COLUMBUS, Ohio and HOUSTON and TUPELO, Miss., Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (Nasdaq: HBAN) ("Huntington") and Cadence Bank (NYSE: CADE); ("Cadence") jointly announced that Cadence's shareholders have approved the proposed merger of Cadence into The Huntington National Bank and that Huntington's shareholders have approved the issuance of shares of Huntington's common stock in connection with the proposed merger at their respective special shareholder meetings held today. "T ...

Core Insights - BlackRock Inc. is a leading global investment management corporation known for its extensive portfolio and innovative financial solutions, competing with firms like Vanguard and State Street [1] Stock Performance - On December 9, 2025, Goldman Sachs analyst Alexander Blostein set a price target of $1,313 for BlackRock, indicating a potential upside of 22.6% from the current stock price of $1,070.94 [2][6] - The stock has shown significant movement, with a daily trading range between $1,059.18 and $1,076.22, and over the past year, it fluctuated from a low of $773.74 to a high of $1,219.94 [4] - The stock's recent increase of 0.84% reflects positive market sentiment towards BlackRock [3] Market Position - BlackRock has a market capitalization of approximately $165.95 billion, reinforcing its status as a dominant player in the financial sector [5][6] - The trading volume of 316,428 shares today indicates strong investor interest and confidence in the company's future prospects [5] Conference Insights - The Goldman Sachs 2025 U.S. Financial Services Conference was a pivotal event for BlackRock, allowing the company to showcase its strategies and reinforce its market presence [3][6]

Group 1 - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated will participate in the 2025 Goldman Sachs Financial Services Conference on December 10, 2025, with presentations by CEO Steve Steinour and CFO Zach Wasserman [1] - The presentation will cover business trends, financial performance, and strategic initiatives, including forward-looking statements [1] - The company is a regional bank holding company with $223 billion in assets, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and operates over 1,000 branches across 14 states [3] Group 2 - Huntington Bancshares has announced a decrease in its prime rate from 7.25% to 7.00%, effective October [4] - The company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Cadence Bank, which has $53 billion in assets [5]

Company Overview - Visa Inc. has a market cap of $599.9 billion and operates as a global payments technology company facilitating digital transactions in over 200 countries through its VisaNet network [1] - The company provides a wide range of products and services, including credit, debit, prepaid solutions, digital payment innovations, risk management, and data analytics [1] Market Position - Visa is classified as a "mega-cap" stock, serving financial institutions, merchants, governments, and consumers, and enhances its brand through partnerships with organizations like the Olympic Games, FIFA, and the NFL [2] - The stock has experienced a 12.3% decline from its 52-week high of $375.51 and a 5.9% decrease over the past three months, underperforming the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) which dropped 3.1% in the same period [3] Stock Performance - Year-to-date, Visa stock is up 4.2%, lagging behind XLF's 7.4% gain, but has risen 6.3% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming XLF's 2.3% return [4] - The stock has been trading below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since late October [4] Financial Results - In Q4 2025, Visa reported adjusted EPS of $2.98 and revenue of $10.72 billion, but shares fell 1.6% the following day due to a 13% year-over-year increase in adjusted operating expenses to $3.6 billion [5] - Free cash flow decreased by 8% to $5.8 billion, and operating cash flow declined by 6.4%, leading to cautious fiscal 2026 guidance with expectations of only low double-digit EPS growth [5] Competitive Landscape - Compared to Mastercard, which has gained 2.1% year-to-date and 3.3% over the past 52 weeks, Visa has shown stronger performance over the past year [6] - Analysts maintain a bullish outlook on Visa, with a consensus rating of "Strong Buy" from 36 analysts and a mean price target of $402.57, indicating a 22.3% premium to current levels [6]

Core Insights - Brown & Brown Inc. (NYSE:BRO) is a prominent player in the insurance brokerage industry, offering a wide range of insurance products and services, including risk management and consulting, and competes with major firms like Marsh & McLennan and Aon [1] Financial Performance - For the third quarter of 2025, Brown & Brown reported revenue of $1.61 billion, reflecting a 35.4% increase year-over-year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.51 billion by 6.61% [3][7] - The company's earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter were $1.05, up from $0.91 in the same period last year, exceeding the consensus EPS estimate of $0.90 by 16.67% [4][7] Operational Efficiency and Shareholder Initiatives - Despite higher expenses, Brown & Brown's EBITDAC margin expanded, indicating improved operational efficiency [5] - In response to strong financial results, the board approved a 10% increase in dividends and initiated a new $1.25 billion share repurchase program, demonstrating a commitment to enhancing shareholder value [5][7] Stock Performance - Currently, BRO's stock is trading at $78.57, with a market capitalization of approximately $26.83 billion, having experienced a 52-week high of $125.68 and a low of $76.96 [6]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides various tools for investors to enhance their stock market engagement and confidence [1] - The Zacks Style Scores are designed to help investors select stocks with the highest potential to outperform the market in the short term [2] Zacks Style Scores Overview - Stocks are rated from A to F based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, with A being the highest score [3] - The Style Scores are categorized into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score [3][4][5][6] Value Score - The Value Score identifies undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [3] Growth Score - The Growth Score focuses on a company's financial health and future growth potential, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends, utilizing metrics like one-week price changes and monthly earnings estimate changes [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines all three Style Scores, providing a comprehensive assessment of stocks based on value, growth, and momentum [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank uses earnings estimate revisions to guide investors, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks achieving an average annual return of +23.81% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [7] - There are over 800 stocks rated 1 or 2, making it essential to use Style Scores to narrow down choices [8] Stock Selection Strategy - Investors should prioritize stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal success [9] - The direction of earnings estimate revisions is crucial; stocks with lower ranks may still have good Style Scores but are likely to decline [10] Company Spotlight: Huntington Bancshares - Huntington Bancshares is a diversified regional bank headquartered in Columbus, OH, offering a range of financial services [11] - The company holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and has a VGM Score of B, indicating solid performance potential [11] - It features a Value Style Score of B, with a forward P/E ratio of 10.83, making it attractive to value investors [12] - Recent upward revisions in earnings estimates and a consensus estimate of $1.47 per share for fiscal 2025 highlight its growth potential [12]

Core Insights - BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, providing a wide range of financial services and products to institutional and retail clients globally [1] Earnings Expectations - BlackRock is set to release its quarterly earnings on October 14, 2025, with an expected earnings per share (EPS) of $11.53, slightly above analysts' forecast of $11.48, and a modest increase from $11.46 reported in the same period last year [2][6] - Projected revenue is approximately $6.28 billion, a significant rise from $5.2 billion a year ago, reflecting a year-over-year growth of around 20% [2][3][6] Financial Performance - The anticipated revenue growth is attributed to higher market levels and increased organic base fee revenue, along with benefits from technology services and subscriptions [3] - BlackRock's current market capitalization stands at $179 billion, with past year's revenues of $22 billion and net income of $6.4 billion, indicating strong financial health [3] Market Reactions - Despite positive projections, BlackRock's shares recently declined by 1.1%, closing at $1,166.23, amid reports of its Global Infrastructure Partners being in advanced talks to acquire Aligned Data Centers, potentially valuing the deal at $40 billion [4] - Goldman Sachs analyst Alexander Blostein maintains a Buy rating on BlackRock, reflecting confidence in the company's performance, supported by a P/E ratio of 28.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34 [5][6]

Core Insights - The article discusses 12 bank stocks recommended by Goldman Sachs, highlighting cautious optimism among bank executives for 2025 due to easing inflation and interest rates, despite concerns over slow economic growth and regulatory uncertainty [1][4]. Economic Outlook - American GDP growth is projected to decline to 1.5% in 2025, with risks including weaker consumer spending, rising unemployment, and global conflicts [2]. - A technology-driven productivity boost could potentially raise growth to 1.9%, while persistent inflation may slow it down to 1% [2]. - Central banks' monetary policies are expected to influence the global financial environment, with the European Central Bank likely lowering rates to 2.75% by year-end [3]. Financial Industry Sentiment - The US financial industry is cautiously optimistic for the second half of 2025, anticipating robust consumer spending and positive impacts from new regulations and artificial intelligence [4]. - Investment banking is expected to improve, with increased mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs if the Federal Reserve continues to cut rates [4]. Regulatory Environment - Regulatory changes under the Trump administration are anticipated to enhance banking activity, particularly in M&A [5]. - New regulations are facilitating the offering of digital asset products, although building the necessary infrastructure will take time [5]. Stock Recommendations - Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS) has a Goldman Sachs stake value of $739.2 million, with a recent price target adjustment from Raymond James leading to an 8% drop in shares [9][11]. - Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) has a stake value of $804 million, with shares rising after a deal to sell a 25% stake in Banamex for approximately $2.3 billion [13][14]. - The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) has a stake value of $821.9 million, reporting a 35% increase in core net new assets year-over-year [15][16].

Group 1 - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated announced a decrease in its prime rate from 7.5 percent to 7.25 percent, effective September 18, 2025 [1] - The last change in Huntington's prime rate occurred on December 19, 2024, when it decreased from 7.75 percent to 7.5 percent [1] Group 2 - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a regional bank holding company with assets totaling $208 billion, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio [2] - The company provides a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services to various clients, including consumers and businesses [2] - Huntington operates 971 branches across 13 states [2]

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