Southern Missouri Bancorp(US:SMBC) ZACKS·2025-12-08 18:01Core Viewpoint - Southern Missouri Bancorp (SMBC) has received an upgrade to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive trend in earnings estimates which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][4]. Earnings Estimates and Revisions - The Zacks rating system is based on the Zacks Consensus Estimate, which aggregates EPS estimates from sell-side analysts for the current and upcoming years [2]. - The recent upgrade reflects a 7.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Southern Missouri Bancorp over the past three months, with expected earnings of $6.05 per share for the fiscal year ending June 2026, showing no year-over-year change [9]. Impact of Institutional Investors - Changes in earnings estimates are closely linked to stock price movements, largely due to institutional investors who adjust their valuations based on these estimates, leading to significant buying or selling activity [5][6]. Zacks Rating System - The Zacks Rank system categorizes stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with a strong historical performance, particularly for Zacks Rank 1 stocks, which have averaged a +25% annual return since 1988 [8]. - The upgrade of Southern Missouri Bancorp 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][11].