Banner (NASDAQ:BANR) Downgraded by Wall Street Zen to Sell

Wall Street Zen cut shares of Banner (NASDAQ:BANR) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report released on Saturday.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target on Banner from $73.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, May 18th. Benchmark initiated coverage on shares of Banner in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. They issued a “hold” rating on the stock. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $72.00 target price on shares of Banner in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Banner from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of Banner from $63.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Banner currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $71.00.

Banner Trading Up 2.1%

Shares of Banner stock opened at $70.29 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $66.63 and a 200 day moving average of $64.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.60 and a beta of 0.83. Banner has a fifty-two week low of $57.05 and a fifty-two week high of $72.65.

Banner (NASDAQ:BANR) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The financial services provider reported $1.44 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.46 by ($0.02). Banner had a net margin of 23.55% and a return on equity of 10.72%. The business had revenue of $172.11 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $174.54 million. As a group, research analysts predict that Banner will post 6.17 earnings per share for the current year.

Banner Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 4th will be given a dividend of $0.52 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 4th. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. Banner’s dividend payout ratio is currently 34.32%.

Institutional Trading of Banner

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its position in Banner by 836.0% in the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 22,605 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,416,000 after purchasing an additional 20,190 shares in the last quarter. Sovran Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Banner during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,147,000. UBS Group AG increased its stake in shares of Banner by 241.2% during the fourth quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 454,807 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $28,498,000 after buying an additional 321,522 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Banner by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,837,199 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $240,439,000 after acquiring an additional 44,249 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. raised its holdings in Banner by 93.8% in the fourth quarter. Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. now owns 488,295 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $30,597,000 after acquiring an additional 236,394 shares in the last quarter. 87.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Banner News

Here are the key news stories impacting Banner this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Banner said it expects mid-single-digit loan growth in 2026, which suggests continued balance-sheet expansion and improving operating momentum. The company also said it expects its Bank of the Pacific acquisition to close in Q3, adding to the growth story. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Management’s earnings-call commentary emphasized strong loan growth and a boost in core earnings, which likely reassured investors that underlying profitability remains healthy despite near-term pressure. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Banner declared a quarterly dividend of $0.52 per share, reinforcing capital return to shareholders and supporting the stock’s income appeal. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data showed 0 shares outstanding and no meaningful change, so this does not appear to be a factor driving the stock today.
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly results missed analyst estimates, with EPS of $1.44 versus expectations around $1.46-$1.47, and revenue also came in slightly below forecasts. That limits upside and may temper enthusiasm around the earnings report. Article Title

About Banner

Banner Corporation, through its principal subsidiary Banner Bank, operates as a regional commercial bank headquartered in Walla Walla, Washington. Founded in 2000 as a bank holding company, Banner traces its origins to community banking roots in Eastern Washington dating back to the late 19th century. Over the past two decades, the company has grown through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions, establishing a strong presence throughout the Pacific Northwest.

The company offers a comprehensive suite of financial products and services for individual and business clients.