Associated Banc Q1 EPS Forecast Raised by Zacks Research

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) – Investment analysts at Zacks Research lifted their Q1 2026 earnings estimates for Associated Banc in a report issued on Thursday, February 12th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the bank will post earnings of $0.67 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $0.66. The consensus estimate for Associated Banc’s current full-year earnings is $2.43 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Associated Banc’s Q2 2026 earnings at $0.69 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $0.71 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $0.74 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.81 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $0.77 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.70 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $0.78 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $2.99 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $3.20 EPS.

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The bank reported $0.80 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.11. Associated Banc had a net margin of 19.31% and a return on equity of 10.25%. The business had revenue of $393.52 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $382.06 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.72 earnings per share.

ASB has been the topic of several other reports. Wall Street Zen cut Associated Banc from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, February 1st. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 target price on shares of Associated Banc in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Barclays decreased their price target on Associated Banc from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price objective on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $29.20.

Associated Banc Stock Up 1.0%

Shares of NYSE:ASB opened at $27.85 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. Associated Banc has a 12 month low of $18.32 and a 12 month high of $29.51. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $26.94 and a 200 day moving average price of $26.04. The company has a market cap of $4.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.05, a PEG ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 0.81.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Associated Banc by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 18,538,157 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $477,543,000 after purchasing an additional 545,185 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Associated Banc by 1.7% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 8,711,346 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $224,404,000 after buying an additional 147,372 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Associated Banc by 1.6% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,151,111 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $101,256,000 after buying an additional 67,219 shares during the period. LSV Asset Management raised its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 3,663,163 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $94,363,000 after acquiring an additional 38,900 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in Associated Banc by 38.6% in the fourth quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,841,931 shares of the bank’s stock worth $73,208,000 after acquiring an additional 790,793 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 82.98% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Associated Banc news, EVP John A. Utz sold 2,135 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.41, for a total value of $56,385.35. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 109,842 shares in the company, valued at $2,900,927.22. This represents a 1.91% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Patrick Edward Ahern sold 30,489 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.70, for a total transaction of $783,567.30. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 24,055 shares in the company, valued at approximately $618,213.50. This trade represents a 55.90% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 53,007 shares of company stock valued at $1,418,613 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.45% of the company’s stock.

Associated Banc Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be issued a $0.24 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. Associated Banc’s dividend payout ratio is presently 34.66%.

Associated Banc declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Tuesday, January 27th that allows the company to buyback $100.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the bank to repurchase up to 2.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Key Headlines Impacting Associated Banc

Here are the key news stories impacting Associated Banc this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised several near‑term and FY EPS forecasts for ASB (including FY2026, FY2027 and FY2028), signaling improving analyst expectations for earnings growth — a likely driver of buying interest.
• Positive Sentiment: Associated Banc recently beat consensus on Q4 results (reported Jan. 22) with $0.80 EPS vs. ~$0.69 expected and revenue above estimates, which supports the higher estimate revisions.
• Positive Sentiment: The board authorized a $100 million share repurchase program and declared a $0.24 quarterly dividend (3.4% yield), both shareholder‑friendly moves that typically support share prices.
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary and coverage (e.g., Seeking Alpha piece highlighting progress and strategy) add to positive sentiment around the stock. Associated Banc‑Corp Keeps Pushing Forward
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains mixed — several firms maintain Hold/Neutral ratings and consensus price target (~$29.20) implies limited upside from current levels; this tempers the impact of positive news.
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional activity shows modest position changes (some buys, some new stakes), indicating steady institutional ownership but no clear directional change.
• Negative Sentiment: An Associated Bank EVP, Patrick Ahern, sold 14,731 shares at an average ~$29.03 (filed with the SEC) — insider selling can raise short‑term caution among investors. Insider Sale: Patrick Edward Ahern
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks also trimmed its Q2‑2027 EPS view slightly (from $0.74 to $0.70), a small downgrade that could be cited by skeptics as a sign of near‑term variability.

About Associated Banc

Associated Banc-Corp, through its primary subsidiary Associated Bank, N.A., is a regional financial services company headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The bank operates more than 200 branches across the Midwest, offering community-focused banking solutions for individuals, small businesses and commercial clients. Its emphasis on personalized service and regional decision-making supports long-standing customer relationships.

On the consumer side, Associated Bank provides checking and savings accounts, residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto financing and credit card products.