The recovery of U.S. corporate pension plans hit a wall in January when the funding deficit climbed to $263 billion, according to estimates by Mercer, a unit of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc.

 Heath Sampson has joined SquareTwo Financial as chief financial officer, the Denver asset recovery and management company said Monday.

 Registered investment advisory firm InvestForLess, which has executive offices in Alexandria, has launched an online investment portal touting low costs, the company announced Monday.

 Prosperity Bank has sign a deal to acquire the Texas branches of First Bank for about $27.5 million. (PRSP)

 Prosperity Bank has agreed to buy the Texas retail operations of First Bank as part of a strategic move to increase its overall holdings in Texas. (PRSP)

 Wells Fargo & Co. plans to hire 1,400 brokers this year, Reuters reports. (WFC) (BAC) (MS) (C)

 Cary-based SAS Institute has reached a deal with Union Bank in which the financial institution will use SAS software to assess and manage operational risks, the companies announced Monday. (MUG)

 Acquisition-hungry Prosperity Bancshares Inc. has won the bidding war for the Texas branches of a struggling St. Louis-based bank. (PRSP)

 Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin Inc. reported that its net loss for the fiscal third quarter was $9 million, or 58 cents per share, just one-eighth of the loss the Madison thrift holding company posted the quarter before because of improving credit quality. (ABCW)