Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC) Upgraded to “Hold” at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Saturday.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on HWC. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Hancock Whitney in a report on Friday, August 7th. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Hancock Whitney in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. DA Davidson lifted their target price on shares of Hancock Whitney from $79.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Barclays boosted their price objective on Hancock Whitney from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $87.00 target price on shares of Hancock Whitney in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $83.78.

Hancock Whitney Stock Up 0.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:HWC opened at $79.78 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 0.82. Hancock Whitney has a 52-week low of $54.05 and a 52-week high of $80.13. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $75.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $69.83. The firm has a market cap of $6.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.64 and a beta of 0.95.

Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The company reported $1.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.55. Hancock Whitney had a net margin of 21.81% and a return on equity of 11.36%. The business had revenue of $403.57 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $398.89 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.37 EPS. Hancock Whitney’s revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Hancock Whitney will post 6.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hancock Whitney Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 4th will be issued a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 4th. Hancock Whitney’s payout ratio is presently 39.22%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO Michael M. Achary sold 22,694 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.18, for a total value of $1,728,828.92. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 44,160 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,364,108.80. This trade represents a 33.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Christine L. Pickering sold 417 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.16, for a total transaction of $28,005.72. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 25,066 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,683,432.56. This trade represents a 1.64% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 0.92% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hancock Whitney

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in HWC. Amundi bought a new stake in Hancock Whitney in the first quarter valued at $50,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in Hancock Whitney by 4.6% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 51,664 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,710,000 after acquiring an additional 2,255 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Hancock Whitney by 22.9% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,755 shares of the company’s stock worth $197,000 after acquiring an additional 700 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its position in shares of Hancock Whitney by 4.2% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 287,471 shares of the company’s stock worth $15,078,000 after acquiring an additional 11,551 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC raised its position in shares of Hancock Whitney by 951.9% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 123,812 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,494,000 after acquiring an additional 112,042 shares in the last quarter. 81.22% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Hancock Whitney

Here are the key news stories impacting Hancock Whitney this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Long-term earnings remain expected to grow. Zacks Research projects FY2027 EPS of $7.22, compared with $6.42 for FY2026, suggesting continued earnings expansion despite recent revisions. Zacks Research Expects Stronger Earnings for Hancock Whitney
• Positive Sentiment: M&A and higher-rate potential provide bullish catalysts. A Seeking Alpha analysis argued that Hancock Whitney’s rally is supported by possible industry consolidation and the earnings benefits that could result from higher interest rates, although the article’s conclusion was a downgrade. Hancock Whitney: M&A And Higher Rates Justify The Rally (Downgrade)
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent operating performance provides support. Hancock Whitney’s latest reported quarter showed $1.55 in EPS, in line with estimates, while revenue exceeded expectations and increased 6.9% year over year. This helps explain investor confidence, though the results are not from the current news cycle.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed multiple EPS forecasts. The firm reduced its estimates for Q3 2026 EPS to $1.62 from $1.63 and FY2026 EPS to $6.42 from $6.45. It also lowered Q4 2026 to $1.73 from $1.75, Q1 2027 to $1.72 from $1.73, Q2 2027 to $1.77 from $1.79, Q3 2027 to $1.83 from $1.84, and FY2027 to $7.22 from $7.24. Zacks maintains a “Hold” rating, indicating limited conviction in additional near-term upside.

About Hancock Whitney

Hancock Whitney Corporation (NASDAQ: HWC) is a regional financial services company headquartered in Gulfport, Mississippi. The firm was established in April 2019 through the merger of Hancock Holding Company and Whitney Holding Corporation, each of which traced its roots to the late 19th century. This combination created one of the largest bank holding companies in the Gulf South region, with a network of branches serving both urban and rural communities.

The company’s core business activities include commercial banking, retail banking and wealth management services.