SoCal commercial bank stretches into San Jose with $811M deal

Core Insights - CVB Financial Corp. will acquire Heritage Commerce Corp. in an $811 million deal to strengthen its presence in the Bay Area [1][2] - The merger is expected to close in Q2 2026, resulting in a combined bank with approximately $22 billion in assets and over 75 locations [2] - Citizens Business Bank, which had around $15 billion in assets and 60 locations prior to the deal, will integrate Heritage Bank of Commerce into its operations [2] Company Perspectives - Citizens CEO David Brager emphasized that the merger will enhance geographic coverage in California's major business banking markets while maintaining a local focus and trust in relationship banking [3] - Heritage's CEO Clay Jones described the deal as a validation of their relationship-focused approach, providing growth opportunities for shareholders and employees [3] - The combined entity aims to support local businesses and deliver high standards of personalized customer care across California [3] Industry Context - The Citizens-Heritage deal is part of a broader trend in bank mergers and acquisitions, with another significant deal involving Community West Bank acquiring United Security Bank for approximately $191.9 million [3][4] - The recent surge in bank deals follows the approval of Capital One's $35.3 billion acquisition of Discover, marking a notable increase in market activity since April [4]