Bank OZK (NASDAQ:OZK) Stock Rating Lowered by Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research downgraded Bank OZK from “hold” to “strong sell,” citing revised earnings estimates for 2026–2028.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: Bank OZK has three Buy, five Hold and two Sell ratings, with an average consensus rating of “Hold” and a $56.88 target price.
• The bank reported quarterly EPS of $1.49, narrowly beating expectations, while its board authorized a $200 million share-repurchase program covering up to 3.4% of outstanding shares.

Bank OZK (NASDAQ:OZK - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Bank OZK's Q3 2026 earnings at $1.44 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $1.48 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $5.85 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $1.49 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $1.58 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $1.56 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $1.63 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $6.26 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $1.69 EPS, Q2 2028 earnings at $2.03 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $7.86 EPS.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. TD Cowen cut their price target on Bank OZK from $53.00 to $52.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 24th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Bank OZK from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 8th. Piper Sandler reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $61.00 target price on shares of Bank OZK in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Bank OZK from $50.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Bank OZK from $52.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Bank OZK has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $56.88.

Bank OZK Stock Performance

Shares of Bank OZK stock opened at $52.49 on Thursday. The company's fifty day moving average is $51.04 and its 200 day moving average is $48.70. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The stock has a market cap of $5.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.68 and a beta of 0.89. Bank OZK has a twelve month low of $42.37 and a twelve month high of $53.66.

Bank OZK (NASDAQ:OZK - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The company reported $1.49 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.48 by $0.01. Bank OZK had a return on equity of 11.87% and a net margin of 24.95%.The business had revenue of $430.02 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $436.42 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.47 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up .5% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Bank OZK will post 5.86 EPS for the current year.

Bank OZK announced that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Monday, June 29th that permits the company to repurchase $200.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to reacquire up to 3.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company's board believes its stock is undervalued.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bank OZK

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. BOKF NA purchased a new stake in shares of Bank OZK during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd boosted its position in Bank OZK by 100.5% in the fourth quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 766 shares of the company's stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 384 shares during the last quarter. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. bought a new position in Bank OZK in the 4th quarter valued at $36,000. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in Bank OZK by 111.2% in the 4th quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 830 shares of the company's stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 437 shares during the period. Finally, Employees Retirement System of Texas purchased a new stake in shares of Bank OZK during the 3rd quarter valued at $51,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.18% of the company's stock.

Bank OZK News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Bank OZK this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Bank OZK’s shares remain near their 52-week high, while the company’s valuation is modest at approximately 8.7 times earnings. Its latest quarterly report also showed earnings of $1.49 per share, slightly above analysts’ $1.48 estimate. Bank OZK stock information
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts collectively assign Bank OZK an average “Hold” rating, indicating limited conviction that the shares will deliver significant near-term upside or downside. Bank OZK Receives Average Rating of Hold from Analysts
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks lowered its 2026 EPS forecast to $5.81 from $5.85, just below the broader consensus estimate of $5.86. Its Q3 and Q4 2026 estimates were also cut to $1.43 and $1.45, respectively.
• Negative Sentiment: Forecast reductions extended into 2027: FY2027 EPS was lowered to $6.18 from $6.26, with cuts to estimates for the first three quarters and Q4 EPS reduced to $1.60 from $1.63. The Q1 2028 estimate was also trimmed to $1.67 from $1.69.
• Negative Sentiment: The latest revisions follow larger cuts earlier in the week, including a reduction in Zacks’ FY2027 estimate from $6.75 to $6.26 and its FY2026 estimate from $5.98 to $5.85. The repeated downward adjustments are likely the primary factor weighing on Bank OZK’s stock. Bank OZK FY2026 EPS Estimate Decreased by Zacks Research

About Bank OZK

Bank OZK, formerly known as Bank of the Ozarks, is a regional commercial bank headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Established in 1903, the bank offers a full suite of banking products and services to both individual and corporate clients. Through a combination of organic growth and targeted acquisitions, Bank OZK has built a diversified lending portfolio and a strong deposit franchise.

The bank's core operations focus on commercial real estate lending, including acquisition, development and construction financing.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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