HBT Financial (NASDAQ:HBT) Announces Earnings Results

HBT Financial (NASDAQ:HBT) released its earnings results on Monday. The company reported $0.78 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.05, FiscalAI reports. HBT Financial had a net margin of 22.72% and a return on equity of 13.06%. The firm had revenue of $80.90 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $80.36 million.

HBT Financial Stock Up 3.9%

Shares of HBT stock opened at $34.59 on Tuesday. HBT Financial has a 12-month low of $22.36 and a 12-month high of $35.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $30.74 and a 200-day moving average of $28.67. The company has a market capitalization of $1.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.87 and a beta of 0.51.

HBT Financial Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 18th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 11th will be given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This is a positive change from HBT Financial’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 11th. HBT Financial’s payout ratio is currently 42.20%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

HBT has been the topic of several analyst reports. Zacks Research lowered HBT Financial from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of HBT Financial from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of HBT Financial from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, June 26th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of HBT Financial from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, July 12th. Finally, DA Davidson increased their target price on shares of HBT Financial from $28.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, HBT Financial currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $31.67.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On HBT Financial

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its stake in shares of HBT Financial by 66.6% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 3,892 shares of the company’s stock valued at $98,000 after purchasing an additional 1,556 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its position in shares of HBT Financial by 906.9% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 4,249 shares of the company’s stock worth $107,000 after buying an additional 3,827 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. bought a new position in shares of HBT Financial during the second quarter worth about $208,000. Jane Street Group LLC bought a new position in shares of HBT Financial during the first quarter worth about $286,000. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd acquired a new stake in HBT Financial in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $297,000. 78.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting HBT Financial

Here are the key news stories impacting HBT Financial this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Earnings and revenue topped estimates: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.78, ahead of the $0.73–$0.74 consensus range, while revenue of approximately $80.9 million exceeded the roughly $80.4 million forecast. EPS also increased from $0.63 a year earlier. HBT Financial beats second-quarter earnings and revenue forecasts
• Positive Sentiment: Profitability improved sharply: GAAP net income rose to $27.8 million, or $0.76 per diluted share, versus $19.2 million, or $0.61 per share, in the prior-year quarter. Net interest income increased 39.1% year over year to $69.1 million, supported by the CNB Bank acquisition and higher asset yields.
• Positive Sentiment: Margins and credit quality were favorable: Net interest margin expanded 12 basis points sequentially to 4.32%, while nonperforming assets declined to 0.15% of total assets from 0.21% in the prior quarter. The bank recorded modest net recoveries rather than charge-offs.
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend increased: HBT declared a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share, up from $0.23, payable August 18 to shareholders of record August 11. The increase signals confidence in capital strength following the CNB acquisition. HBT Financial second-quarter financial results
• Neutral Sentiment: Integration benefits are emerging: Acquisition-related costs fell substantially from the first quarter, and management said material cost savings from CNB are now being realized. However, second-quarter expenses remained 33% above the year-ago level as the larger organization carries higher operating costs.
• Negative Sentiment: Funding pressure remains a risk: Funding costs rose to 1.32%, and deposits declined by $45.5 million sequentially, potentially limiting future margin expansion. Analysts’ reported median price target of $32.50 also sits below the stock’s recent trading level, suggesting valuation concerns after the rally.

About HBT Financial

HBT Financial, Inc is the bank holding company for HomeTrust Bank, a community-focused financial institution based in Lenoir, North Carolina. Through its subsidiary, HomeTrust Bank, the company provides a full suite of personal and business banking services across western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee and Upstate South Carolina. The company’s operations include a network of branch offices, ATMs and online banking platforms designed to serve both urban and rural communities in its primary market areas.

HomeTrust Bank’s product offerings encompass traditional deposit accounts such as checking, savings and money market accounts, as well as certificates of deposit.