Zacks Research Forecasts Weaker Earnings for Associated Banc

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) – Research analysts at Zacks Research dropped their Q4 2027 earnings estimates for shares of Associated Banc in a research report issued 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 previous estimate of $0.78. The consensus estimate for Associated Banc’s current full-year earnings is $2.43 per share.

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

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on ASB. Barclays lowered 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. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $30.00 price objective (up previously from $29.00) on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Monday, October 27th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 price target on shares of Associated Banc in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Associated Banc from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $29.20.

Associated Banc Trading Up 1.0%

Shares of NYSE ASB opened at $27.85 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $26.94 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $26.05. Associated Banc has a 52-week low of $18.32 and a 52-week high of $29.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.05, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.80.

Associated Banc Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd will be issued a $0.24 dividend. 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 34.66%.

Associated Banc declared that its board has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Tuesday, January 27th that authorizes the company to repurchase $100.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the bank to repurchase up to 2.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 39,401 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,143,811.03. The trade was a 27.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director John B. Williams sold 2,325 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.05, for a total value of $65,216.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 70,959 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,990,399.95. This trade represents a 3.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 53,007 shares of company stock valued at $1,418,613 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 2,033.9% during the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,195 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 1,139 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its position in Associated Banc by 46.8% in the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,279 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 408 shares in the last quarter. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. acquired a new position in Associated Banc during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Associated Banc by 345.5% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,350 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 1,047 shares during the period. Finally, Bayforest Capital Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Associated Banc during the 2nd quarter worth about $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.98% of the company’s stock.

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.