Alerus Financial (ALRS) Hit a 52 Week High, Can the Run Continue?

Company Performance - Alerus (ALRS) shares have increased by 2.9% over the past month, reaching a new 52-week high of $24.42 [1] - Year-to-date, Alerus has gained 7.2%, outperforming the Zacks Finance sector's 19.1% but underperforming the Zacks Financial - Miscellaneous Services industry's -8.2% [1] Earnings and Revenue - Alerus has consistently exceeded earnings expectations, reporting EPS of $0.66 against a consensus estimate of $0.59 in its last earnings report on October 30, 2025, and beating revenue estimates by 2.31% [2] - For the current fiscal year, Alerus is projected to earn $2.52 per share on revenues of $287.05 million, with a year-over-year earnings growth of 0.53% [3] - The next fiscal year is expected to see earnings of $2.75 per share on revenues of $303.15 million, representing a year-over-year change of 5.61% [3] Valuation Metrics - Alerus currently trades at 9.6 times the current fiscal year EPS estimates, below the peer industry average of 11.8 times [7] - On a trailing cash flow basis, Alerus trades at 13 times, compared to the peer group's average of 11.2 times, indicating strong value positioning [7] Zacks Rank and Style Scores - Alerus holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) due to rising earnings estimates, making it a suitable choice for investors looking for stocks with strong potential [8] - The company has a Value Score of A, a Growth Score of C, and a Momentum Score of A, resulting in a combined VGM Score of A [6] Industry Comparison - Alerus is positioned well within its industry, with Pagaya Technologies Ltd. (PGY) also showing strong performance, having a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and expected earnings of $3.41 per share on revenues of $1.32 billion for the current fiscal year [9][10] - Despite the Financial - Miscellaneous Services industry ranking in the bottom 64% of all industries, Alerus and Pagaya Technologies are expected to benefit from favorable market conditions [11]