JPMorgan Chase & Co. Boosts Stock Holdings in Associated Banc-Corp $ASB

JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB) by 24.6% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 984,537 shares of the bank’s stock after buying an additional 194,307 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s holdings in Associated Banc were worth $25,312,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of ASB. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its position 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 buying an additional 1,139 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Associated Banc by 46.8% during the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,279 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 408 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 345.5% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,350 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 1,047 shares during the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Associated Banc in the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, First Horizon Corp purchased a new position in shares of Associated Banc during the third quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Institutional investors own 82.98% of the company’s stock.

Associated Banc Trading Down 6.0%

Associated Banc stock opened at $26.39 on Monday. Associated Banc-Corp has a 12-month low of $18.32 and a 12-month high of $29.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 0.80. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $27.16 and a 200 day moving average of $26.30. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81.

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, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $393.52 million during 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 period in the prior year, the business posted $0.72 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Associated Banc-Corp will post 2.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Associated Banc Announces Dividend

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 paid a $0.24 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.6%. Associated Banc’s dividend payout ratio is 34.66%.

Associated Banc announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Tuesday, January 27th that permits the company to repurchase $100.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the bank to repurchase up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have commented on ASB shares. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Associated Banc in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. 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. Piper Sandler increased their target price on Associated Banc from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Wall Street Zen raised Associated Banc from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 14th. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $29.20.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Patrick Edward Ahern sold 14,731 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.03, for a total value of $427,640.93. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 39,401 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,143,811.03. The trade was a 27.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP John A. Utz sold 2,135 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.41, for a total transaction of $56,385.35. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 109,842 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,900,927.22. This represents a 1.91% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 59,607 shares of company stock worth $1,603,545. Company insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Associated Banc News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research upgraded ASB to a “Strong‑Buy” and lifted near‑term and FY2026/2027 EPS estimates — the shop raised Q1–Q3 2026 quarterlies and bumped FY2026/FY2027 targets, supporting upside to earnings expectations. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks coverage says ASB’s transformation, loan growth, digital investment and targeted acquisitions are expanding revenues and margins as it pushes into higher‑growth markets — a fundamental growth narrative that can justify multiple expansion. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts included ASB on Zacks’ value/Rank #1 (Strong Buy) list and called it a buy after recent upgrades — a visibility boost that can attract value and dividend investors. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage discussed ASB as a potential high‑growth dividend pick — positive for income investors but not an immediate catalyst until dividend policy or payouts change materially. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Despite upgrades, ASB was cited among names recommended amid an AI‑driven market sell‑off — meaning broader market rotation/weakness (not firm fundamentals) could be pressuring the share price today. Read More.

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.