Zacks Research Expects Higher Earnings for Associated Banc

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) – Zacks Research boosted their Q1 2026 EPS estimates for shares of Associated Banc in a report released on Thursday, February 12th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the bank will post earnings of $0.67 per share for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $0.66. The consensus estimate for Associated Banc’s current full-year earnings is $2.43 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Associated Banc’s Q2 2026 earnings at $0.69 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $0.71 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $0.74 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.81 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $0.77 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.70 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $0.78 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $2.99 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $3.20 EPS.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Associated Banc in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Raymond James Financial reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $30.00 target price (up previously from $29.00) on shares of Associated Banc in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 price objective on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $29.20.

Associated Banc Stock Performance

Shares of ASB stock opened at $27.54 on Friday. Associated Banc has a 12-month low of $18.32 and a 12-month high of $29.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.81. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $26.90 and a 200 day simple moving average of $26.02.

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The bank reported $0.80 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $393.52 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $382.06 million. Associated Banc had a net margin of 19.31% and a return on equity of 10.25%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.72 earnings per share.

Associated Banc declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, January 27th that permits the company to repurchase $100.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the bank to purchase up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Associated Banc Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.5%. Associated Banc’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 34.66%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Associated Banc news, EVP John A. Utz sold 2,135 shares of Associated Banc stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.41, for a total value of $56,385.35. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 109,842 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,900,927.22. The trade was a 1.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director John B. Williams sold 2,325 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.05, for a total value of $65,216.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 70,959 shares in the company, valued at $1,990,399.95. This represents a 3.17% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 53,007 shares of company stock worth $1,418,613 in the last ninety days. 1.45% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Associated Banc

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of ASB. Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 2,033.9% during the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,195 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 1,139 shares during the last quarter. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. purchased a new position in Associated Banc in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Associated Banc by 46.8% during the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,279 shares of the bank’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 408 shares during the period. Quent Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Associated Banc during the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 345.5% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,350 shares of the bank’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 1,047 shares during the period. 82.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Associated Banc News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Associated Banc this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised multiple near‑term and multi‑year EPS forecasts (Q1–Q4 2026, Q3 2026, Q1 & Q3 2027, FY2026–FY2028), lifting FY2026 to $2.81 and FY2027 to $2.99 — a signal of improving analyst expectations for earnings growth.
• Positive Sentiment: Company actions supportive of shareholder returns: quarterly dividend ($0.24/share; 3.4% yield) and a $100M share buyback authorization (≈2.2% of float), both of which can underpin the stock. MarketBeat ASB page
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional activity shows continued interest — several funds (Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, LPL, Picton Mahoney, others) increased or initiated positions during Q4, supporting liquidity and demand. MarketBeat ASB page
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains mixed: consensus rating is a ‘Hold’ with a $29.20 average target; recent firm-level changes include upgrades to price targets but several holds remain — suggests limited near‑term catalyst from analyst opinions. MarketBeat ASB page
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks cut its Q2 2027 estimate (now $0.70, down from $0.74), the only notable downward tweak in the note — a reminder of quarter‑to‑quarter sensitivity that could temper near‑term sentiment.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: EVP Patrick Ahern sold 14,731 shares at ~$29.03 (disclosed in an SEC Form 4). Large insider sales can be interpreted negatively by the market, especially when clustered with prior sales. SEC Form 4

About Associated Banc

Associated Banc-Corp, through its primary subsidiary Associated Bank, N.A., is a regional financial services company headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The bank operates more than 200 branches across the Midwest, offering community-focused banking solutions for individuals, small businesses and commercial clients. Its emphasis on personalized service and regional decision-making supports long-standing customer relationships.

On the consumer side, Associated Bank provides checking and savings accounts, residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto financing and credit card products.