KBW

KBW has upgraded Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (NASDAQ: SBCF) to Outperform from Market Perform, saying the bank is set for meaningfully higher profits due to improvements in efficiency and effectiveness. The upgrade boosted shares 6 percent to a new 52-week high of $17.52. In addition,...

KBW has downgraded Cardinal Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: CFNL) to Market Perform from Outperform following its agreement to sell itself to United Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: UBSI) for a "deserved premium." The brokerage also raised its price target to the deal value to $27 (from $24), which is...

LendingClub Corp (NYSE: LC)'s announcement during its second-quarter earnings results that Chief Financial Officer Carrie Dolan resigned from the company represents a "negative shock value," according to Jefferson Harralson of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW), but there are other aspects of the...

KBW has downgraded THL Credit, Inc. (NASDAQ: TCRD) to Market Perform from Outperform citing weaker credit quality and the potential risk of dividend cut. "Credit quality deteriorated which reduced book value and pressured earnings. The combination of weaker credit quality and lower portfolio yields...

While LendingClub Corp (NYSE: LC) has suffered a string of bad press lately, another bank has been highlighted for its strength in the lending business. A flash note put out Wednesday by KBW highlighted the success SunTrust Banks, Inc. (NYSE: STI) has been experiencing in super-prime, digital-...

KBW analysts are positive on People's United Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBCT)'s planned acquisition of Suffolk Bancorp (NYSE: SCNB) for $402.3 million in an all-stock deal that would boost the former's Long Island presence. The Proposed Deal Suffolk Bank will add 28 branches, $2.3 billion of assets...

KBW analysts are positive on Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB)'s move to acquire First Choice Bank, a private $1.1 billion bank based in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, for $111.7 million in an all-stock transaction. "This acquisition comes as a surprise to us as we were unaware of BHLB's...

The strong outlook of Midland States Bancorp Inc (NASDAQ: MSBI) overshadows the near-term volatility, KBW said while initiating the coverage of the stock with an Outperform rating and $26 price target. "Armed with a unique and diversified business model, excess capital, and record growth pipelines...

The updated April volume numbers from Visa Inc (NYSE: V) "should help to soothe some of the concerns around the recent softness in sales numbers from a number of large retailers," according to a note from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. Visa said its U.S. payments volume grew 10 percent in April...

KBW has downgraded Your Community Bankshares Inc (NASDAQ: YCB) to Market Perform from Outperform after the company agreed to sell itself to WesBanco Inc (NASDAQ: WSBC) for $39.05 per share or $221 million in a stock and cash deal. "With cost saves from the FFKY deal realized (the deal nearly...

While the public discussion over whether or not to break up “Too Big To Fail” U.S. banks typically focuses on the size of the banks, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods argues that the market should decide which banks get broken up and which banks should stand on their own. According to analyst...

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods recently released two reports highlighting Cardinal Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: CFNL) and First Financial Bancorp (NASDAQ: FFBC). Analysts Catherine Mealor and Andrew Taylor upgraded Cardinal Financial to Outperform with a $23 price target. Christopher McGratty and...

American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) stock was down more than 10 percent in early Friday trading after the company reported Q4 EPS that beat consensus expectations, but revenue that fell well short of what the market was looking for. Does the market have this one wrong, or does American Express...