News in brief

Two state banks top $100M in 9 months

Two Arkansas banks generated more than $100 million in net income through the first nine months of the year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Bank of the Ozarks of Little Rock earned $138 million through September, and Centennial Bank of Conway made $104 million for the first nine months of the year.

First Security Bank of Searcy was third with almost $80 million in net income through September.

Arvest Bank of Fayetteville remains the largest bank in the state with $15.6 billion in assets on Sept. 30, followed by Bank of the Ozarks with $9.3 billion in assets, Centennial Bank with $8.5 billion in assets, Simmons First National Bank of Pine Bluff with $7.5 billion in assets and First Security Bank with $4.8 billion in assets.

-- David Smith

ArcBest recognized for women on board

ArcBest Corp. was recognized for the percentage of women on its board of directors by the Women's Forum of New York last week.

Companies with at least 20 percent female representation on the their board were honored by the forum, which is comprised of more than 500 women representing achievement across all professional sectors, during its Breakfast of Corporate Champions on Nov. 19.

ArcBest has a 27.3 percent representation on its board. Three women -- CEO Judy McReynolds, Janice E. Stipp and Kathy D. McElligott -- are on its 11-member board.

"We believe in appointing the best people to the board and at the executive level," McReynolds said in a statement. "We've been fortunate to have strong women candidates fill these positions."

-- Robbie Neiswanger

12 stocks advance, lift state index 1.69

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 1.69 to 334.17 Wednesday.

"U.S. stocks ended essentially unchanged in an uneventful and thinly traded session on Wednesday," said John Blackwell, senior vice president and managing director of equity trading at Stephens Inc. in Little Rock. "The Arkansas Index moved higher as 12 stocks advanced and six declined."

Murphy Oil rose 2.4 percent in light trading.

Communications Sales & Leasing gained 2 percent on low volume.

P.A.M. Transportation lost 3.1 percent on average volume.

Total volume of the index was 22.7 million shares.

The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.

Business on 11/26/2015

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