Associated Banc Q4 EPS Estimate Reduced by Zacks Research

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) – Equities researchers at Zacks Research dropped their Q4 2027 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Associated Banc in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, February 12th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the bank will post earnings of $0.75 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $0.78. The consensus estimate for Associated Banc’s current full-year earnings is $2.43 per share.

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The bank reported $0.80 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.11. Associated Banc had a return on equity of 10.25% and a net margin of 19.31%.The firm had revenue of $393.52 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $382.06 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.72 earnings per share.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on ASB. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Barclays dropped their price objective 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. Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $30.00 target price (up previously from $29.00) on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Monday, October 27th. Piper Sandler boosted their price target on Associated Banc from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Associated Banc in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $29.20.

Associated Banc Trading Up 1.0%

NYSE ASB opened at $27.85 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $4.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.05, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.80. Associated Banc has a 12 month low of $18.32 and a 12 month high of $29.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.90. The company has a 50-day moving average of $26.94 and a 200-day moving average of $26.05.

Associated Banc Announces Dividend

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

Associated Banc declared that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, January 27th that allows the company to buyback $100.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the bank to repurchase up to 2.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are generally an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Associated Banc

In related news, EVP Patrick Edward Ahern sold 14,731 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.03, for a total transaction of $427,640.93. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 39,401 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,143,811.03. The trade was a 27.21% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP John A. Utz sold 2,135 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.41, for a total transaction of $56,385.35. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 109,842 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,900,927.22. This trade represents a 1.91% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 53,007 shares of company stock valued at $1,418,613 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Associated Banc

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. California State Teachers Retirement System grew its stake in shares of Associated Banc by 0.3% during the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 154,933 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $3,779,000 after acquiring an additional 394 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Associated Banc by 46.8% in the third quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,279 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 408 shares during the last quarter. US Bancorp DE grew its stake in Associated Banc by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 80,677 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $2,074,000 after purchasing an additional 415 shares in the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC increased its holdings in Associated Banc by 2.3% during the 4th quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 19,079 shares of the bank’s stock worth $491,000 after purchasing an additional 426 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tidal Investments LLC increased its holdings in Associated Banc by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 27,354 shares of the bank’s stock worth $667,000 after purchasing an additional 549 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.98% of the company’s stock.

Associated Banc News Roundup

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.