Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the "long context," investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following 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 in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.Whil ...

Company Overview - Trustmark (TRMK) is headquartered in Jackson and operates in the Finance sector, with a stock price change of 8.88% since the beginning of the year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.24 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.49%, which is higher than the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 2.34% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.5% [3] Dividend Performance - Trustmark's annualized dividend of $0.96 has increased by 4.3% from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, the company has raised its dividend once on a year-over-year basis, with an average annual increase of 0.46% [4] - The current payout ratio is 27%, indicating that the company paid out 27% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Outlook - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Trustmark's earnings in 2025 is $3.70 per share, with an expected increase of 21.71% from the previous year [5] - The company is positioned as an attractive dividend investment, supported by a strong Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [6]

Company Overview - Simmons First National (SFNC) is a bank holding company based in Pine Bluff, operating in the Finance sector. The company's shares have experienced a price change of -10.05% this year [3]. Dividend Information - SFNC currently pays a dividend of $0.21 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.26%, which is significantly higher than the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 2.34% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.51% [3]. - The annualized dividend of $0.85 has increased by 1.2% from the previous year. Over the last five years, SFNC has raised its dividend five times, achieving an average annual increase of 5.01% [4]. Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SFNC's earnings in 2025 is projected at $1.66 per share, indicating a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 17.73% [5]. Payout Ratio - SFNC has a current payout ratio of 58%, meaning it distributes 58% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4]. Investment Appeal - SFNC is characterized as an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [6].

Company Performance - First Guaranty Bancshares (FGBI) reported a quarterly loss of $0.61 per share, significantly worse than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.20, and compared to earnings of $0.53 per share a year ago, indicating an earnings surprise of -205.00% [1] - The company posted revenues of $24.4 million for the quarter ended June 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.63%, and down from $36.77 million in the same quarter last year [2] - Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times and topped consensus revenue estimates two times [2] Stock Performance - First Guaranty Bancshares shares have declined approximately 28.5% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 9.7% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.09 on revenues of $25.18 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is -$0.80 on revenues of $99.82 million [7] Industry Outlook - The Zacks Industry Rank for Banks - Southeast is currently in the top 6% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook for the industry [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can impact stock performance [5]

Company Overview - Investar (ISTR) is headquartered in Baton Rouge and operates in the Finance sector [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 0.23% since the beginning of the year [3] Dividend Information - Investar currently pays a dividend of $0.11 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2% [3] - The dividend yield of the Banks - Southeast industry is 2.38%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.49% [3] - The company's annualized dividend of $0.44 has increased by 7.3% from the previous year [4] - Over the last 5 years, Investar has raised its dividend 4 times, averaging an annual increase of 11.29% [4] - The current payout ratio is 20%, indicating that the company pays out 20% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is $1.93 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 2.12% [5] - Earnings growth appears solid for Investar in the current fiscal year [5] Investment Considerations - Investar is viewed as a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile [6] - The stock holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a neutral outlook [6]

Group 1 - Investors in Republic Bancorp, Inc. (RBCAA) should monitor the stock due to significant activity in the options market, particularly the Sep 19, 2025 $70.00 Put, which has high implied volatility [1] - Implied volatility indicates the market's expectation of future price movement, suggesting that a significant event may be anticipated that could lead to a major price change [2] - Republic Bancorp is currently rated as Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) in the Banks - Southeast industry, which is in the top 5% of the Zacks Industry Rank [3] Group 2 - Over the past 30 days, one analyst has raised earnings estimates for the current quarter, increasing the Zacks Consensus Estimate from $1.35 to $1.38 per share [3] - The high implied volatility may indicate a developing trade opportunity, as options traders often seek to sell premium on options with high implied volatility to capture decay [4]

Core Viewpoint - Investors in Cadence Bank should closely monitor stock movements due to significant implied volatility in the options market, particularly the Sep 19, 2025 $15 Put option [1] Company Analysis - Cadence Bank is currently rated as a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) within the Banks - Southeast industry, which is in the top 5% of the Zacks Industry Rank [3] - Over the past 30 days, three analysts have raised their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while one has lowered theirs, resulting in a net increase of the Zacks Consensus Estimate from 73 cents to 76 cents per share [3] Options Market Insights - The high implied volatility suggests that options traders anticipate a significant price movement for Cadence Bank shares, indicating potential upcoming events that could lead to a major rally or sell-off [2][4] - Seasoned options traders often seek high implied volatility options to sell premium, aiming to benefit from the decay of the option's value if the underlying stock does not move as much as expected [4]

Company Performance - National Bankshares (NKSH) reported quarterly earnings of $0.61 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.64 per share, compared to a loss of $0.05 per share a year ago [1] - The earnings surprise for this quarter was -4.69%, and the company has not surpassed consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters [2] - The company posted revenues of $13.27 million for the quarter ended June 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.67%, but showing an increase from year-ago revenues of $10.95 million [3] Market Comparison - National Bankshares shares have increased by approximately 3.3% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 9.6% [4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.66 on revenues of $13.87 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $2.49 on revenues of $54.04 million [8] Industry Outlook - The Zacks Industry Rank for Banks - Southeast is currently in the top 5% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook for the industry [9] - Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can impact stock performance [6]

Company Overview - Veritex Holdings (VBTX) is based in Dallas and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 13.51% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.22 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.85%, which is higher than the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 2.38% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.51% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of Veritex Holdings is $0.88, reflecting a 10% 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 3.74% [4] - The current payout ratio is 39%, indicating that the company paid out 39% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Veritex Holdings' earnings per share for 2025 is $2.23, representing a year-over-year growth rate of 2.76% [5] - The company is positioned as a strong dividend play, appealing to income investors seeking consistent cash flow [6] Investment Considerations - Veritex Holdings is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend performance and solid earnings growth prospects [6] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a stable outlook [6]

Company Overview - United Community Banks (UCB) is a bank holding company based in Greenville, operating in the Finance sector with a year-to-date share price change of -8.36% [3] Dividend Information - UCB currently pays a dividend of $0.24 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.24%, which is higher than the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 2.38% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.51% [3] - The annualized dividend of $0.96 represents a 2.1% increase from the previous year, with an average annual increase of 6.51% over the last five years [4] - The current payout ratio for UCB is 39%, indicating that the company pays out 39% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate predicts earnings of $2.64 per share, reflecting a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 14.78% [5] Investment Appeal - UCB is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its attractive dividend yield and strong Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [6]