Mayo Sees ‘Unique Window’ for Bank M&A After Comerica Deal

The year’s biggest US bank deal is sparking a wave of speculation about further consolidation among lenders, with an increasingly friendly regulatory climate seen as setting the stage for more tie-ups.

Fifth Third Bancorp agreed to buy Comerica Inc. for about $11 billion in stock to create the ninth-largest bank in the US. To veteran bank watcher Mike Mayo, it’s just the start: The Wells Fargo & Co. analyst views the next 12 months as “a unique window of opportunity for banks that want to pursue mergers of size.”