Momentum investing revolves around the idea of following a stock's recent trend in either direction. In "long context," investors will be essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." With this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving that way. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.While many investors like to look for momentum i ...

Core Insights - United Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:UBSI) is recognized as one of the Best Low Risk Stocks for a Retirement Stock Portfolio [1] - Stephens analyst Russell Gunther raised the price target for UBSI to $44 from $40, maintaining an Equal Weight rating, citing strong operating EPS that exceeded estimates [2] - The company's profitability metrics include a net income of $128.8 million for Q4 2025, translating to $0.91 per diluted share, with annualized returns of 1.52% on average assets, 9.31% on average equity, and 14.86% on average tangible equity [3] Financial Performance - United Bankshares reported a net income of $128.8 million for Q4 2025, with earnings per diluted share at $0.91 [3] - The acquisition of Piedmont Bancorp, which closed on January 10, 2025, positively impacted average balances, income, and expenses compared to the previous year [3] - The company executed share repurchases of approximately 3.6 million shares at an average price of $35.24 per share in 2025, with no repurchases made in 2024 [4] Investment Considerations - UBSI's excess capital is being utilized for share buybacks, which supports its premium valuation compared to peers [2] - The company operates primarily through its community banking business as the parent of United Bank [4]

Company Overview - United Bankshares (UBSI) is based in Charleston and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 11.33% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.38 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.56%, which is significantly higher than the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 2.06% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.35% [3] Dividend Information - The annualized dividend of United Bankshares is $1.52, reflecting a 2% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, the company has increased its dividend two times on a year-over-year basis, with an average annual increase of 1.39% [4] - The current payout ratio is 49%, indicating that the company pays out 49% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings per share in 2026 is $3.41, which represents a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 4.28% [5] - The company is viewed as a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and solid earnings growth prospects [6]

分组1 - United Bankshares (UBSI) reported quarterly earnings of $0.91 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.86 per share, and up from $0.69 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +6.22% [1] - The company posted revenues of $319.19 million for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.18%, and compared to year-ago revenues of $262.72 million [2] - United Bankshares has outperformed the S&P 500 with a gain of about 11.4% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 gained 0.4% [3] 分组2 - The current consensus EPS estimate for the coming quarter is $0.82 on revenues of $314.15 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $3.41 on revenues of $1.28 billion [7] - The Zacks Industry Rank for Banks - Southeast is currently in the top 32% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook for the industry [8] - TowneBank (TOWN), another company in the same industry, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.72 per share, reflecting a year-over-year change of +30.9% [9]

Financial Performance - United Bankshares, Inc. reported record earnings for 2025 of $464.6 million, or $3.27 per diluted share, representing a 24.5% increase from 2024 earnings of $373.0 million, or $2.75 per diluted share [2][17]. - Net interest income for 2025 increased by $191.1 million, or 21%, to a record $1.1 billion, driven by a rise in average earning assets and lower average rates paid on deposits [18]. - Noninterest income for 2025 was $135.2 million, an increase of $11.5 million, or 9%, primarily due to net gains on investment securities and increased fees from brokerage services [20]. - Net income for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $464,603,000, an increase from $372,996,000 in 2024, which is a 24.5% rise [40]. - Net interest income rose to $1,105,314 thousand for the year ended December 2025, compared to $914,430 thousand for the previous year, reflecting an increase of 20.83% [54]. Credit Losses and Asset Quality - The provision for credit losses for 2025 was $53.9 million, which included $18.7 million related to purchased non-credit deteriorated loans from the Piedmont acquisition [19]. - The provision for credit losses for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $53,866,000, significantly higher than $25,153,000 in 2024, indicating increased risk management measures [40]. - As of December 31, 2025, non-performing loans (NPLs) were $101.5 million, or 0.41% of loans & leases, net of unearned income, down from $116.9 million, or 0.48% at September 30, 2025 [24]. - Non-performing loans as a percentage of total loans and leases stood at 0.41% in December 2025, compared to 0.34% in December 2024, showing a slight deterioration in asset quality [57]. Expenses and Efficiency - Noninterest expense for 2025 was $600.1 million, including $12.7 million in merger-related expenses, reflecting an increase of $55.1 million, or 10%, from 2024 [22]. - Noninterest expense related to the reserve for unfunded loan commitments increased by $10.0 million in 2025, largely due to merger-related expenses from the Piedmont acquisition [22]. - The efficiency ratio improved to 47.65% in December 2025, down from 51.23% in December 2024, indicating better cost management [57]. Capital and Shareholder Returns - United's estimated risk-based capital ratio was 15.7% at December 31, 2025, well above the regulatory requirement of 10.0% for a well-capitalized institution [28]. - The Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio was estimated at 13.4% at December 31, 2025, exceeding the regulatory minimum of 6.5% [28]. - Cash dividends per share increased to $0.38 in Q4 2025, up from $0.37 in Q4 2024, indicating a commitment to returning value to shareholders [40]. - Common dividends declared per share increased to $0.38 in December 2025 from $0.37 in September 2025, reflecting a growth of 2.70% [49]. - The company reported a dividend payout ratio of 41.50% for December 2025, compared to 40.12% in September 2025, indicating a slight increase in the proportion of earnings distributed as dividends [49]. Asset Growth and Composition - Average earning assets increased by $3.0 billion, or 11%, from 2024, driven by a $2.5 billion increase in average net loans and loans held for sale [18]. - Total assets reached $33,660,281,000 at the end of Q4 2025, compared to $30,023,545,000 at the end of Q4 2024, a growth of 12.1% [45]. - Total assets increased to $33,587,391 thousand in December 2025, up from $33,069,770 thousand in September 2025, representing a growth of 1.57% [47]. - Total deposits increased to $27,060,939,000 in Q4 2025, up from $23,961,859,000 in Q4 2024, marking a 13.1% growth [45]. - The total deposits rose to $27,077,100 thousand in December 2025, compared to $26,635,159 thousand in September 2025, indicating a growth of 1.66% [47]. Mergers and Acquisitions - The acquisition of Piedmont Bancorp, Inc. on January 10, 2025, significantly impacted the financial results, contributing to increased average balances and income [3]. - The company recorded an allowance for loan & lease losses on acquired Piedmont non-PCD loans of $18.7 million and on acquired Piedmont PCD loans of $17.5 million during the first quarter of 2025 [25].

United Bankshares, Inc. (UBSI) Fourth Quarter & Fiscal Year 2025 Earnings Review January 22, 2026 The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: (1) the effects of and changes in trade and monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve and the trade and tariff policies; (2) general competitive, economic, political and market ...

WASHINGTON & CHARLESTON, W.Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--United Bankshares, Inc. Announces Record Earnings for the Year of 2025. ...

Market Overview - Major U.S. indexes have shown significant year-to-date gains: Nasdaq Composite up 78.1%, S&P 500 up 15.8%, and Dow Jones Industrial Average up 11.5% [1] - Despite strong performance, volatility remains as investors shift to safer sectors, moving away from high-valuation technology and AI stocks [1] - Ongoing instability from government tariff policies and economic uncertainty continues to impact market participants [1] Employment and Economic Data - The unemployment rate for September rose to 4.4%, the highest in four years, while nonfarm payrolls increased by 119,000 [2] - Retail sales in September grew by only 0.2%, below expectations, with higher prices raising affordability concerns [2] - The Producer Price Index (PPI) increased by 0.3% in September, aligning with market expectations [2] - The consumer confidence index fell to 88.7, a seven-month low, significantly below the consensus estimate of 93.5 [2] Federal Reserve Expectations - Investors are anticipating a 25-basis point cut in benchmark interest rates by the Federal Reserve in December to address labor-market softness and support growth [3] Dividend-Paying Stocks - In a volatile market, dividend-paying stocks are recommended for portfolio diversification [4] - Notable dividend-paying companies include: - **Orange County Bancorp, Inc. (OBT)**: Declared an 18-cent dividend with a yield of 1.9% [5][6] - **United Bankshares (UBSI)**: Declared a 38-cent dividend with a yield of 3.9% [7] - **Dillard's (DDS)**: Declared a $30 dividend with a yield of 0.2% [10] - **Patrick Industries (PATK)**: Declared a 47-cent dividend with a yield of 1.5% [11][12] - **Agilent Technologies (A)**: Declared a 26-cent dividend with a yield of 0.6% [13][14] - Companies with consistent dividend payouts indicate a healthy business model and tend to outperform non-dividend-paying entities in volatile markets [4]

Market Overview - Wall Street is attempting to rebound after volatility in October and November, but concerns over high inflation, economic health, and uncertainty regarding a Federal Reserve rate cut in December persist [1] - Consumer confidence remains low, which could lead to further market volatility [2] Consumer Sentiment - Consumer sentiment declined to a record low of 51 in November, down from 53.6 in October, representing a 29% year-over-year decrease [3] Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points in September and October, but high inflation remains a concern, complicating potential future cuts [4] - A shrinking labor market raises fears of a slowing economy, with expectations that the Federal Reserve may cautiously approach rate cuts in 2026 [4] Impact of Tariffs - President Trump's tariffs have increased commodity prices, leading consumers to reduce spending ahead of the holiday season, which may contribute to prolonged market volatility [5] Dividend-Paying Stocks - Cautious investors may consider dividend-paying stocks for steady income and capital protection amid market uncertainty [2] - Three notable stocks include: - **Orange County Bancorp, Inc. (OBT)**: Announced a dividend of $0.18 per share with a yield of 1.90%, having increased dividends four times in the past five years [6][7] - **Dillard's, Inc. (DDS)**: Declared a dividend of $30 per share with a yield of 0.18%, having increased dividends eight times in the past five years [8][10] - **United Bankshares, Inc. (UBSI)**: Announced a dividend of $0.38 per share with a yield of 3.93%, having increased dividends three times in the past five years [11][12]

Group 1 - The article does not provide any specific content related to a company or industry [1]