Royal Bank Of Canada Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) Stock

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) had its target price increased by research analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada from $29.00 to $30.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “sector perform” rating on the bank’s stock. Royal Bank Of Canada’s price target suggests a potential upside of 10.53% from the company’s current price.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $28.00 price objective on shares of Associated Banc in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on shares of Associated Banc from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their target price on shares of Associated Banc from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Friday. Truist Financial upped their target price on Associated Banc from $27.00 to $29.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Associated Banc from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 3rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $29.10.

Associated Banc Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of NYSE ASB traded down $0.33 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $27.14. 249,033 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,250,842. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.90. Associated Banc has a 1-year low of $18.32 and a 1-year high of $28.02. The stock has a market cap of $4.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.86, a PEG ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 0.79. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $26.19 and a 200 day simple moving average of $25.79.

Associated Banc (NYSE:ASB) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The bank reported $0.80 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $393.52 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $382.06 million. Associated Banc had a return on equity of 9.45% and a net margin of 7.23%.During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.72 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Associated Banc will post 2.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Patrick Edward Ahern sold 30,489 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.70, for a total value of $783,567.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 24,055 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $618,213.50. This trade represents a 55.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP John A. Utz sold 2,135 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.41, for a total value of $56,385.35. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 109,842 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,900,927.22. This represents a 1.91% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 35,951 shares of company stock worth $925,756 over the last 90 days. 1.45% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Associated Banc

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Associated Banc during the second quarter valued at approximately $48,373,000. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Associated Banc by 679.4% in the 3rd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 2,223,694 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $57,171,000 after purchasing an additional 1,938,393 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Associated Banc by 139.1% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,748,667 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $61,927,000 after purchasing an additional 1,598,951 shares during the period. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. grew its position in shares of Associated Banc by 4,883.7% during the 3rd quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 1,385,666 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $35,625,000 after purchasing an additional 1,357,862 shares in the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Associated Banc by 32.5% in the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,629,549 shares of the bank’s stock worth $67,606,000 after purchasing an additional 645,676 shares during the period. 82.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Associated Banc

Here are the key news stories impacting Associated Banc this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat estimates — GAAP EPS was $0.80 (ahead of consensus) and revenue topped expectations, signaling better‑than‑expected quarter-to-quarter performance. Associated Banc‑Corp GAAP EPS of $0.80 beats by $0.09, revenue of $389.36M beats by $7.04M
• Positive Sentiment: Record full‑year earnings — Associated reported net income available to common equity of $463 million ($2.77/share) for 2025, which strengthens the company’s full‑year earnings narrative and supports investor confidence in credit and fee performance. Associated Banc‑Corp Delivers Record Annual Net Income Available to Common Equity of $463 Million in 2025
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call/transcript and slides available — management commentary and the slide deck were released; investors should review the transcript and slides for details on loan growth, margin drivers and capital deployment plans before assuming persistent outperformance. Associated Banc‑Corp (ASB) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage echoes beats but digs into details — Zacks and other outlets note the EPS/revenue beats and compare key metrics versus estimates and prior year; these write‑ups can guide near‑term sentiment but don’t add new surprises. Associated Banc‑Corp (ASB) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Liquidity and valuation considerations — the firm’s current and quick ratios are ~0.90 (below 1), and the stock trades at a P/E near 29, which could limit upside if growth or margin improvements stall. Investors should weigh liquidity metrics and valuation against the earnings beat.

About Associated Banc

Associated Banc-Corp, through its primary subsidiary Associated Bank, N.A., is a regional financial services company headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The bank operates more than 200 branches across the Midwest, offering community-focused banking solutions for individuals, small businesses and commercial clients. Its emphasis on personalized service and regional decision-making supports long-standing customer relationships.

On the consumer side, Associated Bank provides checking and savings accounts, residential mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto financing and credit card products.