** Brokerage Stephens says Associated Bank ASB.N and Old National Bancorp ONB.O are two Midwest banks that might be interested in Bremer Financial, as both lenders have branches in the Minneapolis market
** Canadian lender Bank of Montreal BMO.TO is another logical buyer given its presence in Minneapolis - Stephens
** Bloomberg News on Friday reported that Saint Paul, Minnesota-based Bremer Financial is exploring a potential sale
** Privately held Bremer had $16 bln in assets as of June 30
** Stephens sees less interest from super regional banks given Bremer's size
** Dealmaking has been picking up in recent months among banks with less than $50 bln in assets as they look to better compete against biggest rivals
(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)
((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.