Peoples Bancorp (NASDAQ:PEBO) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.11 EPS

Peoples Bancorp (NASDAQ:PEBO) announced its earnings results on Tuesday. The bank reported $1.04 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.93 by $0.11, FiscalAI reports. Peoples Bancorp had a return on equity of 11.10% and a net margin of 19.76%. The firm had revenue of $124.52 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $123.40 million.

Here are the key takeaways from Peoples Bancorp’s conference call:

• Adjusted third-quarter EPS of $1.04 exceeded the $0.93 consensus estimate, despite a $4.5 million securities-sale loss and $1.5 million in acquisition-related expenses. Net interest income rose 1%, net interest margin expanded eight basis points, and fee income increased 5%.
• Peoples expects to close the Citizens merger by the end of October, adding approximately $350 million of loans and $550 million of deposits in the fourth quarter. The pending Capital Bancorp acquisition is expected to close in late first quarter or early second quarter of 2027 and is expected to support higher growth.
• Credit trends were mixed: non-performing loans declined 11% and criticized loans fell, but classified loans increased and the annualized net charge-off rate rose to 35 basis points. Management expects higher criticized and classified balances as Citizens’ portfolio is onboarded and anticipates similar charge-offs in 2027.
• Management reaffirmed expectations for positive operating leverage, 6%-8% loan growth in 2026 including Citizens, and a 4.3%-4.5% full-year 2027 net interest margin. It also expects small-ticket leasing to return to growth in 2027, although growth is expected to be weighted toward the second half.
• Fourth-quarter results will include an estimated $11 million-$13 million of Citizens merger expenses, while deposit competition is increasing and expected to pressure pricing. Management also projects 2027 expenses of $80 million-$82 million per quarter before higher first-quarter seasonal costs, with full Capital Bancorp cost savings not realized until 2028.

Peoples Bancorp Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:PEBO opened at $37.33 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $38.72 and its 200-day moving average price is $37.36. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.34 billion, a PE ratio of 11.01 and a beta of 0.62. Peoples Bancorp has a 1 year low of $28.01 and a 1 year high of $42.29.

Peoples Bancorp Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 16th. Investors of record on Monday, November 2nd will be issued a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.5%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 2nd. Peoples Bancorp’s payout ratio is presently 50.76%.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Matthew Edgell sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.27, for a total transaction of $123,810.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 20,183 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $832,952.41. This represents a 12.94% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 3.31% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Peoples Bancorp News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Peoples Bancorp this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings exceeded expectations. Peoples Bancorp reported adjusted earnings of $1.04 per share, above the roughly $0.92–$0.93 consensus, while revenue of $124.52 million also topped estimates. Adjusted EPS increased from $0.90 a year ago, supporting confidence in the bank’s earnings power. Peoples Bancorp Q3 Earnings Beat Fuels Confidence In Profit Power
• Positive Sentiment: Core banking performance improved. Third-quarter net income reached $32.6 million, or $0.91 per diluted share, with net interest income rising to $93.8 million and net interest margin reaching 4.31%. Lower credit-loss provisions compared with the prior quarter also helped results. Peoples Bancorp Announces Results for the Third Quarter 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Deposits and acquisitions provide growth potential. Deposit growth and pending acquisitions of Citizens National Corporation, valued at approximately $76.6 million, and Capital Bancorp, valued at approximately $728.1 million, could expand Peoples’ scale and market presence. PEBO Q3 Deep Dive: M&A Activity and Deposit Growth Offset Modest Loan Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend supports income appeal. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.42 per share, or $1.68 annualized, representing a yield of about 4.5% and a payout equal to approximately 46.3% of third-quarter earnings. Peoples Bancorp Declares Quarterly Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Loan growth remained modest. Deposit gains and M&A activity helped offset slower organic loan expansion, but investors may want evidence that the acquisitions can translate into sustained revenue and earnings growth.
• Negative Sentiment: Capital and execution considerations remain. Peoples sold $59 million in securities to remain below the $10 billion asset threshold. While this preserves regulatory flexibility, the transactions and planned acquisitions introduce integration, funding and execution risks that may be limiting the immediate market reaction. Peoples Bancorp: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on PEBO shares. Zacks Research raised shares of Peoples Bancorp from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 1st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Peoples Bancorp in a report on Wednesday, August 26th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Peoples Bancorp in a research note on Monday, October 5th. DA Davidson cut their price objective on shares of Peoples Bancorp from $44.00 to $42.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. Finally, Piper Sandler set a $42.00 target price on shares of Peoples Bancorp in a report on Monday, October 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Peoples Bancorp currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $40.50.

About Peoples Bancorp

Peoples Bancorp Inc is a financial holding company headquartered in Marietta, Ohio. Through its principal subsidiary, Peoples Bank, the company provides banking and financial services to individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations and public-sector customers.

Peoples Bank offers deposit accounts, residential and commercial lending, consumer loans, credit cards, treasury management and other financial services. The company also provides wealth management, trust and investment services, as well as insurance products through affiliated operations.

Founded in 1902, Peoples Bancorp serves communities primarily in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia through a network of banking offices and digital banking channels.