HFWA

Earnings Release Announcement: Heritage Financial Corporation will release its first quarter earnings on April 24, 2025, before the market opens, followed by a conference call at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time for discussion and Q&A.

Company Background: Heritage Financial is based in Olympia, Washington, operates Heritage Bank with 51 branches across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and trades on NASDAQ under the symbol "HFWA".

Industry Challenges: The Zacks Savings and Loan industry is facing weak asset quality and modest lending scenarios due to economic uncertainties and steady interest rates, which are expected to hinder net interest income growth. However, companies like Banner Corp, Berkshire Hills Bancorp, and Heritage Financial are leveraging digital transformation to enhance operational efficiency.

Stock Performance: Despite the industry's challenges, it has outperformed the broader finance sector and S&P 500 over the past year, with significant gains in stock prices for individual companies, indicating potential investment opportunities amidst a generally negative earnings outlook.

Stocks Added to Zacks Rank #1 List: Five stocks, including IHS Holding Limited and Heritage Financial Corporation, have been added to the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) List due to significant increases in their current year earnings estimates over the past 60 days.

Expert Recommendations: Zacks Investment Research has identified seven elite stocks from the Strong Buy list that are expected to perform well, with a historical average gain of +24.3% per year since 1988.

Top Stock Recommendations: Three stocks with strong income characteristics and a buy rank are highlighted: Valley National Bancorp (VLY) with a 5% dividend yield, NN Group N.V. (NNGRY) with a 4.1% yield, and Heritage Financial Corporation (HFWA) with a 4% yield, all showing positive earnings estimates.

Investment Insights: Zacks Investment Research suggests that these companies have seen significant increases in their earnings estimates over the past 60 days, making them attractive options for investors seeking dividends and growth potential.

Top Stock Picks: Three stocks with strong income characteristics and buy rankings are Crescent Energy Company (CRGY), Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (HBNC), and Heritage Financial Corporation (HFWA), all showing significant increases in earnings estimates and offering attractive dividend yields compared to their industry averages.

Investment Insights: Zacks Investment Research highlights a top stock expected to achieve substantial gains, backed by a rapidly growing customer base and innovative solutions, alongside a report featuring the 7 best stocks for the next 30 days.

Upcoming Ex-Dividend Dates: On February 6, 2025, Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp (CCEC), KB Home (KBH), and Heritage Financial Corp (HFWA) will trade ex-dividend, with respective dividends of $0.15, $0.25, and $0.24 scheduled for payment on February 12 and 20, 2025.

Market Impact and Historical Dividends: Following the ex-dividend dates, CCEC is expected to drop by 0.80%, KBH by 0.38%, and HFWA by 0.96%. The estimated annual yields are 3.20% for CCEC, 1.53% for KBH, and 3.82% for HFWA, reflecting their historical dividend stability.

Heritage Bank Expansion: Heritage Bank is expanding into Spokane, Washington, with the addition of a new team led by experienced bankers James Krejci, Timothy Engh, and Sean O'Regan, pending regulatory approvals for a new branch.

Community Commitment: The bank's leadership emphasizes their commitment to supporting local businesses and fostering economic growth in the Spokane community through high-quality banking services.

ETF Analyst Target Prices: The WisdomTree Total U.S. Dividend Fund ETF (DTD) has an implied analyst target price of $87.23, indicating an 11.20% upside from its current trading price of $78.44. Notable underlying holdings with significant upside potential include CSG Systems International Inc., Heritage Financial Corp, and Enterprise Financial Services Corp.

Investor Research Considerations: Analysts' target prices may reflect optimism or could be outdated, prompting the need for further investor research to assess the validity of these targets in light of recent company and industry developments.

Earnings Release Announcement: Heritage Financial Corporation will issue its fourth quarter and year-end earnings release on January 23, 2025, before market opening, followed by a conference call at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time.

Conference Call Details: Participants can register for the call to receive dial-in details and access codes, with a replay available until January 30, 2025.

Appointment Announcement: Heritage Financial Corporation has appointed Karen R. Saunders to its Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2025, bringing extensive experience in audit, finance, and financial services.

Professional Background: Ms. Saunders has a long career at KPMG, where she served as an audit partner and led various banking practices, and is recognized for her contributions to community service and leadership roles in several organizations.

Upcoming Bank Mergers: A quiet period for bank mergers is expected to end as dealmaking activity is projected to increase in 2025.

Pressure on Smaller Banks: Banks with assets of $10 billion or less may face significant pressure to merge among the largest U.S. banks.

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Q3 2024 Earnings Call Overview: Heritage Financial Corporation held its Q3 2024 earnings call on October 24, 2024, where CEO Jeff Deuel and other executives discussed the company's strong performance, highlighting growth in loans and deposits, margin expansion, and effective expense management.

Positive Financial Outlook: The company reported improvements in net interest income due to increased earning assets and net interest margins, expressing optimism about continued benefits from core balance sheet growth and prudent risk management strategies.

Conference Call Announcement: Heritage Financial Corp. (HFWA) will hold a conference call on October 24, 2024, at 1:00 PM ET to discuss its Q3 24 earnings results.

Access Information: The live webcast can be accessed via their website, and listeners can join the call by dialing (833) 470-1428 with the access code 493684; a replay is available at (866) 813-9403 using access code 423520.

Industry Outlook: The Zacks Savings and Loan industry is expected to benefit from declining mortgage rates and the Federal Reserve's easing monetary policy, which will likely increase loan demand and profitability for key players like ServisFirst Bancshares, Berkshire Hills Bancorp, and Heritage Financial Corporation.

Market Performance: Despite a positive outlook, the industry has underperformed compared to the broader finance sector and S&P 500 over the past year, with current valuations indicating a discount relative to the S&P Index.

Earnings Release Announcement: Heritage Financial Corporation plans to release its third quarter earnings on October 24, 2024, before the market opens, followed by a conference call at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time for discussion and Q&A.

Company Overview: Heritage Financial Corporation is based in Olympia, Washington, operates Heritage Bank with 50 branches across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and trades on NASDAQ under the symbol "HFWA".