Are Options Traders Anticipating a Significant Shift in Midland States Bancorp Stock?
Implied Volatility in Options Market: Midland States Bancorp, Inc. (MSBI) has seen significant implied volatility in its options market, particularly with the Jan. 16, 2025 $2.5 Call, indicating that investors expect a substantial price movement in the stock.
Analyst Sentiment and Earnings Estimates: The company currently holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Banks – Northeast industry, with no analysts increasing earnings estimates for the current quarter, leading to a decrease in the Zacks Consensus Estimate from 64 cents to 61 cents per share.
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- Target Price Increase: DA Davidson raised the price target for Midland States Bancorp from $23 to $24, maintaining a Neutral rating despite Q4 results falling short of expectations, indicating cautious optimism about future performance.
- Credit Quality Improvement: The company prioritized improving credit quality in 2025, and although non-performing assets remained above the 0.75% target, strengthening the credit team and tightening underwriting standards laid a solid foundation for continued improvement.
- Enhanced Capital Position: By year-end, the common equity tier 1 ratio improved to 9.89%, nearing the 10% target, while the company repurchased $9.6 million of its common stock during the quarter, demonstrating robust capital management.
- Loan Growth Momentum: The Community Bank segment experienced approximately 6.5% annualized loan growth, supported by a healthy net interest margin, and the wealth management business also achieved record performance, with expectations for this momentum to continue into 2026.
- Shareholder Acquisition: Patriot Financial Partners has acquired a position in Midland States Bancorp's common stock through open-market purchases, enhancing confidence in the company's future and demonstrating institutional investors' recognition of its growth potential.
- New Board Member: James F. Deutsch has been appointed to the board effective February 3, 2026, bringing extensive experience in the financial services industry that will provide crucial support for the company's strategic development in a competitive market.
- Management's Remarks: Chairman Jeffrey C. Smith expressed pleasure in welcoming Jim to the board, emphasizing that Patriot's investment will enhance the company's market competitiveness and further drive shareholder returns.
- Asset Scale: As of December 31, 2025, Midland States Bancorp reported total assets of approximately $6.51 billion and assets under administration of approximately $4.48 billion in its Wealth Management Group, indicating a solid foundation and growth potential in the financial services sector.
- Quarterly Cash Dividend: Midland States Bancorp announced a cash dividend of $0.32 per share of common stock, payable on February 20, 2026, reflecting the company's commitment to shareholder returns and enhancing investor confidence.
- Preferred Stock Dividend: The company also declared a cash dividend of $0.4844 per depository share on its 7.75% Fixed-Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, payable on March 30, 2026, which further enhances its appeal in the capital markets.
- Asset Scale: As of December 31, 2025, Midland States Bancorp had total assets of approximately $6.51 billion, indicating a solid financial foundation and market competitiveness that supports future growth strategies.
- Wealth Management Business: The company's Wealth Management Group had approximately $4.48 billion in assets under administration, showcasing its capability in providing comprehensive financial services aimed at attracting more high-net-worth clients and expanding market share.

- Earnings Performance: Midland States Bancorp reported a Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of $0.53, missing expectations by $0.11, indicating pressure on profitability that could affect investor confidence.
- Revenue Trends: The company's Q4 revenue was $85.57 million, down 8.9% year-over-year, although it beat expectations by $11.22 million, the ongoing revenue decline may pose challenges for future growth.
- Asset Quality Metrics: The ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets remained stable at 1.02%, consistent with the prior quarter, indicating stable asset quality but still necessitating attention to potential credit loss risks.
- Credit Loss Provisions: The provision for credit losses on loans was $11.8 million in Q4, significantly down from $20.5 million in Q3, reflecting the company's cautious stance on future credit risks, which may help improve capital adequacy.
- Earnings Release Schedule: Midland States Bancorp will announce its Q4 2025 financial results after market close on January 22, 2026, which is expected to provide investors with insights into the company's latest financial performance and future outlook.
- Asset Scale Overview: As of September 30, 2025, the company reported total assets of approximately $6.91 billion, reflecting robust growth in the community banking sector and enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Wealth Management Assets: The company's Wealth Management Group had approximately $4.36 billion in assets under administration, indicating strong performance in wealth management services that helps increase customer loyalty and diversify revenue streams.
- Comprehensive Financial Services: Midland States Bancorp offers a full range of commercial and consumer banking products and services, including merchant credit card services, trust, and investment management, aimed at meeting diverse financial needs and driving business growth.
- Asset Sale: Midland States Bank sold substantially all of its equipment finance portfolio for $502 million in cash, closing on November 28, 2025, which is expected to result in a pre-tax loss of approximately $20 million, reflecting pressure in a high-cost financing environment.
- Asset Reduction: The transaction reduces total loans and leases by approximately $545 million, further weakening the company's balance sheet and indicating a strategic shift away from higher-risk asset classes to focus on core community banking operations.
- Use of Proceeds: The company intends to use the majority of the proceeds to pay down about $350 million of high-cost wholesale funding, aiming to improve its capital structure and reduce financing costs, thereby enhancing future financial flexibility.
- Strategic Realignment: This asset sale aligns with the company's previously announced strategy to concentrate resources on community banking and wealth management, expected to be accretive to capital and neutral to earnings, demonstrating a cautious approach to future growth.








