Analysts Set Expectations for Associated Banc Q1 Earnings

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) – Equities research analysts at Zacks Research boosted their Q1 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Associated Banc in a research report issued on Thursday, February 12th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the bank will post earnings per share of $0.67 for the quarter, up from their prior 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 posted its quarterly 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 analyst estimates of $382.06 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.72 EPS.

Several other research firms also recently issued reports on ASB. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Associated Banc from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $30.00 price objective (up from $29.00) on shares of Associated Banc in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price target on Associated Banc from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note 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. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $29.20.

Associated Banc Trading Up 1.0%

ASB stock opened at $27.85 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a current ratio of 0.90. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $26.94 and its 200 day simple moving average is $26.05. The company has a market capitalization of $4.62 billion, a PE ratio of 10.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.81. Associated Banc has a 52 week low of $18.32 and a 52 week high of $29.51.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASB. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 2,033.9% in the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,195 shares of the bank’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 1,139 shares during the period. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. purchased a new position in shares of Associated Banc during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake 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 acquiring an additional 408 shares during the period. Quent Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Associated Banc during the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Associated Banc by 345.5% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,350 shares of the bank’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 1,047 shares during the last quarter. 82.98% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Associated Banc news, EVP John A. Utz sold 2,135 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.41, for a total value of $56,385.35. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 109,842 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,900,927.22. The trade was a 1.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Patrick Edward Ahern sold 14,731 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.03, for a total value of $427,640.93. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 39,401 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,143,811.03. This represents a 27.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 53,007 shares of company stock worth $1,418,613. 1.45% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Associated Banc Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd will be given 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 of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. Associated Banc’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.66%.

Associated Banc announced that its board has approved a stock buyback plan 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 shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually an indication that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

More Associated Banc News

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.

Associated Banc Company Profile

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.