilities Federal Credit Union in Florence, S.C., in March and the $7.4 million Spartanburg City Employees Credit Union in August.

The members of the $3.5 million Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. Troy Employees Federal Credit Union in Troy, N.Y., approved its consolidation with the $2.2 billion CAP COM Federal Credit Union in Albany, N.Y. This is CAP COM’s third merger in the past year, following the consolidations of the $1.1 million Postal Employees of Troy Federal Credit Union in Troy, N.Y., and the $3.2 million City of Schenectady Employees Federal Credit Union in Schenectady, N.Y.

Additionally, the members of the $70 million Hudson River Financial Federal Credit Union in Mohegan Lake and the $35 million Columbia-Greene Federal Credit Union in Hudson approved the consolidation with the $806 million Sunmark Credit Union in Latham, N.Y., according to the New York Credit Union Association.

In the Buckeye State, the $17.5 million First Choice Community Credit Union in Niles, Ohio merged with the $158 million Credit Union of Ohio in Hilliard.