Are Options Traders Aware of Insights Regarding Peoples Bancorp Stock That We Are Not?
Options Market Activity: Investors should monitor Peoples Bancorp Inc. (PEBO) due to high implied volatility in the Dec. 19, 2025 $22.50 Put option, indicating expectations of significant stock movement.
Analyst Sentiment: The company holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Banks - Midwest industry, with recent earnings estimates increasing from 84 cents to 88 cents per share, suggesting a positive outlook.
Trading Strategy: High implied volatility may attract options traders looking to sell premium, aiming to profit from the stock not moving as much as anticipated by expiration.
Investment Recommendations: Zacks Investment Research is preparing to release its top 10 stock picks for 2026, with a historical performance significantly outperforming the S&P 500, encouraging investors to stay informed.
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- Earnings Growth: Peoples Bancorp reported a diluted EPS of $0.89 for Q4 2025, reflecting a 7% increase from the previous quarter, which exceeded analyst expectations and indicates enhanced profitability.
- Strong Loan Growth: The company achieved a 6% loan growth for the full year 2025 compared to 2024, demonstrating robust demand for loans and suggesting potential for future revenue expansion.
- Improved Fee Income: Fee-based income rose by 5% in Q4 and 6% for the full year, driven by higher lease and trust investment income, showcasing the effectiveness of the company’s diversified revenue streams.
- Credit Loss Provisions: The provision for credit losses totaled $8.1 million in Q4, reflecting a cautious approach to potential credit risks, while maintaining a stable efficiency ratio of 57.8% despite pressures from rising non-performing loans.
- EPS Growth: Peoples Bancorp reported diluted earnings per share of $0.89 for Q4 2025, reflecting a 7% increase from the previous quarter, despite a $0.02 negative impact from real estate sales and subordinated debt redemption, indicating stable profitability amidst challenges.
- Loan and Income Growth: The company achieved a 6% loan growth in 2025, alongside a 6% improvement in fee-based income compared to the prior year, demonstrating effective asset management and revenue diversification strategies in a fluctuating economic environment.
- Management Change: The planned retirement of Chief Commercial Banking Officer Doug Wyatt was announced, with Ron Majka stepping into the role, bringing over 30 years of experience serving middle-market companies, which is expected to provide new strategic insights and market expansion capabilities.
- Future Outlook: Management projects a net interest margin between 4% and 4.2% for 2026, with loan growth anticipated at 3% to 5%, reflecting a positive growth outlook while maintaining control over asset size to avoid exceeding the $10 billion asset threshold.
- Profit Growth: Peoples Bancorp's Q4 net income reached $31.75 million, translating to an EPS of $0.89, which marks a significant increase from last year's $26.93 million and $0.76, indicating enhanced profitability.
- Revenue Increase: The company's revenue rose by 5.2% year-over-year to $91.05 million, compared to $86.54 million last year, reflecting robust business growth and increased market demand.
- Financial Performance Comparison: The EPS increased by 17% compared to the same period last year, which not only boosts investor confidence but may also attract more attention to the stock's performance.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: With both revenue and profit growth, Peoples Bancorp demonstrates strong financial health, which is expected to provide greater funding support for future expansion and investments.
- Quarterly Dividend Declaration: Peoples Bancorp has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share, consistent with previous distributions, indicating the company's stable cash flow and commitment to shareholder returns.
- Yield Performance: The forward yield of 5.25% offers relative attractiveness in the current market environment, potentially appealing to income-seeking investors looking for reliable returns.
- Earnings Report Performance: Peoples Bancorp reported a GAAP EPS of $0.89, beating expectations by $0.01, demonstrating resilience in profitability, although revenue of $117.32 million fell short by $0.61 million, reflecting competitive pressures in the market.
- Shareholder Payment Arrangement: The dividend is payable on February 17, with a record date of February 2 and an ex-dividend date also on February 2, ensuring timely returns for shareholders and bolstering investor confidence.

- Quarterly Cash Dividend: Peoples Bancorp announced a cash dividend of $0.41 per share on January 19, 2026, payable on February 17, 2026, demonstrating the company's ongoing commitment to shareholder returns.
- Significant Payout Total: The total dividend payout of approximately $14.6 million represents 46.1% of the reported fourth quarter 2025 earnings, reflecting the company's stable profitability and strong financial health.
- Attractive Dividend Yield: Based on the closing stock price of $31.21 on January 16, 2025, the quarterly dividend yields an annualized return of 5.25%, providing investors with a competitive return.
- Strong Company Background: With total assets of $9.6 billion and 144 locations, Peoples Bancorp aims to be the Best Community Bank in America, showcasing its deep roots and market impact in the financial services sector.
- Net Income Growth: In Q4 2025, Peoples Bancorp reported net income of $31.8 million, translating to earnings per share of $0.89, which is an increase from $29.5 million and $0.83 in Q3 2025, indicating sustained profitability that is likely to attract more investor interest.
- Interest Income Dynamics: The net interest income for Q4 was $91.0 million, slightly down by $0.3 million from the previous quarter but up 5% year-over-year, primarily driven by lower deposit and borrowing costs, showcasing the company's effectiveness in cost control.
- Increased Credit Loss Provision: The provision for credit losses in Q4 was $8.1 million, up from $7.3 million in Q3, reflecting loan growth and a slight deterioration in economic forecasts, which may pose pressure on future profitability.
- Non-Interest Income Boost: Non-interest income rose to $26.3 million in Q4, an increase of $1.4 million from Q3, primarily driven by higher lease income and trust investment income, demonstrating the company's success in diversifying its revenue streams.







