Columbia Banking System, Inc. $COLB Stake Increased by Evergreen Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Evergreen Capital increased its stake in Columbia Banking System by 340% in Q4, ending the period with 50,050 shares worth about $1.399 million.
• Columbia beat Q1 expectations with non‑GAAP operating EPS of $0.72 and revenue up ~37.9% year‑over‑year (~$675M), and management reiterated capital‑return priorities including buybacks and dividends.
• The sell‑side consensus is a Hold with an average price target of $31.58, though analyst ratings and price targets have recently been adjusted both up and down.

Evergreen Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ:COLB - Free Report) by 340.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 50,050 shares of the financial services provider's stock after purchasing an additional 38,674 shares during the period. Evergreen Capital Management LLC's holdings in Columbia Banking System were worth $1,399,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COLB. True Wealth Design LLC increased its stake in Columbia Banking System by 612.8% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 1,005 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 864 shares during the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in Columbia Banking System during the third quarter valued at $29,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in Columbia Banking System by 194.6% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 1,202 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 794 shares during the last quarter. First Horizon Corp bought a new stake in Columbia Banking System during the third quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Ameriflex Group Inc. bought a new stake in Columbia Banking System during the third quarter valued at $63,000. Institutional investors own 92.53% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have weighed in on COLB shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Columbia Banking System from $34.00 to $31.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Columbia Banking System from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Columbia Banking System from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. DA Davidson boosted their target price on shares of Columbia Banking System from $30.00 to $32.50 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Columbia Banking System from $30.00 to $29.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $31.58.

More Columbia Banking System News

Here are the key news stories impacting Columbia Banking System this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 operating / non‑GAAP EPS topped expectations — Columbia reported non‑GAAP operating EPS of $0.72, beating consensus estimates (~$0.69). That beat is driving the immediate positive investor reaction. Columbia Banking System beats Q1 earnings estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Strong top‑line growth — revenue rose sharply year‑over‑year (reported ~37.9% growth), reflecting significant business momentum that supports the EPS beat. MarketBeat Q1 coverage and slides
• Positive Sentiment: Management reiterates capital return and balance‑sheet priorities — CEO commentary emphasized sustainable performance, balance‑sheet strength and returning excess capital to shareholders, which supports buybacks/dividend expectations. Q1 press release
• Positive Sentiment: Operational recognition — subsidiary Columbia Bank received regional “Best Bank” honors for middle‑market banking, a small positive for brand/competitive positioning. Best Bank honors
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst posture unchanged — RBC Capital reaffirmed its Hold rating, indicating some analysts see limited near‑term upside despite the beat. RBC reaffirmation
• Neutral Sentiment: Company materials available — the firm posted the press release, slide deck and call transcript for investors who want detail on drivers and segment performance. Slide deck / press materials
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue roughly in line / slight short of some estimates and GAAP vs non‑GAAP spread — reported revenue (~$675M) was effectively in line (or marginally below some consensus figures) and GAAP EPS ($0.66) trails the non‑GAAP $0.72, which could temper upside if investors focus on adjusted results. MSN revenue/EPS coverage

Insider Activity

In other news, VP Torran B. Nixon sold 2,241 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.25, for a total transaction of $63,308.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 100,469 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,838,249.25. This represents a 2.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Steven R. Gardner sold 13,725 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.43, for a total transaction of $403,926.75. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 19,354 shares of company stock valued at $561,971 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.57% of the company's stock.

Columbia Banking System Stock Performance

Columbia Banking System stock opened at $29.65 on Friday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $28.49 and a 200-day simple moving average of $28.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.12 and a beta of 0.61. Columbia Banking System, Inc. has a one year low of $21.91 and a one year high of $32.70.

Columbia Banking System (NASDAQ:COLB - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The financial services provider reported $0.72 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.68 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $675.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $677.34 million. Columbia Banking System had a net margin of 17.11% and a return on equity of 11.40%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 37.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.67 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Columbia Banking System, Inc. will post 3.06 earnings per share for the current year.

Columbia Banking System Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th were given a dividend of $0.37 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.0%. Columbia Banking System's dividend payout ratio is currently 65.49%.

Columbia Banking System Profile

Columbia Banking System, Inc is a bank holding company that operates through its principal subsidiary, Columbia State Bank. Headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, the company provides a full range of banking and financial services to commercial, small business and consumer customers. Its branch network is concentrated in the Pacific Northwest, with locations across Washington, Oregon and Idaho, where it aims to combine local decision-making with the resources of a larger institution.

The company's offerings include commercial real estate lending, construction and development financing, equipment and small business loans, and deposit products such as checking, savings and money market accounts.

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