Heck Capital Advisors LLC Purchases Shares of 14,336 Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB)

Heck Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:ASB - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 14,336 shares of the bank's stock, valued at approximately $343,000.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lifted its position in shares of Associated Banc by 221.6% during the 3rd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 163,003 shares of the bank's stock worth $3,511,000 after buying an additional 112,323 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in Associated Banc by 3.3% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 8,230,340 shares of the bank's stock worth $177,282,000 after acquiring an additional 261,877 shares in the last quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Associated Banc by 11,595.3% during the fourth quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 76,370 shares of the bank's stock worth $1,825,000 after buying an additional 75,717 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 315.6% during the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 540,057 shares of the bank's stock worth $12,907,000 after buying an additional 410,118 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Crescent Grove Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 15.4% during the 4th quarter. Crescent Grove Advisors LLC now owns 101,591 shares of the bank's stock valued at $2,428,000 after acquiring an additional 13,521 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.98% of the company's stock.

Associated Banc Price Performance

Shares of ASB traded up $0.25 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $25.04. 294,859 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,625,807. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $24.95 and its 200-day simple moving average is $23.55. The stock has a market cap of $3.79 billion, a PE ratio of 31.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. Associated Banc-Corp has a 12 month low of $19.40 and a 12 month high of $28.18.

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The bank reported $0.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.53 by $0.04. Associated Banc had a return on equity of 8.24% and a net margin of 5.15%. Equities analysts expect that Associated Banc-Corp will post 2.37 EPS for the current year.

Associated Banc Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd will be paid a $0.23 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.67%. Associated Banc's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 116.46%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ASB has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Barclays increased their price objective on Associated Banc from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Associated Banc from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of Associated Banc from $28.00 to $26.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 24th. StockNews.com cut Associated Banc from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Associated Banc from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, January 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and nine have issued a hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $27.00.

About Associated Banc

Associated Banc-Corp, a bank holding company, provides various banking and nonbanking products to individuals and businesses in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. The company offers lending solutions, including commercial loans and lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction loans, letters of credit, leasing, asset based lending and equipment finance, loan syndications products, residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, personal and installment loans, auto finance and business loans, and business lines of credit.