Commerce Bancshares (NASDAQ:CBSH) Reaches New 12-Month Low on Insider Selling

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:CBSH)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low on Monday after an insider sold shares in the company. The stock traded as low as $48.58 and last traded at $48.84, with a volume of 100887 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $50.36.

Specifically, SVP Margaret M. Rowe sold 861 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.69, for a total value of $44,505.09. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 5,742 shares in the company, valued at approximately $296,803.98. This represents a 13.04% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Kim L. Jakovich sold 949 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.45, for a total value of $48,826.05. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 12,741 shares in the company, valued at approximately $655,524.45. This represents a 6.93% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Commerce Bancshares from $67.00 to $65.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Zacks Research raised Commerce Bancshares from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Piper Sandler set a $62.00 price target on Commerce Bancshares and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Commerce Bancshares in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, TD Cowen dropped their price objective on shares of Commerce Bancshares from $61.00 to $55.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $61.51.

Trending Headlines about Commerce Bancshares

Here are the key news stories impacting Commerce Bancshares this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Rating/research tailwinds: Zacks upgraded CBSH from “strong sell” to “hold” and media coverage highlights management’s focus on balance‑sheet optimization and a rating upgrade that investors view as supportive for future capital deployment and profitability. How Investors Are Reacting To Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) Rating Upgrade And Balance-Sheet Optimization Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Large institutional accumulation: Major institutions (Vanguard, State Street, Dimensional, American Century and others) increased stakes in recent quarters, indicating strong institutional conviction and a steady buyer base beneath the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data appears anomalous: Recent short‑interest posts show “0 shares” and NaN changes — likely a reporting glitch — so there’s no clear evidence of new short pressure driving today’s move.
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation discussion: Several pieces are questioning whether recent share‑price weakness is already reflected in CBSH’s valuation and analysts’ FY2026 EPS outlooks — useful context for longer‑term investors but not an immediate catalyst. Is Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) Pricing Reflect Its Recent Share Price Weakness? What is Zacks Research’s Forecast for CBSH FY2026 Earnings?
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Two senior VPs disclosed open‑market sales (Margaret Rowe sold 861 shares at ~$51.69; Kim Jakovich sold 949 shares at ~$51.45). While not huge, these trims (≈13% and ≈7% reductions of their holdings) can weigh on sentiment when combined with other negatives. Margaret M. Rowe Form 4 Kim L. Jakovich Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst pressure: Morgan Stanley recently trimmed its target on CBSH as the sell‑side raises the bar for bank stocks; other shops have also reduced targets — this lowers street support and can amplify downside momentum. Morgan Stanley Lowers Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) Target as Bank Sector Bar Rises

Commerce Bancshares Trading Down 1.4%

The stock has a market capitalization of $7.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.67, a P/E/G ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.61. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $53.16 and its 200 day simple moving average is $53.59.

Commerce Bancshares (NASDAQ:CBSH) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $1.01 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.99 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $449.36 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $442.47 million. Commerce Bancshares had a net margin of 26.51% and a return on equity of 15.34%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.01 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Commerce Bancshares, Inc. will post 3.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Commerce Bancshares Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 24th. Investors of record on Friday, March 6th will be paid a $0.275 dividend. This represents a $1.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. Commerce Bancshares’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 26.25%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Commerce Bancshares

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CBSH. Daytona Street Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Commerce Bancshares during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Danske Bank A S bought a new position in Commerce Bancshares during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Commerce Bancshares by 85.4% in the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 469 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Commerce Bancshares in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, CoreFirst Bank & Trust bought a new stake in shares of Commerce Bancshares in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 70.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Commerce Bancshares

Commerce Bancshares, Inc is a bank holding company primarily engaged in providing a broad range of banking and financial services across the Midwest. Through its principal subsidiary, Commerce Bank, the company offers commercial and consumer banking, treasury management, trust and wealth advisory, and mortgage lending. Its diversified product suite includes deposit and loan products, cash management solutions, capital markets services, and private banking designed to meet the needs of individuals, small businesses, and large corporations.

The company’s commercial banking group delivers tailored credit facilities, equipment and inventory financing, asset-based lending, and merchant services.