Purchasing the worst clunkers might limit legal exposure, appease regulators and help end the fiasco.

But analysts say that up to now, many of the consolidations have been cosmetic gestures to appease regulators.

These are now handed out mostly in shares that are deferred for several years to appease regulators as well as shareholders.

Along with layoffs, Barclays is expected to exit some businesses in its investment banking arm to streamline operations and appease regulators.

But many outside investors and analysts wonder if these banks' changes are simply cosmetic steps designed to appease regulators and the broader public.

Universal has already offered to sell more than $500 million in assets to appease regulators, but Impala said that wasn't enough.

It has previously said it was willing to sell businesses with total revenues of $7.5 billion to appease regulators.

It has said it is willing to divest up to 1,500 stores to appease regulators if its takeover of Family Dollar pans out.

An alternative means of appeasing regulators would be for RBS to further shrink its investment bank.

At least one analyst suggested that AT&T might instead end up trying to restructure its agreement with T-Mobile USA in the hope of appeasing regulators.