On Thursday, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods maintained their positive stance on shares of UMB Financial (NASDAQ:UMBF), emphasizing the stock's robust performance and potential upside. The firm reiterated its Outperform rating and a $143.00 price target for the financial services provider.
The analyst highlighted UMB Financial's strong earnings per share (EPS) revisions, both from its existing operations and from the anticipated benefits of its proposed merger with HTLF.
According to the firm, UMB Financial's valuation remains very attractive, trading at a 29% discount to its 2018 multiple, despite a 53% increase in stock price since the announcement of the HTLF deal. The company's current P/E ratio stands at 15.84x, and InvestingPro analysis suggests the stock is slightly undervalued based on its proprietary Fair Value model.
The recent meetings with UMB Financial's management have reinforced the analyst's confidence in the company's underlying business momentum and the strategic advantages of the HTLF acquisition.
The analyst noted that UMB Financial's balance sheet is solid and, assuming the completion of the HTLF deal, it is expected to maintain peer-leading profitability with an 18% return in 2026, inclusive of full cost savings. The company's strong financial position is reflected in its "GOOD" Financial Health Score from InvestingPro, which also highlights its impressive 32-year track record of consecutive dividend increases.
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods shifted to an Outperform rating for UMB Financial on May 30, 2024, and since then, the stock has shown exceptional performance. The firm has significantly increased its EPS forecasts for the company, with a 26% rise for the 2024 estimate and a 22% increase for the 2025 estimate, outpacing the median of the KRX index.
In other recent news, UMB Financial demonstrated robust financial results for the third quarter of 2024, with GAAP earnings of $109.6 million, or $2.23 per share, and operating earnings of $2.25 per share. These results were driven by a record loan production of $1.4 billion and nearly 10% annualized loan growth. The company also announced the acquisition of Heartland Financial (NASDAQ:HTLF), expected to be finalized in early 2025.
RBC (TSX:RY) Capital assigned a "Sector Perform" rating to UMB Financial, noting the company's strong growth history and clean credit quality. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) initiated coverage with an Overweight rating, citing strong trust and loan growth. Citi maintained its Buy rating and raised its price target from $127.00 to $130.00, reflecting an optimistic view of the bank's future financial performance.
These recent developments underscore UMB Financial's strong market positioning and growth strategy, particularly as it prepares to complete the acquisition of Heartland Financial. The company's management remains confident in sustaining loan growth and fee income, foreseeing double-digit organic loan growth in 2025 and approximately $9.5 billion in organic deposit growth, driven by institutional and commercial clients.
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