3 Reasons to Invest in Southside Bancshares (SBSI) Stock Now
It seems to be the perfect time to invest in bank stocks. Supported by interest rate hikes and decent growth in loan balances, banks are expected to witness improvements in their top lines. Therefore, we bring one such stock — Southside Bancshares, Inc. SBSI — which is a solid pick based on its fundamental strength and improving prospects.
The company has been witnessing upward earnings estimate revisions of late, reflecting that analysts are optimistic regarding its earnings growth prospects. Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for SBSI’s current-year earnings has moved 4.2% upward. As a result, the company currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Over the past year, shares of the company have lost 3.3% against the industry’s growth of 6.2%.
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Some factors mentioned below make the SBSI stock an attractive investment option now.
Earnings Strength: Southside Bancshares witnessed earnings per share growth of 15.2% in the last three to five years. While the company’s earnings are projected to decline 1.2% in 2022, the trend will likely reverse after that. In 2023, its earnings are projected to witness 1.9% growth.
Southside Bancshares has an impressive earnings surprise history. The company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, with a surprise of 17.8% on average.
Revenue Growth: Southside Bancshares’ revenues have seen a compound annual growth rate of 7.1% over the last five years (2017-2021). The upward trend continued in the first six months of 2022.
Driven by higher rates and loan growth, the company’s top line is expected to improve further in the quarters ahead. Its projected sales growth rates of 4.1% and 5.6% for 2022 and 2023, respectively, ensure the continuation of the upward revenue trend.
Superior Return on Equity (ROE): Southside Bancshares has an ROE of 13.17%, higher than the industry average of 12.09%. This shows that the company reinvests its cash more efficiently than its peers.
Other Stocks Worth Considering
A couple of other top-ranked stocks from the finance space are Associated Banc-Corp ASB and German American Bancorp, Inc. GABC.
Associated Banc-Corp’s earnings estimates have moved 7.9% upward over the past 60 days. Its share price has risen 8.2% in the past three months. ASB currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
German American Bancorp’s earnings estimates for 2022 have been revised 7.6% upward over the past 60 days. Its share price has increased 4.9% in the past three months. GABC also carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
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Southside Bancshares, Inc. (SBSI) : Free Stock Analysis Report
German American Bancorp, Inc. (GABC) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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