Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC) Stock Rating Upgraded by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Hancock Whitney from “sell” to “hold,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $83.78.
• Hancock Whitney shares opened at $79.78, near their 12-month high of $80.13, and have risen above both their 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• The company’s latest quarter showed $1.55 in EPS, matching estimates, while revenue of $403.57 million exceeded expectations and grew 6.9% year over year.

Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC - Get Free Report) was upgraded by Wall Street Zen from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on HWC. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a "strong-buy" rating and set a $87.00 price objective on shares of Hancock Whitney in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Stephens dropped their target price on Hancock Whitney from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Hancock Whitney in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Barclays upped their price target on Hancock Whitney from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on shares of Hancock Whitney from $78.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $83.78.

Hancock Whitney Stock Up 0.5%

Shares of HWC stock opened at $79.78 on Friday. Hancock Whitney has a 12-month low of $54.05 and a 12-month high of $80.13. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $75.09 and a 200-day moving average of $69.83. The company has a market capitalization of $6.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.64 and a beta of 0.95.

Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The company reported $1.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $1.55. Hancock Whitney had a return on equity of 11.36% and a net margin of 21.81%.The firm had revenue of $403.57 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $398.89 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.37 EPS. The company's revenue was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Hancock Whitney will post 6.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Hancock Whitney

In related news, Director Christine L. Pickering sold 417 shares of Hancock Whitney stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.16, for a total value of $28,005.72. Following the sale, the director owned 25,066 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,683,432.56. The trade was a 1.64% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CFO Michael M. Achary sold 22,694 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.18, for a total value of $1,728,828.92. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 44,160 shares in the company, valued at $3,364,108.80. The trade was a 33.95% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.92% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hancock Whitney

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in HWC. Amundi acquired a new stake in shares of Hancock Whitney in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $50,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its holdings in Hancock Whitney by 4.6% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 51,664 shares of the company's stock worth $2,710,000 after buying an additional 2,255 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its position in Hancock Whitney by 22.9% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,755 shares of the company's stock worth $197,000 after acquiring an additional 700 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its position in Hancock Whitney by 4.2% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 287,471 shares of the company's stock worth $15,078,000 after acquiring an additional 11,551 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in Hancock Whitney by 951.9% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 123,812 shares of the company's stock valued at $6,494,000 after acquiring an additional 112,042 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.22% of the company's stock.

Key Hancock Whitney News

Here are the key news stories impacting Hancock Whitney this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Long-term earnings remain expected to grow. Zacks Research projects FY2027 EPS of $7.22, compared with $6.42 for FY2026, suggesting continued earnings expansion despite recent revisions. Zacks Research Expects Stronger Earnings for Hancock Whitney
• Positive Sentiment: M&A and higher-rate potential provide bullish catalysts. A Seeking Alpha analysis argued that Hancock Whitney’s rally is supported by possible industry consolidation and the earnings benefits that could result from higher interest rates, although the article’s conclusion was a downgrade. Hancock Whitney: M&A And Higher Rates Justify The Rally (Downgrade)
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent operating performance provides support. Hancock Whitney’s latest reported quarter showed $1.55 in EPS, in line with estimates, while revenue exceeded expectations and increased 6.9% year over year. This helps explain investor confidence, though the results are not from the current news cycle.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed multiple EPS forecasts. The firm reduced its estimates for Q3 2026 EPS to $1.62 from $1.63 and FY2026 EPS to $6.42 from $6.45. It also lowered Q4 2026 to $1.73 from $1.75, Q1 2027 to $1.72 from $1.73, Q2 2027 to $1.77 from $1.79, Q3 2027 to $1.83 from $1.84, and FY2027 to $7.22 from $7.24. Zacks maintains a “Hold” rating, indicating limited conviction in additional near-term upside.

Hancock Whitney Company Profile

Hancock Whitney Corporation NASDAQ: HWC is a regional financial services company headquartered in Gulfport, Mississippi. The firm was established in April 2019 through the merger of Hancock Holding Company and Whitney Holding Corporation, each of which traced its roots to the late 19th century. This combination created one of the largest bank holding companies in the Gulf South region, with a network of branches serving both urban and rural communities.

The company's core business activities include commercial banking, retail banking and wealth management services.

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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