HBT Financial (NASDAQ:HBT) Price Target Raised to $38.00 at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods

Key Points

• Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised HBT Financial’s price target to $38 from $34 while maintaining an “outperform” rating, implying 9.86% upside from the prior close.
• HBT Financial reported quarterly EPS of $0.78, beating the $0.73 consensus estimate, while revenue of $80.9 million also exceeded expectations. The company posted a 22.72% net margin and 13.06% return on equity.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive but mixed: HBT has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and a $33.25 average price target, while institutional investors own 78.55% of the stock.

HBT Financial (NASDAQ:HBT - Get Free Report) had its price target boosted by stock analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from $34.00 to $38.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an "outperform" rating on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods' price objective would indicate a potential upside of 9.86% from the stock's previous close.

Other analysts have also issued reports about the company. Zacks Research lowered HBT Financial from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. Weiss Ratings lowered HBT Financial from a "buy (b+)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. DA Davidson lifted their target price on HBT Financial from $28.00 to $31.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 28th. Piper Sandler upped their price target on HBT Financial from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, June 26th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded HBT Financial from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Sunday, July 12th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $33.25.

HBT Financial Stock Performance

NASDAQ HBT opened at $34.59 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $1.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.87 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $30.74 and a 200 day simple moving average of $28.67. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. HBT Financial has a 12-month low of $22.36 and a 12-month high of $35.03.

HBT Financial (NASDAQ:HBT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $0.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.05. HBT Financial had a net margin of 22.72% and a return on equity of 13.06%. The firm had revenue of $80.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $80.36 million. Sell-side analysts predict that HBT Financial will post 2.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On HBT Financial

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Bank of America Corp DE increased its position in shares of HBT Financial by 4.4% during the third quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 12,537 shares of the company's stock valued at $316,000 after acquiring an additional 534 shares during the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue boosted its position in HBT Financial by 42.4% in the fourth quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 1,809 shares of the company's stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 539 shares during the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. grew its stake in HBT Financial by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 17,949 shares of the company's stock valued at $452,000 after purchasing an additional 612 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its position in shares of HBT Financial by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 16,150 shares of the company's stock valued at $407,000 after purchasing an additional 1,003 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of HBT Financial by 5.4% during the 4th quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 20,712 shares of the company's stock worth $535,000 after purchasing an additional 1,065 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.55% of the company's stock.

HBT Financial News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting HBT Financial this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Earnings and revenue topped estimates: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.78, ahead of the $0.73–$0.74 consensus range, while revenue of approximately $80.9 million exceeded the roughly $80.4 million forecast. EPS also increased from $0.63 a year earlier. HBT Financial beats second-quarter earnings and revenue forecasts
• Positive Sentiment: Profitability improved sharply: GAAP net income rose to $27.8 million, or $0.76 per diluted share, versus $19.2 million, or $0.61 per share, in the prior-year quarter. Net interest income increased 39.1% year over year to $69.1 million, supported by the CNB Bank acquisition and higher asset yields.
• Positive Sentiment: Margins and credit quality were favorable: Net interest margin expanded 12 basis points sequentially to 4.32%, while nonperforming assets declined to 0.15% of total assets from 0.21% in the prior quarter. The bank recorded modest net recoveries rather than charge-offs.
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend increased: HBT declared a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share, up from $0.23, payable August 18 to shareholders of record August 11. The increase signals confidence in capital strength following the CNB acquisition. HBT Financial second-quarter financial results
• Neutral Sentiment: Integration benefits are emerging: Acquisition-related costs fell substantially from the first quarter, and management said material cost savings from CNB are now being realized. However, second-quarter expenses remained 33% above the year-ago level as the larger organization carries higher operating costs.
• Negative Sentiment: Funding pressure remains a risk: Funding costs rose to 1.32%, and deposits declined by $45.5 million sequentially, potentially limiting future margin expansion. Analysts’ reported median price target of $32.50 also sits below the stock’s recent trading level, suggesting valuation concerns after the rally.

About HBT Financial

HBT Financial, Inc is the bank holding company for HomeTrust Bank, a community-focused financial institution based in Lenoir, North Carolina. Through its subsidiary, HomeTrust Bank, the company provides a full suite of personal and business banking services across western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee and Upstate South Carolina. The company's operations include a network of branch offices, ATMs and online banking platforms designed to serve both urban and rural communities in its primary market areas.

HomeTrust Bank's product offerings encompass traditional deposit accounts such as checking, savings and money market accounts, as well as certificates of deposit.

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