Mark-
You are right, banks are indeed boring for most people here. Unfortunately, there is no site for people to go and discuss all the banks out there. The few bank threads I have looked at or posted to, CCI, FTU, FLT, now defunct CFL are very low volume.
In terms of your SVRN, I have recently become interested in it as a direct result of the take-over of Corestates by First Union (FTU). An ex-CFL, now FTU shareholder and ex-CFL, now Sovereign customer [since some of the CFL branches got sold to SVRN], I forsee SVRN picking up additional customers either disgruntled with FTU or not wanting to do their banking with a 'foreign' (non-PA) bank. Assuming you are in PA and in a zone where some ex-CFL people have accounts with FTU and others, with SVRN, I am sure you have heard the comparisons between the two banks fees. SVRN from the little guy, customer side, seems to be the winner right now.
Besides SVRN, a bank I like a **lot** and have bought shares of three times over the past seven years is National Penn Bancorp (NPBC). Besides thinking the bank is extremely well run with an excellent long-term track record, I was *very* pleased to see their announcement a few months ago that they have no plans to be eaten by one of the big guys. They are backing up their mouth with an offer to new customers of $1,000 if they are taken-out within the new three (?) years. In my mind, there is a need for smaller, independent banks and I like having my money on one that is extremely well run--and liked by its customers.
Lynn |
