Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC) Stock Rating Lowered by Piper Sandler

Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Piper Sandler from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report issued on Friday, FinViz reports. They presently have a $71.50 price target on the stock, down from their previous price target of $88.00. Piper Sandler‘s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 10.00% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on HWC. Weiss Ratings raised Hancock Whitney from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Hancock Whitney from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, August 15th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Hancock Whitney from $82.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Hancock Whitney from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of Hancock Whitney from $87.00 to $86.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Hancock Whitney currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $82.72.

Hancock Whitney Stock Down 10.2%

Hancock Whitney stock opened at $65.00 on Friday. Hancock Whitney has a 12 month low of $55.76 and a 12 month high of $80.13. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $73.09 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $71.04. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05. The firm has a market cap of $5.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.08 and a beta of 0.98.

Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 20th. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.66. Hancock Whitney had a return on equity of 11.65% and a net margin of 20.51%. The firm had revenue of $421.91 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $421.75 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.49 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that Hancock Whitney will post 6.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Hancock Whitney news, insider Emory L. Mayfield, Jr. sold 4,990 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.40, for a total value of $381,236.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 15,565 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,189,166. This represents a 24.28% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.92% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Hancock Whitney

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in Hancock Whitney by 8.3% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,909 shares of the company’s stock valued at $143,000 after buying an additional 147 shares during the period. Abel Hall LLC boosted its stake in shares of Hancock Whitney by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Abel Hall LLC now owns 9,984 shares of the company’s stock worth $719,000 after acquiring an additional 149 shares during the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its stake in shares of Hancock Whitney by 26.0% during the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 852 shares of the company’s stock worth $64,000 after acquiring an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Hancock Whitney by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 5,906 shares of the company’s stock worth $425,000 after acquiring an additional 199 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Hancock Whitney by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC now owns 42,879 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,089,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 81.22% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Hancock Whitney

Investors following HWC have been watching these headlines:

• Neutral Sentiment: Hancock Whitney agreed to acquire Trustmark Corporation in an approximately $3.2 billion all-stock deal. The transaction could expand the company’s scale, but its ultimate effect on shareholder value will depend on the terms, execution, and benefits of combining the banks. Hancock Whitney to buy Trustmark in $3.2B deal
• Negative Sentiment: Shareholder-rights law firm Halper Sadeh said it is investigating whether Hancock Whitney is obtaining a fair price for shareholders. The announcement is an inquiry, not a finding of wrongdoing, but it may add uncertainty around the transaction. HWC Stock Alert: Halper Sadeh LLC is Investigating Whether Hancock Whitney Corporation is Obtaining a Fair Price for its Shareholders
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research lowered several quarterly and annual earnings estimates, including its FY2027 forecast to $7.12 per share from $7.22 and FY2028 to $7.68 from $7.72. The firm maintained a Hold rating; these modest cuts may weigh on sentiment, though the estimates predate the acquisition announcement. Zacks Research earnings estimate updates

Hancock Whitney Company Profile

Hancock Whitney is a bank holding company headquartered in Gulfport, Mississippi, whose principal subsidiary is Hancock Whitney Bank. The company provides personal and business banking services, including deposit accounts, loans, treasury management, mortgage lending, and online and mobile banking. It also offers wealth management, trust, and investment services. The bank serves customers across the Gulf South, with operations in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Texas. Its history includes roots in Hancock County Bank, founded in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, in 1899, and Whitney National Bank, established in New Orleans in 1883.