Should You Buy Heritage Financial Corp (HFWA) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.
Analysis Updated At
2026/01/29
Buy HFWA now for a beginner, long-term investor. The stock just pulled back (~-3% on the day) while the broader trend remains bullish (moving averages stacked positively), and the business momentum is improving (strong Q4 2025 growth and a merger catalyst). Intellectia Proprietary Trading Signals: - [AI Stock Picker](module://ai_stock_pick): No signal on given stock today. - [SwingMax](module://swingmax): No signal on given stock recently. Even without proprietary buy signals, the combination of improving net interest margin outlook, raised price targets, and a pullback toward support makes it a good entry right now for an impatient long-term buyer.
Technical Analysis
Trend/structure: Bullish moving-average setup (SMA_5 > SMA_20 > SMA_200) signals the primary trend is still up despite the recent one-day drop to $25.21. Momentum: MACD histogram is positive (0.0864) but contracting, suggesting upside momentum is slowing short-term rather than reversing outright. RSI(6)=43.6 (neutral-to-slightly weak), consistent with a near-term dip inside a broader uptrend. Key levels: Pivot 25.988 is above the current price (slightly bearish short-term). Nearest support S1=24.238 (next downside reference). Upside resistance R1=27.737 then R2=28.818. Practical read: price is closer to support than resistance, favoring a long-term entry after the pullback while the long-term trend remains constructive.
Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends
Recent trend: price targets were raised across multiple firms in late January 2026. Stephens lifted PT to $30 (kept Equal Weight), Keefe Bruyette lifted PT to $30 (kept Market Perform), and DA Davidson lifted PT to $32 (kept Buy).
Wall Street pros: improving NIM trajectory, earnings beat, and incremental margin support from the Olympic transaction/merger.
Wall Street cons: despite higher PTs, two of the three cited ratings remain neutral (Equal Weight / Market Perform), implying limited conviction that the stock is deeply undervalued right now—more a steady compounder than an aggressive upside call.
Influential/political trading: no recent congress trading data available; hedge funds and insiders are reported as neutral (no notable recent trend).
Wall Street analysts forecast HFWA stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for HFWA is 31 USD with a low forecast of 31 USD and a high forecast of 31 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
Wall Street analysts forecast HFWA stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for HFWA is 31 USD with a low forecast of 31 USD and a high forecast of 31 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
Current: 25.200
Current: 25.200
