HomeTrust Bancshares (NYSE:HTB) Sets New 52-Week High – Still a Buy?

HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:HTB)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $51.00 and last traded at $49.0210, with a volume of 376 shares. The stock had previously closed at $49.43.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

HTB has been the topic of several analyst reports. Hovde Group lifted their price target on shares of HomeTrust Bancshares from $46.50 to $47.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of HomeTrust Bancshares from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, April 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, HomeTrust Bancshares presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $47.00.

HomeTrust Bancshares Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 1.05. The business has a fifty day moving average of $47.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $837.39 million, a P/E ratio of 12.87 and a beta of 0.80.

HomeTrust Bancshares Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 14th were given a dividend of $0.15 per share. This is a positive change from HomeTrust Bancshares’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 14th. HomeTrust Bancshares’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 15.50%.

Insider Buying and Selling at HomeTrust Bancshares

In related news, CEO Hunter Westbrook sold 31,022 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.81, for a total transaction of $1,421,117.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 105,828 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,847,980.68. This trade represents a 22.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Kristin Y. Powell sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.78, for a total value of $46,780.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 21,595 shares in the company, valued at $1,010,214.10. This trade represents a 4.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 61,000 shares of company stock valued at $2,794,550 over the last ninety days. 11.02% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On HomeTrust Bancshares

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. California State Teachers Retirement System bought a new position in shares of HomeTrust Bancshares in the 1st quarter valued at about $37,000. CrossGen Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in HomeTrust Bancshares during the first quarter valued at approximately $91,000. Sterling Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in HomeTrust Bancshares during the first quarter valued at approximately $105,000. Royal Bank of Canada bought a new stake in shares of HomeTrust Bancshares in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $153,000. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new position in shares of HomeTrust Bancshares in the 1st quarter worth approximately $187,000. 60.94% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About HomeTrust Bancshares

HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc is the bank holding company for HomeTrust Bank, a regional community bank that provides a range of commercial and consumer banking services. Through its subsidiary bank, the company offers traditional deposit and lending products, including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, residential mortgages, home equity lending, and business loans. HomeTrust also delivers treasury management and payment services for small and midsize businesses, along with digital banking tools to support day-to-day account access and payments.

The company’s product set extends beyond core banking to include wealth management and trust services, commercial real estate financing, and specialized lending for agriculture and construction where relevant to local markets.