First Bancorp (FBNC) Stock Price, News & Analysis

Company Overview

First Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for First Bank, offering a broad range of commercial and consumer banking services. Its core offerings include business lending, treasury and cash management, residential and commercial mortgage financing, and consumer deposit products. Through its subsidiary, First Bank provides online and branch-based banking solutions, including checking and savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and digital banking tools designed to meet the needs of individuals, small- to mid-sized businesses, and professional institutions.

The company maintains a network of full-service banking centers and loan production offices across North Carolina and South Carolina, with a focus on markets in the Piedmont, Sandhills and coastal regions. In addition to traditional branch services, First Bancorp has expanded its footprint through selective acquisitions, enhancing its ability to serve clients in both urban and rural communities. Complementing its core banking operations, the company offers wealth management, trust services and insurance products, delivered through dedicated teams of financial advisors and insurance professionals.

Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, First Bancorp has grown from a single community bank into a regional financial institution. Over its history, the company has pursued a strategy of disciplined growth, combining organic expansion with acquisitions that align with its focus on customer service and local-market leadership. First Bancorp’s executive leadership team brings extensive experience in banking and finance, guiding the company’s efforts to deepen client relationships and enhance digital capabilities while maintaining a community-oriented approach.

Key Stats

• Today's Range: $54.95 to $56.45
• 50-Day Range: $44.09 to $55.55
• 52-Week Range: $34.50 to $56.45
• Volume: 177,590 shs
• Average Volume: 212,942 shs
• Market Capitalization: $2.30 billion
• P/E Ratio: 23.68
• Dividend Yield: 1.66%
• Price Target: $56.67
• Consensus Rating: Moderate Buy

First Bancorp Stock Analysis - MarketRank™

First Bancorp scored higher than 65% of companies evaluated by MarketBeat, and ranked 518th out of 918 stocks in the finance sector. Scores are calculated by averaging available category scores, with extra weight given to analysis and valuation.

Analyst's Opinion

• Score: 2.4 / 5
• Analyst Rating: Moderate Buy

Consensus Rating

First Bancorp has received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.80, and is based on 2 buy ratings, 2 hold ratings, and no sell ratings.

Upside/Downside

The consensus price target for First Bancorp is close to its current price, suggesting limited near-term upside or downside.

Amount of Analyst Coverage

First Bancorp has only been the subject of 4 research reports in the past 90 days.

Earnings and Valuation

• Score: 1.9 / 5
• Proj. Earnings Growth: 6.42%

Earnings Growth

Earnings for First Bancorp are expected to grow by 6.42% in the coming year, from $3.27 to $3.48 per share.

Price to Earnings Ratio vs. the Market

The P/E ratio of First Bancorp is 23.68, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the market average P/E ratio of about 278.13.

Price to Earnings Ratio vs. Sector

The P/E ratio of First Bancorp is 23.68, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the Finance sector average P/E ratio of about 232.53.

Price to Book Value per Share Ratio

First Bancorp has a P/B Ratio of 1.58. P/B Ratios below 3 indicates that a company is reasonably valued with respect to its assets and liabilities.

Short Interest

• Score: 2.0 / 5
• Short Interest Level: Bearish

Percentage of Shares Shorted

3.71% of the outstanding shares of First Bancorp have been sold short.

Short Interest Ratio / Days to Cover

First Bancorp has a short interest ratio ("days to cover") of 5.8.

Change versus previous month

Short interest in First Bancorp has recently increased by 7.69%, indicating that investor sentiment is decreasing significantly.

Dividend

• Score: 2.5 / 5
• Dividend Strength: Moderate

Dividend Yield

First Bancorp pays a meaningful dividend of 1.66%, higher than the bottom 25% of all stocks that pay dividends.

Dividend Growth

First Bancorp does not have a long track record of dividend growth.

Dividend Coverage

The dividend payout ratio of First Bancorp is 39.32%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%.

Dividend Sustainability

Based on earnings estimates, First Bancorp will have a dividend payout ratio of 26.44% next year. This indicates that First Bancorp will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

Sustainability and ESG

• Score: N/A
• Environmental Score: N/A

Percentage of Shares Shorted

3.71% of the outstanding shares of First Bancorp have been sold short.

Short Interest Ratio / Days to Cover

First Bancorp has a short interest ratio ("days to cover") of 5.8.

Change versus previous month

Short interest in First Bancorp has recently increased by 7.69%, indicating that investor sentiment is decreasing significantly.

News and Social Media

• Score: 2.8 / 5
• News Sentiment: 1.06

News Sentiment

First Bancorp has a news sentiment score of 1.06. This score is calculated as an average of sentiment of articles about the company over the last seven days and ranges from 2 (good news) to -2 (bad news). This news sentiment score is similar to the average news sentiment of Finance companies.

News Coverage This Week

MarketBeat has tracked 5 news articles for First Bancorp this week, compared to 3 articles on an average week.

Search Interest

2 people have searched for FBNC on MarketBeat in the last 30 days. This is an increase of 100% compared to the previous 30 days.

Company Ownership

• Score: 3.3 / 5
• Insider Trading: Acquiring Shares

Insider Buying vs. Insider Selling

In the past three months, First Bancorp insiders have bought more of their company's stock than they have sold. Specifically, they have bought $2,273.00 in company stock and sold $0.00 in company stock.

Percentage Held by Insiders

Only 3.65% of the stock of First Bancorp is held by insiders.

Percentage Held by Institutions

68.36% of the stock of First Bancorp is held by institutions. High institutional ownership can be a signal of strong market trust in this company.

FBNC Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions

How have FBNC shares performed this year?

First Bancorp's stock was trading at $43.97 on January 1st, 2025. Since then, FBNC stock has increased by 26.0% and is now trading at $55.40.

How were First Bancorp's earnings last quarter?

First Bancorp (NASDAQ:FBNC) issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July, 23rd. The financial services provider reported $0.93 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.05. The financial services provider had revenue of $111.02 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.22 million. First Bancorp had a net margin of 17.65% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 8.96%.

Who are First Bancorp's major shareholders?

Top institutional investors of First Bancorp include Franklin Resources Inc. (5.63%), State Street Corp (4.18%), Geode Capital Management LLC (2.41%) and Ameriprise Financial Inc. (2.13%). Insiders that own company stock include Mason Y Garrett, Richard H Moore, Michael Goodwin Mayer, Suzanne S Deferie, Carlie C Mclamb Jr, Elizabeth B Bostian, Mary Clara Capel, Abby Jill Donnelly and J Randolph Potter.
View institutional ownership trends.

How do I buy shares of First Bancorp?

Shares of FBNC stock can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, and Vanguard Brokerage Services.

What other stocks do shareholders of First Bancorp own?

Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some other companies that First Bancorp investors own include Humana (HUM), American Water Works (AWK), Waste Connections (WCN), Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR), The RMR Group (RMR), DiamondRock Hospitality (DRH) and AU Optronics (AUOTY).

Company Calendar

• Record date for 7/25 Dividend: 6/30/2025
• Ex-Dividend for 7/25 Dividend: 6/30/2025
• Last Earnings: 7/23/2025
• Dividend Payable: 7/25/2025
• Record date for 9/12 Dividend: 8/28/2025
• Today: 9/07/2025
• Dividend Payable: 9/12/2025
• Next Earnings (Estimated): 10/22/2025
• Fiscal Year End: 12/31/2025

Industry, Sector and Symbol

• Stock Exchange: NASDAQ
• Sector: Finance
• Industry: BANKS - SOUTHEAST
• Sub-Industry: Regional Banks
• Current Symbol: NASDAQ:FBNC
• CIK: 811589
• Web: www.localfirstbank.com
• Phone: (910) 246-2500
• Fax: 910-576-0662
• Employees: 1,396
• Year Founded: 1948

Price Target and Rating

• Average Price Target for First Bancorp: $56.67
• High Price Target: $62.00
• Low Price Target: $51.00
• Potential Upside/Downside: +2.3%
• Consensus Rating: Moderate Buy
• Rating Score (0-4): 2.80
• Research Coverage: 5 Analysts

Profitability

• EPS (Trailing Twelve Months): $2.34
• Trailing P/E Ratio: 23.68
• Forward P/E Ratio: 16.94
• P/E Growth: N/A
• Net Income: $76.21 million
• Net Margins: 17.65%
• Pretax Margin: 22.88%
• Return on Equity: 8.96%
• Return on Assets: 1.09%

Debt

• Debt-to-Equity Ratio: 0.06
• Current Ratio: 0.82
• Quick Ratio: 0.82

Sales & Book Value

• Annual Sales: $537.14 million
• Price / Sales: 4.28
• Cash Flow: $3.42 per share
• Price / Cash Flow: 16.20
• Book Value: $34.97 per share
• Price / Book: 1.58

Miscellaneous

• Outstanding Shares: 41,460,000
• Free Float: 39,949,000
• Market Cap: $2.30 billion
• Optionable: Optionable
• Beta: 1.00