The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday, Oct. 30, edition that EQB, the parent company of Equitable Bank, plans to sell Bennington Financial to Desjardins Group. The Globe's Stefanie Marotta writes that Canada's seventh-largest lender has been revamping its strategy ahead of its investor day, scheduled for December. Ontario-based Bennington provides small and medium-sized businesses with equipment leasing through a network of brokers. As of July, its portfolio included about $1.1-billion in lease receivables. EQB did not disclose the value of the deal. It expects to close the deal in the first half of 2027. It says Bennington's contribution to overall earnings was not material. EQB says the deal allows it to reallocate capital and resources to its central growth priorities. In recent years, EQB has been grappling with elevated provisions for credit losses and has lagged peers in earnings growth. But some analysts have been bullish on the bank's ability to recover its performance, and investors are waiting for details on how EQB will build on its acquisition of PC Financial from Loblaw. Desjardins will acquire 100 per cent of Bennington shares at a discounted price of about 8 per cent of lease receivables.