Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence through various resources [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to help investors select stocks with the highest potential to outperform the market in the short term [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - Stocks are rated A, B, C, D, or F based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, with higher scores indicating better performance potential [3] - The Style Scores are categorized into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score [3][4][5][6] Value Score - The Value Style Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [3] Growth Score - The Growth Style Score evaluates stocks based on projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow to identify those with sustainable growth potential [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Style Score assesses stocks based on price trends and earnings estimate changes, helping investors capitalize on upward or downward price movements [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to identify stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and promising momentum [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in building successful portfolios, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically yielding an average annual return of +23.83% since 1988 [7][10] - Stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B are recommended for maximizing returns [9] Stock Highlight: Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) - Fifth Third Bancorp, with assets of $212.9 billion as of September 30, 2025, operates 1,102 banking centers across 11 states [11] - The company holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and a VGM Score of A, indicating strong investment potential [11][12] - It features a Value Style Score of A, supported by a forward P/E ratio of 12.35, and has seen positive earnings estimate revisions, with the consensus estimate rising to $4.03 per share [12]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are evaluating Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) and The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BK) for potential undervalued stock opportunities [1] Group 1: Valuation Metrics - FITB has a forward P/E ratio of 12.61, while BK has a forward P/E of 14.29 [5] - FITB's PEG ratio is 1.03, indicating a favorable earnings growth expectation compared to BK's PEG ratio of 1.11 [5] - FITB's P/B ratio is 1.68, compared to BK's P/B of 2.08, suggesting that FITB is more undervalued relative to its book value [6] Group 2: Earnings Outlook - Both FITB and BK have a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook supported by analyst estimate revisions [3] - FITB has been assigned a Value grade of B, while BK has a Value grade of D, highlighting FITB's stronger valuation metrics [6][7] Group 3: Investment Recommendation - Based on the valuation figures, FITB is considered the superior value option compared to BK at this time [7]

Index Changes - S&P Dow Jones Indices will implement changes to the S&P MidCap 400 and S&P SmallCap 600 indices effective January 30 and February 2, 2026 [1][3] - TTM Technologies (TTMI) will be added to the S&P MidCap 400, replacing Civitas Resources (CIVI), which is being acquired by SM Energy [1][3] - Amneal Pharmaceuticals (AMRX) will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600, replacing TTM Technologies [1][3] - Dutch Bros (BROS), Advanced Energy Industries (AEIS), and American Healthcare REIT (AHR) will be added to the S&P MidCap 400 on February 2, 2026, with Comerica (CMA), Cadence Bank (CADE), and PotlatchDeltic (PCH) being removed [1][3] - Apellis Pharmaceuticals (APLS) and LegalZoom.com (LZ) will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600, replacing Advanced Energy Industries and Elme Communities (ELME), respectively [1][3] Acquisition Details - SM Energy is acquiring Civitas Resources, and the deal is expected to close soon, with SM Energy remaining in the S&P SmallCap 600 post-merger [3] - Rayonier is acquiring PotlatchDeltic, and will remain in the S&P MidCap 400 after the merger [3] - Fifth Third Bancorp is acquiring Comerica, which will also remain in the S&P MidCap 400 post-acquisition [3] - Huntington Bancshares is acquiring Cadence Bank, with Cadence being removed from the S&P MidCap 400 [3] - Elme Communities is undergoing liquidation activities, making it no longer suitable for the S&P SmallCap 600 [3]

Fifth Third Bancorp to Participate in the BofA Securities 2026 Financial Services ConferenceJan 27, 2026 3:53 PM Eastern Standard Time# Fifth Third Bancorp to Participate in the BofA Securities 2026 Financial Services ConferenceShare---CINCINNATI--([BUSINESS WIRE])--Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: FITB) will participate in the BofA Securities 2026 Financial Services Conference on February 10, 2026, at approximately 2:40 PM ET. Jamie Leonard, executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Brennen Wil ...

Core Viewpoint - Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB) is experiencing mixed sentiment among institutional investors, with a new price target set by Truist Financial indicating potential upside, while some investors are reducing their stakes significantly [1][2][5]. Group 1: Company Overview - Fifth Third Bancorp is a financial services company based in Cincinnati, Ohio, offering services such as commercial banking, consumer lending, and wealth management [1]. - The company competes with major banks like U.S. Bancorp and PNC Financial Services [1]. Group 2: Price Target and Stock Performance - Truist Financial has set a price target of $60 for FITB, suggesting a potential increase of 19.45% from its current trading price of $50.23 [1][5]. - FITB's stock is currently trading at $50.16, down 1.14% or $0.58, with a trading range today between $50.11 and $51.10 [4]. Group 3: Institutional Investor Activity - iA Global Asset Management Inc. has reduced its stake in FITB by 93.6%, now holding only 1,982 shares valued at $88,000 after selling 29,217 shares [2]. - Conversely, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. has initiated a new stake in FITB valued at approximately $26,000, while Activest Wealth Management has increased its investment by over 1,000%, now owning 686 shares worth $28,000 [3].

Key insight: Eastern Bankshares' CEO hardened his stance against future bank M&A deals. The comments came three months after activist investor HoldCo Asset Management criticized the bank's M&A strategy and urged it to consider selling itself.What's at stake: Like other banks that HoldCo has recently scrutinized, Eastern has backed away from the idea of doing more bank acquisitions and has said it's leaning into more share buyback activity.Forward look: Eastern executives said they expect to pursue another s ...

Core Insights - Fifth Third received a 5-star rating in USA Today's inaugural America's Best Customer Service for Financial Services study, highlighting its commitment to customer service excellence [1] Company Recognition - The recognition is based on customer feedback, emphasizing the importance of customer satisfaction in the financial services sector [1] - Jamie Leonard, the chief operating officer at Fifth Third, expressed honor in receiving this acknowledgment, reinforcing the company's focus on building strong customer relationships [1]

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB) today announced a planned leadership transition within its Credit organization following the upcoming retirement of Greg Schroeck, chief credit officer, after nearly 40 years of distinguished service. Kristof Schneider, currently deputy chief credit officer, will succeed Schroeck. Schneider will join Fifth Third's Enterprise management team, the Bank's senior-most governing body, and report to Bob Shaffer, chief risk officer. Schro. ...

Core Insights - Pinnacle Financial Partners is aggressively hiring, planning to add 225 to 250 revenue-producing bankers in 2026 and 250 to 275 in 2027 [2][11] - The bank's hiring targets for 2026 represent a potential increase of 15% at the high end compared to the previous year, where a combined total of 217 bankers were hired [3][4] - The merger with Synovus Financial has created a combined entity with approximately $117 billion in assets, nearly double the size of each bank prior to the merger [5] Hiring Strategy - The bank is focusing on recruiting experienced bankers in the Southeast, leveraging market disruptions caused by mergers and acquisitions [2][5] - CEO Kevin Blair emphasized a direct approach to hiring, avoiding traditional recruitment methods and instead targeting top bankers in each market [5][6] Market Position and Growth - The combined bank operates in nine states, including Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida, which are seen as having strong growth potential [7] - Loan growth is projected to be 9% to 11% higher by the end of 2026, with contributions expected from newly hired relationship managers and specialty businesses [9] Financial Outlook - Deposits are anticipated to reach between $106.5 billion and $108.5 billion by year-end, up from a combined total of $98.7 billion at the end of last year [10] - The bank expects to achieve $100 million in annualized merger-related expense savings this year, with a systems conversion planned for March 2027 [12]

Core Insights - The U.S. banking industry is undergoing a historic wave of consolidation driven by a loose financial environment and relaxed regulatory policies, with regional banks aggressively pursuing mergers and acquisitions to expand their scale and enhance financial system stability [1][3] Group 1: Mergers and Acquisitions - PNC Financial Services Group has completed a $4.1 billion acquisition of FirstBank, while Fifth Third Bancorp is set to finalize a $10.9 billion acquisition of Dallas-based LegacyTexas [1] - The mergers are concentrated in fast-growing regions like Texas and Colorado, indicating a strategic intent by banks to capture high-growth markets [1] - Analysts from Jefferies highlight that regional lenders such as M&T Bank, Citizens Financial Group, and KeyCorp are seen as "ripe for acquisition" [2] Group 2: Regulatory Environment - The relaxation of regulatory scrutiny under the Trump administration has facilitated these mergers, with agencies like the OCC and FDIC easing restrictions on transactions [1][3] - The current financial environment, characterized by high interest rates and low credit losses, has left many U.S. banks with excess capital, making stock-based acquisitions more attractive [1][3] Group 3: Market Dynamics - The U.S. banking landscape is highly imbalanced, with JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo controlling over 30% of household deposits, while many smaller banks hold only single-digit market shares [3] - Mergers are becoming essential for smaller banks to survive due to high technology investment and compliance costs, as larger banks can outspend them significantly [3] Group 4: Importance of Physical Branches - Acquiring deposits is a core challenge for banks, and significant market share growth from retail customers is nearly impossible without mergers [4] - The merger of BB&T and SunTrust to form Truist Financial exemplifies how combining resources can lead to a substantial increase in market share [4] - Physical branches remain crucial, as evidenced by JPMorgan Chase's expansion of 1,000 branches since 2018, which significantly boosts product sales per customer [4] Group 5: Financial Stability - The consolidation of banks into "super regional banks" may enhance financial stability by diversifying the banking landscape, reducing reliance on a few large institutions [6] - These super regional banks maintain simpler and more focused business models compared to global giants, potentially providing more stability in times of crisis [6] Group 6: Future Acquisition Targets - The market is focused on potential acquirers and targets, with PNC and Fifth Third leading recent transactions [7] - Wells Fargo, having recently lifted asset cap restrictions, may be a key player in future mergers, as its market share has declined to 7.7%, creating opportunities for strategic acquisitions [7]