Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) Rating Increased to Buy at Wall Street Zen

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

Several other research firms have also weighed in on ASB. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 target price on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Raymond James Financial restated an “outperform” rating and set a $30.00 target price (up from $29.00) on shares of Associated Banc in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Finally, Barclays reduced their price target on Associated Banc from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $29.20.

Associated Banc Price Performance

NYSE:ASB opened at $27.85 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $26.94 and its two-hundred day moving average is $26.04. The firm 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. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a current ratio of 0.90. Associated Banc has a one year low of $18.32 and a one year high of $29.51.

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The bank reported $0.80 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $393.52 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $382.06 million. Associated Banc had a return on equity of 10.25% and a net margin of 19.31%.During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.72 EPS. Research analysts expect that Associated Banc will post 2.43 EPS for the current year.

Associated Banc declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, January 27th that permits the company to buyback $100.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization permits the bank to buy up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Associated Banc

In related news, Director John B. Williams sold 2,325 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.05, for a total transaction of $65,216.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 70,959 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,990,399.95. The trade was a 3.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP John A. Utz sold 2,135 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.41, for a total value of $56,385.35. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 109,842 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,900,927.22. This represents a 1.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 53,007 shares of company stock valued at $1,418,613 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 1.45% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Associated Banc

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its stake in Associated Banc by 2,033.9% during the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,195 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 1,139 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 46.8% during the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,279 shares of the bank’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 408 shares during the last quarter. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. acquired a new position in shares of Associated Banc during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Associated Banc by 345.5% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,350 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,047 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bayforest Capital Ltd purchased a new position in Associated Banc during the second quarter worth approximately $34,000. 82.98% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories 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.