Equity Bancshares (NASDAQ:EQBK) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Hovde Group Analyst Says

Equity Bancshares (NASDAQ:EQBK - Free Report) had its price objective increased by Hovde Group from $56.00 to $57.00 in a research report report published on Thursday, MarketBeat reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the bank's stock.

Several other brokerages have also issued reports on EQBK. Stephens upgraded Equity Bancshares from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $46.00 price target on the stock in a report on Monday, October 14th. DA Davidson increased their target price on Equity Bancshares from $42.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on shares of Equity Bancshares from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 4th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $47.40.

Equity Bancshares Stock Up 1.7 %

Shares of NASDAQ EQBK traded up $0.71 during trading on Thursday, hitting $43.31. 127,042 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 72,824. The firm has a market capitalization of $662.24 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.37 and a beta of 0.92. The business's fifty day moving average is $44.81 and its 200 day moving average is $41.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 0.86. Equity Bancshares has a fifty-two week low of $30.44 and a fifty-two week high of $50.85.

Equity Bancshares Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st were given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 31st. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.39%. Equity Bancshares's payout ratio is 54.55%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Equity Bancshares

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its stake in shares of Equity Bancshares by 7.8% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 3,213 shares of the bank's stock worth $131,000 after acquiring an additional 232 shares in the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its position in Equity Bancshares by 19.6% in the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 6,043 shares of the bank's stock worth $256,000 after purchasing an additional 991 shares in the last quarter. R Squared Ltd purchased a new stake in Equity Bancshares in the 4th quarter valued at about $54,000. Sippican Capital Advisors lifted its position in shares of Equity Bancshares by 7.9% during the 4th quarter. Sippican Capital Advisors now owns 19,064 shares of the bank's stock worth $809,000 after buying an additional 1,397 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors boosted its stake in shares of Equity Bancshares by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 37,735 shares of the bank's stock worth $1,543,000 after buying an additional 1,481 shares during the last quarter. 71.80% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Equity Bancshares Company Profile

Equity Bancshares, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Equity Bank that provides a range of banking, mortgage banking, and financial services to individual and corporate customers. The company accepts various demand, savings, money market, and time deposits. Its loan products include commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, commercial lines of credit, working capital, term, equipment and aircraft financing, acquisition, expansion and development, borrowing base, real estate construction, homebuilder, agricultural, government guaranteed, and other loan products.