Core Insights - Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. (SYBT) operates in the competitive U.S. banking sector, providing a range of services including personal and business banking, wealth management, and investment services [1][6] Financial Performance - SYBT's Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is 7.91%, while its Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) is 13.52%, resulting in a ROIC to WACC ratio of 0.58, indicating inefficient capital utilization [2][6] - In comparison, Lakeland Financial Corporation (LKFN) has a ROIC of 10.40% and a WACC of 13.82%, leading to a ROIC to WACC ratio of 0.75, which also suggests challenges in capital efficiency [3] - Republic Bancorp, Inc. (RBCAA) shows a ROIC of 9.04% and a WACC of 8.50%, resulting in a ROIC to WACC ratio of 1.06, indicating effective capital utilization and better growth prospects compared to SYBT [4] - TriCo Bancshares (TCBK) and S&T Bancorp, Inc. (STBA) have negative ROIC to WACC ratios of -0.54 and -0.20, respectively, indicating struggles with capital efficiency [5][6]

分组1 - First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) reported quarterly earnings of $0.8 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.78 per share, and up from $0.71 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +2.56% [1] - The company posted revenues of $239.99 million for the quarter ended December 2025, which was below the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.35%, compared to $225.53 million in the same quarter last year [2] - First Financial shares have increased approximately 9.1% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.9% [3] 分组2 - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.73 on revenues of $251 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $3.17 on revenues of $1.06 billion [7] - The Zacks Industry Rank for Banks - Midwest is in the top 36% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook for the industry [8] - First Financial Corp. (THFF), another company in the same industry, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.71 per share, reflecting a year-over-year change of +24.8% [9]

分组1 - Park National (PRK) reported quarterly earnings of $2.93 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.77 per share, and showing an increase from $2.36 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +5.90% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $144.3 million for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.26%, and up from $134.51 million in the same quarter last year [2] - Park National has consistently outperformed consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters, achieving this four times [2] 分组2 - The stock has gained approximately 5.1% since the beginning of the year, compared to a 1% gain in the S&P 500 [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $2.74 on revenues of $140.1 million, while for the current fiscal year, the estimate is $11.45 on revenues of $576.29 million [7] - The Zacks Industry Rank indicates that the Banks - Midwest sector is currently in the bottom 38% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges for stocks in this sector [8]

分组1 - Old Second Bancorp (OSBC) reported quarterly earnings of $0.58 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.53 per share, and up from $0.44 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +9.43% [1] - The company posted revenues of $95.21 million for the quarter ended December 2025, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.47%, but increased from $73.19 million year-over-year [2] - Old Second Bancorp shares have increased approximately 4.5% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with a 0.7% decline in the S&P 500 [3] 分组2 - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.50 on revenues of $93.6 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $2.14 on revenues of $386 million [7] - The Zacks Industry Rank indicates that the Banks - Midwest sector is currently in the bottom 34% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges for stocks in this category [8] - The estimate revisions trend for Old Second Bancorp was mixed ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market [6]

Core Insights - U.S. markets are experiencing an upswing, leading investors to seek opportunities in bank stocks, which have shown positive performance after a dip in April due to tariff plans [1] - The optimism in the banking sector is attributed to trade clarity and interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, although inflationary pressures and geopolitical uncertainties remain concerns [1] Bank Stocks with Dividend Increases - Investors are advised to focus on fundamentally solid banks that provide robust dividend yields, which can offer stability and income during volatile times [2] - Four bank stocks highlighted for their recent dividend hikes are ServisFirst Bancshares, Fulton Financial Corporation, First Financial Corporation, and Norwood Financial Corp, all of which have seen their stock prices rally over 3% in the past month [3][9] ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. (SFBS) - Headquartered in Birmingham, AL, SFBS has $17.6 billion in assets as of September 30, 2025 [7] - Announced a quarterly cash dividend of 38 cents per share, a 13.4% increase from the previous payout, with a dividend yield of 1.84% and a payout ratio of 28% [8] - Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 sales indicates a 16.2% year-over-year rise, with earnings expected to grow by 21.8% [12] Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT) - Based in Lancaster, PA, FULT has $32 billion in assets and operates 200 financial centers [13] - Announced a quarterly cash dividend of 19 cents per share, a 5.6% increase, with a dividend yield of 3.57% and a payout ratio of 34% [14] - Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 sales suggests an 8.5% increase, while earnings are expected to grow by 11.9% [17] First Financial Corporation (THFF) - Operates in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia with $5.7 billion in assets [18] - Announced a quarterly cash dividend of 56 cents per share, a 9.8% increase, with a dividend yield of 3.19% and a payout ratio of 33% [19] - Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 sales indicates an 18.5% rise, with earnings expected to surge by 64.8% [22] Norwood Financial Corp. (NWFL) - Offers a variety of financial services with $2.4 billion in assets as of September 30, 2025 [23] - Announced a quarterly cash dividend of 32 cents per share, a 3.1% increase, with a dividend yield of 4.18% and a payout ratio of 47% [24] - Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 sales indicates a 23.1% rise, while earnings are expected to jump by 60.1% [27] Conclusion on Dividend Stocks - Investing in dividend stocks is seen as a prudent strategy for generating steady income and providing a buffer against market risks, although careful selection is necessary to ensure consistent returns [26]

Core Insights - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a prominent financial institution in the United States, offering a variety of banking services and competing with entities like First Financial Corporation Indiana [1] Financial Performance - Huntington Bancshares demonstrates strong profitability metrics with a net margin of 18.06%, return on equity of 12.14%, and return on assets of 1.09%, although these figures are slightly lower than those of First Financial Corporation Indiana, which has a net margin of 21.70%, return on equity of 12.99%, and return on assets of 1.33% [3][6] Analyst Recommendations - Analyst ratings for Huntington Bancshares include 1 sell rating, 3 hold ratings, 15 buy ratings, and 3 strong buy ratings, resulting in a rating score of 2.91, compared to First Financial Corporation Indiana's score of 2.80, which includes 0 sell ratings, 2 hold ratings, 2 buy ratings, and 1 strong buy rating [4][6] Stock Performance - The current stock price of Huntington Bancshares is $16.27, with a market capitalization of approximately $23.74 billion. The stock has fluctuated between $16.13 and $16.37 today, and over the past year, it has ranged from a low of $11.92 to a high of $18.33, with a trading volume of 32.97 million shares indicating active investor interest [5][6]

Group 1: SB Financial Group (SBFG) - SB Financial Group is a financial service holding company offering a full range of services for consumers and small businesses, including wealth management and lending [1] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and has seen a 5.4% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [1] - The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 8.47, significantly lower than the industry average of 29.50, and it has a Value Score of A [2] Group 2: First Financial Corporation Indiana (THFF) - First Financial Corporation Indiana is a multi-bank holding company providing various financial products and services across several states [3] - The company also carries a Zacks Rank of 1 and has experienced a 3.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [3] - The P/E ratio stands at 8.48, compared to the industry average of 10.20, and it has a Value Score of B [4] Group 3: Teradata (TDC) - Teradata offers an open and connected hybrid cloud analytics and data platform for AI [4] - The company holds a Zacks Rank of 1 and has seen a 7.8% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [4] - The P/E ratio is 11.30, which is lower than the industry average of 27.20, and it has a Value Score of B [5]

Group 1: Alpine Income Property Trust (PINE) - The company is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates a portfolio of single-tenant net lease commercial properties [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 2.3% over the last 60 days [1] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and offers a dividend yield of 7.1%, which is higher than the industry average of 4.7% [1] Group 2: Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMAO) - This company is a community bank holding company providing commercial and retail banking services [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 5.3% over the last 60 days [2] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and offers a dividend yield of 3.9%, compared to the industry average of 2.6% [2] Group 3: First Financial Corporation Indiana (THFF) - The company is a multi-bank holding company offering various financial products and services across several states [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 3.9% over the last 60 days [3] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and offers a dividend yield of 3.7%, which is above the industry average of 3% [3]

Core Insights - Five stocks have been added to the Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) List, indicating strong potential for investment Group 1: Company Performance - Teradata (TDC) has seen a 7.8% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [1] - SB Financial Group (SBFG) has experienced a 5.4% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [2] - Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMAO) has recorded a 5.3% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [3] - First Financial Corporation Indiana (THFF) has noted a 3.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [4] - Alpine Income Property Trust (PINE) has seen a 2.3% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [5]

Core Insights - Three stocks are highlighted with a buy rank and strong value characteristics for investors to consider on November 18th Group 1: Allstate (ALL) - Allstate is the third-largest property-casualty insurer and the largest publicly-held personal lines carrier in the U.S. [1] - The company has a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) and has seen a 26.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [1] - Allstate has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 7.55, significantly lower than the industry average of 12.80, and possesses a Value Score of A [2] Group 2: First Financial Corporation Indiana (THFF) - First Financial Corporation Indiana is a multi-bank holding company providing various financial products and services across several states [3] - The company carries a Zacks Rank 1 and has experienced a 3.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [3] - First Financial has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 8.34, compared to the industry average of 10.10, and has a Value Score of B [4] Group 3: Deutsche Bank (DB) - Deutsche Bank is the largest bank in Germany and one of the largest financial institutions globally by total assets [4] - The company holds a Zacks Rank 1 and has seen a 6.1% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [4] - Deutsche Bank has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 9.66, lower than the industry average of 12.20, and possesses a Value Score of B [5]