HBT Financial Appoints New Board Member
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 25 2026
0mins
Should l Buy HBT?
Source: Newsfilter
- New Board Member: HBT Financial has appointed Michael J. Morton to its Board of Directors, effective April 1, 2026, with his term expiring at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, indicating the company's commitment to leadership and ongoing growth strategy.
- Extensive Banking Experience: Morton brings nearly 40 years of banking experience, having served as Vice Chair of U.S. Commercial Banking at BMO, where he oversaw staff development and risk across multiple states, suggesting his expertise will provide significant strategic guidance to HBT Financial.
- Enhanced Leadership: Executive Chairman Fred L. Drake noted that Morton's leadership will be a tremendous asset, reflecting HBT Financial's confidence and determination in expanding the Heartland Bank franchise.
- Financial Strength: As of December 31, 2025, HBT Financial reported total assets of $5.1 billion, total loans of $3.5 billion, and total deposits of $4.4 billion, demonstrating the company's solid position and growth potential in the financial market.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy HBT?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on HBT
Wall Street analysts forecast HBT stock price to rise
4 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 26.720
Low
27.00
Averages
29.13
High
32.00
Current: 26.720
Low
27.00
Averages
29.13
High
32.00
About HBT
HBT Financial, Inc. is the holding company for Heartland Bank and Trust Company. The Company's products and services are primarily deposit, lending, and ancillary products that offer a range of options to meet the financial needs of consumers, businesses, and municipal entities. It also provides a digital banking suite of products. It provides traditional trust and investment services, farmland management, and farmland sales through its wealth management division. It offers a range of lending products with a focus on regulatory commercial real estate (CRE), which includes non-owner occupied CRE, construction and land development (C&D) and multi-family; commercial and industrial (C&I) and owner-occupied CRE; agricultural and farmland, and one-to-four family residential loans. Its deposit accounts consist of noninterest-bearing demand deposits, interest-bearing transaction accounts, and others. It operates approximately 84 branch locations across Illinois, Eastern Iowa and Missouri.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
HBT Financial Appoints New Board Member
- New Board Member: HBT Financial has appointed Michael J. Morton to its Board of Directors, effective April 1, 2026, with his term expiring at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, indicating the company's commitment to leadership and ongoing growth strategy.
- Extensive Banking Experience: Morton brings nearly 40 years of banking experience, having served as Vice Chair of U.S. Commercial Banking at BMO, where he oversaw staff development and risk across multiple states, suggesting his expertise will provide significant strategic guidance to HBT Financial.
- Enhanced Leadership: Executive Chairman Fred L. Drake noted that Morton's leadership will be a tremendous asset, reflecting HBT Financial's confidence and determination in expanding the Heartland Bank franchise.
- Financial Strength: As of December 31, 2025, HBT Financial reported total assets of $5.1 billion, total loans of $3.5 billion, and total deposits of $4.4 billion, demonstrating the company's solid position and growth potential in the financial market.
See More
HBT Financial Issues $85 Million Subordinated Notes
- Bond Issuance Size: HBT Financial announced the issuance of $85 million in Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes, with an initial fixed rate of 5.75% for five years, which will reset quarterly based on the three-month SOFR rate plus 233 basis points, expected to enhance the company's capital structure.
- Capital Compliance: The notes are intended to qualify as Tier 2 capital for regulatory purposes, helping the company maintain compliance in future capital adequacy assessments, thereby boosting market trust and investor confidence.
- Redemption Options: HBT Financial has the option to redeem the notes in whole or in part after March 15, 2031, or to redeem them in full under certain limited circumstances, providing strategic flexibility for the company's capital management.
- Share Repurchase Plan: HBT Financial also authorized a $30 million share repurchase program, demonstrating confidence in its stock value and potentially enhancing earnings per share by reducing the number of shares outstanding.
See More
HBT Financial Completes Merger with CNB Bank Shares
- Merger Completion: HBT Financial has successfully completed its merger with CNB Bank Shares, with CNB Bank becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of HBT, resulting in total assets of $5.1 billion and enhancing its competitive position in the central Illinois and Chicago MSA markets.
- Market Expansion: This merger expands HBT Financial's footprint into the central Illinois and St. Louis MSAs, which is expected to increase its customer base and enhance service capabilities, thereby driving future business growth.
- Board Expansion: Following the merger, the Boards of HBT Financial and Heartland Bank have appointed two new directors, James T. Ashworth and Nancy L. Ruyle, whose extensive community banking experience will support the company's strategic development.
- Cultural Fit: HBT Financial's CEO emphasized that CNB's culture aligns well with HBT, and this merger not only enhances customer experience but also aims to achieve more efficient operations through resource integration, further solidifying its market position.
See More
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.
See More
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.
See More
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.
See More
HBT Financial Appoints New Board Member
- New Board Member: HBT Financial has appointed Michael J. Morton to its Board of Directors, effective April 1, 2026, with his term expiring at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, indicating the company's commitment to leadership and ongoing growth strategy.
- Extensive Banking Experience: Morton brings nearly 40 years of banking experience, having served as Vice Chair of U.S. Commercial Banking at BMO, where he oversaw staff development and risk across multiple states, suggesting his expertise will provide significant strategic guidance to HBT Financial.
- Enhanced Leadership: Executive Chairman Fred L. Drake noted that Morton's leadership will be a tremendous asset, reflecting HBT Financial's confidence and determination in expanding the Heartland Bank franchise.
- Financial Strength: As of December 31, 2025, HBT Financial reported total assets of $5.1 billion, total loans of $3.5 billion, and total deposits of $4.4 billion, demonstrating the company's solid position and growth potential in the financial market.
See More
HBT Financial Issues $85 Million Subordinated Notes
- Bond Issuance Size: HBT Financial announced the issuance of $85 million in Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes, with an initial fixed rate of 5.75% for five years, which will reset quarterly based on the three-month SOFR rate plus 233 basis points, expected to enhance the company's capital structure.
- Capital Compliance: The notes are intended to qualify as Tier 2 capital for regulatory purposes, helping the company maintain compliance in future capital adequacy assessments, thereby boosting market trust and investor confidence.
- Redemption Options: HBT Financial has the option to redeem the notes in whole or in part after March 15, 2031, or to redeem them in full under certain limited circumstances, providing strategic flexibility for the company's capital management.
- Share Repurchase Plan: HBT Financial also authorized a $30 million share repurchase program, demonstrating confidence in its stock value and potentially enhancing earnings per share by reducing the number of shares outstanding.
See More
HBT Financial Completes Merger with CNB Bank Shares
- Merger Completion: HBT Financial has successfully completed its merger with CNB Bank Shares, with CNB Bank becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of HBT, resulting in total assets of $5.1 billion and enhancing its competitive position in the central Illinois and Chicago MSA markets.
- Market Expansion: This merger expands HBT Financial's footprint into the central Illinois and St. Louis MSAs, which is expected to increase its customer base and enhance service capabilities, thereby driving future business growth.
- Board Expansion: Following the merger, the Boards of HBT Financial and Heartland Bank have appointed two new directors, James T. Ashworth and Nancy L. Ruyle, whose extensive community banking experience will support the company's strategic development.
- Cultural Fit: HBT Financial's CEO emphasized that CNB's culture aligns well with HBT, and this merger not only enhances customer experience but also aims to achieve more efficient operations through resource integration, further solidifying its market position.
See More
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.
See More
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.
See More
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.
See More
