Banking & Finance

Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. and Axis Capital, the investment banking subsidiary of Axis Bank, one of the leading private sector banks in India, today announced a strategic alliance for investment banking services, with an initial focus on cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) between India and Europe, and India and the United States.

Mequon-based Charter Manufacturing Company announced it has acquired Dura-Bar and Dura-Bar Metal Services as part of its stock purchase of Illinois-based Wells Manufacturing Company.

Milwaukee-based Briggs & Stratton Corp. announced it has acquired Companhia Caetano Branco of Brazil for a total consideration of approximately $57 million in cash.

Glendale-based Johnson Controls has filed an appeal of the sale of A123 Systems Inc. to Chinese automotive parts company Wanxiang.

A three-year old consent order between WaterStone Bank SSB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waterstone Financial Inc., holding company of WaterStone Bank, and regulators has been terminated after the Wauwatosa financial institution satisfied requirements to return to profitability.

The Northwestern Mutual Foundation has announced the recipients of its “Days of Sharing” campaign grant funds. The campaign awards $100,000 to 25 area nonprofit organizations that have been nominated by Northwestern Mutual employees. Winning organizations receive the funds in nominating employees’ names.

Banks and credit unions that actively market their mobile banking services have experienced adoption rates twice as high as financial institutions that do not promote the service, according to a new statistical analysis by Brookfield-based Fiserv Inc.

Businesses in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties are slightly more optimistic about 2013 than they were heading into 2012, according to the First Business Economic Survey released today by First Business Bank-Milwaukee.

When BMO Harris Bank acquired Ozaukee Bank in Cedarburg, several Ozaukee employees parted ways with the new organization.

First Business Financial Services Inc., the parent company for First Business Bank in Madison and First Business Bank-Milwaukee, announced the closing of its previously announced public offering of 1.1 million shares of common stock at $23.00 per share.