UPDATE: Fed Enforcement Actions Against 3 Banks; BBVA Subsidiary

The U.S. Federal Reserve announced enforcement actions Thursday against Capitol Bancorp Ltd. (CBC) and First National Bancshares Inc., moves taken to help maintain financial soundness at the companies, according to the Fed orders.

The Fed also said it ordered Compass Bank, a Birmingham, Ala., subsidiary of BBVA SA (BBV), to pay a $70,625 civil penalty in connection with alleged violation of the National Flood Insurance Act.

Compass consented to the Fed's enforcement action without admitting to any allegations, the Fed said in a statement.

Under a written agreement, Michigan-based Capitol Bancorp can't declare or pay any dividends without prior approval from the Fed.

The firm also can't directly or indirectly take dividends or any other form of payment representing a reduction in capital from any of Capitol Bancorp's nine second-tier bank holding companies.

Similarly, Kansas-based First National can't declare or pay any dividends without prior approval from the Fed, according to its agreement. First National is also restricted from directly or indirectly taking dividends or any other form of payment representing a reduction in capital from any of its subsidiaries.

Both bank holding companies, Capitol Bancorp and First National, also can't incur or increase or guarantee any debt without prior written approval from the Fed.

Among other things, Capitol Bancorp must also submit to Fed officials a written plan to maintain sufficient capital. First National must submit a written cash flow projection for 2010 and written progress reports regarding the agreement.

(Matthias Rieker contributed to this article)

-By Darrell A. Hughes, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-6684; [e-mail]