Core Insights - Boston Partners increased its stake in Heritage Commerce Corp by 2.1% in Q2, owning 1,102,707 shares valued at $10,818,000, representing 1.79% of the company [2] - Other institutional investors also increased their positions, with notable increases from MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. (4.4%), SummerHaven Investment Management LLC (1.8%), PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (143.5%), and US Bancorp DE (66.7%) [3] - 75.55% of Heritage Commerce's stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds [3] Financial Performance - Heritage Commerce reported earnings of $0.24 per share and revenue of $50.01 million for the latest quarter, with a net margin of 16.31% and return on equity of 7.20% [5] - The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.13, translating to an annualized dividend of $0.52 and a dividend yield of 4.8%, with a payout ratio of 74.29% [6] Stock Performance and Analyst Ratings - Heritage Commerce's stock opened at $10.90, with a market cap of $668 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.57, and a beta of 0.89 [4] - Analysts have issued various ratings, with Stephens and Piper Sandler raising their price targets to $12.00, while DA Davidson set a target of $12.50, and Zacks upgraded the stock to a "strong-buy" rating [7] - The consensus rating for Heritage Commerce is "Buy" with a target price of $11.50 [7] Company Overview - Heritage Commerce Corp operates as a bank holding company for Heritage Bank of Commerce, providing commercial and personal banking services in California, including various deposit products [9]

Core Viewpoint - HBT Financial, Inc. and CNB Bank Shares, Inc. have announced a definitive agreement for CNB to merge with HBT in a transaction valued at approximately $170.2 million, enhancing the combined company's market presence and operational scale [1][3][4] Company Overview - HBT Financial, Inc. is the holding company for Heartland Bank and Trust Company, with total assets of $5.0 billion, total loans of $3.4 billion, and total deposits of $4.3 billion as of September 30, 2025 [10] - CNB Bank Shares, Inc. is the holding company for CNB Bank & Trust, N.A., with total assets of $1.8 billion, total loans of $1.3 billion, and total deposits of $1.5 billion as of September 30, 2025 [11] Transaction Details - The merger will be a combined common stock/cash transaction, with CNB shareholders receiving either 1.0434 shares of HBT's common stock for each share of CNB stock, $27.73 per share in cash, or a combination of both [6][7] - The implied per share purchase price is $25.92 based on HBT's 15-day volume weighted average stock price of $24.44 as of October 17, 2025 [7] Strategic Rationale - The merger is expected to increase market density in central Illinois, the Chicago MSA, and the St. Louis MSA, enhancing product opportunities for CNB customers [3] - Both companies share a relationship-based approach to banking and a commitment to community service, making the cultural integration smoother [3][5] Approval and Timeline - The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, with shareholders holding approximately 28% of CNBN's outstanding shares agreeing to vote in favor [4] - The merger is anticipated to close in the first quarter of 2026, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals [4]