UMB Financial Receives Upgrade from StockNews.com

UMB Financial (NASDAQ:UMBF) has recently seen its stock rating upgraded by StockNews.com. Previously rated as a sell, the new rating now classifies the shares as a hold. This upgrade was announced in a research report distributed to investors on a Wednesday morning.

Other financial analysts have also provided updates regarding UMB Financial shares. Citigroup initiated coverage of the stock on October 10th, setting a "buy" rating alongside a target price of $127.00. Morgan Stanley followed suit by starting coverage on November 21st, giving the company an "overweight" rating with a price target of $156.00. Additionally, on October 31st, Wells Fargo increased its price target from $107.00 to $120.00 while maintaining an "equal weight" rating. Royal Bank of Canada also began coverage on November 22nd, assigning a "sector perform" rating and a target price of $130.00. Finally, Barclays adjusted its price target upwards from $123.00 to $139.00 with an "overweight" rating on December 5th. Currently, analysts have assigned three hold ratings, five buy ratings, and one strong buy rating to UMB Financial. The overall consensus rating stands at "Moderate Buy" with an average target price of $126.63 according to MarketBeat.

Recent Stock Performance

On the trading day following the upgrade, UMB Financial shares opened at $117.90. Over the last year, the stock's price has fluctuated between a low of $76.00 and a high of $129.94. The bank currently has a market capitalization of $5.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.11, and a beta of 0.82. The stock's 50-day moving average is $118.91, while the 200-day moving average is $109.83. Other financial metrics include a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.76, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11.

UMB Financial also recently reported its quarterly earnings, announcing a $2.49 EPS for the quarter, surpassing analyst expectations of $2.25 by $0.24. The return on equity for the bank stood at 13.90%, with a net margin of 15.76%. Comparative performance showed that the bank earned $2.29 per share in the same quarter of the previous year. Analysts predict that UMB Financial will have annual earnings of approximately 9.4 per share.

Dividend Announcement

The company has announced a forthcoming dividend, which is set to be distributed on April 1st to shareholders who are on record by March 10th. This dividend is valued at $0.40, which translates to an annualized dividend of $1.60, yielding about 1.36%. The ex-dividend date is also March 10th, and the payout ratio is at 17.80%.

Insider Transactions

In other news surrounding UMB Financial, insider Robert Brian Beaird executed a sale of 854 shares on November 21st at an average price of $123.38, totaling approximately $105,366.52. Post-transaction, Beaird’s ownership in the company now amounts to 5,828 shares, valued at around $719,058.64, indicating a 12.78% decrease in his position. Furthermore, CEO J Mariner Kemper sold 24,300 shares on December 2nd for an average price of $124.95, accumulating a total of around $3,036,285. Following this sale, Kemper retains ownership of approximately 1,552,304 shares valued at about $193,960,384.80, representing a slight 1.54% downturn in his stake. Corporate insiders currently hold around 8.85% of the company's stock.

Institutional Ownership

Various institutional investors have been actively buying and selling shares of UMB Financial. Truist Financial Corp has increased its stake by 0.4% during the last quarter, owning now 19,565 shares worth approximately $2,208,000. Covestor Ltd also raised its holdings by 31.0% in the third quarter, possessing 431 shares valued at roughly $45,000. Other investors, including Heritage Family Offices LLP and Commerce Bank, have similarly adjusted their positions during the previous quarter. Currently, institutional investors hold approximately 87.78% of UMB Financial's stock.

About UMB Financial

UMB Financial Corporation functions as a bank holding company that offers a variety of banking services and asset servicing in both the United States and internationally. It includes a Commercial Banking segment that provides a wide array of services comprising commercial loans, credit card solutions, commercial real estate financing, letters of credit, loan syndication, consultative services, as well as treasury management offerings.

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