First Bancshares Coverage Initiated by Analysts at StockNews.com

On January 1, 2025, analysts at StockNews.com began coverage of First Bancshares (NASDAQ:FBMS). In their initial research report, they assigned a sell rating to the bank's stock.

Other analysts have also recently released their evaluations of the stock. Notably, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded their price target for shares of First Bancshares from $40.00 to $45.00 while maintaining an "outperform" rating on December 4th. Conversely, Janney Montgomery Scott downgraded First Bancshares from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating on October 24th.

In terms of ratings, one analyst has issued a sell rating, two analysts have given the stock a hold rating, and another two have assigned a buy rating. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the consensus rating for First Bancshares currently stands at "Hold" with an average price target of $37.17.

Stock Performance Overview

The stock opened at $35.00 on the day coverage was initiated and has a market capitalization of $1.09 billion. The bank's P/E ratio is 15.84, with a beta of 0.93. Over the past twelve months, First Bancshares has seen a low of $22.96 and a high of $39.08. The stock has a fifty-day moving average price of $35.73 and a two-hundred-day moving average of $32.23. Its debt-to-equity ratio is 0.33, and both its current and quick ratios are recorded at 0.84.

Dividend Announcement

First Bancshares also declared a quarterly dividend recently. The payment, amounting to $0.25 per share, was issued on November 22nd to investors on record as of November 8th. This gives an annualized dividend of $1.00 and a dividend yield of 2.86%. Currently, the company's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 45.25%.

Institutional Investment Changes

Many large investors have recently adjusted their holdings in First Bancshares. CWM LLC increased its stake by 73.2% in the third quarter, owning 2,960 shares valued at $95,000 after purchasing an additional 1,251 shares. Similarly, FMR LLC raised its position in the bank by 50.8% during the same quarter, owning 3,194 shares valued at $103,000. Other significant investments include Quest Partners LLC and Entropy Technologies LP, which entered new stakes valued at approximately $89,000 and $203,000, respectively. Currently, institutional investors and hedge funds hold about 69.95% of First Bancshares stock.

Company Overview

First Bancshares, Inc operates as the parent company for The First Bank, providing a range of commercial and retail banking services. The company conducts its operations through several divisions including Commercial/Retail Banking, Mortgage Banking, and its Holding Company. Deposit options offered include checking, NOW, and savings accounts, alongside various certificates of deposit and retirement accounts.

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