On Monday, Stephens, a financial services firm, increased its price target on South State Corporation (NYSE:SSB), a bank holding company, to $101 from the previous $88 while maintaining an Equal Weight rating on the shares. The adjustment follows South State's recent earnings report, which outperformed market expectations.
The company's operating earnings per share (EPS) of $1.79 surpassed the consensus estimate of $1.54, attributed in part to a lower provision for credit losses. The core pre-provision net revenue (PPNR) of $183.8 million exceeded analysts' predictions by 6.5%, or $0.11, driven by a combination of factors such as increased net interest income (NII), higher fees, and reduced expenses.
The analyst noted that approximately $5 million or $0.05 of the fee revenue beat is not expected to be recurring. Consequently, the 2024 estimated PPNR has been adjusted upward by 1%, excluding this one-time item. However, the projections for operating EPS in 2025 and 2026 have been slightly reduced due to updated assumptions regarding Independent Bank Group (NASDAQ:IBTX), with which South State has previously announced a merger.
Despite these adjustments, the analyst remains positive about South State's financial outlook, citing the bank's strategic use of excess capital to expand into new growth markets in the Southeast and accelerate the earnings of a quality bank that is sensitive to liabilities.
The new price target of $101 reflects the present value of the analyst's 2026 EPS and tangible book value (TBV) outlook for South State. The Equal Weight rating indicates the firm's view that the stock should perform in line with the sector or the market.
In other recent news, SouthState Corporation has been the subject of increased confidence following a strong second quarter performance. DA Davidson, a prominent financial firm, has raised its price target for SouthState shares to $112, citing the company's successful Q2 results and a stable outlook for the rest of the year. The firm also adjusted its earnings per share (EPS) estimates for SouthState for 2024, raising it from $6.40 to $6.67, while the 2025 EPS estimate remains at $7.69.
SouthState's pending acquisition of Independent Bank (NASDAQ:INDB) of Texas (IBTX) also played a role in DA Davidson's decision, with the acquisition expected to yield a return on tangible common equity of approximately 20%. This strategic move is seen as a strong return outlook for SouthState.
The earnings call for SouthState Corporation revealed a robust Q2 growth, with increases in net interest margin and a 7% annualized loan growth. The company reported a total revenue of $425 million and has plans for expansion into new markets through a transaction involving IBTX.
Despite a recent cyber incident costing the company $8 million, insurance is expected to cover $6 million of these expenses. The company's capital ratios have improved, with a TCE ratio of 8.4% and CET1 of 12.1%. These recent developments reflect SouthState Corporation's focus on growth and market expansion, underpinned by strong loan quality and a cautious yet bullish approach to commercial real estate lending.
InvestingPro Insights
Following South State Corporation's (NYSE:SSB) strong earnings report, real-time data from InvestingPro further underscores the company's financial position. With a market capitalization of $7.63 billion and a solid Price/Earnings (P/E) ratio of 16.05, the company presents an interesting profile for investors. Additionally, the stock has experienced significant returns, with a 9.5% increase over the last week and a notable 31.09% increase over the past month, closely aligning with the new price target set by Stephens.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that South State Corporation has not only maintained its dividend payments for an impressive 28 consecutive years but has also raised its dividend for 12 consecutive years, signalling a strong commitment to shareholder returns. Moreover, the company's dividend yield stands at 2.16%, with a recent 8.0% dividend growth. These factors, combined with the fact that two analysts have revised their earnings upwards for the upcoming period, suggest a positive outlook for the company's profitability in the near term.
To gain deeper insights and additional InvestingPro Tips on South State Corporation, interested readers can explore https://www.investing.com/pro/SSB. There are more tips available, including the company's profitability over the last twelve months and its strong operating income margin. For those considering an InvestingPro subscription, use coupon code PRONEWS24 to get up to 10% off a yearly Pro and a yearly or biyearly Pro+ subscription.
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