ALSO . . .

FirstFed Financial Corp., the fifth-largest California thrift, agreed to buy Santa Monica-based Professional Bancorp Inc. for $53.5 million to expand into investment banking and increase loans. FirstFed, also based in Santa Monica, will pay $23.50 in cash for each of Professional’s outstanding shares, a 31% premium to Friday’s closing price. Professional shares rose $2.75, or 15%, to close at $20.75 on the American Stock Exchange.

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Monrovia-based Staar Surgical Co., which makes implantable replacement lenses and other devices used in eye surgery, said it’s evaluating a $15-a-share cash buyout offer from an undisclosed suitor. The offer, for 51% to 100% of Staar’s outstanding shares, values the acquisition at between $107 million and $210 million. Staar fell 25 cents to close at $13.63 on Nasdaq.

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Culver City-based Protection One Inc. said it agreed to sell its Mobile Services auto-tracking software unit to closely held ATX Technologies Inc. for about $28 million.