Wall Street has issued downbeat forecasts for the stocks in this article. These predictions are rare - financial institutions typically hesitate to say bad things about a company because it can jeopardize their other revenue-generating business lines like M&A advisory. Whatever the consensus opinion may be, our team at StockStory cuts through the noise by conducting independent analysis to determine a company’s long-term prospects. Keeping that in mind, here is one stock poised to prove Wall Street wrong ...

LAKEWOOD, N.J., Oct. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Commerce Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”), (OTC: CMRB), the holding company for First Commerce Bank (the “Bank”), today reported net income of $2.1 million and $5.1 million for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2025, respectively, as compared to $1.1 million and $3.4 million for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2024, respectively. Basic earnings per common share for the three- and nine-months ending September 30, 2025, were $0.1 ...

Core Points - Sierra Bancorp has announced a new share repurchase program allowing the repurchase of up to 1,000,000 shares of its common stock, effective after the current program expires on October 31, 2025, and continuing until October 31, 2026 [1] - The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share, marking its 107th consecutive quarterly cash dividend, to be paid on November 14, 2025 [2] Company Overview - Sierra Bancorp is the parent company of Bank of the Sierra, which has been operating for 48 years and is one of the largest independent banks in the South San Joaquin Valley [3] - Bank of the Sierra offers a wide range of retail and commercial banking services through full-service branches across several counties in California and maintains an online branch [3] - In 2025, Bank of the Sierra was recognized as one of the strongest community banks in the country, receiving a 5-star rating from Bauer Financial [3]

Financial Performance - As of September 30, 2025, total assets reached $2.2 billion[7] - Net income decreased by 34.3%, from $7.83 million on 9/30/2024 to $5.146 million on 9/30/2025[74] - Net interest income increased by 33.4%, from $18.87 million on 9/30/2024 to $25.174 million on 9/30/2025[74] - The net interest margin remained stable at 4.83% as of September 30, 2025, compared to 4.83% on September 30, 2024[74] - Shareholder equity increased by 35.18%, from $181.942 million on 9/30/2024 to $245.950 million on 9/30/2025[36] Deposits and Loans - Total deposits reached $1.82 billion as of September 30, 2025[41] - The cost of deposits was 0.6% as of September 30, 2025[41] - Total loans reached $1.496 billion as of September 30, 2025, with a yield of 6.24%[53] - Government guaranteed loans represented approximately 7% of total loans as of September 30, 2025[69] Capital Ratios - Tangible common equity to total assets was 9.4% as of September 30, 2025, a decrease of 11.32% from 10.6% on September 30, 2024[36] - CET1 Ratio was 14.3% as of September 30, 2025, a decrease of 15.38% from 16.9% on September 30, 2024[36]

Group 1 - KeyCorp is considered a relatively cheap stock within the S&P 500, with significant projected growth of 22% next year while trading at just under 11 times next year's earnings [1] - The company provides a range of banking services including retail and commercial banking, capital markets, investment banking, and wealth management [2] - KeyCorp is currently in an expansion mode rather than being in a sell mode, and it offers a dividend yield of 4.5% [2]

Providence, Rhode Island-based Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (CFG) operates as a bank holding company, providing retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations, and institutions in the US. With a market cap of $23.1 billion, the company operates through Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking segments. Companies worth $10 billion or more are generally referred to as “large-cap stocks.” CFG fits right into that category, ...

US-based PNC Financial Services Group has signed a definitive agreement to acquire FirstBank Holding Company, which includes its banking subsidiary, FirstBank. The acquisition will involve approximately 13.9 million shares of PNC common stock and $1.2bn in cash, valuing the transaction at $4.1bn. FirstBank, which had $26.8bn in assets as of 30 June 2025, offers retail and commercial banking services in Colorado and Arizona, through 95 branches. In a statement, PNC said the merger will elevate Colorado t ...

Core Insights - Mercantile Bank Corporation and Eastern Michigan Financial Corporation have entered into a definitive merger agreement valued at approximately $95.8 million, enhancing Mercantile's position as Michigan's largest bank by total assets [1][2][10] - The merger will result in a combined company with total assets of $6.7 billion, total loans of $4.9 billion, and total deposits of $5.2 billion [1][10] Partnership Benefits - The merger strategically expands Mercantile Bank's operating footprint, adding 12 Eastern branches to its existing 45-location network, particularly in Eastern and Southeast Michigan [2][3] - Eastern Michigan Bank has a strong deposit base with a cost of deposits of 42 basis points and a loan-to-deposit ratio of 46%, providing substantial liquidity to the combined entity [2][3] Financial Details - The transaction involves Mercantile issuing 0.7116 shares of its common stock plus $32.32 in cash for each outstanding share of EFIN, resulting in an aggregate consideration of $95.8 million [9][10] - The merger is expected to be approximately 11% accretive to Mercantile's dilutive earnings per share once cost savings are fully realized, with tangible book value dilution at closing expected to be around 5.8% [10][11] Operational Integration - Mercantile Bank plans a full core banking system transformation in partnership with Jack Henry, leveraging Eastern's 40 years of operational experience on the platform to ensure a smooth transition [5][6] - The system transformation is scheduled for completion within the first quarter of 2027, with Eastern operating under its existing charter until then [6][11] Cultural Alignment - Both institutions share a commitment to their Michigan roots and community service, which will facilitate a seamless integration process [7][8] - Eastern's executive leadership will remain in place, with Oldford serving as Regional Market President, ensuring continuity in operations [8][11]

Core Insights - BCB Bank has promoted Daniel A. Araujo to Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer, reflecting the bank's commitment to a customer-first approach and organizational excellence [1][5] - Araujo has over 20 years of experience in the lending industry, having previously held significant roles at Citizens Bank and Investors Bank, where he led critical lending initiatives [2][3] - In his new role, Araujo will oversee credit policy, risk governance, and portfolio strategy, while enhancing customer experience through strategic vision and collaboration [4] Company Overview - BCB Community Bank, established in 2000 and headquartered in Bayonne, N.J., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BCB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BCBP) [6] - The bank operates twenty-three branches in New Jersey and four branches in New York, offering a wide range of loans, deposit products, and banking services to businesses and individuals [6]