HBT Financial Receives “Hold” Rating Amid Analyst Updates

HBT Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: HBT) has been assigned an average rating of “Hold” from seven research firms currently covering the company, according to Marketbeat Ratings. This consensus includes four analysts recommending a hold rating and three issuing buy ratings for the stock. The average target price among these analysts is set at $28.50 for the next year.

Several analysts have shared their insights about HBT Financial recently. On October 8, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating for the company. Just a day earlier, Raymond James Financial downgraded HBT Financial from an “outperform” to a “market perform” rating. Following this, DA Davidson established a target price of $27.00 on October 21, while Piper Sandler reduced their target from $29.00 to $27.50, ultimately assigning a “neutral” rating in their October 21 note.

Recent Financial Performance

HBT Financial recently released its quarterly earnings results on October 20. The company reported earnings of $0.65 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.62 by $0.03. Additionally, the firm achieved a return on equity of 13.81% and a net margin of 26.64%. HBT Financial’s revenue for the quarter was reported at $59.84 million, slightly below analysts’ expectations of $60.31 million. In comparison, the same quarter last year yielded earnings of $0.61 per share. Analysts project the company will post $2.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

On December 18, HBT Financial’s board approved a stock buyback plan allowing the company to repurchase up to $30.00 million in shares, equating to approximately 3.5% of its outstanding shares. Such buyback plans often indicate that company leadership perceives its shares as undervalued.

Dividend Announcement and Institutional Trading

HBT Financial also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.21 per share, paid on November 10. This translates to an annualized dividend of $0.84, offering a yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date was noted as November 3, and the company maintains a dividend payout ratio of 33.87%.

Recent institutional trading activities have seen large investors adjusting their stakes in HBT Financial. For instance, Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. increased its position by 162.0% during the second quarter, acquiring an additional 66,161 shares. Meanwhile, American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings by 42.4% in the first quarter, purchasing an additional 56,521 shares. Similarly, Rosenthal Henry Capital Advisors Inc. increased its stake by 117.8% in the third quarter. Currently, institutional investors hold 78.55% of HBT Financial’s stock.

HBT Financial, Inc. serves as the bank holding company for HomeTrust Bank, a community-focused financial institution headquartered in Lenoir, North Carolina. Through HomeTrust Bank, the company provides a wide range of personal and business banking services across western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and Upstate South Carolina. Its operations include a network of branch offices, ATMs, and online banking platforms designed to cater to both urban and rural communities.

The latest developments surrounding HBT Financial indicate a cautious outlook among analysts, while the company’s recent performance shows resilience in a competitive financial landscape.