Core Viewpoint - HBT Financial (HBT) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) due to an upward trend in earnings estimates, indicating a positive outlook for the company's stock price [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Impact - The Zacks rating system is primarily influenced by changes in a company's earnings potential, which is strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements [4][6]. - Rising earnings estimates for HBT Financial suggest an improvement in the company's underlying business, likely leading to increased stock prices as investors respond positively [5][10]. Zacks Rating System - The Zacks Rank stock-rating system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with a strong historical performance, particularly for Zacks Rank 1 stocks, which have generated an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7][9]. - HBT Financial's upgrade to Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, indicating a strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10]. Earnings Estimate Revisions for HBT Financial - For the fiscal year ending December 2025, HBT Financial is expected to earn $2.50 per share, with a 0.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past three months [8].

Financial Performance - Net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $49,986 thousand, up from $47,733 thousand in the same period of 2024, representing an increase of 4.7%[14] - Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $58,070 thousand, compared to $51,508 thousand for the same period in 2024, marking a year-over-year increase of 12.5%[14] - Earnings per share (diluted) for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $0.63, compared to $0.57 for the same period in 2024, reflecting an increase of 10.5%[14] - Total comprehensive income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $77,716,000, up from $69,682,000 in 2024, reflecting an increase of 11.6%[16] - Other comprehensive income for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $5,620,000, compared to $15,667,000 in 2024, indicating a decrease of 64.1%[16] Asset and Deposit Growth - Total assets increased slightly to $5,035,027 thousand as of September 30, 2025, compared to $5,032,902 thousand at December 31, 2024, reflecting a growth of approximately 0.04%[12] - Total deposits increased to $4,347,187 thousand as of September 30, 2025, compared to $4,318,254 thousand at December 31, 2024, indicating a growth of 0.67%[12] - The total stockholders' equity as of September 30, 2025, was $599,129,000, an increase from $537,662,000 as of September 30, 2024, representing an increase of 11.4%[18] Credit Losses and Provisions - The allowance for credit losses decreased slightly to $41,900 thousand as of September 30, 2025, from $42,044 thousand at December 31, 2024[12] - The company reported a provision for credit losses of $596 thousand for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $603 thousand in the same period of 2024[14] - The company reported a provision for credit losses of $1,698,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $2,306,000 in 2024, a decrease of 26.4%[20] - Total charge-offs for the three months ended September 30, 2025, amounted to $723,000, while for the same period in 2024, it was $1,101,000, reflecting a reduction of 34.3%[62] - The total provision for credit losses for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $1,466,000, compared to $1,983,000 for the same period in 2024, indicating a decrease of 26.0%[62] Loan Portfolio - The company reported a net decrease in loans of $78,157,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, compared to a decrease of $42,815,000 in 2024[22] - As of September 30, 2025, total loans before allowance for credit losses amounted to $3,400,029 thousand, a decrease from $3,466,146 thousand as of December 31, 2024, reflecting a decline of approximately 1.9%[57] - The total amount of loans classified as "Pass" was $3,215,114 thousand as of September 30, 2025, which is a slight decrease from $3,264,396 thousand as of December 31, 2024, representing a decline of about 1.5%[87] - The total amount of loans classified as "Substandard" is $80,093,000, which is a decrease from $24,731,000 in 2024, indicating a reduction of about 67.6%[91] Capital Adequacy - As of September 30, 2025, the total capital to risk-weighted assets ratio for HBT Financial, Inc. was 16.77%, exceeding the required 8.00%[142] - The Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets ratio was 15.67% as of September 30, 2025, above the minimum requirement of 6.00%[142] - Common Equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets ratio stood at 14.35% as of September 30, 2025, surpassing the required 4.50%[142] - The actual total capital for HBT Financial, Inc. was $650,579 thousand as of September 30, 2025[142] Interest Rate and Economic Impact - The cumulative deposit beta during the recent rising rate cycle (Q4 2021 to Q2 2024) was 23.6%, while it has decreased to 16.5% since the start of the current falling rate cycle (Q3 2024)[318] - The estimated impact on Economic Value of Equity (EVE) shows a decrease of 10.7% with a -100 basis point change in interest rates for September 30, 2025[321] - For a +400 basis point increase in interest rates, the estimated net interest income increase is 6.0% for Year 1 and 15.4% for Year 2 as of September 30, 2025[321] - The company utilizes rate shock analysis to monitor the impact of interest rate changes on net interest income and EVE[316] Risk Management - The company is focused on enhancing its risk management framework and internal controls to mitigate potential cybersecurity threats and other operational risks[10] - Credit risk is managed through well-defined underwriting criteria and portfolio diversification to mitigate concentration risk[322] - The company actively manages credit risk through an independent loan review process to ensure compliance with loan policies[322]

Core Viewpoint - Investors in HBT Financial, Inc. should closely monitor the stock due to significant movements in the options market, particularly the high implied volatility of the Nov 21, 2025 $17.50 Put option [1] Company Analysis - HBT Financial is currently rated as a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) within the Banks - Northeast industry, which ranks in the top 14% of the Zacks Industry Rank [3] - Over the past 60 days, one analyst has raised the earnings estimates for the current quarter, resulting in an increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate from earnings of 62 cents per share to 64 cents [3] Options Market Insights - The high implied volatility surrounding HBT Financial suggests that options traders are anticipating a significant price movement, which could indicate an upcoming event that may lead to a substantial rally or sell-off [2][4] - Seasoned options traders often seek out options with high implied volatility to sell premium, aiming to benefit from the decay of the option's value as expiration approaches [4]

Group 1 - The article does not provide any relevant content regarding company or industry insights [1]

Core Insights - HBT Financial, Inc. reported a third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $0.65, exceeding estimates and showing year-over-year improvement [2][6] - The company's revenue for the quarter was approximately $59.8 million, reflecting a 6% increase compared to the same period last year, despite being slightly below estimates [2][6] Financial Performance - The EPS of $0.65 surpassed the estimated $0.62 and improved from the previous year's EPS of $0.61 [2][6] - Revenue of $59.8 million was slightly below the estimated $60.8 million but represented a 6% year-over-year increase [2][6] Strategic Moves - HBT's merger with CNB Bank Shares is aimed at enhancing future earnings growth, presenting both opportunities and potential integration costs [3][6] - The company maintains a strong net interest margin and solid asset quality, which are essential for financial stability and growth prospects [3][6] Valuation Metrics - HBT has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 9.92, indicating market valuation of its earnings [4] - The price-to-sales ratio is about 2.61, reflecting its market value relative to sales [4] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is around 2.87, showing the company's total valuation compared to its revenue [4] Financial Health - HBT's low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17 indicates conservative use of debt [5] - The current ratio of 0.19 suggests potential liquidity challenges in meeting short-term obligations [5] - The company's earnings yield of about 10.08% provides a favorable return on investment for shareholders [5]

Core Insights - HBT Financial reported strong quarterly results, leading to a stock price increase of over 4%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 index's 1.1% gain [1] Financial Performance - For the third quarter, HBT Financial generated total revenue of $59.8 million, up from $56.4 million in the same period of 2024 [2] - Non-GAAP net income rose by 6% year-over-year to just under $20.5 million, equating to $0.65 per share, surpassing analysts' expectations of $0.62 per share [2][3] Asset Quality and Loan Growth - The company highlighted its asset quality as a key growth factor, with a non-performing assets ratio of less than 0.2% [3] - HBT's loans increased by more than 6% on an annualized basis, attributed to higher loan pipelines, indicating effective management of this critical business segment [4]

Core Insights - HBT Financial, Inc. reported its Q3 2025 earnings, showing modest growth during the three-month period, indicating a stable performance but not exceptional [1]. Financial Performance - The earnings report reflects a solid but not remarkable growth trajectory for HBT Financial, suggesting that the company remains a consistent player in the market [1].

Core Insights - HBT Financial, Inc. reported its Q3 2025 earnings, showing modest growth during the three-month period, indicating a stable performance but not exceptional [1]. Company Performance - The earnings report reflects a company that has been solid in its operations, although it has not been a standout performer in the market [1]. Market Perspective - The financial market is viewed as efficient, with most stocks reflecting their real current value, suggesting that investment opportunities may lie in less-followed stocks or those not accurately reflecting market opportunities [1].

Core Insights - HBT Financial reported a revenue of $59.84 million for the quarter ended September 2025, reflecting a 6% increase year-over-year and a slight surprise of +0.06% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $59.8 million [1] - The earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $0.65, up from $0.61 in the same quarter last year, with an EPS surprise of +4.84% compared to the consensus estimate of $0.62 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Net interest margin (FTE) stood at 4.2%, matching the average estimate from two analysts [4] - Average balances of interest-earning assets were reported at $4.8 billion, slightly above the $4.75 billion average estimate [4] - Net charge-offs to average loans were 0%, better than the average estimate of 0.1% [4] - The efficiency ratio was 53.2%, slightly better than the average estimate of 53.5% [4] - Net interest income (FTE) was $50.54 million, exceeding the average estimate of $50.1 million [4] - Total noninterest income was reported at $9.85 million, below the average estimate of $10.01 million [4] - Wealth management fees reached $3.12 million, surpassing the average estimate of $2.88 million [4] Stock Performance - HBT Financial's shares have returned -9.2% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.1% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]

Q3 2025 Results Presentation October 20, 2025 Forward-Looking Statements Readers should note that in addition to the historical information contained herein, this presentation contains, and future oral and written statements of the Company and its management may contain, "forward-looking statements" within the meanings of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-loo ...