FCCO

Top Stock Picks: Three bank holding companies—First Hawaiian, CNB Financial, and First Community—are highlighted for their strong income characteristics and positive earnings estimates, with Zacks Rank #1 ratings and competitive dividend yields compared to industry averages.

Investment Opportunity: The article suggests these stocks are under the radar of Wall Street, presenting a potential opportunity for investors, alongside a recommendation to download a report on top-performing stocks for the next month.

Zacks Rank #1 Stocks: Five stocks have been added to the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) List, including First Community Corporation, Urban Outfitters, Bank of Hawaii, Matson, and Sonoco Products, all showing significant increases in earnings estimates over the past 60 days.

Top Stock Recommendations: Zacks Director of Research has identified a portfolio of 10 top stocks for 2025 that have historically outperformed the S&P 500, with an impressive gain of +2,112.6% since inception in 2012.

Top Stock Picks: Three stocks with strong value characteristics and a Zacks Rank #1 are highlighted: First Community Corporation (FCCO), Matson, Inc. (MATX), and Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN), all showing significant increases in earnings estimates over the past 60 days.

Investment Opportunity: Zacks Investment Research promotes a portfolio of top stocks for 2025, which has historically outperformed the S&P 500, encouraging investors to consider these recommendations for potential gains.

Stock Market Overview: The U.S. stock market has experienced a strong rally in 2024, continuing the momentum from 2023, despite concerns over tariffs, inflation, and geopolitical conflicts. Five stocks showing recent price strength include SB Financial Group Inc., First Community Corp., StoneX Group Inc., Byrna Technologies Inc., and BrainsWay Ltd.

Investment Strategy: To create a successful investment strategy, it's essential to consider not just recent price strength but also other relevant parameters. The article emphasizes the importance of analyzing stocks that are on an upward trend and provides insights into the expected earnings growth for the highlighted companies.

Zacks Rank Upgrade: First Community Corporation (FCCO) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) due to an upward trend in earnings estimates, indicating a positive outlook for its stock price.

Earnings Growth Potential: Analysts have raised their earnings estimates for FCCO, projecting a significant increase in earnings per share for the fiscal year ending December 2025, which suggests strong business performance and potential for market-beating returns.

Analyst Upgrades: Several Wall Street analysts have upgraded their ratings on various companies, including Option Care Health (from Hold to Buy), Logitech International (from Underweight to Equal-Weight), and Aptiv PLC (from Underweight to Neutral).

Price Target Adjustments: Analysts also adjusted price targets for these stocks, with notable increases for Option Care Health ($26 to $35), Logitech International ($73 to $92), and First Community Corporation ($27 to $30).

Financial Performance: First Community Corporation reported strong financial results for 2024, with a net income of $13.955 million, a 17.8% increase from the previous year, and significant growth in total deposits and loans, indicating solid asset quality and effective management strategies.

Future Outlook and Risks: The company has outlined potential risks that could impact future performance, including economic variability, credit risk, regulatory changes, and cybersecurity threats, while emphasizing its commitment to maintaining strong capital ratios and shareholder value through dividends and share repurchase plans.

Fourth Quarter Profit Increase: First Community Corp reported a fourth-quarter profit of $4.23 million, or $0.55 per share, which is an increase from $3.3 million, or $0.43 per share, in the same period last year and exceeded analysts' expectations of $0.49 per share.

Revenue Growth: The company's revenue rose by 15.1% to $17.5 million compared to $15.2 million in the previous year.

New Appointment: Sarah Donley has been appointed as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operations & Risk Officer at First Community Bank, succeeding Tanya Butts who is retiring after serving since 2016.

Background and Experience: With over 35 years of banking experience, including 27 years at First Community, Donley brings extensive knowledge in various operational areas and will oversee electronic banking, loan operations, compliance, and more.

Earnings Release Schedule: First Community Corporation announced its earnings release schedule for 2025, with dates set for January 22, April 23, July 23, and October 22, all at 9:00 am Eastern Time.

Company Overview: First Community Corporation is the holding company for First Community Bank, a full-service commercial bank operating in South Carolina and Augusta, Georgia, offering various financial services to businesses and consumers.

Top Stock Picks: Clipper Realty Inc., First Community Corporation, and Yelp Inc. are highlighted as strong investment options with Zacks Rank #1, showing significant earnings estimate increases and favorable price-to-earnings ratios compared to their respective industries.

Investment Opportunity: The article suggests these stocks could potentially yield high returns in 2024, with previous recommendations having achieved substantial gains, indicating a chance for investors to capitalize on lesser-known stocks.

Top Stock Recommendations: Three stocks with strong income characteristics and buy rankings are highlighted: Clipper Realty Inc. (CLPR) with a 6.0% dividend yield, Lancaster Colony Corporation (LANC) at 2.1%, and First Community Corporation (FCCO) yielding 2.6%.

Investment Potential: These companies have seen positive earnings estimates recently, and Zacks Investment Research suggests they could significantly increase in value, with previous stock recommendations achieving substantial gains.

Earnings Performance: First Community reported quarterly earnings of $0.50 per share, exceeding expectations and showing significant growth from $0.23 per share a year ago, while revenues also surpassed estimates at $16.98 million.

Future Outlook: Despite underperforming the market this year, First Community holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) due to favorable earnings estimate revisions, with upcoming consensus estimates suggesting continued positive performance in the near future.

Top Stock Recommendations: Three stocks with strong momentum and a Zacks Rank #1 are highlighted for investors: REE Automotive Ltd. (56.8% gain), Unity Bancorp, Inc. (11.5% gain), and First Community Corporation (4.9% gain) over the last three months.

Market Outlook: The semiconductor industry is expected to grow significantly, from $452 billion in 2021 to $803 billion by 2028, driven by demand in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things.

Top Stock Recommendations: Three stocks with strong income characteristics and buy rankings are highlighted: Two Harbors Investment Corp (14% dividend yield), Clipper Realty Inc (5.7% dividend yield), and First Community Corporation (2.8% dividend yield), all showing significant earnings growth estimates.

Market Insights: The semiconductor industry is expected to grow significantly, from $452 billion in 2021 to $803 billion by 2028, driven by demand for AI, Machine Learning, and IoT technologies.

Upcoming Earnings Report: The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BK) is set to report its third-quarter 2024 results on October 11, with expectations for year-over-year increases in revenues and earnings, despite challenges from declining net interest revenues.

Earnings Estimates and Performance: Analysts predict BK's earnings will be $1.40 per share, reflecting a 10.2% increase from the previous year, while total sales are estimated at $4.52 billion, indicating a 3.3% growth; the company has a strong history of exceeding earnings estimates.

Investment Focus on Dividends: Income investors prioritize generating consistent cash flow through dividends, which significantly contribute to long-term returns; First Community Corporation (FCCO) currently offers a dividend yield of 2.87% and has shown a 7.1% increase in its annualized dividend from last year.

Growth Potential and Recommendations: FCCO is projected to have solid earnings growth with a Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.69 per share for 2024, and it holds a strong Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), making it an attractive investment opportunity amidst rising interest rates.

Dividend Focus for Income Investors: Income investors prioritize generating consistent cash flow through dividends, which represent a significant portion of long-term returns. First Community Corporation (FCCO) offers a dividend yield of 2.76% and has shown a 7.1% increase in its annualized dividend from last year.

Growth Potential and Market Position: FCCO is projected to have solid earnings growth with a Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.67 per share for 2024, reflecting a 7.74% year-over-year growth rate. The company is considered an attractive investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), amidst rising interest rates affecting high-yielding stocks.

Stock Performance Overview: First Community Corporation's share price has increased by 26% over the past year, outperforming the market's 21% return, but its long-term performance shows only a 9.9% increase over three years, with a notable 27% drop in earnings per share (EPS) during the last year.

Total Shareholder Return: The total shareholder return (TSR) for First Community over the past year is 30%, which includes dividends and indicates improved stock performance compared to a five-year TSR of 6% per year, suggesting potential positive business progress.