This Lakeland Financial Analyst Turns Bullish; Here Are Top 4 Upgrades For Tuesday
Analyst Upgrades: Hovde Group analyst Brendan Nosal upgraded the ratings for several financial companies, including Lakeland Financial Corporation, HBT Financial, First Savings Financial Group, and Bank First Corporation, moving them from Market Perform to Outperform.
Stock Performance: The closing prices for these companies on Monday were $59.22 for Lakeland Financial, $23.57 for HBT Financial, $27.50 for First Savings Financial, and $114.52 for Bank First Corporation.
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HBT Financial Reports Q4 Results with Mixed Performance
- Earnings Performance: HBT Financial reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.64, aligning with market expectations, indicating stability in the company's profitability.
- Revenue Growth Weakness: The company generated $60.44 million in revenue, a 2.4% year-over-year increase, but fell short of expectations by $0.56 million, reflecting increased competitive pressures in the market.
- Return on Assets Metrics: HBT Financial achieved a return on average assets (ROAA) of 1.47%, a return on average stockholders' equity (ROAE) of 12.34%, and a return on average tangible common equity (ROATCE) of 14.08%, demonstrating consistent performance in capital efficiency.
- Net Interest Margin Changes: The net interest margin decreased by 1 basis point to 4.12%, while the tax-equivalent net interest margin fell by 2 basis points to 4.16%, indicating some profitability pressure amid changing interest rate environments.
Essential Information on HBT Financial (HBT) Rating Increase to Buy
HBT Financial Upgrade: HBT Financial has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) due to a positive trend in earnings estimates, indicating potential for stock price increase.
Earnings Estimates Impact: The Zacks rating system emphasizes the importance of earnings estimate revisions, which are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements, making it a valuable tool for investors.
Zacks Rank System: The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks based on earnings estimates, with only the top 20% receiving a "Buy" or "Strong Buy" rating, suggesting HBT Financial's strong potential for market-beating returns.
AI Investment Opportunities: The article also discusses the upcoming "AI Boom 2.0," highlighting the potential for significant wealth creation in the next wave of AI companies, contrasting with the leveling off of the initial AI stock surge.
HBT Financial, Inc. Reports Higher Q3 Profit, Surpassing Expectations
Earnings Performance: HBT Financial, Inc. reported third-quarter earnings of $19.76 million, or $0.63 per share, an increase from $18.18 million, or $0.57 per share, in the previous year, surpassing analyst expectations.
Revenue Growth: The company's revenue rose by 4.7% to $49.98 million compared to $47.73 million last year, indicating a positive trend in financial performance.
HBT Financial Acquires CNB Bank for Approximately $170.2 Million
Merger Announcement: HBT Financial, Inc. and CNB Bank Shares, Inc. have announced a merger deal valued at approximately $170.2 million, with CNB shareholders receiving either shares of HBT or cash.
Post-Merger Projections: The merger is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, resulting in a combined company with around $6.9 billion in total assets and CNB shareholders holding about 15% of HBT.
HBT Financial Inc (HBT) Q3 2025: Key Information to Prepare for Earnings Release
Earnings Release and Estimates: HBT Financial Inc (NASDAQ:HBT) is set to release its Q3 2025 earnings on October 20, 2025, with revenue expected at $60.30 million and earnings at $0.62 per share. Full year 2025 revenue is projected at $238.50 million, with earnings of $2.46 per share.
Analyst Ratings and Price Targets: The average target price for HBT Financial Inc is $29.40, indicating a potential upside of 26.83% from its current price of $23.18. The consensus recommendation from analysts is 2.4, suggesting an "Outperform" status.
HBT Financial, Inc. Scheduled to Release Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results on October 20, 2025
Financial Results Announcement: HBT Financial, Inc. will release its third quarter 2025 financial results on October 20, 2025, before the market opens, with details available on their investor relations website.
Company Overview: HBT Financial, based in Bloomington, Illinois, operates Heartland Bank and Trust Company, offering a range of financial services through 66 branches, with total assets of $5.0 billion as of June 30, 2025.
HBT Financial Reports Q4 Results with Mixed Performance
- Earnings Performance: HBT Financial reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.64, aligning with market expectations, indicating stability in the company's profitability.
- Revenue Growth Weakness: The company generated $60.44 million in revenue, a 2.4% year-over-year increase, but fell short of expectations by $0.56 million, reflecting increased competitive pressures in the market.
- Return on Assets Metrics: HBT Financial achieved a return on average assets (ROAA) of 1.47%, a return on average stockholders' equity (ROAE) of 12.34%, and a return on average tangible common equity (ROATCE) of 14.08%, demonstrating consistent performance in capital efficiency.
- Net Interest Margin Changes: The net interest margin decreased by 1 basis point to 4.12%, while the tax-equivalent net interest margin fell by 2 basis points to 4.16%, indicating some profitability pressure amid changing interest rate environments.
Essential Information on HBT Financial (HBT) Rating Increase to Buy
HBT Financial Upgrade: HBT Financial has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) due to a positive trend in earnings estimates, indicating potential for stock price increase.
Earnings Estimates Impact: The Zacks rating system emphasizes the importance of earnings estimate revisions, which are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements, making it a valuable tool for investors.
Zacks Rank System: The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks based on earnings estimates, with only the top 20% receiving a "Buy" or "Strong Buy" rating, suggesting HBT Financial's strong potential for market-beating returns.
AI Investment Opportunities: The article also discusses the upcoming "AI Boom 2.0," highlighting the potential for significant wealth creation in the next wave of AI companies, contrasting with the leveling off of the initial AI stock surge.
HBT Financial, Inc. Reports Higher Q3 Profit, Surpassing Expectations
Earnings Performance: HBT Financial, Inc. reported third-quarter earnings of $19.76 million, or $0.63 per share, an increase from $18.18 million, or $0.57 per share, in the previous year, surpassing analyst expectations.
Revenue Growth: The company's revenue rose by 4.7% to $49.98 million compared to $47.73 million last year, indicating a positive trend in financial performance.
HBT Financial Acquires CNB Bank for Approximately $170.2 Million
Merger Announcement: HBT Financial, Inc. and CNB Bank Shares, Inc. have announced a merger deal valued at approximately $170.2 million, with CNB shareholders receiving either shares of HBT or cash.
Post-Merger Projections: The merger is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, resulting in a combined company with around $6.9 billion in total assets and CNB shareholders holding about 15% of HBT.
HBT Financial Inc (HBT) Q3 2025: Key Information to Prepare for Earnings Release
Earnings Release and Estimates: HBT Financial Inc (NASDAQ:HBT) is set to release its Q3 2025 earnings on October 20, 2025, with revenue expected at $60.30 million and earnings at $0.62 per share. Full year 2025 revenue is projected at $238.50 million, with earnings of $2.46 per share.
Analyst Ratings and Price Targets: The average target price for HBT Financial Inc is $29.40, indicating a potential upside of 26.83% from its current price of $23.18. The consensus recommendation from analysts is 2.4, suggesting an "Outperform" status.
HBT Financial, Inc. Scheduled to Release Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results on October 20, 2025
Financial Results Announcement: HBT Financial, Inc. will release its third quarter 2025 financial results on October 20, 2025, before the market opens, with details available on their investor relations website.
Company Overview: HBT Financial, based in Bloomington, Illinois, operates Heartland Bank and Trust Company, offering a range of financial services through 66 branches, with total assets of $5.0 billion as of June 30, 2025.
