Associated Banc Q1 EPS Forecast Increased by Zacks Research

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) – Equities research analysts at Zacks Research lifted their Q1 2026 earnings per share estimates for Associated Banc in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, February 12th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the bank will earn $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.

ASB has been the subject of several other reports. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 price target on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Piper Sandler lifted their target price on shares of Associated Banc from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Barclays cut their price objective on Associated Banc from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $29.20.

Associated Banc Trading Down 2.6%

NYSE:ASB opened at $27.54 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $4.57 billion, a PE ratio of 9.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.81. Associated Banc has a fifty-two week low of $18.32 and a fifty-two week 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 stock’s 50-day moving average is $26.90 and its two-hundred day moving average is $26.02.

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

Associated Banc Announces Dividend

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

Associated Banc declared that its Board of Directors has approved 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 buy up to 2.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are often a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Associated Banc news, EVP John A. Utz sold 2,135 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.41, for a total value of $56,385.35. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 109,842 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,900,927.22. The trade was a 1.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Patrick Edward Ahern sold 14,731 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.03, for a total value of $427,640.93. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 39,401 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,143,811.03. This trade represents a 27.21% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 53,007 shares of company stock worth $1,418,613. Corporate insiders own 1.45% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Associated Banc

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its position in Associated Banc by 2,033.9% during the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,195 shares of the bank’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 1,139 shares during the period. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. bought a new position in shares of Associated Banc in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Associated Banc by 46.8% in the third 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 last quarter. Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Associated Banc during the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in Associated Banc by 345.5% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,350 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 1,047 shares during the last quarter. 82.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Associated Banc

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

Associated Banc Company Profile

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.